A wolf crying out "wolf"...(updated)

 Daim charged with failing 

to declare assets...

Former Malaysia finance minister Daim Zainuddin was charged on Monday (Jan 29) with failing to comply with a notice to declare his assets under the country's anti-corruption laws, amid a crackdown on graft involving prominent political and business figures.

The assets are said to include 38 companies and 25 properties in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Kedah, as well as several luxury vehicles including a Rolls Royce, three Mercedes Benz and a Jaguar.

Daim, a key ally of ex-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces a maximum jail term of five years and can be fined up to RM100,000 (US$20,000). The 85-year-old, who served as finance minister from 1984 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2001, entered court on Monday in a wheelchair and his lawyer cited health issues when asking for bail.

“I understand the charge, pled not guilty and claim trial,” he said before Judge Azura Alwi. He was allowed bail at RM280,000. Daim's lawyer M Puravalen said that his client had kidney problems and was suffering from a minor stroke.

“He suffered from a fungal infection in his eyes, leading to the removal of one of them. He is practically homebound,” he added, also requesting that his client not be subject to additional bail conditions.

Daim was charged following an investigation by the MACC into the former minister based on information contained in the Pandora Papers - a massive leak of financial records in 2021 that revealed offshore assets held by politicians and public figures worldwide.The MACC last month seized Ilham Tower, a 60-storey building in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, as part of its probe into Daim.

After being charged, Daim said in a press conference that the current Malaysian administration "is abusing its powers, while betraying all the promises of reform". "I am not too bothered about my fate now, let Anwar throw everything at me," he said. "But I fear for the fate of my country."

Daim has described the probe against him as a "political witch-hunt" led by the anti-graft agency and Anwar, who succeeded him as finance minister in 1991.

The MACC said last month it had acted independently according to the law when opening investigations against Daim in February 2023.

Anwar and Mahathir have been locked in a decades-long off-on rivalry that saw Anwar, a one-time protege of the elder statesman, jailed for sodomy and corruption, charges he said were politically motivated. Anwar was pardoned and became prime minister in 2022, after more than two decades as an opposition leader, vowing to combat corruption and focus on the economy. - CNA

Kerusi roda tu jenama Rolls Royce atau Bentley?...

Is Daim appearing frail? Well, at 85 years old, he's an elderly man. It's likely he's fully aware of his age. However, don't let his physical appearance deceive you; his mind remains sharp, much like that of another elderly individual. So, don't be fooled by his arrival in a wheelchair and hunched posture; it's a strategy to project an elderly image and garner sympathy. No sympathy is warranted, considering that the list of his properties is just a fraction, with much of it already concealed. In stark contrast, a less fortunate woman received a five-year jail term for stealing a loaf of bread for her family.Daim has constructed a financial empire, possibly rivaling our GDP, yet it remains unlisted among Forbes' richest people globally. Why? Forbes doesn't recognize wealth acquired through illicit means. Truly, absolute power corrupts absolutely. - Kamsiah Haider

If Anwar is wolf in sheep's clothing, then what about you Daim? A lion in a donkey's clothing? You are far richer than richest man in Malaysia! How is it possible that you amass that kind of wealth as a politician? I do not believe u started saving since you were born in your mother's womb. Neither did your wife. - FitnessPro

The public generally will not care or believe what Daim says but will be looking forward to his many days spend in court. - Justmyview

“ I fear for the fate of my country “ ? Hello , don’t worry about that now - the rakyat simply want to know from where did you get your billion$ ? Prove it in the court of law - suddenly , you are showing “ extra care and love “ for your country? - RedMarlin 1833

Betul tu zaman kau org memerintah Malaysia byk yg jadi musang habis satu reban hasil negara kau rembat jadi harta . Skrg pm x cari semula harta tu. Tahniah pm x cari lagi musang tak kira bekas pm ke mb ke menteri ke atau tyt sekali pun. - Acekiritotama

The only woolf in sheep's clothing has been Mahathir. His betrayal of PH and Anwar will never be forgotten or forgiven. As for you, you supported PH in 2018 because of your loyalty to Mahathir and your desire to get rid of Najib and Rosmah, and enable Mahathir to take over Umno. That is why the entire apparatus of state was used in 2018 until 2020 to go after top Umno leaders for corruption. The only difference between then and now is you and Mahathir are no better from the rest. So stop the drama and face the charges. The rakyat are not dumb. - Gerard Lourdesamy

Daim has fallen and facing 

his deserved fate in the dock...

Arguably the richest man in Malaysia. Probably the most sinister finance minister that ever prowled the corridors of power. Without doubt, the most prolific user of proxies in and out of government. A man who have made others who have done his bidding rich, but made himself much much richer. The man who had served Umno and our nation when called to do so, but never failing in the process, to served himself better. And in doing all this and more, Daim Zainuddin has kept his deeds, misdeeds and devious instructions, shrouded in mystery and ultimately hidden from prying eyes  by the ingenious means of penciling his instructions and then having those incriminating self serving instructions erased forever.

