Najib should be the first to take the lie-detector test and answer questions  on the 1MDB scandal and his private banking accounts by a panel of independent and eminent Malaysians

A week ago, the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa said that the government is studying the possibility of using the polygraph – lie detector –  test as a mechanism to help curb cases of corruption among civil servants.

Ali Hamsa said the government was looking at using such tools as part of its initiatives to strengthen the integrity of government agencies.

This is  a good idea, especially as it was recengly reported by an establishment “mainstream media”  that an entire division of a government agency, which collects revenue for the country, had failed a polygraph test showing that most of the senior officers had been stealing money and abused their position for gratification –  one reason why the polygraph test for civil servants was discontinued.

Bearing in mind the proverb “A fish rots from the head down”, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should be the first to take the polygraph test and answer questions specifically on the 1MDB scandal and his private banking accounts by a panel of independent and eminent Malaysians.

Malaysia cannot continue to pretend that the  international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering  and Najib’s US$2.6 billion “donation” scandals do not exist when they are  the subject of multiple  investigations in some  ten foreign countries and jurisdictions, with criminal and punitive action already taken against former bankers and financial institutions.

Malaysia, made  infamous as a “global kleptocracy” with Malaysia going through the first Ramadan under the shadow of United States Department of Justice’s biggest kleptocratic lawsuits to forfeit over US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland from US$3.5 billion 1MDB international money-laundering scandal, has been turning and twisting under the glare of international scrutiny, pretending that the 1MDB scandal does not exist.

The whole world knows about Malaysia as a “global kleptocracy”, 1MDB scandal, the astronomical  “donations” in Najib personal bank accounts, and the identity of “MO1”, except in Malaysia –  where  the three branches of government Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary;  key national institutions like the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Bank Negara, Police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Auditor-General’s Department, the mainstream media, are hand-in-glove in a national and international conspiracy pretending  that there is no such thing as a 1MDB kleptocratic scandal.

But the ghosts of the scandals of the 1MDB and Najib’s astronomical donations in his personal bank accounts would not just go away.

In Singapore, its financial regulator, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) had just wrapped up a two-year review of banks involved in transactions related to the  wide-ranging 1MDB embezzlement scandal that has rippled across the global financial system, fining or  closing down banks and jailing or prohibiting bankers.

A few days ago, news portal The Malaysian Insight reported that a book and  a film on the 1MDB scandal are in the works by two different groups.

The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) Tom Wright who broke many reports on 1MDB, has been on leave  since last year to complete the book which he promises will have “lots of revelations” while a British production house is producing a documentary on 1MDB, and has entered  into a co-production deal with another company, Roast Beef Productions, with a 2017 premiere deadline.

It has been reported that the film could be titled “The Master And His Wolf” – as a sequel to the 1MDB-related 2013 Hollywood hit, The Wolf of Wall Street.

Among those to be named in the book and documentary include Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was 1MDB advisory board chairman, businessman Low Taek Jho better known as Jho Low, former chief executives Shahrol Halmi, Hazem Abdul Rahman and current 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy;  Saudi Arabia’s PetroSaudi director Tarek Obaid and Abu Dhabi duo, Khadem Al Qubaisi and Mohammed Al Husseiny, who are executives of Aabar, which partnered 1MDB in several ventures.

The latest waves from the scandals from 1MDB and Najib’s private banking accounts are revelations by the whistleblower website Sarawak Report, implicating a prominent senior lawyer and  accusing him of receiving RM9.5 million from Najib.

The website alleged that the payment came from an account belonging to the prime minister, which received funds from state-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Sarawak Report claimed the payments to the senior lawyer, who was involved in a high-profile case, were made in two tranches – the first tranche of RM4.3 million was allegedly transferred on Sept 11, 2013 followed by another RM5.2 million on Feb 17, 2014.

This has led to PKR Youth accusation that Sarawak Report revelations were “damning” in proving that there had been “a hidden hand” in the conviction and imprisonment of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Sungai Buloh Prison.

Is Najib prepared to take a polygraph test by an independent and eminent panel of Malaysians, specifically on Malaysia’s shooting to infamy as a global kleptocracy under his premiership, the 1MDB and his private banking account scandals?

                This entry was posted on Friday, 2 June 2017, 3:31 pm and is filed under
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Call for an independent prosecutor to be appointed to probe into claims that Anwar’s prosecutor got money from Najib

I fully support PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call for Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the lawyer who successfully led the prosecution that secured his sodomy conviction, to be investigated.

Anwar made the call after allegations emerged that Shafee received RM9.5 million from the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak in two tranches – on Sept 11, 2013, and on Feb 17, 2014.

Anwar said: “The claim by Sarawak Report that RM9.5 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds were transferred from Najib’s personal bank account to Shafee’s personal bank account is very serious.

“This matter urgently needs to be investigated by the authorities. What is the purpose of Najib transferring such large amount of funds to the personal bank account of a private lawyer who the Najib administration appointed to handle my prosecution?”

The Prime Minister or the Attorney-General should firstly disclose how much Shafie had cost the government and the taxpayers for engaging Shafie to lead the prosecution team against Anwar, firstly, at the Court of Appeal and secondly, at the Federal Court, when this was  the task of the Attorney-General. What were the special or extraordinary circumstances justifying the appointment of Shafee as prosecutor for Anwar’s case.

The Court of Appeal on March 7, 2014, overturned the decision of the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, which acquitted Anwar, and sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment. The Federal Court on Feb 10, 2015, upheld the Court of Appeal’s conviction of Anwar.

Malaysians are entitled to know whether Najib’s RM9.5 million payment to Shafie had anything to do with the two Anwar appeal cases at the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

Furthermore, the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohamad Apani should appoint an independent prosecutor to probe into claims that Anwar’s prosecutor got money from Najib, and the integrity of Anwar’s charge, trial and imprisonment.

(Speech at DAP kopitiam dialogue at Bakri, Johor on Saturday 3rd June 2017 at 10 am)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 3 June 2017, 4:19 pm and is filed under
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Moderate Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics must speak up strongly and steadfastly for peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect and not cede any single inch of mainstream ground to advocates of hatred, intolerance and extremism

Moderate Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics must be very concerned that of late, the voices of hatred, intolerance and extremism are rearing their ugly heads.

Moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or politics, must speak up strongly and steadfastly for peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect and not cede any single inch of mainstream ground to the advocates of hatred, intolerance and extremism or Malaysia will be heading towards a perilous and disastrous end.

Malaysia can only succeed as a world-class nation by leveraging on the best qualities embedded in the diverse races, languages, religions, cultures and civilizations which meet in confluence in Malaysia.

There is therefore no option but for Malaysia to pursue a policy of moderation in our nation-building policies and directions which give primacy to the goals of unity, peace, tolerance, understanding, mutual respect and excellence.

We will end up as a broken and a failed state if we do not resist the siren song of extremists who preach distrust, hatred and intolerance, and want to build walls segregating the diverse races, religions and cultures in Malaysia.

Of late, the voices of hatred, intolerance and extremism seek to create distrust and antagonism among the diverse races, cultures and religions in the country, such as demands that non-Muslims should not partake in the breaking of fasts of Muslims.

Such practices, which is fully in conformity with the teaching of Islam, have been followed not only for decades in Malaysia, but for centuries all over the world. Why has it suddenly become an issue in Malaysia?

Moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or politics must not cede any inch of ground to the extremists and make it clear that extremism of any form is the biggest threat and enemy of successful Malaysian nation-building.

The Merdeka Proclamation of 1957, the Malaysian Proclamation of 1963 and the Rukunegara are classic documents of moderation for building a united, harmonious, tolerant, democratic, progressive and prosperous Malaysia.

Malaysians can differ on many things as to how to make Malaysia great, just and free, but they must stand united on the principles and precepts of moderation which form the bedrock of Malaysian nation-building as spelt out in the Merdeka Constitution 1957, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Rukunegara 1970.

Pakatan Harapan leaders from PKR, Amanah, Pribumi Bersatu and DAP are committed to spread the moderate message of unity, peace, harmony, tolerance, understand and mutual respect among the diverse races, religions and cultures in Malaysia and this is the message that we are spreading in our visits to various parts of the country during the month of Ramadan.

(Media Conference Statement  before visiting Pasar Ramadan at Gelang Patah on Friday, 2nd June 2017 at 5.30 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 3 June 2017, 8:39 am and is filed under
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Why Malaysians could walk tall all over the world during Mahathir’s  premiership but shy to admit they are Malaysians when abroad under Najib’s premiership?

Malaysia’s continued decline in international competitiveness  was again highlighted a few days ago when it slipped another five notches to 24th place in latest World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) by the Institute for Management Development (IMD) – after falling to 19th spot last year from 14th in 2015.

It is Malaysia’s lowest ranking in five years and the country cannot take comfort that it remained the second most competitive ASEAN country behind Singapore.

Malaysia is losing out in the race of nations for development and progress, and the recent spate of incidents which signaled the rise of racial and religious extremism in the country would aggravate this national decline and fall into a failed state.

