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RM12 billion PKFZ scandal – six times bigger than RM2.5 billion BMF scandal of Mahathir

MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat should stop running from the question why he had failed to honour his repeated public undertakings to “tell all” and make public the full report of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit into the mega-billion ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal. Malaysians want to know what he is hiding.

The PwC audit report into the PKFZ scandal has been described in the media as “a damning disclosure of mismanagement, clandestine deals, conflicts of interest and a total disregard for transparency and accountability” for a project which was supposed to cost RM1.845 billion in 2002 under the then MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik but ended up at RM4.6 billion under MCA Deputy President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy.

Now, horror of horrors, it is reported that the final cost of the PKFZ scandal under MCA President and the third MCA Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is the frightening figure of RM12 billion, which would have to be borne by the Malaysian taxpayers although the Cabinet had been assured in 2002 that the PKFZ project was a feasible, self-financing project that would not require a single sen of government financing!

If the PKFZ scandal had ballooned from RM1.8 billion in 2002 to RM12 billion in seven years under three MCA Ministers, it will be six times bigger than the first Mahathir mega financial scandal – RM2.5 billion BMF scandal! Continue reading “RM12 billion PKFZ scandal – six times bigger than RM2.5 billion BMF scandal of Mahathir”

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Hold fresh elections to end the Perak constitutional impasse

by Dr. Chen Man Hin

Prime Minister Najib Razak was reported in the press to have cautioned elected Perak state representatives to follow the rule of jaw, as the pandemonium on Thursday 7th May and that unruly behaviour of elected leaders followed the law of the jungle instead of the rule of law.

Well said, except that the party that begun the law of the jungle was none other than UMNO, the party of the Prime Minister because he master-minded and executed the take-over of the Perak state government by using unconstitutional means. Continue reading “Hold fresh elections to end the Perak constitutional impasse”

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Preamble to a Penanti proclamation

by Azly Rahman

Two scores and ten years ago, our forefathers and foremothers brought forth in this kampong the plan for a just republic that never materialised. We argued and waged peace for a republic of virtue but instead were given a warmongering State of Denial.

We toiled to establish a kingdom of peace and tolerance but saw instead the evolution of a dictatorship of plutocracy and totalitarianism. We have become ‘It’ in our journey towards the ‘Thou’. The “I” in us has gone astray, intoxicated by the “it-ness” of things.

Two scores and ten years ago, we thought we had Independence – given on a silver platter by a dying imperial power. But what we got was a state that evolved out of ketuanan Melayu. We wanted Liberty but we got Plutocracy.

Two scores and ten years later we are seeing a country divided, sub-divided, and further sub-divided into tribes and post-industrial tribes. The politics of race have strengthened and inspired the few to plunder and patronise the many. We are seeing chaos disguised in the name of consensus. Continue reading “Preamble to a Penanti proclamation”

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Remove restrictive ISA release conditions, lift ban on Hindraf and appoint Uthayakumar as member of Royal Commission of Inquiry into marginalisation of Malaysian Indians

I am calling this media conference on the release of the three Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, DAP Selangor Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah M. Manoharan and K. Vasanthakumar from Kamunting Detention Centre under the Internal Security Act (ISA) two hours ago.

The formation of Hindraf, the arbitrary, undemocratic and unjust detention of the five Hindraf leaders in December and the Makkal Sakti phenomenon were important factors resulting in the March 8 “political tsunami” in last year’s general election.

The time has come for the Barisan Nasional government not just to release the three remaining Hindraf leaders under the ISA today but to come to terms and address the root causes for the alienation and marginalisation of the Indian community in the country after half-a-century of nationhood.

Neither the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak nor the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should entertain any notion that the Malaysian Indians should “membalas budi” for the release of the Hindraf leaders, as they should not be detained without trial under the ISA in the first place.

To realistically and boldly address the root causes of the Hindraf and Makkal
Sakti phenomena, I call on Najib to implement three measures: Continue reading “Remove restrictive ISA release conditions, lift ban on Hindraf and appoint Uthayakumar as member of Royal Commission of Inquiry into marginalisation of Malaysian Indians”

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Hishammuddin more incompetent than Hamid Albar as Home Minister, requring longer time to release 13 ISA detainees?

Is the current Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein more incompetent than Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar that the former must take a longer time than his predecessor to release 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees?

When Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sworn in as the sixth Prime Minister on Friday, 3rd April 2009, he announced in his maiden address to the nation telecast live at 8 pm the same night the release “with immediate effect” of 13 ISA detainees, including two Hindraf leaders Ganapathi Rao and R. Kenghadharan.

I had at the time expected the 13 ISA detainees to be released from Kamunting Detention Centre latest by the next day, Saturday, 4th April 2009.

