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Political funding and transparency: an Islamic perspective

– Maszlee Malik and Musa Mohd Nordin
The Malaysian Insider
21 August 2015

It is widely accepted that the practice of good governance leads to higher investment and growth, hence development. And political accountability has been highly regarded as one of the sine qua non elements in the governance equation.

Transparency in party financing as well as asset disclosure are amongst the crucial characteristics of political accountability in many developed nations.

A myriad of researches and reports have shown that the lack of openness in money and politics has often contributed to the corruption of political finance.

Thus, policymakers aspiring for sustainable national development must seriously address the transparency of money in politics. Continue reading “Political funding and transparency: an Islamic perspective”

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Malaysia’s Many Scandals

By AMBIGA SREENEVASAN
New York Times
AUG. 20, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s ruling party is facing its greatest crisis of legitimacy yet. Long seen as a modern and moderate Muslim democracy, Malaysia has been riding on its economic growth and good diplomacy for years, and the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which has led coalition governments for nearly six decades, has been claiming the credit.

But rampant corruption, curbs on freedom of expression, a slowing economy and a currency in free fall have eroded public trust in the government’s stewardship. It hasn’t helped that Prime Minister Najib Razak recently reshuffled the cabinet, and sacked the deputy prime minister and the attorney general for asking uncomfortable questions. Or that once again the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), is using its influence over government agencies to bypass or manipulate electoral rules to its advantage, most recently through gerrymandering in the eastern state of Sarawak. Continue reading “Malaysia’s Many Scandals”

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Did the new Attorney-General start off his tenure making a public statement which is far from the truth when he said that the purported corruption charge sheet against the Prime Minister was a fake?

The 2015 Sabah earthquake which struck Ranau with a magnitude of Richter 6.0 on 5th June lasted for 30 seconds, but it killed 18 people on Mount Kinabalu and caused some 90 aftershocks for the following next three weeks.

Similarly, the convulsions in the very sanctum of Federal government in Putrajaya in the last days of July, which saw the sacking of the Attorney-General and Deputy Prime Minister on 28th July and the arrests and harassment of top government officers in key institutions are still having their aftershocks – like yesterday’s sudden and abrupt transfer out of the Special Branch (SB) of the deputy director of the police intelligence agency, Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador to the Prime Minister’s Department reporting directly to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak!

Abdul Hamid, who had been with the Police force for 37 years, was completely in the dark on the reasons for his abrupt transfer to the Prime Minister’s Office, reminiscent of the sudden transfer of two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) directors, Bahri Mohd Zin (special operations division) and Rohaizad Yaakob (strategic communications) at the height of the recent stand-off between the Police and MACC over investigations into 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion Najib personal accounts, which also saw the most extraordinary solat hajat (special prayers) by MACC officers seeking divine intervention to allow MACC officers to carry out their anti-corruption duties.

Although the immediate and punitive transfer of Bahri and Rohaizad out of MACC to the Prime Minister’s Department had been cancelled because of adverse public reactions, penalties are being considered to punish the two MACC directors – which the powers-that-be should know could not be kept secret but would have to be fully explained and accounted for when Parliament reconvenes on October 19 for the 2015 Budget meeting.

And what of Abdul Hamid? Continue reading “Did the new Attorney-General start off his tenure making a public statement which is far from the truth when he said that the purported corruption charge sheet against the Prime Minister was a fake?”

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Why is Anifah Aman the only one out of 69 Ministers and Deputy Ministers who dare to declare that he has not received any funding from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts?

I commend the Foreign Minister Anifah Aman for declaring publicly that he has not received any funding from Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts in AmBank in 2013 for 13GE campaign.

Malaysians are intrigued why Anifah is the only one out of 69 Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Senators will have to be excluded) who dare to declare that the has not received any funding from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for 13GE campaign.

Although my 96-hour notice to all Cabinet members to demonstrate that the Najib administration is serious when it proposed the National Consultative Council on Political Funding by individually declaring whether they had received any funding from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13 GE campaign, and if so, how much they received and spent, Cabinet Ministers could still declare whether they had been connected in any way to Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts.

