“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.”
“Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace,
for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended anything successfully, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“Fixed fortifications are a monument to the stupidity of man." “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
Are we going down the road of Sri Lanka? By P Gunasegaram
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Malaysiakini : Their debts are 101 percent of gross domestic product or GDP, the sum
of goods and services produced in a year, ours 68 percent. Importantly,
they don’t have enough foreign exchange to service their foreign debts,
we have more than enough.
People stand in line to buy domestic gas tanks near a distributor, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sri
Lanka also made the really bad move of banning fertiliser imports and
relying instead on organic fertilisers which resulted in a major
shortage of food production locally. This is an example of what bad
decision-making by incompetents can do.
Moody’s rating is Ca for
Lanka - that means highly speculative and likely in, or very near
default, with some or little prospect of recovery in principal and
interest.
Malaysia’s is A3 - it signifies that the issuer has
financial backing and some cash reserves with a low risk of default.
A-/A3 is the seventh-highest rating a debt issuer can receive and is
four rankings above the cut-off for junk bonds - not great but not bad
either.
In short, we are not anywhere near what Sri Lanka is now, make no mistake about that.
Are
we vulnerable? Yes, if we go on like this for a long time - it may take
a decade of massive mismanagement and corruption to get there and it
would need successive bad governments. Our quality of government right
now is the poorest it has ever been, so yes, we could be headed that way
if we continue like this.
Subsidies
Sri
Lanka defeated the separatist, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
in 2009, giving rise to major optimism about the future. But a series of
poor governments, including several involving the Rajapaksa family,
brought the government to its knees this year amidst widespread public
demonstrations.
Often people highlight Sri Lanka’s wasteful
spending on food, fuel, and electricity subsidies to appease voters as
one of the factors that caused this crisis, pointing to Malaysia’s
government also spending a large amount on subsidies.
But our
situation is considerably different. We are net exporters of energy, so
we can afford to subsidise energy. The problem is who are we subsidising
- high-energy consumers who tend to be rich. That’s the wrong thing to
do.
For food, we were about to do the wrong thing by removing
subsidies and lifting ceiling prices on chicken, eggs and cooking oil.
But the government did a U-turn
and instead now says a new ceiling price will be fixed. If that wrong
decision was carried through, it would have caused major problems for
the poor.
Chicken and eggs are the mainstay proteins for many
Malaysians. Government figures indicate the subsidy on them is less than
RM1 billion per year. Guess what the subsidy on fuel is - RM30 billion -
cut that subsidy by just 3 percent and we easily cover the food subsidy
for those three essentials.
So
really the food subsidies don’t do much damage and help to feed the
poor - give them nutrition. It’s the fuel subsidy that we need to watch
because much of it goes to the rich who can afford to pay more.
In
the longer term, we need to gradually decrease subsidies and give
targeted help to the poor. As well, we need to be more self-sufficient
in food to insulate ourselves from supply disruptions. I dealt with this
issue here.
I
further explained we are not feeding our children properly. Unicef
figures indicate that in Malaysia, 20.7 percent of children under five
suffer from stunting and 11.5 percent from wasting, 12.7 percent of
children (5–19-year-olds) are obese.
That’s not flattering at all
and extremely worrisome. We are far away from being developed in the
full sense of the word. That’s why food subsidies are essential for now.
Nepotism and corruption
Commentators
draw parallels between Sri Lanka’s nepotism caused by President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family who held key positions in government.
But again, the situation is different in Malaysia.
We don’t have
nearly as much nepotism here as in Sri Lanka where at one time the
Rajapaksa family controlled most key ministries. But what is worrisome
is the increasing corruption and patronage at all levels of society.
It
has reached such levels that it is no longer a shame to be corrupt -
for example ‘Malu Apa Bosku’. When criminals and to-be criminals are
glorified and given a high place and respect within the ruling party we
have to be really, really worried - that indicates the leadership and
the party itself is rotten. That trend is nothing less than dangerous.
We have to nip that in the bud.
The clear lesson from Sri Lanka is
watch who you vote into power or pay the price. If you vote the
incompetent and the corrupt in, that’s a sure recipe for disaster. It
combines robbing with wrong decisions which have no professional insight
and no intention to improve the welfare of the people, the worst
possible combination of all.
A woman prepares vegetables for lunch during a power cut as currency shortage makes fuel scarce, in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Malaysia
now would have been well on the way to reform if Dr Mahathir Mohamad
had honestly wanted reform. But he returned to his old ways instead and
chose a former discredited finance minister and buddy Daim Zainuddin to
initiate change. It was no surprise that he eventually lost control.
The
only way for Malaysians is to vote for the party which will be the best
for the country. Choose wrongly and you will pay the price. Malaysians
voted correctly in the last elections but the politicians, led by
Mahathir and ably aided and abetted by Muhyiddin Yassin and Mohamed Azmin Ali betrayed them.
To
vote back this bunch which betrayed us and who now rule through the
back door and who have nothing but their own self-interests at heart is
the most foolhardy thing we can do.
To return the country to some
semblance of normality, the structural changes needed are known to all -
crush corruption, pro-growth policies which are equitable to all, an
excellent education system, a trained workforce, build national unity
etc, etc.
We need honest, competent politicians for that and most
of all, political will. Again, exercising our vote carefully and sending
the right messages to all the political parties will be crucial.
As
much as that power of choice remains in our collective hands, we must
exercise it with caution and discretion. Sri Lanka’s lesson is this: Put
power in the hands of the wrong people and they will destroy the
country - eventually.
Malaysiakini : If the constitutional amendment seems like Umno's master stroke to check on Ismail Sabri, it is less so in reality, even if Hamzah allows for the approval of Umno's constitutional change. Why?
If Ismail Sabriis
convinced, or fears, that he would lose his prime minister job after
winning GE15, either within months (ala ex-PM Abdullah AhmadBadawi) or immediately (Johor’s formermenteri besar Hasni Mohammad), then it is in his best interest to stay on as long as possible.
After all, if Ismail Sabristeps down before Feb10,2023, he would have been PM for less than 539 days, making him the PM with the shortest tenure.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Muhyiddin Yassinwould be very happy for Ismail Sabrito beat his own record of 539 days, counting from March1,2020, till when his caretaker PM’s role ended on Aug21,2021.
And the removal of Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman from his appointed position in the Umno supreme council perhaps only strengthens Ismail Sabri’s resolve to stay on longer.
Now that Umno presidentZahid has made clear who is the boss in Umno, Ismail Sabri
has a new fear. If he is to call an election, say on the second day
after the tabling of the 2022 budget in October, he would look like a
lame duck in his last months.
Purging of Umno top gun
So, what's Umno's Plan B if Ismail Sabricontinues
to delay his move to seek an early dissolution of Parliament, which is
his sole prerogative? And to give or withhold the royal assent to such
request from the PM is the king’s absolute discretion.
The rising prices (until Russian President Vladimir Putin
stops the war or is stopped) and any resurgence of Covid-19 cases would
make good grounds for either PM to not seek or the king to not approve
an early dissolution.
The nuclear option speculated by some is for the supreme council to sack Ismail Sabri. This will not happen because it would be the “fallen durian” for the opposition.
The magic ingredient for an opposition’s united front is always the purging of Umno top gun – former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzahin 1988 (effectively done when Umno was deregistered), former DPM Anwar Ibrahim in 1999, and former DPM Muhyiddin in 2016.
If a sitting Umno PM is sacked, immediately Pakatan Harapan would be back on the government’s bench, and a big tent of Harapan, PN and Ismail Sabriloyalists would become a reality.
The default option would be for Umno-in-WTC and Umno-in-Putrajaya
to continue their cold war until one side concedes. And the GE15
guessing game would go on, from September to November, and possibly to
next January, March, June and August.
After every missed window, Umno would try to look for the next best time to push Ismail Sabri’s hand, but the opportune time may well be dictated by Putin, virus or floods.
And this would not make Umno look good for winning GE15 as a force of stability.
First, it only confirms the fear that some investors and analysts already see: a big win for Umno would be followed by a royal battle between the big boys.
