Rocky's Bru Page 2

Other Ghosts

2012-01-26T17:03:00.001+08:00

Ghosts of Dachau, a haunting number by The Style Council.

Why DRB got Proton: Khazanah's Official Statement

2012-01-16T13:53:00.000+08:00

From Perdana to Passat and The Making of a Detroit

MEDIA STATEMENT

Kuala Lumpur, 16 January 2012

Khazanah divests stake in PROTON to DRB-HICOM

Khazanah Nasional Berhad (“Khazanah”) wishes to announce the divestment of its 42.74% stake in Proton Holdings Berhad (“PROTON”) to DRB-HICOM Berhad (“DRB-HICOM”). This decision was made following due deliberation and detailed evaluation of various proposals to ensure that due process was observed, proper financial value was received and that the new shareholder will be able to bring PROTON to the next level of strategic growth, in line with the aspirations of the industrial development of the national automotive sector.

The divestment is made via a conditional sale with a price consideration of RM5.50 per share or RM1.291 billion, subject to, among others, the approval of the shareholders of DRB-HICOM. Upon completion of the sale and purchase agreement, DRB-HICOM will be obliged to undertake a mandatory general offer on the remaining PROTON shares.

Khazanah Managing Director, Tan Sri Dato’ Azman Haji Mokhtar said: “This is another significant milestone in our strategic divestment programme as it represents the largest in size to date. The divestment is a further example of Public-Private Partnerships, whereby strategic divestments are made with the aim of putting Government-linked companies (“GLCs”) on a stronger and more competitive footing, and at the same time enhancing private sector participation and building the entrepreneurial capacity of Malaysian businesses in key economic sectors.”

Over the last five years, Khazanah has received numerous proposals regarding its stake in Proton. A number of proposals were received by Khazanah in recent weeks. A comprehensive evaluation of proposals received was conducted. It included an assessment based on several key criteria, namely , having the financial ability and resources to undertake the acquisition; resources to invest further in the business; promoting the transformation of the entire Malaysian automotive industry via PROTON and its value chain; and the commitment to maintain the operational integrity of PROTON and its industry ecosystem. This commitment is crucial as PROTON, being a national car manufacturer, has significant influence and impact on the entire value chain of the national automotive sector.

Pursuant to a thorough assessment of its proposal, which offered a defined and executable business strategy, DRB-HICOM has been identified as the appropriate party to acquire Khazanah's interest in PROTON. DRB-Hicom’s proposal also demonstrated the company’s extensive involvement in the automotive sector and its network of strategic partnerships, both local and international. DRB-HICOM’s proposed strategy and business plan provides an effective platform to enhance PROTON’s sustainability and meet its long-term growth needs. It also submitted an offer price that was acceptable to Khazanah.

End

Court has never been out to destroy Anwar's political career

2012-01-09T12:10:00.000+08:00

Wall Street Journal, Aug 23 2011

Anwar Assails Malaysian Officials, Court

By JAMES HOOKWAY

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim used his ongoing sodomy trial Monday to deliver a stinging attack accusing the judge and the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak of using a "show trial" to destroy his political career and extinguish any threat to the mostly Muslim nation's ruling party.

European Pressphoto Agency

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim smiled as he arrived at the courthouse for his trial on sodomy charges in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Mr. Anwar is fighting the charges.

Quoting liberally from Shakespeare, Nelson Mandela and the Quran from the dock, Mr. Anwar read for an hour from a prepared text, saying his political rivals cooked up charges that he violated Malaysia's sodomy laws by having sex with a former male aide three years ago.
"It is a vile and desperate attempt at character assassination," Mr. Anwar said. "They can do all they want to assassinate and sully my character and threaten me with another 20 years in jail, but mark my words: They won't be able to cow me into submission."
Mr. Najib and judicial officials didn't respond to messages seeking comment Monday. Mr. Najib previously has denied any involvement in the case against Mr. Anwar, saying the charges against the 64-year-old opposition leader were filed independently by his former aide, 26-year-old Saiful Bukhari Azlan. People familiar with the government's thinking also say Mr. Najib is concerned that the international community doesn't appreciate that Malaysia's judiciary has become more independent in recent years and the government sometimes loses cases.
In a telephone interview with The Wall Street Journal prior to Monday's court proceedings, Mr. Anwar said he was dismayed at how debate over how to modernize this multiethnic country and make its economy more competitive internationally had degenerated into a series of sex allegations. Besides the sodomy trial, some of Mr. Anwar's political opponents also suggested he was featured in a grainy video clip released on the Internet hugging a woman who his opponents claimed is a prostitute. Mr. Anwar and his family have denied he is the man pictured in the film.
"It's really very telling how low they are willing to go," Mr. Anwar said, without specifying who he was referring to.
Mr. Anwar was arrested and charged with sodomy in 2008, a few months after his three-party opposition alliance won control of several key states in hotly contested elections and broke the ruling National Front's customary two-thirds hold on Parliament.
Mr. Najib, the 58-year-old aristocratic son of Malaysia's second prime minister, became the country's leader in 2009 and set about trying to reassert the National Front's dominance. The coalition built around Mr. Najib's United Malays National Organization party has controlled Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957. To attract voters from ethnic minorities, he began rolling back Malaysia's extensive system of race-based affirmative action policies that are designed to give an economic leg-up to the less prosperous majority Muslim Malay population by offering, among other things, subsidized loans and quotas at top universities. Mr. Najib also opened the way to more foreign investment in the financial sector and other businesses.
Although Mr. Najib doesn't have to call elections until 2013, many analysts say they expect him to call early polls if it provides him with an advantage.
The multiethnic opposition continues to command considerable support, however, and Mr. Najib last week pledged to consider ways to change the country's election laws in response to a massive demonstration of more than 20,000 people on the streets of Kuala Lumpur in July. That protest march, which included Mr. Anwar, himself a Muslim Malay, was forcibly broken up by police equipped with water cannons and tear gas.
In his speech Monday—which Mr. Anwar read from the dock instead of from the witness stand in order to avoid cross-examination from prosecutors—the opposition leader accused the judge of allowing DNA evidence that Mr. Anwar's camp alleges is contaminated to be admitted.
Mr. Anwar also said his accuser, Mr. Saiful, was being manipulated by rival politicians. Mr. Saiful couldn't be reached for comment.
This isn't the first time Mr. Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, has accused Malaysia's powerful leaders of manufacturing sex allegations to silence him. In 1998 he was charged with sodomizing two male aides and later convicted after challenging former leader Mahathir Mohamad. That conviction was overturned in 2004 and Mr. Anwar was freed after spending six years in prison. Mr. Mahathir denies fabricating a case against Mr. Anwar.
This time, Mr. Anwar said he expects the court to press for a conviction as quickly as possible. "They want to wrap things up quickly," he told the Journal.

Taib protects loggers who raped Penan girls, Mkini columnist alleges

2012-01-04T19:50:00.001+08:00

Shahrizat, Taib and Penan link
Mariam Mokhtar
11:56AM Jan 2, 2012

It all began with the despair of a few young girls who had been raped by workers in the timber industry of Sarawak's interior. The girls were Penan. The loggers had the protection of one man, the
chief minister of the state.

Nevertheless, one woman in West Malaysia had the power to intervene and bring justice to the raped women. She didn't.

As minister in charge of the affairs of the women of Malaysia, she failed. Not because she could not have done something about it. Her ministry presented a report eight months after the rapes were highlighted, but that was the end of her involvement.

The system may have been stacked against her but in the end, money talks. Greed, power and position all play a part. Money helps silence people and oil the wheels of dishonesty and immorality.

Malaysians elect their MPs to represent their interests and concerns in the Dewan Rakyat, but as events have shown in 2011, our Parliament lacks leadership. Perhaps, in GE-13, Malaysians can resolve to do better and elect people who are responsible, committed and dedicated to serving the public.

East and West Malaysia have found two politicians Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, whose lives were inextricably linked by the Penan.

The Penan, a nomadic community whose culture, livelihood and land are threatened, have opposed the large scale destruction of the rainforest from logging, oil palm plantations and the construction of mega-dams.

In 2011, events focused on the alleged corrupt activities of Taib and Shahrizat. The latter's involvement is a tiny pittance, totalling around RM300 million (that we know of) when compared with the multi-billions of ringgit, Taib has squandered.

If only Shahrizat showed the resolve...

For the Penan, RM15 a day, to feed, clothe and nurse his family, is a godsend.

If only Shahrizat showed the same amount of resolve and determination in saving the Penan women and girls as she did in saving her own skin.

If only Taib used his wealth to help his people, especially those who have been marginalised, rather than justifying the multi-billions of ringgit in the wealth of his children, extended family and close friends.

If only Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak respected his own soundbites of ‘1Malaysia' and ‘People First, Performance Now', which he used to seduce the public into seeking a clear mandate to govern.

To be fair, of the three ministers above, Najib was not elected PM and Shahrizat became a member of the cabinet through the backdoor, for she had lost in the 2008 election and was ‘rescued' by Badawi and later promoted to the rank of minister by Najib.

Only Taib can claim to have been legitimately elected, even if the election was rigged.

Investigations by the MACC and the police into Taib's and Shahrizat's activities are just token efforts, conducted to appease the public. Najib has failed to show any leadership qualities. His handling of the corruption scandals has eroded public confidence in his administration.

Taib exploited Sarawak and over four decades, stripped it of its wealth and in the process stripped the people of their rights. Radio Free Sarawak, Sarawak Report and Bruno Manser Fund have exposed details of Taib's alleged large-scale corruption and of his money-laundering activities abroad.

Born into an impoverished family, he has amassed a multi-billion ringgit fortune, built from Sarawak's natural resources, and today, he and his family's wealth is held in eight countries, 80 companies worldwide, 300 Sarawak companies and totals US$1.46 billion.

As a further insult, Taib defended his offspring's wealth by saying that "my children are clever".

'Penan are primitive and promiscuous liars'

To defend the source of his wealth, Taib hindered investigations into the Penan rapes. Logging has been promoted as ‘development' and the Penan people have been painted as primitive and promiscuous liars.

The state deputy chief minister, Alfred Jabu allegedly claimed that the Penans were ‘good storytellers'.

When James Masing, Sarawak Land Development minister, was interviewed about the Penan by the BBC's Today programme in 2009, he said, ".... the Penan are a most interesting group of people and they operate on different social etiquette as us... a lot this sex by consensual sex." (sic)

The BBC correspondent Angus Stickler related how Mary, a young Penan teenager, had been dragged, beaten unconscious, then raped after she had hitched a ride to school on a logging truck. She and other girls had become pregnant. A federal government task force had confirmed that girls as young as 10 had been raped by loggers.

James Masing's response to the BBC was: "They change their stories, and when they feel like it. That's why I say Penan are very good storytellers."

Sadly, MPs are increasing isolating themselves from the rest of the electorate whom they claim to represent. As public figures, they have forgotten that their lives, both public and private, will be heavily scrutinised.

The Malaysian Parliament appears to be a place for money-making schemes, an institution for self-aggrandisement and for furthering politicians' personal interests. As events have shown in 2011, Parliament has failed to promote the needs and interests of Malaysians.

In the recent National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal, Shahrizat's performance in protecting her position in Wanita Umno and as a minister has been impressive.

Many ministers and politicians have openly supported her. Perhaps, they too have skeletons in the closet and are fearful that these may be exposed. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

The latest ‘datuk', to take the rap, is another distraction and a small compromise by Najib and his spin-doctors to appease the public. Perhaps, Najib hopes we will forget.

At the Umno general assembly, Shahrizat was incensed with the opposition's PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin for implicating her family in the NFC project.

Shahrizat said, "Their political agenda is very clear. They are shaky, just like that PKR Wanita chief. I'm ashamed that a Malaysian woman can be like that."

It is a shame Shahrizat did not use the same resolve to defend the Penan women who were raped three years ago. If Shahrizat does not know it, Malaysian women are ashamed of her.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak', this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

What Abang Din told Melissa

2011-10-24T11:42:00.000+08:00

Question from Melissa, MalaysianInsider: Tan Sri can u comment on the sexual harassment claim on lim guan eng son by pro-umno bloggers...? DPM: dont blame anybody, there is a tendency for opposition or pakatan.. and there think theres a problem, for all problem, they blame umno... we dont blame u, we dont blame anybody else, if theres a fault, we have to find out what is the main cause if it.. jadi dalam soal itu, saya pun tak tahu sebenarnya, infact i do not know, apa keadaan sebenarnya, samada betul atau tidak, jadi pihak guan eng dengan lim kit siang dan tony pua saya lihat sudah buat kenyataan very strong, defend dan buat tuduhan pelbagai-bagai... biasanya dalam keadaan soal begini orang kata, kalau kita nak clear everything, kita minta pihak polis siasat, kalau betul takde berlaku, apa yang kita worry? i mean that is the way orang biasa lah... supaya kita orang kata dapat bersihkan diri kita, saya tidak nak tuduh, because saya sendiri tak tahu, dan tak adillah for me to blame or whatever it is, i know and understand dia nak exploit apa yang statement yang saya gunakan, saya pun buat, im sure what im saying is.. kalau dia pikir penting bagi dia untuk dibersihkan ataupun dibetulkan maklumat itu, dia mesti buat kenyataan tegas, penafian sahaja tidak mencukupi, rakyat akan bertanya oh, dia nafi betullah dia kena nafi, tapi kalau betul tidak ada, macam kes-kes yang lain, kita minta pihak berkuasa siasat membantu kitalah, membantu dia, membantu keluarga dia, baru itu tidak berlaku, jadi kalau dah buat begitu, baru, setakat hari ini saya boleh bercakap itu sajalah... Melissa: Tan Sri ada terima laporan daripada pejabat pelajaran Negeri Penang? DPM: Tiada.

"In Private" journalism: Malaysiakini and Lim Guan Eng

2011-09-30T11:28:00.000+08:00

Guan Eng: S'pore speech a private conversation

By Susan Loone
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng would neither admit nor deny today that he made a statement denigrating Johor for its crime rate during a recent working visit to Singapore.

Lim was cautious and politely requested a TV3 reporter to leave the room before responding to the issue at a press conference at his office.

He also requested that any video recording of his statement not be circulated to government-linked TV stations, expressing fears that the content would be "twisted".

"I do not want my statement on the matter to be twisted because it has happened before," Lim said.

The DAP secretary-general then explained that he attended a private luncheon talk with about 20 foreign correspondents in the republic, after which copies of his speech were distributed.

The prepared speech, he added, does not contain any mention of Johor or its crime rate.

Asked about the audio recording - aired on Buletin Utama on TV3 - which revealed that he had disparaged Johor for its crime rate during the Aug 12 event, Lim said he had to check on the context in which the statement was made.

"If I had made the statement, let's look at the context in which it was made... it was a private conversation," he said.

Lim said the matter was brought up while he was in Surabaya, and he had issued a statement through his press secretary, Wong Kim Fei, saying he did not wish to "play or dance to the tunes of the Barisan Nasional-controlled media".

He said that he was currently facing a legal suit with Umno-linked Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia over an article suggesting he wanted to abolish the New Economic Policy (NEP).

'They want to distract and tire me out'

Lim is suing the newspaper, after having vehemently denied ever uttering such a statement.

"They want to distract me and tire me out. I already have a court case with Umno-linked Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia, and that is already enough and time-consuming," he said.

"But I will not let them get away... if I do, they will continue to play the game," he added.

Lim said his detractors were "jumping from place to place" to criticise him for his comments made overseas, starting with his interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Melbourne recently.

He complained that when he provided evidence that he did not mention Johor in that interview, his statement was twisted by the local media.

If he responded to the controversy around his Singapore speech, he said, his critics would continue to make issues about all his overseas trips.

'We will deal with them one by one'

"They started with Australia, they would now be jumping to China, to Hong Kong and Surabaya," he said.

"We will deal with them one by one, starting with national news agency Bernama.

"If the news agency does not reply to us, we will direct our lawyers to take the necessary action," Lim added.

According to a Sept 23 Bernama report, Lim had “allegedly” said that Johor was not a safe state, with kidnappings being common, unlike Penang.

The report irked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, a Johorean, who said Lim was undermining Johor and painting the state as an unsuitable investment destination.

It also created waves with BN leaders, who condemned Lim as a poor statesman and demanded he apologies for running down another state for the sake of seeking investments in Penang.

ST's take on E&O

2011-09-10T14:33:00.002+08:00

Sime Darby's E&O bid poses policy dilemma

Singapore Straits Times
Friday, 09 September 2011

The plot tickens and all the attention is on the SC. With the Chairman of the SC being married to the Chairman of E&O, who bought shares of E&O just before the takeover by Sime Darby, making things even more intriguing. It is time for SC's next move, and everybody is watching.

Sime Darby, Malaysia’s financially bruised plantation-based conglomerate is presenting the country’s securities watchdog agency with an awkward policy dilemma with its acquisition of a 30 per cent interest in public listed property concern Eastern & Oriental (E&O) for RM 766 million.

Central to the widening public debate is whether the state-controlled group should be compelled to make a mandatory general offer for the remainder of E&O shares, a deal which could cost an additional RM 2.6 billion.

E&O is a property concern with lucrative rights to carry out large reclamation works in the northern island of Penang.

Critics of the deal argue that Sime Darby’s purchase of the block from three groups, including Singapore’s GK Goh Holdings, was structured in a way to circumvent the country’s takeover code.

But proponents of the transaction insist that Sime Darby was merely opting for a more cautious approach to its investment in E&O, and that a general offer could being the offing in the coming months.

In any case, the deal is presenting the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) with a prickly regulatory problem over whether it should force Sime Darby to make an immediate general offer in the interest of protecting the rights of minority shareholders

On a separate level, the brewing Sime Darby-E&O controversy has also put SC chairman, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, in a tight spot. That is because her husband, Dato Azizan Andul Rahman, who is also the E&O chairman, had raised his personal stake in the company just weeks before Sime Darby announced its proposed acquisition in E&O.

Ms Zarinah did not respond personally to queries posed by The Straits Times.
But an SC spokesman said in a written response that the agency was “examining the circumstances surrounding the Sime Darby-E&O transactions for any Takeover Code implications, and will determine the action based on our findings”.

The spokesman added that the agency was “examining all transactions in the Sime Darby-E&O deal”.

-----------------------------

In recent days, Sime Darby executives have dismissed suggestions that the company was acting in concert with the sellers of the E&O shares, a situation that would definitely trigger a general offer.

But critics of the deal are not convinced. They note that Sime Darby, which is still recovering from heavy losses sustained from its foray into the oil and gas sector, would be negligent to its own minority shareholders for entering into a huge amount of capital without having some form of control.

How the SC decided will be crucial. There is already speculation that other shareholders of E&O are considering legal action to force a general offer.”

