Najib thought he has found a way to stop public discussion of two issues:  the possibility of his return as the 10th Prime Minister  of Malaysia in the 15GE and his brother Nazir’s proposal of a reset of national policies and institutions

(Versi BM)

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak thought he has found a way to stop public discussion of two issues: the possibility of his return as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia in the 15th General Election and his brother Nazir’s proposal for a reset of national policies and institutions.

But he cannot be more wrong when he thought he could achieve these two objectives when he tried to caricature me as being too obsessed with him.

Firstly, let me declare that Najib personally is not important, but it is in the interests of all Malaysians who want a clean and honest government to ensure that he does not return as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia in the 15th General Election, for it would mean the return of the days when Malaysia was associated with “kleptocracy at its worst”.

Secondly, while we can agree or disagree with the question of modus operandi, Malaysians must welcome Nazir’s call for a reset of national policies and institutions as it is precisely because of the failure to reset national policies and institutions that one country after another had overtaken Malaysia, whether in international competitiveness, good governance or in having an effective and efficient government.

The 22-month Covid-19 pandemic should serve as a further warning that unless Malaysia pull itself up by its bootstraps, we will not only be losing out to Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam, we will be losing out to more countries, even to Indonesia, in the coming decades.

This is evident from the fact that yesterday, Malaysia recorded 4,879 Covid-19 cases and 55 Covid-19 deaths, as compared to Indonesia’s 297 Covid-19 cases and 11 Covid-19 deaths. In the last ten days, Malaysia recorded 51,335 Covid-19 cases and 448 Covid-19 deaths as compared to Indonesia’s 3,311 Covid-19 cases and 102 Covid-19 deaths.

Are we condemned to lose out to Indonesia, India and China and must give up our Malaysian Dream for Malaysia to be a world-class great nation?

I expect Najib to use all sorts of stratagems through his cybertroopers in the online and mainstream printed media to distract public attention from these two issues, but for the sake of the nation and that of our children and children’s children, we must not allow such diversions and distractions to succeed.

We must soldier on with a “Malaysian First” mindset and mentality to achieve our Malaysian Dream for Malaysia to be a world-class great nation, even if takes one, two or more decades but before Malaysia’s Centennial in 2057 to achieve our objective!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, December 1, 2021)

Najib ingat dia telah menjumpai cara untuk menghentikan wacana awam mengenai dua isu: kemungkinan kedatangan semula beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-10 dalam PRU15 dan juga cadangan adiknya, Nazir, untuk menetapkan semula dasar dan institusi negara

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Najib Razak, ingat dia telah menjumpai cara untuk menghentikan wacana awam mengenai dua isu: kemungkinan kedatangan semula beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-10 dalam PRU15 dan juga cadangan adiknya, Nazir, untuk menetapkan semula dasar dan institusi negara.

Tetapi dia telah tersasar jauh sekali apabila dia memikirkan yang dia boleh mencapai dua matlamat ini dengan cuba mengejek saya sebagai terlalu obses dengannya.

Pertamanya, izinkan saya untuk jelaskan di sini, Najib itu sendiri tidaklah penting pun. Tetapi, menjadi tanggungjawab dan keutamaan untuk semua rakyat Malaysia yang mahukan kerajaan yang bersih dan telus untuk memastikan beliau tidak kembali sebagai Perdana Menteri ke-10 dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15, kerana jika perkara ini berlaku, ia bermakna negara kita akan kembali ke era di mana kita dikenali sebagai “kleptokrasi dalam bentuk yang terburuk”.

Keduanya, walaupun kita mungkin bersetuju atau tidak bersetuju dengan cara dan bentuk cadangannya, rakyat Malaysia perlu menyambut baik seruan Nazir untuk menetapkan semula dasar-dasar dan institusi negara kerana kegagalan berbuat sebeginilah yang menyaksikan satu demi satu negara terus meninggalkan kita di belakang, sama ada dari segi daya saing di arena antarabangsa, tadbir urus yang baik, atau dalam mempunyai kerajaan yang efektif dan berkesan.

Wabak Covid-19 selama 22 bulan perlu menjadi satu lagi amaran kepada kita semua, yang mana melainkan kita sendiri cuba untuk mengubah nasib kita, kita bukan sahaja akan kalah dengan Taiwan, Korea Selatan, Singapura, dan Vietnam, tetapi kita juga akan kalah dengan lebih banyak negara, termasuklah Indonesia dalam dekad-dekad yang akan datang.

Perkara ini dapat dilihat jelas semalam, di mana kita mencatatkan 4,879 kes baharu dan 55 kematian akibat Covid-19, berbanding dengan 297 kes dan 11 kematian akibat Covid-19 di Indonesia. Dalam sepuluh hari yang lepas, Malaysia mencatatkan 51,335 kes baharu dan 448 kematian akibat Covid-19, berbanding dengan 3,311 kes dan 102 kematian akibat Covid-19 di Indonesia.

Adakah kita ini telah dikenakan sumpahan untuk kalah dengan Indonesia, India, dan China dan terpaksa melupakan Impian Malaysia untuk negara kita menjadi negara hebat yang bertaraf dunia?

Saya jangkakan yang Najib akan menggunakan pelbagai helah dengan tentera sibernya dalam media atas talian dan media cetak arus perdana untuk terus mengalihkan perhatian daripada kedua isu ini, tetapi demi masa hadapan negara kita dan anak serta cucu kita, kita tidak boleh biarkan helah sebegini untuk berjaya.

Kita perlu terus bergerak dengan pemikiran Utamakan Malaysia untuk mencapai Impian Malaysia di mana Malaysia menjadi negara hebat yang bertaraf dunia, walaupun sekiranya perjalanan untuk mencapai cita-cita ini mengambil masa satu atau dua dekad atau lebih lagi, asalkan sebelum kita menyambut ulang tahun ke-100 negara kita pada tahun 2057!

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu, 1 Disember 2021)

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Urgent need to have a Parliamentary Select Committee on  Corruption and Abuses and Wastage of Public Funds with revelation of  RM40 billion to  RM60 billion losses due to  corruption every year

(Versi BM)

There is an urgent need to have a Parliamentary Select Committee on Corruption and Abuses/Wastage of Public Funds with the revelation of RM40 billion to RM60 billion losses in Malaysia due to corruption every year.

According to #RasuahBusters team leader Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub, based on the Global Financial Integrity Report 2017, Malaysia lost a whopping RM1.8 trillion between 2005 and 2014, partly due to corrupt practices that have resulted in illicit financial flows.

Hussamuddin said this figure could have been utilised for public welfare and five sets of Budget 2020 that would benefit the public.

He said former auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang had once concluded that corruption and mismanagement resulted in up to 30% of Malaysia’s public projects losing their value.

He said that the country can save up to RM400 billion, if Malaysia pay 30% less for goods and services provided by contractors and vendors in the 12th Malaysia Plan.

These are gargantuan figures which warrant the formation of a parliamentary select committee on corruption and abuses and wastage of public funds before the end of the current Parliamentary session.

This is urgent and imperative especially as Malaysians are waiting in dread for the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2021 early next year, where Malaysia is expected to ranked and scored poorly, reflecting a worsening of the anti-corruption effort in Malaysia in the past year.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept cannot based on a Malaysia which is regarded nationally and internationally as increasingly corrupt, which is also against the Rukun Negara nation-building principle of “courtesy and morality”.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Corruption and Abuses/Wastage of Public Funds should conduct an investigation into the Global Financial Integrity Reports as well as the poor ranking and scoring of Malaysia in the TI CPI reports.

The time has come for Malaysians to demand greater transparency and accountability on the subject, especially with the superfluous appointment of advisers for the Prime Minister when he had Cabinet Ministers looking after the portfolio, the appointment of superfluous envoys for regions when there are ambassadors appointed to each country, and the appointment of “dud” GLC appointmnents.

For instance, is it true that the Prime Minister’s special envoy to the Middle East has been banned from Saudi Arabia and had never visited Saudi Arabia for the whole term of his appointment?

If so, what kind of a special envoy to the Middle East is this?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 2nd December 2021)

Keperluan mendesak untuk mewujudkan Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Rasuah dan Penyalahgunaan serta Pembaziran Dana Awam susulan pendedahan kerugian akibat rasuah setiap tahun yang berjumlah RM40 bilion hingga RM60 bilion

Terdapat keperluan mendesak untuk mewujudkan Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Rasuah dan Penyalahgunaan serta Pembaziran Dana Awam susulan pendedahan kerugian akibat rasuah setiap tahun yang berjumlah RM40 bilion hingga RM60 bilion.

Menurut ketua pasukan #RasuahBusters Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub, berdasarkan Laporan Integriti Kewangan Global 2017, Malaysia kerugian RM1.8 trilion antara 2005 dan 2014, sebahagiannya disebabkan oleh amalan rasuah menerusi aliran kewangan tidak sah.

Hussamuddin berkata, wang ini boleh digunakan untuk kebajikan awam dan lima set Bajet 2020 yang akan memberi manfaat kepada orang ramai.

Beliau berkata bekas ketua juruaudit negara Tan Sri Ambrin Buang pernah membuat kesimpulan bahawa rasuah dan salah urus mengakibatkan sehingga 30% projek awam Malaysia kehilangan nilainya.

Beliau berkata, negara boleh jimat sehingga RM400 bilion, jika Malaysia membayar 30% kurang untuk barangan dan perkhidmatan yang disediakan oleh kontraktor dan vendor dalam Rancangan Malaysia Ke-12.

Ini adalah tokoh besar yang mewajarkan pembentukan jawatankuasa pilihan parlimen mengenai rasuah dan penyalahgunaan serta pembaziran dana awam sebelum berakhirnya sesi Parlimen.

Perkara ini amat mendesak dan penting terutamanya kerana rakyat Malaysia sedang menunggu dengan resah laporan Indeks Persepsi Rasuah (CPI) Transparency International (TI) 2021 yang akan dikeluarkan awal tahun depan, di mana Malaysia dijangka berada di kedudukan dan mendapat markah yang teruk, mencerminkan usaha anti-rasuah yang semakin teruk di Malaysia pada tahun lepas.

Konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri tidak boleh berlandaskan Malaysia yang dianggap dan dilihat di peringkat nasional dan antarabangsa sebagai semakin korup, yang juga bertentangan dengan prinsip pembinaan negara Rukun Negara iaitu “kesopanan dan kesusilaan”.

Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Rasuah dan Penyalahgunaan/Pembaziran Dana Awam harus menjalankan siasatan ke atas Laporan Integriti Kewangan Global serta kedudukan dan pemarkahan Malaysia yang lemah dalam laporan TI CPI.

