Avengers kembali nak selamatkan Malaysia...

 

Kaki wayang...

Orang Kelantan balik mengundi nanti,singgah dulu sini...

Changing of the guards...

Rafizi wins PKR deputy...

Rafizi Ramli has won the PKR deputy president race overcoming his rival Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, according to unofficial results released by the party's central election committee.

As of 8.30pm, the results for all states and federal territories, except Sarawak, have been announced.

Saifuddin (below) won in Perlis and Sabah while Rafizi won in the remaining states, including the prized Selangor. At the time of writing, Rafizi has garnered 67,895 votes to Saifuddin's 48,797 votes.

The lead of 19,098 votes is unassailable, considering the number of votes in Sarawak - the last state which has yet to be announced - won't be enough to cover the gap. The tally does not count "doubtful votes" which number 5,147 for Rafizi and 3,896 for Saifuddin.

Doubtful votes are votes that will require further verification from the PKR central election committee before they can be confirmed and added to the tally.

However, their numbers won't be enough to change the significant gap.

It was a reversal of fortune for Rafizi in Selangor, who lost the state in the 2018 party election but emerged victorious in the current election.

Selangor is a bellwether state with a huge vote bank of PKR members. The state is essential for a viable path to victory.

In Selangor, Rafizi won 25,449 votes to Saifuddin's 22,101. This was despite Saifuddin allying himself with Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

Another major vote bank for the PKR polls is Sabah, which Saifuddin won with 8,585 votes to Rafizi's 6,814. Saifuddin also picked up Perlis with 760 votes to Rafizi's 593.

However, Rafizi won in the remaining states. In Negeri Sembilan, Rafizi beat Saifuddin 5,522 votes to 2,559 and in Malacca, Rafizi edged out Saifuddin with 2,427 votes to 1,464. In Johor, Rafizi received 3,967 votes to Saifuddin's 1,117 votes.

Rafizi also won Kelantan and Kedah with 3,107 and 4,847 votes respectively as opposed to Saifuddin's 2,107 and 2,724 votes in the respective states.

In Pahang, 1,863 voted for Rafizi and 425 went for Saifuddin. In Perak, 6,213 voted for Rafizi and 2,201 for Saifuddin. In Terengganu, 1,259 went for Rafizi and 791 chose Saifuddin.

In the Federal Territories, including Putrajaya, Labuan and Kuala Lumpur, Rafizi received 2,908 votes to Saifuddin's 1,437. The contest in Penang was close, with Rafizi getting 2,926 votes to Saifuddin's 2,708 votes. - mk

cheers.

Katak puru dok cari sarang...

Majlis Pɛrbandaran Kuantan (MPK) mɛnyerbu sebuah rumah di Kuantan, 

Pahang selepas didapati mɛnternak ayam di kawasan pɛrumahan. - minah kerang

DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh has alleged that the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) image was tarnished by 2016 leaked audio pf former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the 1MDB scandal.

Ramkarpal's stand differs from former Chief Justice Raus Shariff who had said recently MACC seemed to have enjoyed public confidence before the appointment of "active politicians" in the institution.

The Bukit Gelugor MP added : "as a former CJ, Raus ought to have been candid about the image of the MACC which took a beating when leaked audio recordings of a former prime minister and a would be MACC official in 2016 were made public by former MACC chief Latheefa Koya in 2020 in the presence of current MACC chief Azam Baki.

“Whether or not the said recordings are true, they are certainly damning and ought to have been addressed by Raus, particularly when Azam himself was at the press conference where the recordings were exposed.

"Was Azam’s presence an indication that he believed the said recordings were indeed authentic?,” Ramkarpal said.

This, he said, Raus failed to address the elephant in the room after the recent controversy surrounding Azam's share trade issue which has attracted criticism from the public, leading to a serious confidence deficit of the institution.

“One would have thought such incidents would have been addressed or at least commented on by a former CJ while speaking at the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Forum 2022," Ramkarpal said.

Zuraida abandons Muhyiddin’s sinking ship, 

to be followed by Azmin’s 11 traitors...

Zuraida Kamaruddin, arguably the most hated woman politician since 2020, has finally quit Bersatu (Malaysian United Indigenous Party) and resigned as Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister. She was clever enough to announce her resignation while on an official trip to Turkey, taking advantage of the trip to holiday until June 2 at the expense of taxpayers’ money.

 

She was one of 11 MP traitors, led by Azmin Ali, who quit their former party PKR (People’s Justice Party) during the infamous “Sheraton Move” in February 2020, leading to the collapse of the democratically-elected Pakatan Harapan coalition government. A rising star, both Azmin and Zuraida were PKR’s deputy president and vice-president respectively before their defections.

 

After months of rumours, Zuraida has finally confirmed that she is joining Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), a new political party formed “secretly” by herself together with Azmin as a backup plan. The new party is currently being led by Sarawak MP Larry Sng, another PKR traitor. After her resignation, she said her support for PM Ismail Sabri will continue.

She said – “Over the last few months I have started to think about national politics and the direction of my political future. I see a lot of potential in PBM, especially at a time when Malaysians are tired of the old politics, which stifle the progress of the country. I believe in the struggles of this party and am very attracted with its core principles of multiracial engagement …”

Of course, she was talking cock. If she really believes in a multiracial society, she would not have left PKR, a multiracial party, and joined a racist party called Bersatu in the first place. After all, Bersatu president Muhyiddin had declared as early as 2010 that he is “Malay first”, and “Malaysian second”. There’s only one reason why she quits Bersatu – the ship is sinking and rats are fleeing.

Already, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul is actively scouting for a safe seat to contest in the next 15th General Election under the UMNO banner, despite the fact that he was first appointed to the powerful portfolio by Muhyiddin. Instead of being loyal to the former premier, the ungrateful Zafrul too appears to have abandoned Mahiaddin alias Muhyiddin.

Traitors - Azmin Ali, Zuraida Kamaruddin, Muhyiddin Yassin

While Zuraida is reaping what she sow for being a traitor, Muhyiddin gets to taste his own medicine as his party – even the Perikatan Nasional coalition he is leading – started to crumble. There’s no loyalty amongst thieves, let alone traitors. After Zuraida betrayed PKR and joined Bersatu, it’s only natural that she now leaves Bersatu to join another party, PBM.

 

However, the decision to quit at this hour means not only Bersatu is game-over, it also shows Zuraida is extremely desperate to find a temporary shelter, before she jumps again. Make no mistake – the newly formed Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) will be slaughtered like a pig in the coming national election. That’s why she is sucking up to PM Sabri, hoping to become UMNO’s ally.

Zuraida isn’t alone in quitting Bersatu. Azmin and his band of former PKR defectors are expected to follow suit. After the humiliating defeat in the recent Melaka and Johor state elections, Bersatu realizes it badly needs non-Malay votes. That explains why Muhyiddin shamelessly invites Pakatan Harapan to work together again; the same reason Zuraida suddenly claims how impressed she is with PBM’s principles of multiracial.

Both Azmin and Zuraida had overlooked one huge problem when they hastily jumped ship in 2020 – the inevitable infighting within Bersatu as well as Perikatan Nasional coalition. The fact that Azmin and his band of 10 PKR defectors did not join Muhyiddin’s party until August 2020, some 5 months later, suggests that they had jumped ship without consideration for a long-term political survival.

 

Zuraida, who was the Minister of Housing and Local Government under the previous Mahathir administration, had been given the same portfolio under Muhyiddin regime – until her demotion to the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities under the current unelected Ismail Sabri administration. At the end, Zuraida did not gain much despite her betrayal.

 

On paper, Azmin appeared to be the de-facto deputy prime minister during Muhyiddin regime. In truth, however, Muhyiddin did not fully trust his lieutenant. As a traitor himself, Muhyiddin knew Azmin could backstab and betray him one day. Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin was therefore positioned to check and balance Azmin’s power and influence in Bersatu.

Bersatu PPBM 

In fact, Azmin and loyalist Zuraida had no official ranks in Muhyiddin’s party. Both were considered outsiders, and were “appointed” as supreme council members by the Bersatu president in Sept 2020. From being the favourite boy of Mahathir to second-in-command under Muhyiddin, poor Azmin is now nothing but a low ranking senior minister in the government of Ismail Sabri.

Once drunk with power, Azmin developed bad blood with not only Hamzah, but also Ismail. The infighting inside the so-called “Malay-Muslim” government saw an UMNO rebellious faction led by Najib Razak and Zahid Hamidi launched a coup to overthrow PM Muhyiddin. On August 2021, Muhyiddin government collapsed after it lost the confidence of the majority of lawmakers in parliament.

 

Indeed, karma is a bitch. Azmin and Zuraida had never imagined the Perikatan Nasional backdoor government would collapse in just 17 months, shorter than Mahathir’s 22-month administration. Muhyiddin’s lost of power came with a price – disintegration of Bersatu. In February this year, a majority of Bersatu’s supreme council members agreed to sack Zuraida due to her link with Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).

The split in Bersatu has just begun publicly now, largely because the party had wanted Zuraida to quit and be seen as a serial party hopper, while Zuraida wanted to be sacked so that she could cry of being victimized. Even though Bersatu refused to boot her for tactical reason, the party managed to humiliate Zuraida by kicking her out of its supreme council members’ WhatApp group.

Zuraida, and Azmin for that matter, had never been loyal to Bersatu from the beginning. They have been using government resources to build their own power-base, recruiting large members into PBM through Penggerak Komuniti Negara, an association led by Zuraida’s known associates. On the same day she resigned from Bersatu, the party immediately stripped her of the Supreme Council post.

The result of the Johor state election in March 2022 – Bersatu won only 2 out of 33 seats contested – was enough to convince Zuraida that there is no more future with the party. She has also decided to quit after learning that Muhyiddin had two weeks ago agreed to replace her with another Bersatu leader in the Supreme Council, which will be seen as yet another round of humiliation.

Parti Bangsa Malaysia PBM

Crucially, with lame duck PM Sabri under pressure from his own party to dissolve the parliament and call for a snap election anytime now, Muhyiddin will unlikely field Zuraida as a candidate even if she continues to squad and rot in the party. By being friendly to UMNO through PBM, she hopes to get at least some crumbs – a few seats to contest for the new party.

 

She also hopes that PBM could give her a new jumpstart as a clean party, unlike Bersatu which is tainted with treachery, backdoor leadership, incompetence and power-crazy leaders. As UMNO and Bersatu rivalry escalates, despite both parties sharing power in the federal government, Zuraida wishes to stay neutral and does not want to be associated with the loser – Bersatu.

But who can blame her latest defection when even despicable Hamzah has been seen to be warming up to some UMNO top leaders, sparking speculation that the former UMNO man who had jumped ship to Bersatu after UMNO lost in the 2018 General Election might return to his former party. Still, as too many Malay leaders compete for limited Malay seats, PBM and Zuraida may be in trouble.

