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Reading the tea leaves of 1MDB

– Meredith Weiss
The Malaysian Insider
9 August 2015

The 1MDB scandal shows that Malaysia is in desperate need of political finance reform. But can the country clean up its messy “money politics”?

By the time this piece comes out, even if it’s only a few hours from the writing, the array of known facts about Malaysia’s bewilderingly complex 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal will almost certainly have changed.

There may well be another conspiracy theory or two making the rounds by then, and some creative new threat/spin/bombast from one or another of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s currently trusted spokesmen. Continue reading “Reading the tea leaves of 1MDB”

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister: A Dead Man Walking?

Greg Lopez
Forbes
8.8.2015

Malaysia’s Prime Minister broke a cardinal rule in politics. He inadvertently admitted ‘guilt’ when the Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission cleared him of any wrong doing in accepting a political donation. His position – vulnerable since his ascent to premiership – is no longer tenable as Malaysians question his sincerity and trustworthiness.

On 2 July 2015, the Wall Street Journal alleged that $700 million had gone into a personal bank account of Malaysia’s Prime Minister. The Prime Minister offered a non-denial denial :

Let me be very clear: I have never taken funds for personal gain as alleged by my political opponents – whether from 1MDB, SRC International or other entities, as these companies have confirmed.

The Prime Minister also labelled the report a political sabotage and threatened to sue the Wall Street Journal (more than a month after the allegation was made, at time of publishing this article, the Prime Minister has yet to sue).

As the noose tightened around his neck, the Prime Minister went for broke. Continue reading “Malaysia’s Prime Minister: A Dead Man Walking?”

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Call for public inquiry into “nine days of madness in Putrajaya” with Police and MACC on “war footing” against each other

The statement by the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar that the police will temporarily postpone the investigations on Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) alleged leakage of information which was published in the Sarawak Report portal is neither satisfactory nor acceptable.

Khalid said that although more people would be called to facilitate in the investigation, the case was postponed to avoid numerous assumptions and public perception.

When asked how long the investigation would be postponed, Khalid said: “We’ll see…I don’t want my friends at the MACC to think we are making some kind of harassment.”

This must be the understatement of the year, for in the past nine days, MACC officers were not treated as “friends” but virtually as “enemies of the state” by the police, as they were more than just “harassed”, but were hounded, arrested and – to use the words of the wife of MACC director of special operations division Datuk Bahri Mohamad Zin, Datin Noor Haslina Abdullah on her FaceBook – “persecuted” by the police, to the extent that the MACC officers had to hold a special prayer session to seek divine intervention to carry out their anti-corruption duties and to protect themselves from Police attacks. Continue reading “Call for public inquiry into “nine days of madness in Putrajaya” with Police and MACC on “war footing” against each other”

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All UMNO members must form the first line of defence of national institutions and hold Najib personally responsible for the punitive transfer of the two MACC Directors Bahri and Rohaizad out of MACC if he does not countermand the order to the duo to report to the PMO tomorrow

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Semua ahli UMNO mesti berdiri di barisan pertahanan paling depan untuk mempertahankan institusi-institusi negara dan menuntut Najib untuk secara peribadi bertanggungjawab atas pertukaran dua orang Pengarah SPRM, iaitu Bahri dan Rohaizad, dari SPRM jika beliau enggan membatalkan arahan kepada kedua-dua mereka untuk melaporkan diri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri esok

Negara mana dalam dunia ini yang perdana menterinya berikrar untuk menjadikan pembanterasan rasuah sebagai dasar utamanya tetapi dia sendiri dituduh memiliki segunung wang, dalam kes ini sebanyak RM2.6 bilion, yang disalurkan medalam akaun peribadinya sejurus sebelum Parlimen dibubarkan untuk membuka jalan kepada pilihanraya umum?

Negara mana dalam dunia ini yang perdana menterinya dituduh melakukan korupsi melibatkan wang sebanyak RM2.6 bilion yang disalurkan ke dalam akaun perbankan peribadinya tetapi membisukan diri selama lebih sebulan tanpa mengatakan hatta semudah “Ya” atau “Tidak” untuk mengesahkan sama ada wang sejumlah itu pernah diterimanya atau tidak, sebaliknya terpaksa meluangkan masa yang lama untuk menyusun strategi bersama-sama para penasihat komunikasi beliau untuk mencari cara bagi menjelaskan deposit sebanyak RM2.6 bilion tersebut sebelum akhirnya membuat pengakuan – lima minggu selepas tuduhan berkenaan kali pertama muncul dalam Wall Street Journal pada 3 Julai 2015?

