Anwar Ibrahim |
- Bank Islam Chief Economist Suspended
- Malaysian PM Caught up in Murder, Bribery Scandal
- Mahathir, Muhyiddin And Mob-Rule
- Chandra’s hysterical outburst
| Bank Islam Chief Economist Suspended Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:40 AM PST The chief economist of Bank Islam has been suspended following media reports on a presentation he made predicting a narrow victory for the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th general election. The top officer, Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin, received the suspension letter yesterday afternoon, after allegations of “serious misconduct” were made against him. Contacted by Malaysiakini today, Azrul said he did not know the reason for his suspension but confirmed that it was linked to the presentation he made in Singapore recently. “This action is politically motivated. I do not know what to say. I am shocked that this happened,” he said. Azrul said the letter states that his suspension would be effective immediately. However, it does not say how long the suspension would last. "As no two GEs can provide almost exactly the same reading and in view of the surprise GE12 results, predicting the outcome of the GE13 could prove very challenging and a highly speculative attempt," Azrul Azwar said in his controversial presentation. He gave three scenarios relating to the forthcoming general election. 1) Scenario with high probability: Narrow loss for BN, securing only 97-107 parliamentary seats (narrow victory for Pakatan: 115-125) Narrow win for BN, securing 112-122 parliamentary seats (narrow loss for Pakatan: 100-110) Big loss for BN, securing only 82-92 parliamentary seats (big victory for PR: 130-140) He also speculated that a Pakatan win may have a short-term negative impact on the economy, though he predicted that the long-term political and economic effects will make Malaysia better off with the emergence of a genuine two-party system and stronger checks and balances. Azrul also warned that Pakatan's aversion to GST may see the government unable to expand revenue and discontinuance of established long-term policies that can be disruptive. However he lamented that only one of the scenarios, the one of a Pakatan win, was reported by a media outlet, which painted him as "biased". "If all three possible scenarios were reported, this issue (my suspension) would not have happened," he said, expressing regret over the media spin. Azrul said he is reflecting on the matter but does not discount the possibility that he may quit his post. "I don't want others to suffer. This is for my boss' benefit," he explained, adding that his superiors are now facing undue influence from "senior BN leaders". |
| Malaysian PM Caught up in Murder, Bribery Scandal Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:23 AM PST From THE AGE THE plot has all the trappings of a B-grade movie: the murder of a glamorous Mongolian socialite amid allegations of high-level bribery, blackmail, betrayal and political cover-up. But these are real-life events, and they could set back the chances of Malaysia’s ruling coalition in an election that Prime Minister Najib Razak must call by midyear. Mr Najib denies involvement but the allegations will not go away. The internet in Malaysia is running hot with allegations by a disaffected businessman, Deepak Jaikishan, who is well connected in the ruling United Malays National Organisation. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Photo: AFP Advertisement Ms Shaariibuu worked as a translator in the latter stages of the deal negotiations. Businessman Abdul Razak Baginda, one of the PM’s best friends and a policy adviser, was Ms Shaariibuu’s lover. Photo: Reuters Mr Najib, who is preparing to contest his first election since being installed in power by his party in 2009, denies ever meeting Ms Shaariibuu or having any link with her. The government denies any wrongdoing in the submarine purchases. But it was two of Mr Najib’s bodyguards who dragged Ms Shaariibuu from a car, knocked her unconscious and shot her twice in the head on October 19, 2006, according to court testimony. She had begged for her life and apparently that of her unborn child. The killers then wrapped her body in C4 plastic explosives obtained from the military and blew her up, ensuring the foetus was destroyed along with the identity of the father. For good measure, they erased her entry into Malaysia from immigration records. The Scorpene submarine story has been tumbling out since 2002 when Mr Najib ordered them from French ship builder DCNS. Two French investigating magistrates are looking into so-called ”commission” payments of about $US160 million into companies reportedly set up by Mr Baginda. Documents have been seized from the DCNS offices in Paris. Ms Shaariibuu, who spoke several languages, became Mr Baginda’s lover after they had met in Hong Kong. Stunningly beautiful, she had been married to a popular Mongolian singer and to the son of a famous Mongolian fashion designer. Ms Shaariibuu admitted in a letter found after her murder that she had been blackmailing Mr Baginda, who had jilted her after they had travelled through Asia and Europe together. She reportedly had wanted a $US500,000 cut to remain silent about her knowledge of the deal. Ms Shaariibuu was abducted outside Mr Baginda’s house, where she was said to be causing a scene. Her murder was eventually uncovered following continued