(Jan 31): The Edge Media Group chairman Datuk Tong Kooi Ong has gifted whistle-blower Xavier Andre Justo RM8.2 million (US$2 million) for his help in exposing wrong-doings at 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Justo, his wife Laura and four-year-old son Zander, visited The Edge Media Group’s office in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Jan 31, where they met Tong and group publisher and CEO Ho Kay Tat.
“The gift to Justo is in appreciation of his contribution to Malaysia in helping to expose the kleptocracy of the past Government,” said Tong. “Without him, the wrongdoings involving 1MDB, as exposed by The Edge, would not have come to light.”
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The exposés that started in March 2015 led to a global investigation in the US, Switzerland and Singapore that revealed that as much as US$6.5 billion belonging to 1MDB had been stolen.
The US Department of Justice described it as the largest case of kleptocracy it had ever uncovered.
Justo paid a heavy price for providing information to The Edge as well as Sarawak Report, which showed billions were stolen from 1MDB under the guise of a joint venture with PetroSaudi International between 2009 and 2011.
Justo was arrested in June 2015 on blackmail charges, paraded in front of selected media in Bangkok as if he was a hardcore criminal, and then incarcerated in a Thai prison for 18 months.
“His family was harassed and intimidated while he was languishing in jail. No one should have to go through what he had to endure for helping to reveal the truth,” said Tong. “On behalf of all Malaysians, I would like to say thank you to him and his family.
“I would also like to add that Justo has confirmed to me that the accusation that he stole the data is untrue. My lawyers had tried to reach PetroSaudi on their past claims and they had chosen repeatedly not to respond.”
Justo expressed his appreciation for the gesture by Tong.
“I would like to say thank you to Tong. The gift from him will go a long way in helping me and my family rebuild our lives,” he said. “I take comfort (from the fact) that I have not suffered in vain. Malaysians got to learn the truth (about 1MDB) and I eventually got my freedom back.”
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The fact is that Xavier Justo stole the data (e mails) from 1MDB database server. He then manipulated them.
Then he tried to sell them, for a lot of money.
Now, Justo is being ‘rewarded’ for all those wrongs?
It is travesty of our value system, if not decency. Much could be said about integrity and professional and the reward for that.
It is interesting what MACC has to say about this. It is already interesting what MACC felt about the Federal Government doing away with the National Integrity Plan for National Anti-Corruption Plan and the creation of a brand new agency, on top MACC and IIM.
Pemimpin politik tinggal wajar cuba berlagak suci sedangkan diri sendiri pernah bergelumang ‘mengotori’ dengan kancah permainan korporat, yang masih menjadi tanda-tanya bagaimana ianya bermula tatkala asas permulaan itu sebenarnya adalah alat proksi pengamal kroni kapitalism (capital cronysim).
Pendefinisan peribadi melalui penulisan yang tiada asas untuk membelakangi hujah dah pendapat sebenarnya mungkin akan lebih mengelirukan pembaca, sekiranya tidak agenda peracuni minda pemikiran orang ramai.
Hakikatnya, aktiviti dalam pasaran modal dan permodalan saham tiada definisi dah takrifan jelas membezakan dan memberikan sempadan mutlak antara perdagangan, permainan dan kegiatan mencari untung pasaran (market trading, rigging and profit taking).
Kemungkinan besar ianya akan atas pentafsiran pihak yang berwajib pada keadaan semasa, untuk mengariskan sempadan berasasnya peruntukan perundangan dan andaian pihak penyiasat.
Ianya akan menjurus kepada menghampakan peserta dan pengendali pasaran modal dan permodalan baru, terutama mereka yang akan melapesi industri dengan modal baru dan kedudukan kewangan dan pembiayaan kewangan akan datang.
Ini termasuk peserta Melayu dan dikalangan professional muda dan baru berjaya menjayakan perniagaan dan perusahaan mereka, terutama dalam zaman digital dan perdagangan elektronik, yang memberikan begitu luas peluang meneroka kekayaan baru.
Kekayaan dan dana baru serta akses kepada derivatif dan instrumen kewangan baru dan canggih akan mudah disalah tafsirkan sebagai amalan capital cronyism dan permainan proksi, terutama sebagai topeng dan boneka politik.
Ianya mengungkit sejarah gelap lepas pasaran modal dan eksesais korporat tatkala, Melayu Baru mula mendapat kedudukan dukungan pasaran modal yang semakin kukuh dengan peluang perusahan dan perniagaan mencanak naik terbit dari dasar politik dan peluang yang dipelupuri kerajaan memerintah.
