Tag: Najib

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Lighting The Wrong Path

Alwi_Jantan
Tan Sri Alwi Jantan

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a moderate.  Moderation is what is preached in Islam.  Moderation is what seems to be eroding by the day not just in Islam, but in other religions and cuts across the racial board as well.  And this applies to every single country there is on the face of this Earth.  And to have a group of people advocating moderation is a more-than-welcome effort in this young-but-amnesiac country that seems to have lost all institutional memory of the events that had brought about the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

Reading the The Star’s interview with Tan Sri Alwi Jantan (Torchbearers for founding fathers – Sunday, 4th September 2016) I cannot help but agree to some of his points, but at the same time feel as if there is some form of misguidance, or misinterpretation of the Federal Constitution, and a deliberate misleading on the respected Tan Sri’s part.

I agree that rather than focusing on petty issues such as whether or not the Langkawi statue is haram, the religious councils as well as JAKIM should focus more on the development of correct as well as balanced knowledge on Islamic subjects such as Tauhid, Fardhus Ain and Kifayah.  This is important to counter the influence of deviationists especially that of the Da’esh.  However, religious as well as racial extremism is not confined to Islam alone.  In the name of pluralism as advocated by the G25, there should only be single-stream schools.  Children who do not grow up together will grow up apart. We can never talk about unity and understanding if we do not understand each other.  Preserving the mother-tongue can be done after formal classes are over and this can be done at the school itself, perhaps after lunch. So could the Islamic religious classes. In the latter category, this would ensure that correct teachings are being imparted to the children rather than by private religious schools whose curriculum are not being monitored effectively by the religious councils. Also that way working parents do not need to worry about the whereabouts of their children and can pick them up at school after work, or a similar arrangement could be made.

In a plural society such as ours, the need for our children to grow up together for the sake of unity is paramount. Sending children to separate schools based on mother tongue rather than a common national language is against the spirit of the Constitution. When the Constitution was being drafted for it to be in operation by Merdeka Day 1957, the Reid Commission adopted the Alliance’s (UMNO, MCA and MIC) proposal to establish Malay as the official language of the Federation. However, there were differences on how to go about with this.  Ng Ek Teong, the MCA representative submitted that English should be allowed to be used for official purposes for a minimum of 10 years. MIC was in support of this.  Both MCA and MIC also proposed for Mandarin and Tamil be allowed to be used in the legislatures for a minimum period of 10 years.  UMNO however proposed that English be allowed to be used for a maximum period of ten years after independence. Ng Ek Tong told the Commission that this would only serve as a temporary measure (Colonial Office CO 889/6, Minutes of Alliance hearing before the Reid Commission, 27 September 1956, pp 290-294).  Tunku Abdul Rahman however said:

“At the end of 10 years, the general trend will be that people will still demand for it and the people who propose it now are not sure that they would be there to guarantee it. It is bound to cause a lot of debate later on.” (Ibid.)

Even Lord William Reid himself was not in favour of the proposal by MCA and MIC saying that it would cause practical difficulties (Ibid/Making of the Malayan Constitution, Joseph M Fernando, pp 128-129).  It was for this reason that the Tunku promoted the Rumi script for the Malay language at the expense of the Jawi script to enable the non-Malays to learn the national language rapidly (Tunku Abdul Rahman (1984), op. cit., pp. 112-114).  This has been enshrined in Article 152 of the Federal Constitution as well as in the National Language Act, 1963/1967.

The reality of it now is that the migrant workers from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar are more able to grasp the Malay language than many of our own Identity Card-wielding citizens.  Mind you, they also stood still at Dataran Merdeka while the NegaraKu was being played. Our own citizens refuse to stand up when the NegaraKu was being played in the cinemas, extinguishing the very torch of our founding fathers.

The Constitution is secular only up to a certain point. The Reid Commission, commissioned by both Her Majesty The Queen of England and the Malay Rulers had initially omitted a proposal by the Malay Rulers to have Islam as the religion of the Federation.  Reid saw it fit that matters of religion be handled only by the Ruler of the respective States, and that the special position of the Malays be reviewed after 15 years.

When the report was published, the strongest objections came from the man revered by Malaysians now as the father of multiracialism – Dato Onn Jaafar, who as the leader of Parti Negara said that the Malays had been let down.  PAS claimed that the Malay interests had been cast aside (von Vorys (1975), op. cit., p.132). Hence, the Tunku later submitted that Islam be made the religion of the Federation with two provisos added: first that it would not affect the position of the Rulers as head of religion in their respective States; second, the practice and propagation of other religions to the non-Malays in the Federation would be assured under the Constitution (UMNO/SUA 154/56, Minutes of Alliance ad-hoc political sub-committee meeting, 2 April 1957).

Sir Donald Charles MacGillivray personally felt that such a provision would be advantageous because the Yang DiPertuan Agong could at the same time become the head of the faith in the Settlements of Penang and Malacca (CO 1030/524 (10), MacGillivray to Secretary of State, 25 February 1957; See also CO 1030/524 (18), MacGillivray to Secretary of State, 21 March 1957).

