Malaysia’s greatest political scandal: The 1MDB scandal that refuses to die

by Oliver Ward, edited by Francesca Ross

ASEAN TODAY

JUNE 26, 2017

Najib’s government is yet again on thin ice over 1MDB. It is long past time for the truth.

Najib is on thin ice. The Malaysian prime minister declared the “major challenges” of 1MDB were behind him earlier this year, yet the undying scandal has again reared its head.

The latest revelation from the tangled web of corruption is US$540 million (MYR2.3 billion) of assets the Americans say were funnelled out of the 1MBD project. The money was used to buy a 22-carat pink diamond necklace. The necklace was worth US$27 million.

Najib’s critics were quick to attack. “We need a government that is concerned with the people’s welfare. A government that does not simply abuse the country’s finances and spend money in the billions”, complained Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Malaysia’s netizens were also unhappy. One wrote “How does Dato’ Sri Najib think that people would be happy to pay the taxes when all cash will go to his wife’s jewellery?”

American investigations also show the Malaysian financier, Low Taek Jho purchased a US$3.2 million Picasso painting. He gave it to the actor Leonardo DiCaprio as a gift. This extravagant purchase with embezzled money brings the total amount of funds stolen from the project to US$4.5 billion.

The figure of misappropriated funds keeps rising

Najib set up the 1 Malaysia Development Brand (1MDB) in 2009 to transform Kuala Lumpur into an investment hub. The project secured more than US$11 billion in investment from international banks.

The cracks first showed when an investigation from the Wall Street Journal revealed more than US$700 million had been laundered from the fund. That figure has been growing ever since.

The official investigation began in 2016. Initial findings concluded that the funds were funnelled out of the projects between 2009 and 2014. They were stolen in three initial stages; the “Good Star” phase, the “Aabar-BVI” phase and the “Tanore” phase.

It is now understood there was a fourth stage – the “Options Buy-Back” phase. This involved borrowing US$1.2 billion from Deutsche Bank and other investment banks on the pretext of buying back certain bond options. These options had previously been legitimately sold to Aabar.

The investigation found US$850 million allocated to buy back these options was diverted to companies called Aabar-BVI and Aabar Seychelles. The name sounds right but neither of these companies were affiliated in any way with Aabar.

Najib maintains he is innocent

Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the 1MDB affair. This expensive diamond necklace and a Picasso painting could prove him a liar.

The purchase of both items was traced to money funnelled out of a 2013 bond offering from 1MDB. The diamond necklace was bought only months after US$680 million was deposited in Najib’s private account. The government maintain that a member of the Saudi Royal Family gave him the money.

New findings show Saudi Arabia helped Najib start the project

There has been a strong Middle East connection from the start. New evidence shows that Saudi Arabia’s PetroSaudi helped the Malaysian government come up with the 1MDB project. Financier, Low Taek Jho, first arranged a meeting between an official only identified as “Malaysian Official 1” and the co-founders of PetroSaudi in 2009.

The unnamed official and the PetroSaudi representatives developed the plan for 1MDB. Jho emailed his parents after the meeting, on September 7th stating, “just closed the deal with PetroSaudi: looks like we may have hit a goldmine”. He was right. The goldmine came straight from the Malaysian public purse.

There has been much speculation over the identity of “Malaysian Official 1”. Abdul Rahman Dahlan, a senior minister in Najib’s cabinet identifies it as Najib himself. “I have said it openly,” he said, “I agree that ‘MO1’ is the Prime Minister.” He made his admission after reading the documents involved and has confirmed what many in Malaysia already believe to be true.

The paper trail is there. It leads right to Najib’s door but he is maintaining his innocence. The scandal puts him on dangerously thin ice. The case is being investigated in six countries, including Singapore and Switzerland.

The government are not cooperating with the investigation

Swiss Attorney General, Michael Lauber has been impressed with the results of the inquiry. He believes the end result will incriminate much of the upper echelons of the Malaysian government. “It would have been very desirable from our perspective if Malaysia had cooperated,” he said, “we are still confident that we can successfully conclude the process.”

U.S Assistant Attorney General, Kenneth Blanco, is equally confident of the government’s widespread involvement. “The money financed the lavish lifestyles of the alleged co-conspirators at the expense and detriment of the Malaysian people”, he said.

The government is doing everything it can to take attention off the scandal

Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man is the Deputy Leader of the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). He believes Najib is now attempting to create a media frenzy around other issues to draw attention away from the growing scandal.

The headlines have been full of discussion of an altercation at a public event where Najib was present. The announcement of TN50 is also big news. These events pale in comparison to the juggernaut scandal of 1MDB. Najib is doing everything in his power to keep it out of the press.

The scandal could claim the resignations of the whole cabinet

The scandal is the biggest political disgrace in the Malaysia’s 60-year history. The government needs to take a more active role in the proceedings. Cooperating with the investigation would be an excellent place to start. Government officials also need to take serious steps to root out corrupt cabinet members involved in the theft.

Domestic investigations have proven fruitless and ineffective. Powerful voices can keep government names out of the newspapers. This is because Najib’s friends and allies hope they may still be able to win another election.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the case and found “No crime was committed”. A Malaysian Parliamentary Enquiry in 2016 then confirmed that billions of dollars had been moved in questionable transactions from 1MDB. Nobody has been directly accused or arrested.

Malaysia is suffering thanks to the ongoing scandal

The scandal has already caused political tension between Malaysia and their ally, the US. Talks with Abu Dhabi over who was responsible have also broken down amid tense relations.

Any members of the cabinet who are not involved need to stand up and aid the ongoing investigation. If they do not, they are effectively involved. There will be no place in Malaysian government for those who profited from the scandal or were complicit in the coverup once the investigation closes.

Smart politicians should speak up now. If they do not, they may be forced to resign once the 251-page bombshell drops in the US courts.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 27 June 2017, 12:06 am and is filed under
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Miranda Kerr gives up $A11m in jewellery

BRADLEY HOPE

The Australian

June 27, 2017

Miranda Kerr had been keeping the jewellery in a Los Angeles safe deposit box.

Australian model Miranda Kerr has handed over $US8.1 million ($A10.7m) worth of jewellery to the US Justice Department a week after lawsuits said it was purchased for her by Malaysian financier Jho Low with allegedly misappropriated funds, according to her spokesman.

Ms Kerr transferred the gifts on Friday to government agents from her safe-deposit box in Los Angeles, the spokesman said.

“From the start of the inquiry, Miranda Kerr co-operated fully and pledged to turn over the gifts of jewellery to the government,” he said. “Ms Kerr will continue to assist with the inquiry in any way she can.”

Ms Kerr isn’t a defendant in the lawsuits.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

The department filed civil-forfeiture lawsuits this year and last year seeking assets it alleges were bought with money misappropriated from a Malaysian sovereign-wealth fund called 1Malaysia Development Bhd, or 1MDB.

The jewellery is among more than $US1.7 billion worth of assets the Justice Department seeks; the assets also include a $US250 million yacht, stakes in companies and luxury real estate in London, New York and Los Angeles.

1MDB has denied any wrongdoing and said it has found no evidence any of its money was misappropriated. The fund has pledged to co-operate with any lawful investigation. Malaysia has closed all but one of its domestic investigations into 1MDB with no wrongdoing found.

Mr Low, who hasn’t been accused of a crime, said in a statement after the latest asset forfeiture cases were filed that the US government’s “latest move continues its inappropriate efforts to seize assets despite not having proven that any improprieties have occurred.” He has pledged to fight the lawsuits.

Ms Kerr dated Mr. Low for about a year in 2014, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Justice Department says that during that time he gave her four gifts of jewellery. Ms Kerr was married last month to Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel.

Mr Low bought one of the pieces, a 11.72 carat, heart-shaped diamond pendant, as a Valentine’s Day gift for Ms Kerr from the well-known jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, the civil forfeiture complaint says.

On January 29, 2014, he texted Ms Schwartz to ask about a heart-shaped necklace, adding that he had a budget of $US1 million to $US2 million and that “(s) ize matters,” the complaint says. The final cost was $US1.29 million ($A1.7m), it said.

He also gave her an 8.88-carat diamond pendant worth $US3.8 million ($A5m), the complaint says.

Earlier this month, a spokesman for actor Leonardo DiCaprio said Mr DiCaprio had turned over artwork gifted to him by Mr Low, alleged gifts described in one of the Justice Department lawsuits.

Dow Jones Newswires

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 27 June 2017, 11:01 am and is filed under
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The Cabinet should save the nation and Najib  from further embarrassment as well as avert snowballing public protests by vetoing  the Prime Minister’s appointment of Isa as SPAD Acting Chairman

The Cabinet at its meeting tomorrow should save Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the nation from further embarrassment as well as avert snowballing public protests by vetoing the Prime Minister’s shocking appointment of Tan Sri Mohd Isa  Abdul Samad as acting chairman of Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet should be convinced by now that the appointment of Isa as acting Chairman of SPAD is the most unpopular appointment of a GLC Chairman, opposed by all sectors of society, embracing the civil service, the civil society and UMNO and BN rank-and-file.  There are only brickbats and denunciations without a single good word for Isa’s new appointment.

It is most shocking that the “wizard” of government transformation, Datuk Idris Jala could even think of Isa’s appointment to head SPAD, which goes against all principles and precepts of government transformation.

