The New York Times - Najib, 1MDB, Altantuya and more

NOTE: My comments below, after the cheap ringgit.

Power Struggle in Malaysia Pits Former Premier Against a Protégé

By THOMAS FULLER and LOUISE STORYJUNE 17, 2015

Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia, in orange, at the general assembly of the United Malays National Organization in Kuala Lumpur last year.Credit
Azhar Rahim/European Pressphoto Agency
Continue reading the main storyShare This Page

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia — Malaysia’s governing party is at war with itself, embroiled in a power struggle that is destabilizing the country and threatening the party’s nearly six-decade stretch of uninterrupted governance.

The battle has revealed itself publicly in a nasty spat between two political titans. Mahathir Mohamad, a former prime minister who turns 90 next month, is the chief architect of a political insurgency aiming to oust the man he helped put into office six years ago, Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Having lost none of the combativeness honed during more than two decades in power, Mr. Mahathir is pressing allegations of malfeasance in a sovereign wealth fund, criticizing the “lavish” lifestyle of the prime minister’s wife, and has resurrected troubling questions about the murder of a Mongolian woman, the mistress of a former top aide to Mr. Najib.

Continue reading the main story

RELATED COVERAGE


Malaysian Ex-Prime Minister Unleashes CriticismJUNE 17, 2015

"Murray Hiebert, an expert on Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says the country’s political troubles “could hardly come at a worse time.”

“The prime minister is focused on political survival when the country’s economy is slowing due to low oil prices and falling exports resulting from China’s economic slowdown,” he said. The combination, he said, is “giving pause to the foreign investors Malaysia is seeking to court.”

As the 'expert' puts it, nobody seems to be bothered in the falling ringgit and less than convincing economic outlook for the nation. Nobody seems to share the worry and concerns of businesses that are badly affected by the crashing ringgit. 

The central bank Governor just repeats that its temporary (the falling ringgit and fleeing foreign investors) while businesses continue to slide. 

In the past, as witnessed and experienced before/during the 97/98 economic crisis, the Government was very focused and took the bull by its horn. The Prime Minister who was also Finance Minister at that particular time had daily early morning meetings with the Central Bank and other relevant authorities/bodies. 

The National Economic Action Council was put into action. The sole aim then was to save the country from being ravaged by the rogues under the pretext of 'Saving Malaysia. 

We prevented our nation from being put on a 'fire sale' entirely because the Government or rather the leadership was hands-on with their heart and priorities in the right place. 

That was in 97/98. Fast forward to 2015 and you can see clearly what is happening or rather not happening now. Many core members of the then NEAC are still around in the Government but still nothing seems to be happening to protect the nation and manage the crisis.

One thing for sure, the Prime Minister who is also Finance Minister is only desperately trying to shore up his waning support and ruined reputation. 

It cannot be denied that the Umno president is desperate to remain in power. The level of desperation has hit a high after he realised that not all of his partymen are with him. So, rather than trying to protect the nation, he is more occupied in saving himself.

Najib's dilemma is largely due to his own incompetence as a leader but the devil that has put the nail on his head is his own baby, the 1MDB. 

You can varnish it however you want and try to divert people's attention by ridiculing critics but 1MDB is a scandal of global proportion that cannot be hidden via dirty tricks on government-controlled television channels like TV3. You cannot possibly fool all the people all the time.

Many now suspect that Najib fears having to face time behind bars for his role in the 1MDB scandal. The desperation could be seen from such planned acts of discrediting the national car (because it was a brainchild of one of your main critics) and hiring Opposition activists to ridicule your former party president.

His not telling the truth in the Malaysian Parliament i.e. Dewan Rakyat about the more than 1Billion USD kept in a private Swiss Bank in Singapore is an outright crime, legal experts say. 

You can twist and turn via government controlled media and presently subservient enforcement authorities but things would change the moment you are no more in power. Najib is fully aware of this.

