MIRANDA KERR OR NOT, NAJIB HAS TO FIND US$600MIL TO PAY IPIC BY END OF JULY – WHERE WILL HE ‘STEAL’ FROM NEXT?

Someone sent me this;

The leading story in the Times Newspaper today has offered the Malaysian Prime Minister, 1MDB and their admittedly limited group of enthusiastic supporters the perfect opportunity to prove their various denials by putting them to the test in court.

The paper leads with the headline “Supermodel surrenders £6million jewels’ and then introduces the UK public across a full page story to the essentials of the 1MDB theft.
“Gifts are suspected to have been bought with stolen Malaysian funds”, the paper begins detailing the gifts also to Leo DiCaprio, the Picassos and Jho Low’s super yacht. This is all, of course, old news to Malaysian readers of online news, however Malaysians are also aware that the Prime Minister, the fund and his government are all denying any of this is true.

They have accused the United States Department of Justice of being in a ‘political conspiracy’ against Najib and have accused journalists like Sarawak Report of being agitators, spies, collaborators and all the rest.
They even dismiss the detailed 251 page court document showing the exact money trails by which the 1MDB money was stolen by Jho Low, then went into gifts and bank accounts belonging to Najib, his wife and their celebrity contacts, as ‘showing no proof’.

So far it has been Najib and his supporters who have been remarkably unable to produce any evidence to back their far-fetched excuses, compared to the overwhelming and devastating documentation by US and other foreign investigators.

In fact, the replacement AG’s refusal to cooperate, his refusal to investigate and now his pretence that no one has asked him to do either has been a stunning tacit admission of guilt on the part of his de facto boss, Najib.
Today the PM propaganda unit Jasa even blethered that Miranda Kerr should have handed the jewels back to Jho Low on the basis they had not been bought with stolen money…. without providing a shred of evidence, once more, for such a wild claim.

At the end of next month Najib has to find over $600 million to pay IPIC as a first installment of what Malaysia has been forced by court action to admit 1MDB owes. Laughably he pretends he is going to get this from money he pretends still exists in 1MDB’s own bank accounts, even though the combined investigations and court actions of the US and Singapore have demonstrated there isn’t a penny there.

Bankers are serving jail sentences in Singapore having admitted that fact and their own complicity in the thefts.
Malaysians will be treated to a ridiculous farce as Najib will have to raise the money from the Treasury, or taxes or borrowing (or stealing behind the scenes from other public companies and sell offs) and then lie that it is coming from 1MDB.

Unless, of course, he bites the bullet and takes The Times to court for joining the conspiracy of lies. In fact, there are numerous papers he could sue, since they have all covered the case – he can take his pick.

He didn’t do very well in the arbitration process, however, which he plainly lost completely. He would lose in the London Court as well, given he plainly has no evidence to back up nonsense.

So Najib will keep his head down and hope Malaysians will continue to put up with their Thieving Clown Prime Minister.

– http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.my

CONCEITED NAJIB PLOTTED TO REMOVE 7 CHIEF MINISTERS, SIDELINE ZAHID, KU NAN & ANNUAR MUSA: BUT HE FAILED. NOW THEY ARE PLOTTING TO GET RID OF HIM

As the first half of 2017 draws to a close, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is probably regretting the strategic overreach he has committed. At the moment, he and his wife Rosmah Mansor are reportedly holidaying with a large entourage in Bali and Perth, which is probably a half-yearly retreat to re-assess the political scene with his advisers.

This year began with Najib believing he was invincible and “unsinkable” (as The Diplomat magazine describes him), that the opposition is in shambles, and that arch-rivals Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim would not be able to reconcile to form a formidable team against him. It looked like they would not pose an electoral threat to BN.

He also believed that the de facto “coalition” with Abdul Hadi Awang’s PAS was sufficient to deliver victories to Umno and BN through planted three-corner fights.

Najib was confident that the economy would be in a better shape through the general expansion of exports as well as deals with China.

Everything was perfect for him. The plan was to dissolve Parliament in September or October.

Plan to remove senior leaders

Najib was so confident that, according to some Umno sources, he planned to drop some menteris besar, chief ministers and senior Umno ministers, including up to seven menteris besar and chief ministers in the next general election.

It has long been rumoured that Perak MB Zambry Abdul Kadir, who assumed office after the Perak coup in 2009, will be moved to federal.

Negeri Sembilan MB Mohamad Hasan, in office since 2004, is a great survivor as he was rumoured to have been shown the door even as early as 2008. Pahang MB Adnan Yaakob, in office since 1999, told friends that he was not sure if he would be fielded again.

Kedah MB Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah is not an inspired leader, while Terengganu politics under MB Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman is in a mess, and Perlis MB Azlan Man is not Najib’s choice.

Those considerations are not new.

But the signs of Najib’s strategic overreach and hubris manifested in the attempt to change Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, Johor MB Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron.

Musa Aman and his brother Anifah Aman resisted Najib’s move by attempting to force a Sabah state election. The tussle came to a head in February when Anifah was rumoured to have resigned as Foreign Minister and The Star published an exclusive report of the possibility of the separate poll.

Khaled Nordin’s selection as Johor MB in the 2013 general election was due more to the Sultan’s choice rather than being Najib’s ally. In the initial period after Muhyiddin Yassin was sacked from the cabinet at the height of Najib’s 1MDB “Donation-gate” in July 2015, Khaled was seen trying to distance himself from the prime minister. I was told that Khaled asked aides to look into the possibility of a separate state poll.

My friends in Umno are of the view that recent MACC activities in Johor and Malacca are related to the attempt to move Khaled and Idris to federal and replace them with a new set of leaders who would be more loyal to Najib.

Najib also attempted to sideline Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Umno Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Mansor and veteran Annuar Musa.

The peak of Najib’s strategic overreach was the appointment of his cousin and Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein as Special Functions Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in April. From Najib’s camp, the appointment was meant to clip Zahid’s wings and to prepare Hishammuddin for post-GE Umno party election.

Najib’s great flaws

The fundamental flaw with the strategy is that Najib is the problem, not the solution. Najib’s popularity among the voters is at a historic low and unlikely to recover.

Time is not on Najib’s side. His momentum was stopped from May onwards. The mishandling of the Bandar Malaysia deal, the Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGV) fiasco and the United States’ Department of Justice (DOJ) suit on 1MDB further weakened his position.

For Bandar Malaysia, Najib thought he could replace Chinese investor China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) with another Chinese investor, Dalian Wanda Group Co Ltd, to fetch a much higher price without understanding the nuances of the Chinese political economy.

Wanda is a private enterprise which has to seek government approval for its foreign investment, while Malaysia’s snub of state-owned CREC is a slap in the face of the Chinese government.

China’s government is now taking a wait-and-see approach towards Najib’s government as a trust deficit creeps in, and Najib is seen as weaker than previously thought. Major deals are unlikely to take effect until after the next general election.

The FGV fiasco threatens not just elite cohesion, but may seriously dent Umno’s survival in the next general election. A 15 percent swing of Malay support across the board could result in Umno-BN losing up to 40 seats in the Peninsula alone, thus losing power.

The opposition is not strong yet, but grudgingly, the forces aligned to Mahathir and Anwar are trying to find a way to co-exist and reconcile. Once full realignment takes place, Pakatan Harapan has the possibility of being seen as the better-governing coalition.

Umno’s alliance with PAS is resisted by BN parties in Sabah and Sarawak, and even some Umno and PAS grassroots leaders are unhappy with the collaboration. Kelantan Umno leaders still think they can defeat the PAS state government, hence there shall be no deal with PAS at the state level.

The third and current DOJ civil suit brings national attention back to Najib and Rosmah. The US$27 million pink diamond necklace easily puts “the wife of MO1” ahead of Imelda Marcos’s excesses.

The revelations by The New York Times in March 2015 of 1MDB’s corrupt deals, The Wall Street Journal in July 2015 of the US$681 million “donation” into Najib’s personal account, and DOJ’s first civil suit in July 2016 have eroded Najib’s authority each time.

Time is running out for Najib

Najib was previously saved by the support of Umno warlords, particularly the division heads, and his grip over various institutions such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

But Najib’s strategic overreach in the first half of 2017 backfired and alienated Umno bigwigs who propped him up in the previous occasions. His reputation as “unsinkable” may now see the sword of Damocles over his head.

Najib may just be one or two mess-ups away from an internal revolt.

LIEW CHIN TONG is Kluang MP

Outsmart criminals, never write your address on luggage tags

Aviation expert says travellers can become unwitting drug mules as pedlars can stash goods in their bags and later go to their homes to collect the items.

PETALING JAYA: An aviation expert has warned travellers not to write their address on luggage tags as this could give opportunities to criminals to secretly stash drugs or stolen items in the bags and later go to their homes to claim them.

Captain Mohd Harridon Suffian said the US Department of State had advised its citizens not to reveal information such as their home address or landline numbers as this could lead to them being stalked.

“Various forms of criminal activities could arise from one’s address being on the luggage. Landlines can be searched to reveal one’s address.

“This is in contrast to mobile numbers which are much more tedious to detect information from,” he told FMT.

He was responding to a WhatsApp message being circulated among groups cautioning travellers not to include their home address on their luggage tags. It warned that drug pedlars and other criminals could easily stash their goods in the bags.

“If you clear immigration, they will go to your house. If you fail immigration check, (then) say goodbye to freedom as you will be sitting behind bars,” the message said.

In Malaysia, drug trafficking is a capital offence.

In a recent case in 2016, a Vietnamese woman escaped the gallows after the Federal Court overturned the death sentence imposed on her by the Court of Appeal for drug trafficking.

Klong K’Djoanh was instead told to serve the 18-year jail sentence previously handed down by the High Court.

She was charged with trafficking 2,249g of methamphetamine but maintained her innocence, claiming the drugs were planted in her bag.

The message suggested that instead of labelling their luggage with a home address, travellers could use their contact number and email address.

It said airlines could then call or email travellers if their luggage went missing.

The message also advised travellers against leaving boarding passes in plane seat pockets as these bear the passengers’ full name and other details which could be stolen.

Harridon said boarding passes which contain QR codes are a potential goldmine for information such as the passenger’s address.

“Due to that, it is best to dispose of the boarding pass appropriately,” he added. -FMT

Malaysia Airlines screens prayers before take-off

National carrier says the practice of displaying a prayer for 15 seconds has been observed since 2014.

PETALING JAYA: National carrier Malaysia Airlines says a prayer is displayed on its in-flight entertainment screen on all commercial flights prior to take-off.

Its corporate communications department said this had been the airline’s practice since 2014.

“It is displayed for 15 seconds. We have the prayer displayed on all the screens on all our aircraft before take-off,” the department’s spokesperson told FMT in a message over WhatsApp.

FMT had also contacted low-cost carriers AirAsia and Firefly on the issue. Both responded by saying they did not want to comment on the matter.

They were asked to respond to media reports quoting Federal Territories mufti Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri who had proposed that all local airlines begin their flights with a prayer.

According to a Malaysiakini report, Zulkifli had said Muslims are encouraged to say a prayer before embarking on a journey to ensure smooth and safe travel.

He said it was a good practice that should be promoted.

“As such, we sincerely propose that airlines in Malaysia, such as Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Malindo and Firefly, begin their journeys with a prayer,” he was quoted as saying.

The report said several Arab airlines such as Saudi Air, Etihad and Qatar Airways play a pre-recorded prayer before take-off.

The issue came to the fore after an AirAsia X pilot reportedly asked passengers on board flight D7237 to pray when the plane faced engine problems on June 25.

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim criticised the pilot’s move, saying it could have caused more anxiety among passengers.

However, Zaid was in turn criticised by several quarters, many of whom said there was nothing wrong in asking the passengers to pray.

Flight D7237 was bound for Kuala Lumpur from Perth when it encountered technical problems which reportedly caused the aircraft to shake “like a washing machine”, as described by some passengers.

The flight turned back to Perth 90 minutes after take-off.

