Will Ismail Sabri sack  Ministers who  defy his instruction to cancel their leave abroad and return immediately to be with the people who are facing  hardship?

I commend the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri for  his cancellation of the year-end leave application from his cabinet Ministers until after the flood situation had passed.

Will Ismail Sabri sack  Ministers who  defy his instruction to cancel their leave abroad and return immediately to be  with the people who are facing  hardship?

According to the Prime Minister’s instruction,  Ministers who have not yet gone on holiday are to cancel their leave until after this flood problem is over. Ministers who are overseas are to return immediately and be with the people who are facing hardship.

How many of the Ministers are overseas on their end-of-the-year holidays?

There is no reason for keeping this information an “official secret” as the  Malaysian public are entitled to this information so that they could ascertain how many and who are  the Ministers who are  defying the Prime Minister on the cancellation of their  year-end leave.

This will be a test whether we have a Malaysian Prime Minister who cannot even exercise discipline among his Ministers.

The floods have killed 41 people thus far, while eight people are missing.

After hitting the West Coast of the peninsula and Klang Valley, heavy rains and floods are expected to batter the East Coast, with Pahang among the states at risk of worse flooding.

Will the ministers who are  abroad  be exempted from quarantine requirements once they return as fully vaccinated Malaysians must currently  be quarantined for seven days at home.

Furthermore, those  returning from high-risk countries where the Omicron variant is spreading are  required to wear a digital monitoring device. Will this apply to the Ministers?

I welcome the Prime Minister’s increase of the government contribution to RM10,000 to the next of kin of each victim who died in the recent floods  that hit the country.

The Federal Government should also approve the proposal of the  DAP MP for Klang, Charles Santiago to increase from RM1,000 cash aid per family to RM10,000 as the flood victims have lost everything – their furniture, personal documents, kitchenware as well as their money – with the option of additional aid on a case by case basis.

The government should not only provide a sustained relief package but also jump-start the economy  by giving businesses affected by the floods RM1,500 in rental relief for two months as the  small businesses  were just starting to recover from the Covid-19  pandemic.

But it is shocking that Ministers are blaming the people for the floods disaster  for not heeding the government’s weather warnings instead of admitting their mismanagement blunders.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Abdul Latiff Ahmad, who heads the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), said the Selangor floods serve as “a lesson in disaster management” so that weaknesses can be improved, including how to manage flood situation in high density residential areas where flooding is a rare occurrence and taking heed of warnings by the meteorological department.

The Environment and Water Minister, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, blamed the people for having failed to heed the government’s weather warnings because they were under the impression that floods only occur on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

As a result, when floods hit areas beyond the east coast last week, they were unprepared to face it.

However, checks by Malaysiakini found that very little warning was given before the floods occurred.

The flooding was associated with Tropical Depression 29W, which made landfall near Kuantan on Dec 17 and caused severe flooding across Central Peninsular Malaysia. MetMalaysia made no mention of the incoming weather phenomenon as it developed over several days on the South China Sea.

The last time Malaysia suffered a direct hit from a tropical depression – essentially a weak typhoon – was in 2017, which brought severe flooding to Penang.

However, MetMalaysia did issue several continuous heavy rain warnings and thunderstorm warnings in the run-up to the flood.

The continuous heavy rain warnings come in three tiers depending on severity – alert (yellow), severe (orange), and danger (red). It is typically accompanied by a colour-coded map highlighting the affected areas.

“Alert” means heavy rain is expected to occur within one to three days, or continuous rain is anticipated but not expected to be heavy.

“Severe” means continuous heavy rain is expected. This is defined as rain exceeding six hours with total rainfall of at least 60mm.

“Danger” means rainfall exceeding 240mm per day is expected.

Checks by Malaysiakini found that MetMalaysia issued its first continuous rain warning for Selangor at 3.45pm on Dec 17, but it was only an “alert” level and only lasted until the next day. Prior to that, a “danger” warning was also issued for Kemaman in Terengganu and Kuantan in Pahang..

At 2pm on Dec 18, however, the warning level in Selangor was escalated directly from “alert” to “danger”.

Malaysiakini reported: “Based on eyewitness accounts, many low-lying areas of the Klang Valley such as parts of Klang and Shah Alam were already flooded since the wee hours of that morning or even the night before.

“At the time the ‘danger’ warning was issued, Taman Sri Muda was already impassable even to heavy vehicles due to the severe flooding.

“Flood warnings, meanwhile, fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage.

“It issued several flood warnings for the East Coast in the run-up to the weekend’s flooding, namely for the districts of Setiu in Terengganu, Kuala Krai, Jeli, Machang, Tanah Mera, and Gua Musang in Kelantan, and Jerantut in Sungai Tembeling. These were predicted to occur between Dec 16 and Dec 17.

“For the West Coast, however, the first mention of trouble only came on Dec 18 at 5.30pm, when it shared a MetMalaysia continuous heavy rain warning issued 30 minutes earlier.”

It is stupid and  unproductive for Ministers to indulge in the blame game instead of raising the efficiency and effectiveness of flood disaster management as many ministers and relevant departments are  sleeping on the job with  the right hand not knowing what the left hand  in government is doing, aggravating a very chaotic situation like the spat as to who is the Selangor Chairman of the National Security Council and the discrepancy between the Prime Minister and NADMA on how many times cash aid will given to flood victims as highlighted by the DAP MP for Segambut Hannah Yeoh.

Is Prime Minister Ismail Sabri in charge of his Cabinet and government?

As former Minister Rafidah Aziz has written:

“Managing disasters require effective, and expeditiously executed, rescue and relief programmes, and well-planned rehabilitation, reconstruction and community revival measures.

“There should be no bureaucratic processes that hinder and constrain, no fanfare for the sake of publicity, no PR/comms job for image building, no hidden agendas or motives, no paying money for consultants, and such.

“Time is of the essence.

“Floods and climate change, as also time and tides, wait for no one.”

When will Prime Minister buck up if he is not to go down in history as the most incompetent Malaysian  Prime Minister who brought kakistocracy to the country?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on  Saturday, 25th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 25 December 2021, 7:52 am and is filed under
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The call by Yang di Pertuan Agong for post-mortem on floods is an indication that the  Ismail Sabri’s government is not functioning despite his cancellation of year-end leave for all his Ministers

The call by the Yang di Pertuan Agong for a post-mortem on the floods disaster in Selangor and Pahang is an indication that the Ismail Sabri government is not functioning, despite his cancellation of year-end leave of all his Ministers.

It raises the question what is use of Ismail Sabri’s cancellation of the year-end leave of his Ministers if all the jumbo-sized Cabinet does is for the Ministers to collect their super salaries and allowances without doing useful or worthwhile work?

Surely, after a week after the disaster of the massive  Selangor and Pahang floods, the Ismail Sabri government should have sprung into action to find  the reasons for the mismanagement of the flood disasters, like carrying out a post-mortem,  without having to wait for  the Yang di Pertuan Agong to teach the Cabinet what to do?

How many times had the Cabinet met since the massive and unprecedented floods in which had claimed 46 lives with five still missing or had the Cabinet not  met even once at all?

Two days have passed since the cancellation of the Ministers’ year-end leave. Can Ismail Sabri inform the Malaysian public how many Ministers who are currently abroad have informed him that they will be returning home, and why and how many Ministers  have “gone missing” abroad.

If Ismail Sabri’s cancellation of the year-end leave of his Cabinet Ministers and directive for those abroad to return immediately ends up as a farce because his  Ministers are defying his directive, it will deepen the Ismail Sabri’s government’s trust deficit, which has plunged to the lowest level ever in the nation’s history.

The Ismail Sabri government’s trust deficit has already spawned “Do not Donate here” campaigns calling on people not to donate to funds  to help flood victims set up  by government agencies.

This the first time there is such a campaign in Malaysia, which  shows the depth of the trust deficit in  the Ismail Sabri government – coming within a fortnight of the Prime Minister giving his Cabinet  a 90 per cent score for its first hundred-day performance.

Malaysians now cannot stand tall in the world as Ismail Sabri had made Malaysia an international laughing-stock with his jumbo-sized Cabinet and retinue of over-paid Special Advisers, who are incapable of doing decent work

There is in circulation on the social media a document showing that a senior Minister flew off to Dubai  after Ismail had announced cancellation of year-end leave for his Ministers and   instructing his Ministers who are overseas to return immediately to be with the people who are facing hardships.

If true, how can Ismail Sabri expect the people to have respect for him when he does not command any respect from his own Cabinet?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Sunday, 26th December 2021)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 26 December 2021, 7:24 am and is filed under
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Why is Malaysia losing out to Indonesia for more than  four months in the handling of the  Covid-19 pandemic although Indonesia has more than eight times Malaysia’s population?

A British think-tank has predicted that China’s Covid-19 response will help China to become the world’s biggest economy three years early in vying with United States for economic superiority.

British consultancy Cebr expected China will become the world’s top economy in dollar terms in 2030, two years later than forecast in last year’s World Economic League Table report.

What about Malaysia – what would the Covid-19 pandemic do to Malaysia in terms of international competitiveness, good governance, the rule of law and having an efficient and effective government?

The first question to ask is why Malaysia is having the longest Covid-19 wave in the world, going back to September last year when the Perikatan Nasional Government of Muhyiddin Yassin launched the power grab for Sabah state power from Warisan.

Since August 19, 2021 to Dec. 25, 2021, Malaysia has nearly four times Covid-19 cases than Indonesia.

Since Sept. 9, 2021 Indonesia has been recording lower daily Covid-19 fatality rate than Malaysia.

There were  18 days in November and December when Indonesia had single-digit Covid-19 fatality numbers, which had never been achieved by Malaysia yet.

In the past week, Malaysia recorded  21,554 Covid-19 cases and 242 Covid-19 deaths while Indonesia recorded 1,287 Covid-19 cases and 55 Covid-19 deaths – Malaysia having more than 14 times the Covid-19 cases and more than 23 times the Covid-19 deaths than Indonesia although Indonesia has more than eight times the population of Malaysia.

Is this an indication that the Covid-19 pandemic will speed up the decline of Malaysia, which is fated to see one country after another overtaking Malaysia?

In the past half-a-century, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam had overtaken Malaysia.

Are Indonesia and the Philippines set to be the next nations to overtake Malaysia in international competitiveness, good governance, the rule of law and having an effective and efficient government?

Apart from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ismail Sabri has also  failed in dealing  with  the catastrophic floods in Selangor and Pahang.

After kleptocracy, are we set to become a kakistocracy?

