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Harris pours scorn on Mahathir’s rosy outlook

FMT Staff | May 6, 2012

KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah chief minister Harris Salleh has accused Dr Mahathir Mohamad of duplicity during his 22-year tenure as prime minister, which saw the Bornean state rapidly fall from riches to rags.

Lashing out at the man who ruled the country with an iron fist from 1981 to 2003, Harris said in a statement that Mahathir was to be blamed for the current impoverished state Sabah is in.

“Had he mentioned and practised the rule of law, Sabah would remain the richest state,” Harris said in response to Mahathir’s lecture recently at Universiti Malaysia Sabah .

Harris was irked by Mahathir’s claim that Sabah, which was declared as the poorest state in the country by the World Bank, would take back its mantle as the richest Malaysian state soon.

Harris, who helmed the Berjaya state government from 1976 to 1985, said there were many instances when the former premier and the federal government had failed the state. Continue reading “Harris pours scorn on Mahathir’s rosy outlook”

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Today’s headlines

— Lucius Goon

The Malaysian Insider
Apr 26, 2012

APRIL 26 — To the editor of The Malaysian Insider, I hope you can indulge me and publish my synopsis of today’s main news.

1) Chua Soi Lek says that he welcomes Lim Kit Siang and DAP to make Johor their battleground and then goes on to say a whole bunch which betrays his true sentiments.

Anyway, since the winnable candidate is looking for a safe seat outside Johor, he is not qualified to talk about the southern state. He should focus on helping his brother who is currrently being investigated by the Securities Commission and police for the disappearance of some RM70 million from a public listed company.

At the same time, he should try and extricate his party from the PKFZ mess. But don’t use blogs like stop the lies, try more credible news sources.

2) Muhyiddin Yassin today challenged Lim Guan Eng to show what were his concrete achievements for Penang. For a start, the Penang CM has not been sued by foreign investors who were cajoled and strong-armed in a shady land deal also known as the Stamford Hills case. Continue reading “Today’s headlines”

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Guan Eng holds forth on Economics 101

Terence Netto | Apr 14, 2012
Malaysiakini

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng gave a little homily on institutional economics on the occasion of state government awards to top students and schools in the 2011 STPM examination.

Lim told his audience of proud parents and top-scoring students at the award ceremony in Komtar today that the Pakatan Rakyat government’s clean and effective administration conduced to higher rewards for its citizens.

As example, he cited the RM500 rewards to the 50 top-finishing students in the state in the STMP examination of last year, up from RM400 given to top scorers in 2010.

The monetary awards were inaugurated in 2009, a year after the DAP-led Pakatan government came to power in Penang.

“The reason we can give more this year is simple: we run a government that is not corrupt,” he said.

“Because our governance is competent, accountable and transparent, we can show a surplus of income over expenditure enabling us to plough back progressively higher benefits to the people,” he explained. Continue reading “Guan Eng holds forth on Economics 101”

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Jalan ke syurga penuh dengan onak dan duri

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

9 APRIL — Rakyat khususnya orang Melayu sudah sampai masanya untuk berfikir jauh diluar kotak. Sampai masanya rakyat memilih untuk memulakan pembetulan dengan merubah keadaan negara dari mula.

“We have to start anew”. Cara berfikir yang usang patut dibuang kerana kita orang Melayu yang sudah kononnya dibela oleh parti Melayu, Umno selama 54 tahun tidak berdaya untuk membantu bangsanya duduk sama rendah dan berdiri sama tinggi dengan bangsa lain walaupun perlembagaan telah memperuntukkan keistimewaan untuk orang Melayu.

Jika selama 54 tahun Umno gagal menaikkan taraf “competitiveness” orang Melayu, apa pula alasan pimpinan kita untuk meminta orang Melayu untuk terus menyokong Umno dalam pilihanraya yang akan tiba ini. Peluang untuk mendapat hasil yang sama juga adalah besar… walhasil balik asal.

Kalau kita berikan mandat lagi kepada Umno keadaan Melayu akan lebih teruk lagi. Yang pasti akan berterusan dan berkesinambungan ialah bertambahnya gejala rasuah dan menyalahgunakan kuasa akan bertambah besar lagi.