Negara mana dalam dunia ini yang mempunyai Pasukan Petugas Khas yang melibatkan pelbagai agensi, termasuk Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) dan Pejabat Peguam Negara, yang berperanan menyiasat skandal kewangan terbesar negara ini, iaitu skandal RM42 bilion 1MDB dan penyaluran wang sebanyak RM2.6 bilion ke dalam akaun peribadi PM, tetapi tidak dibenarkan menyempurnakan penyiasatan apabila tiga daripada empat agensi terbabit dilumpuhkan oleh penguasa, iaitu apabila Peguam Negara dipecat, Gabenor Bank Negara pula “kurang sihat” dan pegawai-pegawai SPRM ditangkap dan ditukar jabatan serta-merta?

Negara mana dalam dunia ini mempunyai agensi pencegahan rasuah yang terpaksa memilih jalan akhir dengan meminta pertolongan tuhan menerusi solat hajat untuk menjalankan tugas pencegahan rasuah dan memelihara diri mereka, memandangkan ada kuasa lebih kuat yang masuk campur dalam tugas mereka untuk membasmi rasuah? Continue reading “All UMNO members must form the first line of defence of national institutions and hold Najib personally responsible for the punitive transfer of the two MACC Directors Bahri and Rohaizad out of MACC if he does not countermand the order to the duo to report to the PMO tomorrow”

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A very long day at MACC

By Radzi Razak
Malaysiakini
Aug 8, 2015

It was a long day at the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday as uncertainty lingered in wake of a ‘crackdown’ over its probe on SRC International Sdn Bhd’s money allegedly found in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s bank accounts.

However work continued at the commission with some departments holding a Hari Raya gathering in the last week of the Syawal month.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an officer said while many heard about the impending transfers, they didn’t know who among them would get the order to pack their bags.

“That is until late in the evening when we finally get the news,” the officer told Malaysiakini.

True enough, the directive came late yesterday with MACC special operations division director Bahri Mohamad Zin and strategic communication director Rohaizad Yaakob told to clear their desks.

The pair was unceremoniously transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department purportedly for disciplinary reasons. However, there has been no official confirmation on the transfers. Continue reading “A very long day at MACC”

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Political Scandal Consumes Malaysia at Time of Flight 370 Inquiry

by Michael Forsythe
New York Times
AUG. 7, 2015

HONG KONG — It was a breakthrough in one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history. When a wing part belonging to a Boeing 777 was found last week on the remote Indian Ocean island of Réunion, the world took notice, echoing the intense news media coverage that followed the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on March 8, 2014.

But in the nation where the ill-fated flight originated, where its crew members were from and whose government owned the plane, the people’s attention was focused elsewhere: on a huge political scandal involving almost $700 million in funds that mysteriously appeared in bank accounts belonging to Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak.

Even Mr. Najib’s solemn announcement in the early hours of Thursday claiming that the wing part, called a flaperon, was “conclusively confirmed” to have been from Flight 370 “looks to have been aimed at bolstering his standing in Malaysia,” said Clive Kessler, an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, who has studied Malaysia since the mid-1960s. Continue reading “Political Scandal Consumes Malaysia at Time of Flight 370 Inquiry”

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All Malaysians must be incensed and outraged by Zahid’s contemptible justification for the immediate and punitive transfer of two MACC directors to PM’s Office

All Malaysians must be incensed and outraged by the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi’s contemptuous and contemptible justification for the immediate and punitive transfer of two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) directors to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Zahid claimed that the transfers of the two MACC directors, special operations division director Datuk Bahri Mohamad Zin and strategic communications director Datuk Rohaizad Yaakob were not linked to a police investigation against them, and that it was ordinary for public servants to be transferred at any time and to any other agency.