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Sunday, 26th  December 2021)

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Ismail Sabri’s absence from the annual Christmas high tea illustrates his inability  to live down his past to prove he is Prime Minister for all Malaysians and his Keluarga Malaysia slogan  is for  an inclusive Malaysian family  regardless of race, religion or region

(Versi BM)

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s absence from the Christian Federation of Malaysia’s (CFM) annual Christmas high tea illustrates his inability to live down his past to prove he is Prime Minister for all Malaysians and his “Keluarga Malaysia” slogan is for an inclusive Malaysian family regardless of race, religion or region and not for any one race, religion or region.

A Malaysian Prime Minister who really understands the Malaysian Constitution and the Rukun Negara principles would not have missed the annual Christmas high tea or at least, ensure that he would be officially represented.

Malaysia cannot succeed as a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Dayak country – it can only succeed as a Malaysian nation.

Before the Sheraton Move conspiracy in February 2020, when he became a Senior Minister, then Deputy Prime Minister and later the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri was a leading advocate of the “Malay First” ideology who was prepared to use lies and fake news to attack his political opponents.

For instance, he had alleged that the Pakatan Harapan government was under the control of DAP and the Chinese in Malaysia, and that DAP was behind the PH government attempt to ratify the International Covenant for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) to suppress the Malays and Muslims which were all lies and fake news.

He should ask his Foreign Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, who was the Foreign Minister in the Pakatan Harapan government, whether DAP had any prior knowledge of the speech by the then Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in September 2018 to ratify all UN instruments related to the protection of human rights.

In actual fact, DAP leaders were as surprised as anybody else by Mahathir’s speech in the UN on the ratification of the UN covenants.

I had my grave doubts about Ismail Sabri’s conversion to an inclusive “Malaysian First” mindset when he coined the “Keluarga Malaysia” slogan on becoming Prime Minister but I was prepared to give him a chance to live down his past.

Ismail Sabri has failed in this task, not only by his absence at the annual Christmas high tea last Saturday but by his government’s performance since he was sworn in as Prime Minister – the 2022 Budget and the government’s dismal performance in the massive floods especially in Selangor and Pahang.

The question must be asked: Does Ismail Sabri accept the Rukun Negara as the nation-building principles of a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation?

If so, why has he allowed Ministers and Deputy Ministers in his Cabinet who do not subscribe or uphold the Rukun Negara nation-building principles?

Indonesia seems to have done a better job in uniting its 278 million people with its five Pancasila principles than Malaysia in uniting her 33 million people with its five Rukun Negara principles.

The five nation-building principles of Pancasila are:

1. Belief in the Almighty God.

2. Just and civilized humanity.

3. Unity of Indonesia.

4. Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations among representatives.

5. Social justice for all of the people of Indonesia.

The five nation-building principles of Rukun Negara are:

1. Belief in God.

2. Loyalty to King and Country.

3. Supremacy of the Constitution.

4. Rule of Law.

5. Courtesy and Morality,

Why is Pancasila more successful in Indonesia than Rukun Negara in Malaysia?

One reason is that Indonesian government leaders accept Pancasila but not all the Malaysian government leaders accept Rukun Negara.

Since 1993, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs holds the Indonesian Christmas Celebration, and the Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister regards himself as a Religious Affairs Minister for all religions in Indonesia and not just one religion.

But in Malaysia, we have a foreign preacher who had been given permanent residence status who preached hatred, intolerance and extremism and recently cautioned Muslims against participating in non-Muslim festivals as wishing Christians “Merry Christmas”.

The recent catastrophic floods in Selangor and Pahang have proved this foreign preacher wrong, that Malaysians of all religious faiths are not extremists, intolerant or exclusivists as Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia work together, drawing on peaceful aspects of Islamic teaching to encourage respect for religious pluralism and the fundamental dignity of every human being.

The whole country awaits the Prime Minister’s explanation for his absence at the annual Christmas high tea and his failure to send an official representative.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Monday, December 27, 2021)

Ketiadaan Ismail Sabri dalam Majlis Minum Petang Krismas menunjukkan kegagalan beliau untuk menunjukkan yang beliau adalah Perdana Menteri untuk semua rakyat Malaysia dan kegagalan slogan Keluarga Malaysia untuk menjadi sebuah keluarga yang inklusif tanpa mengira kaum, agama, atau kawasan

Ketiadaan Ismail Sabri dalam Majlis Minum Petang Krismas yang dianjurkan Persekutuan Kristian Malaysia (CFM) menunjukkan kegagalan beliau untuk menunjukkan yang beliau adalah Perdana Menteri untuk semua rakyat Malaysia dan kegagalan slogan Keluarga Malaysia untuk menjadi sebuah keluarga yang inklusif tanpa mengira kaum, agama, atau kawasan.

Seorang Perdana Menteri yang benar-benar menjiwai Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan prinsip-prinsip Rukun Negara tidak akan terlepas majlis minum petang tahunan ini atau sekurang-kurangnya akan memastikan beliau akan diwakili di majlis ini secara rasmi.

Malaysia tidak akan boleh berjaya sebagai sebuah negara Melayu, Cina, India, Kadazan, atau Dayak – sebaliknya kita hanya boleh berjaya sebagai sebuah negara Malaysia.

Sebelum konspirasi Langkah Sheraton pada bulan Februari 2020 yang menjadikan beliau seorang Menteri Kanan, kemudiannya Timbalan Perdana Menteri, dan akhirnya Perdana Menteri kesembilan Malaysia, Ismail Sabri adalah seorang pejuang utama ideologi “Utamakan Melayu” yang bersedia untuk menggunakan penipuan dan berita palsu untuk menyerang musuh politiknya.

Sebagai contoh, beliau telah menuduh yang kerajaan Pakatan Harapan berada di bawah kawalan DAP dan orang Cina di Malaysia, dan kononnya DAP yang berada di sebalik rancangan kerajaan PH untuk meratifikasi Konvensyen Antarabangsa Mengenai Penghapusan Diskriminasi Perkauman (ICERD) untuk menindas orang Melayu dan Islam sedangkan perkara ini semuanya hanyalah penipuan dan berita palsu.

Beliau patut bertanya kepada Menteri Luar Negeri beliau sendiri, Saifuddin Abdullah, yang juga merupakan Menteri Luar Negeri di bawah pentadbiran Pakatan Harapan, sama ada DAP mempunyai sebarang pengetahuan mengenai ucapan Perdana Menteri Dr Mahathir di Persidangan Umum Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu yang ke-73 pada bulan September 2018 yang menyatakan komitmen untuk meratifikasi semua konvensyen PBB berkenaan dengan hak-hak asasi manusia.

Malah sebenarnya, pemimpin DAP sendiri terkejut seperti orang-orang lain dengan ucapan Mahathir di PBB mengenai ratifikasi konvensyen-konvensyen ini.

Saya amat ragu-ragu dengan perubahan Ismail Sabri ke arah pemikiran “Utamakan Malaysia” yang lebih inklusif semasa beliau mula muncul dengan slogan “Keluarga Malaysia” ini sejak menjadi Perdana Menteri, tetapi saya bersedia untuk memberikan peluang untuk beliau meninggalkan masa lampaunya.

Ismail Sabri telah gagal dengan tugas ini, bukan sahaja dengan ketiadaan beliau semasa majlis minum petang Krismas Sabtu lepas, tetapi juga dengan prestasi buruk kerajaannya sejak beliau mengangkat sumpah sebagai Perdana Menteri – dalam Belanjawan 2022 dan pengurusan bencana banjir besar terutamanya di Selangor dan Pahang.

Soalan yang mesti ditanyakan: Adakah Ismail Sabri menerima prinsip-prinsip Rukun Negara sebagai asas pembinaan negara bangsa yang berbilang bahasa, agama, dan budaya?

Sekiranya ya, mengapakah beliau membiarkan Menteri dan Timbalan Menteri yang menolak prinsip-prinsip ini untuk kekal di dalam barisan Kabinet beliau?

Indonesia kelihatan seperti telah berjaya dengan lebih baik dalam menyatukan ke semua 278 juta penduduknya dengan lima prinsip Pancasila mereka berbanding dengan usaha menyatukan 33 juta penduduk di Malaysia dengan lima prinsip Rukun Negara kita.

Lima prinsip pembinaan negara bangsa Pancasila adalah:

1. Ketuhanan yang Maha Esa.

2. Kemanusiaan yang adil dan beradab.

3. Persatuan Indonesia.

4. Kerakyatan yang dipimpin oleh hikmat kebijaksanaan dalam permusyawaratan/perwakilan.

5. Keadilan sosial bagi seluruh rakyat Indonesia.

Lima prinsip pembinaan negara bangsa Rukun Negara pula adalah:

1. Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan

2. Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara

3. Keluhuran Perlembagaan

4. Kedaulatan Undang-undang

5. Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan

Mengapakah Pancasila ini kelihatan lebih berjaya di Indonesia berbanding dengan Rukun Negara di Malaysia?

Salah satu sebabnya adalah pemimpin kerajaan di Indonesia menerima prinsip-prinsip Pancasila ini sedangkan tidak semua pemimpin kerajaan di Malaysia menerima prinsip-prinsip Rukun Negara.

Sejak tahun 1993, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Agama di Indonesia mengadakan Sambutan Krismas dan Menteri Hal Ehwal Agama di Indonesia melihat dirinya sebagai Menteri untuk semua agama di Indonesia, bukan hanya satu agama.

Tetapi di Malaysia, kita ada penceramah asing yang dihadiahkan dengan status penduduk tetap yang telah menyampaikan ceramah berbaur kebencian, intoleransi, dan ekstremisme dan baru-baru ini memberikan amaran kepada orang Islam untuk tidak menyertai perayaan bukan Islam seperti mengucapkan “Merry Christmas” kepada orang Kristian.

Bencana banjir di Selangor dan Pahang baru-baru ini telah membuktikan penceramah asing ini salah, bahawa rakyat Malaysia dari pelbagai latar belakang kaum bukanlah bersifat ekstremis, tidak bertoleransi, dan suka memecah-belah di antara Muslim dan bukan-Muslim, sebaliknya akan bekerjasama dengan nilai-nilai murni ajaran Islam untuk menggalakkan perasaan hormat-menghormati dalam kepelbagaian beragama dan menghormati maruah setiap insan.

Seluruh negara menantikan penjelasan Perdana Menteri mengenai ketiadaan beliau pada Majlis Minum Petang Krismas Tahunan dan kegagalan beliau untuk menghantarkan wakil rasminya.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Isnin, 27 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 27 December 2021, 7:41 am and is filed under
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New height of infamy for Malaysia that apart from 1MDB scandal which was “kleptocracy at its worst”, among worst performing nations in two-year Covid-19 pandemic, catastrophic government mismanagement of massive floods in Selangor and Pahang, absence of Prime Minister at annual Christmas high tea, a  convicted criminal  was invited to open an international conference

(Versi BM)

There have been many “national embarrassments” for Malaysia of late

With the global 1MDB scandal which had been described by the former US Attorney-General as “kleptocracy at its worst”; Malaysia among the worst performing nations in the two-year Covid-19 pandemic accumulating nearly 2.75 million Covid-19 cases and over 31,000 deaths; a former Prime Minister declared by the Court of Appeal as a “national embarrassment” during his premiership; catastrophic government mismanagement of last week’s massive floods in Selangor and Pahang causing loss of at least 48 lives and the absence of the Prime Minister at the annual Christmas high tea which totally demolished his “Keluarga Malaysia” slogan, one would have thought Malaysia had enough infamies for any nation.

Attempts to ameliorate the public image problem caused by these infamies have only worsened the situation, with an ambulance having to wait for the Prime Minister’s convoy to pass (which is more urgent, to save lives in the case of ambulance or the Prime Minister’s visit) and the inability to pass the test of transparency and accountability with regard to the Prime Minister’s cancellation of his Cabinet Ministers’ year-end leave and directive to all Ministers holidaying abroad to return home to be with the people.

But worse infamy is yet to come – when a convicted criminal, although appealing to the Federal Court, was invited to open an international conference this morning.

I may agree with some of the things that this convicted criminal said when he opened the international conference this morning, in particular that former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was dead wrong when he made his “chopstick” remarks – stressing that It is not important what kind of cutleries are used by the Malaysian Chinese as what is more important is that the local Chinese are Malaysians at heart.

But that is a different question.

Inviting a convicted criminal to open an international conference is the new height of infamy for Malaysia.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Monday, 27th December 2021)

Satu lagi contoh keburukan baru untuk Malaysia – selain daripada skandal 1MDB, dikenali sebagai antara negara dengan prestasi paling buruk dalam menguruskan penularan wabak Covid-19, pengurusan bencana banjir besar yang teruk di Selangor dan Pahang, dan ketiadaan Perdana Menteri ke Majlis Minum Petang Krismas – kini seorang penjenayah yang disabitkan bersalah dijemput untuk merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa

Terdapat banyak perkara yang memalukan negara baru-baru ini.

Daripada skandal global 1MDB yang disifatkan oleh mantan Peguam Negara AS sebagai “kleptokrasi dalam bentuk terburuk”; Malaysia juga dilihat sebagai antara negara dengan prestasi paling buruk dalam menangani penularan wabak Covid-19 sejak dua tahun lalu dengan hampir 2.75 juta kes jangkitan Covid-19 dan lebih daripada 31,000 korban nyawa; bekas Perdana Menteri pula digelar Mahkamah Rayuan sebagai “perkara memalukan negara” semasa menjadi perdana menteri; pengurusan bencana banjir besar yang teruk di Selangor dan Pahang yang kini telah menyebabkan kehilangan sekurang-kurangnya 48 orang nyawa; sehingga kepada ketidakhadiran Perdana Menteri ke Majlis Minum Petang Tahunan Krismas yang telah memusnahkan slogan “Keluarga Malaysia”, kita ingat sudah cukuplah perkara yang memalukan negara setakat ini.

Percubaan untuk memperbaiki imej yang disebabkan oleh kegagalan-kegagalan ini hanya memburukkan lagi keadaan, dengan ambulans terpaksa memberi laluan kepada konvoi Perdana Menteri (mana yang lebih penting, menyelamatkan nyawa dengan memberikan laluan kepada ambulans atau mengutamakan konvoi lawatan Perdana Menteri) dan ketidakupayaan untuk melepasi ujian ketelusan dan akauntabiliti berhubung pembatalan cuti akhir tahun Menteri Kabinet dan arahan kepada semua Menteri yang bercuti di luar negara untuk pulang segera ke tanah air bagi berkongsi kesusahan bersama rakyat yang dilanda bencana banjir.

Tetapi, masih ada perkara yang lebih buruk – seorang penjenayah yang telah disabitkan bersalah, walaupun telah memfailkan rayuan ke Mahkamah Persekutuan, telah dijemput untuk merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa pagi ini.

Saya mungkin bersetuju dengan beberapa perkara yang dikatakan penjenayah yang disabitkan bersalah ini semasa merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa pagi ini, khususnya yang menyentuh mengenai kenyataan mantan Perdana Menteri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad berkenaan isu “chopstick”, yang menurut beliau merupakan suatu kesilapan – sambil menegaskan bahawa persoalan tentang jenis perkakasan makan yang digunakan oleh orang Cina di Malaysia bukanlah hal yang penting, kerana apa yang lebih penting adalah semua orang Cina tempatan sememangnya menjiwai semangat rakyat Malaysia.

Tetapi itu adalah persoalan yang lain.

Menjemput penjenayah yang disabitkan bersalah untuk merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa adalah kemuncak keburukan baru bagi Malaysia.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Isnin, 27 Disember 2021)

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Ismail Sabri must act on Gomez’ shock resignation  from MACC  panel and end  the two-month “conspiracy of silence” about allegations of MACC Chief’s ownership of close to two million shares in a public listed company

(Versi BM)

It would appear that Malaysia’s international infamy this year has not ended, although we are left with three days before we enter the New Year of 2022.

What other infamies are in store for Malaysia for the next three days?

Yesterday, a convicted criminal opened an international conference in Kuala Lumpur while today we have the shock resignation of the Edmund Terence Gomez from a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Panel, highlighting that something is very rotten with the anti-corruption efforts in Malaysia.

Gomez resigned in protest against the MACC’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel’s inaction against MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s alleged ownership of close to two million shares in a public listed company

Gomez said he had first brought the matter to the attention of the panel’s chairperson Borhan Dolah on Nov 12 and had urged him to convene a meeting to discuss the “critical issue of national interest”

Though Borhan had initially responded immediately and agreed to convene the panel, the meeting never materialised.

Gomez said he wrote two more times to Borhan about this matter and had attached more information he received about the business links of Azam’s family.

He had also noted to Borhan that the website that had first published the allegations against Azam on Oct.26 had been hacked after the articles were uploaded.

However, he did not receive any responses to either of the letters.

Gomez said the inaction of the MACC Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel constitutes “a serious dereliction of duty to the nation” and was “unconscionable” and “extremely irresponsible.

Previously, Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa had filed an urgent motion seeking the Dewan Rakyat to discuss Azam’s alleged ownership of close to two million shares in a public listed company.

Sivarasa had alleged that between 2015 and 2016, when Azam was the MACC’s investigation director, he had become the owner of 930,000 shares in Gets Global Bhd as at April 30, 2015 and a further 1,029,000 shares as at March 31, 2016.

Sivarasa also claimed that, as of March 21, 2016, Azam also owned 2,156,000 warrants in public listed Excel Force MSC Bhd, while his younger brother owned 3,728,000 shares in Gets Global.

Public servants are barred from owning more than RM100,000 value of shares in any company.

They are also required to declare all their assets to their heads of departments under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.

In his resignation letter, Gomez had also said it was “equally disturbing” that there were reports claiming a former MACC chief commissioner was also involved in a conflict-of-interest situation.

This suggested a trend in the MACC institution that must be investigated promptly, he said.

The Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri must act on Gomez’ shock resignation from MACC panel and end the two-month “conspiracy of silence” about allegations of MACC Chief’s ownership of close to two million shares in a public listed

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

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”.

There should be a Parliamentary Select Committee on Corruption and Abuses/Wastage of Public Funds which should conduct an investigation into the allegations surrounding the MACC Chief, Azam Baki, the Global Financial Integrity Reports which revealed that Malaysia lost a whopping RM1.8 trillion between 2005 and 2014 as well as the poor rank and score 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 appointments.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Pute4ri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Tuesday, 28th December 2021)

Ismail Sabri perlu bertindak atas peletakan jawatan mengejut Gomez daripada panel SPRM dan menamatkan “konspirasi sunyi” selama dua bulan mengenai dakwaan Ketua SPRM memiliki hampir dua juta saham dalam syarikat tersenarai awam

Nampaknya status buruk Malaysia di arena antarabangsa tahun ini belum berakhir, walaupun kita hanya tinggal tiga hari sebelum memasuki Tahun Baharu 2022.

Apakah keburukan lain yang menanti Malaysia untuk tiga hari akan datang?

Semalam, seorang penjenayah yang disabitkan bersalah merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa di Kuala Lumpur manakala hari ini kita dikejutkan dengan peletakkan jawatan Edmund Terence Gomez daripada Panel Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), sekaligus memberi tanda bahawa ada sesuatu yang sangat buruk sedang berlaku dalam usaha pencegahan rasuah di Malaysia.

Gomez meletak jawatan sebagai tanda protes terhadap tindakan Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah SPRM atas dakwaan pemilikan hampir dua juta saham oleh Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM Azam Baki dalam sebuah syarikat tersenarai awam.

Gomez berkata beliau telah terlebih dahulu membawa perkara itu kepada perhatian pengerusi panel, Borhan Dolah pada 12 Nov dan menggesa beliau untuk mengadakan mesyuarat bagi membincangkan “isu kritikal berkepentingan negara”

Walaupun Borhan pada mulanya memberi maklum balas serta-merta dan bersetuju untuk memanggil panel, mesyuarat itu tidak pernah menjadi kenyataan.

Gomez berkata dia menulis dua kali lagi kepada Borhan mengenai perkara ini dan telah melampirkan lebih banyak maklumat yang diterimanya mengenai pautan perniagaan keluarga Azam.

Beliau juga memaklumkan kepada Borhan bahawa laman web yang pertama kali menyiarkan dakwaan terhadap Azam pada 26 Okt. telah digodam selepas artikel itu dimuat naik.

Bagaimanapun, dia tidak menerima sebarang jawapan kepada mana-mana surat tersebut.

Gomez berkata ketiadaan tindakan Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah SPRM merupakan “penyelewengan tugas yang serius kepada negara” dan “tidak bertimbang rasa” dan “sangat tidak bertanggungjawab.

Sebelum ini, Ahli Parlimen Sungai Buloh R Sivarasa telah memfailkan usul tergempar meminta Dewan Rakyat membincangkan dakwaan pemilikan hampir dua juta saham Azam dalam sebuah syarikat senaraian awam.

Sivarasa telah mendakwa bahawa antara 2015 dan 2016, semasa Azam menjadi pengarah siasatan SPRM, beliau telah menjadi pemilik 930,000 saham dalam Gets Global Bhd pada 30 April 2015 dan 1,029,000 saham lagi pada 31 Mac 2016.

Sivarasa juga mendakwa, sehingga 21 Mac 2016, Azam juga memiliki 2,156,000 saham dalam senarai awam Excel Force MSC Bhd, manakala adiknya memiliki 3,728,000 saham dalam Gets Global.

Penjawat awam dilarang memiliki lebih RM100,000 nilai saham dalam mana-mana syarikat.

