Another Brick in the Wall

The Ghost not wasting time on Tebrau Teguh

2012-02-02T08:32:00.001+08:00

There is a once popular Indian curry house in New York City called Curry in a Hurry. By the look of things, the Ghost and Dato Lim Kang Hoo is in a hurry to consummate everything before the General Election.

The Star's prediction of the MGO of Tebrau Tegas shares as quoted in our posting yesterday was a bit off. Instead of state-owned KPRJ doing the MGO, it is Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH) offering the MGO and buying a block from KPRJ, thus reducing the state company direct equity to a minority status.

Kang Hoo direct shares in Tebrau Teguh via Credence Resources and his equity remained. And, Kang Hoo (also via Credence Resources) owns IWH together with KPRJ. The percentage equity is not known and not locatable online.

He also controls Ecovest Berhad, who owns Danga Bay Sdn Bhd and Executive Director of Khusford Berhad. And, he has lots of option and power at his disposal.

On the same hurried note, the disappearance of a bright JB-based lawyer Kamal Hisham attracted the attention of the media. The police claimed they could not find him and had contacted Interpol.

On the contrary, the lawyer representing him, Dato Jaharbedeen, who happens to be RockyBru's lawyer, said there is no problem to contact him. He happens to be away in Dubai doing business since April. Read on in Bigdgdotcom here.

Sounds spooky, isn't it?

Back to the Tebrau Teguh MGO by IWD, read The Star's yesterday report below:

IWH buys Tebrau Teguh stake triggering mandatory takeover offer

The Star
Wednesday February 1, 2012

PETALING JAYA: Tebrau Teguh Bhd's major shareholder Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor Sdn Bhd (KPRJ) is selling a 33.15% stake in Tebrau Teguh to Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd (IWH) for 76 sen per share.

The offer is for 222 million ordinary shares of 50 sen each in Tebrau Teguh, which works out to a price tag of RM168.72mil.

Tebrau Teguh told Bursa Malaysia that the proposed acquisition would trigger a mandatory takeover offer for the Johor Baru-based property developer and construction group by IWH and parties acting in concert (PAC) with it.

The mandatory offer for Tebrau Teguh would be conditional upon IWH receiving valid acceptances which would result in IWH and the PAC holding more than 50% of Tebrau Teguh's voting shares.

Now for the real meat and not as per the item reported to fill in for Tebrau Teguh's corporate profile mentioned yesterday here.

Meanwhile, Tebrau Teguh also announced that it had been appointed by the Johor state government as the developer for 167.13ha in Pengerang, Kota Tinggi, Johor.

The land, within the Johor oil and gas industry hub, is to be developed into a mixed development which would complement the proposed Petroliam Nasional Bhd's RM60bil integrated refinery and petrochemical complex, known as RAPID.

Tebrau Teguh said it had received a letter from Johor's Economic Planning Unit dated Jan 30, 2012 regarding the appointment.

Tebrau Teguh was presently negotiating the technical, financial and legal aspects of the appointment.

“We will make further announcements on the final terms and conditions of the said project later,” said the company.

Notice how timely that Johor state's EPU issued the letter of appointment to Tebrau Teguh on Monday when the shares were suspended.

Isn't providing land and infrastructure for the ancillary and supporting industries complimenting and complementing Petronas's RM60 billion Rapid project described here to feed the hungry ghost?

Meanwhile, IWH's shareholders are Credence Resources Sdn Bhd and KPRJ.

IWH directors are Datuk Lim Kang Hoo, Lim Hoe, Lim Keng Cheng, Lim Chen Herng, Datuk Shahir Nasir, Datuk Ayub Mion and Johar Salim Yahaya.

Kang Hoo is the co-founder and chairman of construction and civil engineering company Ekovest Bhd.

Remember Johar Salim here? Read also Big Cat's version here. Recently found out, he is related to a buddy of ours.

Missing from the report is the equity structure of Credence and KPRJ in IWH is not found online yet. Only found information on IWH is in Edgedaily here reporting it's paid-up capital of RM12.73 million is in the form of RM10 million paid-up capital and 274.629 million redeemable preferene shares of 10 sen each.

The way things are going, maybe it is no more relevent who is the majority shareholder. The person calling the shot will be Kang Hoo, who seems to be above the interest of the rakyat and state.

What will be Kang Hoo's next move? Will he move in to control Tebrau Teguh by taking over from IWD or he takeover IWD from KPRJ? With the ghost behind, it is not necessary yet.

If the proposed acquisition is completed, KPRJ's direct shareholding in Tebrau Teguh would be reduced from about 41.15% to 8%.

KPRJ is the Johor state's investment arm.

Under the terms of the offer, IWH, KPRJ and other relevant parties are to enter into definitive agreements on or before April 29, 2012 concerning the proposed acquisition.

The offer price would also be reduced by an amount equivalent to the net amount of dividend payments or distribution made by Tebrau Teguh prior to the completion of the proposed acquisition.

Tebrau Teguh also said it was not in discussions with any parties to acquire Danga Bay Sdn Bhd from its current owners, Credence Resources and KPRJ.

Maybe not in the material time, but perhaps in the future.

As soon as Tebrau Teguh is delisted, can we expect more projects awarded and more state land injected?

For the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2011, Tebrau Teguh posted a 29.3% year-on-year jump in net profit to RM3.2mil, mainly due to higher profit generated from property development activity.

Revenue for the quarter under review was slightly lower at RM30.5mil, compared with RM30.6mil a year earlier.

For the nine months ended Sept 30, 2011, the company recorded a net profit of RM3.7mil, compared with RM3.8mil a year earlier.

Revenue for the nine months under review increased 33.4% to RM93.9mil, compared with RM70.4mil a year earlier.

As at Sept 30, 2011, Tebrau Teguh's net assets per share was 75 sen.

Tebrau Teguh's shares closed last Friday at 75 sen, and trading in the company's shares was suspended on Jan 30.

The company's shares will resume trading from 9am on Feb 2.

Too bad, all the future benefit will not be felt by KPRJ and other shareholders, major or minor, if the shares are delisted.

If you happen to own the shares, keep it to as some predict it to be at least RM1.80 since the claimed RNAV is RM2.50. Do not be in a hurry to exercise the MGO.

Who knows you may help the rakyat and buy time or even thwart the delisting plan. That is if stock investors have any sense of moral and nationalistic duty other than the self interest of making money.

Let them be in a hurry.

Just like they are in a hurry to hunt for Kamal Hasan. Rumours are saying he may have something to spill on the hantu. Jahat betullah khabar angin. Kasi pokok goyang saja.

Make sure you read Bigdogdotcom here.

The ghost waves over Tebrau Teguh

2012-02-01T01:02:00.001+08:00

The shares of Tebrau Teguh, the company linked to ghost stories from Johor lately, were suspended by Bursa Malaysia yesterday pending an important announcement.

It turns out that state-owned Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) made a mandatory general offer (MGO) for Tebrau Teguh shares. KPRJ already owned 41.5% in Tebrau Teguh.

This blog had disclosed last week that Dato Lim Kam Hoo had interest to increase his equity holding in Tebrau Teguh and be a more strategic player in the state-company, KPRJ and the Johor property game.

Tebrau Teguh is believed to be the vehicle to acquire state land and flip over to another party for quick buck. How does this turn of event help or give way to Lim Kam Hoo to be a substantial shareholders in Tebrau Teguh?

Let's read The Star report today and commment as we go along:

KPRJ said to launch mandatory general offer for Tebrau Teguh

The Star
Tuesday January 31, 2012

PETALING JAYA: Tebrau Teguh Bhd, which has suspended its shares from trading, may be the next company to undergo privatisation by its major shareholder.

Sources said its major shareholder Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) would be carrying out a mandatory general offer for the company.

KPRJ owns 41.15% of Tebrau Teguh.

Tebrau Teguh is a diversified property developer and construction group linked with KPRJ.

KPRJ itself is the Johor state's investment arm.

Tebrau Teguh's shares closed last Friday at 75 sen.

The volume traded last Friday was 12.8 million shares compared with 1.8 million shares the previous Friday.

The 596.39% increase in volume of shares traded could have been due to sentiments on the material announcement.

The most important point to be highlighted in this part of the report is that Tebrau Teguh is going private.

This has been the trend in corporate moves these days. It is usually to avoid the bad publicity that comes with public disclosure, thus useful to keep sensitive information under lid from the easily excitable public.

KPRJ will need to spend money to buy shares from the public till they become the majority shareholder of more than 51%.

But, they have also commitments, like building 200 schools, etc.

Will it keep all the shares it bought from the market or will they sell it to other existing shareholders? Mind you, as sendirian berhad company, the first rights of refusal will be to offer to other existing shareholders.

Now another interesting twist to the report:

A business weekly had reported over the weekend that Danga Bay Sdn Bhd (DBSB) might be acquired by Tebrau Teguh.

DBSB was the custodian of a privatisation contract awarded by the Johor state government in 2000 to develop 1,800 acres of waterfront land along Johor Bahru's Lido Beach. It is therefore the master developer of the Danga Bay waterfront project in Johor.

Should Danga Bay be acquired, Tebrau Teguh would be the biggest owner and developer of sea-fronting projects.

Both KPRJ and Credence Resources Bhd currently own DBSB with 30% and 70% stakes respectively.

Once the acquisition is complete, KPRJ will still remain the majority shareholder of Tebrau Teguh.

The second majority shareholder will be Lim Kang Hoo as he owns 70% of DBSB via Credence Resources.

Presumably, this over-the-weekend report would not have known of the impending MGO. It could be rumours leaked to prop-up interest in the shares on Monday before being suspended.

The report did not say the subsequent equity of KPRJ and Lim Kang Hoo after the property injection. It will take quite a bit of work to figure out the subsequent equity with the MGO taken into account.

Nevertheless, it shows that via property injection the shareholding structure could change. If Tebrau Teguh was to acquire a high valued property in which KPRJ's equity is minimal or nil, KPRJ's final equity in Tebrau Teguh could be reduced.

The rest of the report are merely background information on Tebrau Teguh:

It is also worth noting that Lim is also Ekovest Bhd's co-founder and chairman.

Tebrau Teguh has completed projects through one of its subsidiaries, Bayou Bay Development Sdn Bhd.

It has completed projects involving mainly medium cost apartment and townhouses which are the Oasis Apartment, and the three phases of Bayu Puteri Residences.

Its future developments are Desa Idaman Bungalow and The Oxcy service apartment.

Through its other subsidiary Tebrau Bay Constructions Sdn Bhd, Tebrau Teguh has completed several projects, namely an RM80mil project with the National Housing Department to build 1,500 unit s of government housing apartments in Johor.

The project was completed in early 2007.

Tebrau Bay Constructions is currently in the process of developing 2,700 units of low-cost apartments in the Johor Baru township.

Ignore these projeccts. It is mere formality to fill in the profile of Tebrau Teguh.

As told before here, state controlled Tebrau Teguh will eventually come under control of Lim Hang Hoo. All it takes is a single wave of hand by the ghost.

But the intention is to have the Government inject the strategically located and sufficiently sized state lands into Tebrau Teguh to flip (or for a quick sale) to others.

The likelihood is to have the land injection excercise at a time KPRJ has majority control of Tebrau Teguh. It looks justified for state land to be injected into state controlled company. But at what price?

The suspicion would be at a nomimal price. Why should state inject state land into state company at full value?

Syyy ... please no mention of those minority shareholders. Otherwise, there will be public outcry of selling land at nominal value to companies not wholly owned subsidiary of state but with the existence of other shareholders.

Then suddenly, the ghost wave his hand again and KPRJ is directed to quitely sell their shares at a price without marking the land value to market. The probable reason that can be used is KPRJ need money for it's public infrastructure program.

Since Tebrau teguh is not a public listed company, no announcement is necessary.

The land parcels can be flipped over elsewhere for a tidy profit. The ghost will make sure the public do not know. If the public got to know, it will be the politicians, civil servants and professionals that get blamed by the rakyat.

The ghost and Lim Kam Hoo make their billions.

Hungry Ghost festival come early in Johor

2012-01-30T19:40:00.005+08:00

A close friend advised us to keep the ghost story until after the election.

The problem is the election date is everybody's guess. Some say March, some claim to be May, and some predict in second term of the school holidays. Last but not least, there are those that believed it to be next year.

The way things are moving in Johor, it maybe a wee bit too late.

In the meanwhile, the RM60 billion Pengerang Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) complex is due for commissioning by 2016, which is 4 years from now. There is not much time. The planning work is already on the way, including land acquisition.

About two weeks ago, CEO and President for Petronas, Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas had sent Executive Vice President of Downstream Business of Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Bin Wan Ariffin to Johor Baru.

There is likelihood that it has to do with discussion on the said project. Simply, because he brought along a member of the Board of Director of Petronas and his fellow MCOBA President, Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin. Otherwise, why the need to bring Megat Najmuddin?

After all, he was once a strong candidate for CEO of Petronas. He represents Petronas, the biggest company in Malaysia and a Government wholly owned company. There is a reason.

In our previous posting here, we've described the massive quick money scheme in flipping properties in Iskandar Malaysia and the Johor Central Business District revitalisatin plan in and out of public listed vehicles.

The Petronas Rapid project in Pengerang, will include a tripatrite gas power plant that can support a petrochemical industry there. Read Bigdogdotcom here.

The power generated by the power plant is to be sold Singapore. It will involve Malakoff, Petronas and Singapore's Keppel Group. Pengerang was chosen because of this purpose and it's deep waters can allow for very large crude carriers and ultra large crude carriers.

It complements plans for the RM5bil independent deep water petroleum terminal, which is to be the first of its kind in South-East Asia. Thus making Teluk Ramunia and Pengerang a true oil and gas hub with supporting and ancillary industries. This will generate about 20,000 jobs and develop this backwater of South Johor and southernmost tip of continental Asia.

There will be gas pipeline built from Pengerang to just short of Kota Tinggi before it turn southward towards Ulu Tiram into Tanjung Langsat and all the way to Johor Baru CBD.

Naturally, the Johor state government will be a joint-venture partner of the project and will provide the required land.

Mention state land and a project of this size, the beepers in the ghost mobile sounds it's alarm. The land for Rapid must be consolidated state land, large tract of private land, and probably even orang kampung land.

There will be the supporting and ancillary industries mushrooming along the gas pipeline. That needs land too!

The gas pipeline and the land it traversed on will be owned by Petronas but for the industries piping the energy from the gas pipeline need land to place their facility.

Could they secure the land? If they could secure, how?

Although we've just celebrated the Chinese New Year, the Hungry Ghost Festival that usually comes in the seventh lunar month came early this year, earlier than Chap Goh Meh.

Securing the land has suddenly become difficult unless one is ready to be approached by Vampires. These vampires are not the European type one see in Hollywood movies that ravages alone but of the Asian variety.

Asian vampires in Hong Kong movies comes in groups and is directed by a ruthless Ghost, in this case the Hungry Ghost. These Vampires are not so smart and idiotically move non-stop in small hops towards their victim. One of this hopping vampire is said to be one Ku Mohsin.

To get their proposal through, these companies must wet the beak of the Hungry Ghost. The problem is it does not just stop at getting percentage equity in the company or some up-front amount.

There are companies already about to commenced work in Pengerang to prepare for facilities like storage. Already it is heard that one oil and gas company, named Kaylog or something to that effect, was preyed on and paid up-front of S$10 million.

The proposer may face the prospect of having these Vampires at the instruction of Hungry Ghost or probably the Hungry Ghost himself determining the proposer's equity in their own business and have to pay for the Ghost or his proxy's equity portion.

The biggest nightmare to any businessman will be when the Ghost determine who are the business partners in their venture. The proposer with the expertise and capital may end up with as minority shareholders.

Wan Zul could have been sent to Johor Baru by Dato Shamsul to deal with these ghosts and vampires. He was asked to bring Megat Najmuddin, whose extraordinary network, personal touch and diplomacy transcend into the supernatural and come handy in "smoothening" discussion.

Perhaps, the trip has nothing to do with meeting Vampires and Hungry Ghost.

But, it does not mean these Vampires and Hungry Ghost do not exist. They have been pretty much at large for the past two years haunting and preying on the rakyat, businessmen, Government servants and politicians.

If this is the way business is run in Johor, foreign investors will get turned off by such sadistic feudel ways. There is no certainty in doing business and too much and exorbitant unstated cost. It could seriously stifle and hamper development of Johor. Such act is an economic threat to the prosperity of Johor.

If the common rakyat knows of such abuse and intimidation, there will not even be sands at the end of the rainbow. Like sands dropping in the hourglass, time may be running out on them.

* Edited 31/1 10:00 AM

Neo-liberals and neo-feudal masters threat to Johor

2012-01-27T15:50:00.003+08:00

Rocky described the subject of Big Dog's unusually restrained revelation in his latest posting, "Serving the neo-economic masters" as the ghost of Johor. Read Rocky Bru here.

Most people have never met or seen ghost but many believe ghost exist as a powerful supernatural being. But such supernatural being can only be powerful if one is afraid and believe that beings from different mediums can exist and exert devastating powers in our environment.

Not only has the supernatural being made his writing cryptic, royalist Big Dog was suddenly writing about economic slavery. Earlier in his January 6th, posting, "Leading the laden", he touched on the subject of feudalism, neo-feudalism.

All these in the midst of our battle against those unproductive and destructive young neo-liberals creeping into Johor Corporation?

"Serving the neo-economic masters" tie in with two pieces written in this blog on Johor in January; one entitled Did KPRJ's Johar Salim opposed MACC investigation on IIB and another Meow meow for Big Cat ... still on Johor.

By the way Big Cat, having vent out our 15 years of frustration, we are alright. Rather than Khaled Nordin or Razali Ibrahim or Osman Sapian, Gani is a far better choice of MB.

The focus of Big Dog's latest posting is Dato Lim Kang Hoo and his phenomenal business plan and expansion.

It traces back to a company written before in this blog, Tebrau Teguh Berhad (TTB).

TTB is owned by Kumpulan Perasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) and the current CEO is KPRJ's CEO, Dato' Johar Salim.

Iskandar Investment Berhad, Johor Waterfront, and Iskandar Coast are Khazanah entities having strategic parcels of land bing targeted to be injected into TTB. And, there are some state government-owned premium land parcels all over JB city limits also planned to be injected into TTB.

Lim Kam Hoo is the owner and Executive Chairman of Ekovest Bhd. He had used his Danga Bay projects to be injected into TTB to increase his equity holding and be a more strategic player in the state-company, KPRJ and the Johor property game.

The southern Johor 'property belt' of JB-Iskandar Malaysia stretches 'East-West' from Tanjung Langsat/Pasir Gudang in the east all the way to Tanjung Pelepas in the west province and to include Johor Baru Central Business District (CBD).

JB 'CBD revitalisation' is a program where the Johor State Government plan to consolidate all state goverment's land parcels under into a single basket.

Although it is a state project, it has alerted Lim Kang Hoo's radar. For this, he proposed Knusford Berhad to be the proposed vehicle for the exercise. Lim Kang Hoo happens to be the Executive Director of Knusford.

Knusford business is modelled to emulate the likes of Gamuda, Killinghall and Antah.

Part of the gameplan is to flip some of the land parcels consolidated under TTB, to Singaporean property developers such as Peter Lim with Knusford having temporary and intermediary presence to justify the 'fee'.

There is already a precedent project as in the TNB land in Stulang Laut, which was recently flipped to Peter Lim with Lim Kang Hoo playing the role of 'middle-man.' Read Rocky Bru's posting dated November 11th here that first break all these ghost stories.

Lim Kang Hoo had involvement with MRCB in the JB Eastern Dispersal Link which passed the doorsteps of a certain ghostly address. That gave the opportunity for the occupant to know Dato' Zaki Zahid closer.

Lim Kang Ho convinced the ghost to request the appointment of Zaki Zahid into JCorp, via Damansara Realty and Kulim. His presence will help them because part of the strategic parcels of land owned by JCorp Group is in JB CBD.

Zaki is the Tingkat 4 supremo of Tun Dol administration day that hides behind his neo-liberal ideology to justify wrecking and plundering of the national economic infrastructure build over many decades since independence.

He is one character that has neither the guilt nor remorse to obligingly help inject those JCorp lands into TTB and/or Knusford, before eventually flipping it to investors. It will mostly be Singaporeans, again.

Zaki has no qualms selling Johor asset to Singaporeans because it was him and Dato Dr Vincent Lim (now with ISIS) that actually conceived the monstrous SJER, later WPI and finally Iskandar which will see Singaporean landgrab under the name of development of South Johor.

Soon, South Johor will the killing field for the big game of corporate exercises.

Any stock punters looking for a tip can look at Tebrau Teguh and Knusford. These counters neither need to raise capital, nor invest and maintain any business, but are money churner by being intermediary PLC to flip properties to Singaporeans.

Caveat emptor. Punters beware.

Make money and run. Do not expect handsome dividends or stock bonuses or splits. The company could be making money, lots of money but it might conveniently sip out, perhaps bypassing the rules of the Bursa, Registrar of Companies and Income Tax Department, to satisfy some ghastly greed.

Many should wonder how come Lim Kang Hoo could pursue such massive and unobstructed plundering without others' complain or competitive presence?

It seems all the leads points to the sands at the end of the rainbow. Somewhere over the rainbow ...

* edited 8:40 PM

Demand the same on Air Asia

2012-01-24T18:10:00.001+08:00

Tony Fernandez, who claims that being competitive was the driving force that made Air Asia for what it is, has just got a lesson of what real competition is all about.

It is about being professional, honest and deliverable.

For a long time, he has been lying to the public using marketing snazz of his so-called capability. To correct the public, Tony F brought Air Asia to what it is today through lies, deceit and negligence of Slumber Dol.

And, the local adverstising authority have not been doing their job to allow him to get away with his unethical RM10 gimmick cheap air fare advertising.

In actual fact, Air Asia is no more a cheap bargain and plus it's inconveneinces, it is a raw deal. In certain flights, the unstated surcharges can mean flying via Air Asia is no more as good a deal as real full service airline.

They could not even compete with MAS's new emerging budget airline, Firefly. To survive, Tony demand on MAS to close up Firefly. Competitive my foot!

In their recent deceitful acquisition of the Sydney route with the help hand of Danny Yusof from inside, Air Asia has just been taught a lesson:

Australian regulator files lawsuit against AirAsia

January 24, 2012

The no-frills carrier is accused of failing to disclose the full price of fares on its website.

SYDNEY: AirAsia was Tuesday slapped with a lawsuit by Australian regulators accusing the Asian budget carrier of failing to disclose the full price of fares on its website.

The Malaysia-based airline, which flies international services out of Australia from the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth, with Sydney to be added from April, was named in documents lodged at the Federal Court in Melbourne.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the country’s consumer watchdog, claims some fares sold on AirAsia’s website do not display prices inclusive of all taxes, duties, fees and other charges.

“Businesses that choose to advertise a part of the price of a particular product or service must also prominently specify a single total price,” it said in a media release.

The regulator alleged the fares relate to flights from Melbourne to cities including London, New Delhi, and Hangzhou in China, from the Gold Coast to Ho Chi Minh City and from Perth to places such as Taipei and Phuket in Thailand.

The matter is listed to be heard on March 2 with the watchdog seeking an injunction “to restrain AirAsia from engaging in misleading conduct in the future”.

It also wants a court order “that AirAsia publish corrective notices on its websites regarding the conduct”.

AirAsia could not immediately be reached for comment. - AFP

The Sydney route was taken away from MAS through lies and deceit. Immediately following the collaboration, suddenly Sydney rote was not on MAS business plan when all along t had been a profitable route for MAS. This issue was raised to Managing Director, Dato Ahmad Jauhari during the press conference.

Ahmad Jauhari was also asked by the staff in a town hall meeting of the Sydney route JV. He denied it will be Air Asia. The following week, Tony F announced the JV between Qantas, Air Asia-X and MAS.

In a matter of time, MAS will be knocked out of this profitable route.

Taking a leaf from this experience with the Australian authorities, it is high time that the Malaysian authorities start to impose and the local consumers demand the same on Air Asia.

Malaysian should not allow these conniving businessman to continue to deny them of quality service. It is time he disclose his fares and rates and not allow customers to forever queue and wait.

Alas Malaysian ... this is what you get for paying peanuts, you get monkeys like Tony F.

Thanks to Amokh and Danny, the brilliant Medussa touch pair of Binasa Fikir, now controlling investment decisions in Khazanah, our Government will be investing RM1 billion in Air Asia-X that never made money.

Happy Chinese New Year: The Year of Water Dragon

2012-01-23T08:32:00.001+08:00

Wishing All Happy Chinese New Year.

May you find health and happiness in the year to come.

****************************

2012 is Year of the Dragon. Dragon is a legendary animal. It is the symbol of power and superior control. Since the Ming Dynasty, it has been used as the symbol for the emperors in China.

Since the Dragon is coated with mysterious color, Chinese consider that the dragon is unpredictable, untouchable and people cannot see its head and tail at the same time. Therefore, we might see something unexpected happening in 2012.

Thus thread the year more carefully. The Year of the Dragon is also the year of natural disaster.

According to Chinese Five Element Astrology Calendar, 2012 is the Year of Water Dragon. The astrological reading is that it is a critical year for humanity due to changes taking place in the people's minds.

The Pakatan Rakyat supporters may like to read it as the year UMNO or Barisan Nasional is ousted out of power. That is if they strongly believe their propaganda has permanently captured the imagination of voters, particularly the middle undecided.

What if it had backfired instead and rationality had reigned in over the excessive politicking of spins, slanders and lies?

We believe the pendulum reached it's maximum and is due to swing back. One reknown opposition inclined political player privately predicted that opposition will bomb out. They could only retain less than 80 seats, lose Selangor and Kedah, and Kelantan caught in 50:50 situation.

But we are not ready to be optimistic till the administration be more serious on committed and perception of corruption, power abuse, and inefficiencies in Government and GLCs. And, UMNO and BN has to mature by ridding itself from the politics of warlords, factionalism, petty bickering, anti-intellectualism and suppression of new leadership talents.

Some prediction say that the changes taking place in the people's mind could be more spiritual than political. There are reading that we are about to pass to a new spiritual era.

Will it mean rise in moral consciousness or reverting back to religion?

Some are predicting that the change and rise in consciousness will give rise to greater appreciation for innovation and ideas in businesses. The economic crisis is not about to be over yet but it signifies the passing of a new era. With so many cases of market failures, latest being Eurozone, business should go back to basics.

In the new era of spirituality, people may begin to realize to not rely too much on money. Having money is fine but there are more important things to consider (for example environment, our spirits, and humanity).

The year could see many new technology trends. More people will become comfortable using technology in their lifestyles. Technology will be used to enable people to become more spiritual.

One does need to believe such predictions. It is good to know to understand the psyche of the significant number of the population in order to heed for eventualities.

To excercise care is not a bad advice.

Condolence

2012-01-20T10:32:00.001+08:00

Blogger Viswanath a/l Kaliamoorthy [see his blog V for Viswa here] passed away yesterday morning due to a hit and run accident along the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban highway.

The accident happened after the Information Chief for the Putera MIC Negeri Sembilan attended a Blog House gathering at the National Press Club. He was found at around 3:00 am and was taken to Seremban Hospital immediately. Unfortunately it was too late.

His funeral procession will begin this morning from his home at No 85 Jln ttjs 3/4 Taman Tuanku Jaafar Selatan, 71450 Sungai Gadut, N.Sembilan upon his mother's arrival return from India. His burial is schedued for 11 am.

Viswa is the youngest in the family. The intelligent young man is the bright ray of hope for the family. He will be sorely missed.

His presence at Blog House gathering is well remembered. With Yogeswaran, he stayed on till everyone left.

We at ABITW are equally shock with his sudden death and wish to express our condolence to his family and colleagues at MIC.

Muhyiddin's closing speech at the International Conference on the Global Movement of Moderates

2012-01-19T15:25:00.000+08:00

The following is the closing address by the Tan Sri Dato Hj Muhyiddin Haji Mohd Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia entitled by “PROMOTING MODERATION, PEACE AND STABILITY FOR THE WELLBEING OF GLOBAL COMMUNITY” at the closing ceremony of the International Confferene of the Global Movement of Moderates at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

2. Allow me to briefly mention at the outset the historical context in which contemporary discourse about moderation and the moderates emerge. As we know, at the end of the cold war, many people thought that the war between communism and the West was about to be replaced by a war between the West and Muslims. The Gulf War, the Bosnian conflict, the World Trade Centre bombing and the growing influence of Islamist movements in the Middle-East, Turkey, Central Asia and across the Muslim world gave an impression that there lies an Islamic threat against the West.

3. Throughout the 1990s, Samuel P. Huntington’s seminal work, Clash of Civilizations, generated so much interest in the academia as well as in the media. It seemed that confrontations drawn along the fault lines of ideology and religion were inevitable. In particular, the prophecy of an imminent conflict between two great civilizations, namely Islam and the Christian West sent tremors across the world.

4. It was rather unfortunate that the tragic event on September 11, 2001 accentuated the images of conflict between Islam and the West. Eventually, the post 9/11 world was marked by growing Islamophobia in the West and across the world. From Osama Ben Laden to the Taliban in Afghanistan, the vision of militant Islam as a threat to the West has gripped the imaginations of Western governments and the media.

5. For more than a decade, the image of Islam as the religion of peace and moderation was hijacked by violent aggressions of militant Muslims and their network of terror. The events in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kashmir and other parts of the world where Muslim minorities are struggling for self-determination, reinforced the image of Islam as a religion that is prone to fanaticism, extremism and warfare. On the other hand, the global war on terror led by Western superpowers has pitted the West against the Muslims in a scale that has never been felt before.

6. Without us realizing it, the instability of the war inflicted regions in some parts of the Muslim world and the growing fear of terrorism fuelled by Islamophobia in the West overshadowed the voices of moderation, peace and harmony within Islam. People tend to ignore the fact that the phenomenon of extremism, fanaticism and militancy in the Muslim world is confined to only small groups of people usually alienated from the mainstream tradition of Islamic moderation.

The Concept of Moderation in Islam

7. The virtue of moderation was expounded in Islam by a key verse in the Qur’an which describes Muslims as an ummah or community justly balanced. Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬ا‌ۗ

Which means, “Thus have We made you of an Ummah justly balanced That ye might be witnesses over the nations and the Messenger as witness over yourselves” (Surah Al-Baqarah; Verse 143).

8. From this verse, Muslim scholars define Ummatan Wasata, or ummah justly balanced, as the primary characteristics of Islamic community as willed by Allah the Almighty Himslef. In this context, classical Muslim scholars agreed that being ummah justly balanced means essentially possessing a combination of interconnected attributes of justice, goodness, avoidance of extreme laxity or extravagance and being in the middle position.

9. Apart from this, the Qur’an also emphasizes the role of Islam as the harbinger of mercy and compassion to all mankind. Allah says in the Qur’an:

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةً۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

Which means, “We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures.” (Surah Al-Anbiya’; Verse 107)

10. With this understanding of Islamic moderation and the message of mercy and compassion that Islam spreads to the mankind, many contemporary Muslim scholars and leaders condemned the act of terror perpetuated in the name of religion. Militant radicalism and religious extremism contradict the very essence of Islam as the religion that promotes the virtue of moderation and peaceful co-existence between peoples of different faiths, creed and color.

11. For Muslims, religious and cultural differences should not be the root cause of hatred and enmity as the Qur’an itself accords spiritual recognition to social plurality and cultural heterogeneity which is part of human nature. Allah says in the Qur’an:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ۬ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبً۬ا وَقَبَآٮِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ۬

Which means, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)”. (Surah al-Hujrat; Verse 13)

The Necessity of Moderation

12. Apart from religious injunctions, the political, social and economic realities that we are facing today necessitate the practice of moderation. On the economic front, Western countries are major trading partners of the Muslim world. As much as the West depends on Muslim countries for natural resources, Muslim countries rely on economic prosperity of the West as major importers of goods and services to accelerate the process of economic development at home. As we know, for decades the peace, prosperous and developed West created millions of jobs and countless economic opportunities for Muslims in their respective countries. It will be folly for Muslims to believe that economic and political destruction of the West will bring economic prosperity and political stability to the Muslim world.

13. At the same time, growing population of Muslims in the West has changed the social and cultural demography of Western society. For instance, in Europe today, a key debate is about how to integrate and assimilate new Muslim population into the European society without necessarily eroding European cultures, traditions and identity. No doubt, the success of this process of integration and assimilation will have far-reaching consequences on lasting peace and stability of European countries.

14. As Muslims are making inroads into the West, bringing together their values and social practices into the fabric of Western societies, the social and political values of the West are also increasingly being embraced by Muslims. The values of human rights, freedom and liberty, which were once associated with the West, now form part and parcel of the life of Muslims. It is not uncommon now to find Islamic groups and Muslim-based political parties together with civil society movements participate in democratic processes and clamor for democratic reform. The political transformation currently underway in Muslim countries shows that the value of democracy can sit easily with the value of moderation, justice and compassion in Islam.

15. The political, social and cultural interactions between the Muslim world and the West, which is now being reinforced by the forces of globalization, brings about new perspective on the relationship between Islam and the West. For Muslims, the classical demarcation line that separates Dar al-Islam (the realm of Islam) from Dar al-Harb (the realm of war) has now become obsolete. It is not proper for Muslims to regard the West as their enemies when the cultural and social demography of the West itself is undergoing tremendous change as a result of its rising Muslim population. Likewise, it is no longer fitting for the West to regard Islam as the new fascism which poses imminent threat to the security of its nations and the future of its civilization. The truth is, the Muslims themselves are becoming more familiar and receptive of the good values of Western civilization.

16. The future path of global peace and prosperity must be built upon mutual understanding and respect between communities which represent the world major civilizations. Be it Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism and other world major civilizations, all must work for the perpetuation of peaceful co-existence between people of different religions and cultures. This necessitates a shift in our perspective from clash of civilizations to civilizational engagement. In this particular context, the practice of moderation and the rejection of extremism is the key to civilizational engagement and global peace. Only by rejecting extremism and embracing moderation will we be able to treat others with dignity, accept our differences and live with each other in peace and harmony. In today’s world, moderation is not an option, but a must.

Moderation in Other Faiths

17. We are fortunate that all major religions and civilizations advocate moderation as a way of life. Christianity and Confucianism abhor extravagance and opulence which symbolize an extreme behavior in the conduct of one’s life. Likewise, in Hinduism, the concept of middle path that calls for divine centered living without renouncing the world is considered the best means to achieve salvation. In the same vein, Buddhism advocates Middle Way between all extremes by avoiding fanaticism and laziness in the journey to nirvana.

18. If we can see the nature of religion through the prism of moderation, we will be able to identify common values shared by all religions. The values are peace, harmony and true happiness which will materialize when the followers of every religion avoid excessiveness in religious practices and in the conduct of worldly life. I believe if everybody can nurture the spirit of moderation, which implies rejection of excessiveness and extremism, there will be no harm done to human kind in the name of religion or ideology.

19. At the same time, we need to address the root cause of extremism and fanaticism which often lead to hatred and enmity between people of different religions and cultures, namely economic alienation, political exclusion and social deprivation. We need to replace economic alienation with equitable distribution of wealth; we need to end political exclusion by promoting political inclusiveness; we need to eliminate social deprivation by upholding social justice and respect for human dignity. We believe that the seeds of goodness will only bear fruit when the root cause of evil are completely annihilated.

Moderation in Malaysia

Ladies and gentlemen,

20. Moderation has been the pillar of Malaysia’s success in dealing with ethnic and religious diversity. Being part of the Malay world where great civilizations meet, Malaysia has been blessed with peace and prosperity that is built upon mutual understanding and respect among its multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. Despite being a plural society from the start, we thank the Almighty God that we have so far been successful in maintaining peace and averting conflict by promoting moderation as a national culture.

21. We promote moderation through active involvement of the government and the civil society in educating the people about the values of moderation and peace. The government working together with religious communities and the civil society have been actively promoting religious harmony as a main pillar of national unity. A Committee on Inter-Religious Harmony was formed with a view to promote common values shared by all religions as a means to encourage mutual understanding, respect and cooperation between different religious communities. I must say that our success as a nation depends on the willingness of the moderates from all religions and cultures to set aside differences and work for a common goal in perpetuating peace, harmony and prosperity for our people.

22. It is my great pleasure today in conjunction with this conference to launch an important work on Islamic moderation as it is envisioned and practiced in Malaysia and the Malay world. Professor Tan Sri Mohd. Kamal Hassan, a renowned professor of Islamic studies from the International Islamic University Malaysia, has come up with a great book entitled “Voice of Islamic Moderation From the Malay World”, which compiles evidences from the Qur’an and prophetic traditions which extol the essence of Islam as the religion of moderation. There are also numerous empirical evidences which epitomize moderation as the foundation of peace, harmony and stability in the Malay world in general and in Malaysia in particular.

23. I am glad to quote a passage in Tan Sri Mohd Kamal Hassan’s book which is of great interest to me. I quote, “The voice of Islamic moderation coming from contemporary Malaysia is a reflection of the Malaysian milieu in which Islamic thought has been nurtured in a multi-ethnic society in which Muslims, though in the majority, have lived and co-existed with non-Muslims of various ethnic and religious groups in peace and harmony … This democratic set-up has molded a national culture which makes political or religious extremism unpopular and uncalled for. The winning formula for all communities has always been one in which there is a realistic recognition of the pluralistic nature of the nation and the need to balance between the particular interest of a community and the larger interest of national stability, national security and national wellbeing, without stepping beyond the limits of freedom as provided for in the Constitution of the nation,” unquote.

24. I believe the value of moderation will continue to provide lasting peace, harmony and stability for Malaysia and for the world community. This requires the coalition of the willing among the moderates of the world to persistently promote moderation as a global value. I do hope that this international conference, the idea of which was mooted by Malaysian Prime Minister, The Honorable Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak, and the actions that will follow from it will provide avenues for the moderates from all major civilizations of the world to work hand in hand in the promotion of just and lasting peace for the wellbeing of the global community.

Najib's keynote speech at the International conference on Global Movement of Moderates

2012-01-17T12:02:00.003+08:00

The following is th keynote address by YAB Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Mnister of Malaysia at the opening of the Global Movement of Moderates Conference, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur from January 17th to 19th, 2012.

Here in Malaysia, moderation has always been our chosen path. It is a testament to how we gained our independence from the British back in 1957; how we restored our relations with Indonesia in 1965; and how we helped build ASEAN in 1967, recovered from the tragic events of May 1969, engaged with China in 1972, and forged the ground-breaking ASEAN security and economic communities in 1993 and 2009. Each was a significant moment for our country, and all were gained through reasoned discussion and debate.

3. But over and above Malaysia’s own achievements, moderation is the fitrah, or essence, of humanity’s greatest heights; the solid bedrock on which all of the world’s civilisations have been built – for without it, we would long ago have succumbed to epicurean pleasures and delights! Yet moderation stands not just in the defence of willpower, discipline and restraint but of acceptance, freedom, tolerance, compassion, justice and peace.

4. Being moderate is not about being weak, about appeasement or about institutionalising mediocrity. And it is not about doing half-heartedly those things that are worthy of our fullest measure of devotion. Far from being an ideology of enfeeblement, as some would have us believe, moderation empowers us to go forward and to leave a mark for good – attending to the needs, frustrations and anxieties of others at the same time as attending to our own.

5. In the words of Robert F. Kennedy, “it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

6. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the current we are here to build today – and let us make no mistake, we come together at a particularly troubled juncture in our global history. New faces of war, the global financial crisis and natural disasters on a previously unseen scale present us with challenges the like of which we have never had to face before. But face them we must, and the way we choose to deal with these changes will have a crucial bearing on the future of our shared civilisation.

7. The scale and speed of the events that unfolded across the Middle East and North Africa in 2011 at times felt almost overwhelming, but as the chaos and confusion gives way to calm the whole world is united in the hope that – rather than falling victim to an extremism and intolerance that closes in to fill the void – these countries and peoples can forge a peaceful, democratic moderation that will grant them more freedom of expression, not less.

8. Elsewhere, Nigeria has recently borne witness to deadly clashes between its Christian and Muslim communities. But the Nigerian government has made it quite clear that such behaviour will not stand and that there will be consequences for those who seek to hijack faith for violent ends. Because the real divide is not between Muslims and non-Muslims, or between the developed and developing worlds, it is between moderates and extremists.

9. So we have, each one of us, a choice to make: the choice between animosity and suspicion on the one hand and a sustained attempt to apprehend each other’s world views on the other. Certainly, we should never assume that the oceans and gulfs that divide us grant us immunity to the conflicts of others. Tensions in Africa or harsh words uttered in the Americas can have consequences not only for those who live there but for us all. In today’s world of the information superhighway such conflicts travel quickly – and no-one has a monopoly on truth.

10. Of course – much as it would be nice to claim the credit! – calls such as my own for a Global Movement of the Moderates are nothing new. Moderation is an age-old value, and one that runs right to the heart of the great religions. In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad counsels that “moderation is the best of actions”; in Christianity, the Bible says “let your moderation be known unto all men”; and in Judaism, the Torah teaches that moderation in all things is a “way of life” in the truest sense of Jewish custom.

11. But if moderation has long had a home within the world religions, then the reverse is also true: extremism has never been welcome inside our mosques, churches, synagogues and temples. Perpetuating hatred is, by its very nature, a lonely pursuit, flying in the face of widely held morality – and it is this dangerously untethered animus, coupled with a head-in-the-sand refusal to acknowledge the views and the values of others, that makes extremism such a potent threat.

12. And yet, time and again the side of righteousness has triumphed. History has been made not by those who espoused extremism but by those who, without surrendering their beliefs, stayed true to the path of moderation. We are all familiar with the extraordinary strength of will and leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi, but you don’t have to be a world leader to be an inspiration. Moderates can make a difference wherever they make a stand – and it is time for the massed ranks of the moderates everywhere to stand up and to say to the extremists with a single breath a firm, resounding “no”.

13. Because one thing is clear: we cannot rid the world of extreme views by force. Violence begets violence – so we can best foster tolerance and understanding not by silencing the voice of hatred but by making the voice of reason louder. Persuasion, negotiation and co-operation: these must be our weapons in the face of enmity and malice.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

14. The range of speakers and delegates here today is diverse in every sense, embracing experts and thought leaders from all continents and walks of life. This can, I think, mean just one thing: that extremism has at some point affected every country, every profession and everyone. No-one is immune, nowhere is out of bounds and nothing is off limits – for the simple reason that extremists, with their totalising world views, are reluctant to leave any institution, sacred or secular, untouched.

15. Extremists, we know, are driven by orthodoxies – a set of messianic ideals characterised by crass simplifications, misrepresentations and outright lies. Rather than celebrating the sanctity of life, as is required by all religions, extremists emphasise the glory of the afterlife. Rather than seeking out and embracing difference they espouse ignorance, intolerance and introspection. And rather than embracing change they fear it and all who drive it, turning their backs on progress and seeking refuge in an idealised world that always stays the same.

16. The essence, and perhaps the attraction, of extremism is its apparent simplicity – so it falls to movements and gatherings like this one to interrogate these easy truisms with subtlety, intelligence and vigour.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

17. Talk of extremism and extremist acts conjures up terrible images of murder, mayhem and human suffering, but extremism isn’t always violent – and I believe we literalise it at our peril. Take, for example, one of the most extreme yet ostensibly non-violent events in recent history: the global financial crisis.

18. Compared to the shockingly violent images that were beamed around the world in the wake of 9/11 – scenes of devastation on an epic scale that scarred a generation and seared the collective conscience of the world – the pictures taken outside Lehman Brothers on another September morning some years later were much more ordinary, familiar even. A young woman, tense and anxious, carries her belongings out of the firm’s headquarters in a box. A disgraced executive, walking quickly, climbs into his luxury car and speeds away.

19. Nothing too unusual or untoward – and yet, without a single bullet fired, the extremes and excesses of Wall Street would in a matter of days take the world as we knew it to the brink.

20. Fast forward four years and it is clear there is no end in sight. The eurozone is still in crisis. Countless millions have lost their jobs, their homes and their security. And in addition to the human cost, some US$14 trillion has so far been spent on the rescue plan – ten times the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq combined.

21. So if my call for moderation is idealistic, it is hard-headedly realistic too. Many great Islamic scholars have been concerned with how Islam as a religious, cultural, political, ethical and economic worldview can help solve some of the biggest challenges we face today, and these are also questions that interest me – how moderation can solve not only the problem of violent extremism but can guide us through this global economic crisis.

22. Thomas Jefferson once said that “the selfish spirit of commerce knows no country, and feels no passion of principle but that of gain.” It is a sentiment that has been revisited many times in the years and months since Lehman’s fell.

23. No less a figure than the Pope has blamed the global financial crisis on “the lack of a solid ethical foundation for economic activity.” Britain’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has written of the need for employers, bankers and shareholders to be “guided, even if no-one is watching, by a sense of what is responsible and right.” And for Muslims like myself, the structures and principles of Islamic finance have long put public good ahead of individual gain.

24. So how do we create a truly moderate global economy that works in the interests of the many not the few? How can we devise a system that delivers fairness for “the 99 per cent”, not just those at the top? Quite simply, we can no longer allow the workings of the markets to be value-free or value-neutral. Markets, we all know, are the only route to rising global prosperity and sustained, stable growth – but we must do away with the unjust, unfair outcomes they can produce when left unchecked, and with the kinds of reckless economic practices that brought our global financial system to its knees.

25. Massive overleveraging. Mind-boggling credit default swaps. Subprime lending. Like the monstrous creation of some crazy scientist, these new and poorly understood financial practices rampaged out of Wall Street and left the devastated lives of millions in their wake.

26. But what of the men and women, the bankers and the traders, who went about their work with such abandon and with so little thought for anything beyond their own enrichment? A line of mug shots of the culprits would look very different to the “rogues gallery” of extremists we have grown accustomed to in recent years – sharp-suited, desk bound and clean shaven rather than dark skinned, bearded and combat-trained.

27. This flies in the face of everything we have been told about extremism – but it also raises the important question: what do extremists look like? How can we come to know them? The answer, of course, is that extremists, like extremism itself, take many forms – and we can only know them by their acts.

28. It is something I believe the world would do well to remember, for too often in recent times we have seen extremism and Islam discussed in the same breath. In the aftermath of 9/11, for example, Southeast Asia came to be regarded as a 'second front' simply because it had the highest number of Muslims in the world. And yet terrorism has never gained the same grip here that it has secured in other parts of the world.

29. And when a great evil visited Norway last year, so-called experts filled the airwaves to assert that the attack bore all the hallmarks of Muslim extremists. We swiftly discovered that the awful truth was very different, yet around the world politicians, journalists and commentators remain committed to the idea that terrorism and Islam are two sides of the same coin.

30. After Timothy McVeigh brought mass slaughter to the streets of Oklahoma City, nobody suggested that all Christians were somehow responsible. To do so would rightly have been seen as absurd, yet that is the situation the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims find themselves in today.

31. How did this happen? How did acts of extremism by a tiny minority of Muslims come to be seen as a true reflection of the whole of the Islamic faith – and to overshadow the extremism that is being perpetrated right across the world, day in day out, by people of all faiths and none? Such pernicious views cannot be left unchallenged – and it is not enough to say, as many have done, that the solution to extremism is simply for more Muslims to speak up and speak out. We need to hear from moderates of all religions in all countries and from all walks of life – and when we do, the prize of peace is there for all to see.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

32. Malaysia has long been synonymous not with extremism but with moderation, tolerance , inclusivity and even acceptance.. In a predominantly Muslim country with substantial communities of Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Taoists and Sikhs, we know well the “dignity of difference”. We have many ethnic groups, many religions, but we continually strive to be a harmonious and truly united nation predicated on the values of moderation and the spirit of 1Malaysia.

33. We know that we are best and we are strongest when we actively embrace our differences rather than just putting up with them – and it is in that spirit that we come together at the first ever meeting of the Global Movement of the Moderates. But a truly global movement cannot be imposed from above – so we must awaken in all our countries and communities the triumph of truth over ignorance, falsehood and fear.

Ladies and gentlemen,

34. To advance our common cause, I am pleased to announce today the formation here in Malaysia of an Institute of Wasatiyyah, operating as part of the Prime Minister’s Office, to further the pursuit of moderation and balance in all its aspects – respect for democracy, the rule of law, education, human dignity and social justice. In the words of the great scholar Al-Imam Ibnul Qayyim, wasatiyyah – moderation or ‘balance’ – “neither being too lenient nor too extreme is like an oasis between two mountains”, and to encourage many more such scholars in the future we will also be creating an academic Chair of Wasatiyyah, operating under Universiti Malaya, with the postholder to be announced in due course.

35. To spearhead this work at an international level, I am delighted to announce the launch of a new Global Movement of the Moderates Foundation as a centre of first resort for the consolidation and dissemination of information and campaign materials to all those who want to join the fight against extremism, governmental and non-governmental bodies alike. Certainly it is essential that, rather than being an exclusive initiative by Malaysia, the GMM complements other initiatives for global dialogue and co-operation such as the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations.

36. It will not be a campaign for the faint hearted, but we cannot allow this moment to be overtaken by extremists, with those who shout loudest gaining the most. In the words of that great advocate for peace, Mahatma Gandhi, “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” – so it is for moderates everywhere to stand firm and stand proud, to dissipate the pull of the extremes and to deny those at the margins a foothold on the middle ground, ensuring that frustrations, wherever they are felt, are heeded and that voices, wherever they speak out, are heard.

37. Certainly, I hope this inaugural conference will provide an opportunity for us to brainstorm, debate and explore some of the practical challenges ahead – questions like: What does it take for a set of ideas and values to become a truly global movement? How can we inject moderation into our foreign policy decisions and domestic economic measures? And what can we learn from each other in the promotion of understanding, tolerance and peace?

Ladies and gentlemen

38. Maybe I am naïve to hope for a world without terror, intolerance and all of the hatreds and miseries that man inflicts on man – but the price of failure if we dream too small is simply too high to pay. So let us dare to dream big, let us dare to imagine what was once thought unimaginable, and yes, let us dare to answer the clarion call to action. Oppression and tyranny can only win out if good men and women stand idly by, unwilling to turn rhetoric into action and opinions into deeds.

39. So let us here, today, together, commit ourselves to change and begin the task of building a new coalition of the moderates for our times – and may I thank you once again for coming and wish you well in your discussions over the next few days. There has never been a more important conversation, and it is one that we must undertake with temperance, fortitude and courage.

Time to use the reshuffle card

2012-01-15T12:06:00.004+08:00

Mingguan Malaysia news today [read here] quoted Dato Seri Najib telling Barisan Nasional (BN) not fear the nationwide road tour of Dato Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim. It is meant to revive BN members' spirit, discouraged by the acquittal of Anwar's sodomy case.

Earlier in the week, he made a more alarming call on UMNO members to wake up from their slumber and face-up to the rising opposition wave. A week earlier, he was at a function that attracted a crowd of 1,000 against Anwar's nearby function of 5,000 attendance.

Najib could be too much of an aristocratic gentlemen to realise that Theory Y alone is not enough. Motivation and incentives, typically money allocation in UMNO, may not necessarily awake them long enough. It is time for the Theory X i.e. to wield the stick.

In a feudel-cultured organisation like UMNO, it has to start from the top. Najib have ignored the reshuffle call many times before using all sort of excuses. The last being mid-last week.

This time he has to use this card. A major cabinet and UMNO's organisational reshuffle is desperately needed to revive confidence in his government and leadership in UMNO. Political balancing will not be ignored, but it is paramount that he shows what the Najib team is made off.

The reshuffle is the best time to showcase the "pencapaian diutamakan (performance first)" portion of his 1Malaysia slogan.

As earlier as May 2010, there was a pro-UMNO bloggers campaign for a cabinet reshuffle and to revive the Pemuda UMNO.

True enough, it is proven today that Najib's current cabinet aka legacy of slumberjack Tun Dol is laden with Ministers who are either incompetent or shooting Najib's feet or both. While, the Pemuda and Puteri UMNO movements are weak and lethargic.

During that campaign, the bloggers' list was wee bit too long and politically not feasible. Some party position must be given cabinet position.

ABITW is giving our honest no hold barred selective comments on the existing cabinet members, to focus on the UMNO Ministerial list and highlighting only few component party Minister. See below:

Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak (Prime Minister/Finance Minister)

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Deputy Prime Minister/Education)

Prime Minister's Department
Senator Dato Palanivel a/l Govindasamy
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Unity and Performance Management)
He is not running in next general election. Drop him. Racial unity on the decline. Pemandu is Dato Idris Jala show.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz (Law and Parliament)
Well suited for this post but could undertake more senior role.
Brig. Gen. (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharum (Religious Affairs)
Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Economic Planning Unit)
Drop and investigate him. Too much controversies. Legacy icon of Tun Dol aka Slumberjack. Return role to Civil Servant.
Senator Dato Seri Idris Jala (Pemandu)
His policies are too neo-liberal and not in sync with PM's non Melayu liberal spirit. Look for his speech at UiTM in a Perkasa do. PM need to neutralise Idris (and Omar Ong) with more realistic policy thinkers or he will have problem with the Malay constituencies.

Deputies: Datuk Liew Vui Keong, Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, Datuk SK Devamany, Ahmad Maslan, Senator T. Murugiah
Drop Dr Mashitah. Potential problem.

Finance
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Time to Finance portfolio. time consuming and reduce his effectiveness. Can cut perceived baggage of Nazir. Suggested replacement Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Could allay rumour of friction between them. If not politically comfortable, suggest Husni Hanazlah.
Finance Minister II: Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah
Deputies: Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussein
Sent Awang Adek to PM Dept till corruption allegation cleared. Should attend Communication 101 class.

Education
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Replaced by Zahid Hamidi. Long shot choice replacement: Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi. The need for continuity in education policy. Teachers are sick with ever changing education policy with changes in Minister. If not considered for Finance, suggest defense.
Deputies: Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi

Transport
Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha
Deputies: Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri

Home
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Should adapt to new Acts of Home Ministry. Eventually, should be rotated to rakyat-related Ministry.
Deputies: Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, Jelaing Mersat

Information, Communications, Arts and Culture
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Drop. Failed in his role. Arrogant and cocky. Suggest Ahmad Shaberi Chik. Long shot suggestion: Revive Dato Shahidan Kassim for Information role for purpose of election preparation. Suggest split out Communiction. Consider also for UMNO Information Chief.
Deputies: Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Senator Heng Seai Kie
Suggest include young MIC MP for Hulu Selangor, P Kamalanthan

Energy, Green Technology & Water
Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy: Noriah Kasnon

Plantation Industries and Commodities
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Deputy: Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin

Rural and Regional Development
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Deputies: Datuk Hassan Malek, Datuk Joseph Entulu

Higher Education
Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin
Failed. Should be drop. Personal issue (allegedly of the Anwar kind) is a time bomb. Not clean image and disastrous appointments of VCs, particularly UiTM and UM.
Deputies: Dr Hou Kok Chung, Saifuddin Abdullah
Saifuddin be drop. Disastrous act of accepting memo at PWTC. Interference in police work to protect pro-opposition students break UUCA law. Expected to lose in Temerloh.

International Trade and Industry
Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputies: Datuk Muhkriz Mahathir, Datuk Jacob Dungau
Mukhriz suited for promotion to replace Khaled. Has long activism history related with University student.

Science, Technology and Innovation
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy: Fadillah Yusof

Natural Resources and Environment
Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Deputy: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Tourism
Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen
Not clean image arising from Dato Mirza controversy. MCA call.
Deputy: Dato Dr James Dawos Mamit

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries
Datuk Noh Omar
Deputies: Johari Baharum, Rohani Abdul Karim
Drop Johari Baharom. Irrelevent existence. Legacy issue. New blood needed.

Defence
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Suggested transfer to other Ministry. Communication 101 class suggested despite having doctoral degree.
Deputy: Datuk Dr Abdul Latif

Works
Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Only Tun Dol legacy cum KJ linked Minister doing fine.
Deputy: Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

Health
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy: Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shilin
Drop. Unhealthiest looking "Minister of Health." Like Khairy, need to focus her work as Ketua Puteri. Message that youth wing leaders no guarantee for Ministerial post.

Youth and Sports
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Suggest move to Foreign Ministry or Information, Communication and Arts & Culture.
Deputies: Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Wee Jeck Seng
Suggest Razali be promoted to Youth and Sports Minister. Too inexperienced for hot seat Johor MB post.

Human Resources
Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam
Deputy: Datuk Maznah Mazlan

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri
Drop. Not effective as Minister. Do not exude perception of confidence. Tun Dol legacy issue. Not expected to survive election in Bera.
Deputy: Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

Housing and Local Government
Datuk Chor Chee Heung
Deputy: Datuk Seri Haji Lajim bin Haji Ukin

Women, Family and Community Development
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Looks likely to be dropped. Pathetic handling of NFC issue. Uncall for action to drag Wanita UMNO, UMNO and other leaders to her personal issue. Still viable, maintain Ketua Wanita post and lay low from Cabinet for few years. Suggested replacement Senator Kamelia to allay internal politics in Perak. Najib must manage factional problem in Wanita UMNO so as not to upset existing team.
Deputy: Senator Puan Heng Seai Kie

Foreign Affairs
Datuk Anifah Aman
Deputies: Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Senator A. Kohilan Pillai

Federal Territories
Datuk Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin
Need lesson in Communication 101.
Deputy: Datuk M. Saravanan

Although Najib was reported to have denied a Cabinet reshuffle, he better do it or the RAHMAN matrix of UMNO Prime Minister ends with him. That is no two way now; it is either he reshuffle or he goes in the history book.

Not only he should reshuffle his cabinet reshuffle, he has to do sweeping change of the states's MB and CM post. Time to bring in fresh new faces and young ones. Start with changing the state liaison chiefs ...

Rationale of Judge’s decision should be transparent

2012-01-12T11:00:00.001+08:00

One foreign correspondent was focusing his story on Anwar’s reaction when the judge dispensed his judgement of Anwar’s sodomy case. He saw Anwar to be completely surprised by the acquittal.

The acquittal was a surprise to the Gerakan Bebaskan Anwar 901 that they may have forgotten of the three bombs set to explode when the crowd is supposed to be in the midst of frenzy protesting to an expected guilty judgement.

Both sides were surprised with the judgment.

However, what is most unbecoming is Anwar’s sudden change of opinion of the Malaysian judiciary system. Since he launched his 901 nationwide tours on December 27th, he, his family members and pro-Anwar Pakatan leaders including pro-Anwar bloggers were criticising the judiciary system.

Conveniently, his immediate remark upon his acquittal was that the judiciary system is moving towards greater freedom.

Within less than 12 hours after his last ceramah in Kg Pandan, which he attacked the judiciary system, there had been too few or most likely, no changes in the personnel of judges, of judges, prosecutors and lawyers operating in the judiciary system.

It is likely to be the same system that sentenced Dr Khir Toyo to one year imprisonment for buying a price-justified cheaper house one week ago that Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail described as a set-up to sentence Anwar as guilty.

By sentencing Khir Toyo, she claimed the judiciary system would be seen as fair for sentencing a Barisan Nasional leader thus there is no issue of party affiliation when the decision against Anwar is guilty.

Thus, how could the judiciary be any better or any worse after his acquittal? That is the hypocrisy on Anwar. Perhaps, it is a normal hypocrisy of politicians.

The written judgement of judge, Dato Zahidin bin Mohd. Diah, has yet to be available to enable the learned section of the public understand better the basis of his decision. But increasingly many, including the defence lawyers of Anwar, are surprised at Anwar’s acquittal.

Forget the conspiracy theory that judges can be manipulated by politicians.

Leave aside unsubstantiated claims that Anwar’s release was due to the effort of Senator Ezam Mohd Nor, who was brought to see the then Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi (now Tun Dol) by Khairy Jamaluddin in London, to plead for Anwar’s release to enable him to have his so-called back operations in Munich.

Do not even believe that Tun Dol would release Anwar because he refused to inherit Tun Dr Mahathir’s burden and fixed two MCOBA friends of Anwar on the federal court to hear and say nay.

Court decision has to be based on legal rationale of evidences and sound arguments and not of politics and conspiracy theories. Legal rationale can vastly differ from common people’s common sense, speculation and simplistic conclusions.

Until the written judgement is made known, the public have every right to seek answers for every unanswered questions that arise from newspaper reports on the judgement and past court proceeding.

The prosecution’s case is mainly based on Saiful’s testimony in court and forensic DNA evidence. While there are other supporting evidences and testimonies, it is not the main one.

As we understood it, there are other evidences and testimonies that could be introduced but the prosecution team felt it is a straight forward case and sufficiently water tight. There is no need to give room for Anwar to goreng (manoeuvre) into other possible conspiracy theories.

If not for Anwar’s court antics and judge’s high tolerance to his 69 postponements, the trial should not have taken 3 years and 6 months but only 4 months or as long as Khir Toyo’s trial.

Thus, Anwar will still be living with the perception of guilt for his delay tactics, his one week hiding in the Turkish Embassy upon Saiful’s police report, and his reluctance to perform the mubahalah (swear innocence in a Masjid).

The PKR boys on the ground are claiming Anwar had always maintain his innocence as their spin (not answer) to counter any doubts against Anwar acquittal that is still pervading.

The opposition kept saying about maturing politics but still resort to non-factual, simplistic spins and even, childish answers to address issues. But they alone should not be blamed since all political parties practice such communication method to the simplistic and factually adverse public.

There is no way Anwar would have been that confident of his innocence. Not only due to the actions mentioned, Anwar would not have problem being sworn witness in court to be cross examined by the prosecution team to give credibility to his in-court comments.

Anwar would have, without hesitance, voluntarily given his blood sample as DNA specimen to disprove the DNA claimed to be from Saiful’s anus are his. Off course, he would provide it upon requesting certain “personal safety” measures.

Extract from The Star Online report yesterday described judgement basis as follows:

Justice Mohd. Zabidin Mohd Diah said that after going through the evidence, the court could not be 100% certain the integrity of the DNA samples was not compromised.

He said as such, the court was left only with Saiful's testimony, which was uncorroborated, and was reluctant to convict based entirely on this.

Until a written judgment is available to understand the judge’s rationale, the big puzzle on members of the public that ABTW had access to within the last 24 hours is why would the judge raised the issue of DNA evidence in his judgement, after he had called Anwar for defence.

The common reason associated with specimen integrity is usually tampering of specimen.

If our memory did not fail us, the defence lawyers had tried raise doubts on the DNA specimen using tampering of the specimen as issue when cross examining one of the Government Chemist, believed to be Dr Seah.

This was done when the prosecution presented their evidence. If it had been accepted by the judge, Anwar should not have been called for defence. After all, the case is built on only two main evidences - Saiful’s testimony and DNA proof.

Moreover, had there been any issue of relevance on the DNA sample, it would have been on use of DNA sample extracted from Anwar’s drinking bottle, toothbrush and towel while in the police lock-up.

The judge had initially rejected the DNA sample but upon application from the prosecution team, he had reinstated the samples. Thus there is no more issue.

During the defence session, two so-called DNA experts were brought in by Anwar from Australia, namely Associate Prof. David Wells and Dr Brian McDonald. Both had aggressively attempted to negate all aspects of the DNA proof.

Upon cross examination by the prosecution team, one had their credibility as expert seriously in doubt and another had their testimony dissected to pieces. That’s the reason the testimonies of the experts were not given prominence in the wrap-up by the defence team.

In fact, when Anwar’s former spine surgeon, Dr Thomas Hoogland was invited to the witness stand, the integrity of his medical practise were now in serious doubts due to happenings at the Alpha Klinik, Munich.

Hoogland was brought over for Anwar to make a desperate claim of penile dysfunctional. But who would believe with his China Doll sex video at large on the Internet.

As far as the court proceeding as remembered, there were no more problems with the DNA proof. It explains for the need of judges to help the public answer this doubt.

Although judges tend to maintain keep audibility in their court within the confine of only the lawyers, for sake of the judicial integrity, they are responsible to make their judgement and court proceedings in their court transparent to the public, or at least within the legal community.

The written judgement of the judge will be awaited with bated breath by the knowing public. Not only because it is unbelievable to some that Anwar can be scot free, it will mean other sex offenders with DNA evidence pointing squarely at them, will also get away free.

That’s bad news for public safety, especially since Anwar’s Pakatan controlled Selangor and Penang, criminal-linked entertainment outlets are mushrooming even in housing areas. Sex related criminal offenses are on the rise also. So watch your back ...

The Government should assist to help the public understand the judge’s decision. Otherwise, the public may see the Government or Anwar’s side pressure may have had undue influence on the judge’s decision.

MAS: Fools and Bloody Fools

2012-01-11T15:18:00.005+08:00

The infamous former Federal Territory UMNO kingpin, the late Datuk Azman Attar had memorable quote: “If you have power make sure you are powerful, otherwise you are bloody fool.”

Looking at the situation in MAS post MAS-Air Asia collaboration, that quote is apt to described the Khazanah controlled and effectively Danny Yusof-led management, and President Alias Aziz-led MAS Employees’ Union (MASEU).

The management have the power and is applying power but not to revive the already accepted and reknown service credible brand of MAS. But instead, the shareholder and management are blindly applying power only to force the wrongful measures that is widely viewed and agreed as cannibalisation of MAS in favour of Air Asia and to destroy MAS in the shortest of time.

Subsequently, they will foolishly be saddled with a bigger problem of Air Asia that can bring down the regional market in the magnitude the Pan El crisis did in the mid-80s to the stock markets of Malaysia and Singapore.

Aren't they really bodoh or fools?

The staff union, MASEU have the power and influence to stop this, but they are either pussycat scared to apply the power within their disposal or perhaps to bodoh to apply it. In the words of Azman Attar, they fit the description bloody fools!

At the initial stage of the MAS-Air Asia collaboration proposal in October, MASEU had threatened to strike if the collaboration were to proceed. If they had done so, it would have taken the management a back and their views would be seriously consulted upon.

As a union representing the lower-end employee, MASEU is affiliated with ITF and it has the power to discipline the management that have been bulldozing their business plan through lies, deceit and rampant conflict of interest.

MASEU could have used their muscle. Read this news below:

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Malaysian airline deal could see workers’ rights eroded warns ITF

International Transport Wokers Union website
Wednesday, 26 October 2011

The ITF has urged the Malaysian government to ensure that workers’ rights are preserved in any future collaboration between Malaysia Airlines System (MAS) and low cost carrier Air Asia. It has been reported that an agreement between the two airlines was reached without union consultation.

In a letter, dated 19 October, to Malaysian prime minister Yab Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, ITF general secretary David Cockroft outlined concerns that a share swap and collaboration between MAS and Air Asia could lead to the erosion of workers’ rights. This could include the right of ITF affiliate Malaysia Airlines System Employees’ Union (MASEU) to represent and collectively bargain on behalf of MAS workers.

The MASEU, he said, was willing to work with management to help the national carrier maintain its international reputation, increase its profitability and build up its market share. However, the lack of consultation with the union, the well-known anti-union reputation of Air Asia and the planned deployment of thousands of staff to new entities as part of a restructuring exercise had created grave concern among the workforce.

Cockroft said: “The ITF and its affiliates are calling on the government of Malaysia and the management of MAS to work with MASEU and other independent unions, and to act transparently and in good faith in implementing any changes within the airline.

MASEU is open to change but insists on the need to protect workers’ terms and conditions, and maintains the union’s right to continue to represent and bargain for all MAS workers, however the management decides to reconfigure operations within the airline.

MASEU has the full support of the ITF and its affiliates, who are clear that legal devices should not be used to remove or dilute the union’s representation rights in the course of this process.

Without these safeguards, the union would be strongly opposed to any further collaboration with Air Asia.”

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The impact of a MAS worker strike would be a global boycott imposed on MAS at every airport and stops by affiliates of ITF.

In the early stage, Alias was making press statement expressing concern with the viability of the plan. Alias rose to raise points on the failure of Binafikir's WAU plan at the first townhall meeting where two voices rose to ask for an Airliner led management.

Suddenly Alias turned quiet. Word circulating amongst MAS staff and former MAS officials is that Alias is on the take. He can be easily silenced and it is open secret that he has a cabin cleaning contract with MAS.

But why did the members of the union kept quiet when he was posted to Kota Baru, thus running the union from Kota Baru and being out of the loop of happenings in the head office?

This blog had mentioned before of the unions unsuccessful attempt to meet Prime Minister, Dato Najib Tun Abdul Razak. Apart from the probability of Air Asia-X Director, Omar Ong Rasputin blocking from inside, the stumbling bloack was that the various unions in MAS are not a united voice to enable Najib to broker an agreement.

One problem with the unions was that they are not united. Realiable sources claimed the union representing the Managers are only interested to save their own arse by bodeking the new management to lend them support despite knowing Danny Yusof's turnaround plan fall short of being amateurish work and is doomed to fail again.

Every global corporate player knows Airlines are lousy buy. Too many unions, too many regulations. But the MAS unions are not making their presence to thwart plans by the corporate sharks brought in by shareholder Khazanah.

How bloody fool of them to only realise now when the situation have worsened for them to make noise?

Perhaps the union people only realised that management are retrenching staff without paying compensation using underhanded tactic such as moving the whole MAS headquarter to Sepang and in the pipeline using CIMB style to set KPI which not fulfillable by most staff. There are rampant cases of Managers nit picking on staff for 5 minutes train delay.

MASEU made a desperate press statement on December 19 and it was reported by Utusan Malaysia. These days issues against Air Asia will face problems getting press coverage from the major the English and Business newspapers for fear of being denied MAS and Air Asia advertisements.

The Utusan report below:

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Masue minta campur tangan kerajaan

Utusan Malaysia
Disember 19, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR 18 Dis. - Kesatuan Pekerja-pekerja Sistem Penerbangan MAS (Maseu) mahu kerajaan campur tangan dalam pelan pemulihan syarikat penerbangan itu, sekiranya pelan tersebut membabitkan pembuangan pekerja.

Pengerusinya, Alias Aziz berkata, berdasarkan taklimat mengenai pelan itu, nasib kakitangan Malaysian Airline System Bhd. (MAS) terutama anak-anak kapal masih samar.

Melalui taklimat yang diberikan oleh Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) MAS itu membayangkan kemungkinan berlaku pembuangan kakitangan syarikat penerbangan itu, katanya.

''Jelas apa yang sedang dilakukan oleh barisan pengurusan MAS ini bertentangan dengan jaminan yang telah diberikan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini.

Alias mendakwa dalam pertemuan singkat dengan Najib pada jamuan buka puasa lalu, Perdana Menteri telah memberi jaminan tiada pembuangan kerja di kalangan kakitangan MAS dalam usaha memulihkan syarikat penerbangan kebangsaan itu.

Beliau berkata, Pelan Pemulihan MAS yang baharu itu tidak mendapat reaksi positif di kalangan kakitangan kerana ia mengelirukan kakitangan.

''Ahmad Jauhari memberitahu mana-mana kakitangan akan dipindahkan ke syarikat-syarikat MAS yang akan dijadikan anak syarikatnya seperti MAS Kargo, penyenggaraan, pembaikan dan baik pulih (MRO).

''Kalau macam itu adakah kakitangan sedia ada perlu berhenti kerja terlebih dahulu, sebelum diagih-agihkan kepada anak-anak syarikat tersebut?," ujar beliau.

Tambahnya, tindakan MAS menjadikan MAS Kargo dan MRO sebagai anak syarikat juga menimbulkan banyak persoalan.

Alias mempersoalkan mengapa setiap kali berlaku perubahan pengurusan, aset-aset MAS dipertaruhkan.

''Dulu Akademi MAS dan bangunan MAS di Jalan Sultan Ismail.

''Sekarang, MRO dan MAS Kargo pula. Tidakkah ada jalan terbaik yang boleh mereka lakukan selain menjual aset-aset yang ada?," tegas beliau.

Dalam pada itu, Alias berkata, Maseu juga kurang senang dengan pembabitan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AirAsia Bhd., Tan Sri Tony Fernandes dalam operasi MAS secara tidak langsung.

''Kenapa pengurusan MAS membawa Fernandes berjumpa dengan kakitangan MAS. Bukankah beliau berperanan dalam Lembaga Pengarah sahaja?

''Kami tidak suka dan kami akan terus membantah urus niaga pertukaran saham antara MAS-AirAsia," tegasnya.

Malah, Alias mahu MAS menjawab mengapa syarikat penerbangan itu memasukkan penerbangan AirAsia dalam sistem tiketnya.

''Kami mahu MAS menjelaskan perkara-perkara yang Maseu menyifatkannya ia begitu mengejutkan," ujar beliau.

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Recently, they have been more forceful and divulging, or perhaps, more desperate in lieu of the heightened implementation of butchering program by management, in their press statement as in this The Sun report on December 28th, 2011.

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No to MAS downsizing

The Sun
29 December 2011

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) unionised staff are unhappy over a potential plan by its management to downsize the workforce as part of the struggling national carrier’s turnaround plans.

MAS Employees’ Union (Maseu) president Alias Aziz told SunBiz that MAS management had indicated its intention to reduce its workforce during a Dec 16 meeting chaired by MAS group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and his deputy Mohammed Rashdan Mohd Yusof, which was attended by representatives of Maseu, Malaysia Airlines Pilots’ Association, Airline Workers Union of Sarawak, Air Transport Workers Union of Sabah and MAS Executive Staff Association.

“However, the management did not say how many employees will be affected, although it was told that only 3,000 staff were needed for the airline’s short haul operations which include Firefly and the new yet-to-be-named regional premium carrier (that will be launched by mid-2012),” said Alias on Wednesday.

MAS also wants its employees to first resign from the airline if they opt to join the new regional airline.

Right now, MAS has about 20,000 workers.

theSun had reported on Dec 16, quoting sources, that about half of MAS’s total workforce will be affected by the airline’s business plan, which involves cutting money-losing routes, deploying new aircraft, managing costs and spinning off ancillary businesses.

“We (union members) are not happy with the latest business plan for MAS. We are concern about the impact of cuts on MAS’s unprofitable routes, closing of some stations overseas and spinning off its subsidiaries which may inevitably lead to staff cuts.

“This is not the way to turnaround MAS,” said Alias.

“This (possible job cuts) also goes against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who had in a meeting with me (as Maseu president) in September gave an assurance that there would be no job cuts nor voluntary separation schemes (VSS) to follow the latest reshuffle at the airline,” he added.

Alias said the union members also disagree with the MAS-AirAsia share swap as they see AirAsia benefiting more from the deal, not MAS.

When contacted on Wednesday, a MAS spokesman said any move to redeploy or cut its workforce is “still a work in progress and we will make announcements when details are finalised”.

“These are still in planning stages. We are now engaging staff through a series of meetings for them to understand our plans and hear their feedback and questions.

“We will engage all stakeholders including the media at the right time when we have the detailed information,” he said.

------------------------------

Alas Alias, it may be too late. He should be blamed for being a bloody fool.

Simply, after Alias cancelled plans for a strike, his public statements turned meek and issues raised were watered down issue. Below is an example:

------------------------------

'MAS-AirAsia deal not against anti-trust laws'

Business Times
2011/11/02

AirAsia X Bhd chairman, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, said the tie-up between MAS and AirAsia Bhd will not result in monopolistic practices between the two carriers following their share-swap
exercise.

She also said the share-swap would not result in any behaviour that would violate anti-trust laws.

"We (AirAsia and MAS) are guided by strict anti-trust laws overseas and in Malaysia when the competition laws come into force next year.

"We'll never be able to do anything that violates any anti-trust laws," she told a media briefing on the Malaysia-Europe Forum's Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur today.

The Malaysian Competition Commission is currently reviewing the possible impact of the MAS-AirAsia collaboration on the local market, and would advise both airlines on all possible areas.

She said the collaboration may result in cost-cutting for both airlines and it would be beneficial for passengers and customers as they could give better services.

Rafidah said the MAS management must continuously hold dialogues with all levels of its workforce through its unions.

"This is to explain in detail what’s happening and what’s going to happen, particularly to the employees, and the areas of cost-saving which will translate into benefits," she said.

The Malaysian Airlines System Employees Union (MASEU) has expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation given by the management on the collaboration.

MASEU had decided to write to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wanted to meet him to convey their views and opposition to the collaboration.

It was also reported recently that the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has urged the Malaysian government to ensure that workers’ rights were preserved in any future collaboration between the two airlines.

The report said an agreement between the two airlines was reached without union consultation.

In a letter dated October 19 to Najib, ITF general-secretary, David Cockroft, outlined concerns that a share-swap and collaboration between MAS and Air Asia could lead to the erosion of workers’ rights.

This could include the right of ITF affiliate MASEU to represent and collectively bargain on behalf of MAS workers. -- Bernama

------------------------------

Who cares about anti-trust laws? This is a clear case of Tan Sri Rafidah trying to make Air Asia and the collaboration look union friendly. MASEU allowed them have a field day.

From the beginning, MASEU knew that the collaboration will not work and it will not favour MAS and employees. They also knew that the management has no idea of how to turnarund MAS and is merely out to chop chop the company.

WTF are they not asserting themselves? Why should they allow diversion of issue into issues like anti-trust laws? Who gives a Mother's damn?

Let's deal with the long list of foolish work by the fools calling themselves management in another posting.

Answer first, why are the unions and staff are not coming out and be more forceful to protect the company and employees from the corporate sharp devouring the company? Instead, most of the staff are selfishly only interested to save their own skin by leaving the company before others flood the job market.

Bloody fools!

Liar say sorry for lying

2012-01-10T23:51:00.002+08:00

Dato Kalimullah Hasan in braces with Lim Kian Onn in an ECM Libra do in 2007

Finally, after undergoing years of court proceedings in two defamation cases, Dato Kalimullah Hasan, the former Group Editor in Chief (GEIC) of the News Straits Times Group agreed to apologise to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for lying in his article written on 11 June 2006 in the New Sunday Times.

Kalimullah agreed to the mutual consent for an amicable solution with Matthias Chang, former political secretary to Tun Dr Mahathr today. Read Rocky Bru here and The Mole here.

In the said article here, Kalimullah made up story that in a trip to Japan, Dr Mahathir wanted to meet now Tun Abdullah but Tun Abdullah insisted that he would "go and see his ex-boss rather than let Dr Mahathir come down to see him."

Personal Assistant to Tun Dr Mahathir, Sufi Yusoff pointed out the error in his reply on MyKMU.net dated June 12 2006.

Extract reads as follows:

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad did not seek an appointment with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi while both leaders were in Tokyo attending the Nikkei Conference.

In fact, it was the opposite. Dr Mahathir was only informed by a third party that the Prime Minister was on the way to call on him 20 minutes before he was due to leave the hotel on May 26.

To this, Dr Mahathir agreed and the two leaders met for about 10 minutes before Dr Mahathir had to take his leave.

Naturally, the liar editor Kalimullah did not release the reply.

Dato Ahiruddin Attan @ Rocky Bru called him a liar in his blog, Rocky Bru. Subsequently, Kalimullah sued Rocky and Jeff Ooi, who also reported it in his blog.

Jeff Ooi has since sought for off-court settlement so that the lawsuit will not spoil his chances to run again in the upcoming general election. While, the court case for Rocky Bru is scheduled for tomorrow.

What happens to Rocky Bru's case after Kalimullah had, by apologising, indirectly admitted he lied?

Not only that, this is not the first time Kalimullah had indirectly admitted guilt. Read Rocky Bru dated June 11 2007 here.

The curious minds would ask as to why Kalimullah is seeking settlement after so many years, he had refused to apologise to Rocky, Jeff Ooi and Matthias Chang. He has been sticking to the story as the truth.

It seems he claimed he is under much stress from the court cases. Perhaps it is true. In the lawsuit and counter lawsuit between Matthias Chang against Kalimullah, Matthias was determined to drag everyone related to the ECM Libra-Avenue debacle.

Kalimullah should be under tremendous stress worrying, if under cross examination, any of the witness spilled the beans on him and exposed the wrongdoings of the Tun Abdullah administration.

Already, Matthias attempted to subpoena Tun Abdulah Ahmad Badawi and Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop but was rejected by the courts. Tan Sri Azman was subpoened but is seeking court dismissal. Khairy Jamaluddin could not dismiss the subpoena and is schedued to be a witness.

This settlement should be a relief for Khairy who celebrated his Birthday today. Happy Pinky Birthday YB!

Omar Ong Rasputin congratulates Anwar

2012-01-09T17:27:00.001+08:00

The Benchmark here revealed Twitter messages allegedly belonging to Omar Mustapha or more familiarly known as Omar Ong.

The blog asked: Are we looking at another 'passport delivery-boy' in action, only this time under a different administration with a different Prime Minister?

ABIITW see another similarity.

Both are neo-liberals selling the country's asset away, dismantling the foundation of this country as inscribed in our constitution and bringing in unbridled neo-iberalism ideology that ignores the historical heritage and colonial baggage of this country.

The book by Raja Petra, Khairy Chronicles documented that Omar Ong as the person who introduced Khairy to Anwar Ibrahim.

During Tun Abdullah era, Khairy played a prominent role in the kitchen cabinet of Run Abdullah.

Omar's Ethos Consulting benefited during Tun Abdullah's administration. And, Ethos still benefited during Najib's administration and more.

Omar is on the board of foreign majority Air Asia-X. Together with Air Asia, both organisation are benefitting from the cannibalisation of MAS planned and executed by the corporate boys of Tun Abdulllah's MoF II Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop at Khazanah from Binafikir.

Khairy-Pak Lah faction have been in communication with Anwar Ibrahim. Some blog are claiming both both of them are in communication with Tengku Razaleigh. This blogger met witness who say all of them together with some PAS leaders met at Ku Li's residence.

Najib is regularly meeting and seen together in function with Tun Dr Mahathir with the last one at the Proton factory.

Whose side is Najib's wunder boy adviser, Omar Ong with?

Meow meow for Big Cat ... Still on Johor [up-dated]

2012-01-05T15:00:00.003+08:00

Meow meow ... Hello hello ...

Big Cat gave a response to our previous posting here, which investigated a lead from Rocky Bru's here.

Far from looking at his view as picking a quarrel, we at ABITW appreciate his response. And we seek his extensive Johor network to investigate and answer some leads.

Big Cat and his commentators here alert us not to look away from Khazanah. They could be doing a cover-up of their wrongdoing at the Medini project, as an example.

That's worth pursuing.

Big Cat also dispell Dato Lim Kang Ho's link to Menteri Besar Dato Gani Osman.

It would mean there is no truth that Lim is de facto MB of Johor, a common heard remark in Johor to imply Lim gets whatever he wish for in Johor.

We are quite aware of the relationship between Lim Kang Ho with Dato Hishamuddin Hussein Onn as fellow Directors in Ekovest berhad. This is Hishamuddin before joined politics and became a Minister. He has long formally left Ekovest.

Maybe Big Cat could help us understand as to why would Gani deal with a corporate personality, who could be a nominee or proxy of another politician? More so, when that politician joined politics with his help to make an opening at his Division's Youth Leader post.

Lim Kang Ho is believed to have had a big role in resuscitating KPRJ. Some said there were two plots of land given to him in exchange for his role.

If it is true, it was kind of sad. So happen "we" know of KPRJ before Dato Gani Osman could think of how to fund his Infra Desa idea. "We" is not ABITW but an entity of a group of professional financial men.

"We" knew well ahead KPRJ will face a problem way before they signed the loan agreement with Perwira Habib Bank (or was it Perwira Affin Bank).

And, "we" knew ahead that KPRJ will resort to use of PLC such as Man Yau Berhad to solve it's problem. Taufik Tun Dr Ismail and Abu Zaroff (now with Scomi) didn't get the financial turnaround of KPRJ job.

Hopefully, Big Cat can confirm with us if it was Tebrau Teguh Berhad that replaced Man Yau as the vehicle.

If so, it poses another qustion. KPRJ claim to be concern for rural infrastructure and common folks housing.

But, why is KPRJ subsidiary, Tebrau moving away from low to medium housing to high end property?

Kesian for the hardworking people of KPRJ. They should blame the older team of KPRJ for not being frugal in their spending. They had lined-up Merc and Bimmers in front of the corporate office. It was Gani that gave them that free hand.

"We" could certainly help but Gani trusted a Singaporean with New Zealand passport, Dato Amiruddin Yusof Lana. He ended asking "us" how to do it.

Gani was turned on by a simple concept paper that was sexy like a mini skirt but hid it's passage to paradise. He saw it as a political move to endear himself with the people. At the same time, he could ride the unpopularity of his former Muar High School classmate and rubbish him further with allegations that only Anwar could dare do such.

Too bad, he was too kedekut to pay professional for their intellectual property i.e. he stole the idea. Stolen goods has no barakah.

While Lim Kang Ho has formally departed ways with Hishamuddin long time ago in Ekovest, it is puzzling that he kept getting endless projects and lands from the state and it's agencies and is in business with state SLCs?

For instance, Danga Bay is bought over by Iskandar Investment Berhad.

Maybe Big Cat could investigate if the the highway to Nusajaya was given to Lim Kang Ho. How much did it cost and how much it should cost?

Like you, we are concern for BN. But, we will not defend them blindly. Wrong is wrong.

Of late, the corporate boys of the BN Government have been shooting BN's own feet. MAS Air Asia is a stark example where more than 100,000 votes may not come BN's way.

Naturally, BN Government have to defend them, be it Khazanah Nasional, Johor SEDC, IIB, NFC, etc. That only worsen the situation and image of BN.

How are we to criticise the Selangor Government for destroying institutions like Yayasan Selangor but we ourselves are destroying the work and effort of institutions that we ourselves built.

How are we going to stand on the podium to claim "Kita perjuangkan nasib orang Melayu" but it is Lim Kang Ho that becomes the kingpin of Johor and Singaporean Peter Lim that is getting the headline of buying land and properties in Johor Baru.

The 100 over Bumiputera entrepreneurs, who agrees to be minority shareholders are under Johor Corp. One has already and 33 more to follow in losing their job and the company they built from scratch, fired by management committee of Johor Corp which is chaired by Gani himself but strangely the CEO is not allowed attendance.

Is that is what improving values to play more social role means? It sounds more like to fore-go the current and existing social role to make the capitalist richer. The latter social role will always be maybe.

Since Big Cat is a great fan of The Benchmark here, do find out about Knusford Berhad. The website here reads the Chairman as Dato Halimah Sadique, a member of Gani's faction. Lim Kang Ho is inside too!

However, it is believed not to be his. There could be other ultimate beneficiary.

So is the case with the grand masterplan for the Johor Baru Central Business District (CBD). Do investigate.

There could probably be something which even anonymous bloggers dare not write.

Since Peter Lim and The Benchmark is mentioned, investigate any truth that the go-between commission for one deal on a TNB land near Stulang Laut that was sold to Peter Lim reaped in RM80 million by booking a left and right accounting entry. Gani or Lim Keng Ho is not accused.

But, who is the ultimate beneficiary?

Another one involves the oil and gas industry in which land gazetted for gas pipeline was hijacked. Now all the oil and gas company have to pay a lanun in yellow. Who is the lanun?

These ultimate beneficiaries and unstated purposes are uncontrollable factors not good for business.

When there is unstated purpose/(s) behind a certain corporate exercise, save us the public from the official communique. It just goes out the other ear.

In these day and age of transparency and information availability, do it properly. Not only, do not get caught, do not also alert suspicion. Otherwise, it will turn into a political campaign issue.

By doing things proper, one ensure BN's victory in the next general election.

The people are convinced that Pakatan Rakyat is not the answer. But they want to be convinced that UMNO has undergone ethical and moral transformation before giving BN the votes. Attacking opposition is not enough.

* Updated 2:55 PM

Did KPRJ's Johar Salim oppose MACC investigation into IIB?

2012-01-02T20:00:00.002+08:00

Iskandar or whatever it was called before had been under our radar since Tun Dol announced it as his idea back in 2006.

It is a wrong place to be involved professionally or commercially. It doesn't matter how big a name is thrown in, how giant a company to be involved, so-called billion investment brought in, claimed big name consultant or fool proof system put in place. No one is going to believe it is clean and efficient.

Iskandar is laden with the inexperianced and incompetent but academically padded resume of Tingkat 4 boys!

Even Wan Mohamaed Firdaus attempt to pacify some bloggers sometime back got tarred in feathers. He is the activist of IDEAS, and private assistant of MB Johor Dato Gani Osman. The bloke hardly knows 10% of what's happening and wrongdoings in Iskandar, be it IRDA or IIB.

Imagine ... Gani appointed this undercook 28 year old as Director to check on Tingkat 4's Dato Zaki Zahid, recently appointed Managing Director of Johor Corporation's Kulim

The IIB scandal exposed another of Gani's undercook appointee, but he is significantly older than 28 years old.

An extract from Big Cat's expose on IIB caught my attention, read below:

My friend was among the large group of mid-level management staff who left IIB last year. At that time he told me that he can't stand anymore the antics of a group whom he called "the inner circle".

"If only Arlida had stood up to them," he said, in reference to former IIB CEO Arlida Ariff whose husband was charged with alleged IIB-related corruption several days ago.

Then my friend pointed out something which have been bothering me all along.

"How come no one really linked all this with Khazanah?" he asked before proceeding with several other questions.

"All those people in the inner circle, aren't they appointed to their position by the Khazanah board of directors? I know one of them who started as an assistant vice president and within just over two years had become a director and heading one of IIB's major projects. The guy is just a marketing person and has no technical background. What were the Khazanah BOD thinking when they appointed him? Or was there something else behind it?"

"Another thing is that the E&Y people were send in by Azman (Mokhtar). How sure are the MACC that they did not cover up for Khazanah?"

Seriously, I had these doubts also about Khazanah back then, especially when I observed the manner of how Arlida was told that her services were no longer required by IIB. The way Khazanah distanced themselves from IIB at that time piqued me. I still remember how the Khazanah people washed their hands off the whole thing. What actually made me angry with them at that time is the fact that everytime IIB did well previously, they would had always been there to share the limelight.

So, ABITW is not the only one questioning the competency of Khazanah organisation and claiming nothing impressive of them than their indivial cademic resume. It s part of NMY's rotten network.

When one turn the heat on one side, it is likely to spread, unless one do something about it. Maybe by disclosing something.

Rocky Bru disclosed the following:

In March, Earnst & Young had just completed the audit ordered by Khazanah, the major shareholder of IIB (it owns 60% of IIB, EPF and Johor state government's investment arm Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) each owns 20%).

It was reported that E&Y found cases of mismanagement and criminal breach of trust, among other things. Khazanah chief Azman Mokhtar, or Amok to his friends and to bloggers, studied the E&Y report and discussed with stakeholders the next course of action.

Aides said he was keen to invite the relevant authorities in and let them probe deeper the findings of E&Y. Nothing to hide and he wanted the rogues out. He was proposing that Khazanah/IIB lodge a police report and another to the MACC.

Strangely, not everyone was in favour of his idea. A representative from Kumpulan Prasarana (who was, in effect, the representative of Johor state government) who sat on the IIB board, in particular, was not too keen to go along with Amok's idea.

But Amok was adamant and the IIB Board called in the cops in April this year to investigate tbe findings of E&Y.

A certain Board member was adamant that a report to the MACC was unnecessary but the MACC eventually came into the picture, nevertheless.

Who is the Prasarana representative on the Board of Directors trying to cover-up the wrongdoings in IIB which is already infamous throughout Johor?

No, it is not Wan Mohamad Firdaus. The boys is too naive to be ridiculously quick with his optimism and hope. It seemed Zaki Zahid is heard to be on the prowl claiming the Sultan is in his pocket. See The Benchmark here.

Some compilation of background profile was made. Read the following:

Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar - Chairman (Represent Khazanah)
Ganendran Sarvananthan (Alt Director: Zaida Khalida binti Shaari) (Represent Khazanah)
Dato Ghazali bin Mohd Ali (Director of Binapuri and Boustead Hldg, Not known to represent who.)
Johar Salim in Yahya (COO KPRJ, Director/Exe. Chairman, PLS Plantations Bhd (formerly Pembinaan Limbongan Setia Bhd), Chairman and previous MD Iskandar Waterfront, and Director/Exe Vice Chairman Tebrau Teguh Berhad. Represent KPRJ.)
Md Yusof bin Hussin (Former MD of I&P berhad, GM PNB, Director Tebrau Teguh Berhad, Glenealy, TH Pantation, CGC berhad, LaFarge Malayan Cement, etc. Chairman of sub of BNM, TPPT Sdn Bhd and SDRC. Not known to represent who.)
Mohamad Lotfy bin Mohamad Noh (Former GM Property Investment, EPF. Managing Director of Kwasa Land. Have controversy, read APA here. Should represent EPF.)
Dato Ibrahim bin Taib (Senior Management, Deputy CEO of EPF. Should represent EPF.)
Jamil Hajar bin Abdul Mutallib (Iskandar Waterfront, Executive Vice President, CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, former Director Scan Associates, sub of Mesdaq. Should represent Khazanah.)
Mohd Nadziruddin bin Mohd Basri (CFO Khazanah, former Sr Mgr E&Y, Former GM of Project Management & Assurance and Airport Operations, MAS. Should represent Khazanah.)
Dato Syed Mohamad bin Syed Ibrahim (President/CEO)

Our investigation leads us to Iskandar Waterfront which we believe was the Ekovest's former Danga Bay project that was taken over by IIB. It's profile from the Company's website reads below:

IWD’s development is within Iskandar Malaysia (IM), a national project driven by the Federal Government and the Government of the State of Johor.

IWD is a Government-linked company (GLC) through the shareholding of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) at 51.2% and Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ- an investment arm of the State Government) at 12.3%. The balance of 36.5% is held by Danga Bay Sdn. Bhd., a private property development company.

At the same time, Khazanah Nasional, the investment arm of the Federal Government, holds 60% of the shares in IIB. The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and KPRJ hold 20% each. Incorporated on 10 October 2006, IWD has a land bank of 3,028 acres of prime waterfront land.

The previous members of the Board of Directors of Iskandar Waterfront were:

Arlida binti Ariff (Chairman)
Ganendran Sarvananthan
Dato’ Lim Kang Hoo
Johar Salim bin Yahaya
Madam Lim Hoe
Adlan bin Ahmad
Rosenah binti Mohd Hassan
Hisham bin Zainal Mokhtar
Omar Siddiq bin Amin Noer Rashid
(alternate director to Ganendran Sarvananthan)

Who are the members of the present Board of Directors of Iskandar Waterfront? If the present website is the right source, then these are the current members:

Tn Hj Johar Salim Yahaya - Chairman
Dato’ Lim Kang Hoo - Managing Director
Lim Keng Cheng
Wong Khai Shiuan
Hj Jamil Hajar Bin Abdul Muttalib
Dato Dr.Shahir Nasir
Norliza Suleiman

From one go, it is noticeable that this outfit is now controlled by the people of KPRJ and Dato Lim Kang Ho and one Khazanah rep. Lim Kang Ho is an open secret in Johor. He is widely said to be proxy or business partner of Gani.

The most worried to have police and MACC investigate IIB must be those people who benefit most and is involved in deals that can be controversial.

Mohd Yusof Husin, former MD of I&P could be another Director representing Parasarana. He was known to be close to Gani and invited to play some role in Johr on Gani's return in Johor. However, his resume shows he is on some Government committees and is not active n the corporate scene. He is probably retired.

However, Tuan Haji Johar Salim seemed to benefit the most by the recent management shake-up after Erlida and four Senior VP, including Haji Rostam Razali that admitted guilty, left a year ago.

He has moved from a Director to be Chairman of a company controlled by MB's alleged caicai or Chinese whose a Malay macai.

Being on board of Tebrau Tegas and playing an active role, Johar Salim is alleged to be involved in some controversial deals. It is still not the talk of Johor but merely an undercurrent. The hint given is no one in Johor can resist the demands of Tebrau Tegas.

Members of the Board of Directors and Management of Khazanah Nasional Berhad could be off the hook for awhile until something else surfaces. Already, it is disturbing to see Khazanah absorbed failed executives like Tengku Azmil of formerly MAS and Hisham Hamdan of formerly Sime Darby.

Johor has been in a the spotlight lately with Gani's wrong apppointments to put former Tingkat 4 Dato Zaki Zahid at the helm and a Tingkat 4 clone, Wan Mohamad Firdaus as board members.

Johoreans are screaming murder as to why Kulim is selling QSR and KFC to a joint venture company between Johor Corp (51%) and private equity fund CVC Capital Partners Asia III Ltd (49%).

The JV company has appointed CIMB Investmen Bank Bhd as advisor. That is bad news.

The memory of Khazanah and Tingkat 4 manouvre to takeover 51% of Pantai with Parkway holding 49& but even to buy a pencil requires Parkway's approval, is fresh in the mind of many. Later Khazanah paid a hefty premium to buy over control of Parkway.

Maybe someone should make a report to MACC and let them investigate all of Johor's investment arms like Johor Corporation and KPRJ.

Suddenly many Chinamen close to politicians have active role in GLCs. Could there be hanky panky going on at the tail end of Gani's political career?

Could that be the reason why Johar Salim was against MACC investigation into IIB? He could be worried that it will trace itself to KPRJ and other Johor investments, especially Danga Bay or now Iskandar Waterfront?

Iskandar Waterfront got big plans with Tan Sri Danny Tan's Dijaya. There is a lot to talk of Tan Sri Vincent and Tan Sri Danny Tan beyond business but into the realm of politics. PKR's headquarter is at Danny's development project.

Gani does not care because a Pakatan Rakyat sympathiser, WM Firdaus can be his assistant.

Perhaps, Johar Salim was instructed to cover-up for Nusajaya's ADUN, Datuk Aziz Sapian? He is now under investigation and widely believe he could be charged. If so, who instructed him?

* Updated: 3/1/2012 8:15 AM

Musical Interlude: Welcome 2012 ... You raise me up

2012-01-01T00:01:00.002+08:00

May God bless all of us for this new year 2012

Musical Interlude 2011: Time to say goodbye

2011-12-31T09:00:00.001+08:00

Make police report for subjudice against Anwar

2011-12-29T20:30:00.001+08:00

Perkasa President, Dato Ibrahim Ali made a police report at the Dang Wangi police station on alleged attempt by Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to disrupt the High Court from delivering a verdict on January 9th, 2011.

On the ground, Gerakan Bebaskan Anwar 901 are distributing pamphlets to encourage the public to gather at the Jalan Duta High Court. Anwar's Angkatan Muda Keadilan are getting their cybertroopers to spread the same message via the blogs, Facebook, Twitter, SMS, etc.

The plan is so elaborate and extensive that budget is allocated to pay for buses to ferry supporters, banners and posters are centrally coordinated, and a plan roadshow is in place. Read The Unspinners here, here and here.

Ibrahim Ali's concern for public safety is one part, but Anwar plan can have influence on the verdict. Someone should make a police report on Anwar and the organising groups AMK specific for sub-judice offense.

The Malaysian Insider report on Ibrahim Ali below:

Ibrahim Ali sees plot to disrupt Sodomy II verdict

The Malaysian Insiders
December 29, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali alleged today of an attempt to organise a mass gathering on January 9 to disrupt the High Court here from delivering a verdict in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial, and warned the assembly could cause chaos and unrest.

The Perkasa president claimed to have received text messages and obtained leaflets of plans for a big gathering in front of the High Court next month, and urged the police to investigate the matter immediately.
Assalamualaikum, salam sejahtera dan salam hormat...Salam Pimpinan Pusat, AMK & Wanita serta para aktivis dan reformis... Lampiran adalah Badge, Bannner & Risalah untuk kegunaan kempen Bebas Anwar 901. Harap dapat diseleraskan bahan2 ini untuk kegunaan seluruh negara. Bahan-bahan ini adalah hasil perbincangan bersama "Sekretariat Gerakan Bebas Anwar 901" yang diketuai oleh Sdr. Shamsul Iskandar, Ketua AMK dan dianggotai oleh rakan2 pimpinan utama parti, Wanita, AMK, Negeri-negeri, NGO, Aktivis dan gerakan reformis 98... Harap dapat diedarkan dan diseleraskan.... Mohon semua SUK-SUK Negeri edarkan kepada MPN masing2.. Semoga kempen ini dapat digerakkan selaras seluruh negara..

Terima Kasih,

SYED BADLI SHAH B. SYED OSMAN
Setiausaha Kerja AMK Malaysia
“I believe there is an attempt by a group to spread leaflets to have a gathering at the High Court on January 9 to disrupt the trial process of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy case.

“To me, the move is clearly in contempt of court, disrespectful of the law and constitution, and can cause public unrest and endanger the safety of the people,” he told reporters here.

According to the Malay rights leader, the leaflets contained messages like “Free Anwar 901”, “Lawan tetap lawan” and “Rakyat Hakim Negara.”

Predicting Anwar’s supporters would trigger chaos on the day, Ibrahim said “the police need to investigate the matter to ensure the safety of the people and the country is guaranteed.”

“Probe who is behind this plan for a gathering and take strict action against them. Don’t let them take the law into their own hands.”

Trial judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah will deliver a decision on Anwar’s sodomy charge come January 9, after a high-profile trial which began in February last year.

Anwar has vehemently denied sodomising his former aide, saying the claim was part of an elaborate ploy to end his political career.

In addition to the report made by Ibrahim Ali, someone should make a police report against Anwar for subjudice offense.

Subjudice is a Latin term that literally means “under judicial consideration.” The subjudice law governs what public statements can be made about any on-going legal proceedings.

It's purpose is to avoid pre-judgement. A public rally as organised by Anwar may place improper pressure on the court, thus it is in contempt of court.

The sodomy case against Anwar has had it's day in court and it has undergone due process of law.

Anwar have been given the opportunity to present his side of the case, to defend, to bring his witnesses and alibi, and all the leeways, including to allow his conspiracy theory to be mentioned in court, more than 50 postponements, three time application to remove the judge, upteen non-related court applications and appeals, etc.

Since the police report made by Saiful Bahri against Anwar on June 28, 2008, the court proceeding begin in June 2009 and it has taken two and half year to complete. This is unlike Dr Khir Toyo's corruption trail that took only 4 months for a decision!

Anwar cannot deny his involvement in Gerakan Bebas Anwar 901. The gameplan and modus operandi is similar to Reformasi 1998. His appearance in ceramah to discuss his case openly have been going on since his first liwat rally at the Kelana Jaya Stadium on July 6th 2008.

It is his attempt to get a public discussion going. Since the Arab Spring revolutions, he has looked to instigate the public further into an emotional uprising. Anwar and his boys have been talking of Tahrir Square-like uprising to topple the legitimate Government in their ceramah.

Only through such means, Anwar see will earn him freedom from imprisonment (if convicted) for his sodomy case which is convincing to the thinking public that he is guilty. The public had distance themselves from Anwar since the release of his video in a sexual romp with a Chinese prostitute.

Someone should make a police report against Anwar for contempt of court. Who knows ... heard Dato Najib is still compiling his winnable candidate list. :)

Only another Khazanah-Amokh failure [Up-dated]

2011-12-28T13:12:00.001+08:00

Any more failures, Azman should proudly hang himself
with his Kolet ties on

The Star reported husband to former CEO of Iskandar Investment Berhad, Arlida Ariff charged for graft yesterday. In today's report, two former directors of IIB to be charged for project packag of RM2 billion.

This is but another failure of "analyst" Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and the organisation he leads, Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

In Khazanah, such failure or leakage in the system is not treated with alarm. Sometimes failure are rewarded.

Read The Star news below:

Husband of former Iskandar project official charged with graft (Updated)

The Star Online
Tuesday December 27, 2011

JOHOR BARU: The husband of a former top official of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) was charged at the Sessions court here with asking and receiving RM1.6mil from a construction company as an inducement to get a tender project from IIB.

Mohd Amin Suhaimi, 52, pleaded not guilty to all three charges against him for asking and receiving money from Detect Engineering Sdn Bhd to get a tender project to build a boarding school in Pulai from IIB worth RM40.84mil.

In the first charge, he was alleged to asked RM816,900 in cash from Detect Engineering Sdn Bhd director Mohd Hassan Madon, 48, through Mohd Iskandar Fahmi Abdullah, 52, who acted as the middleman.

The offence allegedly took place at a hotel along Jalan Harimau in Taman Century here around 5pm on April 22 last year.

In the second charged, Amin was alleged to received RM500,000 in cash as a fee from Hassan through Mohd Iskandar, at a parking lot inside a shopping complex along Jalan Wong Ah Fook around 4pm on June 4, 2010.

He was also alleged to received RM316,900 in cash as a fee for helping the company to get the project from IIB, at a parking lot inside a shopping complex along Jalan Trus between 2pm and 3pm on June 9 last year.

Amin allegedly committed an offence under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and was charged under Section 24 of the same Act.

The charge carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Sessions Court judge Mohd Nasri Nordin then set bail at RM100,000, told the accused to surrender his passport and fixed Jan 27 as mention for the case.

MACC officer Abdul Ghafar Abdul Latif prosecuted the case while Shamsul Sulaiman represented the accused.

Read Big Cat here for comments. If only the operator of the blog IRDA Watch here had not close their blog, past indiscretion happening can be referred.

Iskandar spells Khazanah.

Another failed CEO from Iskandar, IRDA's former CEO, Harun Johari, who is Amokh's MCOBA buddy, was absorbed into Khazanah to lead it's agricutural marketing company. The Khazanah venture failed and the company is waiting time to go under.

The failed former CEO of Malaysian Airlines is absorbed into Khazanah and still earn fat salary despite his failure in managing MAS. It is indicative of Khazanah's poor monitoring of their investments.

Imagine Directors supposed to monitor and control as well as providing the chack and baances are also commiting graft. Read The Star report today below:

Former directors of IIB to be charged with corruption involving RM5mil

The Star Online
Wednesday December 28, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested two former directors of Iskandar Investment Berhad for corruption involving some RM5mil.

The duo, in their 40s, are expected to be charged in the Johor Baru magistrate’s court today with corruption involving the construction of a RM124mil highway and a RM40.8mil boarding school in the Iskandar region.

The projects are part of the 3B package worth some RM2bil which involved subsidiaries that the two managed as chief executive officers, according to sources.

They said the two and several others under investigation had been buying property with their ill-gotten gains. The MACC would apply to the court under the Forfeiture of Property Act to confiscate what they bought.

The sources said the MACC had been investigating the various projects for several months now and had seized files and documents from companies linked to them.

They said the others being investigated were all connected to the projects and included a politician who is a Datuk.

MACC special operations director Datuk Mohd Jamidan Abdullah confirmed yesterday’s arrests but declined to elaborate.

One is innocent until pproven guilty. But in the lateest update, an ex-VP has pleaded guilty. Read the latest from The Star, below:

Published: Wednesday December 28, 2011 MYT 11:23:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday December 28, 2011 MYT 11:59:27 AM

Ex-senior VP of Iskandar subsidiary pleads guilty to graft charge

JOHOR BARU: A former senior vice-president of an Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) subsidiary was fined RM20,000, in default two months' jail, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of corruption at a Sessions court here Wednesday.

The 51-year-old man's identity has been withheld as he is assisting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in several other cases involving the IIB.

He was charged under Section 132(2)(b) of the Companies Act, and paid the fine.

One should wonder what has Khazanah achieved since their existence with so frequent incidences of failures?

What is said to be on track to contribute to national development in the above newspaper clipping of 2006?

Most of their investments are those made by Government in the past. They failed in their assigned turnaround of MAS, Proton, and UEM.

Khazanah have been fumbling on the MAS turnaround for years and for sure to send the national carrier to it's demise. Their intentional effort to prop up Air Asia at the cost of MAS will come with a political cost to the Government. They are positioning themselves to be part of a regional financial disaster in the making that is bigger than Pan El of 1980s.

Proton have been instituting only stop-gap measure of short sighted positioning. It is only doing what in auto term described as rebadging. There is nothing visionary of what is being done. Even the current new models are not in keeping with the latest market demand for increased fuel efficiency. Heard it is not selling. And, we are aware about the going-ons at one former wakil rakyat's by the name of Fatah's hometown.

UEM is hidden away from the public's radar by delisting and one will only know of their listed UEM Land. It will make money without thinking of the long-term socio-economic, political and security implication to the nation. But what happen to the failed businesses in Qatar, and perhaps other areas of the world.

With an analyst at the top, one can't expect Khazanah to turnaround businesses. They can generate great reports, churn analysis, crunch valuations with all sort of esoteric methods, and give impressive presentation but it is all ya ya ... or a cruder description, bullshit.

Government gave Khazanah to manage the a RM1 billion food fund in 2006 under Tun Dol, thanks to a stolen idea from a local University's fellow. Sorry, only ideas from Ethos Consulting, McKinsey, BCG, and other orang putih brand of consulting gets paid. Other ideas, including WAU get stolen.

Almost all their agriculture venture under the food fund failed. Blogger Syed Akbar of Outsyed the Box had written extensively on it.

Khazanah have a string of failed projects in their new investments. Corruption and leakage like the IIB graft charges is every where in the whole Khazanah organisation.

While Khazanah investee company had to undergo stringent cost control, their executives are helping themselves to the 14th floor Mandarin Executive Club for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for themselves and family. The monthly bill to Khazanah is in the millions.

Belum cerita the millions leaked as consulting fee.

But Amokh the "analyst" can have the cheek to say that on balance, they got so much return, and he feels it is okay as compared to blah blah blah ... and given market condition, we are blah blah blah ...?

Amokh is speaking in the language of Analyst and Fund Managers.

Khazanah is supposed to emulate Temasek. It is not supposed to be merely an outfit of Analyst managing Fund or Fund Manager. Khazanah should not be a fund management company.

It is supposed to do strategic investments!

Although there are weaknesses here and there, at least Dr Salleh "Budu" has some idea of strategic investment in his National Feedlot Corporation venture.

Syabas to MACC and new CEO and President IIB, Datuk Syed Mohamad bin Syed Ibrahim for the clean-up. Look also at IRDA the authority.

Amokh has to go. MACC should enter into Khazanah!

* Updated: 1:12 PM

Christmas greeting: Inspirational, touching moments

2011-12-23T18:55:00.001+08:00

Wishing our Christian readers, freinds, and fellow bloggers, especially Tony Yew, Eric, Zorro, Freddie, and many others:

Merry Christmas

*****************

There is no shortage of issues to write and comments. But it's the holiday season. Be it the school holidays or upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.

Like few other bloggers, we are following suit with the holiday mood and hibernation mode. Bet the readers are on holiday mood too. So we'll save the materials for those issues for later.

In the spirit of the holidays, we would like to share these few inspirational and touching moments from the Britain and Korea Got Talents show.

Enjoy their great renditions too!

Congratulations girl, girl

2011-12-22T14:55:00.001+08:00

When I first know of Girl, Girl or Aishah, daughter to Zakhir aka Bigdog ,she was a little girl.

The above is a picture of her celebrating her father's 40th birthday with the bloggers gang. So happen, she is a blogger too. See her more than two years unupdated blog here.

Aishah, is no more a little girl but a mature young lady of 15. See her 2009 picture in Perth below:

The Ministry of Education had announced that some 34,271 students (7.77%) of those that sat for the recent PMR examination scored straight A's. Today, Aishah had just made her parents proud by being one of them. She had scored 8As in the examination.

ABITW is happy for Aishah and her parents. We are equally happy that Allah had granted her wishes and our prayers. Prior to our flight to Mekah for Hajj, Aishah seek upon us to pray for her success in her examinations.

And we did not forget to do so.

Congratulations to Aishah. Savour this victorious moment. You have done well.

Uncle, wish you more success in the future. Are you considering medical school?

Special mention to Mrs Big Dog for her dedication to her daughter's education.

Happy 50th, Rocky

2011-12-20T03:00:00.003+08:00

Taking a breather from a rushy weekend and week before, ABITW joined Dato Nuraina and a small group of friends for dinner to celebrate Dato Ahiruddin "Rocky" Attan's 50th birthday at Garibaldi, Bangsar yesterday.

This is the first time we finally get to meet up since we left for Hajj in October.

It is a small group of friends. Tonight will be another do at The National Press Club with another small set of friends.

Another picture of the birthday 'boy' blowing his cake with a bright Blackberry taking prominence

As Syed Akbar said in his blog here, we may have readers, sympathisers and supporters, but "we have few friends." With some negative trends in the blogging community, the circle of trust may get more limited.

We've taken few pictures to share the private event.

Engku Imran of Bernama TV in conversation with Mariam of Maxis. NST columnist, Azmi Anshar in dark T shirt.

Firdaus as unofficial photographer and Endie, both of The "Tikus Mondok." The Mole, they claim.

NST columnist and also with The Mole, Shamsul Akmar beside Blog House President, Syed Akbar chattering to Dato Lazarus Rok (not in picture).

Dato Rocky with Dato Nuraina with Dato Lazarus (this time head visible). Left out from picture blogger Tan Sri Doctor 2008 and wife, and Bigdog.

Our gift to Rocky ... It's a secret. Supposed to be inspiring.

Definately not this book

Happy 50th Birthday, Rocky.

By the way, there is another notable Birthday Boy today. Guess who?

----------------------------

Update: 12/20/2011 11:45 PM

That's right, Firdaus Shahnaz.

It is the "official" birthday of Tun Dr Mahathir. It is termed as "official" because that was the accepted official date. Perhaps that is what the registration people used as his birthdate.

If you read the Malay Wikipedia below, his date of birth is written as 20 Disember 1925.

However, the English Wikipedia used his actual date of July 10, 1925 as his date of birth.

Obviously, Dr Mahathir is more of a cancerian than a capricornian. Cancer is the hallmark horoscope of great thinkers.

Coincidentally, Tun Siti Hasmah was born two days earlier but a year later than Tun Mahathir's on July 12, 1926. Another cancerian.

So happen, some member of ABITW is a cancerian born on the forth of July.

Nevertheless, Tun Dr Mahathir is "officially" 86 years old. One can't help but admire his health and physical attributes at that age.

Hidup Tun M!

Dunces under the Light

2011-12-18T12:27:00.003+08:00

Yes, it is a Sunday.

It is the time to be on low gear. Time to destress and not be so strung up serious. Time for a little laugh. Time to laid back a bit.

OK. Here is how we talk of serious issues and yet could remain laid back. The power of humour and sarcasm.

With the legendary Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse dancing to the tune of "Dancing in the Dark" in the musical classic movie, "Band Wagon" for a laid back Sunday as background, we present you "Dunces under the Light."

Where do we start?

***********************

Why not with an issue we already touched? The Felda listing issue here.

Tan Sri Razali Ismail's press conference on Thursday turned out as we expected it. It was about Razali trying hard to be important ...

GWGF, Gempak lantik konsultan

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Dis. – Pengerusi Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Felda (GWGF), Tan Sri Rozali Ismail menafikan beliau salah seorang individu yang cuba mensabotaj usaha penyenaraian Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) ke Bursa Malaysia.

Kata Rozali, beliau tidak mempunyai sebarang kepentingan, termasuk untuk memegang jawatan Pengerusi Felda Holdings ekoran dakwaan sabotaj berkenaan.

He denied trying to derail the listing excercise effort of the Prime Minister but yet was in political speak saying we will consider upon consultant's finding. Is he saying they will act on consultant recommendation? Or is it a round about way of saying he is not supporting the listing?

Sebaliknya, kata beliau, tindakan GWGF dan penubuhan sebuah entiti baharu iaitu Gabungan Peneroka Generasi Wawasan Felda Kebangsaan (Gempak) untuk mendapatkan pandangan peneroka berhubung penyenaraian itu bertujuan menjaga kepentingan serta hak 112,635 peneroka di seluruh negara.

“Kami juga akan mendapatkan khidmat konsultan bebas dari dalam dan luar negara mengenai cadangan penyenaraian FGVH sebelum boleh mengatakan kami menyokong atau tidak penyenaraian itu.

“Saya tidak kata setuju dan tidak juga kata tidak setuju,” katanya pada sidang akhbar khas mengenai pandangan GWGF dan Gempak mengenai penyenaraian itu di sini, hari ini.

Terdahulu, Rozali menandatangani memorandum persefahaman (MoU) penubuhan Gempak dengan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Perunding Peneroka Kebangsaan (JKPP), Samsudin Othman yang menyaksikan Samsudin dilantik sebagai Presiden Gempak dan Rozali bertindak sebagai timbalannya.

Baru-baru ini, beberapa pihak mendakwa, terdapat usaha sabotaj yang dilakukan oleh individu tertentu dalam Felda bagi menggagalkan usaha penyenaraian FGVH ke Bursa Malaysia.

Kepada satu soalan, kata Rozali, tindakan GWGF dan Gempak mendapatkan maklumat penyenaraian itu daripada Felda Holdings serta FGVH, melantik konsultan dan menyebarkan maklumat itu kepada para peneroka bukan bermakna mereka membelakangi cadangan itu yang diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pada pembentangan Bajet 2012, baru-baru ini.

“Cuma kita mahu tahu dan perhalusi keputusan itu, macam mana yang disebut ‘durian runtuh’, libatkan aset yang mana kerana mungkin ada penambahbaikan yang boleh kita lakukan dan harap ia membantu semua pihak,” katanya. - Utusan Malaysia, 16/12/11

One hire a consultant to tell give strength to the claim of already knowing the time on one's watch. Or one hire a consultant to get time one is unable to tell.

Is Razali saying he and his fellow second generation Felda settlers - claimed able to climb every mountain and achieve feats unbecoming of man - does not know or understand what is happening?

Didn't Razali listed his company 10 years before Felda plan to do their's?

Razali and his fellow second generation Felda should be our first "Dunce under the Light." Problem is Razali thinks others are dunces too.

No Tan Sri, others can see you are up to no good ...

Hasrat GWGF dipersoal

KUALA LUMPUR 16 Dis. - Hasrat Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Felda (GWGF) yang mahu mendapatkan khidmat konsultan bebas dari dalam dan luar negara berhubung cadangan penyenaraian Felda Global Ventures Holding (FGVH) ke Bursa Malaysia dipersoalkan kerana seolah-olah mempertikaikan keputusan kerajaan.

Setiausaha Gabungan NGO Malaysia (GNM), Mohd. Jurit Ramli berkata, hasrat itu juga menggambarkan seolah-olah GWGF tidak yakin keputusan yang diumumkan sendiri oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang bakal memberi keuntungan kepada warga peneroka.

''Pada saya hasrat itu adalah sesuatu yang memalukan kerana pihak tersebut seperti tidak percaya kepada kemampuan dan pandangan daripada pakar-pakar tempatan dalam mencadangkan penyenaraian FGVH itu," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini, hari ini.

Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas kenyataan Pengerusi GWGF, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail berhubung perkara tersebut sebelum boleh menyatakan sokongan atau sebaliknya.

Menurut Mohd. Jurit, Rozali juga sepatutnya meletakkan jawatan dalam GWGF sekiranya beliau tidak yakin dengan penyenaraian FGVH ke Bursa Malaysia.

Apatah lagi, kata beliau, kredibiliti Rozali dalam isu itu juga boleh dipertikaikan meskipun beliau menafikan salah seorang individu yang cuba mensabotaj usaha penyenaraian tersebut.

''Kita tidak pasti apa maksud atau agenda sebenar Rozali sehingga mahu pihak luar campur tangan dalam isu ini," katanya.

Mohd. Jurit menambah, GWGF tidak sepatutnya terikut-ikut dengan rentak pembangkang yang kehilangan arah mengenai penyenaraian FGVH kerana menyedari warga peneroka akan mendapat keuntungan besar dan setia kepada kerajaan.

''Sepatutnya Rozali dan GWGF menyokong penuh dan turut membantu supaya usaha penyenaraian itu boleh disegerakan kerana ia jelas memberi keuntungan kepada warga peneroka," katanya. - Utusan Malaysia 17/12/11

We haven't given a professional answer yet.

Many seemed to comment without knowledge of the background information and are not keeping up with issues on Felda, ANAK attack, etc.

Didn't loafer Mazlan Alimin and his ANAK and unfortunately the settlers bought into their demand to distribute Felda plantation lands to second generation settlers?

Listing exercise will not effect what the settlers already have.

This is additional benefit. Discuss that.

***********************

Secondly, this news title yesterday taken many a back. As one read further, it is more shocking.

What is Minister of Education cum Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin thinkng to appoint Tan Sri Tony Fernandez, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar on the panel to review education?

OK OK ... before Tan Sri begin his usual lengthy and winded explanation, we know he wish to get industry feedback. Industries kept bitching about our education system not producing the graduate that they want.

Answer this: Does our industry really know what they want?

There are thousands of departments, degrees, and courses created to fulfill industry needs but the industry do not put writing to their words and claims. Beyond excuse of English competency, which is petty and temporary, they don't support the local education by employing products of our education system that they gave their wishlist.

And God forbid, now they are asking such characters to review the education system ...

Fernandes and Azman among seven selected to review education system

The Star
Saturday December 17, 2011

PETALING JAYA: A new panel to review the country’s education system has been formed with AirAsia Group boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar among its seven panellists.

Appointed by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the panel will be headed by Albukhary International University president Tan Sri Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.

Fernandes, who praised the panel members as “game changers” from the public and private sector, said the panel would look into ways to cultivate a new education system which would build “global Malaysians”.

He said students needed an environment where creativity could flow freely and experimentation was encouraged.

“Education is beyond academics. It is art, culture, drama, sports, leadership, idea and thought generation,” he said yesterday, adding that students needed to possess strong character to survive in today’s era of globalisation.

Allow me to add, Tony F.

Education is also about good manners, respecting elders and traditions including institutions, and speaking the truth, not marketing hype.

It was never about academic only.

It is about building characters. It is about imbuing humanity (insan) and civilisation with the right values, conscience and integrity to make good the academic training, knowledge and creativity imparted on them for all of mankind.

The question now: Are they the right people to review our education system?

Tony F build his air Asia by insidiously plundering Malaysia Airlines in co-hort with incompetent Bina Fikir-led Khazanah Nasional, crooked politicians and greedy corporate man in the background.

His Air Asia will bring this country and (perhaps the region) into a financial ruin in the status Pan El of the early 1980s.

The Bina Fikir chap we are talking is Azman Mokhtar himself and Dato Rashdan "Danny geek" Yusof.

Both of them are incompetent analyst and accountant-book keeper, respectively. They are wiseguys and smooth talkers who really are unable to see the woods from the leaves and others can't see and acknowledge that they had left behind their trails of failures.

Read Jebat Must Die current ongoing series on why Azman Mokhtar must go.

However, we lent them some grey matter. They are smart enough to sell their valueless plagiarist consultant company, Binafikir to Maybank under Tan Sri Amir Sham Aziz. Now Dato Abdul Wahid Omar has no choice but swallow them. All within Tan Sri Nor Mohd Yakcop stable of crooked merry men.

Azman has his own set of idiotic educational program initiative under Khazanah that was not thought through, poorly executed, and waste on resources. As usual with any Khazanah initiatives other than downsizing and butchering companies, it failed.

Finally, what good is having Zarinah Anwar, the woman who covers for the husband to abuse her position as Chairperson of Securities Commission.

Sure hope Muhyiddin didn't pick her for her Johor pedigree. Johorean can be subtly parochial and proud. Her father, Anwar was involved together with Dato Onn Jaafar in the formation of UMNO. One wonders with her having a sister like Zainah Anwar, if there are still nationalism in their heart.

Aisay ... so long la enquiry on E&O. Why can smell rotten fish?

Other panel members include Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, Sunway Group chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia vice-chancellor Prof Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin and Tokoh Guru 2011 recipient Datuk Professor Dr Ab Rahim Selamat.

The panel will report its findings to Muhyiddin but no specific deadline has been set for it to complete its task.

Much as Muhyiddin should be called the "Dunce under the Light", let me tell you something.

As early this year, supremo consultant arranger cum commission agent, Omar Ong "Rasputin" and Ethos Consulting had arranged McKinsey & Co. to undertake a study of the education system. Not the Ministry of Education but Omar, Ethos and Pemandu that arranged it.

One wonders how the Mckinsey Matrix and 7S corporate strategy framework be applied to the education system. Omar Ong Rasputin probably see the common factor ... money.

Additional money can do wonders for the RM15 million new condo for this newly turned bachelor. He divorced his wife, daughter to former IKIM Chairman and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Tan Sri Ismail Ibrahim.

So to share the inaugral "Dunce under the Light", one has to include Omar Ong Rasputin and the many who swear by his name and taken by his so-called genius.

***********************

There are many others "Dunces under the Light" this week actually. But let's start with these two issues for a start.

Otherwise, too many will be sent to detention after class. :)

Felda listing: No stroll in the park

2011-12-16T16:42:00.005+08:00

There were two demonstrations held by PERKASA and other pro-Government activists yesterday in reaction to another demonstration by PAS's Mazlan Alimin-led NGO, ANAK to support the mutinous FELDA Director General, Dato Dzulkifli Wahab and to support Government's effort to list Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH).

One was a protest held at the PAS Headquarter in a Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur. It was followed by another show of support at the Felda headquarter in Jalan Semarak.

ABITW was at Jalan Semarak to document the event and lent support. Something smells fishy when PAS initiated ANAK, which had been relentlessly attacking Felda's management, policies and implementations but gave personal support to the head implementor, Dato Dzulkifli.

However, what seem look like a straight forward listing excercise that is supposed to benefit the settlers, without 'touching' their land, is no more a walk in the park. The issue is discussed as we scroll through the demonstration pictures.

Dato Dzulkifli was recently given 8 months 'gardening' leave from November 21st for his defiant act as Chairman of Koperasi Felda Berhad (KPB) to sack four Koperasi directors, which include Felda Chairman, Tan Sri Isa Samad and FGVH CEO, Dato Sabri against Prime Minister's directive to leave open his post for Isa.

Dato Dzulkifli and Ketua Peneroka was stabbing the Government in the back while giving lip service to support the listing. As a 30 year old career Felda officer, he had garnered support and loyalty from veteran settlers over the years but unknown to them are he has allegedly been feathering his nest from the organisation and settlers. Read Bigdog here dan here.

There are issues that need to be addressed and clarified to the 'participating' settlers. Nevertheless, the listing of FGVH is a more sensible exercise in the Government's next step initiative to look into the affair of the second, third and fourth generation of Felda settlers.

While the demonstrations was going on, Syabas Chairman and Chairman of Gempaq, Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Kedua and Bapak, Tan Sri Rozali Ismail held a press conference to deny rumours of his attempt to scuttle the FGVH listing and intention to replace current Felda Chairman, Tan Sri Samad. Read blog Putra Merdeka here.

Talk has it that he had attempted to join the Board of Directors of KPB together with the recently ousted Tan Sri Yusof Nor. Words are Yusof Nor has been dismissed immediately as advisers.

Perhaps Razali need to make the denial since talk is rife of him making a RM2 million offer to UMNO's training fund and facilities on condition he be given post of Menteri Besar for Selangor for a term. His basis is to resolve the water impasse in the state that is being blamed on him.

The conditional offer was believed to have been rejected by Dato Najib despite Razali being a regular donor and Treasurer to UMNO Selangor. The grassroot is not comfortable to place a corporate personality that became an issue for UMNO to spell an opposition led demonstration in May this year. [Read The Unspinners here]

Water industry sources claimed Razali had met Selangor Economic Adviser, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and reached a new tariff agreeement. Before the new tariff is announced, many would asked what is the deal behind the deal to enable them to reached an agreement.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had refused to cooperate to build the new Ulu Langat dam. This is causing public anxiety and it was raised in the recent UMNO General Assembly. Without a new dam, Selangor and Klang Valley may face water shortage in 2014. Khalid and Razali were singled out. [Read Gerakan Anti PKR here.]

What is Razali up to? That is the big question.

Politically his political godfather was the former Menteri Besaar and UMNO Vice President and Informaton Chief, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib. Muhammad Taib was in Anwar's Team Wawasan and the likes of Anwar loyalist like Telok Kemang MP, Dato Kamarul Baharian used to be running Muhammad Taib's Foundation.

Anything seems possible.

Perhaps it is merely a second generation product of Felda not wanting to be left out of Felda's listing excercise. He listed his Puncak Niaga before Felda went listing. He needs to show off to the folks.

After all, he created BAPAK just to be on the same stage with Dato Najib but did not become the answer to Mazlan Alimin's ANAK. He merely divert all the enquiries and problems back to Felda. He created Koperasi Generasi Kedua, which has yet to be approved by Registrar of Cooperatives.

Let's leave Razali and his corporate greed and ego aside. Commissions, kickbacks, extravagant mark-ups and RM5.1 mllion a year Directors fee for a public utility company still does not satisfy his insatiable appetite. Unfortunately, he does not realised that he is neither a winnable candidate to wrest any opposition seats nor the pull to attract support for BN to takeover the state.

The display of anger towards such defiance and double cross is real. And the opposition's sudden interest in Felda is not welcomed. But the opposition is adamant to penetrate Barisan Nasional and UMNO's fixed deposit of 55 parliament seats. Read Sanggah Tok Janggut here and Gelombang Wangsa Maju here.

The listing is necessary to help distribute the benefit to all Felda settlers. If Mazlan Alimin's demand is fulfilled, how on earth could 350,000 ha of Felda Plantation land be distributed to some 700,000 second to fourth generation settlers. More so with 250,000 ha is in Sabah.

By the time FGVH is listed around April next year and the settlers got extra money in their pocket, one wonders if all the political effort of PAS-led ANAK matters? Chances are it will be forgotten. For Mazlan Alimin and ANAK, it was worth a try.

Daulat Tuanku!

2011-12-13T15:17:00.002+08:00

The Sultan of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah assumes the post of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the second time, today.

Tuanku ascended the throne the first time as the 5th Agong on Sept 21, 1970 till Sept 20, 1975, with the late Tuanku Bahiyah as the Raja Permaisuri Agong. I was at the age of 10 and in primary school standard 4 in Johor Baru, then.

His Majesty ascension today should be an interesting event for the likes of my generation, who get this unique chance to experience a former Agong being ascended the second time.

Despite being a Johorean, who usually have such high regards for our Sultan, (for the time being, while we learn to endear the new Sultan, my favourite and much respected will have to be the late Sultan Iskandar), I have always had greatest of regards for his Majesty, the Sultan of Kedah.

It is not merely because of the everlasting impression as a child shaking the hands of a Sultan at the steps of the Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar after Friday prayers in one of his official visit of Johor. I grew up in the compounds of the Masjid Abu Bakar, Johor Baru from 1969 till 1972.

But, much respect for his Majesty comes off from his reputation as an uncontroversial Sultan of Malaysia. No unsavory gossips or rumours is ever heard of his Majesty and the Kedah royal households but only words of respect and regards.

If there is such a thing as a humble Sultan, it has to be his Majesty. I have heard his Majesty's subject described him as one. They complimented his Majesty for his soft spokenness, humility, and concern. Even his living quarter in the istana ground is described as a simple home.

The Star's article today for a special coverage of the coronation aptly described his Majesty:

Concern for his subjects

By EMBUN MAJID
embun@thestar.com.my
Photo by G.C. TAN

THE SULTAN of Kedah, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, is close to the state's civil servants, knowing the names of all the district officers, revealed Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.

He said Tuanku Abdul Halim cares about their well-being and always makes a point to ask after their welfare each time they meet.

Azizan said Tuanku Abdul Halim, who has his own office at the state administrative building Wisma Darulaman in Alor Setar, goes there five days a week.

The Ruler, he added, will also attend to all state administrative matters.

Tuanku Abdul Halim inspecting the guard of honour at the opening of the Kedah Legislative Assembly.

“He would arrive at the office at about 9am each day and return to Istana Anak Bukit for lunch before returning to the office in the afternoon. This is his daily routine,” he said when met at his office recently.

Azizan, who became Mentri Besar in 2008, said once a week, Tuanku Abdul Halim would grant him an audience during which he would brief the Ruler about Kedah's administration.

The meeting will usually be held before the state executive council meeting every Wednesday.

Azizan, who has been a state assemblyman since 1995, said he realised early on that Tuanku Abdul Halim was an extremely resourceful and approachable Ruler who would take the time to read up on important issues affecting the public and country.

“He is always smiling and never shows his temper. He will tell me directly if he is unhappy about anything. He also reads all the major newspapers every day.”

Topics close to Tuanku Abdul Halim's heart, added Azizan, are the Islamic religion, the state's civil servants and Malay custom.

“He is very concerned about the Islamic religion and would attend all religious functions. He has also advised his Muslim subjects to practise the Islamic way of life on many occasions,” he said.

In his address, the Ruler constantly reminds his Muslim subjects to be united in the face of challenges and obstacles.

Azizan said Tuanku Abdul Halim has often times expressed his concern about the welfare of the people and the development of the state.

When the state was hit by major floods in November last year, Azizan said Tuanku Abdul Halim had gone down to meet his subjects and ask after their welfare.

“He also kept himself updated of the latest situation,” he recalled.

By ascending to the throne as the country's 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the age of 84, Azizan said the Ruler is creating history.

“We are proud that he is blessed with good health. We pray that he will continue to be in good health while performing his duties as the Agong,” he said.

Tuanku Abdul Halim has often displayed his concern about public service delivery in the state. When opening Wisma Darulaman's annexe block on Feb 21, 2009, he called on state departments to review their work procedures in order to improve their delivery system.

“I also want civil servants in the state to be knowledgeable about their sphere of duties. This will ensure that they can provide better services to the people,” the Sultan had said then.

I know my friend and Kedah exco member from PAS, YB Amiruddin meets his Majesty regularly and is seldom invited for a round of golf with his Masjesty.

Read also these interviews with the youngest daughter of the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tunku Panglima Besar Kedah Datuk Seri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz here and here.

His Majesty first ascension to the throne was historically eventful as the country grapple and undergo the bitter aftermath of the racial riot of May 13, 1969 in Kuala Lumpur. For us living in Johor Baru then, there was nothing felt. In fact, I was attending a sports day in school.

If there is any truth, one rumour I heard as a child then was that he was elected by his fellow brother rulers so Tunku Abdul Rahman, his uncle by rank, could be replaced. Supposedly, it is improper of Tunku Abdul Rahman to bow to his nephew.

But how was the coronation conducted, because Tunku Abdul Rahman was still Prime Minister? Or he was not?

Wikipedia here only reports Tun Abdul Razak succeeding Tunku Abdul Rahman as second Prime Minister on September 1970. No dates, meaning the same month as the month Tunku Abdul Halim ascended to his first Majesty's first Agong-ship.

However, Tun Abdul Razak was Director of National Operations Council, heading the Emergency Government after the May 13, 1969 racial strife.

Coincidentally, Tunku Abdul Halim replaced the Sultan of Terengganu on both his Majesty's ascension to the Yang Dipertuan Agong. First time being the Tunku Ismail Nasirudin and the second time is Tunku Mizan.

And, the present Prime Minister serving Tunku Abdul Halim is Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, the son of the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

Tunku Abdul Halim's interesting life and cycle of history is written in yesterday's The Star article, below:

Monday December 12, 2011

A king’s journey

THE journey of our 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong started on Nov 28, 1927, in Alor Setar, Kedah, at Istana Anak Bukit. Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah is the eldest son of Sultan Badlishah Al-Marhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah and his consort, Tunku Sofiah Al-Marhum Tunku Mahmud.

Tuanku Abdul Halim started his schooling at Alor Merah Malay Primary School and Titi Gajah Malay School, and continued his education at Sultan Abdul Hamid College until 1948. He resided in the hostel for two years. He was an active student, and was a school and hostel prefect.

Tuanku left for Britain for a two-and-a-half-year degree course in Social Studies and Public Administration at his father’s alma mater in Wadham College, Oxford University, England.

Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, chancellor of Kolej Universiti Insaniah, and Tuanku Haminah Hamidun at the 13th Convocation of the university college in Alor Setar, Kedah, on Oct 4 this year. – Filepics

Tuanku was proclaimed the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) on Aug 6, 1949, while still in Britain. When he returned to Kedah in 1955, he served as a Cadet Officer at the Kota Setar District Office and later, the State Treasury in 1957.

Tuanku married Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah on March 3, 1956. The marriage united, for the first time, the royal houses of Kedah and Negri Sembilan. The royal couple were blessed with three princesses, twins Tunku Soraya and Tunku Sarina (deceased, 1994) and Tunku Intan Safinaz. The eldest daughter of the late Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Tuanku Bahiyah served both as Sultanah and Raja Permaisuri Agong during her lifetime. She passed away on Aug 26, 2003. On March 9, 1957, Tuanku served as the Regent until July 1957. The following year on July 15, he ascended the Kedah throne as the 28th Sultan upon the demise of his father. The Coronation was on Feb 20, 1959.

Tuanku has served as Sultan for 53 years, which makes him the fourth Kedah Sultan to have served for more than 50 years. Kedah celebrated his 50th Jubilee in grand fashion and pageantry on July 15, 2008.

During the first decade of Tuanku’s reign in Kedah, he officially opened the Muda Irrigation Scheme which was the catalyst that enabled the state to increase its rice yield significantly and improved the socio-economic well-being of his subjects.

Tuanku served a five-year term as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 21, 1965. He subsequently assumed that role a second time around from Dec 13, 2006, till today. Tomorrow he becomes King for the second time around.

Tuanku ascended to the throne as the 5th Agong from Sept 21, 1970, to Sept 20, 1975, with the late Tuanku Bahiyah at his side.

There were many State visits to Britain, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Iran, among others, during his Majesty’s reign. The Royal Couple were met with admiration and respect wherever they went.

Tuanku played a significant role in steering the country to a more peaceful and progressive state after the tumult of May 13, 1969.

He was appointed as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Malay Regiment in 1975. He was also the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Malaysian Reconnaissance Corps before he was installed as King.

One of the more significant events in Tuanku’s third decade was the Silver Jubilee celebrations of his reign as Sultan in 1983.

The fourth decade saw very rapid industrialisation in Kedah, helped in part by the opening of the North-South Highway in 1988. Tuanku was proclaimed Chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia on April 7, 1994.

During the fifth decade of his reign, Alor Setar was proclaimed a city on Dec 21, 2003. Tuanku Haminah Hamidun was also installed as the Sultanah on Jan 9, 2004.

Today, Kedah stands proud as the country’s rice bowl, contributing 60% of its rice production. It has an industrial hub and is also an international tourist attraction, thanks in no small part to Langkawi.

Source: Sultan Abdul Halim: A Royal Journey

When asked to recall the May 13, 1969 incident, his Majesty's told Bernama, "It was a bitter incident which should not be allowed to recur."

May the country enjoy peace and prosperity with the various races living in harmony under the second reign of Tunku Abdul Halim.

Daulat Tunku! Daulat Tunku! Daulat Tunku!

UMNO to takeover Kedah?

2011-12-10T21:40:00.003+08:00

Let's take a breather from the MAS-Air Asia issue for the weekend.

If someone were to say Kedah can be takenover three months ago, he or she would have been laughed off as a political novice with no knowledge of the ground.

This is especially so with the UMNO warlord problems in Kedah so endemic.

There is Det Khalid in one corner, Jo B (or Jo Derhaka for what he did to Tun M) in another corner, Bashah in another, and many others in their little turfs and kingdoms all over the state.

Even the likes of old Dato Bakaq of Langkawi still has dreams of contesting in the next general election.

"Mampuih!" as any Kedahan in their distinct accent would have reacted.

In the last Pergong, bet no one knows that Pergong is also PAU or Perhimpunan Agung UMNO, I met up my old school buddy, brother Noradzman Baharuddin, who is NST Alor Star Bureau Chief. We chatted for hours to catch up on family, my recent Hajj and politics.

That is how brotherly close we are in residential schools. We could have left school more than 35 years ago but we never lose sight of each other and the camarederie is as strong as ever.

He told me it is feasible for UMNO to retake Kedah.

Coming from Mantoi (as I would call him and he would call me by some M nickname too), who has been covering the political beat up north for decades, he is worth a serious listen.

One, there are many seats won over by PAS are lost by UMNO marginally. UMNO lost Tanjung Dawai by 79 votes, Jeneri by 167 votes, Bukit Lada by 208 votes, Ayer Hangat by 506 votes, and Pantai Merdeka by 503 votes; all to PAS.

Kota Darulaman was lost to DAP by 804 votes. Yet, we almost at will giving up Kota Seputeh which we won by 495 votes because Datuk Abu Hasan Sharif "absence" from State Assembly.

All the information is no big secret. It is widely available on the Internet.

Two, there is a power struggle boiling in the PAS cerek. There is an organised effort to bring down Kedah Menteri Besar Dato Azizan Abdul Razak within the PAS circle of power.

It is believed to be orchestrated by Mahfudz Omar. Whether he is interested to pursue the Menteri Besar post, it is unsure. However, it has strained relation between Azizan, who was recently admitted to IJN for heart problem, with senior exco member, Fakhrolrazi.

The PAS's potential second in line and friend of ours, the grassroot popular Amiruddin is losing focus.

Nevertheless, the odds are Azizan will still run.

Three, business community have grown fed-up and public are tired with unresolved public issues since the Azizan flood debacle.

This Mantoi had written.

*********************************

Kedah business community fast losing confidence in state government

Noor Adzman Baharuddin
noadzman@nst.com.my

DISAPPOINTED LOT: Kedah business community may abandon the opposition in the next general election

Ah Fatt is a very frustrated businessman.

So is Lingam, another member of the Kedah business community.

Equally stymied is Lingam’s neighbour, Ahmad.

One of them peddles in hardware, another runs a sundry shop while the other, operates an eaterie.

There are no prizes for anyone who can guess who trades in what but the men are seething with frustration over their decision to 'kaleh' (switch) to the opposition in the last general election.

Since Mar 8, 2008, the trio claimed the state government has offered little or no economic opportunities to the people.

"What sejahtera (well-being) is there when the state has failed to churn out new economic activities for the people, especially small businessmen like me?" Laments Lingam as he questioned the Pas-led state government's Kedah Sejahtera 2008 general election manifesto.

Ahmad chided the state government for failing to live up to its promises.

"We can’t just depend on 'pasar malam's and the ocassional 'karnivals' to sell our wares," he said, still reeling from his poor call at the ballot box about four years ago.

Ah Fatt had counted on expanding his business but the opportunities were far and few between.

"What do you expect, they could not even handle the ikan keli (catfish) project," he said of the RM400,000 losses suffered by the state government when its organic Keli-K aquaculture in Sik failed after two years of operation.

The traders’ concerns generally reflect the frustration of the local business community.

And yes, as business people, they tend to keep their frustration or disappointment, especially with the government of the day, to themselves - they only expressed their resentment in the ballot box!

On this score, one can't help but be reminded of the concern raised by former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin on the possibility of Penang, Selangor and Kedah falling into the hands of the opposition after the last general election!

Though small compared to the business communities in industrial states like Penang and Selangor, members of the business fraternity in Kedah is a force to be reckoned with. They had played a pivotal role in tilting the scale in the opposition's favour in the last general election.

The business community, especially among Chinese traders, were disillusioned by the country’s past leadership.

Like Ah Fatt, Lingam and Ahmad, they took out their frustrations on the Kedah Barisan Nasional by abandoning it.

This factor was a major cause for the marginal losses suffered by BN at seven of its strongholds to the opposition.

In Tanjung Dawai, for instance, the BN lost by a mere 79 votes to Pas.

For the record, Pas won 16 of the 36-seat State Legislative Assembly in 2008. BN won 14, PKR five and DAP one.

However, two PKR assemblymen have since abandoned their party to become independents.

Some argued that the troubles for the Pas-led state government, especially with Chinese traders and the rest of their community, started when the authorities decided to demolish a pig abattoir in Alor Star about a year after the new state government took over.

There was a big hue and cry over the authorities’ handling of the case, especially when a replacement slaughterhouse was never really properly identified.

Then came another boo-boo when the authorities, a few days before the fasting month this year, issued a directive ordering all karaoke outlets in the state to cease operations throughout Ramadan.

This really irked the karaoke operators, many of them Chinese.

The authorities finally relented. The outlets could stay open but must turn away Muslim patrons.

Kedah BN leaders and members have been deluged with many opportunities.

They should step up to the plate. They should make amends while some, make way. This is imperative to achieve holistic transformation for the party.

The state of disillusionment afflicting the business community should work in BN's favour in the next general election.

It did for the opposition pact in Penang, Selangor and Kedah in 2008.

*********************************

But, and a big but it is, UMNO Kedah need to get organised and resolve their internal problems. We both agree. And we back to square one.

*********************************

09 December 2011

'Whos' who should head for the exit

By Noor Adzman Baharuddin
noadzman@nst.com.my

All Umno members must be Khalid al-Walids as much as they can

Delegates supporting the minutes tabled at the Umno general assembly recently. The take-home message was ‘Umno before self’. Pic by Aizuddin Saad

UMNO president Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said that the party, which leads the ruling Barisan Nasional, is ready to face the general election.

The prime minister, who is also BN chairman, also said at the Umno annual general assembly recently that more new faces would be fielded in the next general election -- both for Umno and the ruling coalition.

Closer to home, Kedah Umno could help make Najib's task easier as he makes changes and decides on the winnable candidates for the state.

And change Kedah Umno must. It must heed Najib's call for political transformation, especially after BN's dismal performance in the 2008 general election.

Without naming names, most Kedah Umno members and "orang Umno Kedah" know "who" should give way.

Equally important are those "whos" should be shown the way.

The first group of "whos" is fewer than the second "whos".

The first "whos" are assemblymen who are not quite up the mark. And they know who they are.

The second group comprises "problematic" assemblymen, those caught in legal tangles and those allegedly involved in abuse of power.

There is a third group of which the party leadership needs to be wary. They jostle to be candidates but have no or poor track records, including some at the divisional level.

This group includes those who behaved in a manner that was detrimental, including sabotage, to Umno and BN in the last general election and in a few cases, in previous general elections, too.

This handful, some of whom also behaved like warlords, might have escaped disciplinary action but "orang Umno Kedah" know who they are and the rogue few also know who they are.

The majority of the people of Kedah made their choice in 2008. Kedah Umno members and their leaders can help them decide in the party's and BN's favour in the next general election.

Umno has done a lot for its members and it is time they repaid the party. To rephrase an oft-quoted line, Umno members must ask not what the party can do for them but what they can and should do for the party.

They must heed Najib's Umno-before-self call.

They must be magnanimous and help the party president rebuild and strengthen Umno. If there is an opportunity for them to help Umno, then this is the time.

BN lost Kedah in the last general election not because the opposition was strong but because Umno and the ruling coalition were weak.

Of the total 36 state seats, Umno won 12 while Gerakan and MCA won one each. Umno lost seven of its strongholds, including Tanjung Dawai, where it lost to Pas by a mere 79 votes.

In Jeneri, Umno lost to Pas by 167 votes and Bukit Lada by 208 votes.

Local issues, especially involving grassroots leadership, influenced the outcome. Poor choice of candidates and sabotage stood out as the culprits.

Najib must be firm and, as the saying goes, must be seen to be firm. There must be no flip-flops and stern action must be taken (and be seen to be taken) against those who betrayed the party in any way, shape or form.

This analysis by no means serves as the only remedy to Kedah Umno and BN's ills.

Some changes with Umno incumbents and the introduction of new faces and, by extension, changes and new faces for Kedah BN, must also be considered.

Najib has come a long way on damage control for Umno and BN. Numerous policies and programmes have helped to recapture the hearts and minds of the people, including those who had abandoned the ruling coalition in 2008.

All the promises and sumpah bai'ah (oath of loyalty) made by Umno grassroots leaders at the Putra World Trade Centre last Saturday would mean nothing if they do not honour their word.

Najib had cited the sacrifices by Khalid al-Walid, one of the most feared and successful Islamic generals, who willingly stepped down as army commander at the request of caliph Umar.

A strong believer that Islam takes precedence over everything else, including oneself, he soldiered on.

And Umno members must all try to be Khalid al-Walids as much as they can.

Incidentally, Khalid's successor, Abu Ubaidah, appointed him as head of the cavalry and as a military adviser.

*********************************

Heard that Bashah is so pathetic at getting organised that he had an overnight meeting to prepare and submit Election Manifesto for a long given next day deadline.

I am not bitching Bashah in order to promote Mukhriz. Perish that thought.

Mukhriz can't be Ketua Perhubungan Negeri (yet). He hardly holds an elected post of any significance at the Division level.

Mukhriz has his problems, lots of problems. Starting with his rather distant personality.

He is still too urbane for a wakil rakyat representing a rural area. He goes around like a VIP and comfortable to be treated as invited guests by program organisers. And, he falls short of meeting the not-easy-to-describe Kedahan leadership quality called hemoih.

Now that he is no more a Pemuda leader, I am no more going to be polite and private to my friend but be brutally honest and open. I am neither on his payroll nor under his instruction.

Mukhriz is in the big boys league, so stop hanging around boys. Being a nice guy is not enough to be a leader. He has to take charge and lead men. He can't depend on volunteers alone but build his army of supporters and followers.

Be a Mahathir, not a Hasmah. And be himself.

He should stop his dependency as son of Mahathir and Hasmah. Even Nurjazlan stopped opening his speech with a kirim salam from Tok Mat, naturally.

As for plan to place Mukhriz at a State Assembly seat to make way for Kedah MB post, he should be careful. It could be a plan to send him back to work at his fiber optic factory and kill his political career.

If he loses, he is finished. But if he wins, things will be alright. But with Kedah UMNO's present state of organisation, can UMNO Kedah win?

Bear in mind, if he wins but Kedah UMNO loses, he could be blamed for it. The perception is that he is in charge of the UMNO charge for Kedah.

So, back to Mantoi or my friend, Encik Noradzman Baharuddin. He writes his column on Friday NST on Kedah issues, including politics. It is long overdue that he be given a column to write anyway.

So take note of my buddy.

I sure hope Mukhriz and his team do take note and engage him. He can be a useful source of information and contacts.

To get his cooperation, treat him with respect. Dia bukan budak hinguih, tau.

Hole on my Shoulder

2011-12-09T16:47:00.002+08:00

Just came out from a minor surgery to address an irritating little acne just below my shoulder that grew over time into a large sebaceous cyst.

The cyst finally erupted on my last two days in Mekah but did not dry-up after two visits to a clinic. It had to undergo procedure at an equipped hospital. Since happen to be in hospital for some post-Mekah rehab, might as well do it.

So, please eh ... just cause there is a cyst off my shoulder, it does not mean there is a chip on my shoulder towards those people at Air Asia, MAS and Khazanah. Just saying it as I see.

Someone alerted me of The Sun's report today on an analysis on Danny Boy's turnaround plan. He said it is not as in-depth as what this blog wrote yesterday [read here] but it is right to the point.

The more appropriate title should have been, "Same b*lls*it from the same as*hol*" but they are more diplomatic. Cari makan ma ...advertisement.

Old wine in new bottle

KANG SIEW LI

PETALING JAYA (Dec 9, 2011): Malaysia Airlines (MAS) revealed its latest business turnaround plan on Wednesday but the issue of sustainability remains a concern, aviation analysts say, adding that the loss-making national carrier should look beyond the short-term economic boost, or there will be more turnaround plans to come.

Analysts like RHB Research Institute also noted that the measures proposed are nothing out of ordinary but just logical things to do in the normal course of business.

Some say they see similarities between the new plan and the previous turnaround exercises such as the Widespread Asset Unbundling (WAU) restructuring exercise in 2002 and the Business Turnaround Plan 1 (BTP1) in 2006, in that it also involves cutting unprofitable routes and spinning off assets.

"Under any turnaround plan, it's normal practice for businesses to sell their assets to repay debt, that is, pluck the low-lying fruits. In the case of airlines, they would also shed jobs and cut some unprofitable routes which would likely ensure profit in a short time," said an analyst who asked not to be named.

"But the big question is whether the carrier also has a business plan/model that is sustainable in the long term," he added.

Under WAU, in which MAS deputy CEO Mohammed Rashdan Mohd Yusof was also involved as his company at that time, BinaFikir, was the consultant to the carrier then, MAS' aircraft assets were transferred to and leased back from Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd. It also hived off 70% of its shares in MAS Catering Sdn Bhd.

For BTP1, MAS achieved a one-off gain from selling assets such as the MAS building and Four Seasons Langkawi.

This time around, MAS said it is looking to spin off its ancillary units such as MASkargo Sdn Bhd, aerospace engineering, pilot training and ground handling as part of its efforts to raise cash.

"Five years (after WAU,) MAS was in no better shape and in came oil executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala who came out with two business turnaround plans before he moved to work in the prime minister's office," said Standard & Poor's Equity Research aviation analyst Shukor Yusof.

"The truth of the matter is that MAS has been mismanaged for so long that even its main stakeholder, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, appears to be running out of ideas on how to shake the carrier up," he added.

Shukor also believes that MAS should do more to develop and nurture its own set of managers to run the carrier in the future.

Meanwhile, most analysts expressed skepticism on the viability of MAS' new plan as the airline faces tough challenges amid growing competition. There are also concerns of potential funding for its RM6 billion capital expenditure, which could burden the carrier with a gearing of four times by end-2012.

"We felt that MAS is attempting to effect a 'painless restructuring' (but) as the saying goes, 'no pain no gain' and as such we doubt if the painless restructuring could produce the results it desires," said RHB Research in a report yesterday.

Analysts are skeptical of the recovery plan due to its sketchy guidelines and timelines, the ability of MAS to increase ticket prices without sacrificing passenger demand, the relatively long timeline needed to change passenger perception and preference and the readiness of its staff to accept the new structures.

This is on the back of an anticipated slowdown in the economy, which will affect premium travel demand.

They also said execution is key to the carrier turning things around.

"We are optimistic on some of the initiatives in tackling the crisis faced by the carrier, but execution of the business plan remains a key risk. There are many issues highlighted in the business plan which need to be addressed and one year may not be enough. Right-sizing of staff was highlighted and it remains to be seen how this will be handled," said HwangDBS Vickers Research.

I think this blog's yesterday's report has more depth.

This and other newpapers' reports dare not report it as Air Asia vulturing over a MAS cannibalised by it's own shareholder and Government owner.

But, between MAS and Air Asia management, it is an open secret as we see the picture below of MAS CEO, Dato Ahmad Jauhari "slaughted" by party host Air Asia-X CEO, Azran Osman Rani:

Khazanah and MAS Public Relation machine was on over drive yesterday to address different messages to different audience.

To the Malay audience like in Utusan Malaysia, they were playing sympathy to play on the fear factor of critical sitution. Utusan report was entitled MAS kini kritikal.

The Star's was cooperative to not be critical and supportive of their turnaround plan with a cautiously optimistic tone.

Read positively titled, "CEO sets in motion business plan to bring airline to profitability by 2013". However, there was a mysterious and interesting end:

There is also apprehension towards the comprehensive collaboration framework from with AirAsia.

Asked if the CCF was really necessary, he said “it makes it easier with the CCF."

Easier? What does he mean?

The Star dare not offend Air Asia as an important advertisement client. The MCA-controlled paper was willing to advertise Air Asia's protest against the Government as raised here by Rocky Bru. Right?

The Edgedaily dare not push forward an optimistic opinion to their well read and independent minded readers with HwangDBS Vickers Research sceptical report looming. They posed a question as title, "Back to black in 2013 for MAS?"

Their reservation is justified. Can MAS contain losses for 2012 to RM165 million and turn to profitability in 2013 with that kind of business plan? Where is the income coming from? Danny's ass?

The New Straits Times's Business Times was more brutal and not holding back on HwangDBS Vickers report. They titled theirs as "MAS turnaround plan fails to excite analysts." Hurrah to the new GEIC. Baru ada telor.

So no chips, eh.

But all are holding back to report the rush-rush cut Danny made for Tony F and Din before the CCF which should conclude that it is cannibalisation of MAS by owner and Government for Air Asia's favour.

But that's quite alright. Who reads the newspapers anyway these days? They probably on this blog yesterday.

Did Danny Yusof nailed BN's coffin in Selangor?

2011-12-08T16:15:00.008+08:00

MAS made a press conference yesterday to present their Business Plan. If you read the news report today, it is sounds rosy. MAS claimed to make profit by 2013.

Who is the MAS Executive Director, Dato Rashdan “Danny” Yusof, claimed whizz kid instrumental in putting all this together trying to kid?

Danny's two different briefings to the top management and staff are filled with assumption errors, repeating past mistakes, and use of threat. He was specifically mentioned and requested by the staff in the first Town Hall style meeting to mark the return of Tan Sri Mohd Nor Yusof, not to be put as CEO.

His “revenge of the nerd” is to threat the staff with “you have no choice” financial situation but to accept what we have put together.

Murmurs amongst the staff are saying they are frustrated with the repeated situation of Government kept sending airline novices to turnaround MAS. Union sources claimed Prime Minister, Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak refused to meet them to hear their side of the story and feedback.

There is now a growing reluctance amongst MAS's management to vote Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election to teach the Government a lesson. It could filter down convincingly to the lower staff.

Looks like Danny had comfortably shoot BN’s feet. BN can kiss any chances of taking over Selangor goodbye.

Political Impact

MAS is one of the biggest Malaysian employer with 18,000 employees worldwide. MAS employees can be spread around the areas of Sepang, Kajang, Putrajaya, and Subang. Undoubtedly, this collaboration with Air Asia will have serious political implication on BN, particularly in the Selangor area and specifically in Dato Zin Mohammad's Sepang area.

There is then the 8,000 Malaysia Airport staff and 1,000 Department of Civil Aviation staff to contend with.

Pakatan Rakyat is wisely keeping silent on the issue to let Tan Sri Mohamad Nor Yakcop’s cor-parat boys help shoot BN’s own feet. They are also comfortable with Tony F.

Mahfudz Omar was comfortably kidding of Tony F as the future KSN or Chief Secretary indicating his row with Malaysia Airport and Ministry of Transport are creating negative undercurrent amongst Government servants.

Najib's refusal to meet the union heads, despite them having sent letters two months ago, will guarantee to exercebate this potentially explosive matter.

Our union source are claiming wunderboy adviser and member of Directors of Air Asia-X, Omar Ong “Rasputin”, as being labelled on the blogsphere, advised and blocked Najib from seeing them.

Some sources speculate Najib only hear brother Dato Nazir’s version, who was the big bad “IBanker” instrumental in putting the deal together and he is convinced that he should not see the union people.

If there is any truth, Najib, as the UMNO State Liaison Chief for Selangor, might as well as forget about regaining Selangor.

If there is serious widespread resentment against Government by the employees, there will be negative multiplier effect from their immediate family members, extended family members, community and worsened further by public outcry that an individual had benefited from the corporate cannibalisation by Khazanah, a Government own entity.

This resentment could reach beyond Selangor.

Danny's Erroneous Plan

This blog have spoken much of Danny’s briefing to top 100 management and his plan to hive off Engineering and Cargo operations yesterday here.

Danny’s briefing to the staff is reproduced from an extract of Bigdog’s posting here, below:

In a town hall meeting this morning Malaysia Airlines ED Danny Yusoff told the senior managers on the part of what has been agreed on comprehensive collaboration framework (CCF), Malaysia Airlines does not fly to where AirAsia is serving and AirAsia would be a feeder to Malaysia Airlines’ selected international routes.

However, when asked Danny also told the senior managers’ town hall that they cannot stop AirAsia from going into Malaysia Airlines’ lucrative routes, such as Sydney, because it would be “against anti trust laws”. Basically, eventually AirAsia could come and take away Malaysia Airline’s routes at their pleasure.

What made most of the senior managers leaving the town hall feeling very dissatisfied and displeased is that Danny as the ED failed to explain the rest of the details of the CCF. They are having the impression that Danny would only want to condition them for things that would eventually benefit AirAsia, at the expense of Malaysia Airlines.

This is very demoralising to a group of senior managers and professional airliners who have dedicated majority of the working life for the national carrier. It was also confirmed that what we rumored last night about where Malaysia Airlines is heading, “Working in progress towards hiving off the engineering services and cargo. We just want to keep our airline simple”.

Malaysia Airlines as the national carrier would eventually be an airline operating business, without assets and back up services. Probably the ground services would also be hived off at some point of time.

It is so baffling to the senior managers that these two very important support and complementary services are profitable and have huge potential, to propel Malaysia Airlines forward.

Malaysia Airlines would lose its competitiveness as a Tier-1 premium airline without its cargo and engineering services. More over, cargo business has been making hefty profits and it is growing steadily, which include new markets.

Danny also gave an excuse that “We have to build our service standards”. What is baffling is that Malaysia Airlines have been maintaining high and world renown service standards, so why is that they have to sacrifice a lot of what have worked for them as a tier-1 premium airline for the benefit of AirAsia?

The other “Thirteen Million Plus Ringgit” questions;
1. Who would benefit from Malaysia Airlines selling off the cargo and engineering services?
2. Is this about AirAsia’s preparation to have their own engineering services and cargo operations?
3. Is this the second phase of Danny Yusoff’s and Azman Mokhtar’s WAU?

Does Danny think he can convinced the employee when they have presumed and it turns out true that the proposed Comprehensive Collaboration Framework (CCF) and Business Plan (BP) is part of the systematic 10 year cannibalisation of MAS by Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop in favour of the bad boys of the Malaysian aviation industry, Tony F, Tune Air and Air Asia?

Does he think by threatening the staff with claims that MAS must hive off money making subsidiaries and operation to raise money for operation and aircraft delivery is convincing enough to the seasoned airliners?

Who is Danny trying to kid the bloggers in our meeting on a late Ramadhan night with his Latin “pareto optimal” spirit to the CCF which claims Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar means “no side will lose but any side can make more” but Danny acknowledged openly that the CCF no encroachment is optimally and heavily favours Air Asia?

Wonder, who suggested him that Latin term bullshit? Is it given by Omar Ong?

The Business Plan presented by CEO Dato Ahmad Jauhari have been heard many times before. [Download the Idris Jala-compatibale software presentation from MAS official website here.]

Frankly, it is the same generic shit newspaper reported when Tan Sri Mohamad Nor took over from Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, Dato Fuad Dahlan from Mohd Nor, then Dato Idris Jala and finally Tengku Dato Azmil took the helm.

Due respect to Ahmad Jauhari, but he is no airliner. He was merely reading a script prepared by Danny. And, there are several major weaknesses to Danny’s proposals.

Cost-wise, MAS has one of the lowest cost for a premium airline in the region. The problem is with revenue generation. Tengku Azmil failed in this respect. He hired no Commercial Director and instead had two of his Commercial team quarrelling and sabotaging each other.

Everyone knows. Khazanah should know. But Khazanah failed to intervene and address the situation. It is not just Tengku Azmil's fault but also of Khazanah's.

If commercial being the problem, there is no need to do butchering of the airline. The internal initiatives are already in place including the highly profitable Firefly. Instead of pumping money to strengthen MAS and make the initiatives moving, Danny decided to shelve the profitable Firefly’s turbojet to safeguard Tony F’s interest. Pareto optimal my foot?

If as Danny claimed they need money to keep going on and Air Asia can’t pump money, why the need to share swap, do cross holding of share and warrant with them, and Khazanah pump money into Air Asia X?

Danny so-claimed Banks are reluctant to finance and Khazanah is not pumping any more money. By the look of it, Air Asia wants to pump MAS’s money out to Tony F’s Queens Park Ranger next year's relegated football team.

But why did Danny admit Government and likely Khazanah can provide guarantee to raise for the new airlines? Usually, there will be sales of the older fleet to part finance the new planes. There is some money to partly pay for it.

What does Danny understand by the term “simple airlines” if he intends to sell of Engineering and Ground Handling Operations and Cargo business?

Even, if there exit such an airline called simple airline, it is still a full service airline and those are part and parcel of an airline operations. It is the core competency of a full fledge premium airline. Furthermore, those are all money generators and growth for MAS.

Who is weak in these areas and need these services? It doesn’t take a second guess to name Air Asia.

Past Outsourcing Mistakes

Danny should learn from the many lessons from the past. Outsourcing failed and trying to outsource engineering, cargo and ground handling will translate to higher cost.

The first outsourcing was proposed by Binafikir and that was catering. Danny readily admitted in his briefing that outsourcing catering to Dato Ibrahim Badawi led LSG Skychef failed and is bleeding the company.

Ibrahim is MAS Adviser and former Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Badawi's younger brother.

Then Idris Jala bled it further by outsourcing IT and it became a very costly affair to MAS till today. MAS lost an important strategic advantage.

Words from a member of Pak Lah's network of sahabat in the IT industry revealed that Symphony’s Dato Azman Yahya is the ultimate beneficiary behind the deal. Isn't it ironic that Azman is heading the committee formulating the CCF?

Leakages like these are one of the problem for MAS. But the underlying problem of MAS from the days of Tajuddin till today is about cost. The problem is the Government never had the political will to address it!

Government's Mistakes

Everytime MAS lost money, Government kept bringing in Merchant Bankers and Accountants to do corporate and financial reorganisation. It should have been to simply identify the key problems and get airliners to address it.

After the WAU financial reorganisation, MAS needed to improve on the process initiated by Tajuddin but they promoted flamboyant salesman Fuad Dahalan who knows nuts about revenue and profit per seat. As long as plane is full, he thinks it is profitable.

Come Idris Jala, he is no turnaround airliner but just a Butcher. When he realised he is not getting the operating profit and it kept losing, he did creative accounting to show asset sales as operating profit. Then he did long term oil hedging to confuse the accounts and cover his regular RM100 million a month operating loss.

Azmil could be stuck with Idris holes. But why is he - an identified accountant practising in PW London, brought back and trained by Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad, became second to Idris Jala and brought to prominence when the time is right - not allowed to help the transition?

Could he be removed immediately so that the fomer CEO do not become a hindrance for Danny to cannibalise the profitable route and MAS subsidiary on instruction from Omar Ong Rasputin to rush "gifts" to Tony F before the CCF is consummated?

If the Government has no answer to Shahrizat’s National Feedlot Corporation mess, they will not be able to answer to why all the benefit of sending MAS to it’s demise is Tony F. Similarly, they will answer about other issues but not about cannibalising MAS for Tony F.

Already they couldn't answer to YB Wee Choo Keong's questions and documental proofs in Parliament. No backbenchers and oppositions could stop or interrupt Wee's credible single man attack.

The public who had been keeping silent on public issues like this may not make noise. But they will surprise the Government of the day to translate it en-bloc to the ballot box.

Najib beware!

Confirmed ... Incompetent Clueless Khazanah to cannibalise MAS for Tony F

2011-12-07T06:45:00.002+08:00

Tony to Azman, "Great job!"

Jebat Must Die is bombarding Khazanah CEO, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar for his incompetence. Read here and here.

Yesterday afternon, a close friend of mine came to visit. This friend used to work for someone who was together with Azman and Dato Danny Yusof in Binafikir. He said:

"Gathering from my conversation with him, Azman is just an analyst and talks like a researcher. Danny just a geeky accountant.

Both know nuts about running company operations and managing businesses. They have no idea how to develop business. They only know financial restructuring.

That is why they can't turnaround companies. Khazanah's failed to do strategic investment. Agro-business ventures failed. There is no way this people can turnaround MAS. "

Adding to that, this blogger had been told by a high level source that the Wide Unbundling of Asset proposal (WAU) by Binafikir was never their's.

The source claimed the WAU proposal was almost a carbon copy of a proposal given to the then Minister of Finance, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim sometimes in mid-90s but was rejected.

One can suspiciously speculate that Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop may have got hold of the proposal and extended a copy to them. Azman, Danny, Khazanah and some of the Tingkat 4 are Nor Yakcop's corporate boys.

However, the source claimed that the difference between Binafikir's WAU proposal and the received proposal is that the received proposal will not cost the Government any money and could develop the Malaysian aviation industry into a serious regional player.

Unfortunately, Anwar Ibrahim was too dumb to understand the proposal.

And that opportunity have by-passed us. Azman and Danny made money selling Binafikir to Maybank who had no reason to buy with Aseambanker in their fold. Something smells when Danny left Binafikir after only a year.

Whether it is true or false, why reveal this now? It sounds vindictive and personal.

Off course, there is a timing to everything. The reason being the Khazanah people have not being honest in their dealing and conduct of the MAS and Air Asia share swap.

Over the years, their capability to turnaround MAS should have been seriously questioned. If they can't do it, pass it to Airliners. Not geeky accountants. Not analysts. Not flamboyant salesman. Not IPP operator. Not bankers. Not Butcher from Shell.

But they refused.

It is as though they have something to hide. For sure, Nor Mohamad Yakcop has lots of ex-to-grind against Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli and he would love to see MAS exist no more to hide his sordid past at Bank Negara, MAS and Naluri.

As of today, the much talked about Collaboration Framework promised had not been put together and signed by Khazanah party and Air Asia party.

The promise that the share swap between MAS and Air Asia could raise money for MAS was all bull and was to put wool on the eyes of the public.

This #SMS received from my inside source in MAS revealed the latest development, below:

The plan is to turn MAS private by buying out minority s/holder and get delisted. Engineering and cargo will be sold off. This implies that they will have the freedom to do as they please without public scrutiny.

This is the same mistake repeatedly made by Khazanah in their past turnaround plans of MAS. Profitable routes given away, cut capacity for potential business and growth, and now selling profitable asset.

It can be speculated that since Tony F's problem is in engineering, there is that likelihood engineering will be given for cheaps to Air Asia with the air cargo business added on as bonus.

Not only have they shelved Firefly and Tony now planning to established Chartam Air, MAS had two profitable Sydney routes but is giving one to foreign controlled Air Asia X.

Jeddah route will be given away too. From next year, some of the Hajj charter will be Air Asia-X's.

Profitable London route was the first Danny slashed. It was him who said something greek which means "no one party lose out but some party maybe better off."

Air Asia is better off at the expense of MAS. Apa ini one party is losing put?

It seems what Tony F did to Rural Air Service, this time Tony F have Khazanah as partner to cannibalise MAS and Danny "Boy" to be pushed around to buy worthless advertisement on QPR stadium boards.

It now puts into question Azman's claim to bloggers that each airline will stay within their respective "quadrant" of short haul, long haul, low cost, and full service?

Back to the SMS, the option taken by Azman and his Khazanah's team is typical of close-minded financial man and accountants without business management knowledge and acumen.

The past mistake of Khazanah identified, trained and nurtured former CEO Tengku Azmil was an accountant trying to be a Commercial Director. To make situation worse, Azmil couldn't handle his two Assistant Commercial Directors throwing chairs at each other in meetings.

Khazanah and Bina Fikir's handling of MAS was never concerned in generating business to turnaround the business. It is not that they do not want but it confirms that Khazanah appointed people do not know.

To continue the @SMS:

Their excuse is we need to sell the two profit making SBU to raise money for the airline biz to operate. By default, MAS will turn into a PN4 company and immediately delisted.

Their reason was the hole is bigger than that imagined. How can that be?

MAS performance and financial status had been under scrutiny for many years after Tajuddin left.

Tengku Azmil was only around for a year. So whose hole should it be?

Idris Jala's?

One well celebrated business and political figure informed this blogger two, three months ago that Idris Jala was losing money at the rate of RM100 million a month. He may have used the long time fuel hedges to coverup the true financial status until new accounting practise demand disclosure of operating figures.

The top management described it as a spin because they know MAS can be turnaround but these Khazanah people do not know but are too arrogant to ask and listen.

If Khazanah take that route, it confirms their lack of knowledge and management skill in the airline business. Yet all these years, they were letting the staff on a wild goose chase as though they are serious to turnaround MAS.

By repeatedly giving away their revenue earners, there is no serious intention to turnaround. How will MAS be profitable and grow if capacity slashed and profit generator sold?

This is but a lazy option to merely duplicate what Khazanah did at United Engineers. They delisted UEM and then relist the profitable or potentially profitable UEM Land. And UEM Land will sell Malaysian land and property i.e. sovereignty to Singaporean at Iskandar Johor. Has the problems in Dubai resolved?

It fits what the staff had known all along. MAS had been designed by Nor Mohamad Yakcop fro the days of Pak Lah's administration to be cannibalised by Pak Lah, his family and cronies like Kalimullah.

Back to the SMS# message:

That's the view of few Top 100 senior management personnel present at 630 pm today. At 9am tomorrow, there will be a town hall session with rest of staff before they make the presentation to Ministry of Transport.

All the promises by Azman that MAS will remain in control seemed to be a white lie, like the promise of collaboration.

In the first place, how could you collaborate with a dog like Tony F.

It looks like Air Asia have got the most benefit from the temporary swap. They get an inside knowledge on their competitor and it's business plan.

They get MAS's routes which have been many since the day Danny entered MAS as Executive Director. Air Asia have reduced any possible head to head competition from MAS.

They are in the Committee to select the CEO, which means MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari is powerless to the evil twin of Tony F and Din.

It is now understandable why Azman kept quiet when Tony F was heartedly breaking the agreement to stop "grandstanding" and his charade against Malaysia Airport.

That is the last part of the SMS@:

Is the AA fight agst MAHB a diversion from MAS AA share swap problem? Is that why Amokh is so silent and TF allowed to bark?

Seriously, if this is how the deal goes, public outcry will be loud. The public knows that MAS is being cannibalised by corrupted politicians and businessmen.

That is the reason behind the grand design to blame MAS losses of RM8 billion to Tajuddin Ramli. Someone else gets the blame, while Pak Lah, Khairy, Nor Yakcop, Tony F, Kalimullah and many others rape MAS to death.

Whoever the blame be made to, Najib must step in and stop listening to brother Nazir. Otherwise, BN could lose quite number of votes ...for sure.

* Updated and edited: 6:30 am
@ SMS reworded from original

Like a dog, Tony F bites the hand that feed

2011-12-04T12:30:00.000+08:00

As of yesterday evening, nothing happened to Tan Sri Bashir so far.

Sometime last week, he was reported in the papers saying confrontation in the manner Tony F did was not his style. He does not see any benefit by confronting with both MAS and Air Asia since both are MAHB's business partner.

That is a cool respond from an experienced player in the aviation industry and not a newbie who made it by abusing power, stealing from the nation, and short changing the consumer.

Search back my old posting on Air Asia to understand why you are treated like dogs to wait for hours at the Airport. It is by their own design.

When a cool and calculated man like Bashir hits back, he does not need to bark and growl. He will do it with finesse.

Tony F will be shut silenced.

Read this slap in the face on Tony F in Sunday Star below:

MAHB: AirAsia asked for bigger KLIA2

By B.K. Sidhu

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has fought back to say that it was building a bigger KLIA2 upon the request of its biggest customer, AirAsia.

It broke its silence after being criticised by AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes for building KLIA2 to cater to 45 million passengers, thus inflating the cost to RM4bil.

On its website, MAHB posted a document titled Why KLIA2 has to be bigger? which showed that AirAsia had estimated that passenger traffic at the new terminal would hit 28.7 million by 2015, 45.3 million by 2020 and 60.3 million by 2025.

The figures were more aggressive than MAHB's own projections for the same period, according to a graph included on the website.

MAHB said the new airport would cost between RM3.6bil and RM3.9bil and that AirAsia had asked for a fully automated baggage handling system from a semi-automated system, which caused the six-month delay in opening the airport.

KLIA2 will only be ready in April 2013.

AirAsia chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar said yesterday “we had requested MAHB to start thinking of building a bigger KLIA2 and to expand its capacity to cater to 45 million passengers since there has been a series of delays in the completion of the airport. The initial plan was for the airport to handle 30 million passengers and be completed in 2011”.

“(Now) if they do not start preparing for more passengers then we will not have the capacity as we anticipate to achieve 30 million passenger growth by 2015/16,” he said.

On the fully automated baggage system, Aziz said: “We had asked for a semi-automated system but MAHB decided on a fully automated system and we agreed to it.”

The controversy over the bigger airport has also sparked speculation over Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad's future in MAHB.

This led the market to speculate that he was supposed to meet Khazanah Nasional Bhd boss Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar yesterday. It could not be ascertained if the meeting took place.

Khazanah is a major shareholder with 54% stake in MAHB, and when contacted, its spokesman Mohd Asuki Abas said “we do not comment on speculation”.

On Friday, MAHB chairman Tan Sri Dr Aris Othman said Bashir had the full support of the management and board, quashing rumours the latter would be replaced.

Tony F's intention is to drum up the public against MAHB for raising airport tax. You know how unreasonable the public is when it comes to price hike. Thanks to the slanderous Pakatan Rakyat.

These Pakatan people probably never left the border since 2008 and hardly read the business papers or column.

For 19 years, MAHB have not raised Airport taxes.

The roti canai, kuey tiow and nasi lemak seller using controlled item products raised price of their goods upteen times. CEOs like Air Asia's Tony F and Kamaruddin "Melanun" are demanding salaries plus bonuses in the millions as compared to only 5 figure salaries 19 years ago.

Isn't that unfair?

Does Tony F think MAHB is inflated from inflation in the economy and demand for salary and wages increase within their fold?

To substantiate his calls, Tony F made an issue of airport official directing Air Asia to remove demands against Airport Tax increase.

Betul pariah tak tahu malu. Here is the man absconding the public's tax payment trying to fight against airport tax increase.

In addition, he claimed airport tax increase is because the construction of klia2 has gone over budget.

Read The Star's Saturday article on the issue, in which Aziz Bakar's quote was mentioned at the end:

Of airport taxes and cost overrun

By B.K. SIDHU

THE one unanswered question in the ongoing spat between AirAsia and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is why.

Why are they fighting now over a planned increase in passenger service charges (PSC) in the form of airport taxes when the hike was made public months ago?

Late this week AirAsia went viral in its campaign against the increase in airport taxes.

It took out advertisements in newspapers, went online, twitted about the issue; in short kicked up a fuss over the planned move that would see international passengers pay RM65 from Dec 1 instead of RM51 previously and RM31 instead of RM21 for passengers departing from the low cost carrier terminal.

Bone of contention: AirAsia says it wants a ‘kopitiam’ not a ‘Shangri-La’ term inal but MAHB says the cost overrun for KLIA2 is due to projection that a larger airport is needed to cater to 45 million passengers.

While AirAsia's boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has raised a commotion over the issue in the interest of the passengers, he stopped his tirade after twitting his reasons for doing so. He said the airport taxes were raised when facilities at LCCT (Low Cost Carrier Terminal) remains poor, the new KLIA2 will cost nearly double its original RM2bil price tag and its opening is delayed to April 2013 from August 2011 and that the airport taxes to destinations such as Kuching and Langkawi is half the fare the airline charges.

“These are the reasons we are upset. Everyone wants to fly. We need efficiency. I end this and hope Malaysians are enlightened,” he twitted.

Could it be that AirAsia wants a percentage share of the PSC since it has brought the passengers into the LCCT as it claims in its “no airport tax raise” campaign that it does not benefit from the PSC? Fernandes did not comment on that possibility.

As it is, airlines are incentivised for the traffic they draw into airports.

There is an incentive programme where airlines are paid for the increase in passenger numbers besides the free landing for three years for new flights.

Whatever the reason may be, it is a question that begs an answer.

In an interview with StarBizWeek yesterday, AirAsia chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar says: “What we are asking is - to enable us to keep our fares low and encourage more visitors to come here - we just want a kopitiam' terminal not a Shangri-La' terminal.”

The fight over the PSC charges certainly overshadows the furore he had over the huge cost of building KLIA2.

On Tuesday, MAHB called the media to tell their side of the story over allegations of cost overrun for the KLIA2, and to build what can be considered a luxury low-cost terminal.

It also revealed the cost of building KLIA2 would be in the range of RM3.6bil and RM3.9bil from RM2bil previously and its rationale for that was that it was building an airport which is 71% bigger than its original size.

The question many are asking is why is there a need to have such as large airport that can cater to 45 million passengers. Is there going to be so much traffic to warrant such as huge, expensive low cost terminal?

MAHB's rationale seems to be that the main customer, AirAsia, is growing rapidly and it is building capacity now for the future. Whether that it a viable move is unclear as it is bringing its future capital expenditure of about RM700mil forward.

Notwithstanding the fact that there may be other airlines that may also want to fly in and out of KLIA2 and that would see traffic rise beyond the forecast 30 million passenger AirAsia is looking at.

It then makes sense to have an airport that will have a very large capacity.

In its notes to journalist to justify its extra spending on KLIA2, MAHB stated that there would be “continued growth in low cost travel - 30 million passengers by 2017.”

Aziz did say that “our projections is that we can reach 30 million even in 2015 and based on our track record we have delivered what we projected.”

So to avoid an expansion just three years after KLIA2 is built, MAHB are putting in more capacity upfront in view of the robust growth its main client is expecting.

Like a dog, Tony F is biting back Tan Sri Bashir and MAHB for the excellent service they provided to Air Asia (although Air Asia intentionally refuse to extend excellent service for consumers out of their own greed) and willingness to cater to Air Asia's needs in the construction of klia2.

Tony F can stuff his berating of Bashir as old school. Tell us any new school managers or entrepreneurs capable of coming close to Bashir's achievement without resorting to abusing political power, stealing from the nation and shortchanging customers.

We will see how much value Dato Zaki Zahid (a silent partner in Omar Ong and Rohana Mahmood's Ethos) can create in Kulim. They know nuts about business and only paper shufflers who never gone through the mill. And they are only theoretical and capable at chop and sell (and behind the scene collect commission).

To quote from The Sun on Bashir:

When contacted by SunBiz yesterday, Khazanah said it does not comment on speculation.

"This (KLIA2) is a national project and he (Bashir) has proven that he knows how to manage airports. To change leadership in the middle of a national construction job, is it really wise?" said an industry source, who asked not to be identified.

"Look at Bashir's track record. During the past eight years, he has grown MAHB from strength to strength. The company sees a year-on-year double-digit profit growth and its shares have climbed to RM6, with a market capitalisation of RM6.7 billion," he added.

Bashir, 62, was appointed MAHB MD in June 2003, following a three-year tenure as an aviation adviser to the Transport Ministry. He started his career with MAS, holding various senior positions during the 29 years. During that period, he was instrumental in acquiring traffic rights for the expansion of MAS' network to international destinations.

Woof woof ... to you Tony F.

No setpol in winnable candidates

2011-12-03T20:27:00.000+08:00

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim with his shining example of overzealous political secretary, Faekah

With the UMNO General Assembly looks sure to give the mandate to determine Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak's selection of "winnable" candidates for the general election, the next question is what is Najib's criteria for "winnable candidate".

High on the wishlist of the public and general voters is for Najib to drop those widely perceived to be corrupt, have abused power, and have dangling moral issues, particularly the noted ones in his cabinet.

Publicly known personalities from the previous administration that have infamously become a liability to the party should be excluded too.

However, this posting is not repeating what have already been said many times.

In the debate by the Pemuda representative for Negeri Sembilan, Mohd. Helmy Din, at the Pemuda Convention, he cautioned of overzealous Political Secretaries to the Minister. The umno online report below:

01/12/2011

Setiausaha Politik jangan lebih 'sudu'

KUALA LUMPUR 30 Nov. - Pemimpin Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO yang dilantik sebagai Setiausaha Politik atau Pegawai Khas menteri wajar menjalankan tugas dengan penuh tanggungjawab dan bukannya bertindak seumpama lebih sudu daripada kuah.

Wakil Pemuda UMNO Negeri Sembilan, Mohd. Helmy Din berkata, saranan itu perlu diambil perhatian kerana jawatan tersebut merupakan pengiktirafan terhadap kemampuan kepimpinan di peringkat Pemuda.

Beliau berkata, walaupun dalam sistem pentadbiran negara, jawatan itu tidak terlalu tinggi namun ia hendaklah dipelihara dengan sebaik-baiknya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika membahaskan ucapan dasar Ketua Pemuda UMNO sempena persidangan perwakilan sayap itu di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini, hari ini.

Dalam perkembangan lain Mohd. Helmy berkata, pucuk pimpinan dan ahli di peringkat akar umbi tidak usah sangsi dengan kesetiaan pergerakan itu terhadap parti.

''Kami tidak rela menderhaka dan jika ada tersalah bahasa atau tersalah langkah hanyalah carik-carik bulu ayam yang akhirnya akan bercantum juga," katanya.

That cautioned raised an age old concern amongst UMNO members.

It is high time the mandated UMNO President exclude from the candidacy those political appointees working with Ministers as Political Secretary, Press Secretary, Principal Secretaries, Special Officers, etc.

Face it, time management for these officers to divide between their family life and work life is near impossible. Let alone to add time for their constituencies. Worse still, if they are holding positions in the party at Division level, they won't be able to dedicate their work with the Ministers.

Najib should seriously consider giving them an either or option of being a politician or working for politician.

Not only is time management a problem, most rampant amongst political secretaries are that they create a conflict of interest situation between their political ambition and the Minister's political role.

It could be these political secretaries neglecting the Minister's kawasan in favour of their kawasan. In some instances, budget meant for the Minister's kawasan is being diverted to his own kawasan.

Another problem arising is that many political secretaries are dirtied with the money game, without the knowledge, of the Ministers but it is the Ministers that seldom get the blame.

There are many more conflicts of interest to mentioned.

Those political secretaries should decide between their own political career and that of the Minister's political interest. Given the opportunity to contest, they should resign from their post.

What about those existing ones holding important division level post? It has to start somewhere.

Bashir to get chop today for embarassing Tony F?

2011-12-03T10:51:00.005+08:00

If Tony F owns an Airport, there will be more such waiting scenes.

If you have been following the blogs The Mole, Bigdogdotcom, Apanama and Wee Choo Keong lately, you should realise the event unfolding surrounding Tony Fernandez (prefer to call him Tony F) is bitching on development cost of MAHB2 has insidious intention.

He is manouvering to remove current Managing Director, Tan Sri Bashir to be replaced by Kalimullah's former puppet at NST, Syed Feisal so that he can get his way to own an airport.

Aisay brother ... he can't pay airport tax and swindling (that is CBT) public money from remitting the airport tax to the authority, yet he wants to own an airport.

An informer alerted this blogger late last night that despite Tan Sri Bashir getting support of MAHB Chairman [read Bernama here], there is a meeting today involving Khazanah Managing Director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Dato "Danny" Rashdan Yusof, and few others to confirm the sacking of Bashir.

"Syed Feisal already has the job," the informer said. This seemed contrary to our sources in the Prime Minister's Office that there will be no such thing.

And this is also in contrary to words given by Azman Mokhtar to bloggers on a Ramadhan night that Bashir will keep his job and he placed conditions on Tony F to stop grandstanding and pay up and cut it out his bitching of Malaysia Airport.

A Voice stand as witness to that statement and claim by Azman. [Read further in Wee Choo Keong here.] Does Azman have the balls to reprimand his new partner in Malaysian Airlines and the bad boy of the aviation industry?

In the meanwhile, MAHB is not taking Tony F bitching and attempt to influence the young on social media by calling Bashir old school with support from a major villain of Tingkat 4, Dato Zaki Zahid.

Zaki is still gloating that the Labu airport proposal by Air Asia is better than MAHB development of second airport. What does he know about aviation and airport? This is the criminal that caused the livelihood of thousands of MAS staff to enrich Tony F and perhaps himself and his Tingkat 4 robbers too.

MAHB had revealed the reasons in detailed in a power point presentation "Why KLIA2 has to be bigger?" here.

There is currently a glitch in our PC to read the presentation but Bigdog has touched on it here. According to the informer as told last night, the cost increase of building KLIA2, including the aerobridge which Tony F intend to refuse to use, was to satisfy Tony's own requests.

Do download and spread the material. MAHB may have to put down the explanation if Bashir is axed today and Syed Feisal takeover. See what happens at 6 pm.

This make sense because Bashir had explained to the press and it was reported by Utusan Malaysia that MAS and AirAsia is involved in weekly progress meeting. Tony F cannot pretend to not know of the additional time required to build and the additional requirement. He cannot claim ignorance.

The Utusan article reproduced:

Kerja-kerja pembinaan KLIA2 di Sepang giat dilakukan. Pembinaannya dijangka siap pada April 2013 – UTUSAN/ DJOHAN SHAHRIN SHAH

MAHB: Tapak projek KLIA2 jawab segala-galanya

Disember 1, 2011
Utusan Malaysia

BILIK yang dijadikan lokasi sidang akhbar oleh Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd. (MAHB) semalam sesak, dipenuhi kira-kira 40 wartawan untuk menemui Pengarah Urusannya, Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad.

Bukan projek pembangunan KLIA2 yang menjadi tumpuan media, biarpun sejam sebelum itu kami dibawa ke tapak projek yang mencetuskan pelbagai polemik oleh AirAsia Bhd. (AirAsia) sejak 2009.

Menyedari kehadiran kumpulan media yang ramai itu, Bashir yang selama ini sukar untuk ditemui tersenyum, seraya berkata: ‘‘Terima kasih kerana sudi menghadiri majlis ini dan saya lebih gembira sekiranya semua majlis MAHB nanti mendapat kehadiran media seramai hari ini’'.

Meskipun raut wajah dan suaranya begitu tenang, siapa tahu isi hatinya berikutan kritikan pedas mengenai kredibiliti MAHB oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, di laman sosial, Twitter baru-baru ini.

Bagai orang mengantuk disorongkan bantal, sidang media itu dijadikan pentas untuk membangkitkan isu-isu yang dikemukakan oleh Fernandes. Baik isu caj perkhidmatan penumpang (PSC), kos KLIA2, isu berbangkit projek KLIA2 sehinggalah spekulasi kononnya Bashir akan meninggalkan MAHB.

Rata-rata media yang menghadiri sidang media itu berasa tertipu kerana dakwaan-dakwaan keras Fernandes ke atas MAHB dan isu KLIA2 nampaknya langsung tidak relevan.

Hendak tahu kenapa?

Ia kerana jawapan yang diberikan oleh Bashir ialah AirAsia dan MAHB bertemu seminggu sekali untuk membincangkan projek KLIA2.

Persoalannya, tidak cukupkah mesyuarat seminggu sekali itu digunakan AirAsia untuk membangkitkan isu-isu KLIA2?

Sebaliknya, ramai yang tertanya mengapa Fernandes menggunakan medium media untuk melahirkan rasa tidak puas hatinya terhadap MAHB.

Persoalan mengenai kelewatan KLIA2 yang menjadi kebimbangan Fernandes juga tidak logik kerana beliau sebenarnya sudah mengetahui kelewatan tersebut disebabkan skop dan spesifikasi KLIA2 telah ditingkatkan. Mustahil Fernandes tidak tahu juga?.

Bashir berkata, MAHB terpaksa meminda spesifikasi KLIA2 kerana jumlah penumpang tambang murah akan mencecah 30 juta, selain mengambil kira kemudahan terbaik bagi Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur.

‘‘Justeru, daripada terpaksa meningkatkan kemudahan kemudian hari, tidakkah lebih baik kami melakukannya sekarang,” ujarnya.

Apalah sangat menunggu enam bulan daripada tempoh asal, sekiranya KLIA2 yang bakal dibangunkan menjadi penanda aras kepada pembangunan lapangan terbang tambang murah.

Ironinya, ada juga beberapa perubahan spesifikasi KLIA2 terpaksa dilakukan atas permintaan AirAsia termasuk pembinaan landasan kapal terbang ketiga dan sistem pengurusan bagasi automatik, tidakkah Fernandes juga mengetahui mengenainya?.

Mengapa kesediaan MAHB untuk menjalankan kerja-kerja tanah bagi pembinaan ibu pejabat AirAsia dan Tune Hotel tidak dijadikan isu?

Seorang wartawan asing yang turut serta berkata, alangkah beruntungnya AirAsia kerana di sebalik kritikan tajam terhadap MAHB, permintaan mereka masih ditunaikan. ‘‘Cubalah mereka beroperasi di Singapura, belum tentu segala kerenah mereka akan dipenuhi’' ujarnya.

Ketika ditanya mengenai persoalan PSC, Bashir dengan tenang berkata, semua caj yang dikenakan di lapangan terbang negara adalah mengikut peruntukan kerajaan.

Jelas beliau, sudah lebih 19 tahun kadar caj meletak kapal terbang dan mendarat tidak dinaikkan.

Bashir berkata, bukan mudah bagi MAHB untuk menaikkan caj-caj di lapangan terbang kerana banyak pertimbangan yang difikirkan oleh kerajaan.

‘‘Bila kami mahu menaikkan caj, kerajaan akan kata pertimbangkan banyak sebab dan kita juga kena tengok juga situasi ekonomi semasa.

‘‘Sebab itu, kerajaan telah menetapkan mekanisme untuk kenaikan caj, antaranya dengan melihat keupayaan kewangan, perkhidmatan baik yang diberikan oleh MAHB.

‘‘Jadi, kalau anda mahu saya menjawab persoalan ini (PSC), apa yang saya boleh katakan ialah PSC ditetapkan oleh kerajaan,” kata beliau.

Fernandes sewajarnya berada pada sidang akhbar itu supaya media juga boleh menyoalnya mengenai isu-isu panas membabitkan MAHB dan KLIA2 yang dibangkitkannya sebelum ini.

Kehadirannya bukan sahaja untuk keadilan bagi MAHB yang terjejas kredibilitinya ekoran pelbagai dakwaan negatif Fernandes kepada syarikat itu, sebaliknya menjawab persoalan yang berlegar di fikiran media mengapa Fernandes yang kerap menjadi pengiktirafan sebagai tokoh ketua pegawai eksekutif terbaik itu asyik menjadikan MAHB sebagai ‘mangsa’.

Earlier, MAHB Chairman, Tan Sri Dr Aris Othman, was reported by Bernama explaining the wrong picture given by Tony F. The report reproduced below:

Many Have Wrong Picture Of MAHB, Says Its Chairman

By Sharifah Hunaini Syed Ismail
Bernama

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 23 -- Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) says it has been misunderstood by several parties to the point of having a completely wrong picture of the airport operator company.

Its Chairman, Tan Sri Dr Aris Othman, said the misunderstandings also involved the issue of sky bridge facility at the new low cost carrier terminal (KLIA2) with the airport being termed as not being friendly to the disabled or senior citizens.

As a services provider, MAHB did have the intention of providing sky bridges at the airport in line with the company's concept of safe and convenient service, he said.

"We were actually ready to put in the facility, but our main user of KLIA2, Air Asia, said they would not be using it.

"If they do not use what had been prepared, there would be no returns from that as nobody would be using it, while in terms of investments, the cost is not a small amount. For all the routes, it would amount to more than RM120 million," he told Bernama here Wednesday.

Dr Aris said this when asked to comment on statements by several parties requesting MAHB to be more considerate and build the sky bridges at the KLIA2 for the use of the disabled and senior citizens.

As a service provider, MAHB is also prepared to provide the bridge if Air Asia, which will be the main tenant of KLIA2, changes its mind and wants to use the sky bridge, Dr Aris said.

"If there is a demand, we would provide the service, but we would not be able to provide it if the people do not want to use it.

"If Air Asia agrees, we are ready (to build it). Even if they do not agree, truth is the foundation for building the sky bridge is already there," he said.

He also said airline companies in the country were lucky as they could say no to several things while in other countries, "if the airport says use (a facility) the airlines would have to use them."

He also called on parties that saw the importance of the sky bridges and requesting that they be built, send their feedback to the low cost airline company.

Malaysia Airports Holdings, known as one of the largest private sector companies in the world, manages 39 airports in Malaysia including the KL International Airport (KLIA).

It has also established its position in several other countries such as with the Delhi Airport and Hyderabad International Airport in India, as well as with the airports in Turkey and Maldives.

The company is also the leading airport operator company in Asia and the sixth in the world and is listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia.

These are the only two willing news group willing to give MAHB a voice. The rest including the reknown Edge and The Star Business section, are censoring MAHB reply. Tony F's advert is dictating the truth.

Talking of the truth, the public should now be aware that for many years, Tony F, Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop, Dato Kalimullah Hasan, Khairy Jamaluddin and Tingkat 4 boys like Dato Zaki Zahid have been getting their around by using or more precisely abusing power.

They have been instrumental in wrecking the local aviation industry, in particular MAS and now MAHB, to fulfill their personal greeds. It has never been about efficiency, low cost of travel, consumer or progress, as they claimed.

Air Asia passengers are treated inhumanely but they are willing consumer because of the cheapfare. That is all to it. There is nothing really great about Air Asia, even though these plunderers are showing good profit and growth and also rich now.

More punch please, Mr President

2011-12-02T12:44:00.001+08:00

I thought of reviewing the speech by UMNO Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during the opening of the three UMNO wings.

However, I changed my mind and decided to do it together with the President’s speech.

After listening to speech by UMNO President, Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, I could sense his speech will invite different responses from different people.

The speech is fine, facts are good, points are relevant and pertinent, and delivery was well. You are already President. Save the shouting.

So I made my way to PWTC to get a feel. Furthermore I need to pick my media pass and hope to be in the hall for the penggulungan on Saturday.

Except for a few (hopefully it is not another Tok Sahak last year's stand-up comedy), most debates are generally echoes of the President and Deputy President’s speeches.

Dato Najib is open to differences in opinion but it does not seem to come out yet. Perhaps the wings heads and state liaison chiefs have too much control over the debate content.

Not many really stand out as independent and original thoughts. Khairy’s enam jahanam analogy was an echo. I thought his cautionary reminder to his members against complacency was meant for himself.

Dato Mukhriz’s debate was interesting. There was a noticeably different tone to his voice.

True enough.

When I bumped into a regular penceramah, Anwar-basher and former Naib Ketua AMK to Ezam, Zahid Md Arip near the door leading to the Seri Pacific Hotel, his response after hearing my view was, “10 people gives 10 different responses.”

On my way to PWTC, I bounced it with one seasoned political analysts. Sorry, name can’t be disclosed. He was abroad so the call could be expensive.

Nevertheless, he was fine with the speech. It is quite alright to focus on the members attitude than slugging it out on the opposition. Najib was being realistic. As he did the past few years, he is still reaching and cajoling members and hopefully, they will finally be able to response and react positively.

One nasty news report described Najib as pleading the old UMNO warlords.

Earlier, I told one of Dato Najib’s communication man that there are different shades but coordinated tone and messages in the President and his Deputy’s speeches.

What ever it means, I felt the Deputy’s speech was inclined towards “hardware” and the President’s inclination on the “software” of the challenges to the parties.

Upon reaching PWTC, my first response came from political writer and fellow Perkasa, Musli Oli. He was not impressed with the speech. Just last year, he wrote a critical book on Najib with respect to Malay Agenda.

Interestingly later, I bumped into two other political writers, Norzah Kepol and Raihan Sulaiman Palestine who asking about Musli and sharing his political plan.

Much as I wanted to discuss about the speeches, my presence at PWTC was received by friends and acquaintances more as the usual welcoming to Hajj returnees. There were the usual hugs and kisses. Thanks to my blogging, I do not have to talk too much. Seems many read it.

In the evening, we entered the press room.

I made more vocal of my view of Najib’s speech to The Star’s Joceline Tan. Told her I didn’t mind the UMNO historical reminisce. It puts his transformation plan and gamechangers into perspective.

I thought he was too polite. If he can talk of “tikam dari belakang”, he doesn’t have to talk about the other side as party A, B and C.

Coming near to the general election, it should have been a carpet bombing of the increasingly desperate Pakatan Rakyat but aggressive with their many quick hit-and-run perception creating offensives.

Muhyiddin’s speech was giving a fear factor reminder to the wings, particularly to the lackadaisical and syok sendiri Pemuda and Puteri, the implication of losing powers to the Malays.

Wanita is fine and well as backbone of UMNO election machinery. Perhaps that is where the onslaught on the NFC and Dato Seri Shahrizat Jalil is coming from. To be elaborated in another article.

On the other hand, Najib’s speech was more persuasive in nature and from the standpoint of leader for all Malaysian. He was trying to appeal to the common sense and decency of members.

There is a problem there.

The president of UMNO should stand himself as the leader of Malay ummah. Nothing wrong to talk of the plight of the Malay in an UMNO affair. So butt out, Omar Ong.

But it is Muhyiddin talking of the Malays issues. Not that I ever believe there is a wedge between Najib and Muhyiddin. It is just some conspirators political wet dream.

Noticeably, Muhyiddin was doing hard selling and Najib was soft selling to ignite excitement amongst members .

I am of the view that the opposition is scrambling from national issues. The indication is they are desperately repositioning many of their warriors to other areas since they are not able to defend their existing seats.

Najib should have continued the onslaught on the opposition. He should deal with the warlords in private than give the impression of a defeatist party.

I don’t know what Joceline will write but my old school buddy NST Alor Star bureau chief, Nor Adzman Baharuddin is all confident. It is reflective in his article, “Little problem for Najib to find winnable candidates” [Click here.]

I thought the title to his piece is not quite suitable. There is a caveat to his optimism. He wrote, “... wakil rakyat with "problems" should just "excuse" themselves from being chosen as candidates again.”

That message should have been made title.

Without being specific, the general feeling among the press and party veteran is to just pounce away, Mr President.

Be done with all these endless internal problems. To repeat Prof Tan Sri Nordin Kardi’s message at one of those pre-PAU seminars, don’t talk like losers but as winners. The rakyat only vote winners. Those troublemakers too back only winners.

To add to that, one former ADUN from Kedah texted me to say Najib should not look back but move forward with his vision.

And he should talk also about his vision of the general election.

The army need early preparation to cater the general’s 11th hour command. And there is the ground to prepare.

So Mr President, punch away.

Teks Ucapan Dato Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak

2011-12-01T12:05:00.001+08:00

UCAPAN DASAR PRESIDEN UMNO DATO' SRI MOHD NAJIB BIN TUN HAJI ABDUL RAZAK SEMPENA PERHIMPUNAN AGUNG UMNO 2011 DI DEWAN MERDEKA, PWTC PADA 1 DISEMBER 2011, JAM 9:30 PAGI

“UMNO MENJUARAI TRANSFORMASI”

Saudara dan Saudari sekalian,

1. Alhamdulillah, dizahirkan sejuta kalimah syukur ke hadrat Allah SWT, Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Mengasihani yang telah memberi izin dan inayah-Nya supaya kita dapat sekali lagi berkumpul dalam dewan penuh bermakna ini. Ucapan selawat dan salam ke atas Nabi Muhammad SAW yang senantiasa dipersadakan kepimpinannya.

2. Berbekal rasa tawadhu’ dan kerendahan hati, Perhimpunan Agung UMNO kali ini ditandai masuknya Tahun Baru Hijrah 1433. Ini bererti, hampir 1380 tahun wafatnya Junjungan Besar Nabi Muhammad SAW pada 11 Hijrah bersamaan tahun 632 Masihi. Baginda telahkembali ke pangkuan Ilahi. Pergi selamanya meninggalkan kita dengan dua pegangan utama yakni Al-Quran dan Sunnah sebagai suluh sepanjang zaman agar tidak tersasar dalam perjalanan hidup di dunia ini.

3. Menyisir sirah Nabawi, dengan beriktibar daripada rentetannya, Rasul yang agung itu, telah mewariskan kepada tamadun kemanusiaan suatu riwayat kepimpinan penuh berteladan. Baginda telah didokongdan didamping, penuh kemuliaan oleh Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq, Khalifah Pertama selaku teman setia yang arif berpengalaman, SaidinaUmarAl-Khattab, Khalifah Kedua, Al-Faruq yang menjadi perlambangan ketegasan prinsip beragama.

4. Seterusnya,Saidina Uthman Al-Affan, Khalifah Ketiga, hartawan amanah dengan kewarakan dan keperibadian tiada tolok bandingnya, manakala Saidina Ali, Khalifah Keempat,simbol ketokohan golongan muda yang sanggup berkorban apa saja. Dimuliakan wajahnya serta turut digelar sebagai Singa Allah sepertimana Saidina Hamzah.

5. Sayugialah, para cendekiawan dan para pengkaji menyifatkantali temali perjuangan suci Baginda dalam menegakkan syiar Islam, sebagai penuh berstrategi. Semuanya dipintal dan diikat oleh sifat-sifat mahmudah yang terpuji seperti cinta dan kasih kepada perjuangan, ketaatan, kesetiaan, pengorbanan, keikhlasan, kejujuran, amanah, kuat kerja, tidak putus asa, tabah dan pastinya bertawakal kepada Allah.

Saudara dan Saudari,

6. Menjejaki laluan tersebut, kita mahu terus mencontohi dan mengambil pengajarannya, bagi memperelok dan memperbaikiperjuangan UMNO, yang selama ini turut dipersaksikan oleh perjalanan suka duka, pahit dan manis,selaku sebuah parti penuh berjasa.

7. Tahun ini, UMNO menyambut kelahirannya yang ke-65. Hampir tujuh dekad berjuang sebagai organisasi politik yang menyejarah, mendaging dan mendarah dalam ikhtiar memartabatkan maruah serta mengangkat tinggi kedudukan orang-orang Melayu.

8. Sungguh jauh kita berjalan. Sungguh banyak hitungan masa.Walau dihadap segenap cabaran, walau dilempar segala fitnah, walau diterjah sedemikian banyak taktik jahat lagi kotor, digodam dan dihentam oleh pihak lawan, terbukti kita tidak pernah pudar semangat, tidak akan mengalah, dan, tidak akan mungkinpadam cita-cita.

9. Bahkan, derap demi derap, terus menyusun strategi, mengatur langkah demi langkah, mara ke hadapan, menjulang panji-panji bangsa, agama dan Negara.

Saudara dan Saudari,

10. Bersesekali dengan itu jua, saya pohon, marilah kita sama-sama bangun dan berdiri......, bangkit, untuk beri satu penghormatan kepada para pendahulu, kesatria-kesatria UMNO, wargaparti yang tidak didendang serta barisan negarawan unggul lagi terbilang yang dilahirkan oleh perjuangan mulia ini. Marilah....., marilah, kita angkat tinggi penghargaan kepada semuanya.

11. Bermula dengan gemulah tokoh-tokoh tersanjung yang telah pulang menyahut panggilan Ilahi seperti Allahyarham Dato’ Onn, Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman, Allahyarham Tun Razak, Allahyarham Tun Hussein, Allahyarham Tun Dr. Ismail dan Allahyarham Tun Ghaffar Baba. Begitulah juga tokoh-tokohyang masih teguh berbakti hingga ke detik ini, seperti Tun Dr. Mahathir, Tun Abdullah Badawi dan Tun Musa Hitam.

Saudara dan Saudari,

12. Khususnya, kalungkanlah penghormatan kita kepada parti bertuah ini, Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu yakni UMNO yang telah memungkinkan sebuah negara merdeka terbina gagah, ilmu pengetahuan digembur dan disebar luas pada anak-anak, belantara dipugar, sawah ladang diusahakan, hingga laba yang lumayan melimpah-limpah ke kaki halaman.

Saudara dan Saudari,

13. Sememangnya termaktub, ceritera kejayaan Malaysia adalah cerita kejayaan Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu, yakni UMNO, bersama dengan rakan-rakannya. Parti Perikatan, yang kemudiannya bergelar Barisan Nasional, adalah satu jelmaan dan terjemahan hasil pakatan ikhlas kaum Melayu/Bumiputera beserta kaum-kaum lain di Malaysia.

14. Berkat pengurusan negara yang begitu cekap, terutamanya di lapangan ekonomi, wajah Malaysia telah berubah daripada sebuah negara pertanian berpendapatan rendah, diawali dengan lebih separuh warganya hidup di bawah paras kemiskinan, kepada sebuah negara perindustrian moden berpendapatan sederhana tinggi, di mana, kurang daripada empat peratus penduduknya berada bawah paras kemiskinan relatif manakala kemiskinan tegar pula hampir berjaya dibasmi.

15. Jika dihalusi, susur galur kejayaan ini, mempunyai bibit-bibitnya dalam prakarsa, perancangan rapi, penggubalan dasar dan pelaksanaan oleh kerajaan yang diterajui UMNO. Dalam kata lain, ia tidak terjadi secara sendiri mahupun dalam vakum atau kelompongan.

16. Lantas, usahlah kita berasa bimbang dan ragu. Malaysia, nyatanya, bukanlah sebuah kisah ditulis parti pemerintah yang gagal. Ia dinukil oleh sebuah parti yang berhak untuk berbesar hati, bahawa, mandat dan kepercayaan diberikan oleh rakyat Malaysia, telah digunakan sebaik-baiknya, demi kebajikan dan kegemilangan pertiwi.

Saudara dan Saudari sekalian,

17. Menghayati ehwal demikian, secara sedar atau tidak, bukan semua parti politik jika membentuk kerajaan akan menghasilkan kejayaan yang sama seperti kita. Lihat saja kepada sejumlah besar negara di dunia, waima, mempunyai pelbagai potensi termasuk sumber asli yang kaya, namun dek sebab kerajaan tidak berkebolehan, sia-sialah segala faktor dimiliki, malah akhirnyamereka menjadi negara yang gagal.

Saudara dan Saudari,

Pada perhimpunan tahun lepas, saya telah bercakap dan membicarakan dari sudut falsafah dan asalusulnya, siapakah itu Melayu. Kita dah dengar bahawa antara terhitung dalam kelompok Melayu adalah Bugis, Minang, Arab, Muallaf, serta berpuluh suku kaum di Sabah dan Sarawak. Hatta Mamak dan Malbari pun dah serap jadi Melayu. Celah-celah itu, ketiga-tiga Naib Presiden kita tampaknya terdiri daripada Jawa, Turki dan Bajau Laut atau lanun. Saya kata takpalah, yang penting semua kira Melayu…

18. Jadinya, padaperhimpunan kali ini, setelah saya belek-belek dan saya kaji-kaji pengalaman secara aktif selama 35 tahun dalam parti, bersempena pula UMNO sudah menjangkau satu umur yang sangat dewasa, berpengalaman dan matang yakni 65 tahun, elok rasanya kalau dikupas pula siapakah dan apakah ertinya menjadi orang UMNO.

19. Maksudsaya, bila mana memperkatakan tentang parti, kita semua, sebenarnya, tidak cukup sekadar didefinisikan sebagai ahli UMNO. Sebaliknya, kita perlu menjadi orang UMNO. Makna kata, orang UMNO yang tergambar dan terpamer perwatakannya melalui tindak tanduk serta sistem nilai yang dipegang.

SaudaradanSaudari,

TAAT DAN SETIA

Pertama sekali, orang UMNO itu adalah, orang yang taat dan setia kepada parti. Orang UMNO tidakakan sekali-sekali mengkhianati parti.

Kita faham, adalah lumrah dalam sesebuah parti, mesti timbul perbezaan pendapat.Apa yang penting, kelainan pandangan itu, seharusnya membawa rahmat dan bukannya mengundang mudarat.

Dalam berijtihad pula, orang UMNO harus mencipta kebaikan untuk parti. Mengambil mufaham pengertian setia dan taat melalui syura dan musyawarah seperti difirmankan dengan indahnya pada helaian Surah An-Nisa’, apabila sesuatu keputusan telah dibuat, jika tidak menyalahi syariat, maka wajiblah ditaati.

Contohnya, kita mahu pengikutseperti Khalid al-Walid yang taat mengundur diri sebagai Panglima perang apabila diarahkan oleh Khalifah dan hanya ikut serta sebagai soldadu biasa. Sekali pun sedang berada dikemuncak karier, menurut sejarahnya tidak pernah kalah perang.

Seterusnya, Usamah bin Zaid, seorang anak muda belasan tahun yang setia menurut arahan mengepalai pasukan tentera Islam walaupun bukanlah seorang panglima yang berpengalaman di medan perang.

Inilah dia, watak, dan keperibadian pejuang sejati yang kita inginkan dalam susuk diri orang-orang UMNO.

Bercakap tentang taat setia juga, kita tak mau, bila depan kita disuruh angguk, diaangguk, disuruh geleng, dia geleng. Tapi dibelakang lain pulak halnya.

Jangan tikam dari belakang dan jangan pulak main belakang. Bak kata pepatah, janganlah telunjuk saja lurus tetapi kelingking berkait.

Saudara dan Saudari,

CINTA DAN KASIH

Ada pun nilai kedua orang UMNO itu adalah, orang yang cinta dan kasih kepada perjuangan parti. Seperti dimadah oleh Allahyarham Tan Sri P.Ramlee, dalam lagunya…itulah kasih mesra, sejati dan mulia.

Dalam hal ini, apabila ada rasa cinta dan kasih kepada parti, orang UMNO itu juga adalah, orang yang tidak takut dan tidak gentar menyuarakan pendapat serta mendengar pula pendapat orang lain demi kebaikan parti.

Ajaran agama dan pujangga melorongkan pedoman, perkatakanlah yang benar kerana kebenaran itu isi dan makanannya sejarah, tidak akan patah dipukul zaman.

Bersesuaian dengan nilai kesetiaan, bila kuat hawa kasihnya kepada parti, orang UMNO wajib membela dan mempertahankan parti, selagi hayat dikandung badan.

Seperkara utama lagi adalah, cerdik pandai berfatwa, tak kenal maka tak cinta. Lantaran, untuk mencintai parti, orang UMNO wajar kenal sejarah parti, samada yang tersurat, mahupun yang tersirat. Begitulah, seharusnya menjiwai prinsip serta falsafah perjuangannya.

Pendek kata, orang UMNO harus melihat parti sebagai satu-satunya wadah yang mampu membela untung nasib orang Melayu. Dalam berusaha pula, sebagai tandakasih, orang UMNO sewajibnya bersemangat dan tidak sesekali mengecewakan parti yang dicintai.

Meluncur topik cinta dalam berorganisasi, orang UMNO wajib ada cinta yang satu sahaja kepada parti, tidak boleh cinta poligami, tidak boleh cinta berbelah bagi atau kata orang Indonesia berbagi cinta… tak mungkin Pak... engga’ bisa Pak…

Saudara dan Saudari,

BERKHIDMAT TANPA JEMU DAN BERKORBAN

Orang UMNO itu adalah orang yang sanggup berkhidmat tanpa jemu dan sanggup berkorban. Pengorbanan adalah satu sifat yang harus bersebati dalam diri orang UMNO.

Bersandarkan prinsip persalingan, orang UMNO harus menunjukkan keikhlasan berkhidmat kepada rakyat.

Beringatlah bahawa, rakyat sedang memerhati kita. Kata orang, rakyat itu sentiasa merasa, mendengar dan mengadili, biar betapa pun senyap suara mereka, biar betapa pun jua diam gerak geri mereka.

Disudut lain, sambil menghadam peradaban Melayu, orang UMNO perlu bermuhasabah ke dalam diri masing-masing. Masih wujudkah semangat Tun Tuah di sanubari? Masih bergemakah kekentalan jiwa Tun Fatimah?

Mahu tidak mahu, orang UMNO harus berusaha tanpa jemu. Biar berdepan apa pun cabaran, pastikan UMNO menang, biar dilintang apa pun dugaan, orang UMNO mesti terus berdamping dengan rakyat. Sedarlah kita bahawa, dalam sistem demokrasi, tidak ada tempat kedua. Kita wajib jadi juara.

Kesimpulannya, kemuncak pengorbanan adalah menjunjung kepentingan dan maruahparti, bukannya kepentingan dan maruah peribadi.

Saudara dan Saudari,

i) 1946

20. Terpanggu atas segalanya, kejayaan terbesar UMNO adalah menyatupadukan orang-orang Melayu melalui penubuhannya pada 11 Mei 1946. Lantaran itu, perlu ditegaskan bahawa, kejayaan ini bukannya kecil, jauh sekali daripada bersifat enteng kerana bangsa Melayu sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua,masih belum endah politik, disamping terbelenggu semangat kenegerian.

21. Jangan dilupa juga, termusta’id dalam lembaran sejarah bahawa, UMNOlah yang telah berjaya menguburkan penubuhan Malayan Union dan menggantikannya dengan sistem Persekutuan Tanah Melayu. Sekaligus, ditanda dengan episod itu, UMNO telah berbakti menyelamatkan kedudukan Raja-Raja Melayu, bangsa Melayu dan kesucian agama Islam.

Saudara dan Saudari

ii) 1951

22. Kemudiannya, satu episod getir telah dilalui oleh UMNO apabila Dato’ Onn Jaafar seorang tokoh bangsa, selaku Presiden Pengasas,meletakkan jawatan, sebagai Yang DiPertua dan keluar dari parti.

23. Pada masa tersebut, banyak pihak telah menitipkan belasungkawa dan membacakan talqin terhadap UMNO keranahilangnya kepimpinan. Sekalipun begitu, pemilihan parti telah menyaksikan Tunku Abdul Rahman mengambil tempat sebagai Yang DiPertua dengan Tun Razak sebagai Timbalannya yang setia.

24. Ternyata, telahan kelam oleh pelbagai pihak bahawa, UMNO akan karam,amat meleset, malah, penggantian kepimpinan ini telah merancakkan lagi usaha bagi mendapat kemerdekaan negara. Serentak dengan itu, slogan “Hidup Melayu” telah diubah kepada “Merdeka”.

25. Kendatipun para ahli tidak menerima cadangan Dato’ Onn untuk membuka pintu UMNO kepada orang-orang bukan Melayu, kepimpinan partiwaktu itu,memahami realiti yang ada dan berfikir panjang, malah berilham jauh ke hadapan dengan mencipta prinsip atau konsep perkongsian kuasa unik, melalui Parti Perikatan dengan menggabungkan UMNO, MCA dan MIC. Yang termustahak adalah, taat setia semua kaum kepada Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.

Saudara dan Saudari,

iii) 1955

26. Menyentuh usaha tersebut, iltizam UMNO bagi menjayakan prinsip yang dipelopori jelas terpamer sejak dari awal lagi. Sebagai contoh, dalam pilihanraya tahun 1955, untuk memilih 51 daripada 52 ahli Majlis Perundangan Persekutuan, prinsip perkongsian kuasa telah dipraktikkan UMNO apabila kita meletakkan calon di hanya 35 kawasan, berbanding MCA, 15, dan MIC, 2. Walhal, daripada52 kerusi yang dipertandingkan, 50 adalah kawasan majoriti Melayu, dan hanya 2, kawasan majoriti Cina.

27. Perlu diketahui juga, pecahan pengundi semasa pilihan raya tersebut, mencatatkan majoriti kira-kira 84 peratus atau lebih 1 juta pengundi Melayu. 11 peratus atau seramai 143 ribu pula, adalah pengundi Cina, manakala 50 ribu, atau,hampir 4 peratus sahaja,di kalangan pengundi India.

28. Hakikat tersebut nyatanya, tidak menghalang semua calon parti MCA dan parti MIC untuk menang. Bagi pemimpin dan orang-orang UMNO, demi mencapai perpaduan antara parti-parti komponen Perikatan, mereka harus menunjukkan keikhlasan berkongsi kuasa. Keikhlasan ini dimanifestasikan dalam bentuk kerelaan memberi kerusi majoriti Melayu kepada parti-parti komponen untuk ditandingi.

29. Tidak terhenti setakat itu sahaja, ia diikuti pula dengan kesanggupan orang-orang UMNO untuk mengundi calon bukan daripada bangsa mereka sendiri, demi matlamat lebih besar, yakni memenangi pilihanraya, kemudiannya, membentuk kerajaan, seterusnya mencapai kemerdekaan.

30. Terbukti, sejak dari dulu lagi, UMNO bukanlah sebuah pertubuhan rasis.UMNO sebenar dan sebetulnya adalah pencetussertaperintis kepada semangat tolak ansur antara kaum, yang akhirnya, telah mencipta kestabilan sosial, membawa kepada kemakmuran nasional.

Saudara dan Saudari sekalian,

iv) 1957

31. UMNO juga melalui Parti Perikatan telah mengemudi pelayaran bahtera merdeka, tanpa pertumpahan darah, mahupun revolusi. Ia dimeterai atas meja rundingan. Syukur, tiada kemusnahan, sekali pun terhadap sumber kekayaan negara, samada dalam bentuk ladang mahupun lombong. Ini, membolehkan kerajaan yang baru merdeka, membina sebuah watan aman berjaya,di atas asas-asas pemerintahan sedia ada.

32. Setepatnya, kisah kejayaan kita bermula sebelum negara mencapai kemerdekaan, 54 tahun yang lalu. Ia bertitik tolak apabila Kerajaan Perikatan dengan kuasa terhad,di bawah kepimpinan Tunku Abdul Rahman dibentuk pada tahun 1955. Sebaik sahaja mencapai taraf berkerajaan sendiri, Perikatan mula mengorak langkah, bagi membaiki nasib rakyat, dengan penggubalan Rancangan Malaya Pertama, antara tahun 1956 hingga 1960. Dalam ketika itu, pada 1956, FELDA ditubuhkan, disusuli pula langkah-langkah lebih konkrit pasca merdeka.

33. Penubuhan FELDA menjadi satu langkah yang amat mendahului waktunya. Ia telah memberi peluang kepada mereka yang tidak bertanah, ia telah membawa sinar kepada mereka yang tidak mempunyai harapan, dan ia telah menawarkan permulaan baru untuk warga Malaysia keluar daripada kemelut kemiskinan. Segala tahmid ke hadrat Yang Esa, hari ini terdapat lebih 100 ribu peneroka di seluruh negara yang telah menikmati hasil rancangan penuh berwawasan ini, bersama-sama ratusan ribu generasi kedua.

Saudara dan Saudari,

34. Berbalik kepada salasilah, apabila negara memperoleh kemerdekaan, maka cabaran pertama dihadapi UMNO dan Parti Perikatan ialah, bagaimana hendak menangani pengaruh dan ancaman Parti Komunis Malaya serta menamatkan darurat yang telah diisytiharkan pada tahun 1948. Alhamdulillah, matlamat ini telah berjaya dicapai, kurang daripadatempoh tiga tahun selepas 1957.

35. Kejayaan yang dicapai bukanlah sedikit, sebaliknya ia begitu signifikan dan tersergam kepada negara. Kita harus melihat kejayaan ini dari perspektif apa yang berlaku dirantau ini. Kalau diamati, walau ada penglibatan kuasa besar dunia dengan kekuatan militer tanpa tolok banding, masih tidak mampu menghalang pengaruh komunisme. Sebaliknya, sebuah kerajaan baru merdeka, dengan sokongan padu rakyat, berjaya menyanggah teori domino.

36. Oleh yang demikian, UMNO mengecam sekeras-kerasnya tindakan pihak tertentu yang cuba menulis dan meriwayat semula sejarah, dengan memperlekehkan sumbangan para pahlawan negara. Sebagai sebuah kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab dan mengenang budi, kerajaan Barisan Nasional tidakakan sekali-kali membiarkan wirawan serta wirawati kita, tanpa pembelaan sewajarnya. Sesungguhnya, jasa dan bakti mereka akan terus malar serta segar dalam sanubari dan ingatan setiap rakyat Malaysia.

37. Selepas memenangi keamanan, telah diisytiharkan pula perang terhadap kemiskinan dan kemunduran. Seperti disebut tadi, ini wajar dilakukan kerana, seawal merdeka, lebih 89 peratus rakyat Malaya hidup di kawasan luar bandar dan pedalaman, dengan kadar buta huruf yang tinggi, akses kepada pendidikan yang rendah, ditambah pula kemudahan asas yang terkebelakang.

38. Lucunya, kita kini mendengar pihak-pihak tertentu tanpa segan silu menguar-uarkan konsep negara berkebajikan. Kita ucapkan syabas dan tahniah kepada mereka, kerana, baru sedar terhadap konsep negara kebajikan ini. Sesungguhnya, mereka sudah 60 tahun terlewat.

39. Soalnya, kenapakah kini, baru prihatin terhadap kebajikan rakyat? Kita ingin bertanya, sebelum ini apa matlamat perjuangan mereka? Adakah matlamatnya semata-mata untuk memecahbelahkan ukhuwah umat? Hakikatnya, dengan segala inisiatif dan perlaksanaan demi rakyat, kerajaan Barisan Nasional sudah sejak melebihi enam dekad, mengamalkan konsep negara berkebajikan.

Saudara dan Saudari,

v) 1969

40. Apabila tragedi hitam rusuhan kaum 1969 terjadi, prognosis pemerhati antarabangsa terhadap Malaysia amat buruk. Mereka meramalkan kita akan gagal manakala rakyat seolah-olah telah hilang harapan. Sementelahan pun begitu, UMNO dan rakan-rakannya jauh dari menyerah kalah atau hilang pedoman. Sehubungan peristiwa ini juga, jangan sekali-kali kita alpa bahawa, terdapatdikalangan pemimpin pembangkang, turut terlibat mengapi-apikan slogan untuk menghina orang Melayu sehingga berlakunya tragedi 13 Mei.

Saudara dan Saudari sekalian,

vi) 1970

41. Tarikh 22 September 1970 menyaksikan Tunku Abdul Rahman melepaskan kepimpinan negara diikuti kepimpinan parti. Tun Razak telah mengambil alih kedua-dua jawatan tersebut, maka bermulalah era pelaksanaan DEB. Fokus masih lagi kepada kawasan luar bandar dan pedalaman.

42. Ini dicerminkan menerusi penubuhan agensi, antara lainnya, RISDA, untuk pekebun kecil getah, Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia, Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang dan Lembaga Kemajuan Ternakan Negara, masing-masing untuk petani, peladang dan penternak. Bagi merancakkan pembangunan wilayah pula, kerajaan telah menubuhkan KEJORA, KETENGAH, PERDA, KEDA, KESEDAR, DARA danLembagaKemajuanWilayah Jengka.

43. Bagi mencipta masyarakat perdagangan dan perindustrian serta kemasukan kaum Melayu/Bumiputera ke dalam sektor moden pula,kerajaan telah menubuhkan agensi seperti Bank Bumiputra, UDA, Pernas dan Perusahaan Awam Bukan Kewangan atau PABK.

44. Kesan utama pelaksanaan dasar ini, dan pewujudan Barisan Nasional adalah terciptanya kestabilan sosial yang membolehkan pertumbuhan ekonomi mapan dengan kadar pukul rata hampir 7 peratus untuk dua dekad berturut-turut. Ini secara langsung telah meningkatkan kemakmuran serta taraf hidup semua rakyat Malaysia daripada pelbagai kaum.

Saudara dan Saudari,

vii) 1988

45. UMNO menghadapi saat paling dahsyat apabila parti keramat ini diharamkan pada tahun 1988. Ini kerana keputusan pemilihan parti 1987 tidak dapat diterima dan kes telah dibawa ke mahkamah. Walaupun UMNO berpecah dua,seraya menyaksikan satu percubaan untuk meniru konsep Barisan Nasional melalui Gagasan Rakyat dan Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah,hal ini tidak berjaya, kerana tidak ada keikhlasan.

46. Sungguh apapun, segala cabaran telah berjaya diharungi. Bangkit dari runtuhan UMNO lama, UMNO baru telah wujud bagi terus membela umat Melayu dalam satu proses pemulihan parti dengan tidak mengambil masa yang lama.

Saudara dan Saudari,

viii) 1990

47. Berlawanan dengan tafsiran cetek oleh sesetengah pihak, DEB sejelasnya tidak pernah merugikan orang-orang bukan Melayu. Buktinya, setelah dua dekad pelaksanaan, pada tahun 1990, orang bukan Melayu masih lagi memiliki ekuiti terbesar dalam kekayaan negara manakala pendapatan pukul rata isi rumah mereka, masih yang tertinggi antara kaum diMalaysia.

48. Diperakui, walaupun matlamat pemilikan ekuiti tidak tercapai sepenuhnya, paling terkesan ialah penciptaan kelas menengah Melayu yang besar, menjelang berakhirnya dasar ini. Saiz kelas menengah ini meningkat tinggi dengan pelaksanaan Dasar Pembangunan Nasional antara 1991 hingga 2000. DEB, sebenarnya telah mengasaskan kestabilan sosial kebangsaan yang membolehkan penciptaan kekayaan dan kemakmuran dinikmati oleh semua pihak.

49. Salah satu kisah kejayaan lagi, ialah bertambahnya jumlah profesional Melayu/Bumiputera. Jika dikaji, ketika bermula pelaksanaannya pada awal 70an, hanya terdapat kurang 5 peratus profesional daripada kaum Melayu dan Bumiputera.Jumlah ini telah bertambah kepada 45 peratus dari keseluruhan profesional hasil DEB dan dasar-dasar seangkatan dengannya.

50. Prakarsa kerajaan melalui penubuhan sekolah berasarama penuh atau SBP dalam bentuk Sekolah Menengah Sains, Maktab Rendah Sains MARA, pusat asasi sains, matrikulasi untuk IPTA tempatan dan penghantaran pelajar ijazah pertama ke luar negara menjadi pemangkin yang telah membawa kepada kemunculan kelas pertengahan Melayu.

51. Dasar inijuga telah menunjang pergerakan menegak mobiliti sosial, maka tidak pelik melihat anak seorang buruh kasar hari ini merupakan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan Perbankan. Anak pesawah, penoreh getah, nelayan dan peladang pula menjadi anggota pentadbiran tertinggi, penjawat awam dan korporat,usahawan, hartawan dan cendekiawan.

Saudara dan Saudari,

52. Sebagai dimaklumi,asalnya kita adalah sebuah negara pertanian yang eksport utamanya adalah komoditi seperti getah, kelapa sawit dan bijih timah. Pada pertengahan tahun 80an, apabila pulih daripada menghadapi kemelesetan ekonomi akibat kejatuhan harga komoditi utama negara, kerajaan telah memulakan proses industrialisasi.

53. Tumpuan juga mula diberikan bagi menjadikan Malaysia pusat tarikan pelancongan global disamping pembinaan projek infrastruktur yang besar. Misalnya, Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan yang telah berjaya merangsang pertumbuhan dan proses urbanisasi.

54. Pucuk pangkalnya, semua inisiatif, dasar dan program ini telah membawa kepada perubahan struktural bukan sahaja kepada lanskap sosioekonomi rakyat Malaysia tetapi juga kepada sistem nilai, taraf hidup dan pendidikan lebih tinggi serta akses kepada maklumat yang lebih luas.

Saudara dan Saudari,

ix) 1999

55. Direnung-renung dan ditinjau-tinjau semula, dalam Pilihanraya 1999, sungguhpun penggunaan telefon bimbit makin meningkat, disebabkan keupayaan teknologi masih terbatas ketika itu, ia belum mampu menyalurkan data. Maka, e-mel, faks dan laman sesawang yang tidak interaktif, menjadi medium popular sebagai penyampai berita alternatif.Meneropong kembali, waktu itu, belum ada Google, belum ada Facebook, belum ada Twitter hatta telefon pintar.

56. Berbanding sekarang ini, menurut data dari Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia kita mencatat 36 juta pelanggan telefon selular, iaitu kadar penembusan 124%, atau,124 set bagi 100 penduduk. Penembusan jalurlebar sekarang pula telah meningkat kepada 62% langganan isirumah. Dengan kata lain, 4 juta isi rumah dari sejumlah 6.5 juta isi rumah, atau,lebih 16 juta penduduk Malaysia mempunyai kemudahan jalurlebar.

57. Selain itu, lebih 40 peratus yang melanggani TV satelit berbayar, mendedahkan mereka kepada saluran berita seperti CNN, BBC dan Al-Jazeera,bagi mengikuti perkembangan dunia secara langsung.

Saudara dan Saudari,

x) 2011

58. Bertapak jauh selepas satu dekad, pengenalan SMS, MMS, BlackBerryMessenger, telefon pintar, media sosial, tablet eletronik pintar dan Wi-Fi percuma telah mejadikan akses kepada idea, pendapat dan berita melaluinya menjadi lebih mudah.

59. Umpamanya, ucapan perayaan AidilAdha, yang disiarkan semasa saya dan rombongan mengerjakan Haji baru-baru ini, telah dirakam semasa di Padang Arafah, dengan menggunakan iPhone, sebelum diedarkan kepada media tempatan.

Saudara dan Saudari,

60. Berkalam tentang kecanggihan sebegini, demikian kita menyaksikan saat-saat akhir SaddamHussein ditali gantung, serta juga nasib yang menimpa MuammarGaddafi. Perubahan yang berlaku di Tunisia, Mesir, Libya dan Yemen serta protes di Syria seperti kita lihat,adalah juga, genesis kepada medium media sosial. Kita dapati, walaupun pemerintah negara-negara berkenaan cuba untuk membuat putaran cerita, namun dengan hanya telefon pintar, jalurlebar dan You Tube, mampu menceritakan apa yang sebenarnya berlaku, di negara-negara tersebut.

61. Berpacu dari sini, kerajaan, melalui SKMM telah mewujudkan lebih kurang 560 pusatjalurlebar masyarakat, iaitu hampir satu di setiap mukim di negara ini. Kita mantapkan lagi usaha penubuhan lebih 1300 kampung tanpa wayar di merata negara, agar, rakyat keseluruhan,berkemampuan melayari internet manakala 1700 lagi masih dalam proses.

62. Malaysia sekarang sudah terletak antara tangga teratas di kalangan negara Asean dari segi kemampuan ICTnya. Kita juga mempunyai 17.5 juta pengguna Internet, dan menurut kajian, orang Malaysialah, yang paling ramai mempunyai rakan Facebook, yakni, secara puratanya, 234 bagi setiap seorang.

Saudara dan Saudari,

63. Begitu jugabermula tahun 90an,bagi menangani perasaan tidak puas hati terhadap akses pendidikan tinggi, maka, bermula tahun 1995, kerajaan telah mengorak langkah untuk meliberalkan sektor pengajian tinggi tempatan.

64. Kesannya, dari hanya 9 buah universiti awam, hari ini telah bertambah menjadi 20.Disamping itu, 25 universiti, 22 kolej universiti danlebih 400 kolej swasta serta5 kampus tempatan universiti asing kini telah wujud.

Saudara dan Saudari sekalian,

65. Hasil peningkatan taraf sosioekonomi dan akses lebih meluas kepada pendidikan pasca menengah,telah mewujudkan generasi rakyat Malaysia baru lebih kritikal dan meningkat ekspektasinya terhadap kerajaan.

66. Generasi ini adalah anak-anak kepada generasi pertama DEB. Mereka dilahirkan bermula tahun 70an. Generasi ini, tidak suka dibentak-bentak, tidak suka diarah-arah apa yang perlu dilakukan, tidak gemar diberitahu apa yang benar dan salah, serta paling tidak disenangi mereka apabila kita mengungkit-ungkit jasa-jasa kita yang lalu.

67. Kita dapati bahawa, mereka ini mahu terus dirundingi, mahu kebebasan untuk menilai, berhujah dan membuat keputusan berdasarkan kepada pasaran maklumat dan idea yang ada. Jadinya, untuk terus kekal, UMNO perlu berkomunikasi mengikut langgam dan laras bahasa anak-anak muda, supaya parti kita difahami.

68. Lalu, dalam persekitaran inilah kerajaan mengumumkan untuk meminda Seksyen 15 Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti atau AUKU bagi membenarkan mahasiswa dan mahasiswi universiti awam untuk menjadi ahli parti politik apabila mencapai umur baligh undang-undang atau 18 tahun.

Saudara dan Saudari,

69. UMNO sentiasa mendengar suara dan menghargai peranan serta sumbangan orang muda. Kita mengiktiraf mereka bukan sahaja apabila menghadapi pilihan raya, sebaliknya pada setiap masa dan ketika.

70. Dalam sejarahnya, UMNO adalah parti politik pertama di negara ini, yang mempunyai sayap untuk orang muda, lelaki, wanita dan diikuti dengan sayap puteri. Bagi meningkatkan peranannya, dalam pindaan Perlembagaan UMNO yang terbaru, kita telah menambah jumlah perwakilan di peringkat Bahagian dan Perhimpunan ini. Malah, jumlah mereka juga ditokok dalam proses memilih pucuk pimpinan parti.

PENUTUP

Saudara dan Saudari,

71. Kejayaan membentuk wajah Malaysia seperti yang ada, telah menghadapkan kita dengan cabaran terbesar kepada survival parti dan Barisan Nasional itu sendiri. Sama ada kita akan kekal sebagai parti yang dipercayai rakyat dan mendapat mandat bagi terus menjadi kerajaan, bergantung kepada kesedaran, kefahaman dan tindakan kita selanjutnya.

72. Sepanjang ucapan saya tadi, dirakamkan kronologi 10 detik yang telah menjadi “gamechanger” kepada UMNO menyusuri sejarah parti.

73. Sehubungan itu, suka saya simpulkan, 5 kekuatan teras, yang membolehkan kita menghadapi apa pun badai dan mehnah yang merempuh parti, samada bersifat dalaman, mahupun luaran. Pertamanya ialah, keupayaan menggagas semula parti bagi memanfaatkan persekitaran yang baru.

74. Kedua, pengamalan prinsip wasatiyyah dalam semua bidang,samada urus tadbir, perkongsian kuasa, iktisad yakni ekonomi, perhubungan kaum mahupun perhubungan antarabangsa.

75. Ketiganya, UMNO sentiasa mengulungi idea atau “supremacyofideas” dalam era pertarungan minda dan persaingan sengit pasaran idea serta maklumat.

76. Keempat,UMNO perlu terus meletakkan kebajikan rakyat di atas segalanya-galanya. Segala dasar yang digubal, prakarsa yang dirancang dan program yang dilaksanamengutamakan kebajikan rakyat.

77. Kelimanya, kebolehan UMNO untuk mengotakan apa yang dikata dan menunaikan janji. Pucuk pangkalnya, kita bukan seperti sesetengah pihak yang hanya menjadi tukang karut.

Saudara dan Saudari,

78. Oleh sebab itulah, apabila saya mengambilalih tampuk kepimpinan parti dan kerajaan tiga puluh bulan yang lalu, saya dan rakan-rakan sama ada dalam Majlis Tertinggi UMNO, Dewan Tertinggi Barisan Nasional mahupun Kabinet, telah mengambil keputusan untuk melaksanakan proses islah dan pembaharuan.

79. Dalam parti,mula-mula sekali kita telah membesarkan francais pemilih bagi ahli-ahli Majlis Tertinggi. Kita mahu lebih ramai orang UMNO diberi hak untuk memilih pemimpin mereka. UMNO bukan parti yang gentar terhadap demokrasi seperti tuduhan seteru politik kita, malah UMNO adalah parti yang mendakap demokrasi. Kata pepatah Inggeris “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”.

80. Kita bukan seperti pihak lawan. Contoh pertama, Parti A, jawatan Ketua Umum, sudahlah tidak dipilih secara demokratik, lebih berkuasapulakdari Presiden parti. Contoh kedua, Parti B sebuah parti yang memakai gelar demokrasi, namun,langsung tidak demokratik. Apakah demokratik namanya kalau perwakilan cawangan memilih 20 orang ahli jawatankuasa pusat dan kemudian ahli jawatankuasa pusat tersebut pula, memilih kepimpinan tertinggi parti? Ini jelasnya, tidak sama sekali mencerminkan kehendak ahli terbanyak.

81. Manakala contoh ketiga, adalah Parti C, yang kononnya memperjuangkan negara kebajikan. Lahawlawala...., jawatan Mursyidul Am pun, tampaknyatidak diundi secara demokratik,tetapi ternyata lebih berkuasa dari Presiden. Sama jugak dengan Parti A.Tambahan lagi Parti A itu, suami, Ketua Umum, isteri, Presiden, anak perempuan sulung, Naib Presiden, Timbalan Presiden pulak ..... hrmm ... tak payah lah kita cerita.

Saudara dan Saudari,

82. Menelaah perkara-perkara itu, kita mesti insaf, jika UMNO masih gagal memahami dan menghayati faktor-faktor yang menjadi “gamechanger” atau peneraju cara gaya baru kepada lanskap politik nasional,sertatidak pula mengambil langkah merangka semula “gameplan” yakni gerakan terancang, maka kita namanya menempah tragedi untuk parti.

83. Apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan gamechanger ini? Pertamanya ialah realiti baru.Jika UMNO tidak memahami realiti baru lanskap politik nasional, bagaimana UMNO dan BN mahu berjaya? Keduanya,media baru. Mahu tidak mahu,suka tidak suka, UMNO harus menguasai media baru kerana hari ini,detik ini, ia mampu menentukan kemenangan atau kekalahan. Ia berupaya mendatarkan “the playing field” atau ia turut boleh menjadikan satu pertarungan itu, tidak setara. Dari yang demikian, orang UMNO wajib mengetahui cara-cara untuk memanfaatkan media baru demi survival parti.

84. Memenuhi maksud dan menjiwai realiti baru juga, UMNO selaku sebuah parti siasah yang dinamik, tidak boleh hanya sekadar hebat bertempur dalam pertarungan lalu, kita semestinya juga menjadi juara dalam berperang di medan laga terkini.

85. Ketiga, UMNO juga harus menghayati pemikiran baru yang ada dikalangan semua segmen pengundi, bagi menarik sokongan mereka. UMNO tidak boleh bersikap atau sekalipun dilihat sebagai bersikap angkuh lagi sombong. Jika tidak, para pengundi dan rakyat akan benci dan menjauhi kita.

Saudara dan Saudari,

86. Selama hampir enam dekad, UMNO telah menjadi parti teras yang menonggak kejayaan. Selama ini, rekod-rekod membuktikan bahawa, kita tidak pernah mendominasi atau sekalipun berniat untuk mendominasi parti-parti komponen seperti yang difitnah oleh pembangkang.

87. Jauh sekali dari kemelut gabungan parti pembangkang yang tidak mampu berijma’ dan bersatu hati walaupun dalam soal-soal dasar. Misalnya, dalam perihal negara Islam, Parti A kata, setuju secara peribadi, Parti B kata, tidak sekali-kali, langkah mayat mereka dulu, Parti C pulak kata “kita tukar jadi negara kebajikan”. Pening dan keliru rakyat dibuatnya.

88. Berbeza dengan UMNO, sebagai parti teras, kita mengambil langkah berganding dan bekerjasama dengan parti-parti komponen. Kerjasama kita bersifat pragmatik, realistik dan ikhlas. Kita menerima seadanya rakan-rakan dalam Barisan Nasional.Kita saling percaya mempercayai, saling bergantungan dan saling bersefahaman sejak sebelum merdeka lagi. Inilah yang membuatkan kita berjaya sebagai teraju dalam memakmurkan negara ini.

Saudara dan Saudari,

89. Sebagai gamechanger yang kesebelas, kita mulakan dengan Program Transformasi Kerajaan bagi membaiki penyampaian sektor awam.Seterusnya, Program Transformasi Ekonomi dan Model Baru Ekonomi sebagai peta halatuju pusingan akhir ke arah wawasan negara maju berpendapatan tinggi.Kemudiannya, Program Transformasi Politik bagi menyeimbangkan antara Keselamatan Kebangsaan dan Kebebasan Individu.

90. Program Transformasi Luar Bandar dilancar, bagi meningkatkan kualiti hidup masyarakat luar bandar dan pedalaman, serta, Program Transformasi Sosial yang berpandukan falsafah pemandu 1Malaysia. Kita lanjutkan pula dengan inisiatif-inisiatif yang dapat mengurangkan kos sara hidup rakyat seperti Klinik 1Malaysia, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M), Menu 1Malaysia dan Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia atau PRIMA.

Saudara dan Saudari,

91. Sebetulnya, apa yang ada hari ini seperti dapat disaksikan oleh semua, bukan dibina dalam masa yang singkat. Ia terbina dengan penuh tatih, pengorbanan dan jerih payah. Ia dibangunkan oleh bapa-bapa kita orang-orang Melayu, orang-orang Cina, orang-orang India, Iban, Kadazan dan lain-lain lagi termasuklah orang asli dan orang Siam. Cita-cita mereka, impian mereka, tidak lain tidak bukan demikehidupan lebih baik untuk kita. Ia diteruskan lagi oleh generasi kini yang mendambakan masa depan lebih cerah untuk anak-anak cucu kita.

92. Ingatlah....., ingatlah bahawa, semua ini dimungkinkan oleh kita orang-orang UMNO, sebuah parti yang amat berjasa kepada kita semua, bukan sahaja anak-anak Melayu tetapi rakyat Malaysia keseluruhannya. Namun, alangkah pedih dan alangkah lukanya hati kita, pabila hari ini, UMNO, parti yang sarat jasa dan baktinya, sedang dimomok, dinista dan dicerca semahunya. Malah, jasa kita seolah hendak dipadam terus dari helaian sejarah.

93. Mereka tanpa malu dan segan, gah mendakwa bahawa,UMNO langsungtiada budi atas kehidupan mereka. Kalau benarlah begitu, siapakah yang mengubur Malayan Union? Siapa yang memenangi kemerdekaan secara aman? Kalau bukan parti bertuah ini.

Saudara dan Saudari,

94. Mengatasi semua persoalan ini, kata orang, kalau mandi air dikali, jangan lupa pada siapa yang menggalinya. Kerana bukankah UMNO yang menjadi induk, mencipta kemakmuran?

95. Ini tidak, belum lagi berkuasa, sudah ibarat kaduk naik junjung. Ibarat lidah tidak bertulang, katanya mahu membuang separuh dari penjawat awam kalau sudah berkuasa. Apa maksud mereka mahu membuang lebih 200 ribu orang guru? Siapa yang mahu mengajar anak-anak kita? Bukan semua yang mampu menghantar anak ke sekolah-sekolah swasta.

96. Tidak cukup dengan itu, mahu ditamatkan khidmat separuh doktor dan jururawat sedangkantidak semua rakyat Malaysia yang mampu mendapatkan rawatan di hospital-hospital swasta. Mahu diberhentikan separuh tentera dan polis? Lalu, pada siapa hendak diharap untuk membenteng keselamatan kita dan keluarga?

Saudara dan Saudari,

97. Inilah nasib yang akan melanda, jika UMNO sudah hilang kuasa. Siapa yang akan membela syiar Islam? Siapa yang mampu membela hak umat dan agenda orang Melayu? Siapa pula yangdapat terus memuliakan Raja-Raja kita? Tepuklah dada, tanyalah jawapan.

Saudara dan Saudari,

98. 500 tahun yang lalu, jatuhlah empayar Melaka. Ia jatuh bukan kerana Melayu kurang hulubalang atau kependekarannya, ia rebah bukan kerana kemiskinan atau kefakiran, ia tersungkur menyembah bumi kerana terlerainya perpaduan dan berlakunya pengkhianatan.

99. Begitu juga nasib tamadun-tamadun besar di dunia yang hancur, mereput dan runtuh. China, terhina akibat siri perang candu, Empayar Rom, dirobek perpecahan dari dalam dan Khilafah Othmanniyah, punah dek kerana kehalusan strategi pecah belah dan perintah. Bertolak dari situ, marilah kita jadikan kisah-kisah ini sebagai teladan dan sempadan. Jangan sekali-kali kita terperangkap olehnya.

Saudara dan Saudari,

100. Akhir kalam, selaku Presiden UMNO, saya bersyukur kerana mempunyai Timbalan Presiden yang setia, barisan Naib Presiden yang taat, Pergerakan Wanita yang tidak jemu-jemu mendokong perjuangan parti, ketumbukan Pemuda yang lantang dan berani, para Puteri yang cekal dan bersemangat, Majlis Tertinggi yang sentiasa bersiaga, khususnya, orang-orang UMNO sekalian, yang menunggu-nunggu panggilan bertempur.

101. Ayuh, rapatkan saf, nyalakan jamung, gigitlah kuat-kuat perjuangan ini dengan geraham kita. Palulah genderang perang, palulah ia tabuh-tabuhan dan tiupkanlah semboyan. Masanya sudah hampir, waktunya sudah tiba. Bingkaslah orang-orang UMNO, kita turun ke medan bakti.

Mudah-mudahan Allah memberkati.

Hidup UMNO! Hidup UMNO! Hidup UMNO!

Teks Ucapan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

2011-11-30T23:00:00.001+08:00

TEKS UCAPAN TIMBALAN PRESIDEN UMNO YAB TAN SRI DATO’ HJ MUHYIDDIN BIN HJ MOHD YASSIN DI MAJLIS PERASMIAN SERENTAK PERSIDANGAN PERWAKILAN WANITA, PEMUDA DAN PUTERI UMNO 2011 PADA NOVEMBER 29HB.

MENUNJANGI SURVIVAL BANGSA: SUATU JIHAD

1. Marilah kita dahului dengan sembah tahmid ke hadrat Allah S.W.T. dan selawat serta salam ke atas junjungan Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. Bersyukur kita ke hadrat Allah S.W.T. kerana dengan limpah kurnia dan izin-Nya dapat kita bersama-sama berhimpun pada malam yang bersejarah ini untuk menyempurnakan Majlis Perasmian Serentak Persidangan Perwakilan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu (UMNO) bagi tahun 2011.

2. Perhimpunan tiga sayap penting parti UMNO ini adalah kemuncak manifestasi suara akar umbi umat Melayu yang mahu melihat perjuangan bangsa diperkasa, kesucian agama dibela, kedaulatan pertiwi dipertahan dan keutuhan parti UMNO sebagai gerakan pembela umat Melayu yang tiada galang-ganti ini diperkukuh dan diperteguhkan. Inilah perhimpunan terbesar umat Melayu yang mengangkat suara keramat rakyat dari segenap ceruk desa dan kota, dari segenap lapisan warga, untuk dijadikan suluhan, panduan dan sempadan dalam melayari bahtera di samudera perjuangan meninggikan agama, memartabatkan bangsa, mendaulatkan nusa dan menobatkan siasah parti UMNO yang tercinta.

Kesatuan kita ini ibarat kata pepatah Melayu:

Bulat Air kerana Pembetung
Bulat Manusia kerana Muafakat
Kata seia kata sepakat
Setuju sependirian setuju sependapat
Kata dibulati kata bertepati
Janji termeteri, kejayaan dinikmati

3. Maka dalam semangat Maal Hijrah, marilah kita perkukuhkan kesatuan hati sesama kita, marilah kita semarakkan muafakat yang membawa berkat, supaya terpancar darinya sinar azimat yang menyuluh lorong-lorong perjuangan kita. Demikianlah ajaran junjungan besar kita Rasulullah s.a.w. yang membentuk kesatuan Ansar dan Muhajirin, yang mendamaikan permusuhan ‘Auz dan Khazraj.

4. Sesungguhnya, harapan umat Melayu terhadap UMNO tinggi menggunung. Sebagai parti yang tertubuh atas semangat kental perjuangan, UMNO memikul amanah besar untuk terus membela kesucian agama, menjulang maruah bangsa dan mempertahankan kedaulatan negara. Di atas jemala UMNO, terhimpun sejuta harapan dan cita-cita umat Melayu yang mahu melihat bangsa Melayu menjadi bangsa yang bermaruah, bermartabat dan merdeka jiwanya.

Kuasa Politik Melayu Goyah, Fitnah Terhadap UMNO

Saudara dan Saudari Sekalian,

5. Langit tidak selalunya cerah, laut tidak selalunya tenang. Tsunami politik yang melanda ketika Pilihanraya Umum 2008 dilihat oleh banyak pihak sebagai titik mula perubahan lanskap politik yang ketara di negara kita. Barisan Nasional kehilangan majoriti dua per tiga di Parlimen. Kedudukan UMNO dan parti-parti komponen BN tidak sekuat dahulu. Kuasa politik Melayu semakin goyah.