Kita tidak boleh lagi memberikan harapan kepada Umno kerana jika selama lebih lima dekad parti itu telah gagal masakan kali ini dengan kepimpinan yang lebih tidak senonoh ini akan memperbaiki keadaan orang Melayu. Umno dan kegagalan adalah dua perkataan yang sinonim. Umno itu kegagalan, kegagalan itu adalah Umno. Jangan malu-malu untuk mengakuinya. Continue reading “Jalan ke syurga penuh dengan onak dan duri”

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Sejuk rasanya hati mendengar kata Najib, tapi …

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

9 APRIL — “Dua perkara yang terpenting untuk diingati oleh pemimpin, pertamanya jangan bersikap sombong, dan jangan tidak tepati janji”, kata PM Najib di Temerloh semalam. Saya dan sesiapa juga bersetuju dengan ungkapan Najib itu, baik kawan dan lawan dalam politik. Kata-kata itu memang satu nasihat dan peringatan yang baik kepada semua. Bak kata anak-anak muda sekarang “gua caya lu Najib”.

Tetapi itulah diantara sebab kenapa Umno dimarahi dan dipersoalkan oleh rakyat. “Attribute” pemimpin Umno adalah kesombongan mereka serta sikap tidak menepati janji. Dan dalam artikel ini kita boleh tambah lagi apa-apa yang melekat sebagai stigma yang tidak dapat dipisahkan dari parti pemerintah itu. Apa yang dinasihati Najib itu, itu lah yang ada kepada Umno.

Umno begitu sombong kepada rakyat dengan mengugut rakyat supaya jangan tinggalkan Umno kerana jika Umno ditinggalkan, mereka tidak akan dapat menentukan nasib yang baik untuk rakyat yang ramai. Hanya Umno sahaja yang boleh mempastikan kehidupan yang baik untuk rakyat dan “there is no life without Umno”. Kepercayaan yang segala-galanya adalah dari Tuhan Semesta Alam tidak dipakai lagi. Mereka telah cuba mengalihkan keyakinan ramai yang, “there is life without Umno” dan “there is life after Umno”. Continue reading “Sejuk rasanya hati mendengar kata Najib, tapi …”

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Just who are the traitors?

— Spencer Gan
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 07, 2012

APRIL 7 — I note that Perkasa today called Bersih’s Ambiga Sreenevasan a traitor. I am afraid that the tables have been turned on its head in this country and the despicable and corrupt are now dishing out labels liberally.

But I do wonder whether the majority of us would consider a law-abiding activist a traitor or would they consider her a TRAITOR?

1. Someone who allegedly received kickbacks totalling RM144 million from a French defence company for agreeing to purchase two submarines. It is a fair assumption that the person/persons who received the money were not influenced by the utility of the purchase.

Asia Sentinel quoting French legal sources said that a Hong Kong company headed by Razak Baginda and his father received RM144 million from the French defence company. There is some evidence that the money was funnelled to Najib Razak who was the defence minister then. Is this a treacherous act? I wonder. Continue reading “Just who are the traitors?”

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Najib’s concern must be for real

Jeswan Kaur | March 25, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

Indulging in corruption, cronyism and nepotism is not what a leader who “listens” to his people does.

COMMENT

Trusting a politician is the hardest thing to do; the risk is not just worth it. So when Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak says he will listen to the rakyat in choosing candidates for the 13th general election, it is too good an assurance to hang on to.

Is it not Najib who keeps “cautioning” the people that he wants “winnable” candidates to contest in the looming GE? How then does the rakyat’s choice make a difference to him?

In his March 22 interview with DJs Sam Mak and Tan Yi Hui in the one-hour 988 Street VIP programme of the 988 FM radio station, Najib said he would have to listen to the people when it comes to choosing candidates for the next general election.

“It is only right as a leader. I should listen to the people. So, therefore, I will make a decision that his or her time is up and should not stand as a candidate anymore,” were the premier’s words.

Najib is very right that he “must” listen to the rakyat, which he has not been doing. Indulging in corruption, cronyism and nepotism is not what a leader who “listens” to his people does. Continue reading “Najib’s concern must be for real”

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Scandal-ridden BN on the ropes?

Neil Khor | Mar 24, 2012
Malaysiakini

COMMENT

It has been some three months since I last wrote an article for Malaysiakini. I have, nevertheless, kept up with the issues that continue to glue Malaysians to their computer screens, iPads and mobile phones. Even the mainstream media cannot keep Cowgate off its pages!

