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Boycott of Minister’s Question Time (MQT) debut in protest against Parliamentary charade pretending Malaysia’s international infamy for being “global kleptocracy” does not exist

Today is supposed to be a historic day for the Malaysian Parliament with the debut of the half-hour Minister’s Question Time (MQT), touted as the most significant of the Speaker’s parliamentary reforms.

I have however boycotted the debut of the MQT in protest against the parliamentary charade pretending that Malaysia’s infamy for being a “global kleptocracy” does not exist.

I had submitted a question for the MQT debut today to ask the Prime Minister what action the government was taking to cleanse and purge the national infamy of being regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy”.

This question was rejected by the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia for today’s MQT.

After the Speaker’s ruling yesterday barring all questions on the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit filed on July 20 seeking forfeiture of US$1billion 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland from over US$3 billion international embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds on the ground that it is “sub judice”, the rejection of my question for the MQT would appear to be part of a blatant and unashamed attempt to censor and outlaw all debate, discussion or question not only about the DOJ action but anything concerning 1MDB and Malaysia’s infamous and iniquitous appellation as a “global kleptocracy” in the Malaysian Parliament.

I fully agree with former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Hishammuddin Mohd Yunus who asked what “sub judice” was the Speaker talking about, as Ministers should not be “barred” from answering questions in Parliament on the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) civil suit involving the alleged misappropriation of 1MDB funds for the reason of sub judice. Continue reading “Boycott of Minister’s Question Time (MQT) debut in protest against Parliamentary charade pretending Malaysia’s international infamy for being “global kleptocracy” does not exist”

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History will not look kindly at 13th Parliament as it pretends that the 1MDB financial scandal and infamy of Malaysia as “global kleptocracy” are no issues at all!

History will not look kindly at 13th Parliament as it pretends that the 1MDB financial scandal and infamy of Malaysia as “global kleptocracy” are no issues at all!

We must thank young creative architect Tey Tat Sing for sharing with us his vision of transforming our present living surroundings into a more humane, connected, integrated and holistic living spaces with a “soul”.

I particularly appreciate Tat Sing’s reimagination as I find the very unconventional décor of the Library for Social Democracy very soothing to the nerves and the soul, especially after a very stressful, disconnected and dehumanizing day – attending the first day of the 2017 Budget Parliament and at the end of it, being caught in more than an hour of a totally no-reason traffic jam in Kuala Lumpur, where traffic lights at intersections changed from red to green for close to ten times, but no traffic moved!

I thank REFSA (Research for Social Advancement) Chairman Liew Chin Tong for inviting to launch this Library for Social Democracy.

I am reminded of the great libraries during the golden age of Islamic civilization in the ninth through thirteenth centuries which mark an era of scientific, religious, philosophical and cultural development the scale and depth of which had never been in world history before or since.

There was Abbasids’ House of Wisdom in Baghdad which was at once a university, library, translation institute and research lab, all on one campus.

Baghdad had reached its highest reputation and glorious status during the reigns of the Caliphs Al-Rasheed, Al-Ma’moun, Al-Mu’tadhid and Al-Muktafi.

It was the centre for Islamic (if not the world) culture and civilisation, as well as the headquarters for the Arts, Sciences and Letters. It was crowded with Scientists, Physicians, philosophers, Mathematicians, Astronomers, Men of Letters, Poets, Writers, Translators, Scribes, and Professionals in the various arts and crafts.

Baghdad’s House of Wisdom met its sad, tragic and brutal end in 1,258 with the Mongol invasion of Baghdad and the killing of the last Abbasid Caliph, the slaughter of the Caliph’s entire family and relatives, as well as those in the Caliphate Court – marking the end of the Abbasid Caliphate.

The magnificent collection of books and manuscripts of the House of Wisdom was thrown into the muddy waters of the River Tigris whose brown colour turned black for days as a result of the washing away of the ink used in the writing of these books and manuscripts. Continue reading “History will not look kindly at 13th Parliament as it pretends that the 1MDB financial scandal and infamy of Malaysia as “global kleptocracy” are no issues at all!”