Malaysia must stop the present trajectory towards the politics of lies, hatred and fear to exploit racial and religious divisions by fanning intolerance, distrust and extremism in the country.

Malaysians must unite and stop fighting among ourselves, but must leverage on the best qualities and values from the diversity of races, religions and cultures in Malaysia so that we are not left behind in the international race of nations for development and progress.

I have a lot of differences with Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad when he was Prime Minister for 22 years, and I had not hesitated to point out the faults and failures of Mahathir’s policies even though I had to pay a heavy personal price for such outspokenness.

But we cannot deny that during Mahathir’s time, Malaysians walked with their heads high all over the world, which is very different from today, when Malaysians are shy to admit that they are Malaysians when abroad for they would be mocked and ridiculed as coming from a “global kleptocracy”!

One may not fully agree with all its manifestations, but during Mahathir’s time, there was the spirit of “Malaysia Boleh”. That ”can do and dare to do” spirit is no more in Malaysia.  But it could be found in China – the “China Boleh” spirit.

This aspect was highlighted by a former Malaysian diplomat, who ended his career as an ambassador of the country, who was sent to China from 1979 to 1981.

He recently visited China and was struck by the verve, vitality,  vibrancy and can-do spirit he found in China, reminiscent  of Napoleon’s famous quote – “China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will move the world.”

This is what the former Malaysian diplomat wrote about his recent visit to China:

“Less than four decades after I first arrived in Beijing, the city is not just a world-class capital city, it is the capital of the world.

“The millions of bicycles that once filled the streets of Beijing are gone, replaced by millions of cars both foreign and locally-made…

“The mindset shift is also striking. The people I talked to were confident about their future and proud of what had been accomplished. They were anxious to get the best education, learn new experiences, discover new business opportunities, seek ways to exploit new technologies, and were ready to move to the other side of the world if necessary in pursuit of their aspirations.

“As a nation, there is an eagerness to be the best and the greatest, to climb the highest, go the furthest, to build the biggest, fastest and most advanced. It doesn’t take long for visitors to sense that this is a nation on the move, impatient to fulfill its manifest destiny as possibly the greatest nation in the world.

“Above all else, it is the strategic thinking and planning behind almost everything that is China today that is impressive. A country like China does not rise that high that fast by happenstance but by careful planning, thoughtful implementation and dogged determination. It seems that when China settles upon a strategy, it pursues it with uncommon passion.

“It would not be an exaggeration to say that never in the history of human civilisation has any nation been able to make such a technological, economic and social leap forward in such a short span of time as China…

“As I walked around Beijing in awe, I couldn’t help reflecting on our own nation’s journey over the last 35 years or so. In many ways, witnessing China’s exponential rise to greatness also forces us to come to terms with our own performance, our own vulnerabilities and shortcomings. It is a depressing exercise to say the least.

“During then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s visit to China in November 1985, for example, a few Proton Saga were given to a Beijing taxi company as part of the effort to gain publicity for the recently launched Malaysian-made car. Admiring crowds gathered around the Proton wherever it was displayed, astonished that a small developing country like Malaysia could produce its own cars. It was a proud moment for those of us who were there.

“Some 37 years later, here we are desperately looking to China to rescue Proton from total collapse. In 1985, China produced about 6,000 cars annually; by 2008, China’s annual production had surpassed that of the United States and Japan combined.

“Time and again, we seem to have squandered the lead we had through corruption, mismanagement and misguided policies or wasted resources on hair-brained schemes. Worst of all, we never seem to learn anything from our follies because we keep repeating them.

“While China was taking giant strides forward with its Four Modernisations programme, we were arguing over language, race and religion. Instead of building a world-class system of education, we were politicising it and pretending that just calling our universities great would make it so. While other countries were going out of their way to attract the best minds in the world, we were driving them away with bigotry and prejudice.

“While China’s leaders were experimenting with ways to release the creativity, ingenuity and industriousness of all its people, our leaders were stifling it with discriminatory programmes and self-defeating policies.

“Even now, when countries like China are focused on technological innovation and strategising how to seize global leadership, we are obsessed with religious laws, what people wear or who’s sleeping with whom, never mind that all these things do absolutely nothing to improve our productivity, enhance our competitiveness or prepare us for the challenges ahead.”

What this former Malaysian diplomat wrote about the rise of China and the fall of Malaysia must be serious food for thought not only by the leaders, but also by ordinary  Malaysians, with the questions:

1.	Why Malaysians could walk tall all over the world during Mahathir’s premiership but shy to admit they are Malaysians when abroad under Najib’s premiership; and

2.	How Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or even politics, can unite to re-set nation-building directions and policies for Malaysians to compete with the rest of the world and not to fight among ourselves to be more divided and lose out in the international race of nations for development and progress.

(Speech at a DAP kopitiam dialogue in Sungai Abong, Muar on Saturday, June 3, 2017)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 4 June 2017, 5:12 am and is filed under
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Why the 1MDB saga could be far from over for Singapore

Chan Chao Peh

The Edge

June 02, 2017

SINGAPORE (June 2): This past week, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) imposed penalties on two more banks and said it had completed an extensive, two-year-long probed into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

But charges could be brought against more individuals in the future, The Edge Singapore understands.

Following the latest announcement by MAS of financial penalties issued against UOB and Credit Suisse, the total of banks that have faced MAS action over their roles in the 1MDB saga have been brought to eight.

These eight banks have been fined S$29.1 million in total, while two of them – BSI Bank and Falcon Bank – have been ordered to close in Singapore.

MAS also reiterated that it would continue cooperating with the authorities in overseas jurisdictions, namely the US, Switzerland, and Luxembourg and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, three more individuals have been hit with Prohibition Orders, which essentially ban them from working in the industry: NRA Capital founder Kevin Scully, a former analyst at the firm; Jacky Lee Chee Waiy; and a former employee of Maybank Kim Eng, Kelvin Ang.

All in, seven individuals have been banned from the industry for terms ranging from three years to a lifetime. An eighth individual, former BSI wealth planner Yeo Jiawei, has already been convicted of witness tampering and is facing charges of money laundering.

Last May, MAS referred six former employees from BSI Bank to the public prosecutor.

Out of the six, three have been convicted. This includes Yak Yew Chee, a senior private banker who acted as relationship manager to Low Taek Jho, the alleged mastermind behind 1MDB-related transactions, as well as Yak’s assistant, Yvonne Seah Yew Foong. The third individual is Yeo.

A fourth individual, Kevin Swampillai, has admitted in court to having been in cahoots with  yeo to cream off secret profits from entities they set up to ch annel funds from BSI accounts linked to 1MDB.

The remaining two former employees of BSI who were referred to prosecutors, namely former CEO Hanspeter Brunner and his deputy, Raj Sriram, were further up the hierarchy. The Edge Singapore understands that the case against these two men has not been closed yet.

As funds continue to pour into Singapore wealth management sector, another 1MDB case remains an ever-present risk.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 4 June 2017, 3:49 am and is filed under
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Keningau and Pendalaman Sabah made history with 1963 Batu Sumpah and 1984 kebangkitan Tambunan – time to make history again in 14GE for new governments in Putrajaya and Sabah to make three Batu Sumpah pledges living commitments

Keningau is the oldest town in Sabah, full of history as the centre of the Sabah hinterlands.

When Malaysia was formed in 1963, Keningau made history with the Batu Sumpah which engraved in stone the three solemn pledges on religion, Orang Asal customs and land for which the Orang Asal in Sabah swore their loyalty to the new Malaysian nation; and again in December 1984, Sabah history was made with the Tambunan uprising in the historic by-election calling for the pledges and commitments in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 to be fully adhered to.

The time has come for the people in Keningau and Sabah Pendalaman to again make history in the forthcoming 14th General Election by working hand-in with all Sabahans and Malaysians for a change of governments in Putrajaya and Sabah to reset nation-building directions and policies to ensure that the principles and the pledges in the Merdeka Constitution 1957, Malaysia Agreement 1963, Batu Sumpah and Rukunegara are restored as bedrocks of nation-building for both Malaysia and Sabah.

I first came to know about Batu Sumpah when I visited Keningau in March 2010 and I spoke at length in Parliament before the 2013 General Election on the Keningau Batu Sumpah and called on all Members of Parliament, whether government or opposition, whether in Sabah, Sarawak or Peninsular Malaysia, to support a Royal Commission of Inquiry to assess whether the dreams and aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians in forming Malaysia had been fulfilled or betrayed in the past five decades.

Since the 13th General Election, the two DAP MPs from Sabah, Jimmy Wong (Kota Kinabalu) and Stephen Wong (Sandakan) have constantly kept the Batu Sumpah pledges on religion, Orang Asal customs and land, constantly in the limelight in the highest political chamber in the land.

I am glad the efforts of DAP MPs had not been in vain and greater significance is now being given by the authorities to Batu Sumpah – as seen by the announcement by the Minister for Tourism and Culture Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz earlier this month that the Federal Government had approved an allocation of RM1.025 million to finance the relocation of Batu Sumpah from the Keningau District Office to a more “strategic” location.

But the real issue is not about the relocation of Batu Sumpah. In fact, since September 2014, DAP had launched a Batu Sumpah Awareness Campaign in Sabah and at least half a dozen replicas of Batu Sumpah had been erected in Sabah.

What is of paramount importance is not the “relocation” of Batu Sumpah but to ensure that the three reciprocal pledges on religion, Orang Asal customs and land are living commitments of both the Federal and Sabah state governments in the daily lives of Sabahans.

This will be one of the major issues in the next general elections, both national and Sabah – to ensure that the three Batu Sumpah pleges become the living commitments of the Federal and Sabah State Governments of the day!

[
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang when launching the DAP Pesta Kaamatan Pedalaman Sabah in Bingkor on Sunday, 4th June 2017 at 5 pm
]

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 June 2017, 3:17 pm and is filed under
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Sabah can teach Malaysia and the world on the importance of spreading the values of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect with zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism of any form

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said this morning that Malaysia has to also win the ideological warfare to address the threat of terrorism instead of only with the use of military and police assets and through arrests.

He said at the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister’s Department at Dataran Perdana Putra in Putrajaya this morning that the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul, Manchester (United Kingdom), Marawi (the Philippines), Jakarta and London were serious and most saddening, and it was important to win the ideological warfare against the threat of terrorism, but more than that it was vital ‘to understand what Islam really is, what it demands of us’.

I fully agree with the Prime Minister, and this is why Najib should reconsider the thrust of his Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) initiative, for it serves no purpose to preach the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fairplay, balance and excellence to the world to all nations and religions in the world, if in Malaysia, the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fair play, balance and excellence are suffering face greater challenge in the country, with extremism in various forms rearing their ugly heads.

My visit to Sabah in the past two days have been most enriching, as Sabah has scores of ethnic groups, diverse races and cultures in the country – all co-existing with harmony, understanding, goodwill and solidarity.

Sabah can teach Malaysia and the world on the importance of spreading the values of tolerance, understanding, harmony and mutual respect, as these are the ingredients for forging inter-religious, inter-cultural and unity among diverse peoples, cultures and religions.

There is one important lesson from the recent bombings and killings in London, Manchester, Marawi and Jakarta – the need for zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism of any form.

Extremism and fanaticism will grow and spread unless the mind-set of zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism could be articulated.

The people of Sabah, well known for tolerance, understanding, harmony and solidarity among diverse ethnic groups, cultures and religions should extend this lesson to all Malaysians and even the world, for there can be no peace, harmony, goodwill or solidarity if extremism and fanaticism are allowed to grow and flourish.

This is why Sabah can teach Malaysia and the world on the importance of spreading the values of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect with zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism of any form.

[
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang at the opening of the Penampang Service Centre in Penampang, Sabah on Monday, 5th June 2017 at 3 pm
]

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 June 2017, 5:41 pm and is filed under
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Call on Sabah State Government to convene a “Spirit of Double Six” Roundtable of Sabah stakeholders to make Sabah an example of Malaysia and the world of harmony and solidarity of diverse ethnic groups, religions and cultures with zero tolerance for extremism

I have visited the Double Six Memorial several times, the first occasion some 39 years when I revisited Sabah after being banned from entering Sabah.

The Double Six Memorial commemorates the Double Six Tragedy when the Sabah Chief Minister, Tun Fuad Stephens, three Sabah Ministers Datuk Salleh Sulong (Finance Minister), Datuk Peter Mojuntin (Local Government and Housing) and Chong Thien Vun (Works and Communications), an Assistant Minister, Datuk Darius Binion, and six others perished in the Nomad aircraft crash while trying to land at the Kota Kinabalu airport on the 53rd day after Parti Berjaya won the 15th April 1975 Sabah state elections.

The Double Six Tragedy dashed the high hopes of Sabahans for reform and restoration of unity and justice and the  sorry tale is  told in a new book “Harris Salleh – The Rise and Fall: The Inside Story” by Paul Raffale, published recently.

The eleven Double Six leaders come from different races and religions highlighting a significant fact about Sabah and Malaysia – that our real strength and success can only come from inter-racial and inter-religious  harmony, tolerance, understanding and solidarity!

Recently, extremism and fanaticism have been rearing their ugly heads like demands that non-Muslims should be excluded from buka puasa events, and the spreading of lies and falsehoods about non-Muslims being the threat to Islam in the country.

Yesterday, I attended the buka puasa event in Tanjong Aru organised  by the local DAP branch, and I was glad to see people from diverse ethnic groups and religions  coming together to grow understanding, harmony and solidarity in the process to become good Muslims, good Buddhists, good Christians, etc.

This is why I am happy to read about the buka puasa event in Selangor yesterday attended by Muslims and Christians, including participation by the Federal Territory Mufti and representatives from influential Muslim organisations like Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), Islamic Missionary  Foundation (YADIM), Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI), Allied Co-ordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs Malaysia (ACCIN) and Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS).

I have no doubt that the Spirit of Double Six includes the spirit of inter-religious harmony, understanding and solidarity and zero tolerance for extremism or fanaticism or any form.

I would call on the Sabah State Government  to convene a “Spirit of Double Six” Roundtable of Sabah stakeholders – political parties, civic organisations and NGOs – to make Sabah an example of Malaysia and the world of harmony, understanding and solidarity of diverse ethnic groups, religions and cultures with zero tolerance for extremism.

Photo credit :
Chan Foong Hin

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 6 June 2017, 1:51 pm and is filed under
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Sabah should be model of inter-religious harmony, understanding, solidarity and unity with zero tolerance for extremism to Malaysia and the world

My three-day visit to Sabah, partaking in the Pesta Kaamatan celebrations in Bingkor in Keningau, breaking fast with Sabahans of diverse religions and diverse ethnic groups whether Bajau, Murut, Kadazan or Chinese in Tanjong Aru, and visiting the more than 10,000-strong Bajau fishermen Kampung Numbak squatter settlement in Sepanggar who had been marginalised after being  forced to move from Teluk Sepanggar over a decade ago  because of the Sepanggar Submarine Naval Base project, has reinforced my belief that Sabah should be a model of inter-religious harmony, understanding, solidarity and unity with zero tolerance for extremism not only for Malaysia but also the world.

There are scores of ethnic groups in Sabah, with adherents of diverse religious faiths in one family or village – but  all living harmoniously with understanding, tolerance, solidarity and unity, taking part in each other’s religious festivities without distrust, suspicion, venom or hatred!

In Sabah, we see Wasatiyyah or moderation and tolerance  in action, lived in real life and not just preached from minbars, rostrums, pulpits or international conferences!

This is an useful and even precious experience and example in today’s very troubled world, where the rancorous and discordant voices of extremism or fanaticism, preaching hate, distrust, suspicion, intolerance and conflict are trying to hijack and dominate public discourse and mainstream space.

Malaysians do not want to see in the country the bombings and killings of innocent people, including children, as happened recently in Manchester, London, Paris, Jakarta or Mindanao,  the result of extremism or fanaticism as a result of the incessant preaching of hate, distrust, suspicion, intolerance and conflict, whether by Islamic State or other extremist and fanaticial elements.

It is time for Malaysians to wake up and realise that moderates of whatever race, religion or politics will lose by default to the extremists and fanatics, if they are not prepared to stand up to defend and fight for moderation in the country and refuse to cede any ground in public discourse or mainstream space by demonstrating a strong resolution of zero tolerance for extremism or fanaticism.

History tells us of the heavy price moderates have to pay when they failed to stand up against extremism or fanaticism of any form.

A man, whose family was  from the German aristocracy prior to World War II and  owned a number of large industries and estates, was later asked by a well-known German psychiatrist how many German people were true Nazis.

He said: “Very few people were true Nazis but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed our factories.”

This German psychiatrist wrote:

“The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel and bayonet. And who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery?  Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were ‘peace loving’?”

The precious lesson of history, which are “often incredibly simple and blunt”, is that  peace-loving moderates, of whatever race, religion or nation should not be made irrelevant by their silence.

It is pointless Malaysia preaching the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fair play, balance and excellence on the global level, when in the past sixty years of Malaysian nation-building, the Wasatiyyah principles of inter-racial peace, harmony, understanding, tolerance and solidarity have been in  retreat and regression.

This is obvious if we ask the question whether there is greater Wasatiyyah and more inter-religious harmony, understanding and solidarity in the year 2017 as compared to the early years  of the nation, whether Merdeka in 1957 or formation of Malaysia in 1963?

In the first decades of our nation-building, It would be completely unthinkable to hear of demands in the public domain that non-Muslims should be excluded from buka puasa events in the month of Ramadan.

The holy month of Ramadan would also not be  defiled by lies and falsehoods, especially on the social media, like the frequent false and defamatory allegations against rival politicians, with  DAP leaders recently  becoming  favourite  targets of such lies, falsehoods and hatred.

