Harapan must change its opposition mindset: Dr M

Nine months after taking over Putrajaya many in the Pakatan Harapan government are still behaving like they are in the opposition, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

"They still continue with their behaviour of opposing even when they are in the government and acting like socialists who oppose the capitalists because they deem the capitalists as oppressors," he said during a retreat session with the Johor state government in Putrajaya.

Without naming anyone, Mahathir said those in the Harapan government could no longer condemn the capitalist system because it has created wealth for the country.

"Industrialists and entrepreneurs invest their capital, establish their businesses, provide job opportunities and pay tax.

"We cannot condemn them because we need the taxes paid by them," Mahathir said.

In his speech, Mahathir explained that many in the Harapan government had also not established good relations with the business sector, adding this could start by changing their mindsets.

"If the businesses are not profitable, the government will not be able to collect tax from them. That is why we need to help them so they can gain profits. And the state governments will also benefit from the various taxes from the businesses," he said.

The prime minister said this was not the time to oppose but to work hard, make decisions and implement them.

Touching on the cost of living, Mahathir noted that the country was doing well with the economic growth of 4.7 percent and an increase in foreign trade but the people didn't seem to feel they were gaining from this.

"With good economic growth, this should provide a good income for us all. But while the economy is doing well, the people think that the cost of living is high. They are not happy with the government. - Mkini

"We need to tackle this issue," he said. 

AG: Tribunal can recommend stripping ex-EC members of retirement benefits

The tribunal tasked with investigating the conduct of six former Election Commission (EC) members can recommend that their post-retirement gratuity be revoked if wrongdoings are established, said attorney-general Tommy Thomas.

Reiterating that the tribunal is not academic, he said it can still recommend to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that he remove them from office. The tribunal could also spell out the consequences of such a removal.

Thomas said EC members are given the security of tenure to conduct free and fair elections and if there are complaints, the tribunal should look into the matter.

“It is important for the tribunal to perform its historical function by inquiring into the nature of the complaints. Its findings could set a precedent on how the EC should perform its functions.

“It is simplistic to say that the job of the tribunal is only to recommend their removal or otherwise,” he told the tribunal in Kuala Lumpur today.

Proper venue needed

Meanwhile, lawyers representing the former EC members argued that the Federal Constitution only allowed the tribunal to propose the removal of an EC member to the king.

Therefore, they said the matter is moot as the six vacated office effective Jan 1.

During today's proceedings, lawyer Shaharudin Ali said since EC members are treated like judges under the Federal Constitution, the proper venue to decide a course of action other than removal from office is the equivalent of a lesser tribunal that decides cases of minor misconduct involving judges.

Shaharudin and his team are representing former EC members Othman Mahmood, Abdul Aziz Khalidin, Md Yusop Mansor, and Sulaiman Narawi.

Other former EC members facing charges at the tribunal are Bala Singam Karupiah and Leo Chong Cheong.

Lawyers K Kumaraendran and A Srimurugan are representing the former, while R Kengadharan is representing the latter.

They are facing 13 charges of misconduct in the year leading to the 14th general election.

The tribunal is led by Steve Shim Lip Kiong, and is also presided by Zaleha Zahari, Suriyadi Halim Omar, Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha and Prasad Sandosham Abraham. All five are former Federal Court judges.

Previously, lawyer M Puravalen, who was appointed by the attorney-general to assist the tribunal, told the tribunal that the case has been rendered academicbecause the six have resigned.

However, Thomas said Puravalen had acted contrary to his instructions and his appointment was terminated.

This prompted Kumaraendran to object, saying that it was unfair to accuse Puravalen of acting against the attorney-general's instructions in his absence.

‘Shortened tenure’

Meanwhile, lawyer Srimurugan rebutted the attorney-general's accusation that the six former EC members resigned to escape scrutiny by the tribunal.

He said on Oct 18 last year, the former EC members (except Bala Singam) wrote to the Agong to have their tenures shortened to Jan 1 and their request was granted through a reply on Oct 26.

The tribunal, however, was only constituted on Jan 24 this year, which is well after the EC members had asked for their tenures to be shortened.

Srimurugan also contended that the former EC members did not resign but merely asked for their term in office to be shortened and then left once the shortened tenure lapsed.

This prompted a tribunal member to ask what the difference was between a resignation and shortened tenure.

For the record, Malaysiakini quoted sources on Oct 17 last year as saying that the government was working to set up a tribunal to remove EC members from office, just a day before the then EC members started resigning.

However, EC chairperson Azhar Azizan Harun had said that the decision to form a tribunal was reached during a meeting on Oct 15, prior to Malaysiakini's report being published.

The tribunal has adjourned and will resume proceedings at a later date. - Mkini

Muhyiddin to check if Indira's ex-husband changed daughter's MyKid number

ome Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will check if Indira Gandhi's missing daughter Prasana Diksa's MyKid number was changed illegally.

"This is under the National Registration Department, I will check," he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

Last Saturday, NGO Indira Gandhi Action Team (Ingat) claimed that her ex-husband Muhammad Riduan Abdulla, had illegally changed Prasana's MyKid number, possibly with the assistance from the National Registration Department and Home Ministry.

Indira in a police report, alleged that this took place in 2014.

Prasana was a toddler when her father, a Muslim convert, took her away from Indira in 2009.

A lengthy legal battle with his ex-wife ensued involving both the syariah and civil courts. The High Court issued an arrest warrant for Riduan in 2014.

The police have yet to locate him, and are appealing for public assistance.

Ingat has put up a RM10,000 bounty on him. -Mkini

Patung 'Datok Gong' Di Surau Kerja Orang Gila Isim Rupanya..

Kronologi kejadian;

👉 Pada 19 Februari patung berhala 'Datuk Gong' diletakkan bersebelahan pintu masuk utama di Surau Sabilul Huda. Patung itu ditemui kira-kira jam 4 petang oleh Siak, Mohd Yatim Omar, 64 tahun.  

👉 Satu laporan polis kemudiannya dibuat oleh wakil surau di Balai Pandamaran, Klang Selatan.

👉 Pada 22 Februari, sekali lagi insiden yang sama berlaku, dimana dua patung berhala saiz tapak tangan diletakkan di pagar pintu masuk utama di Surau Sabilul Huda. Ia ditemui kira-kira jam 2.45 petang ketika salah seorang jemaah mahu menghadiri kuliah agama di surau berkenaan. 

👉 Siasatan awal kemudiannya mendapati patung Datuk Gong dimiliki olehCheong Lin Chai yang tinggal kira-kira 50 meter dari lokasi surau tersebut dan patung berhala itu diletakkan di luar rumah di hadapan pintu pagar utama dalam keadaan tidak berkunci. Patung itu telah dicuri dari pemiliknya dan Cheong mulai perasaan kehilangan patung itu kira-kira jam 4 petang.

Datuk Gong dianggarkan bernilai RM300. Mengikut cerita, sekitar abad 19, masyarakat cina menghormati melayu sehingga meletakkan elemen kemelayuan dalam Dewa Tanah. Dewa ni dipanggil ‘Datuk Gong’. Rata-ratanya memakai tengkolok dan ada yang memegang keris menyamai sultan dahulukala. 

Antara tujuannya ialah menyembah semangat sultan dulu-dulu dan untuk jadi kaya.
Makanan yang dihidangkan untuk Datuk Gong pun makanan halal. 

👉 Polis kemudiannya menasihati orang ramai untuk tidak mengambil tindakan sendiri dan mengelak dari menimbulkan rusuhan kaum. 

👉 Siasatan akhirnya mendapati perbuatan itu dilakukan oleh seorang duda empat anak. Duda itu mengaku bersalah ketika pertuduhan dibacakan. Helmee Othman yang berusia 38 tahun itu mendakwa beliau arahan menerusi mimpi untuk melakukan perbuatan tersebut.

👉 Mahkamah kemudiannya memerintah suspek menjalani pemeriksaan psikiatri di hospital Tanjung Rambutan selama sebulan bagi mendapatkan kedudukan yang lebih jelas mengenai tahap kesihatan dan mentalnya. Suspek tiada rekod yang boleh mengesahkan beliau mengalami masalah mental. 

👉 Terdapat dakwaan suspek telah mengalami gila isim selepas belajar agama di negara jiran.

👉 Untuk berlaku adil, semasa insiden tersebut dilaporkan, agak ramai juga netizens muslims yang meletakkan kesalahan ke atas non muslims atas kejadian itu. - 28 Februari 2019. -sozcyili

Police advise AG's accusers to surrender

Noor Rashid also advised those who had shared the message on social media to surrender as well.

ALOR SETAR (Bernama): The police have advised those who accused Attorney-General Tommy Thomas of being anti-Islam in messages circulated on social media to surrender to assist the ongoing investigation.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim also advised those who had shared the message on social media to surrender as well.

"The case is under investigation and we will take action in accordance with the law against those who made the accusation.

"We encourage these people to surrender. The police are conducting the investigation under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation," he told reporters on Thursday (Feb 28) when asked for developments in the matter.

Earlier, Noor Rashid presented Jasa Pahlawan Negara medals to 300 police personnel at the Kedah Police headquarters here. Also present was Kedah Police chief Datuk Abd Rahim Jaafar. – Bernama

MACC HAS ‘APPROVED’ MY STATEMENT – TAKIYUDDIN CAUGHT LYING AGAIN? PAS SEC-GEN TRIES PRETEND HE’S BEEN CLEARED OF RM90 MILLION BRIBE SCANDAL – EVEN AS NEWS LEAK OF SHOCK MACC SEIZURE OF LUXURY CARS, PROPERTY & MILLIONS IN CASH & BANK ACCOUNTS

PUTRAJAYA, 19/11/2018. Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is at the office of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here today, believed to be assisting in probe into solar panel projects for schools in Sarawak. Pix by Malaymail / Hari Anggara.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said he was questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over his luxury cars and motorcycles.

He said he was questioned by the graft-busting agency over accusations made in Sarawak Report.

“I was questioned about allegations that I owned luxury cars and motorcycles, they did not ask me to hand over any documents,” he said after giving his statement in Putrajaya this morning.

He said he will not be called in again by MACC as they had approved his statement.

The Kota Baru MP was grilled for slightly more than four hours at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya after arriving at 9.20am and leaving at 2pm.

The latest development comes just days after MACC said it found no traces of the RM90 million allegedly funnelled from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) into the Islamist party’s official accounts.

The anti-graft agency previously recorded statements from PAS central committee member Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, former leader Nasharudin Mat Isa and Amanah vice-president Husam Musa.

Former Bersih chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan also assisted with the investigations.

MACC is investigating allegations that several leaders of the opposition party received RM90 million suspected to be money from 1MDB just before the last general election.

On Monday, MACC chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull said investigations which began earlier this month found no evidence of any transaction that could be attributed to the allegation.

He, however, declined to elaborate on how many more witnesses would be called and whether MACC was ready to wrap up the case.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

A LONG OVERDUE WAKE-UP CALL FOR MALAYS – YOU’VE DUPED BY PAS & ITS ‘HOLY’ MEN: RM90 MILLION CIRCUS HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN – THE ‘DIRTY SECRETS’ OF HADI & CO SET TO SHOCK THE NATION

PAS and its party of leaders are so entertaining. Words from the mouths of their leaders, who project themselves as pious and even promise a way to heaven, change with the wind. The latest that fell victim is none other than our prime minister, who asked whether PAS was supporting him after a signed document of support that appeared to carry no weight.

Other Pakatan Harapan leaders should have known about the word-worthiness of PAS leaders. Leaders of the then Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had their share of frustration and confusion. PAS’ delegates to PR leadership council meetings, often led by then deputy president Mohamad Sabu and secretary-general Mustafa Ali because Abdul Hadi Awang wanted to be absent in almost all the meetings. Mohamad words carried no weight too. Imagine the long faces of many when days later Hadi made contradictory statements to what had previously been agreed at the PR council.

Unfortunately, the only one seemed to be wise, who thought that PAS leaders could never be trusted, is now gone – the late Karpal Singh.

The case of Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz’s audio recording claiming to receive money from Umno produced so many circuses. Under pressure after the case with Clare Rewcastle-Brown was settled out of court, Hadi admitted that Nik Abduh had spoken about receiving Umno money “in an academic sense”.

Following that, Nik Abduh had to finally admit that his president and other PAS leaders gave their blessings for his denial of the Umno money.

Prior to the out of court settlement, Nik Abduh had vehemently denied it was his voice in the audio recording.

Discerning Hadi’s “academic sense” with lying is perplexing. To the common understanding, academic sense can only mean seeking truth with all honesty. In academia, truthfulness, sincerely, integrity has to prevail. Cheating, lying and plagiarism has no place in academia and will be scorned upon.

The circus was raised a notch higher when PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin said, “telling it the other way round” did not amount to lying. Takiyuddin should have known of the common saying “beating around the bush” is understood to be an attempt to lie.

Then their spiritual leader, Hashim Jasin, said that slander against their party forced Nik Abduh to lie. But how could a slander, a falsehood, fought with another lie? Any good parent would ask a child to tell the truth if the child has been wronged.

When all else failed, raise the Israeli bogeyman. Hence, the accusations of Israel funding DAP to counter the RM90 million funding from Umno. The Israeli bogeyman has been an ingenious counter attack weapon of last resort, without having to think. It often worked, at least for those who read only the Harakah. Given a choice, Israel, a sworn enemy of our country would prefer to fund PAS to see the party survive long enough so that it could bring destruction from within.

A lie told too often reinforces it. And so, PAS leaders believed what they have said, even though contradiction after contradiction ensued. Their minds have become fogged with all their self-contradictions within oneself and among themselves. A small delegation led by Hadi had met and expressed support in writing to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Meanwhile conduct of PAS leaders and members at the Semenyih by-election does not conform to that promise of support and gave the game away.

Now, even the good prime minister himself does not believe the words of Hadi. His words change with the wind. The circus continues.

* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is a researcher with an interest in economics, politics, and health issues. He is also a member of the National Patriot Association.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT