Category: Daily Whatevers

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Ketirisan Ekonomi?

The Opposition has run out of issues that they are recycling 2015 issues in WhatsApp groups. Here is one:

“Nah.. baca ni, penulis dari group LHDN

Malaysia sebenarnya tidak berhadapan dengan masalah untuk mendapat sumber pendapatan negara tetapi sebenarnya negara bermasalah dalam menguruskan perbelanjaan. 

Kegagalan pengurusan perbelanjaan oleh kerajaan Barisan Nasional memangsakan rakyat hari ini dirompak oleh cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) zalim yang dikenakan secara paksa ke atas diri mereka untuk menambah hasil negara.

Seawal penubuhan Malaysia, pelbagai cukai dikenakan kepada golongan berkemampuan untuk menjadi sumber kepada negara sama ada menerusi cukai langsung korporat dan individu dan cukai tak langsung menerusi duti eksais dan cukai jualan dan perkhidmatan bagi sebahagian barangan dan perkhidmatan.

Malaysia juga memperolehi hasil lumayan dan mewah menerusi hasil bumi khususnya minyak sehingga menjangkau antara RM70-RM80 bilion setahun.

Sekiranya kerajaan Barisan Nasional mengamalkan konsep perbelanjaan berhemah, tidak boros dan mengelakkan ketirisan maka pendapatan daripada sumber cukai sedia ada dan hasil bumi sudah cukup untuk menguruskan sebuah negara dengan penduduk seramai 28 juta.

Namun, ternyata kerajaan untuk tempoh yang panjang telah gagal menguruskan perbelanjaan negara menurut panduan Islam dalam berekonomi. Ia dapat dilihat menerusi fakta-fakta berikut:

a. Belanjawan Tahunan

Kerajaan Barisan Nasional membentangkan belanjawan defisit selama 18 tahun berturut-turut sejak 1998. Belanjawan defisit bermaksud perbelanjaan yang dirancang melebihi pendapatan yang dijangka akan diperolehi. 

Kerajaan hanya menjangka akan membentangkan belanjawan berimbang iaitu pendapatan seimbang dengan perbelanjaan pada 2020. Ertinya negara bakal menyaksikan belanjawan defisit untuk lagi 4 tahun mendatang.

Secara ringkas boleh dilihat perbezaan rancangan perbelanjaan kerajaan berbanding hasil yang dijangka sebagaimana tahun-tahun berikut:

Perbelanjaan (P) Hasil (H)

2008 (P) 176 bilion (H) 148 bilion

2009 (P) 207 bilion (H) 161 bilion

2010 (P) 191 bilion (H)148 bilion

2011 (P) 212 bilion (H) 165 bilion

2012 (P) 232 bilion (H) 186 bilion

2013 (P) 251 bilion (H) 208 bilion

2014 (P) 264 bilion (H) 224 bilion

2015 (P) 273 bilion (H) 235 bilion

b. Hutang Negara

Belanjawan defisit menyumbang untuk negara meningkatkan hutang negara daripada setahun ke setahun. 

Pada 2006 hutang negara hanyalah 247 bilion. Tetapi pada 2013 hutang negara telah meningkat kepada 546 bilion dengan peningkatan 299 bilion. Laporan terakhir 2015 hutang negara telah menjangkau 847 bilion.

Perhatikan jadual Hutang Negara sebagaimana berikut mengikut tahun:

1997 RM90 bilion

1998 RM103 bilion

1999 RM112 bilion

2000 RM125 bilion

2001 RM145 bilion

2002 RM164 bilion

2003 RM188 bilion

2004 RM216 bilion

2005 RM232 bilion

2006 RM247 bilion

2007 RM274 bilion

2008 RM317 bilion 

2009 RM376 bilion

2010 RM405 bilion  

2011 RM465 bilion

2012 RM501 bilion

2013 RM546 bilion

(Sumber International Monetary Fund)

2014 RM677 bilion

2015 RM847 bilion 

(Sumber The Economist)

Bayangkan, hutang kerajaan pada 1997 hanyalah RM90 bilion tetapi selepas 17 tahun pada tahun 2014 telah menjadi RM677 bilion.

Pada 2003 ketika Tun Abdullah Badawi mengambil alih negara hutang negara ialah RM188 bilion.

Selepas 6 tahun pada 2009 ketika beliau melepaskan jawatan kepada Datuk Seri Najib ia meningkat sekali ganda sebanyak RM188 bilion kepada RM376 bilion.

Selepas 5 tahun Najib mengambil alih negara, hutang pada 2014 meningkat hampir sekali ganda sebanyak 301 bilion kepada RM677 bilion.

c. Ketirisan Perbelanjaan

Kajian yang dibuat oleh Pusat Membanteras Rasuah dan Kronisme terhadap laporan tahunan Ketua Audit Negara menunjukkan berlaku ketirisan dan salah urus perbelanjaan antara RM23 bilion hingga RM40 bilion. Sedangkan GST hanya dijangka menyumbang sebanyak RM23 bilion pada tahun 2015. Jika ketirisan ditangani maka GST tidak diperlukan.

Pada tahun 2008 perbelanjaan untuk mengurus negara hanyalah RM128 bilion tetapi untuk 2015 kerajaan merancang perbelanjaan mengurus sebanyak RM223 bilion. 

Tidakkah ia merupakan peningkatan yang melampau untuk tempoh yang pendek iaitu 7 tahun dengan peningkatan hampir RM100 bilion?

Hasil daripada kegagalan menguruskan perbelanjaan inilah maka kerajaan mula berfikir untuk meluaskan lagi sumber kewangan negara sedangkan sebenarnya kerajaan tidak berhadapan dengan masalah sumber tetapi pada masalah berbelanja.

Penyelesaian mudah kerajaan ialah memperkenalkan Cukai Jualan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) kerana GST adalah cara paling mudah untuk mengutip sumber daripada rakyat.

GST dikenakan pada semua barangan dan perkhidmatan melainkan yang dikecualikan. Ertinya kerajaan mendapat ruang yang sangat besar dan luas untuk mendapat hasil menerusi cukai.

GST kena kepada semua rakyat tanpa mengira kaya atau miskin yang berbelanja dan mendapat perkhidmatan. Ertinya GST mempunyai cakupan cukai sangat luas. 

Jika sebelumnya hanya sekitar 1.7 juta terpaksa membayar cukai maka dengan GST berjuta-juta rakyat terpaksa membayar cukai setiap hari termasuk orang miskin.

Apabila cukai dikenakan kepada si kaya dan si miskin maka di sinilah ketidakadilan sosial dan kezaliman berlaku. Kerana itulah cukai GST adalah zalim dan haram menurut kaedah percukaian Islam kerana cukai sepatutnya hanya kena kepada orang yang berkemampuan sahaja.