Second,
a never-ending guessing game kills off certainty – even just for months
– for both businesses and ordinary people. Extremely short-term
policies aiming to win or survive elections cannot build investors’ and
consumers’ confidence at a time of unprecedented multiple crises.
It’s time for Umno to think hard not on the surety of its Plan A, but on the increasingly inevitable need for a Plan B.
And this requires Umno facing the elephant room: the post-GE15 leadership contest in Umno.
Most
major parties in Malaysia cannot deal with leadership contests, and
they split after every contested party election. This is certainly the
case for Umno since DrMahathir Mohamad, and of course, Umno’s political crises become Malaysia’s.
Can Umno’s
next presidential contest be different from in that the party stays
intact, with the losing faction living in peace with the winning
faction, without purging or marginalisation?
Instead of pretending that Ismail Sabrican
keep his job after GE15 and trying to get him to call an early
election, it may be more rational for both sides to contemplate the
opposite: a full term for Ismail Sabri, a stronger Umno’s control on the government, and a fair leadership contest after GE15.
That would keep Umno
united and well-placed for GE15. Even if the opposition is more
prepared and coordinated by mid-2023, even if turnout goes much higher
than 55 percent in Johor, Umno may still win
the largest number of seats to dominate the next government, if it can
use the coming year to lead Malaysia through the multiple crises of
economic hardship, healthcare threat and environmental backlash, with
solid policies and real reforms.
Is Umno ready to go out of the old game? That’s the question.
France: 1,098 people nationwide attacked with tainted syringes, several Muslims arrested
Clubbing
Robert Spencer : INFO LE FIGARO – According to an
internal document brought to the attention of Le Figaro, 808 complaints
were filed with the police and the gendarmerie
The wave of syringe
“attacks” perpetrated in bars, nightclubs and festivals is turning into
a headache for the police. Enigmatic, it has claimed victims across the
country without any solid leads yet emerging.
A final report from
the Directorate General of the National Police (DGPN), brought to the
attention of Le Figaro on Thursday, lists no less than 1,098 victims in
total throughout the country. That is exponential growth, knowing that
808 complaints have already been filed with the police and the
gendarmerie. According to our information, the scourge has grown to such
an extent that the Anti-Narcotics Office (Ofast) has been put on alert,
in case investigations reveal organized trafficking.
In terms of
the operating mode, the police summary reports “immediate effects” of
the sting, but also “delayed effects,” with “marks of bruises.” “The
most common symptoms are hot flashes, dizziness, loss of sensitivity,
even loss…
“Six-Fours: Two Individuals Incarcerated After Syringe Pricks In a
Bar,” translated from “Six-Fours: Deux Individus Incarcérés Après des
Piqûres à la Seringue dans un Bar,” by Laury Holste, BFM TV, June 20, 2022:
Two individuals suspected of having needle-sticked a young woman in a bar in Six-Fours were arrested and then imprisoned.
Two
individuals, of Turkish nationality and aged 31 and 33, were arrested
on Saturday and placed in pre-trial detention as part of a complaint
after injections in a bar six-fournais, indicates a police source to BFM
Toulon Var.
Two suspects arrested A 25-year-old woman filed a
complaint the previous week after being stung at around 1 a.m. while at
Eden Bar. In the middle of the hearing, the victim, feeling unwell, was
evacuated to the hospital to carry out examinations, in particular blood
and urine.
“The establishment’s video surveillance made it
possible to identify two suspects, also recognized by the young woman
and a witness, who were near the victim and who were hiding something,”
said a source familiar with the matter.
According to Samuel
Finielz, prosecutor of Toulon, the victim saw the “two individuals
gravitating around her. One of them made a sign to the other before
stinging the young woman in the elbow.” It was finally during the night
of Friday to Saturday that one of the suspects was arrested by the
police at the scene in collaboration with the establishment. Placed in
police custody, the individual denied the facts.
Syringes found in the home of one of the suspects Still
according to our information, the search of the telephone records of
the thirty-something made it possible to identify the second suspect,
aged 31, placed in turn in police custody. The individual also denied
the facts.
“During the search of the latter’s home, syringes, needles and drugs in vials were seized on the premises,” said the prosecutor.
Referred
this Sunday, the two individuals were indicted for “aggravated
violence” by three circumstances: “weapon”, “premeditation” and “in a
meeting” resulting in an ITT of less than 8 days. The two individuals
were imprisoned in La Farlède prison….
As a reminder, since the
beginning of June, three people have been imprisoned for injections in
the Var. The first, a 20-year-old Tunisian, had been imprisoned
following an indictment arising from facts produced during “The Song of
the Year”, on the beaches of Mourillon.
“Versailles: a man of Yemeni nationality arrested after several cases
of injections during the music festival,” translated from “Versailles :
un homme de nationalité yéménite interpellé après plusieurs cas de
piqûres lors de la fête de la musique,” Fdesouche, June 22, 2022:
France celebrated music everywhere
in the country on Tuesday evening. In Versailles, the party did not go
as planned. According to information from Europe 1, shortly before 11
p.m., at the level of the electro scene, avenue de l’Europe, several
victims reported cases of needle sticks on the public highway.
The suspect is in custody
The
police managed to arrest a suspect thanks to video surveillance and the
testimonies of the alleged victims. At least four cases of bites have
been identified. Witnesses formally recognized him as he tried to blend
in with the crowd again. During his examination, the syringe was not
found. The suspect, of Yemeni nationality, 37 years old, is from
Elancourt in Yvelines (78). He is still in custody at this time.
De sources #policières,
2 hommes, Aymen B. (16 ans) et Ahmed M. (41 ans) ont été interpellés
après avoir piqué en douce une jeune femme de 37 ans sur les quais, à
Nantes, le soir du 14 mai. La jeune femme a aussitôt été prise de
malaise (sueurs froides, engourdissements..) 1/3
Privilege: Somali Cop Who Shot Unarmed Woman in Minneapolis to be Released Less Than Five Years Later
Mohamed Noor
Robert Spencer : Damond’s father, John Ruszczyk, was appalled by the fact that Noor
would soon be out on the street: “His release after a trivial sentence
shows great disrespect to the wishes of the jury who represented the
communities of Minneapolis and their wish to make a statement about the
communities’ expectations of police behavior and actions.” Noor was
initially convicted of murder, but the Minnesota Supreme Court threw out
the murder conviction and resentenced him to four years and nine months
on a charge of manslaughter.
Damond’s stepmother, Maryan Heffernan, made some telling
observations: “We’re very disappointed. But we’re not surprised. We’ve
been watching events in Minneapolis from miles away and we’re still
bewildered about the charge being dropped and we’re still bewildered
about the culture of the Minneapolis Police Department.”
Heffernan’s bewilderment is understandable, but the culture of the
Minneapolis Police Department is readily explicable. Mohamed Noor was
the first Somali Muslim on the Minneapolis police force, and the force
couldn’t have been prouder of this visible manifestation of its
commitment to “diversity.” In 2016, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges expressed her
excitement about that fact: “I want to take a moment to recognize
Officer Mohamed Noor, the newest Somali officer in the Minneapolis
Police Department. Officer Noor has been assigned to the 5th Precinct,
where his arrival has been highly celebrated, particularly by the Somali
community in and around Karmel Mall.”
It’s important to note that Hodges wasn’t excited because Mohamed
Noor was a first-class police recruit who had demonstrated that he had
the skills necessary to become a fine police officer. It’s didn’t matter
at all how he performed during officer training; the Minneapolis Police
Department and city officials were determined that Mohamed Noor would
succeed no matter what.
I
wonder whether it is a riot when the citizens of a country gather
peacefully in accordance with what the law allows and the Constitution
provides for when the people come together to plead for justice, a
fairer and better life and an end to the corruption and abuses by the
forces in power.
If that is to riot, we must ask what the
appropriate description should be when the government prevents the
people from assembling legally and hurling tear gas canisters at them
just for being there.
The Bersih rallies had their share of
violence - when the Federal Reserve Units (FRU) attacked those who chose
to march. I should know, I was there, 65 years old and I was one of the
innocent victims.
An incident I experienced was an apt reflection
of the reality and symbolism of what Bersih’s call represented. When
the gathering had ended, after then Bersih chairperson S Ambiga had made
a brief speech, we were returning home.