He said: “It has completely nothing to do with the action by the Royal Malaysia Police against the two senior officers; in fact, I think it is only an administrative matter conducted by the Public Services Department.

“Every government officer is subject to circulars and general orders, and there is even an oath signed during their appointment.

“As such, I don’t think this issue should be politicised.” Continue reading “All Malaysians must be incensed and outraged by Zahid’s contemptible justification for the immediate and punitive transfer of two MACC directors to PM’s Office”

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First thing Najib should do this morning is to countermand the transfer orders to two MACC directors Bahri and Rohaizad to PM’s Dept with immediate effect

The first thing the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should do this morning is to countermand yesterday’s transfer orders to two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) directors, Datuk Bahri Mohamad Zin (special operations division) and Datuk Rohaizad Yaakob (strategic communications division) to the Prime Minister’s Department with immediate effect, for the duo to report to the PM’s Office on Monday.

The biggest financial scandal in the country, the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal which Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said may have exceeded RM50 billion by now because of the turmoils of exchange and interest rates in his last speech to UMNO Cheras Division before he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister on July 28, 2015, continues to wreak destruction in its wake, and Bahri and Rohaizad are the two latest victims of the 1MDB (1Malaysia Disaster Bhd) catastrophe.

The outrageous, vindictive and vengeful transfer of Bahri and Rohaizad to the PM’s Department cannot stand unless Najib wants to see the total destruction of his entire six-year National Transformation Programmes – which had listed the war against corruption as one of the seven NKRAs (National Key Result Areas) of his Government Transformation Programme (GTP).

For the past six years, the Najib had been boasting about “big results” of its GTP on its anti-corruption front, and undoubtedly the two unchallenged “big results” on the anti-corruption NKRA are the two issues of 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6 billion deposited into the Prime Minister’s personal banking accounts before the 13th General Election.

A multi-agency Special Task Force comprising Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Royal Malaysian Police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had been formed to spearhead investigations into these twin issues, but these two issues are so toxic they have already subverted and gravely damaged three of these four agencies – BNM, MACC and ABC. Continue reading “First thing Najib should do this morning is to countermand the transfer orders to two MACC directors Bahri and Rohaizad to PM’s Dept with immediate effect”

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Zahid’s guarantee of no more arrest of MACC officers welcome but there must be full inquiry of why and whether there were “hidden hands” behind the “seven-day of madness in Putrajaya” with Police and MACC on war footing against each other

The guarantee by the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that there would be no more arrests of MACC officers by the police, only to take their statements, is welcome but this cannot be the end of the sorry story of the “seven-day of madness in Putrajaya” with Police and the MACC on war footing with each other.

There must be a full inquiry of who were responsible and whether there were “hidden hands” behind the “seven-day of madness in Putrajaya”, when there was a complete breakdown of orderly governance and the rule of law in the country.

This inquiry into the “seven-day madness in Putrajaya” of Police-MACC “warring” must be a full, independent and comprehensive one, even in the form of a Royal Commission of Inquiry or by way of a Parliamentary Inquiry, to ensure that there could be recurrence of this “seven-day madness in Putrajaya”.

Clearly, the prompt and strong protests by DAP, PKR and Gerakan Harapan Baru leaders and Members of Parliament, with the visit to the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday, as well as adverse public reactions against such gross abuses of police powers, interfering with the MACC’s role to fight corruption, had not been completely in vain.

We in the DAP, PKR and Gerakan Harapan Baru cannot stay silent to allow the MACC, which has already disappointed Malaysians in being unable to act with independence, impartiality and professionalism to combat corruption, to be further undermined and subverted by the powers-that-be. Continue reading “Zahid’s guarantee of no more arrest of MACC officers welcome but there must be full inquiry of why and whether there were “hidden hands” behind the “seven-day of madness in Putrajaya” with Police and MACC on war footing against each other”

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When a new political party emerges from Gerakan Harapan Baru in a few weeks time, a new Pakatan Rakyat – whether PR Baru, PR 2.0 or whatever name – will be ready to carry the torch for a Malaysia Baru

DAP Johor State Assemblyman for Pekan Nenas Yeo Tung Siong told me just now that Ayer Baloi tonight breaks record with the biggest crowd ever in history, signifying the powerful public support for Gerakan Harapan Baru and hopes for political change after nearly six decades of UMNO/Alliance/Barisan Nasional rule.