PAS owes its success to the DAP - China Press

2011-09-09T10:01:00.000+08:00

Brunotes: I'm not quite sure if Goh Chee Chong is a staff writer at the China Press. He sounds more like a DAP leader here. Nonetheless, the message to DAP is crystal clear: PAS owes its success today to the DAP. Without the DAP, Pas would not get the support of the Chinese voters. The Islamic party, therefore, must respect the DAP (and the Chinese supporters) and stop its covert march towads the Negara Islam dream, or else ...

"...Dengan jelas Pas telah terhutang budi pada DAP, Pas sepatutnya perlu menghormati DAP ..."

PAS Melangkah Keluar Dari Pantai Timur
oleh Goh Chee Chong
China Press

8 Sept: Baru-baru ini Pas melaungkan propaganda mereka mahu mengorak langkah keluar dari Pantai Timur dan pada Pilihanraya Umum akan datang ini mahu bertanding di 60 kerusi Parlimen, berlipat ganda dari kerusi yang sedia ada sekarang iaitu sebanyak 23 kerusi.

Pada pemikiran kita, Pas sehingga kini berpusing-pusing di kawasan Pantai Timur. Sebelum Tsunami PRU 2008, peguasaan Pas hanya bertapak di negeri Kelantan dan Terengganu. Pada dasarnya Pas tidak dapat menyebarkanideologi mereka ke negeri-negeri lain. Namun pada hari ini dan saat ini Pas mahu bertanding di 60 kerusi Parlimen. Cita-cita yang begitu tinggi. Siapakah yang membimbing dan melatih mereka?

Tidak Beri Air Muka

Tidak boleh dinafikan, DAP lah pihak yang berjasa dan telah banyak membantu dalam memperkukuhkan penguasaan Pas. Dahulu Pas hanya dapat mengutip sebahagian kecil kerusi dari kawasan UMNO, dan Pas langsung tidak dapat sokongan dari pengundi kaum Cina, sebab itu Pas hanya boleh bermain di kawasan Pantai Timur sahaja.

Selepas Pas bergabung dengan DAP, DAP telah berjaya tarik tiket-tiket pengundi kaum Cina menyokong Pas. Kebanyakan undi itu telah memihak kepada Pas. Kini Pas telah mendapat sokongan majoriti kaum Cina dan minoriti kaum Melayu. Di bawah sokongan penuh kaum Cina, Pas telah menang banyak kerusi Parlimen.

Pada masa sama, dalam gandingan dan gabungan antara DAP dan Pas, DAP tidak terima sebarang kebaikan dari Pas. Selepas Pas menang banyak dalam kerusi Parlimen, Pas tidak langsung jaga air muka imej DAP, Pas telah kelihatan tidak acuh terhadap kaum masyarakat Cina, sebaliknya Pas melaungkan mahu bina Negara Islam yang begitu berkobar-kobar. Di Kedah Pas telah tutup pusat penyembelihan khinzir, ubah nama-nama bertulisan Jawi, lelaki perempuan diasingkan, dan melarang jualan arak di negeri Selangor serta pindahkan pusat jualan nombor ekor, menggeledah majlis makan malam gereja secara mengejut, ini semuanya rancangan Pas yang rapi selepas Tsunami politik Mac 2008.

Kami mahu bertanya berapa banyak taktik DAP yang telah dikerahkan untuk menghalang isu-isu itu?

Di bawah kempimpinan DAP tidak dinafikan Pas dapat mengorak langkah keluar dari Pantai Timur, dalam sejarah Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak dan Kedah Pas telah dapat jawatan menteri besar di keempat-empat buah negeri itu, hari ini Pas secara bangga mahu ambil alih kuasa kerajaan pusat pula. Sekarang apa yang kita mahu lontarkan pada Pas, jika DAP tidak membantu Pas dengan tiket-tiket undi kaum Cina, tidak mungkin Pas berada di pentas hari ini, dan adakah DAP boleh putuskan hubungan dengan Pas selepas ini? Dengan jelas Pas telah terhutang budi pada DAP. Pas sepatutnya perlu menghormati DAP yang masih terhutang itu.

Sudah tentu masyarakat Cina percaya bahawa DAP boleh uruskan dan seimbangi Pas dengan baik, tetapi DAP perlu faham lebih jelas bahawa jalan yang mahu dilalui itu masih jauh. Jika dibiarkan terlalu lama, kita tidak boleh bersabar menunggunya.

Anwar: Syria, Libya dah ubah, Malaysia apasal tak berubah?

2011-09-01T14:23:00.000+08:00

Anwar: Imej Najib tercalar, rakyat mahu k'jaan baru

Oleh Malaysiakiri

Kemerosotan tahap kepopularan atau puas hati dengan kepemimpinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak yang jatuh enam mata kepada 59 peratus adalah petanda peralihan sokongan kepada Pakatan Rakyat, kata Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Bagaimanapun, Anwar dalam wawancaranya diTV Selangorberkata Pakatan Rakyat perlu bekerja lebih keras menyampaikan maklumat kepada rakyat, khususnya di luar bandar yang masih di bawah pengaruh Umno-BN.

"Jelas ada trend (tidak menyokong Najib) ini, tapi sekarang ni, terutamanya kebanyakan rakyat luar bandar masih dikongkong propaganda kerajaan.

“Tapi saya optimistik dengan usaha Pakatan Rakyat dan prestasi negeri seperti Selangor, Pulau Pinang, Kedah dan Kelantan, rakyat akan mengundi Pakatan," kata Anwar kepada wartawan ketika Majlis Sambutan Aidilfitri Kerajaan Negeri Selangor di Shah Alam, semalam.

Badan banci bebas dan pusat penyelidikan pendapat, Merdeka Center pada Isnin lalu dalam laporannya mendedahkan bahawa kemerosotan tahap puas hati terhadap Najib itu mempunyai kaitan dengan kos sara hidup yang terus meningkat.

Ini kerana pengguna mula merasai kesan atau impak kenaikan kos bahan api dan elektrik yang diumumkan kerajaan pimpinannya, baru-baru ini.

Menurut kajian Merdeka Center itu kepuasan hati rakyat terhadap Najib jatuh ke paras terendah iaitu 59 peratus, berbanding 72 peratus yang dicatatkan pada Jun tahun lalu.

Pusat banci itu juga mendapati bahawa cara kerajaan menangani dan mengendalikan perhimpunan BERSIH 2.0 turut mempengaruhi persepsi umum kerana ia mempunyai kesan negatif dan telah menghakis sokongan kepada perdana menteri.

Badan itu turut melaporkan bahawa rata-rata responden yang ditemui faham dan menyokong tuntutan reformasi sistem pilihan raya oleh BERSIH 2.0.

“Cara kejam, propaganda keterlaluan, pembohongan, fitnah kepada pemimpin Pakatan dan Datuk S Ambiga (pengerusi BERSIH 2.0) memberi kesan kepada rakyat. Mereka tak mahu lagi ditipu. Apakah jenayah Ambiga? Hanya kerana sokong (menuntut) pilihan raya adil?" kata Anwar.

Beliau yang juga ketua umum PKR berkata sebarang perubahan polisi yang bakal dilaksanakan oleh Najib sebagai sudah terlewat kerana presiden Umno itu telah tidak menjalankan tanggungjawab sebagai pentadbir yang baik.

"Tak kira disokong atau tidak, wajib menjadi tanggungjawab seorang pemimpin yang dipilih untuk pastikan pilihan raya bersih dan adil. Anda tak boleh terus tadbir dan urus rakyat negara ini seperti tahun 1950-an.

“Libya telah berubah, Syria telah berubah, kenapa Malaysia tidak?" soal Anwar lagi.

Hasil kajian Merdeka Center itu turut menunjukkan Najib masih gagal mendapatkan sokongan masyarakat Cina dengan hanya 38 peratus yang berpuas hati dengan kepimpinan beliau.

Hanya kaun India sahaja yang memberi sokongan tambahan kepada Najib dengan peningkatan 4 peratus kepada 69 peratus berbanding Mei lalu.

Kaum Melayu bagaimanapun dilihat semakin kurang yakin dengan Najib apabila sokongan yang diterima semakin berkurang daripada 76 peratus pada Mac tahun ini, 73 peratus pada Mei dan kini 69 peratus berpuas hati dengan kepimpinan beliau.

Bagaimanapun, tidak seorangpun pemimpin Umno dan BN menerima keputusan kajian berkenaan berbanding reaksi mereka apabila badan bancian yang sama menunjukkan tahap puas hati Najib pada tahap yang tinggi satu ketika dahulu.

Malah, Menteri Penerangan Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan Datuk Seri Rais Yatim menempelak kajian Merdeka Center itu dan berkata kepimpinan Najib diterima majoriti rakyat di negara ini.

Beliau berkata kajian yang dijalankan oleh Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia mendapati kepimpinan perdana menteri amat kukuh di kalangan rakyat di negara ini terutamanya daripada segi penerimaan program pembelaan rakyat.

Sehubungan itu, beliau menganggap laporan kajian Merdeka Centre yang mengatakan populariti perdana menteri semakin menurun sebagai tidak berasas.

“Mereka hanya mengambil beberapa sampel yang tidak menyentuh komuniti luar bandar, masyarakat India yang tidak menyeluruh, masyarakat yang berada di sekitar Kuala Lumpur yang mempunyai sokongan kuat dan padu kepada Perdana Menteri," katanya.

Menurut Rais, kajian Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia yang melibatkan 50,000 responden yang terdiri daripada pelbagai masyarakat di seluruh negara termasuk di Sabah dan Sarawak mendapati mereka amat menerima kepimpinan Najib dan kerajaan BN secara ikhlas.

Making mistakes, and Correcting them

2011-08-21T15:59:00.001+08:00

Sorry seems to be the hardest word. The editor of The Malaysian Insider himself has apologized to the PM for a gross misreporting last Friday. Well done! But many people have yet to do the same. The screenshot below is of a blog of a self-proclaimed good Christian who arrogantly asked Najib Razak to retract his remarks about meritocracy and mediocrity.

How can Najib retract something he didn't say?

He invokes the Psalm to crucify Najib.

Here is the Malaysian Insider's apology. The Psalm blogger either does not know or does not want to know. Either way. well ...

But it's the Holy month of Ramadan so I will let the blogger off. But if he reads this, I do hope he retracts his posting.

By the way, a group of us journos agreed, after reading the Insider report, that the sub-editor who went through the story should have been more cynical and curious. Meritocracy = Mediocrity? How on earth could you let let one go without demanding to see the reporter's notes or the text of the PM' speech?!

But then again, we told ourselves that we are journalists and we all make mistakes. The important thing is running a correction when you know that you've made a mistake, and apologizing for it. Something many bloggers have come to understand and have no trouble doing.

The article that misreported the PM:

Najib says meritocracy alone will breed ‘mediocrity’UPDATED @ 02:59:29 PM 19-08-2011By Clara Chooi (TMI)August 19, 2011
SHAH ALAM, Aug 19 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak sought today to justify his administration’s apparent return to affirmative action policies to boost the Bumiputera economy, saying a system based 100 per cent on meritocracy would only breed “a nation of mediocrity”.
"We must have a blend of meritocracy and social justice and social justice. If there is only meritocracy, there will be nothing. What will happen to our country? We will be a nation of mediocrity," the prime minister said today.
The prime minister told a convention here that the government’s “new system” was to use meritocracy among Bumiputeras by identifying and rewarding sincere and deserving Malay businesses while at the same time creating a more competitive environment to enhance the Malay economy.
He said focussing entirely on meritocracy would not be fair to individuals living in rural and suburban areas, claiming they would not be able to compete on a level playing field with those living in urban centres.
“Yes, some have said that the time has arrived that we no longer need affirmative action, some say we can scrap the quota system, we do not need this and that... and that we should practise full meritocracy.
“This is not coming from the non-Malays alone but the Malays themselves, the so-called liberal Malays,” Najib said in his keynote address at the opening of the “Strengthening the New Economic Model — 1 Jihad Bumiputera Economy” convention at Universiti Teknologi Mara here.
“I say that it is true that the non-Malays became rich because of hard work but it is no less important to note that they became rich also because of our country’s stability and a sound administration... because when they needed money, we gave it to them, even from before,” he said.
Najib said Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) should be credited for being “considerate” and “fair” to the non-Malays, resulting in an environment that enabled their businesses to thrive.
Najib said Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) should be partly credited for being “considerate” and “fair” to the non-Malays, resulting in an environment that enabled their businesses to thrive.
“But do not now fail to be considerate to the Malays as well... they (non-Malays) should also be fair because Malays are presently a.t a disadvantage.
Read in full here

Revisiting a sterling idea

2011-08-15T01:26:00.002+08:00

Penyampai	:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tajuk	:	THE 2004 BUDGET SPEECH
Lokasi	:	DEWAN RAKYAT
Tarikh	:	12-09-2003

"BUILDING ON SUCCESS, INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE"

Expanding the Capital Market
164. The capital market continues to play an important role in financing economic development, especially in terms of raising funds from the market. Since 2001, more than RM99 billion have been sourced from the capital market through the issuance of bonds and equities. In addition, 13 asset-backed securities (ABS) valued at more than RM7 billion have been approved. This encouraging performance has been the result of the implementation of initiatives under the Capital Market Master Plan as well as the 10 new measures introduced by the Government in March this year to strengthen the capital market.165. Currently, there is no specific income tax provision for ABS. As a measure to promote financing through the issuance of ABS, the Government proposes that ABS be given equal tax treatment as other conventional securities. At the same time, the Government proposes that expenses incurred in the issuance of ABS be granted tax deduction for 5 years.166. One of the 10 measures implemented to strengthen the capital market is to encourage large companies to be listed on the KLSE. Towards this end, FELDA which is not only the largest plantation company in this region but also in the world, will also be listed on the KLSE. FELDA shares are expected to become one of the blue chips on the KLSE and FELDA has the potential to be promoted as an international brand. With the listing, FELDA will be able to tap funds from the capital market and therefore, will no longer depend on the Government for its financial requirements. At the same time, the Government will be able to reap returns from this listing, while the FELDA Group of companies, settlers, cooperatives as well as state governments, which have provided land to be developed as FELDA plantations, will also benefit. FELDA settlers will have the opportunity to hold equity in the listed company as members of the cooperative and as settlers.167. The proposal is in line with the objective of the NEP to enable Bumiputera to own at least 30% of the equity in the corporate sector. It is hoped that Bumiputera will not divest their shares.168. After 46 years of independence, we must take cognisance of our weaknesses and work towards rectifying them. As a measure to further expand investment opportunities through trust funds, especially for Bumiputera, a Second Unit Trust Fund or Dana Harapan (HARAPAN) will be established. This Fund will be managed by professional and experienced managers to mobilise Bumiputera savings and capital.169. The Government has significant high-value assets, which have not been fully utilised. To optimise returns, the Government will undertake to unlock these assets so as to enhance its financial position. It will also provide investment opportunities for investors to utilize these assets to generate returns and contribute to economic growth.

For the entire Budget speech, go h e r e

Do you get it?

2011-08-04T19:16:00.001+08:00

I don't get it! Is it because I am Malaysian?

I don't get it! Is it because I am Malaysian?
Thursday, 04 August 2011 11:49

What's wrong with 8TV's campaign for the festive season? It just highlights the fact that we need to be respectful of our Muslim brothers and sisters during their testing time over Ramadhan. Albeit in a light hearted manner.

The nerdy girl who portrayed the 'naughty' person in the plot is just role playing. She was not chosen because she was Chinese, but because she is highly animated. Can we just see her as a Malaysian chosen to play the protagonist?

And I have two issues to pick with those who detest the commercials purely from a racial lens.

1. Our Malaysian Chinese females prefer to wear shorts and you can see this in abundance in shopping malls, pasar malams, the lot. The younger ones take it a notch higher with micro shorts. I'm not telling others how to dress but make no mistake that men look (some ogle) at them. We can't change this, but just ponder for a while. Especially when your brethren are observing a strict fast.

2. Our Chinese brothers and sisters love food, and they should. I have many Chinese friends who make eating both a journey and an art. But I would not classify them as gluttons. That's called stereotyping.

Which also means if your ass is itchy you can either scratch it or tear it to pieces.

The 8TV campaign revealed some truths which detesters do not want to accept. It is stuff we already know, there's nothing new in the messaging. So don't pick on the messengers.

We live in a beautiful and sexy country. Which can make it a bit trying for some. We are matured enough to accept this and we also understand those who need the strength to persevere.

The argument that we are insensitive to Muslims does not arise because I know all of us are mature enough to think beyond that.

So sit back and think about it. There is nothing wrong with all of us, and if a comical (if I may add 'brave') reminder jogs our memory so be it.

As legendary advertising guru Neil French used to say, "It's only advertising, nobody dies."

If the EC can't be trusted to handle biometrics, why do you trust the EC to handle indelible ink?

2011-07-27T18:33:00.000+08:00

Ethics and the Election Commission

Zefry Dahalan

| July 25, 2011

Bersih's Wong Chin Huat says the proposed biometrics voting system is open to abuse because of the EC's sullied reputation.

PETALING JAYA: A key member of Bersih 2.0′s steering committee said he does not trust the biometric voting system proposed by Election Commission (EC) because of the latter’s poor reputation.

Wong Chin Huat said: “I don’t trust the biometric system because I don’t believe the EC has the competence and integrity to prevent rigging and other abuses.

“Does the EC have the competency to maintain the system and also to detect or eliminate hacking by an external party?” asked Chin Huat.

A political scientist, Chin Huat, drew an analogy to the public using an online system to do their banking transactions to the biometric system.

“People resort to online banking because they trust the bank. But do you trust the EC and can they guarantee the biometric system is foolproof ?

“The issue here is the level of the trust in EC to implement the biometric system and much depends on the integrity of the EC itself,” said Chin Huat.

Chin Huat also questioned why the EC was going for a system that is not proven and costly whereas indelible ink was cheaper and more effective to prevent multiple voting.

Reformasi 2.0?

2011-07-09T14:14:00.002+08:00

RM200 m Fund under Creative Industry Policy

2011-06-13T15:07:00.000+08:00

"Dasar Industri Kreatif Negara" -- Excerpts from 2010 Budget Speech by Najib Razak

"Perkembangan semasa ekonomi global menunjukkan industri kreatif adalah salah satu
sumber penting pertumbuhan ekonomi dan percambahan budaya di negara-negara maju.
Menyedari hakikat ini, Kementerian telah mengadakan Persidangan Industri Kreatif pada 17
Mac 2009 dan telah ditetapkan bahawa satu dasar industri kreatif perlu diwujudkan bagi
menjelaskan hala tuju dan pembangunan industri kreatif negara."