Idris should clarify what “governance quantum leap” he has in mind for SPAD with his  “musical chair” proposition for Isa to be moved from FGV to SPAD.

Some 700 to 800 taxi drivers in the Klang Valley have given notice that they will launch a protest against Isa’s appointment as SPAD acting Chairman as they want someone “cleaner” for the post.

The Klang Valley Taxi Drivers Action Committee chairman Zailani Isausuludin said the protest will take place in front of the Petaling Jaya Civic Hall on July 3.

Zailani said  that cabbies in the country want someone else to helm the commission instead of Isa, whose reputation had been soiled by the Felda Global Venture Holding Bhd (FGV) boardroom tussle.

He said:”We want someone cleaner to chair SPAD. To us, bringing in another politician as chairman, like what had happened at Felda, is just a new political colonisation of SPAD. If you just need someone to chair meetings, why do you need a politician? Have we no good leaders in Malaysia?”

If the Cabinet does not have the moral and political courage to do what is right for the country to veto Najib’s appointment of Isa to head SPAD, then the 36 Ministers must expect the protests against Isa’s appointment to snowball into a national movement which would receive the support of Malaysians who are fed up with rampant corruption and blatant cronyism under the Umno/BN government.

I expect such support for the protests against corruption and cronyism as represented by Isa’s appointment to cross political party lines.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 27 June 2017, 7:52 am and is filed under
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With American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr handing over their multi-million dollar 1MDB-linked gifts from Jho Low to DOJ, all eyes are now on “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”

With American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr handing over their multi-million US dollar gifts from Jho Low to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), all eyes are now on the “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”.

Representatives of Leonardo Di Caprio  announced two weeks ago  that the American actor  had turned over an Oscar won by Marlon Brando to US investigators probing money laundering by 1MDB as well as initiated the return of other, unidentified items that the actor said he accepted as gifts for a charity auction and which originated from the international 1MDB money-laundering scam.

In July last year, Hollywood production company Red Granite was accused in a US civil lawsuit of using US$100 million that prosecutors said had been diverted from the 1MDB fund to finance DiCaprio’s 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” in which he starred.

DiCaprio said in October he was cooperating with the probe and would return any gifts or donations if they were found to have come from questionable sources.

In a new filing on 15th June 2017, the US DOJ  moved to seize artwork by Picasso and Basquiat that it said had been purchased with laundered Malaysian money and gifted to DiCaprio by associates of Red Granite.

The latest DOJ filing also sought to seize the assets of two other Red Granite produced films which US investigators alleged were financed by money from the 1MDB fund – the 2014 comedy “Dumb and Dumber To” starring Jim Carrey, and 2015 comedy “Daddy’s Home” starring Will Ferrell.

Today, it was reported that Melinda Kerr last Friday transferred the gifts which were diverted and misappropriated from 1MDB by Jho Low to DOJ agents from her safe-deposit box in Los Angeles.

Among the presents are an 11.72 carat heart-shaped diamond valued at US$1.29 million and a US$3.8 million 8.88 carat diamond pendant.

The heart-shaped diamond pendant was gifted to Kerr by Jho Low on Valentine’s Day 2014 while the heart-shaped necklace came from New York-based designer Lorraine Schwartz.

The DoJ had  filed three civil suits to seize assets, including Kerr’s jewellery, amounting to US$4.5 billion allegedly bought with money siphoned off  1MDB.

Other assets include Low’s US$250 million yacht, real estate in London, New York and Los Angeles, artworks and the gifts to “wife of MO1” – including a US$27.3 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace and 27 different 18-carat gold necklaces and bracelets worth US$1.3 million.

There were  three significant developments on the front of the gifts of US$27.3 million pink diamond necklace to the “wife of MO1”:

•	firstly, the lie by the BN BackBackbenchers Council (BNBBC) portal uploaded six days ago on June 21 claiming that the US$27.3 million (RM116 million) pink diamond necklace purchased by Jho Low for “wife of MO1” was never mentioned in the US Department of Justice third civil forfeiture suit on 1MDB, and that that it was a concoction by news portal Malaysiakini;

•	secondly, the voluntary admission by the Director of Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan that “wife of MO1” is the wife of Prime Minister, Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor in the same manner that Abdul Rahman had voluntarily admitted in a BBC interview in September last year that “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” in US DOJ’s largest kleptocratic suits to forfeit 1MDB-linked assets were none other than the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak; and

•	thirdly, the most peculiar and extraordinary  Open Letter to Political Parties by the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfriti suggesting that the US DOJ suits to forfeit 1MDB-linked assets and the allegation of the pink diamond necklace represented unacceptable “foreign intervention” in domestic affairs in Malaysia.

All eyes, not just in Malaysia, but the world are now on Rosmah, with regard to three matters:

•	Firstly, whether Rosmah  would agree with Abdul Rahman that she is the woman referred to with regard to “wife of MO1” in the US DOJ suits;

•	Secondly, whether she had received gifts from Jho Low diverted and misappropriated from 1MDB funds, such as  the US$27.3 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace and 27 different 18-carat gold necklaces and bracelets worth US$1.3 million; and

•	Thirdly, if the answer is positive to the previous question, whether she would emulate  Leonardo DiCaprio and Miranda Kerr  to hand over to the US DOJ investigators all these multi-million US dollar worth of jewellery gifts from Jho Low which were diverted and misappropriated from 1MDB funds.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 27 June 2017, 12:28 pm and is filed under
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14th General Election should be held  in the seven months between October – May and is an opportunity for Malaysians to  save the nation and wipe out the country’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide  as a global kleptocracy

The next 14th General Election should be held in the seven months  between October to May next year.

It is bruited that China’s President Xi Jinping will visit Malaysia in October this year, while Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to be released from the Sungai Buloh prison next June.

Although Anwar will not be able to contest in the general election as a candidate after his release unless he gets a full pardon from the Yang di Pertuan Agong, he will be able to travel the whole country to campaign for Pakatan Harapan, which is something the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not want to see happen.

Hence my forecast that the next general election will be held in the seven months between October to May next year, as the puasa month and Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year will be in May/June.

In the May 5, 2013 general election, voters had wanted a change in Putrajaya, and the majority of voters made it clear that this was their intention. However, although Pakatan Rakyat won the majority of the popular vote, the gerrymandering and undemocratic redelineation of electoral constituencies enabled Najib to continue as the first minority Prime Minister of Malaysia, as Barisan Nasional won 60 per cent of the parliamentary seats although it only won 47 per cent of the national votes cast.

Is there still a chance for change of Federal government in the 14th general election?

I believe the chance and possibility of change in Putrajaya in the next general election  is still there, and Malaysian voters must not give up the chance for a change of Federal government for the first time in the nation’s history.

Many voters lost hope in the possibility of change in Putrajaya with the disintegration of Pakatan Rakyat after the PAS Muktamar in June 2015, but the political landscape has continued to develop and change.

There is now a Pakatan Harapan comprising DAP, PKR, AMANAH and Parti Pribumi Bersatu of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, has recently shown that he has become a very trusted ally of the Prime Minister, and is even prepared to ensure that Najib will continue as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, despite the corruption and the nation’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

The Cabinet met this morning, but the 36 Ministers dare not  pose the issue in everyone’s mind and ask who is “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” or “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”, let alone to demand that Malaysia’s good name and standing in the international community must be cleared or cleansed from being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

Malaysians cannot depend on the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the important institutions in the country or Hadi to defend the good name and reputation in the international community, as none of them regard that there is anything wrong with the 1MDB scandal, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) litigation to forfeit US$1.7 billion of 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland, or Malaysia’s reputation as a “global kleptocracy”.

Only ordinary  Malaysian voters  in the 14th General Election can defend and save Malaysia from the infamy and ignominy of  being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

The first thing that a Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya will do  on being elected in the 14th General Election will  be to restore Malaysia’s reputation as a democracy and not a kleptocracy.

The voters in Kuantan and Pahang should join voters all over the country to vote out Najib and the UMNO/BN coalition from Putrajaya, as this is the only way to get to the bottom of the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal and redeem Malaysia’s good image and reputation in the international community.

(Speech at the kopitiam dialogue in Kuantan on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 4 pm)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 28 June 2017, 6:05 pm and is filed under
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Apandi has exceeded his powers and  jurisdiction  as Attorney General and usurped the powers of the Cabinet, in particular the Foreign Minister, when he pronounced the US DOJ kleptocratic  action as “politically motivated”

Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, has exceeded his powers and  jurisdiction as Attorney-General  and usurped the powers of the Cabinet and in particular the Foreign Minister  when he pronounced in Kota Bahru yesterday that  the US Department of Justice (DOJ)’s largest kleptocratic actions to forfeit US$1.7 billon 1MDB-linked assets out of US$4.5 billion 1MDB money-laundering activities through American banks and financial system  as “politically motivated”.

The decision whether the United States, or any other country, had been “politically motivated” in taking action, whether legal or of otherwise,  which are prejudicial to the national interests should be made by the Cabinet and not by the Attorney-General.

It is for the Attorney-General to submit such a case to the Cabinet but it is for the Cabinet to decide and act on whether the US DOJ action is “politically motivated”.

Otherwise we have   “the tail wagging the dog”  phenomenon, with the Attorney-General yesterday setting and announcing  the agenda that the US DOJ action is “politically motivated”, which is to be endorsed and acted upon by the Cabinet at its meeting today.

In our system of government, it is the AG who is  answerable to the Cabinet and not the Cabinet which is answerable and beholden to the AG!

Of course, everybody knows that  the AG would not unilaterally act in this fashion to usurp the powers of the Cabinet if he did not have the “green light” from the Prime Minister himself, but this does not in any way justify the AG usurping the powers and functions of the Cabinet.

Apandi is behaving as the most “political” Attorney-General in the nation’s history, even more “political” than Tan Sir Kadir Yusuf who as the Attorney-General in the early Merdeka years, was a member of  the Cabinet.

Apandi is under intense pressure recently  as a result of various developments, starting with the updated US DOJ kleptocratic  suits on June 15; the interview of  the former Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Zeti Aktar Aziz who clearly appointed an accusing finger at Apandi;  the handing over to the US DOJ investigators by American actor Leonardo diCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr of their multi-million US dollar gifts from Jho Low purchased from stolen 1MDB funds; and the charging of the Brazilian President Michel Temer for corruption by the Brazilian Attorney-General Rodrigo Janot,  becoming the first Brazilian sitting head of state to be formally charged with a crime.

But these extraordinary pressures cannot be reasons or excuses for Apandi to usurp the powers and functions of the Cabinet.

Apandi should heed the  advice and views of his longest-serving predecessor Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman, who served as Attorney-General from 1980 to 1993, on the law on the DOJ anti-money laundering actions.

Abu Talib said the US DOJ need not consult Malaysian authorities about the 1MDB case as investigations are confined to its jurisdiction.

He said the US was concerned about the use of its financial system to purchase assets allegedly using laundered money.

“The question of getting in touch with the Malaysian attorney-general does not arise,” Abu Talib said in response to Apandi’s complaint that the DOJ did not refer to his office about the 1MDB case.

Abu Talib said the DOJ was not investigating individuals or activities in Malaysia but their action only concerns using their financial system to acquire assets from funds which were deemed to be illegally acquired.

Is this exposition of the law of anti-money-laundering by the former Attorney-General too difficult and too deep for the present Attorney-General to understand or to grasp?

It is public knowledge that Apandi had refused to co-operate when the Swiss Attorney-General who sought co-operation from him in the Swiss investigations into the international 1MDB money-laundering scam.

Singapore, Switzerland and Luxembourg are among countries whose financial and legal regulators and enforcers have taken action against banks and bankers for their complicity in the international 1MDB money-laundering scam.

Is Apandi suggesting that Singapore, Switzerland, Luxembourg are among the countries, together with United States, which are involved in an international  political conspiracy to topple the Najib government?

It is pertinent to ask which United States political party or political personalities Apandi and those making such an allegation are referring to?

Whether the Democrats or Republicans in the United States? Whether it is former President Barack Obama when the first DOJ kleptocratic suits were filed in July 2016 or the present President Trump when the second and third series of kleptocratic suits were filed this month – and how this  tallies with Najib’s former claim as a favourite golf buddy of Obama or the present claim as Trump’s “favourite Prime Minister”?

Finally, is the Cabinet today  going to lend a façade of endorsement to the Attorney-General’s allegation of “political motivation” in the DOJ suits by  initiating   protests and other actions against the US Government and the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur?

Today is the last chance for  the Cabinet to redeem itself to prove that it is not a Cabinet of kleptocracy but a Cabinet of loyal and patriotic Malaysians who care deeply about the nations’ good name and standing in the international community.

It should do so by answering  who is “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” and “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”, as well as to  establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 1MDB scandal to clear or cleanse Malaysia’s ignominy and infamy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 28 June 2017, 6:43 am and is filed under
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The highly-expensive UMNO/BN Strategic Communications machinery completely went haywire, even sabotaging Rosmah’s propaganda campaign, as a result of US DOJ’s kleptocratic suits expanding their forfeiture targets from US$3.5 billion to US$4.5 billion 1MDB money-laundering scams

Late last night, a statement was issued in the name of the press secretary to the Prime Minister – the latest proof of the desperate straits of  the highly-expensive UMNO/BN Strategic Communications machinery which completely went haywire, even sabotaging Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor’s carefully choreographed propaganda campaign, as a result of US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic suits expanding their forfeiture targets of 1MDB-linked assets from US$3.5 billion to US$4.5 billion of 1MDB money-laundering scams through American banks.

The statement that was issued last night returned to baseless, ridiculous and even outrageous personal attacks on me – after I had virtually been forgotten in the past ten days following the expanded US DOJ kleptocratic suits to increase forfeiture of 1MDB-linked assets from US$1 billion to US$1.7 billion, including the gifts of  US$27.3 million  22-carat pink diamond necklace and 27 different 18-carat gold necklaces and bracelets worth US$1.3 million to the “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” – apart from multi-million US dollar gifts to American actor Leonardo diCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr by 1MDB “mastermind” Jho Low misappropriating stolen 1MDB billions.

After the shocking third series of US DOJ kleptocratic suits on June 15, which showed that the DOJ had not been dormant or  inactive in the past 11 months since the initial filing of kleptocratic suits against 1MDB-linked assets in July 2016, Rosmah’s handlers had painstakingly crafted a propaganda campaign to insulate her from  “attacks and false allegations”, with her lawyers in the law firm of NoorHajran Mohd Noor announcing that Rosmah’s  lawyers are “closely monitoring all postings appearing on any social media platforms and other forms of publications in relation to false and malicious attacks” against her, warning of “legal action without further notice”.

But all these carefully orchestrated plans to insulate Rosmah from the “gathering storm” from the third series of DOJ suits were destroyed by none other than the Director of Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan himself who, in his typical bravado which made him the only person to tell an BBC interview  last September that “MO1” is none other than the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, opened up public questioning on the receipient of Jho Low’s gift from stolen 1MDB funds for the US$27.3 million  22-carat pink diamond necklace after Abdul Rahman’s second admission that “the wife of MO1” is Rosmah.

Only Abdul Rahman know what game he is up to when he admitted that “MO1” is Najib and “wife of MO1” is Rosmah, something which no one else in Cabinet or Barisan Nasional dare to admit!

But there can be no doubt that the UMNO/BN strategic propaganda campaign were in sixes and sevens, despite the UMNO/BN propagandists and cybertroopers  working overtime to concoct lies, falsehoods, fake news and false information so that these lies and fake news about the DOJ suits would be the No. 1 topic among Malaysians during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri “balik kampong” season.

It would be interesting for opinion polls to establish which topic dominated the conversation during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri “balik kampong” season – whether the fact of the US$23.7 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace or the fiction of “foreign intervention” in the DOJ suits!

The desperation and bankruptcy of the “strategic”  UMNO/BN cybertroopers could be seen  from the blatant lies they concocted, for instance, the downright lie by the BN BackBackbenchers Council (BNBBC) portal claiming that the US$27.3 million (RM116 million) pink diamond necklace purchased by Jho Low for “wife of MO1” was never mentioned in the US Department of Justice third civil forfeiture suit on 1MDB, and that that it was a concoction by news portal Malaysiakini – a bald-faced lie, fake news and false information which are  still available on the BNBBC after being exposed for the past week!

Now the UMNO/BN “strategic” propagandists and cybertroopers are back to attack me with lies, fake news and false information, virtually painting me as “Master of the Universe” – who controls Datin Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Mohamad Sabu, Tan Sri Muhyiddkin Yassin, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and even the foreign governments including United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Singapore, Luxemboug to topple Najib and the UMNO/BN government.

Recently, the “strategic” UMNO/BN propagandists and cybertroopers believed that they have suceeded in creating a scenario where Najib is “unsinkable” in the forthcoming 14th General Elections, but somehow, in their heart of hearts, they themselves do not believe this scenario and fear that Najib is “sinkable” after all in the next general election whether held this year or next.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 28 June 2017, 8:27 am and is filed under
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Hadi boasts that PAS can win five states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Kedah and Selangor in next general elections when in fact, PAS will be fighting for its political life to retain power in Kelantan State Government

This is my second stop after Kuantan in  my three-day “Jelajah Desa di Pantai Timur” to Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan during this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri season.

Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, must realise the critical importance of ordinary Malaysians coming forward  to unite to save Malaysia from hurtling headlong towards a failed and rogue state.

Ordinary Malaysians must not allow  the country to join  the ranks of the failed nations,  incapable of  achieving the greatness we envisaged for our country when we attained  Merdeka 60 years ago in 1957 to be a world-class nation and a model for the world of an united, harmonious, progressive and prosperous plural nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.

South Korea is an example of a nation which had overtaken Malaysia in the past six decades.

Sixty years ago, South Korea was poor, backward and undemocratic, where there is no respect whatsoever for human rights or the principles of good governance.

Today South Korea is one of the richest and most developed nations in the world, whose Parliament and Judiciary could remove the nation’s President  and charge her for corruption and cronyism.  The former South Korean President is now in jail awaiting trial for corruption.

Malaysia has not only allowed South Korea to overtake us in economic development and progress, but we trail far behind South Korea and many other countries  in terms of human rights and good governance, as it is unthinkable that the  Malaysian Cabinet, Parliament and Judiciary could direct the Prime Minister to step down because of corruption and cronyism – unless there is a change of government in Putrajaya in the 14th General Election.

