Men and Women of the Year 2014

It should include those involved in other disasters of 2014 like MH370, MH17, etc.

Let's get over 2014 and pray for a better 2015.

#prayforQZ8501

RM0 NST 30/12: QZ8501: Debris spotted during aerial search confirmed from the missing plane: Indonesia's DG of Civil Aviation

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: All I want for Christmas is you

Merry Christmas to all Christian readers. Happy New Year to all.

Enough with Lim Guan Eng and his annual kalimah Allah provocation yet there are those still falling to his political provocation. Hope no more for the rest of the holiday.

Lets just celebrate with peace and joy. Enjoy this Christmas movie, Love Actually ...

Hillary admited American conspiracy against Islam

As bombs start dropping in Syria and Iraq, the world is once again being asked to cower in fear of a shadowy terror group that most people hadn't heard of just a few months ago.

But even the most cursory examination of ISIS's past, its connections, and the actors populating it reveal a very different story than the one we are being asked to believe in.

Fake terrorists. Foreign backers. False flags. Meet the new boogeyman, same as the old boogeyman.

A mysterious elephant and the blind men

Overnight, an elephant mysteriously appeared in a small village populated by blind men. The villager could only hear the sound of the elephant trumpeting.

The village head call the animal as One Mysterious Darwin in memory of the scientist Darwin. That is more polite and respectable than calling the poor creature one miserable dumbo.

After placing out a bunch of banana and water, the animal became approachable. The blind villagers hurdled around to touch and figure out what is the animal.

Divorce case to answer decades old rumour

The divorce case between the MUI and Laura Ashley's tycoon, Tan Sri Khoo Kay Peng and wife of more than 30 years and former Miss Malaysia, Puan Sri Pauline Chai is on-going in court.

Initialy, Pauline filed for the divorce trial to be held in the UK but the Malaysian court decided it be held in Malaysia. If it had been in the UK, she felt her chance is better and the settlement could be divided 50:50.

Prior to the case, sordid family story had been spilled out in public. Contrary to Khoo's image as a born again Christian, it was revealed he was cruel and practically abandoned his children [read in MMO here].

There are people who accused the children to side with mother for a cut of her eventual settlement. It has the trimming of a typical scene in LA Law TV drama but that is their family business.

Our interest is only on how the wealth of Khoo would eventually be divided up. In particular, how will the one block of 20% shares in MUI be sorted out. Will it get mentioned in court?

Holy than thou, huh ...

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Comes A Time

Comes a time
when you're driftin'
Comes a time
when you settle down
Comes a light
feelin's liftin'
Lift that baby
right up off the ground.

Oh, this old world
keeps spinning round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time.

Eminent concern or Eminent deception?

On Monday, The Star published an open letter from 25 Malays - former senior government servants, ambassadors, professionals and activists - expressing their concern on unresolved disputes on Islamic law and called on the leadership to initiate a consultation process.

The pro-opposition alternative media dubbed them as the 25 Eminent Malays.

These Eminent Malays felt there is an unclear division on federal-state power on Islamic matter and Islamic authorities acted.beyond their jurisdiction, thus the need for a consultation to resolve.

The idea of a consultation is fine and had been advocated by this blog before. [Read our 2013 Christmas wish here and 2007 lecture review here].

Problem with past initiatives for consultative process is that it could not get off the ground due to the adversarial nature of legal issues.

SUARAM's HR report resembled their Scorpene submarine allegations

Human rights is the raison d'etre of contemporary liberals.

The liberals placed so much importance on human right-ism that the individual human's right to practically do anything they wish have superceded the need for national security, community peace and harmony, economic prosperity, religious value and belief, public morality, and so on.

One such liberal group is SUARAM and in their quest for human's right, they are willing to lie, compromise national interest and destroy nation building.

SUARAM released it's 2014 Human Rights Overview of Malaysia three days ago on Tuesday. It can only be expected that there will be no glowing praises for Malaysia. And, it could make sense to say that Malaysia had not met their's or some International body's standard of human rights.

However, to say it is a new low for Malaysia is utterly ridiculous.

Illegal immigrant not only Sabah problem, so stop politicising

DAP Sabah organised a forum last night entitled "Hopes for Sabah OR Cries of Sabah". The "Cries of Sabah" came from the title of Lim Kit Siang's book.

The usual vocal personalites on the Sabah RCI issues were invited, including Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Dato Wilfred Bumburiang. Priot to the event, DAP Sabah invited BN's PBS President, Datuk Pairin Kitingan and UMNO's Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan. [Read Daily Express here].

The intention to politicise the recently released RCI report is clear. DAP Sabah invited Pairin as the "victim" to the claimed Projek IC that saw him lost power and appointed as Chairman-designate of the Management Committee on the RCI matter. While, Rahman Dahlan was invitited to be vilified as 'noted apologist for Putrajaya" [read FMT here].

The politicising was only expected when Jeffrey called on the UMNO-led BN government at state and federal level as illegal government [read MI here]. 