There is little doubt that the next general election will happen in 2012. Every pundit in Malaysia is saying June. One cannot continue beating the war drums and delaying the date of battle.

For the opposition, the elections of 2008 never ended and they have been prepared for a long battle. Few remember now that nobody expected Pakatan Rakyat to stay together.

One senior member of a Chinese kongsi told me that he did not expect Lim Guan Eng to be CM for more than six months but now sings the CM’s praises.

Instead, what looks most brittle is the BN as a coalition. The decision to put up winnable candidates will apply across the board.

This means less seats for Umno’s traditional partners the MCA and the MIC; and the other component parties. This cannot go down very well with the component parties. Continue reading “Scandal-ridden BN on the ropes?”

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Malaysia after regime change

— Tricia Yeoh
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 24, 2012

MARCH 24 — The intricate nexus between the worlds of business and politics has been an age-old tradition in Malaysia. Crony capitalism, a term to describe the intertwined relationship between business, politicians and the state, where individuals in the private sector benefits by obtaining licenses, concessions, government subsidies, other forms of protection from governments and appointments to key state owned enterprises through their close relationship with politicians and bureaucrats.

The main questions to ask in the event of a regime change are: Will it really ever be possible to extricate one from the other, given the context where this is an assumed norm? Second, how would a new government go about making these drastic changes?

There has been recognition of this problem by political players from both sides of the divide.

The Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan) Shadow Budget admits, for example, that “Pakatan will face resistance from cronies that desire to perpetuate patronage and rent-seeking” when it begins to attempt open tenders and a more transparent procurement policy.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak also announced that a new initiative under the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) would regulate financing for all political parties, where all funding must be channelled to an official party account. He said that “a proper receipt record” would “prevent corruption and misappropriation on a grass-roots’ level…” Continue reading “Malaysia after regime change”

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Teflon Umno

— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 23, 2012

MARCH 23 — Today was closure for Prime Minister Najib Razak. Not for Malaysia and not for Shahrizat Jalil or her family, most recently known for their involvement in the National Feedlot Centre scandal.

Closure because Najib has been forced to publicly back Shahrizat as the Wanita Umno chief or face the possibility of some form of a revolt from the Wanita ranks.

This scenario was communicated to Putrajaya by Wanita Umno in not to subtle ways. So Shahrizat got to pick her “retirement” date from Cabinet and the assurance that she can remain as Wanita chief.

So today she was feted by her wing, the same wing which was clueless and probably thought that the NFC meant the National Feeding Committee when Shahrizat made light of the scandal at the Umno general assembly. Continue reading “Teflon Umno”

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Similar Scandals, Different Treatment

By M. Bakri Musa

To assert that the Malaysian mass media is nothing more than propaganda arm of the ruling Barisan coalition is no revelation. The personnel in the mainstream dailies, the national news agency Bernama, and the government broadcasting channel RTM are less journalists and editors, more political hacks and spinmeisters. They are, to borrow National Laureate Samad Ismail’s word, the carma (contraction for cari makan, seeking a livelihood) variety.

Less appreciated is the fact that they are hired hands not of the Barisan government but of whatever faction in it that is currently dominant, or trying to be so. Thus one can surmise the tensions and the dynamics of the current swing of the political pendulum within Barisan, specifically UMNO, from perusing the headlines. Perusing is exactly the right word, for there is nothing much worth reading in those dailies.

Consider the contrasting treatment in the mainstream media of the two currently unfolding financial scandals. The first is the National Feedlot Corporation mess (“cow-gate”) that is now ensnaring the husband and family of Women’s Minister Shahrizat Jalil; it had also led to her resignation from her cabinet post. The other is the nearly half-a-million ringgit engagement party for Prime Minister Najib Razak’s daughter and an equally expensive birthday bash for himself that he allegedly tried to on to Treasury, and thus the taxpayers.
Continue reading “Similar Scandals, Different Treatment”

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Shahrizat’s departure: What sacrifice?

Yap Mun Ching | Mar 14, 2012
Malaysiakini

The announced departure of Women and Family Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil could not have come a moment too soon given the depth and breadth of the Cowgate scandal which has now festered for months.

It brings relief to many who have deplored the slow reaction of enforcement authorities in acting decisively to address the unfolding mess which has focused international spotlight on gross corruption in Malaysia.