Let me repeat that, we
were walking along the embankment away from the epicentre of the walk
near Bank Negara. Suddenly a troop of FRU men appeared in front and
fired tear gas at us. For what? We were tired, we were quietly going
home and we get attacked by the police?
An elderly Chinese
gentleman was on the verge of collapsing, overcome by the fumes and a
Malay lady was supporting him from his back, holding him up. An Indian
youth was in front of the gentleman, using a handkerchief to fan the old
man’s face.
To me, that scene was the soul and spirit
of Bersih. I will never forget it. I wish I had the guts to say more,
but my little wisdom demands I hold my tongue and curb my fingers.
6th Generation Immigrant:
Protests, when they do occur after all other avenues have been
exhausted, are usually the last resort remaining for citizens to
collectively sound out their dissent. This is a democratic principle
which must always be allowed and maintained.
Antagonists, on the
other hand, do also exploit protests to serve personal, selfish and
unuseful means. These forms of protest should cease and desist.
This
is why permits are issued by authorities to allow peaceful assemblies.
The problem with protests in Malaysia is that they are always controlled
by biased enforcing authorities, which are nonetheless always aligned
with the political masters who put them there.
MVA:
Ultimately, all power comes from the people. Good leaders can sense the
people’s wishes and act accordingly, but others need to face protests
before they change course.
Unfortunately, there are those who would only accept reality after much destruction and even bloodshed.
Darmakochi:
Looking at the recent regressive trend of the political situation in
our beloved nation, peaceful rallies by bodies like Bersih are extremely
important. There is no proper and functional check and balance system
in our nation.
Tuanku, the average Malaysian is suffering to get a
decent three meals a day. I am sure Tuanku had read about the fat
salaries and allowances of ministers and appointees to head
government-linked companies (GLCs) such as FGV.
We
have the most bloated cabinet in the world with clueless ministers. A
number of these ministries are completely irrelevant and can be merged.
These peaceful rallies are the only alternative left for us to channel
our frustration.
Vgeorgemy: Our politics divide the communities along racial and religious lines and encourage feudalistic tendencies.
The
majority population went along happily, thinking it was the minorities
who are causing divisions until the economy collapsed under the weight
of incompetency, cronyism and looting of public funds.
UB40:
Thank you, Bersih, for your enlightening reply. Note that all of the
protests organised by Bersih were peaceful and not one life was lost.
This
is democracy and the sultan needs to respect the rights of the rakyat.
It is not fair that people cannot protest if the government of the day
fails to fulfil its obligations.
PinkCougar9549:
Who on earth would welcome a chaotic situation? If Tuanku can correct
the wrongdoings of the governing body, by all means, do it. Then we
don't need to think about going to the streets.
Let's start with Johor and let it serve as an example of a clean, effective and progressive government.
Putrajaya, don’t ‘play play’ with Sarawak on English By Francis Paul Siah
Malaysiakini : I don’t know about you but what struck me the moment I read about it
is to ask (in a state of disbelief) whether Zuki’s statement is real or
has been misquoted. If not, what a regressive policy that is. It’s very
sad when we have the top civil servant in the country involved in such a
backward flip.
I’m glad Sarawak minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah did not mince his words when he called the proposal “silly and stupid”.
“English is our second official language and it’s widely used by civil servants and in the state assembly,” he told Free Malaysia Today.
The
Sarawak tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister said
that civil servants should be encouraged to use “good English” instead
of being penalised for it.
“Being proficient in English does not make one less Malaysian or less Malay,” he said.
And
what did we hear last Friday? Another ludicrous statement by the
chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
(DBP), Awang Sariyan, saying that those who disrespect the national
language can be fined up to RM50,000 or sentenced to imprisonment through amendments to the DBP Act 1959.
Hello, what else will they think of next?
Sarawakians’ right
I
must first ask those in DBP which connotation in English do they mean
by “disrespect” or “disrespectful”? The word “disrespect” is open to a
wide range of interpretations, and it becomes highly subjective whether a
particular action or utterance is disrespectful.
As a Sarawakian,
I wish to add: Malaya can do whatever they want to give prominence to
BM and lower the importance of English, but we, Sarawakians, have the
right to continue with our emphasis on the language as we think fit.
Encouraging
Sarawakians to master English does not mean that we are disrespecting
BM. Some people in DBP can say and formulate stupid and silly policies
as they wish but do not bother us in Sarawak with them.
I also
have this message to our federal leaders, especially Prime Minister
Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his acolytes (which are only a handful, as we
are aware.)
Hear it from a Sarawakian - after the brouhaha over
English and their condescending manner in pushing the Malay language
down our throats, let me say this: Perhaps, non-English speaking
lawmakers should not be appointed ministers. They are a distinct
disgrace to our nation and Malaysians are ashamed of them, especially
when they represent us abroad.
Malaysians could only gripe in
embarrassment every time a non-English speaking Malaysian minister
attempted to use the language in an international setting. What the
heck! Is this the best we have to parade as our representatives abroad?
Gladly,
all our seven prime ministers speak good English. The current PM has a
problem. Probably, because of his own inadequacies with the language, he
is now pushing BM around as if it is the only language for all of
mankind.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Seriously,
Ismail Sabri also wanted our representatives abroad to speak BM at
international forums, stating that would help to promote the language to
the world.
I say, good luck, Mr Prime Minister. I think that
brushing up on your English would be the next best thing you have
carried during your temporary sojourn as the prime minister.
In
Sarawak, all our ministers, deputy ministers and state assembly members
and MPs too are all English speakers or at least, they are able to
handle the language.
None of our Sarawak ministers or legislators
has ever been known to embarrass us Sarawakians when they represent us
abroad at international forums. Unlike some of our Malayan federal
ministers.
On the English language, no shame to learn from Sarawak, really!
Grandson of disgraced ex-S'gor MB Harun wants to clear his name by Martin Vengadesan
Malaysiakini : “In it, he wrote that he hopes one day his descendants would act to clear his name.
“I’m not sure if that will be possible but I can only try and trust in God and His wisdom,” Ashaari told Malaysiakini in an interview.
He believes that some truths about his grandfather have been suppressed.
“If
you speak to people who knew him well they mainly have good things to
say about him. One particular quote I like was that he was ‘too far
sighted’.
“He was highly intelligent, a visionary, very competent administrator but also extremely warm, kind and approachable.
“He
may not have left tall skyscrapers that loom large over Kuala Lumpur
but I think his legacy is captured perfectly by PKNS, which helped
develop affordable housing (still does so till today), and Yayasan
Selangor, which presently accounts for 20,000 alumni.
“Through
PKNS, Shah Alam was developed alongside green belting of a number of
areas, many of which have sadly been developed after he was deposed as
MB and therefore affecting things like flooding in KL and Selangor now,”
said Ashaari.
He said that Harun was widely regarded as the most
influential Umno Youth leader who would often be very critical of
government policies back in the day and he was even called out for
creating “a party within a party”.
“If you add that to the fact
that he was Malaysia and Selangor’s best-ever football manager, also
involved in cycling, golf and brought Muhammad Ali to fight in KL in
1975, then it makes him at least a compelling figure in Malaysian
history.
“Sadly, much of his story has been lost. My personal
opinion is that it was intentionally suppressed due to internal Umno
politics between Harun and (second prime minister) Abdul Razak
(Hussein),” he claimed.
Ashaari noted that many of the good things Harun did have been brushed off.
“Just
look at his Olympic football team of 1972, which seems to be ignored,
while instead, they made a movie ‘Ola Bola’ about the 1980 team which
didn’t even go to the Olympics,” he said.
A grandson’s passion
Ashaari
is the son of Harun’s youngest son, Azman Shah Harun, and trained as a
medical doctor in rural Malaysia. He pointed out that he himself is
half-Chinese.
“I did my housemanship in Hospital Ampang from
2014-2016, then was posted to Klinik Kesihatan Kemayan in Bera, Pahang,
where I was the medical officer in charge there for about 1.5 years.
“I
was then transferred to KK Tg Karang (by coincidence there is an SMK
Dato Harun opposite) but then decided to apply to work and train in
England,” he explained.
He is currently in training to be a family
medicine specialist and is on a Public Health rotation working on
projects related to non-communicable diseases and public mental health.
Nonetheless, Ashaari remains a keen student of history and has undertaken more than 30 interviews in the course of his research.
Among
those he spoke to were former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad,
former deputy prime minister Musa Hitam, ex-IGP Hanif Omar and others
such as Daim Zainuddin and Lim Kit Siang.
He also talked to
veterans in the legal field, such as VC George, Mahadev Shankar and
Gopal Sri Ram, journalists like R Nadeswaran and footballers Soh Chin
Aun and Santokh Singh to build up a better picture of Harun.
May 13 race riots
Many
of the dignitaries did speak highly of Harun’s positive side, but
despite these efforts, it’s very hard to run away from the black marks
of May 13 and the twin corruption cases.
“On May 13th - there is
no doubt at all that the Malays gathered at his official MB residence
and there were a significant number of them that came armed.
“Whether
he was the instigator or ‘tip of the spear’ is another question. For
me, I don’t think it would be in keeping with his multi-racial character
as his peers tell me that most of his friends growing up were actually
non-Malay and I would argue that you have to be of a certain personality
to commit such a deeply violent act,” said Ashaari.
The results of the 1969 election had taken the Umno/Alliance by surprise and Selangor was one of the states in the balance.
Following
a victory parade by the opposition, which then included Gerakan as well
as DAP, Umno’s retaliation was the trigger for widespread violence and
murder.
“There is a variety of views which exonerate him from May 13th,” claimed Ashaari.
“One is a recent interview I did with Hanif, there is also an article written by then opposition leader Tan Chee Khoon in TheStar
newspaper called ‘Datuk Harun and the May 13th tragedy’ and also
(former deputy prime minister) Dr Ismail (Abdul Rahman) who originally
wanted to have him charged for murder, and in the end, changed his
mind,” he said.
Ashaari also claimed that two ministers who headed
the National Operations Council that followed the suspension of
Parliament were convinced of Harun’s guilt, but in the end, couldn’t pin
the blame on him based on evidence.
“I also wrote to Mahathir to
ask him if he, Razak and my grandfather engineered May 13th to replace
Tunku as the PM - he replied in the negative.
I agree with Lim
that perhaps there should be a Royal Commission of Inquiry - or at least
declassify the documents to do with the riots - as suggested by Kua Kia
Soong. Let people look at all the evidence and decide. It’s hard to be
sure of any version of events with so much ambiguity and uncertainty,”
he added.
Corruption cases
Between 1975 and
1977, Harun was found guilty of various charges of corruption,
including forging minutes of a meeting for the purpose of cheating the
bank by pledging its stocks to the First National City Bank (now
Citibank) to get letters of credit for Tinju Dunia Sdn Bhd to stage the
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Bugner fight.
This
action caused Bank Rakyat to lose RM7.9 million and Harun was sentenced
to six years' imprisonment, although he received a pardon from the Yang
di-Pertuan Agong after serving three years of his sentence.
There
was also the Hong Kong Shanghai bank case for which he was convicted
for accepting a bribe of RM250,000 to facilitate the acquisition of a
piece of land.
“Regarding the Bank Rakyat case and Hong Kong
Shanghai Bank cases… certainly I share my grandfather’s view in his
diaries that it was politically motivated. A view also shared by
Mahathir as he wrote in his memoirs that he went to see Hussein Onn
about it - remarking that ‘the truth was it was purely political’.
“With
regard to the mechanics of the case, the details of why guilty verdicts
were bad were explained to me by Suhaimi Kamaruddin and Sri Ram, who
were on his defence team helping out RR Chelliah.
“My grandfather
himself was formerly DPP and state legal advisor before entering
politics and therefore had a good grasp of the law,” said Ashaari who
added that his grandfather’s confidence in the court’s independence was
shaken.
Kind words but no evidence
One of Ashaari’s key refutations is that many had kind words to say about Harun.
Hanif,
for example, told him: “Harun had a very good reputation as Selangor
MB. He was the people’s man and easy-going – no airs about him. He mixed
very well with all communities and was helpful and attentive to their
problems.
“He had built up the Selangor and national football
teams into formidable and multi-racial ones – and this was in the days
when Malaysians were football crazy.
“He was a favourite manager
with the players, to many of whom he had allocated special and endearing
nicknames, like ‘towkay’ for Soh, the capable captain and ‘spider-man’
for R Arumugam, the almost invincible goal-keeper,” Hanif told Ashaari.
Hanif also attributes Harun’s downfall to political infighting.
“The
Ali–Bugner fight in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur was also rumoured to assist in
the building up of Harun’s war chest. Unfortunately, the sponsorship of
the fight involved Bank Rakyat, which lost several million ringgit in
the venture.
“There were of course rumours of corruption and
demands for an investigation. These demands were also made again and
again by the opposition in Parliament and they set the anti-corruption
agency moving.
“Razak tried to save Harun by recommending him to accept a posting to the UN. At first, he agreed, then asked for time to do an umrah.
On his return, I was told (that) Harun’s relatives and political aides
strongly advised him against accepting the UN appointment which they
were sure would end his political career.
“As a result, Harun went
to see Razak again to tell him he was not leaving the country to which
Razak sadly said that he would have no option but to let the action run
its course,” Hanif reportedly said.
Such words, while offering a distinct insight into Harun’s personality, do not really seem to clear him of any wrongdoing.
Further projects
Ashaari does not intend to stop with videos, podcasts and interviews on the matter.
“I
have started writing a book and I pray I am able to do justice to his
story. Perhaps even a movie about the standoff at his house between Umno
Youth and the police before he surrendered himself to the authorities
in 1978.
“I hope that my book will be able to show that my
grandfather did have that multiracial vision, just listen to what his
football players had to say about him (Malaysians from all races).
“Malaysia
has never had a problem with battling about ideas, the problem has
always been implementing them,” said Ashaari who is generally interested
in local and world history but has given most of his spare time in
recent years to this project.
He added that, as a young Malaysian, he finds the current political situation very confusing - like having to choose between nasi lemak basi or soggy roti canai.
Vilifying Bersih will not put food on table - Commander S THAYAPARAN (Retired) Royal Malaysian Navy
Malaysiakini : Other black marks include Umno Youth rioting and disrupting the Apcet II civil society gathering, Zulkifli Noordin and cohorts threatening violence against the Bar Council regarding a religious forum, and, of course, who could forget the Low Yat riots.
The riot in Low Yat Plaza in 2015
Who can forget when Umno Youth threatened to burn down PKR’s headquarters because they wanted PKR to withdraw from the Bersih 2 protests, or when Umno Youth threatened to burn down the DAP headquarters?
Or how about when Jaringan Melayu Malaysia president Azwanddin Hamzah threatened to attack a Klang police station?
"My
warning to them, immediately arrest the developer, arrest the lawyers.
If not, ladies and gentlemen, we will attack the Klang police station,"
Azwanddin had said.
What Bersih has been about
Riots are about violence. Whenever right-wing supremacists hold gatherings and threaten violence, they are coddled by the state.
Remember
the infamous cow head protest? This was surely a black mark on the
nation's history made blacker because then home minister Hishammuddin
Hussein sat down with the protesters and claimed they were not to be
blamed.
“All they wanted to do was to voice their unhappiness and
the unwillingness of the state government to consider their request,”
Hishammuddin said.
Funny,
this is exactly what every Bersih has been about. People voiced their
discontent towards the state and with Bersih protests, no animal heads
were used.
Demonstrations can lead to violence and most often it
is the agent of the state that disrupts peaceful protests and brings
violence to the demonstrations.
At its best, what Bersih does is
remind Malaysians that we are all in this together. This of course is
what hegemonic regimes fear the most.
This is why anyone calling
for violence at a Bersih rally should be vilified like I publicly did
here when some folks actually thought that it was a good idea to storm
Dataran Merdeka.
Reckoning is coming
I wrote
in 2012 that Bersih was indeed our answer to the Rio carnival. It was
our carnival of people of different races and creeds marching together
under a common banner for the betterment of all, instead of slavish
devotees to political parties which make compromises on our behalf which
usually benefits only them.
