In an email to the Al-Arabiya station, the group Jundallah (Soldiers of God) said Thursday's attacks were a response to the recent execution of one of its leaders and threatened more such attacks. The blasts targeted Shia Muslim worshippers and Revolutionary Guards members in the predominantly Sunni city of Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan province, the Fars news agency quoted Iran's deputy interior minister as saying. "Hours ago, a suicide operation was carried out in the Jamia mosque, which left several martyrs and several wounded," the agency quoted Ali Abdollahi as saying. "The first explosion took place behind a checkpoint and a number of Revolutionary Guard members were killed and injured because of it." The attack came as people celebrated the birthday of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, a day also set apart each year to honour the Revolutionary Guards. Leader's hanging Jundallah says it is fighting for the rights of the Sunni Baluch minority, and accuses Iran's Shia-dominated government of persecution.
His younger brother, Abdulhamid, was executed in May in Iran after being captured in Pakistan in 2008 and extradited to Iran. Hossein Ali Shahriari, a Zahedan member of parliament, told Fars that there were two suicide attacks one after another, with the first one carried out by a bomber dressed as a woman. "The attacker, dressed in women's clothing, was trying to get in the mosque, but was prevented" when the first blast took place, Shahriari said. "When people came to rescue those hit in that blast, another bomber blew himself up. Three to four have been killed at least in the first attack." Jundallah has previously carried out several deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchestan- including on the elite Revolutionary Guardscorps. US condemnation The United States described the attacks as "horrific", and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. "I condemn in the strongest possible terms today's terrorist attacks claimed by Jundallah that targeted Iranians at a mosque in the Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran," Hillary Clinton, the secretay of state, said in a statement. "The United States extends its sympathy to the families and loved ones of those injured and killed. "We also call for the perpetrators of this horrific attack to be held accountable for their actions. "This attack, along with the recent attacks in Uganda, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Algeria, underscores the global community's need to work together to combat terrorist organisations that threaten the lives of innocent civilians all around the world." | |||||||||||||||||||
Friday 16 July 2010
Jundallah claims deadly Iran blasts
Umno has been irresponsible in Sabah, says PKR
KOTA KINABALU: A senior Sabah PKR leader has slammed the state government for being irresponsible in granting citizenship to illegal immigrants and allowing them to infiltrate Sabah's electoral rolls as proven in courts.
Daniel John Jambun, the PKR coordinator for Inanam, said State Umno Youth chief Azman Ruslan should reflect on why mass poverty has become a permanent problem in Sabah, before asking PKR not to politicise poverty.
"He knows this poverty is prolonged because of a bad political culture and corruption. Sabahans are poor because of corruption.
"Singapore has no natural resources but it is one of the richest countries in the world. Sabah is rich in resources… in oil, gas, timber, fertile land, and yet the poorest under Umno rule," he said in a statement here yesterday.
Bernama had reported Azman censuring PKR, urging the party not politicise poverty in Sabah. Azman said PKR should instead help alleviate the problem.
He also claimed that Umno was a responsible party and that is why many Sabahans had joined the party.
But Daniel, who is deputising for Jeffrey Kitingan in an NGO called CigMa or Common Interest Group Malaysia, alleged that Umno was far from being a responsible party, citing corruption among its leaders as an example.
"There are many examples of Umno being an irresponsible party but for the time being, I will just cite a few examples for Azman and the people to ponder.
"For instance, a former Sabah chief minister from Umno gambled away people's money in a London casino to the tune of RM50 million. Is this being responsible?
"Senior ministers having fat bank account overseas … is this being responsible? Is giving MyKads to illegal immigrants from Mindanao, Sulawesi and Java being responsible?
"The list of Umno's wrongdoings in Sabah alone is very long and surely will be distributed to the rakyat at the right time soon," he said.
Malaysia in a mess
On Azman's advice that PKR or Jeffrey should instead help solve Sabah's problems like poverty, Daniel said the latter had helped by lodging several reports with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission of the alleged corruption.
“But the Umno-led government is either very slow in acting on the reports or has simply dismissed them.
"The root of our problems like mass poverty is corruption. Malaysia is in such a mess because of corruption.
"In 1967, our one dollar was equivalent to a Singapore dollar, but now a Singapore dollar is equivalent to RM2.50. Likewise, the Brunei dollar has appreciated against our ringgit.
"Singapore has no Umno. Though it has no resources besides human resources, it is one of the least-corrupted countries in the world and that is why it is so developed," he said, adding that one can only imagine how resource-rich Sabah could have fared if it had its own way.
It's payback time as govt cuts sugar, fuel subsidies
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians woke up to a rude shock this morning when the prices of their usual breakfast shot up overnight as the federal government started reducing subsidies on sugar and fuel with immediate effect.
PAS in an immediate reaction to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s late evening announcement of phase one of the government’s move to remove subsidies altogether, described the decision as “sneaky and insidious”.
According to PAS deputy president Mahfuz Omar, despite Parliament being in session for a month, the federal government had made no move to discuss the subsidy issue or present a working paper on the matter.
“It was a rude shock... a sneaky and insidious move to humiliate the rakyat,” he said in an apparent reference to the embarrassing decision by the government to back down on its move to legalise sports betting.
“Now, it could very well be payback time,” he added.
The Pokok Sena MP has criticised the government for making an arbitrary decision to increase prices of essentials without discussing it in Parliament.
“The government cunningly announced the increase after the end of the Parliament session... it didn’t discuss the matter with the people... so when actually will the government ever discuss removal of subidies with the people?” asked Mahfuz.
“The government did not discuss the price hike with the MPs, it did not table a working paper when it is a national concern... it rudely announced the price hikes overnight.”
Stagnating salaries
Late yesterday evening, the federal government stunned Malaysians when it suddenly announced a reduction in subsidies on prices of necessities. The new prices were effective from midnight.
Sugar is now 25 sen more per kilo (new price is RM1.70 sen per kg) while RON 95 petrol and diesel is up by 5 sen per litre (new price for RON 95 is now RM1.85 per litre and diesel is RM1.75 per litre).
Liqued petroleum gas (LPG) is also up by 10 sen. The new price is RM1.85 per kg.
The RON97 petrol will now be subjected to a managed float, where the price will be determined by the automatic pricing mechanism or market forces.
These were the lists made available by the government on its website www.pmo.gov.my and www.pemandu.gov.my.
The new prices will inevitably affect every level of income in the country as inflation continues to soar against stagnating salaries.
Mahfuz said Najib’s explanation that the price hikes were small and not a burden on the consumer is irrational.
“It just proves that the government has failed to manage the economy properly.
"How can removing subsidy not burden the rakyat? It’s just an excuse by the government to cover up their own failures.
“The government wants the rakyat to change their lifestyles…but it is not willing to change its style of managing the economy.
“The government is wasteful when it conducts direct negotiations (for its business operations) which is expensive. It could easily adopt an open tender system.
“It doesn't seem to understand that every disbursement is public money,” he told FMT today.
He said with this latest move by the government, Najib has put public interest on the backburner, thus contradicting his own 1Malaysia slogan of “people first”.
“Like I said in Parliament before... it looks good and sounds nice (slogan) but there's no real change. The government is still eating chicken and prawns while the people are stuck with lengkuas and onions…” he quipped.
Reduced subsidiary
Last night, Najib announced the unpopular move to reduce subsidies, saying it would save the government RM750 million a year.
He said the latest announcement was the first step towards rationalising subsidies in stages beginning today.
He said the government, however, would still be spending RM7.82 billion in fuel and sugar subsidies in 2010.
He added that fuel and sugar prices were still the lowest in the region.
Najib said savings from the reduced subsidies will go towards development projects, which would directly benefit the people.
On May 27, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Idris Jala had reportedly said that Malaysia will be bankrupt in 2019 if it continued with its subsidy schemes.
BN backbenchers on the trail of conman 'Baladevan'
KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional backbenchers will be on the trail of suspected connman “Baladevan” who has allegedly swindled more than 40 local companies of over RM5 million.
Their Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) will initiate an investigation into this well-dressed local man who uses the names of prominent figures in India and sensitive "government documents" to lure his unsuspecting victims.
BNBBC deputy chairman Bung Mokhtar Radin said its members were "very concerned" about the matter and will bring it up to Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha.
"If need be, we will also debate the issue at the next parliamentary session," said Bung Mokhtar, who is Kinabatangan MP.
He was speaking at the Parliament House lobby today after Consumer Association of Subang and Shah Alam president Jacob George handed over a memorandum on this matter to the BNBBC.
"We will study the memorandum as it involves our nation's dignity and these allegations have marred it. We want to make sure we are not seen to be involved... This is serious as it involves other countries," Bung Mokhtar said.
Exhaustive investigation
Meanwhile, Jacob said the Transport Ministry and the government of India must undertake an exhaustive investigation.
"We are asking the Malaysian government to suspend all railway-related awards until this matter is cleared up. We are also asking that both countries set up a joint task force because this involves government documents," he added.
"Indian government officials seem to have a symbiotic relationship with this man and they cannot wash their hands off ," Jacob said.
He said a "mass police report" is being planned by the companies which fell victim to the alleged trickster.
FMT had reported that a local man claiming to have connections with high-profile figures in India had allegedly fleeced more than 40 local companies with offers of contracts in large-scale government projects.
The 56-year-old man, known only as "Baladevan", had allegedly raked in more than RM5 million from his victims over the past 10 years.
One of the projects he had purportedly “sold” was the Seremban-Gemas double-tracking project in Negri Sembilan. Speaking in fluent Queen's English, he allegedly tricked the companies into accepting his offer of becoming sub-contractors for the project.
Baladevan claimed that he had close ties with high-profile figures from India's Ministry of Railways, Railway Board and the main contractor Ircon International Ltd. The man also would produce detailed documents of the railway plans and specifications as well as an "official" letter of awards between the two governments to prove that the whole undertaking was legitimate.
PAS leader calls for 'blueprint' to end project fiascos
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Pakatan Rakyat government should draft and implement immediately a much-awaited “blueprint” to resolve controversies arising from projects approved by the previous Barisan Nasional state administration.
State PAS deputy commissioner Mujahid Yusuf Rawa said the blueprint would act as a permanent policy formula to resolve various issues arising from development projects.
The formula, he said, should resolve issues pertaining to land acquisition, resettlement, compensation, sustainable development, and cultural and heritage preservation of people affected by the projects.
“The blueprint should offer a fair and just remedy, emphasising the state government’s social responsibilities towards all regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.
“The blueprint should provide the much-sought consistency in state policies to resolve these issues,” Mujahid told reporters after meeting with Kampung Pokok Asam residents in Jelutong last night.
Kampung Pokok Asam is among several villages in Jalan Tengku, Medan Tengku and Jalan Hajjah Rehmah, all located in the Jelutong vicinity, affected by upcoming mega township projects, which were gazetted during the previous BN state administration.
Last week, some 70 villagers of the affected areas demonstrated against the projects outside Masjid Jamek Jelutong after Friday prayers.
Some 23 households in Kampung Pokok Asam are affected by the mega project, comprising flat units, luxury houses and shophouse lots, to be developed by Nova Mulia Development Sdn Bhd.
