Category: Corruption

By Céline Boileau | June 1, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Businessman Lodin Wok Kamaruddin has recently been cited by WikiLeaks as one of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s close friends.

What WikiLeaks didn’t reveal is that Lodin Wok was also one of the directors of Perimekar Sdn Bhd until last year.

Last year too, the company registered huge losses.

Perimekar had acted as the go-between for the procurement of two French-made submarines by the Malaysian Defence Ministry. In the process, the company made RM534.8 million in commission.
Continue reading “Perimekar: Chronicle of a death foretold?”

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
May 29, 2011

29 MEI — Ramai juga yang tidak selesa dengan komen saya dalam banyak isu yang berkaitan dengan ‘intution’ saya yang tidak begitu sedap dalam menghadapi pilihanraya yang akan datang. Kadangkala saya berfikir juga kenapa saya perlu sibuk untuk menulis tentang isu-isu itu kerana ianya hanya memungkinkan saya di rembat dengan hebatnya oleh pihak yang tidak gemar dengan pandangan saya.

Kadangkala ada juga penyesalan kerana saya terlibat mengambil tahu tentang politik ini. Walaupun tidak bergiat secara fisikal lagi benak saya tetap berfikir tentang politik ini. Saya tetap juga memberikan pandangan secara terbuka kerana saya tidak pernah berusaha untuk menaiki tangga kejayaan politik dan saya tidak pernah menyesal dengan keadaan itu.

Oleh itu saya tetap dengan pendirian untuk bercakap dan menulis ketika ada ruang untuk berbuat demikian kerana saya tidak dapat mengelak dari melihat dan mendengar apa yang berlaku di sekeliling saya. Saya bukan seorang ‘social climber’ dan apa yang saya perkatakan itu adalah pemikiran yang sejati tanpa dikotori oleh kepentingan peribadi. Justru saya tidak ada perasaan gentar dan takut untuk memberikan buah fikiran dan pandangan saya secara terbuka. Continue reading “Kalau ada ‘fulus’ apa pun boleh lulus”

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

TBH RCI – What game MACC up2 demanding special treatment in not meeting yesterday’s RCI deadline 4submissions – while complied by others?

Bar Council justified complaint working “round the clock” 2comply with RCI deadline 4submissions – Y MACC exception w Friday extension?

Question Grave Public Importance:Y MACC need more time than others 2submit what happened 2TeohBengHock dat fateful day @MACC Shah Alam hqrs?

Fully endorse PAS ShahAlam MP KhalidSamad query whether there is any MACC cover-up http://bit.ly/kloK8j MP questions silence on Sarbani case

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

RCI TBH: Who in MACC responsible 4″black blog” 2accuse DAP of murder of TeohBengHock 2distract public attention of real cause of TBH death?

Evident “black blog” MACC handiwork. Not difficult 2zero in on culprits as MACC documents leaked in “black blog”. Will RCI re-open hearing?

Will MACC Chief AbuKassim (named 1 of 100 influential ppl in business ethics 4 2010 by Ethisphere Institute) apply 2RCI re-open hearing?
Continue reading “10 Days in May (28)”

The “10 Days in May (23)” tweets yesterday resulted in a tweet exchange (reproduced below) with BN MP for Kota Belud Abdul Rahman Dahlan on assistant customs director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, the second case of MACC death:

mpkotabelud Abdul Rahman Dahlan
What abt it? u wanna politicise it just like u did to TBH? RT @limkitsiang: MACC…What abt Sarbani’s death?
21 May

limkitsiang Lim Kit Siang
Y now MACC spokesman 2defame Sarbani? Met Sarbani’s family? @mpkotabelud Sarbini came on his own to MACC office that morning. Uninvited. .
23 hours ago

mpkotabelud Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Who said he jumped? There is a plausible 3rd version circumstance. U don’t speculate! RT @limkitsiang: U believe Sarbani jumped?
23 hours ago

mpkotabelud Abdul Rahman Dahlan Defame?
R u still on drips? 3rd plausible circumstance. R we to take ur words hook, line &sinker? RT@limkitsiang: 2defame Sarbani?
23 hours ago

limkitsiang Lim Kit Siang
@mpkotabelud YB Don’t be MACC stooge. Read – http://bit.ly/kCXkJs Sarbaini did not kill himself, says family (TMI)
23 hours ago Continue reading “10 Days in May (26) – Tweet exchange on Sarbani, 2nd MACC death”

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

TBH RCI-Open apology 4twin death TeohBengHck Sarbani prerequsite 4MACC 2regain public confidence in its indpndence integrity professionalism

This also serves as response @mpkotabelud Msia needs politics of engagement not guerilla. Let’s work together 2make SPRM more effective!