Data 2012 menunjukkan 31.7% isi rumah Malaysia berpendapatan kurang daripada rm2500 dan 23.8% lagi berpendapatan antara RM2,500 – RM4,000. Ertinya lebih separuh rakyat Malaysia mempunyai pendapatan di bawah RM4,000 iaitu di bawah paras kemiskinan.

MUNGKIN ANDA MASIH KABUR, DARI MANA DATANG NYA DANA UNTUK MEMBAYAR HUTANG SEBANYAG RM 847 BILION DAN FAEDAH NYA, TENTUNYA DARI RAKYAT YAKNI CUKAI.

CUBA KITA KIRA – 847 BILION/30 JUTA RAKYAT MALAYSIA:

847000,000,000/30=

RM28233.3 JUTA, JADI SETIAP RAKYAT MALAYSIA MEMPUNYAI HUTANG SEBANYAK RM 28.23 BILION.

JADI JIKA PENGURUSAN KEWANGAN NEGARA TIDAK DIUBAH MALAYSIA AKAN BENGKRAP, ITU SEBAB MENGAPA PENGURUSAN NAJIB SENTIASA MAHU MENAIKKAN SEMUA CUKAI BARANGAN DAN PERHIDMATAN, SUDAH BEGITU PUN NAJIB MASIH MENGEKALKAN HIDUP BERMEWAH2……

Copy n paste dr group LHDN utk sama2 Kita fikirkn bagai mana utk menghadapi situasi yg genting ini. [truncated by. WhatsApp]

TOLONG VIRAL KAN AGAR SEMUA RAKYAT TAHU TAK KIRA LA ANDA DI PIHAK YG MANA.

#SELAMATKANMALAYSIA

#ISTIQOMAH HINGGA KEMENANGAN”

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My reply is as follows:

I don’t have to study economics to know that what counts is the ability of the government to service the debt. Therefore what counts most is debt vs gdp.

Our debt to gdp as at December 2016 stands at 53.20 percent compared to 54.50 percent the previous year. We are 67th highest out of 184 nations.
In comparison, Japan has the highest debt vs gdp which is 250.40 percent, Singapore at 10th place with 112 percent up from 106 percent in 2015 and the US at 12th with 106.10 percent, UK 18th with 89.30 percent.
In 1986 our debt vs gdp was at 103.4 percent, and 1987 it was at 101.7 percent. For two consecutive years we did not have the ability to service its debts. Everyone knows having a debt vs gdp ratio of 100 percent or more means we were living beyond our means. If we did not panic at 103.4 percent then, why should we panic now at 53.20 percent?
What also counts is our Gross National Income that has increased over the last 10 years from RM199.03 billion at the beginning of 2006 to RM285.20 billion in 2016.
Our GNI is at 838.9 billion in Purchasing Power Parity Dollars compared to Singapore’s 476.9 billion in 2016.
As for poverty level income, it is RM930 for Semenanjung, RM1,170 in Sabah and RM990 in Sarawak.
For hardcore poor household income level it is RM580 for Semenanjung, RM710 for Sabah and RM660 for Sarawak. Not RM4,000 plucked from the sky by this “person from LHDN.”

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Let PAS Have Its RCI

If you notice the Pakatan parties, DAP in particular, has been crying foul every time things do not go their way. In the words of Parti Cinta Malaysia Deputy President Datuk Huan Cheng Guan, the DAP would “Kau Pek, Kau Bo” (Cry Father, Cry Mother) and seek cheap political mileage and sympathy.

When Teoh Beng Hock unfortunately fell and died at the MACC office in Shah Alam, they went to town blaming the MACC and Barisan Nasional for Beng Hock’s death, even though Beng Hock’s death puts both the MACC and the Barisan Nasional at a disadvantage because Beng Hock was being questioned over several corruption cases involving DAP officials.

But DAP’s cheap sympathy drive made twisted logic in the minds of its 16K-processor-brained supporters.

They even asked for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to be formed to try link the BN with Beng Hock’s death.

In today’s papers, PAS Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has asked the government to form a RCI to look into the deadly Memali siege where, U-Turn Mahathir recently said the 14 PAS supporters and 4 policemen killed deserved to die.

In the 19 November 1985 tragedy, 200 policemen laid siege on the village and an assault later resulted in those deaths. Many believe that Home Minister and U-Turn Mahathir’s Deputy musa Hitam was framed and made a scapegoat when Mahathir denied being in Malaysia at the time of the incident. Just like his relationship with Anwar a decade later, Mahathir’s relationship with Musa then was at the bottom of the barrel.

But in 2014, Musa told a forum that Mahathir was in Malaysia at the time of the tragedy. Something Mahathir conveniently cannot remember well, as with other issues related to him like in the case of Sabah’s “Project IC” or Selangor’s “PKFZ” scandal.

The Memali issue has long been a thorn in the Malay political scene. My take is if DAP can ask for a RCI to be convened for the death of just one person, why not convene one for 18 deaths?

Furthermore, many of the witnesses are still around so a RCI should be convened as soon as possible!

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Mari Bantah Penjualan Negara

Seronok melihat semangat patriotik rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan tanah air dan bangkit bersuara membantah penglibatan negara luar dalam projek-projek raksasa di Malaysia.

Aliran wang yang masuk dari negara luar dalam bentuk pinjaman mudah (soft loans) untuk membangunkan projek-projek ini adalah seolah-olah kerajaan pimpinan Dr Mahathir Mohamad lebih gemar menjual negara untuk meraih keuntungan tanpa mengambil kisah ancaman terhadap kedaulatan negara.

Di antara projek-projek yang dibina oleh orang asing termasuk KLCC Tower One, Port Dickson Power, Jimah Power Plant, PERWAJA, Bekalan Air Mentah Pahang-Selangor, Bekalan Air Pahang, Empangan Kenyir dan banyak lagi.

Malah Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (PROTON) adalah kereta Jepun (Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore) yang dipasangkan di Malaysia dan Mitsubishi memegang saham PROTON sehingga 2005.

Sejak “Dasar Pandang Ke Timur” kerajaan Mahathir, jumlah pinjaman kerajaan Mahathir daripada Jepun berjumlah 10 billion Yen (RM390 juta) pada tahun 1980an sahaja.

Pada tahun 1994, kerajaan Mahathir telah meminjam sebanyak 61.5 billion Yen (RM2.4 billion) untuk membina KLIA walaupun penyokong Mahathir menyatakan bahawa ekonomi negara berada dalam keadaan kukuh.

Beribu pekerja Jepun masuk ke Malaysia untuk bekerja, termasuk rakan saya Norikazu yang bertugas di projek KLIA hingga boleh berbahasa Malaysia dengan fasih berbanding penyokong DAP yang mengagungkan Mahathir dan mengaku rakyat Malaysia.

