If you can recall I wrote that Georgetown in Pulau Pinang, and the City of Melaka in Melaka, were bestowed UNESCO Heritage Site status on 7 July 2008.
Unlike Pulau Pinang, Melaka is certainly proud of its UNESCO Heritage Site status
The application for the status was first made sometime in 1998 but failed to achieve the status as the documentation was not proper.
If I recall correctly, the Federal government had to step in through its Jabatan Warisan Negara (National Heritage Department) to properly structure the application to UNESCO.
In January 2007 the Nomination Dossier was submitted. In July, the official acknowledgment from UNESCO was received.
This followed a visit by officials from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to Georgetown and Melaka between 24 to 31 August 2007. They include Professor Yukio Nishimura who is from the Department of Urban Engineering, University of Tokyo.
The Baba Nyonya and Portuguese heritages as well as their society is preserved by the Melaka government
Since being bestowed the status, Melaka took the necessary steps to ensure that the descendants of the historical Melaka people, its customs and sites remain preserved with very little restoration modifications done.
One can almost imagine Portuguese and Dutch soldiers walk upon the grounds of this church on St John’s Hill, Melaka
Both Melaka and Georgetown are similar in many ways. Some parts of both cities are time capsules of eras that have passed, eras that played a huge role in shaping the two cities. But that is where the similarities end.
In Georgetown you can hardly find the original people. Although the clans still have their presence there, only the richer ones remain on the island while poorer ones have moved to the mainland.
Gone are the sundry shops, the second-hand bookstores I used to frequent along Armenian Street, the old Chinese man weaving rattan baskets and the Malabari newsagents.
While the facade of their shops remain, inside are rows upon rows of boutique hotels and hipster cafes that are owned by foreigners and by that I mean non-citizens.
Pulau Pinang’s adamant stand to fulfill its Transportation Master Plan as wel as the selling of heritage buildings to foreigners also contribute to Georgetown losing its heritage status. Changing the landscape by the reclamation works to build three man-made islands would also destroy Pulau Pinang’s heritage.
Other than having to maintain and preserve historical buildings and sites, multi-cultural tangible and intangible heritage expressed in the great variety of religious buildings of different faiths, ethnic quarters, the many languages, worship and religious festivals, dances, costumes, art and music, food, and daily life must also continue to be preserved.
Under the guise of development the DAP-led state government of Pulau Pinang is only interested in making as much money as it possibly could. After all, land is money? Why worry about 40 buildings that nobody could live in when you have preserved five?
But what I am about to tell you will make many become apoplectic with rage – if Georgetown loses its UNESCO Heritage Site status, SO WILL MELAKA.
Yes, the UNESCO Heritage Site status was jointly awarded to both Georgetown and Melaka on 7 July 2008, and the Jabatan Warisan Negara is the body to preserve the sites as per the status. There was one joint-application to UNESCO for both cities.
But with land being a state prerogative, what chances does the department or all Pulau Pinang’s heritage NGOs have? The innocent victim here would be the people of Melaka. If robbed of its status because of the callous behaviour of the Pulau Pinang state government, the romance of showcasing historical sites to tourists in Melaka would be forever gone. So would be the businesses, the trishaw riders, and possibly some of the archaeological excavation sites.
Yes, Tokong’s greed and selfishness will not only destroy Pulau Pinang, they will destroy Melaka too. Does he care? I doubt. The people of Melaka are not going to vote for him next year.
The sun will soon set on Melaka’s UNESCO Heritage Site status because of the Tokong
The blood, sweat and tears shed to get the UNESCO Heritage Site status for Pulau Pinang will soon go to wasteOn 7 July 2008, four months after DAP’s coming into power in Pulau Pinang, the old part of its capital Georgetown was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site.
Georgetown, alongside Melaka, were chosen on that day because both demonstrate a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from their former function as trading ports linking East and West.
These are the most complete surviving historic city centres on the Straits of Malacca with a multi-cultural living heritage originating from the trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago to China.
Both are living testimony to the multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, and European colonial influences. This multi-cultural tangible and intangible heritage is expressed in the great variety of religious buildings of different faiths, ethnic quarters, the many languages, worship and religious festivals, dances, costumes, art and music, food, and daily life.
But after nine years, Georgetown will soon lose it all. In 1966 the Alliance government of Pulau Pinang introduced the Control of Rent Act (CRA) to help original tenants in the inner-city area have the rights to enjoy low rental rates for housing, allowing them to continuously reside and practice their trades in the area. The Act was repealed and this led to a drastic increase in rent.