PBM now has 3 MPs, including Zuraida, and 5 assemblymen – all are defectors. If Azmin cartel were to defect to PBM, the party will have at least 13 MPs, leaving Bersatu with 21 MPs. PBM can certainly demand some concessions if Ismail Sabri plans to prolong his stay in power while waiting for the result of corruption trial involving UMNO president Zahid Hamidi.

Zuraida’s departure could open the floodgate for more Bersatu MPs to jump ship even if Azmin, for strategic reasons, decides to stay till the eleventh hour before joining PBM. With Bersatu being weakened and PBM emerges as a substantial political player, Azmin would be watching the reactions from PM Ismail Sabri and ex-PM Muhyiddin Yassin.

Either way, it’s hard to see how Azmin and Zuraida will be re-elected again. The 11 PKR defectors were originally elected under Pakatan Harapan (or rather PKR) banner. The people still remember their disgraceful betrayal and have been waiting patiently since March 2020 to teach the traitors a lesson. In the same breath, Muhyiddin’s party could finally disintegrate due to party hopping. - FT

cheers.

KL banjir...

 

Anwar Ibrahim, old politics and 

the struggle for a New Malaysia...

I choose to take a totally opposite position to the letter written by my friend and all-round good Malaysian, Dennis Ignatius. The letter which he wrote called on Anwar Ibrahim to step down along with all other old politicians and make way for new blood like Rafizi and Nurul. On the one hand, I would love to agree 100% with him, and so would most Malaysians who want to see change for the better and for the old Malaysia in the 60s perhaps.

However, I cannot in all honesty agree with him that most of Malaysia’s problems are caused by Old Politicians like Mahathir, Anwar, Zahid, Najib, Muhyiddin and many more who still refuse to lie dead in their graves. I also cannot agree with my friend Dennis that the magic wand is in the form of young leaders like Nurul, Rafizi, Syed Sadiq and Howard Lee.

We have seen how other countries like New Zealand, Sweden and Australia are changing to a new line of young leadership and we falsely think that the same would happen to Malaysia if the young leaders become prime ministers and ministers.

Truthfully, if by a stroke of miracle that Rafizi becomes PM and Nurul the DPM, I think both of them would not last six months. Several forces that have created the Conservative Malay perspective and now a toxic Conservative Islamic narrative along with the civic institutions that are a government unto themselves will ensure both young leaders ‘die’ young politically.

I will explain that the New Malaysia can only come about through the painful birth process of a transition between old and young leaders as well as a Muslim versus Malaysian leadership. This means that like it or not, Old Politicians and the old ways of politics will have to find spaces with the young politicians and the new ways. Wishing Anwar, Mahathir and Zahid to disappear from Malay-Islamic politics is completely naive and 110% unrealistic.

Let us look at the reality of what brought the PH down aside from Azmin and Mahathir wanting to be PM and DPM.

- First, we have the ICERD disaster when the Malays rose against it through WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and the mosque.

- Then we had the Rome Statute issue that was brought down by public university academics and the royalty.

- After that came the Kongres Maruah Melayu where senior professors have never apologized to the nation by taking salaries paid by non-Malays and these professors are fighting for only Malays.

- Fourth came the threat by young Muslim Malays to cause a May 13 like incident if Dong Zong refused Jawi teaching in schools.

Next we see the MACC head being easily let off after being accused of corruption. We also saw the kidnappings of honest Malaysians by forces that many suspect related to an extremist Malay and Islamic narrative of the country that seems to be accepted by the majority of Muslims.

We see that Umno had to make friends with PAS in their Muafakat Nasional. We see Zahid flying the Islamic banner and not brandishing the keris anymore.

We see that Malaysians can’t even enter a government building with a long skirt unless it is ‘Islamically’ acceptable. Perhaps soon female Malaysians would have to wear a tudung like in Kelantan. It’s coming very very soon.

Now we look at the faults of the civil society of which Dennis and I are a part of. Only after twenty years I saw the faults of the civil society in handling issues in Malaysia.

Firstly, civil society insists on English for their discourses and forums. This decision makes many Malays think that Malaysians think Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia is secondary and not primary. Furthermore, many non-English speaking Malays cannot widen their knowledge on issues of human rights and democracy.

Secondly, the manner of personal attacks and criticism to Malay leaders like Maszlee Malik, a respectable Malay academic and Islamic reformist, further insults the Muslim populace.

The merciless attacks on Zakir Naik, an outsider but respected by Malay Muslims, further eroded the Malay and non-Malay divide.

Thirdly, political attacks on Christians and the Chinese are answered by each specific community and not by a group of Malaysians of all faiths. There are many more faults on Malaysians citizens and the civil society that I can list, but cukuplah dulu.

What therefore does this all mean? It means that blaming Anwar, Mahathir, Umno, PAS, PKR and DAP is a completely naive and wrong act.

Change in Malaysia will come but slowly. Change in Malaysia will come when the old leaders who created the old system must change it with the new young leaders. Change in Malaysia will come when non-Malays communicate more in Bahasa Melayu, understand the adab of criticizing Malay leaders, let Muslims answer Islamic issues, let Malaysians of all faiths defend all communities and when civil society works closely with all political parties in a diplomatic discourse and not in a media war.

Correcting the MACC, the police, the judiciary and the universities requires an old Malay Islamic hand. Rafizi, Nurul and Howard tak boleh buat punya! Not possible!

Like it or not, we have to allow Anwar Ibrahim to manage the change from the old to the young. He will need help from old guards like Shafie Apdal, Abang Johari and yes, even Tok Mat from Umno.

Anwar is the only one with the Malay and Islamic credential to change Malaysia and the Malays with the help of other old guards while inserting young bloods like Rafizi, Shahrin, Syed Sadiq and others to take over.

