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PTPTN/Unisel farce – half-past6 Cabinet, half-past6 DPM/Education Minister, half-past6 Higher Education Minister

The lifting of the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loan freeze for Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and Selangor International Islamic University College (Kuis) students is most welcome as it is downright wrong, immoral and criminal and should never have been imposed in the first place by a government which claims to live by the slogan of “People First, Performance Now”!

The question however is whether the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin would have the decency to apologise for such bullying and criminal breach of trust (cbt) tactics as they had publicly endorsed the unethical, vindictive and vengeful PTPTN freeze of loans to Unisel and Kuis students.

This is a pertinent question as it is only yesterday that the Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim launched his Ministry’s 1Malaysia moral guide extolling 21 moral values such as patience, discipline, respect, meritocracy, cleanliness, integrity, humility, courtesy, and loyalty.

Or is Rais’ 1Malaysia moral guide as stillborn as other 1Malaysia gimmicry, or are the Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders to be exempt from these 21 moral values as they are only meant for the common Malaysian populace? Continue reading “PTPTN/Unisel farce – half-past6 Cabinet, half-past6 DPM/Education Minister, half-past6 Higher Education Minister”

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How long more, Malaysians?

by Lucius Goon
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 08, 2012

JUNE 8 — Question: when do we know that a government policy or decision is dumb and ill-conceived?

When Muhyiddin Yassin and Noh Omar are in agreement that the decision is brilliant!

I am of course referring to the decision by the Higher Education Ministry to freeze PTPTN scholarships to Unisel students. The Umno government thinks that this move will turn students against Pakatan Rakyat and lay bare the opposition’s plan to scrap the PTPTN scheme if it wrests control of Parliament.

The thinking (if you can call it that) is that the students and their desperate parents will be so upset that they will turn out in droves to vote against Khalid Ibrahim’s government.

The freeze is wrong on so many levels that it ultimately tells us that Umno is desperate, bankrupt of ideas, deeply vindictive and morally wanting. More shockingly, it shows us that this government will go to extreme lengths to cling to power, even stir up violence should poll results not go its way.

Khaled Nordin, Muhyiddin and Noh refuse to accept certain facts: they serve the rakyat; that when the opposition put up alternative suggestions, they must counter these ideas through persuasion and that government funds belong to the rakyat. Continue reading “How long more, Malaysians?”

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BN sedang berusaha rebut mandat rakyat daripada Pakatan

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 06, 2012

6 JUN — Sesungguhnya pilihanraya kali ini ialah pilihanraya untuk mengalahkan Pakatan Rakyat. Begitulah situasi sebenarnya kerana banyak dalil yang menunjukkan yang Barisan Nasional (BN) sedang tercari-cari waktu yang sesuai sejak setahun yang lalu untuk menentukan tarikh pilihanraya umum ini.

Sesungguhnya jika PRU di adakan sekarang PR akan mendapat mandat rakyat dan hakikatnya BN sedang berusaha untuk mengalahkan Pakatan Rakyat dan Pakatan Rakyatlah yang sebenarnya yang sedang mempertahankan mandat itu.

Sebagai parti yang memerintah BN masih membelek tarikh-tarikh yang sesuai kerana jika salah tarikh mereka khuatir BN akan dikalahkan dengan teruk oleh Pakatan Rakyat yang kini mendapat perhatian rakyat sebagai satu-satunya pilihan jika hendak menolak BN. Inilah kali pertama kita melihat keadaan parti pemerintah tidak dapat menentukan tarikh pilihanraya walaupun segala usaha telah dilakukan untuk memujuk rakyat kembali kepangkuan BN khususnya Umno Baru. Usaha untuk membetulkan Umno Baru sudah tidak akan berjaya lagi kerana untuk membetulkan Umno itu ia mesti di lakukan oleh pemimpin Umno Baru yang tidak terlibat dengan pentadbiran sekarang.

Ia tidak boleh lagi dilakukan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin yang telah secara “collective” membinasakan Umno Baru itu. Baik Najib Razak, atau pun Muhyiddin dan semua barisan pimpinan pada hari ini tidak akan mampu untuk mengembalikan Umno ketahap yang pernah mereka alami dahulu. Bagaimana mereka yang merosakkan Umno boleh memperbaikinya? Continue reading “BN sedang berusaha rebut mandat rakyat daripada Pakatan”

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Call on Cabinet to initiate an All-Party Conference to nip in the bud the political culture of aggression, thuggery and violence which will mar the holding of free, fair and clean general election

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is at it again – making sweet-sounding highfalutin speeches at international forums but doing the very opposite in the country.

