Gong Xi Fa Cai...

May the year of the Ox, brings luck and joy...

cheers.

Hadi - Rasuah adalah 'mengambil harta secara sukarela'...

"Dan janganlah kamu makan (atau mengambil) harta (orang-orang lain) di antara kamu dengan jalan yang salah dan jangan pula kamu menghulurkan harta kamu (memberi rasuah) kepada hakim-hakim kerana hendak memakan (atau mengambil) sebahagian dari harta manusia dengan (berbuat) dosa, padahal kamu mengetahui (salahnya)" - Surah AlBaqarah. Ayat 188.

Hadi kata rasuah tidak termasuk dalam hudud PAS.Hadi kata rasuah adalah 'mengambil harta secara sukarela'. Al Quran tidak sebut pun rasuah itu adalah mengambil harta secara sukarela!! Sukarela? Kalau dia ambil harta bapak dia secara sukarela kita peduli apa? Tetapi yang dia ambil itu bukan harta bapak dia. Yang dia ambil itu harta duit rakyat. Sukarela kepala hotak apa?

Kalau orang politik nak "mengambil duit rakyat" dia buatlah projek besar-besar, yang harga projek sengaja berlipat kali ganda. Jalan kampung 10 kilometer dia letak harga berpuluh juta ringgit. Pada hal boleh siap berapa juta ringgit sahaja. Duit lebih itu dia bagi rasuah kepada pemimpin politik, pemimpin yang rasuah yang bantu "lulus" bayaran projek. Itu bukan "mengambil harta secara sukarela". 

Itu adalah mencuri duit rakyat dengan guna kaedah rasuah. Itu adalah perbuatan mencuri atau merompak juga tetapi tanpa guna senjata api, tanpa guna parang atau pisau. Cuma kaedahnya lain - rasuah, CBT, salahguna kuasa, menipu white collar crime dsbnya. Tetapi,ia tetap mencuri juga. - Syed Akbar Ali 

Tahukah anda bahawa Topik 'Rasuah' dibincangkan sebanyak 50 kali dalam Al-Quran,dalam 47 Ayat...

Bila UMNO bangsatkan bangsanya sendiri...

Tommy Thomas Accepts 

Najib's Service Of Notice...

Former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas has responded to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's letter of demand (LoD) seeking a public apology for allegedly defaming him in the controversial memoir, "My Story: Justice in the Wilderness". 

Thomas responded to Najib via a letter dated Feb 4 from the firm Tommy Thomas Advocates and Solicitors, addressed to the former Umno president's lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

In the letter, the firm said that it was acting for Thomas and wanted to respond to the LoD, which was sent to him on Feb 2. It denied all the allegations made by Najib in the LoD."Our client denies all material allegations in your letter. Furthermore, our client denies that he has committed the tort of defamation against your client, as alleged or at all.

"We have instructions to accept service of process. All our client's rights are reserved," the letter read.It was reported that Najib had sent the LoD to Thomas, seeking RM10 million in damages and a public apology.

Najib made the demand after alleging Thomas had implicated him in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in one of the book's chapters. Najib said the offending passage was reckless, irresponsible, deliberate, malicious and aimed to lower his esteem and good reputation in the eyes of the public.

In the LoD, Shafee had alleged that the impugned statements of his client, portraying Najib as a murderer by direct inference and innuendo – was wholly untrue, false, frivolous, vexatious and devoid of substance and evidence. "It is also clearly motivated by mala fides and was principally done in your selfish pursuit of seeking cheap publicity fuelled by your ego, sensationalism, and profiteering. - nst

Tommy Thomas telling Shafee, bring it on...

So does this mean that at last Najib will be put on the stand in court to answer questions about the Altantuya case?  That will be very interesting. Did Najib forsee this? Maybe Americk Sidhu will be acting for Tommy Thomas? Will Musa Safri also be called to the hearings? 

Court of Appeal in 2013 acquitted Sirul and Azilah,saying serious misdirection by trial judge including not calling Musa.Three-man appellate court said failure to put Musa on witness stand. 

If Najib's suit against Tommy begins next week, we will be munching on pocorn for the next two years at least. Or at least for the next six months.More dirty linen will be washed in public. It will be very good for Umno's public image as well. Elections are around the corner. Hooray...- Syed Akbar Ali 

Meanwhile, former minister Rafidah Aziz has defended Tommy Thomas’ explosive memoirs, saying the former attorney-general has the right and freedom to write about his life and his view of events.

Noting that Thomas had written based on his personal knowledge, she said it could be viewed differently by others but that this was no reason to call for his book to be banned.

In a Facebook post, Rafidah drove home the point that memoirs could not be written to please everyone and hence critics “cannot chastise or shoot the messenger” due to difference of opinion.

She said that if the writer was conveying the message from his or her personal perspective, then everyone should respect it. - fmt

Tommy Thomas was AG for 20 months. Idris Haron  has been AG for less than one year? 

But why 'inappropriate'? Because Idris Harun is the AG. At least SEVEN police reports have been made against Tommy Thomas' book and the Police said they are investigating all of them. If there is a case to be pursued against Tommy Thomas, then and only then will the AG's Chambers step into the picture. This is how our system works. 

Only after the Police have completed their investigations and made their recommendations can the AG decide to prosecute or not to prosecute any cases against Tommy Thomas.Until then the AG should keep quiet and maintain professional neutrality. No bias, no prejudice, no taking sides and certainly no subjudice. 

But with the AG Idris making any type of remarks against Tommy Thomas it already implies a bias. So if the Police present their investigation papers about Tommy Thomas to the AG can Tommy expect the AG to act professionally and without pre-conceived bias?  If you are having problems figuring this out, put yourself in Tommy Thomas' shoes lah.

About the competency of the AG's Chambers please do not forget that the AG's Chambers at that time completely refused to prosecute the 1MDB cases when the whole world was gaping in shock at the scale of the corruption. 

All around the world, people had already been prosecuted and jailed for their involvement in the 1MDB scandal. In the UAE, in Singapore people were jailed. And action was taken against others in the United States (Goldman Sachs was fined). Dont forget the US Attorney General gave a two-hour press conference about the 1MDB corruption. The 1MDB case has been labelled the biggest financial scandal in the world.  - Syed Akbar Ali 

cheers.

Haram..halal ada musim...

Bukan gila or sombong, tapi bebal and bingung...

PAS jelas menjual agama bagi meraih sokongan politik...

Why Pakatan Harapan (PH) 

will win GE15 by a landslide..

Lately, Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders and MP’s have become conspicuous by their near deafening silence and invisibility as the Opposition. Many were so even when in government, having thrown their election pledge of transparency and accountability in the rubbish bin, as soon as they took office, e.g. at the MoF. No doubt, many of them are suffering from the shell-shock of having lost  the government last March. They seem not to have recovered from the hammer blow dealt by the most racist, bigoted and vindictive of Prime Ministers, Dr.Mahathir, whose backstabbing of principally Anwar Ibrahim and DAP, backfired on him. That led to his shock exit and that of PH through a backdoor coup engineered by (now) PM Muhyiddin and the coalition comprising his minority party PPBM, UMNO and PAS, calling itself Perikatan Nasional (PN).  

Anwar’s failure last September to prove that he had the “numbers” to convince the King to replace the PN government with his, was a disaster of Quranic proportions. He had apparently been supported by the very people like UMNO’s Zahid Hamidi and Najib whom we had all voted for to be sent to Bamboo River Resort for a long while. Next, last November, he committed an even bigger strategic blunder in not pushing for a vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin on the opening day of the Budget debate, suggesting he may have finally lost the plot. Sleep with the devil? What on earth was he thinking in desperation? In the end, Anwar was sucker punched by UMNO’s old three card trick. They used him to demand positions and privileges in PN, where the tail (PPBM) was wagging the dog!

Regardless, the Opposition must soldier on. The Covid19 pandemic is not an excuse for PH to retreat into a turtle shell. The Opposition must do its job. This is politics, not a game of tiddlywinks. The Chinese, Indians, "liberal" and reforms-minded Malays/Bumiputras and DAP are once again under racist demonisation attacks by extremists with an eye on general elections, corruption is on the rise, the Covid pandemic has been handled poorly and a totally unwarranted fake Emergency declared by PN so that Parliament, its oversight functions and a vote of no confidence, suspended and blocked!

Then we have articles like ‘Why PN Will Win GE15 With A Landslide’ by Prof Mohd Tajuddin. He is on our side and a reform-minded liberal seeking to establish a united and inclusive Malaysia. He contradicts himself by saying PN will easily secure 2/3 majority, but that Anwar controls 90 seats out of a 222 total. So, his clickbait headline is really a dash of reverse psychology. I see it as an attempt to get PH and others get cracking and not drown in their sorrows. To galvanize the electorate to win GE15 for them.

What should we do? Cozy up to Muhyiddin and his minority PPBM because he’s playing the populist card, a Malay-Muslim government? Suck up to PN because, otherwise, the non-Malays will be sidelined with no representation? Partner up with Zahid and Najib and UMNO which we labelled as a government of thieves and fought so hard for 20 years and 2018 finally succeeded in throwing them out? Look at the sheer audacity of UMNO’s MP Ahmad Maslan who is on trial for allegedly misleading the MACC and failing to declare RM2 million in income tax for 2013 over payments he allegedly received from then prime minister Najib:

“One more dissatisfaction is not so much about positions but that the government now is continuing the cruelty of the past government. This should not be...these cases brought to court were the cruelty from the time of (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad, (former attorney-general) Tommy Thomas and (former MACC chief) Latheefa Koya. Mahathir is no longer in government, and I don't know where Thomas and Latheefa have gone but why have these cases continued?" Continuing the charges against Umno leaders means the current government is also cruel, thus necessitating a general election so a new government can be elected.” CLICK HERE.

He is implying that the rule of law does not apply equally to all, that there may be some special provision in law whereby high ranking UMNO politicians should not be prosecuted for alleged serious crimes such as multi-hundred million and billion ringgit fraud, CBT, AMLA, abuse of power etc., while the book should be thrown at ordinary citizens for RM1 thefts and minor shop lifting crimes.

Some others are suggesting that the Emergency and temporary, almost absolute power of PM Muhyiddin, be extended indefinitely to establish a kind of “benevolent dictatorship”, a contradiction in terms. Muhyiddin might then be persuaded to smoke the peace pipe with us and carry out major reforms. Seriously? A publicly self-confessed “I am Malay first” Muhyiddin will risk losing the entire Malay vote and GE15 by championing reduction/withdrawal of Bumiputra privileges under the NEP? Downsize the 1.6 million bloated civil service and restore meritocracy therein and in employment in top positions in the joint forces, courts, schools, colleges, universities and GLC’s? Equitable distribution of scholarships? A more inclusive public sector? Abolish Federal JAKIM? Deport Zakir Naik? Two-term limit for the PM? You might as well ask him to put a bullet in his head right now.

PN figures that playing the populist race, creed, colour, religion and "patriotism" card will be their best bet to victory at GE15. Make Malaysia Great Again (MMGA)! Oh, yes, and from whom have we recently heard a similar cry? Why, it was from none other than that congenital, inveterate, uncouth, crude, rude, coarse, dishonest, graceless fake, fraud,  liar, rogue, bully and scoundrel, ex-US President Donald Trump and his MAGA! Where is he now? History! Rest assured, he’s finished for good, and his legacy, a Disunited States of America, is a crying shame and disgrace.

We should learn from history, not mock it. Populist politicians will not last long. Populism will not last long. Trump lasted a horrible 4 years. PN is as unstable a coalition as any. Their MP’s squabbles openly, a few have publicly declared they do not support the PM. So, it would appear that PM Muhyiddin does not "have the numbers” and would not survive a vote of no confidence in Parliament. Would any sane person vote in favour of a Disunited Malaysia?

So, what should we do? We go back to first principles. Ethics matter. Honesty matters. Principles matter. NOT being liars, extremists, supremacists, racists, bigots, haters of women, practitioners of child marriages and female genital mutilation and phobic about religions, matters. Anti-corruption matters. In the short term, we may not have the luxury of finding people and parties with all these ideal traits, so, a compromise of sorts will have to me made. We need a coalition of like minded people to take back our government. We work with PKR, DAP, Amanah, Warisan. We work with the newly formed MAJU which seeks to identify and champion MPs who will adhere to universal principles, no frogging and possibly form a block of unshakeable king makers.

As Prof Tajuddin says, let’s work out a deal with Sabah and Sarawak, bring them into the mainstream of MALAYSIAN governance and government to counter the threat of a non-inclusive dominant Islamic Government. And why not a Sabah or Sarawak PM or DPM, perhaps on a rotation basis? Whatever it takes.

We did it at GE14, we can do it again. What do we need? We need:

a. People with the right stuff.

b. People who think long term.

c. To get on our side the 3-5 million 18-20 year old youths who will be eligible to vote at GE15.

d. Joe Biden’s election strategist. We do not need to win every seat. The Malay vote is split at least 4 ways. That’s not going to change. We need to focus also on constituencies where the nons will be the king makers, i.e. the marginal seats.

e. To bring Sabah and Sarawak into our fold, to dismantle especially UMNO/PPBM’s Sarawak “fixed deposit”.

f. No Mahathir in government, ever again. We’ll win without him or die trying!

Remember, there’s nothing seditious in talking about us taking back our government or retiring PN via the ballot box, fake Emergency or not. We love our country, but we may not love our government, its Ministers and MPs and are entitled to say so publicly.

Who shall lead us? That’s the $64,000 question. Again, short term, we do not have a wide choice and will have to work with the material we have. Let the coalition decide, their choice will not be worse than Najib or Muhyiddin. Long term, we’ll have to make key changes to our education system for the right leaders to rise.

Is all that shooting for the stars? Impractical? Certainly not. Better that and preserve our honour and dignity than surrender meekly to pseudo and actual religio-fascists. Our mission is very, very clear. Perikatan Nasional - OUT! OUT! OUT! We, every single one of us, Malays, Indians, Chinese, Others, Sabahans and Sarawakians, must all unite and start NOW to canvass support with an even greater intensity than we did for GE14, for the new PH government to emerge clear winners at GE15. Get the word out today. Get everyone registered to vote. This will be the battle of and for our lives. - E.S. Shankar

Thomas’ book a breath of fresh air...

The recent publication of Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’ memoir, My Story: Justice in the Wilderness, appears to have ruffled many feathers. He is being sued, police reports have been lodged against him, and angry denunciations have been made. And now, the Home Ministry is threatening to have the book banned. Not since Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s The Malay Dilemma has a book stirred so much controversy.

Regardless of whether one agrees with Thomas’ take on events or his presentation of the facts as he saw it, the book has generated widespread debate and discussion about key events in our nation. This has not happened before, and is long overdue. As a nation, we tend to avoid a frank discussion on issues, for fear of stoking tensions. The result is that people in power who act egregiously, even illegally, have been able to avoid accountability. 

It may be argued that we are where we are today because we failed to hold these kinds of discussions in the past. In this sense, Thomas’ book should be welcomed by all Malaysians interested in transparency and accountability. Thomas is also not the first senior official to write a memoir. The late Tun Mohamed Salleh Abas, for example, was just as forthright in his own memoir (May Day for Justice). Dr Mahathir, too, wrote a memoir (A Doctor in the House). 

What these memoirs do is peel away the layers of official whitewash, and allow ordinary citizens an opportunity to make their own assessment of the people and politics that have shaped our nation.  In this sense, Thomas, like Salleh before him, has done the nation a great service, and I, for one, laud him for his courage in sharing his thoughts and perspectives of key events that continue to inform our politics.   

Hanafiah lodged a police report against the former attorney-general alleging defamation.Hanafiah, in his police report, said Thomas’ comment had connotations and nuances that he was incapable...

I thought it instructive, as well, that while Dr Mahathir was clearly peeved by some of Thomas’ comments, he has not faulted the man’s professional conduct or the way he studiously sought to uphold the rule of law. Can there be any doubt that some of the high-profile cases of corruption and malfeasance now before our courts would not have happened without Thomas’ commitment to justice on behalf of the people of Malaysia? That, in itself, speaks volumes of the man.

It is also worth noting that much of what he has revealed in his book is not entirely new, though his insider perspective lends greater credibility to earlier reports. The view that May 13 was a coup against Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, for example, was extensively covered in Kua Kia Soong’s 2007 book, May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969.  The events surrounding the surprise resignation of Dr Mahathir were also widely covered and dissected in the media for almost a whole year before Thomas’ book. 

Furthermore, Thomas’ remark that “seldom in our nation’s history have so many million voters been let down by the actions of one man” is a view that is still widely held and shared. Thomas simply gave expression to what many of us already know or have long suspected. No doubt, many will thank him for it. Of course, some of the people mentioned in his book have not come out smelling like roses. It is up to them to defend themselves and their actions. What they should not be allowed to do, however, is silence him or the conversation that has been started as a result of the publication of his book. 

By all means, engage him on his facts, opinions and assertions, but do not seek to silence him by banning his book or hauling him up for interrogation. Our nation will be a darker place if dissenting or critical opinions and views are smothered. I hope more Malaysians at every level of government and society will record their stories for posterity. It is, in fact, their patriotic duty. – Dennis Ignatius

cheers.

PAS,sebelum dan selepas...

Ustaz Ebit mangsa celaka orang politik...

Penerima rasuah tersepit,

tukang bawa salam terlepas...

Apa yang termusykil oleh saya dalam kes Isa Samad ialah kedudukan atau status Senator Zahid Mat Arif  (pix,atas) dalam kasus ini. Dia dikenal pasti malahan mengaku menjadi perantaran alias broker dalam kes rasuah itu. Wang yang didakwa rasuah itu diberi melaluinya kepada Isa Samad.

Logiknya, bukankah peranan Zahid itu sesuatu (tukang bawa salam) yang jijik dan kotor. Apakah dia tidak terkait dengan mana mana undang undang atau seksyen dalam akta SPRM?

Apakah kerana dia bersetuju untuk jadi saksi pendakwa maka dia tidak didakwa sama. Kalau begitu penahanan reman Zahid selama beberapa hari oleh SPRM hanya untuk mendapat maklumat dan mengambil persetujuannya untuk menjadi saksi pendakwa sahaja. Kenapa tidak didakwa bersama sebagai bersubahat?

Dari sisi ini dimanakah keadilan undang2. Jika boleh dianalogikan kalau dalam proses menerima dan membawa wang rasuah kepada Isa itu, seumpama sebuah kereta Zahid lah yang memandunya, Isa duduk disebelah. Apabila berlaku aksiden, apakah Mat Isa yang tercedera tetapi Zahid tidak. Begitukah. Mungkin dari sudut perundangan Islam ia berbeza. Mungkin para pengamal undang2 dapat mengulas dan memberi pencerahan. - mso

Justice Mohd Nazlan Sends Isa Samad 

To 6 Years Jail...

Well a very big thank you to Justice Mohd Nazlan on another job well done. Congratulations are also due to the Goverment that the wheels of justice are moving. Most people, including those who disagree with this government, are happy with Isa's conviction along with Najib's 72 year jail term as well. From what I understand of these criminal cases the Prosecution first must prove its case in Court. At that point in time the accused is still deemed 'innocent until proven guilty".

Once the Prosecution has finished pesenting their witnesses and their evidence, the Court must decide if the 'Defense should be called' ie whether the case should be thrown out or if indeed there is a case and the accused should defend himself. 

The moment 'defence is called' then it means the Court has already found the accused guilty (at least temporarily). Now it is no more 'innocent until proven guilty'. It becomes 'guilty until you prove that you are innocent'. Hence the statement by the Judge :  Isa had failed to rebut his charges .Despite being transferred recently to the Civil Court it looks like Justice Mohd Nazlan is still tidying up his cases in the Criminal Court. Congratulations are due to the wise Judge on another job well done. Isa received the bribe in 2014, his trial began in 2019 and he has been convicted in 2021. It takes seven years between happy happy time and Go To Jail. 

I hope this will serve as a lesson to all the other corrupt people. It may take years but eventually the law will catch up. You will go to jail. Going into the future I foresee that there will be a clamour to reinvestigate even old cases - from 10 years ago or 20 years ago. There is no Statute of Limitations on crime anymore. So for all those who have been corrupt even 20 years ago, one day there will be that knock on the door. Try to sleep on that tonite ok.

Najib has been sentenced to jail. Tengku Adnan has also been sentenced to jail. What does this mean? It means that the Prime Minister is not afraid of retaliation if for example there is a change in government in the future. Which is not impossible given the changed political scenario in the country. Najib, Isa and Ku Nan are all Umno stalwarts - the uneasy partner that is not too happy with its position in Government. 

Despite this, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is going ahead with all Court actions against these corrupt people. (May I apologise upfront if I come across that the PM is conducting a crusade or vendetta - which I am not implying at all - because the Courts and the AGC are independent of the government but n'theless the people are grateful to the Government under whose watch these people are being sent to jail.) 

It is interesting to see the Judge's reasoning. These are all really easy cases. There is nothing complicated about these cases. The Judge said Isa's defense was an: afterthought, inconsistent, baseless, mere denial.. Similar to the Najib defence - all baseless, an afterthought and if I may add, unbelievably stupid.   

Hello Tan Sri dan Dato Seri yang corrupted please listen carefully - these are corruption trials. Not murder cases. In murder cases once the victim is made to disappear then it becomes more difficult to prove the case. But it is different in corruption trials. Once you receive the money there is a documentary trail. Especially if the money was moved through the banks. The Policeman can get away with taking a RM50 bribe because it is cash. More difficult to prove. 

But there is no way that other idiot could have received RM2.6 billion in cash. Even a 40 foot container will not be enough to hold RM2.6 billion cash. Of course if you had managed the economy properly and the Ringgit had been RM2.50 to the USD then it may be possible. But they received the money in their bank accounts. Everything is recorded. End of story. 

So to all you Tan Sris and Dato Seris who are corrupt, if you have taken bribes, it is just a matter of time. No point going for umrah or Mecca ok.  It does not help at all - (believe me I have inside information). You are going to jail. One day there will be a knock on your door. 

The best thing you can do is go to the AG's office, confess your crimes and return what you have taken. That may save you from jail time. Najib's appeal is coming up soon - this month February 2021?? The long suffering people are confident that justice will be upheld. - Syed Akbar Ali 

Grandmother raising teen alone 

moved to tears by laptop donation...

A 64-year-old grandmother, who is raising her teenage grandchild on her own and is worried about the future of his education, was moved to tears after receiving a laptop donation. Maznah, who only wanted to be known by her first name, told Malaysiakini that she had cried every night because her grandchild could not attend classes as they could not afford to buy a laptop.This is as most classes moved online during the second movement control order (MCO) which came into force on Jan 13.

Rosly Yusof, an aide to Bukit Mertajam DAP MP Steven Sim, said Maznah had approached the lawmaker's office in tears to ask for help. "She did not ask for food but was instead worried about her grandchild who could not learn from home as they did not have a device. "Her grandchild is in Form 4 at a top school in Bukit Mertajam but the circumstances meant he couldn't learn like other children," he said.

In a video shared by the aide, Sim is seen visiting the grandmother and her 16-year-old grandchild to donate a laptop.The boy buried his face in his hands as he cried while his teary grandmother thanked Sim profusely.Maznah, when contacted, was emotional and shared her struggles in raising her grandchild.

Worrying at night

The grandmother said her only source of income is an RM300 zakat aid every month. "I am exhausted from crying every night because I pity my grandchild can't attend class. "We don't have anyone else. I raised him alone. Who else would care for my grandchild? I feel sad when he can't attend class. "We live in hardship. I'm old and my eyes are hurting. He wants to learn but I can't afford to buy (a device) for him. "I was deeply touched when we received help so soon," she said.

Maznah was seen wearing sunglasses during Sim's visit due to problems with her eyes. While on the phone, Maznah also asked her grandchild to share with Malaysiakini about his first day with the laptop. "After my class, I asked my teacher to send me every lesson that I had missed before this. They were understanding about my situation. "I'm very happy that I now have a laptop. I can attend classes now," he told Malaysiakini.

Before this, the SMK Machang Bubok student had to borrow a smartphone from neighbours but it was damaged. He then had to rely on his grandmother's smartphone. The student, who aspires to become a doctor, said he will make sure not to miss any classes.

Limited funds

Meanwhile, Sim said Maznah reached out to his office after learning about the "Asal Cek Mau Pi Sekolah" campaign which he launched on Jan 24 to provide various assistance to students who are struggling to attend online classes. The initiative also provides printing services for homework, data packages and online tuition classes for free. Sim said his office would conduct surveys to ensure those seeking help were truly qualified.

The DAP lawmaker said his office had to be strict because the federal government does not provide opposition MPs with allocation. "Our funds are limited. There's no allocation for (opposition) MPs so we have to be judicious. "Yesterday, my aide visited Maznah's home and we found that she (her grandchild) truly qualified for a free laptop," he said.

Sim said he was saddened by their situation but noted the grandchild's determination to study despite the difficulties. "The grandchild cried as soon as he saw the laptop. So did the grandmother. "I was touched by their reaction but that's how it has been. Two, three homes we visited, they cried when they saw the laptop," he said. Sim said he hoped that with the help, schoolchildren will not be left behind because of the Covid-19 pandemic. - mk

cheers.

'Datuk' tebuk atap...

Kita tak perlu heboh sangat bila orang dapat gelaran. Di negara kita, ini adalah perkara biasa. Orang putih kata, "a dime a dozen" atau dalam bahasa Melayu sedozen sepuluh sen. Kita ada banyak negeri dan ramai Sultan. Itu belum masuk Yang di-Pertua Negeri. Masing-masing bagi beratus bintang setahun. Rasanya yang tak bagi bintang atau kalau bagi pun tak banyak Johor saja.

Pasal dah banyak sangat Datuk, Datuk Seri dan Tan Sri maka apabila Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) pakaikan kemeja-T warna oren, antara yang memakainya termasuklah Datuk, Datuk Seri, Datuk Seri Utama, Datuk Seri Paglima dan Tan Sri. Dalam kandang orang kena tuduh pun macam itu juga. Lepas ini dalam penjara pula la kot? 

Tapi kena berhati-hati juga. Ada Datuk kalau tak panggil Datuk dia tak jawab. Malah ada bini Datuk kalau tak panggil Datin dia tak jawab. Nak mudah faham, macam ini sajalah. Bukan kita tak tahu atau tak biasa dengar tentang datuk beli, datuk samseng, datuk kaki pukul, datuk kaki sondol, datuk kingpin, datuk kunyit, datuk kaki kapur dan macam-macam "latuk" lagi. - AKJ

The overcrowded Datuk club...

At the rate new Datuks are made, there will soon be a time when being just ordinary Joe Public will be special. Datuks who misbehave, and Datuks who are involved in the criminal underworld, have caused a lot of public anger. Were police checks on the criminal records of nominees for Datukship less than thorough? What sort of message is being passed to the rakyat when a known criminal prides himself on being called a Datuk?

In January, we read about the Datuk from Kelantan who was involved in domestic violence. A Datuk attacked the son of another Datuk and slapped a member of the staff of a steamboat restaurant before he was dragged away from the restaurant by his friends. A few days later, two Datuks traded punches over a helicopter parked in a porch and yesterday a Datuk was found to have dumped construction rubble in a forest reserve. 

Aren't Datuks supposed to be of exemplary character? Children are on best behavior when they are desperate for something from their parents. Likewise, do Datuks do a bit of play-acting to pretend to the vetters that they are of good character?

On February 1, which was Federal Territory Day, 14 ministers and deputies were conferred the honorifics Datuk, Datuk Seri or Datuk Seri Utama (DSU). If you are confused with the many Datuk titles, think of them as the various types of milk. There is skimmed milk with a fat content of 0.1%, semi-skimmed milk (1.8% fat) and whole or full fat milk which has a fat content of 3.25%.

Were any of the new Datuks or people who received the lesser awards medical frontliners Frontliners should include also the support staff such as cleaners, laboratory staff and security personnel who risk their lives and have devoted their waking hours to taking care of the thousands of people contracting the coronavirus.

There are other groups of frontliners like the bus and lorry drivers, the supermarket shelf-stockers and the vegetable farmers, without whom we would not be able to move around or put food on our tables. Did any of them receive any award?

Other recipients of the "DSU" award in the FT list include the governors of Penang, Sabah and Melaka, the Pahang MB and curiously, Ragad Kurdi (above), wife of Sarawak governor Taib Mahmud. Originally from Syria, Ragad and her children from her previous marriage have been classified as Melanau, to the consternation of other Sarawakians who are deemed stateless, or whose foreign spouses are not accorded the same treatment as her.

Most Sarawakians wonder about Ragad's contribution to the state. How did she help uplift the lives and well-being of the women of Sarawak? Was she aware of the latest rape of the 16-year-old in Miri police lock-up?

Others who were conferred the Datuk title were Umno-Baru Youth committee members Mohd Lassim Burhan and Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtaruddin, and the Selangor Umno-Baru Youth chief Rizam Ismail, who is also the Sungai Air Tawar assemblyman. Do any of these names ring a bell? What are their contributions to our society?

Umno-Baru Youth exco member Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (above), better known as Papagomo, was awarded the Darjah Kebesaran Pangkat Keempat Johan Mahkota Wilayah (JMW), which does not come with a title. Papagomo is better known for his controversial and violent methods than he is for promoting inclusivity. His award is totally inappropriate. Only people of good character with years of serving the public should receive awards. Most people are fed up with politicians being given honorifics.

The finance minister is now a DSU. Many wonder what he has done to save small-to-medium-sized businesses from failing. Those who are self-employed like freelance workers are desperate for help, but what assistance have they received? Most are probably scraping the bottom of the barrel of their savings. How will they feed their families, or pay the rent, or their loans? Zafrul Aziz may have forgotten that when companies go bust, they are forced to make their employees redundant and join the list of unemployed people.

Education minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin has not been effective despite having two deputies to assist him. Parents and teachers are furious with Radzi for his indecision over school opening. When he delayed the announcement that schools will not reopen in January, many parents had already bought uniforms and shoes for the start of the academic year. The young children will outgrow their clothes very quickly. Did parents spend money on uniforms and shoes for nothing?

They are not happy with the quality of online teaching. Those from poorer households don't have internet coverage, or a tablet or smartphone to access online teaching. The FT honors list is seen by the majority of the rakyat as a sign of a government rewarding inefficient and incompetent ministers with titles. Perhaps, Datukships ought to be scrapped, especially when every Mat, Muthu and Mah is made a Datuk. - Mariam Mokhtar

Ex Negeri Sembilan MB for 22 years, Isa Samad gets 6 years imprisonment and RM15.5 million fine (USD3.8 mil) after he’s found guilty of six graft charges over a hotel deal in Sarawak when he was chairman of land plantation scheme Felda...

Dr.Noor Hisham: Lonjakan angka sebab kes lama lewat dilapor. 

Lewat lapor... Supaya darurat nampak serius ke???

A doctor's fight for survival in ICU...

I was confirmed as Covid-19 positive on Dec 8, 2020, after a second swab test. My story began on Dec 1, 2020, when I came in close contact with a Covid-19 patient in the ward where I worked. As soon as I was informed that the patient tested positive for Covid-19, I was instructed to undergo home quarantine on Dec 2, 2020. I contacted my family to prepare a room for me so that I can be isolated from them. Throughout my week-long isolation period, my family put a chair outside my room.

They also separated my daily items such as spoons, glasses, plates and others. We only spoke through video call or shouting through the door. On Dec 3, 2020, I took my first swab test. The results returned negative, and I was also not exhibiting symptoms at the time.

On Dec 5, 2020, I started to come down with a fever, a bad headache, joint and eyes pains, diarrhoea and fatigue. Medication did not help. I started to suspect that I was experiencing the feared Covid-19. On Dec 7, 2020, I took my second swab test. At first, I was relieved to be able to leave my room (to take the test) as I had been in isolation for seven days. Unfortunately, on Dec 8, 2020, my results returned positive. Shortly after, I received a call to confirm my diagnosis and symptoms.

An ambulance was then sent to my house, and I was put in a Covid-19 ward. There were many other Covid-19 patients there. At first, I felt healthy enough to converse with friends and other patients in the ward. I was also satisfied with the food and drinks served to the patients. We were never treated poorly.

We were provided food four times a day, including an unlimited supply of mineral water and light snacks such as biscuits and instant noodles. After three days in the ward, I started to experience a bad cough and my sense of taste and smell faded. My fever, joint pain and diarrhoea also continued. To make things worse, I started to have difficulty breathing. My SpO2 (oxygen level in blood) started to decline.

On the fourth day at the ward, I was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for observation as my SpO2 level was around 90 percent. (Normal level is 95 to 100 percent). My heart rate was also higher than normal, and I needed a breathing aid with a higher flow (of oxygen). I was brought to the CT room for a CT pulmonary angiogram to identify the cause of my deterioration. I was fortunate as the scan did not show any blood clot in my lungs.

'Prepare for the worst'

In the ICU, I was diligently observed. I was thankful to be treated by the best team of intensivist and infectious disease experts at the hospital. Intensivist expert Dato Lim updated my parents on my condition daily. He would give words of encouragement every time he met me.

I could still remember one night in the ICU (I think it was the fifth day in the ICU). I almost gave up as it was difficult to breathe, and I was coughing badly. My SpO2 level was at 85 percent. I was dazed and restless. They helped me to sit up. The ICU staff put a ventilator machine beside my bed as a standby.

They said they would need to use breathing tubes if my SpO2 continued to deteriorate as I was already getting the highest oxygen flow. Unknown to me, the anaesthetic team had already informed my family and wife that I was in a critical condition and asked them to prepare for the worse. But with God's blessing, I was able to get through that night. Since that day, I had the courage to fight again.

After 13 days in the ICU, many blood withdrawals, chest X-rays, high doses of Methylprednisolone, intravenous and oral Vitamin C, Vitamin D, favipiravir and intravenous antibiotics for lung inflammation, I started to show some improvement. Finally, on Dec 23, I was transferred to the normal Covid-19 ward again. My health had improved, and I no longer needed intensive care.

After returning to the normal Covid-19 ward, I was guided to do periodical ambulation and breathing exercises to reduce the risk of blood clots in my lungs and veins. At first, it was quite difficult for me to move as my muscles were weak. I managed to do them with the determination to recover. After 20 days in the hospital, I no longer needed oxygen, and I managed to maintain my SpO2 level at around 95 percent and above.

On Dec 27, 2020, after 23 days in the hospital, I was finally allowed to return home. I was told that my blood parameters and X-ray would only return to normal after many months. All this would not have been possible if not for the prayers and love of my wife, family, friends and God. I was grateful for a strong social support group.

'Don't claim Covid-19 is a lie'

It's been a month since I was discharged from the hospital, but my joints still hurt, I suffer from fatigue and shortness of breath when walking far or fast. There is also social stigma as many people won't come near me because I'm a former Covid-19 patient.

A friend even declined my small change claiming that the virus would be on it. My advice to everyone is to abide by the standard operating procedure. Wear your mask properly.

If you are reminded to wear a mask, abide by it. Ensure social distancing and always wash your hands. The frontliners have done their best, and many are exhausted and sick. Respect the frontliners, they are also people with families.

Don't scold the frontliners or claim Covid-19 is a lie, swab tests are a waste of time or make political statements. Please don't belittle the efforts of frontliners.

Thank you. Stay safe and take care. Kita Jaga Kita. - Dr Dalvin Sidhu

cheers.

Agong nak Wan Azizah jadi PM tapi Dr M tolak...

Dr Mahathir Mohamad didakwa campur tangan dan berkeras ingin menjadi perdana menteri sementara selepas Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah mencadangkan Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail menyandang jawatan itu, kata Tommy Thomas.

Dalam pendedahan menerusi buku memoirnya My Story: Justice In The Wilderness, bekas peguam negara itu turut menyifatkan Mahathir sebagai punca kejatuhan kerajaan Pakatan Harapan (PH). “Punca utama kegagalan hubungan gabungan PH disebabkan pemimpinnya, perdana menteri Mahathir. Pemimpin PH bertanggungjawab atas kegagalan ini," tulis Thomas.

Dia juga menganggap sokongan yang diberikan pelbagai lapisan masyarakat kepada ahli parlimen Langkawi pada peringkat awal kerajaan PH juga sebagai luar biasa. Selain itu, Thomas mendedahkan tindakan Mahathir menggalakkan anggota parlimen Umno meninggalkan parti itu untuk melompat ke Bersatu juga membimbangkan.

Pada masa sama katanya tindakan Mahathir meminggirkan Presiden PKR Anwar Ibrahim - yang dipersetujui bersama untuk dilantik sebagai perdana menteri kemudiannya - juga tidak disenangi. “Yang memburukkan lagi keraguan (Anwar) untuk jadi perdana menteri jelas pada tahun pertama pentadbiran PH, ketika hubungan perdana menteri dengan musuh utama Anwar dalam PKR, Azmin Ali.

“Tindak balas PH yang disifatkan tidak aktif dan lambat berhubung isu perkauman dan agama juga membuahkan keputusan pelik dari perdana menteri.

“Selain mempertahankan rakan sekutunya - yang turut berjuang dalam pilihan raya umum (PRU14) - Tun (Mahathir) malah mempelawa ahli parlimen Umno dan menyambut mereka dengan tangan terbuka. “(Berlaku) Dua atau tiga gelombang 'katak' dari Umno menyebabkan 18 daripada mereka beralih parti ke Bersatu,” kata Thomas.

Ketika Azmin berpaling tadah dengan meninggalkan PKR dan menyertai Muhyiddin yang membawa Bersatu keluar dari PH, Mahathir meletakkan jawatannya sebagai perdana menteri. Namun dakwa Thomas, Mahathir segera mencalnkan namanya kembali untuk jawatan perdana menteri ketika berlaku ketidaktentuan politik dalam negara.

“Ini bukan satu kebiasaan dalam politik moden. Perdana menteri yang selesa berkuasa, mengundurkan diri atas kehendak dan kemahuan sendiri. “Bertegas dengan keputusan itu, dia sepatutnya meninggalkan dunia politik selepas memegang jawatan penting dalam negara,” katanya.

Jelas Thomas, keputusan untuk melantik Dr Wan Azizah - yang berkhidmat sebagai timbalan perdana menteri dalam kabinet Mahathir - pasti menjadi keputusan perlembagaan yang betul. Dia turut mengkritik keputusan Mahathir membubarkan kabinet selepas peletakan jawatannya dengan berkata, barisan pentadbiran itu sepatutnya perlu dikekalkan.

“Perlu diingatkan peletakan jawatan Tun bersifat peribadi, hanya sebagai perdana menteri. "Jawatan itu tidak dibincangkan dalam pejabat mahupun seluruh kerajaan," katanya lagi. - mk

Agong wanted Wan Azizah as 

interim PM, but Dr M said No!...

Explosive revelations in former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’ new book suggest that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong wanted to appoint Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as interim prime minister when the “Sheraton Move” was at play early last year.

However, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had then just resigned as prime minister – warranting someone taking over on an interim basis – put forward his own name for the position, Thomas revealed. “This is probably without precedent in modern politics. A prime minister who is comfortably in power, resigns of his own free will and volition.

“Consistent with that decision, he should leave the political scene after holding the most important position in the state,” he said in his book, My Story: Justice in the Wilderness, published by the Strategic Information and Research Development Centre.

The former AG emphasised that the potential appointment of Dr Wan Azizah, who had served as deputy prime minister in Dr Mahathir’s cabinet, would have been a constitutional decision. Additionally, Dr Mahathir’s decision to dissolve his cabinet upon his resignation was baffling to Thomas, who pointed out that when prime ministers resign, their cabinets usually stay. 

“It must be kept in mind that Tun’s resignation was personal, only as prime minister. The resignation was confined to that office, not the entire government.” Thomas emphasised that since the first Malaysian prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, resigned in September 1970, all subsequent prime ministers came from the deputy prime minister’s office.

Another interesting incident he shared is his own advice to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah when he was still AG. Thomas said he advised His Majesty that the best way to determine which MP has the confidence of the Dewan Rakyat to lead the government is the Dewan Rakyat itself.

Some days later, Thomas was called to meet Dr Mahathir again, who informed him that the Agong’s decision to appoint the next prime minister via statutory declarations proved inconclusive.

The king apparently told Dr Mahathir to summon the Dewan Rakyat for an emergency session to decide on the matter of confidence. Thomas, in his capacity as leader of the AG’s Chambers, prepared a letter for the prime minister to the speaker. However, he said, before his letter was submitted, a similar letter had already been sent to the speaker from the Prime Minister’s Office.

On February 28 last year, a Friday, Thomas attended a scheduled meeting he had with then Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof. However, upon his arrival, he was informed by Ariff that the latter had been summoned to meet the king. It was only during the drive back to his office that Thomas made the decision to quit – knowing that the Pakatan Harapan administration had collapsed.

“What happened to the calling of the Dewan Rakyat to hold a debate on the confidence motion on a suitable candidate? Unfortunately, on Friday afternoon, speaker Ariff decided to reject the letter from the prime minister, Dr Mahathir, for purely technical reasons.”

Thomas went on to say Ariff’s decision was wrong. He added that if the Dewan Rakyat had convened, constitutional laws would have been adhered to and the legitimacy of the prime minister’s selection would not have been challenged. – The Vibes

cheers.