Sudah tiba masanya untuk rakyat Malaysia menuntut ketelusan dan akauntabiliti yang lebih tinggi mengenai perkara itu, terutamanya dengan pelantikan penasihat yang berlebihan untuk Perdana Menteri apabila beliau mempunyai Menteri Kabinet yang menjaga portfolio, pelantikan duta khas sedangkan terdapat duta yang dilantik untuk setiap negara, dan lantikan dalam GLC yang “tidak berguna”.

Sebagai contoh, adakah benar duta khas Perdana Menteri ke Timur Tengah tidak dibenarkan ke Arab Saudi dan tidak pernah melawat Arab Saudi sepanjang tempoh pelantikannya?

Jika ya, apakah jenis duta khas ke Timur Tengah ini?

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis, 2 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 2 December 2021, 9:34 am and is filed under
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Education Ministry should act swiftly to implement Covid tests at home  or supply the teachers and school staff with  protective gear to prevent transmission of Covid-19

(Versi BM)

The Education Ministry should act swiftly to implement Covid tests at home or supply the teachers and school staff with protective gear to prevent transmission of Covid-19.

The Ministry of Education on Nov 27 said primary school pupils would undergo mandatory Covid-19 tests based on a rotational basis every Wednesday in line with the National Covid-19 Testing Strategy set by the Health Ministry.

In objecting to the implementation of Covid-19 screening tests for primary school students every Wednesday beginning Dec 1 the NUTP secretary-general Wang Heng Suan suggested that pupils take the tests at home carried out by parents and that the parents of those selected to undergo the test should be told beforehand and supplied with test kitsl

The parents can then submit the test results by uploading images of the results to their respective class teachers.

Teachers who have been asked to conduct RTK-antigen Covid-19 tests for primary school students have complained that this was dangerous and puts teachers at risk as the teachers are not given any protective gear, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves, face shields, among others, when conducting the screenings.

Members of Parliament are required undergo RTK-antigen Covid-19 tests twice a week, but the health personnel who conduct such tests are fully protected in protective gear.

It is therefore very unreasonable and most irresponsible on the part of the Ministry of Education to require the teachers to carry out the RTK-antigen Covid-19 tests of primary school children without any protective gear.

This will prevent Covid-19 transmission to teachers and school staff in the event pupils test positive.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 3rd December 2021)

Kementerian Pendidikan perlu bertindak pantas untuk melaksanakan ujian saringan Covid-19 di rumah atau bekalkan para guru dan kakitangan sekolah dengan kit perlindungan diri untuk mengelakkan jangkitan wabak Covid-19

Kementerian Pendidikan perlu bertindak pantas untuk melaksanakan ujian saringan Covid-19 di rumah atau bekalkan para guru dan kakitangan sekolah dengan kit pelindungan diri untuk mengelakkan jangkitan wabak Covid-19.

Kementerian Pendidikan pada 27 November telah mengatakan yang pelajar sekolah rendah perlu menjalani ujian saringan Covid-19 mandatori mengikut giliran pada setiap hari Rabu selari dengan Strategi Ujian Saringan Covid-19 Kebangsaan yang ditetapkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan.

Dalam membantah pelaksanaan ujian saringan untuk pelajar sekolah rendah pada setiap hari Rabu bermula 1 Disember ini, Setiausaha Agung NUTP, Wang Heng Suan, telah mencadangkan supaya para pelajar menjalani ujian saringan ini di rumah dengan ibu bapa mereka, dengan para ibu bapa dimaklumkan mengenai perkara ini dan dibekalkan dengan kit ujian saringan.

Para ibu bapa kemudiannya boleh melaporkan keputusan ujian saringan ini dengan memuat naik gambar keputusan ujian ini kepada guru kelas masing-masing.

Guru-guru yang diminta untuk menjalankan ujian saringan ini mengadu yang perkara ini merbahaya dan meletakkan mereka dalam risiko jangkitan memandangkan mereka tidak dibekalkan dengan kit pelindungan diri, seperti sarung tangan, pelitup muka, dan lain-lain untuk menjalankan ujian saringan ini.

Ahli-ahli Parlimen juga perlu menjalani ujian saringan RTK ini dua kali seminggu, tetapi pegawai kesihatan yang menjaga proses ujian saringan ini dilindungi dengan kit pelindungan yang lengkap.

Oleh itu, adalah tidak masuk akan dan tidak bertanggungjawab untuk pihak Kementerian Kesihatan meminta para guru untuk menjalankan ujian saringan untuk pelajar sekolah rendah ini tanpa menyediakan sebarang peralatan perlindungan diri.

Perkara ini akan menghalang jangkitan Covid-19 dalam kalangan guru dan kakitangan sekolah sekiranya ada pelajar yang disahkan positif.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Jumaat, 3 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 3 December 2021, 12:18 pm and is filed under
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Is Malaysia suffering from an attack of  Adviser-mania, where Prime Minister Ismail Sabri will have  31 Special Advisers, shadowing the 31 Ministers in his Cabinet, while each Minister will have a Special Adviser each?

(Versi BM)

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Abdul Latiff Ahmad, has told Parliament that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri has three special advisors who advise him on health, religion as well as on law and human rights.

The Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said is Ismail Sabri’s law and human rights advisor, Kedah Umno chief Jamil Khir Baharom is Ismail Sabri’s religious advisor while a committee member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Science Council and former dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Dr. Adeeba Kamulzaman is expected to be Ismail Sabri’s health adviser.

The Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, has a special advisor in Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin – former deputy health minister.

Is Malaysia suffering from an attack of Adviser-mania, where Prime Minister Ismail Sabri would eventually have 31 or more special Advisers, shadowing the 31 Ministers in the Cabinet, while each Minister will have a Special Adviser each?

When we reach this stage, there will be no need for weekly Cabinet meetings, as they can be replaced by weekly Special Advisers’ meetings.

What is the justification for the appointment of Prime Minister’s Special Advisers on portfolios when there are already Ministers? Is this not a reflection of the Prime Minister’s lack of confidence in the Ministers concerned?

Might as well dispense of the Cabinet Ministers altogether and just rely on the Special Advisers!

These appointments are not the only “sinecure” appointments under Ismail Sabri – as there are not only “dud” GLC appointments, but also regional special envoys appointed when there are already ambassadors for each country, leading to the ridiculous situation where we have a Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the Middle East who cannot visit Saudi Arabia!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, December 3, 2021)

Adakah Malaysia kini sedang dijangkiti penyakit melantik penasihat, di mana Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri akan mempunyai 31 orang Penasihat Khas untuk ke semua 31 orang Menteri dalam Kabinet beliau, manakala setiap orang Menteri juga akan juga mempunyai Penasihat Khas juga?

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Abdul Latiff Ahmad, telah memaklumkan kepada Parlimen yang Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri mempunyai tiga orang penasihat khas yang menasihati beliau mengenai hal ehwal kesihatan, agama, dan juga undang-undang dan hak asasi manusia.

Ahli Parlimen Pengerang, Azalina Othman Said adalah penasihat khas undang-undang dan hak asasi manusia, Pengerusi UMNO Kedah, Jamil Khir Baharom pula adalah penasihat khas hal ehwal agama, mana ahli jawatankuasa Majlis Sains Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) dan mantan dekan Fakulti Kesihatan Universiti Malaya, Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman dijangka akan dilantik menjadi penasihat khas kesihatan Ismail Sabri.

Menteri Kesihatan, Khairy Jamaluddin juga mempunyai seorang penasihat khas, Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, mantan timbalan menteri kesihatan.

Adakah Malaysia sedang diserang penyakit melantik penasihat khas, di mana Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri akan akhirnya mempunyai 31 orang atau lebih lagi penasihat khas, yang akan menasihati beliau untuk kesemua Menteri Kabinet beliau manakala setiap Menteri juga akan melantik penasihat khas masing-masing?

Apabila kita sampai ke tahap ini, tidak keperluan lagi untuk diadakan mesyuarat Kabinet mingguan, cukuplah digantikan dengan mesyuarat mingguan penasihat khas.

Apakah justifikasi pelantikan Penasihat Khas Perdana Menteri untuk portfolio yang sudah ada menterinya ini? Adakah perkara ini menunjukkan kekurangan kepercayaan Perdana Menteri sendiri dalam Menteri dan Kementerian beliau?

Kalau macam ini, lebih baik buang terus Menteri Kabinet dan gantikan sahaja dengan Penasihat Khas!

Bukan ini sahaja lantikan “gaji buta” di bawah Ismail Sabri — kita bukan sahaja ada lantikan GLC yang “tidak berguna”, tetapi juga duta khas ke kawasan tertentu sedangkan kita sudah ada duta yang dilantik ke negara-negara ini, membawa kepada situasi di mana kita mempunyai Duta Khas Perdana Menteri ke Timur Tengah yang tidak boleh melawat Arab Saudi!

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Jumaat, 3 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 3 December 2021, 9:10 am and is filed under
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Can Khairy’s first 100 Days on December 7 see triple-digit daily new  Covid-19 cases and single-digit Covid-19 deaths?

A week ago, when on November 28, 2021 we recorded 4,239  daily new Covid-19 cases, the lowest in 196 days since May 16, and 29 daily Covid-19 deaths – second lowest in over six months – I posed the question as to when Malaysia could decrease to  the day  when we will record triple-digit Covid-19 new daily cases and single-digit Covid-19 deaths.

I asked this question for two reasons: firstly,  this objective  seemed within reach on Nov. 28; and secondly, Indonesia had been recording triple-digit daily new cases since 15th October 2021 and single-digit Covid-19 deaths for five days since 19th November 2021.

The next day, November 29, Malaysia  recorded  of 4,087 daily new cases and seemed to be preparing Malaysia to fall below 4,000 daily new Covid-19 cases, but  this objective moved away for the next  four days with increases in  daily new Covid-19 cases – 4,879 cases on Nov. 30;  5,429 cases on Dec. 1; 5,806 cases on Dec. 2 and 5,551 on Dec. 3.

Yesterday, however, Malaysia recorded the lowest number of deaths in 207 days since May 10 – 17 Covid-19 deaths bringing the cumulative death toll in Malaysia to 30,538  (including 6,181 Brought-in-Dead) Covid-19 deaths.

We are back to the question when we can register triple-digit daily new Covid-19 cases and single-digit daily Covid-19 death.  This did not happen during the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri first 100 Days on November 29, but will they be achieved on Khairy Jamaluddin’s first 100 Days as the new Health Minister on Dec. 7, 2021?

