YB.Hassan Karim wants the unity government to succeed...

UMNO supreme council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (pic,below)has questioned PKR member and Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim for his double-standards on the question of royal pardon for former prime minister (PM) Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Puad commented that Hassan said that the royal pardon for Najib might negatively affect the image of PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government. But unfortunately, Hassan did not realise his own contradiction when Anwar received the royal pardon in May 2018. If the pardon of Anwar was acceptable, why not the pardon of Najib?

If Najib and the present UMNO leader Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi were not acceptable to Hassan, why support the formation of the unity government in the first place? Is Hassan afraid that Anwar might influence the King in seeking pardon for Najib?

I see no contradiction or double standards of Hassan in expressing concerns about the royal pardon of Najib. He fears that such a pardon might have adverse effects on the coming state elections. It is just a concern and not that Hassan is against the royal pardon of Najib per se.

Anwar’s might be part of the Pardons Board but the ultimate authority is the King. Anwar might have role or might not in the Pardons Board. Yes, in May 2018, Anwar received the royal pardon. Anwar was imprisoned on the basis of trumped-up charges which the whole world knows about it. In short, Anwar was a political victim.

Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi and Najib Razak

‘Hassan a man of principle’

However, Najib was charged, prosecuted for corruption and imprisoned for abuse of power and money laundering. There are other charges that Najib might have to answer in the court in due course. Najib has all the rights in the world to apply for pardon from the King. I have no issue with this.

The question of Anwar influencing the King either in pardoning or not pardoning Najib is not an issue at the moment. As I have said – and said by others as well – Anwar might have minuscule or no role in the pardon of Najib.

It is the sole prerogative of the King. The concerns expressed by Hassan on the pardoning of Najib has nothing to do with his earlier support of the unity government. I don’t think that Hassan is against the unity government because of UMNO’s presence within the ranks of the government.

I have known Hassan for more than 40 years. He is man of principles, a dedicated political activist and most importantly, part and parcel of Anwar’s reformist movement. He expressed his concerns and fears about the political direction of the unity government, in particular that of its anchor, Pakatan Harapan (PH). 

I hope Puad who had earlier criticised me for my comments on UMNO, should try to understand why Hassan made the comments on the pardon of Najib.

Hassan is not against the unity government but wants the government not be impaired by developments that might be related to the pardon. Like Hassan, I want the unity government to succeed in meeting the political challenges ahead. – Prof.Ramasamy Palanisamy

The political analyst who 

lost his moral compass...

The crisis sparked by the convicted felon, Najib Abdul Razak, should prompt us to reflect upon the values which all figures in public life should aspire. Last January, Najib had the audacity to submit a petition to the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), in which he sought a release from prison or retrial of his SRC International corruption case.

Najib claimed that he was “unjustly” imprisoned. Has Najib apologized for the suffering, shame and humiliation which he forced on us? No! He has not apologized nor has he shown remorse for his actions. However, he is not the only one to have lost his sense of moral probity and common values.

Yesterday, political analyst Jeniri Amir lost all his credibility when he said the government would benefit if Najib were to receive a royal pardon. So, it seems that it is not just the arrogant Najib and members of his family who think there is nothing wrong with stealing. Jeniri, too, appears to have mislaid his moral compass.

Does he not realize the seriousness of Najib’s crimes? Billions of ringgits of taxpayers’ money vanished when Najib stole from us. His actions brought shame and humiliation to Malaysia. Despite being charged and sentenced in a lengthy trial, Najib has not expressed any regret largely because he thinks he is innocent.

Jeniri said Najib was still very influential and popular, especially among the Malays. He even claimed that Najib was more popular than Umno. Is Jeniri trying to justify Najib’s pardon? He fails to realize that it is not about Najib anymore. It is about Malaysia, her reputation and financial, economic and social health!

Can Jeniri not imagine the untold damage to Malaysians if Najib were to be granted royal pardon? The rakyat will start to think that crime does pay. Aware that the unity government was desperate for support, Jeniri said the government should not ignore the Najib factor. Why should the unity government compromise on integrity? Has Jeniri not heard about principles and the rule of law?

Malaysia cannot simply release Najib just because he is popular among some people. Mixed messages will be relayed to the rakyat. A pakcik who stole a can of sardines to feed his family is jailed for three years. However, a man who stole billions of ringgits and has only done eight months of imprisonment is now demanding to be released. The youth and children of Malaysia will be utterly confused. We are telling them that crime does pay.

How did Jeniri get it so wrong when he said he believed “the unity government has more to gain from riding on Najib’s popularity than it has to lose”? Did Jeniri not attach any importance to the values of dignity, integrity and a life based on principles?

Citing another reason for Najib to be granted a royal pardon, Jeniri claimed that Najib was popular and well liked, not as divisive as Umno-Baru president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Perhaps Jeniri failed to consider how the nation, not just the Malays, will be split should Najib be granted a royal pardon.

Releasing Najib will be like telling the prison population that with the right connections, release is possible, but more importantly one must be wealthy to be able to afford all the legal fees to engineer the release. Malaysians will probably agree that justice appears to be the preserve of the rich.

Najib has been through numerous appeals and lost them all. To file his appeal means more money will have to be dished out to his legal team. This reinforces the message that justice does appear to be the preserve of the rich. Do the poor have such opportunities?

Jeniri claimed that non-Malays and urbanites who make up the majority of Pakatan Harapan’s supporters would not abandon PH because they refuse to vote for PAS and Bersatu. Did Jeniri care to consider that these people may well be put off by Najib’s royal pardon, that they will refuse to vote and eventually abandon the election process altogether?

Jeniri must understand that people are punished for doing wrong. Punishment often includes retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, and most importantly, it will protect the society from the offender. If Najib were to be granted a royal pardon, Malaysians will punish the prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, in the only way they know is possible. They will reject him at the polls. Does Anwar want to take that risk?

In the meantime, Anwar should urge religious and community leaders to engage in more intelligent and open public discussions about values and moral probity. - Mariam Mokhtar

cheers.

The politics of a pardon...

Over the last few days there has been a flurry of activities in regards to the pardoning of former prime minister Najib Razak, who is serving his 12 year sentence in Kajang Prison.

Najib lost his judicial review on his SRC corruption case conviction, where Najib claimed he was refused an adjournment in his appeal, and thus, deprived of legal representation by counsel. Najib also alleged the presiding judge had a conflict of interest, and his new legal counsel wasn’t given enough time to study the trial documents.

The court ruled 4-1 in the judicial review that there was no prejudice or miscarriage of justice in Najib’s case, which closed all avenues of appeal. However, the dissenting judge, Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli, in his minority judgement said that Najib had no legal representation when the Federal Court panel heard and dismissed his appeal.

Over the last few days, it was publicly disclosed that Law Reform minister Azalina Othman Said had sent a letter to Najib’s lawyers claiming that the presiding judge on Najib’s SRC case had a conflict of interest, and violated the judge’s code of ethics. This was based upon an MACC investigation, which was clearly outside the commission’s jurisdiction. Lawyer and activist Ambiga Sreenevasan said in her Twitter account that such action is ‘undermining the institution of the judiciary’, and is ‘clear executive interference’, in a plan to pardon Najib.

UMNO’s supreme council, with support from 191 divisions, UNMO Youth and UMNO Puteri, are partitioning the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to grant a pardon to Najib. Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim had been silent of the issue until this morning, where he said at a “Kitu Untuk Kita’ function in Shah Alam, that there was no conflict of interest of his involvement in the pardon process, as the Agong has sole discretion to grant a pardon.

Under Article 42 (11) of the Constitution, the Pardons Board consists of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the minister for Federal Territories (which will be Anwar by default there is no minister of federal territories), the attorney general and three other appointees by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. The Agong, would be heavily weighted by the advice given to him by the rest of the board.

Anwar,jangan kata saya tak ingatkan

The case against a pardon

Najib has been convicted and is now serving his sentence ‘paying for his crimes’, he was convicted of. This is according to public expectation. Current public opinion at this time is strongly against any pardon for Najib. Any early release of Najib would most probably result in a massive public backlash.

The rhetoric of the Anwar administration has been staunchly anti-corruption, and by Anwar’s own comments, should exclude no one from prosecution. Any release of Najib would make a mockery of Anwar’s stated position. This could translate to electoral unpopularity of Pakatan Harapan in the coming state elections, unless the pardon occurs afterwards.This could add greater imputations to Muhyiddin Yassin’s claims he was politically persecuted.

The commencement of the pardon process for Najib will make Anwar look like he is a captive of UMNO. Any pardon would also potentially reflect poorly upon the Agong as well. The release of Najib, puts the person who was responsible for much political instability, back into the political arena. Najib would be totally free to enter politics once again. Najib still has three more trials related to 1MDB. If a pardon was granted to Najib now, more pardons would have to be given to him in the future. So, the mechanics of this issue need to be decided.

Najib’s royal pardon and what it means to laymen like us

The case for a pardon

There are a number of political advantages of granting a pardon to Najib, particularly for Anwar and Pakatan Harapan. If Najib, returned and threw his support behind rebuilding UMNO, then UMNO could be a big ‘bullbar’ to push back the forces of Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Malay heartlands. Najib’s presence back in UMNO, continuing his alliance with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, would bring stability back to UMNO, and thus, the Anwar led government.

Najib still has a very strong support base within UMNO. It didn’t dissolve when he went to jail. Najib’s power will be amplified, as those who were critical of the ‘court cluster’ have been banished from UMNO by Zahid. This is a win-win for everyone who doesn’t want PN in power, particularly PAS.

If any pardon is given to Najib, Anwar may receive criticism for a while, which should wear off and be forgotten by the time GE15 occurs. In addition, saving UMNO carries some importance to the Malay establishment. If they (the establishment) believe Najib can do the job, then it is worthwhile letting him free.

140,000 oppose, 9,400 support

Manoeuvring

Over the last week, there has been much effort to set up the conditions to pardon Najib. Anwar’s statement earlier today, implicitly supports the move. However, it is understood the monarchy is still split on the idea, but people are attempting to talk those resisting around.

Many see a Najib pardon as the best insurance against the continuation of the ‘green machine’. PH-UMNO are just not strong enough electorally to hold it off. That’s why there is talk about Najib being free around Raya.

Anwar is a prime minister with many debts to pay. The precedent here was Mahathir arranging a pardon for Anwar, just after he became prime minister, after GE14. The speed Mahathir took to free Anwar, could be reflected in Najib’s release. We don’t see anyone in cabinet opposing the move. There is total silence, which infers agreement.

The cost of the pardon will be a warped Malaysian legal system. We have already seen the legal system used as a political tool over the last few months.From the political perspective is Najib better off in or out of jail? We must never believe what people say, only look at what people do. - Murray Hunter

Petisyen ini telah disokong oleh lebih 100,000 orang rakyat! Terus desak untuk capai 

200,000 tandatangan sebagai isyarat bahawa Najib tidak wajar diampunkan! - Bersih

So very true. I pray and hope that Anwar keeps to his words that nobody is above the law. When found Guilty of Corruption and any wrong doing, they have to serve time in jail and No Pardon. The Rakyat will be with Anwar if umno threatens to withdraw from the coalition. Enough is enough we have enough of rubbish running this country!!! - Anonymous112113

PMX should know there is a very thick red line even die hard PH voters will not tolerate. Better lose the govt and go to polls than lose your faithful voters base. - Stand for the truth

Yes Mr Anwar aka MR PM, don’t say I didn’t remind you too! Release Najib and Zahid will cause a disaster for PH and your political career. Except you only wish to be a one term PM. Keep up the good work and catch all the big fish!!! - BlackKucing9026

Don't dream on. If Najib is freed, many disillusioned PH supporters may stay at home and not vote at all. They should remember what happened in the Melaka state election when they admit the frogs and let them contest! This would play nicely into the hands of PN. - GrayBird0902

If Najib and Zahid easily get off under Anwar's watch, a lot of people may choose to sit out the fast coming State elections.Waste of time to vote. PKR and Harapan might as well commit political suicide. - KitP

Jahid komedi ni ikut suka saja nak lantik sapa yg dia nak...

cheers.

Is PMX colluding with Umno to set Najib free?...

Is Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim colluding with UMNO to free former prime minister Najib Tun Razak from jail? It might have been far-fetched a few months ago but recent developments appear to suggest that something nefarious might be afoot.

Both the former attorney-general who charged Najib as well as the high court judge who convicted him have come under sustained attack with a view to discrediting them. Aspersions have also been cast on other judges as well. The Chief Justice has received death threats.

UMNO’s objective is clear enough: to persuade the public that though Najib was found guilty and his sentence upheld by the highest court in the land, he is but an innocent victim, a man who was targeted and then railroaded by the justice system as part of some grand conspiracy to destroy UMNO and by extension, Malay political power.

Don’t for one minute believe that all this is being done because they believe Najib is innocent; the evidence is just too overwhelming for that. This mass hoax about Najib’s innocence is being perpetrated because UMNO is desperate enough to believe that freeing Najib will result in a massive outpouring of sympathy and support for UMNO. It’s not about justice; it’s about power and politics.

That there is high-level collusion going on behind the scenes is no longer in doubt. Revelations that Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) had written to Najib’s lawyers confirming that an MACC investigation had found Justice Nazlan Ghazali (the judge who presided over Najib’s SRC case) to be in conflict of interest and had violated the Judges’ Code of Ethics, makes this very clear.

What game is the MACC playing by sharing its reports with Azalina? Such reports are normally submitted to the AG for further action, not shared with politicians. And what reason can Azalina have to divulge such information to Najib’s lawyers, knowing full well that it would inevitably be made public? Has a backchannel been set up to pass sensitive information to Najib to help him?

In any case, the MACC’s investigation has been thoroughly discredited by the Federal Court which found that the investigation of Justice Nazlan was unconstitutional, illegal and undermined the independence of the judiciary.

In other words, the MACC report is trash; it should never have been circulated leave alone made out to be the final word on the guilt or otherwise of Justice Nazlan. It is not Justice Nazlan – who has now been exonerated twice by the court – who stands discredited but the MACC chief. He should have been immediately sacked after the courts rebuked him.

Having suitably muddied the waters, cast aspersions on the integrity of the entire judicial system and created doubts about Najib’s guilt, UMNO is now pushing for an immediate royal pardon for Najib.

A fundamental tenet of the judicial system – that the majority view prevails in both the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court – is being upended; the dissenting voice of a single judge is being given credence over that of 13 other judges. If this iniquitous scheme succeeds, our judiciary is as good as dead.

Latest: Najib's pardon petition: 135,000 oppose,7,000 support 

While it comes as no surprise that UMNO would go to such lengths to overturn Najib’s conviction, what is astonishing is that the Prime Minister himself has said nothing thus far. The judiciary, a vital national institution, one of the pillars of our democracy, is under attack and the Prime Minister remains a mute witness.

Is there no moral outrage from the man who has made good governance his middle name? Is the Prime Minister okay with this conspiracy to defame judges and undermine the judiciary?

He certainly cannot be unaware of what’s going on and neither can he be unmindful of the consequences of UMNO’s actions. Does his silence mean consent? Is this the price that he has secretly agreed to pay for UMNO’s support?

I voted for Anwar and Pakatan Harapan because I believed them to be honest leaders deeply committed to justice, institutional reform and good governance. And I get it that for the sake of political stability, UMNO has to be part of the government. 

But if the end result is simply an arrangement to sustain them in power at the cost of our judiciary and of everything we hold dear, then what is the point of it all? – Dennis Ignatius

Tiada Maaf Bagi Mu, Najib...

Kalut soal pengampunan sepenuhnya kepada Najib Razak. Permohonan itu dibuat oleh Umno. Apakah tujuan pengampunan boleh dibuat pihak lain bukan oleh peribadai berkenaan. 

Saya masih ingat satu masa dahulu ada Ngo memohon pengampunan bagi pihak Anwar Ibrahim tetap ia tidak dilayan atas alasan permohonan pegampunan perlu dilakukan Anwar sendiri atau pihak keluarganya.Apakah dalam kes Najib ini berbeza? 

Seperkara lagi wajar dan adilkah kalau pengampunan diberikan sedang beliau belim sampai 1/3 tempoh menjalani penjara 12 tahun?... - mso.

Judge Nazlan’s judgment was watertight, 

can’t be challenged or disturbed...

The Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli, was well within his rights in expressing his solitary disruptive dissent against the majority decision in the appeal brought up by Datuk Seri Najib Razak against various decisions of the earlier Federal Court panel of seven judges. That is the lone judge’s prerogative which must be respected. That said, let’s recall the negative baggage of a bygone era of kakistocracy and kleptocracy.

The case involving Najib was an unprecedented one in that it involved a former prime minister (PM) as well as the country’s phenomenal wonder boy. He was the son of the country’s most powerful PM.His father, Tun Razak Hussein, ruled the country by decree for more than a year after the May 13 incidents of 1969 and was responsible for overseeing legislation to extend the scope of Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution which provides for the special position of Malays in the peninsula, to cover the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

Razak died in office at the age of 53, and that sad reality provided Najib much mileage, sympathy and support which propelled his meteoric political career from his early 20s. Criminal charges could only be levelled against Najib after he had vacated the PM’s office.

In his last three years in office, Najib was walking tall. He was effusive and upbeat about investing in the US and about Malaysia’s growth potential while being in the eye of the encroaching storm over the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Bhd) debacle.

US attorney-general Loretta Lynch 

How it all began

However, the then US attorney-general (AG) Loretta Lynch made a damaging public disclosure on July 16, 2016 of the largest kleptocratic seizure which specifically related to Najib’s transgressions. Jeff Sessions, Lynch’s successor, called it “kleptocracy at its worst”.

On July 29, 2015, Najib had removed from their positions both the deputy prime minister and the Malaysian AG over differing perspectives on the 1MDB issue.These episodes would show clearly that Najib was long in denial of the alleged embezzlement and misuse of public funds which could be easily traced to him.

When Najib lost the 2018 general election, he remained an MP who showed much determination to bring down and denigrate the fledgling Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. On July 3, 2018, he was charged in court initially for three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of abuse of power.

Proceedings at the High Court and the Court of Appeal moved in fits and starts as Najib’s legal team was able to raise reasonable grounds for postponements, adjournments and deferments on account of technicalities and other issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic. After the completion of these processes over four years, the Federal Court comprising seven judges finally made its unanimous verdict, affirming his guilt, prison sentence and fine.

On Aug 23 last year, after some unusual courtroom drama involving a clearly dedicated but divided and dissembling defence team, Najib’s sentences which were passed initially at the High Court were reaffirmed. He was then taken to serve his 12-year prison sentence. Najib was dissatisfied and his legal teams – the best that money could buy in the country – sought a review of those Federal Court proceedings. The review panel made up of five judges, aware of their profound and sacred responsibility, delivered a 4-1 verdict dismissing Najib’s appeal on March 31, 2023.

Straightforward corruption case

Flash back five years ago. When a newly appointed AG Tan Sri Tommy Thomas appeared in court to lead the prosecution on July 3, 2018, he was duly authorised to act. More than that, he was the face and voice of the much-silenced whistleblowers, upright civil servants and innumerable people of Malaysia.

By the last years of Najib’s regime, acts of corruption, abuse of office and money laundering had grown rampant. Contracts, franchises, licences, leases, monopolies, projects – including for major infrastructure – became the exclusive preserve of complicit corporate players. They appeared to be in cahoots with the agents, allies and associates of members of the country’s most corrupt and compromised government.

Najib’s was not an extraordinary case. It was a straightforward and typical corruption case. He took a relatively small payment of RM42 mil but the cost to the country in just that one case in monetary terms ran into the billions. There was a larger, immeasurable, inestimable cost. For a small token sum, this holder of the most powerful office in the country was willing to sacrifice set safeguards, standards and the sanctity of trust.

He was willing to compromise on good and responsible governance which would impinge on the country’s sovereignty, security, well-being, integrity and international reputation. He abdicated his sworn larger responsibilities to King and country for a pittance to maintain and sustain his elected position and affluent lifestyle.

Watertight judgment

The courageous people who spoke up against Najib from the beginning were the patriots, the loyal citizens, the whistleblowers and witnesses. They took immense risks and were prepared to face the consequences of squealing on the misdeeds of the most powerful official in the country.

Every step of the way, Najib – a popular and populist politician – could manipulate and organise shows of support for himself. He could sideline or sack his detractors or simply stonewall them. Undoubtedly, Najib wielded almost unfettered power while in office but could not escape from the law. He became the accused in the high profile SRC International case.

There should not be any doubt that the process of investigating, gathering evidence, proceeding on the prosecution and hearing the case would have been done in the most impartial, meticulous and professional way.

Such care and caution were abundantly evident in High Court judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Ghazali’s judgment. Those findings were watertight and could not be challenged or disturbed. For that reason, both the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court did not interfere with his findings.

So, it does seem incongruent and somewhat impertinent that paragraph 115 of the dissenting judgment of Federal Court judge Abdul Rahman clearly implies that an order of discharge and acquittal of Najib would be the proper course. It would seem Justice Abdul Rahman was unduly influenced by the defence’s submissions. How could this have happened? – Datuk M. Santhananaban 

Empty vessels make the most noise...

Ini jawapan PMX kpd tuduhan awak Din...

cheers.

Dewan Rakyat has unanimously abolish the death penalty...

  So killer Sirul can be extradited from Australia to testify against Najib’s murder of Altantuya...

Jailed Najib Razak and his self-proclaimed hotshot lawyer Shafee Abdullah were extremely disappointed and devastated with the Federal Court’s 4-1 decision to reject a bid to review the conviction of the ex-prime minister last week. But the snake oil salesman defence attorney has again given his client with yet another false hope that he could be freed soon.

Najib is being misled into believing that the minority dissent judgment by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli, who chaired the 5-member bench of the Fedeal Court, is a fantastic news. Shafee argues that the decision opens the possibility for another review – even a royal pardon – as if the 13-1 defeat was not humiliating enough.

Prior to the Federal Court’s review, all 3 courts and 9 judges (High Court – 1, Court of Appeal – 3, Federal Court – 5) had delivered unanimous guilty verdicts on Najib of criminal breach of trust (CBT), abuse of power and money laundering involving RM42 million stolen from SRC International Sdn Bhd (a subsidiary of 1MDB). Najib hasn’t a clue that he has hired the worst lawyer.

It was like saying Manchester United can ask for a review to claim victory after losing 1-6 to Manchester City in the 2011-12 Premier League season. In truth, Najib and Shafee deserve each other. Both are crook and conman who have been lying so much they actually believe their own lies. But Najib should start worrying about a bigger problem – the gruesome murder of Altantuya.

The Dewan Rakyat (Lower House) has unanimously passed a bill to abolish the death penalty as the mandatory sentence for 11 serious crimes, including murder and terrorism. The bill also gives judges the discretion to impose jail terms of up to 40 years in place of the death penalty. The reforms still need to clear Dewan Negara (Upper House), which is expected to pass it.

This means Mr Najib, currently serving 12 years’ jail and is facing “four more” criminal court cases related to 1MDB scandal, could see yet another scandal coming back to haunt him. He was linked to Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu, believed to be pregnant when she was killed and her body was blown up with military-grade C4 explosives during Najib administration.

The scandal began with the purchase of French Scorpene-class submarines by Najib Razak in 2002 when he was the defence minister for a whopping €1.2 billion (about RM4.78 billion). Both subs – Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak – came with €114 million (RM500 million) “commission” for crooked Najib Razak paid through his close associate Abdul Razak Baginda.

Chief Insp.Azilah Hadri,Copral Sirul Azhar,Altantuya & Razak Baginda

French multinational company Thales that designed and built the subs paid €114 million as “consulting work” to Perimekar, a Malaysian company of which Baginda’s wife was the primary shareholder. Altantuya, who was having an affair with Razak Baginda, had gone to his house and demanded US$500,000 which she claimed was owed for her work as a translator in the sub deal.

Thales (which owned a 50% share of prime contractor Armaris and now an indirect share through a stake in DCNS) paid the kickbacks to Perimekar, a company which was only set up in 2001, a few months before the deal were signed, and had no relevant experience or expertise in managing such project. Razak Baginda received a further €30 million, and another €2.5 million to bribe other Malaysian officials.

When Razak Baginda refused to be blackmailed, a pregnant Altantuya was killed by Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar (formerly with the police’s Special Action Unit, UTK). Despite her begging, Ms. Shaariibuu was shot twice in the head, wrapped in C4 military-grade plastic explosives and blown up in Kuala Lumpur’s suburbs on October 19, 2006.

Back in 2015, when Al-Jazeera unleashed a damaging documentary – “Murder in Malaysia” – the journalist, Mary Ann Jolley, was deported by 5 Malaysian immigration officers and a man in military outfit. Then-PM Najib had sent the authorities to bully, harass and intimidate the Australian-based journalist. Exactly why was the prime minister so terrified of the documentary?

Apparently, Jolley revealed in the Al-Jazeera weekly that besides two convicted killers from the elite protection squad (Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar), there was a third person at the murder scene. That man was none other than Altantuya’s ex-lover Razak Baginda. And according to Sirul, it was the scumbag Razak Baginda who pulled the trigger and shot the Mongolian.

Al-Jazeera also revealed how ex-PM Najib informed buddy Baginda that he had sexual relationship with Altantuya (also known as Aminah). And it was Najib who had introduced Altantuya to Razak Baginda at a diamond exhibition in Singapore. It appeared that after Najib got tired of Altantuya, he passed her to Baginda like a sex toy, after which both became lovers.

In fact, private investigator and witness Balasubramaniam’s Statutory Declaration did mention about Najib informing Baginda that Altantuya was susceptible to anal intercourse, suggesting that the prime minister had lied when he said he didn’t know her. And how did Najib know about the anal sex, unless of course, he had experienced it with Altantuya.

DSP Musa Safri,Razak Baginda,Altantuya & Najib

Al-Jazeera also exposed how Balasubramaniam was threatened by military intelligence into retracting his first statutory declaration which implicated Najib Razak, in exchange for RM5 million and temporarily “disappear” out of the country, until the then-Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak officially becomes the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia on 3 April 2009.

Sirul and fellow bodyguard Azilah Hadri were charged with the murder and sentenced to death in 2009. However, Sirul has denied carrying out the killing, saying that he was acting on orders from his superiors and was only involved in driving Altantuya to the scene. No motive for the killing was ever established and key witnesses were never called in the trial.

A year after the scandal-plagued Najib regime lost power, convicted killer Azilah issued a shocking “Statutory Declaration (SD)” dated October 17, 2019 – admitting that it was Najib Razak who gave him the “shoot to kill” order to terminate the Mongolian mother of two during a meeting on October 17, 2006. Najib claimed Altantuya was a “foreign spy” and was a national security threat.

Azilah said in his SD – “I asked the DPM (Deputy Prime Minister Najib) what was meant by arrest and destroy the foreign spy and DPM responded ‘shoot to kill’ while showing the sign of slitting the throat. When asked what was meant by destroying the foreign spy’s body, DPM replied ‘Destroy the foreign spy’s body to get rid of traces.'”

When the police commando told Najib (who was then Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister) that a police report had to be made on the matter, Najib disagreed and argued that the matter could not be made public as it involved national security. Azilah was told that the foreign spy was a very dangerous woman due to many national secrets she knew. Najib also said Altantuya would pretend to be pregnant.

Azilah was briefed by Najib – “The foreign spy could not approach the DPM (Najib) due to the tight security and therefore the spy threatened the DPM’s special officer instead”. The special officer was referring to Razak Baginda. Even though Azilah and Sirul had been convicted, the question remains as to why both commandos would abduct and kill a woman whom they never knew.

The zero motive to kill a defenceless woman was finally unveiled when Sirul said he was merely acting on orders from his superior – DSP Musa Safri. A former aide de camp of Najib, Musa Safri only took orders from his boss. That explains why Musa Safri was never called in the trial as a material witness because to do so would force Musa to testify against Najib Razak.

Copral Sirul Azhar & Altantuya

Under Najib regime, a (deliberate) failure on part of the prosecution to call the material witness – DSP Musa Safri – a former aide de camp of the Prime Minister, has raised eyebrows and suspicious. It was a disgraceful cover-up, from the Prime Minister Office of Najib Razak to the Royal Malaysia Police and from judiciary to immigration.

Najib Razak also lied that there was no proof to show he was involved in the corruption scandal linked to the purchase of French submarines. As revealed by French lawyer William Bourdon, the missing link was the bank accounts of a shell company in Hong Kong called Terasasi (Hong Kong) Ltd, which was used to divert €36 million (RM164 million).

Terasasi was 90% owned by Najib Razak, and the shell company was created by Thales for the purpose of receiving kickbacks in the submarine deal. However, Hong Kong authorities’ refusal to provide the Malaysian and French judiciary access to the accounts had been the “black hole” in solving the Scorpene mystery. Bourdon had filed a corruption complaint as early as 2008.

The MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) reopened the Scorpene scandal in November 2018, six months after Pakatan Harapan government took over, and almost 7 years after Najib regime barred Bourdon from entering Malaysia since July 2011. French Magistrate and Financial Prosecutor arrived in Kuala Lumpur in December 2018 to meet various judicial authorities and stakeholders.

After Najib lost power in the May 2018 General Election, the new Pakatan Harapan government wanted to extradite Sirul Azhar, who was being held in the Villawood detention centre in Sydney ever since the convicted killer was arrested in Queensland for overstaying his tourist visa. Unfortunately, the government collapsed after just 22 months thanks to Muhyiddin betrayal.

To make things complicated, Australia had refused to extradite Mr Sirul (former elite bodyguard of Najib) back to Malaysia because the country’s extradition legislation does not allow a person to be surrendered to another country for an offence punishable by death, unless Malaysia has given Australia an undertaking that the death penalty will not will not be carried out.

Back in 2018, PM-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim had condemned Australia for ignoring Malaysia’s attempts to deport the convicted murderer Sirul Azhar Umar back to Malaysia. He bashed a tainted Australian foreign policies which protecting corruption and criminals. Now, with the abolishment of death penalty under Anwar administration, Canberra has no more excuse not to extradite Sirul.- FT

Don’t allow Malaysia’s justice system to 

be destroyed by the UMNO goons...

An Umno leader has urged the chief justice (CJ) and attorney-general (AG) to set the record straight following a minister’s confirmation that Justice Nazlan Ghazali had been found to have committed wrongdoing when presiding over Najib Razak’s SRC International case.

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said had said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe on Nazlan concluded that he had violated the Judges’ Code of Ethics and had a conflict of interest when presiding over the case.

Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said the ball was now in the court of CJ Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and AG Idrus Harun, and that they must take responsibility and respond to this matter immediately.

“Do the CJ and AG want to trivialise the role of investigative bodies like MACC?” he told FMT. “The government must stand its ground in this matter. Don’t allow Malaysia’s justice system to be destroyed. “Azalina’s revelation is a necessary step to balance the interests of all parties, it’s not (an) interference from the executive.”

In a letter dated March 15, Najib’s solicitors, Shafee & Co, had asked Azalina whether MACC had concluded that Nazlan had breached the code and had a conflict of interest. In her letter replying to Shafee, Azalina said: “I can confirm that the answers to the questions (you have set out) are in the affirmative.” - FMT

Since when MACC has jurisdiction 

to make a finding on judicial ethics?... 

These UMNO MPs, minsters and their underlings in the MACC are, of course, seeking to do exactly what they claim against others.They are seeking to destroy the justice system by interfering from their position in the executive to free their Bossku. All thanks to their position as a minority partner in the coalition government.

The MACC was instructed to undertake an investigation not in their purview as they have no right to investigate ethical matters relating to judges. The convenient findings were then leaked by their ministerial boss to be seized as ammo by UMNO colleagues. The plan is obvious and they are now using every bullying tactic to attempt to intimidate the entire judiciary for the sole purpose of reversing a crushing guilty verdict against their boss.

Story kat sini...

Not just the entire Malaysian judiciary but the entire world has exposed Najib for his direct oversight in 1MDB and later cover up. Just this week, the former Republican party deputy chairman related to a New York court how he was bribed to set up a game of golf for Najib with President Trump in 2017 “so that Razak could tell Trump that the 1MDB scandal was not significant”. Had Najib been innocent he would instead have asked for help in catching Jho Low!

Meanwhile, in a Kuwaiti court full details have emerged how at the very same time Najib was plundering yet more billions from Malaysians, through inflated contracts with China, in order to backhand the “commissions” into covering up the 1MDB thefts and pay for all Jho Low’s legal bills in the affair. These are not the actions of an innocent man. Najib deserves his place in jail.

Indeed, Malaysians made their view quite clear about Najib when the once mighty UMNO fared appallingly in the polls. Despite that message these lapdog MPs and ministers have made clear that their only mission in the government they are included in is to release Najib and not to serve the people of Malaysia. - Sarawak Report

cheers.

Rakyat bising minyak takdak,ingat DAP sorok,rupa2nya...

Muhammad Faisal Hamzah, the son of opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, was charged in the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (April 5) with nine counts of violations in relation to the cooking oil subsidy. 

Faisal, 39, was charged along with Azizul Abdul Halim, 55, both being directors of Rimba Merpati Sdn Bhd, a wholesale cooking oil licence holder, with allegedly providing false information by producing fake invoices on the purported sale of the oil to two local retail companies.

This purportedly violated Section 8(4) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961. Cooking oil is a controlled item under the Act. The invoices were deemed fake following a raid conducted on the company's premises last Aug 11 and 12.The invoices were addressed to Warisan Hasil Alam, and Pasar Segar Din Maju.

The duo were also jointly charged by Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living enforcement officers with possession of more than the limited amount of 50 metric tons of cooking oil on the Rimba Merpati premises in Sinar Andalas, Senawang. The said offence is a violation of Regulation 9(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974, which is punishable under Section 22(2) of the Control of Supplies Act.

The charges in question were separately made against Rimba Merpati, with Faisal and Azizul jointly charged as two directors of the company, as well as individually as a director with the offences. They claimed trial to the charges read to them for themselves and the company.

Should the company be found guilty of the said offences, it is liable to a maximum fine of RM2 million for the first offence, or a RM5 million fine for the second or subsequent offences, for the fake invoices and possession of more than the limited amount of 50 metric tons of cooking oil.

Separately, the duo as joint directors of the company and separately as an individual company director are liable to a fine of RM1 million or a maximum three years in jail for each charge for the first offence, or a RM3 million fine or five years in jail for subsequent offences, over the fake declarations and possession of more than the limited amount of 50 metric tons of cooking oil.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria, who appeared with DPP Syazwani Zawawi, asked the court to set bail at RM20,000 for each charge, as he pointed out that cooking oil is a controlled item, and that this is a case of public interest.

“The government of today has brought emphasis to items listed as controlled items, as the shortage of cooking oil at that time resulted in the country facing a crisis. “Furthermore, a high bail amount should be set to secure attendance, regardless of whether the company is dissolved or undergoes a change of ownership. The volume involved was also quite big,” Sophian added.

Lawyer Queratu Aini Zafieah Mat Shoib, who represented the duo, asked for a reduction in the bail amount, as the court should not consider the amount of charges in imposing the high bail amount. Furthermore, she said, Azizul is now unemployed and resides in Kuantan, while Faisal is in Bukit Antarabangsa and has three children, and is expecting a fourth child. 

She added that the bail amount is only for securing attendance, and brought to the court’s attention that the said company is under new management. After a short recess, Sessions Court judge Mazni Nawi fixed bail at RM25,000 each for Azizul and Faisal, and an additional RM30,000 for Rimba Merpati, which is also to be paid by the duo. Mazni fixed June 9 for mention.

Hamzah was formerly the home minister during the Perikatan Nasional administration, and was the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister during the Barisan Nasional government prior to that from July 2015 to May 2018. It is understood that Faisal is Hamzah’s son from his first marriage.- Surin Murugiah,the Edge

Subsidised cooking oil comes in plastic packs of 1 kg each and are sold at RM2.50 per pack. Therefore 5 kg of subsidised oil is sold at RM12.50. A non subsidised 5 kg plastic bottle of oil is sold at around RM30 give or take the brand. That is a whopping RM17.50 extra.So these fellas claim they are selling at RM2.50 when they are repacking and selling at RM6.00. Easy money. - Qua Vadis Malaysia

Ini lah di panggil Ali Baba Business,... tak payah buat kerja, untung atas angin.. sesama dengan dapat AP impot kereta mewah, dll... bertuah lah jadi Bumiputra! Tetapi bukan semua Bumiputra. - Sherlock

Now you know why PN leaders are so desperate to topple the govt to control Putrajaya.

Tons of "sampah rasuah" are in the old cabinet. - Krabian

If the Govt had not changed -- will there be charges ?This Hamzah ' budak kita ' was the Home minister who said '' people die anyway ' when questioned about deaths in Immigration detention centre's.MACC must now investigate if "" strings were pulled in this case "" to obtain that much subsidized cooking oil. - Eaglebaby05

Raid was during Hamzah"s tenure as Home minister. Why does it take so long for him to be charged? - Me 

Wait and see for MACC! Biasa lah Abang! MACC will follow the Government of the day. If tomorrow any change of Government like going back to PN, MACC will go after Anwar and his comrades. - PurpleKijang9104

Jebon2 tu juga yang kaki sakau…

Granting Najib a royal pardon is not justice...

Granting the convicted felon, Najib Abdul Razak, a royal pardon will open the flood gates to anger, and lead Malaysia down a path that will change the dynamics of the country.  How do you think the rakyat will react? With a royal pardon, comparisons will be made. A desperate, unemployed father who was forced to steal to feed his children is jailed for three years. Najib who stole billions of ringgits has barely completed six months of his incarceration, and yet is allowed to roam free. Where is the justice?

Najib may be left smiling at his good fortune (of being released), but think how badly this will reflect on those who granted him the pardon? The public will be wondering if the nation is in safe and capable hands. Think how badly this will reflect on the prison population who probably stole less than Najib but received stiffer punishments.The only difference is that they are not rich enough to afford a retinue of lawyers for the appeal process or find alternative solutions to be freed. Think what it will do to the morale of the country.

We are already suffering the ill effects of the pandemic and global economic downturn, but Najib’s corruption will have crippled at least one or two generations of Malaysians forced to bear the brunt of Najib’s theft.The money he stole could have been used to fund much needed public services like upgrading of schools, hospitals, infrastructure, or provide improved pay and work conditions to medical and teaching professions. 

Just reflect on what foreign investors will think and do.Industrialists will invest in a country with a stable political foundation, not one that is corrupt and lawless. It is not just investors that we need to attract, but also tourist dollars. A country that is tarnished because we are lenient with kelptocrats and corrupt leaders, does not augur well for our international image.

Malaysia has always had an impressive reputation overseas, but Najib spoiled that. If he were granted a royal pardon, we will be made a laughing stock. Think of its effects on our judiciary. Some Malaysians will wonder if justice is the privilege of the wealthy. Money can buy the super rich an endless round of lawyers willing to fight for them. Perhaps a few will think that the judiciary is biased because the wealthy are given opportunity after opportunity of trying to find a legal loophole for release.

Think of the reputation of the legal fraternity. Will their reputation sink like a lead balloon? Are they giving Najib sound advice or are they stringing him along and wasting Najib’s money and giving him false hope? At the same time, taxpayers’ resources, money and manpower are unnecessarily wasted. Each time there is a hearing, think of the time and money spent on the court officials, security details, reporters and policemen.

What is there to like about Najib? He brought shame to the nation and his family.  He was given the responsibility of taking care of the nation, but he betrayed Malaysians by stealing from them. He lied to the rakyat and sacked his critics. He lied to us and worse still was that members of his cabinet lied on his behalf, so much so that we lost trust in democracy and the institutions of state.

In 2017, Jeff Sessions, the then U.S. attorney-general described the 1MDB multi-billion dollar corruption scandal as the worst form of kleptocracy, and he said the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) would work towards providing justice to the victims.

Najib’s lengthy trial had been dogged by delays, and he was given ample opportunity to go through both the appeal and review processes. He and his lawyers had tested the patience of the judiciary and general public, and despite his conviction being upheld, Najib is today still keen on pursuing a royal pardon. Why? He is keeping to his selfish agenda!

Why put the country through yet another round of having to listen to him? His fingerprints were all over the place, and all the paper trails led to him. The facts are that he stole, he was arrested, charged, and sentenced by three courts — High Court, Federal Court and Court of Appeal — and nine judges.

Last week, Najib’s review application in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case failed to quash his guilty verdict. The Federal Court bench, in a majority 4-1 verdict, rejected his review application. Najib’s reason for demanding a royal pardon is based on the sole dissenting rule by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Abdul Rahman Sebli.

Who does Najib think he is? The narcissist has failed to express remorse for his actions. He never apologized for putting the nation through so much suffering! Najib was found guilty by 13 judges and is clutching at straws if he thinks that he can demand a royal pardon just because of one dissenting judge.

However, many people will question the royal pardon. Criminals who have committed less serious crimes are not given such privileges. Granting Najib a royal pardon, will have serious consequences on the nation. - Mariam Mokhtar

Kerajaan akan dedah hasil siasatan 

nahas udara 1976 korbankan KM Sabah

cheers.

Will Zahid drag Anwar down?...

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi don’t seem to share the same priorities. Anwar is constantly emphasising good governance, accountability and the importance of political stability.

Zahid, on the other hand, seems to be pursuing an agenda that has more to do with his own ambitions than the success of the unity government. 

The latest sign of this dissonance was the abrupt change of chief minister in Malacca a few days ago. The Malacca state government was stable and doing reasonably well. Zahid, however, was not content.

Obsessed with strengthening his grip on the party and putting his own men in key positions, Zahid quietly sanctioned a backdoor move against the chief minister. 

It was all about power and ambition, nothing more. To cover up the power play, the new chief minister is talking about forming a “unity” exco; as if that couldn’t have been accomplished under the previous chief minister.

Abdul Rauf Yusof,KM Melaka ke-13

It may be recalled that Zahid was behind a similar move in Sabah when his henchman there tried to orchestrate the overthrow of the state government. Though the plan failed when local assemblypersons refused to go along with it, the plotting continues.

What does it say about Zahid’s priorities when he continues to undermine the political stability that his boss the prime minister is working so hard to consolidate?  Make no mistake, Zahid’s power plays are rubbing a lot of Umno members the wrong way and could backfire against both Umno and the unity government.

It is not the only example of Zahid and Umno working at cross purposes with the overall thrust of Anwar’s unity government. The ridiculous vendetta against former attorney-general Tommy Thomas by Umno’s Azalina Othman Said (law and institutional reform minister) is another jarring note.

With all the pressing challenges facing the government, why go after a Pakatan Harapan appointee who did his job with courage, integrity and professionalism? It makes no sense except to feed the fake Umno narrative that its leaders were unfairly persecuted by Thomas. 

And then there are all those crony appointments by Zahid which fly smack in the face of the prime minister’s commitment to good governance. Haven’t we had enough of Umno political appointees who ended up stealing public funds and mismanaging the agencies they were appointed to?

Credibility of Anwar administration

Why the need to bring back politicians who were such a big part of the culture of corruption and abuse of power that has done so much damage to our nation? Anthony Loke (DAP) and others might jump through hoops to justify Zahid’s appalling appointments but the people are not so easily fooled. All they see are conniving and unprincipled politicians who can’t be trusted to honour their promises and live up to their own ideals. 

Of course, Anwar needs Zahid and Umno to maintain a stable majority in Parliament. To keep Zahid onside, the prime minister might feel he has to allow Zahid a free hand and give him some free passes too including the suspicious decision by ROS to help Zahid avoid an internal leadership challenge and the surprising move by the AGC not to object to Zahid’s request for the return of his passport.

But sooner or later, it is going to affect the credibility of the Anwar administration. Certainly, it is going to be very embarrassing when Zahid, with his freshly regained diplomatic passport, makes his first foray abroad as one of the faces of the Anwar administration.

What message will it convey to the world when the deputy prime minister of a government that is supposedly committed to good governance and fighting corruption is himself facing multiple charges of corruption, money laundering and abuse of power?

If Zahid had any loyalty to his prime minister, he would simply stay at home until the case against him has been resolved; but Zahid is too focused on redeeming himself to care about what the world thinks about the unity government.

If Anwar wants to ensure his administration thrives, he needs to find a way to rein in Zahid’s worst instincts and put his own agenda – the agenda that he speaks so passionately and unceasingly about – front and centre of everything the administration does. The unity government must be about Anwar’s agenda, not Zahid’s personal quest to redeem himself and consolidate his own power. - Dennis Ignatius,mk

No more cherries on the cake for Najib...

Habis. The end. It is all done - finito. And certainly, the curtains must come down on former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s SRC International case.The theatrics in and outside court, the wailing ladies and the band of merry men in the hundreds have to gulung tikar and tutup kedai - roll up the mats and close shop.After almost five years of the public being treated to the lifestyle of one who was once the most powerful man in the country, the end was inevitable.

The drama that unfolded at the High Court five years ago had all the hallmarks of unrestrained and uncontrollable power. As each witness had their say before the judge, the documents that were adduced resulted in “oohs” and “aahs” when the media reported them contemporaneously in news portals or in newspapers the following day.

The evidence showed that the course of the exercise of this was neither intricate nor perplexing. It was straightforward. Money meant for a different purpose was diverted for personal use.These accusations were supported by credit card bills, telephone messages, and the paperwork on the transmission of millions of ringgit on instructions from a third party whose mysteriously and anonymous identity was revealed to the court.

From the purchase of diamonds to a million ringgit being spent on a hotel stay, the details were peeled as the accused could only sit and hear, and on occasion, use the mobile phone to check the state of his hair which also showed a frail face. But when this was questioned by the judge and consequently reported by the media, they were told: “If they want to be the fourth or fifth estate, they shouldn’t act like estate people.” An act of anger for reporting the truth? It was debatable and I wrote a scathing retort.

Game, set, and match

But all this drama was before the conviction. What followed were extrajudicial issues that made the headlines. Impropriety, conflict of interests, and other unfounded claims were circulated and the judge who convicted Najib became the target of a smear campaign.

The accused had another bite at the cherry - this time at the Court of Appeal - and the three judges affirmed the decision of the court below without batting an eye. The trial judge had based his decision on the facts before him, nothing more.

This was followed by more drama when the case came before the highest court in the land - the Federal Court. A change of lawyers, a last-minute plea for an extension of time which was turned down, and the rest, as they say, is history.

On Friday, it was the finale. A review of that court’s decision and the verdict was 4-1 for the prosecution. It was the last-chance saloon - game, set, and match. Oh, not that fast. Because of one dissenting judgment, the door is open, says the lawyer.

Yes, it is often said that two lawyers can give three different opinions. But, as an American lawyer said in jest - legal opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one! So, a review on a review is on the cards. What happens if it fails? Another review? The court will have the opportunity to put an end to this charade which has already cost the state time, effort, and money.

The proverbial fat lady has sung. And for the lesser mortals - the ordinary folks whose hard-earned money was stolen and misused, we can take cognition that justice has been done and seen to be done. - R.Nadeswaran

cheers.