Everything2Dig

I saw this posted on the Internet:

Bro Azri
22 mins ·
Nothing To Hide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ikhlas,
Khairul Anwar Rahmat
SukaGuam

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continue reading “Everything2Dig”

Land of Vile

Malaysian authorities dig up mass graves along the Malaysian-Thai border, and the cartoon published by Nation News of Thailand (pic by Siakapkeli.my)
Malaysian authorities dig up mass graves along the Malaysian-Thai border near Wang Kelian, and the cartoon published by Nation News of Thailand (pic by Siakapkeli.my)

The Nation recently ran a cartoon that made fun of Malaysia in light of the recent discoveries of human-trafficking camps with mass graves of Rohingyas.  The cartoon was picked up by an AFP correspondent based in Malaysia, Parameswaran Ponnudurai., and was subsequently highlighted by The Malaysian Chronicle. It is all well and good for Thailand that the remains of the Rohingyas as well as the camps are mostly found on this side of the border, not that they do not have any, mind you. The Thais should also remember that while Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to take in 7,000 of these refugees, Thais have adamantly refused to take in any.

So, shame on Thailand for closing an eye on the problems across its western border?  Wait for it.  There is another thing they ought to be ashamed of. In interviews carried by BERNAMA, the luckier Rohingyas spoke about the guards who tortured, raped and killed the rest.

Read from the link and see who they were and if there anything sinister about the Land of Smiles!

Companies And Debts

I’m again sharing this with you:

1MDB:
Jumlah Hutang: RM42 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM50 Billion

CIMB:
Jumlah Hutang: RM398 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM438 Billion

Tenaga Nasional Berhad:
Jumlah Hutang: RM66 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM113 Billion

Sime Darby:
Jumlah Hutang: RM29 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM59 Billion

Gamuda:
Jumlah Hutang: RM5 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM11 Billion

Malakoff:
Jumlah Hutang: RM25 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM29 Billion

IJM:
Jumlah Hutang: RM9 Billion
Jumlah Aset: RM19 Billion

About RM8b of the RM42b debt by 1MDB was inherited when 1MDB took over all those IPPs.

These RM8b are also project financing for the IPP and covered by the IPPs cash flow.

I guess many have forgotten the facts above.

1MDB, IPP et al

I find this a must-share:

Eol Zari
1MDB : A PERSONAL VIEW

E. Zari 18 May 2015.

In the past, I have not said much about the controversial issue surrounding 1MDB. Why 1MDB? What are the roles of 1MDB and its contributions to our national economy? I have been keeping this information to myself for sometimes as I feel it may not be the right time to share with my esteemed readers. However, today I was taken by the information transmitted to me by my close friend. This piece of information is similar to the one which I have been keeping all this while.

I am convinced that this is a non-biased piece of information. Being a LNG Consultant and in the course of my works, I have the opportunity to interact with PETRONAS, TNB, TNB Fuel, PEMANDU, Energy Commission and other known organizations for nearly 3 years from 2011. I help to educate the personnel from PEMANDU, TNB, Energy Commission on the new source of energy – Liquefied Natural Gas as a feed for the power plants and city gas.

My area of specialization is energy. I was once a principal specialist in LNG shipping operations in PETRONAS. I have spent 35 years of my career in this field. Energy is the life blood for infrastructures development and this is a major ingredient for our country in achieving economic progress to become a developed nation.

I leave it to my esteemed readers to interpret on what I have outlined. After all we are human and I expect each and every one of us to have their own views.

Back in 1990s, Malaysia introduced the concept of Independent Power Plant (IPP) for electricity generation. This initiative was under our former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir. The main players who owned the IPPs were Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar, YTL group, Genting and Anand Krishnan. Sime Darby was also one of them but being a Government linked company not much attention was given. These players got the most attractive deal and it was a one sided. The former chairman of TNB, the late Tan Sri Ani Arope, a man of integrity refused to sign the agreements and he voluntarily resigned in protest.

The opposition parties took the Government to task for granting a one sided deal. They argued that it was a “crony’s agreement” and questioned the needs for the Government to grant substantial subsidy to the IPPs. Even in May 2011, one of the opposition members regarded these IPPs as “a major drug factory” that required substantial subsidy from the Government of estimated RM19 billion a year.

In the mid-2011, I was taken as a LNG Consultant to look into the possibility of importing LNG through the Malacca Regas Terminal at Sungei Udang. This terminal is an open gate similar to the one I used to do in United Kingdom – the Dragon LNG Regas Terminal located at Milford Haven in Wales. The Sungei Udang’s LNG Regas Terminal is owned by PETRONAS and the imported LNG is vaporized as gas to flow into the PGU pipelines. This is in view of the insufficient domestic gas from the East Coast of about 950 mmscfd. TNB requires about 1350 mmscfd. The capacity of Sungei Udang is about 500mmscfd or equivalent to about 40 cargoes of imported LNG via the Q Flex LNG ship of capacity 210,000 m3 each.

Actually, I am humble to note that the concept of the floating LNG storage using two of our old LNG ships with an island jetty, the first in the world was mooted by me to the CEO of PETRONAS Gas the ownership of this project. This idea came by while discussing with him in the car on the way to Narita Airport from Tokyo. With this idea, PETRONAS saved for not doing the dredging and a greenfield shore LNG storage which costs would be very substantial.

As a result of the marked disparity between imported LNG and domestic gas price, TNB who earned a thin margin from the IPPs was not able to absorb this disparity in prices and therefore was not able to buy the gas from the imported LNG directly. Ultimately, PETRONAS has to be the importer and therefore a subsidizer.

Under PM Najib, a company, My Power was formed by the Government to initiate renegotiation with the IPPs for a balanced deal. Thereafter, 1MDB purchased the IPP from Ananda in March 2012 and followed by the purchase of Genting in August 2012. Subsequently, in October 2012, Energy Commission announced the decision on the concessionaries agreement with the IPPs. As outlined in this agreement, there is no further extension of concession for the IPP owned by Ananda and also new concessions for the other three IPPs. Only new concessions are to be given to 1MDB and TNB. This new arrangement will ensure that private companies will not earn excessively at the expense of Government’s subsidy.

As a result of the mistake done since 1990s, for the past 20 years an approximate of about RM100 billion was lost by PETRONAS and TNB because of this inferior deal. Actually, credit should be given to PM Najib, Energy Commission and 1MDB for saving our country from this excessive subsidy granted to these favored companies from the earlier regime. To me credit should be given to whom it is due.

Actually, the rates of tariff for consumers for Peninsular Malaysia should be increased by July 2014 and January 2015 under the Fuel Cost Pass Through (FCPT). But it was never increase because the new revised agreement was improved and was more attractive and balanced to TNB, the final purchaser. Instead, the electricity tariff was reduced from March 2015 due to the reduction of coal prices and the reduction of tariff of these IPPs.

Under this new arrangement, TNB started to register substantial profit from 2013, 2014 and the first quarter of 2015. It records a profit of RM2.3 billion in the first 3 months of 2015. Therefore, with this revised arrangement the benefactors are:

1. TNB registers higher profit,

2. The Malaysian consumers benefit from lower tariff partly due to the reduction of oil prices.

3. PETRONAS will not have to incur higher subsidy which in the past benefit only these private companies, and

4. Consumers of electricity are the ultimate winner.

The losers are the original owners of the IPPs. And this may be the reasons why they are not happy with 1MDB and PM Najib even from the senior members of UMNO.

The issue of Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) and the purchase of land by Tabung Haji is insignificant compared with the amount saved by the revision of the agreement initiated by the present Government.

On the other side of the coin, there are allegations by the oppositions for the misused of fund by 1MDB, the role played by Jholow, the disappearance of proceeds from the Petro Saudi investment and latest the controversial sale of a piece of land of about 1.5 acres for RM188 million to Tabung Haji’s subsidiary. These issues started late last year when 1MDB was not able to raise enough fund to pay their loan installment.

The issue is now further twisted and makes it looked as though 1MDB is losing RM44 billion which is not the case. Actually, 1MDB does not lost RM44 billion. What it lost will be the substantial amount of loan repayments which they have to dig from somewhere because of the reversed operating leverage. Temporarily, their current income is not able to cover the loans and other expenses. However, given time they will be able to reverse this situation. Additionally, because of this bad publicity it is feared that Deutsche Bank may request for early settlement as 1MDB is not able to secure additional collateral. We should refrain from speculating further pending the outcome of the Auditor General’s findings which will be available the latest by end June 2015.

Other personalities including the prominent lawyer and former minister, Zaid Ibrahim commented that as the Chairman of 1MDB, Najib should stand up and face this by responding to the allegations. The Chairman of CIMB, who is Najib’s younger brother, during the luncheon meeting also asserted that the Chairman of the Board and its members of 1MDB to do the same.
Continue reading “1MDB, IPP et al”

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

My father is 76 this year. He is still as sharp as ever. He only learnt to use a smartphone about a year ago after the passing of my late brother. He relied much on his trusted Nokia mobile phone until that got spoilt. He now sends and forwards Whatsapp messages to his children and grandchildren. Previously they were all sent as SMS. Of course, some of the messages he forwarded to us make me cringe as they were either older than the age of his smartphone, or unauthenticated; something you would not see if this was 21 years ago when he was still the IGP that he was for 20 years.

Having been the IGP for 20 years means that his opinions, in law and order as well as public moral and safety, count. This he continues to speak out at public forums. When he does so, he would relate it to the history of this nation most would have forgotten, or never experienced. He does so without interfering with or meddling into how the current leadership of the Royal Malaysian Police manages the force, and law and order. He knows his place – he was the IGP. He no longer is one.

I, too, find that as I age, I grow more sensitive. There are times when I wish I am still wearing my uniform. There are times when I wish that the Air Force still runs on the same tradition and system as those times when I was a serving officer. I meet up with veterans from other services as well, and just yesterday I was with a former army commando talking about old times. He keeps talking about “how it was then, as compared to how it is now” something I am also inclined to do.  However, I smiled at him and said, “times have changed. This is the present generation’s time.” I do engage former colleagues and squad mates who are still serving. I give ideas when asked, but always remind myself that I am no longer part of that life I sorely miss.

Tun Dr Mahathir was a towering statesman. For 22 years he managed this country with an iron fist along the line of his favourite Sinatra song, “My Way.” My way or the highway was his style. It was his style that propelled this beloved nation to where it is now. For all the good that he had done, many remember that his ways were often brash and snubbed many people in and out of this country that former Prime Minister of Australia, Paul John Keating, branded Mahathir an incalcitrant.

When Dr Mahathir was at the helm, there were dozens of accusations made against him. From bailouts to cronyism to interference in the independence of the judiciary to name just a few.  Of course when the Bumiputra Malaysia Finance Ltd bailout happened and its auditor got murdered, many of those who cry out against bailouts today were still in diapers. When Perwaja steel was bailed out, the Internet in Malaysia was still in its infancy, hence never received the same level of amplification that the recent “bailouts” have seen.  It was a time when UMNO cohorts thumped their chest and said, “UMNO and the government are one.” I don’t have to dwell on this as Tunku Abdul Aziz and numerous blogs have covered these “abuse of power.”

I don’t care for those in the opposition because it is their job to criticize come what may, but it is those in UMNO who are now taking the same line as the opposition. When the judiciary came under attack for not coming up with a verdict that favoured Anwar Ibrahim, UMNO members were quick to defend the judiciary, or any other government agency for that matter, the Audito-General’s office included.  Now, they too say that the audit report by the Auditor-General may not be transparent or not impartial.

Why the about turn now? Why the change in behaviour from UMNO to becoming the opposition? Why the incessant attack regardless of whatever explanation is offered? Isn’t this the very same opposition method that these same UMNO people criticized and ridiculed? How can public attacks on UMNO’s President be beneficial to UMNO if it means adding friendly fuel to the opposition’s fire?

Of course, now is about now and how best we move forward from here. Calls for Najib Razak to step down have not been accompanied by who should succeed and who should succeed next after the successor. The business continuity plan just isn’t there.  Even Dr Mahathir has stated that he doesn’t know who should lead the nation should Najib step down. So should we continue with this onslaught on Najib?

Dr Mahathir is whom I would describe as a once-in-a-lifetime leader. There is no doubt that I will never live to see another great leader such as he. Sharp, witty, acid-tongued, sarcastic to the point that the west has this love-hate relationship when it comes to Mahathir. I love the legacy he has built for us all, but now I am beginning to have my doubts about the relevance of his spoken facts. It was still okay when in the beginning he asked about 1MDB. However, when he raised the issue of Altantuya not only was he underscoring the opposition’s stand that the judiciary is not impartial, but his act was in contempt of a court decision. Is that the case that he is putting forth? The straw that broke the camel of my respect’s back was the announcement he made on the resignation of the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat. In my eyes the pre-emptive announcement was a low blow. It would have been alright had such an announcement been made AFTER the fact that a resignation had indeed taken place.

How different is that than Anwar’s 16th September 2008 announcement of having the numbers to form a government?  The funny part is, the announcement was spun by pro-Mahathir people as “the trump card of all announcements.”!

Sometimes I wonder if it is the people around Dr Mahathir, especially those in want of something out of all this or just in want of a raison d’etre, who keep prodding the 90-year old to continue attacking Najib? Why are they taking advantage of an old man? Why use him as a shield? Is there no shame in that? That goes to the pro-Najib people too! Why make matters worse by attacking Dr Mahathir and family? Why are you bringing yourselves down to the pro-Mahathir level if you find their methods despicable?

I just wish they would stop the quarrel and leave Najib and the old man and his legacy alone.

Tabung Haji Buys 1MDB Land

I look at the above issue from a layman’s point of view. A slightly different layman that is. When I saw the headlines that discussed this issue I asked myself, “What the heck? Tabung Haji has lots of investments and has invested in many things other than the 1MDB land at the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX).  How the 1MDB acquired the land, at what price whatsoever to me should be left aside as that is not the crux of the matter.  The question now is of Tabung Haji’s decision to acquire the land.

Firstly it was reported that Tabung Haji, or TH, had acquired two pieces of land at the TRX for a hefty sum of RM772 million.  Initially, the Chairman of TH, Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim denied such a deal was made.  A day later the CEO of TH, Johan Abdullah, admitted that only one parcel was purchased at RM188.5 million, not two as reported.  So, TH has bought another piece of land which I assume was done through one of its subsidiaries.  It doesn’t really matter to me if it wasn’t.  Under Section 4(1) of the Tabung Haji Act, 1995 the Board of Directors of TH has the authority to manage the funds including to come out with policies regarding the managing of funds and pilgrims affairs. The question that should be asked here is if the decision to acquire that parcel of land was the correct decision?

TH, I believe like other corporations would, has a set of process that needs to be satisfied before an investment is allowed to be made. There would have to have a department that looks at potential investments or purchases to be made.  They would have to put up a paper and work hand-in-hand with a risk management department that would identify and analyse the risks involve.  The paper would then have to be submitted to a valuation panel before being escalated to an investment panel, while the risk assessment would have to be forwarded to a risk management committee.  The investment panel, upon being satisfied with the investment valuation will then escalate the paper up to the board of directors who in turn will be advised by the risk assessment committee before a go-no go decision is made.  However, TH being a pilgrims fund board, might have to seek the approval of a minister under whose purview it comes under.

I am not in the business of defending anyone. TH’s Investments Panel consists of seven persons including a Chairman, and a representative of the Bank Negara or a professional from the finance sector. If it had gone through the processes and had satisfied all the requirements, then why not? Why are we making such big fuss about the purchase? Would we have batted an eyelid had it been purchased from Phuying Gersang Sdn Bhd?

If you believe there are irregularities in the acquisition process, go ahead and make a police report so the authorities could step in and investigate the matter. There is no point harping on issues that had due process done and help stir things up over nothing if you don’t have evidence of wrongdoings.

Perhaps you scream foul because Azeez screwed up in his denial, or because it was made by Azeez who is said to be closely linked to Rosmah.  But that does not prove anything wrong, does it?

It is a shame that the Opposition is trying to stir shit over something that to a layman like me is not a big issue. It is an even bigger shame that some BN supporters help the Opposition members to stir the same shit.

Like I said. I am not in the business of defending anyone. I just don’t like shit-stirrers.

Marital Rape: Congrats To Allah’s Soldiers

Much have been said about sex in Islam lately, from both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.  This came about when Yeo Bee Yin, the state assemblywoman  for Damansara Utama championed a campaign on rape awareness with the tagline, “Without her consent, it is rape. No excuse.”  This is seen by some as an attack on Islam where there is no such thing as marital rape. No, there is no such thing as a marital rape in Islam, but there are guidelines on the sexual relationship between husbands and wives.  The Quran has more than 20 verses outlining the dos and don’ts between husbands and wives.  While the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has been quoted as saying that a wife has to submit to a husband’s sexual needs even while they are riding the back of a camel as mentioned by the Mufti of Perak, Islam recognizes the women’s need for love, affection and foreplay.  Imam Ibn al-Qayyim reported in his famous “Tibbun Nabawi” that the Prophet (pbuh) forbade in engaging in sexual intercourse before foreplay (al-Tibb an-Nabawi 183, from Jabir ibn Abdullah).

The issue above has caught the attention of many up to the point that non-Muslims are ridiculing Muslims and Islamic practices on the social media.  What drove Yeo Bee Yin, a Christian with known affiliation to the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, to come up with such a campaign tagline is beyond me.  A simpler “Protect Women From Rape“, or “Say No To Rape“, or “Women Expect Men To Protect Them From Rape” would have been more acceptable, instead of creating the perception that Muslims are barbarians whose main reason of existence is to be able to cum as many times as they can in a day.  Perhaps, in her subtle way, Bee Yin was trying to undermine the sanctity of Islam as the Religion of the Federation as stipulated in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.  I will let you decide that on your own.  Maybe Bee Yin et al should also highlight what else God had said about sexual intercourse and how barbaric a religion can be:

1.  For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. (Remember women, you are your husband’s property)

2. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.

3. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (So, wives should not say no to sexual advances by the husbands).

4. The sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine (if you follow this, no semen would have penetrated by 4cm).

5. If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. (Death to gay men).

6. Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves. (Young girls? Is this Islamic? Oh, but Muhammad married a child!)

Now from which verses of the Quran did I pick those up?

1. 1 Corinthians 7:4

2. Proverbs 5:18-19

3. 1 Corinthians 7:5

4. 1 Timothy 1:10

5. Leviticus 20:13

6. Numbers 31:17-18

Perhaps the Christian Evangelists want to have a look at their own backside backyard first before commenting on others’? Once that is done then Bee Yin can again congratulate Allah’s soldiers.

STOP USING RELIGION TO MASK YOUR POLITICAL AMBITIONS, YEO BEE YIN!

Survey: Najib, Mahathir and the 1MDB

I created a survey last week just to find out what people think of the Najib-Mahathir spat regarding the 1MDB affair. The following are the results:

Q1: How do you perceive the 1MDB as?

58% said that it is a scheme that will bring trouble to us all

41% said that it is a good scheme that is badly executed

1% said that 1MDB would benefit the rakyat

Q2: Did Najib asnwer all Dr M’s questions?

79% said NO

20% said SOME

1% said YES

Q3: Does Dr M have the right to question Najib?

97% said YES

3% said NO

Q4: What should Najib do regarding the 1MDB?

52% said he should step down

27% said he should step aside while investigation is being conducted

5% said he should disregard all criticisms and carry on

17% did not agree with any of the above

Q5: Would BN lose more seats in the next general elections because of 1MDB?

70% agreed absolutely

23% somewhat agreed

6% said BN would remain with the same number of seats

1% said BN would gain more seats

Q6: Whom would you support?

95% Dr M

5% Najib

Q7: 1MDB would:

52 % said drag the nation down

47% said benefit only those with interest in 1MDB

1% said benefit the country

The Respondents:

37% of the respondents are aged between 36 to 45;  31% are aged between 46 to 60; 29% are between 21 and 35; 5% are 61 and above.

Demography:

39% of the respondents are from Selangor

30% are from Kuala Lumpur

5% each from Sarawak and Johor

4% are Malaysians living abroad

3% each from Perak, Putrajaya and Pulau Pinang

2% each from Kedah and Pahang

1% each from Melaka, Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah, Negeri Sembilan and Perlis

Labuan did not register any response

The Overseas Respondents:

Of the 4% Malaysians living abroad:

 36% are currently in the United States of America

23% are currently in Singapore

4.5% each from Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea

9.5% took the survey from unknown locations