This is where Sabahans can step forward and offer the Sabah example  to Malaysia and even the world as a model of inter-religious harmony, understanding, solidarity and unity with zero tolerance for extremism.

This will be a second great way to commemorate the Double Six Tragedy.

(Speech when launching  the Sabah DAP forum: “Commemorating Double Six Tragedy – Honouring Our Leaders: Their Struggles, Our Fight” at Eminent Hotel, Kota Kinabalu on Monday, 6th June 2017 at 8 pm)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 7 June 2017, 2:54 pm and is filed under
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Vital importance to implant three pledges of Batu Sumpah Keningau in the hearts and minds of Sabah voters in 14 GE so that they can become living commitments of new Sabah state government

This morning, we gathered at the Double Six Memorial to commemorate the Double Six Tragedy 41 years ago, to honour and remember the great loss to Sabah and Malaysia when suddenly the new Sabah State Government elected in a whirlwind of hope and change in the April 15, 1976 Sabah State General Election was decapitated on the 53rd day of the election on June 6, 1976 when the new Sabah Chief Minister, Tun Fuad Stephens, three Sabah Ministers Datuk Salleh Sulong (Finance Minister), Datuk Peter Mojuntin (Local Government and Housing) and Chong Thien Vun (Works and Communications) and an Assistant Minister, Datuk Darius Binion, were among the eleven who were killed when the Nomad aircraft they were flying from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu crashed at the Kota Kinabalu airport.

The cause of the crash of the Nomad aircraft crash on 6th June 1976 has remained a mystery after 41 years, as the investigation report into the Double Six Tragedy has never been publicised and continues to be under lock and key of the Official Secrets Act.

If Pakatan Harapan can bring about a change of government in Sabah State and at the national level in Putrajaya, the first thing we will do will be to make public the investigation report into Nomad aircraft crash in the the Double Six Tragedy, as there can be more justification for keeping the investigation report under wraps for more than four decades when it should have been made public four decades ago!

A new book which was published recently, “Harris Salleh – The Rise and Fall: The Inside Story” by Paul Raffale, relates how the high hopes of the people of Sabah for change and reform in electing a new State Government in Sabah in April 1976 were dashed and destroyed.

As the Prologue of the book says, Paul Raffale tells “the story of a unique but deeply contradictory man who began life on a small coastal island and who used his intelligence and irrepressible energy to rise to the very top, ruling Sabah for almost a decade. He was the classic Greek tragedy personified – a man immensely gifted by the gods, attaining great wealth and power, but who would be cut down in his prime by the fatal flaws of so many fallen leaders, swollen with hubris and believing himself not subject to the moral code.”

Paul Raffale’s new book started with the admonition from Friedrich Nietzche: “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”

Our woes as Malaysians are that we have not only failed to eradicate this Sabah disease, producing monsters who think they are not subject to the moral code, it has become a more deadly disease on a greater Malaysian scale – to the extent that Malaysia has completely eclipsed Sabah as one of the most corrupt states to itself become a “global kleptocracy”. But this is the subject for another forum.

I was first elected to Parliament in 1969, but for some four decades in Parliament, I never heard or knew that there was a Batu Sumpah in Sabah, for no Sabah Member of Parliament had ever spoken about it.

I first came to know about Batu Sumpah when I visited Keningau in March 2010 and the three reciprocal pledges on religion, land and Orang Asal customs as the Sabah basis for the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

I am prepared to stand corrected but the first MP to talk about Batu Sumpah is not a Sabahan, but an MP from Peninsular Malaysia – myself after my visit to Keningau in 2010.

I spoke at length in Parliament before the 2013 General Election on the Keningau Batu Sumpah and called on all Members of Parliament, whether government or opposition, whether in Sabah, Sarawak or Peninsular Malaysia, to support a Royal Commission of Inquiry to assess whether the dreams and aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians in forming Malaysia had been fulfilled or betrayed in the past five decades.

Since the 13th General Election, the two DAP MPs from Sabah, Jimmy Wong (Kota Kinabalu) and Stephen Wong (Sandakan) have constantly kept the Batu Sumpah pledges on religion, Orang Asal customs and land, in the limelight in the highest political chamber in the land.

The efforts of DAP MPs had not been in vain and greater significance is now being given by the authorities to Batu Sumpah.

But the importance and significance of Batu Sumpah is not as an article for tourism or heritage, as in spending RM1 million to re-locate Batu Sumpah from the Keningau District Office to a more “strategic” location, but to make the three Batu Sumpah pledges of religion, land and Orang Asal customs the living commitments of the Sabah State and Federal Governments.

This is the greatest challenge of the forthcoming 14th General Election – to implant the three pledges of Batu Sumpah Keningau in the hearts and minds of Sabah voters in 14 GE so that they become living commitments of new Sabah state and Federal governments.

This was why the DAP had launched the Batu Sumpah Awareness Campaign in September 2014 and the erection of half a dozen replicas of Batu Sumpah in various parts of the State.

The time has come to “relocate” the Batu Sumpah and its three pledges into the hearts and minds of the voters in the 14th General Election to make them the living commitments of the new Sabah state and federal governments.

This will be one great way to commemorate the Double Six Tragedy and honour and remember our leaders.

Photo credit :
Chan Foong Hin

[
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang when launching the Sabah DAP forum: “Commemorating Double Six Tragedy – Honouring Our Leaders: Their Struggles, Our Fight” at Eminent Hotel, Kota Kinabalu on Monday, 6th June 2017 at 8 pm
]

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 7 June 2017, 12:37 pm and is filed under
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Najib should confirm or deny that he had three  other Ambank Accounts which were active at the material time of the alleged payment of RM9.5 million to lawyer Shafee Abdullah as well the payments themselves

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, should confirm or deny that he had three other Ambank accounts which were active at the material time of the alleged payment of RM9.5 million to lawyer Shafie Abdullah as well as the payments themselves.

Silence is simply not an option for the Prime Minister if he wants Malaysians and the world to  believe that he is committed to the principles of  accountability, transparency and good governance.

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali also cannot keep his silence to the claim by the PKR National Vice Chairman and MP for Pandan, Rafizi Ramli, who said that information on the flow of funds from  these  three accounts were detailed in a flowchart shown by the Attorney-General  during a press conference in January 2016.

A prompt and straight-forward confirmation is called for if Najib had three other Ambank accounts at the relevant period concerned, or there should be denial; similarly, if Najib had paid Shafie RM9.5 million from his personal banking accounts – confirm if true, giving the reasons for the payment; deny, if untrue!

Why is Najib finding it so difficult to do a very simple thing?

It is now one whole week since the Sarawak Report whistleblowing website made its claim that Najib had paid Shafie RM9.5 million from his private Ambank account, which received funds from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

The linking of the payments to Datuk Seri Anwar’s Sodomy II case, the Court of Appeal’s overturning of Anwar’s acquittal by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, his conviction, imprisonment and the removal of a political threat to the Prime Minister, are the normal reaction of ordinary Malaysians in the absence of an explanation from Najib.

This is why Najib should speak up and abandon his policy of silence on matters which affect the good name of Malaysia, such as the upholding of a just  rule of law, a truly independent judiciary and most important of all, to rebut Malaysia’s ignominy and infamy as a “global kleptocracy.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 8 June 2017, 4:16 pm and is filed under
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Imagine former Attorney-General Gani Patail telling a live-telecast parliamentary hearing about the crimes and sins of the Prime Minister in the same way former FBI Director James Comey testified at the US Senate about President Trump’s “lies”!

Former US FBI Director James Comey created a world sensation in his live-telecast testimony to US Senate Intelligence Select Committee last night where he branded US President Trump as a “liar” to defame him and FBI – “lies, plain and simple” – over his sacking because of FBI’s investigation into Moscow’s meddling in last year’s US presidential election.

Imagine former Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail telling a  live-telecast parliamentary hearing about the crimes and sins of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, over his sacking; the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal; the discoveries of the  Special Task Force of four Tan Sris from the AG’s Chambers, the Police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Bank Negara on the 1MDB scandal; “MOI” and Malaysia ascending the world corruption ladder to become a “global kleptocrary”?

This is unthinkable in present-day  Malaysia, but why should it be impossible to envisage as something  possible in Malaysia, especially as Malaysians are invited to dare to dream big dreams and think big thoughts about TN50 – National Transformation 2050?

Is the former US FBI Director’s testimony at a US Senate hearing  accusing the US President a liar a sign of the rottenness of the US system of governance or is it  a sign of the working of the checks-and-balance necessary for a democracy to work to prevent one branch of government becoming too powerful, too overbearing and completely unaccountable?

Is the present Malaysian system of governance where it is completely unthinkable for a sacked Attorney-General to give testimony in any parliamentary proceeding about Executive or Prime Ministerial abuses of power or misdemeanors a superior system of governance to that in the United States?

