only small fish only ....big sharks like najib and sharizat where it goes....Pandan Umno division leader sentenced to 44 years in jail for bribery

An Umno division leader was sentenced to a total of 44 years in jail and fined RM977,560 by the Sessions Court here today after he was found guilty of 10 counts of bribery, involving RM193,512, between May 2006 and March 2007.

However, Abd Ghani ismail, 46, who is Pandan Umno division leader, would have to serve only eight years in jail as judge Rozilah Salleh ordered part of the jail sentence to be served concurrently.

In the judgment, Rozilah said the defence by the accused was an afterthought and a mere denial.

“The explanation by the accused in his defence was not consistent,” she added.

She also refused Abd Ghani’s request for a stay of the sentence, following an objection by the prosecution, represented by deputy public prosecutor Roziza Sidek of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that there were no grounds for the court to allow the stay.

Abd Ghani, who is Pandan Umno division leader, was sentenced to five years’ jail and fined RM120,945 on the first count for soliciting a bribe of RM24,189 from a contractor, Abdul Rahman Yaacob (now deceased).

The bribe was as an inducement for helping Abdul Rahman to secure the tender for solid waste collection service at Taman Lembah Maju and Taman Kencana, as well as the tender for cleaning work at Pandan Cahaya, from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ).

The offence was committed at Restoran Islah Tomyam, Jalan 5/76B, Desa Pandan here at about 9pm on August 4, 2006.

On the second and third counts, for accepting bribes, totalling RM24,189, also from Abdul Rahman, he was sentenced to three years’ jail each and fined a total of RM120,945.

Abd Ghani was sentenced to five years’ jail each and fined a total of RM725,670 on the fourth to the ninth charge for accepting bribes, totalling RM725,670 from Abdul Rahman.

For the second to the ninth charge, Abd Ghani was charged with committing the offence in front of Block E 15, Jalan 4/76B, Desa Pandan here between October 20, 2006 and March 31, 2007.

Rozilah ordered Abd Ghani to serve the jail sentences for the first nine charges concurrently.

On 10th count, Abd Ghani was sentenced to three years’ jail and fined RM10,000 for accepting a bribe in the form of an appointment of Syarikat Lembah Rimbun, in which he had interest, as the sub-contractor to Dwisakti Mewah Sdn Bhd.

The appointment of the company was an inducement for him to help Dwisakti Mewah Sdn Bhd to secure the tender for solid waste disposal works in Bandar Pandan Indah from MPAJ.

The offence was committed at No. 27, Jalan Pandan 7, Pandan Jaya on May 1, 2006.

Earlier, while Rozillah was reading her judgment, Abd Ghani fainted in the dock and this prompted the court to adjourn proceedings for about 15 minutes.

Abd Ghani was represented by lawyer Md Yunos Shariff. — Bernama

 

 

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Tip of the iceberg! There are MANY UMNO Warlords out there taken A LOT MORE MONEY from people in the pretext of getting CONTRACT?? Typical of Najib or UMNO's " Lu tolong gua, gua tolong lu policy"!!

small fish. khir toyo still free and the case is.postponed again.and.again..No one is convinced the government is serious in fighting corruption if the "whales of East Malaysia" are still swimming free.

Let's all of us work together to pull down the CORRUPTED big tree before it falls and kills ourselves !!

Astacanggih buyout to silence Deepak....PM and defense minister abuse of military pensions

Boustead Holdings Bhd’s acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in Astacanggih Sdn Bhd is an attempt to silence controversial carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli alleged today.

The PKR strategy director also accused Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi of abusing his power by spending public money through government investment fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), which owns Boustead, to acquire the loss-making property development company.

“This is worse than a bailout ... this is outright bribery to practically pay off and silence (Deepak),” Rafizi told a press conference here.

The politician added that if the recent allegations made by Deepak over the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu had not been considered serious, it was unlikely that LTAT would have proceeded with the buyout.

Deepak recently also exposed an alleged deal between Awan Megah Sdn Bhd, the company owned by Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah, and the federal government for the a parcel of land involved in the acquisition by Boustead.

He said that Deepak’s allegation had likely “frightened” the Barisan Nasional (BN) government so much that it had instructed Zahid to proceed with the move.

Rafizi claimed that acquiring Astacanggih was not a sound investment, and Zahid was being irresponsible by jeopardising the contributions of armed forces members through Boustead and its subsidiary, Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd, which financed the deal.

“As the minister responsible for this deed, Zahid must be careful in making sure that the investment made by Bakti Wira will be in the best interest of members of the army,” Rafizi said.

He argued that Astacanggih is a company with poor track record and had failed to file any of its financial statements. It was also burdened with RM98 million of outstanding debt with banking institution Kuwait Finance House.

He also disputed the RM30 million valuation for the stake in Astacanggih, explaining that the price was achieved through a “willing buyer, willing seller” agreement.

The same type of agreement was used in valuing the price of land going to acquired by Bakti Wira from Awan Megah, which Rafizi claimed was double the price of the land plots adjacent to it.

He referred to report by Utusan Malaysia in December 2005 that said another subsidiary of Boustead, Jendela Hikmat Sdn Bhd, had acquired a 236ha land for RM230 million, or RM390,000 per acre, compared to RM650,000 per acre for the land Bakti Wira is acquiring.

Rafizi further claimed that the government will be paying Awan Megah RM130 million for a piece of land that is yet to be transferred to the company.

“I echo Deepak’s claim ... that it is akin to the federal government paying RM130 million to Awan Megah for land that does not exist,” he added.

Rafizi also stressed that PKR will be concentrating on this issue in coming days, and will use any means possible to stop the deal from going through.

Yesterday, Deepak had said that he was forced to sell his company to cover the losses incurred in a deal with the Selangor Wanita Umno chief that went sour.

On Thursday, the controversial businessman withdrew his lawsuit against Putrajaya for an alleged breach of agreement over land in Bukit Raja, Selangor on the same day Boustead reported it bought an 80 per cent stake in Astacanggih for RM30 million.

Deepak has made various allegations about the deal that involved Raja Ropiaah, but has disappeared from public view since December 13.

But he resurfaced yesterday to explain the sale of his firm to Boustead.

“My shareholders and me have sold our shares in Asta Canggih for RM30 million which is our actual cost price. RM13 million (for) Raja Ropiah, RM8 million political contribution, RM7 million financial cost, RM2 million legal and miscellaneous cost, as this ultimatum was forced upon us,” Deepak said in a text message.

State news agency Bernama reported that in a filing with Bursa Malaysia, Boustead said its wholly-owned unit, Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd, acquired the shares from Prestige Dimension Sdn Bhd and other minority shareholders of Astacanggih on December 20.

Bakti Wira Development and Astacanggih also signed an agreement with Awan Megah to acquire 80.94ha of freehold land in Klang, Selangor, for RM130 million.

Settlers rally against Felda chairman

Samad isa obligatory statue  should be  burnt ... he appointed chairman of Felda to cover najib altantuya  scandal with ziana zain at port dickson hotel  a few years ago

Over a thousand settlers today gathered at the national capital here to protest against Tan Sri Isa Samad, urging him to step down as the Federal Land Authority (FELDA) chairman, even as Felda Global Ventures Holding Bhd (FGVH) shares continued their weak performance.

The “Save Felda” rally led by the National Association of Felda Settlers’ Children (ANAK), marched to the Felda headquarters from the mosque at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) today after Friday prayers.