It was a multiracial, multireligious
street party which is what this type of regime fears the most. They fear
people of all races and religions coming under a common cause, and even
worse, a non-partisan cause of their own free will.
It is not
only important that people do not publicly voice their dissent, it is
vitally important that diverse groups of people do not come together to
voice their dissent.
The
reason for this is simple. It dispels the illusion that racial and
religious preoccupations divide us when what really divides us are the
instruments of the states, including compromised and unjust laws and
policy decisions.
The dangerous idea of the Bersih rallies is that
each time it is held, more diversity is introduced into our public
spaces. The dangerous idea is that large groups of people of different
races, and political and racial ideologies are congregating with a
specific goal of demonstrating their discontent against the government
of the day.
All Malaysians do is engage in rhetoric and mostly
online. When they stop and engage in action, change is possible. What
the huge number of people gathering and demanding reform does is that it
reminds the powers that be that people are holding them accountable.
But this is not really about Bersih.
Why
is it that the hegemonic forces in control of this country are afraid
of people protesting over price hikes? It’s because this is about the
most primal of issues.
This affects people who have very little,
to begin with. This affects people who for years were told that they
were looked after by virtue of their race and their religious beliefs.
A
reckoning is coming, brought upon by incompetent management, decades of
corruption and civil spaces being conceded to religious extremists and
racial supremacists. All this privilege means nothing when the food on
your table grows scarcer.
So, what do you do? You vilify public protest and scapegoat Bersih.
Najib and 1MDB: Know the past to understand the present By R Nadeswaran
Sunday, June 26, 2022
Malaysiakini : After reading and digesting excerpts, the reader will have a clearer
view of the events and the issues which will enable them to separate the
wheat from the chaff.
In July, 2018, Malaysiakini
reported the following in an exclusive interview: “Former premier Najib
Abdul Razak continues to insist that the US$681 million (commonly
referred to as RM2.6 billion) in his bank accounts prior to the 2013
general election was a donation from a member of the Saudi royal family.
“This
is despite the US Department of Justice, in its civil forfeiture suits,
and his critics alleging that the colossal sum was siphoned from 1MDB.
“Noting
that US$620 million of the US$681 million was returned to the “donor”
in the same year, Najib said the donation came about following his
meeting with the late Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Saud.
“The genesis was when I met with King Abdullah. I asked him to
support the (Malaysian) government because I thought their government
has a record of supporting governments which are somewhat friendly with
them.”
Former premier Najib Abdul Razak
Two
months later, on July 20, Najib posted on Facebook several documents
which he claimed would clear his name amid allegations against him.
He
posted a copy of a letter that purportedly came from Prince Saud
Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia on his Facebook account, along with
several messages between banks.
Other documents posted were four
Swift messages, each detailing transactions to Najib’s AmPrivate Banking
account in 2011, totalling almost US$100 million.
Two of the
documents named “Prince Faisal bin Turkey Bandar Alsaud” as the remitter
of the funds, totalling US$20 million. These transactions were made on
Feb 23, 2011, and June 10, 2011, for US$10 million each.
Malaysiakini
reported: “Najib said the late Saudi King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud
had provided him and Malaysia with various assistance, including
financial donations, but had asked for the matter to be kept under
wraps.
“Since I am no longer prime minister and King Abdullah is
dead, I feel it is fitting that I reveal the following documents to
clear my name of various accusations and slander.
“I, with my
lawyers, have taken some time to get these documents from banks, but we
have succeeded in getting most of them. The documents are for
contributions in 2011 only. The authorities and banks have the same
documents,” he wrote.
“Pakatan Harapan tells the people that I
took ‘RM2.6 billion’, but they never tell that the money was also
returned by me to the same source. That is not fair.
“Does it
smack of somebody who was trying to cheat or steal? If the intention was
to steal, why would I use a local bank account in my own name?
“I
used the money for the election (GE13) and after the election, the
(balance) money was returned. As far as I was concerned, that was the
responsible thing to do,” he added.
But the letter was similar in style and wording to the letter revealed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 2016, but the ABC letter was dated Nov 1, 2011, instead and pledged US$375 million.
Long
before that, on Jan 20, 2016, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was then deputy
prime minister, said he had met the wealthy Arab family who had donated
the US$700 million that was channelled into Najib’s personal account.
He
was quoted as saying that the “king and prince”, whom he did not name,
had donated the money because of Malaysia’s commitment to fighting
terrorism and being a moderate Muslim country with a plural society.
The
family, he said, was impressed by how Malaysia, with its plural
society, still managed to remain moderate without side-lining any other
religions.
On Jan 26, 2016, CNBC reported: “Saudi
Arabia’s royal family gave Najib Razak a US$681 million, Malaysia’s
attorney general has revealed, ending months of speculation about the
source of the huge personal donation.”
It said: “Attorney-General
Mohamed Apandi Ali told an unscheduled press conference that he was
satisfied that the funds in Najib’s account were ‘not a form of graft or
bribery’ and that ‘no criminal offence’ had been committed in relation
to the funds, according to Reuters reports.”
“There was no reason given as to why the donation was made to PM Najib, that is between him and the Saudi family,” Reuters quoted the attorney general as saying.
Readers may recall, the MACC sent a team to seek confirmation of the donation.
Testifying
in Najib’s SRC trial on Feb 27, 2020, MACC investigating officer Mohd
Nasharudin Amir confirmed the authenticity of four letters linked to an
alleged donation that the Saudi Arabia royals had given Najib.
The officer also testified that the admission did not come from the Saudi royal but his legal representative.
Nasharuddin
testified that the MACC had, on Nov 29, 2015, gone to record a
statement from Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Malik Abdul Aziz al-Saud at the
palace of the then Saudi ruler King Abdullah in Riyadh.
But
instead of meeting the prince, a legal representative whose name was
Abdullah Al Koman had shown up on the prince’s behalf. Nasharuddin also
testified that Al Koman had signed the statement that he had given the
MACC on behalf of the prince.
The issues and quotations were
retrieved from the public domain and have never been embellished. Why
such a delve into the past, you may ask.
The answer is simple. The
public has a right to know what has been said and done in the past so
that they are informed of the events leading to the current state of
affairs. Nothing more, nothing less.
India: Muslim renounces Islam, accepts Hinduism, is threatened with hellfire and told ‘You will be killed’
Shaikh Jafar Qureshi
Robert Spencer : Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar has obtained a
recording of a phone conversation wherein a woman is heard persuading
Shaikh Jafar Qureshi, an ex-Muslim to turn back to Islam. The
46-year-old Qureshi renounced Islam and accepted Hinduism in the Mandasaur district of Madhya Pradesh on May 27, 2022.
Qureshi
was given the initiation to Hinduism by performing ritual worship by
Mahamandaleshwar Swami Chidambaranand Saraswati at the Pashupatinath
temple. From May 28 Shaikh Jafar Qureshi was known by his new name
Chetan Singh Rajput.
In the telephonic conversation, the girl
attempted to convince Qureshi to reaffirm his commitment to Islam. She
rebuked Shaikh Jafar Qureshi aka Chetan Singh Rajput for allying with
the ‘Kafirs'(non-Muslims). She claimed that Qureshi was convinced to
convert to Hinduism with the sole intention of demeaning Muslims. She
kept asking Qureshi to swear in the name of Allah and his parents that he would get back to Islam.
According to the reports,
the ritual worship for Qureshi to adopt the Sanatan Dharma was
organized by Mahamandaleshwar Swami Chidambaranand Saraswati of the
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad Mahanirvani Sangh on May 27. Swami who
gave Qureshi his new name asked to him clean his body with the cow dung
and the holy gau mutra. Mahamandaleshwar Swami Chidambaranand Saraswati
said that the religious ritual was not conducted for conversion, but
‘gharvapsi’ (homecoming).
It is notable here that in the Hindu
faith, there is no concept of ‘conversion’, but those who had strayed
away from the Sanatana Dharma can ‘come back’, by performing certain
rituals. This process is popular as ‘Ghar Waspsi’ (coming back home) in
Hindi-speaking areas.