Laporan Straits Times:
Lawsuit sheds light on UMNO Inc
Mr Khalid (above) is suing Mr Rahman for payment for a block of Realmild shares. — PHOTOS: NEW STRAITS TIMES, THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS
The Straits Times, August 28, 2010
Among the disclosures: How nominees hold shares on behalf of leaders
By Leslie Lopez, Senior Regional Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR: A court battle here over shares in a company that once controlled Malaysia’s most established media group is offering a rare glimpse into how Umno’s business empire worked.
Specifically, it is shedding unusual light on the ruling party’s use of nominees, who held stakes in companies on behalf of leading figures like the former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The dispute in question centres on a block of shares of Realmild Sdn Bhd, a private entity which, at one time, owned controlling stakes in publishing group New Straits Times (NST) Bhd and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd, or TV3, two media entities affiliated to Umno.
Businessman Khalid Ahmad, one of four original shareholders of Realmild, is suing another businessman, Datuk Seri Rahman Maidin, for reneging on an agreement to pay roughly RM10 million (S$4.3 million) for Datuk Khalid’s 5 per cent interest in the investment holding company.
The sum involved is paltry for business disputes involving large corporations in Malaysia. The court case also does not affect control of the two media entities, which are now in the hands of the state’s Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
But the testimonies and court documents have shown the extent of influence senior members of Malaysia’s political elite, including Dr Mahathir, had in the running of large Malaysian conglomerates.
Some of the more startling disclosures in the Realmild case included a letter Mr Rahman wrote in early 2002 to Dr Mahathir, who was then premier and Umno president.
In the letter, Mr Rahman said he would abide by instructions from Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop, currently Malaysia’s Economic Planning Minister, to surrender his entire shareholding in Realmild because the shares were held in trust for Umno.
Separately, another nominee, Datuk Nazri Abdullah, a former editor of the NST Group and one-time Realmild shareholder, told the High Court he had held 70 per cent of Realmild in trust for Dr Mahathir.
‘I transferred all my shares. I would have kept them if they were mine,’ he told The Straits Times later.
Umno’s corporate holdings have long been a subject of keen interest among bankers and foreign investors because of the party’s dominant role in government and its control over the national economy.
The party has been in business since the late 1960s. But its corporate expansion went into overdrive only after Dr Mahathir became prime minister and Umno president in 1981.
Under him and then-finance minister Daim Zainuddin, large state contracts were awarded to corporate affiliates of the party under Malaysia’s privatisation programme.
In the case of Realmild, it shot to prominence in early 1991 when it emerged as a private vehicle used by close associates of the then-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim to take control of NST and TV3, both of which were at the time part of the Renong group, a larger, public-listed segment of the Umno business empire.
At the time, Datuk Seri Anwar was widely considered to be Dr Mahathir’s heir.
However, both men fell out bitterly in 1998. Mr Anwar was subsequently jailed on charges of corruption and sexual misconduct, while his closest associates were purged from their privileged positions in politics and business.
Among the fallen were Mr Nazri and Mr Khalid of Realmild.
Questioned in court this week, Mr Nazri acknowledged that he was a victim of the Mahathir-Anwar fallout.
He also said that he was ordered by Tun Daim, who was also Umno treasurer then, to transfer his 80 per cent holdings in Realmild to new business nominees for the party.
‘I was holding 70 per cent in trust for Dr Mahathir,’ he told the court, adding that the other 10 per cent were his own shares.
Mr Rahman was later picked as the new nominee for the Umno shares and he negotiated separately to acquire roughly 5 per cent of Mr Khalid’s shares in Realmild for RM10 million.
According to court documents, Mr Khalid received half the settlement amount and is now suing Mr Rahman for the remainder.
Mr Rahman himself later fell victim to the vagaries of Malaysian politics when Dr Mahathir and Mr Daim had a falling-out.
He is refusing to settle with Mr Khalid because he claims that he himself was not paid when he was ordered to surrender his holdings in Realmild back to Umno. He is also disputing that Mr Khalid was the rightful owner of the shares.
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Haikatnya, sehingga hari ini pasca suku abad setelah ianya berlaku eksesais korporat dimana seorang wartawan pemakan gaji (salaried journalist) yang tiada modal dan rekod sebagai usahawan boleh terlibat dan didanakan dalam skima pembiayaan berjumlah RM806 juta melalui pembiayaan dana sindikasi.
Ianya masih menjadi tandatanya dan misteri bagaimana proses meluluskan pembiayaan saham oleh sektor perbankan dan pasaran kewangan masa itu dan bagaimana kuasa politik dan eksekutif Kerajaan boleh mempengaruhi keputusan sektor perbankan, pembiayaan modal dan pasaran saham, dana dan laba.
