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Call on Najib not to condone Azalina’s unparliamentary schedule but to be in Parliament on Nov. 16 to give full accountability on the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” twin mega scandals

When Parliament resumes on Monday November 16 after the Deepavali holidays, it will be the last day of three-day Ministerial winding-up of the debate on the 2016 Budget.

Will the Prime Minister cum Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak appear in person to wind up the debate and answer the various pertinent issues raised by Members of Parliament from both sides of the House in the six-day debate by the parliamentary backbenchers or will Najib again play truant from Parliament?

The new Minister for the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azalina Othman Said has already set the stage for Najib to play truant from Parliament on Nov. 16, when she told the media yesterday that the government would reply on the controversial RM2.6 billion “donation” that went into Najib’s personal bank accounts on the last day of the 25-day budget meeting on Dec. 3, although she could not yet say whether it would be Najib or another Minister who would be nominated to do the answering.

This is the height of contempt of Parliament, treating Parliament like a classroom of recalcitrant students, with the Speaker given the role of a mere school principal but the Prime Minister like the education supervisor whose word and action is law!

Azalina who is Minister in the PM’s Department in charge of parliamentary affairs should understand the doctrine of separation of powers in a parliamentary democracy and the principle of parliamentary control of the Executive where the Prime Minister must also comply with the Parliamentary tradition, conventions, procedures and practices and cannot act as he likes in Parliament. Continue reading “Call on Najib not to condone Azalina’s unparliamentary schedule but to be in Parliament on Nov. 16 to give full accountability on the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” twin mega scandals”

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What I had predicted is coming to pass – flouting of parliamentary tradition and conventions to stack and answer all parliamentary questions about Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” on the last day

What I had predicted last week is coming to pass – that the UMNO/BN government would flout parliamentary tradition and conventions to stack all parliamentary questions about Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM2.6 billion “donation” in the current 25-day budget meeting of Parliament and answer them in “one go”, not allowing the subject to be pursued further even if MPs are completely dissatisfied with a “tai chi” non-answer.

This was my reaction to the bad, undesirable and unacceptable parliamentary precedent set by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azalina Othman, on the first day of the current meeting on Oct. 19, refusing to answer questions on the RM2.6 billion “donation” issue by DAP MPs Lim Guan Eng (Bagan) and Lim Lip Eng (Segambut) on the ground that the government will answer questions about the RM2.6 billion “donation” and other relations questions on an undetermined date of the present meeting.

Deploring such a new-fangled practice as undermining an important principle of parliamentary control over the Executive, I asked whether this would mean that the question would be answered on the last day of the 25-day parliamentary meeting on Dec. 3, allowing MPs no room or opportunity to pursue the question if the answer was totally unsatisfactory?

Furthermore, whether the “bad, undesirable and unacceptable” parliamentary practice would be “set a disastrous precedent for Ministers to evade and avoid answering parliamentary questions posed by Members of Parliament by pushing the questions to the very last day with totally unsatisfactory and unacceptable answers”? Continue reading “What I had predicted is coming to pass – flouting of parliamentary tradition and conventions to stack and answer all parliamentary questions about Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” on the last day”

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Song on missing 2.6 billion goes viral

Malaysiakini
5th November 2015

Netizens may be venting their anger over the unresolved issue of RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s personal bank accounts, but singer Amirudin Hizadin has instead chosen to express his concern through music.

His sombre song, which describes the RM2.6 billion as “missing stars” that has made his world dark, has quickly gone viral after less than half a day in the cyberspace.

The Malay music video titled ‘Mana Hilang 2.6 Bintang’ (Where have the 2.6 stars disappeared) uploaded on Facebook garnered over 80,000 views with more than 3,300 shares at writing time.

In the lyrics, Amirudin reminisced about the likelihood if he had not come to Kuala Lumpur as he thought about the hardships. Continue reading “Song on missing 2.6 billion goes viral”

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Why Malaysia may have hit bottom

Leslie Shaffer
CNBC.com
4th November 2015

Malaysia’s hard-hit stock market is getting a less-than-ringing endorsement with one of the world’s leading lenders telling investors that things aren’t likely to get any worse.

“There have been numerous globally attention-grabbing headlines on Malaysia this year, which we believe have increased political uncertainty and risk in investing in Malaysia,” analysts at Deutsche Bank said in a note Monday.

“However, going forward, we do not expect this to increase.” Continue reading “Why Malaysia may have hit bottom”

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If Arul Kanda cannot testify before the PAC investigations on 1MDB, will Najib appear before PAC to testify on 1MDB’s behalf as everybody knows that an investigation into 1MDB is in fact an investigation into Najib?

Yesterday was a double whammy for the long, difficult and windy mission to establish accountability and transparency for the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” twin mega-scandals afflicting the country.

There was firstly the morning episode where Parliament was reduced to a theatre of the absurd – with Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ruling that DAP PJ Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua should either resign from the Public Accounts Committee or abstain from the committee’s probe on 1MDB if he wants to debate with 1MDB CEO, Arul Kanda and that Arul can no longer be a witness in the PAC probe if the debate goes on.

The Speaker’s ruling was quickly followed up with the announcement by the PAC Chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin’s ruling that Pua must cease and desist from making any statements on 1MDB, whether in Parliament or outside!

It is no surprise that the following comment was one of the public reactions to all these parliamentary calisthenics over the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” twin mega-scandals:

“I was wondering why Arul was so quick to drop his condition. Now I know. He has someone else to impose the condition for him.” Continue reading “If Arul Kanda cannot testify before the PAC investigations on 1MDB, will Najib appear before PAC to testify on 1MDB’s behalf as everybody knows that an investigation into 1MDB is in fact an investigation into Najib?”

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Deal with reality, Najib is staying in power

– Koon Yew Yin
The Malaysian Insider
3 November 2015

Lately the Internet has been filled with stories of how Prime Minister Najib Razak is losing ground in Umno and likely to resign soon.

Much speculation is going on about what is happening behind the scenes in the Umno Supreme Council and the party’s divisional leaders.

There is also a lot of chatter about the infighting and horse trading that is taking place among the supporters of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah – all seen as contenders to succeed Najib should he be toppled.

In my view this is all sound and fury which signify nothing. Also that it will not amount to much. Continue reading “Deal with reality, Najib is staying in power”

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Parliament has been reduced to a theatre of the absurd with the PAC Chairman wearing the dunce’s cap as the most absurd Parliamentarian with his absurd edict banning Tony Pua from speaking about 1MDB in public

Parliament has been reduced to a theatre of the absurd with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin wearing the dunce’s head as the most absurd Parliamentarian with his absurd edict banning Tony Pua from speaking about 1MDB in public.

At the rate of such absurdity in Parliament and the higher echelons of government leadership, it appears to be just a matter of time before “1MDB” joins the select group of subjects where mere criticism will be criminalized and construed as an act of sedition!

It is clear that the Najib leadership had been brainstorming for quite some time to find a way to criminalise and ban public debate on the twin1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” twin scandals, starting with Parliament before the ban is extended to all public spaces in the country, especially with the two scandals acquiring lives of their own, exploding every few days with new revelations completely beyond the control or ken of Najib’s PR handlers – to the extent that more than half a dozen countries have initiated their own separate investigations into the twin mega scandals.

Worst of all, the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had been pinpointed by the United States media as being the target of a FBI probe under the United States Department of Justice Kleptocracy Assets Recovery Initiative 2010 with neither Najib nor the Government able to deny or clarify such a damning report of Najib being investigated as a kleptocrat although more than a month had elapsed since the United States media report. Continue reading “Parliament has been reduced to a theatre of the absurd with the PAC Chairman wearing the dunce’s cap as the most absurd Parliamentarian with his absurd edict banning Tony Pua from speaking about 1MDB in public”

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Barisan Nasional MPs in the PAC who have been beneficiaries in the RM2.6 billion Najib “donation” scandal should declare their pecuniary interests and withdraw from participation in any PAC discussion, decision or investigation into the twin mega scandals on 1MDB and RM2.6 billion ‘donation”

Former MCA President, Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek has made startling revelations about the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal in his personal banking accounts before the 13th General Election.

Malaysiakini yesterday reported the former MCA President as throwing some light on where some of the RM2.6 billion in Najib’s personal bank accounts had gone to.

Chua recollected how Najib had in a BN Supreme Council meeting before the 13th general election made an “unprecedented pledge to fund BN component parties”. Continue reading “Barisan Nasional MPs in the PAC who have been beneficiaries in the RM2.6 billion Najib “donation” scandal should declare their pecuniary interests and withdraw from participation in any PAC discussion, decision or investigation into the twin mega scandals on 1MDB and RM2.6 billion ‘donation””

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Support for the call by G25 Group of Eminent Malays for the separation of the powers of the Attorney-General as legal adviser to the government and that of Public Prosecutor to ensure that political influence is not brought to bear on prosecutorial decisions

The call by the G25 Group of Eminent Malays for the transfer of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney-General to an independent office of the Director of Public Prosecutions deserves support and action by Parliament.

The G25 Group statement said:

“There is a fundamental conflict of interest in the functions and powers of the AG, which enables him to take action against national interests.

“It is poor governance that the AG is the legal adviser for the government of Malaysia and also the final arbiter on decisions to prosecute.”

The conflict-of-interest and the subordination of national interest to sectional and political interests that can arise as the result of the Attorney-General being vested with these two functions and powers has been most vividly and dramatically highlighted by investigations into the two mega-scandals of 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion “donation” in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal banking accounts – resulting in the shocking sacking of the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail on July 28 amidst controversy that the Attorney-General’s Chambers was preparing to charge the Prime Minister Najib for corruption in connection with the 1MDB scandal, the dissolution of the multi-agency Special Task Force into the 1MDB scandal and the three-month stoppage of Public Accounts Committee from continuing its 1MDB investigations. Continue reading “Support for the call by G25 Group of Eminent Malays for the separation of the powers of the Attorney-General as legal adviser to the government and that of Public Prosecutor to ensure that political influence is not brought to bear on prosecutorial decisions”

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The status and honour of the offices of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister had been tainted and besmirched when Najib answered on behalf of two “fugitives from justice” from a fully-owned government company SRC International who have absconded from the arms of the law for the past four months

The status and honour of the offices of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister had been tainted and besmirched when Datuk Seri Najib Razak answered in Parliament on behalf of two “fugitives from justice” from a fully-owned government company, SRC International, who have absconded from the arms of the law for the past four months.

On Oct 21, in his capacity as Finance Minister, Najib answered the DAP MP for Kulai, Teo Nie Ching, that based on information provided by SRC International, its managing director Nik Faisal Airiff Nik Othmann Kamil and director Datuk Suboh Mohd Yassin “are making preparations to be interviewed by MACC soonest to help in the investigations”.

This is most ludicrous and outrageous – not only as pointed out by Nie Ching, as if Nik Faisal and Suboh needed four months to prepare for the interview with MACC.

For some four months, both Nik Faisal and Subah had been “fugitives from justice”, absconding from the arms of the law in Malaysia, as since early July, the multi-agency Special Task Force into the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” mega scandals had not been able to locate both for purposes of investigation. Continue reading “The status and honour of the offices of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister had been tainted and besmirched when Najib answered on behalf of two “fugitives from justice” from a fully-owned government company SRC International who have absconded from the arms of the law for the past four months”

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As Najib’s Prime Minister popularity rating among Malay voters have fallen below 30%, the three million UMNO members must decide whether UMNO’s survival in the next general election will lie in having a new UMNO head and Prime Minister

It is reported today that at least 154 out of 191 UMNO division chiefs want the party’s supreme council to take against errant party leaders, referring to former Deputy Prime Minister and still Deputy UMNO President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former Rural and Regional Development Minister and UMNO Vice President, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, and even former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir and former Cabinet Minister and former UMNO Secretary-General Tan Sri Sanusi Junid.

This is the result of an internal poll in UMNO conducted among 170 UMNO division leaders in an exclusive WhatsApp programme.

However, the result may be different if a poll is conducted among the three million UMNO members as it is becoming quite clear that for the first time since Merdeka, UMNO has never been so fragmented and fractured between the 300 UMNO chieftains versus the three million UMNO members.

The 300 UMNO chieftains are primarily Umno Supreme Council members and Umno division chiefs who are mostly in the pockets of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak the majority of whom will toe the Najib line, as compared to the three million Umno members most of whom must be very embarrassed by the two Najib mega-scandals of the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation”, and the lack of political will to resolve these two scandals until they mushroom to become international scandals, and the move to penalise UMNO leaders for speaking up against these two scandals.

All over the country, the question that is commonly asked is how long Najib can survive as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia, whether he would suffer the fate of his predecessor, Tun Abdullah in having to give up the Prime Ministership before the end of his term. Continue reading “As Najib’s Prime Minister popularity rating among Malay voters have fallen below 30%, the three million UMNO members must decide whether UMNO’s survival in the next general election will lie in having a new UMNO head and Prime Minister”

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What has the Najib government done in the past fortnight of parliamentary meetings to address the concern of Malay Rulers and Malaysian citizenry that IMBD investigations be completed “as soon as possible”?

Some three weeks ago, the Malay Rulers issued an unprecedented statement urging the government to complete the 1MDB investigations “as soon as possible” and to take “the appropriate stern action” against all found to be implicated.

Such crisis of confidence, among other things, have caused “the plunge in the value of the Malaysian Ringgit, impacting the country’s financial market and economic climate negatively and at the same time adversely affecting the world’s view of Malaysia” – and if not “wisely handled”, could “jeopardize the country’s economy and the livelihood of the people”.

The Malay Rulers wanted the findings of the investigations to be reported “comprehensively and in a transparent manner” so that the people will be convinced of the government’s sincerity not to conceal “facts and truth”, as such failure to give “convincing clarifications and answers…is feared to have resulted in a crisis of confidence”.

Although the language is somewhat convoluted, it is the result of trying to diplomatically convey the messages (i) that the Malay Rulers were very concerned at the worsening crisis of confidence caused by the two mega scandals in the nation’s history, the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal banking accounts, which had brought together a conjunction of political, economic, good governance and nation-building crises which threaten to produce the first “perfect storm” to hit Malaysia for six decades; and (ii) that the government had not conducted itself in a frank and transparent matter it should have done in these two mega-scandals.

What has the Najib government done in the 24 days since the Oct. 6 statement of the Malay Rulers, or in the past fortnight of parliamentary meetings, to address the concern of Malay Rulers and Malaysian citizenry that IMBD investigations be completed “as soon as possible”?

Absolutely nothing! Continue reading “What has the Najib government done in the past fortnight of parliamentary meetings to address the concern of Malay Rulers and Malaysian citizenry that IMBD investigations be completed “as soon as possible”?”

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Najib government too “economical with the truth” when it would not clarify after two weeks of Parliament whether Muhyiddin was right in his last speech as DPM three months ago that 1MDB scandal had mushroomed from RM42 billion to over RM50 billion

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his government were too “economical with the truth” when it would not clarify after two weeks of Parliament whether Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was right in his last speech as Deputy Prime Minister to the Cheras UMNO Division three months ago that the 1MDB scandal had mushroomed from RM42 billion to over RM50 billion.

There was not a single reference whatsoever to the two mega scandals which had been dominating international headlines about Malaysia for the past few months, the RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal banking accounts for the 13th General Election, in Najib’s much-awaited 2016 Budget – fully justifying Opposition MPs resorting to the unorthodox but very creative ploy of collectively displaying the placard “Mana RM2.6 billion” (Where is the RM2.6 billion) after Najib’s budget speech.

This action of Opposition MPs resonated in the hearts and minds of 30 million Malaysians, including the majority of the three million UMNO members, although there are those who excoriated such a creative ploy as “uncivilized”, as if they more Umno than Umno! Continue reading “Najib government too “economical with the truth” when it would not clarify after two weeks of Parliament whether Muhyiddin was right in his last speech as DPM three months ago that 1MDB scandal had mushroomed from RM42 billion to over RM50 billion”

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Najib set a bad, undesirable and unacceptable parliamentary precedent of choosing the date to answer parliamentary questions about 1MDB which will be followed by other Ministers undermining Parliamentary control over the Executive

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has set a bad, undesirable and unacceptable parliamentary precedent of choosing the date to answer parliamentary questions about the twin mega scandals of RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in his personal bank accounts for the 13th General Election, undermining the important principle of parliamentary control over the Executive.