Since the DAP forum “Ke Mana Halatuju Malaysia” at Tropical Inn, Johor Baru on Monday night, I had named 18 Ministers and two deputy ministers and asked them to declare whether they had received funds from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13th General Election campaigning, and if so, to state the amounts.

Anifah is the only Cabinet Minister to respond and in the negative. Continue reading “Why is Anifah Aman the only one out of 69 Ministers and Deputy Ministers who dare to declare that he has not received any funding from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts?”

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Najib Razak has too much power for Malaysia’s good

David Pilling
Financial Times
August 19, 2015

Once a model of development, the country’s reputation is sinking and so is that of the PM

The story is that in March 2013 one or more unnamed Middle Eastern donors transferred a total of nearly $700m into the personal account of Najib Razak, prime minister of Malaysia. The generous amount was a donation to be lavished on that year’s election campaign of the ruling United Malays National Organisation as Mr Najib saw fit. So sordid are the goings-on in Malaysia these days that, astonishingly, this is not the case being mounted against the prime minister. This is the case for Mr Najib’s defence. Malaysia’s widely lampooned prime minister is in such a deep, dark and money-stuffed hole that this is the version of events being promoted by his allies.

It was also the finding this month of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. It turns out that an anonymous donation from a foreign benefactor is the least damaging explanation of how 2.6bn ringgit found its way into Mr Najib’s account. The prime minister has denied committing any wrongdoing or accepting money for personal gain.

If this is the positive take, the negative version is worse. Continue reading “Najib Razak has too much power for Malaysia’s good”

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Amid economic uncertainty, G25 warns against undermining BNM’s Zeti

The Malay Mail Online
August 19, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) must remain free of political influence and be allowed to execute its duties professionally, a group of Malay ex-civil servants said amid rumours of pressure on the central bank’s governor.

Citing economic uncertainty fuelled by the declining ringgit as well as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, the so-called G25 urged the federal government not to cast aspersions on BNM officials as well as those among the country’s vital institutions.

The group pointed out that confidence in BNM’s ability to carry out its duties has been the most important factor contributing to investor confidence and economic development for Malaysia, as speculation remains that Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz may be forced to leave over an alleged leak of information from an investigation into 1MDB.

“While there were doubts on the independence of the judiciary and capacity of other institutions, the confidence in the strength and capability of Bank Negara Malaysia in steering the financial sector to support economic growth has always been sustained and has been the single most important factor contributing to investor confidence and favourable economic prospects for Malaysia,” the statement read. Continue reading “Amid economic uncertainty, G25 warns against undermining BNM’s Zeti”

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Will Cabinet today resolve that all Ministers and Deputy Minister should seal their lips on the amounts of funds they received from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for 13GE campaigning?

I have given the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the expanded Cabinet of 37 Ministers 96 hours to prove that they are sincere in political funding – and this 96-hour challenge expires at the Cabinet meeting later in the morning.

Will there be any surprises from Najib and the Ministers in announcing steps and measures to demonstrate that they are sincere in political funding as a follow-up to the Prime Minister’s recent proposal for a national consultative committee of political parties, NGOS, civil societies and youths to formulate guidelines on political funding with the aim of ensuring that funds are sourced with integrity?

Malaysians do not expect any surprises, and will in fact be shocked if the Cabinet could produce a rabbit from the hat and come up with initiatives to demonstrate that it is sincere about regulating the baneful effects of money politics in Malaysia.

Najib suffers from a grave case of trust-deficit in the country, but he is making a grave error if he thinks Malaysians suffer from an equally serious case of judgment-deficit.

All Malaysians can see through what Najib is up to when he proposed a National Consultative Council on Political Funding which will be given a year to come up with proposals and guidelines in place in time for the next general election.

Najib wants to buy time for up to one whole year to be able to continue stonewall from giving a full and satisfactory account of the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal accounts in AmBank in March 2013 before the 13th General Election – where the money had come from, who had received handouts from Najib’s accounts, what is the remainder in the accounts after the 13th General Election, and whether there is any truth in last Saturday posting on Sarawak Report website that over US$650 million (RM2 billion) was transferred from Najib’s AmPrivate Bank account in Kuala Lumpur to an account in Singapore after the 13th general election. Continue reading “Will Cabinet today resolve that all Ministers and Deputy Minister should seal their lips on the amounts of funds they received from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for 13GE campaigning?”