Qureshi had also termed the
process as ‘gharvapsi’. He said that he has been following the Hindu
religion since his childhood and that he never liked the Islamist people
who possess fanatical thinking.
A Dainik Bhaskar team, meanwhile,
went to Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh to meet Chetan Singh Rajput, who
told the Hindi daily that he has been receiving numerous calls since May
27 asking him to rejoin Islam. Chetan claimed that he has also informed
the cops about this. However, when the Dainik Bhaskar team reached out
to Anurag Sujania, the Mandsaur SP, he said that the police had not
received any complaints regarding the same….
Qureshi further
stated the woman tried to continuously convince him to renounce Hinduism
and accept Islam by and scaring him with the concept of Jahannam
(hell) in Islam. Qureshi recalled the woman telling him, “Brother, you
will certainly burn in the ever-flaming pit of fire in Jahannam (hell). I
asked her whether she has experienced Jahannam (hell). She called me up
multiple times and each time I tried to give her a patient hearing, but
eventually, I stopped picking up her call,” said Qureshi.
He went
on to say that the woman had warned him that if he didn’t change his
religion from Hinduism to Islam again he would not be spared. “After a
while, these individuals who are presently willing to support you won’t
care as much. I am aware of how dangerous they are. You won’t be spared
by them. You will be killed,“ Qureshi remembered her admonishing him….
He said during the food crisis in the 1970s, the concept of a
national stockpile proved to be effective and its mechanism has been
used to this day.
“A stockpile policy provides the
government with the power and allocation to purchase and stock food
supplies and other necessities, including petrol and diesel, in bulk.
“The
stockpile is injected into the market when there is a supply disruption
that would cause prices to spike,” he said, adding that it can help
stabilise prices of necessities.
He
said there were various means of financial instruments that can be used
to build a national stockpile, including through hedging and future
contracts.
Therefore, he said the government should
emulate the United State’s National Commission on Supplies and
Shortages, which is an independent body tasked with building stockpiles
to manage the risk of food supply disruption.
“This
commission must be placed under Parliament with stringent oversight to
avoid its allocation intended for building stockpiles to be abused by
corrupt elements,” he said.
Aside from that, he said several ministries needed to be restructured and streamlined.
“By
right, the power and responsibility to formulate, implement, supervise
and enforce policies and laws relating to the food supply chain, from
production to distribution and determining prices, should be centralised
under one ministry.
“This will allow holistic
planning for the entire supply chain to be done more effectively without
overlapping authorities,” he said.
Fragmented supply-chain authority
At
present, he said authorities involved in the food supply chain are
divided into four ministries, namely the Agriculture and Food Industries
Ministry, Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry, Domestic
Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry, and International Trade and
Industry Ministry.
“This does not include tens of
agencies under these ministries. That is why any action takes a long
time without a minister being responsible.
“In the
end, matters of governance are mostly spent on meetings after meetings
and take months (to implement) because there are many ministers who need
to make the decision,” he said, adding that this is aggravated when
many of the ministers are busy politicking.
Rafizi
said if these measures were taken earlier, the cabinet would not need
to be flip-flopping on how to cope with the rising price of chicken.
On
June 21, the government announced that it will remove subsidies for
bottled cooking oil and lift the ceiling price for chicken and eggs.
Cooking oil in 1kg polybags will continue to be subsidised.
However,
three days later, the government made a U-turn, stating that it will
not allow the free float of chicken prices but will instead set a new
ceiling price.
The prices of eggs are still expected to be floated while the subsidy for bottled cooking oil was removed.
Amid the rising cost of food, the existing ceiling prices had led to a shortage in supply.
The
rising cost is fueled by soaring global inflation as supply chains
attempt to catch up with surging demand coming out of the Covid-19
pandemic as well as the Ukraine war, which has caused a shortage in
grains used as chicken feed.
Ukraine is the world’s second-biggest grain exporter in the world.
Malaysiakini : Mosquitobrain: The present sky-high palm oil prices
is not to the credit of board members. The credit should go to those
Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers who toiled day and
night.
Let's wait and see what will become of FGV when palm oil
prices fall below RM300 per ton. Will the board members quit or continue
to stay and draw fat salaries with handsome allowances?
Max Fury: It’s unbelievable! At a time when
inflation is hitting all of us and the poor are having such a hard time,
these "jokers" want to increase their allowances by a disgusting
amount.
If the shareholders of FGV Holding Berhad approve this, then I think they are the silliest shareholders around.
The money is better used to reinvest in Felda to bring in higher income to derive taxes for the people. This is very disgusting.
Kilimanjaro: Why has no minister opposed this? A former prime minister pays RM30,000 (to a civil servant) to do nothing, while he (the former PM) is now talking about the welfare of the common man.
There is nothing much one can expect from Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. He appears to be lost in the "wilderness".
Not
only this is regretful, this notion of caring for the poor and the
concept of "Keluarga Malaysia" (Malaysia Family) is just talk only.
YellowKancil0051:
As we've seen in the 1MDB trial, GLC board positions are just to reward
the cronies of those in power. They get paid huge sums without even
attending board meetings.
If our GLCs discard all the political appointees, they might just be profitable again.
Mr Wilson: The increment of RM180,000 in allowance alone is enough to support additional 1,800 families with RM100 each.
What kind of car will need an allowance of RM18,000 per month? A Proton is good enough to visit Felda areas.
It looks like the board of directors are there not to help the Felda folks but just to enrich themselves with their positions.
After all, most of them are previously senior government servants with fat pensions. Are their pensions not enough?
YellowCougar3555:
I am sure that there are many HODs (heads of department) in the civil
service who would jump at the opportunity to head FGV with such
disparate remuneration.
PurpleMoose5046: Ismail Sabri, see what your PN administration has done?
You have happily announced
a RM100 allowance for the B40 income group but here your GLC
chairperson (Dzulkifli Abd Wahab) has been given an increase of
allowance to RM480,000.
The destruction has already started 60 years ago under the administration of Umno and BN.
HMS:
The rot started with the trio of former prime minister Dr Mahathir
Mohamad, former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and former finance
minister Daim Zainuddin, who were helped by the enablers like MCA, MIC
and other BN parties which ruled from the 1980s.
Successive
political leadership either did nothing or worsened the investment
climate and the country. Pakatan Harapan was not much better. The
question is: Is there a solution to our woes in the near future?
It’s going to be a long road to recovery. But in my view, the road to total destruction like Sri Lanka is far, far shorter.
Cyclonus:
They have to increase their allowances because prices of chicken, eggs
and cooking oil have gone up. The board of directors need sufficient
sustenance because they work so hard.
We don't want them to fall asleep or faint while meeting in air-conditioned rooms wearing suits.
Traveloka Winning: That's only because being the chairperson of FGV is tough and therefore needs to be compensated accordingly.
It
will be very embarrassing if GLC chairperson is being paid like a
pauper. Malaysia needs to pay talents if we want to hold our heads high
when talking to Mat Sallehs (Westerners).
Kudos to our winning
government for raising the allowance for FGV chairperson; you put us on
the map and make us the source of envy around the world.
Mano: Do not blame the politicians and the government we voted in or rather in this case, the government that "sneaked" in.
Until
the voters wake up and overwhelmingly, with a loud strong voice, vote
out these rogues - and we do not get hoodwinked by traitors as we did in
G$14 - we will continue reading such shameless stunts of the rich
elites making money out of the poor, often the Malay B40 group.
Guan Eng received RM100k bribe with a smile, claims company exec
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Malaysiakini : The witness claimed that after getting a date for the meeting between
11am and 12am (date not specified) he prepared RM100,000 in an A4-size
envelope inside his computer bag.
‘This is for you, sir’
As
Lim looked on from the dock, Zarul claimed that after a discussion with
the accused on floor 28 of the Komtar building, the witness took out
the envelope and personally handed it to the accused.
“I did not
inform how much money was given and I merely said ‘This is for you,
sir’. He (Lim) received the envelope that he was certain contained the
money.
“I then left from his office. He merely smiled upon receiving the envelope,” Zarul claimed.
Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (ZCSB) senior executive director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli
He alleged that the 2013 money was a milestone payment that originated from his company ZCSB.
