Month: June 2015

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Ramadhan: The Month of Fitnah

  

When the connection from the brain to the mouth is loose, you get all sorts of idiotic-sounding monkeys jump around blabbing nonsense. This trend of Fitnah happens 24:7/365 including during Ramadhan, the Tasyrik days, and even when one is performing the Umrah.

Despite explanation after explanation you see these monkeys conjure up new things just for the sake of staying at that level of the mental evolution, of course with one exception that is Zainuddin Maidin because I don’t think that he has good comprehension of the English language.

The latest idiot-churned issue is the redevelopment of the Kampung Bahru mosque in Kuala Lumpur. I leave you with the media statement issued by 1MDB so you don’t regress mentally and make an ape of yourselves:

Media statement by 1Malaysia Development Berhad

Issued on 29 June 2015


For immediate publication


Kampung Baru mosque redevelopment started in 2011 


 


Contrary to recent statements by various parties, the redevelopment of the Kampung Baru Jamek Mosque was first announced by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak during his visit to Kampung Baru on 5 February, 2011.  Construction works commenced in 2012, to transform the mosque into a vibrant community centre for Kampung Baru residents.  Scheduled for full completion by end-July 2015, the mosque will serve as a key catalyst for the planned development of Kampung Baru.


Yayasan 1MDB has contributed RM20 million towards the mosque redevelopment project from its inception in 2011 to the present day.  1MDB regrets that various parties have resorted to using the mosque redevelopment project to serve their own agendas.


The Kampung Baru mosque redevelopment is one of many CSR activities undertaken by Yayasan 1MDB, working with Malaysians across all races and religions.  Further information on the depth and breadth of 1MDB’s CSR activities can be found on our website here:

http://www.1mdb.com.my/csr/summary.

Spread the truth.

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Melayu Mudah Lupa

Once upon a time, two renowned bloggers were summoned by a Prime Minister for the articles they had written on a former Deputy Prime Minister. As a parting shot, the Prime Minister said to the two bloggers:

“Tone down a bit la!”

The flurry of attacks on Najib Razak, his family and 1MDB by former Prime Minister Mahathir has shown that the former PM is going at all costs to have the former removed from office. A series of meetings with UMNO incumbents were held to convince them to not support Najib and to press for his resignation.

When that did not work, the former Prime Minister then used foreign press to do the job for him. My diplomat friend said,

Mahathir is now not just attacking Najib as a person, he has taken on the government of Malaysia and has tarnished Malaysia’s image on an international scale, something he chided Anwar Ibrahim for doing. I have never had foreign counterparts asking me if it is safe to invest in Malaysia with Mahathir trying to destabilize it.


Lest we forget those instances when Anwar went around badmouthing the country and everyone labeled him a traitor, especially by Mahathir. Here are several classic examples of Melayu Mudah Lupa:

Here’s what Tun said about the western media, their tactics, their henchmen and assassination by defamation. Today, he is doing all that he once condemned.

His speeches are public record and the full text are linked here.

TUN M ON MALAYSIAN JOURNALISTS WORKING FOR FOREIGN MEDIA

Speech at  majlis penyampaian hadiah kewartawanan malaysia on 12/12/1983
http://www.pmo.gov.my/ucapan/?m=p&p=mahathir&id=86

12. Inilah jenis laporan yang dibuat oleh pemberita dan akhbar terkemuka di Amerika. Sudah tentu apabila mereka melaporkan tentang negara kita, fitnah mereka tidak ada had sama sekali. Tidak ada yang terlalu buruk untuk dilapor tentang kita. Sebaliknya sebarang kebaikan tidak ada tempat dalam halaman akhbar mereka.

14. Sikap dan tanggungjawab akhbar tempatan tidak menyenangkan beberapa wartawan Malaysia who are in the pay of the foreign press. Orang-orang ini, terutama yang berasa kecewa kerana tidak mendapat sesuatu bagi diri sendiri di masa berkhidmat dalam negara, tidak jemu dengan memutar-belitkan berita negara sendiri, supaya they are given a pat on the back by their foreign masters. We watch the antics of these pet poodles with utter contempt and derision.

TUN M ON LOCAL JOURNALISTS BEING HENCHMEN FOR THE FOREIGN PRESS

Speech at Majlis penyampaian hadiah kewartawanan anjuran institut akhbar Malaysia on 9/11/1984
http://www.pmo.gov.my/ucapan/?m=p&p=mahathir&id=387

6. Aliran ini sudah sampai ke Malaysia. Berita yang benar kerap kali tidak dihiraukan. Jika ada mesyuarat atau lawatan atau pameran atau apa-apa jua peristiwa, yang diberi perhatian bukan peristiwa itu tetapi soal-soal lain yang menjadi minat akhbar. Soalan dibuat dalam berbagai bentuk dan bertalu-talu untuk menjadikan sesuatu perkara itu sebagai isu yang hangat. Selepas menyoal seseorang, maka disoal pula orang-orang lain yang diketahui mempunyai pandangan yang bertentangan — untuk memberi pandangan terhadap pendapat sasaran pertama. Maka dengan itu akan terjadilah satu kontroversi — yang dipuja dan dihembus oleh akhbar sehingga panas berapi.

7. Bahawa akibatnya ialah ketegangan dan kegelisahan dalam masyarakat sehingga terjejas ekonomi, kestabilan politik dan perpaduan, tidak sama sekali dipedulikan. Yang penting ialah akhbar yang kononnya ingin melapor yang benar.

Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan, 

8. Satu lagi perkara yang ingin saya sebutkan ialah tentang pemberita kita yang tidak segan-segan menjadi TALI BARUT kepada akhbar-akhbar di luar negeri. Mereka ini apabila menulis dalam akhbar tempatan lain bunyinya. Tetapi untuk akhbar luar negeri, mereka mencerca dan menghina negara sendiri, mencaci pemimpin dan Raja-Raja dan sanggup menjatuhkan maruah negara mereka sendiri. Nama mereka sendiri tidak disiarkan tetapi mereka tentulah dipuji oleh wartawan asing. Sebenarnya mereka sudah menjadi alat kepada bangsa-bangsa yang tidak senang melihat kejayaan Malaysia. Saya amat kesal adanya manusia jenis ini di kalangan pemberita kita.

9. Saya memberanikan diri untuk membuat teguran ini walaupun imej saya boleh dirosakkan oleh akhbar. Malaysia belum menjadi negara yang maju dan kuat, yang kebal dan yang tidak boleh dihancurkan. Kita masih lemah. Biarlah amalan masyarakat yang kukuh dan kuat di negara barat tinggal di barat. Kita perlu berhati-hati. Jika tidak, mungkin kita akan kekal dengan kelemahan kita tanpa sedikitpun mengecap kejayaan. Dan kita akan terus diperhamba dan dihinakan.