In Malaysia, the doctrine of separation of powers was not only subverted by the guardians of the three branches of government, we have the ludicrous situation where the Speaker of Parliament appeared to be trying  to “protect” the check-and-balance system of US system of governance by using the sub judice argument to ban any questions or debate in Parliament  on the largest kleptocratic litigation initiated by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to forfeit over US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland in the  US$3.5 billion 1MDB international money-laundering scandal – as if the US system of governance needs the protection of the Speaker of Malaysia to prevent  any compromise or subversion of  US litigation!

The Malaysian Parliament should be more vigilant against any undermining of the doctrine of separation of powers in Malaysia instead of trying to protect the checks-and-balance system in US governance, which is in good hands as demonstrated by  James Comey’s testimony to the US Senate Select Committee on  Intelligence.

But who was the Speaker of Parliament really trying to protect?

The Speaker and Members of Parliament in Malaysia should be more concerned about upholding the doctrine of separation of powers in Malaysia instead of trying to protect the doctrine in the United States.

However, we have not only failed to initiate meaningful parliamentary reforms in Malaysia, such as permanent Parliamentary Specialist  Select Committees and  public proceedings for Parliamentary Select Committees like the Public Accounts Committee, Parliament had regressed with the Speaker’s ruling banning all questions and debate on the US DOJ litigation of forfeiture of over US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets and “MO1”.

Earlier today, I received official  notification from Parliament of 12-day Dewan Rakyat meeting from 24th July to August 10 and six-day Dewan Negara meeting from 14th – 22nd August.

The first thought that came to me was whether Parliament would meet next month under a new Speaker.

This is because the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia has gone public last month to declare that he was keen to return to active politics in Sabah, and left it to the Barisan Nasional leadership to decide if he would be a suitable candidate for either the state or parliamentary seat.

It is Pandikar Amin’s right and prerogative to want to return to active politics, whether in Sabah or Malaysia, but what he said about his political intention last month clearly compromised the independence and impartiality expected of him as Speaker of Parliament.

(Speech when opening the DAP Penaga State Assembly Service Centre at Penaga, Penang on  Friday, June 9, 2017 at 5 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 10 June 2017, 10:56 am and is filed under
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Why are there people who  insist on creating the scare that DAP is anti-Malay or anti-Islam when they know these outrageous charges are fake news and false information?

DAP is a Malaysian political party,  promoting the rights and interests of all races and religions in the country, and we have within our ranks Malaysians from all races and religions, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans and Orang Asli; whether Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs or Taoists.

DAP is not  anti-Malay and anti-Islam as demonstrated by the record of the nine-year  DAP-led Penang State Government, serving interests of all Malaysians in Penang, regardless of race, religion or socio-economic background.

We cannot be anti-Malay or anti-Islam for this will be anti-Malaysian, which comprise the diverse races and religions in the country.

Why then are there  people who insist on creating the scare that DAP is anti-Malay and anti-Islam when they know that these outrageous charges are fake news and false information?

The answer is very simple – these are the real enemies of a peaceful, harmonious united, progressive and prosperous  multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural Malaysia who want to create disunity, division and discord by setting race against race and religion against religion because this is their only way to hold on to political power.

We are living in a very troubled world, where the voices of extremism and fanaticism want to hijack public discourse and mainstream space by preaching  hate, distrust, suspicion, intolerance and conflict.

Malaysians do not want to see in the country the bombings and killings of innocent people, including children, as happened in Manchester, London, Paris, Jakarta, Mindanao or most recently in Teheran, whether by Islamic State or other extremist and fanatical elements.

It is time for Malaysians to wake up and realise that moderates of whatever race, religion or politics will lose out  by default to the extremists and fanatics, if they are not prepared to stand up to defend and fight for moderation in the country and refuse to cede any ground in public discourse or mainstream space by professing  zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism.

History tells us of the heavy price moderates have to pay when they failed to stand up against extremism or fanaticism of any form.

Nazi Germany is a good example. A victim of Nazi Germany admitted that very few people were true Nazis but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care.

The majority just sat back and let it all happen, and before they  knew it, they  had lost control and the Nazis were in command of everything.

It  was the same with the Japanese. The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel and bayonet.

Same with  Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were ‘peace loving’?

Malaysians must learn from these precious lessons of history, that peace-loving moderates, of whatever race, religion or nation should not be made irrelevant by their silence.

It is pointless Malaysia preaching the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fair play, balance and excellence on the global level, if we allow and cede extremism and fanaticism room in public discourse and mainstream space.

The  holy month of Ramadan should not be defiled by lies and falsehoods, especially on the social media, like lies,  that DAP is anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

I just returned from a three-day visit to Sabah where we see wasatiyyah lived in real life and not just preached from the minbars, pulpits or international conferences – for there are scores of ethnic groups in Sabah with adherents of diverse religious faiths  not only in one village but in one family,  all living harmoniously with understanding, tolerance, solidarity and unity, taking part in each other’s religious festivities without distrust, suspicion, venom or hatred!

Let us all in Malaysia be inspired by the Sabah example to  celebrate inter-religious harmony, understanding, solidarity and unity with zero tolerance for extremism!

(Speech the receipt of over 50 membership forms for formation of Kg Guar Kepah Branch in Penaga at the DAP Penaga Service Centre on Friday, 9th June 2017 at 6 pm)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 10 June 2017, 1:42 pm and is filed under
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Will Najib resolve the latest crisis of public integrity and good governance concerning RM9.5 million payments from his Ambank personal banking account to Shafie over Anwar’s Sodomy II appeals to Court of Appeal and Federal Court before Hari Raya Aidilfriti?

My call to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to break his silence on the RM9.5 million to lawyer Tan Sri Shafie Abdullah and whether he had three other Ambank accounts at the relevant time of the payments had been strengthened three days ago have been strengthened  by two developments:

•	Firstly, the explanation by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nancy Shukri that she was not privy to the arrangements made by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and that when she answered in Parliament in 2015, she  was reading out the information given to her by  the AG Chambers that Shafee was only paid an official sum of RM1,000 for his role as prosecutor in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II case at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court; and

•	Secondly, Najib’s statement at Felda Sungai Sayong, Kulai that he wants the Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) crisis to be resolved before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

The RM9.5 million payments by Najib to Shafee from his personal  banking account  in Ambank purportedly for the appeals against the acquittal of Anwar in the Sodomy II case became a controversy well before the current FGV crisis, which saw a public confrontation between the FGV Chairman Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and the FGV CEO Zakaria Arshad.

If Najib wants to see the FGV crisis resolved before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, why should the Prime Minister be coy about ensuring that the latest crisis about public integrity and good governance over the alleged RM9.5 million payments by him from his Ambank personal bank account to Shafie are resolved before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, so as not to mar the holy month of Ramadan?

Muslims friends have explained that Ramadan is not only about abstaining from food and water, but also to refrain from sinful behavior as avoiding ill speech, arguments, loss of temper and malicious behavior.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 11 June 2017, 2:48 pm and is filed under
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Even if Malaysia ends up a failed and bankrupt state, Penang must break ranks to continue to be a successful dynamo of justice, progress and development to save Malaysia for the future

I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry when I read the Penang Barisan Nasional attacks on the DAP-led Penang State Government as leading Penang towards  a failed and bankrupt state.

Are the Penang BN leaders seriously suggesting that Penang is becoming a failed and bankrupt state? That Penang is worse than Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah, Pahang, Malacca, Negri Sembilan or Johor?

Ask the people all over the Penang State whether Penang is becoming a failed and bankrupt state, and the answer is a categorical “No” among the overwhelming majority of Penangites, including Barisan Nasional members, except for the few Penang Barisan Nasional leaders who have eyes that see not and ears that hear not.

Ask the people all over Malaysia, whether Malaysia is in danger of being trapped in the trajectory heading towards a failed and bankrupt state, and the answer will be a categorical “Yes” among the overwhelming  majority of informed Malaysians including  Barisan Nasional members.

When Malaysia achieved Independence and nationhood 60 years ago, we had high hopes and great dreams for the country to be a top world-class nation, not only progressive, forward-looking and successful in all fields of human endeavor, whether political, economic, social and educational, but to be a  model to the world of unity, harmony, tolerance and mutual respect in a plural nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.

Apart from Japan, we were sixty years ago the richest and most economically developed  country in Asia.

Since then we have been overtaken by many  – Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and  Taiwan and unless we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, we are in  danger of being overtaken by Vietnam and Thailand, and heavens forbid, even  Indonesia and the Philippines!

What happened recently  in South Korea  is salutary reminder of how far we as a nation have fallen short of our expectations when we achieved Merdeka on August 31, 1957.

South Korea was very poor and backward sixty years ago, with a per capita GNP which is only one-third of this country. Today, South Korea is one of the richest, most developed and prosperous nations in the world – two or three times richer than Malaysia.

Sixty years ago, any notion of democracy and human rights in South Korea was non-existent as it was ruled by a dictatorship.

But today, the South Korean Parliament could impeach the South Korean President and eight judges of the South Korean Constitutional Court could unanimously uphold the impeachment of the South Korean President by the South Korean Parliament on charges of corruption and cronyism.

The impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye is in jail awaiting corruption trial while there had been new presidential elections resulting in  new South Korean President Moon Jae In.

This is something which is unthinkable under the present political and justice system in Malaysia, despite the unprecedented international 1MDB money-laundering scandal which had turned Malaysia into a “global kleptocracy” overnight – unless there is a major change in the system of governance in Malaysia in the 14th General Election.

It should be matter of grave concern to all patriotic Malaysians that instead of addressing these political, economic, educational and social issues which show that Malaysia is losing out in the international race of nations in progress, sustainable  development, good governance and democracy, there is instead an escalation in the politics of lies, hate,  fear and extremism exploiting the primordial issues of race and religion.

Yesterday, the DAP MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong, was roughed up while on a mission of goodwill and solidarity  at a Ramadan bazaar in Kluang, Johor.

I commend the Bersatu President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the UMNO Youth leader, Khairy Jamaluddin for condemning the ruckus at Pasar Ramadan in Kluang, with the latter reminding the assailants that they should have been mindful that this was Ramadan.

But what is the stand of the  other UMNO Ministers, and in particular, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to this wave of extremism in Malaysia?

Malaysians do not want to see in the country the bombings and killings of innocent people, as happened in Manchester, London, Paris, Jakarta, Mindanao or most recently in Teheran, whether by Islamic State or other extremist and fanatical elements.

Malaysians must never forget the lessons of history, of the  heavy price moderates have to pay when they failed to stand up against extremism or fanaticism of any form.

It is pointless Malaysia preaching the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fair play, balance and excellence on the global level, if we allow extremism and fanaticism room in public discourse and mainstream space in the country.

Moderate Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics must be very concerned that of late, the voices of hatred, intolerance and extremism are rearing their ugly heads with ugly incidents like the roughing up of the DAP MP for Kluang who was spreading goodwill, understandring and solidarity at Pasar Ramadan in Kluang and the demands by a few  in Penang that non-Muslims should not partake in the breaking of fasts of Muslims.

Moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or politics, must speak up strongly and steadfastly for peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect and not cede any single inch of mainstream ground to the advocates of hatred, intolerance and extremism or Malaysia will be heading towards a perilous and disastrous end – a failed and bankrupt state.

Malaysia can only succeed as a world-class nation by leveraging on the best qualities embedded in the diverse races, languages, religions, cultures and civilizations which meet in confluence in Malaysia.

There is  no option for Malaysia but to pursue a policy of moderation in our nation-building policies and directions which give primacy to the goals of unity, peace, tolerance, understanding, mutual respect and excellence.

We will end up as a broken and a failed state if we do not resist the siren song of extremists who preach distrust, hatred and intolerance and want to build walls segregating the diverse races, religions and cultures in Malaysia.

Malaysians can differ on how to make Malaysia great, just and free, but they must stand united on the principles and precepts of moderation which form the bedrock of Malaysian nation-building as spelt out in the Merdeka Constitution 1957, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Rukunegara 1970.

Three decades ago, I called on Penang to be the frontline state for change and progress in Malaysia.

Today, we are striving to make Johor another front-line state for change and progress so that with Penang and Johor in the political lead in Peninsular Malaysia, we hope to bring about major political changes in the forthcoming 14th General Elections to restore and re-set nation-building directions and policies for Malaysia to be a top world-class nation in the various fields of human endeavor and  be a world model of unity, harmony, tolerance and mutual respect in a plural nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.

Worse come to the worst, even if all efforts of moderate and patriotic Malaysians fail, and the country  ends up as a failed and bankrupt state, Penang must break ranks to continue to be a successful dynamo of justice, progress and development in Malaysia  to save the country for the future.

(Speech at the Jelutong DAP’s “Prepare for  14th General Elections” Dinner in Jelutong, Penang on Sunday, 11th June 2017 at 9 pm)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 12 June 2017, 9:11 am and is filed under
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DAP calls for Royal Commission of Inquiry into the tens of billions of ringgit of FGV and FELDA losses, which should include Najib’s responsibility in allowing such financial losses and scandals in the past five years

In a matter of five years, Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) suffered RM10 billion market capitalisation losses, with its share price at RM4.55 per share when it was listed in June 2012 plunging to RM1.72 per share today.

Why has FGV, which is the world’s largest plantation operator with more than two million acres of oil palms in Malaysia and in other parts of the world, suffered so badly?

FELDA Chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad will be meeting the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak tomorrow to discuss the best solution to resolve the FGV crisis.

I agree with the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, that it is grossly inadequate just to appoint former Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala to inquire into the corporate irregularities of FGV, not only because Idris cannot be regarded as independent and impartial because of his past Cabinet position, but also because the terms of reference of the inquiry is not comprehensive enough.

The public spat between the FGV Chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and the FGV Group President/Chief Executive Officer Zakaria Arshad has revealed that there is something very rotten in FELCA and FGV for a very long time, lasting as long as five years, and the question is why Najib as the Minister directly responsible for FELDA, was unaware of these irregularities and scandals or why he did nothing to ensure that FELDA and FGV would not suffer tens of billions of ringgit of losses.

What is clearly needed is a no-holds-barred Royal Commission of Inquiry into the tens of billions of ringgit of FGV and FELDA losses, which should include Najib’s responsibility in allowing such financial losses and scandals in the past five years.

Will Shahrir support such a RCI proposal and will he be put it to the Prime Minister when they meet tomorrow to discuss the future of FGV?

[
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Kopitiam dialogue in Bukit Pasir, Pagoh on Tuesday, 13th June 2017 at 1 pm
]

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 13 June 2017, 4:41 pm and is filed under
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Hadi’s statement about US Ambassador during the 13GE campaign  most intriguing, both in content and timing

There has been a lot of publicity and attention on who will be the Prime Minister if Pakatan Harapan wins the 14th General Election.

The Pakatan Harapan candidate for Prime Minister is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

However, as Anwar  is in jail and suffer the five-year disenfranchisement from holding public office on his release from imprisonment next year until he is pardoned, Anwar can only be the eighth Prime Minister and not the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Who will be Malaysia’s seventh Prime Minister if Pakatan Harapan wins the 14th General Election will be  decided by consensus of Pakatan Harapan parties when Pakatan Harapan wins the 14GE, as the focus of all Pakatan Harapan parties at present should be single-mindedly  how to ensure that the UMNO-BN coalition can be defeated and replaced in the next general election.

I am however very intrigued by a Facebook posting by the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang last week of his meeting with the US Ambassador during the 13th General Election, when he was asked  who would PAS support as prime minister if the opposition bloc wins the general election.

Hadi recounted how he avoided giving an answer by asking back “who is the candidate agreed to by the US?”, at which both parties laughed and the subject was not pursued.

This is quite a revelation and confirms that although Anwar was the Pakatan Rakyat Prime Minister-designate and  introduced openly at the 14th GE  Pakatan Rakyat (PR) election rallies as the PR Prime Minister-designate, Hadi and his lieutenants had other thoughts as indicated by his recollection of his meeting with the US Ambassador during the 13GE campaign.

Hadi’s Facebook posting, both the contents and the timing, are news to me and  most intriguing.

Before the 13th GE, Hadi had once suggested that Anwar should be replaced as the PR Prime Minister-designate, but this was rejected by DAP.

Who is Hadi’s choice as the Prime Minister of Malaysia after the 14th General Election?

I think this is a question which does not require much mental effort to answer.

(Media Comment after Pasar Ramadan visit to Taman Utama, Segamat and Labis in Labis on Monday, 12th June 2017 at 6.30 pm)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 13 June 2017, 8:24 am and is filed under
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Regrettable that there are UMNO leaders who are defending undemocratic, violent and extremist behaviour like obstruction and roughing up of DAP MP for Kluang Liew Chin Tong when visiting Pasar Ramadan Kluang to distribute dates and spread message of harmony and solidarity

It is most regrettable that there are UMNO leaders who are defending undemocratic, violent and extremist behaviour like the obstruction and roughing up of DAP MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong, when visiting Pasar Ramadan Kluang to distribute dates and spread the message of harmony and solidarity.

I commend the UMNO Youth leader and Minister for Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin, for condemning such thuggish and extremist behaviour, tweeting that such behaviour is contrary to the meaning of the month of Ramadan.

It would appear that this inability to realise the meaning and significance of Ramadan also afflict some UMNO leaders, like Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and MP for Muar, Datuk Razali Ibrahim who could defend such thuggish, violent, extremist behaviour like the roughing up of an MP going about his duties.

My Muslim friends tell me that fasting in Ramadan is not just abstaining from food and drink, but also abstaining from bad practices, whether malice, suspicion, vulgarity, immodesty, arrogance, ignorance and thinking ill of others – which definitely include the roughing up of an MP out on a mission of harmony and solidarity visiting Pasar Ramadan in his constituency.

We are living in a very troubled world, where the voices of extremism and fanaticism want to hijack public discourse and mainstream space by preaching hate, distrust, suspicion, intolerance and conflict.

These are the real enemies of a peaceful, harmonious united, progressive and prosperous multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural Malaysia as they want to create disunity, division and discord by setting race against race and religion against religion.

