Kontrak LRT - Najib kata ikut peraturan, tapi tak nafi tender serah kpd. George Kent...

Jawapan perdana menteri bahawa projek sambungan LRT Ampang mengikut peraturan, tanpa menafikan pemberian tender kepada Konsortium George Kent, mengukuhkan spekulasi beliau melanggar keputusan penilaian bidaan, kata PKR.

Pengarah Strategi PKR Rafizi Ramli berkata, kenyataan Datuk Seri Najib Razak itu mengesahkan kontrak itu telah dianugerahkan kepada konsortium itu seperti disyaki banyak pihak.

"Oleh itu, saya sekali lagi mengulangi desakan bahawa Najib wajarlah menyatakan secara terbuka sama ada kontrak itu telah pun dianugerahkan kepada Konsortium George Kent, kerana itu bakal menjawab pelbagai persoalan mengenai campur tangan beliau dalam proses pemilihan kontraktor," katanya.

Najib malam tadi ketika ditanya pemberita berkata, tiada apa-apa yang luar biasa dalam penganugerahan projek kerja-kerja sambungan projek bernilai lebih RM1 bilion itu kerana semuanya menurut aturan.

Dalam kenyataannya hari ini, Rafizi juga berkata, beliau dimaklumkan sumber dalaman bahawa Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) telah mengambil pelbagai dokumen rasmi berhubung kontrak itu dari pejabat Prasarana semalam.

Kesimpulan itu juga dibuatnya ekoran Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan Prasarana Datuk Shahril Mokhtar didakwa tidak menafikan perkara itu melalui komunikasi dengannya di laman blog mikro Twitter berhubung isu itu.

Twitter yang dirujuk itu menyebut Shahril sebagai menulis: "Fizi (Rafizi), there was no such thing as 'rampas'. Just let them do their job.

(Fizi, tiada sama sekali apa yang dikatakan 'rampas'. Biar mereka buat kerja mereka.)

Malaysiakini semalam melaporkan SPRM datang ke pejabat syarikat pengangkutan nasional Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd sekoran dakwaan Rafizi terhadap campur tangan Najib dalam projek itu.

Menurut sumber, mereka tiba selepas jam 4 petang. Pegawai Prasarana bagaimanapun menafikan ia satu serbuan.

Sementara itu, Rafizi terus mendakwa, salah satu dokumen yang diambil adalah kertas rasmi yang membuktikan Prasarana memulangkan kembali bon tender kepada George Kent kerana kumpulan itu dikeluarkan dari senarai pembida berpotensi sejak awal.
 
Justeru, katanya, sebarang keputusan menganugerahkan kontrak itu kepada George Kent sudah tentu bertentangan dengan keputusan penilaian bidaan dan tatacara tender yang diterimapakai.

Rafizi juga menyeru Shahril mengesahkan dakwaan bahawa bon tender Konsortium George Kent benar-benar telah dipulangkan untuk mengelakkan pelbagai spekulasi baru.

Rafizi sebelum ini mendakwa projek itu sepatutnya diberikan kepada Balfour Beatty-Invensys Consortium (Balfour) tetapi atas campur tangan Najib, ia jatuh ke tangan George Kent.- malaysiakini

 Rafizi turns up heat on Najib over LRT contract...

PKR is pressing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to disclose whether the RM1 billion Ampang Light Rail Transit (LRT) project has really been awarded to Konsortium George Kent, a day after he denied impropriety in the deal.

Zeroing in on the premier's reply yesterday that "everything was done properly", PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli said the statement did not answer whether the purported highest bidder had won the contract or not.

"This reinforces the speculation that Najib had forcefully interfered in the bid evaluation decision, which was in favour of other bidders," he said in a statement today.

According to Rafizi (left), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) took away many official documents pertaining to the contract when they paid a visit to Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd's (Prasarana) office yesterday.

Quoting an insider, he claimed one of the papers proved that Prasarana has returned Konsortium George Kent its tender bond, a form of cash deposits each bidder pays, as the company was disqualified in the early stages.

"I urge Shahril Mokhtar, Prasarana group managing director, to confirm whether the cash deposit has been returned to stem new speculation," he said.

Yesterday Najib had said there was nothing abnormal in the award of the RM1 billion Ampang Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension project to the purported highest bidder when quizzed by journalists on the allegations.

Rafizi had accused the prime minister of interfering in the award process to ensure that a consortium led by George Kent Bhd, said to have put in the highest bid, will land the job.

He claimed that he had "solid" evidence that the project was first went to Balfour Beatty-Invensys Consortium (Balfour).

However, a Jan 22 Business Times report said that George Kent was tipped to win the bid, said Rafizi, drawing the conclusion that the move had been executed on Najib's orders.

Rafizi has vowed to reveal more evidence of wrongdoing on the matter in the coming weeks.- malaysiakini

PM never denied George Kent got LRT project

The prime minister did not deny that the Finance Ministry awarded the Ampang LRT extension project to George Kent Consortium, said PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli.

Responding to Najib Tun Razak’s statement that the tender process was done properly, he said: “The statement confirms speculation that the premier had a hand in awarding the project to George Kent.”

Yesterday, Rafizi lodged a police report over Najib’s decision to award the Ampang LRT extension project to George Kent instead of another company which had won the bid earlier.

“Najib’s decision may involve corruption and jeopardises public safety as the project was awarded to a company with no expertise in LRT projects,” Rafizi had said.

However, Najib denied having a hand in the decision and insisted that the process was “done properly”.

Rafizi said he was informed that MACC had started a probe on the tender issue by getting information from the original winner for the bid, Prasarana Group.

“Among the documents inspected by MACC is the tender bond, initially issued to Prasarana as the winning bidder but later given to George Kent,” he claimed.

Rafizi said that he would expose further details on Najib’s alleged hand in awarding the project to George Kent Consortium next week.

“I will reveal the technical and financial aspects which will prove Najib’s involvement,” he said.- FMT

Gov't's LRT broken promise a letdown for TI-M

Transparency International's Malaysia chapter (TI-M) is disappointed that the Integrity Pact played no role in the Ampang Line LRT extension project tender exercise.

In addition, TI-M president Paul Low Seng Kuan said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's alleged interference in selecting the successful bidder would undermine bidders' confidence in future projects.

"This is because people who (participate) in the tender may not be competing on a level playing field and their effort of submitting tenders may not be evaluated in a truly professional and objective manner," he told Malaysiakini when contacted yesterday.

He added that the research and manpower involved in submitting a bid may come to around RM 500,000.

Showing the purported minutes of the Finance Ministry's Procurement Committee(JPMK), PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli  meeting had claimed on Wednesday that the committee had originally selected Balfour Beatty-Invensys Consortium for the RM1 billion project.

However, the contract was eventually awarded to a consortium led by George Kent Bhd, whose bid was apparently higher than the others.

However, the company has no experience in rail projects, Rafizi blamed this on Najib's interference.
Paul Low said the government needs to be consistent with its calls for transparency and open tender.

He said it needs to clarify the issue and explain to taxpayers, "why the government needs to pay a higher price for an award that is given to a less-qualified company... to prevent public suspicion and the public has the right to know."

Low also said that although the government had said it would use Integrity Pacts advocated by TI-M in its tenders, this was absent in the Ampang Line LRT extension project.

An Integrity Pact is a legally-binding agreement, including a commitment not so solicit or pay bribes.

"If they had used the Integrity Pact, it would have provided some safeguards," he said.- malaysiakini

cheers.

PRU 13 date - Mahathir decides …

.

Three days ago, a reporter friend forwarded a text message to this columnist which says that the doctor has taken over Umno and right now the grassroots reports are being forwarded to him.

But the big news is that the doctor is planning to have the polls held in September. This is because it seems that the doctor has got tired of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s feet-dragging and lack of confidence.

Therefore he now enters the fray in order to have things up and running according to his way. Whether there is any truth or not in the text message is one thing but looking at it logically, it could be true. Najib has been dragging on the polls date for far too long after initiating it as a guessing game about two years ago.

Before the submarine scandal surfaces to sink the whole of BN, the doctor has made a firm decision to take control of Umno in order to steer the party to safety at the most crucial point in the party’s history. One must remember that during his tenure as prime minister, the doctor never had this nonsense about the polls date. He called for the polls when he called for the polls: in a decisive manner.

No guessing games, dragging or pussyfooting around. He just executed it, plain and simple. Unlike Najib who makes a great fanfare only to end up in zilch.

The doctor, according to the text message from this friend, is firm in wanting the polls to be held in September. And Sept 1, which is a Saturday, seems to be the ideal date as it is also after the 55th National Day celebrations on Aug 31 when everyone would be proud of the nation’s achievements.

Sept 1 is also more than 10 days after Aidil Fitri which will be celebrated on the third week of August or so this year.

This makes it an ideal time as the Malays who form the majority of the voters would be in a joyous and festive mood and, without anymore animosity, would be more likely to vote BN for “continued prosperity and progress”, which is BN’s well-known slogan.

Thus Sept 1 is the most ideal for the polls to be held as the national budget will be tabled on Sept 28. The budget can then be tailored accordingly but don’t be too sure of getting the goodies if BN wins big as goodies are only due to Pakatan Rakyat’s pressure on BN.

Sept 1 or Dec 1?

Of course, if Pakatan wins the 13th general election, then Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister will have to table the budget and knowing the state of the nation’s coffers, Pakatan will have a momentous task ahead but then it has many good financial experts in its team.

However, if Sept 1 is bunkered, then the next best option is Dec 1 which is also a Saturday. At this point in time, the Indians who have celebrated Deepavali in November will be in a good mood and the Christians too will be feeling joyful in anticipation of Christmas on Dec 25.

At the time of writing this piece, the 13th general election may only be two months away if the doctor has his way.

Najib is the type who wants to make sure that everything is in his favour before he proceeds and not only the doctor but many of the rakyat, especially those in the business community and the manufacturing sector, are fed up with this.

The doctor knows that the longer the polls is delayed, the worst it will be for BN. So he might as well take the initiative to rescue the situation before it gets worst. He can read the current situation well and he sees and knows that it is already beyond Najib’s control.

Najib is focusing on gift-giving to woo the voters but apart from that, the situation around him seems to be falling apart due to the power struggle between the warlords in his camp.Unlike the doctor who is a very slick and cunning reader of the game, Najib lacks vision, foresight and courage.

Many of this columnist’s Chinese friends have lost confidence in Najib because the Chinese view him as not capable when he cannot even do such a simple thing as dissolving Parliament. The Chinese reasoning is that when even such a simple thing is beyond him, he will surely be incapable of much larger things such as administering the country.

Based on this factor alone, he should be rejected. One has also to take note that he rejects political debates by saying it is not the Malaysian culture. Does butt-exercise to show one’s disagreement a part of Malaysian culture then?

Najib may have power and authority but his words cannot change black into white. On June 23, he has boasted that he can thrash the opposition with a score of 14-0 but does not suit action to words by dissolving Parliament that very instant. It is due to his weakness that the doctor’s influence is getting stronger.

The doctor has a game-plan and he will execute it in clinical fashion while Najib’s game-plan has gone “rojak” until he even needs to contemplate a second giving of the RM500 cash aid.

Looks like whether it is Najib or whether it is the doctor who is in control, the situation in Malaysia is full of uncertainty. Coupled with rampant corruption, will the nation go bust? - Selena Tay,FMT.




 Mahathir: Pengundi Cina tentu sapa menang dalam PRU 13...

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad percaya keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 (PRU13) bakal ditentukan oleh pengundi Cina.

Beliau yang juga bekas Presiden Umno berkata, beliau melihat undi kaum itu bakal menjadi faktor penentu siapakah yang layak mentadbir negara memandangkan Melayu bukan lagi masyarakat majoriti di negara ini.

Dr Mahathir menegaskan, faktor itu juga menjadi punca meningkatnya politik perkauman.

"Hakikatnya kesemua tiga parti Melayu cuba memikat pengundi Cina dan jadi, mereka menjadi sangat perkauman," kata beliau dipetik Astro Awani.

Beliau berkata demikan pada majlis Politik dan Perniagaan: Kaitan Malaysia' di sini semalam.

Kata Dr Mahathir, untuk memastikan Malaysia menjadi sebuah negara yang maju dan kaya, rakyat perlu memberikan sokongan majoriti kepada parti yang mempunyai agenda serta idea pembangunan yang baik.

Dalam pada itu, dipetik Bernama, Dr Mahathir berkata, rakyat Malaysia tanpa mengira kaum hendaklah sanggup melepaskan sesuatu demi mencapai pembangunan ekonomi dan kestabilan sosial jangka panjang.

"Mana-mana kaum janganlah berfikir untuk mengambil semuanya untuk mereka. Anda mesti mengakui bahawa orang lain juga perlu mendapat sebahagian.

"Semua kaum hendaklah menumpukan ke arah membangunkan ekonomi bersama, supaya pembahagian setiap orang adalah lebih besar di samping mengurangkan jurang perbezaan," katanya.

Dr Mahathir berkata, semasa pilihan raya 1955, orang Melayu telah mengambil keputusan melepaskan kerusi di kawasan di mana pengundi kebanyakannya orang Melayu.

"Bagi memastikan semua kaum bekerjasama, kawasan pilihan raya orang Melayu diberi kepada rakan kongsi mereka daripada kaum Cina dan India serta memastikan mereka menyokong calon-calon daripada Perikatan," katanya.- sinar harian

Kingmakers in GE13 are not the Chinese voters but all Malaysian voters...

Salah Mahathir ooi... yang akan tentukan kemenangan dalam PRU 13 ini adalah pendatang2 haram Indon,Bangla, dan Myanmar yang telah dihalalkan oleh Najib & SPR sebagai pengundi...

cheers.

Mukhriz MB Kedah & Ahmad Shabery Cheek MB Terengganu dan Mahathir kasi 'warning' anaknya Marina...

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata, beliau akan menyokong jika anaknya, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir dicalonkan untuk menjadi Menteri Besar Kedah.

Dalam wawancaranya dengan sebuah stesen TV internet, Mahathir berkata, beliau juga akan menolong anaknya itu.

Mahathir juga berkata, dia tahu anaknya itu berminat dalam politik dan akan menolong beliau.

"Tetapi untuk jawatan apa, terserahlah kepada parti membuat keputusan. Jika dia dicalonkan untuk jadi MB, saya akan sokong," kata Mahathir.

Desas-desus bertiup kencang di Kedah kononnya Mukhris, anak ketiga Mahathir itu akan bertanding peringkat DUN dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang ini.

"Katanya dia akan bertanding di DUN Kota Seputeh," kata anggota Parlimen Padang Terap, Mohd Nasir Zakaria kepada Harakahdaily.

Adun Kota Seputeh sekarang, Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif (Umno - BN) sebelum ini didapati tidak layak menjadi Adun kerana gagal menghadiri sidang yang diadakan.

Menurut sumber lain pula, anggota Parlimen Jerlun itu tidak berapa berminat untuk bertanding peringkat DUN kerana takut kehilangan jawatannya yang ada sekarang.

Mukhris, Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri itu tahu bukan mudah untuk beliau menjadi MB kerana terpaksa bersaing dengan lain-lain pemimpin Umno Kedah yang lebih senior.

"Dia boleh menang kerusi DUN Kota Seputeh itu tetapi adakah BN akan menang Kedah? 

Jika BN menang pun, adakah Mahathir Khalid akan setuju dia jadi MB. Di mana pula kedudukan Datuk Ahmad Bashah, Pengerusi Umno Kedah sekarang," kata seorang pengkaji politik antarabangsa kepada Harakahdaily baru-baru ini.

Menurut beliau, skala pertembungan dalaman Umno Kedah cukup tinggi iaitu 3.5 dari 5 markah penuh.

"Sebab itu, bagi saya, kalau Mukhris bertanding DUN pun bukan kerana dia yakin menang dan mahu sangat tetapi kerana tekanan ayahnya yang mahu legasi beliau diteruskan," kata pengkaji yang berasal dari Amerika itu.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak dikatakan sedang merancang untuk melantik Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek (gambar) sebagai Menteri Besar Terengganu selepas pilihan raya umum  nanti.

Ini kerana, beliau dianggap faktor pengimbang antara dua kem Umno yang bergaduh di Terengganu sekarang iaitu Kem Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh dan Kem Datuk Ahmad Said.

Shabery, bekas orang kuat Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah dikatakan tidak memihak di dalam kedua-dua kem itu.

Selain Shabery, turut disebut adalah nama anggota Parlimen Hulu Nerus, Datuk Nasir Ibrahim Fikri.

Namun, Harakadaily difahamkan, istana Terengganu masih mahukan Ahmad Said kekal sebagai MB.

Di pihak PAS pula, lain ceritanya. Walaupun Shabery pernah aktif di dalam PAS sebelum menyertai Umno, beliau dianggap tidak akan mengubah apa-apa di Terengganu.

Biarpun Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Seri Shabery Cheek dikatakan bakal menjadi Menteri Besar Terengganu, bagi PAS ia tidak memberi jaminan Terengganu akan lebih baik.

Selagi dasar pentadbiran Umno dan Barisan Nasional masih dipenuhi dengan rasuah, kronisme, nepotisme, sesiapapun yang menggantikan Datuk Seri Ahmad Said sebagai menteri besar, ibarat dua kali dua.

Sikap PAS

Pesuruhjaya PAS Terengganu, Mohamad Abdul Wahid Endut (gambar), berkata keadaan Umno di Terengganu semakin parah dengan beberapa insiden yang mencemarkan pentadbiran menteri besar-menteri besar negeri itu.

Ketika zaman pemerintahan Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, pelbagai penyelewengan wang rakyat dilakukannya, di samping penarikan semula wang royalti kepada negeri tersebut.

Ketika BN mengambil pentadbiran negeri dari PAS pada 2004, segala pemberian kerajaan negeri PAS sebelum itu ditarik balik seperti pemberian geran kepada rakyat.

Justeru itu, bagi Abdul Wahid, mana-mana pemimpin yang terdiri dari kalangan Umno yang dikatakan akan menggantikan Ahmad, tetap tidak boleh membaiki segala kerosakan yang sekian lama dilakukan.

Sementara itu, Timbalan Pesuruhjaya PAS Terengganu, Muhyiddin Abd Rashid berkata tidak timbul soal siapa pengganti Ahmad Said. Ini kerana katanya momentum rakyat di Terengganu sudah menunjukkan Pakatan Rakyat semakin mendapat tempat di hati rakyat negeri itu.

Apa yang diharapkan PAS, bukanlah pengganti Ahmad Said yang dikatakan boleh membersihkan segala kekotoran di negeri tersebut, sebaliknya rakyat negeri itu memerlukan seorang menteri besar di kalangan Pakatan Rakyat. - harakahdaily

Najib dok Atuq Orang dia jadi MB jika tawan Kedah.. Bukan Mukriz.. Bukan Bashah

UMNO Perlis bergolak

 

Dr.Mahathir wants Mukhriz as next Kedah MB....

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has voiced his support for his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to become the next Kedah mentri besar should Barisan Nasional (BN) win back the state in the 13th general election.

The former prime minister’s endorsement of his son will likely add pressure for the state Umno leadership to decide on whether to back Mukhriz (picture) as a potential candidate, as support within the party for the deputy international trade and industry minister appears divided at best.

“I would help him but what he does, what position he holds, is up to the party. If he is nominated for mentri besar, I will still support him.

“(The party) normally does not nominate someone for mentri besar; we do not know whether we are going to win so it is usually a nomination of either state or federal seats,” said Dr Mahathir in an interview with online television station The Malaysian Observer (MobTv).

He was asked by interviewer Datuk Jahabardeen Md Yunos to comment on speculation of Mukhriz becoming the next Kedah MB if BN wins the state from PAS in GE13.

Mukhriz is currently Kedah Umno deputy chief and Jerlun MP.

But Dr Mahathir conceded that Mukhriz was still “struggling” to establish himself politically, and that he had personally discouraged his children from being active in politics when he was prime minister.

“As far as Mukhriz (is concerned) I knew he was interested (but) by not allowing him to go into politics when I was PM, he couldn’t start as early as I did. So he did not have that head start.

“He’s struggling, finding things very difficult, he has to establish himself,” said the country’s longest-serving prime minister.

Dr Mahathir said the main reason why he did not encourage his children to become active in politics when he was PM was because he did not want to be accused of nepotism or trying to create a family legacy.

“It was very selfish, I was thinking about myself... I told them no politics, no business with government. After I retire they can do it,” he stressed.

Speculation is rife that Mukhriz will give up his federal seat and contest a state seat in Kedah to boost BN’s and Umno’s strength and presence.

But it is understood that not all state Umno warlords support the Jerlun MP, and have objected to the latter’s push in the state.

BN won only 14 of the 36 state seats in the 2008 general election, while Pakatan Rakyat (PR) won the remaining 22 seats, with PAS claiming victory in 16 of those seats.

Mukhriz has previously conceded that being his father’s son has helped his progress in politics, but told Bernama Online in February he was not too concerned being in Dr Mahathir’s shadow.- malaysian insider



Dr.Mahathir kasi warning kepada Marina Mahathir...

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed telah mengingatkan anak perempuannya supaya berwaspada terhadap sikap terus-terangnya serta sokongan kepada golongan seperti Bersih dan pergerakan hak-hak seksualiti,sambil mengatakan bahawa tindakan anaknya itu mungkin menjejaskan ahli-ahli keluarganya yang masih aktif dalam politik.

Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir kadangkala tidak bersetuju dengan bapanya dalam beberapa2 hal tertentu, dan yang paling ketara adalah sokongannya terhadap kumpulan reformasi sistem pilihan raya. Dia telah menyertai dua perhimpunan Bersih di ibu kota.

“Saya berharap dia sedar apa yang dia melakukannya itu adalah tidak baik untuk dirinya, tidak baik untuk parti kerajaan sekurang-kurangnya.

Dia juga perlu sensitif terhadap adiknya yang akan bertanding dalam pilihan raya itu,” Dr Mahathir berkata, sambil merujuk kepada anak lelakinya Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir,merangkap Timbalan Menteri Industri dan Perdagangan Antarabangsa.

“Dia tidak hiraukan apa orang lain fikir. Saya hiraukan apa orang yang fikir,jika tidak, sudah tentu saya tidak ke mana-mana.

“Mungkin kerana dia tidak mempunyai cita-cita jadi dia bercakap ikut sukanya. Saya tidak bersetuju dengan apa yang dilakukannya, tetapi sekarang ini anda tidak boleh memberitahu anak anda 'tolong berhenti ini, tolong berhenti itu'; mereka mempunyai fikiran mereka sendiri,” kata Perdana Menteri paling lama berkhidmat negara.

Dr Mahathir berkata sungguhpun dia menghormati pendirian anaknya mempertahankan hak mereka yang kurang bernasib baik, dia tidak suka anaknya itu dikaitkan dirinya dengan Bersih yang mana agendanya itu,telah “dirampas” oleh Pembangkang.

Dia juga memberitahu anak perempuannya untuk menghadkan  sokongannya terhadap kumpulan lesbian, gay,tukar jantina dan komuniti dwiseks(LBGT).

“Dia tidak pernah menyatakan dia menyokong perkara2 ini; Saya harap dia tidak berbuat demikian. Dia perihatin terhadap orang, tetapi dia perlu membuat penentuan sama ada di antara mereka dan idea bahawa hubungan homoseksual itu ok, atau lelaki mengahwini lelaki itu ok,” tegas Mahathir.

(diterjemah daripada teks B.Inggeris di bawah oleh tumpang sekole)

 Dr.Mahathir warns Marina to be careful of her actions...

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed has cautioned his daughter to be wary of her outspokenness as well as support for groups like Bersih and sexuality rights movements, saying these may affect her family members who are still active in politics.

The forthright Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir has disagreed with her father on occasion, most notably her consistent support for the electoral reforms group. She had participated in the last two Bersih rallies in the city capital.

“I do hope she will realise what she is doing is not good for herself, not good for the government party at least. She should also be sensitive about her brother who is contesting in the election,” Dr Mahathir said, referring to his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who is currently international trade and industry deputy minister.

The former prime minister said this in an interview with online television station The Malaysian Observer (MobTV).

“She doesn’t care about what people think. I care about what people think... if not, I won’t get anywhere.

“Maybe it’s because she has no ambition so she speaks her mind. I cannot agree with the things she is doing, but nowadays you cannot tell your children ‘please stop this, please stop that’; they have a mind of their own,” said the country’s longest-serving prime minister.

Dr Mahathir said while he respected her stand on speaking up for the underprivileged, he did not like the idea of her “associating” herself with Bersih whose agenda, he believed, has been “hijacked” by the opposition.

He also told his daughter to draw a limit to how much support should be given towards the lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual (LBGT) community.

“She (has) never said she supports this; I hope she doesn’t. She cared for this people...but she has to draw a line between them and the idea that being homosexual is okay, (or that) men marrying men is okay,” he stressed.-malaysian insider

 

 cheers.

Projek LRT - Beranikah polis menyoal siasat Najib Tun Razak...

PKR hari ini mendesak pihak polis supaya menyiasat dakwaan pecah amanah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa oleh perdana menteri berhubung pemberian projek pembinaan Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan (LRT) aliran Ampang bernilai RM960 juta.

Pengarah Strategik PKR, Rafizi Ramli Ramli, berkata kepada pemberita hari ini beliau mempunyai “bukti kukuh” yang mengaitkan campurtangan Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam pemberian projek tersebut, dan beliau juga telah membuat laporan polis terhadap perdana menteri tersebut.

“Apa yang mengejutkan adalah beliau sendiri telah memilih untuk memberikan projek tersebut kepada konsortium George Kent.

“Kami mempunyai bukti kukuh untuk mengaitkan campurtangan beliau dan menidakkan keputusan jawatankuasa pemilih,” kata Rafizi.

PKR sebelum ini mendakwa “boleh membuktikan George Kent bukanlah konsortium yang dipilih untuk projek tersebut” sepertimana laporan akhbar Business Times.

Malah, Rafizi juga turut mempersoalkan laporan akhbar tersebut yang melaporkan pembida tersebut akan memenangi bidaan dengan jumlah RM960 juta bagi penyambungan LRT aliran Ampang dan menegaskan, “pembida itu tidak tersenarai dalam proses penilaian bidaan.”

The Malaysian Insider sebelum ini melaporkan hanya lima daripada lapan pembida melepasi penilaian teknikal dan komersial namun pemilik projek, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) akhirnya mencadangkan satu daripada dua konsortium Korea Utara-PDA Consortium, kerana pembida lain tidak menepati beberapa syarat.

“George Kent tidak disenaraikan kerana gagal dari aspek teknikal dan komersial, jadi amat mengejutkan ia dispekulasikan untuk memenangi bidaan dan PKR mula melaporkannya,” kata sumber kepada The Malaysian Insider.

PKR telah pun menunjukkan salinan dokumen rasmi daripada sebuah jaeatankuasa penilaian di Kementerian Kewangan yang bertarikh 25 Januari yang telah memutuskan untuk menyerahkan prek tersebut kepada Balfour Beatty Invensys Consortium.

Jawatankuasa itu adalah pihak tertinggi dalam penilaian yang dipengerusikan sendiri oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak, yang juga merupakan Menteri Kewangan.

Namun, Business Times bulan ini telah menspekulasikan konsortium George Kent bakal memenangi projek tersebut, mengulangi laporannya tahun lalu. Namun laporan itu perlu disahkan kerana PKR telah mendesak Najib untuk memberikan penjelasan berhubung perkara itu.

The Malaysian Insider turut melihat beberapa laporan yang menunjukkan George Kent tidak pernah terlibat dengan pengurusan projek mega berkenaan pembinaan landasan. Menurut laporan, konsortium tersebut dikenali sebagai pemain dalam insudtri air dengan projek bernilai RM40 juta.

Sumber berkata, berdasarkan pembentangan mereka,  George Kent mempunyai idea terhad untuk menguruskan projek tersebut, yang mana meliputi pembinaan sistem isyarat daripada sistem sedia ada dan penyambungan sisten sedia ada.

“Perdana menteri tahu sebahagian keputusan jawatankuasa pemilih akan membuktikan dakwaan kami.

“Kami akan terus membuat pendedahan, lebih banyak bukti akan didedlepas ini,” kata Rafizi dalam sidang media selepas laporan polis itu dibuat di Balai Polis Tropicana di sini.- malaysian insider

 

PKR wants probe on Ampang LRT job award...

PKR has demanded that the prime minister be investigated for alleged criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in the awarding of a RM960million contract for the Ampang Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension project.

 The party’s chief strategist, Rafizi Ramli, told reporters today that he has “solid, documentary proof” that Datuk Seri Najib Razak intervened in the awarding of the contract, and has lodged a police report against the PM.

“What really alarmed us is that the prime minister himself has decided to give it to the George Kent consortium. We have solid proof in the form of documentary evidence that the PM has intervened and reversed the committee’s decision,” Rafizi said.

PKR had previously questioned a Business Times report that a George Kent Bhd joint venture could win a RM960 million contract for the Ampang LRT extension project, saying the consortium was knocked out in the bidding process.

Rafizi had said on June 22 he “can expose that George Kent is not the consortium who was chosen in Prasarana’s open tender process” despite the speculation in the business daily.

The Malaysian Insider reported this morning that the speculated winner of the Ampang LRT system works, the George Kent consortium, was one of three bidders which failed both the technical and commercial evaluation for the RM960 million contract.

Sources told The Malaysian Insider that only five of the eight bidders passed the technical and commercial evaluation stage but project owner Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) finally recommended one of the two South Korean consortiums in the running — PDA Consortium — as the other consortiums were said to not have complied with all conditions.

PKR officials have shown copies of official documents to the press, showing that the Ministry of Finance’s (MoF) Acquisition Committee, which met this January 25, had decided to award the contract to Balfour Bratty Invensys Consortium. The committee is the highest decision-making body in the MoF and is chaired by Najib himself, who is also finance minister.

“The prime minister knows that certain decisions made on the committee level would have proven what we are saying is right.

“We will drag this issue, more and more proof is coming,” Rafizi added.- malaysian insider

PKR lodges police report against Najib

 

 

cheers.

Projek LRT - Beranikah polis menyoal siasat Najib Tun Razak...

PKR hari ini mendesak pihak polis supaya menyiasat dakwaan pecah amanah dan penyalahgunaan kuasa oleh perdana menteri berhubung pemberian projek pembinaan Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan (LRT) aliran Ampang bernilai RM960 juta.

Pengarah Strategik PKR, Rafizi Ramli Ramli, berkata kepada pemberita hari ini beliau mempunyai “bukti kukuh” yang mengaitkan campurtangan Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam pemberian projek tersebut, dan beliau juga telah membuat laporan polis terhadap perdana menteri tersebut.

“Apa yang mengejutkan adalah beliau sendiri telah memilih untuk memberikan projek tersebut kepada konsortium George Kent.

“Kami mempunyai bukti kukuh untuk mengaitkan campurtangan beliau dan menidakkan keputusan jawatankuasa pemilih,” kata Rafizi.

PKR sebelum ini mendakwa “boleh membuktikan George Kent bukanlah konsortium yang dipilih untuk projek tersebut” sepertimana laporan akhbar Business Times.

Malah, Rafizi juga turut mempersoalkan laporan akhbar tersebut yang melaporkan pembida tersebut akan memenangi bidaan dengan jumlah RM960 juta bagi penyambungan LRT aliran Ampang dan menegaskan, “pembida itu tidak tersenarai dalam proses penilaian bidaan.”

The Malaysian Insider sebelum ini melaporkan hanya lima daripada lapan pembida melepasi penilaian teknikal dan komersial namun pemilik projek, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) akhirnya mencadangkan satu daripada dua konsortium Korea Utara-PDA Consortium, kerana pembida lain tidak menepati beberapa syarat.

“George Kent tidak disenaraikan kerana gagal dari aspek teknikal dan komersial, jadi amat mengejutkan ia dispekulasikan untuk memenangi bidaan dan PKR mula melaporkannya,” kata sumber kepada The Malaysian Insider.

PKR telah pun menunjukkan salinan dokumen rasmi daripada sebuah jaeatankuasa penilaian di Kementerian Kewangan yang bertarikh 25 Januari yang telah memutuskan untuk menyerahkan prek tersebut kepada Balfour Beatty Invensys Consortium.

Jawatankuasa itu adalah pihak tertinggi dalam penilaian yang dipengerusikan sendiri oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak, yang juga merupakan Menteri Kewangan.

Namun, Business Times bulan ini telah menspekulasikan konsortium George Kent bakal memenangi projek tersebut, mengulangi laporannya tahun lalu. Namun laporan itu perlu disahkan kerana PKR telah mendesak Najib untuk memberikan penjelasan berhubung perkara itu.

The Malaysian Insider turut melihat beberapa laporan yang menunjukkan George Kent tidak pernah terlibat dengan pengurusan projek mega berkenaan pembinaan landasan. Menurut laporan, konsortium tersebut dikenali sebagai pemain dalam insudtri air dengan projek bernilai RM40 juta.

Sumber berkata, berdasarkan pembentangan mereka,  George Kent mempunyai idea terhad untuk menguruskan projek tersebut, yang mana meliputi pembinaan sistem isyarat daripada sistem sedia ada dan penyambungan sisten sedia ada.

“Perdana menteri tahu sebahagian keputusan jawatankuasa pemilih akan membuktikan dakwaan kami.

“Kami akan terus membuat pendedahan, lebih banyak bukti akan didedlepas ini,” kata Rafizi dalam sidang media selepas laporan polis itu dibuat di Balai Polis Tropicana di sini.- malaysian insider

 

PKR wants probe on Ampang LRT job award...

PKR has demanded that the prime minister be investigated for alleged criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in the awarding of a RM960million contract for the Ampang Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension project.

 The party’s chief strategist, Rafizi Ramli, told reporters today that he has “solid, documentary proof” that Datuk Seri Najib Razak intervened in the awarding of the contract, and has lodged a police report against the PM.

“What really alarmed us is that the prime minister himself has decided to give it to the George Kent consortium. We have solid proof in the form of documentary evidence that the PM has intervened and reversed the committee’s decision,” Rafizi said.

PKR had previously questioned a Business Times report that a George Kent Bhd joint venture could win a RM960 million contract for the Ampang LRT extension project, saying the consortium was knocked out in the bidding process.

Rafizi had said on June 22 he “can expose that George Kent is not the consortium who was chosen in Prasarana’s open tender process” despite the speculation in the business daily.

The Malaysian Insider reported this morning that the speculated winner of the Ampang LRT system works, the George Kent consortium, was one of three bidders which failed both the technical and commercial evaluation for the RM960 million contract.

Sources told The Malaysian Insider that only five of the eight bidders passed the technical and commercial evaluation stage but project owner Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) finally recommended one of the two South Korean consortiums in the running — PDA Consortium — as the other consortiums were said to not have complied with all conditions.

PKR officials have shown copies of official documents to the press, showing that the Ministry of Finance’s (MoF) Acquisition Committee, which met this January 25, had decided to award the contract to Balfour Bratty Invensys Consortium. The committee is the highest decision-making body in the MoF and is chaired by Najib himself, who is also finance minister.

“The prime minister knows that certain decisions made on the committee level would have proven what we are saying is right.

“We will drag this issue, more and more proof is coming,” Rafizi added.- malaysian insider

PKR lodges police report against Najib

 

 cheers.

Guan Eng pun tolak pilihan raya musim haji...

Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Lim Guan Eng malam tadi membidas kenyataan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang sebelum ini dilapor mempertahankan langkah mengadakan pilihan raya pada musim haji.

Menurut Lim, kenyataan Najib yang juga presiden Umno itu "tidak boleh diterima" kerana ia menimbulkan "rasa kurang senang hati" di kalangan umat Islam yang menunaikan ibadah tersebut.

Dengan membuat perbandingan, Lim berkata perasaan yang sama turut dirasai orang bukan Islam jika pilihan raya diadakan pada musim perayaan lain seperti Tahun baru Cina, Deepavali atau Krismas.

"Kita harap perdana menteri dapat menimbang semula (cadangan itu).

"Jangan mengadakan pilihan raya semasa (umat Islam) menunaikan ibadat haji kerana saya rasa, ini merupakan satu taktik yang cuba untuk memecah belahkan rakyat," katanya.

Lim yang juga ahli parlimen Bagan mengulas kenyataan Najib yang dilapor mempertahankan langkah mengadakan pilihan raya ketika musim haji dengan alasan, perkara seperti itu pernah dijalankan pada pilihan raya 1986 atau 1982.

Najib bagaimanapun masih mengunci rapat mulutnya berhubung teka teki tarikh pilihan raya umum ke-13 akan datang.

Nafi berfahaman sosialis
 
Mengulas lanjut, Lim menjangkakan kemungkinan pilihan raya umum akan diadakan sekitar Oktober, selepas pembentangan belanjawan pada 28 September ini.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam wacana bertajuk "Benarkan Dasar DAP mengancam Islam?" anjuran akhbar web DAP Roketkini yang adakan di sebuah hotel di Shah Alam malam tadi.

Selain beliau, pensyarah Univerisiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Dr Maszlee Malik turut diundang menjadi panelis dan wacana itu dipengerusikan oleh Ketua Eksekutif nstitut Hal Ehwal Demokrasi dan Ekonomi (Ideas) Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

Sementara itu, menjawab soalan berhubung dakwaan dasar parti itu dikaitkan dengan fahaman sosialisme - yang dilihat sesetengah pihak ancaman kepada Islam - Lim menafikannya dan menegaskan DAP berfahaman sosial demokrasi.

Katanya, fahaman tersebut antara lain memastikan pihak yang daif menerima pembelaan yang sewajarnya, menghormati hak asasi rakyat dan memastikan pembahagian kekayaan secara adil dan tidak diberikan kepada kroni.

"Saya kira itu paling penting... Itu paling asas," katanya.- malaysiakini

Mufti dengan haji dan pilihan raya.

Haj season polls insensitive to Muslims, says Guan Eng...

DAP has condemned prime minister Najib Razak's suggestion that there was nothing wrong for the general election to be held during the Hajj season when thousands of voters would be out of the country.

Speaking at a forum organised by DAP news portal Roketkini yesterday, its secretary general Lim Guan Eng said the proposal should not have come from someone who was sensitive to Muslim religious obligation.

“Najib’s intention to hold the 13th general election during the Hajj season is not right. He must be sensitive to the Muslims' religious obligation, and the issue of holding election during Hajj season should not have been brought up,” he said.

Lim added that in the same vein, it was best to avoid any festive season when calling for polls.

“How can Najib hold election during the Hajj season when it is clear that it is a religious obligation upon Muslims?” asked the Penang chief minister.

Besides him, the forum, “Is it true that DAP threatens Islam?”, was also participated by International Islamic University lecturer Dr Maszlee Malek, and moderated by local think tank IDEAS head Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

On the hudud issue, Lim said the matter had been played up by UMNO-BN to tear Pakatan Rakyat apart.

“Just like how UMNO-BN have been keeping non-Muslims away from PAS and hudud, the Malays are likewise being frightened with the claim that DAP is anti-Islam.

"But looking at our history, there has been no instance in which PAS or DAP had killed a Malay or a non-Malay. On the other hand, the Kampung Memali incident is proof of who we should be afraid of,” said Lim, referring to the 1985 massacre of Memali villagers when they defended their leader Ibrahim Mahmud from the government's attempt to arrest him under the Internal Security Act.

“In fact we respect the Federal constitution which stipulates that Islam is the official religion,” Lim stressed.- harakahdaily

cheers.

French probe did unearth Scorpene links to Altantuya...

While news reports had it that French prosecution papers disclosed that Altantuya Shaariibuu had never entered France, none mentioned that a witness had claimed that a Malta company paid for her travels with political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.

During an interview between Paris-based submarine maker DCNS former financial director Gérard-Philippe Menayas and French police, it was revealed that Gifen paid Razak's travel expenses with his interpreter "Madam Altantuya Sharibuu".

According to Menayas, a Mr Jean-Marie Boivin from Thales International told him that a Mr Souvageot from Armaris asked him to take charge of Razak's expenses via Gifen as his firm could not do it.

According to news reports, Boivin set up Gifen in Malta - or such companies were established in different countries - to dodge Organization for Economic and Social Development (OECD) rules that made such transactions a crime.

"I asked for confirmation from Christian de Bearegard, the person-in-charge of the management of marketing companies at DCNI but he told me that he didn't know of such a request," Menayas told French police.

"Mr. Boivin confided in me in 2005-2006 or about 3 years after the event, during our frequent meetings," he added.

These details were revealed in the French police investigation papers document 136 (pages 8-11) of 153 which have been translated into English and released online by the Asia Sentinel.

How funds were channeled

Gifen was allegedly one of the companies which transferred funds up to Euro800 mil (RM3194 mil) to Perimekar Sdn Bhd (€550 million (RM2,195mil ) and Terasasi (€150 million (RM599 mil ).

Thales and Amaris were subsidiaries of DCNS which dealt with the Malaysian counterpart on the sales of the submarines.

The two Malaysian companies based in Hong Kong are owned by Razak and his family, who have close links to Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Razak (left) was charged with Altantuya's murder in 2006 but acquitted without his defense being called while two of Najib's former bodyguards are facing the hangman's noose for her causing death.

Najib was then deputy prime minister and defence minister overseeing the purchase of the two scorpene class submarines in a RM7.3 billion deal with DCNS inked in 2002.

Meanwhile, Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel responded to an article on Free Malaysia Today (FMT) headlined " French probe: Altantuya never entered France".

Gabriel said that while FMT took information from document 54, the news portal did not report another important piece of information from the same document, which read:

"Noting in particular that a person by the name of SHAARIYBUU Bayasgalan born on 26 February 1979 in Mongolia was issued a temporary residency card on the French territory valid from 27 August 2004 to 26 November 2004. The address declared was 18 rue Houdon in Paris 18."

Altantuya very much involved

Gabriel (right) said it has become very likely that Atantuya has travelled under a different name, saying that Suaram finds the report on FMT "misleading and insincere".

She added that document 136 also quoted Menayas as saying that Boivin mentioned the Malta company as paying for Razak and Altantuya's travels.

"So it has become quite clear that Altantuya was very much involved in the Scorpene Scandal, and has even supporting facts to show that she was indeed in France," said Gabriel.

"The question that begs to be answered now is what was her real role in the entire negotiations?" she asked.

Gabriel urged the government to stop the "denial game" and provide proper answers to the questions that have been piling up from the latest revelations of the Scorpene inquiry.

Suaram has filed a court case in France against DCNS for allegedly paying illegal commissions to top Malaysian officials involved in the submarine sales.- malaysiakini

Altantuya not linked to Scorpenes?Here's evidence, stop the denial game -SUARAM tells govt

Razak kata dia jumpa Altantuya di Perancis...

Terdapat beberapa butiran yang bercanggah mengenai Altantuya Shaariibuu, yang timbul ekoran dakwaan polis Perancis dalam kertas siasatan mereka bahawa wanita Mongolia itu tidak pernah memasuki Perancis dari tahun 1999 hingga 2006.

Pada 19 Januari, penganalisis politik Abdul Razak Baginda (kanan) mendakwa dalam kenyataan saksi bahawa dia telah bertemu dengan Altantuya - yang dipanggilnya sebagai Aminah - pada akhir tahun 2004 dan pertengahan tahun 2005.

Kenyataan itu yang dirakamkan pada 31 Oktober 2006 -  12 hari selepas pembunuhan Altantuya yang menggunakan bahan letupan -  berkata Razak telah memenuhi wanita Mongolia "di pelbagai tempat - Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapura, Perancis dan Kuala Lumpur".

Gambar kunjungan Altantuya  ke Perancis telah disiarkan dalam artikel Asia Sentinel bertajuk 'Siapakah Altantuya Shaariibuu?', yang ditulis oleh John Berthelsen pada 5 Disember 2007.- malaysiakini

Isu Scorpene: Jawapan Zahid timbul banyak soalan...

Pada 26 Jun 2012, Zahid Hamidi, Menteri Pertahanan telah memberi jawapan kepada isu-isu yang saya bangkitkan dalam ucapan penangguhan saya di Parlimen mengenai kehilangan atau penjualan dokumen rahsia pertahanan berkaitan pembelian kapal selam Scorpene seperti didakwa SUARAM di Bangkok baru-baru ini, yang juga berkait dengan inkuiri kehakiman (judicial inquiry) di Perancis.

Zahid (kanan) menyatakan bahawa pihak kerajaan tiada maklumat mengenai apa-apa dokumen rahsia pertahanan yang dikeluarkan dari negara, dan kerajaan tidak berminat untuk menghantar wakil pemerhati sekiranya inkuiri kehakiman tersebut menjadi kes penuh di mahkamah Perancis.

Namun jawapan beliau menimbulkan seribu satu pertanyaan, yang perlu beliau jawab terutamanya berkaitan isu-isu berikut:

1. Menteri mengakui bahawa satu "siasatan" ke atas isu dakwaan dokumen rahsia pertahanan negara dikeluarkan dari Malaysia. Persoalannya adalah: apakah ruang lingkup siasatan tersebut?  Adakah pihak Polis Di-Raja Malaysia dan Jabatan Peguam Negara terlibat untuk mengelak konflik kepentingan tatkala dakwaan tersebut melibatkan Kementerian Pertahanan?

2. Adakah Menteri mengakui bahawa dokumen-dokumen "rasmi" yang dimaksudkan yang kini di tangan Mahkamah Perancis bukan "Rahsia Kerajaan", dan oleh itu adalah dokumen-dokumen palsu?  Sekiranya hal ini benar, adakah pihak kerajaan akan menghantar nota diplomatik untuk membantah penggunaan dokumen-dokumen palsu tersebut?

3. Adakah Menteri akan menjelaskan sama ada pembelian kapal selam Scorpene ini suatu usaha antara kerajaan (Government-to-Government)?  Jika benar, apakah rasional menggunakan sebuah syarikat peribadi seperti Perimekar Sdn Bhd untuk "perkhidmatan sokongan dan koordinasi" dan bukannya sebuah badan kerajaan yang memastikan rahsia-rahsia pertahanan negara akan terjamin?  Menteri turut wajib menyenarai apakah sebenarnya perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan yang dimaksudkan itu.

4. Adakah Menteri akan mengesahkan bahawa kapal selam Scorpene yang dimiliki Kerajaan Malaysia sudah melaksanakan ujian tembakan peluru hidup serta torpedo bagi mengesahkan tahap persediaan sistem persenjataan?  

Menteri tidak seharusnya berlindung di sebalik Akta Rahsia Rasmi, kerana latihan-latihan sedemikian, seperti latihan pelancaran misil exocet tentera laut, diketahui umum sebagai bukti keupayaan sistem tersebut (proof of capability) yang juga menampakkan kebolehan pertahanan negara.  

Mengapa perlu dirahsiakan, walhal berbilion ringgit telah dibelanjakan untuk membeli kapal selam Scorpene ini?

*Kenyataan media oleh Nurul Izzah Anwar (kiri) selaku Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai. - merdeka review

Response to the Minister of Defence’s Parliament Reply on Leaked Scorpene Secrets

cheers.

Will Najib be the last BN Premier...

 There are many who predict that Najib Tun Razak is the last prime minister from Barisan Nasional.

The basis of this prediction is, of course, the “RAHMAN Theory” which lists the names of all the Malaysian prime ministers from BN, starting with the late Tunku Abdul Rahman and ends with Najib, being the “N” and the end of the RAHMAN legacy.

Thus far, the “RAHMAN Theory” has been deadly accurate although there are some who put it down as mere coincidence.

Whatever it is, the basis of the “RAHMAN Theory” looks set to be the death knell for BN although the Umno leaders have pooh-poohed it.

Be that as it may, even without looking at the “RAHMAN Theory”, some neutral political observers think that the fall of BN is imminent as there are no more men or even women of calibre from BN who can lead the nation forward in these challenging times of global economic uncertainty.

When Najib took over the post from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Umno worked hard to promote Najib’s image to the hilt. This was because Umno thought that BN’s poor performance in the 2008 polls was due to Abdullah’s weakness.

All Umno’s programmes were then engineered towards promoting Najib as being a strong and capable prime minister. However, the promotion of Najib’s image has now become a double-edged sword.

As his image became highlighted more and more, his weaknesses were also highlighted in tandem. And one of his greatest weaknesses is his flip-flopping ways in decision-making, which is now well-known and has reached an unhealthy stage.

Financial scandals

This flip-flop manner of the prime minister can be very unsettling to foreign investors although he may be rated as the top gift-giver among the more gullible of the rakyat. Najib’s flip-flop manoeuvres pertaining to the MAS-AirAsia share-swap and in the matter of the Civil Servants New Remuneration Scheme are most telling.

This shows him as inconsistent and inefficient with a penchant for changing his mind. It also means that he can do the same with regard to formulating the laws and policies of the nation as well – a frightening thought indeed for the foreign investors to ponder upon.

Besides flip-flopping on decisions, there are also financial scandals which he has to account for, the worst being the one on the submarine. There are also countless issues pertaining to the awarding of projects to cronies and the Cowgate fiasco where he failed to make a firm decision.

Overall during his tenure, the misappropriation of funds seems to be the norm and there were also two mysterious deaths at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission premises (the first in July 2009 and the second in April last year).

The Najib administration has been riddled with allegations of gross mismanagement of funds, leakages and a tremendous waste of money and worst of all, all-round uncertainty caused by the general election date game.

It was Najib who first started the ball rolling with regard to this game by saying that the guessing of the polls date can be a “favourite national past-time”. That was very irresponsible of him and now he must be answerable to the mess this uncertainty has caused.
Businessmen and investors would no doubt prefer the polls to be held sooner rather than later in order for them to formulate the financial planning more effectively and efficiently, taking into account the global factors.

Furthermore, it must be noted that it was also during his tenure that goodies have been given out to win over the people’s hearts and minds including the book vouchers, the RM500 cash aid and most recently the tyre-aid to taxi drivers.

Out to dupe voters

While not denying that these financial assistance and the Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) shops are a help to the low-income group, they do not solve the problem in the long run.

And all this talk of being a high-income nation is plain bunkum. For a storekeeper earning RM1,500 a month (putting in many hours in overtime), earning RM3,000 is only a fantasy and that is the reality for a low-wage earner.

Actually, Najib’s handouts is only a move of giving the people’s money back to the people. Nothing great at all. And the people should realise this. He is just out to dupe us to give him our votes and after that the situation is back to square one.

This is the common modus operandi of a confidence trickster. He gives you a small gift to gain your trust and confidence. After that, he says you are eligible for something bigger but first of all you have to invest RM3,000 in the scheme (read: scam).

By the way, one has to remember that Najib failed to answer this question posed to him earlier this year: In the event that Pakatan Rakyat wins the 13th general election, will you hand over power graciously in a smooth transition? Till today, he has yet to answer the question.

Therefore, will Malaysians wise up and put an end to the Rahman legacy thereby proving that the theory is true? - Selena Tay, FMT

 Najib Perdana Menteri terakhir dari BN...

 Ramai yang meramalkan bahawa Najib Tun Razak  adalah Perdana Menteri  terakhir dari Barisan Nasional.

Dasar ramalan ini ialah, sudah tentu, “Theory RAHMAN” yang menyenaraikan nama-nama semua Perdana Menteri  Malaysia daripada BN, bermula dengan mendiang Tunku Abdul Rahman dan berakhir dengan Najib, ia itu huruf “N” di  penghujung  perkataan ‘RAHMAN’.

Setakat ini, “Theory RAHMAN”  sememangnya  tepat walaupun  ada setengah2  orang berpendapat bahawa ianya hanyalah cara kebetulan semata-mata.

Namun demikian, asas  “Theory RAHMAN”  nampaknya menjadi petanda yang buruk kepada BN walaupun ramai pemimpin2 UMNO cuba mengenepikan kepercayaan tersebut.

Walaupun begitu , tanpa  melihat kepada “Theory RAHMAN”, ini , beberapa pemerhati politik  meramalkan  kejatuhan  kerajaan BN tetap akan berlaku, kerana sudah tiada lagi pemimpin2  yang berkeliber  dari BN yang dapat mengemudikan negara  bagi menangani  zaman ketidaktentuan ekonomi global.

Bila Najib mengambil alih jawatan dari Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, UMNO telah berkerja keras untuk menaikkan imej Najib. Ini kerana UMNO berfikir bahawa prestasi buruk BN dalam pilihan raya 2008 disebabkan oleh kelemahan Abdullah.

Semua program-program UMNO telah diaturkan ke arah meningkatkan imej Najib sebagai seorang Perdana Menteri  yang gagah dan berkebolehan. Bagaimanapun , promosi imej Najib kini telah menjadi serampang dua mata.

Ketika imej Najib  semakin ditonjol2kan, banyak  kelemahan-kelemahannya juga didedahkan bersama-sama. Dan  salah satu daripada kelemahan-kelemahan terbesarnya ialah sikap ‘flip-flop’nya ketika membuat keputusan tertentu, yang  ketika ini sudah menjadi begitu jelas  dan sukar diperbaikki.

Skandal kewangan

Sikap ‘flip-flop’ Najib  boleh mengganggu pelabur-pelabur asing walaupun Najib boleh  dianggap sebagai  seorang yang murah hati di kalangan rakyat yang mudah terpengaruh itu.

Sikap ‘ flip-flop’ Najib berkaitan dengan penukaran saham MAS -AirAsia dan  dalam pelaksanaan Skim Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam  amat  ketara, lagi memalukan.

Ini menunjukkan  yang  Najib seorang yang tidak konsisten, tidak efisyen dan kegemarannya  untuk mengubah fikiran. Ini bererti, Najib boleh bersikap demikian ketika merumuskan undang-undang dan dasar-dasar negara  – sesuatu  yang  menakutkan terutama bagi  pelabur asing untuk memikirkannya.

Selain  membuat keputusan2 secara ‘flip-flop’  terdapat  juga skandal kewangan yang mana dia  harus hadapi , paling ketara adalah skandal  kapal selam. Terdapat juga isu-isu berbagai  berkaitan dengan anugerah projek-projek untuk kroni-kroninya dan skandal ‘Cowgate’  di mana Najib  gagal membuat  keputusan yang tegas.

Pada keseluruhannya  pemerintahannya, penyalahgunaan dana nampaknya  seolah2 menjadi  satu perkara yang biasa. Dan terdapat  dua kematian misteri di  premis Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (pertama pada Julai 2009 dan kedua pada bulan April tahun lepas).

Pentadbiran Najib telah dibebani  dengan dakwaan salah urus dana kerajaan, ketirisan dan pembaziran wang yang banyak dan teruk, serta suasana ketidakpastian  disebabkan oleh permainannya untuk menentukan bilakah tarikh pilihan raya umum sebenarnya.

Najib yang  memulakan permainan ini dengan mengatakan bahawa meneka tarikh pilihanraya umum boleh jadi satu aktiviti masa lapang. Kenyataan itu  adalah sangat tidak bertanggungjawab  dan  dia mesti  dipertanggungjawabkan  terhadap suasana ketidakpastian yang berlaku sekarang.

Ahli-ahli perniagaan dan  para pelabur lebih suka jika pilihanraya diadakan lebih awal daripada dilewatkan  supaya mereka  boleh buat perancangan kewangan  dengan lebih efektif, cekap, mengambil kira faktor-faktor global.

Tambahan pula, harus dinyatakan ketika pemerintahannya berbagai buah tangan diedarkan untuk memenangi  hati dan fikiran orang ramai termasuk baucer-baucer buku, RM500 bantuan wang dan paling baru bantuan tayar untuk pemandu-pemandu teksi.

Usaha untuk tipu para pengundi

Tidak menafikan bahawa bantuan kewangan dan Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M)  dapat membantu golongan berpendapatan rendah, tapi ini  tidak  akan menyelesaikan masalah rakyat dalam masa jangka panjang.

Dan cakap2 konon  negara  ini bakal menjadi  sebuah negara berpendapatan tinggi  adalah karut semata2.  Bagi seorang  penyelenggara stor  yang menerima gaji RM1,500 satu bulan (termasuk  kerja lebih masa),memperolehi RM3,000 sebulan hanyalah satu khayalan dan itu ialah realitinya bagi seorang pekerja  berpendapatan gaji rendah.

Sebenarnya, pemberian2 yang dilakukan oleh  Najib itu adalah satu helah saja, walhal pada realitinya dia memberi duit rakyat kembali ke orang ramai. Tiada apa-apa  yang nak dibanggakan. Dan orang ramai harus sedar ini. Najib cuma  nak  tipu  rakyat,agar rakyat akan mengundinya nanti. Walhasil balik asal kata orang.

Ini lah modus operandi biasa seorang  penipu besar. Dia memberi  sedikit hadiah  untuk mendapat kan amanah dan keyakinan anda. Selepas itu, dia kata anda layak untuk sesuatu lebih besar tetapi  sebelum itu anda perlu melabur RM3,000 dalam rancangan itu.

Walau bagaimanapun, perlu diingatkan  bahawa Najib gagal untuk menjawab soalan ini, bila ianya dikemukakan kepadanya awal tahun ini:  "Jika Pakatan Rakyat menang pilihan raya umum ke-13, bolehkah anda menyerahkan peralihan kuasa dengan lincin dan  rela hati?" Sehingga hari ini, dia masih belum menjawab soalan tersebut.

Oleh itu, sanggupkah rakyat Malaysia bertindak secara bijak  untuk  menamatkan legasi RAHMAN ini dan dengan itu  akan membuktikan bahawa teori RAHMAN ini  sedikit sebanyak ada kebenaranya?

(Rencana di atas adalah terjemahan daripada rencana asal berjudul "Najib the last BN premier?" oleh Saleena Tay,FMT oleh Tumpang Sekole)

cheers.