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Ijok by-election: Khir Toyo arrested and charged for corruption if ACA independent

Khir Toyo arrested and charged for corruption if ACA independent

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo would have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and charged for corruption in connection with the Ijok by-election in Selangor if the ACA is an independent and professional body.

This is because even before the Ijok by-election nomination tomorrow, money politics to buy votes have started with the announcement by Khir Toyo of RM36 million for various development projects in the Ijok constituency.

Instead, the ACA had acted “blind, deaf and mute” to such money politics and corrupt practices to buy votes in the by-election.

This is what I said in Parliament this evening during the winding-up of the Prime Minister’s Department in the committee stage debate of the 2007 Supplementary Estimates.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Nazri Aziz disputed my charges as being unfair to the ACA and openly asked the ACA officers on duty in Parliament to take note of my strictures. I stood my ground.

Earlier in my speech, I had expressed shock that Nazri could be “very satisfied” with the corruption situation in the country when after three years of the Abdullah premiership, corruption had got worse, as claimed by former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad as well as testified by international corruption surveys like Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perception Index which saw the country’s ranking falling from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 44 in 2006 and the latest Political and Economic Risks Consultancy (PERC) corruption survey in Asia.

In a written reply on Monday to the Barisan Nasional MP for Lubok Antu on what had been achieved by the government in eradicating corruption, Nazri had said: “Kerajaan amat berpuashati dengan usaha-usaha yang dilaksanakan untuk menghapuskan rasuah di negara ini.”

In his reply, Nazri argued that he was not “mad” as to be “very satisfied” about the decline in the various corruption perception indices for Malaysia, stating that he was equally concerned. He said his “very satisfied” referred to the efforts made to eradicate corruption.

I challenged such perverse illogic, maintaining that when he said he was “very satisfied” with the efforts to fight corruption, it implied being “very satisfied” as well with their outcome — the shocking deterioration of the corruption situation on all fronts.

In my speech, I had reminded Parliament of Abdullah’s promise during the 2004 general election to be modern-day Justice Bao to eradicate corruption and spoke in Mandarin the first two sentences of the Justice Bao TV series theme song. I rendered a rough translation in Bahasa Malaysia – “There is a Justice Bao in Kai Feng, Iron-Faced to differentiate between right and wrong”!

I asked where is Justice Bao in Malaysia after more than three years of Abdullah as PM – when in fact, there are also none of the lieutenants of Justice Bao to carry out his mission of justice and integrity!

39 Replies to “Ijok by-election: Khir Toyo arrested and charged for corruption if ACA independent”

  4. juz get all e ACA officers to get audited by independent auditors n lets c how many of them r on e take. i would bet tt 99% of them if not 100% of them r corrupt.
    open more branches, hire more mouths to feed. so more mouths would wanna hav better food after being fed w grub so it is e normal ppl who suffer. same story different ppl

  7. They steal, and they look you in the eyes, and say “So what?”
    They lie, and they look you in the eyes, and say “So what?”
    They cheat, and they look you in the eyes, and say “So what?”

    At some point in time, we must all rise as one, vote them out of office and say “So what?”.

  8. If ACA dare not to touch Toyo, let we rakyat deport this Indon-Putra back to Sulawesi!

    Malaysia does not need such ugly hyenas clinging to power by using all dirty tricks!

    Malaysians must not be fooled by UMO again!

  10. It is ok Uncle Kit. I am prying for more of these scums to kick the bucket so that the rakyat can benfit freom all these development. Sad but true. I hope kt himself wont last long cos the bigger the names the higher the budget.

  11. “At some point in time, we must all rise as one, vote them out of office and say “So what?”. Godfather

    At some point they will start burning cars and loot shops, and then they say, “So what now??”

  12. KT even said that the RM36 million projects will be completed within 2 weeks.

    Where is PAC? How can they call for tenders, award them and have the job completed within 2 weeks? Unless they award to cronies and siphon off the money. Basically this is their preparation and collection for the GE.

    And yet again the rakyat will vote for BN. What to do?

  13. “…and spoke in Mandarin the first two sentences of the Justice Bao TV series theme song. I rendered a rough translation in Bahasa Malaysia – “There is a Justice Bao in Kai Feng, Iron-Faced to differentiate between right and wrong”! LKS

    You’re adding fuel to fire here! You’re confirming what they have always been saying i.e. the DAP is nothing more than a Chinese opposition to a Malay dominated government – when in fact it is a Malaysian opposition to policies and actions by a BN run government.

    What you should do is to quote in Malay what a Malay nationalist says about corruption and about justice.

