Jeffrey wants fake, dubious ICs to be probed

The probe into fake Native Certificates can be extended to fake and dubious ICs which have long been plaguing the people of Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Two veteran political leaders, former Ranau MP Henrynus Amin and Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan, have welcomed the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe into the fake and dubious Native Certificate phenomenon in Sabah. Jeffrey, at the same time, wants the probe into the authenticity of Native Certificates extended to cover fake and dubious ICs long plaguing the people of Sabah.

Henrynus and Jeffrey were speaking up on the continuing MACC investigation on Native Certificates in Sabah which were suspected to be not authentic.

In addition, Jeffrey wants to know why the authorities concerned have ignored the fake and dubious IC syndrome in the state despite numerous police reports being lodged on a problem long plaguing the state. “Don’t just brag about Sabah being an electoral fixed deposit.”

Jeffrey was also echoing Henrynus’ stand that the Orang Asal needs to be organised through an “Operasi Tataba” programme on the loss of their lands. Tataba signifies the ancient magical wand of power.

Both leaders were commenting on the MACC roping in 34 people for investigation and freezing 14 Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) accounts with savings totaling millions.

It appears that most of those with ASN accounts claimed that they had no idea that they were not entitled to the Native certificates that they hold as they were very young when they obtained it.

“ICs issued not in accordance with the law are also treasonous and threaten the sovereignty of the people to its core,” added Jeffrey. “There have been no investigations of fake and dubious ICs despite numerous police reports on many of these documents entering the electoral rolls.”

Jeffrey charged that those who were behind the IC scam are in high places and appeared to have gotten away scot-free after what they did to the people of Sabah. “The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) Report on illegal immigrants should be read in its entirety to connect the dots.”

He pointed at the Eastern Sabah Security Command (EssCom) as another authoritative source of the fake and dubious IC syndrome in the state.

“They have clearly identified the illegal immigrants, the bulk of the 1.7 million foreigners in Sabah, have been identified as the enemy within the state,” reminded Jeffery. “It’s only a matter before those holding fake and dubious ICs in Sabah appear in other parts of the country to haunt other citizens elsewhere.”

Court to hear Palanivel’s appeal on July 13

The High Court had earlier rejected the MIC president's judicial review application after finding that RoS was right in giving its opinion on the party dispute.

PUTRAJAYA: The appeal by MIC president G Palanivel and three others against the High Court’s ruling to uphold the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) directive to the party for “fresh elections” will be heard on July 13.

Court of Appeal president Md Raus Sharif fixed the date in chambers today when the case came up for case management.

Senior federal counsel Amarjeet Singh, who represented RoS, told the media that the court also ordered the parties to file their respective submissions by July 7.

Palanivel, MIC vice-presidents S Sothinathan and S Balakrishnan, and former MIC secretary-general A Prakash Rao filed their appeal on June 16.

A day earlier on June 15, Justice Asmabi Mohamad rejected their judicial review application after finding that RoS merely gave its opinion that the party should settle its dispute.

The judge said it was actually Palanivel who had suggested that fresh elections be held to resolve the party’s internal conflict.

Asmabi referred to Palanivel’s letter dated February 5, in which he had agreed to hold fresh elections at all branches and divisions, including for the post of president.

On February 24, Palanivel, Sothinathan, Balakrishnan, and Prakash Rao filed the judicial review application to quash the RoS’ directive.

– BERNAMA

1MDB: Dr M continues to level allegations, with no evidence

The Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committee are the lawful authorities to probe 1MDB and verify on the company.

KUALA LUMPUR: 1MDB has expressed disappointment that despite having made various clarifications amidst two on-going probes on the company, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad continues to level various allegations against it without at the same time offering even a shred of evidence.

“Both KPMG and Deloitte stood behind their audits during their recent appearance at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings,” pointed out the statement. “Mahathir continues to repeat the same questions and falsely claim that 1MDB funds were lost or unaccounted for.”

It reiterated that the Auditor-General (A-G) and the PAC were the lawful authorities to verify whether RM42 billion had disappeared from the company, “as they have access to all the information”.

The allegations by Mahathir and certain opposition politicians significantly impact the ability of 1MDB to conduct its business, it added. “At the same time, it causes damage to the wider economy.”