Mereka mendapatkan khidmat kereta terpakai dari seorang lagi rakan saya bernama Fujita yang dahulunya tinggal di Sri Petaling dan tidak menjalankan transaksi jual beli dengan orang tempatan.

Malah, Japanese lounge tumbuh dengan pesat menawarkan hiburan kepada para pekerja dari Jepun yang mana orang tempatan dilarang masuk. Ini termasuklah sebuah lounge bernama Kaede di Plaza See Hoy Chan di Kuala Lumpur.

Malah pada 6 Ogos 1998, Mahathir sekali lagi memohon pinjaman daripada Jepun sebanyak USD 1 billion (RM4.29 billion) atau USD 2 billion (RM8.58 billion) untuk menampan keadaan ekonomi yang meruncing walaupun penyokong beliau tetap mengatakan ekonomi negara tetap kukuh walaupun nilai Ringgit berbanding USD jatuh dari RM2.10 = USD1.00 di zaman Hussein Onn (1978) ke RM4.71 = USD1.00 pada tahun 1998.

Disebabkan kekukuhan ekonomi itulah Mahathir berpendapat adalah penting bagi negara yang dipimpinnya mempunyai jalinan dagangan dan kewangan (JUAL NEGARA) dengan Jepun.


Dasar Pandang Ke Timur Mahathir juga berjaya menghantar seramai 1,200 orang pelajar untuk melanjutkan pengajian di universiti-universiti Jepun. Daripada jumlah tersebut menurut Mustapa Mohamad yang ketika itu Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan hanya 12 orang menjadi usahawan yang berjaya. Di antara kejayaan dasar ini ialah pertumbuhan pesat pusat-pusat karaoke yang menambahkan lagi masalah sosial di kalangan remaja dan belia.


Dasar ini juga telah membawa penjajahan ekonomi oleh Jepun kerana di antara 1981-1986 sebanyak 37 buah syarikat Jepun telah membuka cawangan mereka di negara ini.

Pada 15 June 1998, pakar kewangan bernama Robert Zielinski (“Role Model From Hell” – Time, 15 June 1998) dasar ekonomi Mahathir dilihat sebagai bakal membawa Malaysia ke ambang kehancuran ekonomi kerana menggunakan dasar ekonomi Jepun sebagai titik rujukan. Namun Mahathir tidak mengambil kisah dengan amaran-amaran yang diberi.

Akibatnya, salah satu sebab Anwar Ibrahim dipecat dari jawatan dan parti adalah kerana tidak sehaluan dengan pandangan ekonomi Mahathir.

Begitulah penjajahan ekonomi dan minda Jepun ke atas Mahathir. Hinggakan dasar ekonomi ditiru dari sebuah negara yang hanya 36 tahun sebelum itu menamatkan penjajahan kejam ke atas Tanah Melayu.

Namun, ianya tidak dilihat sebagai penjajahan okeh Mahathir kerana hanya beliau sahaja yang betul dan tidak boleh orang lain.

Sebab itulah kini walaupun negara tidak meniru dasar ekonomi negara lain dalam mendapatkan pelaburan dan pinjaman dari luar, beliau meneriak berkata negara kini dijajah oleh China.

Maka wajib bagi kita membantah penjualan negara oleh Mahathir.

Banzai!

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Lack of Sense, Weak Arguments, To Ask For Probe Into Zahid’s Wealth

“I am willing to be investigated to correct the perception of that person,”said Zahid Hamidi on 4 Aug 2017

Extraordinary wealth owned by a public official should be enough grounds for investigations into the person, said a group of people who call themselves lawyers, in an apparent reference to a claim made by U-Turn Mahathir that Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should be investigated by the MACC for having RM230 million when he was the UMNO Youth Chief.

Malaysian Incite reported that a so-called lawyer and “one-sided activist” called Ambiga said that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) could only ascertain the legitimacy of a person’s funds through an investigation.

“Any sign of extraordinary wealth particularly when it concerns people in public office is enough of a basis to investigate. Unfortunately Dzulkifli Ahmad has shown that he is afraid to investigate people at the top,” she was reported to have said, referring to the MACC chief commissioner.

Dzulkifli Ahmad stated that the MACC will only investigate a person’s wealth if there is a basis for the allegation that there are elements of corruption and abuse of power in his wealth.

He said the amount of money one person has is not a reason for the commission to start investigating him.

“The issue is whether the wealth is accumulated through corruption and abuse of power…that basis must be there for the commission to investigate.  People can be rich, but it is important that we look at the source of the their wealth because if it is through corruption and abuse of power, then it will become the MACC’s responsibility to investigate,” he said when asked whether the MACC will investigate Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the excessive wealth he allegedly owned.

In an obviously choreographed act, U-Turn Mahathir claimed that Ahmad Zahid had RM230 million in his bank account back in 1996, while DAP subsequently lodged a police report on the allegation.

Firstly, Ambiga claims that any extraordinary amount of wealth particularly when it concerns people in the public office is an enough basis for the MACC to investigate.

Senility runs deep in the Opposition’s ranks apparently.  Zahid became the Member of Parliament for Teluk Intan in 1995 and subsequently the UMNO Youth Chief in October 1996, a position he held until he was arrested under the Internal Security Act for going against U-Turn Mahathir in 1998.

In response to U-Turn Mahathir’s claim, Zahid offered to be investigated.

“I was a businessman, a CEO of a listed company and chairman of other companies,” Zahid said of his past.

Zahid worked in banks such as OCBC, then became the Marketing Manager for Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB).  Other portfolios that he held then included Executive Director for Scandinavian Motors Sdn Bhd, the CEO for Kretam Holdings Berhad, Chairman of several companies such as Tekala Corporation Berhad, Seng Hup Berhad, Ramatex Berhad, and Bank Simpanan Nasional from 1995 until U-Turn Mahathir incarcerated him in Kamunting without trial in 1998.

Zahid was then the UMNO Youth Chief and a Member of Parliament.  No law states that one has to give up his/her business practice in either post, and neither post is a public office as per the Constitution.  Unless Zahid abused his position then as a Member of Parliament (a member of a public body as defined in the MACC Act) to obtain those posts, I see no reason for trying to implicate him on the alleged matter.  How can remunerations from companies to a Director, or Shareholder, or Officer, derived from the businesses these companies are involved in, be a form of gratification obtained by a member of a public body?

Unlike in the case of Tokong Lim Guan Eng who clearly used his position to obtain gratification be it for himself or for his wife, Zahid did nothing of the above as alleged.

The MACC Act clearly states that in spite of any written law or rule of law to the contrary, a MACC officer of the rank of Commissioner and above who has reasonable reason to believe based on the investigation of an MACC officer into properties that are held as a result of an offence committed under the MACC Act, may by writing as the person being investigated to furnish the MACC with a list of the properties obtained through gratification.

What is there to ask for if (1) no offence has been committed, (2) no investigation has been conducted based on (1)?  Request on mere speculation?

This is why Section 36 of the MACC Act is as such, to prevent a waste of taxpayers’ money and the MACC’s precious little time going on wild goose chase.  You may refer to Section 3 of the said Act to know what it means by ‘gratification’ when referring to someone holding a public office or is a member of a public body.  Therefore, how can there be any form of double standard committed by the MACC as alleged by Eric Paulsen of the Bar Council?

Both Eric Paulsen and Ambiga claim that the MACC is not courageous nor willing to investigate the ‘big fish‘ such as “even Najib Razak if necessary.”

But like I said at the beginning of this post, senility runs deep within the ranks of the Opposition.  The MACC quizzed Najib Razak on the RM2.6 billion donation back in December 2015.

I wonder why don’t Ambiga and Eric Paulsen read their own favourite news portal?

Anyway, before I end this posting, I would like to share what Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act says about the use of public office or position for ‘gratification‘ :

Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act, 2009

If I may, I would like to  join Ambiga’s call to ask MACC to investigate the ‘big fish‘ who, in the words of Ambiga herself, continue to loot the nation and if I may add, or also looted the nation.

Ambiga said those who loot the nation must be investigated

Ambiga and Eric Paulsen should now agree with me that a report was made by Pribumi’s members on the extraordinary wealth accumulated by U-Turn Mahathir when he was definitely a ‘member of a public body.’

PPBM Youth members lodged a report against U-Turn Mahathir over his extraordinary wealth

Therefore, in accordance with Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act, 2009, I challenge both Ambiga and Eric Paulsen to make a public call for an investigation to be made into U-Turn Mahathir’s abuse of his office and position to obtain a contract through direct negotiation (more like direct command) from Telekom Malaysia to his son’s company when he was still the Prime Minister.  And I challenge the MACC to commence its investigation into the KELEPETOCRACY by U-Turn Mahathir.

KELEPETOCRACY, Mahathir-style

If anyone says this was done before the MACC Act, 2009 came into force, let it be known that in the Anti Corruption Act, 1997, the act of seeking gratification by someone holding an office was given via Section 15(1) of the Act.

So there have you. Investigate U-Turn Mahathir and see if he is going to try add this to his EVERYTHINGTUNHIDE 2.0 Q&No-A sessions.

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Defence: Pentingnya Mempertahankan Kedaulatan Negara

Operasi Daulat Mac 2013

Pada hari Selasa bersamaan 12 Februari 2013, sekumpulan 100 orang bersenjata yang diketuai oleh Haji Musa, orang kanan Mohammad Ismail A Kiram, anak keempat kepada Muhammad Fuad A Kiram, seorang yang mengangkat dirinya sendiri sebagai Sultan Sulu, telah mendarat di Kampung Tanduo, Tanjung Labian, di daerah Lahad Datu, Sabah.

Menurut laporan asal, mereka berkumpul di sebuah rumah milik Ahmad Malandi, yang juga dikenali sebagai ‘Mat Bom‘ bukan hanya kerana beliau sering menggunakan bom buatan sendiri untuk menangkap ikan, tetapi juga kerana pernah menyerang sebuah pejabat FELDA di FELDA Sahabat  dalam tahun 1990an dengan menggunakan bom ikan gara-gara tidak berpuas hati dengan pertikaian tanah pusaka dengan FELDA.

Saya pernah menulis bagaimana kumpulan pertama yang terdiri dari lima orang yang memakai jubah diiringi 27 orang memakai separa-celoreng telah medarat terlebih dahulu, diikuti sekitar 70 orang kemudiannya.  Kesemua mereka bersenjatakan M-14 dan AR-15.

Pasukan keselamatan membuat tembakan di sebalik perlindungan semasa Op Daulat

Pasukan keselamatan telah mula bertindak dengan Polis DiRaja Malaysia menggerakkan dua kompeni dari Pasukan Gerakan Am, dan disokong oleh pegawai dan anggota Tentera Darat Malaysia dari 5 Briged Infantri.  Rundingan dijalankan pihak PDRM untuk memujuk mereka meletakkan senjata dan menyerah diri kepada pihak polis.  Malangnya, pada 1 Mac 2013 para pengganas Sulu ini bertindak bertempur dengan pasukan Komando 69 PDRM di Kampung Tanduo, diikuti dengan serang hendap terhadap pegawai dan anggota Cawangan Khas PDRM di Kampung Simunul di Semporna keesokan harinya.  Pada 5 Mac 2013, peringkat ofensif oleh Angkatan Tentera Malaysia dan PDRM telah dilancarkan untuk menghapuskan para pengganas tersebut.

Salah seorang pengganas Sulu yang mampus ditembak oleh pasukan keselamatan Malaysia

Peristiwa berdarah tersebut telah berlalu lebih empat tahun yang lalu dan ramai yang sudah melupakan peristiwa tersebut.  Malah sejak berakhirnya peristiwa tersebut, ada juga pihak-pihak yang berbaik-baik dengan musuh negara yang nyata dengan memberi mereka pengiktirafan politik di negara mereka.  Alasan yang diberikan ialah peristiwa di Kampung Tanduo adalah ‘kisah lama.’ Begitulah celakanya sikap mereka yang durjana ini.

“Kisah di Kampung Tanduo adalah kisah lama,” kata Ahli Parlimen DAP, Teresa Kok

Sungguh malang nasib balu dan ibubapa 10 orang para pegawai dan anggota PDRM dan ATM yang terkorban di Lahad Datu mempertahankan kedaulatan negara.  Pengorbanan anak mereka, suami mereka, bapa kepada anak-anak mereka, diperlekehkan oleh mereka yang tidak berhati perut, hanya kerana kepentingan politik sempit mereka.

Salah seorang perajurit negara yang terkorban di Lahad Datu

Baru-baru ini dilangsungkan perbarisan penganugerahan “Battle Honour Daulat Februari 2013” di Kota Kinabalu.  Selain untuk menganugerahkan unit-unit ATM yang terlibat dalam Op Daulat dengan “Battle Honour,” ianya juga adalah untuk memberitahu kepada rakyat Malaysia, terutamanya di Sabah, bahawa kerajaan tidak memandang ringan tugas mempertahankan kedaulatan negara, dan juga memperingatkan semua bahaya pencerobohan yang dilakukan sama ada untuk peperangan konvensional mahupun peperangan asimetri.

Perbarisan penganugerahan “Battle Honour Daulat Februari 2013” di Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu pada 11 Ogos 2017

Lewat ini kita sering dapati sesetengah pihak yang tidak bertanggung jawab menyerang integriti serta moral pasukan keselamatan dengan menghina dan merendah-rendahkan kebolehan serta aset yang dimiliki pasukan keselamatan.  Mungkin mereka merasakan bahawa di dalam mana-mana peperangan, mereka tidak akan merasa sebarang kesusahan.