Although the developer owns the three-acre earmarked land, the company has nonetheless offered the residents RM75,000 to RM120,000 as compensation.
Political boiling pots
Nine of the affected Kampung Pokok Asam residents will have to move out within the next three months following a court eviction order, while the other 14 have obtained a stay to enable them to negotiate better compensation.
Mujahid said the current DAP-led state government should take serious note that controversies were rapidly surfacing due to several projects initiated by the previous BN government.
He pointed out that since the Kampung Buah Pala fiasco, controversies pertaining to Tanjung Tokong Malay village, tree-top DoReMi stall, Rumah Hijau Mak Mandin and now Jelutong villages have become political boiling pots to the Pakatan administration.
He alleged that lack of a comprehensive blueprint to address and tackle these issues quickly was the main reason for the controversies to explode into political crises.
“The state government, I have to admit, has been slow in drafting the blueprint.
“It should have prepared and implemented it after Kampung Buah Pala.
“I hope it would act on it quickly now,” said Mujahid, the Parit Buntar MP.
On Kampung Pokok Asam, he said the state PAS leadership had proposed to the state government for post-development resettlement of existing residents in the same area to preserve its heritage, cultural value and lifestyle.
He said although legally the residents were powerless, PAS nonetheless was hoping the state government would exercise its social responsibilities to address and resolve the issue amicably.
“We are not against the projects.
“But we don't want to see that there were no Malays in the city,” said Mujahid.
He said he had personally discussed the issue with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi, who is also Lim's chief of staff, adding that the state government has responded positively to the idea.
“But it's really up to the developer to accept and implement the proposal,” he said.
A little of everything – farce, fear, mirth
By Phlip Rodrigues - Free Malaysia Today,COMMENT In its zealousness to show Anwar Ibrahim in the worst possible light, the government is ever ready to believe anything said, written or rumoured about the opposition leader. It does not matter whether the source of information originated from Timbuktu or the South Pole. The cranky Umno machine will gobble up the most outrageous or bizarre stories churned out by every Tom, Dick, Harry and Supkis.
Supkis? Elaine Meinel Supkis is a US-based blogger and a weird character. In her posting recently, she said Anwar is a “tool” of the CIA, the US intelligence agency, tasked with protecting American interest and its covert operations in Malaysia.
In the same breath, she also claimed that the CIA and its counterpart, the Israeli Mossad, are all out to assassinate the PKR leader. Utusan Malaysia called her a well-known blogger if only because she boasted she won an award for being struck by lightning 10 times – and lived to tell the tale.
In the meantime, Umno was keeping an eagle eye on any yarns spunned that would descredit Anwar. In Supkis, it found just the right juicy bit of information. Immediately its chief news-bearer Rais Yatim beat the war drum for all PKR members who care to hear: “Return to the Umno fold! There's a CIA spy in your midst!” Anwar's nemesis Mahathir Mohamad promptly denounced his former right-hand man as a disloyal Malay.
But while the Umno-whipped storm was raging, the mischievous Supkis gleefully noted that she had “aroused people in Malaysia by talking openly about things concerning the CIA... this causes some there to go haywire. Odd, isn’t it?” Indeed it is odd. It is strange because an obscure blogger was able to stir such intense but mindless reaction from people keenly bent on destroying the political career of a man still regarded as a threat.
Rais and his ilk may think they have laid bare a dangerous plot and want all the nation to go into mass hysteria just so to get their foe on the chopping block. But the people are doubled up with amused laughter because the Umno conjurers have made themselves a laughing stock.
Amidst this comedy play, serious questions are being asked. Umno puts its faith in Supkis but why maintain a spectral silence when a local-born blogger unearthed damaging information about the nation's number one leader? The blogger has fled abroad but not because he had committed a heinous crime. His mortal sin was to tell a story that had got the ears of the people all pricked up.
A cover-up?
Umno was all on fire when the Supkis farcical show made the headlines, but why did it go into mute mode when one private investigator told the world that his former client was made a scapegoat in the murder of a Mongolian woman? Then who perpetrated this felony most gruesome?Supkis sparked a storm of hailstones that only rained down on Umno heads, but why make it look as if the very survival of the country is at stake?
A suspicion is growing: all this cacophony is merely to cover up the rising fear in Umno ranks about the growing strength, imagined or real, of the opposition forces. The political masters, in obscene power for over half a century, may be sensing that their time is up but are unwilling to see their control of Putrajaya slip away. So they keep a vigil outside the opposition fortress, seeking for the slightest chance to tear down its walls and weaken their opponents.
Umno sentries like Rais must indeed be on their toes all the time. They must guard their masters at all cost, even if it means using Supkis to further their diabolical ends. The Supkis story will not be the last chapter in this political charade. Someone somewhere will cook up another storyline that will please the Umno warlords. Perhaps Anwar is actually an American citizen based on a posting by Eniale Sikpus, an obscure blogger from Acirema. Or a report pops up that Pakatan Rakyat is being funded by the International Monetary Fund. Or a damaging online account that a Pakatan leader was sighted lolling half-naked with some Latino beauties on the beaches of Jamaica.
In politics all is fair game. And so Anwar, or for that matter, any opposition figure will always be on the crosshairs of the Umno big guns. Expect more hilarious Supkis-type episodes to crop up as Rais and company diligently scroll the Internet.
Global fund managers look to trim Malaysia holdings
Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration has been trying to raise Malaysia’s profile as an investment hotspot. — file pic
The July survey had Taiwan, Malaysia and Chile as the most underweight markets for GEM investors. They were also slightly underweight on China due to slower growth prospects.
In financial markets, the term underweight is used by analysts to advise investors to reduce their holdings.
The findings of the survey could potentially signify a setback for Malaysia’s bid to become a more competitive destination for global portfolio investment.
The Najib administration has been trying to lift Malaysia’s profile as a destination for foreign investment to help the country achieve an average gross domestic product growth of at least six per cent per annum over the next five years, in an effort to become a high-income nation.The country’s foreign direct investment rates have fallen faster than other regional players like Singapore and China, and at the same time, capital outflows have dampened private domestic investments. Net portfolio and direct investment outflows had reached US$61 billion (RM197 billion) in 2008 and 2009 according to official data.
Asia-Pacific fund managers that were surveyed, though slightly underweight on Malaysia, held a more favourable view of the country and were looking to cut back the most in Korea, India and Australia instead, while China, Indonesia and Taiwan were the most-favoured markets.
There was an increased pessimism among the fund managers overall on the economic outlook, with a net 12 per cent expecting weaker economic conditions over the next 12 months, as compared with a net 42 per cent expecting a stronger global economy in a survey two months ago.
The fund managers also expect China’s prospects to worsen, with a net 39 per cent expecting weaker growth, as compared with 60 per cent seeing stronger growth in January of this year.
Malaysia’s economy grew by an impressive 10.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year but the prime minister had on July 6 cautioned that growth in the second quarter could be slower due to deteriorating external circumstances.
The local stock market had been on a seven-day winning streak and neared a two-year peak before succumbing to profit-taking yesterday.
About 200 global fund managers with portfolios worth from US$250 million to over US$10 billion had participated in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey.
Dissatisfaction
Remember, the Rakyat is not stupid. It’s just a matter of time for us to stand up. We can’t sit for a long time. We don’t warm up the chair all the time. If we stand up, it’s a warning to all of you. If we walk, that means we need changes in the Government and if we run, you better run away.
By Soon to be walking
To all the Ministers, government ranking people and members of the political industry,
Just to remind all of you that all your positions were given by the Rakyat (the tax payers); not by any tycoon. We the Rakyat can appoint and give you positions or title and we can take it away. Please keep that in mind. We, the Rakyat, don’t work for you. You work for the Rakyat. You are our servant. We pay your wages and salaries. It’s time for you to realize that. If all of us decided not to pay any taxes, you will be struggling like the rest of us. When you make a decision for the country, make it for all of us. Don’t make it for yourself, or you won’t be paid. Mr. PM., when you decide to give rewards to people by millions during the elections, remember, it’s the Rakyat’s money that you are throwing and not your money.
To the Federal government, State government and the Opposition,
Remember, the Rakyat is not stupid. It’s just a matter of time for us to stand up. We can’t sit for a long time. We don’t warm up the chair all the time. If we stand up, it’s a warning to all of you. If we walk, that means we need changes in the Government and if we run, you better run away.
To UMNO, MIC and MCA,
Remember that it’s Malaysia and not MALAYA. I know that all of you are not that uneducated. It’s a country with combined races. We are not Malay, Chinese or Indian, we are with many races. Think about it if you can.
When you plan to waste the people’s money, ask the people first or at least think that it’s the Rakyat’s money. We are paying for everything including the useless decisions that you make. The Rakyat know through various media that there are many bribes going on for many years. Even if you suspend the media, we will still know.
Once again, we are saying, don’t think we are stupid. If you have the guts, reveal all your income to the people. We have the right to know it, because we are paying you. If you can, work on the poor people first which need attention. Not Gaza.
If you can, work on the most stupid things in Malaysia. Stupid because these are the things we ought to be able to take for granted - the government hospitals, NRD, land office, JPJ, Customs Department, Police Department, public transport dept and the list goes on. There are a lot more which I can mention but it’s just going to waste my time or the Rakyat’s time.
The Rakyat know who the genuine people are, and who are the power crazy people. I, who write this statement, am not involved with BN, PKR or any other political group. I am just a simple Rakyat with so much frustration with this lovely country (once upon a time).
Let me touch on the education part first. Most countries keep the best students in their local Universities and once they graduate, they bring up the local economy. The rejected are sent to other countries. In Malaysia, it’s the opposite; we reject the great minds and keep the regular students. The regular students don’t do much or anything for the country and the great minds which left the country, they decide to stay on in that country and become a PR and eventually a citizen of that country and they do so much for that country.
We the Rakyat are not politicians and we have not studied political science but sad to say, we know more than most of the politicians. Now, you say that Malaysia will be bankrupt soon. Why do you say that, when most of the money which is spent goes elsewhere? Reveal every cost of the projects to the people. Let private organizations analyze and say if it’s over paid or not. Appoint a private organization to do the quality check. Reveal entire details of the private organization. Set up a website where the people or the professionals can view and question it.
I have done a few government projects which I submitted a tender and I know who makes money in that. If we can cut that, I am positive Malaysia will never ever be bankrupt. I have heard many of my business friends who have to pay to get things done.
Do you think the Rakyat don’t know about that? Reveal everything. Reveal all the costs involved to the people. Start by the Penang Bridge to the Putrajaya works. Reveal all the ministers' assets with their entire family members' assets. Reveal to us about all the politicians' family members who are the shareholders or directors of other companies. To the PM, if 1Malaysia is very important, make a rule that no politician’s family member, relative or friends can ever get any projects from government. I with the rakyat, challenge you on that.
There are a lot of things which I can touch on, but in Malaysia, it’s NATO (No Action, Talk Only).
One last thing which I want to touch on is, we have few good shipping ports in Malaysia, and do you know how much everyone in the custom offices make? Do you know that every lorry, truck, Prime Mover and other cargo vehicle has to pay to get out of the final inspection gate? Each vehicle has to pay about RM3 or RM4 for the final release. I have not touched on the passing on the clearance papers and others. I am very sure there are at least 350 to 400 vehicles going through the final gate. If I calculate at RM3, that’s about RM1050 to RM1200 a day. Calculating it for 1 month at RM 1050 a day, 5 days a week (20 days), it’s RM21000. That is what the low level customs officers are making.
There are lots of calculations which I can do and I heard from my agent that there are many top officers who have houses and cars under a proxy’s name. I am just one (1) of the 28,310,000 population (as per Sept 2009) voicing out. Imagine what will happen if the rest of the Rakyat stood up like me. I and the rest of the Rakyat will be waiting for your reply from the PM or any Ministers or any Politicians who are paid by us. Finally, this is my 1st message to the Federal Government. The next message will be with more detail and with more Rakyat joining me.
By Soon to be walking
To all the Ministers, government ranking people and members of the political industry,
Just to remind all of you that all your positions were given by the Rakyat (the tax payers); not by any tycoon. We the Rakyat can appoint and give you positions or title and we can take it away. Please keep that in mind. We, the Rakyat, don’t work for you. You work for the Rakyat. You are our servant. We pay your wages and salaries. It’s time for you to realize that. If all of us decided not to pay any taxes, you will be struggling like the rest of us. When you make a decision for the country, make it for all of us. Don’t make it for yourself, or you won’t be paid. Mr. PM., when you decide to give rewards to people by millions during the elections, remember, it’s the Rakyat’s money that you are throwing and not your money.
To the Federal government, State government and the Opposition,
Remember, the Rakyat is not stupid. It’s just a matter of time for us to stand up. We can’t sit for a long time. We don’t warm up the chair all the time. If we stand up, it’s a warning to all of you. If we walk, that means we need changes in the Government and if we run, you better run away.
To UMNO, MIC and MCA,
Remember that it’s Malaysia and not MALAYA. I know that all of you are not that uneducated. It’s a country with combined races. We are not Malay, Chinese or Indian, we are with many races. Think about it if you can.
When you plan to waste the people’s money, ask the people first or at least think that it’s the Rakyat’s money. We are paying for everything including the useless decisions that you make. The Rakyat know through various media that there are many bribes going on for many years. Even if you suspend the media, we will still know.
Once again, we are saying, don’t think we are stupid. If you have the guts, reveal all your income to the people. We have the right to know it, because we are paying you. If you can, work on the poor people first which need attention. Not Gaza.
If you can, work on the most stupid things in Malaysia. Stupid because these are the things we ought to be able to take for granted - the government hospitals, NRD, land office, JPJ, Customs Department, Police Department, public transport dept and the list goes on. There are a lot more which I can mention but it’s just going to waste my time or the Rakyat’s time.
The Rakyat know who the genuine people are, and who are the power crazy people. I, who write this statement, am not involved with BN, PKR or any other political group. I am just a simple Rakyat with so much frustration with this lovely country (once upon a time).
Let me touch on the education part first. Most countries keep the best students in their local Universities and once they graduate, they bring up the local economy. The rejected are sent to other countries. In Malaysia, it’s the opposite; we reject the great minds and keep the regular students. The regular students don’t do much or anything for the country and the great minds which left the country, they decide to stay on in that country and become a PR and eventually a citizen of that country and they do so much for that country.
We the Rakyat are not politicians and we have not studied political science but sad to say, we know more than most of the politicians. Now, you say that Malaysia will be bankrupt soon. Why do you say that, when most of the money which is spent goes elsewhere? Reveal every cost of the projects to the people. Let private organizations analyze and say if it’s over paid or not. Appoint a private organization to do the quality check. Reveal entire details of the private organization. Set up a website where the people or the professionals can view and question it.
I have done a few government projects which I submitted a tender and I know who makes money in that. If we can cut that, I am positive Malaysia will never ever be bankrupt. I have heard many of my business friends who have to pay to get things done.
Do you think the Rakyat don’t know about that? Reveal everything. Reveal all the costs involved to the people. Start by the Penang Bridge to the Putrajaya works. Reveal all the ministers' assets with their entire family members' assets. Reveal to us about all the politicians' family members who are the shareholders or directors of other companies. To the PM, if 1Malaysia is very important, make a rule that no politician’s family member, relative or friends can ever get any projects from government. I with the rakyat, challenge you on that.
There are a lot of things which I can touch on, but in Malaysia, it’s NATO (No Action, Talk Only).
One last thing which I want to touch on is, we have few good shipping ports in Malaysia, and do you know how much everyone in the custom offices make? Do you know that every lorry, truck, Prime Mover and other cargo vehicle has to pay to get out of the final inspection gate? Each vehicle has to pay about RM3 or RM4 for the final release. I have not touched on the passing on the clearance papers and others. I am very sure there are at least 350 to 400 vehicles going through the final gate. If I calculate at RM3, that’s about RM1050 to RM1200 a day. Calculating it for 1 month at RM 1050 a day, 5 days a week (20 days), it’s RM21000. That is what the low level customs officers are making.
There are lots of calculations which I can do and I heard from my agent that there are many top officers who have houses and cars under a proxy’s name. I am just one (1) of the 28,310,000 population (as per Sept 2009) voicing out. Imagine what will happen if the rest of the Rakyat stood up like me. I and the rest of the Rakyat will be waiting for your reply from the PM or any Ministers or any Politicians who are paid by us. Finally, this is my 1st message to the Federal Government. The next message will be with more detail and with more Rakyat joining me.
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Whither MACC?
By Ding Jo-Ann | The Nut Graph
ONE year ago, on 16 July 2009, DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock was found dead at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam. Teoh had been interrogated for almost 11 hours. The inquest into his mysterious death is still ongoing.
More recently, the MACC summoned two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor state assemblypersons to report for questioning on 1 July 2010. The Nut Graph asked political scientist Wong Chin Huat to comment on the MACC’s performance as an institution. We also asked him to comment on how any bias in the carrying out of the MACC’s functions would affect the political scene.
TNG: The MACC summoned two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor state assemblypersons for questioning on 1 July 2010. Pakatan Rakyat representatives claim that Barisan Nasional’s hidden hand is in all of this and that this is not the first time the MACC has been used to intimidate Pakatan Rakyat members. What’s your take on the issue?
Wong Chin Huat: Democracy needs unelected institutions to check and balance elected government and prevent elected tyranny. Such institutions include the judiciary, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the MACC and Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission). No individual, and this includes elected representatives, is above the law.
However, the unelected institutions must be impartial to make sure laws are applied equally on every elected representative and party. Otherwise, such check and balance mechanisms will result in the rule of the unelected. If an unelected institution can easily dismiss or cause the collapse of a government at its whim, then such an institution becomes the actual [controller] of the country, [instead of] the electorate.
The MACC has failed to enjoy public confidence as an impartial institution, perhaps much more than the judiciary and even the police. It has conveniently ignored the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal and former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s RM24 million [mansion]. Instead, it harped on an alleged misreporting of the purchase of party flags for RM2,400. This resulted in the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock who was a witness in the investigation, not even a suspect.
Are you saying that the MACC should focus on bigger cases and not the smaller ones?
[No, small cases should also] be investigated. But when the MACC fails to make proper judgment on priority and proportionality, how can it not be seen as a tool of the [Barisan Nasional] federal government? MACC has simply been used to undermine the Pakatan Rakyat state governments.
Without the MACC prosecution of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat “kataks”, Capt R Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, for example, would Perak have fallen to the Barisan Nasional? Incidentally, MACC lost the court case against them a year later. Again, in Penang, former Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin was investigated by the MACC, causing worries that he could lose his seat or cross over to avoid prosecution. This resulted in his resignation to avoid that eventuality. A year after his name was cleared by the MACC, he joined Umno.
Now, the two Selangor PKR lawmakers may or may not be guilty. But how can we be sure that their investigation would not be used and abused to induce their crossover and weaken the Selangor government? Teoh Beng Hock, a DAP political aide fell off Selangor MACC’s building after 11 hours of interrogation. Even an Umno division leader, Halimi Kamaruzzaman, claimed he was assaulted, forced to strip naked and roll on the floor by MACC in Kuantan. This could be due to the MACC’s zealous pursuit of money politics in Umno against Khairy Jamaluddin’s faction.
How will the utilisation of state agencies to further a political party’s agenda affect Malaysian politics in the long run?
If a state agency is blatantly abused, not just utilised, by the incumbents to persecute their opponents, then elections are effectively rigged even before the legislature is dissolved. This is because some parties’ ability to contest effectively would already have been undermined. In fact, in Perak, elections were denied after a host of unelected institutions forced out an elected government.
This is sending the wrong signal. Instead of political power being decided by the electorate, it is decided by some unelected institutions. Political elites would be induced to woo different institutions to back them up, tearing the state apparatus apart and perhaps resulting in coups and counter-coups. Others may abandon constitutional politics and resort to “people’s power”.
Take Thailand for example. In 2006, [democratically-elected] Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown by the military. In September 2008, the first prime minister since the coup, Samak Sundaravej, a Thaksin ally, was disqualified by the constitutional court for receiving payment for a cooking show. His whole cabinet was directed to resign with him. In December 2008, the constitutional court disqualified Samak’s successor Somchai Wongsawat, who is Thaksin’s brother-in-law. This time, it was on charges of electoral fraud. A new government was formed by Thaksin’s opponents without a fresh election. Now, are you surprised by the 2010 crisis and bloodshed in Bangkok?
Arguably, with rare exceptions like Singapore, the only recipe for stability, progress and prosperity in the long run is multi-party democracy. Abusing unelected institutions to oust elected politicians courts political unrest. If the Perak coup was replayed in Selangor, the Klang Valley and maybe the entire nation would likely be paralysed by civil disobedience.
MACC logo
More recently, the MACC summoned two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor state assemblypersons to report for questioning on 1 July 2010. The Nut Graph asked political scientist Wong Chin Huat to comment on the MACC’s performance as an institution. We also asked him to comment on how any bias in the carrying out of the MACC’s functions would affect the political scene.
TNG: The MACC summoned two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor state assemblypersons for questioning on 1 July 2010. Pakatan Rakyat representatives claim that Barisan Nasional’s hidden hand is in all of this and that this is not the first time the MACC has been used to intimidate Pakatan Rakyat members. What’s your take on the issue?
Wong Chin Huat: Democracy needs unelected institutions to check and balance elected government and prevent elected tyranny. Such institutions include the judiciary, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the MACC and Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission). No individual, and this includes elected representatives, is above the law.
However, the unelected institutions must be impartial to make sure laws are applied equally on every elected representative and party. Otherwise, such check and balance mechanisms will result in the rule of the unelected. If an unelected institution can easily dismiss or cause the collapse of a government at its whim, then such an institution becomes the actual [controller] of the country, [instead of] the electorate.
Khir Toyo
Are you saying that the MACC should focus on bigger cases and not the smaller ones?
[No, small cases should also] be investigated. But when the MACC fails to make proper judgment on priority and proportionality, how can it not be seen as a tool of the [Barisan Nasional] federal government? MACC has simply been used to undermine the Pakatan Rakyat state governments.
Osman (red tie) and Jamaluddin (striped tie)
Now, the two Selangor PKR lawmakers may or may not be guilty. But how can we be sure that their investigation would not be used and abused to induce their crossover and weaken the Selangor government? Teoh Beng Hock, a DAP political aide fell off Selangor MACC’s building after 11 hours of interrogation. Even an Umno division leader, Halimi Kamaruzzaman, claimed he was assaulted, forced to strip naked and roll on the floor by MACC in Kuantan. This could be due to the MACC’s zealous pursuit of money politics in Umno against Khairy Jamaluddin’s faction.
How will the utilisation of state agencies to further a political party’s agenda affect Malaysian politics in the long run?
If a state agency is blatantly abused, not just utilised, by the incumbents to persecute their opponents, then elections are effectively rigged even before the legislature is dissolved. This is because some parties’ ability to contest effectively would already have been undermined. In fact, in Perak, elections were denied after a host of unelected institutions forced out an elected government.
This is sending the wrong signal. Instead of political power being decided by the electorate, it is decided by some unelected institutions. Political elites would be induced to woo different institutions to back them up, tearing the state apparatus apart and perhaps resulting in coups and counter-coups. Others may abandon constitutional politics and resort to “people’s power”.
Thaksin, Samak and Somchai (Thaksin pic © Presidential Press and Information Office | www.kremlin.ru; Samak pic public domain | Wiki Commons; Somchai pic ©Xiengyod | Wiki Commons)
Arguably, with rare exceptions like Singapore, the only recipe for stability, progress and prosperity in the long run is multi-party democracy. Abusing unelected institutions to oust elected politicians courts political unrest. If the Perak coup was replayed in Selangor, the Klang Valley and maybe the entire nation would likely be paralysed by civil disobedience.
How to scare away investors – the Perkasa Way
By Dr Lim Teck Ghee | CPI
The government’s New Economic Model structural reform agenda is aimed at raising average annual growth to 6% until year 2015. While implementation of the agenda would be positive for Malaysia’s economic fundamentals, even the talk of reform has already provoked considerable political opposition.
When first introduced, the NEM was supposed to be Malaysia’s new selling point to local and foreign investors and the country’s passport to a better future. It now appears to be aborted before birth. Or at best, it appears to be a newly arrived baby in the critically ill ward, and needing an incubator and special attention if it is to survive at all.
Chief amongst its enemies has been Perkasa and Dr Mahathir Mohamad. From them emerged harsh talk about Malays losing power in the country and of Umno allowing the situation of Malay dominance to be so badly eroded that the community is facing a bleak and hopeless future.
While Perkasa may claim a big membership of 200,000 – even if unsubstantiated or exaggerated – the results of a survey released in April by pollster Merdeka Center nonetheless did show that the right-wing group has been gaining popularity. The centre found that nearly 70 percent of Malay voters in the peninsula agreed with Perkasa’s demands for the government not to dismantle quotas and economic protection for the Malays.
Describing the list of demands sent to Najib Razak before the prime minister presented the 10th Malaysia Plan in Parliament, Perkasa economic bureau chief Dr Zubir Harun said, “We (Malays) would, of course, require assistance from the government.” Asked by reporters about any consequences should the government not consider Perkasa’s memorandum, Zubir replied that there would be “political implications”.
What form the ‘implications’ might take would boil down to the numbers game. “Malaysia comprises 55 percent Malays and 12 percent of other Bumiputeras, which total 67 percent Bumiputeras. Therefore, the nation’s wealth must be 67 percent for Bumiputeras but we get 30 percent only,” Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali decried at his movement’s inaugural congress in March – an event that was graced by ex-premier Mahathir.
It is the latter who has taken centre stage and had the spotlight shone on his continued manipulation of the Malay sense of insecurity. While Dr Mahathir’s scaremongering has been the grist for many a debate mill, his views on FDI is of equal public interest.
Now cautioning that Malaysia “should be more selective with FDI”, Dr Mahathir seems to have changed his tune from his past grand visions of ‘Look East’ development. He says presently: “Certainly we should not encourage foreign developers to develop high cost projects which are not within reach of local buyers. Rather Government should help local investors to develop these specialised areas by building needed infrastructure.”
He advocates “supporting local industries to grow big”, and cites Japanese and Korean world class businesses “with their own brand names” as examples of success.
Dr Mahathir’s selective amnesia appears rather convenient when one recalls how his expensive state-backed Proton project failed to make a dent in branding overseas, not to mention at home where it would have surely failed a long time ago were it not for crippling taxes levied on imported cars and injection of massive amounts of taxpayers’ money to buoy Proton.
Dr Mahathir’s continued efforts at whipping up fear amongst Malays has now been taken up by some other Umno leaders, including former party secretary-general Sabbaruddin Chik who was reported by Malay daily Berita Harian recently as saying that all the hard-fought privileges accrued by the Malays over the years would soon be lost if they are to be “disunited”.
The anti-Chinese agitators are missing the forest for the trees since they fail to ask what would be the point of having 99.9 percent political power if the economic cake has crumbled. Getting a guaranteed share of a small equity or property market cake is what the warlords may insist upon but at what cost to young Malays when the jobs that come with local and foreign investment disappear.
And if investor sentiment is the gauge of how well Ibrahim Ali – who avows he is proud to be a “jaguh kampung” – and Dr Mahathir and their friends have done, then they all should pat themselves on the back for doing a great job of scaring the business community, and not only just the Malay community.
Capital continues to flows out
According to a recent report, Malaysia’s capital account is now showing eight consecutive quarters of outflows. The capital account is an account that tracks the movement of funds for investments and loans into and out of a country.
Not only is money and funds moving out of Malaysia, so far this year, according to Emerging Portfolio Fund Research data, Bursa Malaysia has received just two percent of total equity inflows into the emerging markets of Asia – yes, two percent.
Unlike in other countries, where fund managers and strategists have been buoyed by recent sentiment and momentum, there are few catalysts to tempt investors into buying Malaysian stocks or to encourage new investment flows from abroad.
According to Fitch, one of the world’s leading rating agencies, in a statement issued on July 8:
“The deterioration in Malaysia’s public finances that motivated the local-currency rating downgrade in 2009 looks unlikely to be unwound soon. The authorities’ structural reform agenda has the potential to improve Malaysia’s growth prospects, but the government’s ability to overcome political obstacles to reform is not assured and it will take concrete progress to exert upward pressure on the ratings.”
Fitch projects Malaysia’s federal government debt to reach 54.4% of GDP by end-2010, up from 41.4% at end-2008 and well above the ‘A’ median of 40%.
The federal deficit hit 7.6% of GDP in 2009 on the agency’s measure and is projected to narrow only moderately to 6% in 2010.
Meanwhile, structural weaknesses in Malaysia’s public finances continue to weigh on the ratings. The country’s fiscal revenue base remains relatively weak, with federal revenues at 22.7% of GDP in 2009, against a 10-year average for the ‘A’ range of 34%.
Higher energy revenue reliance
Furthermore, fiscal dependence on the energy sector is high and rising, threatening higher revenue volatility in the medium-term. Energy-derived revenues were 41% of total fiscal revenues in 2009, up from 20% in 2003.
Should oil and gas revenues decline drastically, then the introduction of a goods and services tax (GST) to strengthen the revenue base may well be sooner rather than later.
An early warning of this has already been given by Petronas which revealed last week of a 23.2 percent plunge in net profit for the fiscal year ended March 31 due to weak demand and low oil and gas prices. Revenue fell 18 percent to RM216.4 billion due to a contraction in product prices and lower sales volume.
Should the collapse in global consumer spending and falling industrial output continue, the nation will be in deep trouble.
What are the alternatives?
The country’s best bet to attract investor interest and reduce the deficit appears to be the old standby of privatizations and special concessions to entice investors.
Some observers have argued that accelerating the privatization of GLCs can bring about a virtuous cycle of a reduced budget deficit; a re-rating of the country’s local-currency debt; and a chance of taking a bigger share of the short and long-term foreign capital heading Asia’s way.
Najib has recently been dropping discreet hints on the sales of holdings in Petronas Gas, Malaysia Airports and Sime Darby. However there is every indication that he will have to fight every inch of the way against Perkasa and its allies – the deeply entrenched warlords in Umno and the Malay bureaucracy.
When the prime minister warned local Johor leaders not to be emotional or parochial about Singaporeans investing in the state especially in the region of Iskandar Malaysia, he was not being proactive or referring to a hypothetical situation. He was finally reacting to statements by Dr Mahathir, Perkasa and the Bumiputera Economic Congress on the need to maintain the NEP status quo and to ensure Malay dominance.
Finally, it is the height of political stupidity to call for a Chinese Perkasa to meet the irrational and racist challenge of the Malay Perkasa. Whoever made that demand or issued a statement to that effect clearly needs to go back to study Political Ethics 101 which is that you do not fight darkness with equal darkness but with light and reason.
The government’s New Economic Model structural reform agenda is aimed at raising average annual growth to 6% until year 2015. While implementation of the agenda would be positive for Malaysia’s economic fundamentals, even the talk of reform has already provoked considerable political opposition.
When first introduced, the NEM was supposed to be Malaysia’s new selling point to local and foreign investors and the country’s passport to a better future. It now appears to be aborted before birth. Or at best, it appears to be a newly arrived baby in the critically ill ward, and needing an incubator and special attention if it is to survive at all.
Chief amongst its enemies has been Perkasa and Dr Mahathir Mohamad. From them emerged harsh talk about Malays losing power in the country and of Umno allowing the situation of Malay dominance to be so badly eroded that the community is facing a bleak and hopeless future.
While Perkasa may claim a big membership of 200,000 – even if unsubstantiated or exaggerated – the results of a survey released in April by pollster Merdeka Center nonetheless did show that the right-wing group has been gaining popularity. The centre found that nearly 70 percent of Malay voters in the peninsula agreed with Perkasa’s demands for the government not to dismantle quotas and economic protection for the Malays.
Describing the list of demands sent to Najib Razak before the prime minister presented the 10th Malaysia Plan in Parliament, Perkasa economic bureau chief Dr Zubir Harun said, “We (Malays) would, of course, require assistance from the government.” Asked by reporters about any consequences should the government not consider Perkasa’s memorandum, Zubir replied that there would be “political implications”.
What form the ‘implications’ might take would boil down to the numbers game. “Malaysia comprises 55 percent Malays and 12 percent of other Bumiputeras, which total 67 percent Bumiputeras. Therefore, the nation’s wealth must be 67 percent for Bumiputeras but we get 30 percent only,” Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali decried at his movement’s inaugural congress in March – an event that was graced by ex-premier Mahathir.
It is the latter who has taken centre stage and had the spotlight shone on his continued manipulation of the Malay sense of insecurity. While Dr Mahathir’s scaremongering has been the grist for many a debate mill, his views on FDI is of equal public interest.
Now cautioning that Malaysia “should be more selective with FDI”, Dr Mahathir seems to have changed his tune from his past grand visions of ‘Look East’ development. He says presently: “Certainly we should not encourage foreign developers to develop high cost projects which are not within reach of local buyers. Rather Government should help local investors to develop these specialised areas by building needed infrastructure.”