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World’s largest gathering of blind and mute MPs on Monday – when Malaysian Parliament reconvenes pretending the 1MDB financial scandal and infamy of Malaysia as “global kleptocracy” do not exist

The world’s largest gathering of blind and mute Members of Parliament will meet on Monday when the Malaysian Parliament reconvenes with the Barisan Nasional MPs, with the exception of former Finance Minister, Datuk Husni Hanazlah, pretending that the 1MDB global financial scandal and the infamy of Malaysia as “global kleptocracy” do not exist.

All patriotic Malaysians who love the country deeply and passionately must feel ashamed and outraged that since the May meeting of Parliament some five months ago, Malaysia has acquired the international infamy being a “global kleptocracy”, especially after the July 20 lawsuit initiated by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to forfeit over US$1 billion of 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland from over US$3 billion international embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds and the recent actions by the Swiss and Singapore financial regulatory authorities to either close down banks or institute criminal proceedings in connection with 1MDB money-laundering crimes.

The 1MDB global scandal and the infamy of Malaysia becoming a “global kleptocracy” should be the first item of parliamentary business when Parliament reconvenes on Monday, but from the Parliamentary Order Paper, it is clear that these two issues are totally absent from the radar of the Malaysian Government and Parliament.

One can in fact use the 1MDB and Malaysia’s infamy as “global kleptocracy” as a yardstick to judge whether a Minister or a Member of Parliament is a Malaysian patriot and nationalist, as no Malaysian can claim to be a patriot, nationalist or love Malaysia if he or she is not ashamed and outraged by the disgraceful appellation of Malaysia as a “global kleptocracy”, as if Malaysians are happy to be ruled by PPP – Pencuri, Perompak dan Penyamun.

It is to the eternal shame of the Malaysian Parliament that no oral question on the 1MDB global financial scandal is slated to be answered in the 90 minute of question time on the first day of Parliament on Monday – although there are seven out of the 56 oral questions listed for Monday’s Question Time, but they are placed so behind the queue that they will not be answered at all. Continue reading “World’s largest gathering of blind and mute MPs on Monday – when Malaysian Parliament reconvenes pretending the 1MDB financial scandal and infamy of Malaysia as “global kleptocracy” do not exist”

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Singapore Mustn’t Spare the Rod

By Andy Mukherjee
Bloomberg
Oct 12, 2016

A slap on the wrist of a licensed, regulated intermediary must satisfy three conditions. One, the errant party must feel remorse before relief. Two, all other players ought to be put on notice. Three, society should feel avenged on behalf of its often faceless victims.

The punishment meted out by Singapore to banks as part of its ongoing investigation into the 1MDB scandal looks to have achieved little success in meeting the first aim. It has done better in hitting the second goal, but largely missed the third.

Start with the first objective. A S$1 million ($725,000) fine on homegrown DBS and a S$1.3 million penalty on UBS elicited just the kind of contrition one can expect from organizations brimming with talented public relations professionals. UBS said it was “disappointed” it didn’t do more to detect and report suspicious transactions earlier; DBS said it should have taken more “rigorous action.” Both have promised to go after miscreant bankers, and forgo profit from their lapses. UBS would support industry-wide anti-money-laundering initiatives, while DBS would donate to a worthy cause.

These are all fine words, but peering through them is a palpable sense of relief. While nobody quite expected pragmatic Singapore to score an own goal by aggressively punishing shareholders of lending institutions for egregious behavior by their executives, the fines appear way too small in a city where being in possession of chips outside of a casino attracts a S$150,000 penalty. Continue reading “Singapore Mustn’t Spare the Rod”

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Malaysian Fund 1MDB Linked to White House Visit

By BRADLEY HOPE and COLLEEN MCCAIN NELSON
Wall Street Journal
Oct. 13, 2016

Investigators look into whether money embezzled from the fund paid for lobbying seeking closer U.S.-Malaysian relations

WASHINGTON — Malaysia’s government-fund scandal, one of the world’s biggest alleged white-collar crimes, has been connected to a Hollywood studio, high-end U.S. real estate — and now, a visit to the White House.

Federal investigators are looking into whether money improperly obtained from the Malaysian fund was paid to a businessman who later arranged an Oval Office visit for relatives of the Malaysian prime minister, according to people familiar with the probe.

