Malaysia Cabinet Said Port Klang Loans Were Legal

Kuching
Friday, 6th August 2010

Tun Mahathir Legacy

Exhaustive secret 2007 cabinet memo details approval of billions in loans for ill-starred port project

Malaysia's cabinet, according to a secret June 22, 2007 memorandum, retroactively approved the legality of billions of ringgit in supposedly illegal loans for the increased cost of development at the scandal-scarred Port Klang Free Zone for which a top Malaysian Chinese Association nonetheless has been charged with fraud.

Some websites first uploaded the memo, which Asia Sentinel obtained in translation, as the scandal grew in proportion starting last August. The memorandum is marked "Rahsia" or "Secret." Since cabinet documents come under Malaysia's stiff Official Security Act, passed in 1972, which allows for imprisonment up to 14 years for violating the statute, they have taken it down.

Ling Liong Sik, the 67-year-old former head of the MCA who retired in 2003, has been charged with deceiving the Malaysian cabinet in 2003 over the affair. Ling pleaded not guilty and was freed on RM1 million ringgit bail. Four other individuals have been arrested as well. In addition, sources in Kuala Lumpur say, Ling's successor as transport minister, Chan Kong Choy, an MCA deputy president, was at the center of issuing guarantee letters for bonds for the company building the massive port project before he left office in 2008, despite the fact that cabinet approval was required. There has been no indication yet that he would be charged, although sources in the United Malays National Organization, the leading component of the ruling national coalition, say others may well be pulled in.

Certainly, the 2007 cabinet memo is clear on Ling's actions, but appears to go along with them retrospectively:

"To finance development projects, bonds issued by Special Purpose Companies (Special Purpose Vehicle) which was created by [Kuala Dimensi, the entity given authority over the project]," the memo says. "The bonds have been given AAA rating and attracted the attention of many investors. It is because the previous YB Minister of Transport [Ling] issued a letter of support saying the government will at all times ensure that Port Klang Authority will meet all its obligations according to the duration and number of loans set."

The memorandum indicates that the cabinet knew most of the details about the vast cost overruns, giving a detailed description of the overages on Kuala Dimensi's part, which catapulted from RM 1.088 billion (US$343.05 million) RM 4.63 billion during the course of the project.

The port, whose ultimate cost could dwarf any of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's previous projects, was conceptualized by Mahathir as a multi-modal development modeled on the Jebal Ali free zone in Dubai , presumably capable of rivaling Singapore, whose efficiency and organizational expertise make it Southeast Asia's regional shipping hub:

"PFKZ has planned to attract foreign investors to Malaysia, to enhance national competitiveness and to make Port Klang as the main load in the region. This project will be a major catalyst in the development of economic activities and development in Pulau Indah," the memorandum says. However, Port Klang, hundreds of kilometers up Malaysia's west coast, is now being rivaled by the Iskandar Development Authority, better situated geographically, next to Singapore itself.

Unfortunately, in addition to the other problems, as Asia Sentinel reported on Aug. 24 and Nov. 27, 2009, the free zone project appears to have turned into a massive scandal, with politicians of all stripes helping themselves to vast amounts of money through artificially inflated land prices, contacts for surveyors and a myriad of other methods.

While the prevailing impression in Kuala Lumpur is that the country's leaders knew little or nothing about the port's development, the secret memo gives the impression that it was closely watched by top government leaders:

"A series of Cabinet meetings have been held since 1999 to consider the implementation of the project PKFZ especially in terms of land acquisition issues and financial allocations," the memo says. "The Ministry of Finance and the Department of the Attorney General have raised concerns about the financial need to be borne by the government and the status of land prices and land ownership issues involved with the project.

"On October 2, 2002, the Cabinet agreed to the purchase of land in Klang for PKFZ after having been informed that the project is viable without government financial assistance and legal issues of land had been settled. A review by the Department of the Attorney General regarding the issue of land acquisition was also presented."

After a lengthy description of the situation, the report concludes: "The Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister and the Ministry of Transport have no objection to the proposed retrospective approval for the increased cost of development projects PKFZ, Pulau Indah, Selangor and the provision of soft loans to the Port Klang Authority and the government guarantee in relation to the issuance of bonds by Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Ltd."

Significantly, the legality of the retroactive guarantee appears to have been approved by the attorney general, Abdul Ghani Patail as well: "The Department of the Attorney General has no such objections to the proposed terms of paragraph 19 of the Memorandum."

Ultimately, the guarantee of the RM4.63 billion led to potential liability to the Malaysian government of nearly triple that amount – RM12.45 billion if the Port Klang Authority defaults – which a report the port authority's own directors say is inevitable because the port can't generate enough revenue to meet the obligations.

The memorandum paints a comprehensive picture of the cabinet's involvement in the affair.

"Retrospective approval by the government would allow [Port Klang Authority] to remain actively involved in the development of the PKFZ," the report says. "PKA as a government statutory body cannot be left to become insolvent and the government guarantee should be given to maintain the confidence of investors on the bonds issued. Payment obligations to KDSB will start this year in monthly installments of RM510 million and additional allocation should be prepared for 2008 until 2010."