It will be tall order for Malaysia to  reach the target of triple-digit daily new  Covid-19 cases by Dec. 7, 2021 but it is not impossible for Malaysia to record single-digit daily Covid-19 deaths by Dec 7, 2021.

We have to wait and see on Dec. 7  but it is unlikely that we can return pre-Emergency days on January 11, 2021  when we recorded 2,232 daily new Covid-19 cases and daily four Covid-19 deaths.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday 4th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 4 December 2021, 12:37 pm and is filed under
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Can Malaysia recover  in the next three decades to become a world-class great nation by our  Centennial in 2057 or will Malaysia decline  further after losing out to Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam to  lose out even  to Indonesia?

I am thankful that with us today are Kee Thuan Chye, Liew Chin Tong and Ooi Kee Beng who have written books about my 55-year pursuit of the Malaysian

Dream for Malaysia to be an united and plural,  world-class great nation.

I have gone through many ups and downs, having been twice detained under the infamous Internal Security Act, arrested numerous times and hauled to court under the Official Secrets Act, the Police Act   and other charges, suspended from Parliament and demonised as anti-Malay, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian and even anti-Malaysian, of having caused May 13, 1969 riots although I was never in Kuala Lumpur during the whole time, and being a secret agent of CIA, KGB, MI6, the Australian secret service  but strangely never accused as being secret agent of Singapore Special Branch.

I have become an octogenarian. But age is a number and you are as old or young as you want it to be.

My thoughts and concerns are not of the past but of the future.

For example, can Malaysia recover in the next three decades to become a world-class great nation by our Centennial in 2057 or will Malaysia decline further after losing out to Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam in the past half-a-century and  to lose out  to even more nations including Indonesia?

I will not be around in 2057 but this is the substance and concern  of the Malaysian Dream!

There is disagreement among analysts and forecasters whether the four great economic powers in 2050 will be China, India, United States and Indonesia or China, United States, India and Indonesia, but where will be Malaysia’s position?

Can we begin to fully tap the potential of our talents and resources and our position as the confluence of four great human civilisations – Malay/Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western – to be a world-class great  nation to reverse  Malaysia’s national decline in the past half-a-century where one nation after another has overtaken us, whether in international competitiveness, good governance or an effective and efficient government?

The 23-month Covid-19 pandemic should be a wake-up call.   Yesterday, we recorded 4,896 Covid-19 cases and 36 Covid-19 deaths. Indonesia, on the other hand, recorded 246 Covid-19 cases and five Covid-19 deaths yesterday.

Indonesia, which has more than eight times the population of Malaysia,  has been recording triple-digit daily new Covid-19 cases for more than seven weeks since Oct. 15 and have recorded single-digit daily  Covid-19 deaths six times since 19th Nov, 2021 while Malaysia is struggling  for seven months to reduce daily new Covid-19 cases to below 4,000 cases; and struggling for eight months to reduce daily Covid-19 deaths to single-digit numbers.

In 1995, when Transparency International (TI) launched its annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI) series, Indonesia was placed last on the list with a score of 1.95 out of 10. Its best score was in in the 2019 TI CPI when it scored 40 out of 100 with expectations of  improvement in the score in the coming years.

Malaysia started in 1995 with a score of 5.28 out of 10, and our best score for 17 years was during the Pakatan Harapan government in the TI CPI 2019 where it scored 53 out of 100 points.   Many are looking forward with dread to the 2021 TI CPI as it is expected to mark a sharp decline in the anti-corruption index.

When the TI CPI started in 1995, we were ahead of Taiwan and South Korea, which is now ranked No 28 and No 33 respectively in the TI CPI 2020 as compared to Malaysia’s rank of 57.

We have failed in our anti-corruption efforts, allowing Taiwan and South Korea not only to overtake us, but Indonesia and other countries to close the gap in anti-corruption efforts.

Can Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s Keluarga Malaysia concept be the silver bullet for Malaysia to fully tap our talent and resources to be a world-class great nation and end the regression with more and more countries overtaking us?

I have my grave doubts as the most important  ingredient for Malaysia to become a world-class great nation is unity and harmony of our multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation and to end  the toxic and divisive politics of race and religion.

We have today in Cabinet Ministers who do not support or uphold the five Rukun Negara principles of nation-building, which is the recipe of racial and religious polarisation in plural Malaysia and will condemn Malaysia as mediocre country and even a failed state.

The forces of change in the past decades had not been without its achievements, like saving Malaysia from kleptocracy and ending the  hegemony of a single political party in the 14th General Election in 2018.

But can we ensure that we can become a world-class great nation before our Centennial  in 2057 and become a world-class great nation? Only a Malaysian First mentality, mindset and policy can ensure this.

Can Malaysians succeed with a Malaysian First movement?

 I leave you with this question.

(Speech by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at the launching of Kee Thuan Chye’s book “Lim Kit Siang Vol 1: None but the Bold” at G Hotel, Penang on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 at 2 pm)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 5 December 2021, 2:48 pm and is filed under
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Election Commission should relax the Sarawak General Election SOPs to ensure that  the holding of “clean, free and fair election” is not curbed on the  specious ground of preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection

(Versi BM)

The Election Commission should relax the Sarawak General Election SOPs to ensure that the holding of “clean, free and fair election” is not curbed on the specious ground of preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection.

Everybody agrees that in the Sarawak general election, everyone must not take their eyes off from the Covid-19 pandemic and must do everything possible to prevent Covid-19 infections, but this should not be used as an excuse to prevent the holding of a “clean, free and fair” general election.

It is on these grounds that I disagree with some of the SOPs for the Sarawak general election which had been announced.

For instance, there is no reason for limiting inter-state travel for campaign to five top leaders of a party, which is to curb “clean, free and fair” election rather than to curb the spread of Covid-19 infection.

There is also no justification to confine ceramahs to 64 named constituencies on the ground of “poor internet access”. What is important is to comply with Covid-19 SOPs to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections and not whether there is internet access or not.

If the named 60 constituencies can hold ceramahs if they comply with the Covid-19 SOPs, there is no reason why all constituencies cannot hold ceramahs if the Covid-19 SOPs are similarly complied with – unless the reason is to help particular political parties by giving them an unfair advantage in the Sarawak general election in the balance of the 22 constituencies through methods which are the very opposite of “clean, free and fair” election.

The present Sarawak general election SOPs serve the objective of preventing Covid-19 infections but not the objective of ensuring a “clean, free and fair” election.

The Election Commission should immediately consult with all political parties on how the Sarawak general election SOPs can be relaxed to meet both objectives of preventing the spread of Covid-19 infections and the holding of “clean, free and fair election” and amend the Sarawak general election SOPs.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 7th December 2021)

Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya perlu melonggarkan SOP Pilihan Raya Negeri Sarawak untuk memastikan berlangsungnya satu “pilihan raya yang bersih, bebas, dan adil” yang tidak disekat atas nama mengekang penularan wabak Covid-19

Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya perlu melonggarkan SOP Pilihan Raya Negeri Sarawak untuk memastikan berlangsungnya satu “pilihan raya yang bersih, bebas, dan adil” yang tidak disekat atas nama mengekang penularan wabak Covid-19.

Semua orang setuju yang dalam PRN Sarawak ini, kita semua tidak boleh lalai daripada keadaan wabak Covid-19 dan perlu melakukan apa sahaja yang kita boleh lakukan untuk menghalang penularan wabak ini, tetapi perkara ini tidaklah patut digunakan sebagai alasan untuk menyekat suatu pilihan raya yang “bersih, bebas, dan adil”.

Atas sebab inilah saya tidak bersetuju dengan sesetengah SOP yang telah diumumkan untuk PRN Sarawak ini.

Sebagai contoh, tidak ada sebab untuk menghadkan perjalanan merentas negeri untuk berkempen kepada hanya lima orang pemimpin tertinggi sesebuah parti, perkara ini hanya menyekat perjalanan sebuah pilihan raya yang “bersih, bebas, dan adil” dan bukannya menyekat penularan wabak Covid-19.

Tidak ada sebab juga untuk menghadkan ceramah hanya kepada 64 kerusi di atas sebab “akses internet yang tidak baik”. Apa yang penting adalah supaya SOP Covid-19 dipatuhi untuk mengelakkan penularan Covid-19, bukannya sama ada sesuatu kawasan itu mempunyai liputan internet yang baik atau tidak.

Sekiranya 60 kawasan kerusi DUN ini boleh mengadakan ceramah dengan mematuhi SOP Covid-19, tidak ada sebab mengapa kawasan-kawasan lain tidak boleh mengadakan ceramah, asalkan SOP Covid-19 ini dipatuhi — melainkan sebab sebenar sekatan ini adalah untuk membantu parti politik tertentu dengan memberikan mereka kelebihan dalam PRN Sarawak di 22 lagi kerusi melalui cara yang bertentangan dengan semangat pilihan raya yang “bersih, bebas, dan adil”.

SOP PRN Sarawak sedia ada ini memenuhi objektif untuk mengekang penularan wabak Covid-19, bukannya untuk mengadakan pilihan raya yang “bersih, bebas, dan adil”.

Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya perlu segera berunding dengan semua parti politik mengenai bagaimana SOP PRN Sarawak ini dapat dilonggarkan untuk memenuhi kedua-dua objektif untuk mengekang penularan wabak Covid-19 dan pada masa yang sama untuk mengadakan pilihan raya yang “bersih, bebas, dan adil”.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Selasa, 7 Disember 2021)

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Ismail Sabri has failed in his “Keluarga Malaysia” concept in his first Hundred Days when not only is he afraid to ask every Minister to declare support for the five Rukun Negara nation-building principles,  but  more Cabinet Ministers have expressed their opposition to Rukun Negara

(Versi BM)

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri has failed in his “Keluarga Malaysia” concept in his first Hundred Days when not only is he afraid to ask everyone of his Cabinet Minister to declare support for the five Rukun Negara nation-building principles, but more of his Cabinet Ministers have expressed their opposition to Rukun Negara.

It is time that Ismail Sabri and his Cabinet Ministers brush up on their understanding of the Malaysian Constitution and the Rukun Negara.