"Komitmen daripada kepimpinan tertinggi negara ini terkandung dalam pembentangan Bajet
2010 oleh YAB Perdana Menteri;

"Pertama : Menggubal Dasar Industri Kreatif yang komprehensif sebagai asas pembangunan
industri kreatif negara;"

Kedua : Menyediakan DANA INDUSTRI KREATIF berjumlah RM200 JUTA RINGGIT bagi MEMBIAYAI aktiviti seperti pengeluaran filem dan drama, muzik, animasi, pengiklanan dan
pembangunan kandungan tempatan. Dana berbentuk PINJAMAN dengan kadar faedah rendah akan
dikendalikan oleh BANK SIMPANAN NASIONAL. Yang mustahaknya, urusan mendapatkan pinjaman
ini akan dipermudahkan supaya boleh dimanfaatkan oleh industri; dan

Ketiga : Kepada penggiat seni, mereka tidak sekali-kali diabaikan. Kerajaan akan
menubuhkan Tabung Kebajikan Penggiat Seni bagi memastikan kebajikan warga seni sentiasa
terbela dan diberi perhatian. Dengan ini, sejumlah RM3 juta akan diperuntukkan sebagai
geran pelancaran."

(Petikan Ucapan Bajet 2010 oleh YAB Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, 23
Oktober 2009)

PERNYATAAN DASAR
Memperkasakan industri kreatif negara secara menyeluruh berasaskan kreativiti dan
inovasi bagi menyumbang kepada ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi melalui penghasilan produk
berkualiti serta memartabatkan warisan seni negara.

Teresa Kok and DAP have a lot of explaining to do

2011-04-20T19:29:00.003+08:00

By a Special Correspondent
WHO CAN WE BELIEVE NOW? It was only a month ago that DAP Chairman, Teresa Kok and Selangor Executive Councillor, Ean Yong Hian Wah had come forth with a denial saying that they had received cuts from payments meant for Selangor state government projects.

But the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock’s death yesterday revealed mounting evidence to the contrary.

At the hearing, Counsel for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commsion (MACC) Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdulah challenged businessmen Lee Wye Wing to produce receipts to prove his claim that a DAP branch had paid advances to various government projects in the Seri Kembangan constituency in 2008.

Shafee further added that three payment vouchers which the MACC found in Lee’s home, allocations for Serdang Aman DAP, ranged from 30 to 90 percent.

Some of the payments had been issued to WSK Services, which Lee said was owned by his wife.

The evidence presented yesterday suggests that repeated denials by politicians do not always exonerate them as the evidence presented yesterday suggest that the party may have received kickbacks.

It was also revealed that the party which opposes Ali Baba deals in the name of transparency, itself indulges in Ali Baba deals by using class F bumiputera contractors’ letterheads to get government projects and marking up prices substantially, enough to give these bumiputera contractors a cut from the deal for using their letterheads with the balance given to the party.

While the DAP was quick to deflate these allegations then when they surfaced a month ago, would they now come forth in the open to justify that DAP did not receive any kickbacks or that all the transactions were on board?

Teresa Kok’s denial then came in the wake of four documents that were presented at the Royal Commission of Inquiry investigating the death of Selangor political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

The ball now remains in the court to advance cogent plausible explanation that would perhaps help Teresa Kok and her political comrades to exonerate themselves out of these revelations.

Teoh was found dead on July 16, 2009, on the fifth-floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after he was questioned overnight by MACC officers at their then- Selangor headquarters on the 14^thfloor on Ean Yong’s involvement in getting kickbacks from project rakyat.

Teoh 30, was then the political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, who is also the Seri Kembangan assemblymen from the DAP, at the time of his death.

- ends -

Now that the shit has hit the fan

2011-04-14T16:59:00.000+08:00

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Umno websites and blogs call me a liar. They say I have signed a statutory declaration falsely accusing Rosmah Mansor and the husband and wife Lt Kols (Aziz Buyong and Norhayati Hassan) as being at the scene of the Altantuya murder the night she was murdered and blown up with C4.

The Malaysian government says the same thing and they arrested me and charged me for criminal defamation.

The mainstream media says the same thing: that I alleged Rosmah Mansor and Lt Kols Aziz Buyong and Norhayati Hassan were at the scene of the Altantuya murder the night she was murdered.

The online media also says the same thing; even sites like Malayskini, The Malaysian Insider and so on.

For three years I have written article after article explaining the statutory declaration that I signed in June 2008. I have made video recordings on the same matter, which are in Youtube, plus I spoke at ceramahs about this issue all over the place.

But until today my explanation has been ignored. They still insist that the story is: I alleged that Rosmah and the two Lt Kols were at the scene of Altantuya’s murder the night she was murdered.

When I was charged in court I told the judge that I refuse to respond to the charges because the charges are both defective and mala fide. The court replied it would then regard this as a not guilt plea. I raised my voice and told the judge that I did not enter a plea of not guilty. What I said was that I refuse to respond to the charges because they are defective and mala fide.

The judge ignored me and recorded a plea of not guilty and demanded that I face trial.

Not contented with that, they further detained me without trial under the Internal Security Act. During my ten-day interrogation, the senior Special Branch officer, Datuk Zambri, asked me about the statutory declaration that I signed.

I told him the whole story and even named names. I named names because these people had said that if anything happens to me I have their permission to mention their names. In fact, if I were to be put on trial, they were prepared to come forward to testify, they said.

And that was what I told the Special Branch. However, after I had told them this, my 60-day detention was cut short and the next day, the tenth day of my detention, I was whisked off to Kamunting under a two-year detention order. It was as if they wanted to bury my story by burying me in Kamunting.

I have, in fact, written about this matter before so it is not a new story. Some readers have even commented that I appear to be repeating myself and it is getting very tiring to read the same old story. Nevertheless, how many times I may repeat myself they still do not seem to understand what I say. They still insist that I alleged that Rosmah Mansor and the husband and wife Lt Kols were at the scene of the Alatantuya murder the night she was murdered and blown up with C4.

When TV3 asked me if I would consent to an interview and that the interview would focus on my statutory declaration, I agreed. I have only once before appeared on national TV. This was the live Blog program on TV1. This time, however, it would be recorded.

I realise the danger of recorded interviews as opposed to live shows like the TV1 Blog program. But I know I can handle even the toughest interviews. After all, what I would be saying is going to be the truth anyway. So why worry? Certainly they are going to spin it but then that is a risk I would have to take.

Undoubtedly, a storm is going to be created. I knew that. But maybe I need that storm so that the story of my statutory declaration can be brought back to focus and corrected. Somehow, the statutory declaration I signed and what I actually said in that statutory declaration has been lost. And it has been lost because the focus is on my so-called allegation rather than what I actually said in the statutory declaration.

Most seem to not understand that I did not make any allegation against Rosmah or the two Lt Kols. That was not what my statutory declaration said. I made an allegation against a third Lt Kol. And this third Lt Kol is Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin, the number two in the special branch of the military intelligence.

I told TV3 that what I am about to say is not something new. I have written and spoken about this many times before. I have even made my statement to the police during my ISA detention. And this statement was recorded by the police.

But this statement was never made public. What I told the police has been hidden from public view. What I said has been ignored totally. Instead, the story of my allegation against Rosmah and the husband and wife Lt Kols is what is repeated again and again by all and sundry.

I really don’t know how much of my more than one hour interview is going to be aired on TV -- probably less than 10% of it. Nevertheless, now that a storm has been created, it allows me to bring back the focus to the story behind that statutory declaration.

Nik Azmi Nik Daud -- or Bul to the MCKK Old Boys (short for Bulat) -- phoned me one day in June 2008 and asked to meet. We met for tea at La Bordega in Telawi, Bangsar. I brought my wife along and Bul brought someone whom he never introduced to me and who sat the entire time as quiet as a church mouse without once opening his mouth even to yawn, cough or sneeze.

Bul then related that Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin, the number two in the special branch of the military intelligence, has a confidential report that proves that Rosmah, Lt Kol Aziz Buyong, and his wife, Lt Kol Norhayati Hassan, were present at the scene of Altantuya’s murder at the time she was murdered. Bul told me to expose this.

I told him to let me think about it first. My wife, however, disagreed. She felt that the story is too far fetched and that Bul is not a reliable source. We can only do that if they show us the confidential report.

Bul assured me that the report is available but can only be revealed once the police launch an investigation. So I must expose this to provoke the police to launch an investigation.

I decided to do nothing.

A few days later, Bul called me a second time and asked to meet again. This time we met for Sunday lunch at the Selangor Club in Dataran Merdeka.

Bul asked me whether I was going to expose the story and I told him I would not. I told Bul I would surely be arrested and charged if I do what he suggests. He assured me that if that happens, and he wants that to happen for the plan to succeed (which means I am the bait), then the military intelligence report would surface.

My wife was against it. She thought it was a very risky exercise. Can we be assured that the confidential report would surface if the shit hits the fan? Bul swore that they would cover me. “We will make sure you do not go to jail,” Bul said.

I relented and said I would do it. My wife gave me a disgusted look.

“When will you do it?” Bul asked.

I would write the article that same night I told him.

“No, no article,” Bul said. “The police will just ignore your article. Sign a statutory declaration. The police can’t ignore a statutory declaration. They would have to take action.”

I hesitated. An article is one thing but a statutory declaration is very dangerous. This is playing hardball.

I then called up John Pang, who, just like Bul, worked for Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and I told him what Bul had asked me to do. I told John that I have my reservations about Bul but if Tengku Razaleigh confirms this story then I am inclined to believe it.

John came back and confirmed that Tengku Razaleigh knows Lt Kol Azmi very well -- in fact, he often goes to Tengku Razaleigh’s office -- and that Tengku Razaleigh also knows about the story of this confidential military intelligence report concerning Rosmah and the two Lt Kols being at the scene of the crime.

I was still not sure, though. So I called up Din Merican and asked him to check with Anwar Ibrahim about the background of this Lt Kol Azmi. Din called back and said that Anwar knows him very well -- he also often goes to see Anwar -- and that he is very reliable.

With that assurance I signed the statutory declaration and the rest, as they say, is now history. And the statutory declaration was signed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

However, what I said in my statutory declaration is that I had been informed about the matter. I did not say for sure that I know the trio were at the scene of the crime. I said that I had been informed about it by this person and in my declaration I urged the authorities to investigate the matter to ascertain the truth of the matter.

In other words, it could be true or it may not. But only one person can confirm this. And this person would be the source of the information.

The police, however, went for me, not for the source of the information. Even after I revealed the name of the source they still did not want to do anything. It was as if I was the source rather than the reporter.

Under the law, if you know or have reason to suspect that a crime has been committed, then it is your duty to make a report. I made more than a report. I made a statutory declaration.

When all hell broke loose I contacted Bul and met up with him. I asked him for a copy of the confidential military intelligence report. Bul said that they no longer have it. The entire file has been shredded, Bul said.

Surely they have a back up copy, I said.

Sorry, no back up copy. The report no longer exists. In fact, the entire file no longer exists.

The whole objective of this exercise was to block Najib Tun Razak from taking over as Prime Minister. If Abdullah Ahmad Badawi can be forced to resign, and if Najib can be blocked from taking over, then Tengku Razaleigh could become the next prime minister.

Earlier, a meeting was held in Tengku Razaleigh’s office. About 30 people attended the meeting cum buka puasa. A few Umno bloggers such as Big Dog and so on were there. PKR people like Adlan Benan Omar and Rafizi Ramli also came. And many others whom you will know if I mention their names also attended (I will leave it to them whether they want to surface, but they know who I am talking about).

The purpose of this meeting was to explore how it can be engineered so that Tengku Razaleigh can take over as prime minister. Bul, of course, was the ‘main speaker’ with all the ideas on how this can be achieved.

Today, Bul declares that he is a strong Najib supporter and that he has always supported Najib from way back. Suddenly he is no longer the man who was scheming on how to block Najib from taking over so that his boss, Tengku Razaleigh, can be the new prime minister.

Bul, who promised me that he will make sure I will never go to jail and that the military intelligence report would surface the instant the police come for me, today, tells me that the report no longer exists.

The question is, did the report even exist in the first place? And Din Merican, who spoke to Anwar and who assured me that Lt Kol Azmi is very reliable and John Pang, who spoke to Tengku Razaleigh on the same matter and gave that same assurance, have washed their hands of this whole matter.

I can understand Din leaving PKR to go back to the other side. He did tell everyone he is disillusioned with the party and he is not the first or the last. John Pang, however, is now with CIMB Jakarta and we all know who owns CIMB.

Suddenly, everyone who was part of the conspiracy to block Najib from taking over is a strong Najib supporter from way back in time.

Yes, TV3 gave me that opportunity to tell the story I have always told but no one appears to be listening. Suddenly everyone is listening, thanks to TV3.

Sometimes we need a storm to get people’s attention. Maybe now the police will do what I have been asking them to do these last three years: that is, investigate my statutory declaration and ascertain the truth behind what Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin alleged.

Now you know what my TV3 interview was all about.

Malay Bible issue from an American perspective: "... Najib should be greatly praised"

2011-04-11T01:26:00.001+08:00

Op-Ed: Bibles released in Malaysia

New York - The government of Malaysia confirmed Saturday that the proposed 10-point solution has paved successfully the way for the release of the 35,100 Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia, which were impounded in Port Klang and Kuching.

While attracting relatively little attention worldwide, Malaysia has been wrestling with a matter of global significance now in its third year. Political tensions arose related to the question of permitting use of the term Allah in Bible translations. The issue is serious, and not easily solved.

By the grace of God, Malaysia thus far staved off a potentially explosive outcome with only minor incidents of violence. Leaders have put forward a reconciliation proposal to meet these challenges peacefully. This demonstrates positive good will on all sides of the issue, and models the possibility of harmonious relations among Muslims and Christian in contentious situations. Malaysian leaders, including (or perhaps especially) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak should be greatly praised for their devotion and important success for the moment.

Malaysia is a multiracial country comprising approximately 60.4% Muslims adherents. Malaysia is a de-facto secular regime, with Islam as the state religion. Christians make up 9.1% of the Malaysian population. The other important thing to know is the geographical interweaving of Malaysia and Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, with its own very pointed challenges in Muslim-Christian relations, especially related to the East Nusa Tenggara province and the horrible affairs on Timor Island. Malaysia's interreligious tensions and whether or not they are resolved peacefully have enormous implications for the region, and beyond. The Bible translation issue in Malaysia represents a vital test case for Christian-Muslim relations worldwide.

On March 9, 2009, 5100 Bibles were detained by the Malaysian government in Port Klang, near Kuala Lumpur. The issue had to do with language and translation, most pointedly regarding the use of the term Allah in these Bibles. Another 30,000 Bibles were detained this year on January 12 on the island of Borneo. In 2007 a government order was issued that bans non-Muslims from translating the word God as “Allah” in their literature. The federal government does not allow non-Muslims in Malaysia from translating God as “Allah” in their literature, saying it would confuse Muslims in this multi-ethnic, Muslim-majority country. Christian groups say the ban is unconstitutional, arguing that the word “Allah” predates Islam.

Resolving such issues technically is beyond political competency, yet political decisions are required nevertheless. Political institutions are poorly equipped to resolve matters so deeply religious. A major problem stems from the fact that whether Malaysia is an Islamic state or secular state remains unresolved. There were a number of missteps at finding solutions, including early plans to stamp the Bibles “for Christians only” along with a serial number so the Bibles could be tracked. If a Muslim was found with such a Bible, it could be tracked back to its previous owner — and those Christians would be prosecuted for trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

As of today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak put forward with seeming sincerity (though of course some accuse him of political motives) what strikes this reader as an important and elevated attempt to move his country forward, and to pioneer the pursuit of interreligious harmony, and religious freedom in Malaysia. Every time a government meets such intense challenges and succeeds as Malaysia seemingly has, the delicate and elusive ideal of religious harmony and freedom is advanced to the benefit of us all.

The 10-point solution to the Al-Kitab issue announced last Saturday reads as follows:

1. Bibles in all languages can be imported into the country, including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia.
2. These Bibles can also be printed locally in Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. This is a new development which should be welcome by the Christian groups.
3. Bibles in indigenous languages of Sabah and Sarawak such as Iban, Kadazan-Dusun and Lun Bawang can also be printed locally and imported.
4. For Sabah and Sarawak, in recognition of the large Christian community in these states, there are no conditions attached to the importation and local printing of the Bibles in all languages, including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia and indigenous languages. There is no requirement for any stamp or serial number.
5. Taking into account the interest of the larger Muslim community, for Peninsular Malaysia, Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia, imported or printed, must have the words “Christian Publication” and the cross sign printed on the front covers.
6. In the spirit of 1Malaysia and recognising that many people travel between Sabah and Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, there should be no prohibitions and restrictions for people who bring along their bibles and Christian materials on such travel.
7. A directive on the Bible has been issued by the Secretary General (KSU) of the Home Ministry to ensure proper implementation of this cabinet decision. Failure to comply will subject the officers to disciplinary action under the General Orders. A comprehensive briefing by top officials, including the Attorney General (AG), will be given to all relevant civil servants to ensure good understanding and proper implementation of the directive.
8. For the impounded Bibles in Kuching, Gideon, the importer can collect all the 30,000 Bibles free of charge. We undertake to ensure the parties involved are reimbursed. The same offer remains available for the importer of the 5,100 Bibles in Port Klang, which have already been collected by the Bible Society Malaysia (BSM) last week.
9. Beyond the Bible issue, the Government wishes to reiterate its commitment to work with the Christian groups and all the different religious groups in order to address inter religious issues and work towards the fulfilment of all religious aspirations in accordance with the constitution, taking into account the other relevant laws of the country. In order to bring urgency to this work, the Prime Minister will meet the representatives of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) soon to discuss the way forward.
10. The Christian Ministers in the cabinet will meet on a regular basis with representatives of the various Christian groups in order to discuss their issues and work with the relevant Ministries and PM in order to resolve them.

Christian ministers in the cabinet approve this resolution. The owners of these Bibles, the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), the legal owners of the 5,100 Bibles impounded in Port Klang, and Gideon, the importer of the 30,000 Bibles in Kuching have agreed to retrieve their respective shipments.

The government apologized while announcing the 10 point resolution:

Datuk Seri Idris Jala, a spokesman for the government said that "in spite of our shortcomings in the management of this Bible issue, we hope that Christians will forgive us," and added that there is a need for care, forgiveness and reconciliation among Malaysians, "despite all the wounds created by our differences." The Bible Society of Malaysia has accepted the solution proposed by the government. Its president, Lee Min Choon, in a statement said they were “deeply touched by the government’s humility in admitting its shortcomings in its management of the problem and in asking for forgiveness." "The Bible Society of Malaysia forgives, without hesitation," he said.

Muslims are less pleased:

The 10-point proposal has also drawn the ire of Muslim groups, who view it as the government caving in to Christian pressure.
Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria expressed his disappointment, reportedly saying, “If the government does this, just cancel the law,” in reference to various state Islamic enactments that prohibit the use of the word “Allah” and other so-called Islamic terms that led to the banning of the Malay Bible. Malay Bibles have not been allowed to be printed locally for fear that they will utilize “prohibited” words.
The Muslim Organizations in Defense of Islam (Pembela) threatened to challenge the 10-point proposal in court if it was not reviewed in consultation with Muslim representatives.