The New York Times have once again sniffed the stench emanating from 1MDB  (some of the real estate deals linked to 1MDB money is in New York, courtesy of Jho Low and one Rezza Aziz), while Najib remains overjoyed by the orchestrated public show of support. 

After the aphrodisiac-like I Love PM, Najib is now simply touched by a recent Dayak Love PM placard that was held up in Sarawak during his rounds to spent more 'off budget' Government money. 

Contrary to what Najib often repeats, our current state of malady has all got to do with just one man and that one man is none other than Najib himself. 

Rather than pointing fingers try taking a good look in the mirror Mister Prime Minister. 

p/s ... and please do the mirror test in the absence of your controller 

If you don't believe Najib... - UPDATED

LATEST -13/04/2015 @1520hrs

Daily Express regrets their error of interpretation. We could once again enjoy the freedom of placing our trust in Allah without having to trust a tainted politician. 

Hope this 'error of interpretation' is not used to harass and intimidate journalists and editors in Sabah. Not seditious bah! 

Earlier posting

UPDATED - So, the earlier picture of Ismail Sabri's 'godly' statement appears to be genuine, as it appeared in Sabah's Daily Express newspaper today.

The rest I leave it to you to conclude. God save this nation of our.

This 'godly' statement has been making its rounds via Whatsapp groups since early today. Did Ismail Sabri actually make such a 'godly' statement in Kota Kinabalu? 

If you can screen capture this Front Page report in the Daily Express newspaper of Sabah, please email it to firdaus.mib@gmail.com  .

The Daily Express newspaper's website is suspiciously blank today. 

p/s As usual, in the next few hours you could expect reporters and newspapers be blamed for this Godly statement. Misquoted is the most common defence. 

Amaran terakhir buat UMNO

Ramai juga ahli dan pemimpin UMNO yang setia secara buta tuli kepada pemimpin. Saya juga setia tetapi kesetiaan saya ialah kepada parti dan orang Melayu yang diwakili olehnya. Bukanlah mudah bagi saya menulis blog ini. Tetapi demi bangsa dan Negara saya terpaksa dedah semua ini. - Dr Mahathir

UMNO dan PRU 14

1. Ramalan oleh masyarakat sekarang ialah UMNO dan BN akan kalah Pilihanraya Umum ke-14 kerana terlalu banyak tuduhan yang dibuat terhadap Najib yang tidak dijawab olehnya.

2. Ia bermula dengan kes pembunuhan Altantuya, wanita Mongolia yang terlibat dengan skandal pembelian kapal selam.

3. Dua orang anggota polis dituduh menembak mati wanita berkenaan, dibicara, didapati bersalah, kemudian didapati tidak bersalah dan dibebaskan. Kemudian dibicara semula dan dikena hukum bunuh.

4. Seorang daripada mereka berada dalam tahanan tetapi Sirul seorang lagi berada di Australia. Dia membuat kenyataan bahawa dia diarah untuk membunuh.

5. Rakyat tertanya-tanya siapa yang memberi arahan. Sebagai pengawal peribadi Dato Sri Najib, dakwaan Sirul perlu disiasat untuk menentukan siapa yang memberi arahan. Tetapi selain daripada Najib berkata Sirul “merepet”, tidak ada siasatan yang dibuat. Ini adalah nyawa manusia. Amatlah zalim jika Sirul dibunuh kerana menjalankan arahan.

6. Kemudian kes 1MDB. Tuduhan penyelewengan dalam urusan wang berbillion Ringgit oleh Jho Low telah dibuat dengan bukti-bukti yang jelas. Tuduhan ini tidak dijawab selain dari berkata ia adalah pembohongan.