The rally participants chanted “Selamatkan Felda” (Save Felda) and “Undur Isa Samad” (Isa Samad back down”) as they carried an effigy with a photo of Isa Samad on it.

As the ANAK group approached the Felda headquarters, an anti-ANAK group comprising an estimated few hundred people standing about 50 metres away blocked their advance.

The two groups were each separated by rows of police, with the anti-ANAK group holding banners with messages against ANAK and association leader Mazlan Aliman such as “Mazlan Aliman gadai Felda untuk jadi YB” (Mazlan Aliman pawning Felda to be YB) and “Persatuan ANAK pengkhianat” (ANAK group (are) traitors”).

The anti-ANAK group led by Wan Zawawi Wan Zain, also appeared to be pro-Barisan Nasional, as banners with the words “55 tahun Felda aman tanpa Pembangkang” (55 years Felda peaceful without the Opposition) and “I love PM” could also be seen.

Mazlan listed four demands in a memorandum — asking Isa to step down as FELDA chairman as well as urging a stop to political interference in FELDA and the alleged sale of palm oil to an Israeli company.

He also asked that Felda land be returned to the settlers, citing the precarious position of the 360,000 hectares of land due to the dismal performance of FGVH shares.

Six representatives from ANAK — including Mazlan, PAS MP Dr Hatta Ramli, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub — later handed over the memorandum to Felda representatives.

Controversial figure R. Tanggam was also seen hitting the effigy with Isa Samad’s likeness during the rally, where speeches were made by ANAK leaders even as the anti-ANAK group booed.

Former Umno minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, who this year formed a new party — Ikatan, was also seen amongst the orange-clad ANAK crowd, which included a few children.

Both groups dispersed peacefully at around 3.30pm, with no clashes between the two as the police had kept them separated throughout the rally.

“We are very satisfied, everything went on peacefully. Both sides listened to our advice,” the Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh later told reporters.

ANAK and several opposition leaders had held a giant rally here in July to protest FGVH’s listing, which they claimed was being done to curry favour with FELDA settlers and their children who are seen as an important vote bank for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in the run-up to the 13th general elections.

The group had previously expressed its discontent against Isa Samad, who is said to be seeking appointment as chairman of FGVH majority shareholder, Felda Investment Co-operatives (KPF), at its annual general meeting (AGM).

But the AGM, which was scheduled yesterday, has been suspended pending a judicial review at the High Court, the Co-Operatives Commission of Malaysia said in a notice dated December 24 and posted on KPF’s website.

Mazlan who had been staunchly against Isa’s appointment, was previously reported as saying the rally was needed to save FELDA from a “conspirary of the highest order” aimed to reduce KPF’s — and by extension, the farmers’ — stake in the palm oil company.

FGVH shares have experienced a general downward trend and continued to hover near record lows, after surging above its debut price of RM5.30 when it listed on June 28.

Brokers have said, however, that FGVH is likely benefitting from the interest of large institutional funds with the plantation giant’s expected inclusion as a component of the benchmark FBM KLCI index, along with restrictions against cornerstone buyers disposing their lots within six months of the listing.

On December 14, The Star reported that FGVH would join the FBM KLCI index.

But The Edge had reported that the six-month lock-in period ends this week.

 

 

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when government leaders function basically on the concept of "I help you, you help me", anything goes!

Just look at the Felda case and the simmering Deepak revelations.

What can you expect? UMNO puts a politian to run a corporation. UMNO has a polician who knows nothing about education to formluate policies that is one-sided. Typical UMNO style lah.

When you appoint idiots to top posts, you get disaster, then use Petronas money to bail out. Now they give out BR1M to get votes. After that, they inpose the GST and take it all back. UMNO style

another drama between witness and murderer of Altantuya...Deepak says was forced to sell company....

Deepak Jaikishan said today he was forced to sell his property development firm to cover the losses incurred in a deal with the Selangor Wanita Umno chief that went sour.

The controversial businessman withdrew his lawsuit yesterday against Putrajaya for an alleged breach of agreement over land in Bukit Raja, Selangor on the same day a unit of a government investment company reported it bought an 80 per cent stake in the carpet dealer’s property development firm for RM30 million.

The controversial businessman has made various allegations about the deal that involved Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah, but has disappeared since December 13.

In a text message to the media today, he said that “it is true my shareholders and me have sold our shares.

“My shareholders & me have sold our shares in Asta Canggih for RM30 million which is our actual cost price. RM13 million (for) Raja Ropiah, RM8 million political contribution, RM7 million financial cost, RM2 million legal & miscellaneous cost, as this ultimatum was forced upon us,” he said.

Deepak (picture) had, through his lawyer, withdrawn his suit without costs in the case of his company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, which named the government’s Syarikat Tanah dan Harta Sdn Bhd, Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd and its nominee company, Cebur Megah Development Sdn Bhd, for allegedly breaching the agreement.

Awan Megah defence lawyer Datuk Saseedharan Menon said written submissions had been tendered to the Kuala Lumpur High Court and trial judge Justice Mohd Zabariah Yusof had discussed the matter with both parties in chambers yesterday.

In the statement of claim, Astacanggih alleged that Awan Megah agreed with the company that the government and Syarikat Tanah dan Harta had agreed to transfer the Bukit Raja land to Cebur Megah.

It said the transfer would be implemented within a month after Astacanggih had submitted the land bond to the government. But it was never done, said Deepak, who shot to fame for his role in arranging private investigator P. Balasubramaniam’s second sworn statement about the 2006 murder of Mongolian national Altantuyaa Shaariibuu.

In its counter-claim, Awan Megah sought a declaration that Astacanggih had repudiated the letter of agreement.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that a unit of Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera investment vehicle Boustead Holdings Bhd has acquired an 80 per cent stake in Astacanggih Sdn Bhd for RM30 million.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, Boustead said its wholly-owned unit, Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd, acquired the shares from Prestige Dimension Sdn Bhd and other minority shareholders of Astacanggih on December 20.

Bakti Wira Development and Astacanggih also signed an agreement with Awan Megah yesterday to acquire 80.94ha of freehold land in Klang, Selangor, for RM130 million.

Boustead said the share purchase and land acquisition would be funded via bank borrowings and internally-generated funds, according to national news agency Bernama.

On the rationale, Boustead said the acquisition would present an opportunity for the group to expand its land bank.

 

 

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Where's Deepak profit and reimbursement of his cost? Something fishy here! U mean Deepak got the land for free? Or He's an nominee/ conduit? Base on the distribution, is there any profit? No payment for RPGT? Need to dig further!

Smart Tee Yong please comment on this case if you have the courage to do so

Has this nation been sold?

Our government is so corrupted that a 40 year old carpet seller can hold it to ransom. Our soldier boys pension is being used to bail out UMNO cronies..

Has our army lost its dignity...?

If this is true, it is not a wonder why ordinary people in Malaysia are suffering from high prices of goods, house, etc.

RM8 million political contribution???? What is exactly this RM8 million political contribution? To who?

Final cost to do business is more than 3 times the actual cost!!!

If this is true, it is not a wonder why so many household items of the same brand can be sold at cheaper price in Singapore compared to Malaysia. People here are actually paying multiples more for political contribution. Bravo, excellent schemes. Rakyat diperkudakan.

balance corrupt and big robbers between voters dan BN bandit warlord....

The Barisan Nasional’s (BN) inability to nail down a final list of candidates and the need to strike a delicate balance between pleasing voters and not sidelining its political warlords has been cited as reasons for the delay in calling elections, Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper reported today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has continued to keep Malaysians guessing over the date of the polls even though several dates have been bandied about in the media over the past year.

