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Had Pandikar committed the crime under section 124(B) of Penal Code of activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy when he egged on police investigations of three former Cabinet Ministers for their speeches on 1MDB in Parliament?

During the final winding-up of the 2017 Budget debate yesterday, I asked the Second Finance Minister, Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani whether and how the three former Cabinet Ministers, MP for Pagoh and former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, MP for Semporna and former Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and the MP for Tambun and former Second Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Husni Hanadzlah had violated Cabinet secrecy when they took part in the debate in Parliament on the budget.

Johari was unable to give a cogent and intelligible answer.

I in fact asked Johari why he dared not repeat inside Parliament what he had earlier said outside the Parliament chamber, that it was not wrong for MPs and former Cabinet Ministers like Husni to ask questions about 1MDB in Parliament.

There was no answer from Johari.

Although the Second Finance Minister, the Minister tasked with the final reply on the 2017 Budget speech, does not know that the three former Cabinet Ministers had violated Cabinet secrecy, the Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia seemed to know more about Cabinet secrets about the 1MDB than Johari with his media conference statement on Thursday, 27th October that the three former Cabinet Ministers might have broken their oaths of secrecy when debating the 2017 Budget.

This has shocked many lawyers and law professors, as well as the former longest-serving Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman, who was AG for 13 years from 1980-1993, who expressed surprise and questioned how the Dewan Rakyat Speaker knew that three former ministers had revealed government secrets when they raised the 1MDB issue during budget debate.

Abu Talib wondered how Pandikar, as head of the legislature, knew that the Cabinet had discussed the 1MDB issue. Also, how did he know what was discussed was classified information.

Abu Talib asked whether somebody had told the Speaker about it, and if so, Speaker should have lodged a police report against that very person who told him.

However, this most important question is whether Pandikar had committed a crime under section 124(B) of Penal Code of an activity “detrimental to parliamentary democracy” when he egged on police investigations of three former Cabinet Ministers for their speeches on 1MDB in Parliament – especially as the police seemed to be using Section 124(B) against all and sundry, including university students and peaceful critics of the government-of-the-day! Continue reading “Had Pandikar committed the crime under section 124(B) of Penal Code of activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy when he egged on police investigations of three former Cabinet Ministers for their speeches on 1MDB in Parliament?”

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Najib should learn from the anti-corruption campaign in China where some one million officials, from Ministers and other “tigers” downwards, were punished in the last three years to ensure that Malaysia is famed as one of the top countries for anti-corruption

The video on 50 years of DAP we saw at the beginning of the Convention reminds us of the DAP leaders and activists who had slogged and sacrificed for the party, not for any personal gain or benefit, but for the DAP ideals and principle which inspired and motivated them.

As a DAP member and leader for 50 years, I can speak with knowledge and authority that this is the great difference between DAP leaders and members from those who joined the parties in the ruling coalition – that unlike their counterparts in the ruling parties, members and leaders in the DAP joined and are in politics not because of money, business opportunities, position or titles, or even to be Members of Parliament or State Assembly representatives, but because of their patriotism, ideals and commitment to the DAP cause of justice, freedom, equality and a better Malaysia for all Malaysians.

We are reminded by the video of the past DAP leaders who have contributed through their sacrifices and struggles which formed the basis for the DAP’s present success in Penang, but who have now left us, in particular Karpal Singh, P. Patto, Chian Heng Kai, Peter Dason, Tan Loo Jit and N. Shanmugam.

DAP thanks the Penang State Government for naming roads after Karpal, Patto and Heng Kai in appreciation and commemoration of their patriotism, service and sacrifices to the welfare of the people, state and nation. I understand that a road has been earmarked to be named after Peter Dason, and I urge the Penang State Government to also commemorate the patriotism, services and sacrifices of Loo Jit and Shanmugam so that they could all be role models for the new generation of Malaysians in Penang. Continue reading “Najib should learn from the anti-corruption campaign in China where some one million officials, from Ministers and other “tigers” downwards, were punished in the last three years to ensure that Malaysia is famed as one of the top countries for anti-corruption”

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Sanusi confirms he will attend with Tun Mahathir the meeting in Parliament on Tuesday of MPs (including former MPs and Ministers) to discuss how to defend Parliament and MPs’ parliamentary privileges and immunities against insidious police encroachments

Former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Sanusi Junid has confirmed that he will attend with former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad the meeting in Parliament on Tuesday of Members of Parliament (including former MPs and Ministers) to discuss the country’s latest constitutional crisis on the doctrine of separation of powers and how to defend Parliament and MPs’ parliamentary privileges and immunities against insidious police encroachments.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said yesterday that “3 ex-ministers under probe over 1MDB statements” (New Straits Times 5/11/06 headline p. 10) and this is most shocking for two reasons:

Firstly, when did the police have free roving liberty to investigate speeches by MPs (whether former Minister or not) made in Parliament, as if MPs’s traditional and constitutionally-entrenched parliamentary privileges spelt out in Article 63 (2) of the Malaysian Constitution and the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 do not exist in the eyes of the IGP.

Should MPs submit their speeches to the police for approval before they are delivered in Parliament. Is this what Malaysia has become, in the eighth year of premiership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak?

Secondly, is the IGP through his arbitrary and unconstitutional action sending out a message that 1MDB issue is a “banned” subject in Parliament, as MPs who raised the issue of 1MDB in Parliament could be next in line of police’s interrogation when the three ex-Cabinet Ministers could be targeted by the police for speaking in Parliament on 1MDB?

Khalid’s statement yesterday has laid bare the frightening and even Kafkaesque nature of the constitutional crisis on the doctrine of separation of powers among the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary which has been suddenly sprung on the nation when he said that the police had enough reasons to investigate former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and former Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah as there was no immunity from seditious statements in Parliament. Continue reading “Sanusi confirms he will attend with Tun Mahathir the meeting in Parliament on Tuesday of MPs (including former MPs and Ministers) to discuss how to defend Parliament and MPs’ parliamentary privileges and immunities against insidious police encroachments”

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Is Speaker Pandikar capable of leading MPs to fend off Executive and police threats to parliamentary privileges and immunities by arbitrary, unconstitutional and illegal assumption of non-existing powers against Parliament?

Overnight, Malaysia is faced with a major constitutional crisis with the gravest threat in the nation’s history on the proper place and power of Parliament in our system of governance and the traditional as well as constitutionally-entrenched parliamentary privileges and immunities of Members of Parliament, regardless whether from the government or the opposition.

Central to this constitutional crisis facing Malaysia is whether the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, is capable of leading MPs to fend off the Executive and Police threats to parliamentary privileges and immunities by arbitrary, unconstitutional and illegal assumption of non-existing powers against Parliament?

The latest incident in the insidious subversion of Parliament’s proper role and place in the Malaysian system of governance, based on the doctrine of separation of powers among the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, is the shocking announcement by the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar that the police are now investigating former Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah for sedition over his speech in Parliament about 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), aside for alleged violations of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972.

The Inspector-General of Police made the nonsensical statement that Husni’s case is also classified under the Sedition Act because the investigation into the state investment firm was still underway and that talking about it might jeopardise the process.

He said: “Even in Parliament, it doesn’t give an MP the immunity against the Sedition Act to speak about such matter(s).” Continue reading “Is Speaker Pandikar capable of leading MPs to fend off Executive and police threats to parliamentary privileges and immunities by arbitrary, unconstitutional and illegal assumption of non-existing powers against Parliament?”

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Call on Najib to come to Parliament on Monday to give assurance that his government would uphold and respect traditional parliamentary privileges and he would not countenance any police or criminal action against MPs for speaking up in Parliament on the 1MDB scandal

Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who had been the eighth Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, should have known of the famous parliamentary episode in the United Kingdom some four hundreds years ago on 4th January 1642 when King Charles I entered the House of Commons to arrest five Members of Parliament for high treason.

When the King asked the Speaker at the time, William Lenthall, if he knew of the location of these members, the Speaker famously replied:” “May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here; and humbly beg your Majesty’s pardon that I cannot give any other answer than this to what your Majesty is pleased to demand of me.”

I am not suggesting that Pandikar should emulate William Lenthall and be prepared to sacrifice his political career let alone his life to protect Parliamentary honours, privileges and immunity, but I stand corrected if he is not the only Speaker in the world to openly suggest – or to use the words of Tun Mahathir’s lawyer, Haniff Khaliri, “incite” – police reports or police action against Members of Parliament when he called a media conference last Thursday to suggest that the three former Cabinet Ministers, former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the former Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and the Second Finance Minister, Datuk Husni Hanadzlan might have broken their oaths of secrecy as Cabinet Ministers when debating the Budget 2017 in Parliament – which was as good as a public reprimand of the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General for dereliction of duty and instigation for them to act against Muhyhiddin, Shafie and Husni.

I have re-read the speeches of Muhyiddin, Shafie and Husni in the Parliament Hansard, which confirm that neither one of them had said anything during their speeches in the 2017 Budget debate to reveal any Cabinet secret which Malaysians and the world have not known before about the 1MDB financial scandal. Continue reading “Call on Najib to come to Parliament on Monday to give assurance that his government would uphold and respect traditional parliamentary privileges and he would not countenance any police or criminal action against MPs for speaking up in Parliament on the 1MDB scandal”

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Pandikar should retract his media conference statement last Thursday which led to police reports and police probe into three former Cabinet Ministers for their speeches on 1MDB in Parliament and reiterate parliamentary principle that police should not challenge MPs’ parliamentary privilege and immunity except in clear-cut cases provided by the Constitution

The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia should retract his media conference statement last Thursday that the three former Cabinet Ministers, former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Mujhyiddin Yassin, former Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and the former Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Husni Hanadzlah might have broken their oaths of secrecy as Cabinet Ministers when debating the Budget 2017 in Parliament, as it was such ill-advised and unfortunate statement by the Speaker which triggered off a chain of deplorable events – like the baseless police reports lodged by busybody-NGOs, the Malaysian Malay Network Organisation (JMN) and Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory N87 Club, and police action to investigate the three former Cabinet Ministers.

If the Speaker had not made the ill-advised and improper statement at last Thursday’s media conference, it would not have triggered off this chain of unfortunate and deplorable incidents.

Pandikar should accompany the retraction with a bold and clear-cut statement reaffirming the traditional parliamentary principle that MPs enjoy parliamentary privileges and immunity and the police should not challenge the parliamentary privileges of Members of Parliament except in clear-cut cases provided by the Constitution. Continue reading “Pandikar should retract his media conference statement last Thursday which led to police reports and police probe into three former Cabinet Ministers for their speeches on 1MDB in Parliament and reiterate parliamentary principle that police should not challenge MPs’ parliamentary privilege and immunity except in clear-cut cases provided by the Constitution”

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Are there enough patriotic BN MPs to come forward to join hands with patriotic Opposition MPs to save Malaysia from the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”?

As the longest-serving Member of Parliament in the present House, having served as a MP for more than 43 years covering 10 of 13 terms from 1969 to the present – except for the ninth Parliament from November 1999 to February 2004 – it gives me no pleasure but great pain and anguish to declare that in my 43 years as a MP of Malaysian Parliament, I have never felt so ashamed and outraged that the country which is the sole object of my love and patriotism, and for which I am prepared to sacrifice my liberties and even my life, have fallen so low that Ministers and MPs are not perturbed at all that the world regards Malaysia as a global kleptocracy.

What has happened to Malaysia? Have the Ministers and MPs in Parliament and the leaders in the country totally lost the moral compass, although MPs start with the following prayer before each parliamentary sitting:

“Almighty God, who in Thy Wisdom and Goodness hast appointed the Office of Rulers and Parliaments for the welfare of society and the just government of men: We beseech Thee to behold with Thy abundant favour us Thy servants whom Thou hast been pleased to call to the performance of important trusts in these lands: Let Thy blessing descend upon us here assembled, and grant that we may treat and consider all matters that shall come under our deliberation in so just and faithful a manner as to promote Thy Honour and Glory and to advance the place, prosperity and welfare of Malaysia and its inhabitants: Amen. “

Has this Prayer lost all meaning?