However, there was an interesting twist last night when one of the speakers questioned the politicising of the RCI issue by both party; government and opposition and ask that it be looked as a national problem.

Know-nuts Khazanah gave know-nuts "con-sultans" to stir more shit in MAS

When the 12 point recovery plan was announced in September, this blog's response was "Frankly, it's the same 'ol shit from Amokh". Not only that, it could be the same bunch of shit stirrer. 

Having read back this blog's old posting of December 2011 [read here], Tan Sri Tony Fernandez's Air Asia could return to take up stake in MAS when Khazanah exit on their investment? If not, another merger is possible should the Air Asia-X disease spread to other parts of Air Asia [read here and here].

In the meanwhile, Bigdog made another interesting revelation yesterday. Not only the same bunch of shit stirrers but more of them. The Khazanah know-nuts left it to know-nuts "con-sultans" to do day to day hand-on business and operational turnaroound.

It just shows something we've been telling for many years.

"Orang Putih" in Tony looking up to Mueller

That was NST Business Times cover page for yesterday.

With a German airline turnaround specialist coming into MAS, Tan Sri Tony Fernandez's comment as reported by NST was complimentary of MAS and Malaysia Airport. Is Tony F changing his psywar strategy against MAS? Maybe not.

It could be just typical Indian-complexioned, Portugese-named Tony F looking up to an "orang putih" as he idolised the adventurous and weird Virgin Airline's Sir Richard Branson.

Those in Air Asia knows to never insult the boss by wishing him Happy Deepavali.

Oh pleaz... he only celebrate Christmas.

Bina Fikir-conceived PMB lost money too?

Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli left MAS more than 13 years ago in February 2001 but still gets blamed whenever any negative development on MAS surface. Many forgot that Khazanah had managed MAS for almost a decade and half.

Also forgotten, Tajuddin bought MAS to rescue Bank Negara for Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop's RM16 billion forex trading losses.

Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar handled MAS as con-sultan for Bina Fikir and proposed the Wide Unbundling Asset (WAU) scheme.

It provided temporary relief but Khazanah poor management under his leadership made losses bigger and bigger. Tajuddin's accumulated losses from forex devaluation pales in comparison.

Over the weekend, business weekly Focus Malaysia unraveled another side of the WAU scheme that was hidden from the public eye.

Bina Fikir-conceived leasing company, Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad (PMB) lost money also.

Aer Lingus is not part of a woman anatomy

MAS has announced it's new CEO after a global search for one. After 14 years of failure, Khazanah Nasional finally learned that it takes an Airliner to run an Airline.

It cannot be run by a Bank CEO (except for the interim period to effect the financial rationalisation) or a salesman or marketing man, or an Oil and Gas man part timing as Power Point salesman, or an Accountant from PW London or an ex CEO of an IPP company.  

The new CEO for MAS newco will be the current CEO of Aer Lingus, Christoph Mueller. It was announced yesterday as Khazanah's new surprise. [Read Reuters report in Irish Times here.]

From his name, he sounds German but not much is known of him yet. Not much is known yet of what he had done at Aer Lingus. And not much is known yet of the relevence of his experience at Aer Lingus to turnaround MAS.  

Since MAS was one of the major global player in world aviation, Malaysians may not be familiar with the name Aer Lingus. For sure, it is not part of a woman anatomy.

Criticising without reading

The RCI report was released on Wednesday.

In Berita Harian today, we only read on the whereabout to get the report and it's price. Getting a copy is quite a task, yet many were already with their criticism, particularly opposition leaders on that Wednesday itself.

It is impossible for them to finish reading, comprehend it's content and comment on the thick more than 350 pages report in a matter of hours or minutes.

That is unless they have closed their mind to the fact gathered by the RCI and are dead-set to brand the guilty party without any need for proof to convince otherwise. If that is the case, what is the point of having the RCI?

The panel on RCI were independent and had the integrity. Prior to the RCI hearing, there was no objection raised on the panel members by any parties.

The least they should do is to read it first.

BARUA Council election, neither UBAH nor BERSIH

On Monday, The Star here reported members of the Bar Council "calling for a clean and transparent Bar Council election". BC was requested to "take heed of its own advice to the Election Commission to reform the electoral process."

BC has "yet to reform its electoral process" but was actively supporting BERSIH. This is not the first time BC is being questioned for it's electoral process. [Read this blog posting dated November 2012 here.]

In one of our social media groups, the BC election had been a hot topic for many months and the outcome had long been suspected.

Khairy's deft touch

Thus far, Khairy has shown that he has the ability to understand problems and issues, generate new ideas and command respect of people his age group. However, he has yet to deliver.

Before any of his cybertrooper come calling us Bangang, please do not argue organising of events or looking cool like any youngsters as part of his success. These days all one need to do is to have money and pay good event managers. Delivery for Khairy is to get results from his engagements. 