Mereka juga dikehendaki mengisytiharkan semua harta mereka kepada ketua jabatan mereka di bawah Peraturan-Peraturan Pegawai Awam (Kelakuan dan Tatatertib) 1993.

Dalam surat peletakan jawatannya, Gomez juga berkata ia “sama-sama mengganggu” bahawa terdapat laporan yang mendakwa bekas ketua pesuruhjaya SPRM turut terlibat dalam situasi konflik kepentingan.

Ini mencadangkan satu trend dalam institusi SPRM yang mesti disiasat segera, katanya.

Perdana Menteri, Ismail Sabri mesti bertindak atas peletakan jawatan mengejut Gomez daripada panel SPRM dan menamatkan “konspirasi senyap” selama dua bulan mengenai dakwaan Ketua SPRM memiliki hampir dua juta saham dalam syarikat senarai awam

Ini adalah mendesak dan penting terutamanya kerana rakyat Malaysia sedang menunggu dalam resah untuk Indeks Persepsi Rasuah (CPI) Transparency International (TI) 2021 yang akan dikeluarkan pada bulan depan di mana Malaysia dijangka berada di kedudukan dan mendapat markah yang teruk, mencerminkan usaha anti-rasuah yang semakin teruk di Malaysia dalam tahun lepas.

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

Perlu ada Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Rasuah dan Penyalahgunaan/Pembaziran Dana Awam yang harus menjalankan siasatan terhadap dakwaan yang menyelubungi Ketua SPRM, Azam Baki, Laporan Integriti Kewangan Global yang mendedahkan bahawa Malaysia kerugian besar sebanyak RM1.8 trilion antara 2005 dan 2014 serta kedudukan dan markah yang lemah Malaysia 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 bidang tugas masing-masing, pelantikan duta yang tidak diperlukan apabila terdapat duta yang dilantik untuk setiap negara, dan pelantikan pelantikan GLC.

(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Selasa, 28 Disember 2021)

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Malaysi’s  Final Week of Infamy in 2021 – Peter Anthony becomes a “frog” and forms a new political party with another “frog”

(Versi BM)

Malaysia is having its Final Week of Infamy in 2021.

On Saturday, 25th December, 2021, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri ignores the annual Christmas high tea of the Christian Federation of Malaysia, which had been attended by the Prime Minister or his representative every year since 1999, signalling that Ismail Sabri’s “Keluarga Malaysia” is not for unity in diversity of Malaysia’s multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural population and no unifying policy at all.

A Christian in Malaysia believes that Malaysia has now a Prime Minister who has no

Christmas message to Christians, as no major printed media and the electronic media has published such a Christmas message.

Is this going to the new policy in Malaysia!

On Sunday, 26th December 2021, we have Cabinet Ministers launching their Ops Damage Control for their disastrous mismanagement of the massive floods especially in Selangor and Pahang, which were mere PR stunts of no benefit to any flood victim.

Rina Harun started the Operation, and although not in her high-heels or a grand hotel dinner, used a water jet to wash an apparently clean patch of pavement while surrounded by cameramen.

The Social Welfare Department (JKM) later clarified that Rina was cleaning up birds and lizard dropping stains that were difficult to get rid of before, making Rina Harun the highest paid bird and lizard droppings cleaner in the world.

Rina’s exploits reminded Malaysians of another video of the Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz and his entourage in a National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) boat on a sight-seeing tour when the boat could have been used for more urgent matters.

After Rina’s “water jet” gaffe, there was Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s “shovel gate” where he posed in front of press cameras with a shovel which he used to scoop and toss some dirt once before the shovel was handed back to a person in a Fire Department uniform.

Ismail also created world history where an ambulance had to wait at a junction to give way to the Prime Minister’s convoy to allow Ismail to perform his one-scoop PR act.

The latest farce in Ops Damage Control by the Cabinet Ministers is the Deputy Minister for Women, Family and Community Development posing for photograph driving a lorry as her contribution to the efforts in the flood situation, but she forgot to put the key in the ignition lock.

When did Malaysian tax-payers pay the Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers to be joke fodders?

On Monday, 27th December, 2021, a convicted criminal opened an international conference in Malaysia.

We have not only “kleptocracy at its worst” in Malaysia, we have the Court of Appeal declaring a former Prime Minister as a “national embarrassment” for the 1MDB scandal in his premiership and the abysmal inability to differentiate what is right and what is wrong that a convicted criminal could be apotheosised as “Bossku”.

It is not what the convicted criminal said at the opening of the international conference, some of which are right and proper, but the fact that a convicted criminal could be invited to open an international conference – bringing unprecedented infamy to the country, which should have been avoided by both the convicted criminal and the international conference if either of them have an iota of decency, love and concern for the country.

On Tuesday, 28th December 2021, academician Edmund Terence Gomez resigned from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel, highlighting that something is very rotten with the anti-corruption efforts in Malaysia.

Gomez resigned in protest against the Panel’s inaction against MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s alleged ownership of close to two million shares in a public listed company.

Despite the claim that the MACC is modelled after the top anti-corruption agencies like the Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong, no top anti-corruption agency would have ignored serious allegations concerning integrity about the head of the anti-corruption agency for two long months.

There are five independent bodies that monitor the MACC to ensure its integrity and to protect citizen’s rights. These bodies are managed separately from other government offices in order to provide an independent perspective. The five bodies are: the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, the Special Committee on Corruption, the Complaints Committee, the Operations Review Panel, and the Corruption Consultation and Prevention Panel.

All these five bodies to ensure the MACC integrity and protect the citizenship rights should resign en masse to protest the failure of MACC and the Cabinet to act on the allegations against the MACC Chief Commissioner, Azam Baki which appeared on Oct. 26, 2021.

Ismail Sabri’s silence and failure to act on the allegations against Azam is completely unacceptable and untenable if his “Keluarga Malaysia” is to be equated with the Rukun Negara, particularly on the principles “rule of law” and “courtesy and morality”.

The Chairman of the MACC Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel has contended that Gomez had not raised the alleged misconduct by the MACC Chief Commissioner prior to his resignation as a member of the panel.

This is a very lame excuse. I am not privy to Gomez’s communication with the Panel, but this reason cannot hold water as the allegations against the MACC chief were made publicly as far back as Oct. 26.

The MACC has deteriorated and degenerated to such an extent that it even ignored the Auditor-General Report in 2019 Series 2 involving six flood retention ponds for possible abuse, as highlighted the DAP Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh.

This is the greatest blow to the image and integrity of the anti-corruption in Malaysian history since 1967, whether as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA).

On Wednesday, 29th December 2021, Malaysians have to wrestle with the announcement that former Sabah minister, Peter Anthony, had quit Warisan to form a new political party which will co-operate with GRS-led Sabah State Government – an increase of the “political frog” population in Malaysia.

Anthony said he made the decision to quit Warisan after finding that the party had gone far astray in its struggle for the rights and wellbeing of the people of Sabah when it spread its wings to the peninsula.

Anthony will be joined by another “political frog”, Limbahau state assemblyperson Juil Nuatim both of whom announced leaving Warisan to form a new political party which supported the GRS-led state administration.

Pakatan Harapan signed the confidence-supply-reform (CSR) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri on Sept. 13 , 2021 for two main reasons;

· Firstly prioritise, for the next 10 to 18 months until the 15th General Election, the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic which constitutes an existential threat to Malaysia as it has piled up two million cases and killed some 21,000 people; and

· Secondly, reset institutional and parliamentary reforms so that the country can embark on economic, social and national recovery to save lives and livelihoods.

One of the objectives of the MOU was to stop “political frog-jumping”, which has cheapened politics to the market-place for the highest bidder.

Since the signing of the MoU, critical differences between Pakatan Hapran and the government parties have emerged – on the Rukun Negara, the rule of law, good governance, war against corruption and abuses of power, respect for human rights and freedom of speech and expression, the economic, social and educational inequalities in the country, Malaysia as a world-class great nation and how to forge Malaysian unity out of diverse races, religions, regions and cultures in Malaysia.

If Ismail Sabri fails to keep to his bargain in the CSR MoU, Pakatan Harapan will have to decide whether there is any purpose in continuing with the CSR MoU.

One of the terms of the MoU is to enact legislation to ban “political frogs” in the country by the first meeting of the fifth session of Parliament in early 2022.

If such a law is not passed at the first meeting of Parliament in its fifth session from 28th Feb. to 24th March, 2022, Ismail Sabri is reneging on his commitment under the CSR MOU and passing a death sentence on its continuance.

There are two days left to 2022.

Are there going to be two more infamies, one day each, for the last two days of 2021 to constitute the Final Week of Infamy for the Year 2021?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Wednesday, 29th December 2021)

Minggu memalukan terakhir untuk Malaysia dalam 2021 – Peter Anthony berubah menjadi “katak” dan membentuk parti politik baharu dengan “katak” lain

Kita berada dalam minggu memalukan yang terakhir untuk tahun 2021.

Pada hari Sabtu, 25 Disember, 2021, Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri mengabaikan majlis jamuan minum petang Krismas tahunan anjuran Persekutuan Kristian Malaysia, yang telah dihadiri oleh Perdana Menteri atau wakilnya setiap tahun sejak 1999, menandakan bahawa “Keluarga Malaysia” Ismail Sabri adalah bukan untuk perpaduan dalam kepelbagaian penduduk Malaysia yang berbilang kaum, bahasa, agama dan budaya dan bahawa sebenarnya tiada dasar penyatuan langsung.

Seorang Kristian di Malaysia percaya bahawa Malaysia kini mempunyai seorang Perdana Menteri yang tidak mempunyai Mesej Krismas kepada penganut Kristian, kerana tiada media cetak utama dan media elektronik telah menerbitkan mesej Krismas sedemikian.

Adakah ini akan menjadi dasar baharu di Malaysia!

Pada hari Ahad, 26 Disember 2021, kita menyaksikan Menteri Kabinet melancarkan Operasi Kawalan Kerosakan kerana salah urus bencana banjir besar mereka terutamanya di Selangor dan Pahang, yang merupakan aksi perhubungan awam yang tidak memberi manfaat kepada mana-mana mangsa banjir.

Rina Harun memulakan Operasi, dan walaupun tidak memakai kasut tumit tinggi atau berada di majlis makan malam di hotel besar, beliau telah menggunakan mesin pencuci air untuk mencuci tapak kaki lima yang kelihatan bersih sambil dikelilingi jurukamera.

Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) kemudiannya menjelaskan bahawa Rina sedang membersihkan kotoran najis burung dan cicak yang sukar dihilangkan sebelum ini, menjadikan Rina Harun sebagai pembersih tahi burung dan cicak dengan bayaran tertinggi di dunia.

Eksploitasi Rina mengingatkan rakyat Malaysia tentang satu lagi video Menteri Kewangan Tengku Zafrul Aziz dan rombongannya dalam bot Agensi Pengurusan Bencana Negara (NADMA) dalam lawatan bersiar-siar apabila bot itu boleh digunakan untuk perkara yang lebih mendesak.

Selepas kejadian “semburan air” Rina, terdapat isu “penyodok” Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri di mana beliau bergambar di hadapan kamera akhbar dengan penyodok yang digunakannya untuk mencedok dan melemparkan sedikit lumpur sekali sebelum penyodok itu diserahkan semula kepada seseorang anggota bomba.

Ismail juga mencipta sejarah dunia di mana sebuah ambulans terpaksa menunggu di satu simpang untuk memberi laluan kepada konvoi Perdana Menteri untuk melakukan gimik ini.

Contoh terkini dalam Ops Kawalan Kerosakan pula datang daripada Timbalan Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat yang merakam gambar memandu lori sebagai sumbangannya kepada usaha dalam situasi banjir, tetapi beliau terlupa untuk memasukkan kunci lori.

Bila masakah para pembayar cukai menggajikan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri-menteri Kabinetnya untuk menjadi pelawak?

Pada hari Isnin, 27 Disember 2021, seorang penjenayah yang disabitkan bersalah telah merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa di Malaysia.

Kita bukan sahaja mempunyai “kleptokrasi yang paling teruk” di Malaysia, kita juga mempunyai situasi di mana selepas Mahkamah Rayuan telah mengisytiharkan bekas Perdana Menteri sebagai “memalukan negara” dengan skandal 1MDB semasa pentadbiran beliau di mana beliau gagal membezakan antara perkara yang betul dan salah, beliau masih didewakan sebagai “Bossku”.

Isunya bukanlah apa yang dikatakan oleh penjenayah ini di persidangan antarabangsa tersebut, yang mana sesetengahnya memang tepat, tetapi isunya adalah hakikat di mana seorang penjenayah yang telah tersabit bersalah dijemput untuk merasmikan persidangan antarabangsa – membawa malu kepada negara, suatu perkara yang sepatutnya diielakkan oleh kedua-dua penjenayah tersebut dan juga pihak penganjur persidangan antarabangsa tersebut sekiranya mereka mempunyai kesopanan dan perasaan cinta kepada negara.

Pada hari Selasa, 28 Disember 2021, ahli akademik Edmund Terence Gomez meletak jawatan daripada Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), dengan menekankan bahawa ada sesuatu yang sangat buruk dengan usaha pencegahan rasuah di Malaysia.

Gomez meletak jawatan sebagai protes terhadap ketiadaan tindakan Panel tersebut terhadap dakwaan pemilikan ketua hampir dua juta saham dalam sebuah syarikat tersenarai oleh ketua pesuruhjaya SPRM Azam Baki.

Walaupun terdapat dakwaan yang SPRM ini dibentuk mengikut model badan anti-rasuah yang unggul di negara lain, seperti Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ICAC) di Hong Kong, tidak ada mana-mana badan anti-rasuah yang terkenal di dunia yang akan mengabaikan dakwaan serius mengenai isu integriti ketua badan anti rasuah mereka selama dua bulan.

Terdapat lima badan bebas yang memantau SPRM untuk menajmin integriti dan melindungi hak rakyat. Badan-badan ini diuruskan secara berasingan daripada pejabat kerajaan yang lain untuk memberikan perspektif yang bebas. Lima badan itu ialah: Lembaga Penasihat Pencegahan Rasuah, Jawatankuasa Khas Mengenai Rasuah, Jawatankuasa Aduan, Panel Semakan Operasi, dan Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah.

Kelima-lima badan yang berfungsi untuk menjaga integriti SPRM dan melindungi hak rakyat ini patut meletak jawatan secara beramai-ramai sebagai tanda protes terhadap kegagalan SPRM dan Kabinet untuk bertindak ke atas dakwaan berat terhadap Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Azam Baki, yang mula muncul pada 26 Oktober 2021.

Sikap berdiam diri dan kegagalan Ismail Sabri untuk bertindak atas dakwaan terhadap Azam adalah tidak boleh diterima sama sekali dan tidak boleh dipertahankan jika “Keluarga Malaysia” beliau hendak disamakan dengan Rukun Negara, khususnya mengenai prinsip “kedaulatan undang-undang” dan “kesopanan dan kesusilaan”.

Pengerusi Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah SPRM berhujah bahawa Gomez tidak membangkitkan dakwaan salah laku Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM sebelum beliau meletakkan jawatan sebagai ahli panel.

Ini adalah alasan yang sangat lemah. Saya tidak mengetahui komunikasi Gomez dengan Panel, tetapi alasan ini tidak kuat langsung kerana dakwaan terhadap ketua SPRM telah dibuat secara terbuka sejak 26 Okt.

SPRM telah merosot dan rosak sehingga ke tahap di mana ia mengabaikan Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2019 Siri 2 mengenai enam kolam tebatan banjir di Kuala Lumpur yang mungkin melibatkan salah guna kuasa, seperti yang dibangkitkan oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Segambut, Hannah Yeoh.

Perkara ini adalah satu tamparan hebat kepada kepada imej dan integriti usaha melawan rasuah dalam sejarah Malaysia sejak tahun 1967, sama ada melalui Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) atau Badan Pencegahan Rasuah (BPR).

Pada hari Rabu, 29 Disember 2021, rakyat Malaysia terpaksa bergelut dengan pengumuman bahawa bekas menteri Sabah, Peter Anthony, telah meninggalkan Warisan untuk menubuhkan sebuah parti politik baharu yang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Negeri Sabah pimpinan GRS – peningkatan populasi “katak politik” di Malaysia.

Anthony berkata beliau membuat keputusan untuk keluar dari Warisan selepas mendapati parti itu telah tersasar jauh dalam memperjuangkan hak dan kesejahteraan rakyat Sabah apabila melebarkan sayapnya ke semenanjung.

Anthony akan disertai oleh seorang lagi “katak politik”, ADUN Limbahau Juil Nuatim yang kedua-duanya mengumumkan meninggalkan Warisan untuk menubuhkan parti politik baharu yang menyokong pentadbiran negeri pimpinan GRS.

Pakatan Harapan menandatangani Memorandum Persefahaman (MOU) kepercayaan-perbekalan-reformasi (CSR) dengan Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri pada 13 September 2021 atas dua sebab utama;

– Pertamanya, untuk mengutamakan, dalam 10 ke 18 bulan akan datang sehingga Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15, perang melawan wabak Covid-19 yang merupakan ancaman besar kepada Malaysia yang telah menjangkiti lebih daripada dua juta kes dan mengorbankan lebih daripada 21,000 nyawa; dan

– Kedua, untuk menetapkan semula reformasi institusi dan parlimen supaya negara boleh memulakan pemulihan ekonomi, sosial dan negara untuk menyelamatkan nyawa dan mata pencarian.

Salah satu objektif MOU adalah untuk menghentikan “lompat katak politik”, yang telah merosakkan nilai perjuangan politik kepada nilai yang ditawarkan oleh pembida tertinggi.

Sejak MoU dimeterai, perbezaan kritikal antara Pakatan Hapran dan parti-parti kerajaan telah muncul – mengenai Rukun Negara, kedaulatan undang-undang, tadbir urus yang baik, perang menentang rasuah dan salah guna kuasa, menghormati hak asasi manusia dan kebebasan bersuara, ketidaksamaan ekonomi, sosial dan pendidikan di negara ini, Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara besar bertaraf dunia dan bagaimana untuk menjalin perpaduan Malaysia daripada pelbagai kaum, agama, wilayah dan budaya di Malaysia.

Sekiranya Ismail Sabri gagal mematuhi perjanjiannya dalam MoU CSR, Pakatan Harapan perlu memutuskan sama ada untuk meneruskan MoU CSR itu.

Salah satu syarat MoU adalah untuk menggubal undang-undang untuk mengharamkan “katak politik” di negara ini menjelang mesyuarat pertama sesi kelima Parlimen pada awal 2022.

Sekiranya undang-undang sedemikian tidak diluluskan pada mesyuarat pertama Parlimen dalam sesi kelimanya dari 28 Februari hingga 24 Mac, 2022, Ismail Sabri telah mengingkari komitmennya di bawah MOU CSR dan menjatuhkan hukuman mati ke atas perjanjian ini.

Ada dua hari lagi sebelum 2022.

Adakah akan ada dua lagi perkara memalukan, satu untuk setiap hari terakhir 2021 untuk melengkapkan Minggu Terakhir Memalukan 2021?

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Rabu, 29 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 29 December 2021, 7:43 am and is filed under
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The Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department should summon MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki to explain the two-month old  allegations against him, which has caused “trust deficit” in government and MACC  to drop to an unprecedented level

(Versi BM)

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department should summon MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki to explain the two-month old allegations against him, as the “conspiracy of silence” on the issue has, among other things, caused “trust deficit” in government and MACC to drop to an unprecedented level.

The Special Select Committee should submit its report to Dewan Rakyat on the first day of the first meeting of the fifth session of Parliament from February 28 to 24th March, 2022.

Academician Edmund Terence Gomez has submitted his shock resignation from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel in protest against the Panel’s inaction over the issue.

It is shocking that the Prime Minister and the MACC have taken this issue lightly as no action has been taken for the last two months.

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department should step in to demonstrate that this is no trifling matter but goes to the very root of public confidence in the government as a whole and MACC in particular.

In fact, the Parliamentary Special Select Committee should summon all the Chairmen of the five oversight committees of the MACC to ensure that MACC performs its anti-corruption duties – the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (ACAB), the Special Committee on Corruption (SCC), the Complaints Committee (CC), the Operations Review Panel (ORP) as well as the Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) to explain what their committees have done following the serious allegations against the MACC Chief Commissioner more than two months ago.

The purpose of the five oversight entities are to ensure that the MACC performs its duties in an independent, transparent and professional manner. The Malaysian public expects independence, efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the MACC in executing its designated legal obligations.

The MACC has failed in this regard relating to the serious allegations made against the MACC Chief Commissioner.

The Parliamentary Select Committee should not only probe the MACC’s failure but make recommendations how this problem could be overcome.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Wednesday, December 29, 2021)

Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri harus memanggil Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM Azam Baki untuk menjelaskan dakwaan terhadapnya yang timbul sejak dua bulan lalu, yang menyebabkan “defisit kepercayaan” terhadap kerajaan dan SPRM yang menurun ke tahap yang tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini

Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri harus memanggil Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM Azam Baki untuk menjelaskan dakwaan terhadapnya yang timbul sejak dua bulan lalu, yang menyebabkan “defisit kepercayaan” terhadap kerajaan dan SPRM yang menurun ke tahap yang tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini.

Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas perlu mengemukakan laporannya kepada Dewan Rakyat pada hari pertama mesyuarat pertama sesi kelima Parlimen yang akan bersidang dari 28 Februari hingga 24 Mac 2022.

Ahli akademik Edmund Terence Gomez telah mengemukakan peletakan jawatan mengejutnya daripada Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) sebagai tanda protes terhadap kegagalan Panel berkenaan bertindak terhadap isu tersebut.

Amat mengejutkan apabila Perdana Menteri dan SPRM memandang ringan isu ini kerana tiada sebarang tindakan diambil sejak dua bulan lalu.

Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri harus bertindak untuk menunjukkan bahawa perkara ini bukan perkara remeh tetapi mengembalikan menyakinkan orang ramai terhadap kerajaan secara keseluruhan dan SPRM khususnya.

Malah, Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen perlu memanggil semua Pengerusi lima jawatankuasa pengawasan SPRM bagi memastikan SPRM melaksanakan tugas pencegahan rasuah – Lembaga Penasihat Pencegahan Rasuah (LPPR), Jawatankuasa Khas Mengenai Rasuah (JKMR), Jawatankuasa Aduan (JKA), Panel Penilaian Operasi (PPO) serta Panel Perundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah (PPPR) untuk menjelaskan apa yang telah dilakukan oleh mereka susulan dakwaan serius terhadap Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM lebih dua bulan lalu.

Tujuan lima entiti pengawasan itu dibentuk adalah untuk memastikan SPRM melaksanakan tugasnya secara bebas, telus dan profesional. Rakyat Malaysia mengharapkan kebebasan, kecekapan, keberkesanan, ketelusan dan kebertanggungjawaban SPRM dalam melaksanakan tanggungjawab undang-undang yang ditetapkan.

SPRM telah gagal dalam hal ini berikutan timbul dakwaan serius terhadap Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM.

Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen seharusnya bukan sahaja menyiasat kegagalan SPRM tetapi membuat cadangan bagaimana masalah ini boleh diatasi.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Rabu, 29 Disember 2021)

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Call on all members the Parliamentary Special Select Committee for Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department to  agree to summon MACC Chief Comissioner Azam Baki to respond to serious  allegations of impropriety first made more than two months ago

(Versi BM)

The ideal situation is to have a Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Corruption and Abuses/Wastage of Public Funds which should conduct an investigation into the allegations of lack of integrity which have been made against the MACC Chief Commissioner, Azam Bai, more than two months ago and which has prompted academician Edmund Terence Gomez to resign from the MACC’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel for the MACC inaction in the last two months.

But even if Prime Minister Ismail Sabri agrees to set up such a Parliamentary Special Select Committee, which is a very big “If”, such a Special Select Committee can only be set up when Parliament next meets, which is two months away on February 28, when what is needed urgently is immediate action as the trust deficit in the government generallty and the MACC in particular has dropped to an all-time low.

The best action is for nine-member Parliamentary Special Select Committee for Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department, which is chaired by the PAS MP for Kuala Krai, Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Rahman to swing into action to summon the MACC Chief, Azam Baki, to respond to the serious allegations of impropriety first made against him more than two months ago.

I commend the two PSC members for Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department, MP for Kota Melaka Khoo Poay Tiong and MP for Kota Kinabalu Chan Foong Hin for their commendably rapid and positive response.

I hope the PSC Chairman, Abdul Latiff and the other six members, namely MP for Parit, Tajudddin bin Abdul Rahman, MP for Parit Mohd Nizar bin Zakaria, MP for Baram Anyi Ngau, MP for Setiu Shaharfizukirnan bin Abdul Kadir, MP for Selayang

William Leong Jee Keen and MP for Sepanggar Mohd Azis bin Jamman will similarly agree so that a report of the PSC and its recommendations can be tabled for debate in the Dewan Rakyat on the first day of its fifth session on Feb. 28, 2022.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Thursday, 30th December 2021)

Seruan kepada Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri untuk memanggil Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Azam Baki, untuk menjawab mengenai pertuduhan berat yang mula timbul sejak dua bulan yang lepas

Situasi yang ideal adalah dengan diadakan sebuah Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas mengenai Rasuah dan Penyalahgunaan/Pembaziran Dana Awam yang perlu menjalankan siasatan ke atas pertuduhan mengenai integriti yang telah dibuat terhadap Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Azam Baki, sejak lebih daripada dua bulan yang lepas yang telah membawa kepada peletakan jawatan Ahli Akademik, Edmund Terence Gomez daripada Panel Rundingan dan Pencegahan Rasuah kerana ketiadaan tindakan daripada pihak SPRM dalam dua bulan yang lepas.

Tetapi sekiranya sekali pun Perdana Menteri bersetuju untuk menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas sebegitu, Jawatankuasa ini hanya akan boleh dibentuk apabila Parlimen bersidang dua bulan daripada sekarang pada 28 Februari, sedangkan apa yang diperlukan sekarang adalah tindakan segera untuk mengatasi masalah defisit kepercayaan terhadap kerajaan, khususnya dalam SPRM.

Tindakan terbaik buat masa ini adalah untuk semua sembilan orang ahli Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri, yang dipengerusikan oleh Ahli Parlimen PAS dari Kuala Krai, Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Rahman untuk bertindak dengan memanggil Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Azam Baki, untuk menjawab pertuduhan berat yang telah timbul terhadap beliau sejak dua bulan yang lepas.

Saya puji dua orang ahli Jawatankuasa ini, Ahli Parlimen Kota Melaka, Khoo Poay Tiong, dan Ahli Parlimen Kota Kinabalu, Chan Foong Hin, yang telah memberikan respons yang pantas dan positif.

Saya berharap Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas ini, Abdul Latiff, dan enam orang ahli-ahli lain, iaitu; Ahli Parlimen Pasir Salak, Tajuddin bin Abdul Rahman, Ahli Parlimen Parit, Mohd Nizar bin Zakaria, Ahli Parlimen Baram, Anyi Ngau, Ahli Parlimen Setiu, Shaharizukirnan bin Abdul Kadir, Ahli Parlimen Selayang, William Leong Jee Keen, dan Ahli Parlimen Sepanggar, Mohd Azis bin Jamman, semuanya akan bersetuju supaya satu laporan daripada Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas berserta dengan cadangan-cadangannya dapat dibentangkan di Dewan Rakyat pada hari pertama Penggal kelima yang akan bermula pada 28 Februari 2022.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Khamis, 30 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 30 December 2021, 12:47 pm and is filed under
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Ibrahim Durum has failed as the   Malacca State Assembly Speaker in frivolously  allowing the four-day Malacca Assembly to be shortened to one day when Malacca had the second lowest daily new  Covid-19 cases since Polling Day on 20th November and no Covid-19 death on Dec. 27, 2021

(Versi BM)

Ibrahim Durum has failed as the Malacca State Assembly Speaker in frivolously allowing the four-day Malacca State Assembly to be shortened to one day when Malacca had the second lowest daily new Covid-19 cases since Polling Day on November 20 and no Covid-19 death on Dec. 27, 2021.

The Malacca State Assembly Speaker should not have allowed the Malacca Chief Minister, Sulaiman Md Ali to move the motion to shorten the State Assembly from four days to one day on the ground that four Malacca State Assemblymen did not attend because they were tested positive for Covid-19 while three other assemblymen were absent after coming into close contact with those who had tested positive.

I agree with the DAP Malacca State Assemblyman for Ayer Keroh, Kerk Chee Yee, that these were not sufficient reasons for cutting short the special meeting of the Malacca Assembly to one day, as the state administration should have taken efforts to ensure that the legislative body is not compromised by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is all the more compelling when throughout 2021, there has been only one (normal) sitting held.

(Media Statement (3) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Thursday, 30th December 2021)

Ibrahim Durum telah gagal sebagai Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Melaka apabila beliau secara sembrono memendekkan sidang DUN Melaka daripada empat hari kepada sehari semasa Melaka mencatatkan kadar jangkitan harian kedua terendah dengan sifar kematian sejak Hari Mengundi 20 November lepas

Ibrahim Durum telah gagal sebagai Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Melaka apabila beliau secara sembrono memendekkan sidang DUN Melaka daripada empat hari kepada sehari semasa Melaka mencatatkan kadar jangkitan harian kedua terendah dengan sifar kematian pada 27 Disember 2021 untuk tempoh sejak Hari Mengundi 20 November lepas.

Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Melaka tersebut tidak sepatutnya membenarkan Ketua Menteri Melaka, Sulaiman Md Ali untuk membawa usul untuk memendekkan sidang DUN daripada empat hari kepada sehari atas alasan empat orang Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri tidak dapat hadir kerana telah dijangkiti Covid-19 manakala tiga orang lagi perlu menjalani kuarantin selepas menjadi kontak rapat.

Saya bersetuju dengan ADUN DAP Ayer Keroh, Kerk Chee Yee, yang perkara ini bukanlah alasan yang cukup kuat untuk memendekkan sidang khas DUN Melaka kepada sehari, memandangkan pentadbiran kerajaan negeri sebaliknya perlu mengambil tindakan untuk memastikan badan perundangan negeri tidak terjejas akibat wabak Covid-19.

Perkara ini lebih menonjol apabila sepanjang tahun 2021, terdapat hanya satu sidang (biasa) yang diadakan.

(Kenyataan Media (3) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Khamis, 30 Disember 2021)

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Infamy of Infamies – the 1MDB “kleptocracy at its worst” scandal

(versi BM)

Thanks goodness, it was not all news of infamy for Malaysia every day for the last week for the year 2021 – as there were also some good news and one came yesterday when the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled that the existence and establishment of vernacular schools and the use of Chinese and Tamil languages in schools are constitutional.

Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled that vernacular schools are not a public authority and the use of a non-Malay medium of instruction for teaching in Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools is not for an official purpose and thus, did not infringe Article 152 (1) of the Federal Constitution.

He said there are currently more than 1,800 vernacular schools throughout the country, with about half a million students of different racial compositions.

“Such use of the languages is therefore not unconstitutional and is protected under the Constitution by virtue of both provisos (a) and (b) to Article 152 (1).

The judge made the ruling when dismissing a lawsuit brought by the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS), the Islamic Education Development Council (Mappim) and the Confederation of Malaysian Writers Association (Gapena) for a declaration that the existence of vernacular schools is against provisions in the Federal Constitution as Article 152(1) defines Malay as the national language.

It is unfortunate that there are still people who do not accept Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation.

Malaysia lost out in the international race in the last half a century, overtaken by one country after another, not because Malaysia is a plural society but because of the refusal to accept that Malaysia is a plural society.

As embraced by the Malaysian Constitution and Rukun Negara, Malaysia cannot succeed as a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Dayak country – it can only succeed as a Malaysian nation.