Addressing the 26th Asia Pacific roundtable last night, Najib called on Asian countries to reject the use of force and violence in resolving conflicts.

What struck Malaysians is not his call on Asian countries to reject the use of force and violence in resolving conflicts, but his conspicuous silence and his government’s failure in the past month to stand up and be counted to condemn and dissociate themselves from a new political culture of aggression, thuggery and violence disrupting Pakatan Rakyat functions and activities.

As a result, Malaysians are reminded of his other sweet-sounding highfalutin speeches at international forums calling for a Global Movement of Moderates to unite against extremists, but inside the country, his three-year premiership has seen the unprecedented manifestation of extremism not only officially sanctioned but carried out with impunity and immunity when laws of the land are violated. Continue reading “Call on Cabinet to initiate an All-Party Conference to nip in the bud the political culture of aggression, thuggery and violence which will mar the holding of free, fair and clean general election”

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BERSIH 3.0 Broke Many Glasses (Including A Few Glass Ceilings)

by Bakri Musa

First of Two Parts: Seeing The Bright Side
(Next Week: Part Two: Lessons To Be Learned)

In the aftermath of the largest public demonstrations against the Barisan government, the officials’ obsession now turns to the exercise of apportioning blame and the associated inflicting of vengeance. Both are raw human reactions, but hardly enlightening, sophisticated, or even fruitful. Besides, there is plenty of blame to go around. I prefer to look at the bright side and on the lessons that can be learned.

BERSIH 3.0 clearly demonstrates that Malaysians no longer fear the state. In that regard we are a quantum leap ahead of the Egyptians under Mubarak, the Iraqis under Saddam, or the Chinese under Mao (or even today). When citizens are no longer afraid of the state, many wonderful things would follow. BERSIH is also the first successful multiracial mass movement in Malaysia. In a nation obsessed with and where every facet is defined by race, that is an achievement worthy of note. Another significant milestone, again not widely acknowledged, is that the movement is led by a woman who is neither Malay nor a Muslim. Ambiga Sreenevasan broke not one but three Malaysian glass ceilings!

On a sour note, BERSIH 3.0 revealed that Barisan leaders (and a few from the opposition) have yet to learn and accept the fundamental premise that dissent is an integral part of the democratic process, and expressing it through peaceful assembly a basic human right. At a more mundane level though no less important, the authorities’ performance in BERSIH 3.0 also exposed their woeful incompetence and negligence in basic crowd control. Continue reading “BERSIH 3.0 Broke Many Glasses (Including A Few Glass Ceilings)”

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Reforming Education: Futility of the Exercise

by Bakri Musa
Last of Six Parts

Earlier I reviewed the challenges faced by three groups of students who happen to be mostly if not exclusively Malays: kampong students, those in residential schools, and those in academic limbo following their Form Five.

There is another group, this time also exclusively Malays, being poorly served by our system of education: students in Islamic schools. These schools see their mission as primarily producing ulamas and religious functionaries; they are more seminaries, with indoctrination masquerading as education. They are more like Pakistan’s madrasahs and Indonesia’s pesantrens.

I would prefer that they be more like America’s faith-based schools which regularly outperform public ones. They are also cheaper and produce their share of America’s future scientists, engineers and executives. Religion is only one subject in these schools, not the all-consuming curriculum. Thus they attract many non-Christians. Contrast that to Islamic schools in Malaysia.

If Malaysia were to serve the aforementioned four groups of students well, that would go a long way in ameliorating the “Malay problem.” Continue reading “Reforming Education: Futility of the Exercise”

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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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‘Unwise for Umno to axe Najib after GE’

Nigel Aw | Apr 21, 2012
Malaysiakini

Even if the BN wins the next general election but losses more seats, it would still be unwise for Umno to unseat Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as they did with his predecessor, says prominent author Barry Wain.

This, he said, is because the premier is popular among the people and the ruling coalition and government are dependent on his star power.

“In the event if Najib still wins the election but drops say a dozen seats, he could come under pressure, but it is difficult because Najib is personally popular.

“He is extremely popular, far more popular than Umno, the government and the BN.

“What they have going for them now in terms of electoral appeal is Najib,” Wain said at a talk organised by the Foreign Correspondents Club Malaysia (FCCM) in Kuala Lumpur. Continue reading “‘Unwise for Umno to axe Najib after GE’”

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Malaysia will need to improve its performance in education

— Tunku Munawirah Putra
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

APRIL 9 — Our deputy prime minister/minister of education announced that the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report 2011-2012 for Malaysia ranks the quality of our education system at No. 14 out of 142 countries. Malaysia should be proud of this accomplishment which is above many developed countries including the United Kingdom, the US and Germany.

We really should give ourselves a pat on the back for being ranked at par with these First World nations. But instead, many have voiced their concern over the misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the data by the minister. Many are not amused but aghast. Continue reading “Malaysia will need to improve its performance in education”

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Our schools are better than those in the USA, UK, and Germany?

— Wan Saiful Wan Jan
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 09, 2012

APRIL 9 — In his speech closing the National Higher Education Carnival 2012 on March 31, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that Malaysia was ranked 14th globally for the quality of our education system.

He added that this means our younger generation is receiving a better quality of education compared to those in America, the United Kingdom and Germany.

The ranking that Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, quoted was from the Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 published by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It is just one of 111 indicators — each of which can individually be turned into rankings — that the WEF used to calculate our country’s competitiveness.

In fact, the ranking is not for the overall quality of our education system. Rather, we were 14th globally only for our higher education and training. We scored lower for primary education, at number 21.

Muhyiddin’s blunder was to be too selective in choosing what to quote from this 500-page document. As a result, his speech gave the wrong impression to the public, and created a field day for his critics. Continue reading “Our schools are better than those in the USA, UK, and Germany?”

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Malaysians fail to get into Harvard for second year running

by Lee Wei Lian
The Malaysian Insider
Apr 07, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Malaysians failed to gain admission into the world’s most prestigious university for the second year in a row due to a slide in the quality of applicants, said Harvard University’s selection panel chief for Malaysia.

Not only did no Malaysian student receive an offer letter but none apparently was even good enough to make it to the interview rounds.

This comes after a controversy erupte over the quality of Malaysian education when Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin pointed to a World Economic Forum report to claim that Malaysians had a higher standard of education compared to that in some advanced countries.

Opposition lawmaker Tony Pua later rubbished Muhyiddin’s claims, pointing to another international study — the PISA 2009+ — that showed Malaysian students lagging far behind western nations in terms of literacy, mathematics and scientific understanding.

Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik, who leads the Harvard team that interviews prospective Malaysian students, said he was informed the quality of applicants had deteriorated. Continue reading “Malaysians fail to get into Harvard for second year running”

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Show BN the door

— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 18, 2012

MARCH 18 — We should punish Umno/Barisan Nasional for their arrogance and must pay heed every time their politicians show their arrogance and let other Malaysians know about it.

And it is even more imperative that we act decisively when those who portray their arrogance and deign to lecture us are anything but role models. Just listen to Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin.

Today, the PM says that his government’s reforms will fail if states under the Opposition are not back in the BN fold. What a sham.

Look, his so-called reforms are dead, and have been for some time. Fearful of losing his party warlords, there have not been any open tenders, or move to push Malaysia up the income level, or more transparency in government procurement. Continue reading “Show BN the door”

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‘Useless’ to hold another rally, Muhyiddin tells Bersih 2.0

By Lisa J. Ariffin
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 18, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dismissed today warnings that Bersih 2.0 may launch another rally, telling the election watchdog that street demonstrations are “useless”.

“To me, it is useless to do so (hold another rally),” Muhyiddin told a press conference today after attending the Federal Territory Umno Election Assembly here.

“Demonstrations won’t solve problems, they are just to show how much support you have,” he added, saying that if Barisan Nasional (BN) was to hold a similar demonstration, the pact could easily rally one million supporters.

Muhyiddin was speaking today in response to Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who yesterday warned Putrajaya of a potential “Bersih 3.0” rally in light of lagging polls reforms and reports of a sudden surge of voters in some parliamentary constituencies. Continue reading “‘Useless’ to hold another rally, Muhyiddin tells Bersih 2.0”

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Shahrizat seorang sahajakah yang berhenti? Seorang lagi tu macam mana?

Oleh Aspan Alias | March 13, 2012
The Malaysian Insider

13 MAC — Shahrizat Jalil mengambil keputusan untuk meletakkan jawatan hanya pada 8hb April nanti apabila penggal keahliannya di Dewan Senat tamat tempohnya. Perletakkan jawatan ini sepatutnya sudah diambilnya sebaik sahaja terbongkar salahlaku keluarganya menyalahgunakan wang pinjaman dari kerajaan untuk mengendalikan perniagaan NFC itu. Tetapi setidak-tidaknya beliau mengambil juga tindakan untuk melepaskan jawatan kabinet yang dipegangnya melalui pintu belakang itu.

Walaupun beliau pada mulanya berusaha untuk mengekalkan jawatan itu, tetapi etika politiknya yang nyata sangat menjengkelkan itu tidak berdaya beliau untuk mempertahankan jawatan yang amat beliau sayangi itu. Sesungguhnya itu sahaja jalan yang tinggal untuknya lakukan kerana kesalahan etikanya sangat menjelikkan kerana suaminya itu mendapat pinjaman semudah itu kerana kedudukan Shahrizat didalam kabinet negara.

Seperti yang saya nyatakan dahulu, jika Shahrizat itu hanya seorang bidan kampung, Salleh tidak mungkin mendapat pinjaman dengan menggunakan wang rakyat dengan semudah itu. Semua keistimewaan-keistimewaan yang didapati oleh ahli keluarga pemimpin ini telah banyak memerah wang dan harta rakyat. Tetapi Shahrizat ini malang sedikit kerana beliau tidak mempunyai kuasa dan pengaruh sepenuhnya.
Continue reading “Shahrizat seorang sahajakah yang berhenti? Seorang lagi tu macam mana?”

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Chief Justice Ariffin Zakaria should intervene against the harsh and excessive one-year jail sentence imposed on imam Hoslan Hussein for throwing his shoes at the Federal Court judges

For the past few days, Malaysian sense of decency and propriety had been pulverised by a battery of blows which collectively signal that something is very rotten with the Najib administration which is marking its third anniversary next month, viz:

  • the one-year jail sentence by the Federal Court for contempt of court by imam Hoslan Hussein who flung his shoes at the three-man bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Zulkifli Ahmad Makinuddin on February 22;

  • Two years for the High Court judge to produce a 70-page judgment on the murder trial of Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was blown to bits with C4 explosives, which was totally unconcerned about the motive of the murder.

  • The denial of welfare aid and farming subsidies to disabled Sarawak farmer Frusis Lebi, 51, by Sarawak agriculture assistant minister Mong Dagang for supporting the opposition.

  • The unending revelations of the horrors of the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre “cow condo” scandal reaching far beyond the shores of Malaysia, with the latest allegations of purchase of properties not only in Singapore but also in Kazakhstan involving public funds specifically meant to promote greater beef self-sufficiency in the country. Continue reading “Chief Justice Ariffin Zakaria should intervene against the harsh and excessive one-year jail sentence imposed on imam Hoslan Hussein for throwing his shoes at the Federal Court judges”

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Muhyiddin is the first person to come to mind when Najib talks about “Opponents of 1Malaysia are power-crazy and a cynical bunch”

The first person to come to anyone’s mind when reading the Star headline “PM: Opponents of 1Malaysia are power-crazy and a cynical bunch” is none other than the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

This was because it was Muhyiddin who was the first public personality to repudiate Najib’s 1Malaysia policy of creating “a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second” when he declared that he is “a Malay first and then only a Malaysian”.

I had said in my speech in Parliament on March 18, 2010 that the biggest enemy of 1Malaysia is not from outside Barisan Nasional but from inside UMNO and Barisan Nasional, and I have been proved right in the past two years.

Even the Prime Minister himself dare not openly berate or dissociate himself from Muhyiddin’s repudiation of 1Malaysia.

In July last year, when Najib was specifically asked by Malaysian students at the Malaysian Student Leaders’ Summit (MSLS) in Kuala Lumpur whether he was Malaysian first and what he thought of his deputy’s infamous remark of being “Malay first and Malaysian next”, Najib ducked the question, saying:
“I don’t want to respond in a way that will divide me from my deputy.