Support politics of engagement 2make Msia better country everybody proud 2call home. Thats Y I had given full support 2MACC replacing ACA

MACC got more staff budget powers than ACA. But what did it do? Became BN catspaw 2serve BN agenda declaring war agnst PR caused TBH’s death

Let MACC declare what is its brief 2Shafie @TBH RCI? 2assist RCI 2findout truth of TBH death or 2protect MACC w red herrings/MACC cover-ups?

Will Shafie support TBH RCI re-open inquiry 2findout MACC officer behind “black blog” 2accuse DAP of murder of TBH 2distract attn from MACC? Continue reading “10 Days in May (25)”

Malaysiakini
May 22, 11

‘This illegal leakage is costing the nation to bleed, thus the reason behind the need to cut subsidies for the rakyat.’

Idris presses his case on cutting subsidies

Patriot: Subsidy cuts could be kept to a minimum so as to not burden the poor people struggling hard to earn a living to take care of their numerous domestic and external expenditures if there is proper and prudent governance and the elimination of servicing the cronies’ insatiable monetary wants.

What is being very prominently reported is the increase in government expenses on subsidies would be insurmountable based on current global trends and escalations.

However, the government never informs us how much could be saved if funds are properly utilised that could be ultimately channeled into covering some of the increases in the prices of commodities and foodstuff in order not to burden the poor. Continue reading “Slash graft before cutting subsidies”

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

TBH RCI shld re-open public hearing 2probe MACC cover-up conspiracy on TeohBengHock’s death rt from beginning – inc MACC record inquest/RCI

Especially RCI shd probe whether MACC involved in “black blog” http://bit.ly/1b8mDc appeared 1wk after TBH death 2throw off attn to its role

Claiming 2b “Truth 4TeohBengHock”, “black blog” blamed DAP 4murder of TBH. “Black blog” mastermind admit TBH murdered. Who murdered TBH?

How cld documents only in MACC hands appear in “black blog” if MACC not implicated? Lies agnst DAP leaders in “black blog”. Y n what motive?

Major RCI omission if “black blog”/MACC’s role not publicly probed. TBH death destroyed Najib’s 1st 100 Days as PM. RCI credibility @ stake. Continue reading “10 Days in May (23)”

The Malaysian Insider
May 18, 2011

MAY 18 — Datuk Seri Shafee Abdullah is right that that the public should focus on Teoh Beng Hock’s death but wrong to say that the blunders of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should not be in the picture.

That is part of the task given to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating the cause and circumstances of the suspicious death of the Selangor political aide. But it is also performing its original mandate of reviewing the propriety of MACC’s interrogation methods and procedures.

Of course we want to know what happened to Teoh on the morning of July 16, 2009 but a critical element to reaching any finding will be the surrounding circumstances of the case and the behaviour of the MACC.
Continue reading “Teoh’s death IS about the MACC”

Tweets @limkitsiang:-

Utterly incensed by Shafie’s outrageous defence MACC re TeohBengHock death – “Focus on Teoh death, not MACC clangers” http://bit.ly/loWqsV

Is Shafie attorney for 29mil Msians or 4MACC? Is he attorney 4justice/truth? Y ignore MACC blunders which can b telltale signs of crime?

Shafie said “hallmark question” whthr TBH’s death is suicide or not.What abt “hallmark Q” TBH was murdered or not? Y did Shafie rule it out?

RCI misused by MACC 2exculpate MACC, incriminate DAP or contend TBH suicide.Who gave orders 2MACC 2gun 4Sgor PR govt result in TBH death? Continue reading “10 days in May (16)”

13 May 2011 | BBC

The wife of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been detained for 15 days pending further investigations into corruption allegations.

The 70-year-old was later moved to an intensive care unit in Sharm el-Sheikh hospital after suffering what officials said was a suspected heart attack.

Mr Mubarak stepped down in February after weeks of protests.

He and Mrs Mubarak have been questioned over allegations of “illegal acquisition of wealth”.