The gentrification of Pulau Pinang has led to the poorer people to move out and settle elsewhere. Those who cannot afford to move out continue to live in Georgetown on God’s good humour
Without the RCA, Tokong’s DAP government is no longer restricted to raise the market price of land within the heritage site and this has led to the redevelopment of areas within the site and selling them to foreigners.
The Tokong does not care for Georgetown’s heritage sites, and this is evident in his attitude towards the preservation of the Sia Boey. The sooner he could sell that piece of land off, the more money is made.
This “don’t-care” attitude of Tokong’s is just like his Underwater Tunnel Project. The reclamation works for the project has gone full swing, yet the feasibility study for it has yet to be submitted.
How is it possible that works can start before a feasibility study is submitted?
The RM305 million study, which Pulau Pinang taxpayers paid for some time back, is still not completed. It was back in March this year that the Tokong said it was 87 percent complete.
It has been six months since the study’s completion was at 87 percent
Today, more than six months later, Tokong still has not submitted the feasibility study to the Ministry of Works.
18 months to do a report? Another six months and I could have completed a Masters in something
Tokong will continue to give all sorts of stupid excuses for not being able to submit the report and stretch this until after the next general election if at all possible.
All we know is that while he is busy giving excuses, there would be more land within the heritage site that would be sold.
The clock is ticking, however Tokong knows how to buy more time to be able to make more money by getting rid of the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
When challenged to a debate by Eric See-To, DAP’s certified chicken Pony Tua call debates a method to fool people.
For once I agree with Pony Tua.
When he lied about the National Feedlot project, Rafizi challenged Khairy Jamaluddin to a debate about the matter.
He was trying to fool the people into thinking he was right.
Rafizi fooling the people
When Nazri said he was stupid, Rafizi challenged Nazri to a debate because he wanted to fool the people into thinking he is not stupid.
Rafizi fooling the people
When he wanted to fool the people about his “expertise” in oil prices, Rafizi again challenged Khairy to a debate.
Rafizi fooling the people
When he was accused of sabotaging the economy with his lies, Rafizi challenged Rahman Dahlan to a debate to fool the people into thinking he did not sabotage the economy.
Rafizi fooling the people
And recently Rafizi again challenged Eric See-To to a debate about the economy and tax collection in order to fool the people into thinking that he knows what the hell is he talking about.
Maybe, Rafizi should challenge Pony Tua to a debate instead to tell Pony Tua that he is the fool.
In November 2016, Malaysia’s largest island, Pulau Banggi which is located on the northern tip of Sabah, faced gruelling months without fresh water supply. Â The situation was dire that not only the mainstream media carried the story virtually on a daily basis, but it warranted a posting by DAP’s Roketkini.
DAP played politics with Pulau Banggi’s dire water situation instead of asking the right person
This situation occured just a month after MACC raided a house in Sabah and found RM114 million in cash stashed there.  According to a portal called Anti Fitnah Sabah the bust by the MACC is related to the Sabah water project that commenced in 2010 costing the Federal Government RM3.3 billion under the purview of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (Kementerian Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah or KKLW). The Minister then was Shafie Afdal.
Two days ago, MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Azam Baki announced that the Commission was looking into the RM7.5 billion worth of projects for water supply, electricity and roads in Sabah between 2009 and 2015 approved by the Federal Government but were either not carried out, or were not carried out to the required specifications.  The Minister then was Shafie Afdal.
RM1.5 billion kena bedal
Initial investigations found that out of the RM7.5 billion allocated by the Federal Government for the development of rural Sabah by the KKLW, RM1.5 billion had been siphoned by criminals linked to the Ministry.
Three people were arrested following the investigation.  They are Parti Warisan Sabah vice-president Datuk Peter Anthony who is Shafie’s closest ally, a contractor, as well as a former Deputy Secretary for Infrastructure of KKLW, Norhataty Rahmat.
Did the MA 63 also include the right to siphon money meant for the development of Sabah?
Norhataty Rahmat was Shafie’s right-hand person during his tenure in the KKLW. Â Norhataty was a M54 grade PTD officer who, although was just a Deputy Secretary, had direct access to the Minister then.
For a M54 grade PTD officer, her lifestyle does not commensurate with her income. Â Not only does she own a bungalow in Bandar Baru Bangi, her Facebook and Instragram accounts show her lavish lifestyle that includes a Franck Muller watch and five-figure priced branded handbags.