A good example is the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal. Over half a dozen  countries have prosecuted errant bankers or closed down banks for their complicity in the international 1MDB money-laundering scam, except for Malaysia  – the motherland of  1MDB!

Malaysia has achieved world-class status – but not for any human excellence and accomplishment for which Malaysians can be proud about, but for the total breakdown of moral and religious values in becoming a global kleptocracy for which Malaysians regardless of race or religion should hold their heads in shame

I  told Barisan Nasional Ministers and MPs in Parliament that a kleptoracy is a government of 3Ps – Pencuri, Perompak and Penyamun.  No person, whatever the race, religion or culture  can be proud of their nation becoming a global kleptocracy.

The Cabinet which met today has shown that it will not do anything to ask “Who is MO1” or “Who is the wife of MO1”, let alone take the necessary measures to prove that Malaysia is a genuine democracy and not a global kleptocracy.

Malaysians have a  UMNO/BN government which will not do anything to clear or cleanse Malaysia of the disrepute, ignominy and infamy of an global kleptocracy.

What is worse, it is also now clear that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has the full backing of the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang to block any efforts to get to the bottom of the international 1MDB money-laundering scandal as the PAS President does not see anything wrong or shameful about the 1MDB scandal.

It is now left to ordinary Malaysians to save and redeem the honour and good name of Malaysia.

The 14th General Election has become critically  important for it will answer the question whether ordinary Malaysians can save Malaysia from the disgrace, dishonour and disrepute of a global kleptocracy when there is an unholy alliance between Najib and Hadi to block any accounting and full investigation of the 1MDB scandal.

Hadi boasts that he wants PAS to win five states in the next general election.

This is a very tall order. In actual fact, one of the issues to be determined in the 14th general election is not whether PAS can win five state governments in  Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Kedah and Selangor but whether  PAS could retain power in Kelantan State Government, which PAS had won under Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat 27 years ago in 1990.

Will Hadi’s leadership lead to PAS losing Kelantan, in the same ignominous way Hadi lost Terengganu in the 2004 general election after the surprise PAS win of  Terengganu state power in the 1999 general election  in a reformasi wave  because of the Anwar Ibrahim factor?

Under Hadi’s leadership, PAS will not be fighting the 14th general election to win  the  five states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Kedah and Selangor  but to fight for its political life  as to whether it could  retain power in Kelantan State Government which it had captured since 1990!

(Speech at the kopitiam dialogue in Kemamam during “Jelajah Desa bersama Kit Siang di Pantai Timur” on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 6 pm)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 June 2017, 7:18 am and is filed under
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Hope Husam Musa will become the new Kelantan Mentri Besar after the 14th General Election who will become a new role model not only for Kelantanese but Malaysians in other states as well

This is my fifth programme in my three-day “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur” to Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

As I said in my fourth programme during Parti AMANAH’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri National Open House at the Kelantan Chinese Chamber of Commerce Hall in Kota Bharu this morning, the wind of political change is blowing strongly in the country, including Kelantan.

By the time of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year, political change would have created a new political landscape in the country as the 14th General Election would have been held by then.

I hope that by the time of  the Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year there would not only be a new Federal Government and new  Prime Minister in Putrajaya, but also a new Kelantan State Government and a new Kelantan Mentri Besar.

I hope that Datuk  Husam Musa will be the new Kelantan Mentri Besar in the Hari Raya Aidilfitri next year, and I will return to Kota Bharu next year to attend the new Pakatan Harapan Kelantan state government Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House!

The former Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, although he was PAS Mursidul Am, was the role model of Malaysians who were not members of PAS.

If Husam is elected as the new Kelantan Mentri Besar after the 14th General Election, he will become a new role model not only for Kelantanese but Malaysians in other states as well.

Malaysians are in critical need of role models.

It is unthinkable that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who have caused Malaysia international infamy and ingnominy by being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy, could be a suitable role model for the 30 million Malaysians.

I cannot understand how Najib could be a role model for the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, to the extent that he has issued an Open Letter to Political Parties on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri as good as asking all political leaders in the country to stop demanding accountability from the Prime Minister for the trio of 1MDB, US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic suits and global kleptocracy scandals.

(Speech at the Hari Raya Aidilfitri party jointly organised by the DAP Suara Muda, Kebun Sultan and Gajah Mati branches in Kota Bharu on Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 4 pm)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 June 2017, 7:37 pm and is filed under
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Will PAS rank-and-file  endorse the Hadi mainstream PAS  leadership position to help Najib overcome the national and global kleptocratic storm arising from the international  multibillion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal so that Najib could continue  as PM after 14GE?

This is my third  stop after Kuantan  and Kemamam in  my three-day “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur” to Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

One objective of the Jelajah Raya is to underline the importance of unity, understanding, tolerance, goodwill and solidarity of the Malaysian population, regardless of race, religion and region, which is one of the ingredients of the formula  to guarantee Malaysia’s success as a nation.

Hari Raya  Aidilfitri is a national holiday and should be celebrated not only by all Muslims but also by non-Muslims in Malaysia to develop a Malaysian culture where the major religious and cultural festivals in Malaysia are also celebrated by all Malaysians, to transform our diversities of race, religion, culture and customs into  an asset  and strength in welding our diverse people into one national entity, instead of being a liability and weakness which breed  suspicion, mistrust and hatred leading to grave problems of racial and religious polarisation.

Malaysia as an “instant Asia” should not just be a tourism slogan, but be the Malaysian creed and motto  – which makes Malaysia different and better than all other nations.

Another objective of the tour is to exchange views on the latest political developments in Malaysia.

On the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang issued a most extraordinary  Open Letter to all Political Parties, as good as asking all Opposition  parties in the country to cease and desist from attacking the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak by making use of the three series of  US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic suits to forfeit 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland misappropriated and money-laundered from 1MDD funds.

These are  two quantum leaps in the latest political development of Hadi as a great supporter  and ally of Najib, especially over the 1MDB kleptocratic scandal – as he graduates from an individual support of Najib’s kleptocracy into firstly, the support of the mainstream PAS leadership for Najib; and secondly, his Open Letter to all Political Parties to pipe down and not to use the DOJ suits to question the credibility and integrity of the Prime Minister.

At first, I had wondered whether Hadi’s Open Letter to all Political Parties was Hadi’s personal view,  that of the mainstream PAS leadership or the PAS general leadership.

However, from the reaction of the Secretary of Dewan Ulama and a hardcore member of Hadi’s mainstream PAS leadership to the invitation by Pakatan Harapan to a protest campaign  culminating in an anti-kleptocracy rally in September against Najib’s 1MDB and DOJ  scandals, I am now convinced that Hadi’s Open Letter does not merely represent his own personal views, but also  that of the Hadi mainstream leadership in PAS as well.

The PAS leader, who is also  MP for Kuala Nerus, Khairuddin Aman Razali early today rejected offhand the invitation by a meeting of Pakatan Harapan leaders in Parliament House this morning for an anti-kleptocracy campaign to ensure that those accused of misappropriation of 1MDB funds are brought to justice.

The question is whether the PAS rank-and-file   will endorse the Hadi mainstream PAS  leadership position to help Najib overcome the national and global kleptocratic storm arising from the international  multibillion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal so that Najib  could continue  as Prime Minister after the 14th General Election?

I have my grave doubts, for I believe that even the UMNO rank-and-file, representing some 3.5 million UMNO members, also cannot accept Malaysia being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy. Worse still, if the 1MDB scandal could  be explained in  simple terms, without the banking and financial complexities and jargon.

This is the time in fact for all Malaysians, regardless of whether they are UMNO or PAS members, whether they support Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan, to take a common national stand to save Malaysia as a democracy and oppose Malaysia from becoming a kleptocracy.

(Speech  at the kopitiam dialogue in Kuala Terengganu  during “Jelajah Raya bersama Kit Siang di Pantai Timur” tour on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 9 pm)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 29 June 2017, 11:13 am and is filed under
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1MDB’s RM56 million since 2011 to sponsor 5,711 pilgrims is only .01% of the total 1MDB debts of some RM50 – 55 billion

It was announced today that 1MDB had spent RM56 million to sponsor 5,711 pilgrims  to Mecca  since 2011.

This seems to be a major allocation of charity, but is really a drop in the ocean of 1MDB debts.

Nobody knows what are the total debts which had been piled up by 1MDB, which eventually would have to be paid by generations of Malaysians.

This is because the last accounts of 1MDB to  be audited and  published was up to  the end of March 2014, with three years of outstanding 1MDB accounts from 2014 to 2017 a mystery even to Cabinet Ministers!

The total debts of 1MDB could be in the region of RM50 – RM55 billion – which would put the RM56  million allocated by 1MDB to sponsor pilgrims to Mecca  in the past six years  since 2011 to represent only a paltry .01 per cent of the total 1MDB debts.

If 1MDB had allocated 1% of its total debts to sponsor pilgrims to perform haj in Mecca, then 57,110 Muslims and not just 5,711 persons would have benefitted, with the total allocation in the region of RM560 million and not just RM56 million.

If 1MDB could reveal that it had spent RM56 million in the last six years  to sponsor 5,711 pilgrims to perform haj in Mecca, why can’t 1MDB fully disclose it financial statements in the past three years?