Mupok Aku

This article was originally published in Asian Sentinel

Temenggong Jugah fears on Malaysia still haunts ex-Sarawak DCM

Kuching, Sarawak
Thursday, 5th August 2010

"Anang Malaysia sebaka tebu, manis di pohon, tawal di hujung.”
(Malaysia should not be like the sugar cane, sweet at the head and getting less and less sweet towards the end.)

FORMER Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister James Wong Kim Min, 88, is still haunted by the fears that the Ibans expressed in 1962/63 over the formation of Malaysia. They had their suspicions of the Malayans and worried that Britain, the departing colonial power, would let them down.

My Opinion-Remaung6Renjer

While studying in the Peninsular Malaysia from 1980 until 1985, I could clearly see the big differents between Sarawak (Sabah)  and Peninsular in term of development. To show my frustrated to my friends from Peninsular Malaysia, I always told them that one day, Sarawak (or Sabah) might be following  Singapore to pull-out from the federation. Now, If Putrajaya still not developing the two states fairly, very soon the two states will be out of Malaysia!  

The veteran politician first realised this when the legendary Iban Temenggong (paramount chief) Jugah repeated more than once in his native language: “Anang Malaysia sebaka tebu, manis di pohon, tawal di hujung.”

(Malaysia should not be like the sugar cane, sweet at the head and getting less and less sweet towards the end.)

“His misgivings were shared by many of the other Sarawak leaders as well,” said Wong in a paper to 500-odd participants at a closed door forum, "Formation of Malaysia, a Promise Re-visited and the Way Forward", in Kota Kinabalu over the weekend. The forum was a curtain-raiser to the first official celebration of Malaysia Day on Sept 16.

Wong’s paper, "The Equal Partnership and the Merger Concept of the Federation of Malaysia", was read by Sarawak's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chief Baru Bian to an appreciative audience. The former was under strict doctor’s orders not to travel.

The forum was organised by the Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF) in association with the Common Interest Group Malaysia (CigMA), an ad hoc apolitical movement dedicated to “reversing the recolonisation of Sabah and Sarawak and disenfranchisement of the people”.

Now, nearly 47 years after the formation of Malaysia, Wong still can’t get Jugah’s prophetic words out of his head. It’s like an old musical theme that keeps playing over and over again in his head.

Wong himself has bitter-sweet memories. He was accused of plotting Limbang’s secession from Malaysia. He was incarcerated in 1974 under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). He was only released after his Sarawak National Party (Snap) agreed, albeit reluctantly, to join the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN). This was not at all the Malaysia that Wong had expected.

However, there had also been moments of regret earlier for Wong, brought about after Sabah shot down a Sarawak proposal that they federate together with Brunei. This was in the late 1950s as the people of Sarawak quietly explored the various avenues whereby they could be independent. There were dialogues unofficially on the proposal between Sabah and Sarawak for a federation in Borneo.

The Sabahans were not keen, continued Wong, since Sarawak was wrestling with an armed insurrection formented by the outlawed communist movement. The Sabahans told their counterparts in Sarawak frankly that they did not wish to get involved in helping tackle the insurrection since they did not have similar problems.

Also, Sarawak was not a rich state in the late 1950s and seemed to have low economic potential.

“Our 47th year of independence within Malaysia would be an occasion to remind ourselves as to why and how Malaysia came about,” said Wong. “It is also appropriate for us to remember the saying that when one drinks the water from a stream, one must not forget the source from which the water flows.”

This is particularly true of the younger generation, urged Wong, especially those in their mid-fifties and below, who were then too young when Malaysia was formed to grasp and understand the implications.

“But what all Malaysians here must know and understand is that we (Sarawak) did not enter Malaysia, we formed Malaysia together with Sabah, Singapore and Malaya,” Baru read from Wong’s paper to thunderous applause from the audience.

Giving personal glimpses into the formation of Malaysia, Wong recalled that he was in London in 1960 on a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) meeting, representing Sarawak, when he was invited to the British Foreign Office for a meeting. Here, they wanted to know his views on the possible formation of a federation of Malaya, Singapore and the British territories in Borneo. He was taken aback but remembers being non-committal.

“In 1961, I was handed a telegram from Donald Stephens at Kuala Baram inviting me to Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu) for a meeting with Tunku Abdul Rahman to discuss his offer of a federation,” said Wong. “It was called the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) meeting.”

Briefly, three more meetings of the MSCC followed in Kuching, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and endorsed the idea of Malaysia. The Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) was then formed to discuss and draft the terms and conditions of the Malaysian Constitution. It was based on the Malayan Constitution but with additional safeguards for Sarawak (and Sabah).

“Sarawak negotiators were adamant that the special autonomy reserved for Sarawak must be entrenched in the Agreement (Malaysia) as well as the Constitution,” said Wong. “Otherwise, the idea of Malaysia would be a non-starter.”