This judgement reminded Malaysians of the earlier judgement of Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali on July 28 last year on the SRC International Case where he found the former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, guilty and sentenced him to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million for abuses of power linked to the multi-billion financial scandal at 1MDB.

Nazlan regarded the case as the worst kind of abuse of position and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving the prime minister at that time, Najib Abdul Razak, the highest-ranking authority in the government.

He said he would not hesitate to find that the case could be characterised as one that fell within the range of the worst kind of abuse of position, CBT and of money laundering, because not only of how the crimes were committed but more importantly also it involved a huge sum of RM42 million.

In his 801-page grounds of the judgment dated Aug 21, Nazlan said there was little merit in the court pontificating and lamenting on why the accused had done what he did, despite (or because of) his undisputed standing at the apex of the vast wealth of power and unparalleled authority.

He described Najib as “a person with a keen intellect and must surely have a firm sense of right and wrong” who did not express any remorse and even maintained his defence of no knowledge of the RM42 million from SRC in his mitigation speech.

The judge said that no one, not even one who was the most powerful political figure and the leader of the country, enjoyed a cloak of invincibility from the force of the law.

He further said the ascension of the accused to the pinnacle of the leadership of the nation and his grip on political power reposed in him by the citizens of the country, the position of trust in its system of constitutional democracy.

“His conviction of all seven charges concerning abuse of position, criminal breach of trust and money laundering constitutes nothing less than an absolute betrayal of that trust”, the judge said.

The three-man Court of Appeal, in a 317-page judgement on Dec. 8, 2021, unanimously upheld the conviction and sentence of Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

The Court of Appeal chaired by Justice Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil said that the appellate court had found no errors in the decision by the learned trial judge, Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

The court also invoked the immortal words of the late former Lord President Raja Azlan Shah, as he was known then before his ascension to the throne as the Sultan of Perak, in the corruption case of former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Harun Idris.

Raja Azlan, the trial judge in Harun’s case, had found the latter guilty on three counts of corruption and sentenced him to imprisonment.

In his judgment, Raja Azlan had said: “I repeat what I had said before — the law is no respecter of persons. Nevertheless it will be impossible to ignore the fact that you are in a different category from any person that I have ever tried. It would be impossible to ignore the fact that, in the eyes of millions of our countrymen and women, you are a patriot and a leader.

“Even those who differ from you in politics look upon you as a man of high ideals. You had every chance to reach the greatest height of human achievement. But halfway along the road, you allowed avarice to corrupt you.

“It is incomprehensible how a man in your position could not in your own conscience recognise corruption for what it is.

“In so doing, you have not only betrayed your party cause, for which you have spoken so eloquently, but also the oath of office which you have taken and subscribed before your Sovereign Ruler, and above all the law of which you are its servant.”

The appellate court said some 45 years later, the words from Raja Azlan still bear relevance to the appellant.

“The ‘frightening decay in the integrity of some of our leaders’ that Raja Azlan warned us of 45 years ago is still a scourge that plagues this beautiful nation.

“The courts in upholding the rule of law would have to do what is necessary to ensure that this modern day plague is eradicated for the good of the nation. The law is indeed ‘no respecter of person’.

“All men are equal before the law, and the courts apply the law equally to all,” said the court.

The Court of Appeal said the SRC International Sdn Bhd project started off as a national interest venture in the end had become a national embarrassment.

But Najib is not embarrassed and has not given up his hopes to return as the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The 1MDB “kleptocracy at its worst” scandal is undoubtedly the “infamy of infamies”, and why when as a convicted criminal, Najib opened an international conference on Dec. 27, 2021, it brought shame and infamy to Malaysia.

Will Najib renounce his hope to return as the Prime Minister of Malaysia?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Thursday, 30th December 2021)

Perkara paling memalukan – skandal “kleptokrasi paling teruk” 1MDB

Syukurlah, bukan semua berita buruk berkaitan Malaysia kita dengar menjelang minggu terakhir tahun 2021 – kerana terdapat juga beberapa berita baik dan antaranya adalah berita yang melaporkan bahawa Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur memutuskan yang kewujudan dan penubuhan sekolah vernakular dan penggunaan bahasa Cina dan Tamil di sekolah adalah selaras dengan perlembagaan.

Hakim Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali memutuskan bahawa sekolah vernakular bukan pihak berkuasa awam dan penggunaan bahasa pengantar bukan Melayu untuk pengajaran di sekolah vernakular Cina dan Tamil bukan untuk tujuan rasmi dan dengan itu, tidak melanggar Perkara 152 (1) daripada Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Beliau berkata pada masa ini terdapat lebih 1,800 sekolah vernakular di seluruh negara, dengan kira-kira setengah juta pelajar daripada pelbagai latar kaum.

“Oleh itu, penggunaan bahasa tersebut tidak bertentangan dengan perlembagaan dan dilindungi di bawah Perlembagaan menurut kedua-dua perkara (a) dan (b) kepada Perkara 152 (1).

Hakim membuat keputusan itu apabila menolak saman yang dikemukakan Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Majlis Pembangunan Pendidikan Islam (Mappim) dan Gabungan Persatuan Penulis Malaysia (Gapena) atas perisytiharan bahawa kewujudan sekolah vernakular bertentangan peruntukan dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan seperti Perkara 152(1) mentakrifkan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan.

Malangnya masih ada masyarakat yang tidak menerima Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara berbilang kaum, bahasa, agama dan budaya.

Malaysia tewas dalam perlumbaan antarabangsa dalam setengah abad yang lalu, diatasi oleh satu demi satu negara, bukan kerana Malaysia terdiri daripada masyarakat majmuk tetapi kerana keengganan untuk menerima bahawa Malaysia terdiri daripada masyarakat majmuk.

Seperti yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia dan Rukun Negara, Malaysia tidak boleh berjaya sebagai negara Melayu, Cina, India, Kadazan atau Dayak – ia hanya boleh berjaya sebagai negara Malaysia.

Penghakiman ini mengingatkan rakyat Malaysia tentang penghakiman awal Hakim Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali pada 28 Julai tahun lepas ke atas Kes Antarabangsa SRC di mana beliau mendapati bekas Perdana Menteri, Najib Razak, bersalah dan menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 12 tahun dan denda RM210 juta bagi kesalahan salah guna kuasa yang dikaitkan dengan skandal kewangan berbilion-bilion dalam 1MDB.

Nazlan menganggap kes itu sebagai salah guna jawatan dan pecah amanah jenayah (CBT) paling teruk melibatkan perdana menteri ketika itu, Najib Abdul Razak, pihak berkuasa tertinggi dalam kerajaan.

Beliau berkata beliau tidak akan teragak-agak untuk mendapati bahawa kes itu boleh disifatkan sebagai satu yang termasuk dalam lingkungan jenis penyalahgunaan jawatan, CBT dan pengubahan wang haram yang paling teruk, kerana bukan sahaja bagaimana jenayah itu dilakukan tetapi yang lebih penting adalah ia juga melibatkan sejumlah besar wang RM42 juta.

Dalam alasan penghakiman setebal 801 muka surat bertarikh 21 Ogos, Nazlan berkata terdapat sedikit merit dalam mahkamah untuk bercakap seolah-olah serba tahu dan menyesali mengapa tertuduh melakukan apa yang dia lakukan, walaupun (atau kerana) kedudukannya yang tidak dipertikaikan di puncak pentadbiran kerajaan. kekayaan kuasa dan kuasa yang tiada tandingannya.

Beliau menyifatkan Najib sebagai “seorang individu yang mempunyai tahap intelek yang tinggi dan sudah pasti memiliki pandangan tegas dalam membezakan antara yang betul dan salah” yang tidak menyatakan sebarang penyesalan malah mempertahankan pembelaannya terhadap tiada pengetahuan mengenai RM42 juta daripada SRC dalam ucapan mitigasinya.

Hakim berkata bahawa tiada sesiapa, malah seorang tokoh politik yang paling berkuasa dan pemimpin negara, kebal daripada kuasa undang-undang.

Beliau seterusnya berkata, kenaikan tertuduh ke puncak kepimpinan negara dan cengkaman kuasa politiknya ditanggung oleh rakyat dan negara, kedudukan amanah dalam sistem demokrasi berperlembagaan.

“Sabitan beliau terhadap kesemua tujuh pertuduhan berhubung salah guna jawatan, pecah amanah jenayah dan pengubahan wang haram merupakan satu pengkhianatan mutlak terhadap amanah itu”, kata hakim itu.

Mahkamah Rayuan yang terdiri daripada tiga hakim, dalam penghakiman setebal 317 muka surat pada 8 Dis 2021, sebulat suara mengekalkan sabitan dan hukuman terhadap Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam kes SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Mahkamah Rayuan yang dipengerusikan oleh Hakim Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil berkata mahkamah rayuan tidak mendapati sebarang kesilapan dalam keputusan hakim bicara yang arif, Hakim Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

Mahkamah juga menggunakan kata-kata mantan Yang di-Pertuan Agong Raja Azlan Shah, kerana beliau dikenali ketika itu sebelum menaiki takhta sebagai Sultan Perak, dalam kes rasuah bekas Menteri Besar Selangor Datuk Harun Idris.

Raja Azlan, hakim perbicaraan dalam kes Harun, telah mendapati Harun bersalah atas tiga pertuduhan rasuah dan menjatuhkan hukuman penjara.

Dalam penghakimannya, Raja Azlan telah berkata: “Saya ulangi apa yang saya katakan sebelum ini — undang-undang tidak pilih kasih. Walau bagaimanapun, adalah mustahil untuk mengabaikan hakikat bahawa anda berada dalam kategori yang berbeza daripada mana-mana orang yang pernah saya adili. Adalah mustahil untuk mengabaikan hakikat bahawa, di mata berjuta-juta rakyat negara kita, anda adalah seorang patriot dan pemimpin.

“Bahkan mereka yang berbeza dengan anda dalam politik memandang anda sebagai seorang yang mempunyai cita-cita tinggi. Anda mempunyai setiap peluang untuk mencapai tahap tertinggi pencapaian manusia. Tetapi di tengah jalan, anda membenarkan ketamakan untuk merosakkan anda.

“Adalah tidak dapat difahami bagaimana seorang manusia dalam kedudukan anda tidak boleh dalam hati nurani anda sendiri mengenali apa itu rasuah.

“Dengan berbuat demikian, anda bukan sahaja mengkhianati kepentingan parti anda, yang mana anda telah bercakap dengan begitu fasih, tetapi juga sumpah jawatan yang telah anda ambil dan laksanakan di hadapan Raja Berdaulat anda, dan di atas semua undang-undang yang anda adalah hambanya.”

Mahkamah rayuan berkata kira-kira 45 tahun kemudian, kata-kata Raja Azlan masih relevan kepada perayu.