In
relation to the purported 2014 bribery incident, Zarul claimed that he
took RM100,000 out of his other company Vista Lestari Development Sdn
Bhd in the form of a payment voucher (PV).
The witness claimed
that in the run-up to Chinese New Year festivities in January that year,
he again went to Lim’s office at Komtar by himself around 5pm.
Zarul
alleged that in the meetup with Lim, where no other officers were
present, the witness claimed he handed RM100,000 enclosed in a white
envelope to the island state’s then top executive.
The witness
claimed that before the bribe was given, he and the accused were
discussing the progress of the feasibility study of the project.
Zarul
alleged that Lim did not refuse to receive the envelope and that the
latter purportedly did not ask what was inside the envelope.
‘I am indebted to YB’
“I
was inside YB (The Honourable) Lim Guan Eng’s room for only a brief
moment. YB appeared happy after receiving the envelope from me,” the
witness claimed.
“I have no malicious motive against YB Lim Guan
Eng and at no time wish for them to talk and make false statement about
my statement.
“In fact, I am indebted to YB Lim Guan Eng for
awarding the mega project to my company, whereby I was not someone known
(by the accused) to that of a major businessperson.
“The award of
the project by the Penang state government headed by its then chief
minister YB Lim Guan Eng had elevated (me) as a successful bumiputera
businessperson.
“Yes, I know that the act of promising percentage
of the profit from the project is an offence but I was confident that
anybody else in my shoes would feel indebted and wish to reciprocate
those who gave help.
“I also know that the act of asking for any payback and giving payment in relation to the project is also an offence.
“All of these matters are corruption and an offence under the law,” Zarul testified.
RM6.3 billion project
Proceedings before Azura will resume tomorrow for the witness to continue reading from his written witness statement.
The ongoing trial concerns four graft charges against Lim, who is also the Bagan MP and Air Putih assemblyperson.
One
charge, framed under Section 16(A)(a) and Section 23 of the MACC Act,
accuses him of using his position as then Penang chief minister for the
gratification of RM3.3 million as inducement for helping a company
belonging to Zarul to secure the island state's RM6.3 billion undersea
tunnel project.
The offence was allegedly perpetrated at the
Penang Chief Minister's Office, 28th Floor at Komtar in George Town,
Penang, between January 2011 and August 2017.
Under Section 23(1)
of the MACC Act, the offence is punishable with imprisonment of up to 20
years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the
gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The second
charge, also under Section 16(A)(a), states that Lim, in his capacity as
the then Penang chief minister, solicited from Zarul bribes amounting
to 10 percent of the profits to be earned by the company as
gratification for helping the company secure the project.
The
offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed
Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, between 12.30am and 2am in March
2011.
The charge, framed under Section 16 of the MACC Act,
provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than
five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is
higher.
Lim also faces two counts of causing two plots of land,
worth RM208.8 million and belonging to the Penang government, to be
disposed to two companies allegedly linked to the undersea tunnel
project.
The two charges, framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, carry imprisonment of up to five years, whipping, and a fine.
The
offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office,
Level 21, Komtar, between Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.
Why not jail or fine anyone who doesn't speak BM? - Commander S THAYAPARAN (Retired) Royal Malaysian Navy
Malaysiakini : I say “our language” not as some sort of Bangsa Malaysia kool-aid
platitude. I say our language because, like it or not, believe it or
not, all Malaysians communicate in this language every single day.
We
communicate in Bahasa Malaysia not as some sort of patriotic impulse
but rather because this is the language that cuts through class and
race.
Indeed
non-Malays use the language among themselves more often than they use
English, especially when interacting with people from different
backgrounds and educational levels where mother tongues and English are
just not utilitarian.
Indeed, it is the default language among
non-Malays for mundane everyday activities and this myth that English is
used by the non-Malays as some sort of lingua franca is complete horse
manure.
And let us not forget that when it comes to interactions with the bureaucracy, non-Malays of course have to use Bahasa Malaysia.
This
is actually strange because the upper echelons of civil service are
dominated by people who determinedly expose their offspring to
English-medium educational establishments and live lives far removed
from the hoi polloi who they defend race, religion, and language for.
Moreover,
like the Malays with their regional patois, this pidgin Malay is not a
perfect articulation of the language but, so what?
Even native
speakers do not have a perfect mastery of the language although we will
often get racial and religious supremacists who mock those who
supposedly have a poor command of the language.
Indeed,
influential preacher Zakir Naik speaks in English and we have crowds
hanging on to his every word. When he is asked questions, it is asked in
English or through a translator, so this should tell us something about
how these language supremacists operate.
Real reason for enforcing BM
Racists
and bigots do not really want to evoke love and patriotism for the
country. What they want is to evoke obedience and subservience to their
ideology. What they want is for the “pak turuts” (yes men) to bend the
knee while serving the economic interests of the political elites.
As
reported in the press, “DBP also proposed that the National Language
Act be amended in line with the amendments to the DBP Act so that it can
carry out its duties as a language enforcer more effectively.”
What
this merely means is the state has another set of enforcers, in this
case, language enforcers, to enforce hegemony on anyone they think is
disrespecting the language and what this does is create another level of
laws that would restrict freedom of speech and expression.
What
these enforcers will do is define the context when the use of BM is
disrespectful and you can bet your last ringgit that disrespect means
the use of BM while dissenting against unjust and unfair policies.
Now,
you may say this is an overaction, but how else could fascists make the
case that the use of the language is disrespectful, except when the
language is used to mock fascist policies?
Look, this weaponising of our language is merely an extension of the agendas of extremists who make up the political mainstream.
Remember when that PAS operative said all top positions in government should only be for Malays
in the 2019 Malay Dignity Congress? At the same event, Universiti
Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi) graduate Nurul Fatin Aqilah Rahim said
this:
“Vernacular schools must be abolished in stages because
education is key to unity. There should be a single medium language and
curriculum in all schools.”
You know how the racists and the crypto-racists (hidden racists) always go on about vernacular schools?
They
advocate that all children regardless of race and religion should be
mixed together but they conveniently forget national schools are
cesspools of racial and religious indoctrination.
The main reason
why parents send their children to vernacular schools is because of the
oppressive shadow of race and religion in public schools.
If you
take out race and religion in public schools you can bet your last
ringgit that vernacular schools will slowly disappear from the education
landscape and the pedagogy from those schools will be absorbed into
national schools.
To answer the question in the title, they
probably won’t find anyone in this country who does not use some form of
Bahasa Malaysia, but what they will find are people who will resist
their fascist agenda in any language.
Malaysiakini : Okay, Willie said he hoped PBB would give his application due
consideration, adding that if chosen, he would appreciate the
opportunity to carry the party’s flag and represent the people of Puncak Borneo. He also explained that he did not join any party after February 2020 but “they” just parked him in Bersatu.
I
must ask Willie. Who are “they”? You mean to say you just allow others
to make use of you and park you here and there. Like a vehicle looking
for a parking space! That is likened to a jellyfish with no backbone,
not a respected people’s representative and a MP. Where is your own
stand, as an MP and as an elected rep for the Puncak Borneo electorate,
eh Willie?
This was my immediate response when the news came in
one of my chat groups on Monday, June 20: “So, our friend, Willie, has
now confirmed that he is a beggar with a capital ‘B’. He is now begging
to join PBB.
“I can only say that he is demeaning himself and all
those who voted for him in 2018. I am thinking of penning an article in
Willie’s honour to be titled, ‘Don’t beg, Willie, don’t beg’.”
Here it is.
A likeable guy but…
I
consider Willie an old friend and I must say that he is actually a very
likeable guy, always smiling and very friendly. But this is a serious
matter and I have to tell him off now that he is deemed a turncoat and a
traitor.
And as a friend, I will fill Willie in on the reactions I
received on the report of his application to join PBB. I can tell
Willie that these came from our mutual friends and some who responded
were from PBB.
Here we go: “No dignity at all, this guy. He wants
to join the party he fought against for many years. Make sure he is
retired politically for good!”
“A lowlife, the kind that makes politics depressing. Sadly there are many of them, we can only hope they vanish quickly.”
“No dignity at all, this guy. Don’t pity him, ***k him. Jangan bagi muka.”