TUN M ON ASSASSINATION BY DEFAMATION

Speech at majlis makan malam anjuran kelab kebangsaan wartawan-wartawan Malaysia on 1/3/1986

http://www.pmo.gov.my/ucapan/?m=p&p=mahathir&id=214

9. Perhaps in a democracy fear from bodily harm has been more or less removed. But there are other fears. Assassination need not be by knife or bullets only. A person can be assassinated by defamation. And in a democratic society it is so easy to defame and destroy and get away with it. The target here is limited. It must be someone for whom a bad image can do harm – a public figure for example. And if the public figure depends on popularity, he may just lose it if defamed. For all practical purposes he will have been assassinated.

13. I have lived in Malaysia all my life, except for the visits abroad which are so interesting to some people. Malaysians are quite unique. We are masochists who enjoy excoriating ourselves. We can see nothing right about our country but the most minute wrong is plainly visible to our naked eye as the Malay saying goes, ‘from across the river’. And so we read daily that this or that economic or political crisis is about to destroy us. We moan loudly and frighten off foreigners from visiting or investing in our country.

14. The fact that we are still around and that we have not disintegrated disappoints us – because our predictions are wrong. We go on to report another crisis. We do not seem to realise that what we think is a unique occurrence in Malaysia is really a common event in other countries. They do not get unduly excited. Life goes on. Everybody’s still around and the event is soon forgotten. Growth and progress takes place as usual.
16. Perhaps our country does not deserve our help. I beg to differ. I think it does. None of us will gain by running down our own country and making our dire predictions come true. The truth is that other countries are worse, including the developed countries. I am glad that some newspapers now do publish about poverty in Europe and America. But what has been written is the tip of the iceberg. Actually some of these countries are rotten to the core when it comes to the very things they are so fond of criticising developing countries about. Extensive poverty in the midst of plenty is just one of them. Racial and colour discrimination is blatant. Crime is rampant. The streets and parks are wild jungles. Old ladies get coshed and drunks rolled. The prisons are not only overcrowded but all kinds of crimes are committed there, frequently with the connivance of prison authorities.

17. Filth abound in the cities. The streets are badly paved. The cleaners don’t clean. Staff everywhere is rude and unhelpful unless bribed with tips. These and many more are common to the developed countries. But they don’t write as often about these shameful things as we do about our failures.

18. Distaste for a person or a group should not make us take it out of our own country. However, we are a free people. If anyone wishes to denigrate his own country, it is his right. I am glad that Malaysian journalists, by and large, are free from these traits.

TUN M ON MONICA LEWINSKY

Speech  at the opening of the commonwealth press union biennial conference on 26/10/1998

 http://www.pmo.gov.my/ucapan/?m=p&p=mahathir&id=1506

15. Unfortunately the media itself is often tempted to misuse power. I am not a fan of President Bill Clinton but I do sympathise with him. He only hugged Monica Lewinsky once, at least in public. He may have hugged her more times in private, that we don`t have any pictures of. But that one hug has prefaced every report on President Clinton whether the subject matter had anything to do with his single instance of discretion or not. If the CNN is to be believed Bill Clinton has hugged Monica a thousand times, twelve times a day ever since CNN resurrected that particular episode among the file pictures. With the passage of time the hug has improved in terms of clarity and vividness. There is no mistaking the look of adoration in Monica`s eyes and the body language of the President of the United States. The viewers, Americans and others must assume that the President must really know Monica intimately and all those stories about the phone- calls to the Senators even while he dallied with Monica must be the truth, the absolute truth and nothing but the truth.

16. As I said I am not a fan of President Clinton but I do feel that that kind of presentation via television is not quite fair to the President. There is no one in the United States who has not seen it and been influenced by it. How can anyone sit in judgement over him without being biased, without preconception? How can the impeachment of the President be fair and just?
 

TUN ON RIGHT TO KNOW

Speech at MA JLIS MALAM WARTAWAN MALAYSIA 1988 ANJURAN INSTITUT AKHBAR MALAYSIA on 19/11/1998

http://www.pmo.gov.my/ucapan/?m=p&p=mahathir&id=282

14. Bagi negara kita, perkara yang utama ialah kestabilan politik atau lebih tepat lagi persepsi rakyat serta orang asing terhadap kestabilan ini. Sebenarnya semenjak negara kita merdeka, selain daripada peristiwa 13 Mei 1969, keadaan politik negara adalah stabil. Sudah tentu ia lebih stabil daripada kebanyakan negara-negara membangun. Adanya usaha merebut jawatan dan kempen-kempen adalah perkara biasa dalam sesebuah demokrasi. 

15. Tetapi kegiatan-kegiatan ini boleh mencemar gambaran stabiliti kerana tekanan laporan dan bahasa yang digunakan. Seseorang yang membuat kritikan biasa boleh menimbulkan kemarahan yang lebih oleh pihak sasaran jika pengkritik dilaporkan sebagai telah membuat `tamparan hebat` terhadap seseorang. Kadangkala keadaan tenang boleh menjadi ribut hanya dengan bertanya kepada satu pihak dan kemudian menyampaikan jawapannya kepada pihak yang menentang untuk mendapatkan reaksi. 
16. Pihak akhbar mencipta berbagai jenis hak di bawah kebebasan media dalam demokrasi. Sekarang ini ada yang bercakap berkenaan dengan hak mengetahui atau `the right to know`. Dalam pengurusan sesuatu organisasi, rahsia diperlukan. Umpamanya semasa rundingan, semua pihak perlu menyembunyikan apakah yang boleh dipersetujui oleh mereka, supaya dapat konsesi yang lebih menguntungkan. Sama ada perundingan ini adalah antara syarikat atau pertubuhan atau negara, masing-masing akan cuba mendapatkan sesuatu keputusan yang lebih menguntungkan. 

22. Musuh kita yang besar sekali ialah diri kita sendiri. Terdapat sikap yang negatif di kalangan kita yang menyebabkan kita selalu memandang rendah terhadap kebolehan kita dan membesar-besarkan kebolehan orang lain. Jika ada sahaja sesuatu usaha, kita terus meramalkan ianya tetap tidak akan berjaya. Jika akhirnya berjaya juga usaha itu, kita akan memperkecilkan kejayaan usaha itu atau mencari kesalahan titik-bengek. Dengan ini maka sukar bagi rakyat Malaysia mempunyai keyakinan terhadap apa juga yang diusahakan. 