Close to the boss, Hartaty RahmatNote the handbagHolidaying abroad carrying a branded handbag
For those who do not know how much a M54 grade PTD officer earns, you can have a look at the 2016 tables below (courtesy of myschoolchildren.com)
The allocation approved by the Federal Government for Sabah and given through KKLW is meant for the improvement of treated water and electricity supply to rural areas of Sabah, to assist the poor, as well as to provide the rural elementary schoolchildren with food through the Additional Food Programme (Rancangan Makanan Tambahan). Â However, it is sad to learn that 20 percent of that allocation have gone to finance the lavish lifestyle of some.
Although the money is channeled to Sabah, it is KKLW that appoints the contractors for the works planned, deals directly with the relevant state agencies, but not the Sabah state government. Â But when the rural people do not get the help needed, it is the Sabah state government as well as the Federal Government that get blamed.
The Sabah state government had no control over the selection of contractors. In fact, for limited tenders the Minister of KKLW had the right to shortlist 10 companies to be selected. Â The raids on 4 October and 5 October led to the discovery of RM150 million and RM29 million cash respectively.
Shafie has since returned to Sabah to assist investigations. Â Calling the raids “politicaly motivated” he promised to assist “as long as the evidences are not fabricated.” Â It is like saying the MACC officers brought RM179 million in cash inside their pockets and planted the money upon raiding the premises.
Shafie’s eagerness to assist in investigations show that he knows a lot about what is being investigated. Â Shafie seems to know a lot, too! Â Last year when the MACC raided the house with the RM114 million stashed, Shafie was quick to say that he would assist in the investigations.
Shafie seems to know a lot about embezzlements that took place in his former Ministry
In April this year, Shafie also said that he was ready to assist the MACC in its investigation into transactions carried out by Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd (Mara Inc).  Mara is an agency under KKLW.
What the MACC has uncovered is the reason rural Sabah continues to remain backwards despite the funds given to develop the areas. The culprits include those from Sabah who portray themselves as champions of the Sabah cause. Â Yet, they demand support from the Sabah people while stealing their very rights from them. Â If you have an appropriate term for these people, help me name them.
Meanwhile, it is evident that Shafie knows a lot about the embezzlements that took place during his tenure as the Minister of KKLW. Â The question now is, how much did he make out of all this and will he fabricate lies to cover them?
The only thing relevant to Sabah about Parti Warisan Sabah as it is seems to be making the money meant for the people of Sabah as their warisan.
I am still waiting for Syed Saddick to lodge a report on the RM5 million bribe claim. So far he is still the girl I believe he is.
And then, something hit my timeline.
I don’t really wonder what kind of people join the DAP. Cheats, liars, corrupted backstabbers are some of the characteristics of them.
Pony Tua is all that plus ungrateful.
It seems that 10-15 years ago when Pony Tua was having financial difficulties, he turned to the only friend he could turn to then was Eric See-To.
Pony Tua called Eric to ask for a RM100,000 loan to which Eric agreed. Within 15 minutes Pony Tua was at Eric’s place and upon receiving the cheque, gave the latter an IOU note.
Pony Tua’s IOU note to Eric See-To for the RM100,000 loan
They were that close that when Pony Tua became an MP, Eric called up to congratulate him.
But now, Pony Tua has forgotten the friendship. Then again, he is from DAP, where sub-humans breed.
Forest City’s “Island One”, as seen from the air, is almost sold outThe development of Forest City, one of Johor’s iconic development on the western half of the southern coast of the state, is proceeding well and is on time. When completed, the southern-most man-made island of the project will be just two kilometers away from Singapore’s Tuas.
A little over two years ago, the project area was under three meters deep of sea water. Now, a hotel stands completed as do a commercial block as well as an office block, with a beach fronting Tuas. Aptly named “Hotel Phoenix”, the 280-room four-star hotel has already begun to receive guests, and is now one of the favourite venues in southern Johor for international conferences and events. Even Jack Ma’s Alibaba had an event here in late September 2017.
This 20-year development is already into its second year, but has been the subject of several controversies, depending on which side of the fence you are viewing the issue from.
700,000 New Citizens
One of the issues raised by the Opposition is the prospect of 700,000 mainland Chinese obtaining Malaysian citizenship after staying at Forest City for several years. Opposition fear-mongers have been selling this idea to the worried locals who fear that their voice would be drowned by these prospective new citizens.
I threw this idea to an English friend of mine who is married to a Malay woman and have four children, to see if the fear is real.
“Bo****ks!” he exclaimed, scoffing at the idea. “I’ve been married and staying here in Malaysia for 22 years now and I still haven’t got my citizenship. If they think it’s that easy, I will gladly pay the person who could give me my Malaysian identity card.”
But will there actually be 700,000 Chinese from China residing at Forest City? Apparently not. Buyers include people from the Middle East, Thailand, India and Singapore. Forest City was already attracting these buyers even before China tightened the outflow of its currency. Buyers from China have snapped up 70 percent of the early-sale properties there before the measure by China came into effect.
“The number of withdrawals caused by the cashflow controls is about 60, compared with the 15,000-unit sales by the end of 2016, the bulk of which were sold to Chinese buyers. We have to look at the issue in perspective. If we are not confident about Forest City, we will not be investing some RM470 million to build a factory to manufacture ready-to-assemble concrete structures like staircases, beams and columns,” said Dr Yu Runze, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Country Garden Pacific View Sdn Bhd., the developer of the project.
Carving Out Malaysia’s Land To Make It China’s
As a state, Johor has jurisdiction of its land including the foreshore according to the National Land Code, 1965 and its territorial sea jutting out 3 nautical miles according to Section 3(3) of the Territorial Sea Act, 2012.
While Section 76 of the National Land Code includes a proviso that does not allow the foreshore and part of the sea bed to be disposed by the state authority for a period exceeding ninety-nine years, Forest City’s reclamation starts beyond the low-water mark of ordinary spring tides. Unlike the reclamations off Pulau Pinang, a bridge connects the man-made island to the mainland rendering it possible for the Johor state government to allow the developer to obtain a freehold status for the reclaimed portion, anything within the three-nautical mile limit.
Forest City is a reclaimed area off the Johor mainland. No part of the mainland is being given out to foreignersTherefore, no part of the mainland was ever carved to become part of Forest City, nor was there a major displacement of people to make way for the apartment buildings and hotels of the development. A freehold land does not mean that it belongs to another country. As mentioned, anything that is within 3 nautical miles including the seabed comes under the state authority while from that point up until 12 nautical miles comes under the Federal authority. The state has the power to acquire the land under the Land Acquisition Act, 1960. hence the sovereignty of the nation is not compromised in any manner.
Forest City Is A China Project And Employs Only Chinese Citizens
The project is being developed by Country Garden Pacific View Sdn Bhd (CGPV), a Johor-China joint-venture company where the China partner has 60 percent equity in the JV, while the Malaysian partners hold 40.
CGPV Executive Director Datuk Md Othman Yusof and CGPV President and Chief Strategy Officer Dr Yu RenzuCGPV executive director Datuk Md Othman Yusof said that as at end of September 2017, 859 out of 1397, or 61.4 percent of its workers are Malaysians. This includes the staff at the CGPV Industrial Building System plant in Tanjung Kupang.
Datuk Othman said that it was a decree by His Majesty the Sultan of Johor himself that there should be at least 70 percent staff that are Malaysians. “After only two years we already have 61.4 percent,” he added. “The only difficult part is getting Malaysians who could work as well under intense pressure on the construction side. Many joined but left as they could not match the discipline of the Chinese workers.”
A Malaysian Malay coffee house staff making Teh Tarik for customersDr Yu added that of its RM4.7 billion (S$1.5 billion) capital expenditure (capex) spent between early 2015 and December 2016, about RM2 billion, or 42.55 per cent, was spent on the services provided by local consultancy firms and construction materials.
“Cement, sand and other materials were bought locally. We did not import them from China. We also use consultancies such as law firms, planners and architects, to name some. So, it is untrue to say that Forest City has not benefited Malaysia or its people,” he remarked.
Forest City Is The Cause Of Pollution?
To blame the pollution of the Tebrau Strait solely on Forest City alone is not fair. There was already pollution in that area because of the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), and 60-odd projects taking place along the Sungai Danga and Sungai Pulai which too affect the Tebrau Strait.
Dr Serina Rahman, co-founder of Kelab Alami, an environmental NGO based in Tanjung KupangAccording to Dr Serina Rahman of Kelab Alami, an environmental NGO based in Tanjung Kupang, intially the reclamation works for the Forest City project was worrisome as the waters off Tanjung Kupang is rich with marine life including sea grass.
“The sea grass has spread to the left of the development where there is more water movement. The seahorses are still there, the dugongs are still there, it’s just that they don’t come near the sand barges as they are noisy. There are other patches of sea grass closer to the port (PTP) so the dugongs are there,” she said in an interview.