This was not to be and Ganabatirau and Kenghadharan’s families were made victims of a cruel police game of “cat and mouse” lasting some 46 hours, as both of them were only released to their homes in Selangor at about 6 p.m. on Sunday 5th April 2009 – despite Najib’s “immediate release” announcement on Friday night and the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s undertaking on Saturday midday that the 13 ISA detainees would be allowed to leave Kamunting Detention Centre on Sunday morning.

Now, is Hishammuddin going to take longer than 46 hours to release another 13 ISA detainees, including the remaining three Hindraf leaders under the ISA, P. Uthayakumar, DAP Selangor State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah, M. Manoharan and K. Vasantha Kumar? Continue reading “Hishammuddin more incompetent than Hamid Albar as Home Minister, requring longer time to release 13 ISA detainees?”

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OTK – resign as Transport Minister if cannot honour pledge to “tell all” and release PwC report on PKFZ scandal

MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat should resign as Transport Minister if he cannot honour his pledge to “tell all” and immediately release the PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) Report on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal to explain whether and why it had ballooned from a RM1.8 billion scandal when Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik was the Transport Minister, to RM4.6 billion under Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy and now the outrageous RM12 billion under Ong!

On Tuesday 28th April 2009, I called on the Cabinet at its meeting the next day to overrule Ong’s “passing-the-buck” game and direct the immediate and full publication of the PKFZ scandal in view of reports that the PKFZ scandal had escalated four-fold from the original cost of RM1.8 billion to RM8 billion.

The next day, Ong announced that the PwC audit report on the PKFZ scandal was ready and that the Port Klang Authority (PKA) had been given one week to make it public.

The one-week deadline expired two days ago, and the PwC report has still not seen the light of day! Continue reading “OTK – resign as Transport Minister if cannot honour pledge to “tell all” and release PwC report on PKFZ scandal”

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Release of ISA 13, including Hindraf 3 – why not today?

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s announcement of the release of 13 Internal Security Act detainees, including the three Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders, P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, T Vasanthakumar, is most welcome.

However, why is Hishammuddin unable to release them immediately today instead of the “next two or three days”.

If the police can effect arrests with immediate effect, why can’t they effect releases when such a decision is taken?

Is Hishammuddin aware that one of the three mottos of the new Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is “Performance Now”?

It does not speak well for the competence and efficiency either of the Home Minister or the Special Branch if they cannot release all the 13 by today, instead of having to wait the “next two or three days”.

If there is no way to effect the immediate release of the 13 today, then the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of KPIs for Ministers, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon should take note, as the KPI of Hishammuddin should be downgraded for disregard of Najib’s “Performance Now” motto.

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May 7 is the Day of Infamy for Perak and Malaysia (with videos)

May 7 is the Day of Infamy for Perak and Malaysia.

The Barisan Nasional used the law of the jungle to completely undermine parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and the doctrine of separation of powers to add another ignominious chapter to the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak on Feb. 5, 2009, foisting on the people of Perak two Perak Assembly Speakers and even two Assemblies, as if the three-month-long constitutional crisis of two Mentris Besar is not outrageous enough.

Never before in the 52 year history of the nation has there been a more shameful episode as what happened yesterday.

The sight of the legitimate and lawful Perak Speaker, V. Sivakumar physically dragged out of the Perak State Assembly still in his Speaker seat stands as an indictment of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who orchestrated the Perak “coup d’etat”, the usurper and illegitimate Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir and now usurper and unlawful Perak Speaker, Datuk R. Ganesan.

These three should hold their heads in shame for bringing Perak and Malaysia to such a disgraceful depth. As a result of the Day of Infamy, the credibility, integrity and legitimacy have plunged to an even lower ebb.
Continue reading “May 7 is the Day of Infamy for Perak and Malaysia (with videos)”

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Najib must clear his own mess

By Tunku Aziz

MAY 7 – I never for a moment thought I should live to see the day when a traditional hereditary ruler of a Malay State has taken such a rapid slide in his people’s estimation, approbation and adulation as has the Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak. It took one unfortunate, ill-conceived and ill-considered decision over a petition by the Pakatan Rakyat Mentri Besar Datuk Nizar Jamaluddin, to dissolve the Perak State Assembly that has turned Perak into a politically difficult and dangerous situation.

His Highness Sultan Azlan Shah is no ordinary ruler. As a former Lord President and head of the Malaysian judiciary, he ascended the throne of Perak as someone well-qualified by education and training for what, for all practical purposes, is a largely ceremonial sinecure. Be that as it may, the position carries a heavy constitutional responsibility.

It has become quite apparent that while his legal knowledge may be assumed to be extensive, his training more than adequate, his wisdom in dealing with a delicate and important political matter of public concern, on reflection, has in my humble opinion, turned out to be questionable. A great deficiency in a ruler who showed so much early promise of being a wise, liberal minded and benevolent leader.
Continue reading “Najib must clear his own mess”

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Najib’s 1Malaysia shredded into smithereens – disgraceful police lockdown of Ipoh and scandalous spectacle of 2 Speakers, 2 Assemblies

Flash – So far 64 people (including 4 MPs and 5 SAs from Pakatan Rakyat) arrested by police in the Ipoh lock-down!

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia has been shredded into smithereens by the disgraceful police lockdown of Ipoh and the scandalous spectacle of two Speakers and two Assemblies – as if the constitutional scandal of two Mentris Besar is not bad enough for Perak and Malaysia!

It is unlikely that Najib will be able to live down the political baggage of having orchestrated the three-month Perak constitutional and political crisis and stalemate spawning two Mentris Besar, two Speakers, two Assemblies together with three renegade State Assembly members and a renegade State Assembly clerk unless he is prepared to act boldly to admit his colossal error and misjudgement and agree to the dissolution of the Perak State Assembly for the holding of Perak state-wide general election to return the mandate to Perakians.

For the sake of an unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab, Najib has brought important institutions of the country into greater disrepute, whether the police, the MACC, the judiciary and seriously impaired the vital doctrine of separation of powers.

Perakians, Malaysians and the world today witness another unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab – the office and powers of the Speaker when the Perak State Assembly has not officially met. Continue reading “Najib’s 1Malaysia shredded into smithereens – disgraceful police lockdown of Ipoh and scandalous spectacle of 2 Speakers, 2 Assemblies”

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Flash updates from Perak


Sivakumar(centre) removed from the chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms and special branch officers. Pic by sun2surf

4.36 pm – Pakatan Rakyat ADUNs are having press conference at state assembly library. The flash updates ends here.


Sivakumar being dragged out of the House (Pic courtesy of Sinar Harian)

2. 40 pm – Speaker Siva was dragged out by 10 police officers.

50 security personnel in dewan.

2.38 pm – the police and civil servant and BN are trying to get rid of speaker in what ever way they can, including using brute power.

2.36 pm – Police, special branch, men in black and traditional malay costume, all trying to approach Speaker. Shouting and scuffling.
Continue reading “Flash updates from Perak”

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Appeal to Perak Sultan to dissolve Perak State Assembly to end the three-month constitutional and political stalemate in Perak

“No authority to fire. Counsel: Sultan can appoint MB but can’t remove him.”

This is the headline of the Star report today on the historic case between the lawful and legitimate Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin and the usurper and illegitimate Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir.

The headline came from the submission of Nizar’s lead counsel Sulaiman Abdullah who submitted that while the Sultan was conferred the power to appoint a mentri besar, he did not have the same power to remove a sitting mentri besar.

Sulaiman said: “It is well and good in appointing, that is entirely up to the Sultan but getting rid of the mentri besar is no longer the Ruler’s function – it is now up to the state council. That can only be done through a vote of no confidence in the House.”

This position, which has always been the stand of the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat, has been fortified by none other than former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir at his keynote address on The Role of the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and Constitutional Monarchy at the ninth Perdana Discourse Series today.

The various media headlines could not be clearer, viz: “Dr. M: Sultan has no power to remove MB” (Malaysiakini), “Dr M: MBs can only be removed through confidence vote” (Malaysian Insider), “Dr M: Ruler cannot remove head of govt” (Star online).
Continue reading “Appeal to Perak Sultan to dissolve Perak State Assembly to end the three-month constitutional and political stalemate in Perak”

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Wong Chin Huat’s arrest – would Najib’s police detain Mahatma Gandhi for his civil disobedience campaign if the “Great-Souled” Indian is alive in Malaysia today?

Chin Huat at Police Lockup in Jalan Duta Court with Kit Siang
Picture taken at Jalan Duta court lock-up, where Chin Huat was held awaiting remand hearing.

Civil society activist and poll reform group Bersih spokesperson Wong Chin Huat told me at the Jalan Duta Courts Complex lockup that he had been wearing black for 89 days to protest the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak since Feb. 5, 2009, but he was compelled to wear the compulsory orange police lock-up uniform on the 90th day.

He asked like-minded, justice and democracy-loving Malaysians to join in the protest against the undemocratic and illegal “coup d’etat” in Perak by wearing black, particularly tomorrow.

This is because tomorrow is the 91st day of the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak, when the usurper and illegitimate Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir is convening an illegal meeting of the Perak State Assembly to secure legitimacy for his totally illegitimate administration.

Chin Huat is in high and fighting spirits although he had been in police custody since 7.40 p.m yesterday when a platoon of nine police officers surprised Chin Huat outside his home in Taman Sri Sentosa, Kuala Lumpur as he was going out for dinner.
Continue reading “Wong Chin Huat’s arrest – would Najib’s police detain Mahatma Gandhi for his civil disobedience campaign if the “Great-Souled” Indian is alive in Malaysia today?”