Mr Mubarak, who held power for 30 years, is currently receiving treatment Sharm el-Sheikh hospital while under arrest.

Mohammed Fathallah, the head of the hospital, said Mrs Mubarak had suffered a “suspected heart attack and a sharp increase in blood pressure” after she was told she would be detained. He added she would be kept in the intensive care unit, under observation, for 24 hours. Continue reading “Egypt: Suzanne Mubarak detained in corruption probe”

Sarawak Report | May 12th, 2011

In a fullsome letter to the Swiss-based NGO, the Bruno Manser Foundation, the President of the Swiss Federation Micheline Calmy-Rey has revealed that she has forwarded information about Taib Mahmud’s assets in Switzerland to the regulatory body FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation.

Calmy-Rey (pictured left at the Davos World Economic Forum, which is hosted annually in Switzerland) is the country’s Head of State.

The letter, sent on April 8th, is revealingly entitled: “Freezing of possible assets of Abdul Taib Mahmud, head of government of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, in Switzerland”.

In the letter the Swiss President makes clear that the country’s authorities take extremely seriously the concerns that have been raised internationally about Taib’s profiteering from timber corruption and are unhappy that such assets may have been invested in Switzerland.
Continue reading “Swiss President Orders an Investigation into Taib’s Assets! – Exclusive”

Susan Loone | May 10, 11
Malaysiakini

The Penang government’s probe into a controversial land deal has revealed irregularities committed by the previous state government executive council, which cost Penangites RM40 million in legal suits and compensation payment.

In a White Paper tabled in the state legislative assembly today, the select committee behind the probe, headed by Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, revealed that the previous state exco did not obtain the necessary land approvals from five related government departments.

Despite not obtaining the approvals, the BN exco allowed the application for a 4.2-hectare plot of land by businessman Tan Hak Ju.

“(Approval by the state exco) without proper documentation is a very irresponsible act,” Ramasamy said when tabling the White Paper. Continue reading “Report reveals BN exco’s errors in land deal”

S Pathmawathy
Malaysiakini
May 10, 11

Teoh Beng Hock had killed himself… things are likely to have occurred both to undermine his psychological stability and to frighten him literally to death, opined a forensic psychiatrist today.

According to a report by Dr Paul E Mullen, which was submitted to the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh’s death, the deceased was classified to be in the “low risk group”.

Mullen, a professor of forensic psychiatry at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, was engaged by the Bar Council to determine Teoh’s personality and state of mind in order to assist the RCI resolving the circumstances surrounding and contributed to his death.

“Enquires made from those interviewed suggested that Teoh was a well-organised, tidy man with a tendency to be perfectionistic.

“No evidence was found, however, for dysfunctional obsessional traits or unusual rigidity.

“In my opinion, what we learned of Teoh’s personality and behaviour do not suggest any increased risk of suicide.

“In brief, it is my opinion that Teoh Beng Hock was firmly in the lowest risk group for suicide when he was taken into MACC custody,” stated Mullen. Continue reading “Psychiatrist: Teoh is in low risk of suicide group”

By Boo Su-Lyn
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Teoh Beng Hock was in the lowest risk group for suicide when he entered the custody of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), a forensic psychiatrist said in his report to a royal panel investigating the DAP political aide’s death today.

Dr Paul Mullen also said in his report to the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh’s death that there was no reason for Teoh to conclude that he had shamed himself or betrayed his colleagues when he was questioned by the MACC.

“In brief, it is my opinion that Teoh Beng Hock was firmly in the lowest risk group for suicide when he was taken into MACC custody,” said Dr Mullen in his report, which was provided to the press today.

“His statement (to the MACC)… does not seem to clearly implicate him, or anyone else, in offences… this is not a context which, in my experience, leads to suicide in custody… there is nothing of which I have been made aware to explain panic and distress sufficient to drive him to conclude his honour had been irreparably tarnished,” added the Australian doctor. Continue reading “Beng Hock not suicidal, psychiatrist tells RCI”

By Tony Pua
May 08, 2011

I had taken the opportunity to read every word in the advertorial placed by Pemandu to explain and justify the “1 Malaysia Email Project” controversy across all major newspapers and even news portals yesterday.

I also read with interest the repeated assertions with regards to “misrepresentations spewed by the vocal minority”. Datuk Idris Jala had clarified that “the reason why Pemandu is clarifying this situation is to make sure that the general public is not misinformed by people who distort the truth” and that “Pemandu believes in integrity and transparency.”