Even so, the job of selling Malaysia in Sarawak was a tough one. There was skepticism and doubts of sincerity over the state’s long-term position in the new federation.

The rest is even more history.

But what is significant about Wong’s paper is that he fails to mention the UN referendum in 1963 which found that only a third of the people in Sabah and Sarawak respectively accepted the idea of Malaysia. The rest, in both states, were equally divided between those who opposed the new federation and those who wanted independence first.

“I have often been asked, even today, by people particularly the younger generation whether I had any reservations or regrets on forming Malaysia,” confessed Wong. “I am being asked whether I would have acted differently if given the choice again.”

That would be the verdict of history on Wong and men of his generation. Personally, he feels that it was really a Hobson’s choice for Sarawak in 1963.

The fact that the younger generation is asking Wong questions today is more than telling.

Deep in the kampungs in any part of Sabah and Sarawak, the perennial question among the younger generation is why their states took that fateful decision to help bring about the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.

That will be the question asked again this Sept 16 as the nation celebrates Malaysia Day officially for the first time in 47 years, no doubt thanks to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who is flogging his 1Malaysia theme.

Four other speakers contributed their papers as well. These also went over familiar territory and history as in Wong’s paper.

Briefly, Sabah opposition strongman Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan spoke on the genesis of Malaysia and the way forward.

Sabah Umno veteran Karim Ghani, a translator for the Cobbold Commission, spoke on whether Malaysia was 13 states or one federation with three components and expressed disappointment with his party.

He insisted that Malaysia was one federation and three components. He feels that this could be easily resolved by the respective state assemblies in Sabah and Sarawak.

Sabah Law Association (SLA) representative Sukumar Vanugopal gave a detailed and high technical explanation on the numerous breaches of the 20 Points in the Federal Constitution.

He attributed the breaches to both Sabah and Sarawak being under-represented in the Malaysian Parliament, a point also raised by Jeffrey.

He also warned that the Federal Constitution was being tampered with because of the rejection of the basic structure doctrine by the courts. The Federal Constitution has been amended over 600 times within 50 years compared with the US Constitution which has seen only 27 amendments in the last 200 years, chipped in lawyer Nilakrisna James from the floor.

Former State Secretary Simon Sipaun gave his personal views and observations on the formation of Malaysia which he witnessed as a young man of 25 years. Sipaun, along with former federal deputy minister Kalakau Untol, also moderated questions and brief presentations from the floor and summed up the speakers in his closing remarks.

Mupok Aku

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Ling charged with cheating over PKFZ

Kuching
Thursday, 29th July 2010

Ling Liong Sik is the first Tun to be charged in Malaysia but it is not going to impress me, as I am waiting for the MACC or Police to Charge the only Pehin in Malaysia.
Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik was charged with cheating here today over the scandal hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.
The prosecution of Dr Ling comes as a huge shock and is expected to have repercussions for MCA as he is still considered a kingmaker in the party.

Right..but Sarawakian want Taib Mahmud to be charged Now...

Dr Ling (picture) is believed to be the first Tun ever to be prosecuted. The high powered prosecution team is led by the Attorney General Abdul Ghani Pattail, Deputy Public Prosector (dpp) Tun Majid Tun Hamzah and dpp Manoj Kurup.
Ling will be represented by Datuk R R Sethu.
Dr Ling led MCA from 1986 to 2003. The PKFZ project was mooted during his tenure as Transport Minister and the cost of the project, initially estimated at less than RM2 billion, more than doubled to RM4.6 billion by 2007.
The cost of the project has been further projected to swell to as much as RM12.5 billion due to interest costs from deferred payments if the trans-shipment hub fails to perform.
Though he left the post of MCA president in 2003, Ling is still influential in MCA and is perceived as a king maker and the charges will have repercussions on the party which is struggling to regain Chinese support.
The move to charge Ling however could help deflect criticisms that the Najib Administration lacks the will to go after the “real masterminds” behind the PKFZ project and boost its reform credentials.
The charges concern land evaluations under the penal code with the principle charge under section 418 with the alternative charge being 417.
Ling claimed trial to the charges and when the charges were read out to him Ling said he was “not guilty” to both charges.
The AG has requested bail at RM1 million and the defence had no objections.
Punishment for offences under section 417 carries a jail term of not more than 5 years and not more than 7 years under section 418.
The case has been fixed for mention on September 3 and judge will be Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin.
According to the penal code, section 418 concerns “Cheating with knowledge that wrongful loss may be thereby caused to a person whose interest the offender is bound to protect” while section 417 concerns “Punishment for cheating.”
Ling entered the court accompanied by five policemen and dressed in a striped blue and white shirt and black slacks.
His wife Toh Puan Ena Ling was spotted in the court gallery.
Ling is out on police bail and will post bail tomorrow as it is too late for him to do so today
When approached by reporters on his way out of the court, Ling said: “When you’re in the Palace of Justice, you must be very confident of justice.”