7. Kononnya aset 1MDB berjumlah 52 billion sedangkan hutang hanya 42 billion. Aset tidak jadi keuntungan sebelum dijual (dicairkan). Kenapa untuk membayar faedah sebanyak 2 billion pun terpaksa hutang dari Ananda Krishnan. Kalau 1MDB tidak rugi kenapa terpaksa hutang. Kenapa wang Kerajaan sebanyak 1 billion diberi kepada 1MDB setelah hutang dibayar?

8. Kononnya wang yang disimpan di Cayman Island sudah dibawa balik. Tetapi separuh disimpan dalam bank Swiss (BSI) di Singapura. Di mana pergi separuh lagi dari 6 billion? Kenapa wang ini tidak diguna untuk bayar faedah 2 billion.

9. Kononnya disimpan di Singapura kerana Bank Negara akan menyoal simpanan lebih dari 50 juta. Jikalau duit itu duit kita yang hanya disimpan di Cayman, apa masalahnya menjelaskan kepada Bank Negara punca wang itu. Lagi pun duit ini dimiliki oleh 1MDB yang dikuasai penuh oleh Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Kewangan.

10. Soalan-soalan lain berkenaan 1MDB tidak dijawab selain daripada berkata asetnya besar. Soal harga tanah Kerajaan yang dibeli oleh 1MDB tidak dijelas. Sudah tentu jika dibeli dengan harga yang murah dan dinaik nilai berkali ganda, aset ini menjadi besar. Tetapi Kerajaan rugi banyak dengan tanah miliknya dijual dengan harga yang tidak mencermin harga pasaran.

11. US$700 juta dibayar kepada Petro Saudi untuk apa? Sudahkah ditentukan Petro Saudi memiliki konsesi kawasan minyak dan gas di Argentina dan Turkmenistan sebelum membayar wang yang begitu banyak.

12. Jho Low dilapor dalam New York Times, London Times dan Sarawak Report terlibat dalam pengurusan berbillion Ringgit duit 1MDB. Siapa dianya Jho Low yang begitu dipercayai oleh Dato Sri Najib. Pegawai Malaysia yang dilantik mengurus dana 1MDB mengaku mereka diarah oleh Jho Low yang mendakwa ia mendapat kepercayaan penuh dan arahan dari Dato Sri Najib.

13. Gambar-gambar Jho Low dan kelakuannya, umurnya yang amat muda serta cara hidupnya tidak menggambarkan peribadi yang menyakinkan orang ramai. Tetapi dia dilapur membeli rumah di New York dan Hollywood beratus juta Ringgit. Kemudian rumah-rumah ini dijual kepada anak tiri Najib dengan harga ratusan juta Ringgit bagi setiap satu kerana kononnya Jho Low telah jumpa rumah yang lebih indah di Hollywood yang harganya lebih tinggi.

14. Dari mana datangnya duit beratus juta kepada Riza Aziz tidak dapat dijelas. Keluarga Tun Razak termasuk Najib menafikan duit ini adalah dari keluarga. Pelaburan ratusan juta dalam filem “Wolf of Wall Street” oleh Riza datang dari mana?

15. Dan banyaklah lagi tuduhan dan soalan terhadap 1MDB yang ditubuh oleh Dato Sri Najib dan dikuasai sepenuh olehnya sebagai penasihat yang tidak dijelas dan dijawab selain dari menafi dan mendakwa semuanya bohong belaka. Laporan-laporan dalam akhbar di New York dan London amat memalukan negara.

16. Sementara itu, walaupun Kerajaan menghadapi kekurangan wang yang besar dan terpaksa hutang, Dato Sri Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri membeli sebuah lagi pesawat mewah. Umum mengetahui pesawat ACJ319 yang sedia ada diguna bukan sahaja untuk tugas rasmi tetapi sebagai kenderaan peribadi untuk Dato Sri dan Datin Sri.