23. Mengikut aliran baru apa yang dipanggil sebagai `investigative reporting`, sesuatu yang dicipta di Barat, segala usaha dijalankan bagi mencari yang salah untuk didedahkan. Memang benar ada kalanya kita perlu mendedahkan sesuatu supaya pembetulan boleh dibuat. Tetapi yang baik dan betul pun perlu didedahkan supaya kita tidak mempunyai inferiority complex.

When Tony Pua raised the 1MDB issue a few years ago, did anyone raise an eyebrow? Why now believe a white woman who writes for a foreign tabloid?

Perhaps the anti-colonialist has all but disappeared.

Now, the perpetrator who leaked false 1MDB documents has been apprehended, documents used by the white woman whom Mahathir was reported to have met in London. False documents that he and other detractors used in their attacks despite calls to  them asking to wait for the outcome of the investigations initiated.

Nevertheless damage has been done to both the economy and image of Malaysia.

Mahathir should remember what he had said to the two bloggers above.

Or is he now a Melayu Mudah Lupa?

 

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TH-TRX Land Poll Result

I ran a poll on the sale of the TH TRX land on the 28th May 2015. Here is the result:

3,191 voted.

92.48% (2,951) said TH should not sell the land.

7.52% (240) said TH should sell the land immediately.

37% are from Selangor
32% are from Kuala Lumpur
5% are from Perak
3% are from Pahang
3% are from Johor
3% are from Outside Malaysia
2% are from Pulau Pinang
2% are from Putrajaya
2% are from Kedah
2% are from Melaka
2% are from Kelantan
2% are from Terengganu
2% are from Negeri Sembilan
2% are from Perlis
1% are from Labuan

38% are between 36-45 years old
33% are between 46-60 years old
26% are between 21-35 years old
2% are 61 and above
1% are below 20

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South China Sea: The Gatling Gun Approach?

China's build-up in the South China Seas brings this region closer to a conflict
China’s build-up in the South China Seas brings this region closer to a conflict

“We need to look at what we see as the threats. What you see is the story unfolding in Syria and Iraq and which fighter is not there at the moment? You’ve got the Super Hornets, you’ve got the Typhoons and yet it is still unfolding before our very eyes. And secondly, the threat from IS is different from our traditional terrorist threats that we have faced in the past, don’t compare with the threats that we’re facing from IS.”

Those were the words uttered by the Malaysian Defence Minister on the eve of the recent Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition that concluded on the 21st March 2015. He added:

“You will see the gatling gun that we have fitted on our A109s and maybe the threat that we face just requires a gatling gun.”

Many defence practitioners, analysts, journalists and bloggers such as I, felt as if the military had been let down when we heard those very words uttered on board the Royal Malaysian Navy’s frigate, KD Jebat.  Malaysia has been seeking for the replacement of the MiG-29N fleet for the longest time, and now it has been stalled again.  Furthermore, the fight against the IS is first and foremost a counter-insurgency warfare that falls within the purview of the Home Ministry, with the Defence Ministry in a supporting role.

It would be good to note, too, that missing from the airshow for the first time at LIMA ’15 are the Smokey Bandits, the RMAF’s aerobatics team that consists of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29Ns.  It was looked forward to, and missed by many.

In March of 2013, the PLA-N sent its largest and most modern amphibious assault ship, a destroyer and two guided-missile frigate to James Shoal (Beting Serupai), 80km off the coast of Bintulu in Malaysia’s state of Sarawak, to conduct an oath taking ceremony there.  The PLAN sailors and marines pledged to “defend the South China Sea, maintain national sovereignty and strive towards the dream of a strong China.”  Just 80km off Malaysia’s coast, this flotilla went unchallenged by the Royal Malaysian Navy or by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency vessels.

The RMAF Su-30MKMs are about the only MRCA capable of taking on the PLAN or PLAAF but lack miserably in numbers
The RMAF Su-30MKMs are about the only MRCA capable of taking on the PLAN or PLAAF but lack miserably in numbers

While the Minister focuses on the IS threat, which really should be looked at by the Home Ministry and not Defence as it involves counter-insurgency warfare, both the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force are in dire need of more capable assets.  Without the MiG-29Ns and the F-5E Tiger IIs, the RMAF is down to just 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flankers and 8 F/A-18 Hornets, supported by 14 BAe Hawk 208 and 6 BAe Hawk Mk 108.  Of course, that is if the serviceability rate is at 100 percent.

The Royal Malaysian Navy’s combat power is represented by 2 Scorpene submarines, 2 Frigates (with 6 to be constructed), 6 corvettes, 6 offshore patrol vessels, and 8 missile boats.  Although the Royal Malaysian Navy could give any enemy a bloody nose if required, without air superiority achieved, there will be a repeat of what happened to Force Z in 1941.  The RMN is also somewhat impaired given that its OPVs are fitted-but-not-with strike-capable weapons such as anti-air and surface-to-surface missiles.

The Kedah-class OPVs have been fitted-but-not-with SSMs (Photo courtesy of BERNAMA)
The Kedah-class OPVs have been fitted-but-not-with SSMs
(Photo courtesy of BERNAMA)

Underscoring its intention to subjugate the other claimants especially Malaysia, the Chinese Coast Guard was found in the vicinity of the Luconia Shoals, 150km off Miri, early this month.  With a large to cover, both the Royal Malaysian Air Force as well as the Royal Malaysian Navy are very much lacking in assets.

A Malaysian vessel intercepts a Chinese Coast Guard cutter at the Luconia Shoals off Sarawak, Malaysia - picture courtesy of WSJ
A Malaysian vessel intercepts a Chinese Coast Guard cutter at the Luconia Shoals off Sarawak, Malaysia – picture courtesy of WSJ

In his speech during the recent Air Force Day celebration, General Dato’ Sri Roslan bin Saad RMAF underlined three approaches to ensure that the RMAF stays on top of the game:

  • The amalgamation of assets and organisation: this approach gives focus to the readiness of aircraft and radar systems. Through the Chief of Air Force’s Directive Number 19, several action plans have been formulated to ensure that the serviceability rate for aircraft and radar systems remain high.
  • Enhancement of Human Resource: this is done by raising, training and sustaining the RMAF’s manpower by increasing its specialisation and competency levels.
  • Optimisation of Available Resources and Finance: this is by formulating a strategy to ensure that resources and finances are being managed properly and are well managed.
General Dato Sri Roslan bin Saad RMAF, the Chief of Air Force, delivering his speech at the Air Force Day parade at the Kuantan Air Base.
General Dato Sri Roslan bin Saad RMAF, the Chief of Air Force, delivering his speech at the Air Force Day parade at the Kuantan Air Base.