The businessman is Frank White Jr., an entrepreneur who helped start an investment firm called DuSable Capital Management LLC, along with partners including a rap star. Mr. White has also raised funds for President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Investigators believe about $10 million allegedly embezzled from 1Malaysia Development Bhd., known as 1MDB, flowed indirectly to Mr. White in a business deal, said people familiar with the probe.

Additionally, 1MDB paid $69 million to buy a DuSable unit out of a deal they had agreed on to build solar-power plants, the firms said last year. Continue reading “Malaysian Fund 1MDB Linked to White House Visit”

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Former Finance Minister Husni Hanadzlah is the only BN MP who had put in a parliamentary question out of the 1,800 oral and written questions in the 25-day budget meeting on the 1MDB scandal

I had several shocks when going through the Parliamentary Order Paper for the 25-day budget meeting of Parliament from Oct. 17 to 24th November.

One is that PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill motion is item No. 4, which means that after the Youth and Sports Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin’s motion to congratulate the Malaysian Olympians and Para-Olympians for their sterling performances in the two recent world sporting events; the Advocates (Sabah) (Amendment) Bill 2016 and a Treasury motion to convert a RM500 million loan to Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank) to equity, Hadi’s private member’s motion may come up for debate and voting on Tuesday, or even on Monday!

This will lead to be tectonic shift of the fundamental basis and principles of the Merdeka Constitution 1957 and the Malaysia Agreement 1963, with far-reaching consequences not only the nation-building process but to the very survival and integrity of the Malaysian federation since 1963.

Another surprise and shock is the lowly and irrelevant position given to the one issue which had made Malaysia infamous internationally – the 1MDB global financial scandal which had catapulted the nation into world rank of a “global kleptocracy”.

The 1MDB global scandal should the first item of parliamentary business when Members of Parliament reconvened on Monday 17th October, after a break of five long months, when the country’s reputation was battered all over the world in a tide of negative and adverse international developments about the 1MDB scandal, the worst being the July 20 lawsuit initiated by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to forfeit over US$1 billion of 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland from over US$3 billion international embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds as well as the crackdowns by the Singapore and Swiss financial regulatory authorities.

But from the Order Paper for the forthcoming 25-day meeting of Parliament, it would appear that the 1MDB global scandal is not a major concern or worry for Malaysia at all – and totally absent from the radar of the Malaysian Government.

No Malaysian can claim to be a patriot or love Malaysia if he or she is not ashamed and outraged by the disgraceful appellation of Malaysia as a “global kleptocracy” – as if Malaysians are happy to be ruled by thieves and robbers.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that no Malaysian is fit to be a Member of Parliament or Minister in the country if he or she is not ashamed and outraged by appellation of Malaysia as as a “global kleptocracy”. Continue reading “Former Finance Minister Husni Hanadzlah is the only BN MP who had put in a parliamentary question out of the 1,800 oral and written questions in the 25-day budget meeting on the 1MDB scandal”

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Will there be a tectonic shift of the fundamental basis of the Merdeka Constitution 1957 and Malaysia Agreement 1963 next week in Parliament if Hadi’s private member’s bill is passed?

I visited Parliament to collect the Parliamentary Order Paper for the 25-day budget meeting of Parliament from Oct. 17 to 24th November, and I find the parliamentary business planned most surprising and even shocking.

Firstly, will there be a tectonic shift of the fundamental basis of the Merdeka Constitution 1957 and Malaysia Agreement 1963 next week in Parliament if the PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill is passed?

Hadi’s private member’s is slated as the fourth item of parliamentary business after a motion by the Youth and Sports Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin to congratulate the Malaysian Olympians and Para-Olympians for their sterling performances in the two recent world sporting events; the Advocates (Sabah) (Amendment) Bill 2016 and a Treasury motion to convert a RM500 million loan to Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank) to equity.

Under the circumstances, the possibility that Hadi’s private member’s bill motion will come up for debate and voting either on Tuesday, or even on Monday, cannot be ruled out. Continue reading “Will there be a tectonic shift of the fundamental basis of the Merdeka Constitution 1957 and Malaysia Agreement 1963 next week in Parliament if Hadi’s private member’s bill is passed?”