“The waters off this area isn’t deep. Where Forest City is now was a place for the prawn fishermen to fish for prawns. When the reclamation started, their catch was affected,” she added. “However, the number of prawns have increased tremendously in this area and if you ask any of the fishermen, they will tell you that they are getting more prawns nowadays. Somehow, the sand that is being used to reclaim the area has brought more prawn species here. They may be invasive but I don’t think the fishermen are complaining.”
According to Dr Yu, Forest City was planned as a single 20-square kilometer island. “However, after doing the Environmental Impact Assessment we found that there is a huge patch of sea grass in the middle of where the island should be and decided to preserve it. So, we made Forest City into a four-island development instead – just for the sea grass,” he explained.
“We strive to protect the environment, knowing how important it is for the ecosystem to be able to flourish,” he said. “And because of what we are doing for the sea grass, our neighbour the PTP is also taking measures to protect the aquatic environment.”
I was happy to be shown photos of marine life off the Forest City project that include the Hippocampus kuda seahorses and the Jorunna funebris nudibranch.
Investing In Future Employees
‘Prosper Thy Neighbour’ is something that the management at CGPV holds on to. To increase the chances of employability, Forest City has embarked on several initiatives including providing free Mandarin and English language classes for the fishermen of Tanjung Kupang.
According to Shalan Jum’at, co-founder of Kelab Alami, Forest City has given funds to assist the local fishing community to buy nets and tools to repair them, and have set up a net-service centre at the Kelab Alami clubhouse. The fishermen would gather there to learn English and Mandarin from tutors provided by Forest City. This prepares the fishermen for the possibility of providing eco-tourism services for foreign tourists and future residents of Forest City.
Children from SK Tiram Duku can now learn Mandarin for free, increasing their chances of employability in the futureFive local schools have also been adopted by Forest City where the children are being given Mandarin language classes financed by Forest City. Schools such as SK Tiram Duku in Tanjung Kupang are being prepared as future employees and service providers for the foreigners residing at Forest City.
“We would like to be inclusive and ask the Orang Asli in the surrounding areas to provide guides for eco-tourists but it is so difficult to change their mindset.” explained Dr Yu when asked about the involvement of the local Orang Asli at Forest City.
Encik Noore bin Kasi, 4th generation Tok Batin of Kampung Orang Asli Simpang Arang, with YB Dr Haji Zaini bin Haji Abu Bakar, ADUN of NusajayaThis was confirmed by Encik Noore bin Kasi, the Tok Batin or village headman of Kampung Orang Asli Simpang Arang.
“We would like to get involved in eco-tourism but it is difficult because the Orang Asli have difficulty to change their way of life,” he said of the difficulty faced. “They think that this (Forest City) project does not benefit them. They are wrong! Eco-tourism will definitely benefit them. Development comes at a very fast pace but the mindset of the Orang Asli is too slow to catch up.”
He stressed that the situation is made worse by the presence of outsiders, in particular NGOs that are anti-government that have been coming in and out of the village to spread negative views about the project and the government to the Orang Asli community. He is afraid that the opportunity to benefit from the project will get lesser as time go by, and if the Orang Asli are being bombarded with lies continuously, they will lose out.
Looking Forward
How would Forest City help the locals? According to Datuk Md Othman, Forest City is aimed at foreign buyers, not Malaysians. This is to ensure that foreigners take up only what is being sold at Forest City, leaving the development on mainland Johor up for grabs by the locals.
“This is how Johor ensures that the local market is not spoilt,” he added.
Whether or not there is cashflow controls imposed by China, the rich Chinese who already have investments worldwide would still come to Forest City to buy properties.
Dr Yu is equally optimistic. “Forest City is within the One Belt, One Road initiative area. The High Speed Rail ensures connectivity between Forest City and the rest of Asia especially Thailand, and India. People with investments here from the Middle East or China can fly into Senai airport direct and not have to transit at KLIA. I am certain the cashflow control is just a temporary measure to make sure that they know where are the money being invested, and Forest City being a China-involved development project will surely see a surge in investors from China once everything has been consolidated.”
With more sales offices being opened in the Middle East and in Indonesia, Forest City will definitely achieve its target.
Dr Yu said, unlike Langkawi, Tioman or nearby Stulang, the island was not duty-free, but has a portion that is designated as a duty-free area. Within this duty-free area is a township, so that its population will be able to enjoy a lower cost of living because the retail goods and consumables will cost a lot less.
“Many things in Forest City will be “unprecedented”, so in that sense, the project will be exciting,” Yu said.
And for as long as Forest City exists, it will surely continue give good life to the people of southern Johor.
When PPBM’s Ketua AMANDA Syed Saddiq announced that he was going to hold a press conference to announce about his impending decision whether to further his studies in Masters in Public Policy at the Oxford University, he made it sound so dramatic as if he was going to announce the dissolution of Parliament.
In the end, it was to announce that he won’t be going to Oxford after all as he would rather stay back for the general elections.
Although it was an unnecessary melodrama on his part, it would have been perfect had he stopped there. But being the diva-ish queer that he is, he had to throw in the kitchen sink as well just to justify his story of deciding against going to Oxford.
Enter the Mak Nyah drama
He added that he was offered RM5 million to leave PPBM and do his Masters in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University. It was a bribe by someone linked to the BN!
No wonder he was not happy and was crying. The whole Oxford University thing was a bribe for him to leave PPBM. But when he announced his intention to pursue his studies, did he and his parents not feel happy about it? The following photograph shows how happy he was to be bribed!
“We are absolutely happy our daughter has decided to accept the bribe,” said Syed Saddiq’s parents of the offer to study at Oxford University
Something however is amiss in this story. That of the offer letter itself.
The purported letter was sent by the Blavatnik School of Government on 17 May 2017. Syed Saddiq received the letter on 15 June 2017 but was required to reply on 11 May 2017, SIX DAYS BEFORE THE LETTER WAS SENT!
Does the Blavatnik School of Government of Oxford University, a top university for centuries, use the Anwari calendar where January has 50 days?
And why did Syed Saddiq choose 2 October 2017 to announce that he wouldn’t be going to Oxford? Was he really offered to go there? Did the new semester in the UK not commence in the third week of September 2017, 21 September to be exact?
The Masters in Public Policy at the Oxford University commenced on 21 September 2017
My question to Syed Saddiq is, if someone did offer him a bribe, why hasn’t he lodged a report as required by law? Would he rather be fined RM100,000 or go to jail, or both?
I’m calling your bluff, girl. Go lodge a report now, girl, or remain that dramatic liar you have always been.
Masih sibuk lagi para pencacai Mahathir membawa isu-isu basi seperti biasa, bermula dengan penjualan Proton kepada entiti China oleh pemiliknya yang sudah tentu bukan kerajaan Malaysia, MAS yang dipimpin oleh warga negara asing, dan juga penasihat komunikasi korporat Perdana Menteri yang juga bukan warganegara.
Namun, kerajaan terpaksa akur bahawa entiti Sistem Penerbangan Malaysia terpaksa ditamatkan kerana tidak termampu melangsaikan segala beban dan diwujudkan pula Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad untuk menggantikan syarikat sebelumnya.
Kini, ianya dikemudi oleh Peter Bellew, seorang warganegara Ireland yang sebelum ini berjaya menaikkan jumlah penumpang di Kerry Airport dari 6,000 orang ke 400,000. Bellew juga merupakan salah seorang dari pihak pengurusan syarikat Ryanair yang telah menjayakan syarikat tersebut.
Sebelum Proton dijual oleh pemiliknya (dan bukannya oleh kerajaan seperti yang dicanangkan oleh pembangkang), kerajaan telah menghabiskan sebanyak RM44 billion untuk pelbagai kos bagi menentukan Proton mempunyai daya saing di peringkat global.
Malangnya, syarikat yang ketika itu milik kerajaan dan diuruskan oleh kroni Mahathir langsung tidak boleh bersaing di dalam negara, apatah lagi di luar.
Proton yang menjadi kebanggaan negara juga menjadi sebuah syarikat bangsat di bawah kroni-kroni Mahathir.
Akhirnya, pemilik Proton menjual sebahagian saham kepada syarikat pembuat kereta terkemuka, Geely.
Jika dalam pejabat Najib Razak ada penasihat komunikasi korporat dari kalangan orang asing, orang yang paling dipercayai Mahathir semasa beliau menjadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri merupakan seorang bangsat dan juga agen KGB, agensi perisikan Soviet Union.
Mahathir amat mempercayai agen komunisTiga hari sebelum Mahathir menjadi Perdana Menteri, Siddiq Ghouse yang merupakan Setiausaha Politiknya selama tujuh tahun sejak 1974 telah ditahan bersama peralatan perisikan yang telah dibekalkan oleh pihak Soviet Union.