“1 Malaysia is our guiding philosophy. It does not matter what you say, just as long as you follow (the 1 Malaysia concept).”
Continue reading “Muhyiddin is the first person to come to mind when Najib talks about “Opponents of 1Malaysia are power-crazy and a cynical bunch””

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Lupakan masalah masa lampau, kata Muhyiddin

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 05, 2012

5 MAC — Muhyiddin Yassin tidak bersetuju untuk bercakap tentang kesilapan dan kesalahan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang lampau. Katanya apa yang perlu dilakukan sekarang ialah untuk memandang kehadapan dan lupakan masalah lampau.

Beliau memberikan komen ini sebagai reaksi kepada permohonan maaf Najib Razak yang dibuatnya di Alor Setar dua hari yang lepas. Tindakan Najib berpatah sikap itu mendapat banyak reaksi ramai dan menjadi bahan perbualan disetiap tempat kita pergi. Di setengah tempat ianya menjadi bahan jenaka rakyat.

Seperti Najib, kata-kata Muhyiddn itu mempunyai satu ciri yang sama; iaitu mengakui yang BN telah banyak melakukan kesalahan dan kesilapan yang datang dari masalah kelemahan kepimpinan BN selama masa mereka membuat salah dan silap itu. Muhyiddin tidak mahu mengingati cerita lama yang telah membuatkan BN hampir tersungkur dihadapan mata rakyat. Continue reading “Lupakan masalah masa lampau, kata Muhyiddin”

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Najib’s apology for BN’s mistakes – a test of Najib’s authority and leadership as Prime Minister and UMNO President

“Najib apologies for BN’s past mistakes” (3/3/12)

“PM”s apology shows humility, says Muhyiddin” (4/3/12)

“Umno info chief: BN needs mandate to fix its mistakes” (4/3/12)

These three Malaysiakini headlines in 24 hours raise a thousand questions – whether the Prime Minister is genuine and sincere in extending an apology for Barisan Nasional’s past mistakes, what exactly are the mistakes Najib is apologising for but most poignant of all, Najib’s authority and leadership as Prime Minister and UMNO President. Continue reading “Najib’s apology for BN’s mistakes – a test of Najib’s authority and leadership as Prime Minister and UMNO President”

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Forgive and forget, the Umno Way

— Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 04, 2012

MARCH 4 — This is the Umno way: Forget all debts and don’t bring up mistakes. And this enlightening statement is coming from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the then-agriculture minister who approved the now-infamous National Feedlot Centre project.

This is a most self-serving and irresponsible statement, not to mention dangerous.

Is this what we are supposed to teach our children? Just say sorry and all will be forgiven. There is no need to show remorse, make restitution or pay a price for breaking the law.

How about the common Malaysian? Just say sorry and there will be no need to be punished for cheating, theft, robbery, murder, criminal breach of trust, etc.

Muhyiddin’s statement is very much in keeping with the ridiculous stuff that we keep having to put up with. Don’t bring up my past transgressions even though I have not owned up to it because it is in the past. Continue reading “Forgive and forget, the Umno Way”

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Will Mahathir propose Chua Soi Lek as UMNO President?

It has been suggested that the response to Tun Dr. Mahathir’s “tongue-in-cheek” proposal that I be made PAS President is to ask whether Mahathir would propose Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek as UMNO President!

However, I think it is more productive to focus on Mahathir’s other “tongue-in-cheek” statement that all the Tuns and “their sons and grandsons too” should all be investigated in response to my call for a full audit and accounting into the RM100 billion losses from the financial scandals during Mahathir’s 22-year premiership.

Another bad news about Malaysian Airlines recording a whopping net loss of RM2.52 billion for 2011 despite round-after-round of billion-ringgit bailouts in the past two decades is salutary reminder that the root cause why the once national premier airline is reduced to such a parlous crisis stage today must be traced to Mahathir’s 1994 decision to use Bank Negara’s MAS shares to bail out Bank Negara from its RM30 billion foreign exchange losses.

Malaysians today are still paying for those financial scandals, none of which have ever been fully accounted for, as for instance in the recent RM580 million write-off by the Malaysian government with the “out-of-court” settlement between Danaharta and other GLCs with Tajudin Ramli on Feb. 14 with regard to all suits pending between them.
Continue reading “Will Mahathir propose Chua Soi Lek as UMNO President?”