  15. ideal case in malaysian politics….
    first let PAS win, then they implement hardcore islamic rule then chop e hands off all those who accepted bribes which means all umno members will hav no hands.
    then e ppl find this too cruel n then vote PAS away n vote DAP in. then will hav better democracy without hardcore islamic rule.
    but then this is juz wishful thinking.

  16. You see how efficient our govt can be. RM36mil to be finished off in just 2 weeks. Roads tarred within a day. Drains unclogged and ammenities upgraded.

    One can just sign off rm36mil like that.

    Yea, our land has become lawless. AAB has become headless. His team members are all moving at different directions.

  17. This kinds of corruption is worst than that of Najib taking share of defense contracts or the ECM-Libra or the PM son’s getting contracts. Because its actually legitimitizing and institutionaling it. Worst it perpetuate the entitlement mentality throughout the political machineries that reach into our neighbourhoods.

    When the PM said that there was no need for a new vision, this is why he was wrong. Without a radical new vision, he perpetuates and institutionalize what was already wrong making him worst in being even more irresponsible than those that initiated it before him.

  18. You may allege that it is money politics to buy votes, ACA should come in, but according to Khir Toyo, the RM36 million development projects for Ijok is what the state government has planned “for quite some time” and that he merely chooses the timing of Ijok state by-election on April 28 to commence them. It makes the voters easier to remember to whom they should be grateful. It maximises BN chances to win in the by-election.

    I think it is stretching too far to say this kind of “money politics” is corruption for ACA investigate. There is no bribing of public official here. What we have is a public official bribing the voters in Ijok .

    Is it wrong for Khir to use government and machinery resources for these ends?

    According to report on page 2 of The Sun April 19, which may be read in this link here http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=17650 :

    · Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel), chairman Abdul Malek Hussin opined that It might be morally wrong but according to Malaysian laws, Barisan Nasional ministers could not be prohibited from using government machinery and public resources during an election campaign.

    · “Former Universiti Malaya law faculty dean Datuk Dr Sothi Rachagan said the law, as it stands, cannot prevent ministers from performing their official functions during campaigning in the constituencies where elections are being held. Sothi, who authored Law and the Electoral Process in Malaysia, noted a previous court judgment that a minister’s promises did not amount to bribing voters because they fell under the broad definition of the minister’s duty in office. People who benefit from it (this loophole) will not want to change it. No one is going to vote themselves out,” he said when asked if the laws needed amendment Instead, Sothi suggested the long-term process of public education.” Currently, we put too much emphasis on a minister’s promises. That in itself is not a deciding factor for many voters,” he said, adding that many considered social issues and not all were blinded by development promises.

    The broad judgment is, as encapsulated in The Sun report’s caption: “It’s morally wrong but not illegal”

    Now you may wish to ponder what Democracy, that is aspired for all over the world but seldom achieved, truly is.

    Democracy (based on one man one vote) is a system where the people get the kind of government they deserve, according to 3rd American president of USA, Thomas Jefferson quoting French lawyer, diplomat, writer, and philosopher Joseph de Maistre in the period immediately following the French Revolution.

    If the majority people don’t care a damn about higher values of integrity and fair play, if they care only about parochial issues of race and religion, and whether they are going to benefit from new schools, roads, street lighting as a form of ‘bribery’ from political candidates in exchange for votes in Ijok by election, then what can be done?

    If notwithstanding abuses, the voters still behave like Machap’s majority – happy after 50 years of independence to receive “ang pow” from BN candidates in exchange for support – what does this suggest? This only means that they “connive” in money politics, turn a blind eye to the widespread looting of the nations’ wealth by their leaders for so long as they receive some crumbs from them during by-election or general election.

    If the mainstream and majority do not feel defensive of our Federal Constitution or feel outraged to protest publicly about Revathi Masoosai/Siti Fatimah’s 100-day detention for Islamic rehabilitation extended by the Malacca Syariah Court for another 80 days because they accept that we’re an Islamic state, what is there to say?

    Isn’t this, too, a democratic expression of will of the people voting in a government of the people by the people for the people, where the expression ‘people’ necessarily means the majority of voters? Who could argue against Democracy albeit ala Malaysian kind?

    Now we should perhaps be thankful that we’re not in some countries take Iraq and Afghanistan. American weapons of war may defeat their earlier rulers but can they bring democracy or peace to these countries? Hopes for democracy in Iraq are a fantasy as one hears of suicide bombings, sectoral violence and killings and terrorists resurgence, daily in the case of Iraq. Compare the anarchy now, after introduction of supposedly representative government to the time Iraq was under the tyrannical rule of a cruel, corrupt dictator with a pair of sadistic sons, and arguably at least in those days most people, except known dissidents against the government, could go around their daily business without fear of being bombed and shot. Whatever Bush might say otherwise, it almost as if Iraqis are better off with Saddam Hussein.