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QuickTake Q&A: Malaysia’s 1MDB Fund Spawns Worldwide Probes

by Shamim Adam and Laurence Arnold
Bloomberg
October 11, 2016

Malaysia’s state-owned investment fund, 1MDB, was supposed to attract foreign investment. Instead, it has spurred criminal and regulatory investigations around the world that have cast an unflattering spotlight on financial deal-making, election spending and political patronage under Prime Minister Najib Razak. A Malaysian parliamentary committee identified at least $4.2 billion in irregular transactions. Singapore on Oct. 11 announced it will revoke the local license for a second bank for breaches of anti-money laundering rules in relation to its 1MDB probe.

1. What is 1MDB?

It’s a government investment company — full name, 1Malaysia Development Berhad — that took shape in 2009 under Najib, who went on to lead its advisory board. Its early initiatives included buying privately owned power plants and planning a new financial district in Kuala Lumpur. The fund proved better at borrowing — it accumulated $12 billion in debt — than at luring large-scale investment. Continue reading “QuickTake Q&A: Malaysia’s 1MDB Fund Spawns Worldwide Probes”

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Why is Attorney-General Apandi so worked up over Bilquis Hijjas’ innocuous yellow balloons but utterly numb and insensitive to Malaysia’s international infamy from the epithet of being a “global kleptocracy”?

A former top civil servant who had previously helmed a key ministry and subsequently several important strategic government agencies whom I met today lamented at the deplorable state of affairs in the country where the Attorney-General could be so worked up as to appeal against the acquittal of dancer Bilquis Hijjas for insulting behavior by dropping yellow balloons during an official event attended by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife in a mall last August, yet could be so numb and insensitive as to be completely unconcerned about the shame felt by Malaysians at the nation’s new infamy as a “global kleptocracy”.

What indeed has happened to Malaysia? Continue reading “Why is Attorney-General Apandi so worked up over Bilquis Hijjas’ innocuous yellow balloons but utterly numb and insensitive to Malaysia’s international infamy from the epithet of being a “global kleptocracy”?”

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Criminal Charges Filed Against Two Ex-Bankers in 1MDB Malaysia Fund Case

By SAURABH CHATURVEDI and JAKE MAXWELL WATTS
Wall Street Journal
Oct. 10, 2016

Charges include forgery and failing to report a suspicious transaction

SINGAPORE—Prosecutors charged two former private bankers Monday with forgery and other criminal charges in the latest legal salvo related to the alleged misappropriation of billions of dollars from Malaysian state development fund 1MDB.

Yak Yew Chee, 57 years old, and Yvonne Seah, 45, were charged in Singapore’s state courts with three counts each of forgery and four counts each of failing to report suspicious transactions between 2012 and 2014, during their employment by the Singapore branch of Swiss private bank BSI SA.

Mr. Yak was the relationship manager for accounts held at BSI by subsidiaries of 1MDB, according to investigators and people familiar with the bank’s operations. Ms. Seah, whose full Chinese name is Seah Yew Foong, was a senior private banker at the firm.

No pleas were entered. Both defendants were released on bail after the hearing and couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Continue reading “Criminal Charges Filed Against Two Ex-Bankers in 1MDB Malaysia Fund Case”

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Question on everyone’s lips after the Ops Water in Sabah is why there is no Ops 1MDB by the MACC when it is the 1MDB scandal which had catapulted Malaysia to the infamous ranks of a “global kleptocracy”

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was quite mischievous when he sent a message to the Gerakan annual general assembly asking Gerakan to have the courage of its convictions, knowing that Gerakan has neither.

This was illustrated in yesterday’s Gerakan annual general assembly, which caught headlines for a very Trumpish speech by one of the delegates, making headlines for its sexist and misogynist imagery.

