Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- ‘Nurturing’ Mukhriz Mahathir
- Election dilemma among Indian voters
- White elephants of Penang
- Did BN’s Bumiputera policies backfire?
- The al-Bukhary story
- Why is it so difficult to give up a seat?
- Masing’s swipe at Taib?
- Let’s talk about the AG’s Report
- Can Nik Aziz go the distance?
- Umno’s chief crony
| Posted: 31 Oct 2012 03:59 PM PDT The gap in Umno and the distrust amongst the leadership is getting wider. Toffee Rodrigo, FMT The intrigue in Umno today is greater than the intrigue in the forbidden city during the last days of Chinese Emperors. It is a sure sign of a declining Umno in a 'dog eat dog' situation. The gap in Umno and the distrust amongst the leadership is getting wider. Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin has asked his camp to play low key. If anything has to be unleashed against Najib and his "mentor", it has to be sudden and at a crucial time, so as not to allow for an opportunity for the Mahathirian camp to fight back. "It should be swift and decisive, there will be no turning back," Muhyiddin was quoted as having told his inner circles. Muhyiddin is very uncomfortable with Mahathir and he has to watch every step he takes. He can't have his plans leaked. Thus far he seems to be doing fine on that score, but you can never tell in Umno, especially with Mahathir who is famous for buying out Umno boys to get what he wants. And there are people in Johor Umno who are willing to align with Mahathir in this war. Uphill task for Muhyddin Mahathir has the funds or at least the sources from which he can squeeze it out. Muhyiddin has his back against the wall. Under normal circumstances, an Umno deputy will be able to muster funds at will, but now after the Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's NFC affair, it has been made very difficult for him. In Umno today, it's money that talks, not Bahasa Melayu, but money! So it is an uphill task for Muhyiddin, but sources say he has a good following and can turn the tables – money politics or not. The not so intelligent (Home Minister) Hishammuddin Hussein does not have enough money to spend so lavishly to win any position. He also does not have the support of the grassroots to make himself invulnerable, so he goes the way of Mukhriz, whose father and siblings together with their cronies will outbid anyone on the scene. So Hisham will play the Mahathirian plan although he hates it, like his father, he will be used by Mahathir as a stop gap premier and then moved out ungraciously. Mahathir is looking to park his son Mukhriz' interests. If you notice Mukhriz has been rather quiet, very quiet for anyone's liking. He has ambitions and his father has plans to nurture that ambition but where he parks himself in this controversy and this power struggle in Umno will determine his future in the party, and both him and his father know that and are worried sick on how to solve this power equation.
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| Election dilemma among Indian voters Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:11 PM PDT
"In relation to the job placement in Government, we are now having a 3% of Indians in the government work sector and we will further upgrade to advance the current percentage up to 7%. In terms of privilege, the government has allocated 180 million Ringgit Malaysia for the Indians in terms to consolidate any business", said Komala. The Malaysian Times The Indian community makes up a majority of two million in the current population, and to picture, if Barisan National loses this majority of voters due to their decline in involvement of voting, how would it be possible for the ruling party, to prevail in this election? Comparing the votes posted for BN from year 2004 to 2008, there is a radical drop in the number of votes. In year 2004, studies reveals that the vote count for BN was 90.87 and in year 2008 the total amount of votes dropped to 51.50 even though the percentage of electorates shows a sum of 100.00% electorates participated in the voting. We could assume that social disharmony is an aspect to be taken into account for the decline of Indian voters. Under the umbrella of one Malaysia, we are all supposed to be united regardless of racial, religious or cultural backgrounds. Be it BN or Opposition, they are still serving the country in different ways; nevertheless they still contribute to the same responsibility; to make the country a better place to live instead of fighting over power. The dispute over racial harmony can be visibly noticed when the very day, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, publicly unveiled the 1 Malaysia logo and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Education, said " UMNO would fight to the last drop of blood to protect Malay rights". Highlighting the statement said above, has this probably affected the mentality of our Indian Community to not vote as they are perception that the government is biased? How can this type of biased statement be announced especially in a 1 Malaysia seminar? Shouldn't the statement be general and not too specific to ensure that the government is not mistaken by the Indians and even Chinese? This may be an explanation to why Indian voters are fading away time to time. COMMENTS To a further study on why Indian voters are declining; interviews were conducted by TMT reporter, in random with the public to observe their views on the decline of Indian voters. "I personally feel that there is a decline in Indian voters it is probably due to the distribution of wealth to the respective races, not on an equal basis and the Indians are looking for fairness", said Ahamad Azmi Alip, 36, a Bank Executive. "The Indians is not given adequate chance to fill the government jobs regardless if you are a Malay, then only you may be a part of the government sector, I also think that the current government should dissolve and new government should be established", said, Rajendran, 50, a driver.
