'Construction of country's tallest building to continue'

Slated to surpass the Petronas Twin Towers as the country’s tallest building, construction of the Merdeka PNB118 tower in the capital will continue despite the recent regime change.

This was said today by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) group chairperson Abdul Wahid Omar.

“Construction is in progress and it is now at 19 floors.

“About 16 percent of the tower is complete at this point,” he said at a “buka puasa” event for the media at PNB’s Perdana-On-The-Park hotel in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

The PNB118 tower is wholly-owned by PNB.

Before he was ousted, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had hailed the Merdeka PNB118 as a prospective “new landmark” for Kuala Lumpur.

The 118-storey skyscraper will rise an impressive 630 metres when completed in 2024. In comparison, the Petronas Twin Towers are each 451.9 metres.

Aside from being the tallest building nationwide, the tower will be the second tallest building in Asia and the fifth tallest in the world.

Located next to Stadium Merdeka close to the Bukit Bintang area, the first of three phases of the project began construction four years ago. Total cost is estimated to be RM5 billion.

PNB will occupy 60 office floors of the super-tower while 22 other floors will be open to rental by local and international companies.

Another 18 floors will be allocated for a luxury six-star rated hotel comprising 236 rooms.

The remaining 18 floors will house a sky lobby and observation decks. - Mkini

Khazanah announces Najib's resignation

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak has resigned as Khazanah Nasional chairperson effective today, the sovereign wealth fund said in a statement.

The announcement came just hours after Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng hinted that Najib should resign from Khazanah's board of directors.

It is unclear if Najib had tendered his resignation before or after Lim's prodding.

Previously, The Malaysian Reserve reported that Najib and two others, former second finance minister Johari Abdul Ghani, and former Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah, were still on the Khazanah board.

However, Khazanah clarified in its statement today that Irwan had resigned as of May 23 while Johari resigned yesterday.

Lim urging Najib to resign came after he was asked whether the latter would be removed from the sovereign wealth fund.

Meanwhile, Najib's brother, Nazir Abdul Razak, is still listed on Khazanah's website as a director and a member of its audit and risk committee. -Mkini

Sirul Azhar Umar…wither he goes?

GE14 has flushed out of the woodwork a few of Malaysia’s low life that we would rather forget.  Tony Fernades is the guy who started this “any one can be an Idiot” cavalcade that we now have to bear reluctant witness to. 

After Tony came Khairy Jamaluddin who shared with us what he DID NOT DO before GE14. He did not open his eyes to the dedak and the arrogance around him in Umno and BN. Here is the thing with KJ….when he himself is up close and personal and up to his armpit in the filth and dedak, it is hard for him to see the forest for the trees.

Then there was Rafizi Ramli. A Superstar of sorts before GE14 until he opened his mouth after GE14, and INVOKE or no INVOKE, he managed to put his foot in his mouth every time he opens it.  Now that upstart of a Superstar is fast losing his razzle and dazzle super fast!!!

And now comes that guy held in detention in Sydney trying have his day in the Idiot box. Yes the guy who never fails to say his prayer daily has started to work his magic quite like the medicine man in Jalan Chow Kit tries to work his magic to draw customers to the “medicine” he has to sell. 

Sirul fires his first salvo by telling the media that he wants to come home to Malaysia and tell the truth about the Altantuya muder. So far so good. We want him to do so. Mahathir wants him to do so a few years back – but now that the old man is prime minister, he has a few other things he must do first before Sirul case can make it pass Mahyuddin (as Minister of Home Affairs) and then to Tun for his consideration. Australia wants him to go home too, thank you so very very much. The inmates in Villawood too has had enough of him for they do not like any Cops…and when that Cop is a killer…wow… banyak susah lah for that Cop. So what is the problem about Sirul coming back to K Hell?

Well Sirul first told us last week that he wants a Full Pardon…not an appeal to commute his death sentence to life…but the same pardon that Anwar Ibrahim had so that he will not only be free, but his murder of Altantuya never happened !!!

That was last week. This week he tells us that he did not kill Altantuya. He tells us his life is not safe in Villawood. Now he tells us his life will not be safe in Malaysia…so where the f**k will he be safe?

To tell you guys the truth…I don’d f**king care whether he is safe anywhere…in Sydney or K Hell. For all I care, send him anywhere just as long as he understands that no one cares if he is rotting in Villawood or in Bamboo River. Put him somewhere where he STFU, throw the key away and let this killer of Altantuya starts to understand that taking the life of an innocent women and leaving her children without a mother, is wrong. 

Let this bastard spend every day of his life lock up for what he did to Altantuya. Let this idiot understand that he is filth, and not worth anything to anybody. Let him not spend a single Hari Raya free. Not a single day free…not a single hour of his life anywhere else but locked up in a cell paying for the murder of Altantuya….all thsi I want of him until he understands what is the right thing to do to start the path to his own salvation and rehabilitation. Until he does…he can rot where he now is.

But…and here is the BUT that needs to be attended to.  

The public needs to know the part that Najib, Rosmah, the three Datuk Lawyers,  that Shafee guy …….and a few others who were involved in making money from Altantuya’s death by riding on the back of Sirul and his incarceration in Villawood in Sydney. I have already wrote about the involvement of the three datuks and their despicable deliberate taking advantage of Sirul’s gullibility and stupidity by being complicit in making Sirul do the video from Villawood exonerating Najib from the Altantuya’s murder. There are things that Razak Baginda and Musa Safri still have to tell us. Then there is Rizal Mansor…yes Rosmah Mansor’s aide, who collected millions supposedly for the defence of Sirul…and pocked the money himself.  etc etc etc.

How all this is to be resolves and exposed will be for the PH government to deal with….not Sirul. With or without Sirul everything else will be revealed in good time as people come forward to tell, under oath, their part in the sad, sordid murder of Altantuya, the subsequent trial and the aftermath of that murder and their part in it for personal financial gain. All  this was possible because we had a corrupt Najib as Prime Minister, a bitch call Rosmah as his wife….greedy lawyers and others who were out to make big bucks from the murder of Altantuya…and all this was possible because we had a stupid idiot call Sirul who thought that he could make RM25 million ringgit for his murder of Altantuya.

Yes you heard that right…this Idiot reallt, really, really think that he can make RM$25 million from the crime and live happily ever after in Australia !! Woi Sirul…no way brother…not if I have anything to do with it….not if the Australian Border Patrol has anything to do with it, not if the Australian Courts have anything to do with, not if the Australian Government has anything to do with is….and last and not least…not if the Australian people have anything to do with it. And…ini belum masuk apa Rakyat Malaysia nak Kerajaan PH buat dengan this Sirul !!!

As the Australians will say of people in Sirul’s situation…Bro you are Dead Meat ! Or as the Chinese say back in K Hell…”Die standing ma”…and the Malays? “Mampus Engkau !!!” - steadyaku47

UMNO MASIH “KEMAMAIAN”, NAJIB BERHENTILAH BERCAKAP

SELEPAS mengalami kekalahan sehingga hilangnya kerajaan berusia 61 tahun, Umno masih buntu mencari jalan untuk bangkit kembali. Rasa terkejut menjadikan para pemimpin Umno seperti hilang akal bagaimana hendak menggerakkan semula parti itu. Masih “kemamaian”.

Keadaan yang berlaku dalam Umno kini sudah dijangka, tetapi kesannya tidaklah seperti hari ini. Hilang hampir semua negeri diperintahnya sejak berdekad tewas kecuali Pahang dan Perlis.

Setelah tiga minggu, Umno masih berkabung, belum ada apa-apa majlis bersifat rakyat diadakan oleh untuk menyuntik semangat kalangan ahli parti itu. Pemimpin masing-masing seakan masih mengosok-gosok kesakitan dialaminya. Ada juga yang tersipu-sipu malu dengan kekalahan masih belum keluar rumah.

Haya kalau pun ada ialah mesyuarat MT yang menjadi rutin bulan parti itu. Sepatutnya Umno segera melupakan kesakitan dan kekalahan dan segera bingkas bergerak mempersiapkan diri menjadi pembangkang di parlimen. Peranan mereka bukan kecil di parlimen untuk menjadi check and balance kepada kerajaan PH.

Kalah menang.
Pemimpin Umno seharusnya menyedari aset dan nilai apa yang ada kepada mereka serta tahu untuk berbuat sesuatu dalam penyuburan demokrasi negara ini. Kalah bukan hilang semua, menang bukan dapat semua.

Kerajaan PH hendaklah diingat kerajaan baharu walaupun ia dipimpin atau diketuai oleh orang lama seperti Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin, Mohamad Sabu dan lain-lain. Dalam suasana itu ia perlu dibimbing. Banyak menteri yang dilantik muka-muka baharu belum berpengalaman masih hijau dengan seluk beluk pengurusan dan pentadbiran. Mereka mungkin terdiri para profesional dalam berbagai bidang, tetapi pengalaman mentadbir sebuah kerjaan masih belum ada. Sudah tentu mereka memerlukan tunjuk ajar dan kritikan. Umno boleh memainkan peranan itu.