17. Dalam keadaan ekonomi tidak menentu, dalam keadaan rakyat terpaksa bayar cukai yang lebih tinggi, dalam keadaan nilai Ringgit yang menurun teruk, dalam keadaan kos sara hidup meningkat dan rakyat dilanda banjir dan kehilangan ratusan juta Ringgit, Kerajaan membazirkan wang ratusan juta untuk pesawat mewah walaupun sudah ada pesawat-pesawat milik Kerajaan.

18. Cara pembelian tidak dapat menyembunyi bahawa akhirnya Kerajaan terpaksa menanggung beban pembelian ini. Jika syarikat bukan Kerajaan yang secara rasmi membeli, bayaran melalui lease (sewa) lebih tinggi daripada belian secara langsung kerana terpaksa memberi keuntungan kepada pemilik dan faedah yang dimasukkan.

19. Selain daripada ini dasar-dasar pemerintahan Dato Sri Najib terhad kepada pemberian wang percuma, menimbul kemarahan orang Melayu dengan mengenepikan Dasar Ekonomi Baru kerana ingin mendapat sokongan orang Cina. Namun penolakan BN dalam PRU 13 membuktikan orang Cina tolak pemerintahan Najib.

20. Sesungguhnya rakyat, baik Melayu, Cina, India atau suku kaum Sabah dan Sarawak sudah tidak percaya lagi kepada Dato Sri Najib. Ahli UMNO dan pemimpinnya perlu sedar bahawa UMNO dan dengan itu BN akan kalah jika Dato Sri Najib memimpin UMNO hingga PRU 14. Apabila UMNO kalah, orang Melayu akan kutuk kepimpinan yang menjadikan parti keramat ini begitu lemah sehingga ditolak oleh bangsa Melayu sendiri. Sekali UMNO kalah, ia tidak akan dapat dipulih semula.

21. Ramai juga ahli dan pemimpin UMNO yang setia secara buta tuli kepada pemimpin. Saya juga setia tetapi kesetiaan saya ialah kepada parti dan orang Melayu yang diwakili olehnya. Bukanlah mudah bagi saya menulis blog ini. Tetapi demi bangsa dan Negara saya terpaksa dedah semua ini.

22. Saya belum nyanyok walaupun umur hampir 90 tahun. Sesiapa yang berkata saya nyanyok sebenarnya menipu diri.

23. Melayu hanya akan selamat jika bersikap bangsa lebih utama daripada diri sendiri.

- Chedet 


p/s Tulisan terbaru Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad ini sengaja saya copy-paste di-sini kerana sebelum ini terdapat beberapa usaha serangan cyber ke-atas blog Dr Mahathir serta blog-blog lain yang mengutarakan kebenaran. 

Setelah membaca penulisan terbaru Dr M ini saya rasa tidak menjadi satu kesalahan ataupun HASUTAN jika rakyat negara ini, tanpa mengira kaum, agama atau pegangan politik, mendesak agar Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak meletakkan jawatan sebagai Perdana Menteri dengan kadar segera.

Desakan ini adalah demi masa depan negara tercinta ini dan bukan-nya atas apa-apa sebab lain. 

#UndurLah

ENDING the ENDLESS

It has been an uphill battle from the day, or even before the day, Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over as the Prime Minister of Malaysia from the previous guy who thought he was the Prime Minister for over FIVE years since 31st October  or 1st November 2003.

While the guy who thought he was the PM was engrossed in his dreams from November 2003 till April 2009, those loathed '4th Floor' were plundering this nation from every possible angle. 

But what many Malaysians, even those close to the corridors of power then, didn't realise was of an  elaborate plan to prevent Najib from stepping up to the Prime Minister's seat. 

Those who were plundering while the guy was sleeping in the driver's seat wanted to continue doing what they do best and they didn't want Najib to spoil their party. Those were the guys who put in a lot of effort, time and loads of cash to 'kill Najib morally and politically'.

When the MONGOLIAN woman Altantuya Shaariibuu was killed and those plunderers realised that she was linked to one of Najib's speech writers, they went for the kill. It was too good an opportunity to miss. For them Altantuya's murder was an act of God to serve their benefit. 