"I would say it is all started from the government unfairness, and that can be visibly seen through the education system, whereby there is inequality when it comes to the receiving of scholarships and the entrance into local universities", said, Raaj Kumar, 22, a Software Engineer. In regards to these voices of the Rakyat, TMT reporter then carried out an interview with Datin Paduka Komala Devi, National Wanita MIC Chief, to give out her views based on the voices of the Rakyat. "We are doing our part for the Indians, I also know that many are dissatisfied about the government, but we are also doing our part as a government to serve all with benefits and privileges", said Komala. "We have set up SITF, Special Implementation Taskforce on Indian Community, which was established to ensure that Malaysian Indians are able to access the service, programs and projects of the federal government in a just fair and equitable way, which is wanted by everyone", added, Komala. "In relation to the job placement in Government, we are now having a 3% of Indians in the government work sector and we will further upgrade to advance the current percentage up to 7%". "In terms of privilege, the government has allocated 180 million Ringgit Malaysia for the Indians in terms to consolidate any business", said Komala. "Meanwhile about education, we have increased the amount of intake of students into the matriculation, and the scholarships will be given to those who have reached the standard qualification criteria". However, if they are not qualified for the scholarship, they still receive funds assistance from PTPTN thus they are still able to study, In addition to education fund assistance, MIED also helps those who are in need of financial help for education". Komala also continued further by saying, "We are expecting a percentage of 70-80% of votes from the Indians for BN, because we have taken up so many initiatives for the betterment of the Indians", added Komala. Thus we can conclude that the, Malaysian government must focus on building a strong, impartial executive, legislative and judiciary system, as a result to keep up with the Malaysian society of today. The government must grow up and shed its childish race-based mindset.
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| Posted: 29 Oct 2012 07:17 PM PDT  Wisma Central is an eyesore with its peeling paint and tired look. Many of the lots in the building are vacant. — Pictures by K.E. Ooi By Opalyn Mok, The Malaysian Insider Smack in the middle of George Town stands a tired-looking squat commercial complex with peeling paint and vacant windows that has seen better days. This is Wisma Central, a commercial building that used to be a hive of activities almost 20 years ago when it housed offices of airlines, travel agencies, hairdressers, tailors and also a college. Now, the building looks derelict and abandoned, with only a few businesses still in operation within the building.  Midlands Park used to be a major shopping centre but is now a forlorn, almost forgotten complex with only a few retail shops still remaining while the rest have moved out. Still, despite its choice location and with ample basement parking space too, businesses have either closed down or relocated over the years. In Penang, huge commercial and retail complexes, especially decades-old ones, often have a very low occupancy rate of between 20 per cent and 70 per cent. These are the very complexes that are becoming the white elephants of Penang, with barely struggling businesses occupying a few lots within the buildings while more spanking new complexes are being built elsewhere. A few years ago, a CIMB research report stated that there is a commercial glut in Penang, with the state recording the lowest occupancy rate for office space in the country at 76 per cent and the second lowest for retail space at 70 per cent. Now, the situation has worsened as the occupancy rate for commercial and office complexes in the state continues to dip and more buildings fall victim to neglect and poor management. Some investors saw the potential in some of the complexes and decided to give these buildings a new breath of life and, hopefully, bring back the crowds and economic activities to these places. One of these complexes, Island Plaza, was given a facelift in recent years. This was one of the first upscale malls on the island located in Tanjung Tokong.  The empty hallways of the mostly vacant Plazone in Pulau Tikus. Another one is Penang Plaza, also strategically located in Burmah Road. An investor bought over the building and gave it a new look, far different from its former "old-fashioned" appearance. Occupancy rate may have gone up compared to previous years but it is not attracting droves of shoppers either. In Pulau Tikus, two main complexes that are left to die a slow death are Plazone and Midlands Park as businesses moved out and occupancy drops to an all-time low. At Plazone, occupancy could be less than 20 per cent and its joint management body is at its wit's end trying to figure out a way to bring life back to the ailing complex. The eight-storey tall building now only has a small supermarket on the ground floor as the anchor tenant and a sporadic few businesses within it. "We are now thinking of how we can spruce up this place and make it a choice location for offices and retail lots again," said a management committee member. They have an uphill journey ahead as just a few kilometres down the road the more well-known Midlands Park is also suffering a similar fate. It is not only old commercial buildings that are suffering low occupancy rates and turning into white elephants but a few new ones are also going down the same path.  Even as older retail complexes are suffering from low occupancy rates, new ones are being built. Now, it is being promoted as a food mall with many food and beverage outlets opening there and yet, the occupancy rate is dismal compared to its nearest competitor, First Avenue. These white elephants, however, do not compute to a poor economic situation in the state as investors are taking up pre-war houses within the heritage zone and opening up restaurants, cafés and boutique hotels.