Politically, Khairy has come of age. He is listening and sizing up his move well. He seemed wiser in his views. As one Pak Lah supporter and this Dato happen to be related, there do not seem to be any other choices left. At least, that was how he seemed to be at the recent UMNO General Assembly.

He had been voicing for the "peremajaan" UMNO agenda but upon hearing the debate, he was quick to reposition himself. So the interpretation of "peramajaan" is neither turning UMNO into adolescent teens nor emphasis on more youth leader but rejuvenation.

Deft touch by Khairy.

Was Malay economic inequality discussed at the UMNO General Assembly? [Updated]

An activist send us a message containing issues of inequality which UMNO need to address. We forgot to pass the message around to the right people so that it will be debated. Anyway it is a wee bit late to get it passed by Jawatankuasa Usul.

Just wondering whether it was discussed and debated at length in the assembly. In Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin speech, he quote the issue raised in a new book, "The Colour of Inequality." If not deliberated, the call for "Hidup Melayu! Hidup UMNO!" and talk to continue to pursue the Malay struggle is only in PWTC halls once a year.

That is what the widespread sceptical view is and not that the view of this blogger "bangang".

Najib's off-tone extended syllable

Video of Pak Maun played during Najib's opening speech

When Dato Najib speaks with his normal tone, he sounded dignified and confident.

He has a good tone of voice, clear and well paced. Have heard him speak off the cuff in both Malay and English and his flow of thought is clear. Things go downhill the moment Najib tries to speak in casual Malay on a political platform like the UMNO General Assembly and at political rallies.

He thinks that it is a crowd puller and the audience enjoy it when he goes into an unnatural off-tone manner of speaking to raise his tone and extend syllables ending with "a". It is like reading Quran syllables meant for one harakat as three harakat.

More embarassing, Najib would start to lead cheers at the most awkward of time. He is President and Prime Minister. He does not need to play cheerleader.

Sedition Act relief

Dato Najib presented a White Paper on the threat of militancy and terrorism posed by the Islamic State (IS) group yesterday in Parliament.

He revealed Malaysians have been identified present in Syria and more would have joined if not arrested by authorities. The bigger threat to national security would be from those Malaysians returning from Iraq and Syria.

The White Paper contained a proposal to strengthen existing security laws, such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) and Penal Code, to counter threats by terrorists [read more in NST here].

This is timely relief in the wake of rising Bumiputera dissatisfaction towards Prime Minister Dato Najib.

Apart from getting blamed for the economic woes of Bumiputera that arise from his transformation plan, security issues arising from the amendment to the law saw a wide divergence in position between UMNO grassroot leaders and Najib's liberal advisers.

The much talked about speech today

From morning till late evening, from one water hole to another, from one meal to another, the conversation of the day had been none other than the speech by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.

He delivered a speech at the joint opening of the UMNO Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri wings that brought about many versions of interpretations.

Over breakfast, a young activist expressed the same reaction bloggers and social media activists expressed immediately after the speech in our Whats App groups. Bujai and House PK was most generous with their praises. [Read here and here]

Upon arriving home late evening, the first remark from our next door neighbour was the same heard all day. "Speech Muhyiddin malam tadi best lah!"

To this blogger, it was something that had been written many many many .... times since the disastrous 2008 general election.

More than meet the eyes II

The first EGM for Prostasco is tomorrow, November 26th.

The majority will determine the outcome. However, the equity held by Managing Director, Dato Chong Ket Peng versus Tey Por Yee and Ooi Kock Aun will not determine which party will oust which party.

It depend much on which way the institutional shareholders sway. Most institutions would rather stay out of the fight but the likelihood is they will stay with management.

Shareholders are only interested in continuity despite the good run on the share prices from the oil and gas play. The truth will be the least of their concern. Which side is right in their claim does not matter.

More than meet the eyes

For us mere mortals, we can only decide on what is available and visible. Nothing is what as it seemed. There is always the chance that there is more than meet the eyes.

What a person say maybe not what is intended to express. It could be a caution but accidently hinted clue of something bigger. There is something more than what was found and the real picture unknown to many is a bigger problem than what is perceived.

At times, what is being said is to hides the real reason. Action and expression on display may not be as it was meant to be but cryptic signals to mean something else.

The Cameron Highland incident and the Protasco boardroom tussle could be example of events that is more than meet the eyes.

Why spend RM97 million to cheat a company for RM50 million?

Still curious on Protasco Berhad.

The titled question still puzzles us. If Tey Poe Yee and Ooi Kock Aun cheated Prostasco for RM50 million, they run the risk of getting into trouble with the law and have their RM97 million investment in shares forfeited.

Supposed they manage to escape the law,  the company's value will reduce by RM50 million and could translate to a lower share price, thus netting off with much return or even losses. Why take such risk?

Since repeating that line several times in this blog, one blog emerged to try reply us by cooking up a story that the modus operandi of Tey and Ooi resembled what happened to the shareholder of a troubled property company.

Unfortunately it is a poor example to be credible.

Divine reminder for liberal Azran

A friend sent us a news report by Reuters today with regard to Air Asia X.

While reading the news on our smartphone at the Airport and waiting for our plane to go for a talk out of town, we were reminded of the above statement by the CEO sometime ago.

It had the malicious intention to shame Utusan Malaysia and was giving support to the critics of Utusan from among the oppositions and left wing liberals.

Supposedly liberals would respect the right and freedom of Utusan to express their views, even if they disagree with Utusan.

After all, they are not denied their space in the media.

Boardroom tussle to blogsite hustle

In our first posting on the Protasco boardroom tussle [read here] that will end into two EGMs within the space of two days on November 26th and 28th, we had put a link to a newly established blog by the name of Right To Be Heard.

It seems someone out there refused them the right to be heard. We were reading the blog yesterday while doing up yesterday's posting. Come this morning, someone told us that the new blog was removed [check for yourself here]. 

Was it hacked or the owner had closed the blog? Good thing we saved the above cool picture from their first posting and also the documents revealed in the blog.

If the blog's right to be heard had been denied, it would be similar to the case of  Tey Por Yee and his associate Ooi Kock Aun being denied the right to be heard by the Board of Directors of Protasco. [This was raised in yesterday's posting here.] 

Will this blog be the next one hacked?

Conduct that raise suspicion

Prostasco Board of Directors in good times

If anyone were to ask us as to what is the truth on the Protasco fiasco, frankly it will not be easy to ascertain with lawyers involved and reports made to authorities.

The deals are complex and many possible manouvers that it is difficult to explain in simple ways. Anyone can say anything. So who in the world will know the whole picture?

Nevertheless, it was the conduct of the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors that made us suspicious. So don't blame us if we seemed to be siding with Tey and Ooi. Their actions and decisions to favour Chong seemed questionable.

The fact that the Chairman is a Chairman on the advisory committee of MACC only makes it an attractive story.

Pursue the right culprit on the Protasco fiasco

A posting from a blog in our bloglist, Corporate Governance in Malaysia recently [read here] caught this blog's attention to the Protasco boardroom tussle.

The blog raised the issue on the transparency of the dispute. The Edge, KiniBiz and The Star are actively writing on the mud-slinging between the parties linked to CEO Dato Chong Ket Pen and parties of Tey Por Yee and Ooi Kock Aun.

Details are being revealed and some information have yet to confirmed. By the look of things, the Tey and Ooi side of the story is not heard much.

Anyway why the revelation by Dato Chong now and not then? The blog had raised the issue way back in 2013 to question on the company's ability to pursue the oil rights to develop and produce the  field in Indonesia [read here].

Dato Chong alleged that the parties of Tey and Ooi have cheated and swindled some money. In turn, Tey and Ooi claimed to have done money trail that lead to Dato Chong taking money too. However, this usual dispute in Malaysian corporate scene has taken a new precedent never happened before.

There will be two EGMs within the span of two days on November 26 and 28th to sack each other off as Directors. It is fodder for speculative play on the company's shares for those privy to the outcome.

Something interesting happened in Beijing

Dato Najib was in Beijing recently to attend the APEC economic summit. There he disclosed a landmark initiative between Malaysia and China in setting-up a clearing bank to facilitate business deals between Renminbi (RMB)-Ringgit (RM).

It reduce cost and ease of doing business between the two countries for payments could be done without the need to convert to the US dollar first. With China ready to pump investment in the region, that will help ease the flow of RMB investment into Malaysia.

However, the TPPA's sword of democles remained hanging throughout the APEC Meeting. Malaysia requested that Bumiputera agenda and government owned enterprise or state owned enterprise (SOE) are given exemption when the final round of TPP negotiation begin in early next year.

Then something interesting and worthy of a landmark event happened. With so much issues surrounding TPPA, there is a new alternative to consider.

Arrogance and insecurity still prevail

A recent incident confirmed us that should Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim go inside, it will not make UMNO job any easier but harder.

One reason people rejected Pakatan Rakyat was because of Anwar. Without Anwar and should another strong and credible personality arise as potential Prime Minister, UMNO and BN does not have anything to offer as campaign line.

I Love Najib and 1Malaysia will not work this time. As one former Deputy Minister told us last month, "It didn’t generate the excitement for BN to win convincngly for GE13. The “popular vote” or total votes favoured PR."

Voters would rather fell for the 40,000 Banglas lie by Anwar Ibrahim than believe in the tangible, but not understandable, acronyms of programs from Najib.

Over lunch yesterday, we told the host’s son that if voters are not voting BN this time around, it is because of UMNO. They have not shed the attitude of arrogance and the insecurity behind their arrogance.

Open tender for petrol system but not diesel?

The controversy surrounding the fuel subsidy rationalisation system should end. There was an open tender done. A request for proposal was send out.

Some 95 companies expressed interest to be invited to submit proposal. When KPDNKK held a briefing session, some 50 companies were present. The submission dateline was 12:00 noon on November 10th.

By right, one can comfortably say the earlier controversy surrounding the fuel rationalisation system tender has ended. Unfortunately, not quite.

The tender date is closed but for what tender?

"Orang Semenanjung sudah gila"

University Malaya's PMUM President that is facing disciplinary action from University authority, Fahmi Zainol went to Sabah to instigate UMS students to join their fight for more freedom faced a rude reality.

Instead of understanding why it happened and did he made any mistake for taking Sabah for granted, he blasted the Sabah students for tarring him out of town. The incident was described to this blogger by a Sabah friend. He was right. "Orang Semenanjung sudah gila."

The politics of hate and constant incitement does not auger well in peaceful Sabah, Fahmi Zainol does not seemed to understand that. For that matter, opposition media too do not understand the Sabah psyche.

The perception here in Semenanjung is that Sabah politics is about money. But in many aspect, Sabah has a more mature politics than Semenanjung.

Bet some political low life will say Shahrizat getting even for NFC

Wanita UMNO has taken a position on the Sedition Act and will be launching a 1,000,000 signature petition drive to get support through their 19,000 branches.

Wanita Chief, Dato Shahrizat Jalil express Wanita's position after a closed-door forum titled “Understanding the Sedition Act” with 500 Wanita Umno members and panelists comprised of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan, as well as lawyers Dato Salehuddin Saidin and Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz.

This is a giant step for the pro-Sedition Act movement. It also marks a big step for Wanita Umno to take up other public interest issues over their usual bread-and-butter issues on woman, family and welfare. It is a positive development to see Wanita UMNO embrace Najib's transformation in the area of advocacy.

Like it or not, Malaysia is moving towards a more participative democracy and the phrase of "government knows best' is no more relevant in this Internet age openness.

Unless one's voice is heard and articulated well enough to attract sufficent public support, no point complaining and sulking that government did not give them their due consideration. "Kalau Melayu mampus, terimalah akibat dari sikap berdiam dan terima buta saja pandangan atas."

However, one can expect that some political low life will re-interpret this development with a political twist not even worthy to be called a conspiracy theory. It is the usual plain shallow grassroot level power game political analysis one hears ever so often in the coffee houses and warongs frequented by UMNO members. 

Could judges misinterpret the law for political agenda? [updated]

Bujai's title for his posting yesterday on the latest Court of Appeal judgement was truly appropriate. [Read "Human Rights defeat Islamic Law" here. ]

A three-judges bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamuddin Mohd Yunus overturned a judgement by High Court and proclaimed Section 66 of the Shariah Criminal Enactment of Negeri Sembilan violated Articles 5, 8, 9, and 10 of the Federal Constitution.

They over-step the jurisdiction to make judgement on syariah matter. Naturally, it got the various western biased human rights groups championing LGBT pleased. [Read MI here.]

This judgement is sending a wrong signal legally and may raise suspicion on the conduct of judges in the higher courts. Are judges misinterpreting the law and Constitution for political agenda?

"Hindu water", Val Paari and National Unity

Muslim Consumer Association (PPIM) raised an issue of the picture of Lord Murugam statue at Batu Caves on Cactus brand mineral water.

It is something normal to promote interesting places for tourist. Maybe it is not common to them that house of worships for tourism promotion in consumer products but TDC do.

Before anyone start ridiculing PPIM or practise to seek halal certification on water and ice cubes, appreciate that it be stop. 

To each religion his own.

Dr Chandra, you presume?

NST published an indirect defense of SIS is Sesat today with an article by Dr Chandra Muazaffar. Can read here or at the end of this posting.

One can naturally expect an intellectual like him to plead for SIS but his only request is to hear out and open up to new ideas such as Liberal or Plural Islam. He would ask that we should make the effort to understand liberalism and pluralism in many different context and not just the context MAIS has decided upon.

Typical of intellectuals, he will get definitive and insist on the accuracy in the terms. Naturally, he will give a wholesome societal outlook in sync with his discipline as sociologist.

Our point remain and on that basis, we will disagree.

SIS is sesat

The Fatwa Committee of Selangor announced their July 14th, 2014 fatwa that SIS Forum (Malaysia) Berhad or usually referred to as Sister in Islam (SIS) is deviant and has astrayed from Islam.

In other words, they are sesat.

By right, Sister in Islam should be abbreviated as SII. Now it is clear why they referred themselves by the acronym, SIS. It is only appropriate.

Islam does not have a hierarchy like Christianity does, but like any religion, the authority lies with the learned elders.

"Suka sama suka", or sexual harassment?

Sorry to get your spectacles smogged by the heavy breathing scene between Demi Moore and Michael Douglas in this 1994 movie, Disclosure.

Set aside all the highly technical stuff on DNA, collecting sample, tampering of samples, arresting procedures, etc., one aspect of Federal Court appeal in the sodomy case of Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim reminded us of this scene.