The Umno president and BN chairman has also refused to release BN’s candidates list for the polls, despite several calls from grassroots leaders to do so, noting that keeping the list under wraps is a “strategic” decision.

Quoting political analyst Oh Ei Sun today, Singapore’s ST reported that although the federal opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is in itself entangled in a tussle over seats, the problem of selecting the best contestants is worse for BN than for its political foes.

Oh said that PKR and DAP lack a strong grassroots system that would allow a party leader to mobilise an efficient election machinery that would prevent sabotage of a candidate.

“In Umno, however, the system of patronage means a lot of people owe their livelihoods to certain leaders and warlords. The potential and ability to sabotage candidates are much stronger,” the analyst was quoted as saying.

Sabotage has been highlighted as among one of Umno’s greatest fears going into the 13th general election.

During the party’s last two general assemblies, this was the strongest message that Najib sent to the party’s over three million members.

He repeatedly reminded members to accept the candidates selected by the BN leadership, even if they are not chosen, and urged them to work with their respective parties to ensure the candidate wins the polls for BN.

In his message, Najib had laced a stern warning that BN could lose if not careful and the pact must not take for granted that its past over 50-year-rule would continue after the next polls.

But ST noted today that BN’s prolonged process of selecting its candidates has got some members feeling antsy.

Still, political observer Hsu Dar Ren, a former leader in Gerakan, said it is absolutely imperative that BN places emphasis on finding “clean, fresh-faced candidates”, the paper reported.

According to Hsu, this would be a good way to respond to PR’s 2008 polls strategy where the pact had fielded a broad slate of young professionals.

“The point he (Najib) wants to make is to tell voters that they don’t have to choose PR because the BN has good candidates too,” Hsu was quoted as saying. “But getting old ‘unwinnable’ candidates to step down is not easy. They’re very entrenched and formidable.”

 

 

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Only the most corrupted leaders and warlords won the day in UMNO.There's no amount of balancing act to clean the house for a untainted fresh-faced candidates.Always has been , always will be.Damn if you do , damned if you don't.

Even without sabotage, the people will bring down this corrupt govt and depraved party.

We have had enough of you. In the bin you go!!!

utusan the Garbage paper with bankrupt idea....Newspapers lack ‘luxury of time’ to vet truth

Newspapers do not have the “luxury of time” to ascertain the truth of their news reports, Utusan Malaysia’s lawyer Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin today told the High Court here when justifying the urgency of the Malay daily’s report on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this January.

Firoz was making clarifications in Opposition Leader Anwar’s defamation suit against the newspaper that had in January allegedly accused him of being a gay rights proponent in a report claiming he had admitted as much in a TV interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) early this year.

He said that news reports “have a very short lifespan”, adding that television and radio stations would have carried the same news report.

“If newspapers have to go through the full process of ascertaining the truth, the details, they wouldn’t be able to report the next day,” Firoz argued.

“That’s why it was urgent to break the news to the public as soon as possible.”

Firoz later argued that the media does not have the “luxury of time” to ascertain the veracity of “facts” contained in every news report, saying that “nothing will ever get published” otherwise.

But Anwar’s lawyer, N. Surendran, later contended that using the argument that news is “urgent” and “cannot be stale” would mean that “newspapers will be free to publish false statements.”

Surendran further pointed out that Utusan had not sought Anwar’s comments before it went on to publish the story.

Firoz also said today that Utusan’s report on former PAS member Datuk Dr Hasan Ali’s statement was “a neutral transcript of what happened without embellishment”.

“The public has a right to know his (Hasan’s) point of view. He is a politician. It’s nothing personal.”

Firoz said that Utusan should be entitled to the defence of reportage, as they had published a “verbatim report” of what Hasan had said.

He also relied on the defence of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.

Under the defence of qualified privilege, he argued that as a newspaper, Utusan has a “duty to publish matters of public interest” such as matters pertaining to the law and the opinions of politicians on these issues.

But Surendran argued that there was malice involved, saying that both Utusan’s editor-in-chief and chief news editor had failed to give a straight answer in previous cross-examinations about whether the news report was true.

On October 23, the newspaper’s chief news editor Zulkiflee Bakar had told the court he was “not sure” if the news report was true or not, saying that Utusan had only published it based on an unedited “full transcript” of Hasan’s statement.

Surendran had asked if Zulkiflee agreed that “maybe the content was true, maybe (it was) not true”, to which Zulkiflee replied that it was both.

Zulkiflee had also told Firoz that the news report was based on Hasan’s statement, saying that Hasan should know whether it was true or not.

Today, Surendran claimed that editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak was “evasive” and had showed “no confidence” when asked on August 13 if the contents of the news report were true.

Surendran argued that malice on the part of Utusan was proven when the defendant “had no genuine belief” that what was published was true.

Anwar had in January filed the defamation suit seeking RM50 million in damages and an injunction to stop Utusan and its editor-in-chief from repeating statements accusing him of being a gay rights proponent.

At a hearing on July 18, Anwar had told the court that it was “public knowledge” that Utusan Malaysia was Umno-owned and that it took orders from the party’s president.

He also agreed then that homosexuals should be discriminated against to protect the sanctity of marriage, but pointed out that archaic laws should be reviewed to prevent innocent people from being punished.

Earlier this year, Anwar was acquitted of a charge of sodomising former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, with the High Court ruling that the prosecution had not done enough to prove the opposition leader had committed sodomy against Saiful.

Just days after Anwar was exonerated, Utusan Malaysia front-paged a story titled “Anwar ulas isu gay” (Anwar discusses gay rights), claiming the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader had told a BBC interview that laws on homosexuality in Malaysia were considered “archaic” and “not relevant”.

The High Court judge VT Singham had asked both sides to make clarifications today and will deliver his decision on January 21 next year.

 

 

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UTUSAN not having the "luxury of time"? Then their defense lawyers shall have their "time of luxuries" soon! Syiok lah becoming their panel lawyers! Guaranteed business! What's better thën getting paid for churning out lame & idiotic excuses...Hahaha!

What more can you expect from Utusan! I'm embarrassed with such a newspaper which is to be used as toilet paper

Does that mean you are free to publish whatever comes your way ? Falsehood, lies, propaganda , words inciting religeous and racial hatred ....and say you didnt have the time to check

This is the height of reprehensible journalism
intrasigient inveterate vile and dangerous to society
Such people should be irreversibly neutered.

If Utusan publish the truth, BNed will bankrap immediately..
In order to avoid Bned declared bankruptcy, it has to publish falsehood news.
Not 1 only false news in newspaper but a lot of false news.

experience cheat use of foreign immigrants....‘Utilise fully Umno veterans’ experience to ensure BN victory’

Umno branches and divisions nationwide should fully utilise the experience and influence of veteran party members to ensure a big victory for Barisan Nasional in the coming general election.

Malaysian Umno Veterans’ Club secretary Datuk Mustapha Yaakub said their wide experience and wide influence could provide the much needed ammunition to deny the dream of the opposition to conquer Putrajaya.

“What we want is to help strengthen the party in line with our motto ‘Veterans are catalysts to the Leadership of Umno’.

“We don’t have any ambition to return actively at any levels or compete for any posts. We only want Umno and BN to win big and be retained in power,” he told Bernama.

He said through the slogan ‘My family votes BN’, the club would ensure every Umno veteran family’s vote was counted.

