Another Bomshell at AG Chambers

RPK jabs AG below the belt, exposes 'affair'

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:02

By FMT Staff
KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin has dropped another scandal bombshell, implicating none other than Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail.
In a posting titled "Okay, what about this affair then?", Raja Petra accused the nation's top lawyer of being romantically involved with the AG Chambers' head of international affairs Azailiza Mohd Ahad.
The blogger, who continues to be a thorn in the side of the government, had recently exposed the alleged affair between Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan and deputy public prosecutor Farah Azlina Latif.

Saiful is the star witness in Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II trial while Farah was part of the prosecution team.

Although Gani refused to comment on the veracity of the Saiful-Farah tryst allegation, he, however, revealed that the latter had been dropped from the case, prompting the defence to file an application to have the case struck out.

“Why does the A-G not want to confirm or deny the allegation that a member of his team is bonking the prosecution’s key witness?” asked Raja Petra. “Would it not be easy if he just denied it and solved the entire problem?”

“He is not prepared to risk his neck, first of all, because he knows it is true and he knows that if he tries to deny it more shit is going to hit the fan. But more importantly, he is worried that if he denies it then we would bring out another allegation of an affair, this time involving him and Azailiza,” he added.

'It is no secret'

No stranger to ruffling feathers of the prominent, Raja Petra went on to claim that Gani's alleged affair was common knowledge.

“Everyone knows about this affair. It is no secret. The AG and Azailiza (photo: right) make frequent trips overseas together and to save taxpayers’ some money, they share a hotel room rather than book separate rooms,” he said.

“There appears to be a hell of a lot of bonking going on in the Palace of Justice. And with the chief justice illegally marrying a second wife in Thailand and then destroying the evidence to escape prosecution, like our MP from Sabah, it makes one wonder how they even have enough time to prepare for the court cases,” he added.

Raja Petra's latest allegation is bound to incur the wrath of the powers-that-be, and amplify the voices calling on the authorities to track his sponsors and bring them to book.

The blogger, of royal lineage, is believed to be in London.

He became a household known following his string of allegations implicating Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor in the murder of Mongolian national Altantunya Shaaribuu.

Read RPK's posting:
Okay, what about this affair then?

No Need War Drum

Soi Lek disappointed in Muhyiddin, says no need for war drums

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

August 17, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 – Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today that he was disappointed with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for using the May 13 incident to warn the MCA against undermining Barisan Nasional (BN) when fighting for the Chinese community.
He added that there was no need to beat the “racial war drum” because Malaysians were now more mature, adding that what MCA was asking for was not at the expense of other communities.
On Saturday, the MCA’s Chinese Economic Congress called for economic liberalisation and a merit-based and needs-based system to contribute to the path for Malaysia to be globally competitive.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin reminded MCA however that the unfair distribution of wealth had resulted in the 1969 racial riot, the worst in the multi-racial country.
The MCA president pointed out today that Malaysians had matured since 1969 and were able to engage in rational discussions.
“The socio-economic condition in Malaysia today is totally different from that in 1969 as Malaysians are capable of having rational discussions without beating the racial war drum.
“All we ask for is fair share. Rest assured the MCA has no plans or interest to deprive other communities of what is rightfully theirs,” he said in a press statement.
The Umno deputy president also warned the MCA to not undermine the BN when fighting for the Chinese community and reminded Dr Chua to be sensitive to the needs of other races in the country.
Muhyiddin dismissed a recent resolution by MCA’s Chinese Economic Congress for the 30 per cent Bumiputera quota to be abolished and said the Malays’ share of the economy was still low.
“This has to be looked in a larger context, without a fair distribution, we saw what happened in 1969, I hope it won’t happen again,” said Muhyiddin.
Dr Chua said today that MCA had always been loyal to BN but needed to remain relevant by catering to the needs of the Chinese community.
“MCA is sensitive of its role within the Barisan Nasional but we have a role to play as Chinese-based party so that we can continue to be relevant.
“The loyalty of the MCA towards Barisan Nasional should not be questioned as it has gone through good and bad times when Umno suffered setbacks. Back then MCA had delivered support to ensure its victory in the general elections,” he said.
Dr Chua said that the party never questioned the special position of the Malay community and reiterated that affirmative action must be based on needs, merits and be market-friendly.
“In a multi-racial country, growth should not be a zero-sum game as there are reasons to worry that we will continue to be trapped as a middle-income country if we do not liberalise our economy and boost investment.
“We advocate that Bumiputeras should be given price preference in certain economic sectors when the economy is liberalised for open tender,” he said.
He added that the congress proposed a gradual reduction of the 30 per cent Bumiputera quota and the introduction of price preference to allow the community to compete on a equitable basis.
Dr Chua said Malaysia could only achieve its target in the 10th Malaysia Plan and New Economic Model (NEM) if it was able to attract domestic and foreign investment worth RM115 billion.
“In order to attract RM115 billion of private investment per annum under the 10th Malaysia Plan, we must ensure that our economy is competitive and vibrant.
“We can only achieve the target by liberalizing sectors such as oil and gas as well as telecommunication; rationalising subsidy and opening tender with price preference to Bumiputras,” he said.
An all-out war appeared to have broken out between MCA and Umno yesterday when Dr Chua Soi Lek accusing “some BN leaders” of failing to recognise past failures after Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s blunt reminder to the MCA to stick with BN’s struggles.
The MCA president said that the party was not afraid to side with its opposition foe DAP in issues that benefited the community and would not run away from making its stand known.

MI

Nasib Peneroka FELDA

Selamat membuli peneroka, Mr Prime Minister – Mohd Hanipa Maidin

August 17, 2010

17 OGOS – Bagi menunjukkan kononnya Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak peka dengan penderitaan para peneroka Felda , penero ka dijanjikan oleh Najib untuk diberi RM 350 bagi setiap peneroka yang berupa bayaran khas untuk hari raya aidilfitri. Dilaporkan bahawa 101,391 peneroka Felda akan mendapat bayaran tersebut (lihat The Star 14/8/2010 ).
Bagi kita Pas, segala bayaran yang boleh mengurangkan beban para peneroka amat-amat kita alukan. Namun yang kita tidak boleh terima sama sekali mengapakah seramai 11, 244 peneroka yang memilih untuk tanam semula secara sendiri dan tidak melalui Felda hanya akan diberikan RM150 sahaja untuk hari raya aidilfitri nanti .
Tiada sebarang alasan mengapakah para peneroka yang yang memilih untuk tanam semula secara sendiri dan tidak melalui Felda hanya akan diberikan RM 150 sahaja sedangkan rakan-rakan mereka mendapat RM350-00 dari pihak Felda. Kalau ini bukan diskriminasi apa nak kita namakan dengan tindakan ini?
Apa guna kita mempunyai Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menjamin hak sama rata di sisi undang-undang jika Kerajaan dengan secara mudah dan tanpa rasa bersalah terus menerus melakukan tindakan diskriminasi sesama peneroka.
Memanglah kita tidak boleh harapkan Kerajaan Najib untuk takut pada Allah kerana bertindak zalim ke atas peneroka dengan mendiskriminasi sesama mereka – yang tanam semula dengan Felda dapat RM 350 dan yang tanam semula secara sendiri hanya dapat RM 150-00 sahaja – namun sekurang-kurangnya kita masih harapkan Kerajaan Najib ini masih boleh berfikir dan bertindak secara rasional dan dalam kerangka Perlembagaan.
Nampaknya tindakan terbaru Najib ini mengesahkan bahawa rakyat tidak boleh mengharapkan pemimipin No 1 Umno dan Negara ini untuk hormati ayat Al-Quran yang melarang umatnya melakukan kezaliman. Hatta untuk mengharapkan mereka Najib menghormati Perlembagaan pun jauh panggang dari api. Kesimpulannya Najib tidak mesra Perlembagaan jauh sekali mesra Al-Quran.
Harus diingat apabila para peneroka memilih untuk tanam secara sendiri dan tidak melalui Felda (selepas pokok mereka ditebang ) para peneroka hakikatnya hanya melaksanakan opsyen yang Felda berikan kepada mereka. Felda sendiri sebenarnya telah memberikan pilihan kepada para peneroka untuk menanam semula secara sendiri.
Hakikatnya mereka yang menanam semula secara sendiri telah dijanjikan oleh Felda untuk diberikan wang sebanyak RM 1700 seekar bagi menanggung perbelanjaan kerja-kerja tanam semula.
Mantan Menteri Tanah dan Pembangunan Koperasi Tan Sri Kasitah Gadam dan juga Pengerusi Felda Holdings Yusuf Noor pernah membuat kenyataan di akhbar dan memberi jaminan bahawa peneroka-peneroka yang memilih untuk menanam semula secara sendiri berhak mendapatkan wang mereka daripada tabung tanam semula.
Melalui mesyuarat antara Persatuan Pekebun-Pekebun Kecil Malaysia (PKPKM ) dengan Kementerian Perusahaan Utama yang turut dihadiri oleh wakil Felda pada 11/1/2001, Felda bersetuju memulangkan kembali wang daripada tabung tanam semula kepada peneroka yang sudah menjelaskan bayaran skim Felda tidak kira sama ada mereka membuat tanam semula secara bersendiri atau menerusi Felda dan jumlah wang yang akan dikembalikan ialah RM 1,700.00 setiap ekar.
