Spanking DA Monkey

Vote Wisely In The Coming GE13

2012-02-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

This piece from my fellow blogger Freddie Kevin is just too good not to share. He writes with passion and openly from his heart something that I've been struggling to say.

Please take note that the synopsis I've reproduced here is not in the original order that he's written it in his blog. There's a link to his original version where you can read his take in full.

The Government I support has stood every difficult test in time, and to continue doing so, mistakes and excesses of the past and present, must not be allowed to occur and continue.

There is no denying there is a lot to be done and has to be done.

The economy, security, education, homes, environment.

The wealth and health of the nation and it's people must be kept in good hands.

It is now, more than ever, a daunting task.

Datuk Seri Najib is only 3 years into the job and the signs are positive, not all, but at least he focuses on the important issues. He is working very hard. It reminds me of that man.

Of course, in doing so, you cannot please all of the people all of the time.

You may say my Government is corrupt and racist.

At the very least, this "corrupt" and "racist" Government has given us peace and prosperity for as long as I can remember.

As long as I can remember, I could go to church and pray, freely.

I have got my education.

Ever since eligible to vote, I have voted in every election, freely.

click on Freddie's blog header for more

www Does Not Mean Wild Wild West

2012-01-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

As many bloggers are now finding out, cyberspace is not lawless. It is in fact governed by the same legislation as in the real world. There are many laws that are applicable to cyber-crimes, such as the Defamation Act, Sedition Act, Penal Code, the former Internal Security Act... and even if you are not bound by Malaysian law (for certain activities), you may be bound by international laws.

Thanks to the ever-shifting parameters of the Internet and the proliferation of its content, the rules of conduct online are changing more rapidly than we realise.

With a single status update on Facebook, a university student instantly became a wanted man.

To the student, it was a merely a joke; but to the authorities, his posting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak reading “najib is coming to our campus... let's bomb his helicopter...” was a real security threat.

The Police immediately hauled him in for questioning on suspicion of criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the Penal Code.

A few days after the first bomb threat arrest, another student was detained for posting death threats on the PM. She later claimed that her Facebook account was hacked.

Right about now you may be thinking that they should have used a fake identity to say and do whatever they wanted online.

Even if you use an Angry Bird as your profile photo, the authorities can trace you. Everyone has a digital footprint; anything we do online can be traced. Even if you create a fake persona, there is other information that will lead back to you, and information on common friends and events may pinpoint your real identity.

Unless you are skilled in high tech you will not be able to cover your tracks and bypass your detectors. What is clear is that the ever-changing landscape of the Internet means that the legal and ethical lines online is also constantly moving.

For example content uploading - these days it is common to see camera phones clicking and blinking away at private functions and public events. But uploading these pictures onto the Net without realising the consequences of making the content public could backfire on the individual concerned.

The obvious misdemeanours are the illegal downloading and file sharing and the death threats but there are also many common “crimes” that you may be committing unknowingly.

Defamation- how can you be sued for defamation if no name is mentioned, right?

Wrong!

If a rumour about someone is spreading on the Internet, and you post your two sen on the matter without the name appearing anywhere in your posting, you can still be sued for defamation.

You may say that it is freedom of speech but to the person concerned it is defamation, and he or she can file a suit against you.

Basically, you cannot accuse someone of something without concrete evidence.

Injunctions or ban on making comments on a person's private life are also becoming popular among the rich and famous. Although the gag order is often targeted at the media, the average person on Twitter and Facebook will still need to be careful about making comments if they don't want to be taken to court.

Sedition- religion, race and politics are topics that are also generally off limits on the Internet in Malaysia.

While the laws governing these national security issues are sometimes vague something that is acceptable to some are offensive to others, so the police will take action if they receive reports from the public.

Many social network providers do not have filters (so) they will not stop you from committing the mistakes in the first place. You hope that you could be alerted if you say something that will get you into trouble and delete it before anyone sees it. Unfortunately, you will not be alerted.

Instead, more social media network and telecommunications providers are carrying disclaimers stating they will not be held responsible for any crime committed via their network. They will also not hesitate to share evidence with the authorities.

Pornography- If you receive a pornographic picture or video in your e-mail, don't be too quick to share it with your colleagues. It is against the policy and ethics of most companies, and may even get you sacked. Internet pornography is not yet a crime in Malaysia but it is illegal to sell or possess pornographic material and carries a fine of up to RM10,000.

Child pornography is governed by international laws, so if you post or forward any picture and video of children in indecent poses, you will be counted as a criminal. These days with over-zealous parents posting and sharing pictures of their children in various kinds of poses and states of undress online, you may need to be extra careful that no moral lines are crossed.

Cyber stalking- it is an interesting concept in the e-world. We keep our distance in the physical world but in the cyber world what is the personal space?”.

If you do not like someone, you will automatically keep your distance and if you see that person hovering around your house, you may get worried and inform the authorities.

Online, this concept is a bit more vague, and it is difficult to trace the “silent” follower. Most of us will not like it if we have someone following us all the time and writing on our wall, commenting on various things.

If people are warning you not to follow them or are “un-friending” you, then you know that you may have crossed the line. Or if you have been blocked, so you create a new profile under a pseudonym or nickname to be his or her friend, then you know that you have a problem. Sometimes you may just need to get a life.

At forums and talks, the speaker may be saying confidential things that he or she does not want to be made public. In some cases it may be a copyright infringement for example, some musicians state clearly on the back of their concert tickets and at venue entrances that recording is prohibited.

Fraping - said to be the current rage online, fraping is signing into someone else's Facebook page and changing their status. Although many insist that they do it for fun, this is basically account hijacking and is illegal.

A harmless prank can sometimes have harmful consequences: for example, your boss may see your false status and take disciplinary action against you, or a potential employer may think twice after seeing the photo that you have been falsely tagged in.

At the very least, your Facebook account may be closed for being against the social media network's terms of service, and you lose all your data.

Corporate secrets - “A bad day at work.” This Facebook status update caused a father of three in Britain his job. His argument that he did not mention the name of his company was deemed as irrelevant. As the industrial court judge ruled, his FB friends knew where he worked!

He was told that the comments breached his company's “social networking policy” and could “damage the reputation of the company”.

So, even though it is not illegal, many companies now restrict the use of social media network during working hours, as well as monitor their employees' work “grumbles”.

“Even though you don't mean anything by it, your postings can affect the organisation's reputation or stock prices,” It is legally binding if you have signed the company's Standard Operating Procedure.

There have also been many incidents related to social media networks which involve people posting corporate secrets or giving out information that is supposed to be confidential to their company or privy to a certain number of people.

One is through photos of restricted areas at some companies. Many people are caught unaware when they upload photos of themselves taken in supposedly restricted areas.

A growing issue now is the leak of company secrets through personal devices such as pen drives. Now organisations are allowing employees to bring their own devices, which are usually used for both corporate information and personal data. Many also share these devices with their family members.

If you or your family members do not follow the best practices online, or if the computer is compromised, then it may cause information leaks. You need to make sure that you comply with your company's policy.

So Anwar’s A Free Man Today

2012-01-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

The Spanker sees three obvious implications from today's verdict:

1. The Govt clears their name from accusations that they manipulate the courts.

2. Anwar misses the bus on martyr status, exactly what PR needed to gain more sympathy votes.

3. Chaos was avoided today. The three bombing incidents where five people were unfortunately wounded supports the suspicion that some of the protesters were hell bent on causing trouble. They were sure Anwar would be convicted.

Anwar's conviction would have been the perfect opportunity to wreck havoc, and many of us agree that had Anwar been found guilty, a terrible riot would have broken out.

So all said and done, if this verdict was politically-motivated by the Govt as claimed by some, then it was a masterstroke, a class act. Lose the battle, win the war – Sun Tzu.

The bottom line is that the court had acted professionally and all must respect its decision.

The three explosions outside the KL High Court today marked another notch in the increasingly volatile political landscape of our country.

The Spanker has often argued that Malaysians are mature enough to handle all the freedoms that we enjoy. Cautions of dangers posed by extremists among us are often dismissed as the government's attempt to silence its critics and deny the people of these freedoms.

Apparently, it's proven today that those dangers are real. Next time, God forbid, it could be even worse.

With the most crucial general election in this country's history to take place within the coming few months, let’s pray that this is not going to be the year of living dangerously in Malaysia.

Now, it is up for our much maligned police force to handle the situation and ensure our safety. Do you remember who actually maligned our police force?

Heh heh heh They are the same sour grapes who have been bad mouthing our justice system, the judiciary, the MACC, our royalty as well as other government institutions. You know who they are.

Dear Lord, Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread And Politics

2012-01-08T03:49:00.000-08:00

Is nothing scared anymore? Have we sunk so low in our various agendas that we have to politicise a daily staple?

GARDENIA or Massimo?

Recently, there has been a ‘Gardenia- Massimo war’ sparked by a campaign to boycott Gardenia because of alleged racist reasons. Some netizens have slammed Gardenia for allegedly practising cronyism and a Facebook group has sprung up, urging Malaysian bread lovers to add race and politics to their list of preferences. Started around a month ago, the online campaign called for a boycott of Gardenia bread because it is allegedly owned by a “crony company”.

The fb group claims that after buying into Gardenia, Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) pressured the breadmaker to stop buying flour from Federal Flour Mills Bhd (FFM), owned by Hong Kong-based Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Robert Kuok, for racist reasons. Bernas is owned by Tan Sri Syed Mohktar Al-Bukhary.

The campaign also urged consumers to switch to new loaf on the block, Massimo, which incidentally is produced by FFM.

While the link to the campaign cannot be determined, sales of Gardenia dropped, prompting the company to place advertorials in the print media to deny that it is a crony company, and that it had been directed by Bernas to stop buying flour from FFM.

In the advertisements, Gardenia Bakeries stressed that it purchases flour from Malayan Flour Mills Bhd and Prestasi Flour Mills (M) Sdn Bhd purely due to commercial reasons.

It also added that although Bernas had a stake in another flour mill, it had never been directed or coerced into buying flour from the mill.

In return, the FFM group also came up with its own advertorials in the media to deny any involvement in the smear campaign against Gardenia.

The FFM group claimed it is a company that has always believed that businesses should be allowed to operate in a fair and equitable manner that permitted free enterprise and competition.

“We have been fortunate to be able to compete in a market that shares these values,” said FFM.

Datuk Marimuthu Nadeson of Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) sweetly expresses our collective astonishment that a basic food has been politicised thus.

“If even bread can be equated to race and politics, I don't know which God will help us,” he says.

“Although consumers have the right to choose, boycotting for the given reasons reflect something unusual that must be addressed.”

At the end of the day, stresses Marimuthu, consumers must believe in the product based on its quality alone.

A Star publications random poll of about 30 bread consumers at several supermarkets and sundry shops in the Petaling Jaya area found that many of them seem to prefer one brand over the other.

However, the consumers interviewed mostly offer the same sentiment - their choice has nothing to do with politics or race. For most of them, the deciding factor is taste while for some, price is another consideration.

Massimo currently offers a standard-sized 400g wheat germ loaf at RM2.50 while Gardenia's 400g wholemeal equivalent is priced at RM3.20.

Unfortunately, there are some people who are branding bread according to race, as can be seen in online forums.

Interestingly, Gardenia is garnering support from “unlikely” parties, such as DAP parliamentarian Teresa Kok who has come to its defence in her blog.

“I find this SMS to be extremely racist and not acceptable. I condemn the use of the race-based angle in attacking Gardenia,” wrote the Seputeh MP after receiving an SMS on the matter.

Kok also advised members of the public to be more careful with any information received via forwarded SMS/e-mail and not forward it without verification. Marimuthu agrees. “It seems to be quite easy to discredit or run down people online or via SMS. “People must learn to evaluate information,” he says.

Although not common, such smear tactics have been employed before. In 2008, there was an SMS campaign in Penang to boycott the nasi kandar stalls because the operators and workers allegedly protested against the Penang Government at Komtar.

Penang is famous for its nasi kandar and there are more than 250 such outlets in the state. Following the boycott, then Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Operators Association president K.K. Sihabutheen reportedly appealed to consumers not to stay away from the outlets.

He said it was unfair to spread rumours on the nasi kandar operators when they were not even involved in the demonstration.

The campaign, however, fizzled out not long after as the lure of the nasi kandar was too great to resist. Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) activist Datuk Nadzim Johan concurs that there are many Malaysians who are easily swayed by race rhetoric.

“Business is not an issue of race. We can't use political or racist elements in business,” he stresses. He says that PPIM would boycott products based on safety and health issues and not because of who the owner is.

“We are against anything that shortchanges consumers,” he stresses.

Prof Datuk Dr Wan Hashim of the National Defence University of Malaysia laments the racist allegations.

“This kind of thing shouldn't happen at this stage of our development.”

In the past, he adds, no one questioned such things.

“Should we now ask who owns KFC and McDonalds before we choose to eat there?” he poses.

If there is anything to be questioned, it would be whether the product is halal or not, says Dr Wan Hashim who has authored a book on race relations in Malaysia.

Datuk Dr Chandra Muzaffar, a trustee of the 1Malaysia foundation, however, feels that racial sentiment is normal as Malaysia is an ethno-centric society.

“Those who deny this are not being honest and their sentiments don't reflect reality,” he opines. He points out that when we describe fellow Malaysians to others, we often refer to them by their race.

“For example, a Chinese doctor or a Malay civil servant. It goes back generations and is very unfortunate, although not unusual.”

After the race riots of May 13, 1969, non-Malays boycotted durians as they were associated with the Malays, he says. He urges Malaysians today not to condone this sort of practice.

“What we should be concerned about is whether their business practices are ethical or not,” he says.

In an article in the Star today, A consumer known only as Yap sums it up well. He says he is disgusted by all the dirty tactics employed in the smear campaign.

A firm believer in the 1Malaysia concept, Yap observes that race and politics are becoming an increasingly divisive factor in Malaysia.

“It's bad enough that race is already in politics and our forms.

“But when it's in bread, it just makes me sad and angry,” he says.

2011-12-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

Remember not to drink and drive. Alcohol is so expensive nowadays

you'll regret if you hit a bump & spill it.

A Smiling End to 2011

2011-12-30T21:09:00.000-08:00

Its good to see that the MACC boys are ending the year with a positive note. They certainly have had a rough year. However its puzzling to see the arrested Datuk smiling broadly directly at the camera. Does he know something we don't? Does he have cow skeletons in his cupboard he can pull out to save his sorry @ss?

Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail who was earlier questioned by police for the alleged attempt to bribe three police officers was today charged at the Jalan Duta Sessions Court with two counts of cheating a National Feedlot Centre (NFC) director.

The chief executive officer of Shamsulbahrin Ismail Resources Sdn Bhd was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code with cheating Datuk Dr Mohammad Salleh Ismail, the company director of NFC, by promising consultation services and inducing Mohammad Salleh to agree to pay him at a restaurant in Bukit Tunku.

He was also charged with cheating and inducing Mohammad Salleh to hand over cheques for RM1.755 million at Solaris in Mont Kiara between Nov 25 and Dec 6.

Judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain set bail at RM300,000 and the case is set for mention on Jan 21 next year. The charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, whipping and fine, upon conviction.

The 45-year-old businessman was arrested initially by police investigating an alleged attempt to offer a RM1.7 million bribe to three police officers probing the NFC scandal.

He was detained at the federal commercial crimes investigations department at Bukit Perdana at 4pm on Dec 21 after being summoned by an investigation officer. He was later handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Shamsulbahrin is reported to also own a taxi company and runs an agency supplying foreign workers.

Four days ago, Mohammad Salleh, who is the husband of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, had denied being related to Shamsulbahrin.

The NFC - which was meant to be the centre of production for beef and beef products in Malaysia - hit the spotlight following the publication of the 2010 Auditor-General's Report in October and disclosures by the Opposition of alleged misuse of funds involving the purchase of two luxury condominiums in Bangsar, luxury cars, office rentals and overseas holidays for the directors' family members. The NFC is managed by Shahrizat's family.

The A-G's report said that the NFC was in a mess and it had failed to meet its target. Following the report, it was claimed that the RM250 million loan allocated to the company by the government was used to buy property and holidays. Since the disclosures, there have been calls for Shahrizat, who is also Wanita Umno chief, to step down.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

by all means eat, drink and be merry

but please remember to be safe on the roads

Civil disobedience cannot rule the law

2011-12-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

Article reproduced from Sunday Star, December 11, 2011

By Roger Tan

IN 1996, when my clients and I were negotiating with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, led by its then head of the advisory and international division Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, I warned that too high a rate might cause the public to refuse payment to privatised entities out of civil disobedience.

Then, both my learned friends across the table and my own clients were rather amused by my argument.

Today, this term “civil disobedience” appears to be the “in-thing” among politicians, particularly those from the opposition, backed by non-governmental organisations and civil rights and liberties movements.

It is becoming a popular tactical weapon used by them to justify their violation of laws which, in their view, are “unjust”, apart from indulging in some polemics.

Street protest: Civil disobedience is becoming a popular tactical weapon used by politicians and civil rights movements to justify their violation of laws. — Filepic

Hence, we saw various street protests being held without a police permit in contravention of the Police Act (1967).

So, what is civil disobedience? I would define it as an open and deliberate law-breaking or infringement of rights to get public attention that is often politically motivated, and normally is carried out because the civil disobedients conscientiously feel, whether sincerely or otherwise, that they are morally obliged to do so.

Pressure groups around the world have, over the years, resorted to this means to secure their desired legal and social changes. But for an act to be considered civil disobedience, the disobedients must also be prepared to accept punishment for infracting the laws.

This is, in fact, fine with them as the courtroom will give them the publicity they seek for the causes and issues which they are advancing.

The father of the modern concept of civil disobedience is said to be American Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862). For six years, he refused to pay taxes because of his opposition to slavery and the Mexican-American War. For that, he was thrown into jail in July 1846, but he only spent one night in jail because the next day, his aunt, against his wishes, paid his taxes.

We are undoubtedly more acquainted with celebrated modern-day civil disobedients such as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Martin Luther King (1929-1968) and Rosa Parks (1913-2005).

Parks was fined for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger but Gandhi and King were jailed for disobeying the law. There is no denying that Gandhi’s Satyagraha and King’s civil rights movements brought immense legal and social changes to India and the United States respectively.

These civil disobedients were much inspired by the words of St Augustine (354-430) that an unjust law is no law at all (lex iniusta non est lex). So, one is under a moral obligation to disobey such a law. King also added that “sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application”.

The story told by Professor Charles Lund Black (1915-2001) of Yale Law School, an outspoken critic of the death penalty, about one Pawnee Indian brave named Peshwataro, best illustrates the operation and benefits of civil disobedience:

“The law of the Pawnee commanded that on the summer solstice there take place the sacrifice of the star maiden. A girl was each year captured from a neighbouring tribe and bound to a stake. At dawn, the Pawnee braves would ride in a circle about her and shoot their arrows into her.

“This was not done for sport, but because, like so much that seems cruel in so many societies, it was thought to be a cruelty necessary to the maintenance of the moral and religious order.

“Many Pawnees, through what processes or influences I cannot say, came to disapprove of it and talked of doing away with it, but it was the law, and conservatism was too strong.

“Then one summer solstice at dawn this Peshwataro, a young man of high repute with the tribe, broke from the circle before an arrow was shot, rode furiously to the stake, freed the girl of that year, slung her in front of him, and escaped with her.

“He left her with her people and then rode back, much as Gandhi might have done, to submit himself to his fellows. As it happens, they did nothing. It was time, really, to stop this business; they had only needed an act of such courage to make that clear.”

Well, some of our local aspiring acolytes of Gandhi and King may want to courageously emulate Peshwataro as a knight in shining armour riding on the populist waves of civil disobedience.

But surely one must pause and rationally ask this pertinent question: “Can civil disobedience practised in the extreme be a potent threat to the rule of law in a democratic society?”

In this respect, many renowned jurists have stressed the importance of rule of law. According to the advice of St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), while unjust laws do not oblige in conscience, obedience to law is still required to avoid disorder.

The United States Supreme Court Justice Abraham Fortas (1910-1982) had also argued that “each of us owes a duty of obedience to law. This is a moral as well as a legal imperative.”