According to the charge sheet, Dr Ling is alleged to have deceived the Malaysian government between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002 by deceiving the Cabinet on Level 4, Prime Minister’s Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, into agreeing on the land purchase in Pulau Indah for the mega distribution hub project in Port Klang according to the terms agreed to between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd and the Port Klang Authority.

The terms in the agreement included:

a) The size of the land being 999.5 acres or 43,538,200 sq ft;

b) The purchase price for the land being RM25 per sq ft amounting to a total of RM1,088,456,000.00

c) The repayment period being based on a “deferred payment” of 15 years with an interest rate of 7.5 per cent per annum (total RM720,014,600), and thereby dishonestly hiding the fact that the valuation by the Valuation and Property Service Department, Ministry of Finance on the land was RM25 per sq ft for a repayment period of 10 years or RM25.82 per sq ft for a repayment period of 15 years, including coupon/interest that could be charged for the repayment period.

And as such, you have purposely induced the Cabinet to give its consent to the purchase, whereas the Cabinet would not have given its consent if the fact had been told to the Cabinet, and the fraud was committed with the knowledge that you could cause a loss to the Malaysian government, where you have an interest in the transaction pertaining to the fraud and you are bound under the law to protect it and, as such, you have committed an offence punishable under Section 418 of the Penal Code.

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN
Mupok Aku

Between liwat and zina: Did DPP dump fiance for Saiful?

Kuching
Thursday, 29th July 2010

The stunning revelations by RPK has caused the DPP involved in illicit affair with Saiful being dropped from the Prosecution Team!

"It is the same isn't it - zina and liwat. You can say under civil law there is specific provision to 'hang' anwar but under syariah law there is also punishment for zina."

As Malaysians digest the latest sexual scandal in town, a debate has swept into town over which is worse – liwat or zina (sodomy or adultery).

"If Saiful's sexual affair with girl is his personal business, then why not the sodomy trial," wrote one commentator.

"It is the same isn't it - zina and liwat. You can say under civil law there is specific provision to 'hang' anwar but under syariah law there is also punishment for zina."

Unfair advantage

Late on Tuesday, news broke that Farah Azlina Latiff, a deputy public prosecutor, was dropped from the sodomy trial against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim because of an alleged sexual affair with the complainant in the case – Saiful Bukhair Azlan.

The Attorney-General would only say Farah was being dropped to prevent negative public perception of the prosecution, but Anwar’s lawyers are calling a mistrial.

Citing fundamental conflict of interest, they fear Saiful’s closeness to the DPP has armed him with unfair knowledge and advantage over Anwar.

Indeed the latest buzz making the rounds is that Farah even broke off her engagement to her fiancé just to be with Saiful.

“If true, all this indicates that the relationship was very serious. The fundamental issue is that of a serious conflict of interest and this cannot be resolved by removing her,” Sivarasa said.

“We can understand that this must be a terrible time for her and Saiful but imagine how Anwar and his family must have felt each time the government trumps up these charges against him.”

Muslims shocked

Meanwhile, Muslims leaders – shocked at how the scandal has been unfolding – are starting to call for a thorough probe. Under Syariah law, sex outside marriage is a punishable offence.
This article has been published in Malaysia chronicles and written  By Wong Choon Mei


Mupok Aku


AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Proton Sales its cars in Saudi Arabia Below Local Price

Kuching
Wednesday, 28th July 2010

So Proton Cars are Sold at Cheaper Price In Saudi Arabia....1Malaysia, Foreigners First, People Last!

Proton Dumps Its Products in Saudi Arabia.

Once again I would like to thanks my friend from Hornbill-Hornbill for sharing about Proton dumping its Products in saudi Arabia. The article was written in Bahasa Malaysia, but for the benefit of Bukittunggal.com visitors, I translated the article here.

1MALAYSIA ALWAYS GOT CHEATED.

Why are Proton cars not selling at the same price with Saudi Arabia?
What is so special about an Arab?

Said "People First"…..
Why are Arab people given the priority?

Haaaa…..the answer is…..Proton owners in Malaysia had been cheated…..Hahaha

Persona price in Saudi = SR 36,100
Gen2 Price in Saudi = SR 33,600
Waja price in Saudi = SR 37,950

1 Saudi Riyal = RM 0.94

Means the price of Persona in Saudi = RM 33,934 only
Means the price of Proton Gen2 in Saudi = RM 32,256 only
Means the price of the Waja in Saudi = RM 35,673 aje

1 Malaysia pay RM 66,799.97 for a Waja in Msia!
RM31,126.97 more expensive!
Malaysia Government suppose to protect their people instead of cheating their hard earnings..!!
Another case of "Too many rubbish in UMNO"

Mupok Aku
AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Penang Malay or Memaluk

Kuching
Wednesday, 28th July 2010

Another interesting article that I got from my good friend Hornbill-hornbill who got it from his friend. Please read it here and if you do like it, please leave a comment.