But what transfixed Malaysians and on everyone’s lips in the past few days were never raised at the neither-courage-nor-conviction Gerakan general assembly – why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had no Ops 1MDB when it had an Ops Water in Sabah, which seized among other things, more than RM114 million in cash and accounts, 19.3 kg of gold jewellery worth about RM3.64 million, some 97 designer ladies handbags worth RM500,000, nine luxury vehicles and some 127 land titles from the Director and Deputy Director of Sabah Water Department for alleged abuse of power and corruption involving infrastructure projects worth RM3.3 billion.

The RM3.3 billion Ops Water scandal pale into insignificance when compared to the RM55 billion 1MDB scandal, and it is the latter which catapulted Malaysia into the infamous ranks of “global kleptocracy”, especially after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuits on July 20 on the forfeiture of over US$1billion of assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland from over US$3 billion embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds, and after several countries like Singapore and Switzerland had taken action against banks, financial institutions and their staff in their countries for being implicated in the international conspiracy on embezzlement and money-laundering of 1MDB funds.

More and more Malaysians have voiced their concern that the country is taking a wrong trajectory which is headed towards a failed state – a worry which was shared even by a leading Johoreian, former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam recently. Continue reading “Question on everyone’s lips after the Ops Water in Sabah is why there is no Ops 1MDB by the MACC when it is the 1MDB scandal which had catapulted Malaysia to the infamous ranks of a “global kleptocracy””

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MACC’s biggest anti-corruption “haul” in nation’s history unlikely to save Malaysia from continuing to slip down in TI CPI unless Malaysia is prepared to purge the newly acquired infamy of being an “global kleptocracy” as a result of 1MDB scandal

Congratulations are in order to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for the “biggest corruption bust ever” in the nation’s history with the success of its “Op Water” with the seizure of RM114million from the top two officials of the Sabah Water Department, including RM53.7mil in cold hard cash that took more than 30 officers 15 hours to count and frozen RM60 million in bank accounts, seized 19.3 kg of gold jewellery worth about RM3.64 million, some 97 designer ladies handbags worth RM500,000, nine luxury vehicles and some 127 land titles.

This is the biggest seizure involving civil servants as the most the anti-corruption agency had confiscated in the past was RM10 million.

While Malaysians are agog at the scale and magnitude of the ill-gotten gains seized by the MACC in Sabah, there is no real surprise and no elation among Malaysians that MACC’s Op Water marked its coming of age as a fully independent and professional anti-corruption agency able to combat the scourge of corruption in Malaysia without fear or favour, whether against ikan bilis or the sharks.

In fact, MACC’s Op Water had deepened public skepticism and cynicism about the battle against corruption in Malaysia, as Malaysians are convinced that if there is a full-fledged and no-holds-barred anti-corruption war in Malaysia, Op Water seizure would pale into insignificance in scale and magnitude with regard to the ill-gotten gains involved, as they would not just be in tens or hundreds of millions of ringgit, but in tens or a hundred times in billions and tens of billions of ringgit!

I fully agree with former MACC advisory panel member, Tan Sri Robert Phang, who want the MACC to probe the higher ups involved, as the two high-ranking civil servants in the Sabah Water Department could be frontmen for certain politicians, as it is difficult to believe that the duo had by themselves managed to amass the millions of ringgit seized from them. Continue reading “MACC’s biggest anti-corruption “haul” in nation’s history unlikely to save Malaysia from continuing to slip down in TI CPI unless Malaysia is prepared to purge the newly acquired infamy of being an “global kleptocracy” as a result of 1MDB scandal”

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Swiss Authorities Repeat Call for Malaysia’s Help in 1MDB Probe

By JOHN LETZING
Wall Street Journal
Oct. 6, 2016

The Swiss attorney general’s office made an initial request for assistance last January

ZURICH—Swiss authorities said they are trying to advance a probe into the alleged misappropriation of billions of dollars from a Malaysian state investment fund but haven’t yet received anticipated help from Malaysian counterparts.

Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General said in a statement on Wednesday that its probe, begun in August last year, had uncovered an alleged “Ponzi scheme” at the fund, 1Malaysia Development Bhd., or 1MDB.

Malaysia’s attorney general said Thursday that it had not yet received the additional request for assistance from Switzerland. It didn’t mention an earlier request from January, which Swiss officials say is pending but said it was committed to international cooperation. Continue reading “Swiss Authorities Repeat Call for Malaysia’s Help in 1MDB Probe”

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Najib-Mugabe meeting very troubling: a get-together of one of world’s oldest surviving kleptocrats and the new kleptocrat on the block?

The news today that President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe is on a working visit to Malaysia and will have a meeting with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is very troubling to Malaysians deeply concerned about democracy and human rights as well as integrity and good governance.

Will the Najib-Mugabe meeting be a get-together and note-exchanging between one the world’s oldest surviving kleptocrats and the latest new kleptocrat on the block?

The term “kleptocrat” was only coined in the late 1990s to describe African dictators like Joseph Mobutu, Sani Abacha and Robert Mugabe plundering their own countries.

Wikipedia defines “kleptocracy” as “power, rule by thieves” and is applied to a government seen as having a particularly severe and systemic problem with officials or a ruling class (collectively, kleptocrats) taking advantage of corruption to extend their personal wealth and political power. Typically this system involves the embezzlement of state funds at the expense of the wider population, sometimes without even the pretense of honest service. Continue reading “Najib-Mugabe meeting very troubling: a get-together of one of world’s oldest surviving kleptocrats and the new kleptocrat on the block?”

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“Biggest corruption bust ever” more a reflection that MACC has yet to become an independent and professional anti-corruption agency to combat the scourge of corruption which has become a runaway problem tarring the country as “global kleptocracy”

This is the biggest “corruption bust ever” in the nation’s history – RM114million recovered from the top two officials of the Sabah Water Department, including RM53.7mil in cold hard cash that took more than 30 officers 15 hours to count.

Also recovered from the homes and offices of the department’s director and his deputy were nine mostly luxury vehicles, expensive watches, jewellery and 94 high-end handbags.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said the cash – RM45mil seized from the director and RM7.5mil from his deputy – was found stashed inside safes, cupboards, drawers and also a car boot.

Also seized was RM1.18mil in over half-a-dozen foreign currencies.

Among the vehicles seized were a BMW 535i (which costs RM500,000), Mercedes-Benz C300 (RM308,000), Range Rover SE V8 (RM1.1mil), Mazda6 (RM195,000), Volvo XC60 (RM270,000), Lexus ES (RM260,000), Audi A1 (RM180,000) and Ford Ranger (RM112,000) – in all, the cars total some RM3mil in value.

The luxury watches comprised brands like Patek Philippe, Tag Heuer, Rolex, Cartier and Guess while the handbags included Chanel, Burberry, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.

The two senior state civil officers were arrested by MACC yesterday and remanded for a week for investigations into alleged kickbacks involving RM3.3bil worth of federal infrastructure projects.

The corruption figure may even reach a staggering RM300 million as MACC revealed the amount of money, in cash and from accounts of the suspects, recovered so far did not include the value of properties and possible deposits made overseas. Continue reading ““Biggest corruption bust ever” more a reflection that MACC has yet to become an independent and professional anti-corruption agency to combat the scourge of corruption which has become a runaway problem tarring the country as “global kleptocracy””

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Swiss investigators seek Malaysia’s help in 1MDB probe

Nikkei Asian Review
October 5, 2016

BANGKOK — Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General, looking into allegations that a Malaysian state investment fund was involved in money laundering, said Wednesday it has determined that a Ponzi scheme was used to misappropriate $800 million from the fund and requested further information from authorities in Malaysia.

As part of the Swiss criminal investigation into 1Malaysia Developer Berhad that began in August 2015, the Attorney General’s office said it had uncovered a “Ponzi scheme fraud” that it said was used to launder $800 million belonging to SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary.

Ponzi schemes involve paying returns to initial investors from sources other than income generated from the investments, often the funds of those who invest later.

The Attorney General’s office said its initial request in January for legal assistance from the Malaysian authorities to examine funds passing through Swiss financial institutions is still pending. Continue reading “Swiss investigators seek Malaysia’s help in 1MDB probe”

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Three questions for Najib on 1MDB global financial scandal, including whether he is MO1?

I have given notice to ask the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak three questions on the 1MDB global financial scandal in next month’s Parliament, viz:

1. To ask the Prime Minister whether he is “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” mentioned in the US Department of Justice lawsuit seeking forfeiture of US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets and what action he had taken as a result.

2. To ask the Prime Minister when the government learnt that the United States authorities were carrying out investigations into the embezzlement and money-laundering of 1MDB funds under the US Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative and what actions the government had taken.

3. To ask the Prime Minister what co-operation Malaysian government has given to various governments and international institutions investigating various aspects of the 1MDB financial scandal. Continue reading “Three questions for Najib on 1MDB global financial scandal, including whether he is MO1?”

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Najib’s statement on co-operation with US and other international authorities on 1MDB embezzlement and money-laundering – too little, too late and of no credibility

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak made a very surprising statement during his visit to Germany when asked about international investigations on multibillion dollar 1MDB embezzlement and money-laundering.

He said that Malaysia would cooperate with US and other international authorities investigating the embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of funds from the Malaysian state-owned 1MDB that he founded.

Najib said: “We are equally concerned about good governance in Malaysia and the rule of law.

“So within the bounds of good governance and the rule of law, Malaysia will do its best to cooperate and to do whatever is necessary.”

Isn’t such a statement by Najib not only too little and too late, but totally lacking in credibility?

Why only make such a statement in Germany more than two months after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuits on July 20 on the forfeiture of over US$1billion of assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland, from over US$3billion embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds, (implicating the Prime Minister himself as identified by a Cabinet Minister that the “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” mentioned in the US DOJ indictment is none other than Najib himself) and months after several countries like Singapore and Switzerland had taken action against banks, financial institutions and their staff in their countries for being involved in the international conspiracy on money-laundering of 1MDB funds? Continue reading “Najib’s statement on co-operation with US and other international authorities on 1MDB embezzlement and money-laundering – too little, too late and of no credibility”

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Unesco holds back award for Malaysia PM’s wife amid 1MDB fallout

Jeevan Vasagar in Singapore
Financial Times
SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Honour for Rosmah Mansor on hold in sign of growing international impact of graft scandal

Unesco has postponed an award it planned to give to Rosmah Mansor, the Malaysian prime minister’s wife, at the last minute in a sign of the growing international fallout from a corruption scandal engulfing the country’s leaders.

Irina Bokova, the Unesco director-general, wrote to Ms Rosmah this month saying Malaysia’s first lady was to receive the award at an event in New York this Thursday, according to the Malaysian government.

The award was to recognise efforts to counter extremism through the education system and honour the work of Permata, a Malaysian organisation that works with children and teenagers. Permata was founded by Ms Rosmah.

However, Malaysia’s ambassador to the UN was told in an email that it would be deferred to 2017 because of questions about Permata’s funding, according to a Malaysian government statement on Tuesday.

Questions surrounding the Malaysian prime minister and his family have intensified after US prosecutors outlined detailed allegations this summer concerning Malaysian state investment fund 1MDB. Continue reading “Unesco holds back award for Malaysia PM’s wife amid 1MDB fallout”

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Human Rights Activist, Charity Demand Leonardo DiCaprio Return “Ill-Gotten” Donations

by Alex Ritman
The Hollywood Reporter
9/12/2016

Save Rivers, which is active in Malaysia, and Ambiga Sreenevasan, recipient of the U.S. International Women of Courage Award, are the latest to speak out about money linked to a corruption scandal.

Leonardo DiCaprio dropped by the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday to present the world premiere of his latest environmental doc Before the Flood, directed by Fisher Stevens, to a packed audience at the Princess of Wales theater.

The film, which follows the Oscar-winning U.N. Messenger for Peace around the world as he sees the devastating effects of climate change firsthand, was warmly received, The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore describing it as “well-intentioned,” noting the special access available to its star, who speaks to John Kerry, Barack Obama and Pope Francis.

But the very same day Before the Flood bowed at TIFF, another charity added its voice to a growing list of organizations and activists criticizing DiCaprio’s association with individuals connected to a major corruption scandal and called on him to return millions of dollars in donations made to his environmental charity. Continue reading “Human Rights Activist, Charity Demand Leonardo DiCaprio Return “Ill-Gotten” Donations”