Let me remind Ismail Sabri and his Cabinet Ministers that the Rukun Negara states:

“Whereas our country, Malaysia, nurtures the ambitions of:

– Achieving a more perfect unity amongst the whole of her society;

– Preserving a democratic way of life;

– Creating a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner;

– Guaranteeing a liberal approach towards our traditional heritage that is rich and diverse;

– Building a progressive society that will make use of science the modern technology;

“WE, residents of Malaysia, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends guided by these principles:

1. Belief in God;

2. Loyalty to King and Country;

3. Supremacy of the Constitution;

4. Rule of Law;

5. Courtesy and Morality.”

We had just celebrated our 64th National Day to mark the achievement of our Independence, but the Cabinet Ministers have lost the moral compass that have guided our founding fathers – leaders like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak, Ismail, Hussein Onn, Tan Cheng Lock, Tan Siew Sin and V.T. Sambanthan – and written the Malaysian Constitution as the bedrock foundation for Malaysia.

Six decades ago, the founding fathers were visionary and far-sighted enough to envisage that any Malaysian, regardless of race, religion or region, could be a Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Today, we have Cabinet Ministers who reject the Rukun Negara principle of the Malaysian Constitution as the supreme law of the land and not only reject a non-Malay Malaysian to be a Prime Minister of Malaysia but insists that non-Malays, whether a Dayak or a Chinese, cannot be the Chief Minister of Sarawak.

It is unlikely that a non-Malay will become the Prime Minister of Malaysia in the foreseeable future, as it has taken United States of America more than two hundred years for a black man to become a President, but why are Malaysians becoming more regressive and backward in their vision and dreams?

What “Keluarga Malaysia” is Ismail Sabri advocating when his Human Resources Minister and MIC leader, M. Saravanan, suggested in Parliament that non-Malays cannot become the head of the police force, which caused the DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran to condemn it as “dangerous, unfair, completely incorrect and misleading”.

It is such extremist and intolerant mindset and mentality rejecting Malaysia as an unique multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation which has caused Malaysia to regress for the past half-a-century, allowing one country after another to overtake us whether Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore or Vietnam and a brain drain of over a million of Malaysia’s best and brightest to all over the world – the Malaysian Diaspora.

Ismail Sabril’s Keluarga Malaysia concept cannot reverse this process unless it is synonymous with a Malaysian First vision – where we are separately Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans but we are first and foremost Malaysians.

The eighth Prime Minister boasted he was “Malay First” but the first three Prime Ministers sought to live on the principle of “Malaysian First”.

A “Keluarga Malaysia” concept must seek to inculcate this “Malaysia First” concept among all communities – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans.

It is not a minus process but an addition process, not to be less Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban or Kadazan but to accept Malaysia as an unique multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation which can inherit the values and virtues of four great human civilisations – Malay/Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Western.

It is because of the lack of understanding that the Malaysian nation-building process should involve integration and not assimilation that has led to the recent misguided attack on DAP MP Hannah Yeoh’s visit to a mosque wearing a baju kurung and a selendang (which she had been doing for a decade) by DAP member Dr. Boo Cheng Hau.

All communities, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans must learn to adopt a Malaysia First mindset, mentality and vision, and only then can we have a “Keluarga Malaysia” where we cease to view everything in Malay-Chinese-Indian-Iban-Kadazan terms but from the Malaysian First aspect.

It is only then we can become a world-class great nation and stop the trajectory of decline to be overtaken by more countries including Indonesia and stand tall in the world as a successful world-class great nation whether in international competitiveness, good governance and having an efficient and effective government.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 7th December 2021)

Ismail Sabri telah gagal dengan konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” dalam Seratus Hari pertamanya apabila beliau bukan sahaja takut untuk meminta setiap Menteri mengisytiharkan sokongan terhadap lima prinsip Rukun Negara, malah lebih ramai Menteri Kabinet telah menyatakan bantahan mereka terhadap Rukun Negara

Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri telah gagal dalam konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” dalam Seratus Hari pertamanya apabila beliau bukan sahaja takut untuk meminta semua Menteri Kabinetnya mengisytiharkan sokongan terhadap lima prinsip Rukun Negara, tetapi lebih ramai Menteri Kabinetnya. telah menyatakan bantahan mereka terhadap Rukun Negara.

Sudah tiba masanya Ismail Sabri dan Menteri Kabinetnya menyempurnakan pemahaman mereka tentang Perlembagaan Malaysia dan Rukun Negara.

Izinkan saya mengingatkan Ismail Sabri dan Menteri Kabinetnya bahawa Rukun Negara menyatakan:

Bahawasanya negara kita Malaysia mendukung cita-cita hendak:

– Mencapai perpaduan yang lebih erat dalam kalangan seluruh masyarakatnya;

– Memelihara cara hidup demokratik;

– Mencipta satu masyarakat yang adil di mana kemakmuran negara akan dapat dinikmati secara adil dan saksama;

– Menjamin satu cara liberal terhadap tradisi-tradisi kebudayaannya yang kaya dan berbagai-bagai corak;

– Membina satu masyarakat progresif yang akan menggunakan sains dan teknologi moden.

Maka kami, rakyat Malaysia, berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita tersebut berdasarkan atas prinsip-prinsip yang berikut:

1. KEPERCAYAAN KEPADA TUHAN

2. KESETIAAN KEPADA RAJA DAN NEGARA

3. KELUHURAN PERLEMBAGAAN

4. KEDAULATAN UNDANG-UNDANG

5. KESOPANAN DAN KESUSILAAN

Kita baru sahaja menyambut Hari Kebangsaan kita yang ke-64 untuk menandakan pencapaian Kemerdekaan kita, tetapi Menteri Kabinet telah kehilangan kompas moral yang telah membimbing bapa pengasas kita – pemimpin seperti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak, Ismail, Hussein Onn, Tan Cheng Lock, Tan Siew Sin dan VT Sambanthan – dan menulis Perlembagaan Malaysia sebagai asas bagi Malaysia.

Enam dekad yang lalu, bapa pengasas mempunyai wawasan dan berpandangan jauh untuk membayangkan bahawa mana-mana rakyat Malaysia, tanpa mengira kaum, agama atau wilayah, boleh menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia.

Hari ini, kita mempunyai Menteri Kabinet yang menolak prinsip Rukun Negara dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia sebagai undang-undang tertinggi negara dan bukan sahaja menolak seorang bukan Melayu Malaysia untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia tetapi menegaskan bahawa bukan Melayu, sama ada Dayak atau seorang Cina, tidak boleh menjadi Ketua Menteri Sarawak.

Tidak mungkin seorang bukan Melayu akan menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia pada masa hadapan, kerana Amerika Syarikat telah mengambil masa lebih daripada dua ratus tahun untuk seorang kulit hitam menjadi Presiden, tetapi mengapa rakyat Malaysia menjadi lebih regresif dan mundur dalam visi dan impian mereka?

Apa yang dicadangkan oleh “Keluarga Malaysia” Ismail Sabri apabila Menteri Sumber Manusia merangkap ketua MIC, M. Saravanan, mencadangkan di Parlimen supaya orang bukan Melayu tidak boleh menjadi ketua pasukan polis, yang menyebabkan Ahli Parlimen DAP Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran untuk menyifatkan kenyataan itu sebagai “berbahaya, tidak adil, sama sekali tidak betul dan mengelirukan”.

Pemikiran dan mentaliti ekstremis dan tidak bertolak ansur menolak Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang unik berbilang kaum, bahasa, agama dan budaya yang menyebabkan Malaysia mundur sejak setengah abad yang lalu, membenarkan satu demi satu negara untuk memintas kita sama ada Taiwan, Korea Selatan, Singapura atau Vietnam dan kehilangan lebih sejuta individu berbakat dan paling cemerlang yang berhijrah ke serata dunia – Diaspora Malaysia.

Konsep Keluarga Malaysia Ismail Sabril tidak boleh membalikkan proses ini melainkan ia bergerak selari dengan wawasan Malaysian First – di mana kita secara berasingan adalah Melayu, Cina, India, Iban dan Kadazan tetapi kita adalah rakyat Malaysia yang pertama dan utama.

Perdana Menteri kelapan mendabik dada sebagai “Melayu Pertama” tetapi tiga Perdana Menteri pertama berusaha untuk hidup berlandaskan prinsip “Malaysia Pertama”.

Konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” mesti berusaha untuk menerapkan konsep “Malaysia Pertama” ini di kalangan semua masyarakat – Melayu, Cina, India, Iban dan Kadazan.

Ia bukan proses pengurangan tetapi proses penambahan, bukan kurang Melayu, Cina, India, Iban atau Kadazan tetapi menerima Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang unik berbilang kaum, bahasa, agama dan budaya yang boleh mewarisi. nilai-nilai murni empat tamadun manusia yang agung – Melayu/Islam, Cina, India dan Barat.

Kerana kurangnya pemahaman bahawa proses pembinaan negara bangsa Malaysia harus melibatkan integrasi dan bukan asimilasi yang telah membawa kepada serangan membuta-tuli baru-baru ini terhadap lawatan Ahli Parlimen DAP Hannah Yeoh ke masjid dengan memakai baju kurung dan selendang (yang telah lama dilakukan beliau selama sedekad) oleh ahli DAP Dr Boo Cheng Hau.

Semua masyarakat, sama ada Melayu, Cina, India, Iban dan Kadazan mesti belajar mengamalkan pemikiran, mentaliti dan wawasan Malaysia First, dan barulah kita boleh mempunyai “Keluarga Malaysia” di mana kita berhenti melihat segala-galanya dalam kepompong Melayu-Cina-India-Iban-Kadazan tetapi melihat dari sudut pandang Malaysian First.

Barulah kita boleh menjadi negara hebat bertaraf dunia dan menghentikan trajektori kemerosotan yang menyaksikan kita dipintas oleh lebih banyak negara termasuk Indonesia dan berdiri sama tinggi dengan negara-negara lain di dunia sebagai negara hebat bertaraf dunia yang berjaya sama ada dalam daya saing antarabangsa, tadbir urus yang baik dan mempunyai kerajaan yang cekap dan berkesan.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Selasa, 7 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 7 December 2021, 1:35 pm and is filed under
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Court of Appeal judgement reinforces hope that it is possible to get rid of kleptocracy and for Malaysia to become a world-class great nation before 2057 but this is through a “Malaysian First” people’s  movement but not through Ismail Sabri’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept

(Versi BM)

There is a deep sigh of national relief when it is known the Court of Appeal has unanimously rejected the appeal of former Prime Minister, Najib Razak against his conviction and sentence to 12 years’ jail and RM210 million fine for seven charges linked to the RM42 million of SRC International Sdn. Bhd. funds.

In delivering the ruling, Justice Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil said the Court of Appeal agreed with trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali’s finding that Najib had personal interest for the cabinet to approve a government guarantee for a RM4 billion loan from Retirement Fund Inc to SRC International.

He ruled that Najib’s action in relation to the RM4 billion loan to SRC was not for national interest but for personal benefit.

“There’s no national interest when RM42 million was transferred into Najib’s accounts. Only a national embarrassment,” said Karim as he read out the unanimous decision.

However, we must be mindful that there is constituency of Malaysians who were rooting for Najib’s conviction to be quashed so that a full-blown campaign can be launched for Najib to become the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia in the 15th General Election.

A lot of preparation have been made for this campaign of misinformation, lies and falsehood on the social media, including the buying over of online and printed media personalities to launch an unprecedented demonization against Najib’s “opponents”.

Now this campaign for Najib become the 10th Prime Minister has been jammed but there will still be attempts to resuscitate it.

Fortuitously, yesterday’s was the First 100 Days for Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet although Ismail Sabri’s own First 100 Days as the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia fell nine days earlier on Nov. 29, 2021.

If I am asked to mark the First 100 Days of Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet, I will give a failure grade, although it never fell to the level of a “failed government” as in the Muhyiddin administration.

The Court of Appeal judgment this morning is a bright star in the dark firmament, restoring the people’s faith not only in the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, but also of hope that it is possible to get rid of kleptoctracy and successfully fight corruption in Malaysia.

But this must be through a “Malaysian First” people’s movement but not through Prime Minister’s Ismail Sabri’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept.

The Court of Appeal decision gives hope that a Malaysian First Movement for the country to become a world-class great nation which is not overtaken by one nation after another through the decades, whether in international competitiveness, good governance or an effective and efficient government, before Malaysia’s Centennial in 2057 – to get out of the trajectory of decline – is not an impossible dream and vision.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on 8th December 2021)

Keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan menguatkan harapan yang kita masih mampu membuang kleptokrasi untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebuah negara hebat yang bertaraf dunia sebelum tahun 2057, dengan konsep “Utamakan Malaysia”, bukannya konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” Ismail Sabri

Terdapat hembusan nafas lega di seluruh negara apabila mendapat tahu yang Mahkamah Rayuan telah sebulat suara menolak rayuan bekas Perdana Menteri, Najib Razak, ke atas sabitan kesalahan dan hukuman penjara 12 tahun dan denda RM210 juta ke atas tujuh tuduhan berkenaan dana RM42 SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Dalam menyampaikan keputusan tersebut, Hakim Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil mengatakan yang Mahkamah Rayuan bersetuju dengan dapatan hakim perbicaraan, Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali yang mendapati Najib mempunyai kepentingan peribadi untuk Kabinet meluluskan jaminan kerajaan untuk pinjaman bernilai RM4 billion daripada Kumpulan Wang Persaraan kepada SRC International.

Beliau memutuskan yang tindakan Najib terhadap pinjaman RM4 billion kepada SRC tersebut bukanlah untuk kepentingan negara, sebaliknya untuk kepentingan peribadi.

“Tidak ada kepentingan negara yang terlibat apabila RM42 juta dipindahkan ke akaun Najib. Hanya perkara yang memalukan negara,” kata Karim semasa membacakan keputusan sebulat suara tersebut.

Tetapi, kita perlu sentiasa sedar, ada sesetengah rakyat Malaysia yang terus menerus mahu melihat sabitan Najib ini dibatalkan, supaya suatu kempen besar-besaran untuk Najib menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang ke-10 dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 dapat dilancarkan.

Pelbagai persediaan telah dibuat untuk kempen penipuan, fitnah, dan berita palsu ini di media sosial, termasuklah pembelian personaliti media sosial dan media cetak untuk melancarkan kempen momokan terhadap “lawan” Najib.

Kini, kempen untuk menjadikan Najib Perdana Menteri ke-10 ini telah disekat, tetapi masih akan ada usaha untuk menghidupkannya.

Kebetulan pula, semalam adalah hari ke-100 Kabinet Ismail Sabri, walaupun hari ke-100 Ismail Sabri sebagai Perdana Menteri telah berlalu awal lagi pada 29 November 2021.

Sekiranya saya diminta untuk memberikan markah untuk 100 Hari Pertama Kabinet Ismail Sabri ini, saya akan berikan markah gagal, walaupun kerajaan ini tidaklah gagal seteruk “kerajaan gagal” Muhyiddin sebelum ini.

Keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan pagi ini adalah sinar cahaya yang cerah dalam langit yang kelam, memulihkan kepercayaan rakyat bukan sahaja terhadap kedaulatan undang-undang dan kebebasan sistem kehakiman, tetapi juga mengembalikan harapan bahawa kita masih mampu untuk membuang kleptokrasi dan melawan rasuah dengan jayanya di Malaysia.

Tetapi, perkara ini perlulah dicapai dengan gerakan rakyat untuk “Utamakan Malaysia” dan bukannya konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” Ismail Sabri.

Keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan ini memberikan harapan bahawa gerakan “Utamakan Malaysia” untuk negara kita menjadi sebuah negara hebat bertaraf dunia yang tidak terus menerus ditinggalkan di belakang negara-negara lain, sama ada dari segi daya saing antarabangsa, tadbir urus yang baik, atau kerajaan yang berkesan dan efektif sebelum ulang tahun ke-100 negara pada tahun 2057 — untuk kita semua keluar dari trajektori kegagalan — ini bukanlah satu impian atau visi yang mustahil untuk dicapai.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu, 8 Disember 2021)

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Ismail Sabri’s First Hundred Days, whether of his premiership or his government, is nothing to boast about – whether the “Keluarga Malaysia” concept or Covid-19 Pandemic

(Versi BM)

Yesterday, 7th December 2021 was the First Hundred Days of Ismail Sabri’s government although his own First Hundred Days as ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia fell nine days earlier on 28th November 2021.

Ismail Sabri’s First Hundred Days, whether of his premiership or of his government, is nothing to boast about – whether the “Keluarga Malaysia” concept or Covid-19 pandemic.

Firstly, the Ismail Sabri’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept is more divisive and fragile than that envisioned by the founding fathers of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak, Ismail, Hussein Onn, Tan Cheng Lock, V.T. Sambanthan, and embedded in the Malaysian Constitution and Rukun Negara.

Those who talk of “Keluarga Malaysia” in 2021 seem to be different human beings from those who envisioned the “Keluarga Malaysia” concept in the early days of the country’s nationhood, as the latter ones seemed to have lost their moral compass.

The founding fathers of Malaysia were the first generation of Malaysians who do not reject the “Malaysian First” concept, accepting it as “work-in-progress” in Malaysia as a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation, but their descendents pride themselves in an exclusivist “Malay First” concept.

As a result, the polarisation of races and religions rule the roost introducing the toxic fumes of extremism, intolerance, hate, lies and falsehood.

The “Keluarga Malaysia” concept has undergone great changes from the early days of nationhood, for Tunku Abdul Rahman would have reacted in horror if there had been suggestion in his time that coffee shops had to pay an exorbitant licence to sell beer – the current controversy of the present time.

Corruption has become a serious problem as compared to the early days of Malaysian nationhood to the extent that Malaysia became the poster boy of “kleptocracy at its worst” to the world – which must caused the first three Prime Ministers to turn in their graves – an infamous appellation which Malaysians struggled to shake off for 22 months, relapsed and is still awaiting the outcome whether Malaysia can finally say farewell to kleptocracy!

In 2019, Malaysia was ranked high as No. 18 country in the Global Health Security Index, and regarded as best positioned to deal with pandemic diseases but when the Covid-19 Pandemic hit the world in the last two years, Malaysia proved to be one of the worst performing nations in the world, occupying the top 20 position for cumulative total of Covid-19 cases for the past two months.

Indonesia, which was ranked No. 30 in the Global Health Security Index in 2019, recorded 261 daily new increase of Covid-19 cases and 17 Covid-19 deaths yesterday as compared to Malaysia’s 4,965 Covid-19 cases and 66 Covid-19 deaths.

Indonesia has been recording triple-digit daily increase of new Covid-19 cases for 53 days since Oct. 15 and for eight days since 19th November had recorded single-digit Covid-19 deaths while Malaysia is struggling for seven months to reduce daily new Covid-19 cases to below 4,000 cases and struggling for eight months to reduce daily Covid-19 deaths to single-digit numbers.

In the last half-a-century, we have been losing out to more and more countries whether in international competitiveness, good governance or having a more efficient and effective government, and if we our poor performance in the Covid-19 pandemic is not a wake-up call, Ismail Sabri’s “Keluarga Malaysia” concept will not save Malaysia from the trajectory of decline and lose out to more countries, including Indonesia!

In a few hours, Malaysians will know whether they will be faced with a new crisis and whether an unprecedented campaign will be mounted for the return of Najib Razak as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia and all that it means for the prospect of Malaysia realising its dream and vision of becoming a world-class great nation before its Centennial in 2057.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 8th December 2021)

Seratus Hari Pertama Ismail Sabri, sama ada sebagai perdana menteri atau kerajaan, tidak boleh dibanggakan — tidak kira dalam aspek konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” mahupun cara menangani wabak Covid-19

Semalam, 7 Disember 2021 adalah Seratus Hari Pertama pemerintahan Ismail Sabri walaupun Seratus Hari Pertama beliau sendiri sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia kesembilan jatuh sembilan hari lebih awal pada 28 November 2021.

Seratus Hari Pertama Ismail Sabri, sama ada menjadi perdana menteri atau kerajaan, bukanlah sesuatu yang boleh dibanggakan – tidak kira dalam aspek penerapan konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” atau cara menangani wabak Covid-19.

Pertama, konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” Ismail Sabri lebih memecahbelahkan dan rapuh daripada yang dibayangkan oleh bapa pengasas Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak, Ismail, Hussein Onn, Tan Cheng Lock, V.T. Sambanthan, dan menyimpang daripada Perlembagaan Malaysia dan Rukun Negara.

Mereka yang bercakap tentang “Keluarga Malaysia” pada tahun 2021 nampaknya adalah manusia yang berbeza daripada mereka yang membayangkan konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” pada zaman awal pembinaan negara, kerana mereka yang terkemudian seolah-olah kehilangan kompas moral mereka.

Bapa pengasas Malaysia adalah generasi pertama rakyat Malaysia yang tidak menolak konsep “Malaysian First”, menerimanya sebagai “kerja dalam proses” di Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang berbilang kaum, bahasa, budaya dan agama, tetapi keturunan mereka berbangga dengan konsep eksklusif “Melayu Didahulukan”.

Akibatnya, polarisasi kaum dan agama menguasai akar yang mencambahkan ekstremisme, sikap tidak bertolak ansur, kebencian, pembohongan dan kepalsuan.

Konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” telah mengalami perubahan besar sejak zaman awal pembinaan negara, kerana Tunku Abdul Rahman akan bertindak balas jika ada cadangan pada zamannya bahawa kedai kopi perlu membayar lesen yang terlalu tinggi untuk menjual minuman keras – kontroversi yang berlaku masa kini.

Rasuah telah menjadi masalah yang serius berbanding dengan zaman awal pembinaan negara Malaysia sehingga Malaysia digelar “kleptokrasi yang paling teruk” di dunia – yang pasti merungsingkan tiga Perdana Menteri pertama jika mereka masih hidup – dan kata-kata kejian yang terpaksa ditepis oleh rakyat Malaysia selama 22 bulan, berulang dan masih menunggu keputusan sama ada Malaysia akhirnya boleh mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada kleptokrasi!

Pada 2019, Malaysia berada di kedudukan tinggi sebagai negara ke-18 dalam carta Indeks Keselamatan Kesihatan Global, dan dianggap sebagai kedudukan terbaik dalam menangani pandemik tetapi apabila Pandemik Covid-19 melanda dunia dalam tempoh dua tahun lepas, Malaysia terbukti menjadi satu daripada negara paling teruk di dunia, menduduki kedudukan 20 teratas bagi jumlah kumulatif kes Covid-19 sejak dua bulan lalu.

Indonesia, yang berada di kedudukan ke-30 dalam Indeks Keselamatan Kesihatan Global pada 2019, merekodkan 261 kes harian baharu Covid-19 dan 17 korban akibat wabak itu semalam berbanding 4,965 kes Covid-19 di Malaysia dan 66 korban.

Indonesia telah merekodkan kes positif harian Covid-19 dalam julat tiga angka selama 53 hari sejak 15 Oktober dan selama lapan hari sejak 19 November telah merekodkan kematian Covid-19 dalam julat satu angka manakala Malaysia sedang bergelut selama tujuh bulan untuk mengurangkan kes harian baharu Covid-19 ke bawah paras 4,000 kes dan bergelut selama lapan bulan untuk mengurangkan angka korban harian akibat Covid-19 kepada julat satu digit.

Dalam setengah abad yang lalu, kita telah kalah kepada lebih banyak negara sama ada dalam daya saing antarabangsa, tadbir urus yang baik atau mempunyai kerajaan yang lebih cekap dan berkesan, dan jika prestasi buruk kita dalam pandemik Covid-19 bukanlah satu seruan untuk bangkit dari lena, konsep “Keluarga Malaysia” Ismail Sabri tidak akan menyelamatkan Malaysia daripada trajektori kemerosotan dan kekalahan terhadap lebih banyak negara, termasuk Indonesia!

Dalam beberapa jam lagi, rakyat Malaysia akan tahu sama ada mereka akan berdepan dengan krisis baharu dan sama ada kempen yang belum pernah berlaku sebelum ini akan dijalankan untuk mengembalikan Najib Razak sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-10 dan semua yang bermakna untuk prospek Malaysia merealisasikan impian dan visi untuk menjadi negara hebat bertaraf dunia sebelum ulang tahun ke-100 negara pada tahun 2057.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu, 8 Disember 2021)

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Was Najib “promoting national interest” over the 1MDB scandal which was described as “kleptocracy at its worst” causing Malaysia to be in debt for RM39.38 billion which have to be paid by future generations?

(Versi BM)

Former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, expressed his disappointment with the Court of Appeal judgement that his SRC International Sdn Bhd case was a “national embarrassment”.

He said that throughout his time in public office, he had placed emphasis on promoting national interest.

To be sure, I checked the summary of the Court of Appeal’s Grounds of Judgement which had five paragraphs on the section on “The national interest defence”, which rejected Najib’s defence that all his actions as regards SRC were for the national interest, primarily relying on the testimony of former Attorney-General Apandi Ali, former MACC Chief Commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad and the former Treasury Secretary-General Mohd Irwan Siregar.

The Court of Appeal stated the general law that the opinion of any person, even if that person is the former Attorney-General, is not relevant in any court proceeding, and found that “it would be rather absurd for the government to guarantee a loan to a government-linked corporate body knowing well that that corporate body does not have the ability to repay the loan or service the interest”.

The judgement continued: “Certainly, it would not be in the national interest to have a stable of insolvent companies, with full government exposure to the loans taken by these companies. That is simply bad financial management of public funds.”

The Court of Appeal found that Najib was “actively involved in ensuring that the KWAP loans were disbursed to SRC”.

However, after the funds had been disbursed, Najib “became indifferent to the whereabouts of the funds, and did not inquire from the SRC as to what had happened to the funds, nor how it was utilized and for what purpose”.

The judgement continued:

“He even instructed the second Finance Minister then to keep off SRC. This conduct of the appellant can be indicative of only one thing, and that is, once the funds had been secured by SRC, over which the appellant had overarching control, he was free to utilize them for his personal benefit. This is manifested by the flow of RM42 million from SRC into his personal accounts. This is not something that can be said to have been done in the national interest. There is no national interest here, just a national embarrassment”.

I agree with the Court of Appeal.

Yesterday, I received a written reply to my parliamentary question from the Minister for Finance, Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz that Malaysia owes RM39.38 billion as a result of the 1MDB scandal.’

Was Najib “promoting national interest” over the 1MDB scandal which was described by the former United States Attorney-General Jeff Sessions as “kleptocracy at its worst” causing Malaysia to be in debt for RM39.38 billion which have to be paid by future generations?

May be Najib can clarify.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 9th December 2021)

Adakah Najib “menjaga kepentingan negara” dengan skandal 1MDB yang telah dinamakan sebagai “kleptokrasi dalam bentuk yang terburuk” menyebabkan negara kita berhadapan dengan hutang sebanyak RM39.38 billion yang perlu ditanggung oleh generasi yang akan datang?

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Najib Razak, telah menyatakan kekecewaan beliau dengan keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan yang mengatakan kes SRC International Sdn Bhd ini adalah satu perkara “yang memalukan negara”.

Dia mengatakan, sepanjang menjawat jawatan awam, dia meletakkan keutamaan terhadap usaha menjaga kepentingan negara.

Untuk lebih pasti, saya menyemak semula rumusan keputusan kehakiman Mahkamah Rayuan yang mengandungi lima perenggan mengenai hujah “kepentingan negara” pihak pembelaan, yang menolak pembelaan Najib yang cuba mengatakan semua tindakan dia adalah untuk kepentingan negara, dengan bergantung kepada testimoni daripada bekas Peguam Negara, Apandi Ali, bekas Pengerusi SPRM, Dzulkifli Ahmad, dan bekas Ketua Setiausaha Perbendaharaan, Mohd Irwan Serigar.

Mahkamah Rayuan mengatakan dalam perundangan, pendapat mana-mana orang, walaupun orang itu adalah bekas Peguam Negara, tidak relevan kepada mana-mana prosiding mahkamah, dan mendapati “tidak masuk akal untuk kerajaan untuk memberikan jaminan kepada sebuah badan korporat yang berkaitan dengan kerajaan walaupun telah mengetahui yang badan korporat tersebut tidak mempunyai kebolehan untuk membayar semula pinjaman atau faedah pinjaman tersebut”.

Keputusan tersebut meneruskan lagi: “Sudah tentu sekali, bukanlah menjadi kepentingan untuk negara untuk mempunyai sekumpulan syarikat yang tidak mampu membayar hutangnya, dengan pendedahan penuh hutang-hutang yang diambil syarikat ini kepada kerajaan. Perkara ini hanyalah satu pengurusan wang awam yang buruk.”

Mahkamah Rayuan mendapati Najib “terlibat secara aktif dalam memastikan pinjaman KWAP ini dikeluarkan kepada SRC”

Tetapi, selepas dana ini dikeluarkan kepada SRC, Najib “tidak peduli mengenai ke mana dana ini pergi dan tidak menyemak dengan SRC mengenai apa yang sudah terjadi dengan dana tersebut, atau bagaimana ia digunakan, dan untuk tujuan apa”.

Keputusan penghakiman tersebut meneruskan lagi:

“Malah dia telah mengarahkan Menteri Kewangan kedua untuk tidak masuk campur mengenai SRC. Perbuatan perayu ini hanya menunjukkan satu perkara, iaitu, apabila dana ini telah diterima SRC, di mana perayu mempunyai kuasa, dia bebas untuk menggunakannya untuk kepentingan peribadi. Perkara ini ditunjukkan dengan pemindahan RM42 juta daripada SRC kepada akaun peribadi dia sendiri. Perkara ini bukan sesuatu yang boleh dikatakan dilakukan demi kepentingan negara. Tidak ada soal kepentingan negara di sini, hanya perkara yang memalukan negara.

Saya bersetuju dengan Mahkamah Rayuan.

Semalam, saya menerima jawapan lisan secara bertulis untuk soalan Parlimen saya daripada Menteri Kewangan, Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, yang menunjukkan negara kita masih menanggung hutang RM39.38 billion akibat daripada skandal 1MDB.

Adakah Najib “menjaga kepentingan negara” dengan skandal 1MDB yang telah dinamakan oleh Peguam Negara Amerika Syarikat, Jeff Session, sebagai “kleptokrasi dalam bentuk yang terburuk” menyebabkan negara kita berhadapan dengan hutang sebanyak RM39.38 billion yang perlu ditanggung oleh generasi yang akan datang?

Mungkin Najib boleh berikan penjelasan.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis, 9 Disember 2021)

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Call on Ismail Sabri to release details of 100  Days report card of his Cabinet by revealing what mark each of his Ministry received if he does not want to be “100 Days” laughing stock to Malaysians and the world

I call on the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri to release details of the 100 Days Report Card of his Cabinet by revealing what mark each of his Ministry received if he does not want to be “100 Days” laughing stock to Malaysians and the world.

If Ismail cannot produce the 100 Day report of card each of his Ministry, and explain how he arrived at the figure of 90 pct score on his Cabinet’s collective report card, then it is just an arbitrary figure  like a rabbit he plucked from the hat – which is the job of a magician and not Prime Minister of a country.

One Prime Minister subjected the country to the odium of a “kleptocracy at its worst”.

Are we to have another Prime Minister  turning Malaysia into a subject of contempt and merriment because of his clownish behaviour?

The ball is in Ismail Sabri’s court.

Surely, he has asked some professionals to give a score-card of the 100 Days of  performance of each of his Ministry, based on which he arrived at the 90 pct score – and that he had not given an arbitrary figure which he could neither defend nor justify?

It is time for Ismail Sabri to shown his poker hand.

Finally, what would  be his own score for his “Keluarga Malaysia” concept after his 100 days?

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Miri on Friday, 10th December 2021)

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Ismail Sabri should have insisted that the Covid-19 SOPs be observed or  walked away from the 100-day report card event yesterday to show that he was serious about the 23-month  Covid-19 pandemic which have accumulated nearly 2.7 million Covid-19  cases and caused over 30,000  Covid-19 deaths

The Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri should have insisted that the Covid-19 SOPs be observed or walked away from the 100-day report card event at the Kuala Lumpur  Convention Centre yesterday to show that he was  serious about the 23-month Covid-19 pandemic which have accumulated nearly 2.7 million Covid-19 cases and caused over 30,000 Covid-19 deaths

In fact, it should be asked how many of the over 30,000 Covid-19 deaths are avoidable deaths, simply caused of sheer incompetence of the health service.

By allowing an event which threw all the Covid-19 SOPs to the winds, Ismail Sabri had failed not only as the ninth Prime Minister, but the nation and the Malaysian people.

In fact, it had rendered the 100-day report card of the Ismail Sabri Cabinet a total failure and a sham.

It showed  that Ismail Sabri did not understand the critical importance of winning the war against Covid-19 pandemic and the reason why Malaysia is having the longest Covid-19 wave in the world going back to September last year.

How can Malaysia win in the war against Covid-19 pandemic when we have a Prime Minister who does not understand the importance of the Covid-19 SOPs.

Instead, what we see are bad examples of how the Ismail Sabri government is using the Covid-19 pandemic to commit abuses of power – and a good example is the Sarawak general election where the need to prevent Covid-19 infections are used to prevent the holding of fair, free and clean elections.

I call on Ismail Sabri to apologise to all Malaysians for the shocking event yesterday.

(Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at a media conference in Miri on Friday, December 10, 2021 at 12 noon)

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Only Ismail Sabri would give the Cabinet 90 pct score on their 100-day report card when it had not even reached a pass mark of 50 pct score

(Versi BM)

The last three days were memorable days indeed!

On Dec. 7 eighty years ago in 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and brought United States into World War Two.

On Dec. 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal of Malaysia rejected the appeal of the former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, against his conviction and sentence to 12 years’ jail and RM210 million fine for his RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd charges declared that there was no “national interest” when RM42 million was transferred into Najib’s account but only “national embarrassment”.

It gave hope to Malaysians that “tomorrow can be better” and there is a chance to prevent Malaysia from relapsing back to a kleptocracy and that Malaysia can still dream a clean, honest and incorrupt government.

On Dec. 9, 2021, Malaysians were reminded that the Malaysian Dream for the country to be a world-class great nation which is the very opposite of a kleptocracy is no easy vision and will take decades to accomplish – when Prime Minister Ismail Sabri showed how low Malaysia has sunk as he gave his Cabinet 90 pct score on their 100-day report card when it had not even reached a pass mark of 50 pct score.

The best performing Cabinet Minister is undoubtedly the new Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, but even he does not deserve more than a passing grade.

On his First Hundred Days on Dec. 7, 2021, Malaysia recorded 4,966 daily new Covid-19 cases and 66 Covid-19 deaths, which have deteriorated to 5,466 daily new Covid-19 cases and 41 Covid-19 deaths yesterday. On Dec. 7 we had cumulative totals of 2,667,999 Covid-19 cases and 30,719 Covid-19 deaths.

When emergency was declared on January 11, 2021 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, we had 2,232 daily new Covid-19 cases and four Covid-19 deaths – and cumulative total of 138,224 Covid-19 cases and 555 Covid-19 deaths.

Would you give a 90 pct score for achieving at the end of the First 100 days more than twice the daily new Covid-19 cases and more than 16 times the daily Covid-19 deaths when compared to the day when Emergency was declared?

It would appear that the longer Malaysia battle against Covid-19 pandemic, the worst it becomes as the country has been struggling for seven months to reduce daily new Covid-19 cases to below 4,000 cases and struggling for eight months to reduce daily Covid-19 deaths to single-digit numbers.

In fact, question may be asked as to how Malaysia can get a pass grade for combating the Covid-19 pandemic when we have not been able to end the longest 23-month Covid-19 wave in the world since September last year?

US President Franklin Roosevelt is credited with the “First Hundred Days” concept but Malaysia’s Ninth Prime Minister Ismail Sabri must be credited with nullifying the “First Hundred Days” concept as to be utterly meaningless, as when Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet can get a 90 pct score, how can anyone in the world fail in his “First Hundred Days”?

I am an octogenarian who have spent 55 years in the political struggle to make Malaysia a world-class great nation.

I have one hope: that the Sarawak general election will be the start of a new long journey to make Sarawak and Malaysia a world-class great nation, where the diverse people of different ethnicity, languages, religions and culture can unite in harmony to achieve our common vision for Malaysia to be a world-class great nation whether in international competitiveness, good governance with minimal corruption, and an efficient and effective government.

Malaysians achieved a political miracle when we ended UMNO political hegemony in the 14th General Election in 2018. Let the Sarawak general election be the start of a new long journey for Malaysia to become a world-class great nation, starting with the 15th general election which should be held next year.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Miri on Friday, 10th December 2021)

Hanya Ismail Sabri yang akan memberikan Kabinet markah 90 peratus untuk kad laporan 100 hari pertama mereka sedangkan mereka tidak capai markah lulus 50 peratus pun

Tiga hari yang lepas merupakan hari yang sukar dilupakan.

Pada 7 Disember, lapan puluh tahun yang lepas pada tahun 1941, Jepun menyerang Pearl Harbour dan membawa masuk Amerika Syarikat ke dalam Perang Dunia Kedua.

Pada 8 Disember 2021, Mahkamah Rayuan menolak rayuan bekas Perdana Menteri, Najib Razak, untuk mengetepikan sabitan dan hukuman penjara 12 tahun dan denda RM210 jutanya atas pertuduhan berkenaan SRC International Sdn Bhd, dengan menyatakan tidak ada “isu kepentingan negara” apabila RM42 juta dipindahkan ke akaun peribadi Najib, sebaliknya hanya “perkara yang memalukan negara”.

Perkara ini memberikan harapan kepada rakyat Malaysia, “bahawa hari esok boleh menjadi lebih baik” dan masih adalah harapan untuk kita mengelakkan Malaysia daripada terjerumus kembali ke lembah kleptokrasi dan kita masih mampu untuk mengimpikan sebuah kerajaan yang bersih, jujur, dan tidak korup.

Pada 9 Disember 2021, rakyat Malaysia diingatkan berapa jauh lagi perjalanan kita untuk mencapai Impian Malaysia, untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebuah negara hebat yang berkelas dunia yang bertentangan sama sekali dengan sebuah kleptokrasi – apabila Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri menunjukkan betapa rendah sekali kita telah jatuh apabila beliau memberikan Kabinetnya markah 90 peratus untuk kad laporan 100 hari pertama mereka sedangkan mereka ini tidak melepasi markah lulus 50 peratus sekali pun.

Menteri Kabinet dengan prestasi terbaik sudah tentunya adalah Menteri Kesihatan baharu, Khairy Jamaluddin, tetapi beliau juga tidak layak menerima lebih daripada markah lulus.

Pada seratus hari pertama beliau pada 7 Disember 2021, Malaysia mencatatkan 4,966 kes dan 66 kematian akibat Covid-19, dan angka ini telah berubah menjadi lebih buruk kepada 5,466 kes dan 41 kematian akibat Covid-19 semalam. Pada 7 Disember, kita mencatatkan sejumlah 2,667,999 kes dan 30,719 kematian terkumpul akibat Covid-19.

Semasa darurat diisytiharkan pada 11 Januari 2021 untuk melawan wabak Covid-19, kita mencatatkan 2,322 kes baharu dengan empat kematian – dengan sejumlah 138,224 kes terkumpul dan 555 kematian terkumpul.

Adakah anda akan memberikan markah 90 peratus untuk pencapaian 100 hari yang mencatatkan kadar kes Covid-19 yang lebih dua kali ganda dan kadar kematian yang lebih 16 kali ganda berbanding dengan semasa darurat mula diisytiharkan?

Kelihatan seperti lebih lama kita berhadapan dengan wabak Covid-19 ini, perang melawan wabak ini menjadi semakin buruk memandangkan negara kita telah bergelut selama tujuh bulan untuk menurunkan kadar kes ini ke bawah paras 4,000 kes sehari dan bergelut selama lapan bulan untuk menurunkan kadar kematian ke julat satu angka.

Malah, persoalan timbul mengapa Malaysia patut mendapat markah lulus dalam melawan wabak ini sedangkan kita tidak mampu menamatkan gelombang penularan selama 23 bulan sejak September tahun lepas?

Presiden AS, Franklin Roosevelt diberikan kredit untuk konsep “Seratus hari pertama” ini, tetapi Perdana Menteri kesembilan Ismail Sabri perlu diberikan kredit kerana menjadikan konsep ini hilang sebarang makna, kerana jika Kabinet beliau pun boleh menerima 90 peratus markah, adakah sesiapa di dalam dunia yang mampu untuk gagal dalam “Seratus Hari Pertama” mereka?

Saya kini berada dalam dekad kelapan hidup saya dan telah meluangkan 55 tahun daripada hidup saya dalam perjuangan politik untuk menjadikan Malaysia negara hebat bertaraf dunia.

Saya ada satu harapan: Supaya Pilihan Raya Negeri Sarawak ini boleh menjadi permulaan satu perjalanan panjang untuk menjadikan Sarawak dan Malaysia sebuah negara hebat berkelas dunia, di mana manusia daripada latar belakang yang pelbagai, dengan pelbagai etnik, bahasa, agama, dan budaya, bersatu padu dengan harmoni untuk mencapai visi bersama menjadi Malaysia negara hebat dalam daya saing di peringkat antarabangsa, tadbir urus baik tanpa rasuah, dan juga mempunyai kerajaan yang berkesan dan efisien.