At bottom is a fundamental clash of religious values that only religious leaders themselves can sort out. In brief it has to do with the relationship between apostasy laws, and the "great commission." This is complicated and requires humble spiritual leadership that seeks light and guidance from God, Allah.

To my view, the Malaysian government has done commendably to the very limit possible for governments with regard to such matters. At the end of the day, only religious leaders can see us any further down to the road to a less fragile peace. Muslim leaders should find in the teachings resources to help Muslims believers embrace the government ruling, and Christian leaders should take special care to keep Christians humble and grateful in a time of "political victory." Muslim and Christian leaders should seize this tenuous moment to make special shows of public cooperation and solidarity with one another. Muslim and Christian leaders should take the lead to praise each other's traditions and communities. Christian leaders should take this opportunity publicly to study the Qu'ran, and Muslim leaders the Bible. This orientation is encouraged in the Qur'an (Qur’an 002.062), and echoed in the sentiments of Christian King Negus of Abyssinia who sheltered Muslims from Meccan persecution, and found between Islam and Christianity difference no greater than the width of a twig.

FELDA takes cue from Obama on Renewable Energy

2011-04-10T12:27:00.000+08:00

Why Renewable Energy is Important

“We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century.” –President Barack Obama, address to Congress, February 24, 2009

Photo by Kelly Findlay

As concerns about rising fossil fuel prices, energy security, and climate change increase, renewable energy can play a key role in producing local, clean, and inexhaustible energy to supply Alaska’s growing demand for electricity, heat, and transportation fuel. Because there are little or no fuel costs associated with generating electricity from renewable sources, more Alaskans are looking to resources like wind, geothermal, hydropower, tides, waves, solar, and biomass to hedge against the price volatility of natural gas and diesel.

Renewable resources, over the long term, can provide energy at a known cost that is not susceptible to the vagaries of fossil fuel supply and demand. With some of the best renewable energy resources in the country, Alaska has an opportunity to be a leader in their development and bring new revenue streams into the state’s economy.

An Acid Test for Malaysians

2011-04-08T17:06:00.002+08:00

Rocky's Bru: Acid test for Malaysians

AHIRUDIN ATTAN

Thursday, April 7th, 2011 13:11:00

IN 2009, two founders of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) held a clandestine meeting in Singapore.

I happened to be in the republic during the time and upon learning from a reliable source that R. Waytha Moorthy, the self-exiled Hindraf chairman, was in Singapore, had made arrangements to speak if not meet with him. My telephone interview with Waytha Moorthy was published in The Malay Mail.

He confirmed the meeting with P. Uthayakumar.

Waytha Moorthy had fled the country following a crackdown on Hindraf's extremist activities. The Malaysian police have said that he was not on its "Wanted" list but he has chosen to remain in England.

Lawyer Uthayakumar, on the other hand, had just been released from detention under the ISA for his role in Hindraf's extremist activities in 2006 and 2007. A few years earlier he had tried to get political asylum in England — in London, to be exact — but his application was turned down by Her Majesty the Queen.

I was quite convinced, after talking to Waytha Moorthy in Singapore, that he wanted to come home to Malaysia and make amends.

But time has proven me wrong. It is clear now that the two men had met to plan a revival of Hindraf and its extremist policies.

As you're reading this, Waytha Moorthy is somewhere in the US on a "road show" to garner support from the American public, NGOs and politicians for Hindraf.

During the road show, Waytha Moorthy will lecture on the "systematic marginalisation and racism against minorities particularly Indian poor in Malaysia". He will attack public policies which Hindraf claims are promoting this systematic marginalisation and racism.

Yes, believe it or not, despite the great strides Malaysians of Indian origins have made compared with other minorities — even compared with the bumiputras themselves — Hindraf is still talking about Indian poor being marginalised.

One can't help but wonder if this road tour is being held by Hindraf to win support for its own petition against Queen E and its trilliondollar claim for damages from her government for sending the forefathers of members of Hindraf to (a better) life in Malaysia.

The tour covers Atlanta, Bay Area of California, Houston in Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts.

While Waytha Moorthy weaves in and out of internationa Immigration counters, Uthayakumar does his tours at home.

The setting up of the Human Rights Party after the Government had labelled Hindraf unlawful marked the start of the Hindraf revival. Now, instead of existing as a NGO that had the backing of the opposition political parties, Hindraf has evolved into a formal political entity.

One only has to check out the Human Rights Party's website to establish a deep and direct link with Hindraf and Waytha Moorthy, who still goes around as chairman of Hindraf.

Malaysians are all for movements that champion the poor and downtrodden but Hindraf was not one of them. It is obvious now that its leaders have always had political ambitions and vested interests.

Waytha Moorthy's tour has not received much attention in the Malaysian media but those who know of it would naturally ask the question: "Where did he get the money?"

Who is sponsoring his activities to make sure that Hindraf continues to exist despite the Malaysian government's decision to outlaw it?

Is there an international syndicate behind it?

Mind-boggling as these questions are, it is even more fascinating that the Malaysian authorities do not seem able to act against citizens and organisations that are openly promoting extremist religious and racial views and actions.

Malaysia has dealt with several extremist groups since the 70s, long before the Americans mounted their post-911 war on terrorists. These include the Al-Maunah, Al-Arqam, Ayah Pin, and the terrorist cells of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Hindraf is not a terrorist group but it cannot be allowed to resurface, for the sake of preserving peace and unity in Malaysia. After all, at the height of his self-grandiosment, Uthayakumar had told the Singapore media that in achieving the Hindraf goals he could not rule out violence.

We ignore this threat at the risk of our own collective wellbeing as a nation.

*****************************

AND talk about violence — senseless, heartless, cowardly violence — I pray the police would make progress soon and nab those behind the "acid splash and run" attacks, which have left over a dozen people scarred and the rest of us scared.

The victims included a Chinese teacher at a Tamil school in Brickfields, eight pupils of a Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan in Bangsar, and a French national.

So far, we only know that the attackers are "dark skinned", travel on motorcycles, and work in pairs. In the latest incident, the attacker even said "Hi" to the victims before splashing "acid" on their faces.

These are not random crimes, if you ask me.

They are acts of terrorism, and should be treated as such.

AHIRUDIN ATTAN is group editorial advisor for The Malay Mail, Bernama TV and The Malaysian Reserve. He blogs at rockybru.com.my

Letter to Editor: A turning point for MACC?

2011-04-04T19:01:00.006+08:00

THE MACC'S SUCCESSFUL RAIDS ON CUSTOMS:

IS IT ITS TURNING POINT ?

Dear Sir,

The Macc has to be highly commended for their successful raids on Customs Officers all over the country .

The MACC Task Force acted professionally and proved what can be substantially gained by well planned, secretive and efficient

execution of complicated yet carefully coordinated action.

The arrest of 62 Customs Officers and the seizure of millions of ringgit and gold bars from the homes of these derelict customs officers, is most impressive.

The image of the MACC in the public mind will be enhanced

considerably while that of the Customs Dept will suffer significantly as a result of these investigations, led by MACC Officers under the charge of its Director Datuk Mustafar Ali. I hope they will be adequately recognised for their abilities and rewarded accordingly.

The MACC has gained more victories recently in their incessant

fight against Corruption . I therefore think that the MACC may well be approaching a Turning Point in the less than favourable

reputation and poor support that they have had in the past ?

This MACC success is a collectively `high profile case`` as Billions of Ringgit have been wasted through corruption in the Customs Dept every year . The public will therefore be more appreciative of the MACC's success and steady progress. The public will also now sincerely expect that the MACC will be able to get more high profile cases or Big Fish including Political Leaders in the future .

There will be many opportunities with the coming Elections when the Big Fish come out to swim in political waters where Money Politics will be seen at its worst

The MACC can help promote economic growth and reduce Inflation as well as help fight Poverty, through more wins like these in the battle against the evils of Corruption.

We wish the MACC all the best and greater successes in the

future !

Thanks and regards,

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

Former Chairman MACC Panel on Prevention and Consultations

Martin we-have-a-dead-Constitution Jalleh

2011-03-26T23:41:00.000+08:00

Of political desperados, dingoes and demons — Martin Jalleh

March 25, 2011

MARCH 25 — The prime minister and Umno are desperate, very desperate indeed. It has dawned very hard on them that they could soon be driven out of Putrajaya and into political oblivion.

Anwar Ibrahim, the man who has been the drawing and driving force behind the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), must be destroyed at all cost. Never before has anyone posed such a danger to Umno.

They had tried very hard to do his political career in with a sham sodomy trial but he bounced back even more determined, and with his coalition, dealt them a severe blow in the last general elections.

They had once dismissed him as a has-been and irrelevant. But Anwar just refused to disappear. Now they are convinced he must be demolished forever and then Pakatan Rakyat will definitely disintegrate.

Umno would launch relentless dastardly attacks on his reputation with the help of spin doctors in the mainstream media and online cyber-troopers and ceaselessly attempt to damage his credibility and integrity.

They would incessantly drum it into the minds of the citizens of Bolehland long and loud enough that he is a man of dubious character, one who will do anything to be the PM of Malaysia.

They would demonise him as a loyal friend of the Zionists, denigrate him as a spy for the US, defame him as a CIA agent, disparage him as a political chameleon and denounce him as a traitor. They would deploy anyone to demolish him.

They would get deserters, detractors and disgruntled leaders of his party and within the coalition to discredit him with their stale and silly exposé and to derail the process of change that the PR wants to bring about.

A “Doctor in the House” joins in the diatribe against Anwar with his memoirs — a “doctored” memory of the past by a supposed statesman who prefers to live in the present on self-deception, delusion and denial.

Such is their desperation; they would even resurrect characters who played a “vicious role” in the conspiracy of Sodomy I, one of whom was described in a court transcript as being “disowned by her own father”.

They would even deny Anwar a place in parliament for six months with the help of the Speaker whom Tunku Abdul Aziz (a respected public figure) described as a “total disgrace”.

Sodomy script

Politically bankrupt and devoid of political principles, they would dish out yet another sodomy script. Once again they would ruthlessly drag his and his family’s good name through the mud.

Prosecution star witness Saiful Bukhari Azlan would not disappoint in the judicial circus. He contradicts himself and even has a liaison with a DPP in the case! The Court confirms it did happen but refuses to dismiss the case.

The AG and the judge would deny Anwar access to the details that are as a norm furnished to the defence at the start of a trial. But the AG would disclose all documents to the defence in the Ling Liong Sik’s case!

A chemist acknowledges that DNA found in Saiful’s rear end could have come from as many as 10 different people — including himself! (Asia Sentinel)

The prosecution is at a point of desperation when the AG’s Chambers and the police commit a plethora of mistakes regarding DNA evidence.

Courage deserts the judge as he overturns his own decision made during a trial-within-a-trial (which is very rarely done). Anwar says he is not surprised. The judge may be pressured and directed to stick to the script.

Umno has even contingent plans to dispose of Anwar. They come up with a new video tape showing a man alleged to be Anwar having sex with a female Chinese prostitute.

From the feedback of reporters who saw it and the glaring questions that have arisen as to how, where and when it was shown, one can only deduce that it is but doctored trash.

Prime Minister Najib Razak parrots Hishamuddin Hussein and denies that the police are involved in the making of the sex tape. The public remembers how he had denied that he had ever met Saiful but later admitted that he did meet Saiful after all.

De facto law minister Nazri Aziz, who is reputed for his temper tantrums, theatrics, threats, taunts, and twisting the truth declares that the showing of the “blue film” (his very own words) is legitimate!

Nazri asks the public not to shoot the “messenger”. “Datuk T” is no “messenger” but a “Terrorist” employed to assassinate Anwar’s character!

Distractions and diversions

Umno’s alleged sex scandals by opposition members are not only a conspiracy to destroy Anwar, but they are meant to distract the nation from the failures of the BN government and Umno.

The sex video is shown on the very day the Sarawak state assembly is dissolved. Do Sarawakians want to deliberate and decide on their future or waste their energy over the salacious contents of a doctored tape?

When the nation is sex saturated, and the people enjoy their daily sex diet, this is what Umno and the BN government wants to do:

Distract the rakyat from the damning evidence that the country is going to the dogs and that we are living in a “sham democracy” (Tengku Razaleigh).

Divert the people’s attention from the reality that we have a dead constitution (courtesy of the judiciary), a divided nation, decaying institutions, a dour economy and a disturbing diaspora rate!

Deflect the public’s attention from Umno’s rampant corruption, exacerbating internal divisions and that the Umnoputras are bleeding this country dry.

Deceive the nation with Najib’s “performance” consisting of nothing but public relations, publicity stunts, political rhetoric, populist slogans, propaganda puff, a pipe-dream and a pie in the sky!

Downplay the successes of the PR states. Deny, delay and distribute discriminately federal funds they are entitled to, whilst hiding the fact that some of the BN states are near debt or in deficit.

It is very evident that Umno has not changed! It has plunged to such depths that it is only adept at churning out sex stories to destroy its enemies, the No. 1 being Anwar! It has no sense of decency or shame left.

It has to resort to dirty politics (no matter how despicable and disgusting) in order to survive. It will one day reap what it now sows and bury itself in the very grave it has dug for Anwar today.

It would no doubt be an “unmitigated disaster” if the rakyat were to vote for BN and (Najib) in the next general elections!

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

Media statement on serialized Quran and Bible

2011-03-23T15:51:00.002+08:00

March 22, 2011

MEDIA STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

Release of Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia Impounded in Kuching and Port Klang

The Government wish to reiterate that since March 15, it had given the directive to release all Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia, which are impounded in Port Klang and Kuching. However, to date the Christian groups who imported the Bibles have not yet collected them because they did not accept the stamps and the serialisation of these Bibles.

Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin Hussein, the Minister of Home Affairs mentioned that the act of stamping and serialisation is standard protocol; for example, Qurans which are imported into the country are also checked as authorised copies and are stamped with serial numbers before they are released. Qurans which are not authorised are impounded and destroyed. The act of stamping and serialisation of the Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia and the Qurans should not be perceived as desecration of Holy scriptures. Attached is a copy of the stamp and the serialisation as they appear of the Quran.

A special cabinet committee on this matter comprising Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Unity, Minister in PM's department (Law and Parliamentary Affairs), Minister of Religious Affairs and Minister in PM Dept/CEO of PEMANDU and the Attorney General met on Thursday, March 17, to discuss the issues at hand and find a fair and amicable solution. The solution should take into account the polarity of views between the Christians and Muslims, within the context of the existing laws of the Country.

Subsequently on Friday, March 18, Dato’ Sri Idris Jala and Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, the Attorney-General of Malaysia met with representatives from the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), other relevant Christian groups together with their legal advisors. At this meeting, Idris said, "AG and I presented on behalf of the Government what we believe is a workable solution for all parties."

The solution put forward by the Government is as follows:

1. The BM Bibles currently impounded in Kuching and Port Klang will be released with the words "For Christianity" stamped clearly in font type Arial/size 16 in bold. No other words or serial numbers will be stamped on the Bibles.

2. To ensure that there is no misrepresentation in its implementation by civil servants, the Government will issue a directive from the Director-General of the Ministry of Home Affairs. As with all similar directives, failure to comply with this directive will subject the relevant officers to disciplinary action under the General Orders.

3. To highlight the Government's commitment to resolving this issue amicably, the Government has received an offer from Christian donors who are prepared to pay for the cost of all the Bibles, which have already been stamped and serialised. These BM Bibles can either be released in their present state (with stamps and serial numbers) or arrangements can be made to put stickers with the words "For Christianity" to cover the existing stamps and serial numbers. The choice is for the importers of these Bibles. In the event they do not wish to take possession of these impounded Bibles in the present state, the Christian donors will pay for the full cost of new bibles to be brought in with the words “For Christianity” printed at source or stamped with these words "For Christianity" by the Ministry of Home Affairs at Port Klang and Kuching.

At the end of this meeting, the representatives from Christian groups requested for time to meet and discuss and have advised the Government that they would revert on their decision as soon as practicable.

Idris said, "In presenting the above solution, the Attorney-General (AG) and I have been authorised by the Prime Minister and the special cabinet committee to convey the Government's proposed solutions to the Christian group.

He clarified, "I was requested to discuss this matter with the Christian groups in my capacity as Minister in PM Department (not as CEO of PEMANDU), as a Christian and more importantly, as I am the only cabinet minister who is not a member of any political party. The Government wants this matter to be resolved amicably in a non-partisan manner and in line with the spirit of 1Malaysia. The Attorney-General's involvement is obviously necessary because we have to ensure that the solution must be in the context of the existing laws of the Country."

The Government urge the Christian groups to come and collect the Bibles immediately for three reasons:

1. The focus should be on getting the bibles into the hands of people who want to read them; it has been established that the Ministry of Home Affairs is not singling out the Bibles for stamping and serialisation because this is also the same practice as they appear in the Quran.

2. Notwithstanding (1) above, an arrangement has been made by the Government with the help of Christian donors to pay for the cost of all 30,000 impounded bibles in Kuching and the 5,100 bibles in Port Klang free of charge. The importer can take these bibles complete free of charge at no cost. If the Christian groups do not wish to take the Bibles, then the Christian donors have agreed to pay for the cost of bringing in new bibles as replacement and these will be printed or stamped with the words "For Christianity."

3. The Government has agreed to issue a Directive so that future Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia can be brought in as long as these have the words "For Christianity" in Arial font size 16 either printed at source or stamped at the receiving Port.

Finally, Idris said, "This is a fair and reasonable solution from the Government and with the help of Christian donors, all 35,100 are to be released completely free of charge at no cost at all to the importers. In addition, by virtue of the Government directive, there is an assurance from the Government that future Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia can be imported and released with the words "For Christianity."

******************************

(BAHASA MALAYSIA)

Mac 22, 2011

KENYATAAN MEDIA

Untuk Terbitan Segera

Pengeluaran Kitab Injil yang diterjemahkan dalam Bahasa Malaysia di Kuching dan Pelabuhan Klang

Kerajaan Malaysia ingin mengulangi kenyataan yang dikeluarkan sejak Mac 15 lalu, bahawa Kerajaan telah memberi arahan untuk mengeluarkan semua Kitab Injil yang diterjemahkan dalam Bahasa Malaysia di Pelabuhan Klang dan Kuching. Namun demikian, sehingga kini, kumpulan penganut agama Kristian yang mengimpot Kitab Injil masih belum lagi mengutip buku-buku Kitab tersebut oleh kerana mereka tidak bersetuju dengan meletakkan cop atau nombor siri pada Kitab yang dikeluarkan.

Menurut Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin Hussein, Menteri Dalam Negeri, tindakan untuk meletakkan cop atau nombor siri adalah menurut piawaian; contohnya Kitab Al-Quran yang diimpot ke dalam negara juga disemak sebagai salinan yang dibenarkan dan telah diletakkan cop serta nombor siri sebelum diedarkan. Kitab Al-Quran yang tidak dibenarkan pengeluarannya akan disita dan dimusnahkan. Maka, tindakan untuk meletakkan cop atau nombor siri untuk Kitab Injil dalam Bahasa Malaysia mahupun Kitab Al-Quran tidak sepatutnya dilihat sebagai penghinaan ke atas kesucian Kitab tersebut. Disertakan adalah salinan cop atau nombor siri yang telah dicetak pada Kitab Al-Quran.

Sebuah jawatankuasa khas Kabinet telah ditubuhkan berasaskan perkara ini, ianya diketuai oleh Perdana Menteri, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Menteri Dalam Negeri, Menteri Perpaduan, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Bahagian Undang-Undang dan Hal-Ehwal Parlimen), Menteri Hal-Ehwal Agama dan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri / Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif PEMANDU yang telah berbincang pada Mac 17, 2011 tentang isu-isu yang ditangani demi mencari jalan penyelesaian. Jalan penyelesaian mesti memanfaatkan kedua-dua belah pihak dalam menangani perbezaan pendapat antara penganut agama Kristian dan Islam, terutamanya dalam konteks undang-undang yang berkaitan di negara ini.

Lantaran itu, pada Mac 18, 2011, Dato’ Sri Idris Jala dan Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, Peguam Negara Malaysia telah bertemu dengan wakil-wakil dari Persekutuan Kristian Malaysia (CFM), Konsul Gereja-Gereja Malaysia (CCM), kumpulan Kristian yang berkaitan bersama penasihat undang-undang masing-masing. Dalam mesyuarat ini, Idris berkata, “Saya dan Peguam Negara mewakili pihak Kerajaan telah pun membincangkan jalan penyelesaian yang kami percaya akan memanfaatkan kesemua pihak yang terlibat.”

Jalan penyelesaian yang telah dibentangkan oleh Kerajaan adalah seperti berikut:

1. Kitab Injil yang sekarang masih ditahan di Kuching dan Pelabuhan Klang akan dikeluarkan dengan perkataan “Untuk Agama Kristian” yang akan dicop secara jelas menggunakan huruf cetak “Arial / Saiz 16 dengan jelas / Bold.” Sebarang perkataan selain dari yang tersebut di atas tidak dibenarkan untuk dicop dalam Kitab Injil.

2. Bagi memastikan bahawa tiada sebarang gambaran yang salah dalam proses implimentasi oleh penjawat-penjawat awam yang terlibat, Kerajaan akan mengeluarkan arahan dari pejabat Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri. Begitu juga dengan arahan yang berkaitan, kegagalan menepati perintah serta arahan akan dijatuhi tindakan disiplin di bawah Perintah-perintah Am.

3. Untuk menerangkan usaha Kerajaan yang penuh komited dalam menangani isu secara telus dan ikhlas, Kerajaan telah menerima tawaran dari penderma Kristian yang sanggup membayar kos Kitab Injil yang telah dicop atau diberi nombor siri. Kerajaan juga sedia memberi pilihan untuk buku Kitab Injil ini dikeluarkan (dengan cop atau nombor siri yang dicetak) ataupun menggunakan pelekat /stiker dengan perkataan “Untuk Agama Kristian.” Pilihannya adalah terpulang kepada pengimpot Kitab Injil tersebut. Sekiranya pengimpot Kitab Injil tidak berminat untuk mengambil balik Kitab Injil yang masih disita di Pelabuhan Klang dan Kuching, penderma Kristian sanggup membayar kos membawa Kitab Injil baru yang telah dicetak atau dicop dengan perkataan “Untuk Agama Kristian.”

Sebagai penutup dalam sesi perbincangan ini, wakil dari kumpulan Kristian telah memohon agar diberi masa untuk membincangkan perkara ini dengan lebih lanjut, dan juga telah menasihati Kerajaan agar jawapan atau keputusan yang diambil akan dikemukakan secepat mungkin.

Idris berkata, “Dalam mengemukakan cadangan dan jalan penyelesaian di atas, Peguam Negara (AG) dan saya telah diamanatkan tugas ini oleh Perdana Menteri dan jawatankuasa khas Kabinet untuk menyampaikan cadangan ini kepada kumpulan Kristian yang terlibat.”

Idris menerangkan juga, “Saya diminta untuk membincangkan perkara ini dengan kumpulan-kumpulan Kristian dalam kapasiti saya sebagai Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (bukan sebagai Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif PEMANDU), tetapi sebagai seorang penganut agama Kristian dan lebih pentingnya, saya adalah satu-satunya ahli Jemaah Menteri Kabinet yang tidak mewakili mana-mana parti politik. Kerajaan mahu masalah ini diselesaikan secara adil dan saksama sejajar dengan konsep 1Malaysia. Penglibatan Peguam Negara dilihat sangat penting kerana kita harus memastikan jalan penyelesaian ini mengikut konteks undang-undang negara.”

Kerajaan mendesak kumpulan Kristian untuk datang dan mengambil Kitab Injil dengan segera kerana tiga sebab-sebab penting iaitu:

1. Fokus utama adalah untuk memastikan Kitab Injil tersebut diberi kepada individu yang membacanya; ini telah dijelaskan bahawa Kementerian Dalam Negeri tidak mengenepikan tindakan untuk mengecop atau memberi nombor siri Kitab Injil oleh kerana ini adalah tindakan yang sama dilakukan ke atas Kitab Al-Quran.

2. Tidak termasuk perkara (1) di atas, satu persefahaman telah dibuat oleh Kerajaan dengan bantuan penderma Kristian untuk membayar kesemua kos 30,000 Kitab Injil yang disita di Kuching dan 5,100 Kitab Injil di Pelabuhan Kelang secara percuma. Pengimpot Kitab Injil bolehlah mengambil Kitab Injil yang telah lengkap tanpa dikenakan sebarang bayaran. Sekiranya kumpulan Kristian tidak mahu mengambil Kitab Injil tersebut, maka penderma Kristian bersetuju untuk membayar kos membawa Kital Injil baru sebagai pengganti dan akan dicetak atau dicop dengan perkataan “Untuk Agama Kristian.”

3. Kerajaan telah bersetuju untuk mengeluarkan arahan supaya Kitab Injil baru yang akan dicetak dalam Bahasa Malaysia boleh dibawa masuk selagi perkataan “Untuk Agama Kristian” dicop secara jelas menggunakan huruf cetak “Arial / Saiz 16 dengan jelas / Bold” sewaktu tibanya di Pelabuhan tertentu.

Akhirnya, Idris berkata, “Ini adalah jalan penyelesaian yang adil dan munasabah dari Kerajaan dengan bantuan penderma Kristian, kesemua 35,100 Kitab Injil akan dikeluarkan secara percuma kepada pengimpot. Tambahan pula, dengan wujudnya arahan Kerajaan, adanya jaminan Kerajaan bahawa dalam masa yang akan datang, Kitab Injil yang diterjemahkan dalam Bahasa Malaysia boleh diimpot dan dikeluarkan dengan perkataan “Untuk Agama Kristian.”

Injil bahasa Melayu OK

2011-03-15T19:11:00.001+08:00

MEDIA STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

The Government has decided to release the Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia in Kuching and Port Klang. This is in line with 1982 gazette under ISA which allows limited and controlled importation and circulation of the Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia, which must be stamped: "For Christians Only." Since 1982, with this gazette, there have been no problems in its implementation. As such, taking into account this fact, the Government has decided to apply the 1982 gazette and release the bibles accordingly.

After a careful and thorough review, the Attorney-General (AG) confirmed that the release of the Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia does not prejudice the ongoing court case of the Kalimah Allah issue. It is in this context that the Government is able to release the Bibles.

The Government is committed to resolve amicably any inter-faith issues as the Malaysia is a multi-religious society. Inter-faith dialogues and discussions are facilitated by the Government as a way to amicably resolve issues.

The Sarawak Government categorically expressed its view that the impounded Bibles should be released. Dato’ Sri Idris Jala, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, who is a Christian from Sarawak has been liaising with the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) on behalf of the Government. He said "this is a reasonable compromise in managing the polarities of views between Christians and Muslims in the country.

For the Christians, the Government has agreed to release not only the Bibles in Kuching but also those impounded in Port Klang. From the Muslim perspective, as confirmed by the Attorney General, this does not prejudice or jeopardise the ongoing court case on the Kalimah Allah issue. The Government is clearly committed to resolve inter-faith issues amicably in line with the spirit of 1Malaysia.

**************

March 15, 2011

KENYATAAN MEDIA

Untuk Terbitan Segera

Kerajaan Malaysia telah bersetuju untuk mengeluarkan Kitab Injil yang diterjemahkan dalam Bahasa Malaysia di Kuching dan Pelabuhan Klang. Ini adalah selaras dengan warta 1982 di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) yang telah membenarkan pengeluaran serta penyebaran Kitab Injil dalam Bahasa Malaysia secara terhad dan terkawal, di mana buku-buku tersebut mesti dicop dengan tag “Untuk Penganut Agama Kristian sahaja.” Sejak tahun 1982, dengan akta tersebut, laporan menunjukkan bahawa tiada sebarang isu atau masalah yang dihadapi dalam pelaksanaannya. Dengan merujuk kepada fakta tersebut, Kerajaan Malaysia telah bersetuju untuk menggunakan warta 1982 yang sama dalam pengeluaran Kitab Injil.

Setelah pemerhatian serta analisa yang teliti, Peguam Negara (AG) juga telah menetapkan bahawa pengeluaran Kitab Injil yang telah diterjemahkan dalam Bahasa Malaysia tidak akan memberi kesan dalam kes mahkamah yang berkaitan isu Kalimah Allah. Oleh itu, dalam konteks berikut Kerajaan telah dapat secara amnya mengeluarkan buku Kitab Injil tersebut.

Kerajaan sangat komited dan akan memberikan komitmen yang berterusan untuk menyelesaikan masalah atau isu-isu berkaitan agama dengan penuh adil dan saksama demi kebaikan negara Malaysia yang berbilang kaum dan agama. Oleh itu, Kerajaan akan terus mengadakan dialog khas untuk membincangkan jalan penyelesaian isu-isu tertentu dengan melibatkan semua penganut pelbagai agama.

Kerajaan Sarawak juga bersetuju dan berpendapat bahawa penahanan buku Kitab Injil yang telah sekian lama ditahan seharusnya dikeluarkan. Dato’ Sri Idris Jala, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, yang merupakan penganut agama Kristian yang berasal dari Sarawak telah berhubung dengan Persekutuan Kristian Malaysia (CFM) bagi pihak Kerajaan. Menurut beliau, “Ini adalah satu kompromisi yang memanfaatkan kedua-dua belah pihak dalam menangani perbezaan pendapat antara penganut agama Kristian dan Islam di negara ini.

Bagi penganut agama Kristian, Kerajaan telah bersetuju untuk mengeluarkan Kitab Injil di Kuching mahupun di Pelabuhan Klang. Dari perspektif penganut agama Islam pula, seperti yang telah ditetapkan oleh Peguam Negara, pelaksaan ini tidak akan memberi kesan dalam kes mahkamah yang berkaitan isu Kalimah Allah. Kerajaan jelas sangat komited dalam menyelesaikan masalah berkaitan agama sejajar dengan konsep 1Malaysia.”

Mkini: Anwar wins ....

2011-03-09T17:42:00.000+08:00

Anwar wins critical ruling in sodomy trial

Hafiz Yatim
Mar 8, 11
12:02pm

10 friends can read this story for free

Anwar Ibrahim won a critical ruling in his second sodomy trial todaywhen the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the three items to be excluded as evidence in the trial.

The three items - a mineral water bottle, a Good Morning towel and a white toothbrush - purportedly retrieved from the cell in which Anwar was locked up on July 16, 2008, were the only link to the identity of 'Male Y' said to be the perpetrator against sodomy complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Chemist Nor Aidora Sameon had earlier testified that the cotton swabs used to retrieve DNA samples from the items corresponded to the DNA of 'Male Y' - the DNA found in Saiful's rectum.

Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah (left) took 10 minutes to reach his decision after Karpal Singh this morning replied to Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden's submission yesterday.

“The court rules that the items were obtained by unfair means,” Mohamad Zabidin told the court.

“These three items and any evidence related to the DNA analysis are to be excluded as part of the evidence.”

The ruling in the trial-within-a-trial was greeted with applause in the packed public gallery, prompting the police in court to remind those concerned to keep quiet during court proceedings.

Anwar's wife, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was heard exclaiming "Alhamdulillah!" in relief.

The ruling means that chemist Nor Aidora Saedon's evidence along with former Bukit Aman crime scene investigations head Amidon Anan and the other police officers' testimony will be expunged.

Similarly, the findings made by another chemist, Seah Lay Hong, will also be questioned.

Three more prosecution witnesses

After delivering his decision, Justice Zabidin wanted the trial to proceed.

Yusof (right), however, promptly informed the court that the prosecution has no other witnesses for the day.

"Can we resume proceedings tomorrow, as we will call three more witnesses?" Yusof asked.

When met outside court, Karpal said all scientific evidence with regard to the DNA findings should be excluded.

“Whatever corroborative scientific evidence will be excluded. The prosecution will have to rely solely on Saiful's testimony," he said.

Another defence lawyer, Sankara Nair, said the ruling also means that Anwar's controversial arrest on July 16, 2008, is also deemed illegal and unlawful.

“We are approaching the trial-within-a-trial with the basis of the unlawful arrest and the items were gained through unfair means. The ruling means the judge agrees with our case,” he said.

Selangor MB tells Sarawakians to bring down their Chief Minister

2011-02-16T17:42:00.002+08:00

Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has come under fire from Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim for his unwillingness to step down, despite being in power for the last 30 years.

"Stepping down is the biggest challenge Taib has to face, and I hope that the people will answer this challenge by electing leaders whom they believe have the interests of the people at heart and one who will lead the state to greater heights and prosperity.

"There is no need to be agitated or frightened by Taib's refusal because we do not want to answer him by arguing with him. The answer for the people of Sarawak lies in the ballot boxes," he said in an interview with Radio Free Sarawak yesterday.

He said the people's answer must be the election of new leaders and team who cared about Sarawak and the people, not the ones who were looking after the interests of only certain leaders.

"Electing new leaders and team is the biggest challenge that the people of Sarawak must answer for themselves," he said, adding that there was no point in arguing over the matter with anyone.

Khalid also criticised Taib for saying that he had not found a capable successor to be the next chief minister.

"In my dealings with Sarawak over the last 30 years, I believe that there are many Sarawakians who are capable, if not better than Taib, to be the chief minister.

"I had never been the menteri besar of Selangor before or involved in politics for a long time (before becoming MB), but I feel that there are a number of successful Sarawakians in the corporate world and with the little bit of support, I think they can deliver.”

He said the successor must be one having the necessary qualifications and a person of high quality and integrity.

Khalid also said Sarawakians must search for ways to scare Taib (left) so he would step down.

He said the ordinary people in Sarawak did not get what rightly belonged to them under the Taib administration, and he felt that this needed to be corrected.

"I am of the opinion that the wishes of the people to own land, for example, is very justified," he added, stating that Sarawak was rich with abundant natural resources.

It is not right if the government is not brave and does not return the rights of the people, he added.

"The time has come for the people to make the necessary correction which must be for the development and future of Sarawak and that of Malaysia," he said.

Khalid has urged the people of Sarawak to stand up and be prepared to change the BN government in the coming Sarawak election.

"But I don't expect the people in Sarawak to go for a change as what were happening in Tunisia, or soon-to-be in Egypt, because there is no need to (do so).

"Their power lie in their hands, that is, the power to use their votes in the state election," he said, stating that the power they possessed decided their destiny and that of their children and country.

"I feel that we need to bring a change in Malaysia. The Barisan leaders said that they are championing the cause of the people, but the people have not benefited from the struggle," he stressed.

Khalid also urged the Sarawak government to take the cue from the Selangor government by coming up with a statement of accounts on the state's assets.

He said such accounts should record how many acres of land Sarawak has and their worth, the value of protected forests and when trees were felled illegally and how much losses were incurred.

He said Sarawak should also have statements of accounts of its oil and gas and their worth.

"The time is right for the people of Sarawak to raise questions on their assets, and what benefits have accrued to them from these natural resources," he said.

The problem with Sarawak was that there was no transparency in the Taib administration regarding the state's assets.

Price of Malaysia's Racism - John Malott

2011-02-15T14:22:00.003+08:00

By JOHN R. MALOTT

Malaysia's national tourism agency promotes the country as "a bubbling, bustling melting pot of races and religions where Malays, Indians, Chinese and many other ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony." Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak echoed this view when he announced his government's theme, One Malaysia. "What makes Malaysia unique," Mr. Najib said, "is the diversity of our peoples. One Malaysia's goal is to preserve and enhance this unity in diversity, which has always been our strength and remains our best hope for the future."
If Mr. Najib is serious about achieving that goal, a long look in the mirror might be in order first. Despite the government's new catchphrase, racial and religious tensions are higher today than when Mr. Najib took office in 2009. Indeed, they are worse than at any time since 1969, when at least 200 people died in racial clashes between the majority Malay and minority Chinese communities. The recent deterioration is due to the troubling fact that the country's leadership is tolerating, and in some cases provoking, ethnic factionalism through words and actions.
For instance, when the Catholic archbishop of Kuala Lumpur invited the prime minister for a Christmas Day open house last December, Hardev Kaur, an aide to Mr. Najib, said Christian crosses would have to be removed. There could be no carols or prayers, so as not to offend the prime minister, who is Muslim. Ms. Kaur later insisted that she "had made it clear that it was a request and not an instruction," as if any Malaysian could say no to a request from the prime minister's office.
Similar examples of insensitivity abound. In September 2009, Minister of Home Affairs Hishammuddin Onn met with protesters who had carried the decapitated head of a cow, a sacred animal in the Hindu religion, to an Indian temple. Mr. Hishammuddin then held a press conference defending their actions. Two months later, Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told Parliament that one reason Malaysia's armed forces are overwhelmingly Malay is that other ethnic groups have a "low spirit of patriotism." Under public pressure, he later apologized.
The leading Malay language newspaper, Utusan Melayu, prints what opposition leader Lim Kit Siang calls a daily staple of falsehoods that stoke racial hatred. Utusan, which is owned by Mr. Najib's political party, has claimed that the opposition would make Malaysia a colony of China and abolish the Malay monarchy. It regularly attacks Chinese Malaysian politicians, and even suggested that one of them, parliamentarian Teresa Kok, should be killed.

View Full Image

Associated Press

Ethnic Indian Malaysians protesting in 2007.

This steady erosion of tolerance is more than a political challenge. It's an economic problem as well.
Once one of the developing world's stars, Malaysia's economy has underperformed for the past decade. To meet its much-vaunted goal of becoming a developed nation by 2020, Malaysia needs to grow by 8% per year during this decade. That level of growth will require major private investment from both domestic and foreign sources, upgraded human skills, and significant economic reform. Worsening racial and religious tensions stand in the way.
Almost 500,000 Malaysians left the country between 2007 and 2009, more than doubling the number of Malaysian professionals who live overseas. It appears that most were skilled ethnic Chinese and Indian Malaysians, tired of being treated as second-class citizens in their own country and denied the opportunity to compete on a level playing field, whether in education, business, or government. Many of these emigrants, as well as the many Malaysian students who study overseas and never return (again, most of whom are ethnic Chinese and Indian), have the business, engineering, and scientific skills that Malaysia needs for its future. They also have the cultural and linguistic savvy to enhance Malaysia's economic ties with Asia's two biggest growing markets, China and India.
Of course, one could argue that discrimination isn't new for these Chinese and Indians. Malaysia's affirmative action policies for its Malay majority—which give them preference in everything from stock allocation to housing discounts—have been in place for decades. So what is driving the ethnic minorities away now?
First, these minorities increasingly feel that they have lost a voice in their own government. The Chinese and Indian political parties in the ruling coalition are supposed to protect the interests of their communities, but over the past few years, they have been neutered. They stand largely silent in the face of the growing racial insults hurled by their Malay political partners. Today over 90% of the civil service, police, military, university lecturers, and overseas diplomatic staff are Malay. Even TalentCorp, the government agency created in 2010 that is supposed to encourage overseas Malaysians to return home, is headed by a Malay, with an all-Malay Board of Trustees.
Second, economic reform and adjustments to the government's affirmative action policies are on hold. Although Mr. Najib held out the hope of change a year ago with his New Economic Model, which promised an "inclusive" affirmative action policy that would be, in Mr. Najib's words, "market friendly, merit-based, transparent and needs-based," he has failed to follow through. This is because of opposition from right-wing militant Malay groups such as Perkasa, which believe that a move towards meritocracy and transparency threatens what they call "Malay rights."

Scene Asia

In Malaysia, Watch Out for the Valentine's Day Police

But stalling reform will mean a further loss in competitiveness and slower growth. It also means that the cronyism and no-bid contracts that favor the well-connected will continue. All this sends a discouraging signal to many young Malaysians that no matter how hard they study or work, they will have a hard time getting ahead.
Mr. Najib may not actually believe much of the rhetoric emanating from his party and his government's officers, but he tolerates it because he needs to shore up his Malay base. It's politically convenient at a time when his party faces its most serious opposition challenge in recent memory—and especially when the opposition is challenging the government on ethnic policy and its economic consequences. One young opposition leader, parliamentarian Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, has proposed a national debate on what she called the alternative visions of Malaysia's future—whether it should be a Malay nation or a Malaysian nation. For that, she earned the wrath of Perkasa; the government suggested her remark was "seditious."
Malaysia's government might find it politically expedient to stir the racial and religious pot, but its opportunism comes with an economic price tag. Its citizens will continue to vote with their feet and take their money and talents with them. And foreign investors, concerned about racial instability and the absence of meaningful economic reform, will continue to look elsewhere to do business.
Mr. Malott was the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, 1995-1998

"My friend Din Merican"

2011-02-15T13:29:00.000+08:00

Blogger has since removed article about me

John R Malott | 14 Feb, 11 10:21pm

I don't really know who Rachel Motte is or why she suddenly has become an expert on Malaysia in the past year. But I do know that she wrote an article about me recently, saying that I am "a pet" of Anwar Ibrahim, who - according to her - has "direct connections to terrorist organizations" and a long history of being an anti-Semite.

I also know that - to her credit - when I contacted Rachel on Feb 12 and told her that I believed that her article was inaccurate and potentially libelous, she immediately took it down for review. It no longer is on her website, and I thank her for that.

But I also know that Utusan Malaysia has reported her article verbatim - and even went to the trouble of translating it into Malay. And thanks to my friend Din Merican, now I know that the New Straits Times has chosen to print it as well.

Here are the problems with the article, and why I believe that I would be well within my rights to sue the NST, Utusan Malaysia, and others for libel. As someone who has been in public life for over 40 years, I know very well that anything I do, say, or write is open to examination. So that is why I am always very careful to have documentation for everything I say. We can disagree on the analysis, but not on the facts.

When I took a look at Rachel's article, I had two major areas of concern. First, Rachel characterized my relationship with Anwar as being his "pet." This is offensive to me, as I served my nation for over 30 years as an ambassador, deputy assistant secretary of state, and consul general under seven presidents. It would be like me calling (NST columnist) Johan Jaffar the lapdog of Umno. I am Nobody's pet.

Second, there were many statements that to my mind are libelous:

(a) that I am defending "a man with direct ties to terrorist organizations, and a man whose anti-Semitic comments and conspiracy theories are too long to discuss;"

(b) that "rational thinking men and women are able to discern the difference between good and bad individuals, people you should support, versus those you should distance yourself from," implying that I am not a rational thinking person; and

(c) that I am "blinded by [my] support of an anti-Semite with clear and undeniable ties to an organization that supports terrorism."

As a former ambassador to Malaysia, I had access to intelligence reports, and I can say categorically that Anwar does not have ties to any terrorist organizations. Furthermore, Anwar continues to be a friend of former vice president Al Gore, former secretary of defense William 'Bill' Cohen, and former deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz.

None of these gentlemen would continue their relationship with Anwar if he had ties to terrorists. Furthermore, Anwar would not be admitted to the US if he had such a connection (and he was here last week). Furthermore, Paul Wolfowitz (who is Jewish) would not be Anwar's friend if Anwar were anti-Semitic.

In a libel case, the burden of proof will be on NST and the others to prove that Anwar has terrorist ties and that he has a long history of anti-Semitic comments. By publishing Rachel's article, after she removed it from her website, the NST has asserted something that it cannot prove. It has claimed that I am defending a terrorist and an anti-Semite.

These former senior US government officials would support and defend me, based on their knowledge and access to official US government records. The only "evidence" that Rachel and the NST will have will be blog postings that have circulated over the past few years, as part of a campaign to smear Anwar and discredit his reputation and standing in the United States.

For example, the efforts of Jack Abramoff and others to smear Anwar - a multi-million campaign funded by the Malaysian government - were well-documented in US Senate hearings conducted by Senator John McCain. We also know, according to The Washington Post newspaper, that Apco was engaged in a similar effort last year, paid for by the Malaysian government, according to Apco's official filings.

Rachel says that Anwar's connections to terrorist organizations are because he was a founder of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), which is based in Virginia. Like many other Islamic/Muslim groups, the IIIT was raided by the FBI after 9/11 and was investigated thoroughly.

The US government never filed any charges against IIIT. The US government has never listed it as a terrorist organization, and the US government has never closed it down. Yet the charges of an IIIT connection to the Muslim Brotherhood continue to circulate, without evidence, on various right-wing blogs. What do these bloggers know that the US government does not? Does the NST take the word of unknown bloggers over the US government? What evidence can the NST present in court in a libel case?

Rachel's other claim was what she called Anwar's long record of anti-Semitism. She said that I am supporting an anti-Semite. The reality is, there is no long list of anti-Semitic comments by Anwar Ibrahim. Indeed, throughout his political career, Anwar often has been accused of being close to Jews. For example, Ian Buruma recounts two stories in his New Yorker article on Anwar.

The first is that when Anwar was kicked out of the cabinet in 1998, Mahathir - who had accused George Soros and the Jews of causing the 1997 Asian financial crisis - briefed the cabinet on Anwar's Jewish connections, pointing out that his friends were people like Robert (Bob) Rubin, Bill Cohen, James (Jim) Wolfensohn, Paul Wolfowitz, and so on. All American Jews. The second Buruma story is Mahathir's famous comment that Anwar would make a "good Prime Minister of Israel."
Rachel wrote an article, 'The Reversal of Anwar Ibrahim', claiming that Anwar had become an anti-Semite, in the New Ledger blog on April 29, 2010.
But two months later Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin undercut her thesis and his own government's efforts to portray Anwar as anti-Semitic when he said on July 1, "We know for a fact his ties with pro-Zionist groups."

According to The Washington Post, the Malaysian embassy and Apco worked hard last year to publicize Anwar's comments on "Zionist aggression," after the May 31 Israeli action against the relief ship Mavi Marmara.

But for reasons that are very understandable, the Malaysian government did not want to call attention to Najib's own remarks, which were even stronger, accusing the Israelis of terrorism. Najib called the Israeli actions a "blatant act of aggression and terrorism" committed by the "Zionist regime." He also referred to "Zionist atrocities." His remarks are on the official website of the Prime Minister's office.

Najib also said that, "The Israeli commandos shot the activists point blank and even from the back, and this is an act of a coward which cannot be forgiven. These blatant acts occurred because the world gangsters, Israel, feel they are protected by a world power." The latter reference, of course, is to the United States.

Anwar's comments last year caused a lot of problems, but to say that he has a long history of anti-Semitism, and that I therefore am linked to an anti-Semite, is wrong. I know that the NST has been running op-eds attacking me everyday. But they need to be careful about crossing the line into libel.

The author is former US ambassador to Malaysia. The above article first appeared in Din Merican's blog.

Anwar's pet

2011-02-15T13:22:00.002+08:00

Expect no less from Anwar's pet

IT is clear why John Malott espouses a biased view of a country that serves as model of a peaceful, inclusive and tolerant democracy dominated by Muslims.

In a recent Wall Street Journal piece rife with factual errors, John Malott accused the Malaysian government of fomenting racial and religious tensions within their own borders, pitting one religion against another.
In reality, this is far from the truth. In fact, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has strived to lessen any racial or religious tension by creating two programmes -- 1Malaysia and the Inter-faith Relations Working Committee.

Malaysia is a true melting pot of races and religions, home to Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and more.

Its population consists of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and indigenous people, including the Bumiputera, a mix of both races and religions that is hard to find in other predominately Muslim nations.
Malaysia even officially celebrates the holidays of these many religions, honouring them as state holidays, something we don't do outside of Christianity in the United States.

As the head of Malaysia in what is internationally a time of unrest in some Muslim nations, Najib has sought to preserve and enhance the unity and diversity in his country.

He has called for a "global movement of moderates", an embracing of moderation throughout the Muslim world, to reclaim their faith from the extremists who seek to tarnish its image as a peaceful religion.
Malott mentioned the 1Malaysia project, glossing over then dismissing it, but refused to acknowledge the religious harmony instilled.

Malaysia is also at the forefront of women's rights in the Muslim world. Najib wanted to contribute to the efforts in Afghanistan and send female Muslim doctors, something not available in much of the Muslim world, to provide Muslim women in that conservative society with a more comfortable medical experience.

Speaking to an audience in New York late last year, Najib said because Malaysia is a moderate Muslim nation, it has a unique ability to lend its support to a variety of global initiatives that other countries may not.

Contrary to Malott's claim, Malaysia's economy has been a burgeoning one. Its gross domestic product (GDP) has had positive growthbetween 2000 and 2008, only dipping into negative territory in 2009, a year that saw the entire world's economy in decline.

Malaysia had enjoyed a GDP growth rate of 8.9 per cent at one point in the last decade. That's hardly "underperforming".

By comparison, the best year of GDP growth in the United States over that same period never exceeded 4.9 per cent.

By that measure, Malott's assessment of Malaysia's economy is entirely unfair and inaccurate.

Now, the question is, why Malott chose to advance a negative and inaccurate picture of the country where he once served as ambassador? The answer is a simple one that can be seen in his own hand.

Malott is a pet of Malaysian opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

A long defender of Anwar, Malott has taken to the press before in defence of a man who has been charged twice with sodomy, a serious crime in Malaysia, and who was convicted of corruption.

Malott's unfair and inaccurate criticism of Malaysia and Najib, now becomes clear.

Instead of giving the country and its leader a fair assessment, acknowledging the progress it has made both culturally and economically, its example of a moderate Muslim democracy contributing to both global initiatives and aide, Malott is stuck in a tunnel view, blinded by his support of an anti-Semite with clear and undeniable ties to an organisation that supports terrorism.

With this complete picture of Malaysia and Malott's motives in mind, you can now dismiss what Malott said, whatever it may be, as the biased ramblings of someone who sounds like a shill for Anwar.

Why else would he be so vehemently defending such a retched man? It can't be that a former US ambassador is so poorly informed that he actually believes his own spin, can it? -- New Ledger

NB: The writer is a blogger, editor and commentator on political and cultural issues

Read more: Expect no less from Anwar's pet http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/25malot/Article/#ixzz1E0BpvFLp

Malott Malice

2011-02-10T15:25:00.000+08:00

Malott trying to distract us from Anwar's woes

2011/02/10
By Azmi Anshar
mishar@nst.com.my

Share |

FORMER United States ambassador to Malaysia John R. Malott has penned a sweeping but disingenuous indictment of Malaysia in the Wall Street Journal's Asian opinion page, alleging that "racial and religious tensions are higher today than when Mr Najib took office in 2009". Referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's handling of prickly race relations issues in that period, Malott mischievously characterised the tensions as "worse than at any time since 1969, when at least 200 people died in racial clashes between the majority Malay and minority Chinese communities".

Malott went on to accuse Malay-sia's leadership of "tolerating and, in some cases, provoking ethnic factionalism through words and actions".

His 1,100-word missive had two obvious but odious slants:
- The so-called racial tensions he misdirected are perpetrated exclusively by the Malay leadership against what he deemed as helpless and hapless non-Malays; and,

- a deep-seated revulsion for the Najib administration, matched only by his consistently unabashed public relations pitch for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which makes his vitriol a simple sales promotion for Anwar.

Let's see. By cleverly deploying the noun, "tensions", against the May 13, 1969 trajectory, he is implying that racial clashes are a regular feature in Malaysian race relations since 1969.

The real question is, where are the worsening tensions that could trigger fatal racial clashes as terrible as those incited on May 13, 1969, as Malott slyly claims?

Malott asserted that the Malaysian leadership "is tolerating and provoking ethnic factionalism through words and actions". He can't be more flat on that.

What Malott perceived to be a malevolent circumstance can be seen in a more enlightened prism; it is Najib's willingness to engage all aggrieved parties -- Malays, Chinese and Indians alike -- by encouraging them to say their piece, even if it is unpleasant.

That's several notches up for free speech when previous administrations had curtailed debate on race relations, restricting them only to Parliament and special closed-door councils.

Now, the debate is so open that websites, blogs and social media networks are abuzz with the freedom to discuss what had been a taboo topic.

The downside? You'd think Malaysia is reeling in a perfect storm of racism, given the rancidness of many comments from all sides.

From Hindraf's exaggerated claims of genocide to the Chinese community's leverage of precious votes (some would call it blackmail) to get more Chinese schools to the Malays' defensive posture against shrill demands that their special position is irrelevant and obscured by historical skewering, the multi-pronged debate is boisterous and healthy.

These are strong, passionate stances made possible by an administration that accepts such sentiments as a fact of life and does not fear them from surfacing aloud, only if it allows Najib to formulate pragmatic solutions which may or may not appease the aggrieved parties.

Malott doesn't get this but, to be fair, he makes no mention of the word "racism" in his opinion piece but he, whether he likes it or not, is party to the loaded WSJ heading "The price of Malaysia's racism", which implies that Malaysia is drowning in a toxic cesspool of racism.

That's not what Malaysians are experiencing now though the WSJ appears to have no misgivings in branding that label on Malaysia.

Here's an alternative perspective to Malott's blinkered observation: Malaysians are no more capable of institutional racism (read apartheid and the US' pre-civil rights segregation) than Malott can be in his personal dealings with other races.

Malott might like to consider Malaysia's plus point as a burgeoning plural society that goes way back to 1957 when the first multiracial government was formed. In comparison, developed Western countries can't even place a non-white high up in their respective administrations.

The tensions Malott mischaracterised are what Malaysians get tangled up constantly -- seemingly irreconcilable social, cultural, economical and political disputes on how best to prod the country towards a promising future of prosperity and creation of new wealth.

A lot of harsh words and comments have and will be exchanged, but a prime outcome is the nature of its civility -- and none of that bloodletting innuendo. Everyone, naturally, wants a bountiful share but no one is willing to budge, compromise or lose pertinent benefits gained over decades of political struggle.

So, the logical step is to continue negotiating, bargaining and bartering, even if the outcome is a full-blown civilised war of words.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had a barometer on gauging disenchantment among the races: he would ask representatives of each race if they were satisfied with their lot and the immediate response would be a "no".

Since nobody was satisfied, then the cogent conclusion was that the government had been fair in its treatment of all races.

Conversely, had one race stated that they were satisfied, then something would be wrong somewhere.

It's obvious that Malott based his thinking on the advisement of the opposition crowd which puts the blame squarely on the Malay leadership and certain Malay non-governmental organisations when the reality is that every ethnic community is shouting and screaming, jockeying and jostling for the best possible position to capitalise on the goodies promised under the New Economic Transformation Programme.

It comes to this: Malott has a very big axe to grind in manipulating Malaysia's political machinations. But his objective, since the time he was last ambassador in 1998, had always been to blacken Dr Mahathir to shore up Anwar's political doldrums.

Interestingly, Malott conducts his sorties on Malaysia when trouble fixates on Anwar, from his troublesome sodomy trial to his tribulations in dealing with the growing army of PKR rebels and dissidents.

This latest sortie fits into Anwar's scheme of things and, being a close associate, Malott would have no qualms disparaging Najib as long it can help distract Malaysians from a very beleaguered Anwar

Read more: Malott trying to distract us from Anwar's woes http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles//3racc/Article/#ixzz1DXRqGCmN

From Perdana to Passat

2011-01-03T14:54:00.000+08:00

Passat ganti Proton Perdana?

KUALA LUMPUR 2 Jan. - Mungkinkah model terbaharu kereta Passat keluaran Volkswagen AG (VW), syarikat gergasi Jerman, bakal menjadi kereta rasmi kerajaan Malaysia bagi menggantikan Proton Perdana V6 Eksekutif yang kini dimamah usia?

Menurut sumber, DRB-HICOM Bhd. (DRB-HICOM) dikatakan akan mengemukakan cadangan itu kepada kerajaan tidak lama lagi.

Kereta Passat merupakan antara model kereta yang bakal dipasarkan oleh syarikat konglomerat tempatan selepas kejayaannya memeterai kerjasama strategik dengan VW baru-baru ini.

Sumber itu berkata, kereta Passat yang bakal ditawarkan untuk kegunaan kerajaan, adalah kereta berenjin 1.8 Turbo tetapi mempunyai kuasa menyamai 2.3cc atau 2.4cc. Ia dikatakan berharga sekitar lebih RM100,000 sebuah.

Difahamkan kereta Proton Perdana tersebut sebelum ini berharga RM130,000.

Sekiranya cadangan itu diterima, kereta buatan Jerman yang akan dipasang di Malaysia itu, akan menggantikan kereta buatan nasional berjumlah beberapa ribu buah di negara ini secara berperingkat-peringkat.

Passat dikatakan berjaya menarik minat Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak daripada segi rupa bentuk dan kemasannya ketika menyaksikannya pada majlis pemeteraian kerjasama antara DRB-HICOM dengan VW di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini.

Para pegawai DRB-HICOM gagal dihubungi Utusan Malaysia untuk mendapatkan ulasan.

Cadangan DRB-Hicom dijangka memberikan saingan yang besar kepada Proton Holdings Bhd. (Proton) yang masih lagi mencari kerjasama untuk membangunkan model baharu menggantikan Proton Perdana sedia ada.

Proton sebelum ini turut dilaporkan bakal membangunkan kereta mewah teknologi hibrid Nissan iaitu Nissan Fuga Hibrid untuk menggantikan Proton Perdana.

Ali Hashim's Dec 22 Interview

2010-12-29T17:27:00.002+08:00

BUSINESS TIMES

Ali: Why they want me out

Business Times, December 22, By Zurinna Raja Adam

Former Johor Corp CEO Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim says he has reasons to believe that his removal will result in a stripping of assets and strategic businesses of QSR Brands and KFC Holdings

Former Johor Corp (JCorp) president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim yesterday fired a salvo at parties he said wanted him out so they can strip the group of its assets.

Speaking to Business Times and a Malay language daily in Kuala Lumpur , Muhammad Ali said it appears that the move to remove him from Kulim (M) Bhd will be followed by steps to remove him from the boards of QSR Brands Bhd and KFC Holdings Bhd (KFCH).

"I have reasons to believe that these moves will result in a stripping of assets and strategic businesses of QSR and KFCH under the unconvincing pretext of raising cash to resolve JCorp's debt," he said.

Muhammad Ali was recently removed from the president and CEO posts in JCorp. Later, requisitions were made to completely remove him from all JCorp's stable of companies, a group he has served for the last 30 years.

He rubbished rumours saying he was behind the move to sell QSR but stressed instead that it was under his leadership that JCorp had undertaken the pioneering step in establishing Waqaf Corporation.

"My stand on this issue has been absolutely clear and consistent all along, namely that I have never been in favour of any move to privatise JCorp-owned equity interest. In fact, I have made it the mission of my life-long career to oppose any move to privatise any JCorp's interest," Muhammad Ali said.

He added that it seems the long-term strategic interests of Kulim, QSR and KFCH are to be ignored, all in the interest of pursuing fast profits and structuring deals that will not be in the long-term interests of the companies involved as well as minority shareholders.

JCorp, meanwhile, has called for an extraordinary general meeting next month at Kulim, KPJ Healthcare Bhd and Damansara Realty Bhd (DRealty) to remove Muhammad Ali.

While the move is within legal practice, he said this was not a normal process unless the board feels that he has not been performing as a director, has conducted negligence or practised corruption.

"If they find mismanagement or fraud I will willingly resign. (Since I helm JCorp) everything I do is approved by the board; sale, acquisition ... I answer fully to the board. So, why now?"

Muhammad Ali was also baffled by the fact that he has never been called to explain his position.

He said JCorp's loans and debt position was not an issue as there were more than sufficient asset value to cover for the loan repayment.

"Debt is normal in business. When a business wants to expand, it needs to take loan. The question is whether it can repay the loan and in JCorp's case, that is not an issue at all as there are more than sufficient asset value to cover for loan repayment when due," he said.

As at December 31 2009, the group's total assets stood at more than RM14 billion while debt stood at RM6 billion, of which RM3.6 billion is due by mid-2012.

BUSINESS TIMES

‘JCorp Debt Not the Real Issue’

Business Times, December 22

Excerpts from the interview with former Johor Corp president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim

WHY did you choose not to resign from directorship and chairmanship of all JCorp companies after your abrupt resignation as its president and chief executive officer (CEO) on July 29 2010?

Muhammad Ali: Public perception regarding the issue had been led towards believing that the main reason for my resignation was JCorp's "enormous" debt, in particular the need to repay RM3.6 billion by mid-2012. This had particularly been fuelled by some slanted and highly over-stretched media description of the debt status.

I am of the view that JCorp's loans and debt position is not an issue as there is more than sufficient asset value to cover for the loan repayment when due. Furthermore, JCorp's president and CEO Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim had recently emphasised that JCorp is planning to refinance these loans.

Obviously, refinancing should be preferred. Refinancing will not result in the need to dispose of or sell out any asset or business. This is extremely important not only to safeguard JCorp's own corporate strategic position ... but is also critical to JCorp's future ability to contribute to Malaysia's economic development as well as enhance the value of assets and businesses that contribute directly towards strengthening the economic position of the Malays and Bumiputera community in the interest of a more equitable distribution of wealth.

If JCorp's outstanding loan and debt situation is not the real issue, what is?

Muhammad Ali: The answer to this question is directly linked to the subsequent turn of events.

Firstly, I am aware of the view that the recent bid by Tan Sri Halim Saad through Idaman Saga Sdn Bhd, followed subsequently by the Caryle Group, had a lot to do with the real issue.

Consequently, I am of the opinion that these bids have direct links to and are inter-connected with the move to first of all dismiss me from presidency/CEOship of JCorp and subsequently as chairman (of) Kulim (M) Bhd and other companies.

This turn of events had confirmed my worst fears which was one of the reasons (apart from other legal rights and expectations) why I had not readily relinquished my position as chairman and director of Kulim and other PLCs (public-listed companies).

At the same time, the following were my other considerations:

* A director (and chairman) of a PLC has clear fiduciary duties and obligations, including in safeguarding the future interests of the company as a legal entity.

* Even though I was initially appointed by JCorp, my subsequent appointments as director of Kulim (and other PLCs involved) were by shareholders of the companies at general meetings as prescribed by laws.

* Furthermore, the termination of my contract with JCorp had occurred under questionable circumstances that are likely leading towards litigation among the parties involved.

* On top of that, I was always conscious of the fact that any abrupt resignation or termination of directorship of any PLCs was a very serious matter that would have much wider implications including involving the need to protect the interest of minority shareholders.

* Most importantly, it was my considered opinion and professional judgement in my capacity as president and CEO of JCorp at that point of time and I had strong reasons to believe that plans were afoot that would involve changes in the ownership structure of several strategic JCorp PLCs involved.

If allowed to proceed unhindered, in my opinion, it would be detrimental to JCorp's long-term interests as a GLC and state-owned corporation. Thus I decided that the most effective means at my disposal and the most responsible thing to do at that point of time was not to relinquish my position as chairman and director.

This was apart from my consideration of my legal position and legitimate expectations. I was fully aware that by doing so, I would have the opportunity to raise the issue into the public realm and that such matters are best left to all shareholders, the larger public and the authorities to be the judge and to evaluate their merit.

Why are you being removed from directorship of Kulim (M) Bhd?

Muhammad Ali: Kulim's track record has been highly remarkable as reflected by its market capitalisation which currently exceeds RM4.1 billion. On what basis are directors to be removed and replaced?

Is consideration not given to the fact that the current members of the Kulim board, including the managing director/CEO, had contributed tremendously towards building Kulim into a high corporate performer?

Kulim has a subsidiary that is listed on the London Stock Exchange that is also the owner of the largest plantation and palm oil business in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region. More importantly, Kulim is the owner of two highly valued PLC subsidiaries - QSR Brands Bhd and KFC Holdings (M) Bhd (KFCH).

It appears to me that the move to remove me from Kulim will be followed through by steps to remove me from the boards of QSR and KFCH. The removal of other directors will perhaps follow.

The interests of the rakyat, including those of future generations as principal shareholders, appear to have been ignored.

The fact that JCorp's fundamental role was to preserve and enhance value of assets and businesses for long-term economic equity objectives was also forgotten.

Obviously, through undertaking such asset and business disposal, the rakyat's interests are not being given their due priority.

The subsequent turn of events clearly turned my worst fears into reality. These events, among other factors, vindicated the action I took to "swim against the tide" and resign from my position as president/CEO of JCorp.

By now it is already public knowledge that Kulim had received bids to acquire assets and equity in QSR Brands from namely Tan Sri Halim Saad and Idaman Saga, and a counter bid by Carlyle Group.

I would like to emphasise that all these bids were rejected by unanimous vote of the Kulim board members. The board has always stood firm with me on this issue in the best interest of the company.

An English paper had claimed that I "could be responsible for putting QSR up for sale". I resent this statement and would like to state that I had absolutely nothing to do with these bids and absolutely no prior knowledge of them.

These baseless and wild accusations are totally in contrast to the stand that I have always taken throughout my long professional career with JCorp. My stand on this issue has been clear and consistent all along, namely that I have never been in favour of any move to privatise JCorp-owned equity interests.

What other moves do you foresee will take place after this?

Muhammad Ali: I can expect similar moves to remove me from the boards of QSR, KFCH and Sindora Bhd. I do respect that this is the prerogative and at absolute discretion of the majority shareholders and I will accept their decision once taken.

It is not the position I hold in these companies that is important as I had already taken the decision to retire.

My concern is with the anticipated change that is going to take place. Will this shift to those who hold the reins at Kulim will also result in asset stripping and business disposal that ignores strategic, broader and long-term consideration?

Will there be fresh bids submitted after this that will result in Kulim and JCorp losing strategic assets - ones that are needed to ensure long-term corporate sustainability in their broader interests of all Malaysians and especially those of the rakyat?

We have witnessed too many incidents in the past where the pursuit for quick profits by a few had been at the long-term expense of majority Malaysians, and I hope at least during my tenure as PLC director and GLC CEO, I have been able to do my small part in preventing such blatant disregard for public and national interests to simply proceed with impunity.

Pak Lah on Syed MOkthtar

2010-12-09T18:23:00.000+08:00

Rajan Moses

New Straits Times

11-17-2004

Abdullah: I did not give blessing (HL)

Byline: Rajan Moses

Edition: Main/Lifestyle; 2*

KUALA LUMPUR, Tues. - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today refuted suggestions that he had "given his blessing" to a compromise proposal to resolve the DRB-Hicom stake tussle, as claimed by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

In a two-paragraph statement, the Prime Minister's office clarified that Syed Mokhtar had indeed sent in a letter on behalf of Etika Strategi Sdn Bhd apprising Abdullah of his proposed solution to the issue.

PAC on POS

2010-12-09T18:20:00.000+08:00

PAC to table report on Pos Malaysia's alleged losses soon

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will soon table its report on the alleged losses suffered by Pos Malaysia, PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said.

"We have listened to the explanation given by Khazanah Nasional and today, we called in former Pos Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Adam Kadir to give his account on the issue.

"We are studying the findings and should be able to table the report during the current Dewan Rakyat sitting," he told reporters after meeting the former Pos Malaysia chairman Wednesday.

Adam had recently claimed that Pos Malaysia, a government-linked company, suffered losses to the tune of RM546mil.

He was also quoted in a newspaper saying that the Government's investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, as the Pos Malaysia's main shareholder, had not provided the true picture of the company's losses.

Azmi said the committee would also call in the Finance Ministry to seek clarification over the issue.

"We will get written answers from both sides. We will be asking a few more questions to Khazanah after listening to Tan Sri Adam today, also a few questions to the ministry," he said.

Azmi also said that Pos Malaysia did not suffer losses.

"If there are losses, it could be due to the drop in the Transmile shares to 14 sen (in 2007). Now the price is 39 sen. Pos Malaysia has 15% stake in Transmile," he said.

Meanwhile, Adam said he had said what needed to be said to the PAC.

"It's up to the PAC. I have my own information and I have shown it to them," he said. - Bernama

MCMC's BIG PR EXERCISE DAY -- List of email recipients and Program for Media briefing/visit to address bad Press on USP Fund

2010-11-08T02:03:00.001+08:00

From:
Date: Sun, Nov 7, 2010 at 9:57 AM
Subject: Invitation: MEDIA BRIEFING AND VISIT TO COMMUNITY BROADBAND CENTRE, TAMAN SERI SERENDAH, HULU SELANGOR
To: "newsdesk@thestar.com.my" <'newsdesk@thestar.com.my'>, "news@nstp.com.my" <'news@nstp.com.my'>, "news@tv3.com.my'" <'news@tv3.com.my''>, "news@easterntimes.com.my" <'news@easterntimes.com.my'>, "news@makkalosai.com" <'news@makkalosai.com'>, "news@malaysiannanban.com" <'news@malaysiannanban.com'>, "news@orientaldaily.com.my" <'news@orientaldaily.com.my'>, "newsdesk@thesundaily.com" <'newsdesk@thesundaily.com'>, "news@themalaysianreserve.com" <'news@themalaysianreserve.com

'>, "editorpg@bernama.com" <'editorpg@bernama.com'>, "editor@thestar.com.my" <'editor@thestar.com.my'>, "editor.bt@reach.com.my" <'editor.bt@reach.com.my'>, "editor.btoday@reach.com.my" <'editor.btoday@reach.com.my'>, "editorsb@bernama.com" <'editorsb@bernama.com'>, "editorsh@sinarharian.com.my" <'editorsh@sinarharian.com.my'>, "editor@kwongwah.com.my" <'editor@kwongwah.com.my'>, "editor@nanyang.com.my" <'editor@nanyang.com.my'>, "editorial@sinchew.com.my" <'editorial@sinchew.com.my'>, "editor@bizedge.com" <'editor@bizedge.com'>, "editorial@mail.sinchew.com.my" <'editorial@mail.sinchew.com.my'>, "ashahriman@nstp.com.my" <'ashahriman@nstp.com.my'>, "borneopost_team@yahoo.com" <'borneopost_team@yahoo.com'>, "bhnews@bharian.com.my" <'bhnews@bharian.com.my'>, "besradio@rtm.net.my" <'besradio@rtm.net.my'>, "Charles@oneworld.com.my" <'Charles@oneworld.com.my'>, "utusan@utusan.com.my" <'utusan@utusan.com.my'>, "gmkl@guangming.com.my" <'gmkl@guangming.com.my'>, "mmnews@mmail.com.my" <'mmnews@mmail.com.my'>, "klnews@bloomberg.net" <'klnews@bloomberg.net'>, "apklnews@ap.org" <'apklnews@ap.org'>, "leslie.lopez@news.awsj.com" <'leslie.lopez@news.awsj.com'>, "jijikl@arc.net.my" <'jijikl@arc.net.my'>

Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2010 14:01:29 +0800

Subject: INVITATION TO MEDIA BRIEFING ON UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROVISION (USP) BY SURUHANJAYA KOMUNIKASI DAN MULTIMEDIA MALAYSIA (SKMM)

Salam Datuk/Dato’/Saudara/Saudari/Tuan/Puan,

You are cordially invited to the Media Briefing on USP organise by Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM).

Details as below: -

DATE : Monday, 8^th November 2010

VENUE : Auditorium SKMM, Cyberjaya

TIME : 9.00 AM

Kindly revert to us with your reply via fax to 03-8688 1007 / RSVP to Pn. Rohaida (03-86 88 83 78) by 5.00 PM, Thursday, 4 November 2010.

Transport will be provided to the CBC but as places are limited, please confirm your participation in this visit.

Programme –

9:00 AM : Registration and breakfast

9.30 AM : Welcoming Address by

YBhg. Tan Sri Khalid bin Ramli

Chairman, Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia

9.45 AM : Briefing on Universal Service Provision by

En. Zulkarnain Mohd. Yassin

Acting Senior Director,

Universal Service Provision Division, SKMM

10.45 AM : End of Briefing

Q&A Session

11.30 AM : Refreshments

12.30 Noon : Lunch

2.00 PM : Site Visit to Community Broadband Centre/ USP Sites

(Taman Seri Serendah, Hulu Selangor)

4.00 PM : Return to SKMM Cyberjaya/ End of Site Visit

Regards.

Mohamad Rizal Ahmad

Corporate Communications Department

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission

63000 Cyberjaya

Selangor

"PM cakap kena hormat undang-undang"

2010-10-22T02:54:00.000+08:00

LAPORAN POLIS KE ATAS ROCKY'S BRU BERTEPATAN DENGAN PERUNTUKAN UNDANG-UNDANG - RAIS

KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Okt (Bernama) -- Menteri Penerangan Komunikasi dan
Kebudayaan Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim berkata tindakannya membuat laporan polis
terhadap seorang penulis blog adalah bertepatan dengan haknya sebagai individu
negara ini.
Katanya tindakan itu wajar mengikut peruntukan undang-undang bagi mendapat
perlindungan setelah namanya tercemar berikutan laporan di dalam blog berkenaan.
"Saya mempunyai hak sendiri sebagai individu, kita harus menghormati
undang-undang sedangkan hari ini pun PM (Perdana Menteri) cakap kena hormat
undang-undang. Jadi setiap individu perlu menghormati undang-undang yang
ada di negara kita.
"Saya tidak ada melibatkan sesiapa. Barang siapa yang mencemarkan dan
memburukkan sesiapa, waima, beliau seorang penulis blog ataupun seorang kerani,
kita mempunyai hak masing-masing, jadi ini yang saya tegaskan," katanya kepada
pemberita selepas perasmian Perhimpunan Agung UMNO 2010 di Pusat Dagangan Dunia
Putra (PWTC), di sini, hari ini.
Pada 12 Okt lalu, Dr Rais membuat laporan polis terhadap Rocky's Bru atau
nama sebenarnya Datuk Ahirudin Atan yang di dalam blognya mendakwa kononnya anak
lelaki menteri itu mempunyai kepentingan dalam kementerian itu dengan memperoleh
geran RM1 bilion bagi menaik taraf akses jalur lebar di seluruh negara.
-- LAGI

RAIS-LAPORAN 2 KUALA LUMPUR

Selain itu, Dr Rais juga berkata semua pihak sewajarnya menghormati
peraturan dan undang-undang negara yang dibuat untuk melindungi rakyat semua
peringkat.
"Misalnya, kalau kita takut kepada mengimplikasi undang-undang yang kita
cipta, ini bukan satu keadaan yang positif, ini negatif. Jadi apa kita jadikan
undang-undang, kita perlu ikut dan jadikan azimat perjuangan kita.
"Saya tergolong kepada orang seperti itu, jadi saya tidak menakuti mana-mana
komen tapi kalau melanggar hak saya sebagai individu, saya perlu mengambil
lindungan di bawah undang-undang negara," katanya.
Sementara itu, mengulas ucapan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak semasa merasmikan
Perhimpunan Agung Umno yang menegaskan bahawa hak-hak orang Melayu dilindungi
dalam Perlembagaan, Dr Rais berkata orang Melayu tidak seharusnya terus menerus
bergantung kepada peruntukan Perlembagaan itu.
"Kalau orang Melayu hanya bertongkat mahu berjalan, ini tentu sekali tidak
membawa kita ke mana-mana.
-- LAGI

RAIS-LAPORAN 3 (AKHIR) KUALA LUMPUR

"Kita perlu berganding bahu dengan orang bukan Melayu, rakan-rakan Cina dan
rakan-rakan India kita, bagaimana mereka bertahan kerana kita perlu berkebolehan
untuk mencapai tahap seperti mereka," katanya.
Beliau turut meminta semua pihak untuk menghormati asas-asas Perlembagaan
negara membabitkan Raja-Raja Melayu, Kontrak Sosial dan kuasa-kuasa rizab Melayu
kerana ia telah dipersetujui oleh "nenek moyang kita terdahulu".
Dr Rais juga menyifatkan ucapan Perdana Menteri berhubung hak istimewa orang
Melayu sebagai "tindakan berani" dan menjadi satu titik permulaan yang mampu
menyemarakkan lagi perjuangan UMNO.
"Ini adalah mesej yang sangat jelas, yang seharusnya kita perjelaskan
ke bawah selepas ini. Kita perlu memberi tahniah kepada Perdana Menteri dan
Presiden yang berani tampil kemuka menjelaskan situasi ini.
"Kontrak sosial itu adalah tulang belakang kepada Perlembagaan
Malaysia. Seharusnya ucapan ini dijadikan azimat perjuangan dan orang Melayu
khasnya serta orang Malaysia amnya kena menghormati Perlembagaan Malaysia,"
katanya.
-- BERNAMA

Nazri: I, Me, Mine

2010-09-21T19:57:00.001+08:00

Nazri’s open letter to Awang Selamat
By Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz
September 20, 2010

Nazri has issued a put-up-or-shut-up challenge to Utusan Malaysia’s “Awang Selamat”. — file pic
BUCHAREST, Sept 20 — I have read the comments by Awang Selamat on me in his column. I want to make some clarifications lest readers be misled into thinking what he wrote is correct.

Firstly, I am never afraid to be criticised by the opposition. I would like Awang to come to Parliament and see and hear for himself the vitriol and attacks I received whilst defending the Government on issues related to the Prime Minister’s Office.

In my 33 years in politics, I was never spared by anybody who makes criticisms against me — including the recent comments by Awang. I don’t know about Awang himself, because I don’t even know who he is. I hope he can be a man like me and prove that he is not scared of criticism by coming out in the open and not hiding behind the pseudonym that he uses.

I am also not anti-Dr Mahathir (Mohamad). To me, so far he is the best prime minister I have served. However, as an ex-premier, there is so much left to be desired.

Awang should get out of his time warp and face the fact that I am now in the government as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and not vice versa. So it is Tun Mahathir who is criticising the Government and not the other way round.

Of course anybody, regardless of who criticises the government, will receive relentless attack in defence of the Government by me just as I had done in the past when Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) were the prime ministers.

Having said that, I want Awang to know that I am always sure who my boss is. It’s not (Lim) Kit Siang nor (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) because they are not prime minister of Malaysia, the chairman of BN or president of Umno.

I am not too sure Awang knows who his boss is because he undermines the 1 Malaysia policy of the prime minister and promotes the narrow racism of (Datuk) Ibrahim Ali who is not even an Umno member. Awang should be asking himself the question he posed to me.

Being civil to the opposition is the right thing to do in a democracy, because just like me, they are also elected by the people. Of course, Awang is caught in the time warp of those days where government MPs do not only not engage them but hate and dislike them in all circumstances.

Awang will never understand this because he is not an elected MP, put in the House by the voice of the people. Anyway did Awang ever think of how five PKR MPs could cross and be independents, if not for the civility shown by me to them as parliamentary affairs minister?

The number of crossovers to the independent caucus has exceeded the single MP from Pasir Mas, this so-called Malay Hero worshipped by Awang.

Incidentally, Umno has never asked or needed for Ibrahim to help us but the association with him will only cause us to lose votes.

Tun Mahathir himself told us about his loss in Kota Setar Selatan seat — a 90 per cent Malay majority parliamentary constituency — in 1969 to Yusof Rawa, where it was reported that Tun said he didn’t need Chinese votes. There is a lesson to be learned from this.

Of course, Awang will never understand because not only has he never offered himself as a candidate for the General Elections but readers don’t even know who he is.

Politicians like me who has stood for four general elections and won clearly have to be very careful in what we say and not be reckless like Awang. We need to muster all the votes regardless of race and we do not stay in the comfort zone as Awang does.

He can write and say anything irresponsibly and recklessly, knowing that he will never be punished by the voters.

That is why, Awang, if you asked what my agenda is, I think even school children will know that it’s to win the next general election and that Datuk Seri Najib (Razak) remains as prime minister of Malaysia.

I do hope that Awang also has the same agenda, unless of course his boss is somebody else. Finally I would advise Awang to stick to what he does and knows best and not try to meddle in national politics, of which he has shallow knowledge and zero experience.

He should concentrate in increasing his paper’s dwindling readership. It speaks volumes of their poor standards and performance when Utusan has to refer to the news report of the new electronic alternative media when it should be the reverse.

That will be his KPI and the measurement of his success in the field that he claims he represent well.

Mine is, of course, to win the Padang Rengas seat for Barisan Nasional in the next General Election regardless whether I am a candidate or not. Until then we shall see.

And yes I am a Malaysian first and Malay next. Does any bigot have a problem with that?

* This letter by Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Tan Sri Abdul Aziz is in response to a Mingguan Malaysia editorial “Alahai Nazri ...” by Awang Selamat. The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and MP for Padang Rengas emailed it from Bucharest, Romania, where he is attending the Malaysian-Romanian Inter-parliamentarian Friendship Group” meet from September 19 to 23, 2010.

Gopal Sri Ram, kenapa dulu senyap saja?

2010-09-17T15:16:00.001+08:00

MALAYSIAKINI
Judiciary fails to protect minority rights: Sri Ram
by Hazlan Zakaria

Sep 16, 10
1:59pm

Former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram said today that the judiciary has failed in its duty to defend minority rights.

Since the executive branch is elected by the majority, and as such it represents the rights of the majority, Sri Ram argued that the judicial branch has the duty to protect the rights of the minority.

"It is the judiciary which must fulfill this task,” said the former judge in his speech at the National Conference on Integrity in Kuala Lumpur today.

gopal sri ramSri Ram told the 350-strong audience that if the question was asked on whether the judiciary has performed its duty, the answer he said would be an “emphatic no!".

According to him, this was because the judiciary has become so "executive-minded" that the judges have become creatures of the government.

"The judiciary is so anxious to help the executive... And when you bend the law to help the executive, this results in ridiculous decisions," contended Sri Ram.

He cited examples of the courts reversing decisions through the Federal Court to accommodate the wishes of the federal government.

Sri Ram believed that such interference by the executive was clearly a breach of the doctrine of separation of powers.

The powers to convict and sentence are exclusive to the judiciary and Sri Ram said this role should not be usurped by the executive.

1988 judicial crisis
But more worryingly, Sri Ram contends, is that this failure to protect the rights of the minorities bodes more future ill for Malaysia for the judiciary also holds another higher duty.

"It is up to the judiciary to preserve our constitution," he said.

"And when and if it fails in that function, then the state has failed," warned Sri Ram, who retired from the judiciary in February this year.

He indicated that the failure of Malaysia as a state may indeed be imminent given the deteriorating condition of the judiciary since the 1988 crisis, which saw the sacking of a number of Malaysia's top judges.

Sri Ram had the distinction of being plucked from private law practice and appointed straight into the Court of Appeals.

He however was stuck in the appellate court for 15 years, with a number of judges who are more junior than him being promoted to Federal Court.

It wasn't until 2009, months before he was due to retired, that he was named a Federal Court judge.

-ends-

Federal Court rules for UEM and Malaysian taxpayers' RM87 million

2010-09-06T18:06:00.000+08:00

A good day for justice, no? Summary of Judgment of Federal Court in UEM vs Genisys

Federal court judges Datuk Md Raus Sharif, Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong and Datuk Heliliah Mohd Yusof today in unanimous decision allowed the appeal of UEM. Datuk Md Raus Sharif in 37 pages judgement overruled the Court of Appeal's decision and reinstated a High Court decision.

In respect the first appeal, FC said:

"We are in view although 7 questions were posed before us, the crucial questions in the 1^st appeal are questions 1-3.

Question 1: in view of the deliberate refusal by learned trial judge to accept the evidence of a material witness as truthful, whether the Court of Appeal was entitled to reject the said finding on inferences from documents? – FC answered in negative

Question 2: Whether the court of appeal can draw inferences on ducuments, the authenticity of which were challenged at trial and which were not proven by the makers of the said documents? FC answered in negative

Question 3 – Whether a finding of a fact by court of appeal on material issue without any evidential foundation or occasions a miscarriage of justice? FC answered in positive

· The disturbing feature of the judgement of the Court of Appeal is that, it had relied on some disputed documents, which had been challenged at the trial, as the basic of reversing the findings of facts of the trial judges. Two clear examples are the subcontract of the Sheraton-Hanoi Project and the alleged fax from GIE’s accountant.

· With utmost respect, we believe that the reason why the trial judge did not make any reference to the subcontract in his judgement is because the authenticity of the subcontract was marked only as an “ÏD” as its maker was never called. Thus, how could the Court of Appeal accept and rely upon a document in toto without even considering the issues of its authenticity, when its authenticity had been expressly challenged in the High Court as well as in Court of Appeal. In the notes of proceedings of High Court trial on 8 March 2005, UEM had challenged the authenticity of the subcontract?

· Another example where Court of Appeal relied n a disputed document was in relation to an alleged fax send by GIE to UEM in relation to RM1mil transferred by Seow from UEG account to GIE’s bank…but the Court of Appeal failed to recognised or considered the fact that the fax was challenged by UEM at trial. The Court of Appeal also failed to consider the evidence at the trial that the fax was never received and the fax log book evidence tendered by UEM showed that such fax was never received. In fact, the alleged fax was never marked as an exhibit at the trial as objection was raised by UEM as to its authenticity.

· Another error by the Court of Appeal was its finding that the RM50,000.00 was never misappropriated from UEG’s fund, and thus reversing the finding of fact of the trial judge.

· We find that the above finding of Court of Appeal was without any evidential foundation. This is because no police officer gave any such evidence in the High Court. No such evidence was ever before the trial judge. No doubt GIE had, by way of affidavit, exhibited purported notes of proceeding of Session court criminal trial of Seow, but as it was a criminal proceedings, UEM was not a party to those proceedings and it was not possible for UEM to challenge the evidence. GIE did not subpoena the police officer for the purpose of these petitions, and therefore, UEM never had the opportunity to challenge the same or cross-examine the police-officer4. Thus the conclusion by the court of appeal that the Rm50,000.00 was never misappropriated from UEG’s fund, contrary to what the trial judge had found cannot stand."

In respect the second appeal (consequential order), FC said:

· "We are in the view that the decision by Court of Appeal in wanting to do “complete justice” was in fact doing the opposite. It has done a complete injustice to UEM. The consequential orders were such that they were not sought for and yet astonishingly granted. The total effect of the orders was tantamount to unjust enrichment. This is because the court of appeal in giving effect to the buy-out order and by adopting the valuation of the valuer valued UEG at approximately RM81 mil, had failed to consider Seow’s own evidence, which the court of Appeal indirectly held to be credible.

· Obviously, a buy-out of UEG’s shares is not a viable option. UEG as rightly found by the trial judge was insolvent. Nevertheless, since we are setting aside the orders of court of appeal on the 1^st appeal and that the orders of the High Court had been instated, the consequential orders if the court of appeal is no longer a living issue. Thus we find no necessity to answer the questions posed in the 2^nd appeal. Accordingly, we allow 2^nd appeal with costs here and below. The orders of court of appeals on the 2^nd appeal are setting aside."

Halim Saad, Last Man Standing?

2010-09-04T14:06:00.001+08:00

Read the article from the Edge. My comments at the end.

Halim’s blast from the past
Last week, Richard Fuld, the former chairman and CEO of
Lehman Brothers, testifying before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Committee, blamed federal regulators for not coming to the aid of the investment bank which collapsed during the 2009 financial crisis.

Fuld, who built Lehman into one of the top four investment banks in the US, alleged that other financial institutions got preferential treatment. Lehman, he claimed, was allowed to collapse because the authorities wanted to prove that not all financial institutions would be rescued.

Over in Malaysia, there was a blast from the past when former Renong Group CEO and major shareholder Tan Sri Halim Saad last week revealed what happened behind the scenes that led to his unceremonious exit.

Halim alleged that high-ranking government officials forced him out of Renong, which at one point was regarded Malaysia’s most influential listed company. In an interview with a local newspaper, he detailed the events that saw his resignation from Renong and its related companies towards the end of 2001.

Among other things, Halim reiterated that the block of Renong shares purchased by UEM Group, amounting to a 32.6% stake, was not from him or parties related to him. The transaction gave the stock market, which was already melting at the time due to a depredating ringgit, the jitters.

Subsequently, Halim gave UEM a put option to buy back the Renong shares at a cost of RM3.2 billion. He said in the interview that he was prepared to fulfill his obligations with regard to the put option. He also toyed with the option of taking UEM private, an exercise that would have extinguished the put option.

Funding was to come from a Singapore investment bank and Halim sought Bank Negara Malaysia’s approval to bring in the money and take it out at a later date.

But he contended in the interview that he was stopped from doing so by the economic adviser to the government then, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

Halim,an accountant by profession, went on to say that Renong Group was restructured before he left.

He also said the govemment did not allow him to take up a RM2.1 billion offer from Singapore Telecommunications in exchange for a 20% stake in Time dotCom and a block of Time Engineering Bhd shares at the last minute.

However, Halim did not say who stopped him from taking up the offer from SingTel. It must have certainly been someone very high up in government because Time dotCom was later listed and Khazanah Nasional Bhd was forced to take up shares.

Halim’s revelations underline the nexus between Renong, himself and top government leaders who were key members of Umno.

The put option that Halim gave UEM to appease the minority shareholders was supposedly done at the behest of former finance minister Datuk Sen Anwar Ibrahim.

Halim’s attempt to fulfil his obligations to UEM or to take the company private was stopped by a senior government official.

Which begs the question: How deep was the relationship between Renong and Umno? Umno certainly did not own Renong. That was clear duringTun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s tenure as prime minister, when the party treasurer was Datuk Azim Zabidi.

When Azim was mandated with the task of collecting and restructuring of all Umno’s assets, Renong was not a part of it. Realmild Sdn Bhd and Gabungan Kesturi Sdn Bhd, the major shareholder of Media Prima Bhd, were in the portfolio of companies that Azim was to look after. But Renong was not in it.

So,why were the hands of the major shareholder of Renong — a company that was asset-rich but debt-riddled — tied when he attempted to unlock value? Why did he have to get the nod from top government officials?

On the bid to take UEM private, it is easy to fathom why Halim was not the right candidate to undertake it. UEM was a healthy company, with PLUS as its prized asset, until it purchased the 32.6% stake in Renong that was under the control of Halim.

Continued uncertainty about the put option hung over UEM’s head at that time, which explained its poor share price performance.

If Halim had been allowed to privatise UEM to extinguish the put option, would that have been right? Certainly not, considering that UEM was in a terrible predicament because of Renong.

Halim is a seasoned businessman. During his years in the wilderness, he has not remained idle and is poised to list his oil and gas arm in Hong Kong.

Both Halim and Fuld have something in common — they ran successful companies and contend that the authorities were unfair to them, which caused them to lose their companies.

But while Fuld was called to testify before a government committee, Halim’s motivation to reveal what happened eight years ago will continue to intrigue many. - Ends -

As usual, a thought-provoking piece by Shanmugam in the "Big Money" column in this weekend's The Edge.

My first thought: there is little similarity between Fuld and Halim but the comparison is interesting, nonetheless. Fuld blamed regulators for not helping Lehman while in the case of Renong, Halim Saad is accusing the economic advisor to the government back then of stopping him from doing what would have saved his empire. At the end of the article, I sense that the writer seems to want to suggest that Halim should appear in front of a Federal committee to answer some questions.

"Umno certainly did not own Renong. That was clear duringTun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s tenure as prime minister, when the party treasurer was Datuk Azim Zabidi."

If Umno did not earn Renong, what power did NMY wield that pushed the entire Renong board to go against the still-powerful Halim Saad?

Perhaps such a Committee is what Halim wants, to bring out the past - his and NMY's - into the open?

EPF's RM5 billion investment in the UK: Where the money will go

2010-08-30T16:22:00.000+08:00

Banyak tu! "Spending spree" ni maksudnya belanja macam nak rak/boros/gila2. Baca cerita "shopping spree' di sini.

Sebenarnya bukanlah EPF ni nak joli. Sumber2 yang saya percayai bilang duit EPF, iaitu duit simpanan hari tua untuk kebanyakan kita, akan dilabur dengan cermat. Insyallah, dividen tahun2 hadapan akan labih tinggi lagi. Katanya lah .. tapi esok kalau dividen kurang, tahulah kita kalau cakap orang2 kat KWSP ni boleh pakai ke tidak.

Sila baca jawapan EPF:

EPF CLARIFIES PROPERTY INVESTMENTS IN UK

In response to a report published in The Independent on Sunday (Business) on 29 August 2010, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) wishes to clarify that the EPF is investing £1 billion on properties in the United Kingdom.

The stable and highly liquid UK property market underlies the rationale behind the move. In addition, the UK is selected as it has one of the largest property markets in the world backed by strong Land Laws protecting the landlords. Furthermore, London is the Services Centre for the European Market. The investments would be for long-term with expected annual yield of 6 to 7 percent.

ING Real Estate Investment and Management and RREEF, the property management arm of Deutsche Bank, have been appointed via an open tender process through Requests for Proposal (RFP) as consultants and advisers for the project.

Although the EPF is pursuing overseas investments, the fund is also aggressively exploring the market in Malaysia. Presently, the fund owns the Sogo Building, Wisma KFC, MAS Training Centre, Giant-owned supermarket outlets, and CIMB branches, to name a few.

The EPF’s strategic asset allocation for properties is around five percent but currently it has not reached even one percent and hence the EPF is desirous to bring this percentage up. Even with these investments in the UK, the percentage is still well below the EPF’s strategic asset allocation for properties.

As a retirement fund, the EPF is always committed to maintaining a prudent and low risk investment policy. The fund strictly adheres to its Strategic Asset Allocation that is designed to maintain consistent returns in the long run within tolerable risks limits for each asset class.

To date, the EPF has managed to put in place sound and sufficient risk management practices, which are regularly reviewed to attest their effectiveness, in order to safeguard its investments. This helps to ensure that the fund’s investment strategy is always in tandem with domestic and global economic scenarios.

Issued by the EPF Public Relations Department

Date: 30 August 2010