Like his devious exploits in the financial arena, this slight, short and quiet man was no slouch when it comes to matters of the sexual kind. Numerous marriages, possible dalliances with delectable sweet young things and enough goings on in his confusing matrimonial merry go round to make us all wonder whom he was married or not married to, and who was his first, second, third or maybe even fourth spouse!

Some may see, in this man, the makings of a financial genius who was able to achieve almost legendary status given what he has amassed in his lifetime from initial failed business beginnings. Some may even think Daim to be a Malay hero able to give the Chinses a run for their money when it comes to business undertakings. There may or may not be some truth in all of these tales but in truth, this diminutive small man, is nothing more that a greedy, conniving bully who went about the business of taking for himself and taking from others, what ever he can, to make himself filthy rich. 

Never having any regard for the welfare or suffering of others whom he had exploited and used for his own financial gains. Daim Zainuddin is a financial Machiavelli of the worst kind...successful in his endeavors of stealing, scamming and simply taking for himself, what he wants from other to sate his unbridled greed. And on Monday January 29th 2024, all his yesterdays caught up with him. 

For reasons that escapes me, he was NOT dressed in orange with the legend "LOKUP SPRM" boldly emblazed on the attire he was wearing. He was not handcuffed nor did he arrived in a Black Maria. Instead we saw a frail old man in a wheelchair, being pushed by his minder, into the court room. Not only was one of his eye missing, but what was obviously missing was the Daim who once thought himself invincible against all comers, untouchable and above the law. 

And what was he in court for? Kesalahan Daim simple aja. Pada bulan February, MACC minta Daim declare asset. Dia minta lima kali extension. In November 2023 final extension. Daim submit asset declaration to SPRM tanpa memasoki asset yang amat jelas: WISMA ILHAM bangunan 60 tingkat jelas dalam nama Neamah dan anak Daim. Dia tak declare!

Ini tidak ada kena mengena dengan PMX. So kenapa Daim marah kapada PMX? Dan di kaitakan ini dengan keadaan ekonomi dan kadar matawang! Kadar ringgit jatuh kerana US$ very strong dan Bank Negara Malaysia refuse to increase OPR. US interest rate is now 5.5 %. Ringgit interest rate only 3%. Tak ada kena mengena dengan PMX!  

Daim, do not worry too much about the state of our country. Worry about the coming days that will see you in the Dock stripped off all of your past positions, glory and any respect that old age should accord you. You will be at the mercy and deliberation of the court who surely uncover, expose and perchance, convict you for the wrongs that you have inflicted upon so many others and upon our nation. Enough said. - Hussein Hamid

PMX pernah kata, beliau hanya pernah menangis sekali saja iaitu ketika bondanya meninggal dunia.Selain itu beliau tidak menangis.Hari ini PMX kelihatan sangat sedih sehingga beliau dilihat menangis ketika berpelukan dengan Agong...

cheers.

Dissolving UMNO, & connivingly re-register UMNO...

The story from the past still besieging Malaysian politics and dragging the country back is sickening. Unfortunately the country seemed not able to move on till the demise of older generation of leaders. The bad blood need to be let out.

However, another problem is the new generation have not stepped up to the plate. Still expecting a free passage which will not happen. In the same rhetoric of meritocracy they once preached, do earn their merit badge and place. Those given chances still not grasp the essence of leadership. Still lost in their childish tantrum despite reaching the mature age of 40 to 50.

Back to introducing Marina Yusof (above), she is a former magistrate, Deputy Public Prosecutor, and an early Malay woman entrepreneur who built Marinara but sailang-ed by Mahathir. She was a shining star and potential competition to Rafidah Aziz in UMNO. 

Marina was part of team B faction that took on Mahathir and led by Tengku Razaleigh faction.The book she wrote is available here and gives a history of her struggle against Mahathir and Daim. This was before the attempt by Anwar in later years that culminated into Adil and later PKR. Anwar sided with Mahathir.

When UMNO was dissolved, they registered another UMNO first but ROC delayed the registeration to allow Mahathir to register. Ku Li, Marina and the faction went on to establish Parti Melayu Semangat 46. 

Mahathir and Daim dissolved UMNO in order to avoid an UMNO re-election. The court was to decide on Tengku Razaleigh's favour and proved Mahathir cheated. So they opted for the poison pill.

It led to the judicial crisis of 1988 that had Chief Justice Tun Salleh Abas sacked before he could convene court and make an unfavourable decision to Mahathir on the appeal by Tengku Razaleigh. Upon dissolving UMNO, and connivingly re-register UMNO, Mahathir and Daim literally stole the UMNO assets. 

This episode and the said assets relate to the current lawsuit Halim Saad made against Mahathir and Noor Mohamed Yakcop, and the initial investigation and freezing of asset by MACC against Daim and Halim Saad in 2023. Halim is merely taking order. The devil is still the "pencuri, penyamun, perompak dan penyangak" Mahathir and Daim. 

In fact when Daim recently said, he could be worth RM50 billion today had he not sell to join government, among the shares of company mentioned are part of UMNO stolen assets. One can visually see the business empire of Robert Kuok said to be worth RM54 billion. What companies and businesses do Daim  manage to be so rich? 