In my opinion, the amalgamation of assets should also include the reactivation of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29N Fulcrum as well as the Northrop F-5E Tiger II fleets.  With limited funds available for the addition of more interceptors as well as MRCAs, perhaps the RMAF should get the MiG-29Ns back online in a reduced number. The final number of MiG-29Ns maintained by the RMAF was ten.  Perhaps eight is a credible size to maintain.  We know that engine hours is no longer the issue with the MiG-29Ns. If budget constraint is a concern, no upgrades are needed for now. They can still perform their MRCA role with what is readily-available, and perform as Smokey Bandits when needed.  It would be worthwhile to note that the Indian Air Force has upgraded its much-older MiG-29Bs to the MiG-29UPG, at par with Russia’s MiG-29SMTs but sporting western avionics.  I am more than sure that Malaysia’s Aerospace Technology Systems Corporation Sdn Bhd (ATSC) could propose an upgrade to the MiG-29Ns. These upgrades would be cheaper than a total fleet purchase which negotiations will take years to conclude.

The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) maintains more than 400 F-5E Tigers in its inventory while the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) maintains more than 200.  These old analog interceptors are based near where the threats are.  The most interesting point about the F-5Es are that they run on analog systems and require less time from cold start to interception.  Malaysia had about 16 F-5Es and 2 RF-5E Tigereye that could do Alert 2 standby for first interception while the Alerts 5 and 7s could come and back them up later.  Two squadrons could still be maintained perhaps in Kuching with an FOB set-up in Miri and Labuan for F-5E detachments.

The two suggestions above is for the RMAF to consider while it waits for budget and arrival of the new MRCA.

It is of no secret that while Dassault Aviation has been promoting its Rafale MRCA heavily in Malaysia especially, the fighter jocks of the RMAF prefer the F-18Ds that they have; and if any addition is to be made to its MRCA fleet, it should be the F-18Ds.  End-users’ opinions and evaluation must be seriously considered.

The other threat that faces Malaysia is the potential insurgency in Sabah’s ESSZONE.  While “helicopters with Gatling guns” may be considered an answer, a helicopter is slow to get away from a fire-fight.  Time and time again we have seen how rebels in the southern Philippines who are also responsible for the kidnappings as well as skirmishes in Sabah brought down military helicopters.

The real answer is in a platform that can deliver enough payload at high speed and conduct effective strafing of known enemy positions.  The RMAF should consider reactivating the Light Attack Squadron (LAS) that was used in counter-insurgency warfare in the 1980s and early 1990s.  The Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, while acting as the aircraft for the LIFT program (Lead-In Fighter Training), can also be used as both counter-insurgency warfare aircraft as well as in support of the roles taken up by the Hawks 108 and 208 as well as the Aermacchi MB-339CM.  Economy-of-effort has always been part of the Principles of War and still holds true today.  Having the experience in the LAS I believe will make them better pilots for the F/A as well as MRCA roles as they progress later.

RMAF BAe Hawks and Aermacchi MB-339CM light fighter/lead trainers flying past during the Air Force Day parade
RMAF BAe Hawks and Aermacchi MB-339CM light fighter/lead trainers flying past during the Air Force Day parade

The RMAF also lacks the eye-in-the-sky.  From the days when I joined the RMAF in the 1980s, the AWACS have always been sought after but never procured.  An AWACS provides the RMAF as well as the RMN a good detail of what is happening both in the sky and at sea.  Four AWACS with good loiter endurance based in Kuching working round-the-clock should suffice. Kuching is at the nearest point between Borneo and the Peninsular, and covers the South China Sea easily.  On top of this, Maritime Patrol Aircraft with anti-ship and anti-submarine capability should be made available for the RMAF.  This is to complement the RMN in its role especially in the South China Sea.

I am not sure but I believe we cannot see much of what is beyond the Crocker range in Sarawak.  Mobile radar systems could be stitched along the range to provide better coverage of what goes beyond the range.  The data can be fed via satellite or HF system.  The RMAF’s HF system is more than capable of providing accurate radar picture of the area.

The Malaysian Army’s “top secret” Vera-E passive radar system should also make its data available and fed into the RMAF’s current air defence radar system to enhance the capability of the the latter.  There is nothing so secret about the Vera-E.  Several keys tapped on Google and one would be able to find out about the Malaysian procurement of the system.  I am flabbergasted that the Malaysian Army has yet to share the Vera-E data with the RMAF.

The government should also allow the RMN to look into procuring available assets from the USN that are capable to deter PLAN assets from entering sovereign waters unchallenged.  Apart from capital assets. the RMN should look into converting some of its smaller assets such as the CB-90s and RHIBs into Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV) with 30mm stabilised weapons and targeting system complemented by a STRIKE-MR fire-and-forget missiles that could be operated remotely to conduct swarm attack on larger enemy units.  Using the USV swarm tactic, the RMN should look at the tactics used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) to sink larger Sri Lankan naval units.  Using the CB-90s as well as the RHIBs for swarm warfare at shoals and atolls controlled by Malaysia in the South China seas fits with the concept of “working with what we have and not what we feel we should have.”  Swarm forces can neutralise or deter larger forces from advancing further, while the USV concept does not need the unnecessary loss of lives to achieve its objective.

I urge the government to reconsider the budget put forth by both the RMAF and the RMN. Budget constraint should not be a reason the military is not allowed to enhance their current capabilities.  The warfare doctrine based on the principles of selection and the maintenance of aim must be respected if the Malaysian military, in particular the RMAF and RMN, is to achieve its objectives which mainly is to act as deterrence from potential belligerent forces.  If the RMAF and RMN are not allowed to be strong, Malaysia will always be bullied at the South China Sea diplomatically.

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History of the 1MDB

1MDB’s origins can be traced to the 2008 general election, which saw the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN, National Front Federal Government) losing its two-thirds majority. The BN lost five states, which had an effect on the position of the menteris besar (chief ministers) of states under BN rule. In Perlis, there was a change in menteri besar said to be due to intervention by royalty.

The same thing happened in Terengganu where the Sultan was unhappy with the then menteri besar Datuk Idris Jusoh. One of the major issues was the utilisation of oil royalty amounting to more than RMI billion per annum by the Umno-Ied state and federal government agencies.

To stop the unaccountable spending of oil royalty, the Sultan, together with a few advisers, came up with the idea for the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA).

A year after its conceptualisation, TIA was established with the blessings of the state and federal governments in March 2009. It is said that as part of the “settlement” of the unaccounted-for oil royalty, the federal government gave a RMS billion guarantee to kickstart TIA.