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| Did BN’s Bumiputera policies backfire? Posted: 29 Oct 2012 07:03 PM PDT Over the years, the National Economic Policy became an affair of the elite, leaving the masses stuck in the mirage of the 'Malay Dream'. Amir Ali, FMT The Barisan Nasional (BN) is having its back against the wall, accused of all sorts of misgivings and of being unfit to continue to rule the nation. But the real question is what has the BN not done for the majority community in the country? And this question leads us to a series of questionable policies that have failed the Malays, contrary to the assertions by Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The former prime minister has insisted time and again that the BN's policies have benefited the Malays, creating wealth for them and helping them to keep their political and economic strength. If that was the case, then why is it that a large majority of Malay citizens are still part of the middle class while the poverty level has also increased among the Malays? Why are there only a handful of really rich Malays (millionaires and billionaires) if the policies promoted by the BN for the past decades had really benefited the Malay-Muslim majority in the country? Why is it that many Malays are struggling to achieve a certain level of economic strength despite the National Economic Policy (NEP) favouring the Malays? The answer to that, according to Mahathir, is that the Malays are lazy and that instead of taking advantage of the facilities offered to them, they converted the "goodies", especially tailor-made for Malays, into cash machines. They sold their rights and businesses to non-Malays and this benefited the non-Malays while it only made those who were granted the goodies temporarily rich. It can be argued that parts of these assertions are true. There were always stories about how some greedy businessmen from the Malay community took advantage of the system only to turn the projects into cash cows. NEP, an 'affair of the elite' There were always stories of how they would sell the tenders, the projects and the contracts to others in order to make the easier money instead of being involved fully in the deals. And there were surely cases where some members of the majority community would siphon off the money rather than invest in the earmarked projects. All these tales have not helped the Malay-Muslim community in the country and it is this lack of tact from some people that has caused the community to be behind schedule of the NEP. The fact is that the authorities formulated policies that were made to benefit the masses but only a few, well-placed people with connections made it to the top. In their march to success, these members of the community failed to distribute the goodies and the benefits they earned to the masses. They probably thought their success were their personal achievements and was not achieved with a helping hand from the state. They also forgot, only too fast, that the financial, structural or logistic aid they received was designed to uplift the entire community. Over the decades the NEP became an affair of the elite, of those who were rising while the masses were stuck in the mirage of the "Malay Dream". The BN and Umno are trying very hard to get the support from the Malay-Muslims in the next general election. But the ruling coalition does not have the same "panacea" that they had before. The reason is that the Malay-Muslim community in general does not believe the NEP helped them or made them rich. No benefits Most of the goodies handed over by the BN during the course of this year have only been in the form of temporary aid and have been limited to a class of people that would probably have voted for the BN anyway. The Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia, too, is not a populist step as it reflected that only those who are really struggling can benefit from this policy. Under the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi regime, there was much hooray about the new-found pro-Muslim policies under the concept of "halal" industries and businesses.
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| Posted: 29 Oct 2012 06:52 PM PDT An embarrassment of business opportunities, political patronage and debts. The Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary story. CT Ali, FMT Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary is like a king? First it was FLOM and now it is SMIK? (Syed Mokhtar is King).What will our king have to say about this pretender to his throne who also happens to be a tycoon – something which our king is not. All this came from that MP from Kinabatangan, Bung Mokhtar Radin. The first question I want to ask of this Sabah Umno leader is why has he got his beady eyes trained on this Syed Mokhtar guy? I am no fan of Syed Mokhtar but why is Bung Mokhtar breaking ranks with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in the same way he did with Shahrizat Abdul Jalil – and you know what happened to Shahrizat after that. Or is Bung Mokhtar taking a position to the rear of Najib's unprotected left flank ready to do battle against Najib? Or has Syed Mokhtar done a Abdul Razak Baginda on Bung Mokhtar? Remember what Razak Baginda did to Altantuya Shaariibuu? He did a runner on her once he was in the money! Did Syed Mokhtar not deliver on what he promised Bung Mokhtar? There may be loyalty amongst thieves but amongst politicians it is a scarce commodity. Today Najib, tomorrow Muhyiddin Yassin. Today one wife tomorrow two. This is the stuff Barisan Nasional MPs are made of… deceit, duplicity, greed, arrogance, large doses of libido and a misplaced self worth. But Bung Mokhtar's life is just a little sandiwara as opposed to the operatic saga that is Syed Mokhtar's. Is Syed Mokhtar too big to fail? I think the adage that when you owe the banks billions, your continued success in business is as much the banks' interest as it is yours rings true with Syed Mokhtar. Colossal debts This is Halim Saad all over again. Shades of Amin Shah creeps into the picture while Tajuddin Ramli smiles at the irony of it all – another bumiputera businessman doing his national service the hard way – raking a debt of RM34.3 billion courtesy of his political masters aka Umno. There are countries in Africa that have gone comatose with debts less than that. This all too familiar comedy of bumiputera businessmen doing business the Umno way is good for a laugh if not for the real tragedy that will befall our nation when they fail. And fail he will. RM34.3 billion buys a lot of coconuts but what does he do with RM34.3 billion worth of coconuts? What do you do with RM34.3 billion worth of debt? And so Syed Mokhtar has a lot of troubled companies in his stable and counting. When does he stop, how does he stop and when will Umno allow their cash cow to stop accumulating debts? When will Umno ever learn? Some very rich Malay now becomes richer as his political patron makes him richer in order for this very rich Malay to pay for his political patronage. Very soon no political solution can be found to resolve the RM34.3 billion debt he has incurred. His ability to manage his political patron it is not matched by his ability to manage his RM34.3 billion debt. Soon the very rich Malay fades to obscurity… preferably somewhere abroad. We have seen this comedy of errors enacted many times before in companies and businessmen linked to Umno. With very rare exception, the Chinese businessman who profited from political patronage goes from strength to strength and at times even from one prime minister to the next one. Not the Malay businessman. He has an embarrassment of business opportunities thrown at him by his political masters. Even more than what he, his family, his relatives and friends can handle – even his driver too. The banks are tripping over each other in offering him more money then there are PAS supporters in Kelantan. And still in the end they all fail. An embarrassment of business opportunities, an embarrassment of loans on offer and an embarrassment of debts – all too familiar a scenario with Malay businessmen who owed their fortunes to political patronage.