The statement went on to touch on the company’s rationalization plan, announced on 29 May, and claimed that it was negatively impacted by allegations when it was crucial in reducing the company’s debt levels to ensure maximum value was generated for its 100 per cent ultimate owner, the Government of Malaysia.

In a separate statement, 1MDB said that the notes to its financial statements explain allegations raised by the former Prime Minister on murabaha notes, and fund units in Cayman Islands owned via Brazen Sky. “There was a net gain of USD488 million on these transactions,” said 1MDB referring to the notes in its financial statements.

It added that it had already replied to Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua on its dealings with Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC), “but Mahathir seems to be raising the same questions”.

“1MDB is engaged in final negotiations with IPIC to reach a deal. This is crucial in reducing the company’s overall debt situation by RM16 billion.”

Elsewhere, it claimed that its purchase of energy assets were based on taking a longterm view, and as advised independently by financial, legal, accounting, tax and technical advisors. “In addition, in taking a longterm view, 1MDB considered the social and economic impact on the country in arriving at a final valuation.”

It conceded that the purchases may have involved the payment of a premium in certain instance, but this was common in acquiring another business, “and was commensurate with their future potential and overall benefit to the nation”.

The statement also pointed out that the 1st generation owners of the energy assets in question were in fact granted lucrative, longterm, fixed price contracts during Mahathir’s time when he was Prime Minister. “We purchased the assets from the original owners.”

1MDB was also working on its 486 acre land in Sungei Besi, land parcels in Air Itam and Pulau Indah and on “monetizing” Edra Energy. “All these are meant to reduce the company’s debts significantly and generate maximum value to the government.”

The reference to monetization of Edra is the first time that the company has revisited the issue in recent weeks after having reportedly dropped plans for an IPO listing of the company.

Najib wants proper care for Anwar’s worsening health

Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted that relevant authorities should take note of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's worsening health in prison. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, June 30, 2015.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ordered proper medical treatment for jailed former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whose deteriorating health includes a growth on his kidney and irregular blood pressure.

"I take note of DS Anwar Ibrahim's health and I want the relevant authorities to ensure that he receives the appropriate treatment," Najib tweeted at his handle @NajibRazak this evening.

This follows a press statement by Anwar's lawyer R. Sivarasa and Jared Genser, a lawyer from the Freedom Now organisation that advocates for prisoners of conscience worldwide, urging that Anwar be placed under house arrest instead so that he could receive treatment for several ailments.

They said the PKR de facto leader had lost 6kg since the start of his jail sentence for sodomy in February. The growth on his kidney was 4cm, and he also had gastritis, chronic athirst and a shoulder muscle tear.

Sivarasa said that the Sungai Buloh jail where Anwar is serving his sentence in solitary confinement had no facilities for any testing or treatment of these conditions.

"It is urgent that he be transferred immediately to house arrest where he can be permitted to visit his own doctors for regular medical care and treatment," the PKR lawyer said.

Anwar had a medical examination earlier this month which uncovered some of these health issues.

He has also lost weight since beginning his five-year jail sentence on February 10, when the Federal Court quashed his appeal and upheld his conviction for sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in 2008.

Anwar and his lawyers have maintained that the sodomy charges, trial and conviction were pat of a political conspiracy to end his political career.

Sivarasa said the conditions he is now being kept in are a continued injustice.

"Anwar is being held in solitary confinement in a bare cell, having a bucket for bathing, a squat toilet, and being held in hot and humid conditions with minimal ventilation. These are exacerbating his health problems.

"In addition, he has received only rare family visits, despite a doctor recommending he be allowed to see his family weekly. Requested visits with counsel are often denied," Sivarasa said.

- TMI

Our site under attack, says Sarawak Report

A screenshot of Sarawak Report's website. The whistleblower site said it is under attack.

The Sarawak Report site is under attack, the London-based whistleblower said on Twitter this evening

Using its handle @sarawak_report, it posted: "We are trying to stay online but are facing sustained attacks on our website. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates. #1MDB".

However, checks by The Malaysian Insider showed that the site is accessible.

The whistleblower site has been in the spotlight after Thai police arrested Xavier Andre Justo, a former director with PetroSaudi International (PSI), in Koh Samui last week over allegations of blackmail.