Not with only Maluri development and known shares of few Banks. If he had businesses secretly, why so secretive?  If Daim had sold his shares then, why should he remain interested to revalue his assets to the current valuation? 

Market knows he never sold the shares and was still in control of the companies. He parked it under proxies. - Thick as a brick

Tun Mahathir menuduh apa yang dikenakan kepada anaknya bermotif politik. Dengan tidak semena-mena meminta YAB PMX mengadakan PRU segera. Pening. Untuk rekod, anak Tun Mahathir yakni Mirzan baru dipanggil sekali sahaja ke pejabat SPRM. Baru di soal siasat. Dicuit tidak, apatah lagi digari. Baru tanya anaknya soalan dah riuh rendah satu negara konon pendakwaan politik.

Dan untuk rekod juga, Tun Mahathir tidak dipanggil SPRM untuk siasatan pun. Apatah lagi nak didakwa. Yang Tun M meracau tak tentu hala ni kenapa? Apa yang merisaukan Tun M? Kemudian Tun Mahathir membebel minta YAB PMX buktikan mana dia berkotak-kotak bukti yang dia tu korup. Dey tambi, agensi panggil anak kau minta isytihar harta, isytihar saja lah. Yang Tun M nak merepek merapu ini apa pasal?

Dan kepada walaun PAS yang sentiasa tak faham hujung pangkal. Konon nak suruh buktikan. Apa bukti? Apa bukti Mahathir - Daim ni? Jika Tok Guru Nik Aziz boleh bangkit dari kubur, penulis rasa mungkin dia penampar sorang-sorang yang pergi ke himpunan depan Istana nak pertahankan anak beranak Mahathir - Daim ni.

Satu lagi yang Mirzan ni dah bilionaire dah pun. Harta bukan kepalang. Berbilion-bilion MOF bail-out kompeni kapal kau yang memanjang rugi. Bila untung, kau sebat sorang-sorang. Bila rugi kau suruh Kerajaan tanggung. Seronoklah berniaga macam tu. Kau dah kaya berbilion tu kau pertahankanlah diri kau. Janganlah itu pun nak mengadu dengan Daddy.

Penjaja yang jual mee rebus, jual t-shirt PAS setiap kali ceramah PAS tak pernah pun merasa duit Kerajaan. Apatah lagi nak kena bail-out berbilion-bilion. Itu pun entah hapa bingai walaun sibuk nak pertahankan Mahathir - Daim.

Yang sakau berbilion tu anak beranak Mahathir - Daim. Biarkanlah mereka kena siasat. Harta anak beranak Mahathir - Daim tu takde sangkut paut pun dengan walaun. Yang walaun PAS pula susah hati tu sebab apa? 

Yang kena siasat Mirzan Mahathir. Yang susah hati walaun PAS. Yang kaya raya berbilion-bilion itu anak beranak Mahathir - Daim. Yang bangang pertahankan Mahathir - Daim itu walaun PAS. - Joe Politics 

Dirgahayu Tuanku...

A UK couple stopped by the Police in Malaysia.They're in Malaysia now.Baru kena saman dengan polis sebab speeding. Ada option nak bayar kat balai polis rm300 atau bayar RM100 kat polis on the spot. Taktau pulak kita ada option ni...

Good night from Gaza...

cheers.

The CLOB affair...

 Malaysia’s anti-graft probe against Daim expands to Singapore’s defunct Malaysian stock-trading platform CLOB...

Embattled former Malaysian finance minister Daim Zainuddin has been taken ill at a time when the investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is spreading beyond his family’s financial holdings and into the affairs of his business proxies, high-profile corporate personalities and a large cross-border corporate exercise with Singapore in the late 1990s. Meanwhile, a separate fight is shaping up in the Malaysian courts. 

The High Court on Tuesday (Jan 16) heard arguments from Mr Daim’s lawyers and government prosecutors over a suit filed by the former politician’s family for an order to compel the agency to halt all investigations against them, lift the seizure of Ilham Tower and return all documents and material that have been seized during the course of the probe.

Mr Tommy Thomas, Malaysia’s former Attorney General who is representing Mr Daim’s family, argued that the former politician was being subjected to an investigation under laws that were formulated after he had retired as a public official.  “Furthermore, Daim is already 85, and he may not remember events of 25 to 26 years ago, and this is unfair and may prejudice him,” Mr Thomas said.

Senior federal counsel Liew Horng Bin protested, arguing that there was no statutory limitation for the investigating authorities to investigate a purported crime and a ruling in Mr Daim’s favour would open the flood gates to halt other ongoing investigations.Judge Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh said that he would deliver his decision on the suit on March 4.

The probe into Mr Daim’s financial affairs is now spreading to corporate personalities believed to be his business proxies and deals that he personally administered over when in government, including the closure of the over-the-counter stock-trading system in Singapore called CLOB in 1998. The MACC’s move against Mr Daim is part of an anti-money laundering investigation that began in late May last year into a controversial corporate transaction valued at RM2.3 billion (US$500 million) in November 1997.

It involved publicly listed Renong Bhd and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd (UEM), two entities that were former cornerstones of the business empire tied to the one-time ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party. Soon after the probe began, the MACC froze the bank accounts of companies connected to Mr Daim’s business and ordered him to declare his financial holdings and other assets belonging to members of his family. 