On the first day of the present parliamentary meeting on Monday, October 19, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azalina Othman Said, in her replies to Members of Parliament including DAP MP for Bagan Lim Guan Eng and the DAP MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng, said the government will answer questions about the RM2.6 billion donation received by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and other related queries during the current sitting of Parliament.

She said the government will also answer questions related to the alleged missing US$993 million payment from 1MDB to International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) but the exact date for this would be determined later.

She said in written replies that answers to similar questions would be made at a date to be determined later, during this parliamentary session. Continue reading “Najib set a bad, undesirable and unacceptable parliamentary precedent of choosing the date to answer parliamentary questions about 1MDB which will be followed by other Ministers undermining Parliamentary control over the Executive”

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In debate on 2016 Budget, I would have urged PAC to summon Gani Patail and Hamid Bador to testify whether there was a draft corruption charge sheet against Prime Minister Najib related to 1MDB

The announcement by the new Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Datuk Hassan Arifin yesterday that the PAC will meet for the first time on Monday after a three-month interregnum is welcome, although parliamentary and public expectations of the PAC would not be as high as previously.

If I am taking part in the 2016 Budget debate, I would urge the PAC to do two things when it meets on Monday:

Firstly, for the PAC to set an example to Parliament with every PAC member declaring whether he or she has any pecuniary interest in the twin mega-scandals of RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s personal banking accounts for the 13th General Election, and those who have pecuniary interest in these two mega scandals should excuse themselves from participating in any PAC hearings on them.

Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 35(6) stipulates that “A Member shall not speak on any matter in which he has a direct personal pecuniary interest (other than the matter of remuneration under any provision of the Constitution) without disclosing the extent of that interest.”

If it is a breach of Parliamentary Standing Orders for an MP to speak on any matter without disclosing the extent of his or her pecuniary interest on the subject, it is all the more a violation of parliamentary privilege for a PAC member to be involved in any investigation into the twin mega scandals of RM50 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” for the 13th General Election if he or she has any pecuniary interest in the two financial scandals. Continue reading “In debate on 2016 Budget, I would have urged PAC to summon Gani Patail and Hamid Bador to testify whether there was a draft corruption charge sheet against Prime Minister Najib related to 1MDB”

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So, where did the RM2.6 billion go? Tell us, Najib

Phlip Rodrigues
Malaysiakini
25 Oct 2015

COMMENT When a sea of placards washed over the face of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Budget Day, it created huge waves in the annals of Malaysian politics. Never before in the history of parliamentary democracy had a prime minister had to face the ignominy of seeing his role flashed in loud, clear and bold message across the national stage.

For Parliament is the time-hallowed podium where the actions and thoughts of the elected representatives are in full play for all to see. What the opposition lawmakers did on that memorable day is an act of patriotism: they do not want to see the country destroyed by a prime minister whose every action is a tight slap on democracy.

Parliament is a fitting place to debate with intelligence and vigour the problems and ills of the country – be they social, economic, political. More importantly, it is the ideal arena to drill the prime minister on his deeds as the head of government.

But Najib chooses not to engage in the cut and thrust of political life, which is the hallmark of a healthy and vibrant democracy. Instead, he treats Parliament with contempt when he ignores the existence of the opposition and cares only for his own skewed views.

His words have become his laws and as a result, justice and truth have taken a terrible beating. He comes and goes as he wishes and most of the time, his seat, given by the people to serve the people, is left cold and empty. Continue reading “So, where did the RM2.6 billion go? Tell us, Najib”

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Was there a draft charge sheet in the Attorney-General’s Chambers against the Prime Minister related to corruption before Gani Patail was sacked as Attorney-General on July 27?

Today is the 28th anniversary of the Operation Lalang dragnet of Oct. 27, 1987 which saw the mass arrest of 106 people under the detention-without-trial Internal Security Act, with 49 persons, including Members of Parliament and social activists, served with formal two-year detention orders and the closure of three major newspapers.