6. Tidak semena-mena timbul persepsi bahawa UMNO tidak lagi mampu untuk membela nasib orang Melayu. Malah, pelbagai tuduhan liar dilempar kepada UMNO. Ada yang kata UMNO tidak berbuat apa-apa untuk orang Melayu selama 54 tahun memerintah; UMNO parti rasis; UMNO pemuflis negara; UMNO anti-demokrasi; malah ada yang mengatakan UMNO adalah ibu segala kejahatan. Na’uzubillahi min zalik.

7. Segala fitnah terhadap UMNO ini ibarat api yang memamah setiap helaian jasa dan bakti UMNO. Malah, dalam zaman fitnah yang menggila ini, pemimpin nombor satu kita tidak terkecuali daripada menerima percikan api fitnah. Hinggakan keheningan mengerjakan ibadah haji pun diganggu oleh kilang-kilang fitnah yang bekerja lebih masa. Kepada YAB Presiden, usah resah, usah gelisah, usah gundah, usah gulana. Teruskan perjuangan. Ke gunung sama didaki, ke lurah sama dituruni, ke lautan sama direnangi. La takhaf wa la tahzan innallāha ma’ana.

8. Sesungguhnya, percikan api fitnah mereka menyambar dan merebak ke segenap sudut kehidupan, menyemarak sentimen kebencian. Matlamat penyebar fitnah jahat ini amat jelas – hilangkan keyakinan rakyat terhadap pemimpin utama UMNO dan meruntuhkan harapan orang Melayu terhadap parti keramat ini. Tujuan mereka tidak lain hanya mahu merampas kuasa politik.

Tembelang Pembangkang

9. Pada masa yang sama, parti-parti pembangkang mengambil kesempatan atas hakisan sokongan rakyat kepada Barisan Nasional dalam Pilihanraya Umum 2008 untuk menunjukkan tembelang mereka yang sebenar. Parti DAP tanpa segan silu membuat kenyataan demi kenyataan menghina Islam dan orang Melayu. Daripada soal kedudukan Raja-raja Melayu, hak istimewa orang Melayu, kedudukan Islam sebagai Agama Persekutuan, segala-galanya cuba dipertikai dan dirobek satu demi satu oleh parti DAP.

10. Kemenangan DAP di Pulau Pinang dan kejayaannya mendominasi kerajaan pembangkang di Selangor, dan sebelum itu di Perak, seolah-olah memberikan lesen paling besar kepada parti paling rasis ini untuk menyerlahkan sikap cauvinis melampau. Mereka langsung tidak menghormati institusi Raja-raja Melayu, menghina pegawai-pegawai kerajaan yang majoritinya berbangsa Melayu, mencerca pasukan keselamatan dengan penghinaan yang keterlaluan, mempertikai institusi penguatkuasaan, menjatuhkan wibawa institusi kehakiman dan memperkuda sekalangan orang Melayu dengan tujuan mendapatkan kuasa bagi diri mereka sendiri.

11. Tembelang DAP untuk menubuhkan sebuah negara republik dengan mengetepikan nilai, sejarah dan jati diri Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara bangsa yang berpaksikan kedaulatan Raja-raja Melayu dan Islam sebagai Agama Persekutuan semakin jelas kelihatan. Masakan tidak, mereka berani mencadangkan supaya jawatan Perdana Menteri dipilih secara langsung dalam pilihanraya tanpa perlu dilantik oleh Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. Apa maknanya ini? Maknanya, sistem Demokrasi Berparlimen dan Raja Berperlembangaan yang kita amalkan selama ini sudah tidak sesuai lagi dengan tembolok mereka untuk melahap kuasa.

12. Ketika umat Islam bangkit bersatu mempertahankan akidah umat daripada diruntuhkan oleh kumpulan yang berniat jahat, DAP dan konco-konconya, bertubi-tubi mempersenda umat Islam. Semakin nyaring suara umat Islam membela kesucian agama, semakin ghairah mereka menjalankan dakyah jahat ke atas umat Islam atas nama kebebasan beragama. Agenda mereka yang sebenar ialah ingin melihat perpecahan di kalangan umat Islam dan melaga-lagakan umat Islam dengan bukan Islam.

13. Parti DAP ini tidak pernah melihat apa-apa kebaikan yang ada pada orang Melayu dan Islam. Bagi DAP, walaupun ia mendakwa ia parti demokratik pelbagai kaum, ironinya dari dahulu hingga sekarang DAP hanya dipimpin oleh kelompok tertentu daripada satu kaum sahaja. Atau lebih tepat lagi, dari keluarga tertentu dalam kelompok tertentu dari kaum tertentu sahaja. Namun kita yakin dan percaya DAP tidak mewakili keseluruhan suara kaum itu.

14. Hari ini kita dengar DAP sedang giat memancing orang Melayu untuk menyertai parti itu. Mereka ditawarkan jawatan dalam parti dan dijanjikan menjadi calon dalam pilihan raya. Jika menang, mereka berpeluang dilantik sebagai ahli Exco atau Menteri Besar di negeri-negeri tertentu. Ganjarannya tampak sungguh lumayan.

15. Namun, orang Melayu mesti berwaspada. Jangan sampai terpedaya dengan muslihat jahat DAP. Tujuan sebenar parti paling rasis ini bukanlah untuk memberi kuasa kepada orang Melayu, jauh sekali menyerahkan kepimpinan parti itu kepada orang Melayu. DAP hanya mahukan si Melayu yang malang ini menjadi kuda tunggangan yang kerjanya sekadar menjaga kepentingan cauvinis DAP. Orang Melayu yang bersekongkol dengan DAP adalah pengkhianat bangsa. Janganlah jadi pembelot seperti Si Kitol. Janganlah jadi seperti tikus membaiki labu. Janganlah jadi seperti Pak Kaduk, menang sorak, kampung tergadai. Janganlah sudah terhantuk, baru terngadah. Jangan sampai nasi menjadi bubur. Menyesal dahulu pendapatan, menyesal kemudian tiada gunanya. DAP sudah pasti bukanlah parti untuk orang Melayu dan Bumiputera.

16. Begitulah juga dengan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). PKR ini ketandusan agenda untuk orang Melayu dan Islam. PKR sebuah parti ultraliberal yang tiada asas moral dalam perjuangannya. Jika tidak, masakan orang yang sedang dibelenggu krisis kredibiliti yang serius terus diangkat memimpin parti itu secara tidak demokratik. Mana mungkin kedudukan agama, bangsa dan negara boleh dijaga oleh PKR jika yang diangkat menjadi pemimpin pun bergelumang dengan masalah kredibiliti.

17. Ringkasnya, PKR sebuah parti yang amat tenat. Hampir kesemua pengasas parti ini telah meninggalkan parti dan menyokong UMNO. Sudahlah tiada matlamat perjuangan yang jelas, retak dalam parti itu juga sedang menunggu belah. Masing-masing sedang menilik nasib Ketua Umum mereka. Untung sabut timbul, untung batu tenggelam. Yang mahu terus timbul, mereka menggunakan pelbagai cara untuk menyucikan Ketua Umum mereka. Yang petah berceramah menggunakan pentas Islam untuk menjaja pelbagai konsep fikah – daripada fiqh maqasid kepada qazaf – semata-mata untuk membela Ketua Umum mereka. Bagi yang berfikiran ultraliberal, mereka mengambil kesempatan atas kemelut moral yang berlaku untuk mewajarkan pelbagai amalan yang bertentangan dengan budaya masyarakat Timur atas nama kebebasan. Mutakhir ini, pemikiran pluralisme agama yang amat mengelirukan umat Islam juga cuba dimurnikan oleh golongan ini semata-mata untuk mewajarkan pemikiran Ketua Umum mereka yang semakin bercelaru.

18. Walaupun satu pihak dalam PKR menggunakan hujah agama manakala satu pihak lagi menggunakan hujah ultraliberal melampau, matlamat mereka cuma satu, iaitu mempertahankan Ketua Umum mereka. Dari satu segi, PKR dulu, kini dan selamanya tidak pernah berganjak daripada tujuan penubuhannya, iaitu mempertahankan seorang individu. Untuk itu syabas kita ucapkan kepada PKR, walaupun sebenarnya:

Hisap rokok dalam kelambu,
Terbit asap menjadi abu
PKR umpama golok kayu
Tetak tak lut gadai pun tak laku.

19. Lain pula halnya dengan PAS. Suatu ketika dahulu, PAS begitu komited dengan agenda mendirikan negara Islam. Bagi mereka, Islam adalah ghayah atau matlamat dan PAS adalah wasilah atau alat untuk mencapai matlamat. Mereka begitu komited sehinggakan sanggup menuduh sesiapa sahaja yang tidak menyokong perjuangan parti itu sebagai kafir. Malah, UMNO dikatakan parti taghut kerana tidak menyokong agenda negara Islam acuan PAS. Akibatnya, umat Islam berpecah dan berbalah sesama sendiri lantaran fatwa songsang PAS.

Saudara dan Saudari Sekalian,

20. Mutakhir ini, tak semena-mena PAS sudah tidak lagi memperkatakan tentang matlamat menubuhkan negara Islam. Tatkala sekali-sekala terpacul perkataan negara Islam dari mulut pemimpin PAS, berpakat-pakat pemimpin PKR dan DAP mengecam PAS. Bagi mereka, negara Islam bukanlah matlamat pakatan politik yang mereka bentuk.

21. Anehnya, PAS tidak pula mengatakan PKR dan DAP sebagai parti taghut. Jauh panggang dari api, PAS sebaliknya mengangkat kedua-dua parti itu sebagai rakan sekongkol dan sekedudukan mereka. Negara Islam sudah tidak ada lagi dalam kamus politik PAS. Ternyata, tsunami politik yang melanda dalam pilihan raya umum lalu telah menghanyutkan istilah negara Islam dari kamus politik PAS. Bagi PAS, dalam menghadapi lanskap politik baharu ini, sokongan DAP dan PKR lebih penting berbanding mempertahankan prinsip perjuangannya sendiri.

22. Nampaknya, apa yang berlaku hari ini bukan PAS Ganti UMNO seperti yang dicanang oleh mereka. PAS takkan boleh menggantikan UMNO kerana UMNO tiada galang-ganti. Yang sebenarnya berlaku ialah DAP Ganti PAS. DAP bercakap mengenai Islam, PAS mengiyakan sahaja. Pemimpin DAP menyebut dua tiga patah ayat al-Qur’an walaupun salah, PAS mempertahankan. Pemimpin DAP menggelar dirinya Khalifah Umar Abdul Aziz, PAS memberi pengiktirafan. Pemimpin DAP berceramah, penyokong PAS bertakbir. Tetapi apabila PAS menyebut tentang Negara Islam, pemimpin DAP lah yang pertama sekali mengecam PAS. Dan apabila dikecam, PAS diam seribu bahasa. Apa maknanya ini? Maknanya, DAP lah yang memberi definisi kepada Islam yang dianuti oleh PAS. DAP lah yang menjadi penentu arah aliran Islam yang dibawa oleh Pakatan Pembangkang. Bukankah ini maknanya DAP menggantikan PAS?

23. Untuk menutup kegagalan mereka mempertahankan kesucian Islam, PAS mengemukakan agenda Negara Berkebajikan. Kini, mereka mengatakan konsep Negara Islam tidak disebut dalam al-Quran, yang ada hanyalah Negara Berkebajikan. Malang bagi PAS kerana setelah puluhan tahun memperjuangkan negara Islam, tetapi akhirnya mengatakan konsep negara Islam tiada dalam al-Quran. Maknanya, selama ini PAS membohongi umat Islam dengan perjuangan palsu mereka.

24. Walau apa pun, kita hendak bertanya kepada PAS. Negara Berkebajikan bagaimana yang mereka ingin wujudkan? Yang kita tahu, bekalan air bersih pun tidak mampu mereka sediakan kepada rakyat Kelantan. Bukankah air adalah keperluan rakyat paling asas yang mesti dipenuhi oleh mana-mana kerajaan. Justeru, kita nak katakan kepada PAS, kalau bekalan air bersih pun tak dapat disediakan, janganlah simpan angan-angan hendak wujudkan Negara Berkebajikan. Selesaikan dahulu masalah air di Kelantan, kemudian barulah bercakap soal Negara Berkebajikan.

25. Sebenarnya PAS bukanlah beriya-iya benar hendak mewujudkan Negara Berkebajikan. Mereka sendiri pun tak faham apa maksud Negara Berkebajikan. Slogan Negara Berkebajikan hanyalah helah politik PAS untuk menutup kelemahan sendiri kerana tergadainya matlamat untuk mendirikan negara Islam. Apa yang penting bagi PAS, slogan Negara Berkebajikan boleh diterima oleh DAP.

Keresahan Melayu

Saudara dan Saudari Sekalian,

26. Perkembangan mutakhir ini semakin meresahkan orang Melayu. Mereka tertanya-tanya apakah nasib masa depan umat Melayu di tanah air sendiri. Terbangunkah ekonomi Melayu dan Bumiputera jika apa sahaja usaha untuk membantu mereka dianggap sebagai rasis dan berpilih kasih? Apakah orang Melayu dan Bumiputera akan mendapat bahagian yang adil dalam pengagihan kekayaan? Wujudkah peluang-peluang ekonomi untuk orang Melayu dan Bumiputera dalam dunia yang semakin kompetitif?

27. Bagaimana dengan peluang pendidikan untuk anak-anak Melayu dan Bumiputera? Masihkah boleh mereka bergantung harap kepada biasiswa daripada kerajaan? Apakah ada ruang untuk mereka membangunkan potensi diri dalam rancangan pembangunan modal insan negara? Bagaimana pula dengan peluang-peluang pekerjaan untuk mereka? Selain itu, apakah kedudukan istimewa agama Islam akan terus terjamin? Terbelakah agama Islam jika serangan bertubi-tubi kepada institusi-institusi Islam berterusan? Terpeliharakah kesucian Islam jika parti seperti DAP lebih berpengaruh mentakrifkan Islam?

28. Seterusnya, orang Melayu bertanya, akan kekalkah kuasa politik Melayu jika pembangkang terus melakukan serangan demi serangan terhadap institusi-institusi Melayu? Mampukah UMNO untuk membela nasib umat Melayu? Mampukah UMNO untuk terus bersuara mewakili mereka seperti dahulu? Mampukah UMNO untuk terus memenuhi harapan orang Melayu? Atau adakah UMNO akan terus terperangkap dalam psikologi politik pasca-tsunami 2008 yang meresahkan orang Melayu?

UMNO Adalah Jawapan Kepada Keresahan Melayu

29. Sebenarnya, jawapan kepada persoalan-persoalan ini ada pada kita semua. Sebagai ahli UMNO, sebagai pemimpin UMNO, kita semua memikul amanah besar untuk terus membela agama, bangsa dan negara yang menjadi asas dan matlamat perjuangan UMNO.

30. Hakikatnya, UMNO telah bangkit daripada rempuhan tsunami 2008. Kita tidak pernah menyerah kalah kepada tujahan kuasa politik pembangkang yang ingin merobek segenap sudut perjuangan UMNO dalam membela orang Melayu. Ketika umat Melayu resah memikirkan apakah ada pembelaan terhadap mereka dalam sektor ekonomi, kerajaan Barisan Nasional yang diterajui UMNO tanpa rasa apologetik telah menubuhkan Majlis Tertinggi Agenda Bumiputera (MTAB) yang dipengerusikan sendiri oleh YAB Presiden selaku Perdana Menteri. MTAB bertanggungjawab untuk memastikan penyertaan orang Melayu dan Bumiputera dalam sektor ekonomi terus diperkasa. Lantaran itu, Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (TERAJU) juga ditubuhkan untuk menyelaraskan penyertaan Bumiputera dalam sektor ekonomi yang semakin kompetitif.

31. Terkini, YAB Perdana Menteri telah pun melancarkan Program Transformasi Ekonomi Bumiputera dengan memberi tumpuan kepada tiga fokus strategik iaitu, (i) pengukuhan pendidikan serta pembinaan keupayaan Bumiputera; (ii) pembaharuan instrumen dasar dan rasionalisasi sistem penyampaian; dan (iii) penumpuan kepada pemerolehan, penciptaan dan pembangunan perniagaan berskala besar. Tiga fokus strategik ini diharapkan dapat melonjakkan pencapaian Bumiputera dalam bidang ekonomi. Selain itu, penyertaan Bumiputera dalam sektor ekonomi akan terus dipertingkatkan melalui pelbagai projek pemula di bawah Program Transformasi Ekonomi dan juga melalui Program Transformasi Luar Bandar. Semua ini adalah kesinambungan daripada usaha-usaha yang telah dilakukan UMNO selama ini dalam perjuangan mengangkat martabat ekonomi Bumiputera.

32. Begitu juga ketika orang Melayu resah memikirkan sama ada pendidikan anak-anak mereka akan terus terbela, pemimpin UMNO tegas mempertahankan hak pelajar Melayu dan Bumiputera yang berkelayakan untuk mendapatkan biasiswa dan lain-lain bantuan pendidikan daripada kerajaan. Terbaru, kita telah menubuhkan Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera untuk membantu anak-anak Bumiputera mendapatkan pembiayaan pendidikan. Dengan dana sebanyak 500 juta ringgit, kita mensasarkan 12,000 pelajar Melayu dan Bumiputera akan menerima manfaat dalam tempoh 5 tahun akan datang. Semua ini adalah manifestasi komitmen UMNO untuk memastikan anak-anak Melayu dan Bumiputera yang cemerlang dapat melanjutkan pengajian ke peringkat lebih tinggi dan berjaya dalam kehidupan.

33. Yakinilah, sebagai parti yang bertanggungjawab, UMNO akan terus membela hak anak-anak Melayu dan Bumiputera untuk mendapatkan segala bantuan pendidikan yang layak bagi diri mereka. Pada masa yang sama, atas dasar keadilan, kita juga tidak menafikan hak anak-anak kaum-kaum lain untuk mendapat kemudahan yang sama. Inilah prinsip al-‘adl wal ihsan yang ditekankan dalam agama kita.

34. UMNO juga akan terus mempertahankan institusi-institusi agama dari terus dipersenda dan diperleceh. Kedudukan Raja sebagai Ketua Agama akan dijunjung. Kewibawaan institusi mahkamah syariah, agensi penguatkuasa agama dan undang-undang Islam akan terus dibela. Pendidikan Islam akan diperkasakan lagi. Kerajaan Pusat komited untuk membantu sekolah-sekolah agama rakyat dan sekolah agama negeri dari segi pembangunan infrastruktur, kurikulum, latihan guru dan sebagainya. Bantuan akan diberikan kepada semua sekolah agama melangkaui batas ideologi politik. Ini adalah keikhlasan UMNO untuk memastikan pendidikan Islam terus bermartabat di negara kita.

35. Fokus kepada pendidikan Islam adalah selari dengan pendekatan wasatiyyah UMNO, iaitu sederhana dan berimbang, dalam melakukan lonjakan terhadap Islam dan hubungannya dengan pembangunan dan ketamadunan. Al Quran memberikan asas tentang ummatan wasata sebagai strategi terbaik membangunkan Islam, bukannya pendekatan ekstrem yang hanya terpancar dengan retorik dan kenyataan-kenyataan yang umum sifatnya dan tidak memberi kesan kepada pembangunan institusi dan sistem.

Firman Allah s.w.t. dalam Surah Al-Baqarah ayat 143:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى

ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬ا‌ۗ‌ۗ

Yang bermaksud:

Dan demikianlah (sebagaimana Kami telah memimpin kamu ke jalan yang lurus), Kami jadikan kamu (wahai umat Muhammad) satu umat yang pilihan lagi adil, supaya kamu layak menjadi orang yang memberi keterangan kepada umat manusia (tentang yang benar dan yang salah) dan Rasulullah (Muhammad) pula akan menjadi orang yang menerangkan kebenaran perbuatan kamu.

36. Dengan pendekatan wasatiyyah ini kita seimbangkan pembangunan rohani dan pembangunan fizikal, antara tuntutan fardhu ‘ain dan fardhu kifayah. Kedua-duanya adalah dituntut oleh Islam. Dalam konteks ini, Islam harus diberi makna yang luas. Ianya bukan sahaja satu sistem kepercayaan, tetapi juga cara hidup yang mencakupi segenap segi kehidupan. Al-Quran dalam Surah Al-Asr menyebutkan إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ yang memberi maksud orang-orang yang beriman adalah orang-orang yang melakukan amal soleh. Ertinya, syi’ar Islam tidak hanya terpancar melalui amalan ritual semata-mata, tetapi juga melalui amal soleh dan pembangunan yang membawa kesejahteraan hidup manusia.

37. Inilah komitmen UMNO. Kita mengambil pendekatan seimbang dan bijaksana supaya umat Melayu diperkasa dan Islam dimartabat. Ini jugalah tekad politik UMNO dalam memastikan umat Melayu semakin maju dan berwibawa dalam segala bidang dan lapangan.

38. Namun sebagai parti tunjang di dalam Barisan Nasional, UMNO telah membuktikan komitmen mensejahterakan rakyat merentasi batas kaum. Dengan konsep perkongsian kuasa, UMNO telah membuktikan keikhlasannya memimpin dalam kepelbagaian bangsa dan kelainan agama. Sebagai contoh, sewaktu kita memperkenalkan Dasar Ekonomi Baru, walaupun kita dikritik hebat, hakikatnya limpahan nikmat turut sama dikongsi oleh semua kaum. UMNO tetap sedar bahawa bagi meneruskan kestabilan, keamanan dan kemakmuran negara, realiti landskap politik negara yang majmuk sifatnya mesti dipelihara. Jangan kita tanamkan kebencian kepada kaum-kaum lain. Jangan kita lemparkan kehinaan kepada agama-agama lain. Jangan kita titipkan prasangka kepada budaya-budaya lain. Kita bukan rasis seperti DAP.

Pilihanraya Umum Ke-13

Saudara dan Saudari Sekalian,

39. Saya mengambil sedikit masa untuk menyentuh tentang persoalan-persoalan yang berlegar di benak fikiran orang Melayu, tentang beberapa isu yang amat penting kepada kelangsungan mereka, supaya generasi muda dan sayap-sayap parti memahami apakah psikologi dan minda Melayu yang kita hadapi hari ini. Sesungguhnya, kita sedang berada dalam satu situasi yang amat kritikal. Pilihanraya umum ke-13 adalah ibu segala pilihanraya yang akan menentukan jatuh bangun umat Melayu. Apakah kuasa politik kekal berada di tangan kita? Atau akan terlepas ke tangan orang lain?

40. Sanggupkah saudara-saudari melihat kuasa politik terlepas dari genggaman kita? Sanggupkah kita membenarkan pembangkang menawan Putrajaya? Sanggupkah kita melihat orang Melayu hilang kuasa di bumi sendiri?Jawapannya tentu sekali tidak.

41. Ayuh, gerakkan seluruh kekuatan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri UMNO untuk menjadi benteng parti. Datuk Seri Shahrizat, Pergerakan Wanita adalah srikandi UMNO. Pengaruh wanita amat kuat dalam masyarakat. Setiap undi wanita amat penting kepada UMNO. Perkukuhkan gerakerja Jalinan Rakyat. Perhebatkan aktiviti Skuad Sayang dengan pendekatan yang tersusun dan teratur. Kajian sikap mesti tepat, penyelarasan dan kerjasama dengan kepimpinan bahagian mesti mantap.

42. Saudara Khairy, andalah panglima perang paling muda dalam UMNO. Gerakkan barisan pemudamu, jadilah benteng UMNO yang kukuh. Turun ke akar umbi, dekati dan selamilah aspirasi generasi seangkatan denganmu. Persiapkan hulubalang pemuda untuk bertarung dalam peperangan yang paling perit dalam sejarah parti kita. Bersedialah dengan kekuatan mental dan fizikal. Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata!

43. Landskap politik kini adalah milik orang muda. UMNO komited untuk memberikan keyakinan, kepercayaan dan ruang kepada generasi muda. Kepada pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO, berilah laluan kepada generasi muda untuk sama-sama mencurahkan bakti kepada parti. Bimbinglah mereka. UMNO tidak akan menjadi parti yang kekal selama-lamanya tanpa dokongan orang muda.

44. Datuk Rosnah, Puteri adalah permata UMNO. Pimpinlah Puteri dengan kesatuan hati dan matlamat. Dalam kelembutan Puteri, serlahkan peranan anda untuk membawa golongan wanita muda ke pangkuan UMNO. Bingkaslah untuk menarik sokongan rakyat kepada parti. Perhebatkan program Puteri di segenap peringkat. Kembalikan kegemilangan Puteri sebagai sayap tempat bernaung remaja dan wanita muda untuk bersama-sama mencorak hala tuju Negara. Laksanakan peranan anda dengan berkesan supaya parti kita menjadi lebih kuat.

45. Atas segalanya, kitalah yang menentukan kekuatan parti kita. Jika kita bersatu hati (wahdatul qalb), bersatu minda (wahdatul fikr), bersatu amal (wahdatul amal) dan bersatu matlamat (wahdatul hadf) parti kita akan kuat. Ketepikan perbezaan dan persengketaan. Lemparkan segala sifat tercela jauh ke lautan hitam. Buang yang keruh, ambil yang jernih. Yakinlah, perjuangan ini adalah jihad untuk agama, bangsa dan negara. Jihad untuk keadilan. Jihad untuk pertahan hak. Percayalah, pilihanraya umum nanti mempunyai makna yang cukup dalam kepada kelangsungan kita. Pilihanraya ini adalah medan jihad dan saudara-saudari adalah para mujahid dan mujahidah.

46. Calon adalah senjata parti untuk menang. Berilah sepenuh keyakinan kepada pucuk pimpinan untuk menentukannya. Yang penting, calon kita mesti berkaliber, berpendidikan, berwibawa, berjiwa rakyat, bersih, jujur, amanah, tinggi moralnya dan diterima oleh rakyat. Akurlah dengan keputusan pucuk pimpinan. Berilah sokongan padu kepada setiap calon. Gerakkan jentera untuk membantu mereka.

47. Tumpahkan taat setia yang tidak berbelah bahagi kepada parti dan pemimpin. Marilah kita bersatu menjayakan agenda transformasi yang dibawa oleh YAB Presiden. Pendekatan berani YAB Presiden dalam memperkenalkan transformasi politik, dalam menunjangi perubahan, perlu disambut oleh segenap lapisan ahli-ahli UMNO.

48. Pertahankan parti dengan seluruh jiwa dan raga. Jangan lari dari medan perjuangan. Jangan mengaku kalah sebelum berjuang. Jangan kita mencalit arang ke muka parti. Jangan sabo. Jangan boikot. Jangan cah keting. Jangan peteh sama sendiri. Jangan ‘mandikan’ calon-calon kita. Jangan tutup bilik gerakan. Jangan lari ke luar negeri. Jangan tikam kawan. Jangan lakukan apa sahaja yang boleh menjejaskan peluang parti untuk menang dalam pilihanraya. Ingat, pilihanraya nanti adalah pertandingan hidup atau mati. Ingat, pilihanraya nanti bukan untuk kemenangan diri tetapi adalah untuk kemenangan parti.

49. Sebagai sebuah organisasi, UMNO tidak sunyi daripada kelemahan dan kekurangan. UMNO bukanlah malaikat. Kita insaf dan sedar. Kita sentiasa mengorak langkah melakukan perubahan dan memperbaiki kelemahan tanpa menggadai prinsip perjuangan.

50. Dalam perjuangan ini, UMNO tidak boleh bersendirian. Ajaklah, serulah, panggillah, pujuklah seluruh umat Melayu untuk bersama kita. Raih setiap sokongan dan keyakinan seluruh persatuan Melayu, gabungan Melayu, badan-badan ekonomi, sosial, pendidikan, agama, belia, budaya untuk bersama kita di bawah panji UMNO dalam mempertahankan survival umat Melayu. UMNO melihat seluruh organisasi Melayu sebagai pejuang. Mereka ada sumbangan dan peranan yang besar. Ajaklah penyokong pembangkang yang sudah hilang kepercayaan kepada perjuangan parti mereka yang sia-sia untuk bersama-sama kita. Demi kelangsungan umat Melayu, marilah kita bersatu. Allah s.w.t. berfirman dalam Surah Ali Imran Ayat 103:

وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعً۬ا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْ‌ۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ أَعۡدَآءً۬ فَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم بِنِعۡمَتِهِۦۤ إِخۡوَٲنً۬ا وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡہَا‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ

Yang bermaksud:

Dan berpegang teguhlah kamu sekalian kepada tali Allah (agama Islam) dan janganlah kamu bercerai-berai dan kenanglah nikmat Allah kepada kamu ketika kamu bermusuh-musuhan (semasa jahiliah dahulu), lalu Allah menyatukan di antara hati kamu (sehingga kamu bersatu-padu dengan nikmat Islam), maka menjadilah kamu dengan nikmat Allah itu orang-orang Islam yang bersaudara dan kamu dahulu telah berada di tepi jurang Neraka (disebabkan kekufuran kamu semasa jahiliah), lalu Allah selamatkan kamu dari Neraka itu (disebabkan nikmat Islam juga). Demikianlah Allah menjelaskan kepada kamu ayat-ayat keteranganNya, supaya kamu mendapat petunjuk hidayatNya.

51. Gendang perang sudah dipalu. Langkah pendekar sudah disusun. Bangunlah! Berjuanglah! Pergilah ke seluruh 222 Parlimen, 576 Dewan Undangan Negeri dan 7470 Pusat Daerah Mengundi. Jangan ada yang tertinggal, tersisih dan tercicir. Jangan ada satu pun yang terlupa. Raih setiap undi di setiap kawasan. Ingat, walaupun satu undi ianya akan menentukan kemenangan kita.

52. Beri tumpuan kepada masalah rakyat. Rasai denyut nadi mereka. Dengar rintihan dan keluhan mereka. Bantulah mereka. Kita adalah mata, telinga dan suara rakyat. Paling utama, kita mesti bertanggungjawab. Lunaskan tanggungjawab moral kita sebagai pejuang UMNO dengan membantu rakyat.

53. Membujur lalu melintang patah, jangan hanya dilaungkan tapi buktikan kita tidak rela membiarkan pembangkang terus menghina perjuangan parti kita. Kita tidak akan berganjak walau seinci daripada memastikan rakyat tidak diperdaya dan diperalatkan.

Patah sayap bertongkat paruh,
Patah paruh bertongkat siku,
Patah siku bertongkat dagu,
Patah dagu bertongkat kuku.

54. Medan perang di hadapan kita. Kita tiada banyak pilihan. Maralah ke hadapan dengan semangat kental Tariq bin Ziyad, panglima muda yang menakluki Andalusia. Ketika menyeberangi Selat Gibraltar dengan bilangan tentera yang kecil, Tariq berkata kepada tenteranya:

“Dengarlah semua! Ke mana kamu semua dapat lari? Lihat apa yang menanti kamu. Lautan di belakang dan musuh di hadapan. Pada diri kamu semua hanya tinggal keikhlasan dan kesabaran … Musuh di hadapan sedang menanti dengan pasukan tentera dan peralatan yang lengkap … Ingat, perlindungan daripada pihak musuh hanyalah pedang-pedang di tangan kamu. Sekiranya pasukan kita lambat mencapai kemenangan, peluang keemasan untuk terus hidup akan hilang. Ketakutan yang melanda pihak musuh berganti menjadi berani untuk menentang pihak kita. Oleh itu, berjuanglah bersungguh-sungguh bagi mempertahankan nyawa kamu”.

55. Ayuhlah srikandi UMNO! Ayuhlah hulubalang UMNO! Ayuhlah permata UMNO! Rapatkan saf perjuangan parti! Berdiri teguhlah di belakang YAB Presiden parti. Bangkitlah pertahankan kelangsungan umat Melayu! Bangunlah menjulang panji perjuangan! Maralah tewaskan musuhmu di hadapan. Pastikan kemenangan milik kita!

Glad to be back

2011-11-25T22:50:00.000+08:00

And now the time is near

2011-11-22T23:00:00.001+08:00

And now the time is near
As I pull the final curtain ....

We left Malaysia October 9th .

Today is November 22nd. It is our 44th day in Mekah and our last.

Most pilgrims from other countries had left within days after completing their Hajj. They had either left for Medinah or for those that went to Medinah before Hajj, left for Jeddah to fly home.

The saf during prayers at Masjidil Haram are not as packed as before. The streets are not as busy as it used to be. The air is beginning to chill, thus making the vacancy left behind really felt.

During the Hajj season, shopkeepers were uncompromising in their price bargain. Taxi drivers could charge at their whim and fancy to as high as triple or four times the “normal” rate. Now, it is the pilgrims’ turn to dictate price.

Malaysian pilgrims can still be seen lingering around Mekah. Without the packed crowd, it is a relief and our last opportunity to do more umrah and tawaf. We managed a few but not as much as we hope. Fatigue had set in.

In our hotel, one group of Malaysian pilgrims left for Medinah. Three groups already left for Jeddah. Today is our turn to leave Mekah.

I stayed over in Masjidil; Haram last night. But at 11 pm tonight, we will be going to the Masjidil Haram for the last time to do the tawaf wada or "goodbye tawaf."

By 3 am November 23rd the next day, we will be leaving for Jeddah for our scheduled flight home in the morning. With Jeddah airport congested daily with returning pilgrims, God only knows what time will the actual flight be.

As much as I am anxious to return to Malaysia, I will be leaving Mekah with a heavy heart. God knows, when will I be able to visit this holy place again.

When I left Mekah 20 years ago in my last umrah trip, I prayed that I will return to perform the Hajj.

Again, I will pray for the opportunity to return again to Mekah, but realistically, I know it is not the same. Having undergone a medically challenging Hajj, the next return may well be physically more challenging.

Furthermore, Tabung Haji had imposed 5 year moratorium before returning pilgrims can apply for Hajj again. Even if I had the chance again, I could be in my 70s. Who will go together to take care of me?

For all practical purposes, this could be my only and last Hajj. The tawaf wada will truly be a sad farewell.

Throughout the Hajj season, from Medinah to Mekah and in every ibadah, I have not stopped praying to seek for God’s forgiveness, guidance and protection, and well being for myself, my parents, family, and friends.

I had sought for many wishes and fulfilment of my many aspirations. I prayed for the welfare of some special loved ones. I prayed for the resolution to some of my personal affairs. And I seek blessing and guidance for my struggle and endeavours.

I prayed for the many private requests of family and friends in this holy place. Most seek to be God’s invited guest (dhuyuf ar-rahman) to do pilgrimage in Mekah.

There are those that seek blessing and success from Allah for their family. The younger members of my family and friends seek personal success in education and career. Not to mentioned, the few who are looking to meet their life partners.

A friend wants to run against a big name opposition leader in the next general election. Another friend, maybe in jest, asked to pray that he become a Minister.

On my own conscience and the request of friends, I prayed for the well being of the country.

I prayed for peace, prosperity and common sense to prevail. Not to insult the masses, but most rakyat are, either unaware or naive, of the subtle and insidious cloaks and daggers that is threatening the country.

At Arafah, we prayed Allah to give hidayah (good guidance) to the nation’s leadership so that they will be guided by Allah to carry out their duty to take care of us, the rakyat.

I prayed too that all leaders, irrespective of their political party, be given Allah’s guidance to play their role in administering the Government, providing check and balance and always giving priority to the welfare of the people.

However, I prayed that Allah deny those with intention or in co-hort with those with intention to bring destruction to the nation.

I prayed for Allah’s retribution to those willing to destroy the moral fabric of the nation and invoke issues to disrupt the peaceful co-existence of many races and religion.

O Allah! Protect Malaysia from those whose hunger for power has no limit and boundary.

And I prayed for divine justice against those that plunder from the rakyat and nation in the past, present, and future.

Not only that, I had prayed for singer Ahmad Jais who died last month and others who had contributed to the country in their own unique ways.

However, after the tawaf wada, I will only thank Allah for helping made our journey safe and pray that our journey home also be a safe one.

There nothing more I would like to ask as my last request in Baitullah (House of Allah). What I need to asked, I have asked. If anything to wrap-up my stay here, I only seek from Allah to bless and make my existence on this earth as relevant.

May Allah continue to bless this holy land.

Farewell Mekah!