The father of the concept of separation of powers, French jurist Montesquieu (1689-1755), once said liberty is the right to do as the law permits.

Hence, on Sept 30, 1962, President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) said in his radio and television address to his countrymen: “Our nation is founded on the principle that observance of the law is the eternal safeguard of liberty and defiance of the law is the surest road to tyranny ... Americans are free, in short, to disagree with the law but not to disobey it.”

It follows there are several valid arguments against civil disobedience. First and foremost, if the laws have been passed by a government democratically elected by the people, then it is undemocratic for anyone to disobey the laws.

As civil disobedients usually constitute a minority, it is also undemocratic for the minority to impose its view on the majority. Neither is this fair to the law-abiding majority.

Further, whether one likes it or not, disobeying the law is essentially a criminal conduct regardless of how novel is the motive of the civil disobedient.

In other words, one can only change the democratically-made laws and policies through the ballot box, and not by way of breaking the laws. If a civil disobedient goes unpunished, this will result in a general disobedience to law by the populace which will eventually lead to anarchy.

Some would call this concept an Occidental import which is alien to our Asian society. Yet other legal writers have equated civil disobedience with political brinksmanship capable of generating hostility in the community. It can also be prone to violence if some contumacious disobedients are incapable of controlling their emotions.

Furthermore, these acts committed in the name of morality are revolutionary in nature, and in that sense are more dangerous than a normal crime.

Proponents of civil disobedience obviously disagree. King argues that the actual impediment to freedom is from the moderates who are more devoted to “order” than “justice”.

Writing from the Birmingham jail on April 16, 1963, King had this to say about breaking the law: “One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.”

A fortiori, these proponents have also responded that if the laws passed by a democratic government are so undemocratic that they impede democracy, then it is the duty of every true democrat to disobey it.

Be that as it may, the bulwark of our liberties is indubitably a fearless and independent judiciary. If not for this, civil rights movements in America would not have achieved that much notwithstanding King’s conviction and jail sentence were once affirmed by the Supreme Court.

So in 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education that it was unconstitutional to establish separate public schools for black and white students.

In his book, The Rule of Law, Lord Bingham (1933-2010) narrated that according to President Eisenhower’s biographer Stephen Ambrose, when the case was still going on in the Supreme Court, Eisenhower invited Chief Justice Earl Warren to the White House for dinner together with the Attorney-General, Hebert Brownell and John Davis, counsel for the segregationists and several other lawyers. However, counsel for Brown was not present.

Eisenhower not only had Davis sit near to Warren, but according to Warren, Eisenhower “went to considerable lengths to tell me what a great man Davis was”.

As they were leaving, Eisenhower took Warren by the arm and said, “These (the Southerners) are not bad people. All they are concerned about is to see that their sweet little girls are not required to sit in school alongside some big overgrown Negroes.”

But Warren did not yield to this presidential inveiglement. On May 17, 1954, the Warren Court (9-0) unanimously ruled for Brown. Even though Warren felt that was the end of the cordial relations between them, Eisenhower went ahead to implement and enforce the judgment – but not without him cussing that his biggest mistake was the “appointment of that dumb son of a ***** Earl Warren!”

In any event, one thing is for sure, that is, differences between proponents of civil disobedience and the rule of law appear rather irreconcilable, and the debate will rage on.

But to my mind, civil disobedience cannot be the order of the day, and it must not in the ordinary course of events rule and overrule the law. If it is to be justifiable, it is only possible under the most exceptional circumstances and that also, only if it is absolutely necessary in the interests of justice and nation.

Failure to recognise this is itself a threat to the rule of law upon which every modern society is founded, and this can transform into a perfect recipe for anarchy and tyranny.

Drama, Theatrics, Productions & Funding aka No We're Not Talking Malaysian Politics

2011-12-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

Brunch With Susan Lankester

The Spanker recently had his favorite brunch of Dome Cafe’s Eggs Hollandaise with the multi-talented Susan Lankester, and was duly ashamed of his middle age spread compared to her lean and toned physique. It was quite an effort to suck my tummy in and eat at the same time. Who can resist Eggs Hollandaise?

Never quite the dainty English rose, Susan is the type who will take charge and kick butt if necessary, so her fit physique is no surprise given her passion for not only acting, directing, writing and voice overs but also for renovating and landscaping via her company Lankester Designs.

So what does the super fit Susan do to relax? Why wakeboarding and wall climbing, but of course! Susan is also active in promoting animal welfare issues.

We soon get down to brass tacks, and I ask about her recently concluded double bill “What’ll break you & Apocalips” which she produced via her company Catwoman Productions. I asked if she had problems sourcing funding. Susan explained that this particular production simmered for two years before fruition, and that she had duly made the rounds and engaged in all the yadda yadda with the usual suspects with the grand result of zilch.

They then decided to stage the play with their own limited resources, but a careless glitch in the ticketing system resulted in the online booking system only working a week before showtime.

“We lost money” Susan admits candidly enough, but we decided to dig deep into our pockets and still pay the venue rental and our cast and crew their dues. Why would they do such a thing, I ask, since it was plain that the lack of ticket sales was no fault of theirs?

“Call me old fashioned” Susan says “but we decided that we valued our names and reputations above any financial gains. We’re in this business for the long haul, and as actors ourselves we understand the sacrifices and efforts they put into their performances. They didn’t deserve to be given excuses.

Admirable qualities indeed, and seldom encountered in today’s dog eat dog world. I decided to change tack and asked what her favorite part of the play was, and received a rather surprising answer.

My mentor, Hafsham (the director) came to see the play with his entire family. At the end he simply said he had enjoyed watching it and told me to keep up the good work. That to me was priceless.

So why do you keep doing this if funding is such a pain in the ass, I ask.

“Acting is my passion. I derive satisfaction from seeing the joy on people’s faces when they enjoy a performance. I feel happy that they are happy,” says Susan.

I probe again “What would you say is the main impediment to source for funding” and again receive an answer that threw me for a loop.

“The internet” Susan said, while I surreptitiously tried to slip my tablet under the table.

“People nowadays want instant entertainment, instant videos and instant movies in high definition. Theatre requires them to leave home, to think, to assess emotions. People nowadays have no time for this”.

You know what? Try as I might, I can’t fault her logic. It’s sad that corporate Malaysia does not do more for the arts other than the token sponsored performance now and then. We should take a leaf from the Singaporeans on this one. The tourism industry for one would benefit by leaps and bounds.

A Chat With Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina Over Tea and Scones

The Spanker sits back and scoffs delicate scones with butter, jam and clotted cream washed down with Earl Grey as “Nora” gets serious about her chosen craft.

“Our arts industry is still in its infancy compared to our neighbors’. I want to make things happen while I’m still here to see the benefits of that effort – how art is going to impact our society and country, and our thoughts and behavior. That is why I am pushing out a lot of things at this kind of speed and drive,” says Tiara who is the managing director of Enfiniti Productions.

“This is one of the reasons I set up Enfiniti Academy Of Musical Theater and Entertainment Arts. Through the academy, I hope to spawn a generation of lovers and supporters of the arts.

“The little children we teach in the academy will one day be performers, directors, producers and writers. Even if they become accountants, businessmen, doctors or corporate giants, they will still be supporters of the arts because their lives were touched by them when they were young. They may find it in themselves to give back to the arts as philanthropists.

“Right now we are producing products. We need to find audiences, funds and support from not just the government but from private enterprise as well. If people are not exposed to the arts, they will not think that it’s important to give back to its cause.

“In life or business, I always believe that we need to have a higher purpose. I want to touch lives, change society and achieve racial unity through the work that I do and the person that I am. I feel that our strength as a nation lies in the fact that we are a people of such diversity.”

Tiara’s dream is that her company will have its own arts theater. “We really need to run a show for a year for it to be profitable because the production costs amount to millions of ringgit. Currently, we can only run a show in rented premises for just a few weeks because we then have to make way for someone else.

I also live in hope that one day, we can be that kind of society that always has a play on every night.”

Coming soon: A Heineken and Guinness fueled session with JD Menon, theater and stage veteran and Director of the upcoming Napoleon Hill A Musical. Spank his image for a sneak peek of what to expect.

Kedia Rakyat To Improve Labelling

2011-12-02T21:08:00.000-08:00

It looks like the opposition’s perennial bitching about all things BN and UMNO has some collateral benefit for the rakyat in this instance. The Health Ministry has ordered all seven Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) outlets and their suppliers to rectify labelling errors and re-adjust the composition of their food products.

This is to make sure they comply with the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985.

The order came following a meeting between health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman and MPs Tony Pua (Petaling Jaya Utara) and Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai) here yesterday.

Dr Hasan said the ministry ordered the outlets to rectify errors found in seven products that were brought to the ministry’s attention by Pua last week.

“The ministry has investigated Pua’s claims and confirms the seven products did not comply with some of the regulations stipulated in the two laws that govern the food industry.

“We have asked KR1M outlets last week to make the necessary changes.

“We thank them (Pua and Nurul Izzah) for bringing up this matter,” said Dr Hasan.

The seven products include ice-cream, mixed-fruit jam, evaporated milk and condensed creamer.

The others are canned sardines, canned curry chicken and instant whole milk powder.

Dr Hasan said the outlets had rectified its ice-cream labelling and he expected the other rectifications to be made by next week.

“These complaints are not about the safety of the food but, rather, about the quality of food that does not measure up to (industrial) standards,” he said.

Pua, who is DAP publicity secretary, was satisfied with the discussions and will wait for the ministry to take action.

“I hope Health Minister (Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai) will work towards ensuring compliance.

“I do not want to test all the products,” said Pua, who had complained that KR1M’s products were not cheap and some of them were of low quality.

To set the record straight, Pua and his cohorts resorted to digital media and went to town with the issue before calling for a press conference to again blow up the issue.

For me, a good opposition must not only highlight weaknesses in the system but must also offer solutions. Anybody can bitch about the state things currently. We need leaders who can solve our problems.

That having been said, in this particular case the rakyat benefit from the ongoing war for Putrajaya.

Flight Fight

2011-12-02T03:53:00.000-08:00

It does not look like the fight between Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is going to end any time soon.

Last Wednesday night, a day after MAHB explained why it would cost RM3.6bil to RM3.9bil to build KLIA2, AirAsia boss Fernandes fired yet another salvo. This time, his target was not the use of aerobridges, the high cost of KLIA2 or the MPs who questioned the AirAsia-MAS share swap. Instead, he was gunning for the rise in passenger service charge (PSC).

In his tweet, he said: “To all Malaysians. AirAsia has made flying affordable for all. Before, it was just for the rich. We won't allow Malaysia Airports to keep wasting money and increase charges for you. We will fight. Our campaign starts tomorrow.''

Yesterday morning, many AirAsia customers received an e-mail with the headline “Say NO to AIRPORT TAX INCREASE.'' This is the latest effort by Fernandes to garner support against MAHB over the airport operator's recent move to raise the PSC.

Initially, AirAsia was against collecting the PSC on behalf of MAHB. However, yesterday the airline announced that it would continue to do so. Interestingly, it was MAS, AirAsia's new partner that first wrote to MAHB to say it wouldn't collect the PSC effective Dec 1. Not long after that, it reversed the decision. Similarly, AirAsia's sister company, AirAsia X, had also sent a similar letter to say it would not collect, but as soon as it was faxed over, it was withdrawn.

Airport tax is imposed by the airport operator and is regulated by the Government. The world over, any traveller wanting to depart from any airport has to pay taxes for the use of airport facilities. The rates vary from country to country.

MAHB only got to raise the PSC after nine years of trying to convince the Government to give it the greenlight. The new rates are RM25 to RM32 for travel via low-cost carrier terminal, which translate to a RM7 raise, and RM51 to RM65 (RM14 hike) for other airports in the country.

The next review is due in 2016, said MAHB managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad at a recent briefing. He made it clear that the rate would remain even though the company is building a new airport for low-cost travel.

By turning to the passengers, Fernandes wants the travelling public to be the jury in deciding if the RM7 increase in the PSC is justified. His critics, on the other hand, have pointed out that AirAsia and AirAsia X too have introduced charges that can be a burden, such as the RM10 fee for counter check-ins.

AirAsia's very public attacks against MAHB is seen as a power struggle, and in most power struggles, there are losers. The question in this case is what will be the consequences if Bashir loses and what would it mean for MAHB; and if Fernandes loses, what would be his next move?

It is unfortunate that both parties cannot seem to work things out amicably. Perhaps they should spell out exactly why MAHB needs to raise the PSC and why Fernandes is so against the move.

MAHB and AirAsia should remember that both are Malaysian companies, and while both want to be seen to be doing their jobs, MAHB needs to make money in managing airports and Fernandes needs to make sure travellers do not pay more than they should.

It is about time they find a solution that benefits all Malaysians.

Yet More Lembu Issues - Lembu milk safe, oyster sauce flawed

2011-11-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

The Malay Mail, November 24th

MALACCA: The Health Ministry admits the oyster sauce being sold at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) is flawed, as claimed by DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua recently.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, said they had made verifications on the product and took two samples to analyse their protein content.

“The analysis results showed that both samples did not meet the required protein standard under Regulation 166A of the Food Regulations 1985,” he told a Press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

“The samples contained 0.8 per cent and one per cent protein, less than the standard 2.5 per cent protein requirement for oyster sauce.”

Liow said he ordered the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry to remove the product from the market.

Pua had said lab findings found the KR1M oyster sauce contained only flavourings and 0.6 per cent of protein.

Liow, however, rubbished Pua’s other claim on deficiencies in the 1Malaysia Growing Up Milk Powder for children above one year old.

Pua had claimed the product carried 6,012 international units (IU) of Vitamin A per 100kcal, which is 802 per cent above permissible limit.

Said Liow: “What Tony Pua said is not true. There are three types of milk formulas — infant formula for those below one year old, follow-up formula for kids between one and three years old, and the growing up formula for those above three years.

“After conducting verification on the milk powder, we found the product does not contain excessive Vitamin A.

“The Food Regulations 1985 states that the Vitamin A content in the product should not exceed 5,000IU and the 1Malaysia Growing Up Milk Powder contains only 3,240IU.

“The growing up formula is under Regulation 395 while the infant formula and the follow-up formula have its own standards and requirements under the Food Regulations 1985.

He said six other KR1M products, including meehoon and blackcurrant drinks, were also tested and found to adhere to regulations.

Liow said Pua was trying to confuse the public and politicise the issue.

“Tony Pua has twisted the specifications on these different formulas.”

“I would like to ask for Tony Pua’s cooperation.

“If there is any product which he has doubts on, he should send it to the ministry for checks. He cannot take action on his own because he is not an expert in it.”

There are three KR1M outlets in the Klang Valley.

Lembu see, lembu do

2011-11-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

If there were any doubts at all before, its now official. The silly season is at its height and our politics have not only gone into overdrive, they are now on steroids. Steroids that you inject into lembus to fatten them up lah.

First, the lembus fight...

Ex-federal territories minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique has slammed PKR secretary-general and Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution for allegedly distorting the facts surrounding the purchase of cattle from the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

Rafique, who is also Setiawangsa MP admitted there was a delay in the payment for 25 cows bought to celebrate Hari Raya Aidil Adha three years ago, but it was because the invoice was only sent a month later.

He said NFC only faxed the invoice for the RM70,000 purchase to his service centre in Setiawangsa on Jan 28, 2009 more than a month after the purchase on Dec 17, 2008.

“Upon receipt of the invoice, the service centre issued full payment on Jan 29, 2009, via a cheque handed over to NFC on the same day,” he said.

Saifuddin was quoted in news portals as claiming that Zulhasnan had bought the cows on credit in 2008 and only settled the debt in 2009. Zulhasnan accused Saifuddin of taking his statement in bad faith.

“It was a manipulation of facts in an attempt to make political insinuations,” he said.

Next, the lembus go on a rampaging stampede...

The DAP today demanded confirmation or denial from the Najib administration that it had sold 495 acres of prime land to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) at a “ridiculously low price”.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, DAP publicity chief Tony Pua alleged that Putrajaya, without calling for tenders, sold the Sungai Besi land to 1MDB for RM74.20 per square foot, which he said was far below the market price.

At RM240 a square foot, the Sungai Besi land should be worth a whopping RM5.2 billion,” Pua said. Despite its high potential valuation, the government has chosen to transfer the land to 1MDB for only RM1.6 billion, or RM3.6 billion less.

Since it is a known fact that lembus are not exactly well endowed in the brain dept (cow brain is used as an insult) it is up to the monkey (who will stop spanking for a bit) to explain:

The initial cost is in terms of transferring the operations of the Air Force and the Police to other areas. It is factually wrong to say that 1MDB paid RM1.6 billion for the land. The RM1.6 billion is what 1MDB will pay to relocate and develop nine new relocation sites for RMAF, Police Air Wing and the 31st Artillery currently in the air base.

Sharing the cost of RM1.1 billion is to be borne by the government and RM1.6 billion and RM1.1 billion incurred by 1MDB is a breakdown for several years, with RM400m for the year 2012 - so it should not be deemed as a capital injection.

In actual fact, for a national project as significant as Bandar Malaysia, it is only logical for the Government to transfer the land from the Federal Lands Commissioner to 1MDB without losing ownership. Effectively there is no land changing hands because the Government remains the ultimate owner.

The trick here is that the stampeding lembus are in actual fact not really stupid. This information is readily available in the records of Parliament proceedings. The Spanker found it, right? They are merely pretending to be dumb while leading other genuinely trusting lembus to the slaughterhouse.

Why people repeat lies

2011-11-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

It appears that certain people believe in the maxim - “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”

It was reported in Malaysiakini on 22 Nov 2011 that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was engaging in “moneylending” to a relatively unknown international firm and was being probed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), as the agency’s actual role is to channel in foreign investment and strategic partnership.

The report continued on to say that “Even if PetroSaudi is indeed a very strong company - since when it is 1MDB’s mandate to become a moneylender?

Let’s address that right now - it started as an equity investment, converted to Murabaha (An Islamic financing structure, where an intermediary buys a property with free and clear title to it. The intermediary and prospective buyer then agree upon a sale price, including an agreed upon profit for the intermediary that can be made through a series of installments, or as a lump sum payment) with an option to convert back to equity, say sources familiar with such arrangements.

Another allegation was that ‘The role of 1MDB is not to lend money and give interest in returns, even if the interest is profitable, the role of 1MDB is to bring development into Malaysia not become a moneylender and more so to foreign entity which is of unknown origins,” added the source.

In response to that, what would one call KLIFD and Bandar Malaysia?

1MDB was called to answer alleged discrepancies in its business dealings with PetroSaudi, specifically into its joint-venture - 1MDB PetroSaudi Limited.

PAC deputy chairperson DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw had allegedly told reporters that the two-hour meeting had focussed on 1MDB’s US$1 billion (RM3.5 billion) investment in a joint-venture with PetroSaudi International Ltd.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had, in June 2011, questioned 1MDB’s dealings with PetroSaudi, saying that IMDB disposed of investments in its joint venture with PetroSaudi barely five months after the strategic partnership was inked.

The key to note here is that the opposition is, once again, spinning issues in a desperate attempt to gain political mileage for the upcomimg elections when in actual fact, the 1MDB-PetroSaudi partnership underscores strong ties between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

1MDB has been under attack by its detractors over its partnership with PetroSaudi International Limited since day one. Allegations were based on a purposely misguided notion that PetroSaudi is a dubious operation, disregarding the fact that it is a reputed company with offices in Saudi Arabia, England and Switzerland with a strong international network.

In actual fact, the opposite is true and PetroSaudi has developed a worldwide reputation as a partner of choice, working in alliances with major international oil companies.

Here’s what Renault Renault F1 Team Chairman Gerard Lopez has to say about Tarek when announcing his entry to its F1 team as a partner:

“It is a true privilege to announce that my long-standing business associate and good friend Tarek Obaid will be joining the Renault F1 Team. Tarek brings a unique global perspective to our business as we solidify our operating model and begin an ambitious development programme.”

“Tarek’s vast experience in identifying and executing successful strategic investment opportunities will be crucial as we expand the Renault F1 Team brand name, especially in the Middle East. This tie-up also further strengthens the collaboration between the French and Saudi private sectors.”