Have we all become hypocrites that we have totally forgotten our prayer at the start of every Parliament sitting that we can be unmoved, not to be ashamed and/or outraged for the nation to be regarded world-wide as “a global kleptocracy” – a country ruled by PPP, Pencuri, Perompak and Penyamun.

What is a kleptocracy? It has been defined as a rule by a thief or thieves.

Is this what we have become, what the Fathers of Independence and Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Tun Razak, Tun Tan Siew Sin, Tun V. Sambanthan, Tun Fuad, Tun Mustapha, OKK G.S. Sundang, Temenggong Jugah, Datuk Haji Openg, Ong Kee Hui, Ling Beng Siew and James Wong envisaged and dreamt when Malayan Independence was achieved in 1957 and the Malaysian Federation formed in 1963?

Should we be proud that Malaysia is now known world-wide not only as a kleptocracy, but a global kleptocracy, a country ruled by PPP – Pencuri, Perompak and Penyamun? Continue reading “Are there enough patriotic BN MPs to come forward to join hands with patriotic Opposition MPs to save Malaysia from the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”?”

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Three tasks for the 47 BN Sabah and Sarawak MPs to be kingmakers, uphold the secular basis of the nation, defend the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and save Malaysia from a “global kleptocracy”

For over four decades, the Members of Parliament in Sabah and Sarawak had been taken for granted by the UMNO/Barisan Nasional Federal Government, regarded as useful “cannon fodder” to make up the numbers to ensure UMNO’s increasing hegemony in the Federal Government but not critically important, as the ruling coalition had always won with two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The political landscape and electoral equation began to change in the 12th General Election in 2008, when the UMNO/Barisan Nasional Federal coalition government lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in Malaysian history.

But the 57 Parliamentary seats from Sabah and Sarawak became critically important only in the 13th General Election in 2013, when the 47 Barisan Nasional MPs saved the UMNO/BN coalition from going to the opposition ranks.

This was because the UMNO/BN coalition only won 86 parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia, which was not enough on its own to constitute the simple majority out of a Parliament of 222 seats to form the Federal Government in Putrajaya.

It was only with the 47 Parliamentary seats won by the UMNO/BN coalition in Sabah and Sarawak that Datuk Seri Najib Razak could continue as Prime Minister with 133 parliamentary seats, though as the first minority Prime Minister of Malaysia as UMNO/BN coalition only won minority popular support of 47% of the national voter turnout.

The 47 Barisan Nasional MPs from Sabah and Sarawak were therefore the kingmakers of the UMNO/Barisan Nasional Federal Government after the 13th General Election in 2013, but unfortunately, they have so far failed to exercise their proper influence, role and input on national policy direction and developments.

Without the support of the 47 Barisan Nasional MPs from Sabah and Sarawak, Najib’s Federal Government in Putrajaya will fail and fall. Continue reading “Three tasks for the 47 BN Sabah and Sarawak MPs to be kingmakers, uphold the secular basis of the nation, defend the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and save Malaysia from a “global kleptocracy””

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Call on IGP Khalid to reprimand and penalise police personnel who abused their powers in arresting Maria Chin and worse, harassing and intimidating Malaysians for taking Bersih flyers as it constitutes no crime under the law

The excessive and unreasonable action by the police in Kota Marudu to arrest the Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah for distributing Bersih flyers in Langkon, Sabah to promote the Bersih 5 rally slated on Nov. 19 to call for free, fair and clean elections must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

Even worse is the police intimidation of members of the public for taking the Bersih flyers, as the police taking down the identity card numbers of those who take the Bersih flyers and police threats to arrest the members of the public concerned is nothing short of illegal police harassment and abuse of powers.

It is no crime under the law for anyone to take or receive the Bersih flyers, and the police are doing themselves and public respect for their independence and credibility no service by acting completely outside the province of the law in harassing or intimidating members of the public for taking or receiving the Bersih flyers.

All responsible political parties and members of the public want to be friends of the police, for the police are performing an important national service and function to uphold the law to maintain order, peace and harmony.