By a Malay:

UMNO, the Malay Chamber of Commerce, Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali, and whatnot are shouting, ranting, raving, screaming and hollering about ‘nasib Melayu’ or the plight of the Malays, in particular the Malays of Penang.

I don’t know what Ibrahim Ali was doing back in the mid-1970s but judging from the age of many of those others in the crowd I think many of them tak sunat lagi back in the mid-1970s. Tak sunat lagi means you are so young that you are not circumcised yet and your little dick still has its foreskin.

Yes, back in the mid-1970s -- 35 years or so ago when I was still in my 20s and not even 30 yet -- I was already fighting to improve the lot of the Malays. And 35 years ago those shouting, ranting, raving, screaming and hollering today were either too damn young or were not even born yet.

We realised even back then that if something were not done the Malays would be left out. We realised that unless something were done now, 35 years ago, the Malays would be left behind. So we sat down with various Malay leaders and those who walk in the corridors of power -- the Prime Minister included -- to plan and chart the future of the Malays. And we did this for more than twenty years from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s before I decided it was a lost cause and that I had better move on to other things.

The problem we faced was as what the then Minister of Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz said: Melayu mampu daya maju tapi tak mampu daya tahan. This came from the Minister herself and means the Malays can be viable but can’t be sustainable. Malays can achieve success but can’t sustain the success.

The Minister then revealed details and lamented about all the wealth the government gave the Malays in the form of land, concessions, permits, ‘pink slips’ on new stock exchange listings, and whatnot, which, if the Malays had kept, would mean the Malays would have far exceeded the 30% target of the New Economic Policy.

But the Malays did not keep this wealth. The Malays sold it. The land, concessions, permits, ‘pink slips’ on new stock exchange listings, and whatnot, were all sold. So the Malay holding reduced and ended up in the hand of the non-Malays. This was what troubled the government, the Malay leaders, those who walk in the corridors of power, and us in the Malay Chamber of Commerce.

So they now lament about how left behind the Malays in Penang are. They should chart the progression of the Malays in Penang from 224 years ago until today and analyse at what point it went up and went down again. Were the Malays driven out? Were the Malays pushed out? Or did the Malays sell out? And why and how did the Malays sell out?

There is such a thing called the law of supply and demand. There is such a thing called market forces. There is such a thing called willing buyer, willing seller. When there is a demand there will be a seller. And since there was a demand for land in Penang then for sure the landowners would sell. It is all about making a profit.

So Penang developed. It became known as the Pearl of the Orient. So the capitalists moved in, as capitalists always do anywhere in the world where there is money to be made. And the Malays saw the route to easy and quick cash available to them. So they sold their land for a lot of money and moved on to another place where the land was cheaper. Now they could have their cake and could eat it too. They sold their small piece of land in Penang for a lot of money and bought an even bigger piece of land, say in Kedah, for a small amount of money and still had a lot of money left to go to Mekah, send their kids to university, and whatnot.

Today, many of those old folks and landowners of the 1960s and 1970s are dead. They are no longer alive. Their land in Penang had been sold off long before they died. And their children and grandchildren no longer own land in Penang . This is because the old folks had sold it off when they were still young or before they were born.

Today, the Malays are angry because the land in Penang is owned mainly by the non-Malays. But this is so not because the non-Malays stole the land but because the Malays sold it for a lot of money. It is what any property owner would do when the property they bought for RM100 two world wars ago can now fetch RM500,000 on the open market. Only a fool would turn down RM500,000 in profit.

The more the Malays scream about being left behind in Penang the more the Malays would look stupid and would be revealing their weaknesses. Back in the 1970s the government already sighed and lamented that come the year 2000, the Malays would still be left with nothing.

We can help the Malays, the government said. We can do what you want us to do. But if the Malays just sell off whatever we give them, then come 2000 the Malays would still end up with nothing. And then the Malays would turn round and blame the government. The Malays would say the government does not care about them. They will never admit that the government did so much for the Malays but the Malays chose quick cash instead of sustaining and maintaining for the long term what the government gave them.

Say what you like about Rafidah Aziz and those many of the 1970s and 1980s era. They did try and they tried very hard. I should know because I was part of it. But we all knew that it was a futile effort. We can try to help the Malays to get rich. But they will not stay rich. They will sell all for quick cash and then will become poor again. And then they will blame the government because they are poor.

This was anticipated 35 years ago back in the 1970s. And the government told us this would happen. But we still tried. And now it is proven that the government was right, 35 years ago.

Today, Pakatan Rakyat is ruling Penang . But Penang was founded 224 years ago back in 1786. Tomorrow, Pakatan Rakyat would have ruled Penang for exactly two years. For 222 years before that it was not Pakatan Rakyat that was ruling Penang . But Pakatan Rakyat is being blamed for 224 years of Penang history.

Yes, Perkasa, the new ‘Malay rights’ movement headed by Ibrahim Ali. Ask Ibrahim Ali how much the government gave him since the 1980s. In the 1970s when I was already fighting for the Malays he was still a student. Ask Ibrahim Ali to total up everything the government gave him the last 30 years or so. That figure should come to at least RM200 million-RM300 million.