Hishamuddin Hussein

Mustapa Mohamed

Dengan pemimpin tersisa dimenangkan rakyat dalam pilihan raya lalu Umno dapat berfungsi sebagai pembangkang yang baik. Antara pemimpin tersisa dimenangkan rakyat ada beberapa menteri dan bekas menteri. Misalnya Mustapa Mohamad, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, Azalina Othman Said, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Annuar Musa, Hishamuddin Hussein hatta Najib Razak dan Zahid Hamidi sendiri. Najib pengalamannya menjadi PM selama hampir 10 tahun ada kebaikan tertentu yang boleh dikongsikan.

Setidak-tidaknya beliau boleh mengingatkan kerajaan PH supaya tidak melalui jalan yang pernah dilaluinya sehingganya runtuhnya kerajaan UBN.

Ikhlas saya katakan, peranan pembangkang tidak mampu untuk digerakkan oleh sebuah lagi parti pembangkang, parti agama (Pas). Walaupun mereka mempunyai kekuatan 18 ahli parlimen, tetapi sejauh mana kemampuan mereka sudah dapat diukur sebelum ini. Jadi, kelebihan atau kematangan untuk menjadi pembangkang ada kepada Umno bukan parti itu.

Ayat-ayat Quran masih boleh dibaca dalam parlimen tetapi ia tidak releven dalam sesetengah juzu lebih global. Dalam juzu untuk memancukan pembangunan yang memerlukan idea dan teori ekonomi global ia tidak dapat diatasi dengan membaca ayat-ayat Quran yang bersifat general. Aset ini yang ada kepada kumpulan pembangkang itu yang tidak memberi banyak kebaikan dapat dipenuhi oleh pembangkang daripada Umno.

Segrakan tindakan.
Berbalik kepada keadaan Umno yang kini masih belum terjumpa punca mencari kekuatan baharu, parti itu perlu menyegerakan tindakan. Proses pemilihan kepimpinan parti diperingkat cawangan dan bahagian yang berjalan sekarang ini, sepatutnya digunakan untuk merencanakan tindakan ke depan Umno. Mencari ubat dan penawar untuk mengubat para tetera yang cedera dan masing berada di parking dalam khemah.

Perebutan jawatan seperti dahulu mungkin tidak berlaku lagi kerana Umno bukan lagi kerajaan. Sudah ada ketua cawangan yang berundur secara terhormat dan memberi laluan kepada muka baharu. Tindakan itu baik untuk pemulihan Umno. Walaupun kesedaran itu lambat tetapi ia masih berguna buat Umno melakukan perubahan bagi memuhasabah diri.

Bagaimana pun pemimpin yang berundur dengan terhormat selepas Umno kehabisan madu itu hendaklah tidak terus meninggalkan parti nasionalis itu. Mereka perlu menjadi penasihat dan pengeras semangat kepada generasi baharu yang akan mengambil alih kepimpinannya. Harta dan kekayaan yang mereka kumpul semasa Umno memerintah perlu dilaburkan untuk masa depan Umno. Jangan kupit. Kekalahan UBN itu menguji jiwa patriotisme mereka yang dibanggakan selama ini.

Lagu propagangis menjadi tagline Umno, Anak Kecil Main Api, yang sering diputar sebelum ini harus dihayati seni katanya.

Satu perkara yang tidak memberi kebaikan kepada Umno dalam bertawakus untuk menjadi pembangkang yang baik serta menyusun semula parti itu, ialah tindakan bekas pemimpinnya Najib Razak. Nampaknya Najib masih belum mengakui hakikat kekalahannya dan masih ego bila mana terus melontarkan kritikan dan sindiran kepada kepimpinan Dr Mahathir.

Beberapa tindakan segera Dr Mahathir mengubah haluan negara yang dibentuknya (Najib) dengan membatalkan beberapa projek mega tidak disenangi oleh Najib malahan dianggap tindakan Dr Mahathir itu sebagai retorik dan ganjil.

Penyiasatan ke atas syarikat IRC Internasional yang ada kaitan dengan skandal 1MDB, masih lagi cuba dinafikan oleh Najib dan tetap percaya beliau berada di pihak benar. Sepatutnya Najib tidak perlu menunjukkan keyakinan gelabahnya itu dan biarkan sahaja siasatan itu dijalankan dan tunggu hasilnya.

Percayalah tindakan Najib cuba menafikan kepentingan penyiasatan ke atas skandal 1MDB yang ada kaitan dengannya tidak memberi apa-apa keuntungan kepada Umno untuk membina masa depan dan keyakinan orang ramai. Tindakan itu akan dilihat itulah sikap Umno yang angkuh selama ini enggan menerima hakikat.

Berhenti bersuara.
Najib perlu berhenti bersuara. Beliau perlu sedar keadaannya sekarang ini. Betapa beliau mempertahankan polisinya selama ini rakyat tidak dapat menerimanya lagi. Pilihan raya lalu rakyat telah menghukum beliau dan kekalahan UBN itu merupakan pengesahan kepada penolakan itu.

Jika Najib terus “cepelak” dibimbangi Umno tidak dapat menumpukan kepada usaha untuk menjadi pembangkang terbaik nanti. Apa lagi teguran dan sindir Najib kepada Dr Mahathir sekarang ini ia bertolak daripada elemen peribadi.

Masa untuk berbalah kerana dendam dan tidak puas hati sudah pun berlalu. Sekarang adalah tanggungjawab bersama untuk menjamin masa depan negara. Kalau selama ini pihak yang hari ini menjadi pembangkang dapat bersabar dengan birokrasi dilakukan kerajaan UBN, maka begitu jugalah diharap kepada Umno sebagai pembangkang kini. Terimalah hakikat kekalahan.

Yang penting nilai kepembangkangan yang akan ditunjukkan Umno nanti yang baik dan memberi manfaat kepada pembangunan negara. Yang penting juga Umno sebagai parti berpengalaman akan menggerakkan politik dan sidang parlimen kelak sebagai sebuah oposisi yang profesional sesuai dengan takah usianya sebagai parti terlama di negara ini.

Jika itu dapat dilakukan Umno tidak mustahil kepercayaan rakyat kepadanya akan kembali semula, apa lagi kepimpinan baharu kelak menunjukkan politik yang berkualiti tinggi dan sedia meninggalkan budaya egosime Umno selama ini.

– http://msomelayu.blogspot.com

Massive Dubai-like reclamation project planned for Langkawi by Bakun dam's Ting

File photo of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad signing a plaque in 2011, while Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing of Upline Hotel and Resort (which went into receivership later) looks on, during the opening of Four Points Hotel in Padang Matsirat, Langkawi. - Bernama

LANGKAWI: After keeping a low profile for the last 16 years, developer Ting Pek Khiing has announced a Dubai-like RM30 billion development project to be built on reclaimed land in Langkawi.

The Langkawi New City project will be located on 81ha of reclaimed land off the west side of the island, reports Bernama.

The project, which will be undertaken by his group of companies, will be launched tomorrow (June 1), he told a media briefing on the project here today. He did not name the companies.

Ting said the project would involve the construction of 30,000 high-end condominium units, commercial centres, berthing facilities for ocean liners and yachts and other facilities.

“Several companies in our group will be involved in the development which is expected to be completed in 10 years’ time, or even earlier,” he said, without disclosing the names of the companies involved.

He told Bernama that the project, which would spur foreign investments in Langkawi, would be the biggest that he ever embarked on since he started his business activities on the island back in 1991.

Ting was reputed to have built a hotel on the island in a record 100 days in preparation for the inaugural Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exposition in 1991, a feat which caught the attention of then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Sarawak-born businessman said he had spent over 20 years on the development plan, claiming that he had already won recognition from developers from France, Russia and South Korea.

“This project is bound to be the biggest ever development of its kind in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.

He said the project’s environmental impact assessment had been conducted, adding that the plan was designed to preserve the beautiful natural surroundings of the area.

“This development would be akin to that in Dubai. This project would get more people to invest and stay here for a longer period, rather than for just one or two days,” he added.

Ting's company Ekran Bhd was awarded the construction contract for the controversial Bakun Dam in 1994, which was opposed by environmentalists and native rights groups. 

The analyst Anil Netto recalls that Bakun's coffer dam collapsed more than 20 times during construction, and the site was said to be jinxed as it was built on native ancestral grave sites. 

Ekran encountered financial problems during the East Asian financial crisis in 1998. It was unable to complete the Bakun dam job, but was reportedly compensated a massive RM950mil by the government.

Ting's Plaza Rakyat project, undertaken by Wembley Industries Holdings Bhd, next to the Pudu Raya bus terminal, also ran into problems, recalls Anil. 

His companies, Ekran and Wembley, were both eventually delisted and ended up in receivership.

Ting himself was declared a bankrupt by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in 2010.

Now, it looks like Ting is set to rise like a phoenix from the ashes.- Star

The Perlis Menteri Besar Crisis, The Authority of the Royal Houses.

The Menteri Besar crisis in Perlis is a slippery slope. But for who?