The then Deputy Prime Minister  and his wife was conveniently linked to Altantuya's death and the plunderers then activated their propaganda machinery to subtly justify why we cannot allow Najib to be the Prime Minister. Najib's wife was collateral damage in that game. The didn't give a damn about the speech writer or his Mongolian girlfriend.

In a nutshell the propaganda that Najib and his wife were directly involved in the death of Altantuya Shaariibuu was quite successful, especially after the murder was linked to the Scorpene submarine deal as Najib was also the Defence Minister for a long time. 

But the propaganda was not good enough to prevent Najib from the premiership. Najib eventually became the PM as his predecessor's position became increasingly untenable. There was public outcry against his 'slumberjack' leadership and Najib was the only choice. 

How far the Altantuya case has developed since then and how the Opposition (who took over the dirty job of slandering Najib and his wife from the plunderers) have used Mongolia, Altantuya and Scorpene in every nook and corner of this nation is self explanatory.

Opposition politicians and their rowdy supporters have been mocking the Prime Minister and his wife with shouts of 'Mongolia' and 'Altantuya' at many instances, particularly during the last General Election and the dozen by-elections before that. 
     
But many of those mocking Najib and Rosmah came to their senses after the truth of the matter started surfacing. When SUARAM's activities, funding and most importantly their blatant lies about the Scorpene deal was exposed, level headed Malaysians began to see the conspiracy.

Last week the two policemen who were charged with the murder of Altantuya was acquitted and set free by the Appeals Court. Many were shocked. The Attorney General's Chambers are appealing against the Appeals Court's judgement. 

But what came as a greater shock to many, who follow current issues and the Endless Bullshit that comes with it on a daily basis, is that the Government of Malaysia could be paying million of dollars to revive the 'unsavory' Mongolian connection.

None other than the Prime Minister's Communications Advisor seems to be working very hard to once again link the Prime Minister to a word/name that carries a very strong negative connotation. 

Farid Ridzuan - Communications Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia

I wonder how Farid Ridzuan managed to hoodwink the Prime Minister into buying the stale Endless Possibilities which was made public in Altantuya's motherland many many moons ago. 

I hope the Prime Minister and/or those with the best interest of the Prime Minister at heart to get to the bottom of this scam. I am suspicious of what exactly that Farid wants us to recall with his latest branding bulls#$t.

The Prime Minister should consider SUSPENDING Farid Ridzuan from his Advisor's position (not sure if he is also at a Ministerial level as he appears to be eligible for a Special Officer to Communications Advisor to the Prime Minister) until the probe is over. BTW... why does the PM need a Communications Advisor? 

The PM has been communicating very well all these years until some monkeys jumped into the picture and make him act like a clown. 

Consider getting back to basics. All this 'cheap airlines' kind of marketing will not last. 

On second thoughts, maybe Farid Ridzuan should just be SACKED from the Prime Minister's Office.    


p/s

Dear Prime Minister, I hope that you take note of the fact that one too many of your ADVISORS have elevated themselves to your level. Some of them think they are the Prime Minister of Malaysia, thus criticizing them and correcting them is tantamount to being anti-Najib or trying to topple the Prime Minister. 

Dear Prime Minister, please take note that we know exactly how to ask/demand a sitting Prime Minister  to vacate his seat. Please remind your Advisors of their actual standing. Please also remind them, your Press Secretary Datuk Akmar included, that they are there to serve you, the PRIME MINISTER, and not themselves. 

Dear Prime Minister, please take note that we take the trouble to tell you and/or the administration as it is. Black is black and White is white, we tell you that without fear or favour because we want you to remain as the Prime Minister and steer this nation to greater heights again. 

Dear Prime Minister, we won't be doing what we are doing now if we think you are not fit to be the Prime Minister. 

Thank you, Mr Prime Minister.