However, New Straits Time, quoting an unnamed source from Protection Group International (PGI), said Justo "tampered" with emails from PetroSaudi, and Sarawak Report had then published these "tampered" documents in "its claims of impropriety against 1MDB".

PGI was further quoted as saying, "Our analysis substantiates that Justo is the source of the data published by Sarawak Report.”

The whistleblower site urged PGI to confirm quotes that had been published by NST in reports following Justo's arrest.

The site's London lawyers sent an urgent letter via email to PGI to confirm the quotes attributed to them by NST.

Sarawak Report questioned how the Malaysian government was relying on alleged statements from PGI, when the firm was not prepared to confirm whether or not they made them without permission from this interested party.

"In short, PGI are not prepared to publicly go on the record and confirm that any of its employees made these remarks to NST," Sarawak Report had said.

- TMI

MIC may see double polls as leadership spat drags on

Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam dismisses dates set by Datuk Seri G. Palanivel for fresh MIC polls. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, June 30, 3015.

MIC might see two separate party elections held after Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, who says he is acting president, today dismissed the polls called by embattled president Dautk Seri G. Palanivel as an "NGO election".

"Anyone can call for an election, that will be a NGO (non-governmental organisation) election, not a MIC election," Subramaniam said during a press conference at MIC headquarters today in Kuala Lumpur after a meeting of the 2009 central working committee (CWC).

Palanivel yesterday set his own dates for party elections after claiming to have chaired a meeting of the interim 2009 CWC, but Subramaniam shot that down as well, saying that there was only one 2009 CWC line-up.

"There is only one CWC from 2009, and that is the CWC that met today," he said.

The party elections called by Subramaniam's camp is set to start with branch elections scheduled for the end of July.

Palanivel yesterday had called for branch elections to be held in July as well, with nominations on July 15 and 16, and elections from July 24 to 26.

The election for the party president will be in September, he had said.

Palanivel and his CWC that met yesterday also passed several resolutions, including instructing letters to be sent to all branches not to entertain any request by Subramaniam's camp with regards to elections by his group.

Palanivel and his deputy Subramaniam have been locked in battle for control of MIC since disputes over the results of party elections in November 2013, which led to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) ordering re-elections.

Palanivel says he has suspended Subramaniam's membership, while the latter says that Palanivel is no longer an MIC member because of legal action he took to stop the RoS directive on re-elections.

- TMI

Dr Mahathir’s misleading claims hurting economy, says 1MDB

1MDB says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's claims on 'missing funds' hurts the firm and the wider economy. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, June 30, 2015.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed's repeated "false claims" on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) is hurting both the government-owned firm and the wider economy, 1MDB said in a statement today.

1MDB added that the former prime minister had continued to reiterate that the state investment arm's funds were lost or unaccounted for, despite its numerous statements countering his claims.

"Such allegations and misleading statements by Tun (Dr) Mahathir and certain opposition politicians, significantly impacts the ability of 1MDB, a 100% government owned company, to conduct its ongoing business and causes damage to the wider economy.

"Furthermore, such allegations negatively impact the implementation of the 1MDB rationalisation plan announced on May 29, 2015, which is intended to reduce the company’s debt levels and ensure that maximum value is generated for our 100% ultimate shareholder, the government of Malaysia," it said.

1MDB added that Dr Mahathir had not provided a shred of evidence to back his accusations against the firm, and his claims came in spite of KPMG and Deloitte standing behind their audits during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings.

The company said it trusted that PAC, as a lawful authority, would look into the allegations and "provide their judgement to conclusively resolve this matter".

"1MDB remains committed to implementing the rationalisation plan, and reaffirms our previously stated position that if any wrongdoing is found, then action must be taken by the lawful authorities, per due process and the laws of our country.”

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir wrote that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's supporters did not seem to understand that 1MDB had borrowed RM42 billion to dabble in "shady businesses", resulting in a loss of money.

Dr Mahathir said that in the process, a "large amount of money had disappeared", a reiteration of his previous blog posts and statements made in public.

The former prime minister also rebuffed claims that last week's arrest of former PetroSaudi executive Xavier Andre Justo cleared 1MDB from recent controversies due to alleged tampering in emails that were presented as evidence.

- TMI