But the police will forfeit public respect for the police, who will cease to be friends of the people, if the police themselves break the law by indiscriminately and illegally abusing police powers as in case of the Bersih 5 publicity event in Langkon, Kota Marudu yesterday.

I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to reprimand and penalise police personnel who abused their powers in arresting Maria Chin and worse, harassing and intimidating Malaysians for taking Bersih flyers as it constitutes no crime under the law.

I hope the IGP will be as “quick on the draw” with the police abuses of powers in the arrest of Maria Chin and the police threats to members of the public for taking Bersih flyers, as he has shown with regard to complaints by members of the establishment against critics of the government. Continue reading “Call on IGP Khalid to reprimand and penalise police personnel who abused their powers in arresting Maria Chin and worse, harassing and intimidating Malaysians for taking Bersih flyers as it constitutes no crime under the law”

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Pandikar undermined public perception and image of Speaker’s integrity and independence from the Executive when he suggested that the three former Cabinet Ministers had broken their Cabinet secrecy in their speeches in Parliament

I was utterly shocked when I read of the comments from the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia yesterday that former cabinet ministers may have broken their oath of Cabinet secrecy when debating the 2017 Budget in Parliament, referring in particular to former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and the former Second Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Husni Hadzlah.

Pandikar told a press conference in Parliament yesterday that when he “heard the other day….that the Cabinet’s decision had not been carried out”, it was “(secret) Cabinet information”.

Pandikar said in his experience of being a former minister himself, cabinet members had to take an oath of secrecy.

He said: “We can’t tell (secrets) to anyone. You can’t whisper it to your wife at night.”

He said he knew a lot of secrets himself, but would not divulge them as those who break their oaths cast doubt on their own integrity and conduct.

I do not know what to make of Pandikar’s comments because they undermined public perception and image of the Speaker’s integrity and independence from the Executive when he publicly suggested that the three former Cabinet Ministers had broken their oath of Cabinet secrecy in their speeches in Parliament.

Is Pandikar subtly suggesting to the Executive and in particular the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police to initiate actions against Muhyiddin, Shafie and Husni under the Official Secrets Act or other laws of the land for their alleged breach of their oath of Cabinet secrecy in their speeches during the debate on the 2017 Budget?

Is Pandikar not aware of the important doctrine of the separation of powers of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, and his special responsibility as the Speaker of Parliament to jealously safeguard the independence and integrity of Parliament from any usurpation or encroachment by the Executive? Continue reading “Pandikar undermined public perception and image of Speaker’s integrity and independence from the Executive when he suggested that the three former Cabinet Ministers had broken their Cabinet secrecy in their speeches in Parliament”

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Parliament has become a national disgrace when after meeting for two weeks, it is not prepared to do anything to purge and cleanse the national infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy

The Malaysian Parliament has become a national disgrace when after meeting for two weeks, it is not prepared to do anything to purge and cleanse the national infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.

Parliament experimented with parliamentary reforms like the Ministerial Question Time (MQT) intended to make Parliament more relevant by dealing with urgent topical issues, but my question to the Prime Minister asking what the government was doing to cleanse and purge the country of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy” could not see the light of day, although it was submitted three times at each of the first three MQTs in the past fortnight.

This raises the question whether MQT is capable of making Parliament more relevant by dealing with pertinent national issues like the question of the national infamy and ignominy for being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel to cleanse and purge Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy as a result of the 1MDB global mega-financial scandal, the US Department of Justice (DOJ)’s largest single action against US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets under the US Kleptocracy Assets Recovery Initiative and the investigations by regulatory authorities in Switzerland, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Luxembourg, Hong Kong and United Kingdom?

Or is there no way the issues of integrity, accountability and transparency in the 1MDB global mega- financial scandal could be pinned down and dissected in the Malaysian Parliament for answers and full accountability to be provided by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Ministers and that such answers and reforms are only possible if there is a change of Federal Government in the next 14th General Election? Continue reading “Parliament has become a national disgrace when after meeting for two weeks, it is not prepared to do anything to purge and cleanse the national infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy”

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All UMNO/BN Ministers and MPs should declare the donations they received from Najib personal banking accounts for the 13GE, like Shahrir who got RM1 million, and whether this is the reason they are keeping dumb on 1MDB scandal

The Chairman of BN Back Benchers Club and former Cabinet Minister, Tan Sri Shahrir Samad is not doing his political credibility any service when he denounced former Cabinet Ministers, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal for asking questions about the 1MDB global financial scandal in the current debate in Parliament.

Shahrir should have praised Husni and Shafie for their conviction and principle for asking in Parliament when they could not get answers in the Cabinet about the 1MDB global financial scandal – which is particularly commendable in the case of Husni, who was appointed the Cabinet spokesman on 1MDB in the middle of last year.

When even the only Minister to be appointed Cabinet spokesman for 1MDB is in the dark about the many important transactions and decisions taken by 1MDB, is Shahrir seriously suggesting that it is a patriotic option for Husni to keep silent in Parliament about his worries, reservations and concerns about the 1MDB financial scandal?

In fact, the question Shahrir should answer as Chairman of BNBBC, former Cabinet Minister and one of the very few in UMNO/BN who claims to have principles and integrity is why he has not yet broken his silence on the 1MDB scandal? Continue reading “All UMNO/BN Ministers and MPs should declare the donations they received from Najib personal banking accounts for the 13GE, like Shahrir who got RM1 million, and whether this is the reason they are keeping dumb on 1MDB scandal”

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Confirmed – Parliament a third-world Parliament with its charade pretending that Malaysia’s infamy as “global kleptocracy”, US DOJ billion-dollar forfeiture of 1MDB-linked assets and 1MDB scandal do not exist

It is now confirmed.

The Malaysian Parliament is a third-world Parliament incapable of becoming a first-world Parliament with its charade pretending that Malaysia’s infamy as a “global kleptocracy”, US Department of Justice (DOJ) billion-dollar forfeiture of 1MDB-linked assets and the 1MDB global financial scandal do not exist.

I have given Parliament three opportunities to prove that it is not a third-world Parliament where the majority of MPs are not in hock to the Prime Minister and the Executive, but I have failed and Parliament has failed.

It is now clear that the majority of MPs are in hock to the Prime Minister and the UMNO/BN government of the day as Parliament continues with the parliamentary charade to prop up the Prime Minister and the UMNO/BN government by ignoring the world-wide currents swirling with increasing intensity over Malaysia’s first international financial scandal which has netted for Malaysia the ignominous epithet of a “global kleptocracy”.

Even the Parliament Speaker has got into the act, with his arbitrary “sub judice” ruling to ban these issues from being questioned or debated in Parliament.

My question on the question of Malaysia as a global kleptocracy was submitted for the third time for the third Ministerial Question Times (MQT) today, but it has again been rejected by the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Continue reading “Confirmed – Parliament a third-world Parliament with its charade pretending that Malaysia’s infamy as “global kleptocracy”, US DOJ billion-dollar forfeiture of 1MDB-linked assets and 1MDB scandal do not exist”

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UMNO leaders from Najib, Hishamuddin to Khairy should realise that there is nothing more embarrassing, shameful, indecent and unprofessional than to lead Malaysia to a “global kleptocracy”

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that Opposition MPs have embarrassed themselves by staging a walkout during his Trumpish 2017 budget speech in Parliament on Friday.

The Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that the walkout of Opposition MPs from Najib’s 2017 Budget in Parliament was shameful and indecent because never in the history of the country had MPs walked out during the budget presentation.

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin said it was unprofessional for Opposition MPs to stage a walk-out of Parliament during Najib’s budget speech.

Let me tell UMNO leaders from Najib to Hishammuddin to Khairy that they should realise that there is nothing more embarrassing, shameful, indecent and unprofessional than to lead Malaysia to a “global kleptocracy”.

I am shocked that the Prime Minister and all the UMNO and Barisan Nasional Ministers are completely bereft of shame and outrage that Malaysia is regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy” and they could accept such infamy and ignominy to the nation with such equanimity, passivity and peace of mind!