Kita ketahui terdapat anggota ATM dan PDRM yang tercedera dalam pertempuran semasa Op Daulat dilangsungkan tetapi tidak ramai yang mengetahui mahupun dapat menilai pengorbanan yang dilakukan oleh pasukan keselamatan kita untuk mempertahankan kedaulatan.  Ini bukannya cerita ‘Combat‘ mahupun ‘Rambo‘ di mana heronya akan mendapat luka-luka kecil tatkala bertempur, tetapi ada yang tidak sempurna anggota dan fungsi tubuh badan setelah terkena tembakan.

Berikut adalah di antara paparan yang mungkin tidak pernah dilihat oleh rakyat Malaysia sebelum ini, tetapi saya rasakan amat perlu ditunjuk supaya kita faham erti pengorbanan pasukan keselamatan kita.

Seorang anggota keselamatan Malaysia yang tercedera ditembak diberi rawatan oleh petugas Kor Kesihatan DiRaja
Seorang anggota pasukan keselamatan kita yang ditembak di dada diberi rawatan oleh petugas Kor Kesihatan DiRaja setelah peluru tersebut menembusi tubuh beliau

Sekiranya anda merasakan hanya para anggota keselamatan kita yang merasa pahit maung pertempuran, anda tersilap. Realitinya amat berbeza sekali.

Apabila hospital medan didirikan oleh Kor Kesihatan DiRaja di kawasan operasi, orang awam yang terdiri dari para penduduk di situ yang telah tercedera ditembak secara rambang oleh pengganas Sulu berduyun-duyun datang untuk mendapatkan rawatan kecemasan.  Di antara mereka termasuk kanak-kanak dan bayi yang menjadi mangsa keganasan pengganas Sulu.  Mereka langsung tidak berperi kemanusiaan terhadap para penduduk timur Sabah sedangkan mereka kata Sabah adalah hak mereka.

Seorang mangsa tembakan rambang pengganas Sulu mendapatkan rawatan setelah Kor Kesihatan DiRaja membuka hospital medan
Seorang kanak-kanak juga menjadi mangsa kekejaman peluru pengganas Sulu
Bayi yang tidak berdosa ini juga tidak terlepas dari keganasan para pengikut Kiram. Bayi ini telah kehilangan banyak darah semasa dibawa ke hospital medan ATM. Status bayi ini tidak diketahui sama ada selamat ataupun tidak

Rentetan daripada insiden di Lahad Datu inilah kerajaan mewujudkan ESSCOM untuk memantapkan kawalan keselamatan di timur Sabah.  Menteri Pertahanan Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein berkata inisiatif terbaharu kerajaan ialah dengan menempatkan 7,000 anggota Tentera Darat  dengan perlaksanaan Op Daratan, Op Balasah, Op Khas dan Op Pasir bagi mempertahankan daratan Sabah.  Satu kompeni infantri Tentera Darat juga telah ditempatkan di kawasan Cenderawasih, Lahad Datu untuk memastikan kawasan pantai Lahad Datu terkawal sepenuhnya.

Tambah beliau lagi, inisiatif Trilateral Maritime Patrol (TMP) telah dilancarkan oleh Malaysia bagi memastikan mana-mana anggota militan termasuk Da’esh tidak menjadikan Laut Sulu sebagai laluan tikus untuk menceroboh masuk ke negara ini manakala inisiatif Trilateral Air Patrol (TAP) akan dilaksanakan dalam masa terdekat.

Jangan kita lupa siapa musuh kita.  Jangan kita bersekongkol dengan mereka yang bersahabat dengan musuh yang tidak senang dengan kemerdekaan dan kesenangan yang kita kecapi.  Jangan kita termakan hasutan politik kebencian (politics of hate) yang diamalkan oleh sesetengah pihak yang sanggup berbaik-baik dengan musuh untuk mendapat pengiktirafan mereka.

Musuh dalam selimut: Nurul Izzah bersama dengan Jacel Kiram, anak “Sultan” Kiram yang sehingga kini menganggap Sabah sebahagian dari “kerajaan” Sulu

Jangan kita lupa pengorbanan pasukan keselamatan kita. Jangan jadikan pemergian mereka, dan juga pemergian para penduduk yang menjadi mangsa kekejaman pengganas Sulu sebagai pemergian yang sia-sia.  Berikanlah sokongan tidak berbelah bahagi kepada pasukan keselamatan kita, terutamanya Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, kerana musuh tidak membeza-bezakan di antara tentera dan rakyat Malaysia.

Kita semua adalah musuh mereka.

Berilah sokongan tidak berbelah bahagi kepada Angkatan Tentera Malaysia
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Towards A Corruption-Free Pulau Pinang

After Tokong led his worshippers to sign the MACC’s anti-corruption pledge to show that Pulau Pinang is serious in getting rid of corrupt office-holders, the pledge was followed by a series of actions to show their resolve.

 First, an illegal factory producing carbon filters was raided by authorities today.
The multi agencies team lead by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) went to the factory, which is located in an oil palm estate near Sungai Lembu at about 10.15am.
Other agencies in the integrated operation were Inland Revenue Board, Immigration Department and Department of Environment.
Sources from MACC revealed that the commission also seized some documents related to the illegal factory at the Seberang Prai Municipal Council headquarters in Bandar Perda.
Another team of MACC officers stormed the 53rd floor of the state administration office at about 11.30am.

MACC officers were seen entering the office of state Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh.

The raid is believed to be a follow-up to the MACC’s investigations into the illegal factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu.

Tokong must be absolutely pleased that the MACC is helping him with his corruption-free pledge. The Tokong is also in the process of getting himself rid from the Pulau Pinang government to ensure the island’s government remains free from corrupted officials.

Meanwhile Phee Boon Poh who was very arrogant when confronted with the PPS issue showed a different body lamguage after the raid. It must be his corruption-free stance.

Thank you, Tokong for signing the pledge, and thank you MACC for helping him.

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Kapal Selam Kerala Kena Tembak Lagi


Bising FELDA akhirnya tertangkap ambil komisyen juak hotel felda ialah Zahid Md Arip Pemimpin Pusat Parti Bunga Raya…kini mula terdedah pula kes kapal selam rupanya Mahathir dan anaknya di belakang sebenarnya
SCORPENE : Perjanjian Pembelian Dibuat Sejak Zaman Mahathir Lagi
Razak Baginda tidak ada sewaktu perjanjian kapal selam diadakan, yang ada adalah Mahathir. 
Ini kerana perjanjian kapal selam itu sebenarnya sudah dirangka dan dimeterai ketika zaman pentadbiran Mahathir Mohamad dulu sebagai Perdana Menteri dan bukannya pada zaman Perdana Menteri sekarang, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Perkara itu direkodkan dalam hansard sidang Dewan Rakyat pada tahun 2002 lagi. Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan telah memaklumkan Dewan Rakyat mengenai kontraknya apabila perkara itu dibangkitkan di parlimen. 
Mahathir yang kini adalah Pengerusi PPBM jangan buat-buat lupa berkenaan perjanjian membeli kapal selam itu.
Masa itu, Timbalan Menteri berkenaan telah menyatakan dalam dewan yang mulia di Parlimen jumlah yang dibayar kepada syarikat Malaysia bukannya komisen tapi kos perkhidmatan, penyelenggaraan dan latihan.
Kedua-dua mereka Perdana Menteri, Mahathir, dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri pada masa itu Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sebenarnya tahu apa yang berlaku. 
Bahkan sebelum itu Mahathir sudah meninjau kapal selam dari Perancis ketika Pameran Maritim dan Udara Antarabangsa Langkawi (LIMA’97) 1997. Tiga kapal selam dari tiga negara iaitu Rusia, Perancis dan Turki turut menyertainya untuk ditinjau oleh kerajaan pada masa itu.
Kemudian selepas meninjau kapal selam Perancis di LIMA 97, setahun selepas itu Mahathir menulis surat pada Michel Rocard, Perdana Menteri Perancis berkaitan hal kapal selam. 
Dalam buku bertajuk “Surat Terpilih Dr Mahathir Kepada Pemimpin Dunia”, mukasurat 218, menyatakan pada tahun 1998, Perdana Menteri, Perancis dan Mahathir bertukar-tukar empat pucuk surat.
Dalam kandungan surat itu menyatakan bahawa Malaysian Airlines (MAS) akan mendapat lebih hak mendarat di Paris, dan Malaysia akan mendapatkan dua kapal selam buatan Perancis iaitu jenis Scorpene yang akan dihantar pada 2009. 
“Seramai 145 orang pegawai Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) sedang dilatih di Ecole Formation de Sous Marine di Brest, sejak 2005.
“Dua kapal selam itu akan diletakkan di pangkalan di Sepanggar di Sabah apabila ia sudah beroperasi nanti,” kata surat itu.
Ini bukti jelas, rundingan untuk pembelian kapal selam ini dibuat sejak zaman Mahathir lagi. Dua hari lepas, Mahathir kata dia tidak tahu menahu tentang pembelian kapal selam. Mahathir memang sengaja buat buat lupa dan tidak mahu mengaku. 
Pembohongan Mahathir tidak boleh ditutup. Jangan cuba menipu orang yang mengetahui urusan rundingan kapal selam itu. 
Bekas Pegawai Penyiasat Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) Kapten (B) Abdul Rahmat Omar Tun Haniff pula mendedahkan pembohongan Mahathir itu. 
“Mahathir boleh memperbodohkan pemuda seperti Ketua Armada PPBM) Syed Saddiq, mereka yang lebih matang mengetahui perkara sebenar.
“Lampu hijau bagi pembelian Scorpene diberikan oleh Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan sejak 1995 lagi” katanya.
Sejak 1995 lagi, sebab itulah pada 1997 pada pameran LIMA 97 ada kapal selam dari Perancis datang ke Langkawi. Kemudian pada 1998, Mahathir dan Perdana Menteri Perancis berutus surat berkaitan pembelian kapal selam itu. 
6 tahun selepas itu, pada 2002, kontrak pembelian kapal selam bernilai RM3.7 billion diluluskan oleh Perdana Menteri pada waktu itu. 
Malah lebih mengejutkan bila bekas pegawai penyiasat ketenteraan, Kapten (B) Abdul Rahmat Tun Haniff mendedahkan anak Mahathir dan Daim terlibat dalam urusan kapal selam ini.
“Penyokong asal program kapal selam Malaysia adalah Mokhzani Mahathir dan Ibrahim Mohd Noor (pada ketika itu CEO syarikat yang baru disenaraikan BERNAS, bertindak bagi pihak Daim Zainuddin)” kata Abdul Rahmat.
Hari ini, Mahathir mahu pertikai kenapa Malaysia beli kapal selam. Tidak patut hendak pertikai lagi bila Arab Saudi sendiri sudah mahu belajar dan berkongsi kepakaran dan latihan kapal selam dengan Malaysia. 
Sesudah gagal gunakan isu 1MDB, DoJ dan lain lain lagi untuk jatuhkan Datuk Seri Najib, Mahathir kena cungkil balik cerita kapal selam untuk dijadikan isu. “Desperate” dah Mahathir ini.
Klik https://www.facebook.com/SudahlahMahathir/

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Pakatan Will Give Sabah It’s Autonomy With Mahathir As The Top Dog

Top Dog will give Sabah more autonomy like he did as PM of 22 years
Kurniawan bin Hendrikus (not his real name) who now lives in Kampung Gayaratau off the Ranau-Tamparuli road fears for the future if Pakatan wins Sabah.

“I worked in Semporna and Tawau in the 1990s and used to fear walking alone at night as these towns virtually belonged to ‘Malaysians’ from the Southern Philippines,” he recalled. “Now, the same man who treated Sabah like rubbish is heading the Opposition to try oust the Barisan Nasional.”

Sabah has been plagued by illegal immigrants for over three decades, causing socio-political and economic problems for the state.  Although the numbers vary from thousands to millions depending on who you ask, all agree that the influx of immigrants especially from the Southern Philippines happened during Mahathir’s premiership, a move said to dilute the influence of the majority-Christian Kadazan-Dusun-Murut (KDM) communities.

Mahathir must be brought to account for “Projek IC”, the massive operation that flooded Sabah with illegal immigrants in exchange for Malaysian citizenship in the move dubbed ‘Project IC’ said Madius Tangau, the MP for Tuaran.

Madius who is also the President of the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) added that the Sabahans want the PM then (Mahathir) who has admitted to giving out the fake ICs to be held responsible.

Mahathir blamed Anwar Ibrahim, who was his deputy at the time of the ‘Project IC’ taking place, for being directly involved in ‘Project IC’ and for acting without his (Mahathir’s) knowledge, the same blame game he uses in the Scorpene drama where he blamed Najib Razak, who was then the Defence Minister, for paying RM3.7 billion without the knowledge of the Minister of Finance, who also happened to be him (Mahathir).

Mahathir blames Anwar for Project IC
A day after blaming Anwar, the latter returned the ball to Mahathir’s court saying it was Mahathir who was behind ‘Project IC.’  Anwar pointed out that there was even a taskforce set up by Mahathir to oversee the awarding of Malaysian citizenship to immigrants in Sabah.

Mahathir had a taskforce set up to oversee the awarding of citizenship to immigrants, said Anwar
Pakatan’s hint that Mahathir would be able to restore Sabah’s rights had Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) scoff at them for “daydreaming.”

Its President Teo Chee Kang reminded Pakatan that it was under Mahathir’s rule that the state suffered greatly, and lost some of its autonomy.

“I read in the papers that several Pakatan leaders from Sabah recently flew all the way to Kuala Lumpur to see Mahathir on Sabah rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.  I find it ironic.  I would like to remind them that it was during Mahathir’s administration in 1983 that our state powers to regulate the distribution of gas and electricity were taken back by the federal government.  In the 22 years of Mahathir’s rule we lost numerous state rights to the federal government,” he added.

Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who is Sabah’s STAR Chairman said it was Mahathir who introduced ‘Project IC’ and told him (Jeffrey) not to ‘teach’ the people what they didn’t know (Sabah rights).

‘Project IC’ was also called ‘Project M.’  ‘M’ is for ‘Mahathir.’

Sabah also lost a lot under Mahathir’s rule.  In 1983, Mahathir made plans for Labuan to be handed over to the Federal Government.  Labuan is an important hub for the oil and gas industry.  In order to make oil revenues from Labuan totally the Federal government’s, Mahathir conceived the plan for Labuan to become a Federal Territory during a Barisan Nasional meeting in 1983.

Harris Salleh, who was the BERJAYA Chief Minister of Sabah then agreed to hand over the island over to the Federal government without any deliberation.  No referendum was made for the proposal.

In August 1983, Tun Datu Mustapha who was USNO’s President made a call to Labuan’s USNO division to reject the proposal and demonstrate against it.  In February 1984, Mahathir proposed for the expulsion of USNO from the Barisan Nasional.  On 21 February 1984, the Labuan USNO division voted to dissolve itself in support of the handing over of Labuan to the Federal Government.  On 27 February 1984, UMNO Supreme Council voted for the expulsion of USNO from the Barisan Nasional.  The expulsion of USNO from the BN took effect on 15 April 1984, one day before Labuan became a Federal Territory.

“We are not giving away our territory because the Federal Government is in the position to develop the island,” Harris said in his defence.

As a result of his subservience to Mahathir, Federal allocation to Sabah increased tremendously during the years when BERJAYA was in power.  Despite this, in 1986 the poverty level in the state remained at 33 percent, which was higher than the national average of 18.

The spike in Federal allocation to Sabah as a result of Harris Salleh’s subservience
The transfers to Sabah from the Federal government dropped in 1986 when PBS under Joseph Pairin Kitingan won the state.

It was during the Mahathir-Harris master-and-servant relationship that Sabah also almost lost its right to determine its own Immigration policy.

Pairin, in reminding Harris on why he was ousted in 1985 as Chief Minister, reiterated that it was under the latter’s Berjaya Government that the state’s rights were slowly eroded until very little was left.

“The Berjaya Government was on the verge of surrendering Sabah’s immigration powers before it was ousted from power,” said Pairin in a bombshell revelation.

Pairin’s revelation that Harris almost gave Sabah’s immigration rights away to Mahathir before BERJAYA’s rule ended
Even Lim Kit Siang who is Mahathir’s now best-friend-forever wrote that Mahathir must explain the attempt to undermine Sabah’s rights to its own immigration policies.

He wrote: “As the then Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir – who is still very active and alert in the public domain, even plotting to scalp another Prime Minister – should throw light on another long-kept secret in Malaysia on the circumstances and history of attempts in his first four years as Prime Minister in the eighties to abolish Sabah’s state immigration powers as revealed by Joseph Pairin.”

Mahathir the Destroyer (pic courtesy of Wakeup Malaya)

This goes to show that other than Mahathir neither Lim Kit Siang nor Anwar Ibrahim or their respective parties (PRIBUMI, PKR, DAP) can be trusted to look after Sabah’s rights.  But what about Shafie Apdal, once UMNO’s rising star from Sabah?

Shafie’s WARISAN, is seen by many in Sabah as being a proxy of Mahathir’s PRIBUMI.  Many also question Shafie’s honesty in wanting to help Sabahans.

“People ask what he did to develop Sabah when he was in the federal Cabinet. Did he do anything to fight for Sabah autonomy? Even the other opposition leaders are asking these questions,” said Unimas don Dr Arnold Puyok to The Star.

Three village chiefs, Sosor Bin Aling from Kg Mempulut , Simon Sinsuran from Kg Dalit Stesen and Lidy Bin Lunggiri from Kg Pohon Batu said in the 1980s when Mahathir was in power, roads were never repaired and electricity did not reach them.

“Along the way, we were still using kerosene. Road conditions were extremely severe and there was hardly clean water to use. The primary schools were still as in the days of the British. However, the current Prime Minister had given them access to electricity and water supply is currently under installation, ” they said.

They said compared to the last 22 years with the last eight years, Najib Razak as the Prime Minister had helped them to get basic amenities like roads, schools and a clinic.

“We therefore fully support the government led by Najib. He is one of the best leaders compared to Mahathir. Logs were felled at the time of Mahathir and our area was also handed over to the major companies and we did not get any results,” they lamented.

Simon thanked Najib as he approved the construction of SMK Dalit which served about 30 villages.

After building SMK Dalit, their children no longer need to go to Keningau to study at secondary schools.

He hoped Najib would upgrade the clinic at the Dalit station.

Similarly, in Kabulu, they asked for a clinic for the good of the people in the area.

With also the toll-free Pan Borneo Highway which is already under construction set to improve communications and livelihood of Sabahans (as well as Sarawakians), it is only right for Sabahans to know that progress will only happen by having an administration that truly cares for its people and delivers promises.

Not the ones who use arm-bending solutions or those who now turn a blind eye on the said solutions just because they want to try ride on the dictator’s self-imagined ‘popularity.’

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Insider Submarine Trading?

Najib Razak’s reply to Wan Azizah on the Scorpene issue in 2008
In 2008, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, in his reply to Wan Azizah confirmed that all terms and approvals of the procurements of the two units of Scorpene submarines and 18 units of fighter jets were made in accordance with Government procurement procedures and could only be executed by the Finance Ministry.

The inking of the deal to purchase the Scorpene submarines was made in June 2002 when a now-amnesiac Prime Minister was also the Finance Minister then.

In yesterday’s posting I mentioned about Ibrahim mohd Noor being Daim Zainuddin’s proxy and ran Perimekar Sdn Bhd with Mohzani Mahathir out of a bungalow at Jalan Lembah Ledang off Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur.  The fact is that very few people know that Ibrahim had an office there, which also happened to be the base for the creation of Ibrahim’s venture into media and advertising via Blue Inc Sdn Bhd.

Being close to Daim gave him the advantage of ‘privileged knowledge’ and knew when Mahathir finally agreed to to the submarine program.  He teamed up with Mokhzani Mahathir and used Perimekar as the vehicle for this venture. A nucleus team was formed and started on the proposal.  They went to a few reputable German shipbuilders like HDW and Blohm & Voss.

However, at the end of 2001, Daim and Mahathir had a fall out.  Lim Kit Siang, Mahathir’s now best friend, was very observant of this event and commented that the Mahathir-Daim fall-out is not over policy differences on whether to end the policy of bail-outs and buy- outs.

Rather, he claimed, it was “over differences as to who should be the beneficiaries of such government bail-outs and buy-outs at a time when the government must pick and choose the beneficiaries as public resources are stretched to the limit and are incapable of saving all crony companies and individuals.”

Of course, Lim Kit Siang being an old man although not yet as old as Mahathir, suffers from selective amnesia and seems to have forgiven Mahathir for all his sins to the people of Malaysia – as long as the position that gives power is within his grasp.

As a result of the fall out, Ibrahim had to give up Perimekar and his quest to supply the Royal Malaysian Navy with its submarines, and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) took this up.

At the time, Boustead was planning to take over Amin Shah’s Business Focus Group, in particular the PSC Naval Dockyard Sdn Bhd.  Amin Shah, a known Daim crony, privatised the Royal Malaysian Navy’s dockyard during Daim’s tenure as the Finance Minister and injected it into a company he took over, Penang Shipyard Co.

At the time, PSC Naval Dockyard Sdn Bhd already had the contract to supply six out of 27 new-generation patrol vessels  for the RMN, which happened to be a deal between PSC Naval Dockyard Sdn Bhd’s joint-venture with German shipbuilder Blohm & Voss.

It seemed convenient for Perimekar then to also have another deal with a German shipbuilder especially Blohm & Voss.

After Ibrahim was out of the picture and Abdul Razak Baginda’s wife was in Perimekar, the latter shopped around for a suitable submarine.  The DCNS and Thales at the time had a product which was the Scorpene submarine, considered a superior diesel-electric attack submarine at the time and was constructing for the Chilean Navy.

In early 2002, the Malaysian Defence Industry Council was hosted at PSC Naval Dockyard Sdn Bhd in Lumut, and Amin Shah tried to peddle two used Dutch submarines to Najib Razak who was then the Defence Minister.  The submarines, the Tijgerhaai (Tigershark) and Zwaardvis (Swordfish) were ambitiously bought by Amin Shah.  However, Najib Razak was not interested in having two rustbuckets for the RMN.

The Scorpene had incorporated systems that are in use with the French Navy’s nuclear attack submarines, also built by DCNS and Thales.  The proposal also included the very potent Blackshark II torpedoes and MBDA SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.

Abdul Razak Baginda also managed to package together the elite turnkey submarine training with the DCI-NAVFCO at Brest.  Coupled with extensive exercise exposure of the RMN officers and men with their French counterparts in the submarine force at Brest gave the RMN men an exposure to the French Navy’s role and operations as well as tactics used in NATO.

Once the deal was inked in June 2002, Razak never went to Cherbourg again.

And Altantuya? She only existed a few years after the deal was inked. Even a renowned Najib Razak-hater wrote in his book that Abdul Razak Baginda first met in 2004, a good two years after the Scorpene deal was done.


It is interesting to note that the RMN had sent its first batch of officers for submarine training with the Royal Australian Navy in 1992.  They earned their submariners’ dolphin a year later.

And guess which Minister of Defence it was then who mooted the idea of having a submarine force?

The then-Defence Minister replying to a question by Lim Kit Siang in Parliament
So was the plan for Perimekar laid out like a carpet a while before the then Prime Minister gave the go ahead to work out a submarine program for the RMN?

It is impossible for the Prime Minister or Finance Minister then to not know about the purchase of the submarines.  This is not like buying sweets at a Mamak shop.  They cost billions of Ringgits that would still need the approval of the Finance Ministry.

So is Mahathir not afraid of the hereafter peddling one lie after another?

Borrowing the words of a certain Opposition office-holder:

“Allah Knows!”

 

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Scorpene: Who Is Who And What Is What?

Tokong Lim Guan Eng torpedoed Pakatan’s claim in December 2011 when the submarine he was inside DIVED into the depths of the Strait of Melaka. He was on board for 90 minutes (pic courtesy of BigDog)
Now that I have your attention on the Scorpene issue that U-Turn Mahathir has conveniently forgotten (like the PKFZ issue and others), let me take you down memory lane to tell you more about the whole issue. There will be a few corrections pertaining to the timeline as per the previous posting.

Everyone who talks about the Scorpene deal talks about Abdul Razak Baginda and a company called Perimekar Sdn Bhd that supposedly had gotten millions of Ringgits in kickbacks pertaining to the submarine deal.

The original proponents of the Malaysian submarine program were Mokhzani Mahathir and Ibrahim Mohd Noor (who was then then CEO of newly-listed BERNAS, acting on behalf of Daim Zainuddin). They proposed the German Type 212 (an Air-Independent Propulsion version of the Type 209 design) through a company called…wait for it…Perimekar Sdn Bhd, then operating drom a bungalow in Jalan Lembah Ledang off Jalan Semantan in Kuala Lumpur.

However, in 1999 the then-Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), Admiral Tan Sri Abu Bakar Jamal convinced the then Prime Minister (guess who) at the Avillion Layang-Layang Resort for a submarine program purchasing a very capable submarine.

The Prime Minister bought the idea when Admiral Abu Bakar said, to the effect of, “Imagine we (the RMN) could operate in stealth as far as the Sea of Japan and the North Indian Ocean, without anyone finding out.” The green light was given then.

Sometime in September 2001, the ownership of Perimekar Sdn Bhd was transferred to the Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) through Boustead Bhd’s special purpose vehicle called Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd. The Board of Directors of Perimekar Sdn Bhd then were Rear Admiral (Rtd) Hussin Tamby and Mazlina Makhzan, Abdul Razak Baginda’s wife.

The company, together with officials from the RMN sifted through more than 17,000 pages (28 volumes) of technical documents of the Scorpene. After this point, as mentioned in my previous posting, the Secretary-General of Treasury took over the final commercial negotiations. MINDEF, Perimekar et al no longer had any role to play.

The deal to purchase two Scorpene-type submarines from DCNS and Thales was inked in June 2002, when the then-Prime Minister was also the Finance Ministry who would have given the final approval for the procurement. It was signed by all the relevant parties at the Ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur.

The Ministry of Finance was represented by the Secretary-General of Treasury Tan Sri Samsuddin Hitam while LTAT was represented by Dato’ Lodin Wok Kamaruddin.

The consideration for the deal was partly in kind – export of palm oil to France. The final consideration of the deal came from a condition laid by the Ministry of Transport which the French agreed to the day before the deal was inked – for Malaysia Airlines to get the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th landing rights at the Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in Paris.

So, now you know the story behind the Scorpene. Now you know why it is impossible for anyone involved to forget the deal that was made 15 years ago.

Anyone who does forget should not be in politics as it could be a sign of a deterioration of the brain function. And these persons should remember Allah before he finally forgets Who Allah Is.