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Malaysia scandal sparks dispute over political funding reform

By Michael Peel
Financial Times
4th Sept 2015

An official push for reform to political party funding in Malaysia has deepened a dispute over how authorities are dealing with the financial scandal engulfing Prime Minister Najib Razak.

A special committee, set up in the wake of revelations that more than $675m landed from overseas in Mr Najib’s bank account shortly before the last general election, is proposing to introduce landmark campaign finance rules.

But sceptics see the promised change as part of an official effort to whitewash both the payment to the prime minister’s account and a wider probe into more than $11bn in debt racked up by the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad state investment fund. The Najib government has already removed officials involved in various investigations into the affairs, as well as cracking down on critics in the opposition and media. Continue reading “Malaysia scandal sparks dispute over political funding reform”

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Gravely concerned about whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour

Recently, many strange things are happening in our country which are not amenable to simple explanations.

The most recent strange happening in the country is the disappearance of prominent deputy public prosecutor Kevin Morais since Friday.

Kevin, who was previously seconded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) until more than a year ago, was last seen leaving for work from his apartment at Menara Duta, Kuala Lumpur, Friday morning.

I am gravely concerned about the whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour.

The discovery of a burnt car in Kampung Sungai Samak, Hilir Perak has cast a pall over Kevin’s case.

I am concerned as among other things, Kevin was my constituent when I was Member of Parliament for Ipoh Timor before I contested in Gelang Patah in the last general election. Continue reading “Gravely concerned about whereabout of DPP Kevin Morais who is well-known as a principled, righteous and God-fearing man who brooks no nonsense for any hanky-panky and discharges his duties without fear or favour”

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“Walking Dead” – Is there a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid thing?

Just 12 days ago, the CIMB Group chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak warned those he described as “power people” against issuing stupid remarks amid the continuing decline in the value of the ringgit, which had plunged to levels unseen since the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis.

In an Instagram post, Nazir, who is also the brother to prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, urged the “power people”: “Accept & adjust quickly” as “capital is super sensitive; bad news & bad signs amplified” asking “power people” to avoid saying “stupid things”.

But instead of heeding Nazir’s advice, Najib’s “power people” have got even worse, increasing the stupidity, volume and velocity of their statements in the past 12 days that Malaysians are entitled to ask whether there is a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid things!

The velocity of “stupid things” uttered by Najib’s Ministers and “power people” have increased to notch more than one a day in the past 12 days – in fact to more than half-a-dozen a day in the past two days, as can be gleaned from the following headlines in the past 48 hours: Continue reading ““Walking Dead” – Is there a competition in Najib’s Cabinet as to which Minister could say the most stupid thing?”

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Top priority should be given to blueprint to capture Johor in 14GE by the new Opposition coalition of DAP, PKR and PAN after the launch of PAN on Sept 16

For 56 years, Johor was the bastion and invincible “fixed deposit state” of UMNO/BN, to the extent that in the 2008 General Election campaign, the UMNO/BN leaders were so cocky as to put up the campaign theme of ensuring that Johor will be a “zero-Opposition” state.

The 13th General Election of May 5, 2013 had completely rewritten the electoral arithmetics in Johor with the then Pakatan Rakyat of DAP, PAS and PKR winning 18 State Assembly seats, one seat short of denying UMNO/Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority in the Johor State Assembly.

From a political backwaters’ state, Johor transformed overnight as the barometer of Malaysia’s political future and the new engine of political change in Malaysia.

Penang and Selangor spearheaded political change in the 12th GE in the 2008.

Johor must now take over this leadership responsibility as the engine of political change particularly for Pahang, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perak. Continue reading “Top priority should be given to blueprint to capture Johor in 14GE by the new Opposition coalition of DAP, PKR and PAN after the launch of PAN on Sept 16”