In commenting on Shahrizat’s ‘resignation’, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak disappointingly described the action as one of sacrifice in the interest of the government and the party.

Najib had justified his statement on grounds that there is “no proof so far that she had committed any offence in terms of law”.

In the light of the statement by National Feedlot Corporation CEO Wan Shahinur Izmir Salleh, Shahrizat’s son, admitting that the company had used funds meant for the development of a cattle business to purchase luxury condominiums, the prime minister, it would seem, has overstepped his attempts at neutrality.

If Shahrizat sacrificed for anything at all, it would be to raise some pertinent questions about the state of governance in Malaysia. Continue reading “Shahrizat’s departure: What sacrifice?”

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Why women are marching on March 18

— Ivy Josiah
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 17, 2012

MARCH 17 — Tomorrow, a coalition of organisations called Wanita Suara Perubahan will gather at the Padang Astaka in Petaling Jaya. The staff, members and volunteers of the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) will also be marching proudly as part of Wanita Suara Perubahan with thousands of women from all over Malaysia demanding a clean government.

We will all be wearing white gloves. The gloves represent clean hands and symbolise clean government and as the country prepares for next general election, we want our elected representatives to commit to ensuring a clean government for Malaysia.

We want our political leaders to accept and realise the demands of women, which include: a government free from corruption, the introduction of a decent living wage, a better quality of life, an end to gender-based violence, the repeal of laws that restrict public assemblies and the establishment of free and fair elections.

Our demand for a corruption-free and accountable government is critical, as women are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of corruption, racism, exploitation, divisive politics and a curtailment of civil liberties. Millions of ringgit have been misspent that should have been used to ensure adequate housing, health, transportation, education, living wages and environmental protection. Women suffer the consequences of unjust laws as well as poor enforcement of laws relating to personal safety and gender-based violence. Continue reading “Why women are marching on March 18”

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Ex-cop says tribunal probe will implicate A-G, Musa in ‘black eye’ case

by Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 16, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — A former senior policeman wants Datuk Seri Najib Razak to set up a tribunal to investigate Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and Tan Sri Musa Hassan, saying that this would find the duo guilty of fabricating evidence in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s “black eye” incident.

Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, who was the investigating officer in the “black eye” case, claimed today that both men were never investigated for “evidence fabrication” and had only been cleared of “abuse of power” allegations.

He claimed this could be a “new lead” that would warrant the formation of the tribunal.

The former KL CID chief said only a tribunal endorsed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong could conduct a probe on Abdul Gani as the latter is currently the Attorney-General. Musa is a former Inspector-General of Police.

But Mat Zain predicted Najib’s refusal to heed his request, pointing out that Abdul Gani and Musa’s conviction would prove that Anwar had been victimised during the 13-year-old case. Continue reading “Ex-cop says tribunal probe will implicate A-G, Musa in ‘black eye’ case”

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Don’t cry for me Argentina: Shahrizat resigns!

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 15, 2012

MARCH 15 — The other night as I was surfing the Astro channels, I came upon an interview with a crying woman. She was crying because Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had announced she would resign her Cabinet post. The poor crying woman was also saying — if Shahrizat resigns, then Nik Aziz must also resign. I suppose she was alluding to the case involving Nik Aziz’s son in law. The SIL was cleared.

The woman need not worry. If it’s a case involving opposition politicians and those related to them in question, the government machinery will leave no stones unturned to get to the bottom of the case.

Let me share with you the thoughts of a frequent visitor to my blog. This person shows he is a concerned Malaysian, mindful of the future of our country. He comments under the penname of OneMalaysian. Continue reading “Don’t cry for me Argentina: Shahrizat resigns!”

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Not sub judice to discuss NFC in Parliament, court ruling shows

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 14, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — The Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s reliance on the rule of sub judice to shut down discussion of the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal in Parliament is flawed, a recent court decision shows.

The High Court, in a contempt suit filed by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (SYABAS) against a Selangor government lawyer and PAS organ Harakah last year, had held that the courts must be cautious in applying the sub judice law and must also take into consideration constitutional provisions on the freedom of speech.

According to the judgment sighted by The Malaysian Insider today, Justice Ariff Yusof, when rejecting the application, had stressed that the common law rule on sub judice must be moulded “in the light of fundamental liberties provisions”.