Sekiranya diri sendiri dan gerombolan tertentu telah terjerebak dalam kancah korporat menjadi keparat capital cronyism dan menjadi bahan perbincangan yang hangat setelah sekian lama, termasuk media antarabangsa, maka tidak wajar untuk hari ini berlagak suci.
Konco-konco kroni sealiran dan sebakul musim yang sama begitu tamak menagih-agihkan sesama mereka peluang untuk menjarah sektor permodalan, dengan modal dan amalan capital cronyism yang sama dan bertopengkan untuk kepentingan dan kelangsungan politik pihak tertentu.
Apakah hari ini, ‘tangan ghaib’ dahulu menjelma semula dan sedang mengorak langkah untuk menguasai samada secara langsung atau tidak pasaran modal, permodalan, dana dan laba.
Ianya lebih menjadi misteri terutama pasaran modal, dana dan laba hilang lebih RM200billion sepanjang dua belas bulan kebelakangan ini dan dikatakan pemain asing telah melepaskan pegangan dan pengaruh mereka kepada pasaran dan industri dana dan laba tempatan.
Kelompongan ini memberikan ruang kepada kuasa kroni kapitalis, untuk menguasai dan mengaut banyak peluang dalam pasaran modal dan saham, terutama apabila harga dan nilai pasaran amat rendah dan tidak menberikan kesaksamaan pada nilai asset bersih (net tangible asset).
Hari ini, percaturan dan perlumbaan pengaruh, penguasaan dan pertentangan politik antara dua pemimpin politikus tertinggi lebih suku abad lampau kembali mengunjung dan akan menyundalkan semula senario politik Malaysia, terutama orang Melayu.
The ruling party Pakatan Harapan not only lost the Cameron Highlands by-election in a humiliating defeat of failed political play using racism card and gross inability to deliver 14GE Manifesto as Malaysia dwindles south, in a vicious cycle.
THE Cameron Highlands by-election ought to have been a cautionary tale on what not to do in an election campaign.
The fact that it was called because of a corrupt act of money politics brought into sharp focus the need to play it by the rules.
Instead, there were simply too many incidents of rules being flouted and it was ironic that a number of these incidents involved the very party whose complaints of wrongdoing led to the by-election being called.
“This by-election could have set the tone on what a clean and fair election should be like. But it was a cautionary tale that seems to have been wasted on the political players,” said political commentator Khaw Veon Szu.
Both sides, said Khaw, are still struggling to live up to the expectations of New Malaysia.
Barisan Nasional’s Ramli Mohd Nor, the first orang asli to join Parliament, won with a majority that was five times more than the winning majority in the general election (GE14).
But as Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Sharkar Shamsuddin admitted, Barisan won on the strength of Malay and orang asli votes.
Pakatan Harapan candidate M. Manogaran’s support came largely from the Chinese and Indians.
“The racial divide makes me worry for the future,” said Sharkar, who is also the assemblyman for Lanchang, Pahang.
It is evident that the majority of Chinese still refuse to support Umno while the Malays reject DAP as anti-Malay and anti-Islam.
There are several conclusions to be drawn from the polls outcome.
The orang asli vote was very important but the glaring fact is that when Umno and PAS join forces, they can win without the help of the Chinese or Indians.
But Pakatan, even with overwhelming Chinese and Indian support cannot win without Malay votes.
There has clearly been a retreat in Malay support for Pakatan. The anti-Icerd rally was proof of that – and the ruling coalition could be inching towards dangerous terrain unless it can regain the confidence of the Malays.
It was quite a shock to Pakatan that despite the endless play-up of the FGV or Felda Global Venture scandal, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is still popular among the Felda settlers in the Cameron Highlands area.
The reason is that their lives were better under Najib than under the current government.
Another stunning thing about the by-election was the thrashing that Pakatan leaders had to endure from netizens, be it on Facebook or Twitter.
It has to do with the fact that the people judge you differently when you are in power and they expect more of you.
Moreover, this is the age of social media where everything and anyone is fair game, be it Pakatan’s attempt to use the forestry department vehicles to campaign or Chef Wan’s remark about wanting to slap Najib.
Both incidents were roundly scorched by Najib’s Facebook followers.
Things that netizens used to hurl at Barisan are now being directed at Pakatan leaders and it has been hell for them to be at the receiving end.
At the same time, much of Pakatan’s troubles were a result of own goals.
Manogaran scored the first own goal at the start of the campaign with that racist remark that Malays do not even want to buykuihfrom orang asli.
Then, he broke election laws by entering a polling area wearing a shirt with the Pakatan logo.