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From trust deficit to moral and ethical bankruptcy

– K. Haridas
The Malaysian Insider
18 August 2015

Who gives a donation amounting to RM2.6 billion? All that Malaysians would like to know are details about this amazing donor. Is such a person alive? We would like to know what motivated him or even a brotherly nation to give such a sizeable amount to Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Was it really for Umno or was it a personal donation or as also claimed for supporting anti-Isis positions?

This is the biggest lie that has been floated on Malaysian citizens. Believe me, the way money has entered into Najib’s accounts stinks of misuse of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) funds. If this is revealed, it is a crime of great magnitude. So, present it as a donation and the kampong and Umno folk will then buy it.

The way the money was moved from account to account and then disappeared raises questions regarding deceptions. Umno diehards who are loyal to Najib are not interested in these questions. The scale of the amount and the manner in which money was brought into the country smells of dishonesty, intrigue and exploitation. Continue reading “From trust deficit to moral and ethical bankruptcy”

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Eight Ministers and two Deputy Ministers asked to declare the amounts of funds received from the infamous Najib RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13th General Election campaigning

Former Minister and Barisan Nasional Backbenchers’ Club (BNBBC) Chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad is the first to confirm the posting on the Sarawak Report website on Saturday which named him as one of those who had received funds from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s infamous RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13th General Election campaigning.

In the past two days, I had asked the two individuals whom Sarawak Report had revealed as having received RM1 million and RM2 million respectively to publicly confirm or deny, that they cannot keep silent as they are bound to be questioned on the matter when Parliament reconvenes on Oct. 19, as both of them are Members of Parliament.

Now that Shahrir has admitted receiving RM1 million from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13th General Election campaigning, it is now the turn of the Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Ahmad Maslan to confirm whether he has received RM2 million from Najib’s RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13th General Election campaigning. Continue reading “Eight Ministers and two Deputy Ministers asked to declare the amounts of funds received from the infamous Najib RM2.6 billion personal accounts for the 13th General Election campaigning”

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Call on the IGP to arrest Housing Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan for publishing “false news” under the PPPA for his Star Online Interview unless Abdul Rahman can prove that there was actually a plot to criminalise the Prime Minister and topple him from office

In his Star Online interview, which is not available on the printed edition of The Star today, the Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications Director, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan who is also Minister for Housing and Local Government, is guilty of publishing two false news unless he could prove their truth and veracity, viz:

Firstly, that there was an attempted coup against the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak by criminalising him and topple him from office; and

Secondly, that there was already a coup and unconstitutional grap for power by the then Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail when illegally and arbitrarily, the Special Task force headed by him investigating into the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion deposit in Najib’s personal accounts in AmBank investigated the Prime Minister in order to “criminalise” the Prime Minister.

These are serious assertions by a Minister of the country, and must be considered as “false news” falling under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 unless Rahman could prove their truth and veracity.

I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to arrest Housing Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan for publishing “false news” under the Printing Presses and Publications Act for his Star Online Interview on a plot to criminalise the Prime Minister and topple him from office unless Rahman can prove the veracity or truth of these serious allegations.

Three important strands of police investigations into Abdul Rahman’s Star Online interview should be:

(1) Whether there was a plot in the last days of July to stage a coup against Najib as Prime Minister by criminalizing him and toppling him from office;

(2) Whether there had been illegal and unconstitutional acts to overawe and frustrate the Attorney-General from exercising his discretionary powers under Article 145(3) of the Constitution to “institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence”;

(3) Whether there was any basis for charging the Prime Minister for the offence of corruption. Continue reading “Call on the IGP to arrest Housing Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan for publishing “false news” under the PPPA for his Star Online Interview unless Abdul Rahman can prove that there was actually a plot to criminalise the Prime Minister and topple him from office”

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Najib should come clean about the RM2.6 billion in his personal accounts and stop spawning lies like the latest one that ‘PM’s RM2.6 billion was thanks for fighting IS’

It has been said that once you tell a lie, you need to tell ten more lies to cover the first lie.

This is what is happening almost every day, to cover up the multiple and monstrous lies that are being told about the twin scandals of RM42 billion 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts before the 13th General Election.