Was it a case of  'suka sama suka" or sexual harassment? It is easier for the public to chew and discuss.

Dato Gopal Sri Ram's submission claimed Saiful was a willing sexual partner. He repeated the same "suka sama suka" claim by the late Karpal Singh and Bar Council President, Christopher Leong. The reason being Saiful voluntarily brought over the KY Jelly, stayed after to eat karipap with Anwar, and returned to office the next day before making the police report the following day. [Read M'kini here]

Many applied simplistic logic to argue against the possibility of "rape". Anwar can't possibly force himself on the sturdy and stronger young man. Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah gave a reply on Friday,

Kalimah Allah set-up at KLIA 2

DAP is in the midst of an onslaught on AG, Tan Sri Gani Patail and Minister in the PM Dept., Dato Nancy Shukri to pressure for the prosecution of Dato Ibrahim Ali. The motive is not to have Ibrahim prosecuted, but to seditously burn the religous sentiment of Christian Sarawak voters.

The case is weak but the weaker the case, the easier to up the dissatisfaction of the Christian majority in Sabah and Sarwak against the government led by Malay Muslim in Semenanjung. An incident at KLIA 2 recently gave them the oppurtunity to play up the Christian sensitivity in religiously tolerant Sabah and Sarawak.

However, the link and questions surrounding the incident points to a set-up. Despite government getting blamed for conspiracy against Anwar, this attempt is a cnspiracy against government. It is a set-up seemed most likely linked to PKR and STAR.

Unsworn statement from the dock is no evidence

During his sodomy trial at the High Court, Anwar had read a 32-page statement, in which he said the sodomy charge against him was a political conspiracy. The High Court and the Court of Appeal, however, had dismissed it, regarding it as a "bare denial" of the offence.

Anwar's lawyer N. Surendran this morning cited six case laws in support of evidence from the dock. Surendran had been asked yesterday by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria to produce authorities so that the court could decide on the matter.

The lawyer told the judges that it was for the court to determine the weight to be attached when an accused person gave a statement from the dock.

Malay Reserve land: Peninsular's version of NCR land issue

There is a forum today to be held today 2:00 PM at Dewan Ulama ISTAC at persiaran Duta off Jalan Duta Kuala Lumpur on the issue of Malay Reserve land. It is jointly organised by Perkasa and ISTAC.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Former Chief Judge, Tun Ahmad Fairuz bin Sheikh Abdul Halim and it will be followed by two papers by Prof Dato Dr Nik Zain bin Nik Yusuf, former KSU for Ministry for Land and Cooperatives and Director general for Department of Land and Mineral, and Dr Hasrol, Senior Lecturer, Department of Estate Management, Faculty of Architecture, Planning, and Survey, Universiti Teknologi MARA. 

Although Malay Reserve Land issue have been openly discussed in many other seminar and forum before and over the years, it is usually positioned in side session. It is far in between and resolution to the issue  have been muted. Not much progress made since acquired Malay Reserve could not be replaced by land of similar character.

At least, disputes on Native Customary land (seldom called NCR land) in Sabah and Sarawak, usually involving ownership claim, could revert to the Native Court for settlement. NCR land is  being championed by the opposition and there positive response from state government give attention.

Unfortunately, Malay Reserve issues have no serious champion and disputes left unresolved.

Do Malaysia "really" benefit from trade through TPPA?

The view of Malaysian businessmen and corporate people on TPPA is that of optimism.

As a trading nation dependent on import and export with other countries, they see the beneficial flow of revenue and hopefully the profit derived to their business from TPPA as good for the country. Anything good for business is supposedly good for the country.

The view is that Malaysian goods and services have a fair chance to enter foreign market without any more barriers. So matters with regards to consumer interest, "sovereignty", and Bumiputera rights (which is effectively pittance actually) pales in comparison to the benefit. 

Unfortunately, the benefit from TPPA is not as simple as commutative arithmetic law of 1 + 1 = 2. If badly put together, the country could not achieve that 2 and perhaps even end up with less than 1. The TPPA serves the MNC interest to penetrate market. It has been extensively written in this blog, so no point rewriting it. Just key-in TPPA in this blog's saerch engine.

However, it is not sufficiently convincing to opportunity driven businessmen and corporate man. Only when it affects their interest will they appreciate the problems with TPPA. It has to hit their wallet to wake them up from their over-optimism.

Food security is national security

Sundaily Oct 23rd 2013

THIS is a land of abundant food. The melting pot of cultures has meant that we are spoilt for choice when it comes to mealtime and as a result many Malaysians have an expanded and rather critical palate.

But little thought is given to where our food comes from with regards to quality, safety and how it is produced.

Why should we be concerned anyway? Our supermarkets are well stocked, we have daily wet markets, weekly night markets in almost every neighbourhood and in some areas, a farmers market.

But how much of our food is locally produced?

When is the big day, Zahida?

A big break for Zahida but one question still remain

Actress and model Zahida Rafik is back in the news again. The driver which sued her for defamation will be charged for CBT. he had allegedly squandered away with the RM200,000 money entrusted by Zahida to bank-in.

It is a face saving development for Zahida, which had been rumoured to have an affair with Dato Shafie Apdal. When this blog wrote of it in September 2010 [read here], there was a follow-up denial from Shafie's aide [read here].

However, the rumour unabated as more stories surface claiming Zahida had married Shafie in London and lives in a RM4 million home in Ampang bought by Shafie. It was aggravated further in April 2012 when the matter involving Zahida's driver surfaced. [Read here and here]

Touching a dog doused Anwar's campaign

Until an intimate video of popular pro-opposition Ustaz Azhar Idrus with his third wife surfaced last night, the most viral subject on the social media was the weekend Dog Touching event.

It dominated the social media to the point that it even overshadowed another intimate revelation on the FB of DAP candidate for Telok Intan by-election, Dyana Sofea and married Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera Penang, Zairil Khir Johari.

It was a unique happening and the ensuing debate attracted the public attention that Anwar's campaign to gain sympathy and pressure the court to save him from an impending prison sentence by the Federal Court was lost.

Syed Azmi may have innocently helped to douse Anwar's usual rabble rousing.

The hypocrasy and ulterior motive to get Ibrahim Ali charged

Upon seizing power at the Federal level, DAP will be more draconian than the BN the accused as draconian. All one need to see is the reaction of Penang DAP Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng to any criticism or questions on his administration of Penang or DAP party.

Guan Eng would threaten them with lawsuit as former PAS Youth Chief is facing, use goons to physically harass them as in the case of defiant Johor DAP members, expelled and suspended BN state assemblyman, and many more.

He refused to meet and deal with the Kampong Buah Pala Indian. And in the case of falling FDI to Penang, he resorted to lying and blaming the Federal government. However, he claim credit when FDI was rising in his first year in office.

In the latest episode and in the midst of campaign by Bar Council, Pakatan and their linked NGOs for abolishment of the Sedition Act, DAP and few Bar Council activists are applying pressure on Dato Nancy Shukri to charge Dato Ibrahim Ali for sedition.

It shows they are inconsistent in their principle and hypocritical in their attitude. When Pakatan do  take control of government with DAP in the driver seat, the likelihood is they will reinstate ISA, Sedition Act, and other law they say now as draconian?

Malay "pendatang" remark could spoil Gerakan comeback

Whether it was because of the Chinese vernacular school issue raised at the UMNO Petaling Jaya Utara annual general meeting or the ensuing discussion on the root of Chinese vernacular school as education for the children of then Chinese immigration worker, the Malay "pendatang" remark uttered at the Gerakan AGM was unnecessary.

Surely it is untrue and illogical, be it from the archeological or historical or geo-cultural or even DNA finding done. Not only former MP Dato Zulkifli Nordin immediately rebutted, one article by a Chinese writer by the name Tai Zee Kin disagreeing to any intention to claim Malays as "pendatang' from Indonesia has gone viral. Prior to modern nation-state introduced by colonial masters, Malay archipelago is one big "nation".

Politically, it is not a smart move, even for merely a drama to attract the attention of Chinese voters and hopefully secure back their votes.

If that is what the Gerakan delegate from Johor, Tan Lai Soon intended, that is not the way since such remarks makes politics a zero sum game. By attracting one group, one anger another group.

How did Gerakan do their number crunching?

Tun M's KTM suggestion expose neo-liberals problem-solving weakness

In his blog yesterday [read here], Tun Dr Mahathir suggested few business ideas for Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) in order to reduce their losses. He suggested to lease their tracks and use trains to transport goods to Bangkok.

The additional profit generated could be substantial and return KTM back to profitability. As it is, Tun Mahathir said KTM is losing about RM185 million annually.

In his first line, it may seeemed as though Tun may have took a swipe at another of Dato Ahmad Maslan's typical comment that made him a common conversation piece. He claimed KTEM would turn around after an "intensive transformation" plan with a RM30 million profit by next year.

Without Tun M having to say anything, the bigger jokers that got swiped in his posting was the predictable textbook thinking neo-liberal advisers, specifically Pemandu in government, and young leaders and politicians in UMNO.

Popularly elected Jokowi to raise fuel price by 50%

The public outcry from the 20 sen increase in fuel price, or as they try to avert as only reduction in subsidy, can be heard everywhere.

Understandably, the distribution system dominated by cartels result in an amplified increase in consumer goods. Though the public understood the subsidy burden on the government, some reaction gave the impression they were ready to throw out Dato Najib out of office.

Now, Joko Widido just came out as the new popularly elected Indonesian President. He plan to increase fuel price by 50%. Not 20 sen, but by more than the 80 sen increase that led to the downfall of former PM Tun Abdullah. As it is, fuel cost more in Indonesia. There is no BR1M, nothing in the pipeline to buffer the impact .