Akibat itu, kerajaan telah menahan beliau di bawah ISA dan mengusir keluar serta-merta tiga orang pegawai Kedutaan Soviet di Kuala Lumpur kerana kesalahan pengintipan. Perisik KGB yang diusir ialah G.I. Stepanor, Setiausaha Pertama Kedutaan Rusia; Encik V.P.Romanov, Setiausaha Kedua Kedutaan Soviet dan seorang kakitangan bukan diplomatik di bahagian ekonomi kedutaan Soviet iaitu Z.L. Khamidauline.
Tujuh tahun pun tak kenal orang yang paling rapat dengan beliau. Tapi tak menghairankan sebab dulu beliau gelar Lim Kit Siang sebagai musuh yang nyata. Sekarang Lim Kit Sianglah sahabat paling karib beliau. Anwar Ibrahim yang beliau penjarakan akibat liwat pun dah tiada bau taik.
Kata kitaAduhai! Rindu zaman Mahathir. Zaman pelingkup segalanya. Zaman bangsat.
The above title consists of the very words that are being used by the Opposition, from the days of the Barisan Alternatif through its current form, the Pakatan Harapan.
Those words remain as their battle cry to convince voters that the Barisan Nasional, in particular UMNO, is corrupted to the core.
Hence, when long before 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion story ever happened Najib Razak announced in 2012 that the BN was to have its candidates’ list for GE13 screened by the MACC, everyone treated that as a sign of the end of the world as predicted by the Mayans.
Din Merican’s take on the announcement by Najib Razak in 2012
However, the Barisan Nasional did submit its list of election candidates to the MACC recently, whereas it is the Opposition that has been resisting a similar move!
In an attempt to spin the BN’s move into something negative, left-leaning The Malaysian Incite quoted unnamed sources within UMNO lamenting the arrest of BN figures such as Latif Bandi, Isa Samad et al but failed to mention that that is the same reaction that the PKR and DAP gave when their ranks were arrested for corruption.
Well, my unnamed party insider told me even BEFORE the Haj season that the BN supreme council is happy that far lesser people have thronged the PWTC promoting themselves as GE14’s candidates ever since Najib Razak decided to submit the list to the MACC.
The Pakatan Harapan is far from being clean. Cheats and corrupted people thrive there too with the likes of Adam Rosly, the UNISEL scandal, Chegu Bard’s various reports on corrupted practices by Azmin Ali, the investigation into DAP’s corrupt practices that resulted in the death of Teoh Beng Hock, Phee Boon Poh’s abuse of position, Lim Guan Eng’s double corruption charge, just to name a few.
Let us also not forget chronic liar Rafizi Ramli who was not only found guilty of lying but also for disclosing to the public contents of documents protected under the Laws which is a breach of trust by a Parliamentarian whose job is to protect such trusts.
Recently he was exposed to have been paying himself through his own companies for services rendered to his own company in the region of RM100,000 per transaction. He also solicited funds from the public to help him pay for damages he caused the NFC by publishing lies about them.
Yet, he did not pay up as ordered by the court and chose to allow NFC to file a bankruptcy notice against him. We wonder what happened to the millions of Ringgits collected to pay NFC? Did he use the money to pay his own self?
Yet the PKR chose to protect such compulsive criminals within their ranks thinking that the voters of today have the same IQ as the ones in the 1950s, that they are stupid enough to judge. Hence the reaction by Wan Azizah when the MACC suggested for PKR’s candidates be screened by the latter.
Fan-wielding Taiji master tai-chi-ing all efforts to make PKR clean
DAP, too, reacted negatively towards the MACC’s suggestion. Pulau Pinang’s Deputy Chief Minister Ramasamy a/l Palanisamy said that the MACC cannot vet the DAP’s candidates list as the former lacks the moral authority to do so as it is reticent about those involved in the 1MDB although they have been named by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).
Ramasamy a/l Periasamy
Again this shows the stupidity of the people in the Pakatan Harapan either by defaut or by design, with the latter perhaps trying to make fools out of their supporters.
Furthermore, the case that is being investigated by the DoJ, made public more than a year ago, has not gained much grounds as it is based on the reports made by Datuk Botox and Matthias Chang, the office and despatch boys of U-Turn Mahathir. Â If it was a solid criminal case, we would be sitting in front of the TV watching CNN while stuffing our face with popcorn.