In a way, it is quite entertaining the manner that the Prime Minister and his media communication strategists are busy spinning stories about these twin scandals, and if not for the vital fact that national interests and the people’s future are at stake, one could sit back to enjoy the burlesque and the clumsy attempts to get the Prime Minister to get out of a very sticky and nasty situation.

But the latest spin that the RM2.6 billion deposited into Najib’s personal bank accounts originated from Saudi Arabia as an appreciation to Malaysia for championing Islam, fighting Islamic State (IS) and for practicing Sunni Islam (Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah) really takes the cake for being the most ludicrous and outrageous explanation so far. Continue reading “Najib should come clean about the RM2.6 billion in his personal accounts and stop spawning lies like the latest one that ‘PM’s RM2.6 billion was thanks for fighting IS’”

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Najib badly served by the world’s worst but probably most expensive media communications strategists as witnessed by the “dud” of the National Consultative Committee on Political Funding

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is badly served by the world’s worst but probably most expensive media communications strategists as witnessed by the “dud” of the National Consultative Committee on Political Funding.

Those responsible for mooting the idea of National Consultative Committee on Political Funding at this stage deserve to be sacked immediately, as only the naïve and the dim-witted could believe that this is the best timing for the Prime Minister to surface such a proposal.

Those who convinced Najib to go public on this idea at this stage must have sold the Prime Minister with the argument that this was a panacea for Najib’s recent woes, pushing to the backstage the twin scandals of 1MDB and RM2.6 billion deposit into Najib’s personal bank accounts, which had haunted the Prime Minister for months, but even more tempting, allow Najib to go from the defensive to the offensive against opposition parties – by taking a moral ground vis-à-vis his critics and dissenters.

But only the naïve and the nincompoop could fail to see that this is the worst possible timing to surface the proposal of a National Consultative Council on Political Funding, and in fact, may even be inviting a death certificate for the idea.

This is because with Najib’s failure to uphold accountability and transparency in the two biggest scandals in the nation’s history, the RM42 billion 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion deposited in Najib’s personal accounts in AmBank in March 2013 just before dissolution of Parliament and holding of 13th General Election, the Prime Minister has lost all moral authority to talk about transparency and integrity in political funding. Continue reading “Najib badly served by the world’s worst but probably most expensive media communications strategists as witnessed by the “dud” of the National Consultative Committee on Political Funding”

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The culture of integrity

By Anwar Fazal
Malaysiakini
Aug 15, 2015

Ensuring integrity and fighting corruption has been among the greatest challenges of all times to humanity. Religions have addressed the issues as have governments of all shapes, sizes and structures.

Sadly, it continues to be an unremitting scourge globally. It is a deep malaise that, like a malignant cancer, continues to grow, destroy, while sometimes appearing in unexpected and even in quasi-legal ways with the complicity of the very institutions established for ensuring justice and good governance.

Malaysia’s journey in meeting these challenges continues to be a struggle. One of the most significant publications in this field was done in Malaysia appearing first as ‘The Sociology of Corruption’ in 1968, and subsequently and extensively updated.This globally classic intellectual work on corruption was published in Malaysia by one of its outstanding public intellectuals, Dr Syed Hussein Alatas.

The 1991 edition was entitled ‘Corruption: its nature, causes and functions’. The book was reprinted in 2005 and the distinguished Malaysian prince who launched it warned us that “Corruption may become an industry”. Continue reading “The culture of integrity”

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72 hours to Najib and Cabinet to prove that they are sincere in political funding proposals

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday proposed a national consultative committee of political parties, NGOS, civil societies and youths to formulate guidelines on political funding with the aim of ensuring that funds are sourced with integrity.

The Prime Minister could not have made such a proposal in worse circumstances, for though the concept that funds for political parties are sourced with integrity and in a transparent manner is right, proper and deserves support, Najib’s timing of such a proposal could only ensure its rejection or reception with great skepticism.

I fully support the idea that funding for political parties and elections should be transparent with regard to its source and expenditure, but this is clearly secondary for Najib as the largest concern about him is his continued stonewalling from giving a full and satisfactory accounting of the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal accounts in AmBank in March 2013 before the 13th General Election remains – and the main question for Malaysians and the world remains: where the RM2.6 billion came from and where they have gone to.

