Minister changes testimony, says Liong Sik’s letter not government guarantee

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 15, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop changed his testimony today, reversing his assertion made a day earlier that Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik’s support letter in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project amounted to a government guarantee.

The former second finance minister testified yesterday that only the Finance Ministry could issue a letter of support with the Cabinet’s approval, and that every time such a letter was issued, the government would have to bear the responsibility if anything went wrong.

Nor Yakcop also said that Dr Ling’s letter of support was actually a “guarantee letter” as it helped secure a top-tier rating for bonds raised for the construction of the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) and was sold for a profit of RM40 million.

But the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department also stressed that the support letter from the transport minister had not received the approval of the Finance Ministry or the Cabinet. Continue reading “Minister changes testimony, says Liong Sik’s letter not government guarantee”

Pakatan says will back constitutional changes to allow indelible ink

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 15, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — The federal Opposition said today it will support amendments to the Constitution to allow the use of indelible ink in future elections.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters today that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will back such a proposal if it is tabled in Parliament during the current session.

“The Attorney-General (AG) has said it cannot be done without amendments. This is just a trick to delay.

“But PR agrees to support the amendments if they are done immediately and tabled within this sitting,” the opposition leader said. Continue reading “Pakatan says will back constitutional changes to allow indelible ink”

Why indecent hassle to distribute RM100 to schoolchildren?

By D.C
14 November 2011

My wife and her colleagues were called for an emergency meeting at about 12.30pm ! The school will be dismiss at 1pm! The Headmistress just came back from a meeting with the Officers at the Gombak District Education Department (GDED). She wanted to pass some instructions to all the teachers. It was regarding the RM100 to be given to the pupils.

The teachers have to fill in the names of the class pupils, their parent or guardian’s name( who ever come to take the money) and their IC number. It must be completed tomorrow! Because the ADUN from Taman Templer YB Dato’ Subahan bin Kamal will be coming on Wednesday at 10.00 – 11.30am to hand over the money to the parent/guardian! The school must get ready about 100 pupils for the occasion. The rest of the pupils will be given by the class teachers to their parent/guardian. The parent/guardian must bring along a photocopy of their IC before they can sign and take the money. The GDED already have a schedule for YB to visit a few schools on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Some school teachers will be ask to go back in the afternoon for this purpose, if their school is given the afternoon schedule! Her school was lucky to be given in the morning!

Now, she has a big problem. She has to withdraw about RM150,000 cash from the bank, rush back to school for the occasion. The bank will only open at 9.00 am! Moreover she said there might be other school as well at the bank. So she need some men teachers to go along with her. Each male teacher will be given about RM10,000 to be taken back to school and distribute to the class teachers! She doesn’t want to be responsible if anything happen! My God!
Continue reading “Why indecent hassle to distribute RM100 to schoolchildren?”

‘Cattlegate’: For BN, business as usual

By Mariam Mokhtar | Nov 14, 2011
Malaysiakini

Hey diddle diddle,
The MP on the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
Khairy laughed to see such sport,
And Noh cow-ed like a buffoon

‘Cattlegate’ has exposed the Women Family and Community Development Minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s ill-advised foray into the cattle business.

Shahrizat and her family are alleged to have misappropriated the taxpayers’ money; with RM250 million for the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), an RM800,000 overseas junket and a further RM10 million to purchase a luxury condominium in Bangsar.

Shahrizat’s husband operates the NFC and her three children, Izran, 27, Izmir, 31, and Izzana, 25 are chief executive and executive directors.
Continue reading “‘Cattlegate’: For BN, business as usual”