“During campaigning when with PKR, he said he would be cursed for seven generations if he jumps. Has he forgotten that?”
“Joining PBB is all for himself. He wants to continue as a minister.”
“Sign of Azmin's trademark all over. Self-serving till the end.”
“If I were PBB, I will tell him win first, than we talk. See whether he can win on his own, without PKR or PBB.”
“I'm just wondering if you have any other term worse than beggar.”
“Honestly,
I don't trust WM. When I followed his postings in Facebook, I knew I
could not trust this person. A genuine public servant will not brag
about his work or what he has done because that's his moral and
contractual duty, but this man brags about everything - about himself
and what he has done for the public."
“A proven political parasite.”
“Who
is going to buy his bullsh*t? He is doing it for himself! Not for the
rakyat or his constituents. I loathe such a shameless politician.”
“As
a PBB member, I will not be happy if Willie is admitted into the party.
He is a frog and PBB does not wish to be tainted with political frogs. I
believe our party leaders know best how to handle this case.”
There
we go. Samples of the responses from those in my chat group. Willie
must be quite familiar by now with the brickbats and criticisms against
him since he became one of the notorious traitors of the Sheraton
putsch.
No honour among thieves
Let me add
what’s on my mind. I doubt Willie will be admitted into PBB before GE15
and given a GPS ticket to defend Puncak Borneo. The odds are heavily
stacked against Willie.
Senior PBB leaders had already made it
clear that the party has many capable leaders to contest Puncak Borneo
and they do not require Willie’s services.
This is very true.
Puncak Borneo is a Bidayuh-majority seat just outside Kuching and there
are so many qualified Bidayuh professionals in PBB.
There is
nothing special about Willie. He is not considered a political
heavyweight. He stood on a PKR ticket in 2018 and just got lucky as the
tide then was against BN. Even the DAP won the neighbouring Bidayuh seat
of Mas Gading in GE14.
Seriously, if I were Willie, I would just
stay on in Bersatu and fight it out, even if it is a losing battle. He
had betrayed PKR and to stab Bersatu in the back now is a little too
much, isn’t it?
Already, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has said that Willie was well looked after by Bersatu.
"We
have given him support, position, I don't understand if there are any
other reasons," Muhyiddin said, adding that “I believe if Willie were to
meet with Azmin and myself, we will be able to resolve any matters
arising.”
Of course, there is no honour among thieves.
But surely, Willie should stand up like a man now even if he has only several more months left as a MP and YB.
Do not stoop so low like a little frightened mouse in the presence of PBB leaders. And don’t beg, Willie, please don’t beg.
Chinese nationals reveal 'skin-crawling ordeal' in M'sian detention centre By Ng Xiang Yi
Malaysiakini : However, what they faced upon taking their jobs were long working
hours, low pay and a dangerous working environment. After several
months, the five decided to return home.
The factory dormitory where Wei and his colleagues lived was poorly maintained.
This,
however, proved to be a problem because their employer had their
passports. So out of desperation, the five contacted a local “snakehead”
(smuggler), who was fluent in Chinese.
The “snakehead” convinced them the risks were minimal and the five
could secure legal travel documents in Malaysia as long as they were
willing to fork out some cash.
Wei said after fleeing from their
factory, they boarded a flight from Kendari in Southeast Sulawesi to
Jakarta and then made their way to Batam Island, some 15 nautical miles
from Singapore. After a few days, they moved to another island nearby.
“The
process (in Indonesia) is that as long as you have money, anything can
be done. When we took the flight, we did not have to queue or go through
security checks and Covid-19 tests,” he claimed.
Due to this, the five were convinced that things would proceed smoothly until they reached China.
“But
when the Malaysian authorities spotted us, I thought I was going to
die. The episode still sends a shiver when I think about it,” Wei said,
recalling the 3,000km journey.
After being detained at the Setia
Tropika Immigration Office for more than 20 days, the five were
transferred to the Pekan Nanas Immigration Depot.
Severe skin infections
Speaking
about the conditions at the detention centre, Wei said he suffered from
itchiness and pustules. He claimed that it was difficult to get
medication from the officers.
It has been five months since Wei
returned to China but his body remains covered in red marks, an
unsightly reminder of his ordeal in Malaysia.
Despite having recovered from the skin infection, the dark marks on Wei were still obvious.
Guo, who was the last among the five to be repatriated, suffered the most serious skin infection.
“Sometimes
our bodies cannot adapt to a new environment... those little white
pustules or eczema that developed were torturous and unbearable. The
body was always itchy. The biggest problem is getting medicine,” he
said.
Small pustules and scratch marks on Guo’s hands and feet.
Guo said when he scratched the infected areas in the absence of medication to subdue the itch, the condition worsened.
He
was also afraid to bathe, fearing he would contract some other illness.
So he used what little drinking water he could spare to cleanse
himself.
“Only two or three ladles were provided to scoop the
water but there were 20 to 30 people bathing at the same time. So we
could only use our hands to scoop the water.
“I was shocked when I
saw their bodies, there were boils and skin ulcers all over, including
on their private parts and they were also using their hands to scoop the
water,” he added.
'I was fortunate'
During
his last few months in detention, Guo was transferred to a smaller cell
where he had access to tap water. However, the skin infection persisted
due to unsanitary conditions.
According to him, the inmates slept
on the concrete floor because the wooden beds were infested with
insects. Even on the floor, they were not spared.
During his eight-month detention, Guo claimed he was only taken for treatment twice.
An Immigration Dept detention depot in Beranang, Kuantan District
Despite
this, the Chinese national considered himself “fortunate” because the
skin infections of other inmates were worse and there was no chance for
them to see a doctor.
“Our lawyer brought medication but the
medical assistant and officers didn't let me have them until the
infection became serious. Sometimes, they used this medication for the
others as well,” he claimed.
Lawyer Lau Yi Leong had acted for the
five on a pro-bono basis. The men were sent back to China in batches
since last December, with Guo being the last to return in May this year.
During their detention, Lau told Malaysiakini that he only met the five, in person, once due to not having access. They often communicated through the telephone.
“The
men could not speak any other language. So it was up to me to convey
their situation, including about their skin infections, to the
Immigration Department,” he added.
Lau lamented that lawyers and
human rights groups had no knowledge about what was happening within the
detention centre as the place was "under the radar".
“Fortunately,
the Immigration official who handled the case was professional and
patient. Despite the restrictions and red tapes, we were able to send
them back in such a short period,” he said.
Lawyers Lau Yi Leong (left) and Tan Wye Nye (right) with Guo at the KLIA last month.
Scabies outbreak menace
In a statement last February, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stated that scabies was a major health problem in detention centres across the world, including Malaysia.
The
ICRC and the Immigration Department have teamed up for a scabies
mitigation campaign covering all immigration detention centres and
temporary detention centres nationwide.
Meanwhile, a report released
by the Sovereign Migrant Workers Coalition (Koalisi Buruh Migran
Berdaulat) in October 2020 revealed that Indonesian migrants detained at
temporary detention centres in Sabah endured cruel and inhumane
conditions.
At the same time, Suhakam repeatedly highlighted the scabies outbreak in detention centres in its annual reports.
In its 2019 annual report, the commission said there was a severe problem of scabies at the Machap Umboo Immigration Depot and medicines were inadequate.
The
report also stated that bath soap, laundry detergent and toothpaste
were only provided once to detainees. This was also a contributory
factor to skin diseases such as scabies.
Wei and Guo also experienced the same predicament. The pair had to later pay for other necessities.
Former Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph
Former
Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said the commission previously had
set up an interagency committee that included the Health Ministry and
ICRC to tackle the scabies outbreak in detention settings.
“In
previous meetings, I think everyone acknowledged the health issues and
they agreed to look for solutions like better medicine and clean
mattresses,” Jerald recalled.
Commenting on Wei and Guo being
allegedly ignored over their requests for medication, he said: “If true,
this is serious. I must ask them to submit a complaint to Suhakam or
other agencies in order to start an investigation.
“Every prison and Immigration Depot has a doctor or medical assistant. Treatment is a basic right,” Jerald added.
Malaysiakini has contacted the Immigration Department for comment.