One of the key people who had advised the’ King in establishing TIA was Low Taek Jho, a young merchant banker with strong links to the Middle East. Known as Jho Low to his friends, the young man is also said to be well connected and has done a few major corporate deals. His “lavish” lifestyle in New York was the subject of a feature article in the New York Post last month. Jho, the son of Penang businessman Datuk Larry Low – a former shareholder and director of MWE Holdings Bhd – has however denied that it was he who had splurged on a lavish celebration as had been reported.

Coming back to TIA, the idea was to establish the fund along along the lines of Mubadala Development Company, the SWF of Abu Dhabi. In fact, Khaldoon AI-Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala and chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, still sits on the board of 1MDB.

The fund size was initially targeted at RM11 billion, comprising RM5 billion from the federal government and another RM6 billion to come from the securitisation of future annual oil royalty that Terengganu gets from Petronas (the national oil corporation).

But after the initial RM5 billion, raised by a federal government guarantee, the troubles at TIA began. The state, led by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, wanted control over the utilisation of the money, something that went against the charter of the fund.

The funds were supposed to be managed by a professional team and overseen by a board of directors and advisers. It was a triple-layer structure to ensure the money is well spent.

But the prime movers behind the funds found out early that this was easier said than done. Subsequently, TIA became a federal entity, which gave birth to 1MDB.

http://www.1mdb.com.my/news-coverage/time-of-reckoning-for-1mdb

Thank you Lim Sian See for the heads up!

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Hail The Playstation Pilots

Franklin slams on the brakes of his Truffade Adder, exits his car and gets into a lift (or elevator, depending on the part of the world you are from) all the way to the rooftop of a building in Los Santos where he boards a helicopter on the rooftop helipad. A simple press of the R2 button and he’s off into the air.  He flies above the serene Mount Gordo without any problem, then lands the helicopter at the airfield in Sandy Shores before hijacking a Canis Mesa listening to East Los FM. That is how simple flying a helicopter is to some…especially on their Grand Theft Auto V game.

Franklin runs to a chopper - picture courtesy of Gametipcenter
Franklin runs to a chopper – picture courtesy of Gametipcenter

If only life is as simple as according to the whiners out there.  Unfortunately, it is not.

Many whine and complain about the late response by the military, Fire and Rescue Services Department, police etc., to rescue stranded climbers on top of Mount Kinabalu after a M5.9 earthquake killed 19 climbers, trapped more than a hundred others, and damaged or destroyed buildings in Ranau, southeast of the mountain.  An Australian climber even lambasted the Malaysian authorities to the world’s press.  On Facebook, keyboard pilots echo the psychotic behaviour of the Australian climber, criticizing the so-called delay in response by the authorities.

So why can’t a Franklin just fly the helicopter to the peak of Mount Kinabalu?  The only Franklin I knew who flew close to Mount Kinabalu was my squadmate, Lieutenant Gabriel Buja Joel RMAF, who rescued British SAS who got lost near the mountain in 1995.  For that he was awarded the Air Force medal (Pingat Tentera Udara) and a medal from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  In 2003, Gabriel was unfortunately killed near Lawas, by another mountain.

What am I getting at?

Mountain Waves Turbulence!  It is the unseen nightmare that has brought down a number of airliners and helicopters, including late Gabriel’s, and damaged a whole bunch more worldwide.  It is so violent and unforgiving that the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) of the US had issued a specific instruction just for mountain flying. To safely fly above a mountain pass, a clearance of at least 2,000 feet above the highest pass an aircraft is to cross.  On top of that, mountain flying is not recommended if the winds aloft are greater than 25 knots as potentially dangerous turbulence as well as strong up and down drafts are likely to occur. I will go deeper into this later.

On 10th January, 1964, a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber (tail number 61-023) had its vertical stabilizer (or tail if you want to) sheared off by mountain waves after flying above the Rocky Mountains at 14,000 feet.

B-52H Nr 61-023 without its vertical stabilizer on 10th January 1964 - courtesy of Talkingproud
B-52H Nr 61-023 without its vertical stabilizer on 10th January 1964 – courtesy of Talkingproud

On 9th December 1992, a DC-8 aircraft of the American International Airways had its Engine No.1 sheared off by mountain wave turbulence.

The DC-8 of the American International Airways that lost an engine - courtesy of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
The DC-8 of the American International Airways that lost an engine – courtesy of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Both aircraft and crew above were lucky to make it back alive.  Others like Gabriel weren’t so lucky.

The late Gabriel )3rd row, right most) and the writer (3rd row, second from right) during a jungle warfare exercise in January 1988
The late Gabriel )3rd row, right most) and the writer (3rd row, second from right) during a jungle warfare exercise in January 1988

Most of the time, those who frequently look at Mount Kinabalu from far could see streams of clouds occasionally envelope the mountain.  Let me show you a photo taken from one of the rescue helicopters that attempted to land at Laban Rata:

Visibility from a rescue chopper headed towards Mount Kinabalu - courtesy of @ayaqjagung on Twitter
Visibility from a rescue chopper headed towards Mount Kinabalu – courtesy of @ayaqjagung on Twitter

The visibility can change drastically and in Alaska, many pilots and passengers have perished thinking the visibility would remain clear all the time.

But the weather was clear and the stranded climbers could see all the way down!

Did they watch what was above?  Clear visibility also means high winds have pushed away the clouds.  What you need to look above are those thin, long clouds that we who have our feet firmly planted on the ground and head that stays on our neck unlike those who suffer from psychosis call Lenticular clouds.

Lenticular clouds formation caused by mountain wave turbulence - courtesy of the City University of New York
Lenticular clouds formation caused by mountain wave turbulence – courtesy of the City University of New York

As you can see, beneath the lenticular clouds are what meteorologists call rotor – a turbulent horizontal vortex generated around the “troughs” of mountain wave activity.  Rotors could either push an aircraft upwards, or slam it down to the ground as shown in the diagram below:

The effects of rotor turbulence on aircraft - courtesy of Flight Safety Australia
The effects of rotor turbulence on aircraft – courtesy of Flight Safety Australia

In the end, the helicopters did manage to get to Laban Rata to bring down bodies and some of the injured victims.  Of course not to the instance wanted by the climbers.

Yes, the Kinabalu Park guides are the heroes in this most unfortunate tragedy.  Why them and not the soldiers or pilots or firemen or the police?  They are the ones with the best knowledge of the area.  Even of some trails have been cut off, they would still be able to find their way up and down the mountain because they are most familiar with the area.  I salute them, as I salute the other rescuers who have and still are risking their lives trying to bring down the stranded climbers as well as bodies of the victims.