The court battle...

Mr Daim has repeatedly rebuffed those demands and the faceoff took a nasty turn on Dec 21 when the anti-graft agency seized the multi-million dollar Ilham Tower, a prime commercial building in the capital Kuala Lumpur owned by Mr Daim’s family. Since the seizure, the MACC has been turning up the heat. Government sources close to the situation said that the probe has moved into the affairs of Mr Daim’s key nominees and associates who are representatives in a stable of companies that the MACC believes is linked to the former politician. 

They include businessman Mohd Nasir Ali, Lutfiah Ismail and lawyer Josephine Premela Sivaratnam, who together are representatives on listed entities such as investment holding concern Kuala Lumpur City Corp Bhd, property developer Plenitude Bhd and Langkah Bahagia Bhd, which has investments in the banking sector. 

Easily one of the country’s wealthiest and most politically influential personalities in the country, Mr Daim has been pivotal in shaping the national economy and the country’s corporate sector. Now, the often controversial role that Mr Daim played in organising and orchestrating developments from behind the scenes when he was in government is coming under the radar of the MACC.

The CLOB affair...

Government official close to the situation told CNA that of particular interest are the corporate transactions that were widely seen as forced divestments by businessmen caught on the wrong side of the political divide and the closure in September 1998 of the so-called Central Limit Order Book, or CLOB, an informal trading platform that offered investors the trading in the stocks of a large selection of Malaysian listed companies in the Singapore bourse.

Singapore set up CLOB in 1990 after Kuala Lumpur banned the trading of stocks in Malaysian companies on the Singapore exchange. Malaysia grudgingly tolerated the CLOB platform because stockbrokers based in Singapore took some of the load from their overburdened Malaysia counterparts who could not cope with the deluge of business as the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange exploded during the boom years of the 1990s.

Then came the regional financial crisis and the political maelstrom with the open warfare between former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his then-deputy and current premier Anwar Ibrahim. Sharp differences between the two politicians on how to respond to the financial crisis morphed into a bitter political clash that resulted in Mr Anwar's sacking from government and imprisonment on corruption and sexual misconduct charges.

In September 1998, just days before Mr Anwar was sacked from government, Malaysia imposed capital controls, set the local currency at a fixed rate of 3.80 ringgit against the US dollar, and banned the trading of Malaysian stocks outside the country. The move effectively froze billions of dollars worth of stock in 112 Malaysian companies that were trading on CLOB. 

Mr Daim, who was brought back to the government following Mr Anwar’s sacking and reappointed at finance portfolio, quickly approved a controversial plan by a close associate, Singapore businessman Akhbar Khan, to operate a lucrative concession to manage the return of the frozen equities, which at the time was valued at roughly US$4 billion.

Corporate shakedown...

The CLOB affair, which came under heavy public criticism, strained Malaysia’s bilateral relations with Singapore and coincided with one of the most extensive purges in corporate Malaysia, where business and politics have long intertwined. Business personalities and groups linked to the deposed Mr Anwar were forced to pare down their controlling stakes in their companies in favour of parties linked to Dr Mahathir and Mr Daim, who at the time was both finance minister and also treasurer of the then-ruling UMNO party.

The most high-profile corporate shakedown at the time, which government sources noted is now part of the ongoing probe on Mr Daim, involved the change of control in early 1999 of one of the country’s largest conglomerates, Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd (MPHB). Tycoon Lim Thian Kiat was forced to sell his controlling interest in MPHB, which had stakes in banking, property, gaming and shipping, to a group of businessmen led by Mr Akhbar and entrepreneur Chan Chin Cheung, who was at the time a director in UMNO-controlled Renong Bhd.

The deal went through and it subsequently led to the carving up of the MPHB empire to groups tied to Mr Daim, with Mr Akbar securing control of Bandar Raya Developments Bhd (BRDB), which at the time ranked as one of the country’s most prestigious property developers.

Government officials noted that the ongoing investigations are zooming into Mr Daim’s alleged role in Mr Lim’s forced divestment at MPHB and how Mr Akhbar benefitted from the CLOB affair are in their initial stages. Both businessmen are expected to provide statements to the MACC in the coming days.- CNA

Meanwhile...

Its harder for SPRM to prove misused of power and corruption against them.The team gave Daim and his Mak Cik a wrong advice..Not to provide the financial report which is an offence under SPRM Act. The offence is very easy to prove. SPRM give the official notice of demand and Daim and his Mak Cik failed to do so. So  it's proven guilty. - @user-lv8lh4fm6m

Discharge the lawyer because they ask them to declare sincerely, instead they wanted lawyer team that can help turn unknown and undeclared money into clean money ?? Frankly speaking they keep saying their wealth is obtained legally.... so whats wrong in declaring it like every Malaysian does ?? Do they have any special privilege no need to declare or  pay?? - @Khusari6539

Anwar - Mansuh pencen juga 

terpakai kepada ahli politik...

Cadangan skim tidak berpencen untuk penjawat awam juga terpakai kepada ahli politik berjawatan, termasuk wakil rakyat, kata Anwar Ibrahim. Perdana menteri berkata, secara prinsipnya kerajaan bersetuju dengan keputusan berhubung pemansuhan pencen kakitangan awam.

“Kalau kita mula pada 1 Feb 2024, semua kemasukan baharu itu tidak berpencen, maka itu juga sama untuk semua pelantikan baharu (termasuk) ahli politik. “Jadi ada orang kata mengapa tidak (ahli politik), tidak soal lain ada yang pernah jadi menteri besar, jadi menteri, kemudian jadi timbalan perdana menteri. “Itu menunjukkan Perlembagaan kita boleh kaji tapi tak boleh kebelakangkan retrospektif,” katanya kepada pemberita ketika makan tengah hari bersama rakyat di Desa Sri Hartamas.

Beliau berkata, mana-mana negara, termasuk Malaysia tidak boleh bertahan dengan kedudukan ekonomi semasa dan memerlukan perubahan terhadap sistem pentadbirannya. Tetapi, katanya, apa juga perubahan ingin dilakukan kerajaan perlu didahului cadangan serta perbincangan, termasuk pemansuhan pencen sebelum ia dimuktamadkan.

“Kita boleh kaji dulu. Pada prinsipnya, saya bersetuju supaya apa saja keputusan yang dibuat untuk perkhidmatan awam terpakai bagi pelantikan politik, tetapi dimuktamadkan selepas kajian dan dibawa ke Jemaah Menteri untuk diputuskan.”

Sebelum ini, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Zahid Hamidi dilaporkan berkata, Kabinet meluluskan dasar baharu pengambilan secara tetap tetapi tidak berpencen, di mana kumpulan penjawat awam itu akan mencarum dengan Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP). - fmt

Derrick Gan, yang sanggup jual motorcyclenya semata2 nak ke Qatar nak support 

Harimau Malaya. Harini semua orang kenal dia. Harini semua orang salute dia...

Shame on you...

cheers.

Team Harimau Malaya atau team Mini-UN...(edited)

Citizenship goals for footballers 

as stateless struggle...

On Dec 27 last year, 10-year-old R Shivaani appealed to the prime minister after the Education Ministry denied her from entering school to continue her primary studies. “I am asking Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to help me to go to school next year,” she wrote. It must have tugged his heart as he knows the issues involved and how bureaucrats work.

In 2017, from behind the walls of Sungai Buloh prison, Anwar (then in the opposition) wrote: “The plight of stateless children in Malaysia is ‘appalling’ while the government’s indifference to it is ‘shameful’. “The government has shown no interest or political will to resolve this matter. It is shameful that stateless children have to file legal actions and be dragged through a series of appeals simply to obtain the basic right of citizenship.”

Mr Prime Minister, many court cases are ongoing, and others are pending in the courts under your watch. That may have been a digression but five days after that letter, on New Year’s Day, a 23-member Malaysian football team assembled at KLIA en route to Doha to play in the Asian Cup qualifiers. The players and coaches looked fresh and in high spirits, as they took the opportunity to extend New Year greetings to fans and media personnel waiting at the airport, Bernama reported. 

“Harimau Malaya is targeting to create history by qualifying for the round of 16 after failing to clear the group stage in the three editions they participated in,” the news agency said. With the prime minister extending his best wishes to the team, it was thought it was morale-boosting, but when you lack the talent and skills, it matters little.

Money can’t buy success either but the footballing Gods in Malaysia are not short of novel ideas. The fact that they did not qualify for the next stage and will return home later this week is moot.

Mini-UN team

The team that went to Doha was not entirely from Malaysia – it was a mini–United Nations of sorts – more than half were pendatang (immigrants) – as many like to label them. Fourteen of them have foreign ancestry or were foreign-born.

They include Corbin Ong (Barbadian father), Dion Cools (Belgian father), Junior Eldstål (Swedish father), Brendan Gan (born in Australia), Matthew Davies (born in Australia), Endrick Dos Santos (born in Brazil), Paulo Josue (born in Brazil), Romel Morales (born in Colombia), Stuart Wilkin (born in England), Daniel Ting (born in England), Darren Lok (born in England), Dominic Tan (born in Singapore), Natxo Insa (born in Spain), and Mohamadou Sumareh (born in The Gambia).

Who are these people? I refer to them as journeymen, not footballers, who leave their home country where they will never find a place in the top tier where meritocracy, competence, and skills matter, to seek their fortunes on our shores.

How did they end up playing for Malaysia? Like instant noodles, there is also something called instant citizenship – courtesy of the generosity of the National Registration Department and the Home Ministry who are willing to, not even circumvent, but break the law.

Perhaps some influential people can make mountains move and flatten the obstacles along the way for a smooth journey. From 2014 to 2021, 25 players have been naturalised, eight of whom had no stints with either Harimau Malaya or junior national teams. Many more have since been made citizens including the present lot. This means football officials have used their influence or pulled strings to get citizenship for players without meeting the basic prerequisites for their applications to be processed.

Can they all speak Malay?

Article 19(3) of the Federal Constitution states that: “The periods of residence in the Federation or the relevant part of it which are required for the grant of a certificate of naturalisation are periods which amount in the aggregate to not less than 10 years in the 12 years immediately preceding the date of the application for the certificate, and which include the 12 months immediately preceding that date.”