Sebenarnya para peneroka yang menanam semula secara sendiri dalam banyak hal didiskriminasi. Mereka bukan sahaja didiskriminasi dalam isu pemberian duit raya tapi juga dalam perkara yang lain.
Ada para peneroka yang terpaksa pergi ke Mahkamah bagi mendapatkan wang RM 1700 seekar. Pada masa ini saya sedang mewakili 24 peneroka Air Tawar 5 Kota Tinggi, Johor dan 11 peneroka Felda Sungai Koyan 2 dan 3 yang dinafikan oleh Felda bagi mendapatkan wang dari tabung tanam semula sebanyak RM 1700 seekar tersebut. Hanya Allah sahaja yang tahu betapa sedih dan pilunya melihat para peneroka yang sudah lanjut umur dan ada yang sudah uzur bersusah payah memanjat tangga Mahkamah bagi mendapatkan hak mereka.
Meskipun Felda dan Najib terus menerus memberikan janji manis bahawa peneroka yang tanam semula secara sendiri akan diberikan wang dari tabung tanam semula sebanyak RM 1700 seekar namun apabila tiba waktu perlaksanaan janji tersebut maka peneroka akan dikenakan pelbagai syarat melalui beberapa Pekeliling yang dikeluarkan oleh Felda dari semasa ke semasa. Sekejap Pekeliling TBB – Operasi 4/2004, kemudian Pekeliling TBB – Operasi 2/2005, kemudiannya Pekeliling TBB – Operasi 2/2006 dan kemudiannya Pekeliling TBB –Operasi 2/2008 pula.
Meskipun wang tabung tanam semula adalah hasil caruman para peneroka namun apabila tiba waktu membuat Pekeliling – Pekeliling tersebut kita tidak nampak kepentingan dan hak para peneroka yang menanam semula secara sendiri benar-benar dijaga.
Apabila peneroka memilih tanam semula melalui Felda, ironinya Felda juga menggunakan wang dari tabung tanam semula. Jadi kita tidak faham mengapakah apabila pihak peneroka menanam secara sendiri ada dari mereka yang dinafikan hak oleh Felda untuk mendapatkan wang tersebut sedangkan kesemua mereka adalah peneroka tanpa mengira yang tanam sendiri atau yang tanam melalui Defendan.
Wang tabung tanam semula adalah milik para peneroka di mana wang itu diambil dari potongan hasil peneroka setiap bulan dan bayaran tersebut dinyatakan secara spesifik di dalam Penyata Bayaran Hasil yang peneroka terima dari Felda.
Sebenarnya para peneroka mempunyai alasan yang kuat untuk tidak mahu tanam semula melalui Felda. Para peneroka sebenarnya tidak mahu berhutang semula dengan Felda sepertimana yang mereka pernah alami sebelum mereka mendapat Hakmilik Geran hartanah mereka.
Mereka yang tanam semula melalui Felda ,meskipun mendapat bantuan Felda akan terpaksa membayar kembali bantuan tersebut bersama-sama dengan kadar faedah (baca riba) yang mana kadar itu boleh diubah dari semsa ke semasa.
Para peneroka yang tanam semula melalui Felda tidak boleh campurtangan berkenaan rundingan harga jualan hasil tanaman mereka yang dilakukan oleh pihak Felda dengan pihak Kilang.
Untuk Najib – selamat membuli para peneroka !!! - peguampas.blogspot.com
* Mohamed Hanipa Maidin ialah ahli jawatankuasa PAS Pusat.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or the publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

MI

Singapore Style Litter control

A man carrying a chip wrapper bustles along the pavement, his search for a bin becoming more frantic with every step. Across the street, a woman smoking a cigarette at a bus stop looks nervously over her shoulder as she surreptitiously flicks ash into the breeze. An older man, spotting The Independent's photographer in town, gets suspicious and demands to know if she is working for the council.

These are embattled residents of Sandwell. The area, which includes the towns of West Bromwich, Oldbury and Smethwick near Birmingham, boasts what must be some of the tidiest streets in Britain. But cleanliness comes at a cost. Those who fall foul of the council's strict litter laws risk being collared by an army of eagle-eyed wardens, who, residents are beginning to feel, lie in wait around every corner.

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Yesterday, the residents of Oldbury woke up to the news that 70-year-old Sheila Martin faced a £2,500 fine after she refused to pay Sandwell an on-the-spot penalty for flicking ash at a bus stop. "I can't work out why the coucnil would be so vindictive over such a petty matter," she said.

Last year, Sandwell handed out more than 2,200 penalty fines of £75, compared to just 336 in neighbouring Dudley. Residents have been punished for misdemeanours as minor as allowing tissues to fall from pockets.

The rule of law has become so severe that some locals are calling Sandwell the new capital of "big brother" Britain, or the "Singapore of the West Midlands", after the city-state that takes a similarly dim view of littering.

Shoppers on the streets of Oldbury yesterday said they feared being caught out and slapped with "excessive" fines. "The council has got a bit strict recently," said the woman with the cigarette, who refused to be named or pictured.

She added: "I am surprised you can be fined for dropping ash, it is very harsh. I can understand it if it is the cigarette butt, but the ash just disintegrates immediately, doesn't it?"

Workers on their lunch break taking advantage of a sunny day wondered if asking nicely wouldn't be more effective, if less lucrative, than fines.

Claire Boyes, a 34-year-old charity worker, said: "There is a big difference between someone who accidentally drops something while they're running for a bus and someone who throws their litter from their car," she said. "I would rather just be told about it then I would go back and put the litter in a bin. I would be embarrassed, but rather that than pay a fine."

Ms Boyes is one of many who are worried about the council's approach to littering after a number of stories about residents caught out by its staff. Last year, Kerrie-Anne Hicken was stopped by a council warden after a tissue blew from her pocket as she ran for a bus. Vanessa Kelly was fined for feeding ducks with her son in a park.

The council eventually agreed the duck-feeding charge was "over the top" and dropped the charges, but it won't back down in the case of Mrs Martin, the bus-stop smoker.