“The court cannot believe the sensitivities of the average Malaysian can be so different so as to incline the court to adopt a completely different juristic approach which relegates freedom of expression below the sub judice rule,” he had said. Continue reading “Not sub judice to discuss NFC in Parliament, court ruling shows”

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Was Shahrizat’s act really a sacrifice?

by Kee Thuan Chye
March 14, 2012

Shahrizat did not ‘resign’. She knew the time was up, and perhaps the game too.

Let’s get this right. Shahrizat Abdul Jalil did not, in the strict sense of the word, resign. She merely chose to relinquish her position as Women, Family and Community Development Minister just a little ahead of April 8, when her senatorship would expire.

And her guess was probably as good as many people’s that her senatorship would not be extended, given that she’s now a liability to her party, Umno.

Ever since the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) scandal broke out, she has been hounded for the fact that the company belongs to her family. Despite her claims that she had nothing to do with how the NFCorp got a RM250 million soft loan from the government while she was a member of the Cabinet, few people actually believe her.

So, if her senatorship were to be extended, Umno’s chances at the coming general election would have been severely impaired.

So no, she did not ‘resign’. She knew the time was up, and perhaps the game too. Continue reading “Was Shahrizat’s act really a sacrifice?”

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Will the charge against NFC boss be an escapade for BN?

— Kim Quek
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 14, 2012

MARCH 14 — It appears that the charge of NFC chairman Mohamed Salleh Ismail in court is a tactical move to get away from the scorching NFC scandal – the same way Barisan Nasional has got away with the RM12.5 billion PKFZ ghost town scandal and the Khir Toyo corruption scandal.

This move is known as the “decoy and silence” tactic, which has been BN’s time-tested strategy to slip away from a high corruption scandal entrapment. It is simply to initiate a peripheral charge to divert attention from the real issue and use the court action as shield to fence-off further attacks on ground of “sub judice”.

This is vividly illustrated in Parliament on March 13, a day after Mohamed Salleh was charged, when Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia absurdly cited the current court case as reason to reject an emergency motion on the NFC project debacle tabled by MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, despite the latter explaining that her issue was with the ministries which approved the project, and not with Mohamed Salleh’s misconduct, which is the subject matter of the current court case.

And on the same day, Agriculture Minister Noh Omar, under whose jurisdiction the NFC project falls, deflected all questions on the scandal on the equally ridiculous suggestion of sub judice; while Barisan Nasional MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan falsely claimed that the court is now the best platform to thrash out the issues, adding that the party that should answer questions is NFC, and not the ministries.

Apparently, BN hopes that with Mohamed Salleh in the dock, the BN government would be left in peace. Continue reading “Will the charge against NFC boss be an escapade for BN?”

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RM500 buys…

— Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 13, 2012

MARCH 13 — It is not surprising that PM Najib Razak says that the government will give cash to Malaysians if revenue goes up. He has found out that his disbursement of RM500 has been a success. Nothing it seems keeps Malaysians happy than some lucre in the pocket.

Najib knows this and if it means emptying the coffers to win the election he will do it. The PM a great believer in deal-making knows that RM500 will…

•persuade many Malaysians to have amnesia and forget the catalogue of flip-flops and mistakes from Najib who has inherited mantle of flip-flop king from Abdullah Badawi.

•make Malaysians forget about the string of corruption issues and dodgy deals from the development of land near Martrade (Naza TTDI) to the rm9 billion patrol boats to the super sweetheart West Coast Highway deal (60 year toll concession) to the RM2.2 billion Kidex highway. Continue reading “RM500 buys…”

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The say sorry game

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 13, 2012

MARCH 13 — Malaysians are learning a new political game- The Apology Game. The apologiser- in- chief is of course Najib Razak. He has said sorry for those undefined Umno wrongs. Maybe he is sorry he couldn’t plug the gaping hole that allowed RM 1.3 trillion to leave the country. Crooks associated with Umno embezzled money belonging to this country. Its financial mayhem. Saying sorry is sufficient.

Sources of regret

Maybe he is also sorry for the endless list of financial scandals that were caused by Umno. He is sorry for dismembering up the iconic MAS. He is sorry, for destroying the future of Felda. 5 years from now, when Felda doesn’t have the funds to manage and operate the 112,000 settlers in the Felda schemes, the government steps in making up for the loss in revenue. What was the cause of the loss in revenue in the first place?

The ravenous appetite of Umno politician businessmen. Continue reading “The say sorry game”