It is a blot on Najib’s record of transparency and integrity that for over a month he could not say a simple “yes” or “no” as to whether RM2.6 billion was deposited into his personal bank accounts, and where the money came from and where they have gone to. The question uppermost in everybody’s mind is what had Najib got to hide? Continue reading “72 hours to Najib and Cabinet to prove that they are sincere in political funding proposals”

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Police arrests and investigations under Section 124B in the current crackdown against the Ministerial assurances when the law was passed in Parliament that this section will only be used against those who used “violent and unconstitutional means”

Until a month ago, nobody has heard of Section 124B but in the past few weeks, Section 124B of the Penal Code has forced itself into public consciousness as the new monstrous weapon which the Najib administration is using to launch a major crackdown and usher a new Dark Age in Malaysia.

How many people have been arrested or investigated under Section 124B of the Penal Code.

I do not know, but it is safe to say that never have so many people been arrested or investigated under Section 124B of the Penal Code on “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” which can send a person to jail for a maximum of 20 years – and all these police arrests and investigations are against the ministerial assurances given to Parliament in 2012 when the new law was enacted that it would only be used against those who carry out “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” by “violent and unconstitutional means”.

When pressed in Parliament on why Section 124B had not spelt out clearly that Section 124B only referred to “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” by “violent and unconstitutional means”, the then de facto Law Minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz claimed that this is understood and even referred to Oxford Dictionary that “activities detrimental to Parliamentary Democracy” means “by violent and unconstitutional means”.

When Nazri presented the Penal Code amendment of the new Section 124B, Parliament was in fact given to understand that it was meant to tackle terrorism previously covered by the already repealed Internal Security Act. Continue reading “Police arrests and investigations under Section 124B in the current crackdown against the Ministerial assurances when the law was passed in Parliament that this section will only be used against those who used “violent and unconstitutional means””

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Penolong pengarang Utusan cabar menteri, pengarah Jasa debat isu derma RM2.6 bilion Najib

The Malaysian Insider
11 August 2015

Menteri Komunikasi dan Multimedia Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak dan Pengarah Jasa Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi perlu bersedia berdebat dalam isu RM2.6 dimasukkan ke dalam akaun peribadi Datuk Seri Najib Razak bagi membuktikan mereka pembela perdana menteri, kata Ku Seman Ku Hussain.

Penolong pengarang akhbar milik Umno edisi Ahad, Mingguan Malaysia itu berkata Salleh dan Puad memutar belit kenyataannya yang sama sekali tidak mempersoalkan dana RM2.6 bilion itu datang daripada sumber rasuah.

“Kedua-dua panglima ini sama sekali tidak menyentuh isu yang saya bangkitkan iaitu derma RM2.6 bilion itu bukan milik Umno. Hujah saya seluruh kepimpinan tertinggi termasuk bekas timbalan perdana menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tidak tahu tentang kewujudan derma itu. Continue reading “Penolong pengarang Utusan cabar menteri, pengarah Jasa debat isu derma RM2.6 bilion Najib”

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DAP calls for Emergency Parliament before Merdeka Day to appoint PAC chairman to allow continued parliamentary investigations into 1MDB and RM2.6 billion scandals

The twin scandals of 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts have led a new round of attacks on the independence, integrity and professionalism of key national institutions, including the Press, Parliament and the four key government agencies comprising Bank Negara Malaysia, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

In Parliament, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had been sabotaged from continuing with its investigations into 1MDB scandal simply because the PAC Chairman and three BN MPs on the PAC had been promoted Minister or Deputy Minister in the recent Cabinret reshuffle.

I am glad to see that the Chairman of the Barisan Nasional BackBenchers Club, Tan Sri Shahrir Samad has expressed support for a one-day special sitting of Parliament so that there would be no undue delay in continuing investigations into 1MDB.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammudin Hussein has also publicly expressed support for a one-day special Parliament to fill the post of PAC Chairman.

However, they are thinking of a special one-day sitting of Parliament some time next month – which would cause inordinate and unjustifiable delay in allowing the new PAC Chairman to be appointed, and PAC to resume its investigations into 1MDB. Continue reading “DAP calls for Emergency Parliament before Merdeka Day to appoint PAC chairman to allow continued parliamentary investigations into 1MDB and RM2.6 billion scandals”

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Long overdue for Najib to give detailed explanation about 1MDB and RM2.6 billion bank deposits scandals – stop his “lieutenants” concocting imaginary enemies like “Jewish and Christian agenda” and “international conspiracy to topple elected PM”

The new Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Zahid Hamidi said in Tanah Merah on Saturday that UMNO members will be given a detailed explanation on the issues 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and the RM2.6 billion political fund soon.

This is a cop-out and completely unacceptable for two reasons:

Firstly, why only to the three million UMNO members? What about the 27 million non-Umno Malaysians – or does Zahid think they are not entitled to a “detailed explanation” on these two issues, which are making their rounds not only in Malaysia but world-wide as examples of how a show-case to the world of a successful, modern, democratic plural society can almost overnight virtually become an object of international scorn and mockery of a nation with great promise which has taken a wrong turn to become a rogue and failed state.

Secondly, why the government had failed to give proper and satisfactory explanation about the 1MDB scandal in the past five years since questions were asked by the DAP MP for PJ Utara Tony Pua and the PKR MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli; or for the past five weeks since the Wall Street Journal shocked Malaysians and the world that government investigators had found US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) deposited into Najib’s personal accounts in AmBank in March 2013, just before the 13th General Elections.

Those who had advised Najib to avoid giving a full and detailed explanation about the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion deposits into Najib’s private bank accounts had not only committed major strategic errors but done a grave disservice to Najib, but most unfortunately, those have ascended to new influence to deal with these two issues are people of such inclination – most notably the newly-minted Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications Director!

What Najib should do, instead of going on a national road show to elicit sympathy and support at UMNO divisional meetings, is to start giving detailed explanations about the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion deposit scandals. Continue reading “Long overdue for Najib to give detailed explanation about 1MDB and RM2.6 billion bank deposits scandals – stop his “lieutenants” concocting imaginary enemies like “Jewish and Christian agenda” and “international conspiracy to topple elected PM””

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Malaysia will not be in throes of a bumper political, economic and leadership confidence crisis if Anwar is Prime Minister of Malaysia today

Malaysia will not be in the throes of a bumper political, economic and leadership confidence crisis if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the Prime Minister of Malaysia today.

Firstly, there will not be a 1MDB crisis, which for the past five years, had sapped national and international confidence in the economic and investment climate in Malaysia.

Secondly, there will not be the scandal of RM2.6 billion deposited into the personal banking accounts of the Prime Minister, whether from 1MDB or any other source, as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 has made it very clear that the definition of gratification in the Act included donations and that any form of gratification was presumed to have been corruptly received, unless proven otherwise.

Thirdly, there will not be the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which has caused great economic hardships to the people, small businesses and traders, causing Hari Raya sales this year to drop by some 50% and even the closure of shops and businesses. Continue reading “Malaysia will not be in throes of a bumper political, economic and leadership confidence crisis if Anwar is Prime Minister of Malaysia today”

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Malaysia can learn from Singapore’s governance

Financial Times
August 9, 2015

UMNO should lance scandal and overhaul the nation’s rotten system

Fifty years ago, Malaysia expelled Singapore from the federation and the two entities went their separate ways. So distraught was Lee Kuan Yew, then Singapore’s chief minister, that he shed tears in public for the first and last time in his long and extraordinary career. Half a century later, it should be Malaysians who are crying.

Undoubtedly, Singapore has its problems. Its brand of authoritarian guided development has delivered prosperity and produced the world’s slickest city state. But many Singaporeans feel something is missing in their controlled society, a hole that cannot be filled by economic growth. Yet whatever difficulties Singapore faces, these pale in comparison with those of Malaysia. Not only is Malaysia going through its worst political crisis in years after hundreds of millions of dollars found their way into the bank account of Najib Razak, the prime minister. More critically, Malaysia has been undergoing a long-term meltdown in which the political, religious and ethnic compact that has underpinned the country since independence groans under its own rotten contradictions. Continue reading “Malaysia can learn from Singapore’s governance”