    There are only three things a higher inspired minority can do about the situation, when outvoted by the majority in these circumstances.

    One, is that the minority could try educating the masses about good governance, evil of corruption, corrupt nature of their elected representatives and shortsightedness of government policies – in public forums, blogs or other avenues.

    If notweithstanding after 50 years one sees only two steps forward but five steps backward what does one do?

    The second option is to be fatalistic, turn a blind eye, and join in to reap the spoils along with the corrupt politicians and their cronies in their mud-raking search for profits at the expense of the very people who keep voting them back into power.

    Or the third option, part company from the majority whose mentality you are not in sync and shift out by migrating.

    Of course this leaves behind a yet smaller pool of right thinking people behind whose diminishing numbers in terms of voting strength againsty the majority will make their voice even less heard, their right ridden roughshod over that make them also think of migrating, perpetuating in that process the vicious cycle started.

    Who dio you blame – do you blame the system ‘Democracy’?

  19. Even Justice Bao, the epitome of justice, could not do anything if he were surrounded in his time by corrupt judges and magistrates. Had he lived in Malaysia in present times who knows he might have joined the BN and taken over Nazri Aziz’s ministerial position as mionister in PM department in charge of parliamentary affairs and law.

  20. I’m not sure if Zimbabwee is included in the PM’s tour but that is a good country for Malaysians to study.

    After white rule was ended, basically the locals took over and with the new policies everything that was colonial was rejected and all the profitable white farms were taken over and given to locals under their land distribution schemes.

    Now after 27 years of independence, Zimbabwee has become another basket case in Africa; from being an important food producer to owning vast lands that produce no profitable crops.

    In 27 years they have managed to destroy a whole economy all in the name of their new freedom.
    Malaysia is a little more fortunate but we are also running out of time. The foreigners who came to work were given citizenship and their critical mass enabled Malaysia to become a leading trading nation with strong links to the UK, the USA, India and China.

    Together with Singapore (sometimes against it), we have emerged as the two stongest economies in SE Asia.

    But today the world has become more competitive and our easy-lazy way of doing things is not able to compete with the more vibrant countries like Vietnam and China.

    Even the former PM remarked that “corruption is now above the table”. Maybe he had the RM36m to be spent in 2 weeks for Ijok as an example while the EC Chairman can simply write it off as “Business as usual”.

    To those who despair all these manifestations are just part of the larger process. Things will get worse until more of the general population get so fed up that they really want to change the government.

    I’m not sure how the change will happen like a military takeover, a people’s revolution or a radical change in the BN components but if we take Zimbabwee as a yardstick, there could be a change in the next 25 years.

    I don’t think I will be on this planet then.
    http://malaysiawatch.blogspot.com/2005/08/entropy-and-future-of-malaysia.html

  23. Hello! RM36.0 million of whose money? ARMNO are the dirtiest rascals on earth!

    Oh God, give me strength to tolerate this corrupted idiots! Send this Khir Toyo back to where he belongs…..Indonesia!

    We will be changing our country’s name again, very soon to …Indomalaysia!

    INDOMALAYSIA!

  25. well, there seems to be a balance in e south east asia region….
    if u notice, Indonesia is becoming less corrupted n cleaner while malaysia is e total opposite. Corrupt ppl fr indonesia r coming to malaysia n they r given citizenship.
    so after a few more years, malaysia will b e old indonesia while indonesia will b e old malaysia. then we will be exporting maids, construction workers and odd job labourers to indonesia.

  27. Well, it will set a trend for everyone to wish their BN assemblymen die so that respective area will be more developed. I for one will ask Sami to tar the road in front of my house and may be also ask for BN to provide 1 year free car wash and polish my car every 3 months.

    This so call by election is more like a ERECTION CAMPAIGN. Bina sana sini, janji sana sini, nanti kalah hilang diri. This was what happen to our MIC Taiko when MIC lost the Lunas by election.

    Change the role of Election Commission to Erection Commission. Ask them to supervise all Erection Works and make sure promises made by BN are fullfilled.

    Really closed on eye Malaysia.

  28. I guess the message is very clear – you want development in your area? crappy roads not repaired for years? Longkangs all clogged up? Schools are collapsing?
    The solution is simple – kill off your MP or state assemblyman, and get a by-election going in your area. Guaranteed 100% effective solution to all development issues. So get those extra packets of nasi lemak with added santan to those YBs.