Malaysians do not want to see in the country the bombings and killings of innocent people as happened in Manchester, London, Paris, Jakarta, Mindanao or most recently in Teheran, whether by Islamic State or other extremist and fanatical elements – which will be Malaysia’s future if the voices of hate, intolerance and extremism are allowed to hijack public discourse and mainstream space in Malaysia.

Moderate Malaysians must wake up to these dangers and not lose out by default to the extremists and fanatics, by ceding ground in public discourse or mainstream space by their failure to take an uncompromising stand of zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism.

The question is whether patriotic and moderate Malaysians can unite to save the country from irresponsible forces of disunity, division and disunity.

Malaysia is not a nation of one race or one religion, but a nation of diverse races, religions and cultures.

Malaysia as “Instant Asia” should not just be a draw for tourists to come to Malaysia from all over the world, as the racial, linguistic, religious and cultural diversity of Malaysia is a national asset and not a liability for Malaysian nation-building.

Malaysia can become a world-class nation if we can leverage on the best qualities and values of the diverse races, religions, languages and cultures which meet in confluence Malaysia, but Malaysia is doomed as a nation if we allow the voices of extremism and intolerance free rein in our national life.

My visits to the Ramadan bazaars in Johor, Penang, Selangor and Sabah since the beginning of Ramadan have reinforced my conviction that regardless of race, religion or politics, Malaysians on the ground want and cherish peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect.

Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics must learn from the lessons of failed states which have allowed the voices of hate, intolerance and extremism to prevail over the voices of reason, love, compassion, tolerance, goodwill, solidarity and mutual respect, and gone down the slippery slope of national division and destruction.

The greatest challenge of Malaysia in the coming years is whether we can build on the goodwill, solidarity, tolerance and mutual understanding and respect of the diverse races, religions and cultures or allow the voices of intolerance, hatred and extremism to destroy the bonds of reason, love, compassion and unity we have built in the past and replace them with hate, mistrust, intolerance and extremism which could only end with greater national discord and division.

[
Media Comment by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang after breaking of fast with Pakatan Harapan members in Kampong Tenang, Labis on Monday, 12th June 2017 at 8 pm
]

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 13 June 2017, 11:41 am and is filed under
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Najib speech on loyalty reminds me of Trump’s demand for loyalty from ex FBI Director James Comey

When I read of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s speech yesterday on the importance of loyalty at a function of 13 uniformed services, I am reminded of United States President Donald Trump’s demand for loyalty from the former FBI Director, James Comey, whom he subsequently sacked.

Malaysians should owe loyalty to the nation, not to any individual, regardless of whether right or wrong – as the latter is  the worst form of disloyalty to the nation, subordinating national interests to  “loyalty” to any one person!

Today, Najib reminded social media users to spread positive news about the country and not negative ones and that they should use their influence to help instil a love for the nation.

I cannot agree more with the Prime Minister and nothing is more hurting to loyal and patriotic Malaysians than to see the country regarded in a very poor light by the international community.

This is a problem that must be addressed by the Prime Minister and the government.

There is no doubt that the one single  issue which has most  damaged  Malaysia’s good name and reputation in the world  community is the international multi-billion ringgit 1MDB money-laundering scandal, which has resulted in Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”.

We cannot continue to pretend that the 1MDB scandal and Malaysia’s international infamy and ignominy as a “global kleptocracy” do not exist, when Malaysia continues to dominate in the world headlines with periodic developments on the 1MDB scandal in various countries and jurisdictions where there is ongoing criminal investigations and civil litigation connected with the 1MDB scandal.

Today, for instance, there is the report of US Department of Justice (DOJ) action to seize London properties linked to 1MDB fund.

Wall Street Journal’s latest expose of the 1MDB scandal reports on how “controversial businessman”, Jho Low, bought a penthouse, an office building and another flat,  all located in the upmarket Mayfair district in London using  £77 million (RM416 million at current rates) from 1MDB.

In the past week, Malaysia was convulsed by reports that the Najib had paid RM9.5 million to lawyer Tan Sri Shafie Abdullah for the latter’s role as prosecutor in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II case at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court, and that the monies came from Najib’s private bank account related to the 1MDB scandal. Up to now, although it is close to two weeks since the revelation of the payments, the Prime Minister has not broken his thunderous silence!

The first step to ensure positive news for Malaysia, especially in the social media, is to purge and cleanse Malaysia’s of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”, projecting  the image that Malaysia’s national leaders are not only unable to differentiate right from wrong, but have lost all  sense of “shame”.

Will Najib take the first step to clear Malaysia’s of the ignominy and infamy as a “global kleptocracy” – which will be the greatest gift to all Malaysians in this month of Ramadan?

(Speech at the DAP Kopitiam dialogue at Pagoh, Johor on  Tuesday, 13th June 2017 at 3 pm)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 14 June 2017, 2:54 pm and is filed under
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Pakatan Harapan’s twin objectives to make Johor a frontline state in 14GE – spearhead political change in 14GE and save Malaysia from a failed and broken state

Pakatan Harapan must make Johor a front-line state with two objectives – firstly, to spearhead political change in the country in the forthcoming 14th General Election and secondly, to save Malaysia from becoming a failed and broken state.

Until five years ago, Johor was quite impenetrable for Opposition parties as it was for close to half a century, the impregnable fort of the Barisan Nasional parties – whether UMNO, MCA or MIC.

But a sea change took place in Johor in the 13th General Election. Until then, the best election result for the Opposition in Johor was one Parliamentary and six State Assembly seats in Johor in the 2008 general election, but in the 2013 General Election, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition made a quantum leap and won five Parliamentary and 18 State Assembly seats – a far cry from Barisan Nasional’s “zero Opposition” goal in the 2008 general election to just one seat short of BN losing two-thirds majority in the Johor State Assembly.

Can the Opposition, now Pakatan Harapan, improve on the Opposition’s score in Johor in the next general election, which should be held in the next 12 months?

Although there are pessimists who think that in the next general election, it is not possible to improve on Opposition showing in 2013, I remain optimistic that it is not only possible to improve on the electoral results in the last general election, both parliamentary and state assembly, the possibility of Pakatan Harapan replacing the Barisan Nasional as the Johor State Government cannot be ruled out.

If Johor succeeds as a front-line state in the next general election, matching Penang as a successful front-line state, and backed by the spine of support from Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Negri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia, the stage would be set for a national change of government in Putrajaya.

Pakatan Harapan has twin objectives to make Johor a frontline state in 14GE – – to spearhead political change in 14GE and save Malaysia from a failed and broken state.

Two recent incidents, the roughing up of DAP MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong, when visiting Pasar Ramadan in his Kluang constituency based on a lie on what happened ten year ago, and the demonisation on the social media of Selangor DAP leader and municipal councillor, Young Syefura Othman, or better known as Rara, for her visits to Ramadan bazaar in Cheras, are disturbing instances of growing intolerance, distrust and hatred in our plural nation of diverse races, religions, cultures and languages.

We have failed in our nation-building efforts in the past 60 years to inculcate among our people the values of tolerance, goodwill, solidarity and mutual respect which are essential if our plural society is to succeed as a world-class nation, and not becoem a failed and broken state.

This trend towards greater intolerance, distrust and hatred must be condemned and halted and all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, must stand united to promote peace, harmony, goodwill, mutual respect and solidarity in our plural society, with zero tolerance for extremism or fanaticism in any form.

This mindset should be above party politics, but if Barisan Nasional leaders are not prepared to be in the forefront to speak out against intolerance, hatred or extremism of any form (and it is regrettable that there are UMNO leaders who could defend or justify such extremist behaviour), Pakatan Harapan leaders must step forward to condemn such intolerance and extremism.

[
Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang at the Majlis berbuka puasa Pakatan Harapan Bakri in Muar on Tuesday, 13th June 2017 at 6 pm
]

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 14 June 2017, 1:49 pm and is filed under
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Idris Jala report on the FGV crisis should be “Tell All” and not cover-up for Najib’s ministerial failure for five years to ensure FELDA and FGV serve the 100,000 FELDA settlers and not UMNO cronies

That was fast.

Within a week, former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Idris Jala had completed his assignment by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to look into the Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) crisis.

This was revealed by Najib yesterday who said the Idris’ report would be announced at an appropriate time and he had also requested Idris to look into several steps and measures to solve the crisis.

Is Idris a superman or wonder worker in government transformation who could pinpoint the complex causes and solutions of the RM13 billion FGV crisis within a week?

Or were all the facts and information about the FELDA/FGV crisis in the possession of the Prime Minister’s Department, as the Prime Minister was directly responsible for FELDA/FGV affairs, and the real issue is the Prime Minster’s failure of responsibility to save FELDA and FGV in the past five years?

Idris was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department serving as Najib’s Chief Executive Officer of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) from 2009 till 2015.

How did he allow Felda and FGV to undergo such a colossal mess as to chalk up some RM13 billion losses during the bulk of Idris’ responsibility as PEMANDU CEO?