I for one have never felt so ashamed and outraged as a Malaysian in my 75 years that the country I so loved and for which I am prepared to sacrifice my freedom and liberties have descended so low that it is regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy”, a country ruled by PPP – Penchuri, Perompak dan Penyamun! Continue reading “UMNO leaders from Najib, Hishamuddin to Khairy should realise that there is nothing more embarrassing, shameful, indecent and unprofessional than to lead Malaysia to a “global kleptocracy””

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I will ask for a third time in the MQT on Tuesday the question what the government is doing to purge the country of the infamy of a “global kleptocracy” – a test of whether Malaysian Parliament is first or third world Parliament

I will ask for a third time in the third session of Minister’s Question Time (MQT) next Tuesday the question what the government is doing to purge the country of the infamy of a “global kleptocracy”, which will be a test of whether the Malaysian Parliament is capable of becoming a first-world Parliament or is destined to be relegated to a third-world Parliament status.

I had boycotted the two MQTs last Tuesday and Thursday in protest agains the parliamentary charade pretending that Malaysia’s infamy for being a “global kleptocracy” does not exist.

I had on both MQT occasions submitted a question 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”, but on both occasions, the question was not picked by the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, as one of the three questions for answer during the MQT.

During the first day of Parliament last Monday, the Speaker made a most shocking and extraordinary ruling, 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”.

Pandikar is making a Speaker’s ruling which sets a world precedent, for no other Parliament in the world applies the “sub judice” rule arising from lawsuits in foreign countries. Continue reading “I will ask for a third time in the MQT on Tuesday the question what the government is doing to purge the country of the infamy of a “global kleptocracy” – a test of whether Malaysian Parliament is first or third world Parliament”

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Najib should not “hit below the belt” and should engage Mahathir in a public debate instead of deviously attacking him in his budget speech in Parliament where the former Prime Minister could not reply as he is no more a MP

The Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should be a gentleman and should not “hit below the belt” but engage Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed in a public debate instead of deviously attacking him in his 2017 budget speech in Parliament where the former Prime Minister could not reply as Mahathir is no more a Member of Parliament.

In his most unorthodox, unconventional and very Trumpish 2017 Budget speech in Parliament yesterday, Najib explicitly attacked the former Prime Minister by zeroing on him in at least half a dozen times, alleging that Mahathir had made baseless and unfounded allegations against him.

I do not propose defend Mahathir as Mahathir is fully capable of defending himself. In fact, the best person to defend Mahathir is Mahathir himself.

But I would like to see a level playing field where Mahathir could defend himself from Najib’s charges, instead of Najib “hitting below the belt” by launching attacks on Mahathir in Parliament in his 2017 budget speech where Mahathir could not defend himself as Mahathir is no more a Member of Parliament. Continue reading “Najib should not “hit below the belt” and should engage Mahathir in a public debate instead of deviously attacking him in his budget speech in Parliament where the former Prime Minister could not reply as he is no more a MP”

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Sad, shocking and most embarrassing that there is not a word to refute Malaysia’s infamy as a global kleptocracy as a result of 1MDB global financial scandal in 2017 Budget

The very fact that the question “Was it a budget speech, or a three-ring circus ringmaster’s pitch?” was asked testifies to the fact that Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 2017 Budget speech in Parliament yesterday was the most weird, unorthodox and even unbudgetary speech in the nation’s 59-year history – including Najib’s previous seven budgetary speeches from 2009 to 2015.

The writer who posed the question whether it was a budget speech or a three-ring circus felt it was unbecoming for the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, “like magician pulling rabbits out of a hat, Najib seemed to have filled the House with this person and that, whom he called out to each and every time his speech went to the part of goodies that he threw their way” – there were “cabbies and mosque imams, tok siaks and bilals, athletes, scientists, policemen, soldiers, micro loan programme Tekun participants, and yes, even the dead”.

The writer asked: “Is he unveiling a budget, or a circus troupe, as he name-drops all through his speeches, naming this person, that person living and some who have passed?”

Where did Najib get inspiration for such a most weird and unorthodox budget presentation?

