Bribery Malaysian leaders style

Don’t bribe us with our money! Malaysians are not that stupid

LETTERS/SURAT

Friday, 28 December 2012 admin-s

  

 

The Prime Minister seems to be playing Santa Claus. He is very generously dishing out goodies from seemingly bottomless coffers, convinced that Malaysians are a greedy, unthinking lot who can be bought easily.

P Ramakrishnan, Aliran executive committee member 

Little does he realise that the Malaysians of today are a very perceptive and discerning lot who can see through his election ploy.

They know that the money that is being doled out does not come from Barisan Nasional coffers. If that was the case, then Malaysians can be grateful to the BN. But when he uses the people’s money to bribe them and expects them to be grateful to the BN, it is insulting their intelligence.

The new-found concern and compassion for Malaysians is very telling. It is nothing but a bait to fish for votes that will keep the BN in power. Malaysians will not fall for this ruse.

Housing has been a great problem for Penangites for the last thirty over years. The soaring prices have put houses beyond the reach of average Penangites. Thousands of Penangites have moved to the mainland to buy houses. An equal number of Penangites have bought houses in Kulim and Sungai Petani simply because they could not afford houses on the island.

The narrow streets and poor public transport had created horrendous congestion and pollution for Penangites, making their lives a nightmare. But this problem did not suddenly confront Penangites with the change in government on 8 March 2008. It has always been there.

Hardly anything substantive has been done by the BN to redress these problems. This neglect continued despite Penang producing a Prime Minister in the past. Penang has been marginalised for many decades. That is a fact.

The housing problem confronting Penangites has been there all along. Najib should have known this. He was the Deputy Prime Minister for more than five years after which he became Prime Minister, a position he has been holding for more than three years. In other words, he was in the forefront of the nation’s leadership for almost nine years.

How has he been blind to this grave situation all this while? He must have known this; yet he did nothing to alleviate the misery of the poor in Penang. He did nothing to solve this problem even when he became the Finance Minister.

It is not a question of finance for not building the much-needed houses in Penang. The BN seems to be never short of cash! It only means that the BN did not care for Penang in spite of the continued support that the BN received from Penang every time there was an election. We were just taken for granted!

During his visit to Penang on 8 December 2012, Najib said that “the opposition had failed to deliver on promises of affordable housing made when campaigning during the last election”. He further alleged, “They had promised that they would resolve the housing issue within two weeks of coming to power”.

I don’t seem to remember such a promise being made. If it was true that the opposition promised to solve the housing issue within two weeks of coming to power, then they must be stupid. Can houses be built that fast? The opposition has been in power for more than four years. With limited resources and burdened with carried forward debts, can this be solved within this period?

Let’s take a look at Najib’s promise. He promised to build 20,000 houses for Penang. He stated that under the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Scheme, “the first PRIMA project will involve some 2,000 units in Kampung Kastam, Bukit Glugor”. The ground-breaking for the project is expected to be next year and the project is slated for completion 36 months later.

In other words, with all the resources and expertise at hand, it would take the federal government three years just to build 2,000 houses. Yet he expects the opposition to build houses in “two weeks”!

What kind of houses is the BN going to build? According to him, “if the current unit costs RM500,000, we will sell it around RM300,000 only”. In would mean a 40 per cent discount. But the RM200,000 discount has to be absorbed by the government. It would cost RM400,000,000. For the 20,000 units promised, the government will have to fork out four billion ringgit!

What would be the monthly instalment for these houses? Who can afford to pay such instalments?

Now, even if the houses are to be bought at RM300,000, who will be buying these houses? Can the homeless poor and the low-income earners afford to buy these houses? Where is the BN’s concern for the poor? All their talk about caring for the poor and taking care of their welfare is now exposed as empty talk. There is no housing solution for the poor!

Why is the BN unable to start building immediately? According to him, federal-owned land and that belonging to agencies like the Penang Regional Development Authority, JKP Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Perumahan Nasional Bhd are available for this project. This land has been available for many years; so why was no attempt made previously to build houses to ease the housing problem. Why wait until next year?

This is where the BN comes across as hypocritical. He is making a conditional promise expecting support to be returned to power in order to build the houses. He is coercing Penangites to vote for BN. He did not say that these houses would be built irrespective of the outcome of the election results. He did not say that the BN will build these houses even if it lost the elections.

Will Najib dare to declare that he will build the promised houses even if Penangites voted for the opposition?

Prove your sincerity by making such a declaration. Malaysians are not that stupid. They will not be bribed with their own money!