“Kemerosotan yang menakutkan dalam integriti beberapa pemimpin kita yang diberi amaran oleh Raja Azlan 45 tahun lalu masih menjadi wabak yang melanda negara yang indah ini.

“Mahkamah dalam menegakkan kedaulatan undang-undang perlu melakukan apa yang perlu untuk memastikan wabak zaman moden ini dihapuskan demi kebaikan negara. Undang-undang sememangnya ‘tidak pilih kasih’.

“Semua manusia adalah sama di sisi undang-undang, dan mahkamah menggunakan undang-undang secara sama rata kepada semua,” kata mahkamah itu.

Mahkamah Rayuan berkata projek SRC International Sdn Bhd bermula sebagai usaha niaga berkepentingan negara tetapi pada akhirnya telah memalukan negara.

Tetapi Najib tidak malu dan tidak berputus asa untuk kembali sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia.

Skandal “kleptokrasi paling teruk” 1MDB tidak diragukan lagi adalah “keburukan paling buruk”, dan menjadi alasan mengapa apabila sebagai penjenayah yang disabitkan bersalah, Najib membuka persidangan antarabangsa pada 27 Dis 2021, ia membawa keaiban dan keburukan kepada Malaysia.

Adakah Najib akan melepaskan harapannya untuk kembali sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia?

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Khamis, 30 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 30 December 2021, 7:53 am and is filed under
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Abu Zahar has got the wrong end of the stick – the issue is not Gomez but Azam

(Versi BM)

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Advisory Board Chairman Abu Zahar Ujang has got the wrong end of the stick – the issue is not academician Edmund Terence Gomez but the MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki.

Gomez’ shock resignation has only highlighted the Azam Baki issue.

For more than two months, serious allegations had been made against Azam Baki affecting his role and work as MACC Chief Commissioner, in fact, casting doubt on the anti-corruption efforts of the MACC.

Questions multiply.

Firstly, why Azam Baki has not responded to these allegations?

Secondly, what has the various oversight MACC committees done about these allegations. Why have they not even met about these allegations.

Thirdly, why has the Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri, under whom the MACC comes in terms of direct responsibility not taken action?

Fourthly, what has Parliament done about these allegations.

Fifthly, if the MACC Advisory Board Chairman can get the wrong end of the stick on the allegations against Azam, what is the use of the various MACC oversight committees?

Sixthly, are there unseen forces at work to “cover” up the issue, and have these “unseen forces” reached Parliament and the Parliamentary Special Select Committee for Agencies under the Prime Minister’s Department?

It is important that the government and society inculcate the right and proper values about integrity and corruption in all its forms, as the MACC is not at present the best influence on this score.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Friday, 31st December 2021)

Abu Zahar telah tersilap orang – isunya bukan Gomez, tetapi Azam

Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia, Abu Zahar Ujang, telah tersilap orang – isunya bukanlah mengenai ahli akademik Edmund Terence Gomez, sebaliknya isunya adalah Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Azam Baki.

Peletakan jawatan secara mengejut oleh Gomez hanya menonjolkan lagi isu mengenai Azam Baki ini.

Untuk selama lebih daripada dua bulan, pertuduhan yang berat telah dibuat terhadap Azam Baki, pertuduhan-pertuduhan ini memberikan kesan kepada peranan dan tugas beliau sebagai Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, malah, membawa kegusaran kepada usaha anti-rasuah SPRM sendiri.

Persoalan semakin bertambah.

Pertama, mengapa Azam Baki tidak menjawab pertuduhan-pertuduhan ini?

Kedua, apakah yang telah dibuat oleh pelbagai jawatankuasa pemantauan SPRM mengenai pertuduhan ini. Mengapa mereka semua belum bermesyuarat untuk membincangkan perkara ini?

Ketiga, mengapakah Perdana Menteri, Ismail Sabri, yang bertanggungjawab secara langsung mengenai SPRM, tidak mengambil apa-apa tindakan?

Keempat, apakah yang akan dilakukan oleh Parlimen mengenai pertuduhan-pertuduhan ini?

Kelima, sekiranya Pengerusi Lembaga Penasihat SPRM boleh tersilap mengenai pertuduhan terhadap Azam ini, apakah gunanya wujud pelbagai jawatankuasa pemantauan SPRM ini?

Keenam, adakah wujud pihak yang tidak dapat dilihat yang sedang bekerja untuk “menutup” isu ini, dan adakah “pihak halimunan” ini sudah sampai ke Parlimen dan Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Parlimen mengenai Agensi di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri?

Penting untuk kerajaan dan masyarakat secara amnya untuk memupuk nilai-nilai yang tepat mengenai integriti dan isu rasuah dalam semua bentuk, memandangkan SPRM buat masa ini bukanlah pengaruh yang terbaik mengenai perkara ini.

(Kenyataan Media (2) oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Jumaat, 31 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 31 December 2021, 8:26 am and is filed under
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Appeal to GPMS, Mappim and Gapena not to appeal the Kuala Lumpur High Court judgement on the constitutionality of Chinese and Tamil primary schools but to provide leadership to undo the half-a-century of national decline losing out to other countries

(Versi BM)

2021 has the been the worst annus horribilis (horrible year), more than any year past, for Malaysia – Covid-19 pandemic, floods, kleptocracy, a convict opening an international conference, Kerajaan Gagal1 and Kerajaan Gagal2 among the long list of failures.

Should Malaysians give in to despair, dejection, despondency and hopelessness?

I do not think so.

We must strive for an annus mirabilis (wonderful year), not in 2022 but before Malaysia’s Centennial on 2063.

Being human beings, hope springs eternal as there is no reason why Malaysia should drop to the bottom of the heap of nations to become a kleptocracy, kakistocracy and a failed nation.

We were equals if not better than Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam in international competitiveness, good governance, rule of law, war against corruption and having an effective and efficient government.

The last half a century has changed the scenario for we are now straggling behind these countries.

Even more serious, we are in the trajectory of sluggards if we do bestir ourselves, as our fate in the coming decades is to be overtaken in the race of nations by other countries including Indonesia unless Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region unite to achieve our Malaysian Dream to be a world-class great nation.

It is in this spirit that I apppeal to the Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS), the Islamic Education Development Council (Mappim) and the Confederation of Malaysian Writers Association (Gapena) not to appeal the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision on the constitutionality of Chinese and Tamil primary schools but to provide leadership to undo the half-a-century of national decline losing out to other countries.

A KL High Court decision pronouncing the unconstitutionality of Chinese and Tamil primary schools would not only be against the Malaysian Constitution and the Rukun Negara, but will be the most polarising event in the nation’s history, putting the clock back of Malaysian nation-building.

Let all Malaysians enter the New Year of 2022 with one resolution – to say farewell to the annus horribilis of 2021 and to commit themselves to one goal, to reset and achieve the nation’s capabilities to become a world-class great nation in international competitiveness, good governance, the rule of law, war against corruption and having an efficient and effective government.

(2022 New Year Message by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah on Friday, 31st December 2021)

Rayuan kepada GPMS, Mappim, dan Gapena untuk tidak merayu keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur mengenai keabsahan sekolah rendah Cina dan Tamil, sebaliknya untuk mereka menunjukkan kepimpinan dalam mengungkai semula kemerosotan negara dalam setengah abad yang lepas berbanding dengan negara lain

Tahun 2021 ini boleh dikira sebagai annus horribilis (tahun yang buruk) yang terburuk, lebih buruk berbanding dengan tahun-tahun yang lepas, untuk Malaysia – dengan wabak Covid-19, kleptokrasi, penjenayah tersabit merasmikan acara persidangan antarabangsa, Kerajaan Gagal 1 dan Kerajaan Gagal 2, dan lain-lain perkara lagi.

Adakah rakyat Malaysia perlu berputus asa dan berputus harapan?

Saya tidak merasakan begitu.

Kita perlu mengejar annus mirabilis (tahun yang gemilang), mungkin bukan dalam 2022, tetapi sebelum ulang ke-100 Malaysia pada tahun 2063.

Sebagai manusia, harapan berkekalan selamanya kerana tidak ada sebab untuk Malaysia terus merosot berbanding dengan negara-negara lain dengan menjadi sebuah kleptokrasi, kakistokrasi, dan sebuah negara yang gagal.

Kita dahulu merupakan negara yang setaraf – malah mungkin lebih baik – berbanding dengan negara-negara seperti Taiwan, Korea Selatan, Singapura, dan Vietnam dari segi daya saing antarabangsa, tadbir urus yang baik, kedaulatan undang-undang, perang melawan rasuah, dan mempunyai kerajaan yang berkesan dan efisien.

Tetapi, setengah abad yang lepas telah mengubah senario di negara kita sehingga kita kini ketinggalan di belakang negara-negara ini.

Apa yang lebih membimbangkan adalah kita kini berada dalam hala tuju ke arah ditinggalkan jauh ke belakang sekiranya kita tidak membuat apa-apa untuk mengubah nasib kita, di mana kita ditakdirkan dalam dekad-dekad yang mendatang untuk ditinggalkan di belakang oleh negara lain seperti Indonesia, melainkan jika kita semua tanpa mengira kaum, agama, atau kawasan bersatu-padu untuk mencapai Impian Malaysia untuk menjadi negara hebat yang bertaraf dunia.

Dalam semangat inilah saya merayu kepada Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS), Majlis Pembangunan Pendidikan Islam (Mappim), dan Gabungan Persatuan Penulis Nasional (Gapena) untuk tidak merayu keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur mengenai keabsahan sekolah rendah Cina dan Tamil, sebaliknya untuk mereka menunjukkan kepimpinan dalam mengungkai semula kemerosotan negara dalam setengah abad yang lepas berbanding dengan negara lain.

Sebarang keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi KL yang mengumumkan yang status tidak sah sekolah rendah Cina dan Tamil di segi perlembagaan ini bukan sahaja bertentangan dengan semangat Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan Rukun Negara, tetapi juga akan menjadi satu kejadian yang amat memecah belahkan rakyat dalam sejarah negara dan menjadi satu lagi halangan kepada usaha pembinaan negara bangsa Malaysia.

Marilah kita semua rakyat Malaysia masuk ke tahun baharu 2022 dengan satu azam bersama – untuk meninggalkan annus horribilis 2021 di belakang dan komited kepada satu matlamat, untuk menetapkan semula dan mencapai kebolehan negara kita untuk menjadi sebuah negara hebat yang bertaraf dunia dalam bidang daya saing, tadbir urus yang baik, kedaulatan undang-undang, perang melawan rasuah, dan mempunyai kerajaan yang efisien dan berkesan.

(Perutusan Tahun Baharu 2022 Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Gelang Patah pada hari Jumaat, 31 Disember 2021)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 31 December 2021, 3:44 pm and is filed under
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