PAC chairman Azmi Khalid rightly pointed out that 1MDB has not lost money in the investment with PetroSaudi. In March this year, King Abdullah sent Saudi Arabia’s National Security Council secretary-general, Prince Bandar Sultan Abdulaziz Al-Saud, as a special envoy to deliver several key messages further cementing the long-term partnership between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

PetroSaudi has paid an additional cash profit of US$81.50 million (RM247.19 million) to the 1MDB in conjunction with Prince Bandar’s visit.

1MDB has said the 1MDB-PetroSaudi joint venture is part of a bigger picture to attract multi billion ringgit investment into Malaysia. It has a long-term investment structured for 1MDB to keep its interest in the JV.

Another accusation is that 1MDB invested US$1 billion and PetroSaudi injected US$1.5 billion, but in this case PetroSaudi’s US$1.5billion was an injection of assets.

Corporations injecting assets into SWFs are not the anomaly that the opposition is trying to make it out to be. There are several global examples of this normal practise.

Another accusation hurled at 1MDB is that a chunk of the PetroSaudi assets included “a potential oil field in Turkmenistan”. It is not normal practice for the SWF’s partner to visit potential investment. Underwriting banks rely on expert reports and audited financial reports.

Yet, despite these facts, detractors are still relying on false information to discredit 1MDB’s reputation.

Last year, opposition MP Tony Pua said that the RM425 million profit recorded by 1MDB had elements of 'right hand to left hand' deals implying that the FY2009/2010 financial accounts of 1MDB included the much talked about land transfer of the Sunga Besi Airbase. That transfer was only made several months later in June 2011.

In most countries, factual errors like this will lead to public outcry and most probably the resignation of the accusers, however Malaysians seem tolerant of these wild allegations being made by opposition figures.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had on September 20th made another accusation that the accounts of 1MDB will never see the light of day.

When it was made public¸ he cast aspersions and disinformation about PetroSaudi, an act that can only serve to damage the goodwill and trust between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in its initial investigation, has found that the US$1 billion loan given by 1MDB to PetroSaudi International Limited did not cause any loss.

PAC Chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said the loan was probably a business strategy implemented by 1MDB to gain positive continuous returns.

"So far, the loan has not caused any loss. In fact, the value has increased and they are getting more income through the dividends.

"So, the loan is probably their strategy to enable the company to gain continuous returns for 11 years," he told a press conference after chairing the committee meeting at Parliament building here.

Azmi said the investigation was done following a letter from Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, requesting the committee to investigate the business transactions involving the two companies.

PAC will call 1MDB representatives to submit other documents pertaining to the transaction next January, he said.

"We still need to scrutinise several documents because there are certain issues that have been raised and 1MDB has promised to submit the relevant documents to us," he said.

For those hellbent on twisting their facts, here is the true fact conveniently blacked out by detractors: The Government of Malaysia wholly owns 1MDB as a strategic enabler for new ideas and new sources of growth to propel economic transformation. It means there is only one shareholder, i.e. the Government.

Also buried are the facts that the company identifies and unlocks strategic value to fully unleash new growth potentials. 1MDB creates high-impact business opportunities to forge international partnerships through equal-capital joint ventures in game-changing projects. It leverages on the partners’ expertise to build capacity and pave the way for the entry of foreign direct investment in the long term. Every investment undergoes a rigorous process of best global practices, supported by local and international experts.

Lembu Punya Susu

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB

Sunday Star 20 Nov 2011

Following allegations of wrongdoing and attacks from the Opposition, National Feedlot Corp executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail has come out in defence of the Beef Valley project.

IT is a hot afternoon at the National Feedlock Corp (NFC) cattle farm in Gemas, and Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail can be forgiven for looking hot and bothered.

“I don't really like press conferences. I am a scientist. I go to the lab and I do my work,” says the NFC executive chairman and former head of Technology Park, his puffy eyes betraying his lack of sleep.

This time around, however, he does not have the luxury of keeping out of the spotlight. It has been a busy few weeks for him, not only because of the NFC project but also because he and his family have come under a barrage of attacks from the Opposition.

It started after the Auditor-General's report described NFC as “a mess” and poorly managed for meeting only 41.1% of its target for 2010.

Dr Salleh is the husband of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who is also Wanita Umno chief. NFC is run by Dr Salleh and their three children Izmir 31, Izran, 27, and Izzana, 25.

Naturally, the Opposition was delighted at having such a juicy target.

The Opposition appeared to have help on their side as they managed to get hold of NFC's accounts and transactions.

Dr Salleh put it down to two of his top managers the finance manager and sales manager resigning from the company under “suspicious circumstances” a few weeks earlier.

PKR's strategic director Rafizi Ramli led the slew of attacks, questioning the RM250mil government loan to NFC and declaring he had information that the loan was already drawn down. He hit out at NFC, calling it a failure for having suffered a loss of RM7mil in 2008 and another RM11mil the following year.

Then he hurled questions about NFC spending RM827,579 on its directors' overseas trips and its whopping discount of RM2.9mil for beef bought by Meatworks, their family-owned restaurant.

The most explosive salvo was that NFC had used the government loan meant for its cattle business to buy a RM9.8mil luxury condo at One Menerung in Bangsar. Rafizi called this an “unheard of investment decision” for a cattle company and accused NFC of misappropriating public funds.

It didn't stop there.

Allegations that NFC had paid RM26,400 for “expenses” to Shahrizat in 2008, donated cattle worth RM5,300 to Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Mansor and given another RM2,600 worth of cattle to Klawang assemblyman Datuk Yunus Rahmat were shot at them.

“I was shocked. My wife was also shocked. We didn't know how to address it. The business is doing well, sales are expanding and I consider ourselves lucky having succeeded. Then suddenly this 30-something-year-old guy, Rafizi, comes along and attacks us.

“I don't know him. My wife doesn't know him. My wife has always been friendly and nice to everyone and she has never hurt anyone so we didn't know why he was attacking us. We asked our children if they knew Rafizi and none of them did.

“We were checking to see what wrong we might have done for him to try to harm us like that. It's not like he came to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage and we turned him down,” Dr Salleh bursts out.

He stresses that his wife Shahrizat is not involved at all with NFC or its operations. Discussing the business at home, he says, is a strict no-no with her.

“If I open my mouth and even try to bring it up, she will tell me to keep quiet. She doesn't want to hear about it. My wife puts up a big wall between us, where I have my part and she hers (and these remain separate),” he adds.

A little sheepishly, Dr Salleh reveals that when the controversy broke, Shahrizat even went for a day without talking to him!

“After that, it was okay. She was composed. My wife and I and the kids are all very close to each other.”

He confides that it took him a long time to understand that the attacks were “political” and that for some (like Rafizi), “politics is more important than integrity.”

The publicity-shy Dr Salleh shares that Shahrizat did not force him to have the press conference. He felt compelled to address the allegations after seeing the comments from her party members, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who had asked NFC to explain and former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who said Shahrizat has nothing to do with the company.

On the day of the press conference, Shahrizat had flown off to Makkah for umrah. The family was supposed to go there together but with the allegations pending, they decided to shelve the trip. Dr Salleh says he managed to persuade Shahrizat to go ahead without them.

“I told her this issue has nothing to do with her. I think going there and praying would help strengthen her. I am biased because she is my wife. She is a good woman.”

Flanked by lawyer Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, NFC corporate and financial consultant Zakaria Mohammed, and his son Wan Shahinur Izmir, who is also NFC director, Dr Salleh fields various questions from reporters for an hour and a half, giving lengthy explanations for each allegation.

He also does not hesitate to provide information on the business.

NFC imports Brahman cows from Australia. These are kept in pens at the Gemas farm where they are fed and fattened to be ready for slaughter in four to six months.

The cows at his farm are valued at over RM4,500 compared with RM2,500 for a local cow, he explains, because Brahman cattle are twice as heavy as those from Kedah and Kelantan.

“The six-month-old cows we have are as big as the four-year-old cows in Kedah and Kelantan. Local cows eat but do not grow fat.

“We (NFC) need cows which are of good stock because we are producing them for meat. Our cows eat and grow fat quickly and can weigh up to 600kg in just a few months,” he adds.

When asked why they have to import their cattle, he says they have to start somewhere.

The long-term plan, he explains, is to work together with Felda and Felcra, which have large tracts of land, to breed these high quality cattle locally.

“We are forced to import the cattle now but we have been in business for only two years. Our contract is for 30 years and is renewable for another 30 years, so I think in 60 years, the success will be there (to breed the high quality cattle locally).”

He feels that it is not accurate to say the NFC had only met 41.1% of its target in 2010 because there is a difference between the number of cows they have and the numbers slaughtered.

Dr Salleh points out that NFC only started the business in 2009, and there were things to take care of before they were able to market the meat.

Its mini abattoir was only ready in April, obtained halal certification in June and got the Veterinary Health Mark (VHM) only in mid-2010, he adds.

It took a while to get the VHM because the Gemas farm is quite far and the department is very strict in issuing the VHM, he explains.

He says the department officers checked the farm twice, first to inspect the facilities, for which they suggested improvements and corrections, and later to make sure the corrections were made.

“Even if there is a temperature difference of 3 (in the abattoir), they will ask us to fix that. If we don't have the VHM, supermarkets will not buy the meat from us even if they like our beef.

“It was only when we got the VHM in mid-2010 that our sales went up. We had the targeted number of cows in 2010 but we couldn't slaughter them until we got the VHM. If we can't sell the meat, why slaughter the cattle?” he says, explaining why NFC fell short of its target of cows that were slaughtered that year.

On its loan and grants, he says the government allocated a grant of RM13mil, of which 50% has been disbursed, and a loan of RM250mil with a 2% interest rate.

He denies that NFC had drawn down the RM250mil government loan, saying there was still RM69mil that hasn't been released. The money, he says, is allocated in a special loan account and NFC would need to justify to the Finance Ministry the amount it needs before the money is released accordingly.

The agreement for the loan specifies that repayment will only kick in once the RM250mil has been totally disbursed.

Repayment for the principal amount would be RM14.7mil each year for 17 years, he adds.

On the controversial purchase of the One Menerung condominiums, Dr Salleh defends it as a “good business decision”.

The company wanted to develop a feedmill and this would happen only after the contract farmers' project takes off and succeeds, he says, “So, we thought, while waiting for this, we have to find a place to park the money for the short term, one which would not depreciate and where we could make profits almost yearly.”

NFC bought the two condominiums for RM6.9mil cash per unit. In return, the developer gave them a cash rebate of 10% for two years, which comes up to RM57,000 a month per unit. They rent out each unit for RM18,000, which generates an income of RM75,000 a month per unit or RM900,000 a year for each unit.

“We are getting 12.9% returns on the investment. If we had put the money in the bank, we would get only 2.5% to 3.25% interest, which is less than the inflation rate,” he says, adding that the condominiums were purchased under the company's name. Once the contract farming started, he says, NFC would sell off the condominiums at a good price because they are in a prime location.

As for the discount NFC gave to its Meatworks restaurant, like every new business that's just starting out, says Dr Salleh, it had to be priced in a “very favourable way” to attract buyers.

He adds that every one of its 150 buyers, including wet markets and hypermarket operators, received the same amount of discount as Meatworks and that NFC was not giving preferential treatment.

He also denies that NFC paid RM26,400 to Shahrizat for expenses. In fact, she was the one who paid NFC RM25,000 for cattle she bought for qurban (sacrifice and distribution to the poor for Hari Raya Haji), he says.

Dr Salleh nevertheless admits that NFC gave a cow each to Shaziman and Yunus, but it was as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to donate to the poor in the area.

He also justifies the RM827,579 NFC spent on overseas trips.

As the company was new in the industry, he explains, it had to go to Australia a number of times to look for the cattle and suppliers and establish business links with them.

“2009 was a difficult year for us because we didn't have the expertise. We had to look for expertise in abattoir and feedlot, and skilled manpower to bring to Malaysia, and that cost money. Australia doesn't consider Malaysia a big market, so there was a lot of cost of investment in our first year.”

None of them travelled first class on these business trips, he says, adding that Shahrizat did not come along for a single trip.

On NFC's loss of RM7mil in 2009 and RM11mil in 2010, Dr Salleh took Rafizi to task.

“Obviously he doesn't know anything about business. In any new business, you don't make money for the first few years because there are investment costs. You need to put up buildings, infrastructure and make investments.

“The first year, we were struggling; the second year, we were getting better and for the third year, we are doing well. By 2012, our returns will be positive. And we have 27 more years to go.”

By this time, Dr Salleh has managed to get over his media shyness to deliver a jibe that Rafizi should not advise the Selangor government on how to do business.

“He would close everything down due to his inexperience,” he says. “(PKR's) Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was running Guthrie and has experience running real companies. I suggest he understudies Tan Sri Khalid before making any critical decisions.”

Dr Salleh also points out that his three children who graduated from universities in the US had highly paid jobs there and it was he who forced them to return because he wanted to create skills in the cattle industry here.

“No child who graduates from university wants to be a farmer. I told them the country supported you and now you must support the country, and they reluctantly came back,” he says, adding that one of the jobs his children do now is to jaga tahi lembu (clean cow dung).

Lawyer Shafee says there is an overwhelming case to sue for defamation because every one of the allegations made is “rubbish, has been spun and not truthful at all”.

Dr Salleh says his family will sit down together to discuss whether to sue and how to proceed.

“It will be a family decision. We don't want to rush into this. Rafizi has rushed into accusations. I don't feel angry. I actually feel kesian (pity) for him. The anger will burn him rather than make us angry.”

Son Izmir too says he is not angry because the allegations are not true.

“But I am a bit sad that everybody else in the country may believe his over-eager accusations. We have addressed those issues and I hope the press can help disseminate this information,” Izmir says

“And I would like to invite Rafizi to take a look for himself instead of coming and screaming at us from the gate outside and then making allegations about everything when he has nothing.”

Still, people will be watching to see how Shahrizat emerges from it all. Some of her Umno colleagues, like the colourful Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mohktar Radin, have demanded for her resignation over the issue.

But Muhyiddin has come to her defence, saying she doesn't need to because she is not directly involved.

In the meantime, Shahrizat has been keeping a low profile.

Asked whether his wife has indicated she would resign, Dr Salleh only says he could not answer on her behalf.

“She, the PM and the DPM they decide. I am only her husband. She doesn't discuss political aspects with me. Whatever she decides, I support her 100% as I have for the 31 years of our married life.”

When Superman Fled The Earth In Shame

2011-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

I have only a couple of simple requests of my elected reps (and yes, I expect these to apply to me too);

1) I expect them to be polite, no matter the issue. It’s okay to get mad or have passion (actually, passion is good), but it is not okay to be abusive or uncivilized in this day and age.

2) I don’t want to have to catch these abusive politicians twice. Given that its the silly season running up to the elections, I fully expect the current crop of politicians from both sides of the divide to lie, obfuscate and try to “shades-of-gray” the truth.

What I don’t like is personal attacks and character assassinations in the street fighting, no-holds-barred, absolutely everything my opponent does is wrong tactic that seems to have become the norm today.

My 4-year old niece has learned these rules - be nice, and when and if you do screw up, admit it. I don’t think that’s too much to ask of our elected reps.

Which brings me to DAP Central Publicity Chief Dr Hew Kuan Yau and his much talked about "Chopping" Chinese Kung Fu style of public speaking. Hew obtained his doctorate in the Chinese University of Hong Kong as a historian. In addition to the study of history, Hew is also a Mathematician.

As the DAP’s Central Publicity and Political Education Director, it is incumbent on Hew to exhibit exemplary behavior and his words should be reflective of his mature thinking and good character.

Sadly, the reality is that you can be a PhD holder, but a person’s character is not determined by his academic qualification. Conversely there are many people who did not receive much formal education but are of very good character.

Hew has consistently engaged in anti-social behavior and grandstanding, using shock tactics to ensure he remains in the public’s consciousness. The manner in which he cursed the MCA president and his family publicly is certainly an eye-opener to the brand of politics the Opposition is currently practicing.

Hew called Chua “soh hai” (literally translated as stupid cunt) and “ham ka charn” (Cantonese to condemn a person’s entire family to perish) during the DAP’s 45th anniversary dinner on Oct 13. In contrast, Chua merely responded by saying that it was up to the people to decide whether they wanted a government that focused on using foul words, personal attacks and empty promises; or one that seriously tried to resolve issues faced by the people.

Chua said Hew and the DAP had gone overboard as such an attack was contrary to the DAP leaders' stand when accusations of sexual molest were made against Marcus Lim, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's son.

“It does not gel with Guan Eng's statement that politics should leave out children and family members of politicians,” he told reporters in his measured response. Chua continued by saying personal attacks against other politicians and their family members should be condemned as it did not augur well for politics in the country.

On a related point of interest – the DAP had to scramble to do damage control over Hew calling SUPP members “Orang Utan” in another recent name calling episode.

Spank this monkey for the details

Here’s another shining example of the lengths some PhD holders will stoop to get our attention – in full view of special guest YB Lim Guan Eng, YB Anthony Loke, YB Teresa Kok, YB Liew Chin Tong, YB Wong Ho Leng, YB Leong Mee Meng & several other Ybs, Hew dons red underwear on stage! I heard Superman fled the earth in shame over this one.

Date : 02/05/2011 Time : 6:00pm Venue : Musical Corridor, Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club, Miri.

Don’t believe me? Spank this cute lil fella here

What Abe Would Have Said To Malaysians Today

2011-11-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

The Spanker posted Karim Raslan’s article in the Star entitled “For sure public advocacy is here to stay” because I agree with him, to a certain extent. I agree that where in the past we would have dealt with controversial matters surreptitiously, nowadays such delicacy and tact are considered old-fashioned if not deceitful.

I agree that to most onlookers, it would appear as if Malaysian public life has been hijacked by politicians and hard pushing NGO’s.

It would appear that we are all addicted to “experts”.

They tell us what to eat, how to vote, raise our kids, fix our homes, buy our holiday packages, interpret political events, which God to pray to, What we can and cannot call God and, very recently, who we can and cannot bonk.

They’re all over the media – print and digital, traditional and new, telling us what to think, because there’s just too much information for us to sort out ourselves. So we often cede our own opinions to them because, well… they’re experts, so they know better than us. Right?

This is the part I disagree with Karim. In the opposition’s recent attacks in Parliament on 1MDB and KLIFD, for example, we discovered that some of our self styled guardians of the public – our financial gurus – don’t know much at all.

The main and loudest whiner against 1MDB is Tony Pua. There’s enough been written about how he raped his own company Cyber Village to make millions for himself at the expense of others. Go google it for yourself.

Now that he’s a member of the opposition, he’s suddenly concerned about the rakyat’s public funds? His proposal to cut the "bloated" civil service is another case in point of "cakap tak serupa bikin". Has the PKR trimmed/laid off civil servants in the states they control? Oh wait. Silly me. It doesn't apply to them.

Another expert we have dishing out her crusade for justice is Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan. She’s fighting for free and fair elections. An admirable cause, I wholeheartedly admit. What I do not agree with are her methods.

If I have a problem with Ahmad, I will endeavor to sit down with him over a glass of teh tarik and some curry puffs and try and sort things out honestly and sincerely. I would not slash Ahmad with a parang, videotape the attack, distribute it for the whole world to see just how bad Ahmad is and how he provoked me and forced me to violence and then proceed to give him a handyplas and only then ask Ahmad if we could sit down and discuss matters.

Also, giving a press conference after the said incident and being flanked by Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim only screams out loud that she has already chosen sides, so where is the “free and fair” struggle?. Remain neutral if free and fair is your actual goal.

I saw her on TV3 recently dishing out killer stares and threatening legal action over being questioned in the Seksualiti Merdeka incident. Wooo. She fierce. Me scared.

And seriously, the Spanker is getting tired of every single thing being politicised nowadays to manipulate the rakyat’s emotions in anticipation of the upcoming elections. Playing the race card is not only downright disgusting and desperate but dangerous to boot.

What is it about all these so called experts out there? Does having expertise in a particular field actually mean you make better decisions than us regular people? Or are they just part of the cult of the opposition, an ever-growing agenda of “industry experts” that wants to become our latest new religion?

Abraham Lincoln was indeed a wise man. He got it right back in the 18th century. You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

For sure public advocacy is here to stay

2011-11-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

For sure public advocacy is here to stay

Ceritalah by Karim Raslan - the star 8 Nov 2011

Where in the past we would have dealt with controversial matters surreptitiously, nowadays such delicacy and tact are considered old-fashioned if not deceitful.

TO most onlookers, it would appear as if Malaysian public life had been hijacked by extremists – with Perkasa fronting ethnic nationalists and PAS’ ulama leading the religious fundamentalists.

Indeed, the notion of ‘Malay-ness’ is increasingly being determined by these two forces alone – leaving the “middle-ground” empty and forgotten.

At the same time, there’s also been a noticeable spike in identity politics as more and more people seek to define themselves according to race, religion or sexual preference – witness the Seksualiti Merdeka festival.

The once-hesitant ways in which Asians regarded hot-button social issues has been replaced in some parts by a more open, Western assertiveness.

When these two very different forces collide, the net result can be combustible. Moreover, it’s hard to see how these controversies can be resolved given the starkly opposing world-views in operation.

One thing’s for sure: we can’t turn the clock back. Public advocacy is here to stay. Where in the past we would have dealt with such matters surreptitiously, nowadays such delicacy and tact are considered old-fashioned if not deceitful – the hyper-transparent Wikileaks culture cuts all ways.

This also applies to hard-charging NGOs like PAGE who have been in the vanguard of the pro-PPSMI camp.

Looking back on the past, I cannot help but feel however that our previous willingness to live with internal contradictions and differences was also a hallmark of the “Malaysian Consensus” – basically an unwritten understanding to tolerate our country’s myriad complexities.

In essence, your private life and intellectual beliefs were your own business as long as you ‘towed the line’.

This epitomised the “middle-ground” of national politics. It wasn’t necessarily honest or straightforward, but it did steer us away from potentially destructive confrontations.

However, there are some figures who are trying to champion the “middle-ground” even though the Malaysian Consensus has to a large extent been lost.

These leaders are very important, since they act as a balancing force, bridging, negotiating and then resolving tensions between the various pressure groups.

At their best, they act as a kind of social and moral anchorage for the Malay community.

They’re definitely proud of being Malay and Muslim. On the other hand, they aren’t alarmist or defeatist like Perkasa. They refuse to exclude anyone due to race or religion and civil liberties matter to them. They also understand that politics is about discussion, debate and compromise.

Some are in PKR (Rafizi Ramli and Nurul Izzah Anwar), while others remain in Umno (Deputy Minister for Higher Eduction Saifuddin Abdullah). It could be argued that former minister turned maverick Datuk Shahrir Samad is their standard-bearer.

By certain measures MPs Khairy Jamaluddin and Nur Jazlan Mohamad also belong to this amorphous group.

They’re complemented by civil society stalwarts like the passionate activists in PAGE and the IDEAS Malaysia think-tank.

PKR state assemblyman for Seri Setia, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, is this group’s most prolific and impressive writer.

Just 28-years-old, he has published his second book Coming of Age: A Decade of Essays 2001-2011. I reviewed Nik Nazmi’s first offering Moving Forward: Malays for the 21st Century in 2009 and was eager to read his second.

Coming of Age is a collection of Nik Nazmi’s writings from his student days to his unexpected win in the 2008 general elections and his on-going career as a legislator. It covers an eclectic range of topics from Islam to football.

Thankfully, Nik Nazmi’s journey has not been at the cost of his belief in the transformative power of politics. From his writings and actions, he is able to straddle both Malay- and non-Malay milieus.

Indeed – and he freely admits it – Nik Nazmi is a product of the NEP’s success in creating a viable Malay middle-class. These are confident, public service-oriented young Malays who aren’t bound by the legacies of the past.

Born of the rakyat, they have the credibility to speak with the masses.

Malaysia needs these leaders to succeed. We need them to moderate and modulate the political and moral absolutes that Perkasa and the Islamists are trying to ingrain into the Malay psyche.

As Nik Nazmi writes: “At a time when people are talking about globalisation, communalism seems to be an outdated ‘ism’. Being open-minded about the realities of the world does not mean that we should forget our roots. We should all appreciate differences in heritage. We should not look at our respective cultures as a barrier, but an opportunity to learn from one another.”

Of course, there are differences amongst this new “Malay middle-ground”, such as over PPSMI — but that is to be expected.

What is more important is for them to continue to take a clear, principled and moderate stand on the great questions of the time, and show the world that not all Malay voices are reactionary or fearful.

The Spanker’s Guide To 1MDB For Idiots

2011-11-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a rather long post, because the Spanker is going to take pains to address the issues raised by DAP publicity chief Tony Pua and PAS research chief Dr Dzul in articles in opposition mouthpieces The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini.

To view the articles, spank this little feller

and this feller too

The Spanker is really getting very tired of these two perennially whipping the same dead horse to further their own political agendas. To put it another way, nothing their “enemy” does is ever going to be right. Period.

Ever since 1Malaysia Development Berhad was born, these skeptics have been taking potshots at it. Its fundraising exercise, joint venture with a Saudi partner, and political underpinnings have all turned 1MDB into a target of constant criticisms.

A Short History Lesson

Unlike other sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) that were established primarily due to economic reasons, the birth of 1MDB came about partly from a political settlement reached between the federal and Terengganu governments, post the 2008 general election.

The political undertone is one reason why the strategic development company is constantly being thrust into the spotlight. The opposition sceptics had raised questions right from the time 1MDB undertook a RM5 billion fundraising exercise to when it made investments in a joint venture with a foreign state-owned company.

1MDB's origins can be traced to the 2008 general election, which saw the Umno-led Barisan Nasional losing its two-thirds majority. The BN lost five states, which had an effect on the position of the menteris besar of states under BN rule. In Perlis, there was a change in menteri besar.

The same thing happened in Terengganu where the Sultan was unhappy with the then menteri besar Datuk Idris Jusoh. One of the major issues was the utilisation of oil royalty amounting to more than RMI billion per annum by the state and federal government agencies.

To stop the unaccountable spending of oil royalty, the Sultan, together with a few advisers, came up with the idea for the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA). A year after its conceptualisation, TIA was established with the blessings of the state and federal governments in March 2009. It is said that as part of the "settlement" of the unaccounted-for oil royalty, the federal government gave a RM5 billion guarantee to kickstart TIA.

The idea was to establish the fund along along the lines of Mubadala Development Company, the SWF of Abu Dhabi. In fact, Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala and chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, sits on the board of 1MDB.

The fund size was initially targeted at RM11 billion, comprising RM5 billion from the federal government and another RM6 billion to come from the securitisation of future annual oil royalty that Terengganu gets from Petronas.

But after the initial RM5 billion, raised by a federal government guarantee, the troubles at TIA began. The state, led by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, wanted control over the utilisation of the money, something that went against the charter of the fund. The funds were supposed to be managed by a professional team and overseen by a board of directors and advisers. It was a triple-layer structure to ensure the money is well spent.

But the prime movers behind the funds found out early that this was easier said than done. Subsequently, TIA became a federal entity, which gave birth to 1MDB. Four months into its founding, 1MDB made its first major move - teaming up with PetroSaudi International Ltd (PSI) to go into oil and gas (O&G) ventures

Apart from the O&G sector, 1MDB is looking at renewable energy such as hydroelectric power. This was evident during President Hu Jintao's recent visit to Malaysia to look at the scope for cooperation with Chinese companies' in the establishment of an aluminium smelter and paper and pulp plant. Early this year 1MDB signed a cooperation framework agreement with the state-owned State Grid Corp of China (SGCC) to start negotiations on setting up a joint-venture company to undertake projects in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score).

Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of 1MDB and a graduate of Stanford University, indicates that after 1MDB was considered a federal entity, it has a new mandate to cover the whole of Malaysia and its options are now wider.

“Now that we are a federal entity with a new mandate to cover the whole country, we have a healthy pipeline of projects. Our confidence is also shared by our international partners," he said.

Since its conceptualisation as TIA and transformation into 1MDB, a lot has happened to Malaysia's second SWF. Some consider it a new Khazanah Nasional Berhad but 1MDB sees itself as complementing the role of Khazanah in the sense that it creates business opportunities and forges global partnerships to spur foreign direct investments (FDIs) into Malaysia.

Needless to say, 1MDB has more than its fair share of critics. The next year will determine how it can differentiate itself from the other vehicles and if its projects and JVs can attract FDIs. Until that happens, rest assured that political critics will continue to take potshots at the strategic development company.

As mentioned earlier, 1MDB has invested US$1 billion (RM3.4 billion) in a joint venture with PSI. The Saudi portion is US$1.5 billion. The venture naturally provided fodder for our opposition critics who speculated wildly on its efficacy.

We’ll let Shahrol answer some pertinent questions:

On the JV with PetroSaudi, Shahrol says the JV company has identified key business and economic opportunities in Malaysia. The JV with PSI will look for opportunities primarily in the energy sector in Malaysia.

There is no time frame for this but we will implement projects suitable to our needs at the most opportune time. Shahrol also says the JV did not involve the acquisition of assets, contrary to speculation.

A sum of RM5 billion was targeted to be raised via bonds at a coupon rate of 5.75 %. After issuing the papers, how much did 1MDB actually get from the proceeds? Was it RM5 billion or more?

We set aggressive targets in the issuance of the Islamic medium-term notes (sukuk) , and have received all the proceeds in full as per the terms of our bond issuance. The lead arranger and facilitator was AmInvestment Bank. The bonds were raised in a period when the credit market was challenging.

There is a suggestion that 1MDB could have got a better pricing had it done it by itself or called a few banks to undertake the issue. Your comments, please.

I would like to put this matter in the right perspective. The bonds were issued in a very challenging credit market at the time. It broke new ground by being the first 30year bond ever issued in Malaysia. We acted on professional advice from world-class international investment banks that were also supported by local investment banks to secure the most competitive terms possible, given the prevailing weak market conditions. Shahrol adds that the placement of the papers was market-driven and arranged by lead investment banks which have placed the bonds in reputable institutions of international standing and known for their prudence at competitive levels.

Source: “Time of reckoning for 1MDB”, The Edge, December 14, 2009

The fund is supposed to spearhead foreign direct investments into the country. It is also supposed to go into high-impact projects. Has there been any change to the investment philosophy?

First, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify that we are not a fund. We are a strategic development company mandated to drive initiatives for the long-term sustainable economic development of Malaysia and promote inflow of foreign direct investment. There is no change in our investment philosophy. We will continue to forge strategic global partnerships to bring home foreign direct investment for new high-impact growth. We have identified four core areas - energy, real estate, tourism and agribusiness – which can produce the high-multiplier effect we seek.

Source: “We will forge strategic global partnerships to spur FDIs”, The Edge, December 14, 2009

Isn't there a holding cost on the funds that were raised via Government-backed bonds earlier in the year?

Yes, but we've factored that in our budget. Every six months we will pay (interest of 5.75% on) the bonds, which means we have to be very disciplined in the projects we invest in as twice a year bankers will come a-knocking. Internal accounting wise, we are okay. We have made some paper profit already.

You mentioned that the strategy is not to hold on to investments for a long time but to sell and reinvest. What are the exit options you have in mind - listing, maybe?

Yes, we don't plan to stay in and hold on to our investments for years and years. We are going to catalyse the project and then exit and reinvest.

We can sell down or list. That's important. We need to list good stuff on Bursa Malaysia. I'm with the Government on this one.

Source: “Slow but steady headway”, The Star Business, December 16, 2009

Now let’s address this particular grievance:

“It has borrowed money on government guarantees and is now using it for political purposes under the guise of corporate social responsibility (CSR) such as sponsoring village chiefs to go on their pilgrimage,” Tony Pua said, referring to 1MDB’s RM100 million CSR fund.

On Jan 11 2010, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the establishment of the 1MDB Foundation to manage a RM100 million corporate social responsibility fund. He said the foundation would launch several key measures to bridge socio-economic gaps and among others, promote equal opportunity to education and quality of life for all Malaysians.

Source: “1MDB, China utilities firm looking at US$11b within Sarawak's Score”, The Edge Financial Daily, January 12, 2010

Pua stresses on sponsoring village chiefs to go on pilgrimage, but conveniently forgets about the promoting equal opportunity to education and quality of life for all Malaysians part.

The Spanker checked, and 1MDB has been delivering so far. Here’s a sampling:

Yayasan 1MDB launched a programme to build or repair 13 rumah araus for primary schools in the interior of Sarawak. This is part of the foundation's initiatives to improve access to education for needy children in remote areas of the state. Dato' Sri Mohd Najib presented cheques of RM100,000 to the two schools to finance the repairs.

Most rumah araus in existence are in dilapidated condition and does not make a good shelter for the young children and their mothers, who accompany them at the house throughout the school week.

Rumah arau is a halfway house located nearby a school where pre-schoolers who live too far for a daily commute can seek temporary shelter during the school week. Pre-schoolers are not eligible to stay at the school hostel as they are considered too young to be independent.

At the same event, Najib also announced an annual schooling aid from Yayasan 1MDB for 477 needy students from remote areas of Sarawak who are at a disadvantage when seeking education aid. Yayasan 1MDB is working with the Sarawak Education Department in identifying 162 primary and 315 secondary school students who are eligible to receive this aid. Yayasan 1MDB will give the selected primary pupils RM450 each a year and selected secondary school students RM600 each a year.

Source: “Yayasan 1MDB Helps Out Students In Remote Areas Of Sarawak”, Bernama, February 25, 2010

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday awarded the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scholarship to 17 top students of religious schools in the country to study medicine in Egypt.

The scholarship is a partnership between 1MDB and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim). Jakim selects the students and monitors the scholarships while 1MDB provides the funds through its corporate social responsibility entity, the 1MDB Foundation. 1MDB has committed RM5.1 million in the pilot programme. Recipients will use the funds to cover their tuition fees and living expenses.

Source: “Medical Scholarship For Religious School Students”, NST, May 26, 2010

1Malaysia Development Bhd has awarded grants totalling RM750,000 to poor Indian students for their studies in local universities. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak presented RM15,000 each to 50 students who excelled in SPM and STPM.

Source: “RM750,000 grant for 50 poor Indian students”, The Star, June 13, 2010

50 top students from Chinese Independent Secondary Schools nationwide received their scholarship totalling RM750,000 for their first-year university expenses. The 50 scholarship recipients were selected from Chinese independent high schools for excelling in their Unified Examinations Certificate. Each received a cheque for RM15,000 and would get the amount annually for three years.

The 1MDB scholarships, in collaboration with Dong Jiao Zhong (United Chinese School Communities Association of Malaysia) and Huaren Education Foundation, were aimed at enhancing academic opportunities for deserving students in Malaysia.

Source: “Students grateful for 1MDB grant”, Malay Mail, Sept 1, 2010

Some 600 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2010 top scorers today received 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) academic grants worth about RM32mil over four years. He said the grants, the second issued this year, were given to 300 Bumiputera, 150 Chinese and 150 Indian students from low income families.

Source: “600 SPM Top Scorers Receive 1MDB Grants Worth RM32mil”, Bernama,

Oct 4 2011

The 1Malaysia Mobile Clinic in Perak has extended its services to Batang Padang, providing healthcare to about 65,000 residents. Its services include outpatient treatment, medicine dispensaries, medical advice, eyecare and treatment referrals. Six personnel including doctors, assistant medical officers and nurses will man the clinics.

The mobile services are also available in Selangor, Johor and Pahang, while a similar service is available in Sarawak via mobile river clinic to provide services for those living along Sungai Baram.

Source: “Mobile clinic extends services to 65,000 in Batang Padang” The Star, May 25, 2011

For a comprehensive list, download this .pdf file:

Here’s Pua whining again:

“1MDB is supposed to be self-funding. It raised RM5 billion in bonds backed by the government and another RM5 to 10 billion is expected. Now the government is pumping in RM1.1 billion. Where is it going to?” -Tony Pua

1MDB obtained approval from the Federal Government to redevelop about 160ha of the Sungai Besi Airport site in a project codenamed Bandar Malaysia, which will include residential, commercial and recreational areas as well as a library, public park and a public square.

Shahrol said the ratio of commercial to residential development was still being determined, but the goal was to have the project be self-sustaining.

“It is still too early to say how much returns we will generate. We will decide on what will generate the greater returns, as this will go towards the maintenance of the park and all public amenities.”

“We must be self-sustaining. The Government cannot afford to keep subsidising,” he said, adding that 1MDB’s foreign partners will be brought in when the time is right.

Source: “1MDB on track to develop Bandar Malaysia and financial district”, The Star, May 9, 2011

“PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution said that “if it is profitable, why does it need a further injection of RM1.1 billion?”

A second agreement between 1MDB and the Menteri Besar Incorporated of Negri Sembilan was signed for the latter to buy 303.8ha in Sendayan. This location will be the replacement site for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

At the same time, 1MDB also entered a master relocation agreement with the Ministry of Defence and the Home Ministry to develop eight replacement sites.

Source: “1MDB acquires land for Bandar Malaysia project”, NST, Jun 16, 2011

The scheme, dubbed Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (Prima), would offer homes at below market value as part of a public-private partnership to provide affordable housing. Big property companies including Sime Darby, SP Setia and Putrajaya Corporation had been invited to participate in the programme. However, the development would be done under a social business model.

Under this scheme, Malaysians aged 35 and below who meet the requirements are eligible to purchase a house priced no higher than RM220,000 with 100% financing.

Source: “Sungai Besi land for Government’s housing development”, The Star, June 24, 2011

Now, if the Spanker could dig the above answers up, why can’t the combined resources of the DAP publicity chief, PKR Secretary General AND the PAS research chief ?

The answer’s simple – it doesn’t suit their agenda. The Spanker’s take? Give 1MDB a chance to prove itself. Its an ambitious project that will do all Malaysians proud.

3180 Malaysian Males To Turn Gay On 22nd November 2011

2011-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

That’s right, folks. Remember you read it right here on Spanking DA Monkey. We seldom make bombastic predictions like these, but when we have an iron clad and solid source like the Pahang PAS Youth, how can we pass up the opportunity?

Pahang Pas Youth is protesting Elton John’s concert because of John's homosexual status. Its chairman, Shahril Azman Abdul Halim, said in a statement that Elton John's performance here could negatively influence the young.

Shahril said the image the singer portrayed was not suitable for Malaysian culture. So there you go. Aren’t we Malaysians just so impressionable and feeble minded? Hands up all you buggers who turned gay after watching Chef Wan and Aznil and Eric Leong’s shows. No, not you, Anwar. Bad boy - you’re bisexual and you don’t even know it. Funny how Shahril has no concerns on that.

The legendary performer, singer, composer and songwriter Elton John is brought in by Tune Live and will perform at Resorts World Genting's Arena of Stars on Nov 22 for his Greatest Live Tour, for the very first time in his four-decade career.

Over his 40-year career, 64 year old John has won an impressive five Grammys, sold over 250 million albums worldwide and continues to perform more than 100 shows a year, placing him squarely among the top 10 best-selling artistes in music history.

In 1993, Elton met his partner David Furnish, now 49 years old. In 2005, the two entered into a civil partnership, and last Christmas they legally adopted a baby boy, Zachary.

Elton John (birth name Reginald Dwight) was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1998, and his Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised more than US220 million in support of HIV prevention since 1992. His music is loved by millions of people worldwide who don’t seem to be bothered that he’s gay.

So where did the Spanker get the figure of 3180 Malaysian males turning gay after Elton’s concert?

Easy. The seating capacity for Genting’s Arena of Stars is 6000 pax. Spank this little monkey here for the facts

In 2010, demographics for Malaysia indicate the male to female ratio at 1.2%. Spank this little monkey here for the facts

Simple math will lead you 3180 lah. We can even break it down further into Malays at 60.3%, Chinese 22.9%, and Indians 6.8% of the total population, i.e 1869 Malay males, 822 Chinese males and 489 Indian males will, according to Pahang PAS Youth, turn gay after enjoying Elton’s concert in Malaysia.

Spank thi...ahh, you know the drill by now.

Happy Deepavali 1Malaysia

2011-10-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Deepavali. Enjoy responsibly.
Don't drink & drive.

You may hit a bump and spill it.