pressure from her well-connected family and the Mongolian embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The two bodyguards were convicted of murder in 2009 but have claimed they are scapegoats and are appealing against death sentences. Pleading with a court not to execute him in February 2009, Sirul Azhar Umar described himself as a ”black sheep that has to be sacrificed” to protect unnamed people. ”I have no reason to cause hurt, what’s more to take the life of the victim in such a cruel manner,” he said. ”I appeal to the court, which has the powers to determine if I live or die, not to sentence me so as to fulfil others’ plans for me.” A judge sensationally dropped an abetting a murder charge against Mr Baginda in 2008 before any evidence was heard and he is believed to be living in exile in Britain with his family. Among several claims made by Mr Deepak – a carpet dealer – to opposition and independent websites are that he interceded to have a private detective change his 2008 sworn declaration that Mr Najib had had a sexual relationship with Ms Shaariibuu. The Prime Minister has repeatedly denied any relationship with Ms Shaariibuu, calling it a ”terrible lie”. Often sensational claims and counter claims in the case have been barely reported in Malaysia’s government-controlled mainstream media. The Malaysian human rights non-government organisation SUARAM, whose approach to a magistrate in Paris in 2010 prompted the French investigation, has complained of official harassment. But the claims are hot issues on opposition and independent websites, led by the Hong Kong-based Asia Sentinel online magazine, which published confidential files on the case last year and whose editor, John Berthelsen, has doggedly pursued the story for years. Malaysia, with a population of 28 million, has an internet penetration of more than 62 per cent, one of the highest in south-east Asia. Some commentators in Kuala Lumpur, including Wong Choon Mei writing in the Malaysia Chronicle, have speculated that 59-year-old Mr Najib could be forced from office before he gets to call the election. Jittery powerbrokers in UMNO fear that if he remains head of the coalition, they may lose to the opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, and his Pakatan Rakyat coalition. There is infighting in UMNO, which has shared power in the country for more than 50 years, as the latest opinion polls show Mr Najib’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level in 16 months. Wong wrote in the Chronicle on January 7 that UMNO watchers believed former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad had decided to throw his weight behind Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, and effect an 11th-hour change in leadership, although many have cautioned that such a move could boomerang and create even greater infighting. But Mr Najib, the son of Malaysia’s second prime minister, has emerged unscathed by the prosecution of his bodyguards and is publicly ignoring the French inquiry and Mr Deepak’s claims as he presents himself as a reformist, abolishing several restrictive laws and implementing a program to bolster unity among ethnic groups. Malaysia’s economy has fared well and the country is considered by the Work Bank to be an attractive place to do business. On January 8, Mr Najib denied rumours he had suffered a minor stroke due to the pressure of the allegations by Mr Deepak, saying he is healthy. ”So don’t listen to the blogs, please,” he said. Analysts say the election will be the strongest ever challenge to UMNO’s rule. Mr Najib has called the coming election ”a defining point for the destiny of the people and country”. |
| Mahathir, Muhyiddin And Mob-Rule Posted: 14 Jan 2013 01:54 PM PST Oh, to be a fly-on-the-wall in the home of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad when he witnessed the outpouring of support for the KL112 rally – dubbed the People's Uprising Rally, last Saturday. Did his purse his lips, clench his fists and tighten his resolve to remove the weaklings in Umno? His greatest fear is that the truth will emerge, his legacy is exposed as a sham and his dynasty is castrated. Last Saturday, about 35km away from the Merdeka Stadium, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak attended a meet-the-people rally organised by the Malaysian Indian Progressive Front (IPF), and Bernama said he was "impressed by the strong support of the IPF". Around 15,000 people had assembled in the sleepy town of Semenyih to welcome Najib. The PM should have known that the IPF event would have been overshadowed by KL112 and that no amount of negative spin by the mainstream English and Malay newspapers would detract from the implications of KL112. Was this a deliberate ploy by people in Najib's camp to undermine him? Is Najib being prepared for the big push? The adviser(s) couldn't have chosen a more apt location. According to Wikipedia, the town's name is derived from 'Sembunyi', a word in the Negri Sembilan dialect which means 'hide or hidden'. The irony of Najib hiding in Semenyih couldn't be more damaging. Malaysians know that in the past, Najib is usually found overseas whenever there is any whiff of trouble or conflict. Like a long-playing record, Najib again reeled-off the usual promises to the predominantly Indian crowd; that he would improve Tamil schools, resolve citizenship issues, provide loans for Indians to set up businesses, get more Indians