(P Ramakrishnan is the immediate past president of Aliran)

Malaysia is world champion in corruption

Malaysia is world champion in corruption

NEWS/COMMENTARIES

Friday, 14 December 2012 admin-s

  

 

(Hindustan Times) - Despite Malaysia's high-profile anti-corruption crusade, half of the corporate executives surveyed by a global corruption watchdog believe that competitors have obtained business in the country through bribery.

Transparency International said Malaysia scored worst in the 2012 Bribe Payers Survey.

It asked nearly 3,000 executives from 30 countries whether they had lost a contract in the past year because competitors paid a bribe, and in Malaysia, 50% of them said 'yes'.

Second on the dubious honor roll was Mexico, which was at 48%.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Japan was ranked as the world's least-corrupt place to do business, with just 2% of respondents saying they had lost out due to bribery.

Malaysia's neighbour Singapore was second-cleanest, which was at 9%.

Even Indonesia, with a long-standing reputation for corruption, fared better than more-developed Malaysia.

By comparison, 27% of respondents in China said they thought bribes had cost them business, the report said.

"It shows the attitude of private companies in Malaysia, indicating that bribery in the public sector could be systemic and in a sense institutionalized," Paul Low, president of the Malaysian chapter of Transparency International, said.

Land grabs by UMNO

Come and see ‘land grab’ plots, Tee Yong told

By Ida Lim

December 05, 2012

Chua was challenged to pursue reparations for Selangor if it can be shown that BN parties had profited from the 24 plots of land involved. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 ― DAP’s Tony Pua today invited MCA’s Datuk Chua Tee Yong to visit the 24 plots of land in Selangor that were allegedly sold to the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in a suspected multi-million land grab scandal.

Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers previously claimed that the land was sold to BN parties for below market price during their rule in the state, but BN representatives have since rebutted the allegations by saying that the coalition had used the land solely for the community.

“It is critical for Datuk Chua to agree to the joint site visits to prove that there is no element of corruption and abuse of power by BN in the award of these land to themselves and, more importantly, (that) there was zero element of profit resulting from the above transactions,” Pua said in a statement today.

Pua said the joint visits with Chua are intended to determine if the land was used by BN component parties for the community or otherwise sold or developed commercially for profit.

“The joint bi-partisan visits to the 24 sites will confirm if the land given to Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan were indeed utilised for the ‘community’ or were they a clear cut abuse of power to profit the party and its cronies.”

The visits would also be used to find out how much profit was made, if any, by the BN parties from the land, of which 23 plots are commercial land, Pua said.

“And if the bi-partisan visits are able to prove that Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan have profited hundreds of millions of ringgit from these ‘land scandals’... Datuk Chua must declare that all the unethically obtained profits must be returned to the Selangor state government for the benefit of her citizens,” Pua added.

Yesterday, DAP lawmakers had in a site visit to one of the 24 plots of land, revealed that Selangor Umno had sold off a two-acre parcel of prime land to a condominium developer instead of building community centres there for local residents.

Pua had said the plot in Kelana Jaya was sold to Selangor Umno at RM1 per square feet or a total of RM87,000, far below the market value of RM17.5 million.

During the site visit, he also said the gross development value of the 200-unit condominium was over RM900 million, with each unit costing some RM450,000.

Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh, who was also present at the site visit, said when PR took over Selangor after Election 2008, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had put an immediate stop to the sale of any land to political parties and politicians.

Selangor backbenchers had alleged last month that BN parties Umno, the MCA, MIC and Gerakan were sold a total of 24 pieces of land, collectively worth RM300 million, in seven of nine districts in the state at merely RM1 per square foot during BN’s rule between 2000 and 2008.

They alleged that of the 24 plots, 15 are now owned by Umno branches or divisions, with six of them going to the Sungai Besar Umno division, which was led by former mentri besar Dr Khir Toyo.

Also implicated in the scandal are former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, together with a S. Subramaniam and the late Tan Sri S.O.K. Ubaidullah, one of the MIC’s founders, who were allegedly named as the trustees for a 2,832 square metre plot in Kuala Selangor.

Dr M tells Umno leaders to kill Najib after GE’

Teoh El Sen | December 3, 2012

Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their support to Umno and BN for now.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the election.”

“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.

Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for his Vision 2020 yesterday.

“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease everyone,” he said.

Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing] confident was never Najib’s style.”

Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been “interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.

“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his policies or views,” he said.

On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.

“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays… non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the 66th Umno general assembly.

Umno has changed – for the worst

Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all cost”.

He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum companies, San Miguel”.

“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to pounce on them,” he said.

Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.

“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed – it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it is retrogressive,” he said.

Dr M tells Umno leaders to kill Najib after GE’

Teoh El Sen | December 3, 2012

Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their support to Umno and BN for now.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the election.”

“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.

Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for his Vision 2020 yesterday.

“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease everyone,” he said.

Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing] confident was never Najib’s style.”

Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been “interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.

“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his policies or views,” he said.

On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.

“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays… non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the 66th Umno general assembly.

Umno has changed – for the worst

Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all cost”.

He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum companies, San Miguel”.

“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to pounce on them,” he said.

Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.

“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed – it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it is retrogressive,” he said.

Dr M tells Umno leaders to kill Najib after GE’

Teoh El Sen | December 3, 2012

Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their support to Umno and BN for now.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the election.”

“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.

Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for his Vision 2020 yesterday.

“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease everyone,” he said.

Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing] confident was never Najib’s style.”

Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been “interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.

“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his policies or views,” he said.

On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.

“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays… non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the 66th Umno general assembly.

Umno has changed – for the worst

Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all cost”.

He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum companies, San Miguel”.

“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to pounce on them,” he said.

Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.

“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed – it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it is retrogressive,” he said.

Dr M tells Umno leaders to kill Najib after GE’

Teoh El Sen | December 3, 2012

Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their support to Umno and BN for now.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the election.”

“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.

Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for his Vision 2020 yesterday.

“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease everyone,” he said.

Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing] confident was never Najib’s style.”

Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been “interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.

“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his policies or views,” he said.

On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.

“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays… non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the 66th Umno general assembly.

Umno has changed – for the worst

Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all cost”.

He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum companies, San Miguel”.

“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to pounce on them,” he said.

Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.

“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed – it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it is retrogressive,” he said.

Dr M tells Umno leaders to kill Najib after GE’

Teoh El Sen | December 3, 2012

Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their support to Umno and BN for now.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the election.”

“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.

Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for his Vision 2020 yesterday.

“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease everyone,” he said.

Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing] confident was never Najib’s style.”

Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been “interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.

“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his policies or views,” he said.

On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.

“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays… non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the 66th Umno general assembly.

Umno has changed – for the worst

Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all cost”.

He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum companies, San Miguel”.

“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to pounce on them,” he said.

Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.

“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed – it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it is retrogressive,” he said.

Dr M tells Umno leaders to kill Najib after GE’

Teoh El Sen | December 3, 2012

Anwar Ibrahim claims that the former premier has been asking Umno state leaders to grit their teeth and lend their support to Umno and BN for now.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad is asking Umno state leaders to postpone their plan to kill off Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak until after the general election, according to Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader said he “knew for a fact” that Mahathir had been asking state leaders to lend their support to Umno and Barisan Nasional while suggesting that they could “topple the leader after the election.”

“This message has gone to almost all state leaders. I think that is why because of this fear, Najib feels that his personal position is rather insecure,” he told a press conference here.

Anwar was responding to Najib’s sudden move to thank Mahathir for voluntarily campaigning for Umno towards the end of the party’s annual general assembly on Saturday and congratulating the former premier for his Vision 2020 yesterday.

“Najib has displayed very little courage as a leader, he cannot deal with [Wanita Umno chief] Shahrizat [Abdul Jalil] firmly, can’t imagine he can deal with Mahathir firmly. That is why he is trying to appease everyone,” he said.

Asked if he thought Najib now realised that he needed Mahathir in the run-up to the 13th general election, Anwar said: “Knowing Najib he will need to cling to everyone; his personality of seemingly [appearing] confident was never Najib’s style.”

Anwar said that Najib’s camp was not happy that Mahathir had been “interfering with government matters and in the giving out of contracts to cronies”, but had no choice as Najib was unable to put his foot down.

“Najib does not have the courage to put his foot down… you have a party where Dr Mahathir still goes around calling party leaders. I don’t think he [Najib] has the courage to deal with it… [so] he has to appease all parties, because he does not have the clout to enforce his policies or views,” he said.

On the Umno general assembly, Anwar said that the ruling party’s confidence of winning back four opposition-held states and re-capturing the two-thirds majority was a sign of denial.

“They [Umno leaders] are in a state of denial. They sit in five-star hotels, smoke expensive cigars, spend time in lounges, that’s where they devise their strategy… a clear disconnect between the multimillionaire Umno leaders and the masses on the ground… the urban, rural Malays… non-Malays,” he said at a press conference to rebut issues raised at the 66th Umno general assembly.

Umno has changed – for the worst

Anwar said that the Umno assembly did not touch on core issues affecting society including “economic hardship, soaring prices, endemic poverty”, but instead focused on “power, and how to retain it at all cost”.

He said he was not the least worried by Umno’s display of “sheer arrogance” and its need to “protect its condos, cows, petroleum companies, San Miguel”.

“If he [Najib] was really confident, he would not treat us as if we are a big threat. The tempo and tone of the attacks show that they [Umno leaders] are in fear, as if there is a giant dragon that is waiting to pounce on them,” he said.

Anwar also chided Najib for failing to give the nation a clear vision during his speeches.

“I agree with Najib and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno is a changed party. It is more corrupt, more racist and more insecure. The presidential speeches should give a clear indication of the way forward, a clear vision to chart the nation in terms of dealing with government policies. But this was not done. Yes Umno has changed – it is more desperate to cling to power, resorting to fear-mongering, it is retrogressive,” he said.

Musa (ex-IGP) too abused powers while IGP, says Ramli Yusuff

Musa too abused powers while IGP, says Ramli Yusuff

By Md Izwan

December 04, 2012

Musa had claimed that ministers and politicians interfered with police matters. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Tan Sri Musa Hassan had abused his power while he was the Inspector-General of Police and colluded with the Attorney-General to escape from being arraigned in a 2006 criminal court case, his former colleague and rival in the force, Datuk Ramli Yusuff, has alleged.

The retired Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) director was responding to the ex-IGP’s bombshell at a new conference last week in which the latter had accused Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as among ministers and politicians who had interfered with police matters.

“CCID once captured a criminal named Goh Cheng Poh @ Tengku Goh in December 2006. Tengku Goh made his affidavit and implicated Musa Hassan’s name.

“Then I handed it to the A-G’s office but it was never filed in court, resulting in the habeas corpus application by Tengku Goh being allowed and [he] was freed,” Ramli told The Malaysian Insider when contacted.

The retired police veteran has been a vocal critic of Musa and A-G Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, both whom he blames for putting him in the dock on a corruption charge in 2007, which several mainstream media had sensationalised as the case of the “RM27 million cop”.

“Instead, the A-G directed the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to get confidential files regarding this case and hunted down informants to change their original testimonies,” said Ramli, who was once the nation’s third-most senior police officer.

Asked what proof he had to support his allegation, he said: “If what I say is not right, I am ready for Musa or Gani to take legal action against me. Berani kerana benar [bold as true].”

Ramli was at one time the nation’s third-most senior police officer.

Ramli also stood up for Musa’s successor, IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar, and said the latter should be given the chance to prove his capability.

“The negative perception started during Musa Hassan’s term. Tan Sri Ismail Omar is making an effort to improve that image,” he said, referring to the endemic poor public confidence in the police force.

“To me, it is not just if Musa attacks relentlessly the IGP now.”

Ramli said that Musa’s criticism against the public institution the latter once led and the government was nothing new.

“He started becoming vocal and criticised the government when Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin announced his service would not be extended,” Ramli said, referring to the ex-IGP, and adding that it was the source of Musa’s disgruntlement.

Musa served as IGP for three years before retiring on September 13, 2010, after a corruption case that was closed in July 2007 for lack of evidence.

The nation’s former No. 1 watchman had last week described his working relationship with Hishammuddin as cordial, but the home minister did not see eye-to-eye with him on the command of the police force, saying that his refusal to indulge those who tried to interfere had likely been the reason why his tenure had not been extended.

The police force and other enforcement agencies fall under the home minister’s portfolio.

“When I found out that instructions were given to junior officers and OCPDs (Officer in Charge of Police District) without my knowledge, then something is wrong.

“So, I highlighted to him section 4(1) of the Police Act ... command and control of the police force is by the IGP, not a minister.

“I talked to him nicely, he didn’t like it ... that’s why (my tenure) was not extended,” Musa told a news conference last week organised by Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch), a crime watchdog which had claimed that it will “challenge any statistics that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) comes out with”.

The organisation claimed that it has the “real” crime statistics from the police force which, it said, are “manipulated” before their release to the public.

MyWatch also claimed to have evidence of alleged links between high-ranking police officers and underworld kingpins.

It plans to release its revelations in stages, starting from next week, if the police continue to refuse working with it.

Musa also quoted section 4(1) of the Police Act, which states that police orders must only come from the IGP, who will be liable for such instructions.

He said that command and control over the police force should rest entirely on the IGP, adding that no other individual should be accorded the same right for the sake of checks and balances in the system.

Musa also took aim at his successor, Ismail, suggesting the latter was a yes-man who bowed to politicians’ influence.