Posing questions or intention to slander for corruption?

No doubt as "investigative" blogger, we have expressed our suspicion of corruption, kickback and collusion of certain transactions, especially corporate transactions.

However, it is dangerous to assume without a logical explanation. The explanation must tally with procedures and usual process of tender. Sensible documents be presented to substantiate and it must be sensible.

When it involved government contracts, too often the public and even professionals have a tendency to assume the occurrence of corruption without knowing how the process of awarding contracts are done.

Frankly, it is the same ol' shit ... from Amokh

Being critical of Khazanah, we held back our reaction on the announced turnaround plan of MAS by Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar. After many have said their piece of mind like in Rocky Bru's commentary here, it is our turn to do so.

So far, the best description to the plan is by parodying an ole Boh Tea commercial from the 1970s.

"Bukan turnaround, tapi going around and around, bukan Tip saham, bukan kasi Top, bukan Flip, bukan Flop, tapi Flip Flop lagi, bukan shuffle paper, bukan shuffle organisation ... bukan bukan bukan. Tapi kali ini Khazanah investment."

The 12-point plan document produced by Khazanah and announced by Amokh [read here] is filled with verbage of new management terminologies like BPO for outsourcing which gives an impression that something new is being introduced.

From the first glance, anyone whose been following MAS over the last 14 years will immediately realised that it's the "Same ol' shit ... just in a different package" from the same bunch of hogs that put MAS where they are today. Some business reporters that follow MAS agree.

This time, it is no more fair to blame the CEOs. The strategy formulation and planning was done by Khazanah Nasional. They continuously failed to turnaround MAS from the time the Binafikir plan was implimented in 2000.

It is the same bunch of people - Amokh, Tan Sri Nor Mohamaed Yaacob, Tan Sri Mohd Nor Yusof, Tan Sri Azman Yahya, Dato Nazir Razak, etc.

Havoc havoc ... Pakatan riot [up-dated]

Havoc havoc ...

Since Pakatan Rakyat became state governments and more dominant in Parliament, Malaysia is constantly in a state of havoc. It is no more as peaceful as it used to be. Political debate, discourse and quarrel dominate our lives than the agenda to build a nation.

The more liberals would say it comes with the openness and people cannot remain passive and subdued by the authorities. To some extent it is true, but it should be done with maturity and in a peaceful manner.

Conversation on few Whats App groups yesterday was about the absense or more precisely, minimal presence of Chinese at the Merdeka parade. It was as though there is a concerted effort to boycott Merdeka. Maybe Chinese do not like participating in parade.

During the many Bersih demonstrations, one could see Chinese maintained a token presence. The incident of Pasukan Peronda Sukarela (PPS) paraded in Penang but to a waiting police will only deter them.

It is poor taste on the part of police to take in the 154 PPS members on a day to exhibit patriotism and unity as Malaysians.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

57 years ago...

Today

57 years later...

Edge sued, AWO questioned for "Fotokopi Ekspres"

The Edge Financial Daily face a potential lawsuit of RM100 million from the consortium of Fuel Sub Sdn Bhd, Datasonic Berhad and Pos Malaysia following it's August 19th report, "Cabinet puts fuel subsidiary job award". The said report is available in our August 19th report posting here.

This second lawsuit that received good coverage from mainstream media, print and TV, was reported in Utusan Malaysia. Extract below:

Peguam, Tan Sri Dr. Muhammad Shafee Abdullah yang mewakili konsortium berkenaan berkata, pihaknya turut menuntut akhbar berkenaan mendedahkan sumber yang mendakwa mesyuarat Kabinet memutuskan pelaksanaan rasionalisasi subsidi itu ditangguhkan bagi membolehkan tender terbuka dilakukan.

"The Edge mendakwa mereka tahu keputusan mesyuarat Kabinet. Sekiranya ada kebocoran maklumat, kita mahu tahu siapa yang membocorkan kerana ini adalah perbincangan di peringkat tertinggi dan melibatkan Akta Rahsia Rasmi (OSA)," katanya dalam sidang akhbar di sini hari ini.

The news coverage can be found in the Bulletin Utama dated August 25th here in Tonton.com (7:40).

Expect a hung Selangor state assembly

Malaysian Insider highlighted Rafizi Ramli's plea at the PKR party convention to not inconvenient the voters by dissolving the state assembly. [Read here]

His royal highness the Sultan of Selangor returned from abroad yesterday. Unless there is post-phonement till Wednesday's usual audience,  Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid is due to have an audience tomorrow.

Will his high royal highness request Khalid to resign following Datin Seri Wan Azizah announcement that she has the numbers and support of PAS's Central Committee?

But, why is PAS calling for a meeting tomorrow?

Another Nor Mohd Yakcop blunder coming up!

The Edge Review reported that a London panel of arbitration will make a decision on the dispute between Malaysia and Singapore on levy usually imposed by Singapore on the JV company between Khazanah 60% and Singapore's Temasek Holdings 40%.

It is the usual practise for Singapore local authority to charge levy on any development on the island. Malaysia contested the levy and claimed the history of the deal should be the basis for exemption.

The levy could be similar to any payment to local authorities for development and property ownership like quit rent, land premium, etc. Does it mean the practise in Malaysia is for Khazanah to be exempted from such payments to local authorities?

Tan Sri Nor Mohamaed Yakcop will testify for Malaysia.

Well ... if he fail to win, it should not be a surprise. Losing and pocketing public money is nothing new to him. What is a couple of hundreds of million when he has lost billions.