And after all that, he accused Barisan of playing the race card, causing a storm on the Internet.
One netizen said: “Barisan played the race card, you played the stupid card.”
In contrast, his opponent Ramli could be the first Barisan candidate to have not said anything stupid during a campaign.
Actually, he did not say anything of significance at all but his credentials as an ex-police officer from the Semai tribe put him in a class of his own.
Even the once untouchable Lim Kit Siang was not spared especially after he made what could be one of the greatest boo-boos of his career when he offered to give full citizenship to the orang asli if they voted for Pakatan.
The DAP leader was also heckled by Malay diners when he and Manogaran tried to lead a lion dance troupe into a restaurant.
Lim and Najib were the two leading and opposing figures throughout the campaign.
Lim has been so successful at blackening Najib’s image among the Chinese base but nothing Lim said seemed to resonate on Malay ground.
He looked ancient, his speaking style is out-of-date and his Bahasa Malaysia is terrible.
DAP needs a younger and more contemporary face and voice to reconnect with the Malays and to connect with the millennials whom, as former Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi pointed out, will decide the next general election.
There is no denying that Najib, despite his 1MDB troubles, played an important role in the Barisan campaign.
He was the one the orang asli wanted to see, hear and touch.
He has somehow mastered the art of social media and his FB postings can draw as many as 25,000 likes within hours as well as thousands of comments.
A video of him driving a jeep through the rushing waters of a river got more than 53,000 views.
He has four million followers on Twitter, 3.7 million on Facebook and 556,000 on Instagram.
But more than that, he has ignited some sort of Malay groundswell especially after the way he took on Pakatan leaders like the Lim father-and-son team as well as Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad during the highland campaign.
Some imagine that he is trying to make a comeback but they could not be more wrong.
Najib’s resurgence has to do with the fact that he is willing to be the opposition voice that Malays are looking for to articulate their discontent with the current government.
Najib’s “Malu apa Bossku” slogan has struck a chord with the younger set of the B40 who obviously do not like leaders who constantly label them as lazy.
“Malu apa” means “so what?” and it encapsulates that anti-establishment sentiment of the underclass.
He has tapped into the discontent of this group of young Malays who feel marginalised at the moment.
The Cameron Highlands polls gave Najib the stage to project his newfound role as a leading opposition figure and it is possible that he helped Barisan extend their Malay support beyond Cameron Highlands.
But will he be able to bring his opposition voice to the next stop in the Semenyih by-election?
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There are other interesting factors in this political test.
The Federal Government leaders all out gone down to Cameron Highlands, for the campaign.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, Minister of Economic Affairs Azmin Ali, Minister of Agriculture Salahuddin Ayob, Human Resource Minister Kulasegaran, all and sundry.
It was a full force, trying to capture a seat which BN marginally able to defend in 14GE just nine months ago.
Now with lesser men and women in the fields and much lesser resources, BN gone to the trenches for the defence of Cameron Highlands.
What interesting is the analysis of the Cameron Highlands by-election. Institut Darul Ehsan did an extensive research before, during and a post by-election analysis:
The conclusion is very interesting. Even as the ruling party and Federal Government, PH failed to win over the confidence of the Orang Asli.
What is even more interesting, the Malays demonstrated ‘Political Wisdom’.
It was already a known fact all along PH even as the Federal Government won’t do well in the FELDA areas, all on the East of the constituency.
Especially with an arrogant DAP candidate like Manogaran, who don’t even have the audacity to register as the local voter in his third straight attempt to represent the Cameronians.
The UMNO strategy during Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak’s tenure then as UMNO President VII to befriend and work with PAS finally paid off.
Tactically, it was an MT UMNO and MP for Pasir Salak Dato’ Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman who managed to get UMNO President Dato Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PAS President Dato Seri Haji Hadi Awang and 30,000 of their members to converge for solidarity as an Ummah in Pasir Salak nine weeks ago.
It was a thunderous show of force the Malay-Muslims could be united for a common cause.
Thereon, under UMNO President VIII Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi the close co-operation finally gel into tactical when the massive Malay-Muslim rally against ICERD six weeks ago saw 300,000 people converged in Dataran Merdeka.
Of course, it’s translated further in the bond for the cause of Fireman Muhammad Adib Kassim tragic murder which escalated from racism and seditious calls by HINDRAF and DAP leaders still yet to be solved.
The Malay-Muslim bond tactics which saw shifts in votes from traditional PAS voters is very apparent.
The Malay Mail Online story:
After Cameron, MP sees long road ahead for Pakatan
Published4 hours agoon28 January 2019
By Justin Ong
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — Pakatan Harapan’s failure to secure the Bumiputera support needed to win the Cameron Highlands by-election exposes the pact’s continued weakness among the country’s majority, according to DAP’s Ong Kian Ming.
The Bangi federal lawmaker said the Saturday outcome also confirmed his earlier prediction that the pact’s fortunes would hinge on its ability to improve on the Malay and Orang Asli communities’ support from last year’s general election.
DAP’s M. Manogaran was easily defeated by Barisan Nasional’s direct candidate, former Orang Asli police officer Ramli Mohd Nor, by a margin of over 3,000 votes or a magnitude more than the 597 votes from the 14th general election.
From a preliminary analysis of the result, Ong said it was still too early to deduce the complete reasons for PH’s inability to crack the BN stronghold.
“One thing, however, is clear. Just because PH is in power at the federal level, we cannot assume that there will be a natural shift in support towards the federal government among those groups who have been seen to be more reliant on the support provided by the federal government.
“This would include the Orang Asli communities and the Felda settlers, two of the most important voting groups in Cameron Highlands,” Ong said in a statement.
He added that the ruling coalition must now redouble its efforts to win the “hearts and minds” of voters from Malaysia’s dominant indigenous communities in addition to retaining its current support from others in the country.
Ong also said lessons from the Cameron Highlands poll will provide the basis for the pact’s action plan to retain federal power four years from now.
According to Ong’s study of data by voting districts, PH largely retained its support from Chinese voters and improved among the Indian community, but was not able to gain any ground among Malay voters.
The Cameron Highlands poll was the first won by BN since its general election defeat and provided a glimpse into the possible political shift that could be achieved through an organised partnership with Islamist party PAS.
PAS sat out the by-election and threw its full support behind Ramli. The Islamists had secured over 3,000 ballots during the 14th general election or approximately the same number gained by BN in this poll.
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The writings were already on three wall. Post the two massive Malay-Muslim rallies and demonstrated the cohesiveness of tactical co-operation between UMNO and PAS and coupled with the public dismay on the murder of Fireman Muhamad Adib KASSIM still unsolved and the rakyat’s grouses on the PH’s delivery of promises, it was just about getting there.
Intact, MT UMNO member and Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin already nearly precisely projected BN’s win of 3,000 votes majority nine days before polling.
Utusan Malaysia story:
BN mampu menang majoriti lebih 3,000
KETUA UMNO Bahagian Pasir Salak,Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman bercakap pada sidang akhbar pada majlis minum petang di Ben’s Restauran Bangsar Shopping Centre di sini, hari ini. – UTUSAN ONLINE/AZLAN HADI ABU BAKAR
KUALA LUMPUR 17 Jan. – Barisan Nasional (BN) diyakini mampu mempertahankan kerusi Parlimen Cameron Highlands dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) kali ini pada majoriti yang lebih besar.
Perkara tersebut bersandarkan kepada beberapa faktor antaranya tiada pertembungan tiga penjuru, selain faktor calon yang juga merupakan penduduk tempatan.
Ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO (MT), Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman menegaskan faktor pengundi yang semakin ‘muak’ dengan Pakatan Harapan (PH) kerana gagal membela nasib mereka juga dilihat mampu membantu kejayaan BN.
“Kita yakin mampu mempertahankan kerusi dengan majoriti 3,000 ke atas. Lebih banyak daripada yang kita miliki dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-14 (PRU-14).
“Jentera pilihan raya UMNO dan Barisan Nasional (BN) berada dalam keadaan baik, calon pun Orang Asli tempatan, mana mungkin mereka tidak sokong calon sendiri,” katanya
Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui dalam Majlis Santai Teh Tarik Bersama Media, di sini hari ini.
BN meletakkan bekas pegawai kanan polis yang juga wakil kaum Orang Asli, Ramli Mohd. Nor sebagai calon PRK Parlimen Cameron Highlands pada 26 Januari ini. – UTUSAN ONLINE
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Emperor Bonaparte and Marshall Ney saw their Waterloo in the fields ten miles south of Brussels in the afternoon of 18 June 1815.
On the afternoon of 26 Jan 2018, Dr Mahathir, Kit Siang, Guan Eng, Anwar, Wan Azizah, Kulasegaran, Mat Sabu, Salahuddin, all and sundry, got their egg straight in the face.
Unlike in plains of the farm in Belgium 203 years earlier, the got rotten tomatoes in the highlands.
Deputy Prime Minister Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail message delivered by Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Dato Mohd. Rashid Haron on the upcoming 5G connectivity, only to disclaim it later and gotten a reaction of the latter, in all awkwardness and confusion, followed the perception on the mockery of how things are sorted out and done.
New Straits Times story:
DPM never approved speech read out at highspeed broadband event
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail did not, at any time, say the government would provide its full cooperation for the implementation of the Enhanced Malaysia International Internet Gateway (EM-IIG) High-Speed Broadband project. – NSTP/MUHD ZAABA ZAKERIA
PUTRAJAYA: News reports quoting a speech by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on the Enhanced Malaysia International Internet Gateway (EM-IIG) High-Speed Broadband developed by Xiddig Cellular Communications Sdn Bhd are incorrect.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office said the text read out at the launch of the project was not approved by the deputy prime minister or her office, adding Dr Wan Azizah did not assign anyone to read her speech out for her at that event held in Shah Alam today.
“Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah did not, at any time, say the government would provide its full cooperation for the implementation of the EM-IIG project. Using the Deputy Prime Minister’s name without her permission is not something that she takes lightly.
“Organisations are warned not to use or distribute material using the Deputy Prime Minister’s name without her permission. Action will be taken if falsehoods like this are repeated,” said the DPM’s Office in a statement today.
Several news portal today had reported that Malaysia would have the fastest Internet access speed with the 5G platform in Southeast Asia via EM-IIG High-Speed Broadband that was expected to be up and running in 2022.
The deputy prime minister was quoted as saying the RM5.45-billion project encompassed the installation of the world’s largest optical fibre involving a 110,000-km line, adding the first phase of the project was expected to be ready in November, with the Internet line linking Pengerang, Johor, to Putrajaya, where consumers could get a speed of up to one gigabit per second.
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And Malaysiakini story:
DPM’s office says her name misused in speech on high-speed broadband
Published: | Modified:
A+ A–
Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s office today claimed her name was misused for a speech at the launch of the Enhanced Malaysia International Internet Gateway (EM-IIG) High-Speed Broadband project.
“The text read out at the launch of the project was not approved by the deputy prime minister or her office.
“The deputy prime minister also did not assign anyone to read her speech out for her at the event,” it said.
The speech was read out by Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon, who is also PKR’s Batu Pahat MP, in Kuala Lumpur, today.
The speech, purportedly read out on behalf of Wan Azizah, had said the government would provide full cooperation on the implementation of the EM-IIG project.
The speech was reported by national news agency Bernama, which has since retracted the story.
“Wan Azizah did not, at any time, say the government would provide its full cooperation for the implementation of the EM-IIG project.
“Using the deputy prime minister’s name without her permission is not something she takes lightly.
“Organisations are warned not to use or distribute material using the deputy prime minister’s name without her permission,” it said.
Wan Azizah’s office said action would be taken if such incidents are repeated.
The EM-IIG project, developed by Xiddig Cellular Communications Sdn Bhd, is intended to provide “the fastest internet access speed with the 5G platform” through the installation of the world’s largest optical fibre involving 110,000km line.
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Earlier, The Edge on Bernama story on the speech delivered by Deputy Speaker Rashid’s speech Xiddig Cellular event:
Malaysia to have fastest internet access speed in Southeast Asia — Wan Azizah
Bernama
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Bernama
January 22, 2019 12:37 pm +08
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KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Malaysia is to have the fastest Internet access speed with the 5G platform in Southeast Asia via the Enhanced Malaysia International Internet Gateway (EM-IIG) High-Speed Broadband that is expected to be ready in 2022.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the RM5.45-billion project encompassed the installation of the world’s largest optical fibre involving a 110,000-km line.
She said the first phase of the project was expected to be ready in November, with the Internet line linking Pengerang, Johor, to Putrajaya, where consumers can enjoy a speed of up to one gigabit per second.
“Now, at a speed of 13 megabits per second, it will take 51 minutes to download a 5GB high-definition video but with the implementation of the project, the video can be downloaded in just eight minutes,” she said in her speech at the launch of the project.
The text of her speech was read out by the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
Dr Wan Azizah said that according to cable.co.uk, the Internet speed in Malaysia was ranked 48th with an average speed of only three megabits per second and the speed was still considered unsatisfactory.
The EM-IIG, which involved the installation of optical fibre of 150 terabytes, would offer high-speed Internet access at low prices parallel to the government’s preparation towards the Industrial Revolution 4.0, she said.
“Alcatel Submarine Networks will install a 7,500-km-long submarine optical fibre from the international Internet hub in Hong Kong to Malaysia and extend it to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The project will benefit people not only in this country but also subscribers from around the world when the cable is connected to the outside world,” she said.
Dr Wan Azizah said the government would provide full cooperation for the implementation of the EM-IIG project because it would assist the growth of new high-tech industries besides generating the economy to raise the country to developed-nation status.
The EM-IIG, developed by XiddiG Cellular Communications Sdn Bhd, would reduce the digital gap between the urban and rural areas, she said.
As a social responsibility initiative, the company would provide free high-speed Internet service to all government schools, hospitals and health clinics as well as public universities nationwide, she added.
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This is very embarrassing for the Federal Government in such a very important information and communication policy and delivering a paramount component of the industrial revolution (I.R.) 4.0.
If the Deputy Speaker Rashid has been hoodwinked or deceived to deliver a false speech on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah, then a mere statement demanding an explanation from the organisers is considered mild.
The delivery was in the presence of media and it was rightfully reported nationwide, quite soon after it was delivered.
It is the onus of Deputy Speaker Rashid to make a Police Report and let the Commercial Criminal Investigation Department to work on sorting out the mess if not mockery deliverance of statement.
Media exchanges would just confuse the public even more.
After all, Deputy Speaker is a post in the esteem office of the legislative branch of His Majesty’s Federal Government. Even is it is filled by an elected representative through political democracy process, the Deputy Speaker should not be behaving and/or acting like other politicians.
Good of the Prime Minister addressing global forums and is heightening the pace and spread of universally correct issues, which was of grave interests to his.
However, the people voted for ‘change’ is not interested in the Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad’s trips abroad ever so often. Japan. China. Indonesia. Singapore. Thailand. United States. United Nations. United Kingdom. Papua New Guinea. And others.
Austria next.
They voted for his Leadership to address all the deliverables, promised and yet to be seen. Not even ten percent, as it is coming to a year soon since he and his cohorts seized power, through democracy.
Many believe the Prime Minister should be babysitting most of his Cabinet, for not addressing all the deliverables they promised the rakyat.
It is not like the rakyat demanded these deliverables and promises. It’s the Prime Minister and his ruling party leaders, who are now enjoying their position in the Cabinet and GLCs, who created the ‘Amalgamated Hopes’ (Pakatan Harapan) and listed now a series of promises and deliverables documented as ‘Manifesto’.
Please, put everything the right side up. The interest of the nation is paramount to Dr. Mahathir’s. Not his speeches. Not his messages, snubs, banters, insults. Not his awards bestowed.
They want more trade. They want bigger economy and more trickle down effect. They want to see more jobs and opportunities created in shorter time.
All and in sundry.
Otherwise, he did very well in his global role as the Dear Leader of the Perdana Leadership Foundation. He is very respected Statesman.
Now, the rakyat want a Chief Executive for the nation and nationhood sake.
Corporate player Ancom Bhd Executive Chairman and former Chairman of Tourism Dato’ Dr Siew Ka Wei is the latest target of former MP and lawyer Wee Choo Keong’s rabid blog attack.
The Star story:
Former tourism board chairman remanded by MACC over alleged power abuse
PETALING JAYA: Ancom Berhad has confirmed that its executive chairman Datuk Dr Siew Ka Wei (pic) has been remanded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over allegations of power abuse during his tenure as Tourism Board chairman.
The Board of Directors said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 9) that MACC has been granted a four-day remand order to assist in investigations involving a RM100mil tourism contract that was awarded before GE14.
“The Board has convened an emergency board meeting this afternoon to assess the implications of the above on the Group’s operations, its shareholders and other stakeholders who may be affected directly and indirectly, and to determine the possible course of action to be taken,” it said.
It added that the Group’s operations remain unaffected by the incident.
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 9): Ancom Bhd executive chairman and former Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Siew Ka Wei was remanded for four days over a RM100 million tourism contract awarded before Malaysia’s 14th general election,The Malaysian Insightreported today.
The Malaysian Insightreported that Siew was remanded with the chief of a private firm Elizabeth Ken Tze Ying.
“Magistrate Irza Zulaika Rohanuddin ordered their remand until Jan 12,”The Malaysian Insightreported.
Siew is also Ancom Logistics Bhd executive vice chairman and Nylex (M) Bhd group managing director, according to Ancom Bhd’s website. Ancom Logistics and Nylex are subsidiaries of Ancom Bhd.
Meanwhile,Bernamareported, without revealing names, that a former chairman of a government agency with the title “Datuk” is in remand for four days beginning today for alleged power abuse involving a government contract worth more than RM99 million.
It was reported that a woman, who is a chief executive officer of a private company, is also in remand for the same case.
“The remand order against the two individuals was issued by Magistrate Irza Zulaika Rohanuddin.
“According to an MACC source, the former chairman was believed to have abused his position by recommending a company through direct appointment to carry out a digital promotion campaign project totalling more than RM99 million using the agency’s fund,” saidBernama.
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Previously, this politician-turned-blogger incessantly went after TM Group CEO Dato’ Sri Shazali Ramli and MCMC Chairman Dato’ Shahril Tarmizi.
The politician who had ‘jumped’ around at least three different corners, MCA, DAP and eventually PKR, also went after Malaysia Airlines over six years ago.
We would like to reiterate what we thought of Wee’s incessant blog postings on specific targets were.
“It illustrates the indescriminate bashing attitude instead of using the bloggosphere as a communication tool to reach out to more people“.
Wee is a very learned solicitor who has a wealth of experience in mainstream politics, before taking up on active social media as his medium.
For the record, chemical-engineer-turned-corporate-man Siew took over from Wee as the Chairman Tourism Malaysia, was appointed when Dato’ Seri Nazri Tan Sri Aziz was the Minister in-charge of Tourism.
It is interesting to see what social media’s differing take on him.
Let is hope MACC do a ‘Speedy Gonzales’ investigation on Siew’s case. Otherwise, it is probably a drama we would like watch on what is the truth of the case, which originated from a series of blog story.
Perhaps Wee would also like to elaborate in sparkling detail on other graft cases which MACC investigated linked to former Chief Minister of Penang and Minister of Rural Development, for the sportsmanship of it.
How about the case about the Cabinet Minister son’s arrest recently and investigated on the alleged use of drugs?
Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mengaku bahawa parti Chauvinis Cina DAP dan pemimpin yang satu masa lama menjadi seteru beliau sebagai pemimpin utama orang Melayu, merupakan tinggal kuasa-usaha dibelakang kejayaan mengagalkan Kerajaan yang diterajui oleh orang Melayu
Utusan Malaysia
DAP Yang Tentukan Kedudukan Saya Sebagai Perdana Menteri – Dr Mahathir
January 7, 2019
Abdul Mursyid
KUALA TERENGGANU – Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad hari ini mengakui DAP memainkan peranan penting dalam menentukan segala perkara dalam pentadbiran kerajaan Pakatan Harapan (PH) termasuk berkaitan kedudukannya sebagai Perdana Menteri.
Dr. Mahathir berkata, memang pada awalnya dalam politik, DAP adalah sebuah parti seteru namun keadaan telah berubah menjadikan parti tersebut sebagai rakan sekutu kepada Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) di bawah satu pakatan, PH.
“Saya tahu ada pendapat mengatakan DAP parti musuh, tapi saya nak bagi tahu bahawa yang tentukan saya akan jadi pengerusi PH dan bakal PM (Perdana Menteri) jikalau menang dalam PRU lalu adalah DAP.
“Mereka (DAP) tentukan siapa pemimpin dan siapa akan pegang jawatan selepas berjaya ambil alih kerajaan, semuanya ini datang dari DAP. Jadi, kalau orang kata (DAP) musuh, kenapa pilih saya.
“Mereka juga sedar, kerosakan yang dilakukan pemimpin kerajaan terdahulu perlu disingkirkan dan sebab itulah kita menang dalam PRU-14,” katanya.
Dr. Mahathir yang juga Pengerusi PH merangkap Pengerusi Bersatu menyatakan perkara itu ketika berucap merasmikan Pejabat Bersatu Negeri Terengganu di Ladang Tok Pelam di sini hari ini. – UTUSAN
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Hakikatnya, Dr Mahathir tergamak menjadikan diri sendiri sebagai alat politik mereka yang menentang kuasa orang Melayu sebagai tunggak Kerajaan dan dasar-dasar pro-Melayu dan Islam.
DAP ujud atas sentimen menentang kuasa orang Melayu dan hampir kesemua kerusi yang dimenangi parti itu ialah kawasan dimana orang Melayu bukan majoriti.
+A
The "thirteen million plus Ringgit" guy rambles.... 
Four wrongs don’t make it right
Two wrongs don’t make it right, what else if four wrongs.
The Edge Daily story:
The fact is that Xavier Justo stole the data (e mails) from 1MDB database server. He then manipulated them.
Then he tried to sell them, for a lot of money.
Now, Justo is being ‘rewarded’ for all those wrongs?
It is travesty of our value system, if not decency. Much could be said about integrity and professional and the reward for that.
It is interesting what MACC has to say about this. It is already interesting what MACC felt about the Federal Government doing away with the National Integrity Plan for National Anti-Corruption Plan and the creation of a brand new agency, on top MACC and IIM.
- Commentary
on January 31, 2019 at 21:00 Leave a Comment