From Donald Trump, who blazed new “breakthroughs” with the special guests he invited to the US Presidential debates, or from Robert Mugabe, who had a special “four-eyes only” meeting with Najib – meeting between the world’s oldest kleptocrat with the world’s newest kleptocrat – although no photographs of the dubious event in Kuala Lumpur was released to the media? Continue reading “Sad, shocking and most embarrassing that there is not a word to refute Malaysia’s infamy as a global kleptocracy as a result of 1MDB global financial scandal in 2017 Budget”

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2017 Budget Speech will go down in history as one where Prime Minister Najib admits failure and repudiates Vision 2020 by announcing his Vision 2050

Today’s budget presentation in Parliament by the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, makes dubious history.

I have personally seen some 42 Budget presentations in Parliament since my first election as MP, and this is the first time that a budget has attracted such derision because of its double absence of credibility – over the budget itself and the presenter of the budget.

This is why for the first time in Malaysia’s parliamentary history since Merdeka in 1957, there is a mass protest walk-out of Opposition MPs in Parliament during the presentation of the Budget!

Why had such protest walk-outs of MPs not happened in past budget presentations by past Finance Ministers?

Najib’s 2017 Budget makes double history – the first budget since Malaysia had acquired the infamy of being regarded world-wide as a “global kleptocracy” as well as going down in history as one where Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak admits failure and repudiates Vision 2020 by announcing his own Vision 2050! Continue reading “2017 Budget Speech will go down in history as one where Prime Minister Najib admits failure and repudiates Vision 2020 by announcing his Vision 2050”

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Malaysia intent on becoming laughing stock of the world – from “hotdog” furore to Speaker of global kleptocracy trying to ensure integrity of justice system in United States when we cannot ensure integrity of Malaysian judiciary

Malaysia seems intent to be constantly in international headlines as the laughing stock of the world – the latest being the “hotdog” furore and the Speaker of a global kleptocracy trying to ensure integrity of justice system in the United States!

I fully agree with former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz who lamented that Malaysia’s reputation as a moderate Muslim nation is being negated with unfavourable developments which paint the country as nation governed in some spheres by people with horses blinkers – like the furore involving Auntie Anne’s “pretzel dog”, with people in power who had gone “doggone loco” trying to change the name of popular Western snack.

Then we have the Speaker of Parliament of a country which is the latest entry of the obnoxious club of “global kleptocracies” trying to ensure the integrity of the justice system in the United States, when we cannot ensure the integrity of the Malaysian judiciary in the first place.

Yesterday, Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia says it is sub judice to discuss the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) suit on 1MDB assets, because the Hansard could then be cited by the DOJ in the US hearing.

He said: “Even if no one from Malaysia is called to testify in the trial in America, they can quote what is being said in the Malaysian Parliament in order to influence the trial in the America.

“This is why I did not allow the debate, because every argument made here can be used in the American trial, even if it is in a foreign land.

“What the minister said here can be quoted in the American trial. In my opinion, this can influence the trial.” Continue reading “Malaysia intent on becoming laughing stock of the world – from “hotdog” furore to Speaker of global kleptocracy trying to ensure integrity of justice system in United States when we cannot ensure integrity of Malaysian judiciary”

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Continued boycott of second Minister’s Question Time: Parliament must bear part responsibility if Malaysia TI CPI 2016 plunges because of Malaysia’s world-wide infamy as the newest global kleptocracy

Today is the second day of Minister’s Question Time (MQT) which I am continuing to boycott in protest against the parliamentary charade pretending that Malaysia’s infamy for being a “global kleptocracy” does not exist.

I had again submitted a question for the MQT 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”, a question which was not picked by the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, as one of the three questions for answer during the MQT debut on Tuesday.

This question has again been rejected for the MQT today.

All over the world, the reverberations from Malaysia being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy as a result of the 1MDB global financial scandal continues unabated, but in Malaysia, Parliament is the latest recruit of the great national pretence that Malaysia’s infamy being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy as a result of the 1MDB global financial scandal does not exist. Continue reading “Continued boycott of second Minister’s Question Time: Parliament must bear part responsibility if Malaysia TI CPI 2016 plunges because of Malaysia’s world-wide infamy as the newest global kleptocracy”