I am not sure if I’m included in this exclusive circle of “vocal minority” who is “bent on distorting the truth”, and I shall not be so bold as to think that the criticisms are directed at me. However, after reading the “comprehensive” reply, I’m felt compelled to compile my own list of “frequently asked questions” (FAQs) on “truths and lies about MyEmail”
Continue reading “1 Malaysia Email Advertorial: Truth or Lies?”

By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 29, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — Lim Kit Siang accused Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek today of destroying the people’s hopes by dictating that they had no choice but to accept the status quo in the present administration under Barisan Nasional (BN).

This, said the DAP adviser, was reflected in Dr Chua’s recent reminder to the Chinese community that their hopes should be based on the political realities in Malaysia.

Lim insisted that the MCA president had missed the point when he challenged PKR to abolish Malay privileges, pointing out that the opposition had never argued over the special position of the Malays as enshrined under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

The point of contention, said Lim, was the BN government’s “blatant abuse” of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and refusal to implement needs-based affirmative action policies.

“His (Dr Chua’s) theatrics interest no one. Article 153 is not an article of controversy… it does not arise. The point of controversy is that the NEP must go.

“Dr Chua is just trying to create something out of nothing so that the people are distracted from the focal issues.

“Now that the people have some hope that for the first time, they have a proper alternative, he is trying to quash that hope,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider today. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Soi Lek killing the people’s hope for change”

In the past two days, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner had been bragging about the achievements of the MACC since its establishment on January 1, 2009.

On Wednesday, at the “Corruption Destroyer of Civilisations” forum in Shah Alam, he claimed that MACC investigations are above board and that it did not take sides where political parties were concerned when it came to corruption investigations.

He said: “For us, fighting corruption is in the interest of the people. Political affiliations are of no consequence.”

Abu Kassim can tell it to the marines!

Yesterday, when presenting the MACC 2010 Annual Report, Abu Kassim was preening for praise when he rattled out the MACC’s “achievements” – 944 people arrested and 381 charged last year with a 119% increase in success rate in securing conviction as compared to 2009, when MACC made only 500 arrests and 174 cases brought to court.
Continue reading “Nothing for Abu Kassim to gloat about as public stocks of two-year-old MACC lower than ever plumbed by its predecessor ACA in 41 years”

By Lee Way Loon | Malaysiakini

Watchdog Sibu Election Watch (SEW) has refuted SUPP’s claim that the party had only been paying wages to Ibans who had gathered in front of its Sibu office on Monday.

SEW reiterated that their allegation of vote-buying against SUPP was based on what they saw and their interviews with more than 10 individuals at the scene.

Group coordinator Boney Wong who had conducted the probe with another colleague, told Malaysiakini that they had visited the site and interviewed the group before issuing a press statement on the incident.

She said the interviewees never mentioned they were there to collect wages from SUPP, or that they had worked for the party during the election campaign.

“What they told us was that they got (an upfront payment of) RM100 before voting day and that, if the BN candidate won, they would each be paid another RM400.
Continue reading “Polls watchdog reiterates S’wak vote-buying claim”

Malaysiakini
Apr 26, 11

More than 100 Ibans stormed the Sibu headquarters of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) yesterday, demanding the balance of RM400 a person as their reward promised for backing a party candidate who won in the recent state election, an election watchdog has revealed.

Sibu Election Watch (SEW) in a press statement released in the Sarawak town late yesterday evening said the Ibans were upset that they did not get the “balance”, despite being promised by SUPP election agents as well as the tuai rumah (longhouse headman) before polling day.

The incident was first reported by the web portal Sarawak Indigenous Community News and tweeted by DAP Sarawak chairman and Bukit Assek assemblyperson Wong Ho Leng (left), who was present at the site yesterday.

Soon after the news broke out, SEW sent two representatives to the Sibu SUPP headquarters to check out the situation.

Its probe, SEW said, showed that the Ibans were promised an upfront payment of RM100 before voting day on April 16 and if the SUPP candidate won, they would each be paid another RM400 after the election.

SEW said its representatives have witnessed Ibans from at least two longhouses being paid the “balance” of RM400 each.

The election watch said the Ibans were from Rumah Chandi, Rumah Pasang and Rumah Ujang. Continue reading “Ibans storm SUPP office asking ‘election reward’”