Blaming old politicians like Anwar is simply like blaming the ways of our old parents. Like it or not, we have to deal with our parents who are still living. It is best that we work with them then create a blame mentality in us and wishing them to die as soon as possible.

There is wisdom in the elderly and people like Anwar who straddle both Malay and Islamic politics as well as a mind framed also in Western ideologies of good politics and spirituality.

I think we must come to terms with him if we want to see a new Malaysia. Changing Malaysia is not like changing your shoes, just chuck away the old ones and buy new ones. - Prof.Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi

cheers.

Sungai Buloh dok melambai-lambai...

Kalu tak salah pasai apa takut kat Gopal Sri Ram...

Anjing kurap tepi jalan lebih mulia,loqlaq semacam...

The hero and the hell-raiser...

Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s appointment as the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia has little to do with transparency, integrity, diplomacy or bilateral ties. It’s all about political survival and the clue is in the word “hero”.

The country is coming apart at the seams, but many politicians are not willing to do anything about it because they are forced to focus on their political survival.

The convicted felon, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, traverses the country and struts about like a hero, with police outriders tricking us into thinking a visiting dignitary is in our midst. When the red carpet is rolled out, people rush up to greet him and kiss his hand.

Najib, the self-made hero knows that if he does not cultivate his public image, a cold cell awaits him in Sungai Buloh.

The other manufactured hero is Ismail Sabri, who returned to an uproarious welcome when he landed at Subang airport after his visit to America. He was no battle-scarred warrior returning from having slain several communists. He was no champion who had returned with a clutch of medals having done the country proud at a sporting event. Ismail Sabri’s heroic feat was that he talked with US President Joe Biden in English.

Both men - Ismail Sabri and Najib - are aware that they must remain politically relevant. Surviving the political jungle is their immediate, and possibly, only concern. They lust for power and do not mind that they damage the reputations of other people, the community and the country.

Najib has been busy currying favour with everyone he meets and has even successfully wormed his way into a few palaces. Ismail Sabri, as prime minister, can dish out positions and posts when rewarding loyalty. This is where Tajuddin comes in.

Does Tajuddin fulfil the requirements?

Tajuddin is the most unsuitable and least-qualified candidate to be our man in Jakarta. Ismail Sabri is aware, but more importantly, the Pasir Salak MP is a powerful Umno-Baru warlord and ally. The PM needs Tajuddin if he is to stay in power.

Anyone who contemplates a career in the foreign service or as a diplomat needs to have good judgement and be of high integrity. They must conduct themselves well, as they are the “face” of Malaysia. Does Tajuddin fulfil any of these simple requirements?

Most recently, Tajuddin misbehaved at the press conference that was held when two LRT trains crashed in Kuala Lumpur in 2021. He was condescending towards a foreign reporter, he was insensitive to the victims of the crash and he joked about the accident despite being told that several passengers had been injured, some of whom required major surgery.

The potential diplomat should be skilled in communication and be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. He should master at least one foreign language and in his career, may have to learn several other languages. He should possess strong analytical, leadership and organisational skills. He must stand firm when representing the interests of his own country and not be confrontational. Does Tajuddin possess any of these career requisites?

Tajuddin's track record in Parliament and his shameful performance during the LRT incident show his lack of control over his emotions. If he were to behave in a similar fashion when in Jakarta, he may risk the cordial relations which have taken decades of genuine diplomacy to nurture.

Ismail Sabri’s cop-out

Indonesia and Malaysia are important trading partners. We have common borders and therefore, share many security concerns. There is a healthy student exchange programme between the two countries and we are heavily dependent on the supply of Indonesian labour in the construction, domestic staff, and agricultural sectors.

Although there are many similarities in religion, language, food and culture, the Indonesians are more progressive in their thinking. They are willing to come out of their comfort zone in the pursuit of opportunities, and more importantly, they have managed to free themselves of their serf-like mentality. They are not afraid of expressing dissent, unlike many Malaysians who are timid when it comes to freedom of expression.

When defending Tajuddin's appointment as ambassador, Ismail Sabri said that the Pasir Salak MP was a seasoned and experienced politician.

Being a seasoned and experienced Malay politician does not qualify him to be a good diplomat. Tajuddin is a pampered Malay/Malaysian politician who is used to having his own way. Will he understand that he cannot continue to behave as a “Ketuanan Melayu” politician and risk upsetting the Indonesians?

When defending Tajuddin, Ismail Sabri also said that he could not please everybody and that Indonesian President Joko Widodo had approved the appointment.

When will Ismail Sabri learn that appointing an ambassador has nothing to do with pleasing everybody? Moreover, he passed the buck to Jokowi, after noting our anger with Tajuddin's appointment. In doing so, Ismail exposed his poor leadership skills and showed us that this ambassadorial post is all about his political survival.- Mariam Mokhtar,mk

 

cheers.

Najib upgrade sikit...

 

This photo above, which has been going viral on social media since yesterday, shows Najib at an event at his private residence. A “close friend” of Najib Razak and Rosmah Mansor has filed a report with the internet regulator about a photograph being circulated showing Najib and a woman holding his arm closely amid talk of the former prime minister taking a new wife.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has confirmed receiving the report. According to the complainant, who refused to be named, Najib and Rosmah appeared to be shocked when he showed them the photo and the accompanying caption.“They said the photo was not real, and asked me to help report the matter to the MCMC for further action. 

The photograph has been widely shared since yesterday. It shows Najib with a group of people at an event in his private residence. A young woman is seen with her arm linked to his as they stood with an elderly woman, a couple and a young man, before an array of cakes. Netizens have questioned the identity of the woman in the photo. Her seemingly “over-friendly” nature have brought some to suggest that Najib has taken her as his new young wife. - FMT

Strange...Why are Najib and Rosmah's friends assigned to make a report with MACC if the picture is fake? Is Najib too lazy to do it himself, and ask others to come? Why MACC,I don't understand and which power of MACC is applied,if the picture is genuine?...   - t/s

Jom layan lagu ini,kalu bersuami 2...

Dumping toxic Rosmah – Najib secretly married a new wife to rebuild image in preparation to become PM again...

Najib Razak, whose “Malu apa bossku” (What’s the shame, my boss?) moniker has taken the country by storm, appears to have secretly married a new wife – probably without the knowledge of his existing wife, Rosmah Mansor. Apparently, a photograph of the ex-prime minister with a woman clutching his arm, together with a group of youngsters in what looked like a family photo, has gone viral.

 

The photo, initially thought to be a fake in an attempt to spread naughty rumours about Najib, could be genuine after all. All it took to confirm the authentication of the photo was not a forensic analysis by the FBI or CIA, but rather the reaction from Najib himself. Contrary to his usual arrogance and habit to lie, this time he simply declined to comment when grilled about the “wedding photo”.

A self-proclaimed “King of Trolls”, Najib could easily laugh and rubbish the secret wedding. But he didn’t and instead chose to evade the questions whether he had married another wife. Muslim men can have up to four wives, hence it is perfectly legal for the “billionaire Najib” to marry a younger woman to satisfy his lust. Very few would blame him for practicing polygamy.

However, social media saw many people ridiculed and mocked the man who did not feel ashamed at all after stealing billions of dollars from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) sovereign funds, but is too shy to even admit that he has a new wife. Some even offered a cheeky suggestion, telling the crook that he could easily say the new wife was a “donation” from the Saudi royal family.

The U.S.-DOJ investigation results says that over US$4.5 billion was misappropriated from the 1MDB fund, with some of the money used to finance Hollywood films, and buy hotels, private jet, luxury Equanimity super yacht, Picasso paintings, jewellery and real estate. Najib has claimed RM2.6 billion found in his private bank was “donation” from Saudi Arabia royal family, a claim that could not be proven.

The lucky woman in the photograph has been identified as Hashimah Ramli (Shima), former wife of composer Fauzi Marzuki. Mr. Fauzi and Hashimah were married back in 1993, when she was a singer, but divorced in 2013. The 53-year-old Shima is believed to have married Najib Razak more than a year ago, reportedly in 2019. It seems Najib has a peculiar fetish for divorcees.

Najib Razak and Rosmah Mansor – Defence Minister

Rosmah, second wife of Najib, was also a divorcee who formerly married to Abdul Aziz Nong Chik. They have two children, Riza Aziz and Azrene Soraya. In 1987, she married Najib Razak and they have two children, Nooryana Najwa and Mohd Norashman. The family, living a lavish lifestyle, has amassed a huge amount of wealth, which Rosmah claimed to have saved since childhood.

Prior to marrying Rosmah, Najib had married Puteri Zainah Eskandar in 1976 when he was just 23 years old. His first wife was said to be linked to the Sultanate of Kelantan. They were blessed with three children – Mohd Nizar, Puteri Norlisa and Mohd Nazifuddin. Legend has it that Rosmah had been on a constant hunt for rich and powerful man to climb the social ladder to be one of the elites.

On July 3, 2018, after stunningly lost the 2018 General Election, Najib was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). On July 28, 2020, he was convicted by the High Court on all seven counts of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust – becoming the first Prime Minister of Malaysia to be convicted of corruption, and was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and fined RM210 million.

He remains free on appeal till today. Despite the conviction, Najib remains the most powerful and influential leader within his party – United Malays National Organization (UMNO). UMNO has been increasing efforts to free him, including the prospect of a royal pardon to allow him to escape not only prison, but also a return to the corridors of power as the prime minister again.

A photo of the convicted criminal invited to the Palace for a special dinner during Ramadan on April 18 has raised eyebrows over a royal pardon to be granted by the King Sultan Abdullah, who is known for his close relationship with Najib. Not only Najib was invited to dine and wine with the Agong (King), the crook was seated at the high table alongside PM Ismail Sabri, who in turn seated next to the monarch.

The secret marriage of 53-year-old Shima to 68-year-old Najib could be deliberately carried out in part to rebuild Najib’s toxic image. If Najib were to return as premier once again, he cannot be seen together with Rosmah in the public. While gullible Malay voters could forgive and forget Najib’s corruption in 1MDB scandal, they have difficulties accepting his infamous wife Rosmah.

Nooryana Najwa Najib and Rosmah Mansor

Najib Razak and Rosmah Mansor - Upset Faces

Rosmah is facing corruption trial over the role she allegedly had played in securing a RM1.25 billion (US$300 million) project to supply electricity to rural schools in Sarawak. She was charged with soliciting RM187.5 million (US$45 million) from contractor Jepak Holdings in 2016 and 2017 as kickbacks for securing the Sarawak schools project involving 369 rural schools in the Borneo state.

The project involved installation of solar hybrid systems and for the maintenance and operation of diesel generators for the schools. Rosmah initially wanted RM200 million kickbacks (17% of the project value) under the pretext of a “political donation”. The rate was reduced to 15% (RM187.5 million). In January 2017, Najib personally oversaw the contract awarded to Jepak Holdings.

Should the country head to the polls this year, opposition as well as a faction within his own party UMNO not aligned to him could use Rosmah Mansor – Najib’s Achilles’ heel – to undermine him. The Malays still remember how the power-crazy Rosmah established her own division – FLOM (First Lady of Malaysia) – in the prime minister’s department after Najib became prime minister in 2009.

Crucially, people who dislike Rosmah’s obsession of comparing herself to the wife of the U.S. president are still disgusted over not only her extravagant lifestyle and penchant for showing off her Hermes Birkin handbags collection and diamond rings, but also her role in active politics. As the de-facto prime minister, even former Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had to visit her in 2009.

On the night of May 17, 2018, police raided three luxury Pavilion Residences condominiums in Kuala Lumpur owned by Najib Razak’s children. Besides RM117 million cash and RM1 billion worth of 12,000 pieces of jewellery, an eye-popping 567 handbags consisted of luxury handbags from 37 different designers – including Chanel, Prada, Hermes and ultra-luxury Bijan – were confiscated.

Rosmah Mansor  and Imelda Marcos

To maintain her “attractiveness”, one report said Rosmah once spent US$400,000 on anti-ageing products including almost 1,600 bottles of growth hormone capsules. But if there’s one thing that turned even Malaysian women against her, it has to be her “griefing” of how it costs RM1,200 (US$270) to make house calls to dye her bouffant mane black in 2015.

Known as the Imelda Marcos of Malaysia, the suspicion that Rosmah had been using stolen money to fund her jewellery spree was finally proven during the trial involving ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. The trial of Mr Ng, a Malaysian, has opened a can of worms which was damaging to both Najib and his wife.

For example, Najib can no longer claim that the US$681 million was donations from Saudi royal family. In the trial against Ng, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has testified in the court that not only Jho Low had stolen US$1.42 billion (RM6 billion), Najib Razak similarly stole US$756 million (RM3.2 billion) while his stepson, Riza Aziz, pocketed US$238 million (RM1 billion).

 

And for the first time since Najib hoodwinked 4-million gullible Malay voters, the American jury finally got a look at “hard proof” of the treasure bought with the so-called US$620 million that Najib claimed to have returned. Part of the stolen money was used to buy a 22-carat pink diamond necklace worth a staggering US$23 million (RM97 million) for Najib’s wife – Rosmah Mansor.

The icing on the cake was a secretly taped 5-minute conversation between her and Najib in 2016, where she berated her husband for not taking control of the investigation into 1MDB. In the tape conversation which suggests she had more power over her husband, Rosmah said – “Apa cerita? (What’s up?) Can I advise you on something? I don’t like this. Darling, you are the prime minister. You lead.”

Since her husband’s humiliating defeat in 2018, Rosmah has reluctantly maintained a low profile, hoping that people would forget her incredibly toxic image as the former FLOM. But Najib is running out of time. He might get a royal pardon, thanks to the reputation of his father, second PM Abdul Razak, in addition to the fact that the monarch and the corrupt UMNO have always been scratching each other’s back.

Can I advise you on something!!!

However, it would be too obvious if Rosmah is also granted a royal pardon if she is convicted. Can you imagine PM Najib runs the show alone because his spouse is serving a jail sentence, or the return of Najib-Rosmah team after both crooks are pardoned by the Malay King? Even if PM Ismail Sabri interferes to ensure Rosmah does not spend a second in jail, Auntie Rosie is still too toxic.

Mr Najib knows this. He has to distance himself from Rosmah. Since 2018, it’s increasingly difficult to see the couple together. Najib’s highly-paid social media spin doctor and cyber troopers have received specific instruction not to mention their boss’ wife. In fact, there are persistent rumours that they are no longer living together. There are even half-baked stories that Najib was manipulated by Rosmah.

Yes, to cleanse Najib Razak, the PR team is tasked to create a comical narrative that the former premier had not only been conned or scammed by Najib’s partner-in-crime Jho Low in the 1MDB scandal, but Najib too had suffered under Rosmah’s heavy influence so much so that the Malaysian leader could not do anything about his wife’s extravagant lifestyle.

While Najib can solve the problem by divorcing his wife, the move will be too humiliating to Rosmah and the children. Knowing what a dominant and control freak Rosmah is, the last thing Najib wants is to poke the hippo the wrong way. Mahathir, once the mentor of Najib, had previously warned his protégé that he has to divorce Rosmah if he wants a smooth sailing as the prime minister.

Najib, who is obsessed with the lifestyle of U.S. presidents, knew that like most Americans who love a love story, his marriage with a new younger wife could give him a new hope. Between a 70-year-old Rosmah and a 53-year-old Shima, the choice isn’t hard. And thanks to being a Muslim, he does not have to divorce Rosmah in order to marry Shima. He can have them both (with two more free slots).

However, the fact that Najib had brought Rosmah along to the Palace for a special dinner during Ramadan on April 18, where both Rosmah and the Queen were sharing jokes and hugged each other, goes to show that Shima can yet to be displayed on public gallery. Crooked Najib might think he was a master politician, but it’s not over until the fat lady sings. - FT

cheers.

Zahid balun kek seorang2...

According to a witness, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi received a monthly contribution of between S$200,000 and S$520,000 from 2014 to 2018 in relation to the Foreign Visa System contract.

The High Court here was told today that Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) sponsored former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s overseas trips, his wife’s birthday and Hari Raya celebrations.

Former UKSB director Harry Lee said the sponsorship was on top of the monthly contributions from the company from 2014 to 2018. “There were also months that we did not make the monthly payment, but we doubled the payment for the next month, to cover the month that we missed.

“I personally did not keep records of the delivery, but I do know that David Tan (administrative manager for UKSB from 2012 to 2018) kept a sort of ledger on the monthly payments, which he would show me from time to time. “I can confirm that I have seen David’s ledger, but I don’t think I would be able to explain the details in it,” he said when reading his witness statement during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Abdul Malik Ayob.

Earlier, the 15th prosecution witness told the court that UKSB delivered cash of between S$200,000 and S$520,000 to Zahid on a monthly basis from 2014 to 2018 in relation to the Foreign Visa System (VLN) contract.

The third prosecution witness, former home ministry immigration affairs division deputy secretary Siti Jalilah Abd Manap, had previously told the court that Zahid had extended the UKSB contract for the VLN project even though the existing contract was valid for three more years. Explaining how the contributions started, Lee said Zahid indicated that he needed them for his political fund and asked the witness to assist him in matters relating to Umno. “What I understood from this request was that Datuk Seri Zahid wanted financial assistance from UKSB. He never mentioned the amount he wanted although he did say that the contribution should be made in cash and in Singapore dollars.

“The cash money was prepared by David Tan. Once ready, David Tan would give me the envelope containing the money and I would make the delivery. “Usually, the three of us – Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, UKSB director, David Tan and myself would go together to Datuk Seri Zahid’s house, but the handing over of the money is done by one person only.”

Lee said the delivery dates were not set and it would be done at Zahid’s convenience. “Thus, the delivery can take place on any date of the month as decided by Datuk Seri Zahid. The handing over of the money would be done at his residence at night, usually after 10pm, and we would ensure that there were no other visitors at his house before entering. “We would call him first before going to his house. Both his private and official residences had security guards or policemen, but we would always be allowed to go in without the need to report at the guardhouse,” he said.

He added that even though the payments were said to be political contributions, UKSB never made any payments into Umno’s account nor was it issued receipts or any acknowledgment for the payments. Lee also said UKSB would never have given Zahid any money if he had not asked for it. “While it is true that Datuk Seri Zahid did not explicitly ask us to give him money, he never questioned us about the money that we gave and not once did he ever ask us to take back the money,” he said.

The 15th prosecution witness said the first time he met Zahid was in May 2013 at Tawakal Hospital when the Umno president’s son had an accident and was treated there. “It was a short meeting, Wan Quoris and I spoke briefly about our contracts with the home ministry. Datuk Seri Zahid didn’t say much but acknowledged what we told him.”

Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the One-Stop Centre in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the ministry. For another seven counts, he is charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, €15,000 and US$15,000 from the same company in connection with his official work. He is charged with committing the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018. - Bernama

Tajuddin’s diplomatic blunder...

Many Malaysians will agree that the appointment of Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia is a diplomatic blunder, although Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the bureaucrats in Putrajaya may think otherwise.Why did Ismail risk the unique relationship we share with Indonesia?

Anyone contemplating a career in foreign service, or as a diplomat, needs to be of high integrity and have good judgment. His communication skills should be of a high standard and he must be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

He should also master at least one foreign language and in his career, may have to learn several other languages.He should possess strong analytical, leadership and organizational skills. So, why was Ismail badly advised when Tajuddin became our man in Jakarta?

Tajuddin lacks the finer points of decent behavior. As ambassador, his duty is to represent the country, but his lack of control over his emotions is potentially embarrassing and extremely damaging. He may risk the cordial relations we have with our neighbor that has taken decades of genuine diplomacy to nurture.

Over many decades, Malaysians were appalled by Tajuddin’s behavior as MP of Pasir Salak. He lacks diplomatic skills and becoming an ambassador is an insult to many Malaysians. The appointment also paints a picture that the leadership in Putrajaya is clueless and insensitive to the needs of both Malaysia and Indonesia.

Tajuddin’s track record of racist rants, sexist comments and tantrums in parliament is well documented in many press reports of both mainstream and alternative media. So, why is he being rewarded for bad behavior with this diplomatic post?

Why were senior career diplomats who are well versed in foreign relations and who have probably majored in international relations, foreign policy, cultural anthropology or sociology, and political science ignored? Did no one care to advise Ismail?

Tajuddin is a bully and time waster. He does not just bring shame to himself, but also to his party, his family and his race. He is so arrogant and does not care when he shows utter contempt for parliament. Why was Ismail badly advised when Tajuddin became our man in Jakarta? His awful behavior can be seen in one of many altercations in the Dewan Rakyat.

In July 2019, Tajuddin asked the then deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister Sim Tze Tzin about the cash crop program for farmers. Dissatisfied with the deputy’s response, Tajuddin demanded that the minister Salahuddin Ayub provide the answer.

When deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming intervened, Tajuddin became obstructive and embarked on a prolonged slanging match against Nga by repeatedly interrupting parliament’s “question time”. When Nga finally ordered Tajuddin to leave the Dewan Rakyat, he attacked the deputy speaker by saying his face was like a communist. Why should we tolerate MPs who behave like thugs in parliament?

What if in his new role as ambassador Tajuddin lets rip and risks upsetting the Indonesians? He appears to easily lose control of his emotions! Anyone who observes parliamentary proceedings from the viewing chamber would have been appalled by Tajuddin’s antics. He sends out the wrong message to children or young adults who may have seen him on television.

Why should we be surprised? Tajuddin is a career politician, and his behavior is symptomatic of most of Umno-Baru politicians’ intransigence and arrogance. One social political observer said, “We do not need to be reminded that the former chairman of Prasarana is foul-mouthed and shoots from the lips before getting his thoughts in order.

“What was Ismail thinking by appointing Tajuddin as ambassador? One only has to look at his past performance in Prasarana and other GLCs like Felcra to know that his track record is terrible.” Another said, “Why can’t we have a more dynamic person, someone who is younger and not tainted with allegations of racism and corruption?”

This appointment has exposed Ismail’s poor leadership. It looks as if he is rewarding politicians who support him with plum positions. It does not look like he values meritocracy or good performance. Tajuddin was sacked as chairman of Prasarana. Making him an ambassador is like he is rewarding failure. People like Tajuddin also give Muslims a bad name.

On the eve of the Sungai Kandis by-election a few years ago, he told a Malay crowd of around 100 people in Kampung Jawa not to support a “Christian-led” Pakatan government. He lied about a video which featured Christian pastors celebrating Harapan’s victory at GE14. This video did not exist. He lied to influence the vote.

Tajuddin’s sexist credentials were completely overlooked by Ismail, when he chose him to be our ambassador to Indonesia. He should recall how in February 2017 Tajuddin referred to Teresa Kok, the MP for Seputeh, as “the only woman with a kok”.

Like father, like son. So when MP Khalid Samad called Tajuddin “sial” for making these crude and sexist remarks against Teresa and for refusing to apologize for being sexist, Tajuddin’s son then caused a riot in parliament, while trying to defend his father’s name. The punishment for causing mayhem in parliament was a mere RM100 fine!

Malaysians abhor rude and crude behavior from their MPs, but the real pity is that the top brass of Umno-Baru refused to punish their senior politicians! So, instead of doing the right thing, Ismail has rewarded thuggish behavior by making Tajuddin an ambassador. What is happening in the foreign ministry? - Mariam Mokhtar

Tajuddin’s appointment 

puts Jakarta in tough spot...

Putrajaya has put Indonesia in a “difficult position” by appointing Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as the ambassador to the republic, a former diplomat said.

Dennis Ignatius (below), who today doubled down on his criticism of Tajuddin, said no country would want the likes of the Pasir Salak MP as its ambassador, adding that the latter was “crude, rude and entirely lacking the kind of skills required”.

“But given the close relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia it would be difficult for Indonesia to say no,” he told FMT.

Putrajaya has put Indonesia in a “difficult position” by appointing Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as the ambassador to the republic, a former diplomat said.

Dennis Ignatius, who today doubled down on his criticism of Tajuddin, said no country would want the likes of the Pasir Salak MP as its ambassador, adding that the latter was “crude, rude and entirely lacking the kind of skills required”.

“But given the close relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia it would be difficult for Indonesia to say no,” he told FMT.

cheers.

Wira yang tak didendang...

PM Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob baru-baru ini berkongsi video kepulangannya ke Malaysia selepas lawatannya ke luar negara. Dalam video tersebut, dapat dilihat Perdana Menteri disambut oleh orang ramai yang beratur di terminal lapangan terbang. Dalam catatannya, Ismail Sabri menulis, “Tanpa disangka, ramai yang datang menyambut kedatangan saya.

Dapat bertemu dengan semua orang membuatkan saya hilang rasa penat selepas perjalanan yang jauh.”Bagaimanapun, beberapa netizen mendakwa ‘orang ramai’ itu semuanya palsu dan sebenarnya adalah orang yang dibayar untuk pergi ke ketibaannya.It's not surprising Bera's kaki arranged such welcome crowds with money,Pekan's style!!!👇👇 - minah kerang

Tajuddin’s appointment a ‘disaster’,

 says ex-diplomat...

A former diplomat has described Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s appointment as Malaysia’s ambassador to Indonesia as a “disaster”, citing the latter’s handling of a collision involving two LRT trains last year.

G25’s Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin said Tajuddin’s description of the collision, which left 47 passengers seriously injured, as two “trains kissing each other” was a reflection of the Pasir Salak MP’s intelligence.

“It’s such a disappointment to our career diplomatic officers who have now been deprived of the opportunity to be promoted to an ambassadorship,” she told FMT.

Noor Farida (below) said it was unwise that the government had appointed someone like Tajuddin who is “so lacking in calibre and diplomatic skills” to the post, especially since Indonesia is an important country to Malaysia and has excellent diplomatic relations with Putrajaya.

Earlier today, Tajuddin confirmed that he would be the new ambassador to Indonesia. The post has been left vacant since Zainal Abidin Bakar, retired on April 4, 2021. The controversial MP was removed from his post as Prasarana chairman last May, just days after his much-criticised press conference following a collision involving two LRT trains.

Meanwhile, PKR’s Fahmi Fadzil said while Tajuddin’s appointment did not come as a surprise, it was still shocking, given the way he carried himself in the past.

The Lembah Pantai MP said the former deputy minister’s appointment would lead to speculation about the kind of arrangement or understanding that existed between Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Tajuddin.

This is because it involves a “very senior post”.

“It would be difficult to avoid this kind of speculation from the public,” he said when contacted.

Fahmi went on to say that the previous Pakatan Harapan government had, for the large part, avoided placing politicians in career diplomats’ posts.

PKR’s Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, meanwhile, urged the prime minister to explain Tajuddin’s appointment, adding that there were many experienced diplomats who were more qualified for the position.

“Malaysians have seen how YB Tajuddin performed in the Parliament and his handling of the LRT crisis. Is he the right choice for this important post?”

Another former diplomat, Dennis Ignatius (above), said it was “shameful” that the likes of Tajuddin was appointed to such a key post.

“Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.”

Ignatius, a 36-year veteran in the foreign service, however, said he was not surprised.

“Political connections are now more important than integrity, honour and professionalism.” - fmt

cheers.