Ivy Chong contributed to this article. -FMT

Bernas denies announcing new prices for rice

Sabah Bernas gets directive from Bernas managing director to sue the individual responsible for the viral message on social media.

KOTA KINABALU: Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) today denied announcing to Sabah rice wholesalers new prices of rice, as alleged in a viral message on social media.

Sabah Bernas general manager Jasnih Daya said any change in the prices would be conveyed by the Bernas headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to the Sabah Bernas office.

“So far, there has been no directive on the matter,” he said in a statement through WhatsApp.

Jasnih said Sabah Bernas had received a directive from the Bernas managing director to sue the individual responsible for issuing such a statement.

The viral message had quoted the Sabah Bernas chairman as saying the price of the 10kg bag had gone up by RM1 and the 5kg bag by 50 sen. -FMT

What about the RM3 billion Mahathir gave you, Ling?

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Today, Dr Ling Liong Sik today said he never received any funds from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his tenure as MCA president, adding that the Chinese-based party was capable of sourcing its own funds. “We were rich enough to use the money we earned to mobilise our political activities,” said Ling.

That is not entirely true. Ling became the MCA President in September 1986 during the recession and a year later, in October 1987, ‘Black Monday’ occurred, the day stock markets all over the world collapsed. Many of the Chinese cooperatives, which were set up by MCA leaders and supporters, faced bankruptcy and MCA turned to Mahathir for help. Mahathir then arranged for a RM3 million bailout package for those Chinese cooperatives in dire straits, equivalent to RM8 billion today.

The Malay Chamber of Commerce was outraged and went to meet Mahathir to confront him. To pacify the Malays, Mahathir asked Bank Negara to set up a TPU (Tabung Pemulihan Usahawan) with a fund of RM500 million. Mahathir promised the Malay Chamber that if RM500 million is not enough he will increase it. The eventual amount came to RM560 million.

Ling should not pretend that Mahathir gave MCA nothing when he was the party President. Mahathir arranged RM3 billion for MCA because Ling told him if the government does not bail out the Chinese, they will abandon MCA and vote DAP. So, to make sure that MCA does not lose their seats to DAP, Mahathir helped them with RM3 billion. Maybe Ling forgot about this or he thinks we may have forgotten. - thethirdforce.net

SHAKEN MAHATHIR CONFESSES GUILT TO CLARE BROWN

The irony about this whole thing is when Mahathir first met Clare in 2015 it was to plan how to put Najib in jail. This time it is to discuss how to keep Mahathir out of jail. How the table has turned and the hunter has become the hunted. And Mahathir knows that not being convicted is not an option. The only option is how to make sure that his jail term is spent under house arrest.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

While most Malaysians were eating rendang and ketupat last weekend, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in London with his entire family, grandchildren included. Malaysia was getting too hot (metaphorically-speaking) so Mahathir needed to cool down a bit. Unfortunately, though, UK was experiencing a heatwave (literally-speaking) and this month was the hottest June in 40 years.

For the first time in a very long time Mahathir took a commercial flight to the UK and did not fly in his private jet because it is imperative he creates an impression he is not rich: so how could he have stolen RM30 billion of Bank Negara’s or the Rakyat’s money?

Anyway, Mahathir’s trip to the UK was more than just the need to get away from the heat in Malaysia or to cool down. It was also to meet Clare Rewcastle Brown of Sarawak Report. Mahathir suspects that the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Bank Negara Malaysia’s US$10 billion forex losses is not going to turn out well for him.

And this is why Lim Kit Siang wants the investigation and subsequent report by the Special Task Force to be made public. Kit Siang and Mahathir have discussed this — in this matter Kit Siang and Mahathir are like Siamese Twins so if one dies the other dies as well. Kit Siang needs to know what is going to happen so that he can figure out what they need to do to save Mahathir (which means saving Kit Siang and Pakatan Harapan as well).

Mahathir knows he has committed a crime and he also knows that this time he is not going to escape that easily like in the many cases before this. He cannot say he has forgotten the details, or that nothing has been proven, or that there is no evidence of any crime, or that losing money is ‘normal’ in business, etc., like how he had responded many times in the past.

This time there is evidence. Bank Negara did lose US$10 billion and there are documents and testimonies of ex-Bank Negara senior officers to prove this. So there is no doubt about that. And what is even more disturbing is that not all the US$10 billion was lost gambling. Some of it was syphoned out and disguised as forex losses.

READ MORE HERE: Mahathir and Daim lied about the forex losses

Then there are the Cabinet papers that prove the Cabinet was informed that the loss was just RM5.7 billion when actually it was RM30 billion. On top of that, they told the Cabinet that the loss was only ‘deferred expenditure’ and ‘unrealised losses’.  Although the Cabinet papers are classified, the RCI has the power to obtain any document or file that it needs even how highly classified they may be.

So that is the second crime they committed.

Mahathir met Clare to discuss their strategy in ensuring that Mahathir does not get sent to jail and at worst suffers house arrest

Further to that, they lied to Parliament. In 1993 they told Parliament that the story about Bank Negara losing a lot of money gambling on the forex market is a lie and mere opposition propaganda. In 1994 they told Parliament that Bank Negara had, indeed, lost some money gambling on the forex market but it was just a small loss and a paper loss on top of that. So no money was actually paid out.

And that constitutes the third crime.

One crime in itself is a very serious crime but all three combined means they are going to throw the book at Mahathir and probably sentence him to 44 years in jail like what happened to ex-Burmese Prime Minister Khin Nyunt (whose 38 underlings received jail sentences of between 20 years to more than 100 years per person).

READ MORE HERE: Mahathir’s money-laundering operation

Mahathir knows he has lost and the hunter is now the hunted so it is a matter of time for the axe to fall

And this is what troubles Mahathir. He swore that he was going all out to topple Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and is not going to rest until Najib has been kicked out. This was a fight to the death with only one person walking away and the other carried away in a coffin. That is what Mahathir declared so that is what is going to happen.

Of course, when Mahathir said that in early 2015 he thought that Najib would be history by July — and then October and then December. But that is more than two years ago and even Mahathir and Pakatan Harapan have grudgingly admitted that Najib has become stronger since two years ago rather than weaker.

Mahathir made his bed so he must now lie in it. And this has frightened Mahathir. Mahathir’s son, Mokhzani, spoke to one of Najib’s Boffin Boys to ask whether they are serious about putting the old man in jail. Mokhzani said the family has been discussing this and is very worried. They feel Mahathir has gone beyond the point of no return and there is no longer any turning back. But they do not want Mahathir to end up in jail as the old man would never be able to endure that and would probably die.

Mahathir spent Hari Raya in the UK with his entire family in what may be his last Hari Raya as a free man

Mahathir knows that this time he is going to meet his end. The writings are already on the wall. The long arm of the law is creeping up on him and his last tango is inevitable. There is no longer any question of if but when. And Mahathir knows he will not be the only victim. In such a situation your entire family takes the fall together with you.

And this is what Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Ali is most concerned about. Her husband is already about to expire so the end is not long in coming anyway. It is merely the manner of his departure. But her children and grandchildren still have a long way to go and they are more dear to her than her own life. So while Siti Hasmah can endure the fate that is about to befall her husband, she just cannot reconcile to the reality that her entire family is going to go down with the ship.

Well, that is what happens when you play with fire: you get burned. Siti Hasmah should have checked her husband at the early stage and before Mahathir crossed the Rubicon. Once your cross the Rubicon you either win or die. Those are the only two options open to you.

Mokhzani spoke to one of Najib’s Boffin Boys to ask whether they are going to send Mahathir to jail and revealed that the family is very worried

That was why Mahathir came out with his blog posting yesterday saying that Najib is going to arrest the opposition leaders just before the next general election. Mahathir is expecting the general election around the first quarter of next year, after the RCI completes its investigation and report regarding Bank Negara’s US$10 billion forex loss.

Mahathir already knows what that report is going to say. So he knows he is a dead man walking. Hence he wants to preempt his imminent arrest by saying that Najib is going to arrest the opposition leaders before the next general election. Then, when they do arrest him, he can say he had already warned that this was going to happen months ago and that his arrest is politically-motivated.