According to the Home Ministry’s website, citizenship by naturalisation is for those who fulfil the minimum residency requirements and have adequate knowledge of the Malay language (the residency requirement has been outlined above).

How many of these journeymen have been in Malaysia for more than 10 years and how many of them can speak the Malay language? There are hundreds of foreign women married to Malaysians who are unable to get citizenship after umpteen years. Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh who is passionate about women’s and children’s rights must address these anomalies and shed some light on this instant citizenship.

Come up with a list

Previously, I raised this issue and asked: “So, did the ministry breach its own rules and fast-track their applications? Was it not a dereliction of their duties or a case of tutup satu mata (close one eye)?” So, who dispensed with the requirements and closed both eyes?

The home ministers since 2011 have been Hishammuddin Hussein, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Muhyiddin Yassin, Hamzah Zainudin, and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. Who among them approved and signed the citizenship papers for these journeymen?

In the name of transparency and accountability which this government has promised to uphold, can a full list, with dates and the approving minister, of those who became citizens without meeting the requirements be made public? Or will the government (once again) fall back on the Official Secrets Act to keep citizens in the dark?

As for Shivaani, after that letter, the girl is back in school. Now you know they can work expeditiously if there is a nudge from the very top instead of procrastinating to avoid difficult questions. - R.Nadeswaran,mk

14 of the squad of 23 of harimau malaysia team are naturalised citizens , embarassing , to state the least, and they can not qualify for the final rounds of the competition . The quality of the professionals we attract to the malysian football league is poor , understandably so, because of the low monetary compensation . They probably can not make it into the lowest league in their country . By all means employ them to improve our abysmal league . To fast track them to citizenship and choose them over native malaysians to represent our country is the ultimate insult to football loving malaysians . That is not the way to improve our standards . The second problem here is the ease with these footballers were awarded citizenship when numerous children and spouses of citizens are repeatedly refused the previlage ,in the process destroying their lives . They are told repeatedly by people in authority that they have no right to citzenship and awarding one is the right of the government !? . My heart goes out to the people who are waiting . - Robbies98

Slightly more than 30 years ago, our team of Malaysian born and bred qualified for the Olympics. A team of Malays, Indians and Chinese. Now with players " bought' like cattles' from other countries, we could not even qualify for an Asian level Qualifier. We did it with a hired ' gun' from Germany...Karl- Heize Weigang. Can we not look at a hired 'gun' to propel us further not only in sports but in other fields eg head/CEO of economics, health, education, industries etc. Give them full autonomy like how Karl Weigang demanded before he took up the job. Ahhhh...its only wishful thinking. As long as we are run by dunggus associated with politicians, we are doomed. - YellowKite4425

Kalu Sumareh tu masih berada di Gambia,hangpa ingat dia akan dipilih bermain untuk Gambiakah? Sorrylah!!! - ts

Depa ni dah merepek terok...

Majoriti rakyat menolak DS Anwar? Data mana yang dia ambil? Ada buat survey ke? Kalau nak minta YDP Agong pecat PM, mana boleh pakai data main agak agak je. Kenalah sempurna. Itu yang pertama. 

Keduanya, PM adalah seorang MP yang YDP Agong percaya dapat sokongan majoriti semua MP yang lain. Bukan sokongan rakyat. Rakyat pilih MP, MP pilih PM. Gitu. DS Anwar dah pernah buat undi percaya dan beliau menang. Mahathir pun tak pernah buat undi percaya. Undian belanjawan yang dikira macam undi percaya pun DS Anwar menang.

Jadi Chegubadut ni cerita apa sebenarnya? Sudahlah tak ada data yang sempurna, tuntutan pula tak kena pada tempat. Apa hak dia nak turunkan PM yang ada sokongan melebihi ⅔ dewan?Dan satu lagi, tiada peruntukan undang-undang untuk YDP Agong pecat PM. YDP Agong berkuasa memilih PM. Tapi untuk turunkan PM, hanya melalui usul undi tak percaya. PN kena bawa usul ni di parlimen tapi tak ada lagi yang berani nak bawa.

Nampak sangat terdesak. Sebenarnya bukan PN tapi Mahathir. Yang aku nampak, Mahathir yang terlebih sudu dari kuah. PN, terutama Bersatu pun tak kecoh macam dia. Cuma lebai PAS tu je jenis Pak Turut. Main ikut je. Bukan reti apa pun.CheguBard ni nak kumpul 1,000 orang depan istana pun tak mampu, ada hati mengaku bawa suara rakyat. Mahathir dan CheguBard ni tak banyak beza. Dua-dua orang terbuang. - Raja Gelap II 

Naemah is right! There is always a reckoning for those 

who abuse power! Let the games begin. PMX is ready!...

The Rules of Engagements is that there are no rules. No boundaries. No sense of right or wrong. Everyone is fair game. When Daim is indispose, Naemah will serve their purpose...but DSAI did not make these rules. Others do. 

Naemah says power is brief. She forgets to say that power also corrupts. Man proud man, she says, there is always a reckoning for those who abuse power....no mention of those who use power to their own advantage. But PMX must watch her well for there is no fury on earth quite like a woman scorned!

And what of Tun Mahathir? His body language shows that he is nervous. How not to be nervous when billions are at stake. Dah mula cakap Anwar tak grateful. Bawa case Statutory Declaration of Murad. SPRM dah buat sisatan, tapi Tun kata not true. Dah mula cakap merapu. 

Today Naemah. Esok Daim? Tunggu! Kena tunggu dia keluar hospital first. Next Mirzan? Anak anak Mahathir?

Mirzan Mahathir...

Anak anak Mahathir is a tale that simply astounds! Take the acquisition of Konsortium Perkapalan assets by MISC from Mirzan. It needs the approval of the Perdana Menteri aka Tun Mahathir, his father, as per the Petroleum Development Act. So how come when MACC questioned Hassan Marican, he said not true! He said it only need Petronas board approval. 

Hassan is not telling the truth. He is protecting Tun Mahathir. Maybe we should question his loyalty.......whether to Tun Mahthir or PMX. Whether to Singapore or Malaysia? Do not forget that the takeover of Konsortium Perkapalan Asset by MISC from Mahathir's son Mirzan, in 1998 costs Petronas RM$900 million. Woooha! How much is that in today's money? The cumulative price increase over that time is 100%  ---- 1.8 billion RM.  Another Wooha!

What are we to make of all this? 

Mahathir, Daim, Muhyiddin, Hadi, PAS, BERSATU, the Green Wave, devoid of any ideas for economy, are throwing the kitchen sink at Anwar, and still Anwar stands alone against their onslaught, unbowed and courageously facing whatever comes his way. 

Where is REFORMASI? 

Where are those who should fight Anwar's battles for him? Where are those who should be with him in this fight against overwhelming odds? He is alone against Mahathir, Daim, Muhyiddin, Hadi, PAS, BERSATU, the Green Wave....he is alone against corruption! Do you not think it is time we join him in this fight against corruption and all those who have profited hideously from it? 

The educated Malays, especially in the Civil Service need to realize that the future for them and their children are in their hands and in the hands of enlightened Malay leadership. They should join all those right thinking Malays and Malaysians who should all be with our PMX as he takes our nation to recovery and out of its slide into a failed state. 

Come what may, our PMX has made his intentions clear. You ain't seen nothing yet! DSAI must prevail. You, me and DSAI, let us put all those corrupt bastard in jail. - hussein hamid

Daim Zainuddin's wife, Naimah Khalid was charged in court today for failing to comply with the property declaration notice issued by the MACC. The prosecution of Daim's wife made her the second prominent wife to be brought to court after Najib Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor, who was charged with corruption.

The 66-year-old was alleged to have committed the offence by giving a sworn written statement that did not comply with the MACC notice under Section 36(1) of the MACC Act. Accused of committing the offence between Dec 13 and 14 last year, she may be jailed for up to five years and may be fined up to RM100,000 by the criminal court. Among the assets she allegedly did not disclose involved multiple lands, properties, and Mercedes Benz vehicles. She owns so many properties that she struggles to remember them all for disclosure.

She would not have been charged if she had cooperated with the MACC. Giving excuses, and avoiding the MACC and obfuscating is very unbecoming if you profess to be innocent. Abusing the process by delaying investigations and playing to the gallery by giving unhelpful and frankly incriminating press statements does not help your case. Did I mention Anwar? Do you have evidence that Anwar directed the MACC to conduct these investigations? If yes please go to the police. Any lawyer is entitled to take a case and express an opinion about the case. But a lawyer is not the judge and it does not mean that whatever he says in the media must be the truth. The MACC is not that daft to conduct an investigation without evidence and not knowing which provision of the law applies to this case. - Gerad Lourdesamy

If you did not declare your assets or the source of your wealth, then don't you think the court has every right to demand that you explain and be transparent about it? You have unexplainable wealth and you are almost richer than the country, so it is only fair the rakyat demands total transparency. I think this is fair so that no one steals from the national coffers. We are already so poor.If you are really guilty of not declaring your assets, then be prepared to face the consequence. Why are you crying revenge? - FitnessPro

Bila bini Daim mula mengamok kat bang Non...

So what she is saying is once anwar is no longer in power, she expects the new government or the new PM to compromise MACC and force them to withdraw the charges against her, even though on the face of it she committed a crime by not disclosing assets. A crime is a crime. Please don’t bring in reforms and country is forlorn etc as one has nothing to do with another. Daim and his family’s wealth is unbelievable and we would like to know where it came from. - RZee

Here she is charged for failing to disclose or declare all her assets to the MACC. And why she failed to do so? Its not about the sources of her assets yet which is completely another but separate offence. She is just desperately trying to create distractions. Had she just fully declared all her assets as required by law this charge of failing to do so would not come about. And clearly she and Daim know the risk of declaring all their assets bcos that will inevitably require them to justify the sources of all their assets. Berani lah kalau semua itu dari sumber sumber yang sah.- Justice

A woman trying to get out of the rubble after 

the Israeli warplanes bombed their house...

cheers.

Will fixed-term Parliament be the way for Malaysia?...

 

How many of you out there are getting sick and tired of statutory declarations (SDs) being signed in support of a government, back-door governments, plots, and conspiracies of overthrowing a government “through constitutional means”? I will be the first person to put my hands up. In the last three, and now coming to four years, these terms are fast becoming something that triggers me tremendously.

When the Sheraton Move happened in 2020, I was very upset. But after reading about it, listening to experts speak, and asking many questions to people I felt knew more than me, I accepted that it was constitutionally allowed. As frustrated as I was because I felt that my vote was just invalidated, I accepted it anyway and told myself to just wait for the next election. 

However, it was quite interesting to see how everything progressed after that. After slightly more than a year, the Sheraton Move government, which Muhyiddin Yassin led, resigned and then a coalition happened which saw a new administration taking power led by Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

This coalition was interesting because they came into power via a memorandum of understanding between all the parties in Parliament, which was also known as a Confidence and Supply Agreement (CSA), to support the government and not challenge it so there would be a period of stability till the next general election. It worked out pretty well and there was a semblance of give and take between all.

Unity government...

Eventually, Parliament was dissolved, and a general election was called. After a very close election result and some negotiations, a coalition government was formed led by Anwar Ibrahim. Because of this coalition (or what Anwar calls a unity government), his administration seemed to have a supermajority, but I like to see it differently.

The Anwar-led government is more like a CSA whereby all the parties involved need each other to stay in power. Due to this, they would have to negotiate the best way for the government to move forward and satisfy as much of each party’s manifestos and agendas. They would all need to come to a compromise so they can govern effectively.

I don’t see this as a bad thing because everyone wins. They would all put their priorities on the table and decide which ones to work on. If anything were to happen that jeopardised the agreement, the parties in the coalition could call it out and, I guess, could also threaten to pull out. This would then lead to everyone losing power in the government. It seems like an effective check and balance contract.

But now, in the last few weeks, talk in the rumour mill has been rife about a plot or conspiracy to change the current government through SDs signed by MPs. Oh no, here we are back at it again! Can’t these politicians just relax and let the parliamentary term take its course? Just be patient and wait for the next general election if you want to challenge for power like how it is supposed to be.

All this is causing anxiety for the people of Malaysia because it reminds us all of that period between 2020 and 2022 when we saw our country having three prime ministers in two years. We were unsettled and the country was unstable. Governing and administration of the country weren’t being done effectively because everyone was just busy politicking and jostling for power. None of us want that to happen again.

Fixed-term Parliament...

So now a new law is being discussed that will put in place a fixed term Parliament. This would mean that general elections have set dates, fixing the length of a government’s term to be in power. No snap elections or dissolution of Parliament can be called before a term ends (of course there would be exceptions to this, such as a vote of no confidence in Parliament).

Several countries do implement this - Australia, Norway, Sweden, and the United States all practise some sort of law that makes sure that an administration in power serves out its full term. The United Kingdom implemented a law like it too in 2011 but it was repealed in 2022. All the comments and talk about having a fixed-term Parliament in Malaysia recently seem to point to the UK as a model.

I like the idea of implementing a law that would prevent the changing of a government through unethical, but lawful, methods. I thought that when the Anti-Hopping Law was enacted in 2022, it would solve the problem, but I guess I was wrong. It seems politicians can always find loopholes, but that is the case for any law and that’s why we have a Parliament where elected officials can debate, create, and change laws.

But just like in any new law, it needs to be studied and drafted very carefully before it can be tabled. As much as I want a law to prevent actions like the Sheraton Move from happening, I also have certain concerns, especially on the concentration of power if there is a fixed-term Parliament. There needs to be elements in the act that will prevent too much concentration of power from taking place.

I like the fact that any government in power should not be too comfortable because that would mean they can always take advantage of the situation. There needs to be a bit of insecurity among those in power so they will constantly keep on their toes so as not to be voted out when their term is over. Mark the words that I used - “voted out” and not manoeuvred out.

With that being said, the insecurity shouldn’t be so significant that the government becomes unstable because, as we have discussed above, this can lead to wrong priorities being formed and the country will lack proper governance. There needs to be a good balance so that power can be kept in check. I think a coalition government that is formed through a CSA has been the most effective so far.

Whatever it is, I am in favour of a fixed-term Parliament being discussed and debated by the people and lawmakers. If there is currently a plot to replace the government, this new law will not be enacted in time to prevent it (if it was, I would highly doubt the stability of the law), but at least if it is done right, it can prevent more Sheraton Moves from happening in the future.

As for the rumours about a plot and SDs to pull out support for the current government, I hope that it isn’t true. I’m sick and tired of all this back-door play even if it is not illegal. Our politicians just need to grow up and mature otherwise they will be voted out of power. But the funny thing is, we all keep saying that but after how many general elections, these politicians are still there. Now what does that say? - Zan Azlee

Israel's military kills more civilians, 

most of whom are children in Gaza...

A mother waited 15 years before she was able to have her only child, 

the occupation has taken his life in an instance...

Israeli soldiers film themselves attempting 

to break into a family's safe in Gaza...

cheers.