He advocates “supporting local industries to grow big”, and cites Japanese and Korean world class businesses “with their own brand names” as examples of success.
Dr Mahathir’s selective amnesia appears rather convenient when one recalls how his expensive state-backed Proton project failed to make a dent in branding overseas, not to mention at home where it would have surely failed a long time ago were it not for crippling taxes levied on imported cars and injection of massive amounts of taxpayers’ money to buoy Proton.
Dr Mahathir’s continued efforts at whipping up fear amongst Malays has now been taken up by some other Umno leaders, including former party secretary-general Sabbaruddin Chik who was reported by Malay daily Berita Harian recently as saying that all the hard-fought privileges accrued by the Malays over the years would soon be lost if they are to be “disunited”.
The anti-Chinese agitators are missing the forest for the trees since they fail to ask what would be the point of having 99.9 percent political power if the economic cake has crumbled. Getting a guaranteed share of a small equity or property market cake is what the warlords may insist upon but at what cost to young Malays when the jobs that come with local and foreign investment disappear.
And if investor sentiment is the gauge of how well Ibrahim Ali – who avows he is proud to be a “jaguh kampung” – and Dr Mahathir and their friends have done, then they all should pat themselves on the back for doing a great job of scaring the business community, and not only just the Malay community.
Capital continues to flows out
According to a recent report, Malaysia’s capital account is now showing eight consecutive quarters of outflows. The capital account is an account that tracks the movement of funds for investments and loans into and out of a country.
Not only is money and funds moving out of Malaysia, so far this year, according to Emerging Portfolio Fund Research data, Bursa Malaysia has received just two percent of total equity inflows into the emerging markets of Asia – yes, two percent.
Unlike in other countries, where fund managers and strategists have been buoyed by recent sentiment and momentum, there are few catalysts to tempt investors into buying Malaysian stocks or to encourage new investment flows from abroad.
According to Fitch, one of the world’s leading rating agencies, in a statement issued on July 8:
“The deterioration in Malaysia’s public finances that motivated the local-currency rating downgrade in 2009 looks unlikely to be unwound soon. The authorities’ structural reform agenda has the potential to improve Malaysia’s growth prospects, but the government’s ability to overcome political obstacles to reform is not assured and it will take concrete progress to exert upward pressure on the ratings.”
Fitch projects Malaysia’s federal government debt to reach 54.4% of GDP by end-2010, up from 41.4% at end-2008 and well above the ‘A’ median of 40%.
The federal deficit hit 7.6% of GDP in 2009 on the agency’s measure and is projected to narrow only moderately to 6% in 2010.
Meanwhile, structural weaknesses in Malaysia’s public finances continue to weigh on the ratings. The country’s fiscal revenue base remains relatively weak, with federal revenues at 22.7% of GDP in 2009, against a 10-year average for the ‘A’ range of 34%.
Higher energy revenue reliance
Furthermore, fiscal dependence on the energy sector is high and rising, threatening higher revenue volatility in the medium-term. Energy-derived revenues were 41% of total fiscal revenues in 2009, up from 20% in 2003.
Should oil and gas revenues decline drastically, then the introduction of a goods and services tax (GST) to strengthen the revenue base may well be sooner rather than later.
An early warning of this has already been given by Petronas which revealed last week of a 23.2 percent plunge in net profit for the fiscal year ended March 31 due to weak demand and low oil and gas prices. Revenue fell 18 percent to RM216.4 billion due to a contraction in product prices and lower sales volume.
Should the collapse in global consumer spending and falling industrial output continue, the nation will be in deep trouble.
What are the alternatives?
The country’s best bet to attract investor interest and reduce the deficit appears to be the old standby of privatizations and special concessions to entice investors.
Some observers have argued that accelerating the privatization of GLCs can bring about a virtuous cycle of a reduced budget deficit; a re-rating of the country’s local-currency debt; and a chance of taking a bigger share of the short and long-term foreign capital heading Asia’s way.
Najib has recently been dropping discreet hints on the sales of holdings in Petronas Gas, Malaysia Airports and Sime Darby. However there is every indication that he will have to fight every inch of the way against Perkasa and its allies – the deeply entrenched warlords in Umno and the Malay bureaucracy.
When the prime minister warned local Johor leaders not to be emotional or parochial about Singaporeans investing in the state especially in the region of Iskandar Malaysia, he was not being proactive or referring to a hypothetical situation. He was finally reacting to statements by Dr Mahathir, Perkasa and the Bumiputera Economic Congress on the need to maintain the NEP status quo and to ensure Malay dominance.
Finally, it is the height of political stupidity to call for a Chinese Perkasa to meet the irrational and racist challenge of the Malay Perkasa. Whoever made that demand or issued a statement to that effect clearly needs to go back to study Political Ethics 101 which is that you do not fight darkness with equal darkness but with light and reason.
A year on, Teoh’s family struggles to move on
The Malaysian Insider
by Debra Chong
“We want justice for Beng Hock,” a red-eyed Lee Lan stressed repeatedly to The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview.
The accounting executive based in the Klang Valley was thrust into the role of family spokesman since her brother’s death.
“We don’t want money. We want him back. Can money bring him back?” asked the youngest of five children.
The family is strongly opposed to the view forwarded by several government pathologists that Beng Hock’s death was a suicide. They believe he died as a result of foul play and want the culprits brought to book.
“When we wanted a Royal Commission set up last year, Datuk Seri (Najib) told us that the country has laws and we must follow the law and have an inquest first.
“He said if we are still not satisfied after the inquest, he will seriously reconsider [setting up] a Royal Commission,” Lee Lan said, relating a private meeting with the prime minister on July 28 last year.
“We’re not satisfied. We want a Royal Commission. If even Anwar can get one for his ‘black eye’ case, which is not as serious like this one, why can’t we? Someone died,” she stressed.
“People have been telling me it’s no use. The government won’t take action. The government won’t give us a Royal Commission. No one will be punished.
“People have been telling me to let go and move on. How? My brother died… My mother is better now, she doesn’t cry so much but still… when she thinks of him, when she’s washing clothes, she cries,” Lee Lan spoke haltingly as she related her mother’s condition.
“Sometimes, when she’s carrying my nephew, she will say: ‘Ah, if only your father was here to see you…’ and then she’ll cry.”
The rest of the family have got on with their lives — the father works as a taxi driver, Meng Kee recently transferred home after being promoted to branch manager at a golfing equipment company, and Lee Lan quit working at an auditing firm here after a change of management — but the 57-year-old housewife is often left at home for long periods of time and retracts into the past.
The portrait of Beng Hock that Teng Shuw Hor cradles in court occupies a spot in the family home in Malacca, but she has another she keeps in her bedroom.
“She leans it against the headboard when she sleeps,” Lee Lan disclosed.
The Teohs were dismayed at the direction the inquest was heading, especially after the MACC’s British forensic expert, Dr Peter Vanezis, backed three local pathologists on their suicide theory.
Lee Lan grew angry recalling the MACC’s attempt to block potentially vital evidence from being presented in the inquest earlier this year, and slammed its legal affairs director, Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, for a callous remark.
“You remember Datuk Razak said the result was now 4-0, like the World Cup? How can he compare someone’s death to football? How is that professional?” she demanded.
The family was heartened when Dr Pornthip finally confirmed she will turn up to give evidence at the inquest in person, squelching talk by detractors, including minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
The 54-year-old Thai pathologist is the only forensic expert on record who supported the family’s claim of foul play.
Her willingness to testify after months of delay has renewed their flagging confidence in the pursuit of justice.
The family is aware that even with an RCI, there may be no prosecution charges against anyone.
“What else can I do? I can only hope. Who else will remember Beng Hock?” Lee Lan asked.
“I wish someone would tell me what to do. Can you?” she added, pointedly.
by Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — For Teoh Beng Hock’s family, there can be no closure with just the end of his inquest, expected to wrap up next month after Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand reports her autopsy findings in the coroner’s court.
The dead political aide’s family has been unhappy with how the inquest has been conducted so far, and will push Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to live up to his pledge and set up an independent Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe the suspicious circumstances surrounding Beng Hock’s fall a year ago.
Beng Hock’s broken body was found last July 16, nine floors below the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) Selangor headquarters where he had been taken in for questioning exactly a year ago today.
A father-to-be, the 30-year-old was due to register his marriage to his pregnant sweetheart the same day.
The dead political aide’s family has been unhappy with how the inquest has been conducted so far, and will push Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to live up to his pledge and set up an independent Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe the suspicious circumstances surrounding Beng Hock’s fall a year ago.
Beng Hock’s broken body was found last July 16, nine floors below the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) Selangor headquarters where he had been taken in for questioning exactly a year ago today.
A father-to-be, the 30-year-old was due to register his marriage to his pregnant sweetheart the same day.
“We want justice for Beng Hock,” a red-eyed Lee Lan stressed repeatedly to The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview.
The accounting executive based in the Klang Valley was thrust into the role of family spokesman since her brother’s death.
“We don’t want money. We want him back. Can money bring him back?” asked the youngest of five children.
The family is strongly opposed to the view forwarded by several government pathologists that Beng Hock’s death was a suicide. They believe he died as a result of foul play and want the culprits brought to book.
“When we wanted a Royal Commission set up last year, Datuk Seri (Najib) told us that the country has laws and we must follow the law and have an inquest first.
“He said if we are still not satisfied after the inquest, he will seriously reconsider [setting up] a Royal Commission,” Lee Lan said, relating a private meeting with the prime minister on July 28 last year.
“We’re not satisfied. We want a Royal Commission. If even Anwar can get one for his ‘black eye’ case, which is not as serious like this one, why can’t we? Someone died,” she stressed.
“People have been telling me it’s no use. The government won’t take action. The government won’t give us a Royal Commission. No one will be punished.
“People have been telling me to let go and move on. How? My brother died… My mother is better now, she doesn’t cry so much but still… when she thinks of him, when she’s washing clothes, she cries,” Lee Lan spoke haltingly as she related her mother’s condition.
“Sometimes, when she’s carrying my nephew, she will say: ‘Ah, if only your father was here to see you…’ and then she’ll cry.”
The rest of the family have got on with their lives — the father works as a taxi driver, Meng Kee recently transferred home after being promoted to branch manager at a golfing equipment company, and Lee Lan quit working at an auditing firm here after a change of management — but the 57-year-old housewife is often left at home for long periods of time and retracts into the past.
The portrait of Beng Hock that Teng Shuw Hor cradles in court occupies a spot in the family home in Malacca, but she has another she keeps in her bedroom.
“She leans it against the headboard when she sleeps,” Lee Lan disclosed.
The Teohs were dismayed at the direction the inquest was heading, especially after the MACC’s British forensic expert, Dr Peter Vanezis, backed three local pathologists on their suicide theory.
Lee Lan grew angry recalling the MACC’s attempt to block potentially vital evidence from being presented in the inquest earlier this year, and slammed its legal affairs director, Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, for a callous remark.
“You remember Datuk Razak said the result was now 4-0, like the World Cup? How can he compare someone’s death to football? How is that professional?” she demanded.
The family was heartened when Dr Pornthip finally confirmed she will turn up to give evidence at the inquest in person, squelching talk by detractors, including minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
The 54-year-old Thai pathologist is the only forensic expert on record who supported the family’s claim of foul play.
Her willingness to testify after months of delay has renewed their flagging confidence in the pursuit of justice.
The family is aware that even with an RCI, there may be no prosecution charges against anyone.
“What else can I do? I can only hope. Who else will remember Beng Hock?” Lee Lan asked.
“I wish someone would tell me what to do. Can you?” she added, pointedly.
U.N. official criticizes Vatican over abuse
The Catholic Church must not sweep abuse "under the carpet," a top U.N. official said Thursday in unprecedented criticism of the Vatican by the United Nations.
Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said she was "not at all" happy with how the Catholic Church has handled allegations of child abuse by clergy.
"There are children who are now coming forward on this issue and they are still hurting. They need to see justice being done," she told CNN's "Connect the World" program.
On Thursday, the Vatican issued new rules aimed at stopping the abuse of children by priests.
The new regulations give the pope the authority to defrock a priest or hand out other punishments without a formal Vatican trial.
The rules also make it a crime for a priest to download child pornography. And they say the abuse of mentally handicapped people is as bad as child abuse.
Read the statement from the Vatican (in Italian and English)
Child-safety campaigners said the new rules do not go far enough.
"The pope had a chance to do something really decisive that would affect the situation worldwide," said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.
Instead the Vatican issued rules that she described as the equivalent of "bringing a child's sand shovel to an avalanche."
Doyle wants the Vatican to do much more, including ending "secretive tribunals" of priests accused of abuse.
"The church must release lists of credibly accused priests," she said.
Naming suspected abusers "serves a public safety function," she said, and is "not only reasonable, it's absolutely crucial."
It would help victims to have abusive priests named even if they are dead, she said.
"I know a family that was utterly destroyed by the abuse of four siblings" who were all molested by the same priest, she said.
"It tore apart a devout Catholic family. Some of them are not speaking to each other," she said. "It would be of enormous help to them for the bishops just to say, 'We know there are allegations against him.'"
The new rules come in response to thousands of recent allegations of child abuse by priests in the United States, Europe and Latin America.
They deal only with how the church itself handles allegations of abuse, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said.
Church law already orders Catholic clergy to comply with the civil law of the country they live in if they suspect child abuse is taking place, he said.
CNN Senior Vatican Analyst John Allen said the long-awaited guidelines make "relatively minor" changes.
"They take what is already existing practice and make it church law," he said.
He doubted they would satisfy the Vatican's critics.
"The story here is a kind of disconnect between the Vatican, which seems to think that business as usual is enough, and the rest of the world who are waiting for a dramatic symbol of change," he said. "These revisions will likely come across to critics as the Vatican re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic."
CNN's Hada Messia and the CNN Wire Staff contributed to this report.
Zahrain, you're a blatant liar: Bala's lawyer
(Malaysiakini) The war of words between Americk Sidhu, the lawyer for private eye P Balasubramaniam, and Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohamed Hashim escalated today with the former PKR politician being called a “blatant liar”.
Zahrain, who left PKR to become an independent parliamentarian in February, had accused his former party of sponsoring blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who has been living in self-imposed exile in London.
Last Wednesday, Zahrain said he had furnished the proof in the form of e-mail messages to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz.
Zahrain has also said that Balasubramanian's interview with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), even if it took place in London, would be fruitless as the private investigator's revelation was scripted by his lawyers.
This has prompted an angry response the next day from Americk, who described the MP as a “dishonourable man”.
Yesterday, Zahrain retaliated and suggested that the furious reaction from Americk could be the result of the lawyer and Raja Petra feeling threatened by his revelation.
Zahrain's feeble threat
In an open letter to Zahrain today, the lawyer said the MP was holding onto the “feeble threat” of having documentary proof of the PKR sponsorship.
“The only proof you could possibly have of any sponsorship of my expenses in London would be copies of my American Express and Visa card bills,” said Americk.
“If you do indeed have copies of these statements, then you will no doubt have realised that whatever it cost to fly to London from Australia, stay in a hotel there for seven nights and then return to Australia, was paid for out of my own hard-earned money and no one else's.”
Americk proceeded to provide details of his expenses in London - both his hotel stay and his flight tickets between Perth and London.
“I have bills to back these expenses and I have proof that I paid for them myself,” said Americk.
He said the bills were paid through his American Express and Visa credit cards. Americk ended his letter by issuing a challenge to Zahrain.
“I have thrown down the gauntlet, Zahrain. Produce your proof or forever hold your loquacity,” said Americk.
Lawyers paid from own pockets
According to Americk, the other two Balasubramaniam lawyers - Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Amarjit Singh Sidhu - also paid for their respective trips to London themselves.
“You may question why we paid all this money out of our own pockets. You may also choose to question why the legal services we are providing Bala are pro bono. The answer is very simple and probably beyond your comprehension. We consider it part of our duty to the nation,” Americk said in his letter to Zahrain.
Meanwhile, Balasubramaniam has said earlier that he was sponsored by Deepak Jaikishan, a businessman who has close links with Prime Minister Najib Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor.
While all the three lawyers were with Balasubramaniam in London last week, the private investigator was accompanied by Manjeet in his trip to Paris to meet with French investigators early this week.
Dear Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim,
It has come to my notice that you have again provided the press with information pertaining to matters you actually have no knowledge of but are instead pretending to.
It seems to me that you are still so desperately trying to earn brownie points with your new masters that you have instead resorted to a pathetic and tenuous attempt to discredit my integrity based on nothing more than a feeble threat of being possessed of documentary proof of my wrongdoings, which I know for a fact you could not possibly have.
In the event you are unable to decipher the innuendo in that statement, then let me leave you in no doubt that apart from my observations of your dishonourable conduct as a parliamentarian, I am now calling you a blatant liar.
The only proof you could possibly have of any sponsorship of my expenses in London would be copies of my American Express and Visa card bills. If you do indeed have copies of these statements, then you will no doubt have realised that whatever it cost to fly to London from Australia, stay in a hotel there for seven nights and then return to Australia, was paid for out of my own hard-earned money and no one else's.
I understand this concept may be alien to a politician of your stature but please try and understand that ordinary people sometimes do pay their own bills.
So I am now going to detail those expenses for you, Zahrain. As I have said, I have bills to back these expenses and I have proof that I paid for them myself.
1. Qantas airfares for my wife and I from Perth to London return - AUD$12,560.24 (American Express)
2. Chesterfield Hotel, Charles St, Mayfair, London - Pounds Sterling 1,550 (Visa)
I also know for a fact that both Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Amarjit Singh Sidhu paid for their respective trips to London themselves but I do not have exact details of those expenses. Since you have not leveled any accusations against them as yet I will leave it at that.
You may question why we paid all this money out of our own pockets. You may also choose to question why the legal services we are providing P Balasubramaniam are pro bono. The answer is very simple and probably beyond your comprehension. We consider it part of our duty to the nation.
Bala travelled to London on a plane ticket he purchased himself in India from the funds he received from Deepak Jaikishan. He checked into a deluxe room in a 4-star hotel in Notting Hill Gate as required by the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission). They had promised to reimburse him for his flight and accommodation. I have documents to prove this. Please also remember that the MACC pulled out of this deal at the very last moment as Bala was in mid flight.
We were forced to hold a roundtable discussion at the Lagenda restaurant Holliday Villa Hotel, London, after the press conference on July 7 because Bala informed us he did not have enough money to pay his hotel bill. He had assumed the MACC would be picking up the tab.
I must confess I was greatly impressed with the speed at which all those at the table pitched in. RPK was the first person to hand over 500 pounds from his own pocket whilst other persons present passed the hat around and in no time at all, Bala was in funds again.
Needless to say, the two Special Branch agents seconded to eavesdrop were no where to be seen when that hat was passed around. Donations were received from ordinary Malaysians who were there supporting the fight of good over evil and truth over deceit. A big heartfelt 'syabas' to them all. Your nation is proud of you!
Now Zahrain, if you have proof to contradict my claim that my expenses in particular were borne by no other person than myself, please be man enough to reveal it. May I suggest that you ask Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz for those documents back. I am sure he would be only too happy to assist you in discrediting me.
Zahrain, be very clear that the reason why I called you a dishonourable man was for cheating those people who placed their trust in you by voting for you in the last elections. In the real world this would have meant that your credibility would have been irreparably destroyed. Not however, in the political world in which you now live, where chicanery of this nature is par for the course and is encouraged by reward.
Finally, Zahrain, even if PKR had sponsored my trip, (which unfortunately they have not), I am unable to comprehend why you would have considered this such a serious offence as to necessitate indignant press releases.
I would have thought support of this nature would have been lauded by any right thinking member of society as it would have shown a commitment by the opposition in ensuring that perpetrators of misdeeds are brought to justice, a concept you still appear not to appreciate very well.
So I have thrown down the gauntlet Zahrain. Produce your proof or forever hold your loquacity.
Let it be known that I am not intimidated by your threats. Paper tigers do not frighten me.
Zahrain, who left PKR to become an independent parliamentarian in February, had accused his former party of sponsoring blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who has been living in self-imposed exile in London.
Last Wednesday, Zahrain said he had furnished the proof in the form of e-mail messages to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz.Zahrain has also said that Balasubramanian's interview with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), even if it took place in London, would be fruitless as the private investigator's revelation was scripted by his lawyers.
This has prompted an angry response the next day from Americk, who described the MP as a “dishonourable man”.
Yesterday, Zahrain retaliated and suggested that the furious reaction from Americk could be the result of the lawyer and Raja Petra feeling threatened by his revelation.
Zahrain's feeble threat
In an open letter to Zahrain today, the lawyer said the MP was holding onto the “feeble threat” of having documentary proof of the PKR sponsorship.
“The only proof you could possibly have of any sponsorship of my expenses in London would be copies of my American Express and Visa card bills,” said Americk.
“If you do indeed have copies of these statements, then you will no doubt have realised that whatever it cost to fly to London from Australia, stay in a hotel there for seven nights and then return to Australia, was paid for out of my own hard-earned money and no one else's.”Americk proceeded to provide details of his expenses in London - both his hotel stay and his flight tickets between Perth and London.
“I have bills to back these expenses and I have proof that I paid for them myself,” said Americk.
He said the bills were paid through his American Express and Visa credit cards. Americk ended his letter by issuing a challenge to Zahrain.
“I have thrown down the gauntlet, Zahrain. Produce your proof or forever hold your loquacity,” said Americk.
Lawyers paid from own pockets
According to Americk, the other two Balasubramaniam lawyers - Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Amarjit Singh Sidhu - also paid for their respective trips to London themselves.
“You may question why we paid all this money out of our own pockets. You may also choose to question why the legal services we are providing Bala are pro bono. The answer is very simple and probably beyond your comprehension. We consider it part of our duty to the nation,” Americk said in his letter to Zahrain.
Meanwhile, Balasubramaniam has said earlier that he was sponsored by Deepak Jaikishan, a businessman who has close links with Prime Minister Najib Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor.