The party that has a lot to do with corruption thus refusing the MACC’s help to clean its candidates list is the DAP, and not just the PKR. Â With Phee Boon Poh, Lim Guan Eng and maybe soon others as well, both the PKR and DAP would have a very short list of candidates that it will not be enough to cover the constituencies it already holds even if all of them ran for both Parliamentary and state seats.
That is also why Lim Guan Eng desperately clings on to power and fights on all corners to have his corruption charges dismissed on technical reasons rather than answering the charges made against him, just as long as he could remain as the corrupted but jail-free Chief Minister.
But of course, in the course of trying to discredit the MACC, Pakatan Harapan would throw everything at the MACC including the kitchen sink and onions too, a tactic they have been using against all government agencies since before the 1969 general elections. Â When they lose, they will automatically blame the voters and the voting system. Â Then again, what else is new?
This is why the public needs to rally its support towards having cleaner candidates to run for public office. Â Although there is nothing in the law that says that candidates must be vetted, the MACC is the agency that should be doing the vetting of candidates to ensure that they do not have the tendency to be corrupted.
Having said that, this is also the reason the MACC should be given more manpower and remuneration reviewed, as should the PDRM, instead of having Paul Low’s JITN to be formed as a new department, burdening the government further with an increased budget.
I do not know what is Paul Low’s agenda in wanting to interfere with the MACC and other institution of integrity but the nasty smell his move has made stinks all the way from Perdana Putra to Padang Besar. Â You can read more what a blogger thinks Paul Low is doing and let you be the judge of it. Nothing dissimilar to what Lim Kit Siang is doing now. Â But I will come back to that in another post later.
All I know is that for the MACC to combat corruption effectively it needs a boost in manpower and expertise, a boost in remuneration, and a pledge that it shall remain independent as a Commission.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) President Dr James Jemut Masing led the delegation to brief Najib Razak on the issues affecting the Upper Rajang basin.
“We are happy that the country’s top two leaders are giving us their time to meet up (with us),” Dr James added.
As usual, the Opposition and their supporters went to town with allegations of mistreatment of the longhouses chiefs and lack of funds on the PM’s part.
If only they know how special it is for these people to have been able to experience flying on board the RMAF’s A400M. Â But why fly in an Air Force plane rather than taking one of eight daily direct flights from Sibu to Kuala Lumpur?
Firstly, it would have been almost impossible to get all of them on board the same flight either on MAS (which has two flights) or AirAsia’s six flights. Â The logistics alone would have been an inconvenience to the passengers. Â Getting the A400M to fly them to Kuala Lumpur was the better choice.
I would imagine the Prime Minister’s Office would have written in to the RMAF asking if it could charter one or two of its airlifters to fly in these leaders. Â It is not uncommon for government departments to charter military aircraft for its departmental use.
When I was still in service, the RMAF’s S-61A4 Nuri helicopters were being used by the Department of Orang Asli Development to ferry Orang Asli on field trips to Kuala Lumpur. Â On 25 August 1990, a C-130H that was used to ferry support staff of a Royal visit to Sibu veered off the runway upon landing. A nurse died after unsecured luggage fell on her head.
The Ministry of Health also uses the RMAF helicopters to perform mercy flights for life-threatening cases that need immediate treatment elsewhere. Â You could too if you are wiling to pay a charter amount if it is not a life-threatening medical situation as long as the attending doctor says such a flight is necessary but not immediate, you are willing to pay, and the RMAF agrees.
Back to the story of the 150 community leaders, the RMAF probably provided the A400M for the following reasons: it had the seating capacity to carry 150 passengers comfortably and, it was a good opportunity for the RMAF to allow civiians to experience flying in the most sophisticated airlifter in the region. Â And if you think the in-flight ration is bad, you actually get more food to eat on board a RMAF medium-haul flights, and the fried chicken is good too!
Some may ask, why don’t the PMO or RMAF charter an AirAsia plane as it normally does for our peacekeepers serving overseas? Â Let it be known that the charter of an airliner is done based on deployment schedules. Â Chartering an airliner at such short notice would cause delays to many flights as the number of aircraft in any airline is limited, and the priority would be to serve their commercial destinations.
To be able to fly on board the A400M is an experience of a lifetime. Many in the RMAF including senior officers have never gotten the chance to, what more the rest of the Malaysian Armed Forces. So the part where Mr Voon says “Kami tidak senang dengan cara awak melayan Sarawakians” is just a statement made out of ignorance.
The community leaders now have something to talk about for generations – being able to meet the country’s two top leaders and air their concerns, and the experience of fying on board a sophisticated military airlifter.
SeaDemon Says 
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