Fast forward to the present, Article 3 of the Federal Constitution has clearly mentioned Islam as the religion of the Federation with the Rulers being the Head of religion in their respetive States, while the Yang DiPertuan Agong becomes the Head of religion in the States of Pulau Pinang, Melaka, Sabah and Sarawak, as well as in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.  It is not an official religion but the religion of the Federation.  The provisos added to safeguard the practice and propagation of other religions are now enshrined in Article 11 with limits to propagate given in Clause 4 of the said Article, to safeguard and honour the position of Islam as the religion of the Federation.

There is even a separation of jurisdiction when it comes to the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution.  The Syariah Law comes under the purview of the respective Rulers, and the Attorney-General of Malaysia, under Article 145(3) does not have the jurisdiction over proceedings before a Syariah court, a native court of a court-martial.  This separation of jurisdition is also present as provided by Article 121(1A) where both the High Court of Malaya and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak do not have any jurisdiction over Syariah matters.  Therefore, the respected Tan Sri should be aware that, borrowing the words of Sir Stamford Raffles in a 1815 letter to his cousin mentioned how “Religion and laws are so united” in Muslim dominated areas that the introduction of Christian beliefs will bring about “much mischief, much bitterness of heart and contention”. (Seademon, A Case For God, 1 Jan 2013) .

Even Act 355, the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act, 1965 (last revised in 1988)  states the following:

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction), 1965.

1. (2) This Act shall apply to all the States of Peninsular Malaysia.

2. The Syariah Courts duly constituted under any law in a State and invested with jurisdiction over persons professing the religion of Islam and in respect of any of the matters enumerated in List II of the State List of the Ninth Schedule to the Federal Constitution are hereby conferred jurisdiction in respect of offences against precepts of the religion of Islam by persons professing that religion which may be prescribed under any written law:

Provided that such jurisdiction shall not be exercised in respect of any offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding three years or with any fine exceeding five thousand ringgit or with whipping exceeding six strokes or with any combination thereof.

The Act, clearly says that it first and foremost, applies to all States of the Peninsular Malaysia. It is not applicable to where the Yang DiPertuan Agong is the Head of religion ie. the Federal Territories, Sabah and Sarawak.  Second, it applies only to Muslims and any matters in List II of the State List of the Ninth Schedule to the Federal Constitution. Third, it cannot propose any punishment that prescribes any jail term exceeding three years, or with any fine exceeding five thousand ringgit, or with whipping exceeding six strokes or with any combination thereof.

Therefore, there is no question of introducing stoning to death, amputation of limbs etc.  Anything above those limitations will be referred to the Criminal Courts.

So, Tan Sri, care to explain how are secularism and pluralism being attacked with examples of provisos of the Federal Constitution or any laws made under it?

Finally, let me quote the interview given by the respected Tan Sri to The Star:

G25 has also expanded its scope to include good governance and tackling corruption. As not only the former head of the PSD but also former secretary-general in the Local Government and Federal Territory Ministry, Health Ministry and Agriculture Ministry, Alwi has focused on good governance, which he calls the precondition for a constitutional democracy: “Those in power must be made accountable for their actions and conduct.”

During his time, civil servants were able to do their jobs without fear or favour, he recalls. “The division of responsibilities between the politicians and civil servants was fairly clear cut.”

But over time good governance has been eroded at an alarming rate, he says.

“There are hardly any more checks and balances.”

What either the good Tan Sri or The Star have also failed to mention is the fact that for more than three years, Tan Sri Alwi Jantan was the Deputy Secretary-General for the Prime Minister’s Department under the founder of Parti Pribumi, Mahathir Mohamad.  Mahathir’s now good friend, Lim Kit Siang, wrote not so long ago, on Thursday, 12 February 2015 at 12.57pm:

“This shows the rot in Malaysia, but it is a rot which was started during Mahathir’s 22-year premiership, and by Mahathir himself!

Today, Mahathir is obsessed with the toppling of Najib as Prime Minister, but this is not because he wanted to stop the rot in Malaysia, to restore the independence and integrity of the judiciary and a just rule of law; to end the subversion of the independence and professionalism of national institutions whether the civil service, the police, the elections commission or anti-corruption agency; eradicate rampant corruption; restore ethics and honesty in public life; re-establish a good education system or restore Malaysia’s economic competitiveness.

Mahathir wants Najib out as the Prime Minister for Malaysia, not to stop the rot which was started by him during his premiership, but for an agenda personal to himself.

This is the rot of Hamlet in Malaysia.”

I’m surprised the good Tan Sri had made no mention whatsoever of this episode.  And he was a civil servant by definition, under the tutelage of the Pribumi person himself and remained in public service until 16 April 1990, thirteen years before Mahathir steped down.

So, Tan Sri, it is good that you want to become the torchbearer of the founding fathers of this blessed nation. However, please ensure that you are on the right path first before you decide to light that torch and guide others.

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Au·thor·i·tar·i·an

JOSEPH PAIRIN KITINGAN / KOTA KINABALU
Pic courtesy of NSTP/Datu Ruslan Sulai

Former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan knows very well what Mahathir would do to those he hates.  He experienced that first hand in 1990 when Mahathir went all out to try depose him as Chief Minister. Pairin was Chief Minister of Sabah from 1984 to 1995.

Speaking to reporters after receiving a courtesy visit from the Kadazandusun Cultural Association Youth Council yesterday Pairin said that when Mahathir is a ‘political animal’ who, when he does not like a person, would go all out (to get the person out of his way).

Therefore, it comes as no surprise to Pairin when Mahathir would form a new party and work with his enemies just to try force Najib Razak out of office.

In politics, anything goes – wrote Awang Selamat, a pseudonym used for Utusan Malaysia’s editorials. And that includes trying to erase his dark past by working with DAP’s Lim Kit Siang whom he had put behind bars without trial during his tenure.  It was Mahathir whom had planted the idea that DAP is nothing less than the enemies of the Malays and what Malaysia stands for, in the mind of the Malay masses.  Equally disgusting is Lim Kit Siang whom had spent most of his life in DAP slandering Mahathir as being the most corrupted dictator, now seen being in the same bed with Mahathir.

Another person who would know Mahathir well is Tan Sri Musa Hitam, who was Mahathir’s deputy from 1981 to 1986. While he described Mahathir as “observant, innovative, and meticulous” he also used the words “authoritarian, contemptuous, and belligerent”.

In an article by The Star, Musa said Dr Mahathir could be pleasant and engaging at times, but would often come off as being disinterested in dialogue or debate.

“Discussion and debate were never the order of the day,” he wrote in his book ‘Frankly Speaking’ which was recently launched by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Perak.

memali-dr-mahathir-dan-musa-hitam
“Discussion and debate were never the order of the day.” – Musa Hitam describing Mahathir

In his book Musa wrote:

“Malaysia today is going through a difficult transition. Trying to establish a mature democracy after more than two decades of authoritarian rule is not easy. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the current, more open political system will continue. Malaysia would, in fact, find itself gripped by reactionary forces that even now are advocating policies and practices that – if adopted – would eventually result in the country becoming a failed state.”

This was echoed by the former Grand Mufti of Jordan, Professor Dr Amin Mohammad Sallam al-Manasyeh in an interview with the portal MalaysiaGazette. “I am of the opinion that if Allah gives him (Najib) time, he will continue to develop and position Malaysia as the best country in the world. That’s what I think about him,” he said in the interview.

I, too, had doubts about Najib Razak’s ability to do well as the leader of this country.  Up until April of 2015 at least, I and like-minded friends did not think that he would last in the face of relentless acrid attacks by Mahathir. By May, Mahathir faltered and changed goalposts several times while Najib Razak stood firm, unwilling to budge even a bit.  Most of us saw that the light shone by Najib in the tunnel of lies made by his detractors is far brighter than the one shone by Mahathir.  And this year, Mahathir received multiple slaps first in the form of the resignation of his son Mukhriz as the Menteri Besar after being told by the Council of Regent of Kedah that he had lost majority support of the State Assembly.  This was followed by his own resignation from UMNO. Then came the hattrick wins in Sarawak, Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar elections where, despite Mahathir’s claims, Barisan Nasional still won. And then he was conned by his own people for faking more than half a million signatures of people reportedly in support of his ‘Save Malaysia’ declaration.

mukhriz
Mukhriz, seen here with Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, Chairman of the Council of Regent of Kedah (right), and council member Tan Sri Tunku Abdul Hamid Thani, leaving the Wisma Darul Aman after a meeting with the Council of Regent.

One would think that at 91, Mahathir would take it slow and call it a day.  Well, that is not Mahathir. In the end he sets up another political party called Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) where Najib’s former deputy Muhyiddin Yassin becomes the pro-tem President, and his son Mukhriz the pro-tem Treasurer.  And where is Mahathir in this party? He positions himself as Lim Kit Siang has – the Puppet Master.  Despite being a political giant, Muhyiddin has all but lost support in Pagoh and Muar.  Many Johoreans still remember him for his sins committed against the Malays. He would now have to find another seat to contest in.  Otherwise his political career is as good as over.

Admitted to the National Heart Institute for medical complications the day his party’s registration form was submitted to the Registrar of Societies, Mahathir’s first act upon being ill was to post a blog article attacking Najib, not taking care of his health or coming to a realisation that his days as a mortal are numbered, and that instead of creating more sins, he should repent. No, things like that never seem important to Mahathir. And neither would the parasites who call themselves “his advisers” advise the old man to slow down. Instead, they feed his anger, and he in turn feeds them for making him angry. And Mahathir should remember that whenever he, the authoritarian, gets angry, he loses support.  Zuraidah Ibrahim aptly puts it in the South China Morning Post:

Instead of departing on his terms, as he did in 2003, he may now find himself leaving the scene a loser.

For Najib Razak, it is business as usual. As in the old adage wrongly attributed to Thomas Jefferson:

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

And like a rock does he stand.

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4 Conmen

4 Corners? Is that the thing that produced a show on Najib for Australia’s ABC recently?

It seems that Mahathir has lost it totally and is reduced to the role of a vinyl record with a scratch, repeating the same things over and over again.

Let us see what Salleh Said Keruak has to say about the TV story highlighting stale and pathetic issues:

STATEMENT ON ABC’S ‘FOUR CORNERS’ BY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS

30 March 2016
The Four Corners programme is another attempt by Tun Mahathir to use Western media as part of his Anti-Najib Campaign. Having lost his attempt to topple the Prime Minister in UMNO and in Parliament, Tun Mahathir has no option left but to exploit other channels like Western media, whom he vilified when in power, and join forces with political opponents like Lim Kit Siang, whom he jailed when in power. 

 

Unfortunately, the journalists accepted the narrative they were presented hook, line and sinker. Weaving together a disparate set of events, they interviewed only Tun Mahathir and members of his Anti-Najib Campaign, who have publicly confirmed their intention to overthrow a democratically-elected government. There is no attempt at balance, and no proof provided to justify the wild claims.
The facts are:
1. Hussain Najadi had no involvement with AmBank since the 1980s. The Prime Minister’s accounts were opened in 2011. By then, Mr Najadi had not been part of Ambank for nearly thirty years, and had no involvement whatsoever in the accounts. Authorities such as the Royal Malaysian Police have confirmed that Mr Najadi never lodged any reports related to the Prime Minister’s accounts while he was alive. The murder of Mr Najadi was comprehensively investigated by the police and court process has taken place. There was no link whatsoever to the Prime Minister. 
2. Kevin Morais’ employer, the Attorney General, has publicly confirmed that Mr Morais was never involved in any investigation relating to 1MDB or the Prime Minister. Furthermore, Mr Morais was transferred from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to the Attorney General’s Chambers in July 2014, a year before the investigation into 1MDB was even launched. It was therefore physically impossible for Mr Morais to have written any 1MDB-related charge sheet. His murder has been comprehensively investigated by the police, following which individuals were charged and will be tried in court. One of those charged was investigated by Mr Morais, but the case had no link to 1MDB or the Prime Minister. 
3. Regarding Altantuya Sharibuu, the Prime Minister has made clear that he did not know, had never met, had never had any communication with and had no link whatsoever with her. Comprehensive legal process has taken place, including police investigations and court trials, including at Malaysia’s High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court. At no point during any of these legal stages was the Prime Minister implicated, even indirectly. The two guilty parties have been convicted and sentenced. They were not the Prime Minister’s personal guards – this is an intentionally misleading allegation that has been used to create false conspiracy theories. They were members of a police unit that provides rotating security for government officials and visiting dignitaries. The Prime Minister was not aware of the actions of the individuals until their arrest. 
It has been confirmed by the police, public prosecutor and the courts that these three tragic deaths were in no way linked to the Prime Minister. As these murders have undergone comprehensive police investigations and court process, these malicious allegations are therefore an affront not just to the Prime Minister, but also to Malaysia’s police, judiciary and criminal justice system as a whole. 
Tun Mahathir and the Anti-Najib Campaign have been trying to attack the Prime Minister on these issues for years. But there is absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing, and there never will be – because these allegations are entirely false smears motivated by political gain.
DATUK SERI PANGLIMA DR SALLEH SAID KERUAK

MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIA‎

Repeating issues is nothing new if it comes from Mahathir. He must have learnt it from someone who used to work for someone like him – a dictator. The name of the person was Paul Joseph Goebbles.

The following picture sums Mahathir up:

Courtesy of Scott Thong
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Pillow Talk

  
The Attorney-General has decided not to proceed with the case of the RM2.6 billion donated into a special account bearing the Prime Minister’s name as the account holder with two persons nominated to administer the account on Najib’s behalf.

That has prompted  the Director for Special Operations of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, Datuk Bahari Md Zin stating to the press that he will appeal on the AG’s decision. MACC also issued a press statement saying that it will forward the AG’s decision for a review by the commission’s Operations Assessment Panel (PPO).

  
As a layman, I now feel that the MACC is being run and managed by amateurs. They should first and foremost know that the Attorney-General has the final say whether or not a case should be instituted, conducted or discontinued, other than cases that come under the Syariah Law, the native court, or a court-martial. This is specified in Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

MACC’s PPO does not have the jurisdiction nor authority to review the decision of the Attorney-General. It only acts as a “check and balance” mechanism for cases that are being investigated as well as cases that have been acknowledged by the commission for prosecution or cases that the commission has recommended to be closed. You can read further the terms of reference of the MACC’s PPO here.
How is it that such a body that is supposed to be run by professionals who uphold the law and theintegrity of the commisssion not know of its own limits and boundaries that it starts to act ultra vires?

There is a saying in the military that if one is a Corporal, the wife is a Sergeant. In the case of Datuk Bahri, his wife must be the Head of MACC.

 The question is, how much does Datuk Bahri’s wife know of the investigation into the RM2.6 billion donation, or of any other investigation? What kind of pillow talk have this couple been having?

Perhaps the police should investigate Datuk Bahri under Section 8(1)(d)(iv) and (e)(iv) of the Official Secrets Act, 1972, and investigate the wife under Section 8(2) of the same Act. If this is how a senior ranking officer of the MACC behaves, I wouldn’t be surprised if in wartime, he would spill everything to the enemy.

Talking about the police, the MACC has a lot to learn from this organisation from where the MACC once came from. The police has had thousands of cases deemed as “No Further Action” and you don’t see them whining on the Internet like spoilt brats or like undergraduates with alleged perforated stomach. The integrity of the MACC is virtually ZERO!

They should have their feet firmly planted on terra firma. This is not Bollywood! So start behaving professionally!

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Chaotic Kedah

Two years ago when I attended a meeting with an armed forces veterans association in Kedah I was briefed on some of the problems the association was facing and they asked me if there was anyone above the level of the State Secretary that I would know. I said I don’t have a direct access to the Menteri Besar but I know a few people who actually do; to which they replied:

“Tak payahlah jumpa Mukhriz, tuan. Dia bukan buat kerja pun! Asyik dok hantaq pegawai dia ja!” (There’s no point in meeting with Mukhriz, sir. He doesn’t work! He only sends his officers (to do his errands)!

I was taken by surprise. I follow Mukhriz’s Instagram account and in the early days as the Menteri Besar he would wear a jubah and attend prayer sessions in the kampungs. Even when the Prime Minister decided that Mukhriz was to become the Menteri Besar in the days leading up to the last general elections I thought it was the most correct decision although many quarters in Kedah was upset.

That all stopped just before the end of Ramadhan last year. After Aidil Fitri his account was filled with selfies with Siti Nurhaliza, Ramli Sarip, Jamal Abdillah and even Upin et Ipin! Nothing wrong with those but I happen to revisit his Instagram timeline to see if there’s any difference then and now.

Is the current chaos about Najib versus Mahathir? I doubt that very much. But the complaint about Mukhriz not meeting the rakyat, associations or even Ketua Bahagians did not stop with the complaint I received two years ago. Another group of veterans from Kedah whom I met at a reunion of Air Force veterans in Kuantan early last year also revealed the same complaints. Therefore it isn’t just the UMNO politicians who are complaining about him but also the normal Joe on the street!

Now whether or not certain UMNO quarters harbour the ambition of becoming the next Menteri Besar or not is a small matter compared to the grouses the rakyat have against Mukhriz’s administration. The complaints range from the only development Mukhriz has brought about in Kedah is to build a mall ona piece of land donated by the First Mufti of Kedah for a mosque to Mukhriz doesn’t run this state, his two officers do. UMNO Kedah insiders apparently know who these two officers are!

While the supporters of Mukhriz quicky claimed that the anti-Mukhriz movement could not gather the numbers when meeting the UMNO President yesterday, the report I received show otherwise:

  
To remove Mukhriz it would have to be done in accordance with the Kedah State Constitution and that is through the Sultan or Council of Regents, or through a vote in the state legislative council. While majority of the UMNO ADUNs are against Mukhriz, five were absent from the meeting. Assuming the five are for him, the group opposed to him would need the support of both MCA and PAS. Both PKR and the sole rep from Amanah would definitely have to take the cue from their masters in the DAP.

It is very important for those in UMNO opposed to Mukhriz to get a majority support because this can be quite different to the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis.

  
On a side note, Mahathir once changed the Kedah Menteri Besar despite getting much opposition from the Kedah UMNO but of course “My Way” was Mahathir’s way, and he believes it still is. A lesson for Mukhriz and others to learn, and Mukhriz has recently agreed with is that you can only remove a leader through legal means, and this will be a lesson he will long remember.

  
The irony of it all is Muhyiddin’s latest press statement in support of Mukhriz . This coming from a coward who backstabs his boss in order to be on top is surely the joke of the year this far.

This Brutus-wannabe ought to keep his dirty mouth shut and continue reading his two favourite tabloids for facts and continue living in a dream world.

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A Negative Proton

Protons are supposed to be positive charged. Somehow, that is not part of the traits of our beloved Proton. Don’t get me wrong. Proton has mostly churned out good cars. My first car, the Proton Saga Megavalve, was with me for 16 years before I used a Perdana V6. It was only in 2011 that I switched to a Japanese model and is still using it. Entitled to a Kia Sorento from the company I prefer using a Proton Pesona because it’s zippy, reliable, and fits me going to either Hilton Sentral for meetings or to drive  into a construction site. I love Proton, but I don’t love the case the Protun group has put through:

  

 The above post invited a rebuttal by their opponents:

 I don’t know who are the Protun people trying to kid.

Proton started off with RM6 billion for two plants. It became very profitable in the mid 1980s and 1990s that its distributor EON, bought a bank and named it EON Bank! Over 30 years the Research and Development costs have totalled RM18 billion. However, Proton also has to pay royalty to Mitsubishi and as at 2003, that has amounted to RM17 billion. I’ll leave the total up to 2015 to your imagination.

Then for some reason Proton lost its edge and perhaps the drive and direction that Petronas had had to bail Proton out with a at least RM1 billion injection . Coincidentally both Petronas and Proton share the same adviser.

Don’t forget Proton also lost about RM1 billion (estimated) after discarding MV Agusta and Lotus! Bad management decision after a bad advice I assume.

In the end, Khazanah has had to step in through the acquisition of shares that must have cost around RM1 billion!

After 30 years in operation and RM44 billion spent, Proton still cannot make its own cars and have to rely on designs and engines from outside and is probably no different to Naza that sells rebranded cars. Yet it needs a capital injection of RM3 billion to produce new models! Three months later, Proton requested for a RM1.7 billion grant from theEconomic Council chaired by Najib Razak. 

So more needs to be injected using the taxpayers’ money after 30 years while the rakyat will have to be contented with buying overpriced cars. While 1MDB has all but settled its problems, Proton is still looking for a business model that works and that after 30 years!

Instead of blindly attacking 1MDB and other efforts by the Najib administration, Mahathir should just focus on steering Proton the right way towards profatibility and giving the rakyat the access to affordable quality cars.

And instead of spending millions on birthday bashes for him, maybe Mahathir ought to ask his cronies to take up equity in Proton and actually work for money.

He would whine less and be less grumpy when at least one of his efforts actually works.

  

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Off With His Head

Off with his head, and set it on York gates;
So York may overlook the town of York.

(William Shakespeare, 1592 – Henry VI Part III)

Shouts of “Pecat (Expel)” and “Nyanyuk (Senile)” reverberated the hall where UMNO President, Najib Razak, gave a closed-door briefing to UMNO divisional and state committee members on the issues of the 1MDB, the RM2.6 billion donation and the accusation by his deputy (also his former Deputy Prime Minister) Muhyiddin, and former Prime Minister Mahathir made saying that the people of Malaysia will soon become beggars.  Both Muhyiddin and Mahathir made this claims countless times in spite of various explanations and proof saying otherwise. Of course, in Mahathir’s own words:

"I don't have enough evidence" - Mahathir
“I don’t have enough evidence” – Mahathir
This is why he started off attacking Najib and the 1MDB with the claim that RM42 billion had gone missing to 1MDB is a debt-laden company. Idiots would be quick to accept Mahathir’s statement as the 1MDB is a government company. However, those with brain and usage of brain cells know that although the 1MDB started off with a RM42 billion debt, it is backed by assets worth RM51 billion. The RM42 billion is not even the rakyat’s money. In comparison, if you earn RM3,000 a month, and purchase a car worth RM70,000, you are debt-laden, especially if you stay in a rented house with no other assets to back you up. And it is not just YOUR money, it is also the money you use to support your family.

Now why does one still want to harp on  an issue when one does not have evidence of any wrongdoing? Why should an UMNO member add more fuel to the fire set by the Opposition? In my world that is called treason!

On the economy, removing Najib is not going to get the oil prices to go up. The economy will not improve and jobs created with the removal of one person. To believe so is bordering on senseless stupidity. Our current economic fundamentals are nowhere near what it was when Mahathir was at the helm in 1997-98. Sometimes I am inclined to believe that Mahathir allowed Anwar to err in order to find a solid reason to remove the latter whom he found to be a threat to his position (You can read more about it here).

Malaysia’s competitiveness ranking is 18th in the world, and first in the Islamic world. Malaysia’s GDP rose 61% from RM202.26 billion in 2009 when Najib took over the helm to RM326 billion!

Despite claiming that Malaysians now eat grass daily to stay alive (or become beggars as mentioned by Mahathir), Malaysians bought 103% more cars in October 2015 compared to October 2014. Car sales as at end of October for 2015 stands at 541,142! No wonder the people are eating grass! They would rather spend money on cars!

  
As for the 1MDB issue, you can read all the explanations on their website. Google the URL. 

Muhyiddin…

Muhyiddin is a different animal altogether. He is one person who can show disrespect then change his tune. Just look at how as a Johorean and one who claimed he has the support of the Istana, Muhyiddin did not wear the white band on his songkok as a symbol of state mourning just a day after the late Tunku Jalil Iskandar of Johor was buried.

  
It seems that Muhyiddin has a knack for using the Malays to achieve his goals – including selling the Malays out. Those who were born after 1980 may not remember how Muhyiddin was kicked out of Johor as the Menteri Besar in the 1990s by the then Sultan of Johor but was saved by Mahathir. You can read more about Muhyiddin’s sins to the Johor people HERE.

I will tell you this story about Muhyiddin and Mahathir as it was what my comrades and I had bitterly experience back in 1998.

For those who watched the live telecast on RTM when two Malaysians made it to the summit of Mount Everest. There was a teleconference between Mahathir and the Team Leader and Mahathir asked who the two Malaysians were. When the Team Leader replied “M Nagappan and M Magendran” in a disappointed voice Mahathir asked, “Siapa lagi?”

Mahathir seemed disappointed that his “countrymen” has made it to the too while the Malay climbers did not. I was at the Malaysian Ex-Commandos Club on Jalan Kelantan up Federal Hill in late 1997 when its then President, the late Rahim King, instructed us to form a team to regain the Malay honour by skydiving at the North Pole. Rahim became the Chef de Mission. Another former Air Force commando, Aziz Ahmad, was assigned the Team Leader, in-charge of selection and training, while I became the Deputy Team Leader in-charge of logistics and planning. Captain Datuk Azmi Hamid Bidin was made in-charge of the support team based in Malaysia to iron out finances and other support. It was an all-Malay team, to be supported by a television crew from TV3 as the official media. Initially TV3 had offered Karam Singh Walia, a renowned broadcast journalist, but we were told it had to be an all-Malay team.

To cut a long story short, Anwar had started his nepotism and cronyism battle-cry and the exonomy was really bad that members of Mahathir’s cabinet shunned him – afraid of being seen to support Mahathir in case Anwar manages to depose of his mentor. Our expedition’s launching ceremony on the 30th March 1998 broadcast live on TV3 had Mahathir attending alone without his cabinet ministers, not even Muhyiddin who was then the Minister for Youth and Sports. That was how Muhyiddin repaid the kindness to the man who saved him. That was how lonely Mahathir was in 1998.

The expedition departed for Moscow early April 1998 after Anwar announced in parliament that the finances for the expedition had been finalised, when it really wasn’t. We almost did not make it to the North Pole if it weren’t for people like (then) Datuk Adzmi Wahab, Managing Director of EON Berhad; Datuk Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi, Foreign Minister; and my friend Zahid Hamidi who was the UMNO Youth Chief. Anwar, Muhyiddin never responded to calls for help even from Capt Datuk Azmi when we were being threatened by the organisers who were all ex-Soviet military and  I believe with obvious links to the Russian mafia.

Muhyiddin is a chameleon, a self-serving one who would go to lengths to achieve his personal goals, even at the expense of selling out the Malays, or to switch political camps faster than he changes his underwear.

If the Malays in UMNO and the people of Pagoh still do not realise the potential harm this man could do, then the Malays are doomed.

He will be like Darth Vader, loyal to the Emperor until it’s time to protect his self-interest.

  

Off with his head!

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I.S.A 2.0 Ad Nauseam

  
There was a time when dissidents could not even voice out freely. Anyone found criticising a certain then-Prime Minister would be hauled up and locked up without any chance of trial. Judges who do not toe the line get removed or sidelined. And at virtually every function attaended bybthis former Prime Minister Sinatra’s “My Way” would reverberate the function hall, a subtle reminder of how things should be run – thise who resist will be given a free ride to the Kamunting detention centre thanks to the Internal Security Act (ISA). Coincidentally this former Prime Minister now joins the call for more freedom of speech when in the past he got expelled from UMNO for criticising the then Prime Minister for, among others, NOT executing Chinese prisoners.

Today, Malaysians speak freely. Yet they still claim voices of dissent are being stifled. Anwar Ibrahim, the so-called victim of political conspiracy (apparently his proponents claim the government provided an arse to be buggered and poor Anwar couldn’t resist getting himself in deep shit) could still make political statements from behind bars even to the international media.

People ask me, is the National Security Council Act going to be ISA 2.0?

Miss Lim Sian See writes the following:

In 2011, ISA an the Emergency Ordinance 1969 was repealed by govt. These two acts had powers that were wide-ranging and had taken effect for decades.
Since then, the govt has passed several bills to give back some powers that were missing from those two acts.
– When SOSMA was introduced, Pakatan said it was ISA 2.0.

– When the Peaceful Assembly Act was introduced, some also called it ISA 2.0.

– When the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) was introduced, they called it ISA 2.0,

– When the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was introduced, it was also called ISA 2.0
And recently, the National Security Council (NSC) bill was introduced and passed, the same people and international human rights groups are calling it ISA 2.0 too.
The NSC bill allows the National Security Council to declare certain areas as a security area, Once declared, security forces deployed “may without warrant arrest any person found committing, alleged to have committed or reasonably suspected of having committed any offence under any written laws in the security area”.
The scope and powers under the NSC bill are very similar to those under the Emergency Ordinance where 92 emergency ordinances, five to six parliamentary acts, and hundreds of subsidiary legislations actually gave more power to the Federal Govt for the 42 years from 1969 to 2011 – all of which were lifted by Najib’s govt.
For example, under the EO the federal government can make laws that are under a state’s jurisdiction such as on land matters – something that the NSC does not have.
During these 40 years, the EO which was already in effect did not affect our country’s progress. The NSC bill provides us with the ability to implement EO-type rules only in specific areas and only IF there is a specific terrorism or security threat as deemed necessary by the NSC.
Any renewal to the security areas are also to be passed by parliament.
It is thus clear that the NSC powers are less than the EO powers. Also, no security areas have been declared – unlike the EO where the entire country was under Emergency law for 42 years. 
Many may have forgotten that France implemented a state of emergency and closed all its borders less than a month ago after Paris was attacked leaving 130 persons dead,
France parliament have now voted to extend the emergency for 3 months and there is talk that the emergency period will be extended indefinitely,
Since the declaration of that emergency, France police have conducted more than 2,200 raids on homes and businesses, detained 232 people, restricted the movements of many others – banned 22 people from leaving the country and confined nine of them to their homes -, freeze assets and closed 3 mosques.
These acts by the France police are exactly the same concerns that critics of the NSC bill have – but strangely, these very same critics do not criticize France for doing what the NSC bills allow our govt to do.
Should a “Paris attack” occur in Malaysia first before these critics finally understand why the government needs to put these laws in place and then they will keep quiet?
What the government has done is to ensure that, in the event of a similar attack like in Paris, Malaysia is legally equipped to move as quickly as France did,
The prior laws passed such as POTA, PCA, SOSMA were more preventative laws, The NSC laws are designed to allow the Govt to legally and swiftly act IF such attacks like in Paris happens and allow for a much stronger response,
For all the multiple times the opposition have cried ISA 2.0 or “uncharted territory:, it cannot be denied that the old ISA and EO were still much worse and unfair than what we have as replacement laws -which has more checks and balances.
Recent threats and attacks world-wide leaves Malaysia no choice but to be equipped legally to either prevent or respond decisively should such attacks happens in this country.
—

http://www.wsj.com/articles/french-authorities-close-four-mosques-during-state-of-emergency-1449079003

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Loose Talks Sink Ships

  

A friend wrote this to me:

“I disagree with Sanusi Junid that Najib is the person that made UMNO weak.
Mahathir is the root cause of UMNO weakening. But he did make UMNO strong once during the past 16 years.
Statistics don’t lie.
1999 GE, Mahathir made UMNO lose a staggering 24% of their seas – down 22 seats from 93.
2004.- Mahathir made UMNO strong by retiring from politics, no longer contesting and keeping quiet and letting his replacement do his work. 
Immediately, UMNO won 53% more seats and jumped from 71 seats to 109 – in the best results ever for UMNO and BN.
2008: Mahathir made UMNO weak again by continuously attacking and treasonously attacking his own party over years – which made UMNO weak again by losing 38% seats.
In 2013, Najib won 9 more seats for UMNO – hence strengthening UMNO.. Mahathir was also relatively quiet this period.
Najib inherited an UMNO that already has partners that have been rendered weak. UMNO with the remnants of supporters of its partners not only have to fend off attacks from the Opposition but also now from those who cling onto Mahathir for meagre amount of morsels to remain relevant in their dreams. It is these attacks that further divided UMNO into the circus it is now. Lest we forget the younger and opportunistic vultures who help pick the flesh off others.

Thus, this is indisputable proof where we can draw two conclusions:
1) Mahathir is the main cause of UMNO weakening. 
2) If you want UMNO to be strong, ask Mahathir to shut-up.”

I have said this again and again. STFU and let the authorities do their work. The more you feed fuel to fire, the bigger it will burn.

But not everyone has the brain power to understand simple logic such as that.

If you go back to the early 1980s, it was Mahathir who prodded Sulaiman Palestine to mount a challenge against Tun Hussein Onn. Then urged Ku Li to take on Musa Hitam. Those in their 30s wouldn’t remember how UMNO split into Team A and Team B after Ku Li in turn challenged Mahathir and UMNO was declared illegal soon after. And because of the Team A and Team B spat, Mahathir changed the UMNO constitution into the form it is now and changed how an UMNO President is elected. Oh! How can we forget that because of the Team A and Team B thing Mahathir fired several ministers as well – Pak Lah, the late Ajib Ahmad and a few others.

Then Mahathir also lost Kelantan in 1990 to PAS. That was the biggest blow to BN that time, only to be outdone again during his time in 1999. Who remembers the Wan Mokhtar-Yusuf Noor spat and why it happened?

Musa was too smart for Mahathir. Everyone knew this. The MM (Mahathir-Musa) partnership was more a “don’t step on my toes and I don’t step on yours” relationship. In the end, Mahathir used the mishandling of the Memali incident to oust Musa Hitam. He did not stop at that. He had Ghafar Baba as his deputy, but his real sight was on Anwar.

Ghafar was that pleasant and docile deputy everyone would have loved to have, but not as a successor. Anwar had a lot of following especially from his former organisation, ABIM. Mahathir used the late Rahim King’s organisation, Kelab Bekas Komando Malaysia, to pave the way for Anwar’s rise and to remove any opposition to Anwar. In the end, Ghafar, a true UMNO loyalist, was dropped in a disgraceful manner helped by hidden hands.

UMNO was weak. Members were tired of Mahathir who had by then overstayed his welcome. The onybreason they were still supporting him was because of his choice for deputy – Anwar Ibrahim. Finally, UMNO had found a young and energetic character to be able to replace Mahathir and everyone waited for that day.

Of course, unbeknownst to both Mahathir and the Special Branch then, Anwar was engaging in unhealthy activities that the DAP had known since 1984 but brought it to the surface in 1997 by the late Karpal Singh, and subsequently given the title “Sheikh al-Anwar al-Juburi” by some people’s new hope: Mat Sabu.

Naturally when Mahathir fired Anwar and sacked the latter from UMNO, the party weakened even further. In the 1999 elections even Sanusi fell victim to the people’s wrath against Mahathir. Members of the Actors Studio were seen taking to the streets in support of the “Reformasi” movement giving ad hoc interviews to Maria Ressa from CNN then saying “We are tired of Mahathir! He must go!”

Mahathir’s move against Najib has also gained support from the member of a certain state’s royal family. The irony is in 1983 it was this royal family member’s late grandfather whom Mahathir was trying to prevent from becoming the Yang DiPertuan Agong. Almost weekly a Nuri helicopter would fly the then-Prime Minister to Kuala Kangsar to convince the late Sultan Idris, who also happened to be the maternal grandfather to this member of the Royal family, to become the Yang DiPertuan Agong instead. Fate had it that Sultan Idris passed on in early 1984 and Sultan Iskandar ascended the throne of the Yang DiPertuan Agong in April of 1984.

It was during this seemingly invisible interference by Mahathir that had caused a constitutional crisis that almost saw the civilian government being overthrown by the military. The only problem the military had was its lack of contact with the general population and needed a bridge in the form of the police. Although the police supported the idea but they thought it was not the right time for a coup and it failed. The constitutional crisis did not rear its head again until 1993 when the powers of the Rulers Institution was greatly reduced.

So, UMNO gets blamed for everything when it was all done by Mahathir for himself, or for those close to him. And as mentioned, Pak Lah inherited a weak UMNO from Mahathir. All the previous UMNO proxies were not allowed to help finance BN after Mahathir stepped down. Mahathir left taking all the UMNO proxies with him. UMNO was left not only weak, it was also left poor, save for whatever was handed to Pak Lah.

The government now has Revenue Recovery Committee to recover lost government revenue, it is time that UMNO has one too.

As confidence in Malaysia continues to weaken helped by with no thanks to Mahathir and his hanger-ons who keep burning the party on the pretext of saving it, both UMNO and PAS now suffers from trust deficit and the likely winner in all this would be DAP and the Gerakan Harapan Baru.

And by Mahathir’s logic, only Najib should shoulder the blame when it is his loose talks that helped sink the ship.

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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.