While all the three lawyers were with Balasubramaniam in London last week, the private investigator was accompanied by Manjeet in his trip to Paris to meet with French investigators early this week.
Dear Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim,
It has come to my notice that you have again provided the press with information pertaining to matters you actually have no knowledge of but are instead pretending to.
It seems to me that you are still so desperately trying to earn brownie points with your new masters that you have instead resorted to a pathetic and tenuous attempt to discredit my integrity based on nothing more than a feeble threat of being possessed of documentary proof of my wrongdoings, which I know for a fact you could not possibly have.
In the event you are unable to decipher the innuendo in that statement, then let me leave you in no doubt that apart from my observations of your dishonourable conduct as a parliamentarian, I am now calling you a blatant liar.
The only proof you could possibly have of any sponsorship of my expenses in London would be copies of my American Express and Visa card bills. If you do indeed have copies of these statements, then you will no doubt have realised that whatever it cost to fly to London from Australia, stay in a hotel there for seven nights and then return to Australia, was paid for out of my own hard-earned money and no one else's.
I understand this concept may be alien to a politician of your stature but please try and understand that ordinary people sometimes do pay their own bills.
So I am now going to detail those expenses for you, Zahrain. As I have said, I have bills to back these expenses and I have proof that I paid for them myself.
1. Qantas airfares for my wife and I from Perth to London return - AUD$12,560.24 (American Express)
2. Chesterfield Hotel, Charles St, Mayfair, London - Pounds Sterling 1,550 (Visa)
I also know for a fact that both Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Amarjit Singh Sidhu paid for their respective trips to London themselves but I do not have exact details of those expenses. Since you have not leveled any accusations against them as yet I will leave it at that.
You may question why we paid all this money out of our own pockets. You may also choose to question why the legal services we are providing P Balasubramaniam are pro bono. The answer is very simple and probably beyond your comprehension. We consider it part of our duty to the nation.
Bala travelled to London on a plane ticket he purchased himself in India from the funds he received from Deepak Jaikishan. He checked into a deluxe room in a 4-star hotel in Notting Hill Gate as required by the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission). They had promised to reimburse him for his flight and accommodation. I have documents to prove this. Please also remember that the MACC pulled out of this deal at the very last moment as Bala was in mid flight.
We were forced to hold a roundtable discussion at the Lagenda restaurant Holliday Villa Hotel, London, after the press conference on July 7 because Bala informed us he did not have enough money to pay his hotel bill. He had assumed the MACC would be picking up the tab.
I must confess I was greatly impressed with the speed at which all those at the table pitched in. RPK was the first person to hand over 500 pounds from his own pocket whilst other persons present passed the hat around and in no time at all, Bala was in funds again.
Needless to say, the two Special Branch agents seconded to eavesdrop were no where to be seen when that hat was passed around. Donations were received from ordinary Malaysians who were there supporting the fight of good over evil and truth over deceit. A big heartfelt 'syabas' to them all. Your nation is proud of you!
Now Zahrain, if you have proof to contradict my claim that my expenses in particular were borne by no other person than myself, please be man enough to reveal it. May I suggest that you ask Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz for those documents back. I am sure he would be only too happy to assist you in discrediting me.
Zahrain, be very clear that the reason why I called you a dishonourable man was for cheating those people who placed their trust in you by voting for you in the last elections. In the real world this would have meant that your credibility would have been irreparably destroyed. Not however, in the political world in which you now live, where chicanery of this nature is par for the course and is encouraged by reward.
Finally, Zahrain, even if PKR had sponsored my trip, (which unfortunately they have not), I am unable to comprehend why you would have considered this such a serious offence as to necessitate indignant press releases.
I would have thought support of this nature would have been lauded by any right thinking member of society as it would have shown a commitment by the opposition in ensuring that perpetrators of misdeeds are brought to justice, a concept you still appear not to appreciate very well.
So I have thrown down the gauntlet Zahrain. Produce your proof or forever hold your loquacity.
Let it be known that I am not intimidated by your threats. Paper tigers do not frighten me.
The writer is lawyer for private investigator P Balasubramaniam.
Controversial private eye P Balasubramaniam said that he was quizzed for three hours on Monday by French prosecutor M Ryckewaert at the Centrale de la Police Judiciare in Paris.
This was followed by a two-hour meeting the day after with a team of French lawyers led by Joseph Breham, who were hired by human rights group Suaram to bring up the case in the French courts.
According to Balasubramaniam, he told the French what he knew regarding the alleged Paris meeting between Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda - who had hired the private investigator to keep an eye on Altantuya before she was murdered in 2006.
He was also asked on the payments made by Razak Baginda to Altantuya and the purchase of an apartment in Mongolia by the political analyst for his ex-lover.
Balasubramaniam also explained the role played by Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, his brother, Nazim Abdul Razak and businessman Deepak Jaikishan in getting him to change his statutory declaration, which led to his self-imposed exile in India.
The private investigator also gave information on the two Special Action Forces personnel - chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar - who last year were convicted of killing Altantuya.
Balasubramian was also questioned on the alleged French individuals involved in the multi-billion ringgit submarine deal and the details given by Altantuya of payments made by the French to Perimekar Sdn Bhd, the company owned by Abdul Razak's wife Mazlinda Mahmood.
Two Malaysian names cropped up during the questioning - Major Rahim and Abdul Rahim Saad. However, no details were revealed on who they were and what role they played in the scandal.
The Parisians are investigating whether commissions have been paid in the RM3.7 billion deal between the Malaysian government and French-based defence company DCNS, which is illegal under the French law.
This was followed by a two-hour meeting the day after with a team of French lawyers led by Joseph Breham, who were hired by human rights group Suaram to bring up the case in the French courts.
According to Balasubramaniam, he told the French what he knew regarding the alleged Paris meeting between Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda - who had hired the private investigator to keep an eye on Altantuya before she was murdered in 2006.He was also asked on the payments made by Razak Baginda to Altantuya and the purchase of an apartment in Mongolia by the political analyst for his ex-lover.
Balasubramaniam also explained the role played by Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, his brother, Nazim Abdul Razak and businessman Deepak Jaikishan in getting him to change his statutory declaration, which led to his self-imposed exile in India.
The private investigator also gave information on the two Special Action Forces personnel - chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar - who last year were convicted of killing Altantuya.
Balasubramian was also questioned on the alleged French individuals involved in the multi-billion ringgit submarine deal and the details given by Altantuya of payments made by the French to Perimekar Sdn Bhd, the company owned by Abdul Razak's wife Mazlinda Mahmood.
Two Malaysian names cropped up during the questioning - Major Rahim and Abdul Rahim Saad. However, no details were revealed on who they were and what role they played in the scandal.
The Parisians are investigating whether commissions have been paid in the RM3.7 billion deal between the Malaysian government and French-based defence company DCNS, which is illegal under the French law.
Bala's press statement
Below is the statement released by Balasubramaniam on what he told the French investigators.
Below is the statement released by Balasubramaniam on what he told the French investigators.
He was quizzed by them alone as the private eye's lawyer, Manjeet Singh Dhillon, was not allowed to accompany him.
Place of interview: Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciare DNIF, Nanterre, Paris. Interviewed by M Ryckewaert assisted by an English interpreter and another officer. Interview conducted in French through the English interpreter.
Observation: The French investigator appeared to be very familiar with the events inMalaysia relating to the Altantuya murder. The interview however centred on the Scorpene submarine deal and the alleged commission paid in connection with that.
The following were the areas covered in the interview.
1) My background [including date and place of birth] and my occupation from the time I was with the Malaysian police to the time when I became a private investigator in 1998.
2) The validity of my PI (private investigator) licence.
3) The whole story as to how I was recruited to do a job for Razak Baginda and my interview before the job done by Dhirren Norendra, a lawyer practising in Kuala Lumpur. I was questioned about the scope of my assignment, the target and objectives of my assignment.
4) The background to the Altantuya murder. I briefed them on the events leading up to and after the murder and also told them to read my first SD (statutory declaration) and the Singapore interview. Also the identity of the two police officers convicted of the murder, who they worked for as well as the identity of the various other people identified as being about when Altantunya disappeared and their link to Razak Baginda and/or the PM (prime minister).
5) Razak Baginda's relationship with our present PM, the information and events narrated to me by Razak Baginda including the SMS sent by the PM to Razak Baginda at the point of his arrest for the murder of Altantuya.
6) The Malaysian company, Perimekar, its ownership, and link to Razak Baginda and his wife. Also nature of business undertaken by Perimekar. I told them of the presence of army equipment in Razak Baginda's office. Information concerning Razak Baginda and his present whereabouts.
7) Financial payments by Razak Baginda to Altantuya, including the three US$5,000 payments by Baginda to Altantuya, which included a penalty of US$1,000 because of late banking in. Also the purchase by Razak Baginda of an apartment in Mongolia for Altantuya. Also the background to the US$500,000 payment demanded by Altantuya, how it arose, its link to the Scorpene submarine deal, Altanunya's involvement in the negotiations, and admission and confirmation by Razak Baginda that he should have paid Altantuya the money.
8) How Rosmah Mansor teamed up with Deepak to exile me from Malaysia, the threats to my family after I signed the first SD as well as the involvement of the PM's brother in the events that led to the second SD and my being smuggled out of Malaysia and asked to stay away till Najib Razak became PM.
9) I was asked to retrace the events in Rawang coffee house where Deepak, Dinesh and ASP Suresh were present.
10) The length and time I have been in exile.
11) Details concerning Altantuya's cousin, Ammy, who had knowledge of the Paris dinner where the PM and Razak Baginda were present with Altantuya.
12) The identity of the French individuals involved in the Scorpene deal.
13) My knowledge of any payments by the French to Perimekar and information given to me by Altantuya that her US$500,000 was because of the successful deal concerning the Scorpene submarine transaction.
14) The identity, background and involvement of two Malaysians identified as Major Rahim and Abdul Rahim Saad.
15) Altantuya's family background.
16) My links with Suaram, if any.
17) The need for justice to be served for the Altantuya murder and the truth to be told concerning the Scorpene deal.
I signed the statement that the French officer recorded.
Balasubramaniam also said that he met with Breham, the French lawyer acting for Suaram, on July 13 at 10 am at his office at Cabinet Bourdon-Voituriez-Burget, 156 Rue de Rivoli, Paris.
Observation: The French investigator appeared to be very familiar with the events inMalaysia relating to the Altantuya murder. The interview however centred on the Scorpene submarine deal and the alleged commission paid in connection with that.
The following were the areas covered in the interview.
1) My background [including date and place of birth] and my occupation from the time I was with the Malaysian police to the time when I became a private investigator in 1998.
2) The validity of my PI (private investigator) licence.
3) The whole story as to how I was recruited to do a job for Razak Baginda and my interview before the job done by Dhirren Norendra, a lawyer practising in Kuala Lumpur. I was questioned about the scope of my assignment, the target and objectives of my assignment.
4) The background to the Altantuya murder. I briefed them on the events leading up to and after the murder and also told them to read my first SD (statutory declaration) and the Singapore interview. Also the identity of the two police officers convicted of the murder, who they worked for as well as the identity of the various other people identified as being about when Altantunya disappeared and their link to Razak Baginda and/or the PM (prime minister).