“With more than 700,000 members nationwide, we will summon all our members to strengthen the party in facing the 13th general election,” he stressed. – Bernama

 

 

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So desperate for votes? What happen to Pahlawan Melayu Umno? To resort to dragging their old folks into their selfish political struggle.

A huge amount of UMNO veterans, those that supported UMNO-asli, but grew increasingly disappointed with UMNO-palsu (post 1988), are now going to vote PR.

UMNO veterans are the last generation politicians who has become irrelevant as their times are over. Time moves on but their political influence has stagnated with their time. UMNO has veterans like Zam who created damage than build bridges of friendship when he criticized other country's leaders. The more such veterans speak their mind, the more arrogant they are, a typical UMNO trait. They have outlived their time & are expired politicians. Best for them to take care of their health & grandchildren.

No matter how hard UMNO work for the coming GE, the Rakyat will not vote for them because they stole billions of ringgit and stash it overseas. We are not fools anymore.

Talking is always cheap lip service by moron PM....I am PM for all, Najib tells Christians

Datuk Seri Najib Razak today reassured the Christian community in Malaysia that his government has not forgotten them despite growing feelings that they are being sidelined.
The prime minister appeared to placate the community by praising the contributions of Christians in Malaysia, especially the role played by mission schools in raising the bar in education.

“I do not want to be a prime minister for only a particular section of the community. I’m a prime minister for all Malaysians, and I’ve said that repeatedly,” Najib reminded a Christian crowd at a Christmas party here.

Najib cited the recent lift of a ban for Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem as proof that the government recognises Christians as essential to the nation.

“I believe that a God-fearing Christian, with strong values, would be good for Malaysia,” he added.

Najib also called for Christian leaders to continue engaging in dialogue and to engage the government constructively.

“I am pleased to note that we have, for the past three years, a permanent dialogue mechanism,” he urged, referring to the government interfaith committee headed by Datuk Azman Amin Hassan.

Najib told the crowd that he was inspired by Christian leaders who are active participants in the committee and had encouraged the government to improve interreligious relations.

Besides praising mission schools, the PM also paid tribute to the many charitable initiatives run by churches such as welfare homes, legal aid clinics, and outreach programmes.

The Lutheran Church of Malaysia’s Bishop Philip Kok had earlier in his opening speech thanked the PM for lifting the ban.

“Indeed, this is a wonderful Christmas gift for many of our members,” Kok said.

Around 1,000 Christians gathered in the Luther Centre here for a Christmas High Tea celebration organised by umbrella body Christian Federation of Malaysia.

Lawmakers across the political divide were spotted at the event, including the Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Gerakan President Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng.

Also present were MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and vice-president Datuk Donald Lim, DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and PKR’s vice-president Tian Chua.

Earlier this month, Putrajaya had rescinded its quotas, age floor and other travel limits imposed last year on Christian Malaysians wishing to make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s move, ahead of Christmas and national polls, was seen as a bid to win back dwindling support from the minority community that barely makes up 10 per cent of the country’s 28 million-strong population but is regarded as a swing vote group in urban areas and crucial to the battle to reclaim the middle ground.

Christian Malaysians had voiced their unhappiness with Putrajaya after churches were allowed to send only up to 20 pilgrims to Jerusalem a year besides limiting their stay there to a week, among several constraints, acts they saw as further erosion of their religious freedom guaranteed by the Federal Constitution.

In recent years, the Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word “Allah”, with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds that Islam is monotheistic and the word “Allah” denotes the Muslim god

 

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I am PM for all because the GE is just around the corner and I need all the votes in order to remain as PM. Otherwise, my DPM will be taking over my post if I don't get votes...And I am the PM for all my cronies. Hehehehehe

Go debate with Anwar Ibrahim then we will know who is truly qualify to be the PM of all Malaysians.

Talking is always cheap lip service but the problem is this Pm is not walking all his lip talking.

UMNO-BN robbers and corrupt tactics provide reasons to save themselves....Asset declaration may threaten candidates’ safety, BN MPs say

 

Several Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs have said that a public declaration of assets by potential election candidates may jeopardise their safety, ahead of what is expected to be the country’s most intensely-fought polls.

The BN lawmakers argued that the transparency of election candidates can be effectively ensured through a declaration of personal assets to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and also a vetting by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Najib, who is also BN chairman, had said that his coalition’s candidates would be screened by the country’s anti-graft body - an announcement that was scoffed at by his political foes in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as a publicity stunt.

Several PR MPs were today reported saying that BN’s candidates would instead look more credible if they disclose their assets publicly, pointing out that MACC’s job is to fight corruption and not filter election candidates with dubious financial records.

But Umno’s Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said personal assets do not have to be declared publicly because the assets are personal in nature, saying that this will also protect the safety of those representing the people.

“To me, these assets are personal. So to me, it’s enough if (we) declare assets to the Prime Minister.

“We can’t be announcing all our assets to all the citizens? We need to think about the wakil rakyat’s (people’s representative’s) safety,” the Kota Belud MP said.

He questioned why Pakatan Rakyat MPs continue to demand that BN politicians fully declare their assets, pointing out that those in the opposition pact and their family members had themselves failed to do the same.

“To me, (about) the asset declaration, the opposition also don’t do (it).

We see that the Pakatan Rakyat wakil rakyat also don’t do (it).

“I give an example, the Selangor government’s declaration of assets, they didn’t disclose. They only disclose the increase in assets. In Penang, it is compulsory for the assets of wakil rakyat to be declared, but the wives’ assets are not declared,” he said when contacted by The Malaysian Insider today.

He said that assets only have to be declared to the Prime Minister, who will allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to take the asset declaration documents for investigations if needed.

Abdul Rahman’s views were shared by former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Besides a declaration of assets to the BN chairman, Ong said that asset declarations are already done within the MCA itself.

“In BN’s system, in the party itself there’s already such a process, all of us declare assets to the BN chairman.

“Usually in our system, the members of the administration already declare (their) assets, that is a requirement,” the Pandan MP told The Malaysian Insider.

But Ong said it may not be necessary for candidates to declare their assets to the public, because it is uncertain if they will be successful at the polls.

“Candidates do not necessarily need to declare assets, because it’s not necessary they will win.

“Only when (they) already won, then they have to declare (their) assets,” the MCA man said.

Batang Lupar MP Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim said that as a lawmaker, she had declared her assets to her party president Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and also the BN chairman.

Rohani is an MP from the Sarawak BN’s main component party Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

“It is sufficient to only declare assets to the Prime Minister, and if there is penyelewengan (abuse), the Prime Minister can submit the asset declaration documents to SPRM,” she said, referring to the MACC’s initials in the Malay language.

She said that the declaration of assets is a normal routine within both the PBB and BN.

“What is more important, election candidates will come forward as clean (candidates) to get the voters’ confidence,” Rohani said.

Election candidates are currently not required to publicly declare their assets, but those already holding high-ranking positions within the civil service have to make a declaration to the prime minister.

As the 13th general elections draw near, corruption remains a key issue for voters, with alleged scandals involving both BN and PR regularly dominating the headlines.

 

 

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How come people like Vincent Tan,Robert kuoK, Ananda Khrinan, Tan ri Yeoh all this billionaries safety are not jeopardise ??? Base on the minister actual salaries and allowance they are not that rich so what is the fuss, unless they have a lot of side income.

These minister side income is their' main income 'robbing the rakyat in broad daylight.These crooks are worst than the snatch thieves and bank robbers but the heartache is they enjoy their ill gotten gains with the our knowledge.

For all we know, if there be any threat to safety, it might be more internal than external, especially when people in the race to accumulate wealth are from the same bench.

GREED breeds ENVY and JEALOUSY. Never forget that!

The best check & balance I can think of is as follows:-

(a) all BN selected candidates declare to PAKATAN and
(b) all PAKATAN selected cadidates declare to BN
(c) the declaration will be on a recurring (per annum) basis.

Believe me BN and PAKATAN will leave no stone unturn in their scrutiny.

The RAKYAT can then be assured all elected representatives are 99.99% corruption-free and transparent people's representatives.

but now Malaysia ruling politicians are much richer than most businessman. The corrupted profit they made are all without cost & their wealth can easily start from 100 millions to double digits billions all depend on their position they held.

This dog dreams in daylight to keep on his boss...BN confident of wresting 20 Opposition seats

Barisan Nasional (BN) is capable of wresting back 20 opposition-held seats to help secure two-thirds majority in the coming 13th general election, says Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

He is confident that BN can retain the 140 parliamentary seats it won and capture five of 23 seats held by PAS, five of 29 held by DAP and 10 of the 31 Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) seats.

He said the confidence was based on various factors including the problems faced by the opposition in several seats that it had won.

“It’s logical because, for example, seven of the PKR seats are already problematic for the opposition as six as the incumbents left the party to become independents while it lost the Hulu Selangor seat.”

He said this after attending the opening of a professionalism-enhancing retreat of the Information Welfare and Recreation Club by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, here, today.

Ahmad, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was also an important factor in ensuring victory for BN.

“The people have benefited from the various incentives and privileges introduced by the prime minister such as the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) and 1Malaysia Book Voucher, as well as the transformation programmes.”

Besides that, he said, the winnable candidates to be fielded by BN would also contribute to the ruling coalition recapturing some of the opposition-held seats.

However, Ahmad reminded that victory could be achieved if BN members did not resort to “cah keting” or sabotage against the party or the chosen candidates. – Bernama

 

 

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How can be they so confident when political veterans such as Tun Mahathir, Tun Daim, Tengku Razaleigh and the late Lim Keng Yaik has written off BN's chances in the coming polls?

the frogs that jumped landed into the frying pans were long gone.

Many of the winable horses of BN are crippled, using threat hoping to
win the GE 13.

Just wait to see how the rakyat rated you as a candidate.

These 20 seats currently held by PR and targeted by UMNO must surely be in the list of EC with the most dubious and questionable new voters. Young and newly registered Malaysian voters are fully aware of the clear and present danger affecting these 20 seats and will come out in full force the overcome the cheating endorsed by the EC.

Crony-linked contracts ....Authorities refute claims KKIA runway unsafe, in dispute with Ting

The Transport Ministry has refuted all claims that the KKIA was unsafe

Putrajaya today refuted a claim by Sarawak construction magnate Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing that the runway at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) was unsafe for take-off and landing, insisting here that it has been certified safe by local aviation authorities.

In a Bernama report yesterday, the Sarawak tycoon announced that Global Upline Sdn Bhd has stopped all works to develop KKIA closed the airport runway, blaming the Transport Ministry for failing to issue the Certificate of Practical Completion (CPC) to the firm for completion for one of its work packages at the airport.

Without the certification, Ting said the KKIA was not safe for any activity as it has not been recognised as complete.

“The Transport Ministry vehemently denies GUSB's statement claiming that KKIA is unsafe for airlines operations,” the ministry said in a press statement today.

“The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), which is the authority to establish airport standards, and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), the airport operator, have confirmed that KKIA complies with the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) standards.”

The ministry added that the DCA conducts periodical monitoring of the KKIA runway and has found it that it has duly complied with stipulated standards and is fit for operations.

It also urged the public not to be afraid of safety conditions at KKIA or its airlines operations, giving its assurance that necessary measure will always be taken to ensure their safety.

The ministry then explained that the airport contractor was issued a Certificate of Non-Completion and Liquidated Ascertained Damages (LAD) for failing to complete in totality works in section one of the works by the April 30 deadline, maintaining that this in accordance with the terms and conditions in its contract.

In his statement on Bernama yesterday, Ting had said that GUSB had “practically completed” section one of the works but was still issued the CNC and LAD.

Section one includes the runway extension, resurface of existing runway, new taxiways A, C, D, E and K, installation of a 7km high tension cable and three automated pump stations, according to the Bernama report.

The article also quoted Ting as claiming that the ministry had also to pay RM113 million contractual claim for the upgrade of Kuching International Airport and RM21 million for Labuan Airport, leaving GUSB with no choice but to commence legal action to recover the outstanding payment.

But in response today, the ministry argued that the contractual claim had already been rejected by the government.

 

 

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DCA confirms it? DCA kept quiet about the malfuction in the air control system in KLIA and only after PKR got insider info, that it was revealed. With the fiasco in KKIA and Penang, you think that the construction is up to standard?

Crony-linked contracts without open tender and the usual obscene markups. The ministry should act without fear or favour. The contractor is well known for greasing politicians and those in command. The ministry should stay firm against unscrupulous businessmen.

Why not adopt anti-lynas idea? Get the minister to ride the plane, taking off and landing at the same airport. If he dare not, then something fishy going on.

This "King" Kong has to go.

UMNO cronies attempt to legalize robbery to the people....AES contractor in legal face-off over removal order

Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd, one of two companies awarded the controversial Automatic Enforcement System (AES) contract, is challenging in court the Sepang Municipal Council’s directive to dismantle two speed-trap cameras installed in Selangor.

“The judicial review application will be heard on February 14,” a lawyer for the concessionaire, Alex De Silva, told The Malaysian Insider when contacted today.

The Sepang local council had, in a letter dated December 6, ordered Beta Tegap to dismantle two of its cameras that had been set up on the North-South Highway and the South Klang Valley Expressway within 14 days.

Beta Tegap is seeking to declare the local council has no jurisdiction over the two highways, but the company’s legal standing will likely be raised as well because it is a private company contracted to install the speed-trap cameras while traffic summonses are issued by the Road Transport Department, considered the rightful authority to issue any legal challenge.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has ordered a halt to all court proceedings related to the AES summonses to study legal issues that have been raised even as it said the tickets were still valid, it said in a statement yesterday.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in a statement today acknowledged the AGC’s statement as “legally correct” but insisted “there should be no more unnecessary delay in putting an end to this sordid scheme of allowing two BN crony companies to profit based on commissions imposed on every traffic summons disguised as enforcement to reduce accidents”.

Yesterday,Putrajaya was considering suspending the implementation of the system as it appeared to duplicate police speed traps along the highways.

It is understood that Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha has been one of the few ministers who have been defending the implementation of the AES behind closed doors.

The privatised RM700 million project began in September with a pilot phase of 14 cameras but the RTD has pledged to roll out a total of 831 cameras by end-2013 to catch speeding motorists and prevent more road deaths.

The police, who enforce the speeding laws, have said they will continue enforcement and carry on putting up mobile speed traps near the AES cameras, raising the prospect of dual fines for errant motorists.

“The government is considering putting on hold the implementation of the AES due to the duplication of the summons system. That will cause hardship,” a source had told

He also noted that several lawmakers from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) have also asked the government to stop the implementation until all views are considered.

Another source said the government wants to ensure the AES will help ensure that motorists follow speed limits throughout their journey rather than just in the areas where the cameras are situated.

“This system is to enforce speed limits and ensure road safety,” he added.

 

 

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Beta Tegap, only 2 cameras to dismantle as directed,so cannot "cari makan"? or eating into your profits to pay those corrupted morons their commissions.

Why not for every one kilometre they (the police, JPJ and even Transport Ministry) put one camera. Then you will make more money for crony companies since every single car will receive summons and some multiple summons.

Let every crony company put up cameras even in the kampong roads.

Our Transport Minister keeps silent ...apparently he has vested interest in this sordid project to collect money without effort .

Another rent-seeking business from BN ...

These BN ministers, and the AG, are just like a group of monkeys running around, have no idea of implementing a scheme never properly thought out. This is a mockery. How to allow them to continue govern the country? All they think of is how to make their cronies richer.

Nothing more dangerous than the deep potholes created by relaying of roads where the manholes are!

These "deliberate" potholes are deadly to both motorcyclists and cars!

These artificial dangers can be avoided but the authorities simply do not insist on the contractors doing a proper job.

bribery money to buy votes...More than one in three Malaysians to get cash bribery on January 15

 

About 12 million Malaysians, or more than one in three citizens, will receive cash handouts from the government on January 15, in a major boost for barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of elections expected soon after that.

Sin Chew Daily reported today that the estimated 12 million people will receive the cash through the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) and student aid schemes.

BR1M recipients will get handouts of RM500, while RM100 will be given to students from Standard One to Form Five.

Handouts worth RM250 will also be given out to those 21-year-old-and-above who are single and who earn less than RM2000 a month.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced the handouts as part of his Budget 2013 measures to help cushion the fallout from an uncertain economic outlook.

Dates for the RM250 book coupons for university students and the smartphone allowance given to 21-30 year olds with a monthly income of less than RM3000, will be announced by this week.

Deputy finance minister Donald Lim told Sin Chew Daily that the cash handout for bachelors over the age of 21 and earning below RM2000 a month, will also be announced at the same time.

“We predict that the families receiving handout benefits will increase by 10 per cent, rising from the previous 4.3 million households to 4.7 million.”

Lim also stated that this time two million youths above the age of 21 were predicted to come forward and receive the aid given.

 

 

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Oh, how I like the use of the word handouts. You give handouts to beggars. What a bloody insult.

No money, facing deficit, but still want to spend money unwisely to buy votes.Take money from your pockets to give it to you, what a plan. Check the source of the money people, BN is skimming EPF, Khazanah, etc, just to buy your votes, and you think you should be celebrating. Other countries borrow money to invest, in Malaysia we borrow money to buy votes.

Twelve million Malaysians out of the population of twenty-eight million to receive govt. handouts shows that the country is a very poor nation, despite the so many slogans being juggled for all and sundry.

To all tax payers stop voting BN because it had squandered your money until today the nation is in deep debt. To all non-tax payers stop voting BN because after 55 years of rule BN has made a begger out of you.

why need to give out all the money in order to buy votes if the government is sincere and honest in managing the country. Dont you think people are short term minded and with RM200 to RM500 people will vote for you with corruption everywhere in Malaysia, from top to bottom.

Blatant bRIbery of the whole of Malaysia - that should be the full name behind the acronym BR1M.

Bar Council are asked to give the name of attorney in SD PI Bala

Lawyer-turned-activist Haris Ibrahim wrote to the Bar Council again today, this time releasing the name of the lawyer who was suspected to have drawn up P. Balasubramaniam's second sworn statement on the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

In his letter, Haris maintained that the “Tan Sri” lawyer should not have drafted the second statutory declaration (SD) without consulting Balasubramaniam, pointing out that the private investigator had effectively admitted to committing perjury when he signed the document.

The letter, received by the Bar Council secretariat at 1.45pm this afternoon, also suggested for the second time that this was tantamount to professional misconduct by the renowned “Tan Sri” lawyer.

Writing in his blog this afternoon, Haris revealed that he had also ticked off Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee in his letter, accusing him of publicly maligning Deepak Jaikishan's character instead of choosing to investigate the businessman's claims.

Deepak, who is also in the centre of the controversy surrounding Balasubramaniam's two statutory declarations (SDs), had recently slipped out the name of the lawyer behind the second SD during an interview with PAS organ Harakah.

But when the interview was carried on PAS' “TVPAS” channel on Youtube, the lawyer's name was muted out.

Haris had used this in his first letter to the Bar Council on Monday, urging its members to uncover the lawyer's identity and investigate if he or she had gone against the legal profession by drafting the SD without consulting Balasubramaniam.

But, citing Lim's remarks in news portal Free Malaysia Today to back his accusation, Haris said that the Bar Council chief had only chosen to criticise Deepak by saying that the businessman's “background is cause for concern”.

“Has the Bar Council investigated the background of this Deepak such that the president can now publicly call into question his credibility, or is this based on market talk or what is written in cyberspace?” he asked in his blog posting.

Haris pointed out that as Deepak is presently involved in a civil suit where he is represented by PKR lawyers R. Sivarasa and N. Surendran, Lim could have called on the solicitors to seek their client's cooperation to openly disclose the identity of the lawyer in Balasubramaniam's case.

“Instead, the president sees fit to publicly malign the character of the one person who might be able to immediately assist the Bar Council if it chose to investigate this matter?” he argued.

He later wrote in his blog that he had decided to disclose the lawyer's name privately to the Bar Council, saying he hoped this would put its members of their present “dilemma”. He did not, however, repeat the name in his blog.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider earlier today, Haris maintained that the said lawyer should have consulted the private investigator first, pointing out that the document effectively contains his confession to perjury.

Haris also fumed over the Bar Council's seemingly non-committal response to his complaint on the matter yesterday.

Lim, in a statement yesterday, had urged more compelling evidence against the unnamed lawyer in Balasubramaniam's case after receiving Haris' complaint, saying the activist's knowledge of the individual's identity but decision to withhold it had caused “unnecessary speculation and confusion”.

Haris refuted this in a blog posting yesterday, pointing out to Lim that he had merely written to the council requesting an investigation to identify the lawyer concerned and to ascertain if there had been any impropriety in the preparation of the sworn statement.

He noted that he had mentioned in his letter to be in possession of information from reliable sources on the solicitor's identity, but said that this should not be taken to mean that he has “direct knowledge” of the person.

Haris insisted that the pertinent point of his letter had been overlooked - whether the lawyer had committed professional misconduct when preparing Balasubramaniam's  second statutory declaration (SD).

“Given that by the terms of SD2, Bala would be admitting to an offence of swearing out a prior false statutory declaration, was it not incumbent upon the solicitor(s) concerned in its preparation to have taken instructions from Bala and to have warned him of the consequences of affirming the statutory declaration that was being drawn up for his affirmation?” he asked in his blog.

Citing Section 42 and 99 of the Legal Profession Act, 1976 (LPA), Haris pointed out that the Bar Council could lodge a complaint against members of the Bar to the disciplinary board and did not need to wait for others to come forward.

Section 42 states that the purpose of the Bar is to “uphold the cause of justice without regard to its own interests or that of its members, uninfluenced by fear or favour”.

According to Haris, Section 99 (3) stipulates: “Nothing in this section shall be taken to preclude the Bar Council or a State Bar Committee from making any complaint of its own motion to the Disciplinary Board against an advocate and solicitor or a pupil.”

“Is it powerless to investigate? The Malaysian Bar is powerless to investigate? Do not the decent lawyers remaining at the Bar want to get to the bottom of this?” Haris asked.