I call on the Prime Minister,  Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who must bear full individual, government and Prime Ministerial responsibility for the 1MDB scandal to make public the full details of the 1MDB finances, the debts and allocations, and not just selective release of information such as RM56 million to sponsor pilgrims to perform haj in Mecca since 2011.

(Speech at the Pakatan Harapan ceramah at Kelantan Chinese Chamber of Commerce Hall in Kota Bharu on Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 10 pm)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 June 2017, 10:34 am and is filed under
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Pakatan Harapan should aim to achieve a “double whammy” in five states in the 14 GE – winning five new state governments as well as the federal government in one go

The 2008 General Election saw a “political tsunami” which saw UMNO/BN coalition losing power in five states – retaining power in Kelantan as well as capturing Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.

The 2013 General Election was meant to be a political watershed event, bringing about for the first time in the nation’s history a change of Federal government in Putrajaya.

But there was national disappointment all round, as Datuk Seri Najib Razak was able to clinch on to power as the first minority Prime Minister in the country through gerrymandering and a most unfair and undemocratic electoral system.

With 47% of the electoral vote, Najib secured 60% of the parliamentary seats although the majority of the voters voted against Najib and the UMNO/BN coalition with the Pakatan Rakyat at the time winning 53% of the popular vote.

Following the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat in June 2015 because of the refusal of the Hadi leadership of PAS to honour the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework and the Pakatan Rakyat’s consensus operational principle, Malaysians experienced the worst political disappointment in the nation’s history.

As a result many Malaysians lost hope in the possibility of bringing about political change through the electoral process.

What then does the 14th General Election, which will be held in the next 10 months, hold in store for Malaysians?

PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said the next general election will be PAS’ greatest electoral outing, winning 40 parliamentary seats and capturing five state governments, viz: Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perak and Selangor.

I have my doubts as I think PAS’ greatest test in the 14GE is whether it could retain power in Kelantan State Government, which it won 27 years ago under the leadership of Tok Guru, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

What is in store for Pakatan Harapan comprising PKR, Amanah, Pribumi Bersatu and DAP?

Pakatan Harapan must firstly reignite hopes of Malaysian voters that it is still possible to achieve political change through the electoral process.

I will go even further and ask Malaysian voters not to lose hope and to work hard to achieve even better results than the 2008 and 2013 General Elections.

Never before had voters in Malaysia achieved a double whammy in a general election – a change of state government as well as Federal government in one general election.

The voters of Kelantan are capable of achieving such a “double whammy” in the 14th General Election – a change of Kelantan State Government as well as Federal Government in Putrajaya in one go.

This should be Pakatan Harapan’s 14th General Election objective – for five states, namely Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Johore to achieve a “double whammy” in effecting a change of state and federal government in one go, while retaining the Pakatan Harapan state governments in Penang and Selangor.

Let the 14th General Election achieve such a “political miracle” – which will see greater political breakthroughs and inroads than the 2008 and 2013 General Elections.

[
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang at the DAP kopitiam dialogue at Jalan Sri Cemerlang, Kota Bharu on Friday, 30th June 2017 at 9 am
]

                This entry was posted on Friday, 30 June 2017, 11:56 am and is filed under
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Call on Kelantan voters to “kill two birds with one stone” by voting to  change two governments – state and federal – in the 14th General Election

The 2008 General Election saw a “political tsunami” which saw UMNO/BN coalition losing power in five states – retaining power in Kelantan as well as capturing Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.

The 2013 General Election was meant to be a political watershed event, bringing about for the first time in the nation’s history a change of Federal government in Putrajaya.

But there was national disappointment all round, as Datuk Seri Najib Razak was able to cling on to power as the first minority Prime Minister in the country through gerrymandering and a most unfair and undemocratic electoral system.

With 47% of the electoral vote, Najib secured 60% of the parliamentary seats although the majority of the voters voted against Najib and the UMNO/BN coalition with the Pakatan Rakyat at the time winning 53% of the popular vote.

Following the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat in June 2015 because of the refusal of the Hadi leadership of PAS to honour the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework and the Pakatan Rakyat’s consensus operational principle, Malaysians experienced the worst political disappointment in the nation’s history.

As a result many Malaysians lost hope in the possibility of bringing about political change through the electoral process.

What then does the 14th General Election, which will be held in the next 10 months, hold in store for Malaysians?

PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said the next general election will be PAS’ greatest electoral outing, winning 40 parliamentary seats and capturing five state governments, viz: Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perak and Selangor.

I have my doubts as I think PAS may lose power in Kelantan and PAS’ greatest test in the 14GE is whether it could retain power in Kelantan State Government, which it won 27 years ago under the leadership of Tok Guru, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

There are many reasons why the people of Kelantan want a change of State government, which include the following:

•	The great floods disaster  in Kelantan in 2014, with Gua Musang and Kuala Krai as the worst-hit areas, claiming over 200,000 victims. The flood was called “Bah Kuning” because of its high mud content – signifying  the close connection between the Bah Kuning and the extensive and even uncontrolled logging activities in the state. The Kelantan Mentri Besar Ahmad Yakob was himself trapped in his own home by Bah Kuning. How could he help to save the people of Kelantan when he could not even save himself?

•	Kelantan’s debts to Federal government is RM1.4 billion as compared to Penang’s debts to the Federal Government which stands at RM65 million, which the Penang could repay in an instant without any problem.

•	Kelantan remaining as the country’s poorest state although it is one of the state governments with the highest debts to the Federal Government, which can only mean that the huge debts to the Federal Government did not go to benefit the people of Kelantan.

•	PAS today under the leadership of Datuk Seri Hadi Awang  is very different from the PAS of 1990 under the leadership of Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat which won the Kelantan State Government in the 1990 general election or even under Datuk Fadzir Noor who played a major role in the formation of Barisan Alternative in 1999, comprising DAP, PKR and PAS. Nik Aziz was himself a role model  for  more than two decades as Kelantan Mentri Besar not only to PAS members, but also to Malaysians who are not PAS members. In contrast, Hadi regards the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as a proper role model for Malaysians when Najib is  responsible for Malaysia becoming a global kleptocracy and  the butt of international scorn and jokes as a result.

What is in store in the 14th General Election  for  Malaysians and Pakatan Harapan comprising PKR, Amanah, Pribumi Bersatu and DAP?

Pakatan Harapan must firstly reignite hopes of Malaysian voters that it is still possible to achieve political change through the electoral process.

I will go even further and ask Malaysian voters not to lose hope and to work hard to achieve even better results in the 14th General Election than the 2008 and 2013 General Elections.

Never before had voters in Malaysia achieved a double whammy in a general election, i.e. kill two birds with one stone by using their vote in a  General Election to change two  governments – state and federal.

The voters of Kelantan are capable killing two birds with one stone in the 14th General Election –change the  Kelantan State Government as well as Federal Government in Putrajaya to usher in a Pakatan Harapan Government both at the national and Kelantan state level.

This should be Pakatan Harapan’s 14th General Election objective – for five states, namely Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Johore to  kill two birds with one stone in effecting a change of state and federal government in one go, while retaining the Pakatan Harapan state governments in Penang and Selangor.

Is such a “political miracle” possible in the 14th General Election – which will see the next general election achieve greater political breakthroughs and inroads than the 2008 and 2013 General Elections?

(Speech at the DAP  political dialogue together with Pakatan Harapan leaders organized by DAP Pulai Branch in Pulai, Gua Musang  on Friday, 30th June 2017 at 5 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 1 July 2017, 7:14 am and is filed under
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Gerakan to file injunction to stop Penang undersea tunnel and three road projects.

Koon Yew Yin 1 July 2017

I refer to the article as carried by The New Straits Times on 30 June 2017 with the title “Gerakan to file injunction to stop Penang undersea tunnel and three road projects”. Gerakan Vice President Datuk Dr Dominic Lau said the party’s   legal bureau is currently studying the matter and it would take some time as it involves many legal documents”. Gerakan is complaining that the Penang state Government is paying 4 times more than the normal scale of engineering consulting fees.

As I was one of the members of the Board of Engineers responsible in fixing the scale of fees for consulting engineering about 50 years ago, I would like to offer my opinion. If Datuk Dr Dominic Lau has any doubt regarding consulting fees, he should refer to the Board of Engineers, Malaysia for clarification. He should not simply blow his top in the public without checking.

I believe the Penang State Government is following the World Bank procurement guidelines to prevent corruption and abuse of power.

Implement the World Bank’s Procurement Guidelines

The World Bank has a procurement guidelines which all the borrowers have to follow. The guidelines includes the system of calling tenders. It is a system which has helped to prevent corruption even in the most corrupted countries in the world.

The borrower must engage a reputable engineering consulting firm which has had experience with similar projects to put up a proposal and to open the project bidding to all contractors to tender. The most important thing to note is that the consulting company responsible for the tender process should be independent and should have no interest whatsoever in the project implementation. This ensures that there is no hanky panky or “insider trading”.  After the contract is awarded, the consultant must make sure that the project is completed within cost and scheduled time.

All the contractors must be prequalified based on their technical and financial ability. All contractors must submit tenders conforming to the original design so that the cheapest tender can be selected. If all the contractors are prequalified, the government tender board has only to look at the tendered price.

It is important not to allow anybody from the government to negotiate with any contractor to avoid corruption.