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| Why is it so difficult to give up a seat? Posted: 29 Oct 2012 04:30 PM PDT As a socialist party, the DAP must be just and fair to all and not favour a handful to contest in two seats as a safety net. Athi Shankar, FMT Two more DAP grassroots leaders here have rallied behind their party supremo Karpal Singh's call for a "one man – one seat" electoral formula. Welcoming the call as "timely and fair" to all party candidates, Pahang vice-chairman J Apalasamy and Taman Gembira branch chairman Ivan Ho Fook Keong also urged all nine party elected representatives who held two seats to heed Karpal's suggestion and publicly declare their choice of seat. The duo could not understand why it has been so difficult for the double-hat wearers to scale back on one seat. Both Apalasamy and Ho said if the elected representatives insisted on contesting double seats in the next polls, it would show that they were selfish and power crazed politicians. They accused the dual seat holders of wanting to monopolise power and enjoy multiple perks at the expense of majority party members. "They must put party interests above their selfish interests. "They should make way for other capable and dynamic party members to contest. "The party should build for the future," they told FMT here today. Penang has the most number of elected representatives who are both MPs and assemblymen. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is Bagan MP and Air Putih assemblyman, Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy is Batu Kawan MP and Prai assemblyman and the state senior executive councillor and Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow is Tanjung MP and Padang Kota assemblyman. Other DAP double-hatters are Beruas MP and Sitiawan assemblyman Ngeh Koo Ham, Taiping MP and Pantai Remis assemblyman Nga Kor Ming (Perak); Seputeh MP and Kinrara assemblywoman Teresa Kok Suh Sim (Selangor) and Rasah MP and Lobak assemblyman Anthony Loke Siew Fook (Negeri Sembilan). In Sarawak state DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng is Sibu MP and Bukit Assek assemblyman while state party secretary Chong Chieng Jen is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman. Strong support from grassroots Last Friday, Karpal who has all along proposed for a one man– one seat formula, called on all double-seat holders to declare that they would only contest a seat in the next polls instead of waiting for the party decide for them. Under Karpal's proposal, exemption could be given to the Penang Chief Minister and candidates in Sabah and Sarawak to contest dual seats on a-need-to basis. Karpal's call met stinging criticisms from likes of Chow and Teresa Kok. They described the issue as "an old story" and rebuked Karpal for highlighting it in the media. Supporting Karpal, Apalasamy said it would be an injustice if the party were to favour a handful to contest both federal and state seats as safety nets when majority candidates were going for broke contesting one seat. He also questioned the need to provide the safety nets to certain politicians. "Whats so special about them that they must be given two seats? As a socialist party, the DAP must be just and fair to all," insisted Apalasamy. He rebuked politicians who want dual seats as safety nets of lacking confidence and at the same time denying another winnable candidate a chance to serve the people. When these politicians go for double-headers, he said it showed that they lacked confidence in winning either one or both the seats.