However, we want to create history not only in Ayer Baloi but in Johore and the whole of Malaysia in the forthcoming 14th General Election – when we are not only setting our sights on the Federal government in Putrajaya but also the state government in Nusajaya.

For over half a century, Johore had been regarded as an impregnable fortress for UMNO/MCA/MIC coalition and an invincible UMNO/Barisan Nasional “fixed deposit state”.

UMNO/BN leaders were so arrogant that they even talked about Johore being a “zero-opposition” state until such cockiness were buried by the historic Pakatan Rakyat breakthrough in the 13th General Election in 2013, winning 18 State Assembly seats – one seat short of denying UMNO/BN two-thirds majority in the Johore State Assembly.

But now Pakatan Rakyat is no more and the country needs a new Islamic political party which is all-embracing and inclusive which can unite not only Muslims and Malays but also non-Muslims and non-Malays, in other words, with all Malaysians to achieve the Malaysian Dream of ensuring that all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, are entitled to basic human rights and dignity as citizens of a modern society. Continue reading “When a new political party emerges from Gerakan Harapan Baru in a few weeks time, a new Pakatan Rakyat – whether PR Baru, PR 2.0 or whatever name – will be ready to carry the torch for a Malaysia Baru”

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Four among teeming questions about the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion in his personal bank accounts

There are four among the teeming questions about the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal bank accounts in March 2013 which cry out for instant answer from the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, viz:

1. Did Najib give the green-light for the series of police arrests against Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigators and the disruption of MACC investigation into SRC International Sdn Bhd? Continue reading “Four among teeming questions about the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion in his personal bank accounts”

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Political Donation in Najib’s Personal Bank Account?

By K.Siladass
6.8.2015

The plethora of excuses that are now offered in regard to the huge amount deposited in the personal account of the Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Razak do not satiate the troubled Malaysians. These excuses indeed raise far more profound questions which call for acceptable answers.

Firstly, if it is a political fund as it is now claimed why was it not disclosed earlier? Aside that, why is this childish challenge to the opposition that they disclose their donors before you disclose yours? A leader leads by example. He is a role model to be emulated and the challenge to the opposition is not a prudent move.

Secondly, it is not the opposition alone to whom Najib is answerable. He is also answerable to all Malaysians and to those who truly and sincerely love Malaysia and have its welfare at heart. Continue reading “Political Donation in Najib’s Personal Bank Account?”

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Call on Najib to halt the “witch-hunt” in the past week in high government places to ferret out so-called traitors involved in an international conspiracy to topple him as the elected Prime Minister of Malaysia

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should halt the “witch-hunt” in the past week in high government places to ferret out so-called traitors involved in an international conspiracy to topple him as the elected Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The sacking of Tan Sri Gani Patail as the Attorney-General of Malaysia after serving as the first legal officer of the land for three Prime Ministers for nearly 13 years seems part of such a “witch-hunt”, so too the wave of police arrests or questioning since Friday night starting with the former MACC adviser Rashpal Singh, Attorney-General Chambers’ (AGC) officer Jessica Gurmeet Kaur, followed by six senior Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers including MACC deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazalee Abdul Khairi, MACC special operations director Bahri Mohamad Zin forensics director IG Chandran and MACC’s Special Operations Department officer Roslan Che Amat.

With the MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and his deputy, Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull on unexplained leave, the question is whether the heads of the two MACC chiefs are on the chopping block, especially with the latter being named as among the top government officers involved in an international plot to topple Najib as the elected Prime Minister of Malaysia. Continue reading “Call on Najib to halt the “witch-hunt” in the past week in high government places to ferret out so-called traitors involved in an international conspiracy to topple him as the elected Prime Minister of Malaysia”

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When Najib sacks AG and DPM and produce a reshuffled 1MDB Cabinet, understandable MACC can only seek divine intervention to be allowed to carry out their anti-corruption duties

When the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak sacks Tan Sri Gani Patail as Attorney-General who had served three Prime Ministers in nearly 13 years, and Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, for asking questions all Malaysians are asking about the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal, and the multi-agency Special Task Force on 1MDB becomes “the hunted” instead of being the hunters in the 1MDB investigations, it is understandable that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) could only seek divine intervention to be allowed to carry out their anti-corruption duties.