  29. Potholes and bad roads in a developed state. Needs RM 36 million to develop the area. Where does this fresh amount of money come from, under which account when everything hs been budgeted already?

    Let us hope and pray that a dent is made this time round or else the coming GE is doomed.

  32. “It’s morally wrong but not illegal”
    For a Minister, telling a lie in Parliament is also morally wrong, sleeping with the secretary is also morally wrong. Both these are not illegal.
    When we talk about Integrity, legality of an action is secondary.
    Government Leaders must project themselves as morally upright men.
    Anything less, is to encourage the common man to do likewise in other areas. Then what.
    Society cannot function without a moral fibre. It disintegrates.

  33. Jeffrey: “If the majority people don’t care a damn about higher values of integrity and fair play, if they care only about parochial issues of race and religion, and whether they are going to benefit from new schools, roads, street lighting as a form of ‘bribery’ from political candidates in exchange for votes in Ijok by election, then what can be done?”

    Welcome to the Club! It is called democracy.

    Jeffrey, with that kind of view you’re but one step short of going down the proverbial slippery slope leading towards ‘fascism’

  35. This Ijok seat could fall to PKR as there is much discontent in Kuala Selangor. In GE 2004, Sivalingams’s Majority (with poor service) was reduced to 1649 from 4000 with the entrance of an independent. And it could have happened again when the MIC Kuala Selangor Chief chief S.P. Thirumoorthy openly threatened to leave the party and he was asked by his boss Samy to get loss saying;” Tell you the fact; we are not an inch worry about it. I will never like to meet him again. We don’t like traitors”
    Worry, the BN did, MB Mohd Toyo commenting said “the matter has been resolved” Two days after announcing his withdrawal from the MIC for not being selected to contest the Ijok state by-election, Kuala Selangor MIC Division wagged his tail and came back to the fold and openly expressed his support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate. So how much was this promise for him and his supporters? More details & pictures at:
    http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/04/more-pics-supporters-thrrew-flying.html

  36. This young MIC ane seems to have rubbed the right shoulder with Uncle Sam.

    The old kok’s that supported the dead MIC ADUN may switch sides to the elder Tan Sri from PKR.

    Lets pray that Malaysians cannot be so easily bought with money!

  37. RM36 million is not government’s money. When can we start to learn from the Hongkies?

    It is PEOPLE’S MONEY.

    Repeat again …. PEOPLE’S MONEY!

    Yes, the old man is right. Corruption is now above the table. Blatant misuse of power and resources. The old man is not all saintly though.

    It’s a 50/50 fight. With all the bribery and goodies. PKR may not stand a chance.

    People are into short-term gains.

    We are all selfish beings. Why do we have children? To ensure our genetic line continues. An insurance plan for us. To keep us company. Companion to look forward to after work.

    But do we think of them when we vote? Maybe not. Paved roads are more important. Immediate gain of a new Chinese school maybe more important.

    Good of PAS to go into environmental awareness, going green. The capitalists has long exploited all the resources. Strip naked Sabah and raped it.

  38. so much elction sweets and candies is seen in the three by elections from Batu Talam, Machap to Ijok, wow, now I wish my MPs will die soon so that we might benefit from their death like the folks of Batu Talam, Machap and Ijok, come to think of it, I shalln’t be the only ones with these dark thoughts, knowing that MCA has so many potential candidates lining up, those candidates are likely to wish for the MPs demise too.

    :)

  39. I am very happy that the episode of Ijok have passed-by, without any problem with both sides of the opposing parties concerned – though it was reported many incidents had happened.

    We have had many elections after elections, and that in the eyes of the law the winners always prevailed.

    Let’s not say anymore to move-on to a level of better understanding between the two side of the ruling government and the opposition party, to ensure progress in the country and also thus benefitting also thy neighbour.

    The understanding of being a good citizen lies between our sayings and actions.

    While throwing fire among us is not something, we as human being must resort to do just that, to ensure victory.

    What I foresee is that working the ground would have something fair if not better for the local rakyat to seriously look upon.

    That’s the simplest thing to do now for any side of the parties concerned.Work the ground always after and before any election.

    Get to know better with local residents – don’t care about what opposing party is doing or happenings out there.Just concentrate and focus on the well-being of the local rakyat before the rakyat call you wakil rakyat or else they will call you as sampah masyarakat.

    I don’t take side here.I am just as stupid as a donkey to ‘oing’, something that this donkey is about to say before it is too late to pull back anything that really can harm our credibility – treasure it.

    Thank you.Bye for now.

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