UMNO/BN won 10 of the 15 State seats. So they get to form the government. Shahidan Kassim the BN Chief wants his brother to be the MB. The Raja of Perlis said no.  The Raja of Perlis wanted someone else. So the someone else was called to the Istana and sworn in as the new MB. This was last week. The remaining NINE BN State reps did not attend the swearing in. It became quite embarrassing for the Raja.

Then a few hours after the MB was sworn in, he was promptly expelled from the UMNO party by Shahidan Kassim. This makes the situation untenable because the new MB now is without a party and has no other support in the State Legislature. The MB does not command the support of the majority of the State representatives. 

Which only embarrasses the Raja of Perlis even more because his choice of Menteri Besar does not have the "confidence" of the State Assembly. 

As a solution, UMNO/BN then sent all 10 of its State reps for an audience with the Raja so that the Raja may get to know them better. It is said that the Raja of Perlis spent half an hour with each of the reps. That means about FIVE hours of getting to know you.  Then he is supposed to pick one person to be the new MB.

What if the Raja of Perlis picks someone who is not the candidate agreed to by the UMNO/BN Chief ie Shahidan Kassim? Shahidan can always expel the guy from the party too. Then it will be back to square one.

Two weeks after the elections Perlis does not have a functioning State government. 

This seems to be a tussle between Shahidan Kassim and the Raja of Perlis. 

Shahidan Kassim seems to have the due process of the elections behind him. Hia party (UMNO/BN) has won 10 of 15 State seats. There is no question that UMNO/BN will form the government.

The fact that Shahidan Kassim can get 9 out of his 10 State reps NOT to support the Menteri Besar of the Raja's choice will cripple the State government.  And embarass the Raja of Perlis even more.

Shahidan is quite determined. But in this case it is a simple democratic process.  

In the run up to the elections, the Sultan of Johor made a clear statement to the people of Johor (the bangsa Johor) to support the government of Najib Razak.  

The people of Johor did not listen to him at all. Johor swung completely against UMNO and Najib Razak. Johor was the biggest upset for the BN.  It is quite an embarrassment for the Royal House that the Sultan's open "titah"  went unheeded by his subjects.  What happens now to the "bangsa Johor"?

The country really needs to evolve to the next level. We all have to abide by the laws and the due process of democracy in this country.  

With hope and patriotism, they give to debt fund

Donors tell FMT that although they could only donate small amounts to Tabung Harapan Malaysia, their contributions were made with love of country.

RM7 million has been received by Tabung Harapan Malaysia within 24 hours. (Reuters pic)

PETALING JAYA: Khoo Hui Lin might not currently be in Malaysia, but that has not stopped her from contributing RM200 from her monthly salary to the Tabung Harapan Malaysia.

Khoo, 21, has been undertaking a business administration course in Taiwan for the past two years. Her love for her country made her want to chip in to help the government reduce its debt.

Khoo is among numerous Malaysians at home and abroad who have been making personal donations to the government’s crowdfunding initiative announced by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.

On why she felt compelled to contribute, she told FMT: “It is simple – because I am a Malaysian.”

She works part-time at a beverage shop, and although the amount she gave was small, she believed that “many a little makes a mickle” and Malaysia could have a bright future.

Hasfizullah Mokhtar, an operations director with restaurant chain Dapur Penyet Malaysia, said he had donated RM200 as he loved the country and had always admired Mahathir, 92, who was previously in power for 22 years up to 2003.

“I am 37 years old this year and with Mahathir as a prime minister again, I am excited. This is such a big opportunity for Malaysia to see changes,” he said. “I only donated RM200. It might seem small but what is important is that I have done my part as a Malaysian to also help the country,” he said.

Hasfizullah said he was not alone, as his colleagues at work and his wife had also made donations.

An accounts executive who wished to remain anonymous also said his patriotism had made him join others in donating RM200 to the fund.

“Seeing our prime minister work so hard to solve the problem and most of the ministers set an example by cutting their salaries by 10% made me feel that I had to do something too,” he added.

He hoped that Malaysia would become a safer country and the economy would improve under the new government so that people need not work overseas because of higher living costs at home.

IT Consultant Brandon Wong said he did not want to be left behind helping to reduce the national debt.

“I have donated RM500. I think it is a brilliant idea, to contribute towards a brighter and glorious future, especially for our next generations,” he said.

Jasmine Chong, who gave RM300, said people were contributing because they all cared about the country’s problems. “We ask nothing in return as what we do is for the beloved nation,” she told FMT.

The government’s official debt currently stands at RM686.8 billion, which is 50.8% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Its other liabilities are RM199 billion in commitments towards government guarantees and RM201 billion in project lease payments. - FMT