5) Razak Baginda's relationship with our present PM, the information and events narrated to me by Razak Baginda including the SMS sent by the PM to Razak Baginda at the point of his arrest for the murder of Altantuya.
6) The Malaysian company, Perimekar, its ownership, and link to Razak Baginda and his wife. Also nature of business undertaken by Perimekar. I told them of the presence of army equipment in Razak Baginda's office. Information concerning Razak Baginda and his present whereabouts.
7) Financial payments by Razak Baginda to Altantuya, including the three US$5,000 payments by Baginda to Altantuya, which included a penalty of US$1,000 because of late banking in. Also the purchase by Razak Baginda of an apartment in Mongolia for Altantuya. Also the background to the US$500,000 payment demanded by Altantuya, how it arose, its link to the Scorpene submarine deal, Altanunya's involvement in the negotiations, and admission and confirmation by Razak Baginda that he should have paid Altantuya the money.
8) How Rosmah Mansor teamed up with Deepak to exile me from Malaysia, the threats to my family after I signed the first SD as well as the involvement of the PM's brother in the events that led to the second SD and my being smuggled out of Malaysia and asked to stay away till Najib Razak became PM.
9) I was asked to retrace the events in Rawang coffee house where Deepak, Dinesh and ASP Suresh were present.
10) The length and time I have been in exile.
11) Details concerning Altantuya's cousin, Ammy, who had knowledge of the Paris dinner where the PM and Razak Baginda were present with Altantuya.
12) The identity of the French individuals involved in the Scorpene deal.
13) My knowledge of any payments by the French to Perimekar and information given to me by Altantuya that her US$500,000 was because of the successful deal concerning the Scorpene submarine transaction.
14) The identity, background and involvement of two Malaysians identified as Major Rahim and Abdul Rahim Saad.
15) Altantuya's family background.
16) My links with Suaram, if any.
17) The need for justice to be served for the Altantuya murder and the truth to be told concerning the Scorpene deal.
I signed the statement that the French officer recorded.
Balasubramaniam also said that he met with Breham, the French lawyer acting for Suaram, on July 13 at 10 am at his office at Cabinet Bourdon-Voituriez-Burget, 156 Rue de Rivoli, Paris.
Malay-sian police shoots dead five in one day by Polis raja Di Malaysia. Good way to spend theitr RM 1 billion allocation for 2010.
Four foreigners (Republic of India) nationals and another local were all gunned down in one day but in two transactions.
To the direct contrary there has been only 18 really necessary fatal direct shootings in 61 years in New Zealand (Memorandum on “A trigger Happy Royal Malaysian Police Force” – 1.3 Persons Shot Dead Per week By The Royal Malaysian Police Force (635 From 1989-1999) The Star 11/05/99. As opposed to 18 fatal police shootings in New Zealand from 1940 to 2001 (61 Years. To The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister/ Home Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Bin Haji Ahmad Badawi Dated 31st October 2002. By Police Watch And Human Rights Committee.)
This only goes to show the declining police standards in Malay-sia, high handedness, abuse of powers and akin to a police state.
With the RM 1 billion allocation for the year 2010, there should have been quality investigations and followed by an arrest and then criminal prosecution and the appropriate sentence in a court of law after the accused having had right to defend himself. This is the due process of the law.
Murdering mere suspects by the UMNO Polis Raja Di Malaysia only reflects a police state if not an uncivilized barbaric society.
P. Uthayakumar
To the direct contrary there has been only 18 really necessary fatal direct shootings in 61 years in New Zealand (Memorandum on “A trigger Happy Royal Malaysian Police Force” – 1.3 Persons Shot Dead Per week By The Royal Malaysian Police Force (635 From 1989-1999) The Star 11/05/99. As opposed to 18 fatal police shootings in New Zealand from 1940 to 2001 (61 Years. To The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister/ Home Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Bin Haji Ahmad Badawi Dated 31st October 2002. By Police Watch And Human Rights Committee.)This only goes to show the declining police standards in Malay-sia, high handedness, abuse of powers and akin to a police state.
With the RM 1 billion allocation for the year 2010, there should have been quality investigations and followed by an arrest and then criminal prosecution and the appropriate sentence in a court of law after the accused having had right to defend himself. This is the due process of the law.
Murdering mere suspects by the UMNO Polis Raja Di Malaysia only reflects a police state if not an uncivilized barbaric society.
P. Uthayakumar
Selangor CPO Dato Khalid Abu Bakar refuse to release Indian youth arrested for attempting to lodge a police report against police personnel.
(See letter to Bukit Aman Police Headquarters dated 15/07/2010 below)
Despite the public relations department DSP forwarding this complaint to the Selangor Chief Police Officer Dato Khalid Abu Bakar and when the case is so clear cut based on the complainants three police reports, and the complainant arrested at the Brickfields police station where he went to lodge the said police report the Chief Police Officer of Selangor is adamant in not releasing this Indian youth.This is just the tip of the iceberg of the unlawful arrests of especially the Indians in Malay-sian police lockups on a day to day basis.
We will be writing to the Prime Minister and Home Minister tomorrow on this Polis Raja Di Malaysia above the law mindset.
In the meantime we hold the said Chief Police Officer of Selangor responsible should anything happen to our client Kumar a/l Rajagopal.
P. Uthayakumar
Dear DSP Lai Lee Ching,
Public Relations Department,
Bukit Aman Federal Police H.Q
Kuala Lumpur
Dear Madam,
Re: Client detained for attempting to lodge police report against police for siding Ah Long.
Our Client was harassed by a money lender Ah Long for a debt he had already paid. He was threatened even with death if he did not pay up.
Upon lodging two police reports one Sargeant Jayakumar of the Selayang IPD called in our client and warned him to pay off the Ah Long or he would be arrested for an offence he allegedly committed in 2001. (Note: Our client’s pasport would prove that he was in India from 1997 to 2002)
On our advise our client came to lodge a police report at the Brickfields police station as his earlier attempt to do the same at the Kepong police station was turned down. Instead he was arrested by the Brickfields police and immediately sent to the Selayang police station.
Kindly release our client forthwith and if need be charge him in a Court of law which is the due process of the law.
Further to our tele-conversation at 1.50 p.m today (15/07/2010) i hereby enclose the three police reports all No Selayang 013343/10, 013522/10 and 13506/10 which are self explanatory. Our client is Kumar a/l Rajagopal (IC No: 810507025341)
Please also take action against Sargeant Jayakumar Lkpl Norzamzarina Kpl Yusof and the Ah Longs.
Thank you.
Your Faithfully
P. Uthayakumar.
UMNO refused to honour Mount Everest climbers Mohandas and Magendran
(NST 11/7/10 at page 25)After 14 years, they both were awarded Datukships by the DAP Penang State government.
This too only after critical postings in this our website www.info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
But was DAP sincere or just to make up and appease the Indian anger after the demolishment of Kg Buah Pala, the last traditional Indian village in Penang Island, denial of land for all 28 Tamil schools in Penang, all Hindu cemetaries and all temples in Penang.
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice
Bala spills all in Paris
In a press statement released today, the former police special branch officer said he briefed the French investigator on events surrounding the murder and told what he knew about the relationships between Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu, arms deal broker Abdul Razak Baginda and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
He said he also revealed how he was threatened and bribed by one of Najib’s brothers, Nazim, and carpet seller Deepak Jaikishan, a good friend of Najib’s wife Rosmah.
Bala’s Monday meeting in Paris with French prosecutor M Ryckewaert lasted three hours.
The French are interested in information relating to Malaysia’s purchase of Scorpene submarines in 2002, when Najib was Defence Minister. They want to determine whether the French-based defence firm DCNS paid commissions in the deal, which would be illegal under French law.
Bala said: “I told them about the Malaysian company Perimekar, its ownership and links to (Abdul Razak) Baginda.
“I also told them of the presence of army equipment in Baginda’s office (and gave them) information concerning Baginda and his current whereabouts.”
Perimekar, which is owned by Abdul Razak’s wife, was paid RM570 million for “coordination and support services” as part of the Scorpene deal.
Abdul Razak hired Bala in October 2006, when Altantunya began harassing him for money. She was subsequently murdered and her body blown up by C-4 explosives in a secondary jungle near Shah Alam.
Two policemen—Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar—have been convicted for her murder. Abdul Razak was charged with abetting them but was eventually acquitted.
Bala said he told Ryckewaert what Altantuya told him—that her reward as translator in the deal was supposed to be USD500,000, that Abdul Razak actually made three payments to her of USD5,000 each, and that he bought her an apartment in Mongolia.
“I also touched upon Baginda’s relationship with the PM and the information and events narrated to me by Baginda, including the SMS sent by the PM to Baginda at the point of his arrest for the murder,” Bala said.
Two other names—Major Rahim and Abdul Rahim Saad—came up during the questioning, but Bala’s statement did not say who they were or what role they played in the scandal.
US funding: Khairy calls Anwar a liar
By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia TodayKUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin today alleged that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had lied about the funding from the US for the Anwar-led Foundation for the Future (FFF).
Khairy said a report released by a US whistleblower organisation, Government Accountability Programme (GAP), revealed that the US Congress approved and contributed USD21.3 million to the FFF.
"Anwar had blatantly lied when he said in a statement on May 20, 2007 that US had not contributed to the foundation. When I brought up the issue on March 17, he repeated the same statement," he said.
According to Khairy, GAP is a leading accountability organisation that monitors the spending of the US government and the said report (released on July 8) was based on 267 documents over the period of 33 months.
FFF is a non-profit organisation tasked with promoting democracy and reform in the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) region.
Khairy said the report also concluded that in order to get funds for FFF, Anwar had misled the US Congress on the spendings of other countries towards the foundation.
“The FFF management, including Anwar's good friend, Paul Wolfowitz, had misled the US Internal Revenue Service," he added.
One of the conditions for US' contribution is for a matching grant - meaning that for every dollar US spends, it must get matching contributions from other countries.
FFF's own reports show that less than USD6.4 million of the USD22.26 million in “matching funds” listed by the State Department in its communications with the US Congress as pledged had materialised.
"On July 18, when the foundation signed an agreement with the State Department regarding this funding, Anwar, the then chairman and acting president of FFF, had agreed that FFF had received the commitment from government sources other than US, for example, Qatar, Middle East, to at least match any funds provided," said Khairy."This is serious... that the opposition leader had misled the US government... to get funds for his foundation. Anwar had given an inaccurate explanation saying he never got money from US, it is all documented. I hope Anwar can explain this," he added.
'Be clear about your stand'
Also speaking at the same press conference, Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan said Anwar needs to be clear on his stand and Pakatan Rakyat's policies.
"Anwar wants to be prime minister. He needs to clear the air on the policies of Pakatan Rakyat if he wants to form government. That is why they must form a shadow cabinet. We want to know what is their economic, social and foreign policies. But they are unable to do this," he said.
Claiming to be in the dark about FFF's activities, Abdul Rahman said it is improper for Anwar to be associated with something that advances foreign interests.
"We hope that Anwar shows a firm foreign policy... to have a consistent stand on things. We have seen a lot of examples where he shifts his stand easily," he added.
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