Will the Indonesian emulate some local sentiment to throw Jokowi out after just electing him in July? Two countries but different reaction and approach to the same problem.

When "Menteri-Menteri bongok" wrongly explained as "good for government"

Image that has gone viral

Within the week the fuel rationalisation to raise petrol pump price by 20 sen was announced, two notable Tan Sris expressed an alarming opinion that the government could not be relied upon to help solve many of the nation and rakyats' woes and needs.

One is of the view that government is only there to serve only corporate interest and not "rakyat didahulukan" as per the campaign slogan for GE13. He went on to say that Dato Najib's political fate lies with the upcoming budget, which opposition has already tried to put down.

Wrong budget and it is the end of Najib and BN.

Both the Tan Sris seemed to share a common view that the government is under the power oligarchy of ruling elites, civil and Chinese taukeh which only serves the interest of business and corporate, including government and multinational corporation. 

It must have took the two government loyalist Tan Sris long period of observation to come to that conclusion. The public sentiment arising from the pre-Eidil Adha fuel rationalisation announcement serve to confirm their view.

The perception problem is compounded by "Menteri-menteri bongok", as one Whats App received described, explaining fuel rationalisation and GST as good for government without showing sensitivity to the rakyat.

Remembering Arafah ...

Time moved so fast that a week past since we returned back from Pengkalan Kubor. It was fast because we were practically sick for a week thereafter.

After two weeks in an oven-like temperature, the cooler Kuala Lumpur weather and the full blast air-con at home instantly affected us with flu. The blocked nose only complicates matters as we are kept in a state of constant drowsiness. That itself is another issue being addressed this week.

Right about when the public attention is on Selangor politics, then the surprised 20 sen fuel hike or termed as fuel rationalisation, we were reminded of wukuf at Arafah today.

Thanks to What App messages from our youngest brother and a friend from Kedah whose performing Haj in Mecca yesterday afternoon. It is customary to seek forgiveness and blessing of those close to us before begnning that once in a lifetime spiritual journey.

How time flies ... because it is already Haj, a ritual we performed three years ago. To read, go back to November 2011 in the monthly archive here. We will be re-reading of our past journey with with sentimental tears flowing in happiness.

If only we could be strong and healthy to be there again....

Tok Pa's sweet victory

We had an article ready entitled "The Last Stretch", but couldn't load it.

Internet was just 'gampang' and unpredictable in Tumpat. Then, we changed the tittle to "Last 48 Hours" but still couldn't get it posted from deep inside our place in a PAS-laden coastal village.

By the time, we get a good Internet service this morning in Kota Baru at Riverside Hotel, we have to eat our words due to the last pessimistic posting. However, we are only too glad to eat our words. If the last posting had awaken many sleepy eyes, better still.

The campaign started well but was not heading anywhere with too many no(s) and don't(s). BN was not getting it's message across and not even looking defensive. But, we are not saying Tok Pa-led campaign was ill prepared. Hardly, they had prepared well ahead.

Kudos for the win to the Kelantan state UMNO. They took charge of the campaign and at the end, the result worked out and proved many points. It must be a sweet victory to the constantly worried looking To Pa.

BN looks to lose Pengkalan Kubor

After several days monitoring the Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan by-election, our hunch is Barisan Nasional could lose their thought-to-be-safe seat. Don't ask us why but ignoring our hunch usually come at a cost.  

It is not that BN or UMNO Kelantan did not prepare and make prior effort before the nomination. They did prepare themselves early to address all campaign promises of the late 3-term state assemblyman, Dato Norzaidi.

In the early stage of the campaign, there was a healthy turnout at the nomination and initial activities. After a week, somethings does not seem right. It does not have that winning feel. All the touching with fence-seaters did not carry much political message.

BN seemed not to be reading and countering PAS strategy.

Did AG failed to properly advise Najib on the implication of lifting EO?

At the Pengkalan Kubor by-election nomination, PAS sponsored group, Royalti were in red parading  an effigy written the words “Tolak Akta 750”. The group is seeking all states to reject the Malaysia Territorial Sea Bill 2012 or ACT 750 tabled in Parliament on April 18, 2012.

They argued since all law passed and gazetted related to ownership of continental shelf enacted during the period of emergency May 15, 1969 to February 20, 1971, are null and void since the lifting of emergency on November 24, 2011. The law enacted to enable Malaysia conform to UNCLOS, need state endorsement before it could be enforced. [Read Suara Sabah here]

An immediate reply to PAS is needed although Dato Takiyuddin claimed BN would be deemed as contemptuous of the court should they do so. Naturally, they justify their ceramah attack on Petronas as acceptable.  

The Attorney General (AG) may insist that there are Constitutional provisions to allow laws enacted by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong during the NOC (or MAGERAN) period but the damge is done.  The rush for political expediency to lift EO and repeal ISA had left room to dispute the existing equilibrium of law and order.

Was the Government and in particular, AG sloppy and reckless in repealing ISA and lifting the EO in 2012?