How much does Ibrahim Ali still have left? Can he even find RM1 million in his bank account? Where did all that hundreds of millions go? Yes, ask Ibrahim Ali to ask himself all these questions. Then he will understand what happened to the Malays. What happened to the Malays is exactly what happened to him. He sold off everything and spent all the money just like those other Malays. And now he blames the Chinese because he is broke

Mupok Aku


AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Why Malaysian Should Vote For PAS (PR) and Not UMNO (BN)

Kuching
Wednesday, 28th July 2010

For Malaysian Who have never set foot on Kelantan state whic is dubbed  as the Serambi Mekah of Malaysia or the Mecca of Malaysia especially the Sarawakian rural might be carried away by Jemut Masing propaganda that Malaysia based political parties (excluded BN's component parties such as "I aM NO" (UMNO), MCA, MIC and Gerakan of course) are bad and have no knowledge on local custom or adat, might be thinking that the state of Kelantan only in favour the Muslims compare to non-Muslims.

Today I am going to write about two good things (out of few)  that I managed to gather  as a comparison between  PAS and UMNO. Hopefully with this revelations, the rural people of Sarawak will accept PAS so as that party will not be the stumble block for Pakatan Rakyat coalition (PR) to kick Barisan Nasional (BN) from new DUN building in the coming state election. PAS in the past had been dubbed by BN Sarawak as the racict and extremist muslim party by BN. On top of it, PAS had a very bad reputation in Sarawak particularly to the non-muslims. The grave mistake that PAS had committed was when it first time set its foot on Sarawak, they had refused to shake hands with the non-muslim supporters because they did not want to dirty their hands with the pork eaten hands belong to the non-muslim.

First comparison that I want to make today  is about PAS standpoint on the use of word  "Allah" by the catholic's newsletter Herald Malaysia. PAS Supreme Council on 5th  January 2010 had unanimously backed the use of the word Allah by Catholics, saying that it was consistent with the federal Constitution and Islamic principles. But what did the UMNO and bad mouth Iban politicians like Jabu and Jemut Masing had done? Yes they neither opposed or support the High Court decision.PAS has better racial and religious telorance compared to UMNO and BN.

Second Point is a Moderate way of living as advocates by PAS leader. Have anyone ever seen the official resident of  the Kelantan's  Chief Minister Datuk Nik Aziz?  For those who have not seen his house please see it below.

Will you think that our Pehin or any UMNO/BN Leaders eating in a place alike  where Nik Aziz having his breakfast?

On top of about the humble house where Nik Aziz lives, I want to share the experience that this visitor and his family members  from Seremban who were on family tour to Kota Bharu Kelantan, encountered with Datuk Nik Aziz who were having breakfast at the ordinary foodstall "warung" by the road side. To keep it originality, please read the article by one of its family member in Bahasa Malaysia :-
Sewaktu kami sekeluarga berkunjung ke Kota Bharu Kelantan pada cuti sekolah bulan lepas, kami sekeluarga sarapan pagi di gerai berhampiran hotel penginapan.. Kami sekeluarga terkejut dan rasa terharu bila kami dapati MB Kelantan tengah sarapan pagi di gerai tersebut berseorangan tanpa pengawal peribadi dan pegawai kerajaan Kelantan..

Malah beliau terlebih dahulu menegur dan menberi salam kepada kami sekeluarga serta mengajak kami sekeluarga makan bersama-sama dimeja beliau sambil berborak menayakan dari mana, bagaimana perasaan kami bila berada di Kelantan dan banyak lagi.. Ketika berborak, beliau tiada sedikit pun menyentuh soal politik atau cerita perkembangan terkini di Negeri kami (Negeri 9).. Malah beliau berterima kasih kepada kami kerana sudi datang dan lihat sendiri keadaan di Kelantan daripada membaca di akhbar atau melihat di TV.. Malah kami sekeluarga rasa lebih terharu bila beliau bayar kami sekeluarga makan pada pagi itu..

* MB Negeri saya sendiri pun susah nak jumpa..... kecuali ada majlis rasmi yang ada publisiti sahaja.........

The above two good examples about PAS above is not exhaustive. I hope the message above will reach the majority of the voters in rural Sarawak especially the Iban, so that it will change their perceptions about PAS, therefore PR's aim to wrest Sarawak from corrupted BN in the coming state election will be achieved.

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RM543 million commission - Will the submarine finally surface in France?

Kuching
Tuesday, 27th July 2010

A potentially explosive scandal in Malaysia over the billion-dollar purchase of French submarines, a deal engineered by then-defence minister Najib Razak, has broken out of the domestic arena with the filing of a request to investigate bribery and kickbacks from the deal in a Paris court.

Although the case has been contained for eight years in the cozy confines of Malaysia's courts and parliament, which are dominated by the ruling BN, French lawyers William Bourdon, Renaud Semerdjian and Joseph Breham put an end to that when they filed it with Parisian prosecutors on behalf of the Malaysian human rights organisation Suaram, which supports good-government causes.