It is sad and tragic that today’s 28th anniversary for one of the darkest periods for democracy and human rights in the nation’s history coincides with a global report which is a damning indictment on widespread abuses of power against critics and dissenters by a Prime Minister who had come to power six years ago promising a new era for democracy and human rights in Malaysia, who even had the temerity to launch a global movement of moderates which now lay in ruins.

The New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW)’s 145-page report “Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression of Malaysia” documents not only Najib’s repeated breach of his promise to repeal repressive and draconian laws, but the institution of new regime of fear and terror where criticism has become a crime.

This regime of fear and terror have escalated in the country with the twin mega-scandals of RM50 billion 1MDF and RM2.6 billion “donation” in Najib’s personal banking accounts spiralling out of control, not only in the country but internationally, with half a dozen foreign countries opening separate investigations. Continue reading “Was there a draft charge sheet in the Attorney-General’s Chambers against the Prime Minister related to corruption before Gani Patail was sacked as Attorney-General on July 27?”

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I would have asked Najib whether more than RM2.6 billion “donation” had been deposited into his personal banking accounts and if so, what was the final total of the “donation, if I had spoken on the 2016 Budget debate

At the launching of Pakatan Harapan Negri Sembilan in Seremban on Sunday night, I said that I would have advised the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to refund the RM2.6 billion “donation” to the Treasury as one way to resolve the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal during the debate on 2016 budget if I had not been suspended from Parliament for six months.

But before I made such a proposal, I would have asked Najib to “come clean” about the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal, at least in five instances, viz:

1. Whether more than RM2.6 billion “donation” had been deposited into his personal banking account at AmBank, and if so, the total amount of “donation” that had been deposited into his personal account before the 13th General Election.

2. Who are the “donors” who deposited billions of ringgit into Najib’s personal banking accounts for the 13th General Election campaign funding.

3. The respective percentage and breakdown of these “donations” into foreign and local sources.

4. Who were the recipients and beneficiaries from these billions of “donations” deposited into Najib’s personal accounts, in particular those who are in the present Cabinet and Parliament, as well as the UMNO/BN candidates in the 2013 General Elections.

5. Whether he would submit all bank records of such “deposits” and payments to the Public Accounts Committee and the Attorney-General for investigation.

Continue reading “I would have asked Najib whether more than RM2.6 billion “donation” had been deposited into his personal banking accounts and if so, what was the final total of the “donation, if I had spoken on the 2016 Budget debate”

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Multibillion-dollar scandal in Malaysia has echoes for American conservatives

By Thomas Lifson
American Thinker
October 26, 2015

As scandals go, the current imbroglio in Malaysia ring a lot of bells for American conservatives accustomed to home-grown crony capitalism: a gigantic Stimulus-like program intended to spur lagging growth, billions of missing dollars, allegations of missing money used in an election, donations from a mysterious Middle East party, affirmative action, and even Goldman Sachs. Tom Wright and Ken Brown report in the Wall Street Journal:

A scandal involving a government investment fund in Malaysia is drawing world-wide attention and has led to calls at home for the ouster of the country’s prime minister. It is also affecting U.S. diplomacy in a strategically important part of Asia. The fund, 1Malaysia Development Bhd., or 1MDB, is under investigation in five countries. Continue reading “Multibillion-dollar scandal in Malaysia has echoes for American conservatives”

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Malaysia in political stalemate

By Murray Hunter
On Line Opinion
26 October 2015

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib is facing accusations of fraud with the 1MDB fiasco, and the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaaribuu, while the economy is going into a ‘nosedive’.

After six and a half years in office, Premier Najib presides over a nation with contracting growth, rising inflation, growing unemployment, a Ringgit at a 20 year low against the US Dollar, significant capital flight, a massive debt problem, disappearing sources of income, and low consumer confidence.

Although some of these problems are the result of global factors such as declining oil and gas prices, low commodity prices, and sluggish growth of major trading partners, Malaysia’s problems also greatly exist today as the result of policy failures. Extremist policies have also led to social and ethnic tensions within the country. In addition, the depreciation of the Ringgit and introduction of the GST have put undue hardships on the people. Continue reading “Malaysia in political stalemate”