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| Posted: 28 Oct 2012 06:30 PM PDT Parti Rakyat Sarawak has declared itself the "true custodian" of Dayaks in Sarawak, putting a spoke perhaps in Taib's divide and rule strategy. Parliamentary election's is not Taib's top priority, but state is. Rumours are rife that he's had a finger in the chaos within SUPP, SPDP and PRS. A divided state coalition allows him to have better control of his 'partners' and an increasingly empowered native community courtesy of the opposition. Free Malaysia Today SIBU: Was Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing sending out a message to Chief Minister Taib Mahmud with his speech during the party's eight anniversary dinner here last Saturday? Masing's emphasis on PRS being a "truly Dayak party" and that its elected representatives were "all Dayaks" wasn't just a frivolous statement. It was tactical. It comes at a time of the rapid 'Dayak awakening' amongst the rural native communities courtesy of the alternative media, Radio Free Sarawak and a brazen opposition. Fueling this 'awakening' is the floundering Barisan Nasional partners – Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United Peoples party (SUPP) – who can't seem to get their act together. The only 'water-tight' party appears to be PRS and Taib's PBB which incidentally is facing simmering discontent within its Bumiputera wing led by the allegedly much spineless Alfred Jabu Numpang. The next parliamentary election which must be held by April 2013 will be a challenging one for Sarawak BN's component parties. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is desperately in need of Sarawak's 31 seats in view of the fluid political situation in Sabah and in the peninsular. In the last parliamentary elections in 2008, it was Sabah and Sarawak's collective 56 seats that helped BN retain Putrajaya. Sabah and Sarawak each lost one seat to the opposition, delivering 54 seats to the federal coalition. But the current scenario is somewhat different. The latest spin from the ground in Sabah is that the Musa Aman-led BN could lose up to 10 if not 12 of the 25 contestable parliamentary seats. In Sarawak the seat sharing ratio stands at PPB (14), SUPP (seven) PRS (six) SPDP (4) As it stands, speculations are rife that BN could lose up to seven seats from amongst SUPP, SPDP and PRS. Taib, on his part, has guaranteed Najib a return on all 14 of PBB's parliamentary seats and there's no reason for the PM to doubt his ability especially after his performance in the last state election. Taib is not too concerned about parliament. PRS truly represents Dayaks Parliamentary election's is not Taib's top priority, but state is. Rumours are rife that he's had a finger in the chaos within SUPP, SPDP and PRS. A divided state coalition allows him to have better control of his 'partners' and an increasingly empowered native community courtesy of the opposition. Masing is said to be a thorn in Taib's side. In the run-up to last year's state election, Masing, unhappy with Taib constantly ignoring his proposals, met directly with Najib and in one instant managed to thwart attempts to allow an ex-PRS incumbent elected representative, Larry Sng, from contesting. On Saturday, stamping PRS' sway over Sarawak's majority Dayak community, Masing said the party was the "custodian" of Dayak interest and that its elected representatives were "duty bound" to protect the race. "For all intents and purposes, PRS is the party which truly represents rural constituencies where most of the Dayaks happen to reside. "Therefore, we do not apologise for who we are and the basis of our political stand and struggles," he said alluding perhaps to the known 'issues' between him and Taib. Masing further warned members to be wary of "attempts" to stir discontent within the party adding that enemies and approaches came in different forms. "There are people who are envious of our strength and will try to de-stabilise us. They maybe individuals or groups. "They will (either) contest against us when the general election is called (or) slyly fight us by pretending to our friends or friends of the group and pull us down. "The other way is to de-stabilise us is by picking on some of our members who exhibit certain weaknesses. This will be a subtle approach and by people who we are familiar with. Thus without realizing it, we will fall into a trap which will eventually break the party's solidarity," said Masing.