Rakyat Malaysia telah mencapai keajaiban politik apabila kita menamatkan hegemoni politik UMNO dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 pada tahun 2018. Mari kita jadikan PRN Sarawak ini satu permulaan baharu perjalanan panjang untuk menjadikan Malaysia negara hebat, bermula dengan PRU-15 yang patut diadakan tahun hadapan.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri, Lim Kit Siang di Miri pada hari Jumaat, 10 Disember 2021)

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Call on Ismail Sabri to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry into a July 2015 plot to arrest Prime Minister Najib  over the 1MDB scandal at a Cabinet meeting but was foiled a  day earlier by the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister  Muhyiddin Yassin and Attorney-General Gani Patail

I call on the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry into a July 2015 plot to arrest Prime Minister over the 1MDB scandal at a Cabinet meeting but was foiled a day earlier by the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Attorney-General Gani Patail.

The story of this plot was told in a new book which will hit the bookshops next week  – Najib’s former political communications adviser Romen Bose’s “Final Reckoning: An Insider’s View of the Fall of Malaysia’s Barisan Nasional Government”.

In what he described as a coup planned by “the Three Tan Sris”, which was to take place on July 29, 2015, Romen said the three Tan Sris were the then Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Abu Kassim Mohamed.

Zeti,  Gani and Abu Kassim were key members of a 1MDB Task Force set up to investigate claims made by the Wall Street Journal and Sarawak Report about Najib’s involvement in looting the state fund.

Others allegedly involved in the plot included Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib’s deputy at the time, and Shafie Apdal, who was serving as rural and regional development minister.

A Free Malaysia Today report on the book said:

“Two days after the article appeared (using documents that were allegedly leaked by Bank Negara, the AG’s chambers and the MACC), a secret meeting of the task force was held to plan the removal and arrest of the prime minister.

“Abu Kassim allegedly led the call for the arrest even though the task force didn’t have solid evidence showing Najib’s guilt. All they had was speculation and gut instinct.

“A draft charge sheet was allegedly created by Abu Kassim’s officers, alleging that Najib had corruptly received RM27 million along with criminal breach of trust as an alternative charge. This was later allegedly changed to criminal misappropriation.”

Bose says senior police officers loyal to the plotters were to be stationed at the prime minister’s office in Perdana Putra prior to his arrival, with officers loyal to deputy Special Branch chief Abdul Hamid Bador accompanying Gani into the meeting room.

Once Najib had arrived, Gani was allegedly to address the Cabinet and read aloud the charges against Najib and announce his arrest. Police were then to allegedly swarm the Cabinet room and handcuff Najib, escorting him to a waiting police vehicle with a black bag over his head.

Muhyiddin would then chair the Cabinet meeting, Bose says, with all ministers expected to pledge their loyalty to him as the next prime minister.

Those responsible for the coup had allegedly also planned to get a “pliant judge” to accept the draft charges and order Najib’s immediate detention.

Bose wrote that “in a single morning, several of the alleged main plotters were neutralized without any violence or bloodshed, and the allegedly planned coup was thwarted – Malaysian style”.

I have described that particular week as the “Week of Long Knives July/August 2015”. I was told the previous weekend of Najib’s “impending” arrest.

Malaysians have a right to know what happened. Bose’s book ‘Final Reckoning: An Insider’s View of the Fall of Malaysia’s Barisan Nasional Government’ goes on sale on d that week and only a Royal Commission of Inquiry can undertake the job.

Will Ismail Sabri establish a RCI into the “Week of the Long Knives July/August 2015”?

(Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at a media conference in Sibu on Saturday, 11th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 December 2021, 4:32 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia must have super-Ministers that the Cabinet could get 90 pct score from the Prime Minister for their 100 Day performance but this is the mystery – the 31 Ministers are not known for their super-intelligence and  even two of them could not count  100 Days as they boasted they had passed the 100 days in flying colours in November itself

Malaysia must have super-Ministers that the Cabinet could get 90 pct score from the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri for their 100-day performance,  but this is the mystery: the 31 Ministers are not known for their super-intelligence and even two of  them could not count 100 Days as they boasted they had passed the 100 Days in flying colours  in November itself.

This is why I demand that Ismail Sabri reveal the score for each of the 31 Ministers and whether and how many scored the perfect 100% mark.

Does it mean all the 31 Ministers scored 90 points each?

If 15 of the Ministers scored at least 80 points, it would mean that the at least 15  of the Ministers must score the full point of 100%. Is this human possible?

Before Prime Minister Ismail Sabri reduces himself and the country into a laughing stock, I would ask him to release the individual score of each of his Ministers, and how to arrive at the 90 pct score for his entire Cabinet.

The onus of proof is on Ismail Sabri to prove that he does not simply use an arbitrary figure which has no  basis whatsoever.

I said just now that two Ministers could not count when their Hundred Days began and ended – they were Minister for Envronment Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and the  Ministers for Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs  Alexander Nanta Linggi who told Bernama last month that they had achieved their 100-Day targets, when the 100 Days had not ended.

The Defence Minister. Hishamuddin Hussein, also said two days ago that the Defence Ministry had successful achieved its 100-Day targets.

I need only to refer to the Transparency International Government Defence Integrity Index Report on Malaysia, which reported:

“Malaysia faces high corruption risk in its defence sector. Parliamentary oversight is nascent and weak, financial scrutiny is limited by excessive secrecy, while procurement is vulnerable to powerful interests both foreign and domestic that diminish institutional resilience to corruption. Finally, risks are critical in terms of military operations.’

In these circumstances, how did the Defence Ministry achieve its 100-Day targets?

(Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at a media conference in Sibu on Saturday, 11th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 December 2021, 2:14 pm and is filed under
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Question by  MMA President whether pushing up the number of Covid-19 cases is part of the KPI for next 100 days deserve a serious reply from both Prime Minister and Health Minister

The question by the Malaysian Medical Association Dr. Koh Kar Chai whether pushing up the number of Covid-19 cases is part of the KPI for the next 100 days deserves a serious reply from both the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri and the Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Dr Koh asked the question after the 100-day Malaysian Family Aspirations programme which was launched in KLCC on December 9 and slated to run for 4 days, where there was an “overdrive” to garner publicity but not to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections, despite Malaysia having the longest Covid-19 wave  in the world going back to September last year and  repeated Health Ministry warnings about the delta and Omicron variants in the country  and encouraging booster shots to stave off a Covid-19 upsurge in  the pandemic.

It is the height of the ludicrous to impose a “chicken-feed”  fine of RM1,000 for the massive breaches of the Covid-19 SOPs at the 100-Day programme.

The Minister responsible for the programme should be required to resign and the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri should tender a public apology to all Malaysians for the shameful flouting of the Covid-19 SOPs at the event.

The “chicken-feed” fine highlights the total lack of seriousness of the Ismail Sabri government to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, which explained why Malaysia is struggling for seven months to reduce daily new Covid-19 cases to below 4,000 cases and struggling for eight months to reduce daily Covid-19 deaths to single-digit numbers, when Indonesia had been reporting daily new increase of Covid-19 cases in triple-digit numbers for some three months since Oct. 15, 2021 and been reporting single-digit daily Covid-19 deaths for the last two days.

If the Prime Minister does not buck up in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic, how can the Cabinet buck up in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic?

And yet, Ismail Sabri could give a score of 90 pct for the Cabinet’s 100-day performance, making Malaysia the new target of world jokes and humiliation.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Miri on Saturday, 11th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 11 December 2021, 8:03 am and is filed under
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Ismail Sabri should not allow anyone to post for him on his  Facebook as the Prime Minister would be held personally responsible

The Prime Minister should exercise greater control of his FaceBook account and not allow anyone to post for him on his Facebook as the Prime Minister would be held personally responsible.

The best example is the latest posting on the Prime Minister’s Facebook with regard to the Prime Minister’s ridiculous 90 pct score for his Cabinet on its first 100-day performance – which is nothing than scoring its own goal.

In the Prime Minister’s latest Facebook posting, it is claimed that the Prime Minister has his own criteria for scoring the first 100-day performance of his 31 Ministers –  50 percent on a ministry’s core service, minister’s performance assessment (25 percent) and public perception on minister and ministry (25 percent).

How did Ismail Sabri collect public perception on each ministry, as nobody is aware that the Prime Minister’s Office is collecting data for such an assessment!

Finally why is Ismail Sabri  unable to give the score for each of his 31 Ministers?

Is Ismail Sabri going to present the score of each of his 31 Ministers  on their first 100-day performance to Parliament before Parliament adjourns next week?

If Ismail does not have the individual scores for each of his 31 Ministers, why is he allowing his Facebook to score its own goal?

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Sarikei on Sunday, December 12, 2021)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 12 December 2021, 4:26 pm and is filed under
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Puad Zakarshi is proving to be national fraud – making baseless allegations that he knows nothing about, unable to distinguish between right from wrong and pretending not to understand corruption and kleptocracy

The UMNO Supreme Council member, Puad Zarkashi is proving to be a national fraud making baseless allegations that he knows nothing about, unable to distinguish between right from wrong and pretending not to understand corruption and kleptocracy.

His latest outburst against accusing me of being “selective” in pushing for a Royal Commission of Inquiry, saying that I am not the “most hypocritical politician” for being silent on calls for an RCI into other matters, including on former central bank governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop’s role in the 1MDB scandal, is the best example.

Let me tell Puad that I have no objection for any RCI into the role of Zeti and Mohd Yakcop in the 1MDB scandal.

Would Puad agree to the establishment of a RCI into the 1MDB scandal, so that the whole story of the “kleptocracy at its worst”, including the role of Najib Razak, Zeti and Nor Mohamad Yakcop, and Puad’s role in trying to cover up the 1MDB scandal before the UMNO/BN Government was chucked out in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 could be revealed to the Malaysian public.

Is Puad prepared to disclose how much public funds he had spent inside and outside the country in his attempt to cover up the 1MDB scandal before the 14th General Election?

I had called for an RCI into an alleged plot to arrest former prime minister Najib Razak over the 1MDB scandal in 2015.

This came after a former aide to Najib, Romen Bose, claimed in his book that the plot was foiled by the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Attorney-General, Abdul Gani Patail  the day before the plan was supposed to be carried out.

Is Puad opposed to the establishment of an RCI into Romen  Bose’s revelations?

I did not know that Puad is such a simpleton that he believes that UMNO had won a landslide victory in the Malacca general election when UMNO won only an infinitesimal increase of 0.55 per cent of the 2018 votes cast to secure 38.39% of the votes in the Malacca general election on Nov. 20, 2021. Or is he just pretending?

No wonder UMNO is in great trouble, with Puad as one of the leaders who is unable distinguish right from wrong and pretending he does not understand what is corruption and kleptocracy!

I would not waste any more time on Puad if he is unable to answer the questions raised here.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Sarikei on Sunday, 12th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 12 December 2021, 2:52 pm and is filed under
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