A council spokesman declined to comment on individual cases yesterday, but said: "In general terms, our wardens do not issue fixed penalty notices for dropping cigarette ash."

He added: "The council takes a dim view of littering because the people of Sandwell tell us they want clean streets." Waseem Akhtar, 34, who works for a company providing IT to local schools, wondered why the council had decided on the fine of £75, when "£10 would be just as effective as a deterrent".

He added: "If there are enough bins around, I can understand the council taking action to stop litter-bugs but to fine someone for dropping cigarette ash is just ridiculous."

Akhtar's colleague, 25-year-old Aunkher Sithu added that, if the wardens have other duties as well as this, then he did not mind quite as much. "But I don't like the idea of council employees standing on street corners just to try to catch people out," he said.

Back at the bus stop, just before he disappears behind a corner, the man with the fish wrapper finally finds a bin. Throwing his litter inside, the sigh of relief is almost audible.
Independent UK

MIDA FRAUD

Mida D-G in RM5.5 million fraud?

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:48

By FMT Staff

BANGI: The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) office in Jalan Duta is buzzing with allegations of fraud over a RM5.5 million public relations contract awarded, without tender, to an advertising company.
Alleging power abuse and acts of swindling, several officers claimed that Mida director-general Jalilah Baba was well aware of the goings-on in the organisation and was in fact involved in the case.

A report in Harakahdaily quoted several unnamed officers who alleged the fraudulent activities involved a company called Friends Advertising Sdn Bhd (FASB) which was appointed to handle Mida’s public relations activities in Malaysia and abroad.

According to a document dated June 17, 2009, Mida not only appointed FASB via direct negotiation, but it also offered the company other lucrative jobs, which were outside its scope of work.

Among the jobs given to FASB were publishing and printing Mida materials, preparing exhibition panels and promotional collaterals such as buntings, greeting cards and corporate brochures.

"All these were contracts awarded without open tenders. There is only one company now handling the entire job,” said an officer involved in the selection process.

“Changes have taken place here since Jalilah took over the technical and pricing committee. We’ve cancelled the tender process to enable her to directly appoint the company,” said another officer.

Citing an example, he said, Mida had appointed FASB for the “Rebranding of Mida & Malaysia” job (under its media plan 2010) for RM15,000 a month.

Going against procedures
The officer said according to a notice dated Dec 28, 2009, Jalilah had approved a FASB proposal worth RM5.5 million without a tender process.

"This is against government and Mida’s finance procedures. It is clearly stated in our guidelines for government procurements that the director-general's authority to approve projects without tender is limited to RM50,000.

“In this case, the director-general had approved RM5.5 million.

"This has given FASB the upper hand. Riding on its special status, it has now doubled the cost price of the projects at its whims and fancies. For instance, FASB charges RM15,000 for designing an advertisement when the market price is between RM1,200 and RM2,500.

“There is also a directive from Jalilah that all purchases of video clips from TV1, TV2 and TV3 be made through FASB, which charges an additional 17.6% service fee.

He said that in the past, Mida’s media and communication division used to buy these clips directly from the stations at a lower cost minus the 17.6% service fee.

“None of the current projects are awarded via open tender. Even a mock-up design for investment advertisement worth RM200,000 is awarded on direct negotiation," said the disgruntled officer.

Harakahdaily said allegations of swindling within Mida were common knowledge among the staff, especially since moves to corporatise Mida was put in place.

On July 9, Harakahdaily quoted Jalilah as saying that moves to corporatise MIDA was underway and legal scrutiny of the process was mandatory.

She, however, declined to reveal details of the process which were announced by International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed on May 28.

However, it is understood that Jalilah and her team have been given the responsibility of preparing amendments to the Federal Industrial Development Act 1965 (amended in 2000) to enable the organisation “to be truly free” in corporate governance and no more under the ministry.

The move to corporatise Mida is likely to leave some 500 employees in limbo. The new entity is expected to retain only 300 of Mida’s 800 staff.