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| Let’s talk about the AG’s Report Posted: 28 Oct 2012 04:14 PM PDT Leakages and wastages are not confined only to BN states; Pakatan state governments are equally guilty of the same charge! By Abdul Rahman Dahlan, FMT But the truth is stranger than fiction – or so I have found out. My attempt to level the playing field by speaking up against the mismanagement of Pakatan states was met with thunderous objection in the august house. No less than five opposition MPs stood up to prevent me from finishing my speech. All is well, for Hansard never lies. When chaos got the better of my words, I decided to pen down my analysis in the spirit of informing the public that life in Pakatan states is not necessarily a bed of roses, too. Kelantan The project was initially set to help the Kelantan poor by promising (for lack of better word) a monthly dividend and salary of RM200 and RM700 respectively. On top of that, the project planned to provide free accommodation and to stimulate the local employment rate. Of course, promises are meant to be broken. All of these promises never materialized. The poor who placed their hopes in this program are now still stuck in status quo. When two projects under the program failed to meet their targets, the Kelantan state government – through Perbadanan Pembangunan Ladang Rakyat Kelantan (PPLRK) – leased out the remaining 17 projects (total land involved is 76,780 acres) to 16 selected companies. But as the AG's report so aptly pointed out, no specific committee had been set up to evaluate the ability or past performance of the 16 companies. Much worse was when apparently, the 16 listed were actually suggested by none other than the CEO of PPLRK himself! Ah, the joys of running you own empire must be intoxicating, I believe. To compound the problem even further, audit analysis of the agreements with the 16 companies showed that the terms were lop-sided and were heavily stacked against the state government's interests. For example, in the 20-year lease period, the companies are set to gain total net profit of RM1.6 billion. However, they would only pay Kelantan state government RM421 million in lease payments. The estimated net profit of the 16 companies is a staggering RM59 million a year for the next 20 years! And who are the stakeholders behind Liziz Standaco Sdn. Bhd.? In yet another land controversy in Kelantan, the AG's report took the state government to task for offering 1,000 acres of land to Liziz Standaco in 2003. This was supposed to be for a 12-year riverbank development and beautification project. In consideration thereof, Liziz Standaco must return to the state government assets amounting to RM389.09 million. But as far as the AG's Report is concerned, the Kelantan state government has only received a paltry sum of RM45.7 million to date. The remaining RM343.4 million is still outstanding at the time this analysis is drafted. Eyebrows were raised in concern when the AG's report also stated that Liziz Standaco had pledged 13.52 acres of the land in question as collateral to secure a RM75 million loan. While it is not immediately clear whether Liziz Standaco had used part of the RM75 million's loan to pay the RM45.7 million to state government, it can in many ways suggest that the company is not in the best financial footing to navigate the project to the shore of success. Kedah Some might argue that KCB's RM1 million scandal is pale in comparison to that of NFC's that involved RM250 million. But I disagree. Wastage, by any other name, is still a wastage – especially so for a small economy like Kedah. If we still insist to go by figures and statistic, the RM1 million involved in this case tantamount to 0.10% of Kedah's 2011 state budget of RM1 billion. Taken in this perspective, we will also find that the 0.10% is at par with NFC's 0.11% wastage vis-à-vis RM230 billion of the federal budget. KCB was also frowned upon when it made generous payments on two failed projects. The first involved the payment of RM4.26 million to a company in Papua New Guinea for a palm oil project which subsequently failed. The second involved a payment of RM1.6 million to a consultant company to "arrange" a USD44 million offshore loan earmarked to fund the same Papua New Guinea's investment. Apart from failing to raise the USD44 million loan (which has since put the project in jeopardy), KCB marched ahead to borrow an additional RM3 million from five local companies. What's appalling is that the borrowing had been done without the approval from its own board! Meanwhile the AG's Report has ticked off Perbadanan Menteri Besar Kedah for paying a whopping RM1,500 per unit for repair of loose electrical distribution board in low-cost public housing projects. And rightly so, too! The government approved market price is capped at only RM15.45 per unit. The difference per unit in this case is a staggering RM1,484.55. The Perbadanan Menteri Besar Kedah had also overpaid (by 31 times) for power sockets in its low-cost public housing projects. They actually paid RM1,500 per unit when the government-approved market price is only RM50.18 per unit. Simple arithmetic will show that this constitutes an overpayment of RM1,449.82 per unit. Selangor Since its inception in 2008, 19.4% (60,972) of 313,706 of those who were born in Selangor had applied for the scheme. Out of the 60,972 applications, only 21,918 have been approved. Selangor has allocated RM13.5 million for TAWAS. But out of that amount, about RM4.5 million was meant for operational costs, setting aside only RM8 million for the actual program itself. In education sector, Selangor government had incurred losses of RM39.69 million in 2010, and RM13.56 million through Pendidikan Industri YS Sdn Bhd (PIYSB) – the organ that operates UNISEL. These are only examples of leakages and wastages in Pakatan states. If you read the AG's Report with microscopic view, you would find much more examples of the same nature.
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| Posted: 27 Oct 2012 04:54 PM PDT  Keep your promise: Dr Mahathir and Nik Aziz in a friendly situation in Kelantan around the time Nik Aziz said that the then Prime Minister should retire and that he would follow. Last Monday marked Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's 22nd year as Kelantan Mentri Besar but he is poised to contest the next general election because his party says it cannot do without their Panglima Perang or war admiral. Joceline Tan, The Star DATUK Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat eats like a bird. A normal meal would consist of about three tablespoons of rice and some fish and soft vegetables. The elderly Tok Guru is one ulama who has not given in to the sin of gluttony. He is still the same slight built he was when he became Mentri Besar of Kelantan in 1990. That is the degree of his personal discipline. He has been on a strict diet following a major heart attack in 2004 and the PAS grassroots who host meals for him at political functions are told he has to avoid meat as well as oily and spicy food. About two weeks ago, state exco member Datuk Nik Amar Nik Abdullah joined Nik Aziz for dinner before starting their ceramah in Pengkalan Chepa. "Tok Guru took a little bit of rice and ikan percik. It is awkward because I eat quite a lot. But I try to eat less when I eat with him," said Nik Amar. For years, Nik Aziz's frail health was attributed to gastritis or, as PAS people call it, "stomach problems". His health has always been delicate. He becomes unwell for various reasons – if he eats the wrong thing, if he does not eat, if his schedule is too hectic or even if he gets splashed by a few drops of rain. When he is feeling well, his wit sparkles, his smile is as sweet as that of a baby's and the freckles on his face look so cute. But when he is feeling under the weather, he becomes a glum and grumpy old man and the freckles look like liver spots. Ill health Speculation about his health has grown more acute and Nik Amar recently dismissed claims that his boss has cancer. This is not the first time the cancer rumour has cropped up. Last year, Nik Aziz himself denied he was suffering from cancer.  PAS has two sets of rules. They say the MB and the deputy must be ulama. But their No. 2 in the party is Mat Sabu who is not an ulama. - DATUK ALWI CHE AHMAD PAS leaders often say "Tok Guru is as healthy as a man his age would be". It is their way of deflecting the fact that Nik Aziz is 82 and has health issues. But the reality is that there are very few leaders in the world who are still in active politics at that age. Even the great Fidel Castro, who finally retired at 87, is taking things easy these days and only appears in public when there are rumours that he has died. Nik Aziz, however, is not clinging on to power. Earlier this year, he told a party meeting that he wished to retire but was met with a chorus of protest. They told him he is their "Panglima Perang (war admiral)" and they could not do without him. "He has to lead us in the general election. But we told him that whether or not he wishes to stay on as MB, it is up to him," said Nik Amar. Like it or not, Nik Aziz's age has become an election issue for PAS in Kelantan and especially after holding on to power for 22 years. He feels his age and there is no shortage of people out there who will let him forget it, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who has a memory like an elephant when it comes to political slights. Nik Aziz had, back in the 1990s, said that leaders should not stay for more than two terms. He asked Dr Mahathir to retire and said he would follow suit. Last week, the former Premier reminded Nik Aziz of his promise to step down. It was not exactly a gentle reminder because Dr Mahathir sort of twisted the knife and said that Malaysians should "open their eyes and reject leaders who do not honour their promises." Revenge is sweet but, as they say, it is a dish best served cold and Dr Mahathir is savouring the dish. Dr Mahathir stepped down after 22 years in power. On the other hand, Nik Aziz marked his 22nd year in power exactly six days ago – he was sworn in as Mentri Besar on Oct 22, 1990. PAS assemblyman for Gaal Dr Nik Mazian Nik Mohamad touched on the same sensitive subject when he rose to speak during the Budget session at the recent Kelantan Legislative Assembly. His fellow PAS assemblymen looked on aghast as he urged ageing leaders who had to use walking sticks to make way and referred to Nik Aziz as "aged and sickly". Egged on by the opposition bench, he said he did not have to name them, they knew who they were. He went on to say there was no shortage of qualified, younger ulama to take over. Dr Nik Mazian knew he was skating on thin ice but he insisted that the assembly sitting was the best forum to raise issues of ageing leaders and succession. It was obvious that he was sticking his neck out to send a message to the top leadership. The tall and distinguished former cardiologist is a third term assemblyman and has health problems. This is very likely his last term and he knew he had nothing to lose by being frank. He is also an intelligent man and probably senses that the next general election will be the most challenging for his party. The signs are there – big crowds attending Umno ceramah, unhappiness over the sacking of former Selangor PAS leader Datuk Dr Hasan Ali as well as concern among top leaders like Datuk Dr Haron Din and Datuk Harun Taib about DAP and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. More recently, PAS veteran Datuk Shahnon Ahmad, who wrote that infamous book Shit in the 1990s, hit out at the party's partnership with DAP. State exco member Datuk Husam Musa's claim that Umno is worse than DAP will only infuriate this ultra conservative circle in PAS. He had riled the Umno side when he said that at the recent Assembly sitting. Nik Aziz is much loved but he has been up there too long. People are talking about the fact that his son Nik Abduh, who is the deputy PAS Youth chief, is about to make his electoral debut in the parliamentary seat of Pasir Putih. Sources at the party's central leadership said Nik Aziz will lead Kelantan in the election but Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakob is likely to take over the top post. Ahmad has apparently assumed many of Nik Aziz's duties. He has also taken on the task of briefing the Sultan about state affairs and has established a good relationship with the palace. Two candidates have been identified as the potential deputy: Nik Amar who is the state exco in charge of religion and education, and Nasaruddin Daud who is Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly. Husam was once a contender for the No. 2 post but his ties with the Raja Perempuan has affected his standing in the eyes of the Sultan following the fallout in the royal family. His other disadvantage is that he is not an ulama. "I am not interested in any post. I have read reports claiming I want to be a minister. One article even said I will be PM after Anwar Ibrahim. I like to joke to my friends, just make me the petroleum minister, I can bring oil royalty to Kelantan," he said. Blue-eyed boy But Husam is still the Mentri Besar's blue-eyed boy despite what his detractors may say. During the Assembly sitting, as Husam was elaborating on why he thought DAP is better than Umno, Nik Aziz suddenly stood up and left the House. By evening the gossip mill was abuzz with claims that Nik Aziz was upset with Husam for praising DAP. But the Mentri Besar apparently left to perform zohor prayers and had later called Husam to congratulate him for defending DAP. The party has been driving home the point that the Mentri Besar must be an ulama. They are aware that for the first time in decades, Umno has a Mentri Besar candidate who is acceptable to Kelantanese and the point about an ulama Mentri Besar is aimed at him. International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed has become a serious contender not because he is a high flyer or has a first class honours degree from a top Australian university. Locals respect him because he is humble, hard working and lives a moderate lifestyle. Mustapa's house in Jeli as well as his father's house in Bachok are indistinguishable from that of the average Kelantanese. State opposition leader Datuk Alwi Che Ahmad said PAS is contradicting itself on the ulama leadership. He said party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang is an ulama but the deputy Mohamed Sabu is not. "PAS has two sets of rules. They say the MB and the deputy must be ulama. But their No. 2 in the party is Mat Sabu who is not an ulama. If anything happens to Hadi, Mat Sabu will take over. So what are they talking about?" Kelantanese are even crazier about football than politics. The euphoria over the Red Warriors' winning the Malaysia Cup last week has yet to dissipate. Red is a happening colour in Kelantan so much so that the state Barisan has eschewed the official blue and gone for red as its campaign colour. PAS would like to claim credit for the Red Warriors but the team rose to the top only after Umno warlord Tan Sri Annuar Musa took over as president of the Kelantan Football Association. But football is truly one game where both parties come together. A PAS official joked that football is so popular in Kelantan because there are no nightclubs or karaoke outlets. Football matches are the only outlet for them to let their hair down, to sing, dance and shout. The PAS government's ties with the palace have never been this good. Nik Aziz has cultivated a warm working relationship with Sultan Muhammad and had even advised the sovereign to get married as soon as possible. When the Sultan replied tongue-in-cheek that Tok Guru should help find him a wife, the latter merely smiled in a diplomatic fashion. Tok Guru also has a comfortable relationship with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The Prime Minister is always respectful and solicitous in the elder man's presence. After all, Najib has seen Nik Aziz at the height of his power and also at his most vulnerable. The most famous photograph of them together is that of Najib in his shirtsleeves, leaning anxiously over Nik Aziz as he lay on a hospital bed. Najib, then the Deputy Prime Minister, had flown to Kota Baru to visit the PAS leader after the latter's heart attack. He also arranged for the VIP patient to be flown to Kuala Lumpur for further treatment. The Umno side used the picture at several by-elections to show that Najib is a caring leader but the PAS side slammed Umno for exploiting the Tok Guru's illness. Nik Aziz has some good things going for him but the pressure is building. After 22 years as the ruling party, PAS cannot pass the buck to others for the lack of progress or development in the state. There is a do-or-die mood building up in Kelantan politics and it could not have come at a worse time for Nik Aziz. The PAS leader is at his most vulnerable. Being 82 is very auspicious. In Chinese, the number means "easy to prosper". In politics, however, it simply means one has overstayed. Nik Aziz will probably be the oldest candidate in the coming general election. The grand old man of PAS has become both an asset and liability to his party.
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| Posted: 27 Oct 2012 03:35 PM PDT This wealthy Malay became a billionaire because he worked hard to become a super-crony of Mahathir and Muhyiddin. Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, FMT Umno is finding itself increasingly isolated despite having three million members. But then the Malay population in country is far more than Umno's three million members. In 2008, the Malay population was 5.7 million. Umno's candidates only garnered two million Malay votes. This means than one million of Umno's own members did not support the party because they realised that the policies touted by Umno were destroying the country. Umno only managed to gather 35% of the Malay votes. In 2008 total voter turnout was 10.9 million. Malays formed 52% of the voters. In the 13th general election, the voter turnout is expected to be 11.58 million. Malay voter turnout is expected to increase to 55% or 6.37 millions. Umno is expected to garner only 2.4 million votes this time round. This time the party, whose president Najib Tun Razak, accursed its people, will have to seek the support of the Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Vietnamese, Myanmarees and the Indonesians to win. This fact is a clear act of treason. The right to vote belongs exclusively to Malaysian citizens. Isn't it curse when immigrants are given citizenships? Why has this happened to Umno which has long since been slogeneering about Malay struggle? The answer is because the Malays have realised that since 1988, Umno's struggle has been for totalitarian power. Umno's chief crony The chief Umno crony, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary – a good friend of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin – today owns and controls a litany of companies including MMC, DRB Hicom, Proton, Malakoff, Johor Port, Senai Airport, Port of Tanjong Pelepas, Bank Muamalat, Padiberas Nasional, CSR Sugar, Gardenia, MPH Bookstores and Penang Port
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