Transparency and accountability requires that all documents on the proposal be placed in the public sphere – not just limited information but detailed and full breakdowns in accordance with international best practices.  This will ensure public monitoring and curbing of cost overruns which have plagued all mega projects in the country.

On the tender opening day, all contractors and the representatives of press should be invited to witness the opening of bids and their tender prices should be publicly announced.

All contractors have to submit their tender according to the original design provided by the appointed consultant.

A contractor can also submit an alternative design provided that the price is cheaper and the quality is not inferior.

Additional Safeguards

Besides the Bank’s guidelines, I would like to propose the following safeguards since open tenders alone will not ensure a fool proof no-abuse procurement system for mega projects. These additional safeguards are based on my experience as a Chartered Engineer and as a member of the Malaysian Board of Engineers for 3 two year terms. I am also one of the founders of Mudajaya, Gamuda and IJM Corporation.

Never invite contractors to submit project proposals
 for any mega project because each contractor will submit his own planning and design which will be impossible for the tender board to evaluate. You cannot compare the cost of an apple with the cost of an orange, a banana or a pineapple.

A contractor should not be permitted to take on the role of the engineering consultant responsible for design as well as that of the role of a construction contractor responsible for the project implementation as the two roles are of conflicting interest. If the company is permitted to do so, it will lead to public perception of abuse and corruption.

For mega projects, it is cheaper to employ a really qualified consultant to design the whole project rather than to ask each contractor to provide designs for different phases. The latter is false economy and will result in ballooning of costs.

Just Say “No” to Negotiated Tenders

As reported, the budget for the Penang Mass Transit project is about Rm 46 billion. Which is the correct price if the negotiated price is Rm 44, 45 or 46 billion? Which negotiator would not be tempted to take a Rm one billion bribe?

The Penang State Government is following the World Bank procurement guidelines by appointing an experience consulting engineering firm.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 1 July 2017, 7:32 am and is filed under
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The warong visits at Pasir Puteh, Ketereh and Machang  proved me right that ordinary Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese or Indians, want harmony, tolerance, goodwill, solidarity and unity and not lies, distrust, suspicion, hatred and extremism

My three-day  “Jelajah Raya di Panti Timor” in  Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan have vindicated me and confirmed what I had always believed – that the lies and falsehoods which form the core of the UMNO demonisation campaign against me and DAP leaders, painting us as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, do not have any traction with the majority of Malays and Muslims, as they  are not so stupid and irrational as to succumb to the lies, fake news and false information pumped out by the UMNO propaganda mills of lies and falsehoods.

During my “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur”, I visited the warongs in Pasir Puteh, Ketereh and Machang,  and the ordinary Malays I met at these warongs have only friendliness , goodwill and kindness for the visiting DAP group.

There was not a single trace of suspicion, distrust, hate or malice which would not be the case  if the  vicious and long-standing black propaganda of UMNO to paint me as quite a devil, a puaka, even jembalang; that I am anti-Malay, anti-Islam; cause of May 13, 1969 riots; a communist; a stooge of foreign powers; that I dominate Pakatan Harapan and made other leaders like Tun Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Mohamad Sabu and Husam Musa  into my stooges and puppets, have credibility and are believed to be true by ordinary Malays and Muslims in the country.

In fact, my warong visits and “Jelajah Raya di  Pantai Timur” have vindicated and fortified my belief that ordinary Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans, whether Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus or Sikhs do not want or support extremism in whatever form.

Extremism of whatever form must not be allowed to rear their ugly heads in plural Malaysia or the strength and asset of Malaysia’s diversity of races, religions, languages and cultures would become our fatal weaknesses and liability to divide and tear the nation asunder.

This is particularly important especially as extremist forces in our society are seeking to establish a beach-head in our society.

It has been reported that the Iraqi forces had achieved a huge symbolic victory against the terrorist group, Islamic State (IS) when it captured the 850-year-old Grand al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, from where the Islamic State proclaimed its self-styled caliphate three years ago and had served as the Islamic State’s de facto capital in Iraq.

But  one result  of IS’ setbacks in the Middle East and its being squeezed out of Iraq and Syria is its intensification to seek new ground with the set-up of Islamic State of East Asia covering Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar and Japan.

For quite some time, terrorism experts have warned of increasing Malaysian presence and participation in Islamic State terrorist activities, especially the month-long battle for the city of Marawi on Mindanao island in the southern Philippines.

Former Malaysian university lecturer Dr Mahmud Ahmad, described as “an extremely good bomb-maker” is believed to be one of the Islamic State kingpins in the Philippines.

A news agency  recently reported that Mahmud was wounded in battle and died of his wounds on June 7, but the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar on June 25 quashed the death rumours, due to information he received which revealed that Mahmud is alive and may have escaped a Philippines army dragnet on Islamic State forces in Marawi City and fled Marawi with Isnilon  Hapilon, who is believed to be the head of IS in Southeast Asia.

Hapilon  was previously the leader of Abu Sayyaf, a militant group based in Mindanao that was active in kidnapping.

Malaysia does not want to see the senseless bombings and killings in London, Manchester, Paris, Jakarta, Philippines and Teheran happen in Malaysia, and this is why all moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, must strengthen national resilience, goodwill and solidarity in plural Malaysia by taking an uncompromising stand against all forms of intolerance, extremism and fanaticism in Malaysia.

Recent incidents of intolerance, extremism and intolerance include the demand that non-Muslims should not participate in breaking-of-fast events; the thuggish incident in Kluang where the DAP MP for the area, Liew Chin Tong, was roughed up during his visit of goodwill and solidarity to the Kluang Bazaar Ramadan; the escalation of the politics of lies, falsehoods, hate, bigotry and intolerance; and most recently, the shocking statement by the UMNO propagandists and cybertroopers  that US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic action to forfeit US$1.7 billion of 1MDB-linked assets as a result of an international 1MDB money-laundering scandal was “part of a conspiracy to meddle in Malaysia’s affairs because the country had a Muslim-led government”.

Malaysia must set an example of moderation to the world – as  we must not preach the wasatiyyah principles of the moderation, justice, balance and excellence in international platforms but fail to spread the same message among our people in the country.

Malaysia can only survive and prosper as an united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and prosperous nation if Malaysians develop a zero tolerance for extremism or fanaticism of whatever form.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 1 July 2017, 2:32 am and is filed under
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Three instances where Hadi and his hardline mainstream leaders in PAS were caught  red-handed as foremost apologists for UMNO   kleptocracy and emulating  UMNO propaganda campaign of demonization against DAP and Pakatan Harapan

Nobody would have thought that PAS would one day become the foremost apologist  for UMNO kleptocracy and emulated UMNO propaganda campaign of demonization against the DAP and Pakatan Harapan.

But the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and his hardline mainstream leaders in PAS were caught red-handed in three such acts in the past one week.

It started  with Hadi’s Open Letter to All Political Parties on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfriti, joining forces with UMNO propagandists to divert the  agenda for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri “balek kampong” discussions from 1MDB mastermind  Jho Low’s  gift of US$27.3 million pink diamond necklace and other multi-million US dollar gifts to the “wife of MO1”, the handing over of multimillion US dollar gifts by Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr and American actor Leonardo DiCaprio to US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigators  to alleged “foreign interference” in  Malaysian domestic affairs  by  US DOJ’s kleptocratic suits to  forfeit US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets from US$4.5 billion 1MDB international money-laundering scandal.

The second instance was when Hadi’s extraordinary Open Letter to All Political Parties was followed by two hardline leaders in Hadi’s mainstream leadership in PAS –  the MP for Kuala Nerus, Secretary of PAS Dewan Ulama and a member of the PAS working committee, Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali who rejected offhand Pakatan Harapan’s call to all Opposition parties to co-operate in a nation-wide campaign to bring those involved in the 1MDB scandal to justice and the PAS Information chief Nasrudin Hassan who also rejected the Pakatan Harapan proposal and declared that PAS will not follow those with an alleged “agenda”.

The third instance came when the PAS leaders were even faster than their counterparts in UMNO and  pounced on my statement in Kota Bharu on Thursday expressing my hope that next year’s Hari Raya Aidilfriti would be held with a new Pakatan Harapan Kelantan state government with Datuk Husam Musa as the Kelantan Mentri Besar.

PAS information chief, Nasarudin Hassan emulated the UMNO propaganda tactics of lies, fake news and false information by alleging that DAP aspired to install its stooge Mentri Besar of Kelantan, claiming that DAP wanted to arrange someone they can control to lead Kelantan as DAP cannot rule Kelantan, implying that Husam is nothing but a puppet of DAP.

This is a most immoral  personal attack and character assassination. Who will be Kelantan’s Mentri Besar after the 14th General Election will be decided by the voters of Kelantan and not by me.

I have always suspected that UMNO propagandists and cybertroopers are not the only ones guilty of the sin of demonization of political opponents through a campaign of lies, fake news and false information –  as instance, the vicious black propaganda campaign to paint me as quite a devil, a puaka, even jembalang; that I am anti-Malay, anti-Islam; cause of May 13, 1969 riots; a communist; a stooge of foreign powers; that I dominate Pakatan Harapan and made other leaders like Tun Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and  Mohamad Sabu into my stooges and puppets.

Now, we have the PAS Information Chief caught red-handed emulating such UMNO lies and falsehoods, alleging that Husam is my latest collection of puppets and stooges.

I feel sad that these mainstream leaders of PAS have such a low opinion of political leaders of other political parties, but  yet such a super-high opinion of UMNO leaders, especially UMNO President and Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak!

PAS mainstream leaders should have greater respect for the character, morality and integrity of political leaders of other parties apart from UMNO and Barisan Nasional.

I can disagree with Hadi politically but there is no need for me or him  to descend to the gutter level of personal attacks or character assassination.

Let me tell Hadi and the mainstream leaders in PAS – whether Tun Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali,   Mohamad Sabu or Datuk Husam Musa, I am not their stooge and puppet and they are not my stooges and puppets.

Only idiots, the crooked or those who are downright evil will think such unkind thoughts of others.

I urge Hadi and the PAS leaders to keep their political differences to the level of ideas and beliefs, and not to emulate UMNO propagandists and cybertroopers to  descend to personal attacks or character assassination, as no religion in the world, whether Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikkhism or Taoism  approve of lies, fake news or false information!

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 1 July 2017, 7:28 pm and is filed under
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Zeti, helpless, says central bank imposed highest fines in history on 1MDB

By Cordoba Ali

Independent, Singapore

June 28, 2017

Giving the impressions that she might still be under some pressure from the powers that be, former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said the institution imposed the highest fines in Malaysian history on the embattled 1MDB.

“So, we could issue letters of administrative compound to relevant bodies and financial institutions breaching Bank Negara’s regulations in the 1MDB case. I would say the fines were probably the highest in history,” she told a Chinese vernacular daily.

But she did not reveal the amount paid by 1MDB or whether there was a ‘discount’ after she left her post as governor last year.

But she said Bank Negara was powerless to take further action than just some fines to “relevant bodies and financial institutions” over breach of regulations in relation to the 1MDB case.

Netizens however does not agree with her on this statement, saying she should and could have done more to expose the 1MDB issue which has since then been thrown under the carpet in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world seems to be out to topple Prime Minister Najib Razak’s regime, starting with the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

The government – through various officials – are saying the DOJ is in complicity with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to conspire in overthrowing Najib.

In Malaysia, such conspiracies can land a person in jail, but Mahathir is still walking freely amid the panic that has gripped the country.

Nevertheless, Zeti said the handling of the 1MDB case was one of her toughest moments in office, Sin Chew Daily reported.

“Although outsiders had very high expectations from Bank Negara, nevertheless, it did not have the power to prosecute.

“Bank Negara has the most comprehensive laws, including the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 2009 and Financial Services Act 2013 to preserve the integrity, stability and healthy functioning of the financial system,” she explained.

In March last year, BNM said it would initiate “appropriate action” against 1MDB for failing to produce evidence it had used the allocated US$1.83 billion for debt management and restructuring exercises overseas.

Once Zeti was out, the new governor Muhammad Ibrahim said the central bank’s investigations into 1MDB was over – after saying that he believed the government would handle the matter properly.

 Zeti’s reticence to talk could be because she is still held captive by her duties to the country and the government since she has now been moved to Iclif, an organisation created and funded by BNM since 2003.

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 1 July 2017, 7:43 am and is filed under
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I weep for Najib – with 1MDB billions, can’t he find  smarter and more intelligent propagandists, publicists and cybertroopers?

I weep for Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and President of UMNO/Barisan Nasional. With his 1MDB billions, can’t he find smarter and more intelligent propagandists, publicists and cybertroopers?

There is an idiom that “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”. But what happens if you get the same results despite loaded with tons of money?

The latest attack on DAP by Najib’s army of propagandists and publicists, rushed out to the media late last night and directed at the DAP Director of Political Bureau and MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong, provides one such classic example.

I was taken aback  by the “gutter” contents of the statement, which I will not dignify as Chin Tong has ably responded  to it, except to refer to the  last two sentences in the statement, viz:

“We are now in the 21st Century. Dictators are relics of the past – although the opposition, even though it claims to speak for democracy, now has not one but two dictators leading it.”

May be I should congratulate Najib for being able to find a “genius” who could think of a country, a political system or  a political party with two “dictators” – making nonsense of the meaning of a dictator.

For Najib’s benefit, a dictator has been defined as “a person exercising absolute power, especially a ruler who has absolute unrestricted control in a government”.

Only a cretin could conceive  of two dictators for one country, political system or political party.

But this statement  really represents the backruptcy of Najib’s UMNO demonization against the DAP and myself.

Realising that the UMNO propaganda  campaign of lies, fake news and false information to demonize me  as quite a devil, a puaka, even jembalang, anti-Malay, anti-Islam  do not have credibility and traction with Malaysians, including the Malays and Muslims, the UMNO propaganda campaign is trying to different tack, accusing me of being a dictator who made others in the DAP as well as others in Pakatan Harapan, including Tun Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Mohamad Sabu and Datuk Husam Musa into my stooges and puppets.

At this rate, the next phase for the UMNO “demonizers” will be to elevate me into a “master of the universe” with powers to direct foreign governments, like the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland, Singapore and Luxemburg to interfere with Malaysia’s internal affairs and institute actions against 1MDB to “topple”  Najib and UMNO!

But the trouble with this propaganda line is that I will then be making the United States, UK, Australian, Swiss, Singapore and Luxembourg governments into my agents, instead of I becoming their agent!

I must ask Najib whether  these tall stories and   fairy tales passing off as  UMNO propaganda attacks on me are  for real?

Lets return to the infamous last two sentences:

“We are now in the 21st Century. Dictators are relics of the past – although the opposition, even though it claims to speak for democracy, now has not one but two dictators leading it.”

Instead of paying his propagandists and publicists astronomical salaries, Najib  should send them  back to school to learn the basics of the English language and to realise how ridiculous is the concept of “two dictators”!

However, I fully agree that dictators are relics of the past and there is no room for any dictator (not “two dictators”!) in the 21st century.

I have resigned as DAP Secretary General in 1999 and stepped down as DAP Chairman in 2004. May be Najib’s propagandists could explain how I could be “dictator” of DAP after stepping down from active party leadership for the past 13 years?

And why is it that Tun Mahathir, after being Prime Minister and UMNO  President for 22 years, could not continue as UMNO “dictator” in the past 14 years?

And how I could make Mahathir my  puppet and stooge, as UMNO propagandists and publicists claim, although MCA and Gerakan propagandists are making the opposite accusation that I have become Mahathir’s puppet and stooge?  Which is which?

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 2 July 2017, 12:04 pm and is filed under
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A major failure by UMNO “demonizers” as  their black propaganda that  DAP is anti-Malay and anti-Islam getting no traction among ordinary Malays and Muslims in East Coast simply because they are lies, fake news and false information

I have returned from a three-day 1,200-km “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur” in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri in the East Coast states.

I had at least three objectives.

Firstly, I was on a mission of moderation. There is no point in Malaysia preaching the wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, compassion, balance and excellence to other countries in international conferences when Malaysians are allowed to disregard these very wasatiyyah principles at home.

Recently, intolerance, bigotry and extremism in Malaysia had reared their ugly heads, like the demand that non-Muslims should not participate in breaking-of-fast events; the thuggish incident in Kluang where the DAP MP for the area, Liew Chin Tong, was roughed up during his visit of goodwill and solidarity to the Kluang Bazaar Ramadan; the escalation of the politics of lies, falsehoods, hate, bigotry and intolerance; and most recently, the shocking statements by UMNO and PAS leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers that US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic action to forfeit US$1.7 billion of 1MDB-linked assets as a result of an international 1MDB money-laundering scandal was “part of a conspiracy to meddle in Malaysia’s affairs because the country had a Muslim-led government”.

Malaysia is facing a critical test whether we can succeed, progress and prosper as a united, harmonious and moderate nation where all the diverse races, religions, languages and cultures are our asset and strength or become our weaknesses and liabilities to drive Malaysia towards a divided,  failed and a rogue state.

All Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans, whether Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs or Taoists, must fly the banner of moderation and develop a zero tolerance for extremism or fanaticism whatever their shape for form.

Secondly, I also carried the message asking the people of Kelantan to be one of the five states together with Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Johor to use their vote in the forthcoming 14th General Election to “kill two birds with one stone” by voting to change two governments – the state government as well as the Federal government in Putrajaya.

My third objective was to ascertain the effect and impact of long-standing UMNO black propaganda demonising DAP leaders and in particular myself, as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, virtually painting me as some sort of a devil, a puaka or even a jembalang.

During my “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur” and my visits to  the warongs in Pasir Puteh, Ketereh and Machang, I encountered only courtesy,  friendliness and solidarity and not suspicion, distrust, malice or hatred.

I find that  the UMNO campaign of  “demonization” of DAP leader and myself as anti-Malay and anti-Muslim  do not have any credibility or traction among the ordinary Malays and Muslims, which goes to show that  ordinary Malays, just like  ordinary Indians, Kadazans and Ibans, are born moderates and do not easily succumb to the lies, fake news and false information constantly concocted and disseminated by UMNO propaganda mills of lies and falsehoods.

My warong visits and “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur” have vindicated and fortified my belief that ordinary Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans, whether Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus or Sikhs are all supporters of moderation and do not want or support extremism or fanaticism in whatever form, unless they are incited and misled to do so.

This is a major failure of the  UMNO “demonizers” in   their black propaganda falsely portraying   DAP as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, as such a demonization campaign is not  getting any  traction  or belief among ordinary Malays and Muslims in East Coast simply because  that they are just lies, fake news and false information.

Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, want Malaysia to be a united, peaceful,  tolerant and successful nation which could leverage on  the strength and asset of our diversities of race, religion, language and culture to transform Malaysia into a top world class nation in every field of human endeavor and be an example to the world of a successful, progressive and prosperous nation.

[Speech (2)  at the Kepala Sawit DAP Branch 35th anniversary dinner in Kulai on Sunday, 2nd July 2017 at 9 pm]

                This entry was posted on Monday, 3 July 2017, 2:38 pm and is filed under
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DAP leaders,members, branches and supporters should be prepared for UMNO/BN’s ultimate dirty tactics before the 14GE – ban the DAP  and disallow the use of Rocket logo on the flimsiest of grounds

DAP leaders, members, branches and supporters should be prepared for UMNO/BN’s ultimate dirty tactics before the 14th General Election – ban the DAP and disallow the use of the Rocket logo on the flimsiest of grounds.

The possibility that the UMNO/BN government would use this ultimate dirty tactics against the DAP  was revealed by none other than the press secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Sarifuddin in a late-night political exchange with the DAP Director of Political Bureau and MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong on Thursday.

Sariffuddin is clearly privy to Najib’s  most secret plans for the 14GE, but the very fact that as a mere press secretary to the Prime Minister, he  could openly show contempt for the Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, by intruding into Zahid’s territory and jurisdiction – as the portfolio of Registry of Societies is directly under  the Home Minister and have not been shifted to the Prime Minister’s Department – shows the  contempt of Najib’s staff for the Deputy Prime Minister in having  no qualms about publicly humiliating the No. 2 man in government.

If a lowly creature like the press secretary to the Prime Minister has such public contempt for the Deputy Prime Minister, one can imagine the confusion and chaos in the Najib administration.

Is the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister privy to the conspiracy by the Najib kitchen cabinet – which includes non-Cabinet Ministers – to ban the DAP and the use of the Rocket logo just before the 14th General Election?

Sarifuddin’s statement is a  clear indication that it will not be the Registrar of of Societies or the Home Minister who will finally decide  on whether the DAP is to be  deregistered by the Registrar of Societies, but by “little warlords” like Sariffuddin who will advise the Prime Minister on the matter.

Sariffuddin’s statement are strong signs that Najib’s inner circle is  seriously considering DAP’s deregistration and the  ban on the use of the Rocket logo  in the 14th GE, although this is still subject to   a number of factors, including the resignation of DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng  as Penang Chief Minister and my retirement from Malaysian politics.

I never realised that I am such a threat to Najib and the UMNO/BN coalition that they could threaten DAP’s deregistration and disallow the use of the Rocket logo  in the 14th General Election unless I retire from Malaysian politics.

I will tour the country to seek public feedback whether we should succumb to such  intimidation from UMNO/BN – whether  Lim Guan Eng should resign as Penang Chief Minister and I retire from Malaysian politics.

DAP  leaders, branches, members and supporters should therefore be prepared for UMNO/BN’s ultimate dirty tactics before the 14GE – ban the DAP  and disallow the use of Rocket logo on the flimsiest of grounds –  and prepare for contingency plans.

There can be various responses.

One response is for the DAP candidates to use the Pakatan Harapan logo, if the logo could be registered in time for use in the 14th General Election. Alternatively, the DAP candidates could borrow and use the logo of one of the Pakatan Harapan parties as the DAP was prepared to do under a similar threat in the 13th General Election.

Another possibility is for DAP parliamentary and state assembly candidates to contest as Independent candidates.  Although this will be quite confusing, with  DAP Independents contesting in a sea of different independent electoral symbols in the country, I do not think the problems are insuperable in an information era.

Whether the DAP is deregistered and the Rocket logo is disallowed in the last minute before the 14th General Election, DAP leaders, members, branches and supporters must be prepared for such an eventuality.

(Speech at the Kelapa Sawit DAP Branch 35th Anniversary Dinner held in Kulai on Sunday, 2nd July 2017 at 9 pm)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 3 July 2017, 7:22 am and is filed under
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What do Malaysians think about a Cabinet Minister who can blog the following?

Two days ago, last Saturday, I issued a statement entitled:
“I weep for Najib – with 1MDB billions, can’t he find  smarter and more intelligent propagandists, publicists and cybertroopers?”

Today, I should issue a statement:
“I weep for Malaysia for having a Minister of Communications and Multimedia who could blog…..”

My attention has just been drawn to Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak’s blog yesterday:
“What a dictatorship really means”
 which said:

“The argument that there cannot be two dictators at the same time is also not true. Russia had Stalin and Lenin both dictators at the same time while during the French Revolution both Robespierre and Napoleon emerged as dictators of France. And China saw more than two dictators at the same time while, in Cuba, Che Guevara abandoned the revolution because he did not want to be a joint-dictator with Castro.”

My hair stood on end when I read Salleh’s blog.

What do Malaysians think about a Cabinet Minister who can blog the above?

I welcome comments and reactions and will respond only tomorrow.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 3 July 2017, 4:20 pm and is filed under
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Cabinet meeting tomorrow should send all Cabinet Ministers for re-education as Salleh’s blog is  a shocking revelation of the abysmal educational standards of Malaysian Ministers

The Cabinet meeting tomorrow should send all Cabinet Ministers for re-education as the blog of the Minister for Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak on Sunday entitled “What a dictatorship really means” is a shocking revelation of the abysmal educational  standards of Malaysian Ministers.

How many of the 36 Ministers would be shocked by  Salleh’s blog because it would  reveal not  only the abysmal educational standards of the blogger Minster but the other Ministers as well?

I believe that the majority of the 36 Ministers would not be shocked at all or see no reason why anybody  should be shocked.  This is the very reason why all the Cabinet Ministers needs to undergo a “re-education” programme.

There have often been complaints of declining educational standards today as compared to yesteryears, and Salleh’s blog provides the strongest proof of such inexorable  decline of educational standards in Malaysia over the decades.

Salleh’s three-paragraph blog on “What a dictatorship really means” is full of fake and false history in every paragraph, which may be the proper background and credentials for one who is to preside over a massive black-ops propaganda campaign of lies, fake news and false information against political opponents.

I will at present confine to the second paragraph of Salleh’s blog, which states:

“The argument that there cannot be two dictators at the same time is also not true. Russia had Stalin and Lenin both dictators at the same time while during the French Revolution both Robespierre and Napoleon emerged as dictators of France. And China saw more than two dictators at the same time while, in Cuba, Che Guevara abandoned the revolution because he did not want to be a joint-dictator with Castro.”

During my  school days in the fifties, a well-read secondary school student would have laughed at this paragraph by the Minister for Communications and Multimedia, for it is replete with fake and false history.

Firstly, how many Ministers agree with Salleh that there could be two dictators in a country, a political system or a political party  at the same time?

Secondly, how many of the Ministers can see the fallacies of Salleh’s contention that “Russia had Stalin and Lenin both dictators at the same time while during the French Revolution both Robespierre and Napoleon emerged as dictators of France”?

It is downright fake and false history and utter rubbish  to claim that Lenin and Stalin were dictators at the same time in Russia.

Stalin became a dictator of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953, while Lenin died on January 1924 after suffering a debilitating stroke in May 1922, which caused him to be in convalescence until his death.

In fact, there is academic controversy whether  it is correct to call Lenin a dictator. Lenin was the first among equals in the Bolshevik Party, the man to whom others in the leadership deferred. His word, if not law, carried great authority. All the other Bolshevik leaders, including those that disagreed and argued with Lenin, never sought to overthrow him, and their allegiance to him was without question.

Stalin was different because he was never in a position of second in command to Lenin. He wasn’t as popular or as accomplished as other leaders, most notably Leon Trotsky, who was  by all intents and purposes Lenin’s second in command. Stalin became Lenin’s successor by deceit, conniving, and backstabbing, and was paranoid and always suspected there were enemies all around him, plotting his demise. In fact, Lenin suggested during his convalescene that Stalin should be removed as General Secretary of the Communist Party.

The example of Robespierre and Napoleon as “dictators at the same time” during the French Revolution was even more far-fetched and bizarre.

Robespierre presided over the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution when the Jacobins whom he led  sent thousands to their death under the guillotine in 1793-1794, until he himself was executed at the guillotine on 28th July 1794.

Napoleon was a up-and-coming young general in the French Army in 1794, appointed as inspector of artillery of the French Army in the Alps, and it was not until 1799 when Napoleon was appointed First Consul in a coup d’etat, marking the meteoric rise of the Corsican corporal to French Emperor – but Napoleon was never “dictators at the same time” with Robespierre.

Salleh  committed a similar sin of fake and false history with his further claim that “China saw more than two dictators at the same time while, in Cuba, Che Guevara abandoned the revolution because he did not want to be a joint-dictator with Castro”.

Can Salleh name the “two dictators at the same time” in China?

His heresy that Che Guevara “abandoned the revolution because he did not want to be joint-dictator with Castro” will cause aploplexy among the Guevara fans and followers.

All in all, Salleh’s blog is a disgraceful display of the abysmal educational attainments of Cabinet Ministers  in Malaysia and why they should all be sent for a re-education programme.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 4 July 2017, 1:15 pm and is filed under
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