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Start of Najib’s crackdown?

Civil society activist Wong Chin Huat was arrested under the Sedition Act at his home in Taman Sri Sentosa in Kuala Lumpur at about 8 pm tonight.

Is it because of the “1Black Malaysia” campaign?

The following is a Malaysiakini report on Wong’s arrest:

Activist Wong arrested under Sedition Act

Poll reform group Bersih spokesperson Wong Chin Huat has been arrested under the Sedition Act tonight by a team of police at his home in Taman Sri Sentosa in Kuala Lumpur.

According to his lawyer Edmund Bon, the activist was arrested at 8pm after a police report was lodged today.

“I tried negotiating with the police officer (on the phone) but they won’t listen to me. They didn’t want to tell under what section of the Sedition Act (that the arrest was made) and who the complainant is.”

Bon has since unable to contact Wong. According to him, he could be taken to the police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

It is not clear whether Wong’s arrest is linked to a press conference he called earlier today. Continue reading “Start of Najib’s crackdown?”

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Najib and Altantuya murder case – KSK, OTK or any Minister dare to raise RPK’s latest blog in Cabinet tomorrow?

Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin has made more revelations about the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu C4 murder case which calls for response from an administration which claims to be committed to accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.

In his latest blog, Raja Petra mentioned names, including Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis, former Cabinet Minister and confidante of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Lt. Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin, the number two in the Special Branch of the Military Intelligence, as well as other information which will add grist to the swirling serious allegations about the involvement of Najib to the Altantunya murder case.

Whether true or otherwise, and regardless of whether Raja Petra has become a fugitive from the courts, the net result of Raja Petra’s latest blog is that even more questions will be raised about the swirling, haunting and hounding allegations about Najib’s involvement in the Altantuya murder case.

This is completely unhelpful to Najib in establishing his credibility, integrity and legitimacy as the country’s Prime Minister, whether among Malaysians or the world.

These swirling serious allegations haunting and hounding Najib and his admistration concerning the Altantuya C4 murder case cannot be avoided and must be addressed frontally. Continue reading “Najib and Altantuya murder case – KSK, OTK or any Minister dare to raise RPK’s latest blog in Cabinet tomorrow?”

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Ipoh Police – don’t prop up usurper Zambry’s hocus pocus May 7 State Assembly proceedings

The Ipoh Police have done enough damage to its reputation and professionalism in its conduct during the three-month Perak constitutional and political crisis, being used by the usurper Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir to undermine the important democratic principle and fundamental doctrine of the separation of powers among the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.

The Police should not now allow itself to be used to prop up usurper Zambry and his executive council’s hocus pocus proceedings in the May 7 Perak State Assembly but must be aware that it has the sworn duty to protect the Perak State Assembly Speaker A. Sivakumar and all Perak State Assembly members (including Pakatan Rakyat) from interference from any quarter in the discharge of their powers and privileges.

In a political contest between the rightful and legitimate Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin and the usurper and illegitimate Zambry, the least expected of the police is to stay out of the political fray and not to take sides, or the police will be seen as trying to prop up an usurper Zambry regime that has no legitimacy whatsoever in the eyes of the people of Perak.

This is why reports by Pakatan Rakyat Assembly members that they were being harassed by the police personnel who snapped photographs of their family houses last weekend must be deplored in the strongest terms and taken seriously by the top police officers who must give the satisfactory assurance that they will not be used to support the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak. Continue reading “Ipoh Police – don’t prop up usurper Zambry’s hocus pocus May 7 State Assembly proceedings”

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No more claptrap about ISA reform – Najib should first release all ISA detainees, close down Kamunting centre and suspend ISA for two years pending repeal or review

The Star yesterday carried a most misleading front-page headline “ISA review begins”, reporting that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was honouring his promise to initiate a comprehensive review of the Internal Security Act as he had promised when he took office last month as the country’s sixth Prime Minister.

But thinking and perceptive Malaysians would have wondered whether this was the case, as many questions cropped up immediately when they read in the report that the government’s “first step towards reviewing the Internal Security Act (ISA)” was the formation of the Law Reform Committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong on April 29.

Is Najib really seriously about a “comprehensive review of the ISA” when the committee assigned this task is headed by such a political lightweight, who is only a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department?

Just on this point, the whole idea of any “comprehensive review of ISA” could be dismissed as hogwash!

The story on the start of the ISA review took on a surreal and even “Alice-in-the-Wonderland” quality when it is further reported that the Law Reform Committee’s ”first step” to undertake a “comprehensive review of the ISA” would be a briefing session on Wednesday and Thursday involving the Legal Affairs Department and the Legal Aid Bureau. Continue reading “No more claptrap about ISA reform – Najib should first release all ISA detainees, close down Kamunting centre and suspend ISA for two years pending repeal or review”