Mahathir will do what Anwar Ibrahim did and is still doing. Anwar claims he is a victim of political persecution and has been declared a Prisoner of Conscience by the west. Mahathir, too, will say he is a victim of political persecution and he hopes the west will also declare him a Prisoner of Conscience.

And that was why he spent Hari Raya in London. He wanted to discuss with Clare how Sarawak Report can help play up this issue. If it came from the west then it would carry more weight because white people are noble, sincere, honest, not self-interested, do not do things for money, etc.

Furthermore, Sarawak Report has been very successful in convincing naïve Malaysians that Najib stole RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money. So, if Sarawak Report can do that, then it can do anything: such as convince Malaysians that Mahathir did not steal RM30 billion of Bank Negara’s money and that the allegation is a lie and that he is a victim of political persecution.

This is what would be called ‘mission impossible’ and Mahathir wants Clare to take on this assignment. And to ‘clear his name’, Mahathir is prepared to spend RM50 million, which is cheap to stay out of jail.

Siti Hasmah’s main concern is: what is going to happen to their children once Mahathir is stuffed in jail?

Mahathir’s blog posting yesterday was actually Clare’s idea. She told Mahathir he must start talking about the so-called arrests of opposition leaders before the next general election — and he must say this not once but many times — so that by next year when they do arrest him most people will say it was expected, it is politically-motivated, and Mahathir had already warned them long ago it was going to happen.

The next thing is, even if Mahathir is charged, and found guilty, he has to make sure he stays out of jail and at worst suffer house arrest. So Mahathir has to start playing up his health issue. So, when they do finally find him guilty, he would be seen as too sick to be put in jail and if they do send him to jail he will die. So, on compassionate grounds, he has to just be put under house arrest.

The irony about this whole thing is when Mahathir first met Clare in 2015 it was to plan how to put Najib in jail. This time it is to discuss how to keep Mahathir out of jail. How the table has turned and the hunter has become the hunted. And Mahathir knows that not being convicted is not an option. The only option is how to make sure that his jail term is spent under house arrest.

Clare told Mahathir that they do have one last option. Considering the hundreds of millions that Mahathir has in the UK, he can apply to remain in the UK as an ‘investor’. Malaysia and the UK do not have any extradition treaty. Hence Malaysia cannot touch Mahathir and he can spend the rest of his days in ‘exile’ in the UK and enjoy his money and time with his family.

Teo: Subra must stop being 'evasive' on Najib's funding

MIC president Dr S Subramaniam and other BN parties that allegedly received political funding from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal accounts should stop burying their heads in the sand.

This is according to DAP Kulai parliamentarian Teo Nie Chieng, who said in a statement today that Subramaniam's response to this matter did not provide clarity.

Whistleblower site Sarawak Report had claimed that MIC received about RM19 million from Najib's personal accounts between 2012 and 2014.

Teo pointed out that Subramaniam (photo) did not deny that MIC received funding and he said that the money came from BN, and not directly from Najib’s personal accounts.

"His explanation does not bring any clarity, but creates more questions," she said.

"First of all, if the money came from BN, Subramaniam, as the president of one of the component parties of BN, must explain to the rakyat how BN raised the money to give to MCA and MIC.

"Secondly, if the money came from BN, how many signatories there were on the cheques? Subramaniam should produce a copy of the cheques to substantiate his claim.

"Thirdly, if the money belonged to BN, did BN submit its financial statements to ROS?" Teo asked.

Despite the latest exposure of fraud by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), she said, MIC and all BN component parties have been completely silent.

"DOJ alleges, with comprehensive records of emails, bank transfers and phone calls, that US$4.5 billion was misappropriated by high-level officials to finance their 'lavish lifestyles… at the expense and detriment of the Malaysian people'," she said.

"The nation is robbed. So why the deafening silence, if MIC and the rest of the BN component parties still care for the rakyat?" she added.

"Was the funding of RM19 million an exchange for MIC’s blind and unequivocal support for Najib? Have MIC and MCA sold their souls to the devil?" asked Teo, who is DAP assistant national publicity secretary.

"Subramaniam and all BN component parties should stop burying their heads in the sand. Tell the rakyat their stance on DOJ’s latest lawsuit. The rakyat need to know if they are people-first or Najib-first," she stressed.

Previously, Sarawak Report also claimed that Selangor MCA had received RM10 million, which could be linked to 1MDB.

DAP assemblyperson Lee Kee Hiong challenged MCA’s denial of this allegation, and she cited a 2015 interview in which former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek admitted that the party had received funds from the BN chairperson ahead of the last general election.

Chua has criticised the DAP for linking these two issues together.- Mkini

MP: Scrap moratorium, freeze bauxite export permits instead

PKR Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh has urged the Pahang government to freeze bauxite export permits, arguing the ongoing moratorium has only fueled illegal mining activities.

“There was a rise in the total stockpiles even though the moratorium was announced. This means there was illegal bauxite mining activity (during the moratorium period).

“My view is that the extension of this moratorium, using clearing stockpiles as an excuse, will further enable these illegal bauxite mining activities.

“Freeze all bauxite export permits until the mastermind involved in illegal mining can be identified and caught. Then the stockpiles can be cleared out,” she said in a statement today.

Bauxite stockpiles, 5.4million in November 2015, had increased to 5.8 million in June 2017, Fuziah added. The moratorium has been in effect since January 2016.

On Monday, 

Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob (photo) announced the existing moratorium would be extended yet again until after the next general election, stressing the decision was “not a political game” but for Pahang to receive assistance from the federal government to solve environmental problems caused by bauxite mining.

Fuziah, a fervent critic of bauxite mining, was unconvinced.

"This as an act of being two-faced with the rakyat. 

“They (the Pahang state government) say yes to the moratorium, while it says yes to illegal bauxite mining,” read her statement.

First imposed in January 2016 following exposés of the extensive environmental pollution caused by the trade, the original four-month moratorium has since been extended at least five times.

National Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar previously said the government was aware of the issue of illegal bauxite mining activities and agreed that actions needed to be taken.- Mkini

Electricity tariff to remain unchanged until year end

There will be no increase in electricity tariff from July 1 to Dec 31, 2017, said Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Maximus Johnity Ongkili.

Ongkili said the electricity tariff would be maintained at 1.52 sen per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in Peninsular Malaysia and 1.20sen/kWJ in Sabah and Labuan.

He said in order to maintain the tariff rebate, the government has to come up with a subsidy of RM1.30 billion due to rising coal prices to generate the electricity supply for Peninsular Malaysia.

“As for Sabah and Labuan, the subsidy is some RM468 million to accommodate the rising coal prices and the generation of electricity throughout 2017,” he told reporters in Kota Kinabalu today.

Ongkili said the rebate tariff for Sabah and Labuan was possible through the Medium Fuel Oil fuel and diesel subsidy and support subsidies by the federal government’s electricity tariff.

“The RM1.30 billion allocation for Peninsular Malaysia was by using the Power Purchase Agreement Savings Fund, a fund set-up to accumulate savings from the re-negotiation of power purchase agreements with the first-generation independent power producers,” he said.

Ongkili said the tariff rebate was applicable to all Tenaga Nasional Bhd consumers in Peninsular Malaysia and of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd in Sabah and Labuan.

He said the government has agreed to maintain an average electricity tariff at 38.53 sen/kWJ in the peninsula and 34.52 sen/kWJ for Sabah and Labuan.

The Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT), a mechanism approved by the government and implemented by the Energy Commission, has recorded an increase of 1.02sen/kWh.

“The increase in electricity supply was due to additional gas cost by RM1.50/mmBTU (one million British thermal units) to the power sector from the current RM21.20/mmBTU to RM22.70/mmBTU and the impact of foreign exchange rates on the ringgit.

“The increase has resulted in a surcharge of 1.02 sen/kWh for customers, which would be borne by the government,” he said.

Ongkili said the adjustment of electricity tariffs upon the fuel prices and imbalanced generation has enabled users to enjoy a RM5.40 billion rebate in Peninsular Malaysia from March 2015 to December 2017.

- Bernama