There has been a cloud of mystery over the identity of the lawyer who had drawn up Balasubramaniam's second SD on the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Balasubramaniam’s second SD had come a day after his first on July 3, 2008, regarding Altantuya’s 2006 murder, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences.

In a harried press conference on July 4, 2008, Balasubramaniam, accompanied by lawyer M. Arulampalam, came out to withdraw his first SD, where he negated the contents of the first statement, claiming it had been signed under duress.

He then produced a second one, which he claimed later in 2009 had been prepared by another lawyer, whom he did not meet with and who did not consult him when drafting the document.

 

 

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Lim, you are a shame to the legal profession and NOT fit to be the president of the Bar Council. As president of this esteem council, it your duty to investigate and uphold justice and NOT to maligning the victim. SHAME on you.

EC himself conspiring to defraud the election argued about other people ....EC accuses Ambiga, Bersih of partisan agenda

The Election Commission (EC) questioned today the ability of Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan to ensure all ‘citizen observers’ in her Bersih 2.0 electoral watchdog group obey the law and steer clear of fouling up the polls regulator’s work.

EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar was reported by a Malay news portal as saying Bersih 2.0 was formed along partisan lines and that it was possible the group may have a certain agenda to protect its partisan interests.

He told Sinar Harian Online that while the prominent legal expert who is co-chairman of the electoral reforms group is seen to be familiar with the law, he asked: “But is she capable of taking care of members involved in the Jom Pantau PRU13?”

“Not all know the law, with the election closing in, this campaign launch may cause all sorts of problems to arise,” Wan Ahmad was reported as saying.

The grassroots movement that has been pressuring the government to clean up the election process had earlier this week announced it will be employing thousands more “citizen observers” as their eyes and ears to monitor the election process on polling day.

Wan Ahmad said the EC acknowledged the right of citizens to monitor the election process for any possible fraud that may arise, but said they must not disturb the work of the authorities and EC.

“We want to remind them so that Bersih 2.0 that launched this campaign will not disturb this election’s affairs,” he told the news portal.

Bersih 2.0 has already launched its “Jom Pantau” and “Jom 100” but Ambiga Sreenevasan said on Monday that these campaigns would be expanded next month to keep up the pressure on the authorities.

The lawyer-activist insisted that the polls would not be as clean as Bersih 2.0 wants and the best way to keep the authorities in check is by increasing voter turnout and employing citizens to watch out for any hanky-panky on polling day.

Ambiga said Bersih 2.0’s latest plans were born out of frustration that despite its push over the past few years, the government and the EC’s polls reform efforts have been unsatisfactory.

She rapped the EC for purportedly being “insincere”, pointing out that the agency had only recently decided to set up a special unit to clean up the electoral roll.

Ambiga also complained that the EC had failed to fulfil other key demands of Bersih 2.0, including an undertaking that all contesting parties would be given free and fair access media, international observers would be allowed on polling day and a firm commitment is made to put an end to all forms of political violence before or during campaigning.

Bersih 2.0, a coalition of more than 82 non-governmental organisations, had held its second rally for free and fair elections since 2007 on July 9 last year, earning international recognition when scenes of chaos and violence were plastered across the foreign media.

 

 

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Hahaha... EC is questioning Ambiga and Bersih can be neutral!!!
But EC Chief, says EC Chief or Deputy Chief or clerks can be members of BN members, so long they work objectively....

Is EC Dep Chief so arrogant and holy that he and his people are above all other men and women?

If only the EC is committed to running a clean and fair elction, will there be Bersih? Will there be a need for the Rakyat to rally for a clean and fair election?

There is no point blaming Ambiga, all you need to do is to run the Elections clean and fair, EC! Are you committed to it? Will you be remembered as an impartial EC or one that runs an Election that favours your political masters?

If election is open, fair, clean and transparent, EC has nothing to fear unless of course Ec wants to rig the election

The real and more important question is whether EC is fair and non-partial? This is highly in suspect and doubtful giving rise to the need for Bersih. If the EC had acted all this while in fairness, there would have been no need for Bersih!

Altantuya murderers stab from behind ... DPM the suspected mastermind to sabotage najib...Deepak says has sought Altantuya’s ‘forgiveness’

Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan has gone to seek “forgiveness” from murdered interpreter Altantuyaa Shaariibuu for his role in putting out a controversial second sworn statement from private investigator P. Balasubramaniam in July 2008.

The businessman, who is suing Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah over a land deal, also said he is publishing two books on his life and business.

“I went to a Buddhist temple to seek forgiveness from Altantuya,” he told  saying his role in the matter was, “the biggest mistake of my entire life”.

He also disclosed his plans to reveal more details in the books, which will be privately circulated.

“I am writing two books. The first is very short, 26 pages, and coming out on Monday,” the 40-year-old bachelor told 

Deepak said the second book will be “a bit more elaborate” and launched in January.

Balasubramaniam’s second statutory declaration (SD) came a day after his first about Altantuya’s murder in 2006, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences.

Deepak hit the headlines when blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin exposed his role in facilitating the private detective’s second SD to repudiate the first statement.

The businessman is now in the news for suing Raja Ropiaah’s Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd for criminal breach of trust in the sale of 223.33 acres of land in Bukit Raja. Hearing for the case resumes tomorrow.

Deepak had named Awan Megah together with the Ministry of Defence, government land unit Syarikat Tanah Dan Harta Sdn Bhd and Cebur Megah Development Sdn Bhd in his lawsuit for allegedly cheating him out of millions in a land deal.

But the trial judge had already struck off the government, Ministry of Defence and Cebur Megah from the lawsuit and her judgment has been upheld by the Court of Appeal earlier.

Deepak’s Astacanggih Sdn Bhd had agreed to buy three parcels of land in 2007 for RM13 million and a RM72 million bank guarantee for a land bond from Raja Ropiaah, who was awarded a RM100 million privatisation deal for the development of the defence research centre called Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (PUSPAHANAS).

The land was supposed to be placed in a special purpose company called Cebur Megah as government rules do not allow land in privatised projects to be sold by the winning party. The land is still in government hands as the defence project has yet to take off.

The Selangor Wanita Umno chief had allegedly sold one parcel for RM2 million in cash and a RM16 million overdraft facility in a “joint venture” with Guppyunip Sdn Bhd, a company specialising in plasticware, prompting the carpet dealer to put a caveat on the land in Bukit Raja and lodge a police report last July.

 

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This is getting interesting. How come the FLOM and her homr (husband) is keeping so quiet?

Because they are guilty ! Alternatively can always swear their innocence in the mosques.

First he slept with the devils and received many lucrative goodies and he shows no regrets about it. Devils were happy, he was happy too. Every one is happy.

Now the devil turned around and gave a big bite on his ass, he is now regretting sleeping with the devils.

Mr Deepak, you deserve all you get. Don’t expect sympathy from us. You can bare all, but all we can do is to enjoy the shows.

Deepak is very daring to expose the PM openly. I wonder has anyone from UMNO has given him any moral support, secretly, hint, hint like the Deputy PM….. Who is going to gain most out of this saga, I wonder?

I want UN to step in and investigate why was Altantuya murdered. The 2 policeman have no reason to kill her.

The fight between Deepak and Ropiaah is in fact a proxy war. These twos are just crony and foot soldier. If this is a proxy war, there must be a supporters and bigger warlords behind the scene. Whoever these warlords are, there are very powerful figures in the UMNO. These warlords are not interested in land deals, their objective is to control UMNO and ultimately the Government. You can say UMNO is now fighting internally.

