Najib kekal Umno parah?

Ramai yang mula mengatakan Datuk Seri Najib Razak akan berdepan dengan pintu yang mengarahkan beliau keluar – melepaskan jawatan perdana menteri serta turun takhta daripada memegang tampuk presiden Umno.

Adakah ini akan berlaku – adakah isu 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) akan memaksa Najib melepaskan jawatan?

Adakah timbulnya video Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin – akan juga memberi kesan sehingga Najib terpaksa melepaskan jawatan – begitu juga PAC – dalam membuat siasatan dan Jabatan Audit Negara – adakah semua ini akan menghambat Najib untuk turun takhta.

Ada pendapat mengatakan masa Najib sudah sampai ke penghujung – ada pendapat yang mengatakan tidak – Najib tidak akan undur sebab beliau ada kuasa di atas kuasa yang beliau ada – kuasa Datin Seri Rosmah Mansur – kuasa Istana.

Bermacam-macam-macam pendapat yang timbul. Namun pengkhususan semua adalah sama ada Najib kekal sehingga Pilihan Raya Umum ke 14 (PRU14) atau tidak menjadi topik perbualan.

Dalam Parlimen – heboh, kesalahan antara tunai dan unit, kesilapan yang menampakkan semakin banyak alasan dari penerangan – mencari jawapan bagi menutup sesuatu yang besar – semakin kuat iltizam pembangkang untuk menyingkir Najib.

Jawapan demi jawapan – bukan Najib yang menyediakan jawapan – kesalahan Kementerian Kewangan – semua terkeluar menampakkan jelas kealpaan dan kesakitan untuk mencari jawapan terbaik dalam melindungi sesuatu.

Tapi itu kalangan mereka daripada pihak kelas atasan – kelompok mereka yang berpolitik – kelompok mereka yang tahu dan membaca dan terpengaruh.

Apa pula kelompok yang dikatakan Muhyiddin – mereka yang nampak cerdik tetapi tidak.

Apa pula kelompok yang mahu memastikan tempat di sisi Najib dan mahu menjaga politik masing-masing mahu melakukan yang sama.

Adakah mereka akan hadir dalam memastikan isu pendedahan Najib ini menjanjikan Najib tercampak.

Janji Najib – saya tidak akan mengalah – nakhoda akan meneruskan pelayaran tanpa menoleh ke belakang, mungkin akan memberi kekuatan sokongan kepada beliau – ramai kepimpinan Umno akan menunggu dan lihat – tidak akan mengeluarkan kenyataan – demi menjaga kedudukan.

Najib tidak akan jatuh dengan isu 1MDB – sehingga ada kekuatan besar dalam Umno dan malang dalam Umno semua hanya menunggu dan melihat menjadikan isu 1MDB - tidak cukup kuat untuk menghalau Najib keluar daripada tempat yang ada.

Dalam perbualan dan analisis mudah – ada kepercayaan isu krisis 1MDB akan lenyap dan akan ada mereka yang menyambut kesalahan 1MDB bagi menyelamatkan Najib. Itu tidak mustahil – kes pembunuhan Altantuya – ada yang menjadi kambing hitam dan persoalan pokok terselindung dengan keputusan mahkamah.

Adakah tidak mustahil – isu 1MDB – ini tidak juga jadi seperti kes pembunuhan Altantuya, ada yang mengambil tanggungjawab.

Apa pun senario ini – ruangan Najib untuk terus kekal ada – beliau akan menerajui Umno dan perdana menteri sehingga PRU 14 – namun adakah Umno akan terus selesa bila mana sampai PRU 14.

Untuk itu pun persoalan Umno/Barisan Nasional akan tumbang pada PRU 14 masih tertakluk bila mana kita sampai pada PRU 14 tersebut.

Dalam urusan PRU 14 pula – berbagai-bagai perkara perlu diperhatikan sebelum kita membuat konklusi mudah Umno/BN akan tewas.

Memang Umno/BN hari ini seakan tercalar – seakan mengundang kekalahan – tetapi isu adalah andaian hari ini. Ia sama dengan andaian Najib akan tersingkir – akan ditunjukkan jalan keluar – namun andaian hari ini pula tidak melihat kedudukan kuasa yang dipegang siapa. Kalau sewaktu Tun Abdullah Ahmad Baawi – memang andaian Pak Lah letak jawatan itu mungkin berlaku – namun dalam era Najib itu tidak akan berlaku.

Dalam melihat senario sekarang – cara dilakukan untuk mendedahkan kepincangan – dengan persoalan kewangan – hutang – aset – unit dan tunai – sekelompok tertentu sahaja yang ghairah melihat Najib akan tumbang – namun rakyat keseluruhan khususnya di luar bandar masih kekal – tidak memahami dan masih kekal dengan BR1M dan sumbangan beras dan taman permainan.

Selagi tidak diusahakan secara menyeluruh – keluar dari cara yang ada – melakukan langkah radikal – Najib akan terus memerintah – namun terkesan kepada kedudukan Umno dan BN pada PRU 14

Orang Tengah Songlap Duit Sambut Najib Di Perlis

PETALING JAYA: Ahli UMNO Perlis dikatakan dibayar RM50 seorang untuk menyambut ketibaan Presiden Parti, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak dan isteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor ke negeri itu.

Ia tersebar selepas timbul rasa tidak puas, di mana mereka yang hadir telah dibayar RM40, kurang RM10 daripada yang sepatutnya.

Berdasarkan mesej perbualan yang dihantar melalui Whatsapp, ia mendakwa duit yang sepatutnya diberikan kepada mereka telah disapu orang tengah.

“Hari ni PM Tok Jib mai Perlis. Ramai kata yang pi diberi RM40. Tak pasti sama ada sebenaqnya RM50 tapi RM10 dah kena sapu. Orang UMNO sendiri mengaku memang bagi duit suruh pi!”, antara status yang dibincangkan.

Ia kemudian mengundang reaksi mereka yang lain yang mengesahkan wujudnya pemberian wang kepada mereka yang hadir sambut Perdana Menteri.

“ Tak taboq fitnah aih…sungguh…hari ni pakat tingai kerja sari…kerajaan perihatin…bagi duit penat lelah..apa salahnya”, kata Azam Rashid

Bagaimanapun, dia menjelaskan ramai yang hadir tidak mengambil wang.

When Atuks And Orang Kaya Become Afraid Of Going To Hell For All Their Sins

I received the following comment from a reader about my much earlier post : "Negative factors affecting sekolah kebangsaan".

From Azman 

I have been forwarded clips of views sent on the above subject.
 

A similar situation is happening too,  amongst some retired circles. Golfing community, alumni groups, sports groups, travelling, food and current affairs discussion groups online have more often than not spent more time forwarding cut and  paste articles and video clips.
 

My guess is they hardly appreciate what they sent. More often these messages are what were termed as chain letters in the era before internet. The penalty for not forwarding the chain letters to an X no of recipients then was the threat of doom and  bad luck.
 

Nowadays the recipients are made to feel guilty as a non caring muslim, if these cut and paste items failed to be forwarded.

 
My hunch is most retirees are influenced to participate and join the born again or rejuvenated muslims as they feel its redemption time. They feel they are on the few final laps before being "called in".
 

With this approach the kids in this case will be further wrapped  and trapped in the "ostat" education syllabus syndrome. At school they are fed with extra religious fodder. They go back their 'atuks' will praise and encourage them more. Their immediate parents find themselves caught in between.

 
Now how do we malays win then??
 

Salam.

My comments:

Thank you Azman.  There was once a banker who was outwardly a very religious sort of person. Wife pakai niqab (this was in the late 1980s), the guy was in the Tabligh etc. At that time there was no "Islamic" banking.

But his banking was very "Jewish" in the way he dealt with  clients. Insane interest margins, penalties for breaching banking covenants etc were quite normal.

I think the brother did feel guilty about being so "Jewish".  To make up for the "sins" he sent his sons to sekolah agama. Maybe in the hope that if his children became hafiz or became ostat, their doa will one day lighten the burden of the father's "banking sins".

The burden of the father's guilt is transferred to the children, permanently.

In Bukit Damansara, Taman Tun, Taman TAR and other affluent Malay areas, you will find a lot of wealthier Malays "sponsoring" celebrity ostats to come to their houses and conduct ceramahs, tafseer Quran, tahlil and other religious events.

They hope that by sponsoring these ostat wal retards and these useless religious events, they will be able to tebus dosa or redeem themselves from their sins - usually the sins of stealing from the people's money. Stealing plenty of money.

Especially if they were gomen people,  makan rasuah people, sapu projek dan kontrak people etc.  (Well Tan Sris, Datos etc you know exactly what you did last summer. And the summer before.)

So because of the amount of 'sinful' behaviour that is going on in the country and the amount of guilt that is borne by these sinful people, and their attempts at "tebus dosa" (redeem their sins) it has spawned an entire new industry : the "ostat wal retard" religious talks, the tafseer classes at home etc.   

Let me tell you a secret : Sorry morons, you are too late.  You can rasuah people with money. But you cannot rasuah away your sins by inviting the retards into your houses, reciting some prayers,  conducting some religious discussion etc and then have all your sins redeemed.

And please do not spoil your childrens future by sending them away to sekolah agama in the hope that their future prayers will redeem your sins either.  How dumb can you get.

Reading the comment by Azman above, that is what is happening.  Azman says,  

"With this approach the kids in this case will be further wrapped  and trapped in the "ostat" education syllabus syndrome. At school they are fed with extra religious fodder. They go back their 'atuks' will praise and encourage them more. Their immediate parents find themselves caught in between. Now how do we malays win then??"

Azman, as a first step do not listen to the retards. Do not invite them into your homes. Tell your friends as well.

The second step is please read the Quran and understand it by yourself. Whether in Arabic, translation etc is fine. That is how I began. The Quran has its own power.

Familiarise yourself with what the Quran says.  You can go to http://quranbrowser.com and read 10 different English translations of the Quran.

Avoid the Malay translations - they are highly suspect. 

The Indonesian translation by Departemen Agama Republik Indonesia is good. 

Avoid the Muhammad Muhsin Khan translation. It will make you 'sesat'.

Do not put your life in the hands of people who cannot provide evidence for what they say. 

Do not put your life in the hands of people who prey on your guilty conscience to invite them into your home and makan free.

We will support Najis if given RM1 million per person

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is defending the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) programme, saying it is not wrong to help the poor. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, May 30, 2015.There is nothing wrong about giving aid to those who need help, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in defence of the federal government's 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) programme.

He said it was important that the government did its part to help households increase their income.

He said when the economy in the country was doing well, the nation's wealth should also be distributed to the people.

"BR1M has been increased from RM600 to RM900 now. Is it wrong to help those who face difficulties and need aid?" he asked a crowd of thousands at the Desa Sejahtera 1Malaysia award ceremony in Kampung Kurong Tengar in Perlis this afternoon.

Najib said the government previously gave aid in the form of physical infrastructure like roads but now with him as prime minister, aid was given for the kitchen, too.

"Kalau pandai belanja BR1M, dapur kita berasap (if we know how to spend BR1M wisely, there will be smoke in our kitchens.)

"Previously, the government helps right up to roads. Now we are giving aid right into kitchens. This is 'pembaharuan' (improvement)," he said.

The BR1M programme introduced by Najib some time before the last general election in 2013, has been severely criticised by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a form of "bribery" in order to win votes.

Najib insisted that it was right for the government to give aid to help those in the rural areas.

He said even fishermen were now getting RM300 a month to help them cope with the cost of living.

He said previously there was no allocation for such purpose.

He said for the cities like Kuala Lumpur, the government was building mass rapid transit system and soon a high-speed train that travels at 300km per hour.

Such huge projects, Najib said, will generate economic growth that would in turn allow the government to have funds to channel to rural areas.

"The rural development agenda remains a main agenda for the government... nobody can deny that we have all come a long way although we admit we still have unfinished development agendas for the rural areas.

"We need fairer distribution of wealth to the rural communities and that is why we practise growth with equity. Without growth, we won’t have wealth to distribute," he said.

Najib said he was honoured that it was his father the second prime minister of Malaysia, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who started the agenda of developing rural areas.

He said his administration would continue to grow the Malaysian economy to fulfil the agendas to improve the people's lives in rural areas.

"I am confident that this is the right policy. When our economy is good, we can channel more funds for rural development," he said.

Najib also announced that the federal government will give Perlis funds for its inland port, the Chuping Valley development, and the logistic hub and hospital in Padang Besar.

He said the government will finalise how much money is needed for the individual projects. 

****************************************************

I HAVE SAID TIME AND AGAIN THAT THE UMNO GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE ALL 30 MILLION OF ITS CITIZEN RM1 MILLION EACH EVERY FIVE YEARS SINCE EVERY ASS HOLE WHO SITS ON THE PRIME MINISTER THRONE MAKES TONS OF MONEY THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DEAL IN THE NATION.

WITH RM1 MILLION PAYOUT TO 30 MILLION CITIZEN, NO-ONE WILL CARE IF THE WHOLE NATION COLLAPSES OR SOLD TO DUBAI FOR A SONG.

SO DON'T HIGHLIGHT OUR POT HOLES THAT DAMAGES OUR CARS AND ENDANGER THE LIVES OF MOTORISTS. THE SO-CALLED BRIM DOES NOT BENEFIT EVERY CITIZEN SO IT IS CONSIDERED A FAILURE.

INSTEAD TAKE MY SUGGESTION INSTEAD OF ZETI FROM BANK NEGARA WHO LIVES BEYOND HER PAY AND MAKE THE RAKYAT HAPPY.

THEN AT LEAST TUN RAZAK'S BONE DOES NOT  DO THE TANGO INSIDE THE GRAVE EACH TIME ROSMAH GOES SHOPPING.

FURTHERMORE WHAT IS RM30 MILLION TO NAJIS AND ROSMAH WHEN THEY HAVE ALREADY STOLEN RM42 BILLION FOR THEIR RETIREMENT.

HADI TOO 'KAMPUNG'? English-speaking Ahmad Awang can boost Pas profile - ex-Perak MB Nizar

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has touted as an advantage PAS presidential hopeful Ahmad Awang’s ability to converse in English fluently.

According to the former Perak mentri besar, Ahmad’s fluency will let him represent Malaysia and PAS in international Islamic conferences in the Western world, thus raising the party’s credentials.

“He can speak Arabic very well, and so can [Abdul Hadi]. But he can also communicate and speak in English, but [Abdul Hadi] cannot,” Nizar told a forum in the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last night, where Ahmad had spoken.

Nizar was referring to incumbent president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who is seen as having the upper hand in the contest in the PAS election.

“There are some aspects now in this political contemporary, you need those qualities...so people can respect our party, respect our country,” added the Perak PAS deputy commissioner.

Nizar also credited Ahmad’s role as PAS state commissioner in putting together a coalition Perak state government between PAS, PKR and DAP after the 2008 general elections, although it was short-lived after the 2009 constitutional crisis.

Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin

“Being together with Pakatan Rakyat has given benefits to all three parties. This is what I would like to see after June. And this can only be achieved with a new leadership led by Ahmad Awang since he went through that process,” said Nizar.

“Perak is unlike Terengganu. Malaysia is unlike Terengganu,” Nizar said, referring to the east coast state where Abdul Hadi led as mentri besar between 1999 and 2004 before losing it to Barisan Nasional.

Nizar claimed that Perak is a microcosm of the country as it has a similar demographic and population composition, unlike Terengganu.

The PAS party elections next week will see straight fights in almost all of the top posts, including its Youth, Women and Ulama wings.

Besides the presidential fight between Abdul Hadi and Awang, the deputy presidential contest will also see incumbent Mohamad Sabu fighting off vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. - Malay Mail

NAJIB TO ANNOUNCE SUCCESSION PLAN IN AUGUST? Talk swirls after rumored meeting with Dr M in Japan

Dark days are in store for Prime Minister Najib Razak. Although there is no clarity yet if he or arch foe Dr Mahathir Mohamad is winning the tussle for control of Umno, Malaysia's ruling and largest political party, the rumor mill is working overtime and not to Najib's favor.

Speculation that has been simmering for a while now, has resurfaced after his recent working visit to Japan. Coincidentally or not, Mahathir was reportedly in Japan at the same time, ostensibly to have his eyes checked.

If true, the timing cannot be missed and it would be unwise to believe that the duo's presence in Japan at the same time was not planned and did not include talks whether directly or through intermediaries.

Also raising eyebrows is the sudden return of shadowy 1MDB figure, Jho Low, whom Mahathir has practically accused of cheating 1MDB of billions in cahoots with Najib's stepson Riza Aziz. Both the younger men have denied direct involvement in 1MDB but what is interesting is that Jho Low too returned to Kuala Lumpur on a Hong Kong carrier and his departure point was Japan.

Was any kind of deal knocked out? If there was, none of the parties are willing to open up on the outcome of what must surely have been a very heated meeting if indeed it took place. But the talk swirling in political circles is that Najib will announce a succession plan in August, whereby he will agree to pass over the baton sometime in early 2016.

Japan rendezvous?

It is not clear yet who the new Malaysian PM will be, but certainly Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is the favorite with Kelantan prince Tengku Razaleigh the dark horse. The whole 'succession plan' harks back to the one Najib himself knocked together for his predecessor Abdullah Badawi.

"At this point, it is just talk but the idea is there must be enough time for the new PM to get the Umno-BN machinery together to beat Pakatan Rakyat in the coming general election. The problem is, Najib might again withdraw. There is great pressure on him to fight on and you can see that from his counter-attacks against Dr M. Najib is now very vicious and aggressive. It could be his wife's (Rosmah Mansor) influence or his new public relations strategist Lim Kok Wing," said a political insider.

"But if Najib fails to keep to some sort of succession plan, then he is in big trouble, Umno is in big trouble, we are all in big trouble. There will be political chaos even if Mahathir backs off because Najib has no answers for the economic pressures on the populace. Either his party pulls him out or the people will."

No confidence vote still lurks & may be pushed through by Dr M if Najib stays stubborn

When he returned from Japan recently, Najib not only sealed better ties with the Land of the Rising Sun but also with the big economies of Asia such as China, India and Singapore. Besides this, he has, during his tenure as prime minister, enhanced bi-lateral ties with the United States, Britain and Australia.

Najib’s international track record is to aim big. But on home ground he is fighting for his political survival over a flurry of activities that suggest to Malaysians that he is not fit or competent to be the head of government any longer.

Currently, disconcerted moves are being made by UMNO, BN and Pakatan Rakyat led by Mahathir Mohammad to secure a parliamentary vote of ‘No Confidence” in the prime minister. Will Najib survive and carry on with business as usual?

Fractured attempts

If Mahathir is to spearhead moves to oust Najib, then it must be a concerted effort involving parliamentarians. But at present the moves to oust Najib are fractured and splintered and therefore it has been ineffective in achieving its objective.

The discontent and disappointment with Najib is being felt by many Malaysians and there are a slew of reasons why people think he is a failure as prime minister. It doesn’t help his image that his wife Rosmah is viewed by the ‘rakyat’ as being merely a mistress of spice who enjoys a lavish lifestyle.

This is why the backs of the Malaysian workforce have been flogged to keep the governing elite in this country sitting pretty and engaging in sinister activity such as the IMDB fiasco which proved to be the incident that opened a can of worms for Najib and Rosmah.

Najib’s cunning ploys

It is envisaged that Najib will not step down without a fight and he is preparing to pull out all the stops to make sure that he carries on in the role of prime minister. This means he will use whatever that’s available like the civil service and the Malay rulers to get to stay on.

But to the horror and fear of Malaysians, the mismanagement of 1MDB is creating serious repercussions in which the nation will go into travail and people suffer even more than now as the monetary system is on the verge of collapse due to much atrocities committed to the financial system of the country.

The finance ministry acting in cahoots with Bank Negara Malaysia, according to Mahathir, is spewing out lies and covering up Najib’s misdeeds and failings. This is a very serious allegation by Mahathir who further states that those involved should be punished with jail time as this is a criminal offence.

Worse is coming, as according to international economists who are monitoring Malaysia openly state that the country’s fundamentals have weakened considerably, which has been countered by Bank Negara who says that Malaysia’s national debt which is close to RM 600 billion is “moderate.”

This is why it is crucial and critical not only to get Najib out and salvage the country but to ensure the deadwood in government and Barisan Nasional are removed. The only way forward is a top down spring cleaning of the country’s administrative system.

The 1.6 million-strong civil service is plagued by red tape and growing bureaucracy that is a hindrance to greater economic growth. This is why most Malaysians loathe and hate having to deal with the authorities as they are often being pushed to grease the palms of officials to get things done.

Restoring public confidence

The mind set of most Malaysians of the BN government appear to be the same and the rakyat generally see and accept the fact that corruption has become a way of life. This should not be so and Malaysians should not give way to corruption.

Public perception of the government on corruption is at its lowest ebb and Malaysians generally feel that the 1MDB saga is actually the tip of the iceberg on mismanagement and corruption. They feel if there is a real and comprehensive audit done by the Public Accounts Committee and the Auditor-General’s office then many other civil servants will be hauled up for corruption and mismanagement.

This is why Malaysia is now fast becoming a basket case and therefore it is imperative that moves to oust Najib take on a more serious and determined manner so as to ensure that the government of this country will be free of the corrupt and the inept.

And the sooner this is done, the better will it be for the country in a free and fair 14th GE which needs to be called as soon as possible to give the mandate to forming a new government. But if Najib survives this crisis, Malaysia is set to go on to become a failed state. That’s for sure. - MAILBAG

Kadir: 1MDB digging one hole to cover another

Kadir Jasin questions the need to close down the company if everything is smelling sweet like roses.

KUALA LUMPUR: The latest move by 1MDB to accept billions from so-called Middle East partners, wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, can be likened to digging a hole (borrowing) to cover another hole (repaying loans).

Whether 1MDB was going to be wound up, or restructured, warns a veteran newsman, it would not reduce the company’s debt burden.

“Those who were responsible for creating 1MDB, especially Najib Abdul Razak, must be held accountable,” said Kadir Jasin, a former New Straits Times Group Editor in Chief in his latest blog posting. “Najib is not only Prime Minister but Finance Minister and Chairman of the 1MDB Advisory Board.”

“The investigation into the affairs of 1MDB must be continued.”

In saying praise to God, Kadir disclosed that he had obtained “information from roadside peddlers who are close to members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that much confidential information has been obtained by it”.

“The information was even more damaging than what we already know.”

There’s a possibility, he added, that more local banks and financial institutions have been exposed to the 1MDB debt crisis, and this includes an institution related to financing export and import. “It’s being rumoured that a cheque for several hundred million ringgit changed hands.”

Kadir, continuing, said it was the 1MDB debt crisis being larger than what’s publicly known, the reason for the company’s CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy to meet with strong Najib-supporter Barisan Nasional Back Benchers Club Chairman (BNBBC) Chairman Shahrir Samad and reportedly Media Adviser Paul Stadlen. “This was at a time when Arul Kanda was supposed to be overseas on an important assignment. The overseas engagement was the reason that Arul Kanda couldn’t turn up for the PAC hearing on 1MDB.”

Kadir was also commenting, in his blog posting, on the report that 1MDB would be wound up.

He wonders why the company should be wound up since 1MDB Chairman Lodin bin Wok Kamaruddin had earlier sworn that the company’s business model was good, it had many assets, it was being managed well, the auditors had given it a clean bill of health, no one was cheating, Jho Low had no connections with it, no commissions amounting to billions had been paid out, and no monies were missing.

“Surely, it cannot be because of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and certain bloggers with information picked up by the roadside, raising questions, that Najib wants to close down 1MDB, asked Kadir. “We have to direct this question at the Cabinet spokesman on 1MDB, 2nd Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.”

“It’s not known whether he has the authority of the Cabinet to act as its spokesman on 1MDB.”

However, according to the MCA-owned The Star, 1MDB would be closed down early next year, noted Kadir. “If the company was being closed down, why make plans for Abu Dhabi interests to pump in USD4.5 billion (RM16.4 billion) into 1MDB to help it repay some of its RM42 billion debt?”

He pointed out that two of the Middle East partners are International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC) and its subsidiary Aabar Investments, both “business partners” of Jho Low with 1MDB.

He finds it impossible to believe that the two Middle East firms would pump in RM16.4 billion into 1MDB without getting their proverbial “pound of flesh”. “It seems that they want shares and not security,” said Kadir. “They are probably eyeing Edra Energy, 1MDB’s power asset.”

According to information obtained by the roadside, Kadir conceded, IPIC/Aabar would get 49 per cent of Edra Energy when it’s listed or when it’s sold.”

The newsman hastened to add that no one should think that the RM16.4 billion was part of the missing billions mentioned by Mahathir. “It would not be the done thing.”

NAJIB ASKS HIS CABINET MEMBERS NOT WITH HIM TO RESIGN

On Friday the Prime Minister gave the entire cabinet a chance to distance themselves from 1MDB and show that they do not support the Prime Minister by resigning. But not a single cabinet member did that, not even Shafie Apdal.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

1MDB bought some properties for just under RM2 billion. Since many are not too happy that 1MDB had acquired non-income-generating assets using borrowed funds — and hence is not giving 1MDB any cash flow — 1MDB intends to hive off those assets by breaking them into smaller and independent entities.

On Friday, Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah presented 1MDB’s plan to the Cabinet. This exercise may actually give 1MDB a profit of between RM5-8 billion. In other words, 1MDB would not be losing money on the deal, as what many people want to hear.

Tony Pua, DAP’s National Publicity Secretary, however, is outraged and calls it “daylight robbery”. He feels it is immoral — although not illegal — for 1MDD to be making so much profit. Tony Pua was foaming at the mouth when he thought that 1MDB was losing money and now he is also foaming at the mouth because 1MDB will be making money after all.

Tony Pua also accused 1MDB of borrowing money from Middle Eastern ‘loan sharks’. He was referring to the first payment of US$1 billion that 1MDB received with a few more billions to come. The Middle Eastern investors are not lending 1MDB any money but are actually investing in Malaysia, just like the Chinese from China are investing in Penang.

1MDB president and group executive director Arul Kanda Kandasamy said, “Further to the Ministry of Finance’s statement on 29 May, we have noted with concern claims from certain quarters suggesting that the US$1 billion payment from the IPIC of Abu Dhabi is a loan, or involves 1MDB assuming further debt.”

“That is absolutely not the case. This is a business transaction; not a loan, not any kind of debt and not a bail out. It is an initial payment as part of a broader agreement to comprehensively address the various financial asset and liability transactions between IPIC, Aabar and 1MDB, further details of which will be announced in due course.”

It appears that it is wrong to lose money and it is wrong to make money, and it is also wrong when you cannot attract foreign investments and wrong when you can attract foreign investments.

The long and the short of it would be: never mind what you do, the opposition will still not be happy and will find fault with everything you do. This is not exactly what we had in mind back in 2008 when we said that Malaysia needs a strong opposition that can keep the government in check.

The trouble is the Malaysian public swallows distorted information and misinformation hook, line and sinker without verifying the facts first. It is so easy to spin a story to make the public believe that what you are stating is the gospel and not a pack of lies. It appears even Tun Dr Mahathir has become a victim of this game of red herring.

I suppose when you dislike or hate someone it is so easy to believe any negative thing being said about that person even if what is being said is not true. You would like to believe it is true because you dabble in wishful thinking.

I was told that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is playing a game of cat and mouse with his critics and detractors. According to his inner circle, Najib can easily reply to the many allegations against him — even regarding the money in the Cayman Islands and Singapore — but is purposely not doing so. He wants to allow them to rant, rave, scream and foam at the mouth and once the PAC has come out with its report he is going to counter everything they say and make them eat all their words.

Dr Mahathir used to do precisely the same thing. His critics would whack him and he would keep quiet. Even when the press asked him whether what was being said is true or not he would ask them to go ask those making the allegations since it was they who made the allegation.

And then when his detractors have nothing more to say — sudah habis modal, as the Malays would say — Dr Mahathir would come out and shoot back and silence everyone. We used to say that Dr Mahathir is very dangerous when he keeps quiet because that means he is main ulur tali (giving you enough rope to hang yourself, in English).

Anyway, after Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah presented the Ministry of Finance’s plan for 1MDB to the Cabinet on Friday, Najib looked at all the Cabinet members and asked them who were not with him. Those not with him can tender their resignation and walk out the door.

Nobody spoke. Most looked down at their shoes as if they suddenly needed to check whether their shoes were clean or not. A couple glanced at Shafie Apdal as if to say, “Well, since you are not with the PM are you going to resign and leave?” But not a single cabinet member said he or she does not agree with the 1MDB plan or are not with the PM and would like to resign from the cabinet.

So let us see what they say now. That they do not know what is going on? That they do not know what is happening in 1MDB? That they have not been informed about the affairs of 1MDB? That they do not agree with 1MDB? That they are not with the Prime Minister?

On Friday the Prime Minister gave the entire cabinet a chance to distance themselves from 1MDB and show that they do not support the Prime Minister by resigning. But not a single cabinet member did that, not even Shafie Apdal.