in education and the civil service. He wanted their support in GE13 so that he could double his efforts to help them in his '1Malaysia' vision. Apparently, 55 years is not sufficient to make any headway. Najib being set up Najib is being set up and we will probably witness his downfall. More importantly, we are seeing the unravelling of Mahathir's work and the dismantling of his policies. Does it matter when some people observed that there was a predominantly Malay crowd in the KL112 rally and wondered where the non-Malays were? Does everything boil down to race? Isn't it more important that Malaysians walked with one shared purpose? Mahathir tried to divide the races, but last Saturday's event proved him wrong. For over 22 years, Mahathir ruled with an iron fist. He still rules the country, by proxy. During his tenure, he raised his profile and declared himself a champion of the Malays. He may have had a war of words with the west and fought economic battles with them, using trade as his weapon. He brought the non-Malays to their knees and humiliated them with his bumiputera policies. He even forced the royal households to beg for his mercy, though none of them would like to admit it today. When Mahathir (left) watched the KL112 scenes unfold, he must have realised that his days are numbered; all because of Najib's weakness. Najib thought he could give the rakyat what they wanted, but it was too little, too late. He started off by talking about reform, but by merely paying lip service to reform without any real evidence of real reforms, Najib was the instrument of his own downfall. He placed emphasis on sloganeering, but members of his own cabinet must have had difficulty remembering the various acronyms which crop up at an alarming rate. When '1Malaysia' took on a life of its own, it invaded every facet of our life. There was '1This' and '1That' or '1Whatever'. It made little impact on the lives of the rakyat, and people started to mock the '1Malaysia' concept. He damaged his reputation further by admitting that when he first started the '1Malaysia' slogan, he did not have a fixed strategy in mind. Najib tried to be a man of the people with his '1Malaysia' concept, but the response of his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, offended many Malaysians. Did others in his cabinet secretly oppose the '1Malaysia' concept, whilst seeming to play along? He became the darling of the UN by being the "1ModerateMuslim" when he denounced extremism, despite failing to control extremists in Malaysia. He told us to tighten our belts just before going on a spending spree for the government and his wife (FLOM). His wife talks about giving the people a chance to sample croissants, when they have difficulty putting rice on the table. Why did Najib return hurriedly from holiday in Europe, after his audience with the Pope? Had he heard rumours that his deputy was conspiring with others in Malaysia? The strain is beginning to show, not just in Najib but in Umno, too. Wary and weary of turncoats Umno may have enlisted the help of so-called respected citizens, to denounce the recent KL112 rally; people like Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim, or Dr Chandra Muzaffar. These men once danced with the opposition but now sing praises for Umno. The rakyat are wary and weary of turncoats. These experts claimed that KL112 is a charade and a mockery of democracy. They are out of touch with the feelings on the ground. Umno, which stands for United Malay National Organisation, is far from united. The cracks are beginning to show and MPs are becoming afraid, not just for their political futures but also for their freedom. Those who have aligned themselves with Mahathir are rejoicing at the prospect of holding the reins of power after Najib is toppled. That joy will be short-lived. Najib has one staunch supporter, Rosmah Mansor; her ambition is uncontrolled, she is the stronger partner and is determined to stick with Najib because she has so much to lose. She is the driving force behind him. Last week, Muhyiddin said that Malaysia does not need change, thus mirroring Mahathir's sentiments of previous weeks. Muhyiddin said, "We have a good government and a good economy, so why do we need a change?" Despite the recent exposes of high level corruption, Najib and the various agencies tasked to deal with these issues have done nothing. So, they should not be shocked by events in Ayer Tawar in Perak, where people whose lives are allegedly blighted by corruption, have started to take the law into their own hands. The rakyat sees that the government does not enforce the laws, but blatantly breaks them. The government and its agents act like thugs. Ironically, the resistance to change, of Mahathir and Muhyiddin, is the driving force behind the people's uprising which demands the fall of the Umno dictatorship at GE13. |
| Posted: 14 Jan 2013 08:24 AM PST Dr. Chandra's absurd ranting about my amending two paragraphs of the statement of claim reminds us of a drowning man clutching at straws! It's of no use. These rabid outbursts won't distract anyone from the real issues at hand. And just to clarify the matter, the amendments are necessary to conform to rules of pleading. He would plead fair opinion in respect of those two matters and deny that they were statements of fact. I have withdrawn that to narrow the focus of my pleading. ANWAR IBRAHIM |
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