So, stop whining and forget what you have watched on TV or in the movies.  Life does not work like how the directors want you to believe.  And helicopter flying is nothing like how Franklin does it in GTA V.

Let the professionals do their job!

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Everything2Dig

I saw this posted on the Internet:

Bro Azri
22 mins ·
Nothing To Hide

Saya tak daftar untuk hadir ke program Nothing to hide yang berlangsung di PWTC hari ini. Pada awalnya hendak juga hadir namun atas sebab dimaklumkan bahawa jika tidak mendaftar maka tidak boleh masuk ke dalam dewan.

Sejak pagi saya lihat status status yang pelbagai dari banyak pihak dengan dakwaan dakwaan yang serius. Saya melihat dan memerhati dan membuat analisis dari apa yang keluar dari laman media sosial.

Apabila program dibatalkan saya juga lihat kenyataan demi kenyataan yang pelbagai dari pihak pihak yang hadir di program tersebut.

Apabila saya berkesempatan melihat keseluruhan video penuh sepanjang program berlangsung sehingga program dibatalkan maka saya membuat rumusan seperti berikut:

– Tun Mahathir dikatakan tidak dijemput namun realitinya pihak penganjur Suka Guam & JASA telah menyediakan kerusi buat Tun Mahathir.

– Penyokong Tun M rempuh masuk ke dalam dewan dan ianya benar kerana waktu Tun M masuk maka para penyokong ini mengikuti Tun M dan turut merempuh masuk walaupun tidak mempunyai jemputan dari pihak penganjur.

– Penganjur Suka Guam & JASA gagal mengawal keadaan sehingga menyebabkan keadaan jadi bising seketika dan gagal membuat para hadirin menghormati program yang akan dilangsungkan.

– Tindakan penyokong Tun M yang merempuh masuk menyebabkan tindakan balas agresif oleh seorang lelaki dikenali dengan nama Ali Tinju diluar dewan yang turut ingin masuk ke dalam dewan namun dihalang oleh pihak penganjur.

– Pihak Polis mengarahkan program tersebut dibatalkan atas sebab keselamatan dan menyebabkan pihak penyokong Tun M didalam dewan menjerit dan bising.

– Pihak penganjur Suka Guam & JASA yang sepatutnya menamatkan terus program tersebut telah membuat jemputan kepada Tun Mahathir untuk memberikan ucapan diatas pentas.

– Berita yang menyatakan Tun Mahathir naik ke pentas merampas microphone adalah tidak benar kerana penganjur Suka Guam & JASA sendiri telah menjemput Tun M naik ke pentas memberikan ucapan.

– Pihak Polis kemudiannya meminta Tun M membatalkan ucapan dan keadaan menjadi lebih panas kerana penyokong Tun M menjadi lebih bising kerana Polis menghalang ucapan Tun M diteruskan.

– Apabila program dihentikan dan semua keluar dewan ianya dihangatkan lagi dengan suara bising penyokong Tun M yang tidak berpuas hati.

Kesimpulan saya pihak penganjur Suka Guam & JASA telah GAGAL sama sekali dalam menjaga program yang mereka anjurkan dan ini merupakan satu damage yang berat kepada YAB PM Dato Seri Najib Razak.

Penyokong Tun M bijak menggunakan peluang dan ruang sehingga berjaya mengawal dewan dan membuatkan penganjur tidak berupaya berhadapan dengan mereka dan seterusnya mengambil alih program tersebut.

Memang wajar YAB PM tidak turun pada program Nothing To Hide kerana jika ianya diteruskan sudah pasti akan berlaku pekara pekara yang tidak diingini dan akan menjadikan keselamatan terancam bukan sahaja kepada YAB PM, Tun M malah kepada semua hadirin yang hadir.
Tindakan pihak Polis yang membatalkan program tersebut adalah wajar setelah melihat tindakan agresif para penyokong dan juga menyedari kegagalan penganjur Suka Guam dan pihak JASA.

Akhir kata dari saya sebagai seorang penyokong YAB Dato Seri Najib Razak, saya melihat ini adalah satu bencana kepada UMNO yang bukan memberikan manfaat kepada YAB PM sebaliknya telah merosakkan dan mengaibkan YAB PM. Program seumpama ini jika dikawal dengan baik serta dihadiri mereka yang beradab sudah pasti berjaya dilangsungkan.
Suka Guam & JASA bertanggungjawap sepenuhnya atas kerosakkan nama baik YAB PM Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak pada hari ini.

The above was written by a pro-Najib Razak person from UMNO about the conduct of the pro-Mahathir people who are mostly Malays from UMNO.

It is well and good that people want to know how their money have been spent by the government through its agencies or companies set-up by the government.  Transparency is what we all are gunning for.  For most of the time I see both pro-Najib and pro-Mahathir people also tell the Opposition to allow the government agencies to do their work and await results as evident in the Sodomy trials, and to trust reports by government agencies such as the instance of the Auditor-General’s 2014 report on Penang.

However, what happened at the PWTC yesterday is what we call not-walking-the-talk especially by the pro-Mahathir group.  As I have said before, you do not add fuel to the opposition’s fore and say you are doing so in the interest of the party. No public spat between anyone in public is good for any party.  Secondly, why is there a need for a forum to explain anything when the agencies tasked to audit the 1MDB transactions have yet to come out with a final report?  Had prudence and wisdom prevailed, yesterday’s fiasco would not have happened.  There was neither prudence nor wisdom on all sides, be it from the Najib camp, Mahathir camp, or even the organisers themselves.  In short, none of the above have evolved from the Homo habilis stage to even the Neanderthal stage.

What have been presented thus far are circumstantial evidences of “wrong-doings” and nothing substantial.  If you want someone to resign over circumstantial evidence, you are not being fair.  Even in offices, when someone is suspected of having done something wrong, you first do your preliminary inquiries. If there is substance to the allegation, you conduct an investigation.  Right now as far as the 1MDB is concerned, there are allegations. And the audit by the A-G is the preliminary inquiry part. If there is substance to the allegations and the audit finds irregularities, then a thorough investigation is conducted to find what is missing, what power has been abused, and whose heads should roll.  Circumstantial evidence alone cannot prove anything. Otherwise, I would have asked the police to put on charge at least three people who could have conspired to cause my brother’s death based on just circumstantial evidences. Where is the fairness to those suspects?

Back to the event, I wonder what drove the organisers to organise that event, knowing well that the A-G’s report will be out by the end of June?  What is the need? Why want people to hear the Prime Minister talk on things that have not been substantiated by the A-G’s audit?

The following is the explanation by the main organiser, SukaGuam, on the event:

1. Sebelum penganjuran program Dialog PM bersama NGO, kami telah bertemu dengan sekurang-kurangnya 3 Pegawai Kanan DS Najib di Putrajaya yang sangat positif dan mahukan program ini mencapai matlamatnya. Malah, idea awal program ini juga adalah hasil perbincangan dua hala antara penganjur & beberapa pegawai kanan DS Najib termasuk seorang pegawai kanan yang dipertanggungjawabkan menyelaras program ini bersama-sama. Justeru, adalah kurang adil jika SukaGuam selaku penganjur serta beberapa pihak lain yang membantu kami dijadikan kambing hitam (scapegoat) serta dijadikan bahan tohmahan.

2. Kami percaya, keadaan akan menjadi sebaliknya (penganjur tidak akan dipersalahkan) jika program Dialog yang dirancang semalam, tidak ‘diganggu’ secara berlebihan oleh pegawai berkenaan (dan sekutunya).

3. Sebenarnya, penganjur telah pun mendapatkan pandangan dari pegawai-pegawai kanan PM berhubung banyak aspek termasuk kemungkinan jika Tun Dr Mahathir menghadirkan diri. Seperti diakui oleh Tun Mahathir, beliau tidak diundang secara rasmi, namun hadir sebagai tetamu apabila diwar-warkan dalam media mengenai kemungkinan kehadiran beliau ke majlis Dialog itu. Malah, beberapa NGO yang Tun naungi bersedia memberikan kad undangan yang mereka terima bagi membolehkan Tun Mahathir hadir.

4. Atas dasar itulah, apabila ditanya oleh wartawan mengenai kemungkinan Tun Mahathir akan hadir, penganjur mengakui tidak akan menghalang kehadiran Tun sebagai salah seorang tetamu pada majlis berkenaan. Berita ini dilaporkan dalam pelbagai media dan penganjur bersedia dengan sebarang kemungkinan. Penganjur menyediakan satu kerusi (yang dilabelkan dengan nama Tun Mahathir) bersama para hadirin lain dan turut menyediakan bilik tertutup (holding room) sebagai persediaan jika Tun benar-benar hadir. Rata-rata dari kalangan pegawai PM amat positif akan perkembangan ini kerana DS Najib menunjukkan keyakinan yang amat tinggi untuk merungkaikan segala persoalan.

5. Namun demikian, pegawai kanan berkenaan (dan yang sekutu dengannya) yang dipertanggungjawabkan sebagai penyelaras program ini telah bertindak berlebihan dalam beberapa perkara. Ini saya simpulkan sebagai ‘pertembungan ego’ beliau yang akhirnya menjadikan SukaGuam dan beberapa pihak lain sebagai kambing hitam dan mangsa keadaan.

6. Justeru, ada benarnya seperti yang diperkatakan oleh sesetengah pemimpin-pemimpin Umno sendiri, aktivis NGO dan rakyat, bahawa yang merosakkan imej DS Najib bukanlah sangat oleh pihak luar, tetapi dari kalangan orang dalam sendiri.

7. Saya berkesempatan meluahkan perkara ini secara terus-terang kepada DS Najib pada petang semalam untuk menjelaskan situasi sebenar, dan dari riak wajah Perdana Menteri, beliau menerima baik dan memahami apa yang saya cuba sampaikan. Kami cuma berharap beliau mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap individu ini ( dan yang sekutu dengannya).

8. Sebagai contoh, ketika Tun Mahathir hadir di awal pagi program, pihak penganjur menyediakan satu bilik tertutup supaya DS Najib boleh minum secangkir kopi bersama Tun Mahathir, sebagai memulakan semangat ukhwah persahabatan dan silaturrahim.

9. Apabila DS Najib sudah dalam perjalanan dan dinasihati Ketua Polis Negara mengenai keadaan di PWTC, penganjur berpandangan bahawa DS Najib perlu hadir bagi membuktikan beliau berjiwa besar dan bersedia bertemu wajah dengan Tun Mahathir, sambil berbual mengenai apa jua perkara.

10. Kami yakin dan percaya, sekalipun program dialog itu ditunda atas nasihat polis, pertemuan perlu diteruskan antara DS Najib dan Tun Mahathir dalam bilik tertutup kerana ini akan membuka lembaran baru dalam konteks politik Malaysia sekaligus meredakan hati pendokong-pendokong masing-masing.

11. Malangnya, pegawai berkenaaan telah berusaha menghalang kehadiran Perdana Menteri, menghantar laporan yang kurang tepat, menangguk di air keruh dengan menokok-tambah cerita kepada DS Najib kononnya Perdana Menteri akan diejek sekiranya hadir ke PWTC. Walaupun penganjur akur dengan arahan polis supaya program Dialog bersama NGO ditangguhkan atas sebab keselamatan, namun alang-alang Tun Mahathir sudah bersedia untuk bertemu DS Najib, ia tidak sewajarnya dihalang. Isu keselamatan tidak timbul sama sekali jika mereka bertemu dalam bilik yang tertutup.

12. Bayangkanlah ‘feel good factor’ yang akan dialami oleh seluruh rakyat Malaysia sekiranya foto DS Najib dan Tun Mahathir sedang menikmati kopi dan berbual dalam keadaan mesra menjadi viral dan foto mereka bersalaman mesra menjadi tatapan rakyat yang rindukan persahabatan dan perdamaian pemimpin-pemimpin mereka. Tidak mengapalah Dialog bersama NGO tidak dapat diteruskan, asalkan persaudaraan dan persahabatan antara kedua-dua pemimpin ini dapat ditautkan apatah lagi dalam keberkatan hari Jumaat di bulan Sya’ban ini,

13. Kepada pihak-pihak yang memberi nasihat dan semangat kepada kami (anda tahu siapa anda), jutaan terima kasih kami ucapkan.

14. Kepada individu berkenaan dan sekutunya (anda tahu siapa anda), hentikanlah menjadikan SukaGuam dan sahabat-sahabat kami sebagai kambing hitam (scapegoat). Hentikanlah serangan peribadi, fitnah dan tohmahan.

15. Jika masih berterusan, terutama melalui agen-agen anda, kami tidak teragak-agak untuk mendedahkan lebih lanjut beserta bukti dan saksi-saksi hidup kerana apa yang kami dambakan sebagai rakyat Malaysia ialah perdamaian dan kesepakatan antara pihak-pihak yang berbeda pandangan dalam isu-isu yang berlaku dalam negara.

16. Tampaknya, ada pihak yang tidak senang melihat perubahan landskap politik yang bakal berlaku sekiranya perancangan semalam berlangsung dengan jayanya kerana pertembungan berterusan antara DS Najib dan Tun Mahathir boleh terus menguntungkan agenda peribadinya.

17. Kami tidak akan teragak-agak menyatakan kebenaran yang hak dan yang batil. Kami berpegang teguh dengan Sabda Rasulullah SAW- “Kulill Haq Wa Lau Kaana Murro” (Maksudnya, berkatalah yang hak (benar) sekalipun ia pahit).

18. Ingin kami jelaskan niat sebenar SukaGuam untuk mencari penyelesaian terbaik bagi memulihkan perpaduan orang Melayu Islam dan rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya yang kini jelas terbahagi kepada banyak kumpulan. Bagi kami, jika tidak berjaya sepenuhnya pun, sekurang-kurangnya program ini dapat membuka langkah pertama untuk meleraikan kekusutan yang berlaku sesama kita.

18. Mana tahu, dengan kemuliaan Ramadhan yang bakal menjelang, Allah bukakan pintu rahmat-Nya untuk mendamaikan hati semua pihak dan mengorak langkah perpaduan yang sangat dirindukan rakyat Malaysia.

19. Marilah kita teguh dan beristiqamah dengan perintah Allah melalui firman-Nya:-
” Sebenarnya, orang yang beriman itu adalah bersaudara. Maka damaikanlah di antara dua saudara kamu (yang bertelingkah itu) dan bertaqwalah kepada Allah supaya kamu beroleh Rahmat” (Al Hujurat, ayat 10).

Ikhlas,
Khairul Anwar Rahmat
SukaGuam

The pro-Mahathir side may not be pleased if Mahathir and Najib patch things up; all they want is for Najib to resign. Otherwise, they won’t blindly try to debunk facts presented with weak and circumstantial points. Lim Sian See whom I believe is either an economist or a person with a background in finance, and the strongly-Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah Azmi Arshad whose background is corporate finance, have both successfully debunked the detractors. Yet, the detractors keep on attacking Najib and 1MDB without pausing for a moment the damage it would cause UMNO and BN! Evidently, most of the online detractors aren’t even UMNO members!

Najib’s mistake was to agree to attend the event. Or did he agree to it? Or was he coerced into going by the “officers” in the Prime Minister’s Office as presented by SukaGuam’s statement above? SukaGuam has also been making contradicting statements especially on Twitter today on whether Mahathir was actually invited orr not. Perhaps the police need to dig deeper into who are the SukaGuam people linked to, and who are the PMO officers associated with. It would be interesting to find out. Especially the allegation that Khairul Anwar had met with a minister just before announcing the event.

Najib’s other mistake, if he wilfully agreed to attend, is his memory lapse: he had appointed Shabery Cheek to speak on the GST on behalf of the government, he also appointed the Second Finance Minister, Husni Hanadzlah, to speak on the 1wMDB issue. He should relinquish his Finance Ministry post, and concentrate on administering the nation. He cannot be micro-managing things. He may claim to be a pahlawan (though I believe it is whoever-the-failure-called-comms-director-at-PMO who came up with the idea. Thanks to him or her, we also got to know that the Prime Minister is only 26 years old), but Najib is no Superman! Let the various Ministers answer for the Ministry they have been charged with!

1MDB’s comms team should also be blamed for not coming out with responses when things were quite tame back then, and for not suing anyone yet despite the warning given. But I cannot blame them totally for not revealing too much details as 1MDB is bound to respect confidentiality agreements and the Financial Services Act.

The police also need to investigate the detractors, their bloggers, as I see their incessant attacks border on inciting anarchy. If Anwar Ibrahim was bad, these people behave worse! The media statement last night by UMNO Petaling Jaya Utara’s Deputy Division Chief, Azli Saad, on Daim Zainuddin’s role in enrolling UMNO figures to go against the President. This usurpation of the President’s authority is nothing but treacherous.

As for the police, the IGP had made a statement on his actions. I did not like it, but I believe the IGP had taken action based on the two tests to civil liberty and freedom of speech prescribed by the First Amendment of the US Federal Constitution. Judge Learned Hand, an advocate of civil liberties had asked to apply the Clear and Present Danger and the Incitement tests to civil liberties and freedom of speech. I agree with the Speaker of the state of Sabah that had the police allowed for the event to continue and videoed, civil unrest and mob rule would take place. Mahathir may be a 90-year old but is he tame? I doubt. He is both respected negatively and scorned by the West for the very reason that when he speaks, only his views matter.

I love Mahathir for what he had done for the nation. We will never find a Prime Minister like him in this lifetime. He was our Prime Minister. His time is over. Let Najib do things his way. You don’t like him, ditch him in the UMNO elections and in the general elections. But until then, he IS the Prime Minister and we should accord him the same respect and opportunity we gave Mahathir.

As for the pro-M and pro-N in UMNO, stop the bickering. You are not helping your party. For those pro-M not from UMNO who are jockeying the old man and prodding him on like a donkey, you are making a mule of yourselves. You have brought the great statesman down to probably Mat Sabu’s unrefined level. For that, I sincerely hope you will get it one day.

As for those in UMNO I believe are trying to bring down both Najib and Mahathir, you will rot on this Earth before you rot in Hell!

Continue reading “Everything2Dig”

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1MDB:The RM42b Is There

Media statement by Arul Kanda, 1MDB President and Group Executive Director

Issued on 3 June 2015
For immediate publication

RM42 Billion All Accounted For.
“In recent weeks, there has been much speculation about the use of RM 42 billion of debt raised by 1MDB, and more specifically that RM 27 billion of debt proceeds are alleged to be “lost” or “missing”. We provide a summary of what the RM42 billion debt has been used for, information that is fully disclosed in 1MDB’s audited and publicly available accounts from 31 March 2010 to 31 March 2014. We trust this clarification will help to clear any confusion on this matter.”

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Posted on

Dragnet

I agree with the statement by the former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor that the PDRM’s Commercial Crime division should commence an investigation into the 1MDB (The Star: Cops Must Probe 2009 Deals of 1MDB ).

The police does not require a report in order to look into the deals of the 1MDB. However, given that others agencies including the Auditor-General’s office is still probing the company, it is only appropriate for the police to await the outcome of the probe. If there is an element of wrong-doing, it becomes a crime and it would be much better for the police to step in then.

However, I would take a step further to also probe past deals involving GLCs to see if there had been abuse of power as well as misappropriation of GLC funds.

Only that would be fair for the rakyat.