As is generally known, when FGV was first listed on June 28, 2012 confidence was so high that it opened higher than expected over its initial public offer (IPO) price of RM4.55 – closing that day at $5.30, some 16% higher than its IPO price.

But after raising US$3.1 billion (about RM10 billion then) in Asia’s biggest initial public offering of the year, running against the global gloom in IPO markets, it had been downhill all the way, reflecting poor results, an extreme lack of market confidence in the share following a string of poor purchases over the years and five years of mismanagement.

I have called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into FELDA/FGV crisis as the Malaysian public have a right to know why Najib, as the Minister directly responsible for FELDA/FGV, had allowed the rot to fester for five long years resulting in over RM10 billion of losses.

Najib would be fully entitled to sack any Minister responsible for allowing such FELDA/FGV crisis and losses to fester for five years. Is he himself prepared to accept Ministerial responsibility for the FELDA/FGV loses?

The Idris Report should be a “Tell All” document and not be any form of cover-up of the FELDA/FGV crisis and losses, and in particular, Najib’s ministerial failure for five years to ensure FELDA and FGV serve the 100,000 FELDA settlers and not UMNO cronies.

(Media Statement in Gelang Patah on Thursday, 15th June 2017)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 15 June 2017, 3:23 pm and is filed under
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Why UMNO leaders like Razali and Zainal treat Najib’s wasatiyah principles of moderation, justice, balance and excellence with contempt in Ramadan month by telling lies and support extremist behaviour?

We are past the midpoint of the Ramadan month and it is most regrettable that this holy month for Muslims in Malaysians to be better Muslims – just as we want non-Muslim Malaysians to be better Buddhists, better Christians, better Hindus, better Sikhs and better Taoists so as to become better Malaysians – had been marred by various incidents contrary to the values of peace, tolerance, mutual respect, goodwill and solidarity we want to inculcate among the diverse races and religions in the country.

There was firstly the voice of intolerance, distrust and even hate demanding that non-Muslims should be excluded from all buka puasa events.

Then there was the disgraceful episode at the Bazaar Ramadan Kluang where DAP MP for Kluang Liew Chin Tong was roughed up on a visit of goodwill and solidarity.

In the holy month of Ramadan, gutter politics and the politics of lies, falsehood and incitement of hatred reached new depths when Selangor DAP leader and municipal councillor Young Syefura Othman, or better known as Rara, was demonised on the social media for her visits to Ramadan bazaar in Cheras while DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Seputeh, Teresa Kok, had to lodge a police report over a false press statement released under her name in connection with a “Jerusalem’s Jubilee” event in Melaka, when she had no idea what the event was all about!

But what is more disconcerting is that UMNO leaders are themselves ignoring the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, balance and excellence in the month of Ramadan, as illustrated by the following two instances:

– the support of the thuggish roughing up of DAP MP for Kluang Liew Chin Tong at the Bazaar Ramadan by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Razali Ibrahim, based on a lie that Kluang DAP had requested relocation of the bazaar ten years ago when it was Kluang MCA which had wanted the bazaar relocated; and

– the statement today by the Penang UMNO chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, accusing Penang DAP of hosting numerous dinners for the past ten years in the state “which pretty much happens almost every night in Penang”!

Zainal is a bad and lousy liar. He should at least try to be a good liar, who is not caught immediately for lying, for his lie is so obvious and patently untrue!

Who would believe that Penang DAP had been holding fund-raising dinners “almost every night” in the past 10 years?

I stand corrected, but as far as I know, there was not more than half a dozen DAP Penang dinners in the two years of 2016 and 2017 – let alone Zainal’s wild allegation of dinners “almost every night” in the past 10 years!

Was Zainal on planet Earth in the past ten years for him to believe, and worse to utter, such rubbish?

But more serious than the Penang UMNO chief’s attempt to be a bad and lousy liar in the month of Ramadan is why he ignored the UMNO President and Prime Minister’s wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, balance and excellence?

What is the use Najib preaching the Wasatiyyah principles through this Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) to the world when UMNO leaders treat such wasatiyyah principles with contempt even in the holy month of Ramadan?

I can still remember Najib’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly promoting his wasatiyyah principles of moderation and Global Movement of Moderates initiative.

The time has come for Najib state whether his call to “moderates of all countries, of all religions to take back the centre, to reclaim the agenda for peace and pragmatism, and to marginalize the extremists” is meant for an international audience only but not applicable at home, and if not, why UMNO leaders are so ignorant or contemptible about the wasatiyyah principles?

(Speech at the Majlis berbuka puasa Pakatan Harapan in Yong Peng on Wednesday 14th June 2017 at 6 pm)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 15 June 2017, 12:15 pm and is filed under
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Has Apandi read the ten “killer paragraphs” in US DOJ’s latest 1MDB kleptocratic suit to forfeit 1MDB-assets which directly linked Najib’s RM2.6 billion donation to 1MDB, and if so, how can he suggest that there  is nothing new?

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali is even faster than the former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Idris Jala, who completed his inquiry into the five-year-old RM13 billion Felda Global Ventures Holding Berhard (FGV) crisis in less than a  week.

Apandi read the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) latest 1MDB kleptocratic suit to seize 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland in a matter of hours as to be able to declare that there was nothing new and to express his regret about  “insinuations” against the Prime Minister in the DOJ’s latest 1MDB forfeiture suit.

For Apandi’s information, they are not insinuations but open and direct charge by the United States Government  that the Prime Minister had lied when he claimed that the RM2.6 billion donations had come from Saudi Arabian royalty!

Apandi must be quite a speed reader, but has he read the ten “killer paragraphs” in the US DOJ’s latest 1MDB kleptocratic suit to forfeit 1MDB-linked assets because of the  crime of money-laundering, which as good as linked the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM2.6 billion “donations” to 1MDB money-laundering, debunking the claim that they were donations from Saudi Arab royalty and that US$620 million had been returned to Saudi Arabian donor.

I have not completed reading the 251-page updated US DOJ kleptocratic suit to forfeit over US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets, but I can say that Apandi cannot be more wrong when he suggested that there was nothing new in the expanded DOJ kleptocratic suit.

Apart from the titillating and tantalizing information about what another 1MDB king-pin Jho Low did with the US$620 million which Najib was supposed to have returned to  the Saudi Arabia royal donor, Apandi should ask whether Najib can continue as Prime Minister if he allows the ten “killer paragraghs” in the latest DOJ kleptocratic suit to stand unchallenged.

I am referring to Paragraph 339 to 348 under the section “$681 MILLION WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE TANORE ACCOUNT TO AN ACCOUNT BELONGING TO MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”.

There are other “killer paragraphs” for the Prime Minister in the US DOJ kleptocratic suit  but let us begin with these 10 paragraphs as to what  Najib and the Govenrment are going to do to convince the world that Malaysia has not become a “global kleptocracy”.

(Media Statement in Gelang Patah on Friday, 16th June 2017)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 16 June 2017, 4:00 pm and is filed under
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Najib should make public the findings of the 1MDB Special Task Force of the four Tan Sris in July 2015 to resolve the two major financial scandals under Najib premiership – the 1MDB and FGV scandals

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has announced that former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Idris Jala had completed his assignment to look into the Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) crisis within a week.

The RM13 billion FELDA/FGV scandal together with the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal are the two greatest financial scandals of the seven-year Najib premiership, which Najib had promised to bring about the best democracy in the world!

I call on Najib to act with similar despatch to resolve the 1MDB scandal, which has brought to Malaysia the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”.

This can be done by Najib making public the findings of the 1MDB Special Task Force of the four Tan Sris which he disbanded in July 2015, for it is clear from hindsight that the 1MDB Special Task Force had done more work to get to the bottom of the 1MDB scandal than any other 1MDB probe – including the probes by the Auditor-General and the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee.

Najib had said that he wants the FGV crisis resolved within this Ramadan month based on three principles: adhere to laws governing the company; that it should comply with good governance; and that the decision arrived at should be fair.

Why is Najib not prepared to use these three principles of compliance with the law, the precepts of good governance and fairness to resolve the bigger 1MDB scandal – adding a fourth principle, in compliance with the principles of public integrity and transparency.

The 1MDB Special Task Force was recently brought to light when whistleblower, Sarawak Report website editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown said that the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar should have seen the documents about Najib’s payments of RM9.5 million to Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah for the latter’s role as prosecutor for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomhy II appeal before the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

Is this true?

The IGP should speak up on this matter, as he had lapsed into unusual silence.

The work done by the 1MDB Special Task Force comprising the four Tan Sris, who headed the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bank Negara, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Police, must be salvaged and cannot be allowed to go to waste, as the Malaysian public have a right to know whether the 1MDB Special Task Force had decided on any prosecutions and the details of such proposed prosecutions.

(Media Conference Statement in Bandar Sri Alam, Johor Baru after visiting Pengkalan Rinting and Johor Jaya Bazaar Ramadan on Thursday, 15th June 2017 6 pm)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 16 June 2017, 9:17 am and is filed under
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