The MACC often bragged that Malaysia is now the world’s model of a comprehensive systemic attack on corruption, and it is undoubtedly pioneering anti-corruption efforts in a new dimension – seeking divine help and intervention!

Najib’s reshuffled 1MDB Cabinet which meets today will not admit that Malaysia has becoming a laughing stock, not only among Malaysians, but to the world when the MACC made the astonishing admission that the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) was correct when its report of July 3 said that government investigators had found that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited into Najib’s personal accounts in AmBank in March 2013 just before the dissolution of Parliament for the holding of the 13th General Election, but that the RM2.6 billion was a donation and not from 1MDB funds.

This MACC statement did not come as a surprise as Najib’s new Ministerial “spin doctors” had been preparing the public for such an announcement, but it furnishes a classic example of Najib’s recent admission that he valued loyal people over smart people in Cabinet. Continue reading “When Najib sacks AG and DPM and produce a reshuffled 1MDB Cabinet, understandable MACC can only seek divine intervention to be allowed to carry out their anti-corruption duties”

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An open letter to Paul Low

By Robert Hum
Malaysiakini
Aug 1, 2015

Mr Paul Low
Malaysian Minister of Integrity and Good governance
Putrajaya
Malaysia

Dear Sir

Please allow me to add some comments concerning your press statement of July 31, 2015.

Excerpt from your press statement: “I was brought into the federal cabinet specifically to promote good governance and to strengthen transparency and accountability in the government.”

Firstly the all important concept of good governance involves the rule of law, transparency and accountability.

Mr Low, all of these basic points were missing in the unceremonious dismissal of the attorney-general (AG) on Monday by PM Najib Abdul Razak. The incongruent statement of dismissal of the AG due to ill health by the chief secretary to the government smacks of the arrogance and the contempt of the PM for the office of the AG in order to stay in power at all costs.

There was no rule of law evidenced in the dismissal of the AG who was in the process of leading the investigation into the conduct of the PM concerning 1MDB. On the contrary the AG’s dismissal from office by PM Najib is against natural justice and is a direct interference by the PM who is being investigated. Continue reading “An open letter to Paul Low”

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Akmal Saufi Khaled’s hard questions about the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s personal bank accounts give hope to Malaysians facing a new dark age that the future is not totally lost

The hard questions about the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts by Akmal Saufi Khaled, son of Johore Mentri Besar Khaled Nordin, give hope to Malaysians facing a new dark age that the future is not totally lost.

It shows that the extraordinary statement by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday that the RM2.6 billion deposited into Najib’s personal accounts in AmBank in March 2013 just before dissolution of Parliament for the 13th General Elections came from donation and not from 1MDB funds is not only questioned by the older generation of Malaysians, but also by the thinking young generation as well.

Among the questions posed by Akmal, who is the Youth Parliament’s security, law and integrity committee chairperson, in his Facebook are:

Continue reading “Akmal Saufi Khaled’s hard questions about the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s personal bank accounts give hope to Malaysians facing a new dark age that the future is not totally lost”

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The onus is on Najib to convince the world of his innocence

Editorial
South China Morning Post
02 August, 2015

Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing over the state sovereign fund 1MDB’s huge debts. He claims opponents are trying to orchestrate his removal through allegations that almost US$700 million was transferred into his bank accounts. Yet his explanations have not been convincing. The dismissal of critics in his cabinet, the disarray surrounding an official inquiry and the silencing of media have only heightened speculation. Restoring lost moral authority requires ensuring a genuinely independent investigation.

There is every reason why this has to happen. The 1MDB scandal has damaged Malaysia’s image and outlook, causing the stock market and the ringgit currency to plummet. Malaysia’s oil-driven economy was already in trouble over the sharp fall in prices. Allegations of corruption shrouding the leadership only deepens the crisis. Continue reading “The onus is on Najib to convince the world of his innocence”

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Although Najib has succeeded in frightening off Mahathir in not talking about 1MDB scandal, there are still enough patriotic and public-spirited Malaysians who still insist on their rights to demand proper accountability and not to be fobbed off by Najib’s delaying tactics

I fully agree with former Cabinet Minister and Kedah Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid that Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s reshuffled Cabinet is unashamedly a 1MDB Cabinet, imbued with the “Charge of the Light Brigade” spirit of “Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die, Into the Valley of Death” to give blind support and loyalty to Najib on the 1MDB scandal.

