The Business Executive and the Politician.

When I was working for an international oil company, we executives were the subject of jokes by the old timers and seasoned veterans. 

Said in Kedah slang, one joke would go like this.

These people- they come back from America, they think they are very cleva, smoke there smoke hiya, they spoil the atmosfiya. 

Now that I have entered politics, I really think business executives think they are so cleva. Too cleva sometimes. They think all politicians are dolts and dummkopfs. 

After several repeat readings on the literature about 1MDB and the PAC Report, I feel we have only barely touched the surface of the issue. To unravel the serpentine machinations by those involved in 1MDB  require the minds of Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi combined. Fortunately we have many talented and agile minds. 
Many things were not told or concealed from us. In this article, I am electing to use some profanities. Those who are prudish are encouraged not to read.I apologise beforehand.

The business executives who are appointed to office by political masters don’t give a fuck about politicians. These high-nosed executives think politicians are bungling oafs interested only in positions, wealth, titles and women.

Perhaps business executives appointed to high office( there are many in celcom, axiata, khazanah, glcs) must have been accustomed only in dealing with the passable cikgu types, the ex kemas inspectors, vernacular school ustazs and the like. These are chosen by UMNO.

So when Shahrol Azral, a product of a prestigious American university was instructed to stop taking up the IMTN by the bungling politicians, he simply ignored them. He went ahead in appointing Ambank as the lead manager. Ambank of course was paid RM11 million.

He couldn’t care two hoots or a rat’s ass about what the owners of TIA were unhappy about. He was its CEO and also one of the 3 directors. He, a Terengganu Princess and CEO of Tabung Haji Ismee Ismail. Three of them were the early directors of TIA.

He went ahead despite being told by the owners of TIA to hold on. He merely told people the train has left or it had to go on because it was a bought deal basis- whatever that means. To me, it meant, the TIA owners were fucking late but more so, Shahrol Azral didn't fucking care.

Because of this insolence, he was removed as director. The Terengganu princess resigned from the board. So on the crucial date of 27th may 2009, the only remaining board member of TIA was Ismee Ismail. But Ismee together with Shahrol signed a resolution authorising and permitting shahrol to go ahead with taking up the IMTN. On the same day, Ismee Ismail reappointed Shahrol as director of TIA.

Obviously Ismee also doesn’t give a fuck about the political masters of TIA. The gravy train has left the station.

At this point, readers may ask under what authority did Ismee Ismail reappoint Shahrol? He wasn’t the owner of TIA. I would have thought the owners of the business have the authority to appoint board members.Shahrol was already removed as director yet he signed. This is the man who was asked to run 1MDB.

The man who reappointed him, was running Tabung Haji then and still is. He sure as hell doesn't fucking care about its chairman who is a politician and a serving MP.

How did Shahrol explain his brazenness to go ahead with the IMTN? He said he only answers to the shareholders of TIA. His action was in accordance to article 117 of the MnA of TIA. Who were the shareholders and owners of TIA?  The MB, Sultan?

Next comes the more telling part. Asked why the IMTN must be hurried, Shahrol says the urgency was at the behest of special advisors to the TIA. They needed the money to develop Pulau Bidong.

Who were the special advisors? I thought because it was under the patronage of HRH Sultan Terengganu, it ought to be his Majesty. It turned out, the two special advisors to TIA were Dato Abdul Aziz bin Mohd Akher and Low Taek JHo.

Abdul Aziz may have ceased functioning after MOF took over TIA in July 2009, but Jho Low continued to play an active part in wheelin’, profilin’ and stylin with the money he was to get from 1MDB.
By September 2009, TIA morphed into 1MDB. It has become 1 Malaysia Dalam Bencana.