The scenario is quite simple. Some powerful guy did something very ugly. This carpet guy get to know it & been blackmailing the power guy, The blackmailing keep coming till that power guy cannot 'tahan' so he decided to put a stop to it (by kicking carpet guy out of their cronies club). Then this carpet guy assumed the cronies already rob him of his 'hak' as the cronies club member. Then he 'mengamuk' & start shouting to let the whole world know what really happened. For he is not afraid coz he feel he is just telling the plain little twisted TRUTH.

Let see if Deepak dares sign a Statutory Declaration (SD) on his allegation basing on the facts & figures of upcoming booklet on our fat C4 mama........... With the SD....there's a police and MACC grounds for investigation.

I am not surprise that more Deepaks will surface very soon. When the truth is out Altanntuyaa can can only rest in peace.

do not talk only .... if not right ... summons to those who spread false news....Nasir refutes claim that 40,000 birth certificates issued to children of illegals

Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Nasir Sakaran has refuted the claim by a Sabah opposition leader that the National Registration Department (NRD) had issued about 40,000 birth certificates to the children of illegal immigrants in Semporna on the state’s east coast.

The birth certificates were alleged to have been issued during a (birth registration) mobile operation by the NRD in the area.

Nasir said the allegation was not true and aimed only at poisoning the people’s minds against the ruling government and to gain support for the opposition in the coming general election.

“The allegaton is not true as the 40,000 birth certificates were the estimated number issued by the NRD to locals in the whole state.

“During the mobile registration exercise in the east coast area five months or more ago, only 1,000 birth certificates were issued and these were for locals,” he told reporters after the closing of the state-level National Language Month 2012, here, today.

On Dec 8, chairman of the Sabah Reform Alliance Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin was quoted as claiming that about 40,000 birth certificates were issued to the children of illegals in Semporna in the past and called on the relevant authorities to tackle the issue.

Nasir, who is also the minister in charge of foreign immigrant affairs in Sabah, hoped that with his (Nasir’s) explanation, the issue would no longer be politicised “as though the government is not careful in the process of documentation”.

“If we want to state something, let it be based on facts. Don’t simply make assumptions or accusations.

“Don’t create issues to cause public confusion. If we bring up issues, let it be constructive and give hope to the people,” he said.

On the issuing of red identity cards in Sabah, Nasir said this country had laws that must be obeyed before citizenship could be granted to a red identity card holder.

“The government does not simply give (citizenship). There are procedures to be followed and implemented according to the law.”

Asked whether the Sabah government was prepared to give its views during the public hearing conducted by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the issue of illegals in Sabah, expected to begin in January, Nasir said the state government was willing to cooperate in resolving the issue for the good of all.

cronies project robbed in broad daylight....Auction, not gift 4G spectrum to Syed Mokhtar

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should not to play the industry’s “God” by selecting which companies’ pockets to fatten with arbitrary awards.

We  insisted  that the regulator should have auctioned off the Long-Term Evolution (4G-LTE) broadband spectrum instead of awarding a comparatively large block to logistics tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

We  scoffed at MCMC chairman Datuk Mohd Sharil Tarmizi’s claim that the award of 40MHz to Syed Mokhtar’s Puncak Semangat was to “introduce additional competition”, saying his explanation defied logic as the eight existing players in the industry was adequate to offer a surfeit of consumer choice.

By international standards, eight players are more than sufficient to generate a highly competitive environment.Most other developed nations have far fewer than eight players in the industry, and yet remain highly competitive and innovative..

If Sharil’s statement meant that these other eight players have not already been in competition to provide innovation, and the MCMC should then be held responsible for allowing the firms to collude if this was the case.

Under the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Act, the MCMC is the authority to promote competition and bar collusion between telecommunication players..

According to The Edge on Tuesday, Shahril defended the MCMC’s award of the largest share of the high speed 4G-LTE broadband spectrum to Puncak Semangat, which  its “zero track record” in the field.

We wanted to introduce additional competition,” Shahril was quoted in the report. “Look at the market now, if we left those eight players on their own, where would the solutions, applications and innovation be?”

The MCMC had announced last week that eight firms would be allowed access to the 2.6 GHz spectrum band that would enable them to provide 4G-LTE services with speeds in excess of 100Mbps.

Celcom Axiata Bhd, DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd, Maxis Broadband Sdn Bhd, Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd, REDtone Marketing Sdn Bhd, U Mobile Sdn Bhd and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd were each awarded 20MHz, while Puncak Semangat ― a new player ― was given 40MHz.

While we are all for competition in the industry, the manner in which the licence and quota is awarded must be questioned..

In the past, some of the companies awarded the 3G and WIMAX licences by the MCMC had failed miserably, lending weight to his assertion that the regulator could not play “God” by assuming which firm would succeed.

MCMC’s role was to facilitate competition, prevent monopolistic practices and ensure quality service, adding that this could have been upheld if the regulator had opted to auction off the 4G spectrum.

MCMC’s decision against an auction for the bandwidth is contrary to international best practices where both developed and developing countries have raised valuable income for the government while promoting a highly competitive telecommunications industry.

UK, Germany, Sweden and even Thailand have held auctions, raising (the equivalent of) billions of ringgit in proceeds, while Singapore, Taiwan and Brazil are planning their auctions for next year..

Sharil, when defending MCMC’s decision against holding an auction, had said that an auction was best only when the spectrum is convenient and quality of the spectrum is not a problem.

But this nonsensical, pointing out that any committed firm that believes in its own ability to trump the competition would be more than willing to participate in an auction for the spectrum.

If  the company fail, the MCMC would still have the power to withdraw its award while keeping the proceeds of the auction.

Hence under such circumstances, there is even greater incentive for the players to compete and innovate to ensure a successful business. This will at the same time benefit consumers..

We reminded MCMC to adhere to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s own slogan that the “era of government knows best is over”, then the market should be allowed to play its part in determining the winner in an auction.

Otherwise, it becomes clear that MCMC is over-extending its regulatory role to play ‘god’ of the industry by deciding which company’s profit to fatten, and ignoring the interest of the millions of telecommunication users in Malaysia..

 

 

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it is worth billions of ringgit in years down the road, laughing to the bank after a big bank robbery! PR should file a case against MCMC

In Bolehland, even if you are an Arab descendent but call yourself a Malay Muslim by practicing the faith superficially and profess to fight for the myth of protecting the Malays, you will be enriched by BN. 1Malaysia is the same as Sapu Malaysia.

For decades, we have seen all the contracts being awarded to this one person. Contracts should be awarded based on merit and I think it's appropriate to award contracts to multiple people i.e. say 5-6 companies to promote competition but, the government can decide to say award something like additional 1-2 more to smaller and lesser known companies who have made their mark and done well. But, never never never just award contract to someone just because you know his name but, he do not have any track record at all in managing or running it

Puncak Semangat, Packet One, Redtone and U-Mobile will just rent or sell their spectrum to Celcom, Maxis and Digi for buta money. This rent-seeking culture must stop. MCMC must put a clause that those spectrum cannot be rent or sold to others.
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This is not the first time Syed Mokhtar got something for nothing.

Syed Mokhtar got important Malaysian seaports such as Port of Tanjung Pelepas, for ridiculously cheap.

When Tenaga Nasional wanted to sell of their power generating plant - Syed Mokhtar got it despite sent in the second lowest bid.

Now this 4G thing.

The corruption case in between Syed Mokhtar and BN is so darn obvious one has to wonder what is the use of MACC in the first place.