Judges in the Paris Prosecution Office have been probing a wide range of corruption charges involving similar submarine sales and the possibility of bribery and kickbacks to top officials in France, Pakistan and other countries. The Malaysian piece of the puzzle was added in two filings, on Dec 4, 2009 and Feb 23 this year. For two years, Parisian prosecutors, led by investigating judges Francoise Besset and Jean-Christophe Hullin, have been gingerly investigating allegations involving senior French political figures and the sales of submarines and other weaponry to governments all over the world. French news reports have said the prosecutors have backed away from some of the most serious charges out of concern for the political fallout.

The allegations relate to one of France's biggest defense conglomerates, the state-owned shipbuilder DCN, which merged with the French electronics company Thales in 2005 to become a dominant force in the European defense industry. DCN's subsidiary Armaris is the manufacturer of Scorpene-class diesel submarines sold to India, Pakistan and Malaysia among other countries. All of the contracts, according to the lawyers acting for Suaram are said to be suspect. Bribery allegations With Najib having moved on from the defence portfolio he held when the deal was put together in 2002 to become prime minister and head of the country's largest political party, the mess has the potential to become a major liability for the government and Umno.

Given the power of  UMNO, it is unlikely the scandal would ever get a complete airing in a Malaysian court, which is presumably why Suaram reached out to French prosecutors.

 "The filings are very recent and have so far prompted a preliminary police inquiry on the financial aspects of the deal," said Philippe Vasset, the editor in chief of a Paris-based military intelligence website.

"There isn't a formal investigation yet. The investigation will most likely use documents seized at DCN in the course of another investigation, focusing on bribes paid by DCN in Pakistan."

Vasset said police have confined their inquiry to bribery allegations so far and have not looked into the 2006 murder of a Mongolian woman in Malaysia who was a translator on the deal for Najib and his friend, Abdul Razak Baginda, during a visit to Paris. There have been numerous deaths involving DCN defense sales in Taiwan and Pakistan. Prosecutors are suspicious that 11 French submarine engineers who were murdered in a 2002 bomb blast in Karachi – first thought to have been the work of Al-Qaeda – were actually killed in retaliation for the fact that the French had reneged on millions of dollars in kickbacks to Pakistani military officers payment of RM534.8 million to a Malaysia-based company called Perimekar, for support services surrounding the sale of the submarines.

Perimekar was wholly owned by another company, KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, which in turn was controlled by Najib's best friend, Razak Baginda, whose wife Mazalinda, a lawyer and former magistrate, was the principal shareholder, according to the French lawyers.

"Over the past years, serious cases have been investigated in France by judges involving DCN," lawyer Renaud Semerdjian told Asia Sentinel in a telephone interview.

"This is not the first case of this kind that is being investigated. There are others in Pakistan and there are some issues about India. To a certain extent, every time weapons of any kind have been provided, suspicion of violation of the law may be very high."

Massive military build-up

 As defence minister from 2000 to 2008, Najib commissioned a huge military build-up to upgrade Malaysia's armed forces, including two submarines from Armaris and the lease of a third, a retired French Navy Agosta-class boat. There were also Sukhoi supersonic fighter jets from Russia and millions of dollars spent on coastal patrol boats. All have come under suspicion by opposition leaders in Malaysia's parliament but UMNO has stifled any investigation.

Asked personally about the cases, Najib has responded angrily and refused to reply. Despite efforts to bury it, the case achieved considerably notoriety after the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old Mongolian translator and Razak Baginda's jilted lover, who participated in negotiations over the purchase of the submarines. By her own admission in a letter found after her death, she was attempting to blackmail Razak Baginda for US$500,000. She was shot in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military explosives by two bodyguards attached to Najib's office after Razak Baginda, went to Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, for help in keeping her away from him. Not long after being acquitted in November 2008 under questionable circumstances of participating in her murder, Razak Baginda left the country for England. The bodyguards were convicted but no motive was ever established for their actions. The submarine deal was never brought up in court during a months-long murder trial that was marked by prosecutors, defence attorneys and the judge working studiously to keep Najib's name out of the proceedings.

A private detective hired by Razak Baginda to protect him from the furious Altantuya filed a statutory declaration after the trial indicating that Najib had actually been the victim's lover and had passed her on to Razak Baginda. The detective, P Balasubramaniam, said later that he was unceremoniously run out of Kuala Lumpur. He eventually emerged from hiding in India to say he had been offered RM5 million by a businessman close to Najib's wife to shut up and get out of town. He also said he had met Nazim Razak, Najib's younger brother, and was told to recant his testimony.

Spotlight on Perimekar In the current complaint in Paris, the issue revolves around what, if anything, Razak Baginda's Perimekar company did to deserve RM534.8 million. Zainal Abidin, the deputy defence minister at the time of the sale, told parliament that Perimekar had received the amount – 11 percent of the sale price of the submarines –for "coordination and support services". The Paris filing alleges that there were neither support nor services.

Perimekar was registered in 2001, a few months before the signing of the contracts for the sale, the Paris complaint states. The company, it said flatly, "did not have the financial resources to complete the contract." A review of the accounts in 2001 and 2002, the complaint said, "makes it an obvious fact that this corporation had absolutely no capacity, or legal means or financial ability and/or expertise to support such a contract." "None of the directors and shareholders of Perimekar have the slightest experience in the construction, maintenance or submarine logistics," the complaint adds. "Under the terms of the contract, RM534.8 million were related to the different stages of construction of the submarines." The apparent consideration, supposedly on the part of Perimekar, "would be per diem and Malaysian crews and accommodation costs during their training. There is therefore no link between billing steps and stages of completion of the consideration."

As Asia Sentinel reported on April 1, services for the subs are being performed by a well-connected firm called Boustead DCNS, a joint venture between BHIC Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of publicly-listed Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd, and DCNS SA, a subsidiary of DCN. Boustead's Heavy Industries Division now includes Perimekar as an "associate of the Group.

PSB is involved in the marketing, upgrading, maintenance and related services for the Malaysian maritime defence industry," according to Boustead's annual report. Originally Boustead told the Malaysian Stock Exchange that the service contract was for RM600 million for six years, or RM100 million annually. However, the contract later ballooned to RM270 million per year. Boustead Holdings is partly owned by the government and has close connections with Umno.

"There are good grounds to believe that [Perimekar] was created with a single objective: arrange payment of the commission and allocate the amount between different beneficiaries including Malaysian public officials and or Malaysian or foreign intermediaries," the complaint states.

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Source: Reliable Source From Hornbill-Hornbill

AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

Taib Mahmud Sarawak’s Chief Minister faces UK protesters over Penan

Kuching
Monday, 26th July 2010

In The UK Today, Taib Mahmud Was Welcome By Protesters!

Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud faced protests by supporters of the Penan in the UK today, while British MPs have written to him expressing concern over the newly documented cases of sexual abuse of Penan women.

Protestors from Survival and other organizations greeted the Chief Minister in Oxford this morning, where he had travelled with cabinet colleagues to give the keynote speech at the Inaugural Oxford Global Islamic Branding and Marketing Forum. The protestors held placards reading ‘Penan tribe say NO to logging’ and ‘Malaysia: Stop destroying the Penan tribe’. The protest forced the Chief Minister to enter the building through a side entrance.

The chairman of the British parliament’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Tribal peoples, MP Martin Horwood, has written to Taib Mahmud on the occasion of the Chief Minister’s visit to the UK. ‘The Penan have frequently been subject to violence and intimidation at the hands of loggers operating on their land… Without recognition of their land rights, the Penan are struggling to provide for themselves, and are left vulnerable to violence and exploitation’.

Mr Horwood urged the Chief Minister to ‘halt logging and other developments on the Penan’s land without their free, prior and informed consent, according to international law’ and to ‘ensure that Penan women and girls are protected from sexual violence and the perpetrators of such abuse brought to justice’.

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AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN

EZAM Jadi Senator Katak Semata-mata Untuk Mengutuk Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Kuching
Sunday, 25th July 2010

Round 1 dulu Sengkatak ni nak de4dahkan 10 kotak Rasuah BN, Nanti Round 2 saya rasa dia akan dedahkan 20 kotak rahsia kerajaan BN..Bukittunggal.com

Tugas Senator adalah untuk membahas serta mendapat perkenan SPBYDP Agong Untuk Meluluskan sesuatu Rang Undang-Undang, tetapi unik bagi Senator Ezam. Najib lantik dia semata-mata untuk membidas Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Umum mengetahui bahawa masa depan politik Ezam iaitu Senator katak atau pendeknya SENGKATAK telah berkubur semenjak dia menyertai UMNO.
Jadi untuk memenuhi janji Pk Lah maka terpaksalah Najib melantiknya sebagai Senator dengan tugas yang unik iaitu untuk mengutuk DSAI.
Pekara ini menjadi semakin ketara dengan ceramah Ezam di seluruh Selangor dengan tajuk "Selamatkan Selangor" (Tapi dari Siapa ha...Khir Toyol).

Kalau semasa beliah masih bersama PKR, tajuk ceramahnya lebih kepada mendedahkan rasuah BN. Tetapi sekarang semenjak di upah menjadi senator, tajuk ceramah beliau hanya menghentam bosnya DSAI.

Itu Bukittunggal.Com tidak hairan. Memang perangai katak. Besok kalau Pakatan Rakyat memerintah, dia akan lompat balik ke pangkuan DSAI. Nanti dia akan dedahkan 20 kotak rahsia BN pula.

Jadi EZAM Sengkatak teruskanlah jelajah kamu tu sebab kita faham kamu sebagai Sengkatak kena membayar balik hutang kamu kepada Najib dan Wanita Pertamanya ...Rosmah.

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AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN