Zahid, ‘ransom’ or ‘donation’, it’s still the same

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YOURSAY | ‘If one can lie about RM2.6b, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised about this RM12m.’

Zahid: RM12m raised by kin given to Filipino Islamic body

FellowMalaysian: DPM and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tells us the hostages' families had managed to raise RM12 million and this was paid not as ransom but to an Islamic body in the Philippines which is not linked to terrorism nor crime.

The DPM is expecting us to believe that the relatives are super rich and raising millions was a breeze, and that there are 'organisations' in the Philippines which are true to Islamic struggles but parley with the kidnappers and abductors, and which upon receiving the RM12 million 'donation' from the Malaysian authorities purportedly only to be used for Islamic upliftment activities, has miraculously managed to 'persuade and convince' the kidnappers into releasing the four victims without having paid them any money from the RM12 million raised?

And the DPM talked with a straight face before issuing a public statement 'clarifying' the circumstances as to what led to the confusion. Zahid expects us to believe his story as to him, Malaysians are gullible and will accept anything he said.

Kuasa Rakyat: In Malaysia, the word ‘donation’ is a very popular word. It is almost certain that the Abu Sayyaf group collected the ‘donation’ from the so-called Islamic body, which received the ‘donation’ from Malaysia.

Kawak: If the Islamic body has nothing to do with the kidnappers, how come the victims were released after payment?

This is a play on words. Is interest on loan the same as profit-sharing dividends on loans given out? In substance, the money was paid to secure the release. You can call it ransom or donation. It is the same.

Anonymous S303: The Filipino Islamic body should return this blood money as there is no reason for them to have such money.

The contributors certainly did not intend for the money to be paid over to such a “body in the Philippines which assists in an Islamic struggle” and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) did not have such a mandate to ‘donate’ to an Islamic body?

What about the RM1 million obtained from family members mortgaging their property. The Philippine government should check on this as it is a mode of ‘financing terrorism’ under their money-laundering law.

Jasper: Why is the entity that received the money not named?

If the police decided not to pay the ransom, were they authorised to give it to another entity that has no relationship with the Abu Sayyaf group? Should the money not have been returned to the donors?

Worried Sick: If what Zahid said is true - that the government gave the RM12 million to an 'Islamic body' in the Philippines - it will be interesting to watch what will happen if the families concerned were to sue the government in a court of law for the return of the money.

However, if the families are themselves accomplices in the matter, then Zahid is just playing a game of words.

The Analyser: Of course, it wasn't a ransom. In fact, the Abu Sayyaf men knew nothing about the donation, right? They just returned the fishermen to Sarawak out of the goodness of their Islamic hearts, being Ramadan and all that.

By the way, did you get a receipt from the anonymous ‘Islamic body’ in the Philippines? The donors might need that for taxation purposes.

I guess the next move will be for the anonymous Islamic body to send out more 'missionaries' to Sabah to convert a few more highly priced Chinese fishermen to their cause.

Watchdog: Were the hostages Muslims? If not, isn't this ‘haram’ money to be received by an Islamic charity?

Amateur: The police spokesperson in the Philippines said Abu Sayyaf outsources the role of ‘targeting victim’, ‘kidnapping’ and ‘ransom negotiations’.

Logically, the Islamic organisation allegedly receiving the RM12 millions must be linked to them.

RM2.6 Billion Turkey Haram: If it is true, well and good. But, what is feared is that the story might be another fiction.

As Zahid has said, the Islamic body has no terrorist link and as such a legal one in Philippines. Since, it is a legal body, why isn't the name of the body revealed?

Secondly, transferring so much money to another country might infringe the host country's currency laws. So were the relevant authorities in the Philippines informed and permission granted before giving such a huge sum?

Lastly, Zahid claimed that the money would help the Islamic body in its struggle. Now, struggle against what? If it is a struggle against the Philippines, wouldn't that money amount to interfering with the country's affairs?

Malaysia888: If one can lie about RM2.6 billion, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised when it comes to this RM12 million.

Vijay47: If JK Rowling wrote a story with a plot line a tenth of what Zahid comes out with, the world would have laughed her out of town.

And here we have the deputy prime minister dishing out a fable that money raised to free kidnap victims were donated for some Islamic group "which assists in an Islamic struggle".

This completely defies logic or the intelligence of a cow. If the funds raised were no longer needed, they should have been returned to the donors. Were the families consulted?

Gaji Buta: Which country can produce increasingly incredible news on a daily basis? On Wednesday, it was Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos ‘rescuing’ Chinese fishermen and now, this.

Stay tuned for the next release of 'Amazing Tales' by Umno. Popcorn already on standby. - Mkini