In this blog posting, No News Is Bad News is re-posting a dozen news commentaries and analysis for the convenient reading of visitors and regular readers.
There’s certainly no lack of hot news in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) Malaysia.
The compilation of news are reproduced from the Malaysian-banned online news portal Malaysia Chronicle and is certainly more than enough to whet the reading appetite of political news followers:
"BOMBSHELL: OBAMA THE LATEST VICTIM OF NAJIB’S ‘STOLEN BILLIONS’ – 1MDB TENTACLES SNAKED INTO THE WHITE HOUSE
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
WASHINGTON – Malaysia’s government-fund scandal, one of the world’s biggest alleged white-collar crimes, has been connected to a Hollywood studio, high-end U.S. real estate—and now, a visit to the White House.
Federal investigators are looking into whether money improperly obtained from the Malaysian fund was paid to a businessman who later arranged an Oval Office visit for relatives of the Malaysian prime minister, according to people familiar with the probe.
The businessman is Frank White Jr., an entrepreneur who helped start an investment firm called DuSable Capital Management LLC, along with partners including a rap star. Mr. White has also raised funds for President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Investigators believe about $10 million allegedly embezzled from 1Malaysia Development Bhd., known as 1MDB, flowed indirectly to Mr. White in a business deal, said people familiar with the probe.
Additionally, 1MDB paid $69 million to buy a DuSable unit out of a deal they had agreed on to build solar-power plants, the firms said last year.
The investigation of the payments is part of the wider inquiry into 1MDB, a fund that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up in 2009 to spur development. Investigators in several countries believe up to $6 billion was improperly diverted from the fund. Malaysia’s attorney general cleared Mr. Najib of wrongdoing, and 1MDB has denied wrongdoing. Both have pledged to cooperate with investigators.
Mr. White and DuSable have provided information to investigators, said a person familiar with their position. The investigation hasn’t resulted in any allegations of wrongdoing against Mr. White or DuSable.
A spokesman for Mr. White and DuSable said the dealings with 1MDB were “intended to provide renewable energy in Malaysia, create jobs in the United States and earn support for Malaysia in the United States.” At the time, they were aware of no allegations 1MDB was the “victim of theft,” said the spokesman, Erik Smith.
U.S.-Malaysian ties have warmed in recent years, with Mr. Obama in 2014 making the first visit to Malaysia by a U.S. president in over 50 years.
This July, the U.S. Justice Department moved to seize $1 billion of real estate, art and other assets investigators believe were purchased with proceeds from the alleged 1MDB fraud. Civil forfeiture suits filed by the Justice Department are pending.
Mr. White’s Malaysian connections were on display in December 2013 when he escorted to the Oval Office a delegation that included the son and stepson of Malaysia’s prime minister, according to visitor records. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese accompanied them to present to the president a copy of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a film the stepson, Riza Aziz, co-produced.
The Justice Department said in its July lawsuits the film was partly funded by money stolen from 1MDB, an allegation The Wall Street Journal had reported in April. Mr. Aziz has denied wrongdoing and his production company said it believed the money came from a legitimate partner. Mr. White’s spokesman said he had no dealings with Mr. Aziz.
There is no indication Mr. Obama or the White House were aware of any 1MDB links with Mr. White, or of any issue with the movie’s financing.
Deputy White House press secretary Eric Schultz called Mr. White “a prominent supporter of the president” but stressed that U.S.-Malaysia policy has been driven by what is best for the U.S. and not by outside influences.
Mr. Schultz said Mr. Obama has privately discussed with Mr. Najib “the importance of transparency, accountability, and rooting out corruption” and has raised this issue publicly as well. He wouldn’t comment on Justice Department proceedings.
Mr. DiCaprio declined to comment. Mr. Scorsese didn’t respond to comment requests.
Mr. White in 2007 sold an information-technology company he founded called Advanced Concepts Inc. He raised millions of dollars for Mr. Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns.
Mr. White is listed on Mrs. Clinton’s website as a “Hillblazer” who contributed or raised at least $100,000. He has donated between $1 million and $5 million to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, its website says.
A campaign official said Mr. White has hosted events for Mrs. Clinton, but that is the extent of their relationship.
Malaysia’s government has long sought to deepen ties with the U.S., to attract investment and burnish its standing as a moderate Muslim nation.
Jho Low, a Malaysian businessman who U.S. investigators believe played a central role in the alleged 1MDB fraud, helped come up with the solar-power project on which Mr. White’s firm cooperated, said people familiar with the matter. They said Mr. Low told others his efforts in arranging it helped Mr. Najib get closer to Mr. Obama, who golfed with the prime minister in Hawaii at Christmastime in 2014.
Mr. Najib’s office declined to comment on the power project. Mr. Low didn’t respond to comment requests.
Mr. White, whose sister is married to a cousin of First Lady Michelle Obama, knew Mr. Low through friends involved with New York nightclub circles, people familiar with the matter say.
In 2012, Mr. White was paid about $10 million by a company called MB Consulting LLC, owned by an Abu Dhabi business partner of Mr. Low, said people familiar with the payment. It was part of a consulting agreement, said one of the people. The Abu Dhabi partner declined to comment.
Part of the money allegedly embezzled from 1MDB was sent to MB Consulting, U.S. prosecutors stated in their July lawsuits, without saying where it went next.
Hip Hop artist Pras Michel, seen at a Washington event in May, is a co-founder of DuStable Capital Management, a firm that had dealings with the troubled Malaysian state fund 1MDB. PHOTO: CHERISS MAY/NURPHOTO/ZUMA PRESS
Messrs. Dutta and Michel declined to comment.
Later in 2013, Mr. White registered DuSable, which calls itself an investment firm focused on renewable energy and infrastructure, as a lobbyist for 1MDB. The filing said DuSable would “encourage the U.S. government to provide non-financial support” for a solar project in Malaysia.
On Dec. 18, 2013, Mr. White escorted the Malaysian prime minister’s family members on their Oval Office visit, where they met President Obama.
In April 2014, a DuSable unit agreed with 1MDB to jointly develop the solar-power project. The deal was done without a public tender, according to 1MDB board minutes reviewed by the Journal. The minutes say 1MDB executives presented it to the 1MDB board as a “government-to-government” deal between Malaysia and the U.S. Mr. White’s spokesman said the U.S. government wasn’t a party to the deal.
Mr. Obama arrived in Malaysia on April 26, 2014.
Four months later, 1MDB moved to buy the DuSable unit out of the project, which had seen no construction, to prepare 1MDB’s energy assets for a public offering.
Mr. Najib signed a resolution to pay DuSable $95 million for its interest in the solar project. The price was renegotiated and 1MDB paid $69 million, said a 1MDB/DuSable joint statement last year.– WSJ"
"ROYAL SHAME: NAJIB TRYING TO INTIMIDATE RULERS CONFERENCE – DR M CAMP WARNS ROGUE PM MAY USE ‘DICTATOR’ BILL TO OVERRIDE ROYALS IF THEY CENSURE HIM
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
A lawyer for Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak whether he is trying to strategise to invoke the use of the controversial National Security Council Act, following his recorded speech alleging two individuals are out to destroy the country’s unity.
Mohd Haniff Khatri Abdullah in a Facebook posting last night asked why Najib must give a negative impression which has no basis and is incorrect over the chronology of political events from 2008 till now when the Rulers Conference is going on at present.
“The real answer is that we should not forget that Najib has seen the NSC 2016 Act being passed which gives him drastic power and discretion to declare an emergency at a particular area by declaring it a security zone and put that area under curfew.
“This right was originally reserved to the Yang diPertuan Agong,” he said.
Haniff asked isn’t it because the Rulers Conference is presently listening and giving views regarding the Citizens’ Declaration, which was handed to the Yang diPertuan Agong on Sept 16 and a copy was given to the rulers on Oct 8.
Haniff said Najib’s statement yesterday could be viewed as trying to divert the attention of the people from the real issues about his purported wrongdoing, by creating a purported threat by warning of the nation’s unity.
“Isn’t it a negative analysis which is also not accurate and false that since 2008 and now it was due to a purported threat following the opposition leader and an “old leader”, whereas it is a result of the failure of the government and Najib’s administration that had caused the country to be in this shape.”
The lawyer said the alleged threat to the national unity as mentioned by Najib when describing the first phase and second phase was intended to justify a threat to the nation’s security and the possible need of Najib using the NSC Act.
“This is to preserve Najib’s personal interests. It is as if Najib is a bomoh (shaman) who could predict that the country would enter into the third phase of threat and calling for his 1Malaysia agenda to be continued.
“Najib should not make the audio statement if he believes that he did no wrong,” said the lawyer.
Yesterday, in a rare audio recording the PM made over radio and uploaded on najibrazak.com, Najib warned that the country could be facing the third phase in the threat to the country’s unity due to the actions of a former opposition leader and an “old leader” seen shaking hands.
Najib did not named the two individuals but he was believed to be referring to former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim whom he blamed for creating a division among the Malays while the old leader referred to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whom he accused of helping form a new party earlier this year which was seen as breaking the Malay political hegemony to five.
It was previously reported that the Rulers Conference had proposed that the NSC Act be amended before it was passed, but the Najib administration had bulldozed it through after 30 days without any amendment.– M’kini"
"NAJIB’S 1MDB COFFIN OPENS TO SUCK IN ZAHID, ANZ & AMBANK: SWISS TO FOCUS ON RM2.6BIL ‘DONATION’ IN CRIMINAL TRIAL AGAINST ‘ENTIRE’ FALCON BANK
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
On Wednesday the Swiss financial regulator FINMA announced that it had recommended prosecutions against at least two senior former executive officials of Falcon Bank as part of the actions taken over 1MDB.
Yesterday, the Attorney General’s Office went a considerable step further than that and declared that it is opening criminal proceedings against the entire Abu Dhabi-owned bank!
The implication of the shocking announcement is that the Swiss law enforcers suspect that the entire operation of the private bank was flawed from top to bottom, making it effectively a criminal enterprise.
“The OAG [Office of the Attorney General] suspects deficiencies in the internal organisation of the Falcon Private Bank Ltd. It is believed that due to these deficiencies, the bank was unable to prevent the commission of the offences currently under investigation in the criminal proceedings relating to 1MDB.
Swiss law .. allows the prosecution of a legal entity that is suspected of not taking all the reasonable organisational measures that are required to prevent natural persons from committing offences, in particular money laundering or corruption offences.”
The Attorney General’s Office points out that this is the second Swiss private bank against whom such radical measures have been taken, all relating to money laundering of money at 1MDB. The first, of course, was BSI closed in May.
Falcon transferred no less than $3.8 billion related to 1MDB’s sovereign wealth transactions, highly unusual for a small private bank. However, the regulators focused on one blatant transaction of 21st March 2013, where Falcon acted as an intermediary for $681 million dollars from 1MDB, passed into Prime Minister Najib Razak’s AmBank account in KL.
In the course of just that one day the money was passed from BSI Bank in Lugano, filtered through three private ‘investment funds’, passed to an account at Falcon Singapore named Tanore Finance Corporation and then on to Najib’s personal account. FINMA described the Tanore account owner, Eric Tan, as a young Malaysian businessman with known political connections.
Dodgy Falcon Bank transaction involved Tanore Finance Corporation’s transfers to Najib
This manoeuvre had triggered several established money-laundering ‘Red Alerts’: there was the size of the transaction; the speed with which it had passed through the account (providing no commercial logic to the transaction); the link to a politically exposed person and, of course, the final destination of the cash which was the politician in charge of decision-making at 1MDB – a man who had no legitimate reason to acquire a $681 million lump sum.
FINMA further points out that staff had indeed alerted management about all these factors and argued they must reject involvement in the deal:
“A number of bank employees expressed serious concerns to their managers about the relationship with the Malaysian businessman because of numerous suspicious factors and key questions remaining unanswered. One internal email relating to the transfer of USD 1.2 billion states: “We can’t find any reason/motivation/statement why this transaction has to pass through FPB [Falcon] and not from [Bank X] directly to the respective parties […].” Nevertheless, these internal warnings were not followed up satisfactorily.
Although the bank’s decision-makers were aware of these internal concerns, they decided to carry out the transactions. The focus was always on trying to process the transactions on time. One senior manager warned the Singapore branch carrying out the transactions: “Head Office is watching you”.
When Najib decided later in August to close the relevant AmBank account after the GE13 election (it had topped a billion dollars before the election in March) Falcon Bank also agreed to receive the transfer of its remaining funds of $620 million.
FINMA quoted an internal Falcon Bank email, showing an acknowledgement of the illegality behind the decision on the part of banking management, but they had already been implicated by their earlier involvement:
“We started this six months ago and now we have to go through with it – somehow”. [FINMA STATEMENT]
FINMA had said the attitude of management to the money laundering was driven by the connections between the Board Members on the bank, who represented its owners Abu Dhabi’s Aabar/ IPIC fund.
Private Bank or Private Money Laundering Machine?
These Board Members were Aabar Chairman, Khadem Al Qubaisi and CEO Mohammed Al Husseiny (Chairman of the Falcon Board at that time), both of whom had collaborated with Najib in stealing money from 1MDB in return for hundreds of millions of dollars themselves in kickbacks.
They have been arrested and are under investigation in Abu Dhabi.
For months Sarawak Report has slammed the Chief Executives of Falcon Bank, in particular the recently departed ex-Golman senior executive, Eduardo Leemann, who presided over the use of Falcon Bank as a blatant tool for Aabar’s crooked bosses to suck money from the various enterprises they had responsibility over.
Those criticisms are now vindicated.
Falcon now joins BSI, Edmond de Rothschild Banque Privee and Coutts under investigation – raising fresh concerns over the role of the private banking industry, together with off-shore centres, in facilitating money laundering on a gargantuan global scale.
Silence From Australia
Yet, as major action gets under way in Europe, silence pervades in Australia’s banking regulatory circles. No enquiries have been launched by the Australian Securities and Finance Commission ASIC or related bodies, despite the fact that the major ANZ Bank is the majority shareholder (by far) of AmBank, which received and handled all these dirty monies in KL.
The bank also managed a series of internal Malaysian accounts belonging to Najib, using money stolen from the 1MDB subsidiary SRC International, also declared to be under investigation by the Swiss Prosecutor in a separate earlier announcement this week.
Yet, just days ago, when questioned in the Senate, ANZ’s present CEO, Shayne Elliott, continued to deny his head office held any supervisory responsibility for actions at AmBank, despite the face that each and every senior office holder overseeing the KL operation is on secondment from ANZ.
Indeed, this supervision had been the big selling point for AmBank, under the plans drawn up for investing in the market by ex-CEO Mike Smith (who unexpectedly retired as the 1MDB scandal swarmed around the bank last year). According to The Australian:
“He [Elliott] said ANZ had not investigated whether any staff on secondment to AmBank had done anything wrong. “They are no longer employees,” he said. “They are responsible to the board of AmBank. AmBank has conducted those investigations.”
This is a position that seems quite impossible for ANZ to sustain under any genuine scrutiny of the facts. The evidence is overwhelming that seconded staff remained employees of ANZ, returned to ANZ and remained reporting back to management of ANZ during their period of office in KL, as numerous bank press releases and other documentary evidence testifies.
This is how the ANZ seconded Australian, Mandy Simpson describes her own status on her Linked-in, while employed AmBank’s Chief Finance Officer – she says she is simultaneously employed by ANZ:
Mandy Simpson – CFO of AmBank during Najib transfers, also with ANZ
Likewise, the Chief Risk Officer Nigel Denby:
Nigel Denby – simultaneous role
The head of AmBank at the time of the Najib accounts, Ashok Ramamurthy was also declared to be still reporting to ANZ headquarters by ANZ’s own media releases of the time:
ANZ announcement Ramamurthy will also report to ANZ’s SE Asia boss, Joseph Abraham
So, while others act, banking regulation is not looking good down under.
– http://www.sarawakreport.org/"
"NAJIB, ROSMAH, SON RIZA & JHO LOW NAMED AS THE MAIN MASTERMINDS BEHIND 1MDB’S STOLEN BILLIONS – REPORT
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
1MDB is a scandal that has it all: secret bank accounts, corrupt politicians, Swiss bankers, a Hollywood star and an army of investigators hunting them down. finews.commanual to a maze spanning the globe.
The Masterminds
Najib Razak, the prime minister of Malaysia, is one of the key figures behind the 1MDB scandal. He came up with the idea of creating a state fund, the Malaysian Development Berhad (1MDB), to further the development of the Asian country. Today, it seems clear that he and his second wife, Rosmah Mansor, used the fund to enrich themselves.
Razak amassed more than a billion dollars since taking office in 2009. He for instance had $681 million paid into his account via Switzerland’s Falcon Private Bank (see «The Banks» further down).
The prime minister so far denies any wrongdoing and the Malaysian investigators cleared his name. That hasn’t stopped his involvement in the scandal from prompting a crisis of state. Razak’s wife is said to have spent millions of dollars on jewelry, shoes and fashionable clothes using credit cards issued to the 1MDB accounts.
Riza Aziz is the third member of the Razak clan deeply involved in the case. Aziz is a stepson of the prime minister. Millions of dollars from 1MDB were transferred to his accounts. His connections to Hollywood have added spice to an otherwise unsavoury soup (see video with his producer partner Joey MacFarland).
Aziz is said to have started his Red Granite film company using cash taken from 1MDB. He financed «Wolf of Wall Street» starringLeonardo DiCaprio (see «Supporting Act» further down). Film star and producer used to be close buddies and threw lavish parties.
Jho Low is a close friend of Aziz and one of the main characters of the drama unfolding. In 2009, before even turning 30, Low was named consultant of the fund. Low, a man of Chinese descent, started to make headlines as a keen socialite with seemingly unlimited funds available.Paris Hilton used to be part of his circle of friends.
Low celebrated his birthdays with Leonardo DiCaprio and gambled in the casinos of Las Vegas – and the Hollywood star made sure of thanking for his generosity.
Within the short space of a few years, the Chinese 1MDB-consultant spent hundreds of millions on art, luxury apartments in Manhattan and yachts. A self-proclaimed flamboyant investor, he also presented himself as the head of his company, Family Offices Jynwel Capital.
BSI, a Ticino-based Swiss private bank, was the bank of choice of Jho Low. Yak Yew Chee was his relationship manager (see «The Bankers» below). Low established several offshore companies with accounts at BSI.
Authorities around the globe are now investigating Jho Low’s activities and numerous accounts have been frozen, his pieces of art and real estate seized. The man himself is said to be in Taiwan, where it is claimed that he is safe from extradition requests.
The web of mastermind also includes Khadem al-Qubaisi (pictured above, with former Falcon boss Eduardo Leemann), as well asMohamed Badawy al-Husseiny, two influential former functionaries of the IPIC Abu Dhabi state fund and former board members of Falcon Bank.
The two are currently under arrest, facing charges for having taken proceeds from a 1MDB bond issue. Al-Qubaisi and al-Husseiny are also the ones to have initiated the transactions at Falcon Bank.
The Whistleblower
Xavier Justo, an IT-employee at Petrosaudi, kicked the ball into play. The man from Genevan descent stole data sets documenting the connections between the oil-producer and 1MDB and demanded money for his information.
It was the data provided by Justo, which documented the payment of $681 million through Falcon Bank to Najib Razak. Justo currently is in Thai custody for attempted blackmail.
The Bankers
Tim Leissner: a former colleague compared the Goldman Sachs to a hurricane: «He blew through really fast and did a lot.» That included a $3 billion bond deal for 1MDB, which is now being scrutinized by U.S. authorities.
Leissner, who is married to former model and designer Kimora Lee Simmons, was subpoenaed in February and, like many of the protagonists in the 1MDB saga, has kept a low profile since.
Hanspeter Brunner, Yak Yew Chee: Brunner’s move from Coutts to BSI in 2009 made headlines, partly because he took some 70 staff with him – an unprecedented raid on a rival. One of the private bankers to follow Brunner to BSI was Yak, reportedly Jho Low’s banker.
Brunner in March left BSI in great haste, citing retirement. Regulators have since shut down BSI’s branch in Singapore over 41 violations of money-laundering rules. Brunner, along with other former BSI bankers including Yak, are being criminally investigated in the city-state.
Eduardo Leemann: the banker is credited with rescuing AIG’s private bank in Switzerland by finding Middle Eastern owners and founding Falcon Private Bank. Leemann has claimed that Falcon’s Abu Dhabi representatives opened doors, but never interfered in daily business – something which regulators claim is patently untrue.
As recently as March, Leemann said Falcon had done nothing wrong; by that time it had already flunked two regulatory inspections. Leemann retired quickly last month. Finma has opened enforcement proceedings against two former Falcon bankers; the bank won’t comment on whether Leemann is one of them.
Kathy Shih: to be clear, neither Shih nor any UBS banker have been mentioned in connection with 1MDB. However, Shih oversaw the Swiss bank’s wealth-management arm in Asia when UBS racked up 13 violations of Singapore’s money-laundering rules over its dealings with 1MDB.
This pales compared to BSI’s 41 breaches, but the veteran banker nevertheless maneuvered the bank into a difficult position in the city-state. Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund is the largest single investor in UBS and has a low tolerance for misbehavior.
Supporting Act
Hollywood actor and protege of Julius Baer Leonardo DiCaprio co-produced «The Wolf of Wall Street», which U.S. officials allege was partly financed by money pilfered from 1MDB.
DiCaprio publicly thanked his co-producers – none other than Jho Low and Riza Aziz – in an awards speech. A Swiss environmental group is publicly questioning whether DiCaprio took money pilfered by Low and Aziz for his own environmental charity too.
The Law Enforcement Agencies
The 1MDB scandal’s global reach is not least due to a worldwide hunt for the masterminds behind the alleged graft. Switzerland, Singapore, the U.S. Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, and Luxembourg all are pursuing the corruption allegations.
Swiss officials were substantially responsible that investigations into 1MDB didn’t fizzle. Prosecutor Michael Lauber froze $10 million on Swiss accounts last August, when he opened a criminal investigation into two 1MDB representatives.
He has since widened his investigation to BSI and two former high-ranking officials of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, as well as most recently Falcon Private Bank.
Finma director Mark Branson has been assertive in cracking down on Swiss banks ensnared in the corruption scandal. Together with Singapore’s Monetary Authority MAS, the Swiss regulator put Ticino-based BSI out of business and fined Falcon. Branson wants to begin naming and shaming individual bankers: ««It is individuals who commit offenses, not institutions,» he said recently.
Ravi Menon (pictured above), the head of MAS, is even more forceful: he revoked Singapore licenses for BSI and Falcon in a bid to patch up the city-state’s tarnished reputation. Finance often intersects with politics here: UBS, in which Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC is the single largest shareholder, has come out of the scandal with «merely» a million-dollar fine.
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The U.S. Department of Justice is also making sure that the upheaval won’t simply fizzle, with Loretta Lynch as the political driving force. The DoJ has focused on the masterminds.
Bloggers at the «Sarawak Report» in 2015 published a comprehensive report about the flow of 1MDB funds from the Cayman Islands to accounts on an unidentified Swiss bank. One of its founders is Clare Rewcastle Brown (pictured above). The former journalist with the «BBC» and sister-in-law of Gordon Brown can lay claim to the unofficial title of «First Hunter» in the affaire.
The Loot
U.S. investigators in the summer estimated the loot to measure up to $3.5 billion, taken from the coffers of 1MDB. The latest figure made public was $4 billion. The U.S. alone has seized assets worth $1 billion, including real estate, a jet and pricey art (such as the Monet painting above). Some of the pieces of art were seized in the Geneva freeport.
– http://www.finews.com/"
"‘I MUST SWALLOW IT’: AFTER ANWAR, GRACIOUS AZIZAH THE NEXT TO BURY THE HATCHET WITH MAHATHIR
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
KUALA LUMPUR – PKR chief Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has said that she and her family do not hold any grudges against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for sacking her husband during his time as prime minister.
Dr Wan Azizah’s remarks come amid Dr Mahathir’s recent assertion that he has made peace with her husband and jailed opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“If someone does something bad to us and we are not vindictive, insyaAllah it would bring goodness sometime later.
“It is not as beautiful and easy as I put it to be..however, I must swallow it and overcome this feeling with a good intention,’ she told Sinar Harian in an interview.
On Tuesday, news portal Malaysiakini reported Dr Mahathir saying that he has made peace with his nemesis.
“I have already buried the hatchet,” the former prime minister told the news portal in an interview.
Malaysiakini reported the 91-year-old elder statesman as saying: “I should hope so”, when asked if there was no more bad blood between him and Anwar, who is now PKR de facto leader.
Dr Mahathir’s remarks came after he met Anwar last month in a courtroom, their first meeting in 18 years since the former sacked the latter from government in 1998.
Anwar was later charged with sodomy and corruption. He was sentenced to prison in 1999, but the Federal Court overturned the former deputy prime minister’s sodomy conviction in 2004, releasing him from jail.
Anwar is currently in prison again after the Federal Court upheld in February last year his second sodomy conviction and five-year term.
The opposition leader, however, is appealing the apex court ruling, with a hearing which began on Wednesday.– Malay mail"
"AFTER ROILING GLOBAL BANKING SYSTEM, NAJIB’S ‘STOLEN BILLIONS’ SHAKES UP HOLLYWOOD: DOJ EXTENDS RED GRANITE’S DEADLINE AS MOVIE GUILDS CONTEST SEIZURE OF FILM PROCEEDS
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has extended the deadline for Red Granite Pictures and its affiliate firms to respond to the department’s civil forfeiture suit.
According to the California Central District Court filing, Red Granite and its affiliate firms have until Oct 28 to respond to the forfeiture action.
It was filed by the asset forfeiture and money laundering section chief M Kendall Day and United States attorney Eileen Decker.
The filing was dated Sept 28, two days before the initial deadline for claimants to respond to the suit.
Red Granite earlier stated its intention to contest the forfeiture action, court filings show.
This comes as the Directors’ Guild of America (DGA), the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artist and the Writers Guild of America filed documents to contest the forfeiture.
They argue that the forfeiture of proceeds from Red Granite-produced ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ will affect their payment due to their members.
“Accordingly, DGA asserts its interest in the defendants’ property and has standing to contest its forfeiture,” the DGA said in a filing on Oct 7.
Similar filings were made by the other two guilds on the same day.
The DOJ on the same day also filed several documents in court, but the documents are sealed following an application from the department.
The reason for the application is also sealed.
The DOJ in July filed a lawsuit to seize at least US$1 billion of assets, believed to have been bought using funds the DOJ alleged were siphoned from 1MDB.
These include future proceeds from the film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, which it said was funded using 1MDB funds.
The production firm Red Granite is founded by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz.
Riza, Malaysian businessman Jho Low and two Abu Dhabi businessmen were named in the lawsuit.– M’kini"
"NAJIB & UMNO IN DENIAL MODE OR SHEER INSANE? THERE IS NO ESCAPE – ALL DOORS CLOSE AFTER TRIGGERING COLLAPSE OF 2 SWISS BANKS, EARTHQUAKE IN GLOBAL SYSTEM
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Falcon Private bank is the second firm to be shut down in Singapore for its dealings with 1MDB, which stands accused of corruption and money-laundering. It is the second blot against the signet of Swiss banking in Asia, after Ticino-based BSI.
Falcon’s demise is a further chink in the armor of Swiss private banks in Asia: the bank is the second to get booted from Singapore’s financial center in five months over its involvement with alleged corruption and money-laundering tied to 1MDB.
The reason is simple: the bank’s highly-respected executives and veteran bankers were negligent in their duties, and allowed Falcon to be used as a «pass-through» for dirty dealings.
Staff Put Under Pressure
As finews.ch has reported separately, staff sounded alarm, but were either ignored or knowingly overruled in a quest to satisfy two board members closely associated with the owner, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund.
This led to numerous violations of money-laundering law in Singapore – so flagrant that the regulator had little choice but to yank Falcon’s license.
The bank’s branch manager, Jens Sturzenegger, was apparently arrested last Wednesday as a result of the investigation.
Breathtaking Condemnation
The Monetary Authority of Singapore, or MAS, concluded that Falcon won’t be capable of bringing itself up to standards expected in terms of combating money-laundering – a breathtaking condemnation of the bank’s actions.
Falcon was also ordered to pay S$4.3 million, or 3.2 million Swiss francs, for a total of 14 money-laundering violations.
The bank was effectively hijacked by its owners, two of whom –Khadem al-Qubaisi and Mohamed Badawy al-Husseiny – sat on the board and used the bank for their own purposes, the Swiss regulator and Falcon itself have concluded.
No Glory for Swiss
While the two undoubtedly exercised pressure on Falcon’s bankers, they also found willing executors among Switzerland’s most prominent bankers.
Lamentably, Falcon is the second bank that MAS had made an example of: BSI was shut in May over its own dealings with 1MDB.
Clients in Singapore will presumably be transferred to Zurich following the closure.
New Criterias
«Clients and customers of Falcon Bank are assured that the merchant bank, which is a branch of Falcon Private Bank in Switzerland, has the full support of its Head Office which is financially sound,» MAS said in a statement, adding that it is working in lockstep with Switzerland’s Finma.
In view of these two cases as well as a proverbial fender-bender for powerhouse UBS, the once-proud Swiss banking brand has lost much of its luster in Asia.
Against this backdrop, the Swiss industry needs to ask itself what values «Swiss banking» still embodies. It is entirely possible that other criteria like performance, transparency, and sustainability will be ranked higher than secrecy.
– http://www.finews.com/"
"AFRAID OF GETTING SACKED BY THE AGONG, NAJIB CAMP WARNS – IF YOU DIDN’T SACK MAHATHIR THEN, DON’T TRY TO SACK ME NOW
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Dr. Mahathir’s allegations that the Yang Di Pertuan Agung (YDPA) being held prisoner to the Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak is mischievous, irresponsible and an untenable claim without proper legal or factual foundation.
The Federal constitution (Constitution) of Malaysia is clear that although all of government including the prime minster, all its other arms including the judiciary and legislature are referred to as ‘YDPA’s’ by appointment, by the convention, ultimate power in all things constitutional, executive and government resides with parliament and not with the YDPA. The YDPA’s role remains largely ceremonial and there is nothing in the Constitution that gives him any power or authority to dismiss a prime minister. The YDPA executes all his duties and functions on the advise of his prime minister (and his ministers) from whom he receives his counsel. Parliament remains sovereign.
In view of these two cases as well as a proverbial fender-bender for powerhouse UBS, the once-proud Swiss banking brand has lost much of its luster in Asia.
Against this backdrop, the Swiss industry needs to ask itself what values «Swiss banking» still embodies. It is entirely possible that other criteria like performance, transparency, and sustainability will be ranked higher than secrecy.
– http://www.finews.com/"
"AFRAID OF GETTING SACKED BY THE AGONG, NAJIB CAMP WARNS – IF YOU DIDN’T SACK MAHATHIR THEN, DON’T TRY TO SACK ME NOW
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Dr. Mahathir’s allegations that the Yang Di Pertuan Agung (YDPA) being held prisoner to the Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak is mischievous, irresponsible and an untenable claim without proper legal or factual foundation.
The Federal constitution (Constitution) of Malaysia is clear that although all of government including the prime minster, all its other arms including the judiciary and legislature are referred to as ‘YDPA’s’ by appointment, by the convention, ultimate power in all things constitutional, executive and government resides with parliament and not with the YDPA. The YDPA’s role remains largely ceremonial and there is nothing in the Constitution that gives him any power or authority to dismiss a prime minister. The YDPA executes all his duties and functions on the advise of his prime minister (and his ministers) from whom he receives his counsel. Parliament remains sovereign.
As an example of how parliamentary sovereignty works (and overrides other powers including that of the king and constitution), in 1914 during the first world war the sitting Parliament in the UK instead of dissolving itself passed an Act extending its own life. There are many more examples where parliament’s power trumps that of the monarch or anyone other arm of government and the constitution.
At any rate, Bagehot’s famous statement on the limited rights of the monarch remains relevant today in Malaysia as it always has is in the UK. The powers of the monarch are as he put it, limited to’ consult, to encourage and to warn’.
In the context of the Constitution government is elected by the people but appointed by the YDPA (ministers and prime ministers) providing “they command the confidence of the majority of the House”.
The Constitution including Article 43(4)the only relevant Article on this point in contention is silent on the question of removal. It instead makes reference to a situation where the prime minister ‘ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the House of Representatives’ as far as his claim to the office is concerned. It makes no reference implied or express to any power therein in the YDPA to remove the prime minister even in such a situation where the prime ceases to command the confidence of the majority in the House. In fact there is no power or authority in the YDPA to remove a prime minister.
The YDPA has limited discretionary powers in appointment of a prime minister as he is only nominal head of executive government. The convention that the YDPA must always act on the advise of his government has always been followed in Malaysia, although constitutionally the prime minister has the power to act without consulting the YDPA.
In practice and by convention, it is the YDPA who holds office at the pleasure of parliament and it’s the prime minister and not the other way round as is suggested by some. Parliament is sovereign. Parliament can make or unmake a King or a Queen: and as Blackstone reminds us:
“Parliament has sovereign and uncontrollable authority in the making, confirming, enlarging, restraining, abrogating, repealing, reviving and expounding of laws concerning matters of all possible denominations ecclesiastical or temporal, civil, military, maritime or criminal. This being the place where that absolute despotic power, which must in all Governments reside somewhere, is entrusted by the Constitution of those kingdoms”.
The YDPA may be removed or his powers (as is the case with the Sultans) curtailed by the prime minister who holds sway over all of government. But these are exclusive powers of parliament through government held by the prime minister of the day to exercise. And the conditions that go with such extreme contingencies as a sacking of a prime minister will not likely arise because the government like any other mature government has alternatives to dealing with extreme situations which are not often the subject of public discussion.
There was a close call however in the 1980’s and Dr. Mahathir exercised it against the then YDPA and can’t claim ignorance of the Constitutional powers of the prime minister against any threat from any YDPA.
Dr. Mahathir’s allegations brings the YDPA, the person and his office, into disrepute. It is something Dr. Mahathir ought to know from his 2 decades in the highest office as prime minister. During his tenure in that office Dr. Mahathir had to deal with recalcitrant rulers knowing full well where that power lies. That power remains with the prime minister and his parliament to this day.
When Umno was declared illegal, the YDPA then did not sack the government if such a constitutional power did indeed exist in his hands. This is because Dr. Mahathir “continued to command the confidence of the majority of the House” and the YDPA had to bow to that constitutional demand.
The YDPA like everyone else is bound by the Constitution. And the person with a grip on that Constitution is the prime minister of the day as head of parliament, the government and the legislature.
Dr. Mahathir’s petition (as he calls it) lacks legal standing, enforceability and has no legal effect in any sense. Regardless of who the petition is presented to and for what purpose it was created, it remains a document of questionable legality and mandate.
Many of the ‘signatories’ on the Mahathir document have claimed they never lent their names or signatures to the ‘petition’. Many more claim they were misled as to its contents. The YDPA acting on the counsel of his advisors did the right thing by refusing to dignify Dr. Mahathir’s unlawful unconstitutional request.
Under what legal or constitutional power, authority, mandate or precedent Dr. Mahathir acted in creating his petition is not known. Dr. Mahathir has no constitutional standing to ‘advise’ or approach the YDPA in this respect. He is not a minister of the crown and has no standing.
In the context of the Constitution it is clear that the YDPA has no powers or authority the YDPA can call on if he were to constitutionally remove his prime minister.
The difficulty for constitutional courts and judges in Malaysia interpreting the Constitution on such matters arises from the fact that unlike most other constitutions, there are no known principles or codified rules for judges to resort to when dealing with matters of constitutional law. As a result Malaysian judges are compelled to draw from examples and precedents in the commonwealth particularly those of Britain and India when having to deal with problems relating to the interpretation of the Constitution. And that too comes with its own set of attendant problems. India is a republic and has no monarchy. Britain on the other hand relies heavily on its constitutional conventions than it does on any piece of legislation in this respect.
The history of Constitutional interpretation in Malaysia’s courts is riddled with inconsistencies and general confusion.
In extreme situations the YDPA may be called upon to suspend the normal functions of government or to remove government during an insurrection, war, civil war, emergency, insanity or incapacity of the prime minister. In the Malaysian context these contingencies, the threshold for the YDPA’s intervention is a lot higher than it is thought to be by some.
The circumstances that triggered the sacking in 1975 of the Whitlam government of Australia were dire and exceptional. There are no parallels with the Malaysian system and its constitution. And the kind of monarchy and parliamentary system of government Malaysia enjoys is not identical in many ways to that of Australia’s.
Prime Minister Whitlam’s actions that triggered the sacking by his governor general in 1975 by some academics and commentators an action akin to that of a coup. Whitlam’s actions were not only unconstitutional they were downright illegal and constituted a threat to national security.
The last sacking of a government in the UK (and its prime minister in the UK occurred during the reign of William IV.
As head of parliament which is sovereign and the only legislative body with a lawful mandate and capacity to make and unmake laws, parliament under the prime minister may dethrone the YDPA, disentitle the rulers and extend the life of parliament or suspend it altogether. These are but some of the powers of the government.
The reigning YDPA of Malaysia DYMM Sultan Abdul Halim is a man of wisdom, a good temperament and experience in the office he holds today as YDPA. No other reigning Sultan can claim that level of experience he has having now served two terms in the office of YDPA. The YDPA’s refusal to accede to Dr. Mahathir’s request supported by that petition was a sound decision.
– http://www.malaysiaoutlook.com/"
"SURE SIGNS OF BANKRUPTCY – NAJIB REGIME’S EXTREME CASH SHORTAGE STARTS TO BITE: GOVT STUDENTS IN LABUAN STARVE, ALLOWANCE NOT PAID SINCE JULY
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Cerita Minyak Habis : Matrikulasi Students Starving In Labuan ! ! Have Not Received Allowances Since JULY !! Gomen Got No Mani !!
Folks I know that I sound like a doomsayer. Please do not blame me. I am not a doomsayer. I feel I can see things that are really very obvious. Then I ring the alarm bell. Sadly so far plenty of the warnings that I have been shouting about have come true.
I do not make the bad news.
It is they who makes the bad things happen.
I just raise the alarm, when I can see them screwing up.
Even more sadly some people choose to ignore what I say. Not only that, they want to shoot the messenger.
10 years ago I wrote my book about the collapse of the Islamic countries. No one listened. Instead they banned that book – 10 years after !!
Now the Islamic countries have not only collapsed but they have become damned. The damned-nations or “damnation” for short.
Fine. Go ahead and just ignore other views and news.
This morning I received a comment and another sms with some info. This is very sad.
The gomen has no money to pay the monthly allowances of the Matriculation Students. This has been going on since JULY – at least.
There is a Media Statement issued by the Ministry of Education stating that the “no – money” issue will be resolved by October 18th, 2016.
Here is that notice from the Ministry :
In Labuan, Matriculation students at one college have gone hungry – they are starving. Parents and local citizens have organised food parcels.
The college administrators have refused to allow the parents and citizens to deliver the food packets. Now here is a news report from Borneo Today :
Some KML students who were able to collect pre-packed food
from the volunteer group. They however declined to speak
with BorneoToday to get comments from them.
http://www.borneotoday.net/in-crisis-yet-food-for-needy-kml-students-may-stop-due-to-bureaucracy/
In Crisis, Yet Food For Needy KML Students May End Due To Inanity
October 12, 2016
EXCLUSIVE BY BORNEO TODAY TEAM
LABUAN – A sincere effort to provide meals to starving students of Labuan Matriculation College (KML) could be scuttled even before it enters its third day Wednesday as witless officials attempt to block the effort by a team of volunteers.
embarrassed that students go hungry every day because no monthly allowance (for over two months now) these officials are against the distribution of the packed food.
But all this could have been avoided had the Ministry of Education not suspended the meagre monthly allowance of RM250 that is provided to the students throughout a 10-month study or two semesters.
Students received allowance for June and July, not received allowance since then.
Volunteers delivered packed food
parked cars nearby so that students could come and get food.
Volunteers from Labuan, concerned for students willing to lend helping hand.
KML has 2500 students from various states in the country.
“The least we could do is to provide them with a hot meal on a daily basis till this crisis is over,” a concerned parent told BorneoToday.
§ They keep denying that the situation is under control.
§ For what, to save their bosses the embarrassment.
§ Everyone in Labuan knows poorer KML students not getting food
Students declined to comment for fear of retribution by KML
Social media remarks has been rife especially since last week.
“Allowan kena gantung (allowance suspended), went one whatsapp message. “What is (deputy Education Minister) Datuk Mary Yap doing about this,” went another message. “Is she even aware of the situation,” said yet another.
Another message read: “KML dari dulu ada saja masalah….kencing tikus…masalah air dan sekarang gantung elaun” (there has been frequent problems at KML … rat urine, dry taps and now no allowances).
“Why Wld canteen operator give out free meals?” another message on social media claimed. “There are no such thing as free meals”.
“Ramai yg beli nasi dan kuah je…mkn pun 1 kali srhari sbb parent mmg x mampu bg duit (Many of them buy rice and gravy only once a day; their parents cannot afford to give them any pocket money).
My comments : Mary Yip is probably doing the korek hidung inside her office.
That Labuan college refuses to allow parents and other people provide food to the hungry students because they are mostly from the church groups – christians.
Well the Muslims are not appearing with any food packets, possibly because they are also short on food.
Malu punya pasal, the college is not allowing the christian groups from helping. Also food got no halal sticker. Better go hungry first.
Folks,
§ Gomen hospitals are NOT doing many blood tests for patients anymore. No money.
§ Neurosurgeons in one hospital are taking longer to do surgery because equipment have not been serviced. No money.
§ The lifts at the 12 storey Wisma Persekutuan in Kuala Terengganu are not functioning. Some civil servants are NOT going to work, they cannot walk up 12 floors. No money for repairs.
§ Now matriculation students have not received allowances since July – they have no food to eat.
All the money has been stolen by the 1MDB crooks, and all the crooks in the gomen.
Here is the sad part – siapa miskin dulu?
How do you answer this question?
Who are the students at that Matriculation College in Labuan?
They will drive their cars until they run out of gas. Then they will get down and just stand there. Not knowing what to do next.– http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.my/"
"COMEDY DUO NAJIB & ZAHID DRIVE UMNO TO ITS DARKEST HOUR: NAJIB WANTS BIG BUDGET, ZAHID TO INVEST IN SAUDI ALTHOUGH THERE’S NO MONEY LEFT TO REPAIR LIFT IN T’GANU OFFICE
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Saudi No Mani, Cut Budget, Malaysia No Mani, Tapi Will Invest In Saudi, Bugis To Expand Budget Using Bicycle Pump.
There is some unbelievable news below here. But do read this part first :
Talk is the Boogey is going to announce an expanded Budget – like there is no tomorrow.
Bugis advisers have told him that other than Syed Akbar Ali, who monitors the Budget anyway? After two or three days, does anyone recall last year’s Budget speech? Do you? No? So the Bugis can say anything he wants in the Budget. No one is going to keep track.
I think this year he will mention that Borneo Highway again – for the sixth year running.
After I started harping about it (every year for four years), he has stopped mentioning that billion Ringgit udang farm somewhere in Sabah. What happened to that udang farm? Where is the udang?
Before I forget, a looooong time ago I wrote (and no one listened) that the Felda folks were getting paid late – TWO weeks after they harvested the oil palm fruits. Well things have gotten even worse for the Felda folks. Now they dont get paid even ONE MONTH after they have sold their harvest to Felda. There is no money to pay them on time.
Anyway, Saudi Arabia is also going broke. Saudi Arabia is expected to cut their Budget by 70%. They have no mani. Here is some Bloom-burger:
1) Oil Income Plunged About 70% in 5 Years
§ Saudi crude rev. slumped 68% (from 2011) to US$89b this year
§ slide after OPEC adopted Saudi strategy in 2014
§ to pump as much as they wanted
§ prices fell to $28 a barrel in January.
2) Spending Cuts
§ Saudi slashed capital expenditure > 70% this year.
§ salaries forecast to decline 19%
§ investments in infrastructure <10 govt=”” of=”” span=”” spending=””>
§ govt delayed payments to contractors
§ to cancel > US$20b projects
§ suspends bonuses, trims allowances for govt employees.
3) Government Debt is Rising Fast
§ Saudi selling domestic bonds to fund largest budget shortfall
§ Debt ballooned > 6 times since 2014
§ Most debt is domestic.
§ 1st 8 months of 2016 govt raised 94b riyals
§ sale of govt bonds to local banks, institutions
§ last year 98b riyals
§ US$10b sovereign loan in May
§ by 2020 public debt 30% of economic output (from 7.7%)
4) PIF Will Cut Back on Lending
Saudi “Public Investment Fund”
Outstanding loans by PIF increased to 104b riyals (2015)
PIF “will not act as source of lending”
In brief Saudi Arabia is in deep shit. Their oil revenues are down 70%. They are cutting their development Budget by 70%.
Their PFI (sovereign wealth fund) WILL NOT BE LENDING MONEY to their own development projecrs.
So who will invest money in their development projects?
Jeng…Jeng…Jeng..Its MALAYSIA ! !
HOORAY ! !
MALAYSIA GOT MANY MANI ! !
Muahaha .. ma’a saalaama ya akhie min Malaizie, ma’a salaama. Anta bawa duit banyak-banyak untuk kami? Shukran, shukran.
This is from the Malay Mail here.
§ Zahid greeted by Undersecretary of Interior Ministry Ahmed Salim
§ RIYADH, Oct 13 — M’sia identified several infra projects in Saudi
§ Zahid said projects were roads, particularly in Makkah and Jeddah
§ He said this on arrival here Wed for 5-day official visit
My comments : Alamak !! Zahid is a Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. But the Arabs sent an underground, underwater, undersecretary of the Ministry to meet him at the airport !!
When Bugis went to Arab Saudi they sent the Ketua Kabilah of Jeddah to greet him.
Anyway a FIVE day all expenses paid junkie trip to Saudi Arabia !! Terror hang Zahid.
Ponteng kerja LIMA HARI ! !
So LIMA HARI siapa jaga ofis hang kat Putrajaya? Siapa ‘cover’ kerja hang ?
Zahid janji nak invest di Arab Saudi. I say Jawa Man, gomen tak ada duit lah.
Nak bagi makan anak sendiri pun tak cukup duit. Tak percaya ke? Nah baca ‘Kenyataan Media’ ini :
So you see, nak bagi makan bebudak Matrikulasi pun Kerajaan tak ada duit.
§ Di Labuan, bebudak Matrikulasi hampir kebulur.
§ Di hospital, doktor tak ada duit buat ujian darah. Ada Surat Pekeliling.
§ Doktor bedah otak tak ada gergaji letrik potong tengkorak. Tak ada duit.
§ Di Terengganu lif Wisma Persekutuan tak jalan. Tak ada duit repair.
Habis mana awak dapat duit untuk investment di Arab Saudi?
I say, the Arab Saudi donated RM2.6 billion to Bugis.
Bugis said they are very rich.
Bugis kata “Kabilah Arab bagi duit kepada kabilah UMNO”.
Habis sekarang macam mana kabilah UMNO (yang baru dapat sedekah RM2.6b dari Arab Saudi) boleh ada duit untuk invest dengan kabilah Arab Saudi pula?
Arab Saudi pula boleh pokai.
Arab Saudi pula tak ada duit.
The talk is that the Bugis is going to announce an expansionary Budget 2017.
Fuiyyo. Duit mana mari?
Last year Bugis said RM26b minus RM9b = RM15 billion. Or something like that.
Did Petronas really provide that RM26 billion in 2016?
So for 2017 how much will Petronas contribute?
Is it true that Petronas total contribution will only be RM6 BILLION for 2017 Budget !! This is coffeeshop talk but not Kedai Kopi Setarbak ok.
How much is Petronas able to contribute for the 2017 Budget? Jangan masuk angin keluar asap.
– http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.my/"
"VIOLENCE IS IN UMNO’S DNA INCLUDING NAJIB’S: WHO ARE ‘FRIED RICE’ MAT MASLAN OR ‘IKAN BAKAR’ JAMAL
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
I have no idea if Sungai Besar UMNO chief Jamal Md Yunos made the alleged seditious Facebook post warning of a repeat May 13 on November 19 but I could care less if he did. Part of my apathy is because all this fall under the free speech which I support but more importantly, I see no reason to get upset or make police reports because (1) establishment politicians have issued similar warnings, and (2) it is not as if the police are going to investigate this latest incitement by an UMNO political operative.
As for (2), a good example would be when Sabak Bernam district police chief Nor Azmi Isa said there was no reason to investigate the egg pelting of a Bersih supporter because nobody was hurt. Silly me, I thought it was assault but maybe Bukit Aman should send out a memo that the police would only investigate cases were somebody was hurt. By the way, the definition of “hurt” will be defined shortly (forget the Penal Code) after the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) have arrested all those who take to Twitter and Facebook and “hurt” the feelings of those the state deemed worthy of protection.
The Ikan Bakar Man
After all, the leader of the red shirts has publicly stated that more aggressive responses would be meted out to Bersih, not to mention threats of vehicular manslaughter against the protestors exercising their democratic rights. Either Jamal has watched far too many ‘Fast and Furious’ movies – one is excessively many except if the person is a Jason Statham fan, then any ‘Furious’ movie with him in it is worth a watch – or he does not understand physics.
However, threatening Malaysians with violence, especially racial violence associated with May 13, is what UMNO does best. Anyone interested in a brief summary with links to pro-opposition and pro-establishment narratives should refer to Greg Lopez excellent summary in the ‘New Mandala’. I quote this paragraph of his piece to make a point:
“However, one thing became very clear after May 13. Any attempt to challenge UMNO would be met with the strongest response – legitimately or illegitimately. May 13 established the concept of Malay supremacy through the blood of hundreds if not thousands of Malaysians, especially of Chinese heritage. This led to most non-Malays having no options but to accept UMNO hegemony (ketuanan Melayu/Malay supremacy) or leave Malaysia. Many choose to migrate – a trend which has continued as a result of systematic discrimination against the non-Malays.”
The Buffoon UMNO Information Chief
Six years ago, Penang opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim in a spat with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng not only referenced May 13 but also “saying UMNO has three million members, that he could call in the Malay ‘Tiga Line gang’ and asking the army to take over the duties of the police.” Of course, calling in outsourced thugs to secure political victory or usurp political power is a threat many in UMNO have no problem making.
Indeed, in my piece ‘In defence of our realm’, I took an exception to the police report filed by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) against Perak opposition leader Nizar Jamaluddin because he claimed that Prime Minister Najib Razak was having secret backroom talks with the security apparatus of this country.
The issue was this: “In 2010, Azhar Ibrahim was suspended for six months from the Penang state assembly for making ‘references to the May 13 incident and inviting the Armed Forces to take over the government’, not to mention his threat that Malay triad organisation ‘Tiga Line’ would be called in to teach the state government a lesson.”
“So, why no report against the UMNO assemblyperson? UMNO distanced itself from these inflammatory remarks, but my question is, why didn’t MAF chief General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin lodge a police report alleging sedition against UMNO’s Azhar?”
Political violence is new norm
Meanwhile, with UMNO potentates distancing themselves from the red shirts, the idea that political violence is the new norm is taking root in a political landscape dominated by an incompetent opposition and a kleptocratic regime riddled with internal schisms. And while a few members of UMNO make the appropriate noises about rejecting political violence, the reality is that because of the way UMNO is run, the line between being a UMNO member and outsourced thug is non-existent.
Remember what UMNO veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said about the establishment – “(Bagaimanapun) jangan memandang rendah kepada kerajaan kerana mereka ada kuasa, ada televisyen, radio, duit dan media. Mereka juga ada alat-alat risikan dan sebagainya. Media dia lebih tahu pada kita. Dia tahu kita belum tahu lagi. Sama ada dengan kekuasaan itu, parti yang berkuasa akan kalah saya tidak tahu.”
So this idea that the criminal underclass and political power – some would argue that there is no difference – within UMNO is not something new except that these days the latter legitimises the former. This is why an organisation like the red shirts have a free reign. They do not answer to anyone except UMNO potentates and they fear no repercussions from the security apparatus because as Razaleigh said, “jangan memandang rendah kepada kerajaan kerana mereka ada kuasa”
The UMNO Mafia(on extreme left IGP Khalid Ashburn)
And how does the establishment shape the narrative? As recent as three years ago, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed friendship with a so-called secret society like Tiga Line even though it was outlawed by his own Home Ministry earlier in the year.
He said, “The 6,171 Malays, they are not real thugs (samseng), they were Pekida members and were part of the Tiga Line group, Gang 30, Gang 7 – these are festivities (kenduri-kendara) gangsters,” Furthermore he added, “I tell our Tiga Line friends, do what should be done.”
And what exactly should these groups be doing? I would argue that if three years ago you made the claim that Tiga Line was disrupting Bersih activities, you would get UMNO members saying that these thugs are only doing what needs to be done.
Just to add a bit of nuance to this idea of political violence. Some folks would disagree with me for making this link but since I think it is a legitimate point to make, here goes, the current Deputy Prime Minster also made these statements with regards to the ‘shoot first’ policy of the PDRM:
“He was also reported to have advocated a ‘shoot first’ policy for the police at the same event, in dealing with suspected gang members in the wake of a violent crime spree that has resulted in, according to him, Malays making up the majority of the victims.“He reportedly said there was nothing wrong with arresting the over 40,000 known gangsters in the country, half of whom are Indians.
“‘What is the situation of robbery victims, murder victims during shootings? Most of them are our Malays. Most of them are our race,’ he was quoted as saying.
“‘I think the best way is that we no longer compromise with them. There is no need to give them any more warning. If (we) get the evidence, (we) shoot first.’”
Therefore, while certain UMNO members are distancing themselves from the red shirts, I would argue that separating the red shirt DNA from UMNO is impossible. UMNO does not speak softly and carry a big stick. UMNO is the big stick.
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy.– dinmerican.wordpress.com"
"ALL EYES ON NAJIB & ROSMAH – MOTHER OF ALL CRACKDOWNS YET TO COME: MALAYSIA’S FUTURE HELD HOSTAGE TO KEEP THE NAJIBS IN POWER
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Malaysia’s prosecutions of peaceful speech over the past year have spread beyond activists and politicians to ordinary citizens on social media, Human Rights Watch said today in a new report. The government’s actions signal an ever-broadening crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly in the country.
The 40-page report, “Deepening the Culture of Fear: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia,” documents the government’s recent use of overbroad and vaguely worded laws to criminalize peaceful speech and assembly. Since Human Rights Watch’s October 2015 report, “Creating a Culture of Fear,” the Malaysian government has done little to bring these laws and practices in line with international legal standards. Instead, the government has suggested it will strengthen statutes limiting speech on social media and other rights-offending laws.
“Criminalizing peaceful speech appears part of the Malaysian government’s larger effort to tighten the noose on anyone expressing political discontent,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should cease prosecuting people for criticism or perceived ‘insults,’ and the government should urgently revise its laws to meet international free expression standards.”
The government has particularly sought to punish individuals who have criticized the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak, commenting on the massive corruption scandal involving the government-owned 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), or making comments on social media deemed “insulting” to Najib or to Malaysia’s royalty. The government has sought to discourage people from holding public assemblies and protests by deploying the country’s overly restrictive Peaceful Assembly Act. The government has also gone to great efforts to keep controversial information out of the public view, as seen in its use of the Official Secrets Act to shield reports on the 1MDB scandal from the public.
Among the cases Human Rights Watch documents in the report is that of artist Fahmi Reza, who is facing two criminal charges for posting on social media a clown-face image of Najib with white powder on his face, arched brows, and a blood-red mouth. In June 2016, a court sentenced Mohammed Amirul Azwan Mohammad Shakri, 19, to one year in prison under the Communications and Multimedia Act after he pled guilty to “insulting” the Sultan of Johor on social media. When he appealed his sentence as overly harsh, the court then ordered that he instead be sent to reform school until age 21 – a period of nearly two years.
Many of these cases update those from Human Rights Watch’s October 2015 report. For example, the government has advanced the prosecution of six charged under the Sedition Act for speeches made at a May 2013 forum protesting the outcome of the 2013 general election. Five have so far been convicted and sentenced. In each case, the prosecution pressed for significant prison sentences. In the most recent case, Tian Chua, the vice president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison and a fine of RM1,800 (US$433).
During the past year, the Malaysian government has also used the outdated and draconian Official Secrets Act to shield the Auditor General’s report on the 1MDB scandal – a matter of great public interest in Malaysia – from public view, and to prosecute an opposition member of Parliament who allegedly disclosed information from that report. Faced with new leaks of information regarding the 1MDB scandal, the government has also threatened to increase the penalties under the Official Secrets Act to life in prison.
Human Rights Watch reiterated its call for the Malaysian government to cease using criminal laws against peaceful speech and protests, and to bring its laws and policies into line with international human rights law and standards for the protection of freedom of expression and assembly.
“As Prime Minister Najib’s political fortunes fall, Malaysia’s intolerance of critical speech seems to rise,” Robertson said. “Malaysia’s future as a rights-respecting nation shouldn’t become hostage to defending the Najib government’s reputation.”
– http://www.asiasentinel.com/"
Just to add a bit of nuance to this idea of political violence. Some folks would disagree with me for making this link but since I think it is a legitimate point to make, here goes, the current Deputy Prime Minster also made these statements with regards to the ‘shoot first’ policy of the PDRM:
“He was also reported to have advocated a ‘shoot first’ policy for the police at the same event, in dealing with suspected gang members in the wake of a violent crime spree that has resulted in, according to him, Malays making up the majority of the victims.“He reportedly said there was nothing wrong with arresting the over 40,000 known gangsters in the country, half of whom are Indians.
“‘What is the situation of robbery victims, murder victims during shootings? Most of them are our Malays. Most of them are our race,’ he was quoted as saying.
“‘I think the best way is that we no longer compromise with them. There is no need to give them any more warning. If (we) get the evidence, (we) shoot first.’”
Therefore, while certain UMNO members are distancing themselves from the red shirts, I would argue that separating the red shirt DNA from UMNO is impossible. UMNO does not speak softly and carry a big stick. UMNO is the big stick.
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy.– dinmerican.wordpress.com"
"ALL EYES ON NAJIB & ROSMAH – MOTHER OF ALL CRACKDOWNS YET TO COME: MALAYSIA’S FUTURE HELD HOSTAGE TO KEEP THE NAJIBS IN POWER
Politics | October 14, 2016 by | 0 Comments
Malaysia’s prosecutions of peaceful speech over the past year have spread beyond activists and politicians to ordinary citizens on social media, Human Rights Watch said today in a new report. The government’s actions signal an ever-broadening crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly in the country.
The 40-page report, “Deepening the Culture of Fear: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia,” documents the government’s recent use of overbroad and vaguely worded laws to criminalize peaceful speech and assembly. Since Human Rights Watch’s October 2015 report, “Creating a Culture of Fear,” the Malaysian government has done little to bring these laws and practices in line with international legal standards. Instead, the government has suggested it will strengthen statutes limiting speech on social media and other rights-offending laws.
“Criminalizing peaceful speech appears part of the Malaysian government’s larger effort to tighten the noose on anyone expressing political discontent,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should cease prosecuting people for criticism or perceived ‘insults,’ and the government should urgently revise its laws to meet international free expression standards.”
The government has particularly sought to punish individuals who have criticized the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak, commenting on the massive corruption scandal involving the government-owned 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), or making comments on social media deemed “insulting” to Najib or to Malaysia’s royalty. The government has sought to discourage people from holding public assemblies and protests by deploying the country’s overly restrictive Peaceful Assembly Act. The government has also gone to great efforts to keep controversial information out of the public view, as seen in its use of the Official Secrets Act to shield reports on the 1MDB scandal from the public.
Among the cases Human Rights Watch documents in the report is that of artist Fahmi Reza, who is facing two criminal charges for posting on social media a clown-face image of Najib with white powder on his face, arched brows, and a blood-red mouth. In June 2016, a court sentenced Mohammed Amirul Azwan Mohammad Shakri, 19, to one year in prison under the Communications and Multimedia Act after he pled guilty to “insulting” the Sultan of Johor on social media. When he appealed his sentence as overly harsh, the court then ordered that he instead be sent to reform school until age 21 – a period of nearly two years.
Many of these cases update those from Human Rights Watch’s October 2015 report. For example, the government has advanced the prosecution of six charged under the Sedition Act for speeches made at a May 2013 forum protesting the outcome of the 2013 general election. Five have so far been convicted and sentenced. In each case, the prosecution pressed for significant prison sentences. In the most recent case, Tian Chua, the vice president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison and a fine of RM1,800 (US$433).
During the past year, the Malaysian government has also used the outdated and draconian Official Secrets Act to shield the Auditor General’s report on the 1MDB scandal – a matter of great public interest in Malaysia – from public view, and to prosecute an opposition member of Parliament who allegedly disclosed information from that report. Faced with new leaks of information regarding the 1MDB scandal, the government has also threatened to increase the penalties under the Official Secrets Act to life in prison.
Human Rights Watch reiterated its call for the Malaysian government to cease using criminal laws against peaceful speech and protests, and to bring its laws and policies into line with international human rights law and standards for the protection of freedom of expression and assembly.
“As Prime Minister Najib’s political fortunes fall, Malaysia’s intolerance of critical speech seems to rise,” Robertson said. “Malaysia’s future as a rights-respecting nation shouldn’t become hostage to defending the Najib government’s reputation.”
– http://www.asiasentinel.com/"
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