We can already see a trio of Najib’s Cabinet Ministers, two of whom are newly brought into Najib’s Cabinet, who have taken the position as Najib’s vanguard to resort to all means, whether fair or foul, to shield and cocoon Najib from demands of accountability, transparency and good governance principles on the 1MDB scandal.

Although Najib has succeeded in frightening off former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, from further talking about the 1MDB scandal, it is fortunate that there are still enough patriotic and public-spirited Malaysians who refuse to bow down to Najib’s strong-armed tactics and are still insisting on their rights to demand proper accountability on the 1MDB scandal and not to be fobbed off by Najib’s various delaying tactics, including: Continue reading “Although Najib has succeeded in frightening off Mahathir in not talking about 1MDB scandal, there are still enough patriotic and public-spirited Malaysians who still insist on their rights to demand proper accountability and not to be fobbed off by Najib’s delaying tactics”

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I agree with new Minister in PM’s Department in charge of parliamentary affairs Azalina Othman for an emergency Parliament sitting but with the agenda to appoint new PAC chairman as well as to decide on future of “Special Task Force on 1MDB”

I agree with the new Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azalina Othman Said for an emergency Parliament sitting but with the agenda to appoint the new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman as well as to decide on the future of the “Special Task Force on 1MDB”.

I am very surprised that Shahidan Kassim has been so summarily removed as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of parliamentary affairs after being assigned the portfolio for less than 27 months, without the basic courtesy of an announcement of the change of portfolio by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak but by Azalina herself in Kota Tinggi, Johor on Saturday.

Does this tantamount to a verdict that Shahidan had failed as the Minister in charge of parliamentary affairs and if so, why is he retained as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department?

Does Shahidan know before Azalina’s announcement that he had lost charge of parliamentary affairs, or is this a “coup” by Azalina considering that she has very powerful forces backing her as a new Cabinet Minister?

This is a most shabby treatment for a UMNO loyalist like Shahidan but we are apparently in for very shabby times, considering the shabby and humiliating manner in which Tan Sri Gani Patail had been sacked as Attorney-General, although he had served as the No. 1 top legal officer of the government for nearly 13 years and was only two months short of mandatory retirement to reach the age of 60, as well the shabby treatment meted out to key officers of the “Special Task Force investigating 1MDB” – with the hunters of 1MDB crimes becoming the hunted themselves. Continue reading “I agree with new Minister in PM’s Department in charge of parliamentary affairs Azalina Othman for an emergency Parliament sitting but with the agenda to appoint new PAC chairman as well as to decide on future of “Special Task Force on 1MDB””

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Save Najib, Save UMNO or Save Malaysia?

It has been a roller-coaster month which Malaysians had not have the misfortune to experience before.

It began with the explosive Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report alleging that government investigators had discovered US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) deposited into Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts in AmBank in March 2013 just before the 13th General Election, which Najib had not denied but repeatedly declared he had never taken funds for personal gain, to a major and ongoing purge and crackdown of key institutions started with the sacking of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Attorney-General and followed by the overawing and intimidation of the Cabinet, Parliament, the Press and the multi-agency Special Task Force investigating 1MDB comprising Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Royal Malaysian Police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

In one month, the country went from the “high” of the Prime Minister assuring the nation that no stone would be left unturned to get to the bottom not only of the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal but the WSJ report of RM2.6 billion deposited into the Prime Minister’s personal bank accounts, (and Najib was so confident that he publicly declared that all investigations will clear him), to the “low” of the “hunters being hunted”, allegations that the sacked Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail was in the final stage of drafting corruption charges against Najib himself, and the Special Task Force investigating 1MDB virtually accused of being involved in an international conspiracy to topple the elected Prime Minister of Malaysia.

How does one separate fact from fiction, truth from lies. Continue reading “Save Najib, Save UMNO or Save Malaysia?”