Thursday, June 30, 2011

Lynas plant safe by world standards, says review panel. Yeah close case!

June 30, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corp won today international approval for its RM700 million plant being built in Malaysia’s east coast after a UN review panel said it posed no radioactive risks to the thousands who live and work there.
But International Atomic Energy Agency-appointed (IAEA) panel recommended 11 improvements for Putrajaya to implement before awarding Lynas further licences, including the one the miner needs to start pre-operations.
The federal government has also pledged it will adopt all the suggestions.
The Sydney-based company had previously hoped to fire up its plant by September; it will be announcing its next step later today.
It had earlier requested a halt to trading on its shares.
Putrajaya, under pressure to show that the plant does not pose any radioactive risk, had called for experts from the IAEA to form an independent panel to review the health, environmental and safety aspects of Lynas’ rare earths plant in Pahang.
“The IAEA report concluded that it did not find any instance of ‘any non-compliance with international radiation safety standards’ in the Lynas project,” said Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (picture) and Datuk Maximus Ongkili in a joint statement today.
The nine-man expert panel found Lynas to have complied with international health and safety standards, after a month-long review.
Mustapa, who is International Trade and Industry Minister, previously said although Lynas was given a manufacturing licence to build its plant, for economic reasons “issues of public safety and health, and environment were also” considered.
Lynas has said that its plant — which will extract rare earth metals crucial for high-technology products such as smartphones, hybrid cars and wind turbines — will create a RM4 billion multiplier effect annually and will hire 350 skilled workers, 99 per cent of whom will be Malaysians.
Although reports say the plant may earn RM8 billion for Lynas, more than one per cent of the Malaysian GDP, critics have questioned the real economic benefit of the project, pointing to the 12-year tax break the Australian company will enjoy due to its pioneer status.
The government estimates investment spinoffs of RM2.3 billion from the plant, including the RM300 million already poured into two factories in the Gebeng industrial zone that will produce hydrochloric and sulphuric acid needed to extract the rare earth metals.

LOOK! EVEN SPONGEBOB SUPPORTS BERSIH 2.0!

. i'm just wondering ... will they also arrest Sponge Bob?!?

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Police protects Umno! Men in blue receives political instruction from Umno!

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim anticipates that Bersih 2.0 leaders could be arrested before the event even takes off next weekend.

On another related incident, Anwar said that the rowdy protest gathering by Umno Youth members in front of PKR's headquarters last night was a clear example of the police afraid of doing its work without direct orders from Umno.
Anwar slammed the ruling BN coalition, particularly leading party Umno, for allegedly pulling the strings in the police force and said, “Our meeting was very peaceful and not rude (tidak biadap), very different from the group last night, with their curses and threats of burning and murder... But the police were unable to do anything. It is clear there are political instruction..” Anwar further stressed that the problem lies not with the police, but the overbearing interference of the ruling party in the work of the men in blue.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

If Umno is above the law, Ibrahim Ali is above the constitution!

Ibrahim Ali is bigger than Umno

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | June 27, 2011
If demonstrations are not allowed then the law must also work restrospectively against those who protested aggressively against Bersih and its chairman S Ambiga.
COMMENT
Umno is at sixes and sevens as to how to deal with Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali.  He is now bigger than Umno, becoming the de facto voice of the Malays and an indictment on the current Umno leadership.
Umno has lost its Malayness and is seen as no longer capable of speaking for the Malay.
The more important Umno leaders simply don’t have the personal experience of what it means to be Malay.
Hence they can’t really empathize with the real Malay.
If Ibrahim is able to tap into the fears and anxieties, imagined or real of the Malays, it means the Umno leadership has failed to address them.
By default that makes Ibrahim relevant and Umno, reduced to being a spectator.
You have to tip your hat to Ibrahim. He is a tireless operator.
Did you know that he had a heart bypass a few months ago? Today he is up and about directing street demos.
Perhaps he has received a blood transfusion with super-budu formulations.
He hasn’t lost his flair of mobilizing crowds to any cause he chose – laughable or not.
Arrest all
Only Ibrahim can secure a permit and get people riled up shouting profanities of all kind and burning portraits of comrade S Ambiga (Bersih chairman) and all as a counter-demo to another demo that has not even taken place!
Bersih’s ‘Walk for Democracy’ march is on July 9. The proposed march for free and fair elections has however attracted political hooliganism aimed at suppressing calls for free and fair elections.
Leading what is seen as an affront to ‘fairly elected’ Barisan Nasional regime is Ibrahim.
The ease in which Ibrahim secures permits to hold demos and rallies and the police’s stand is puzzling.
It’s not consistent at all.
Either the police give everyone permission to hold demonstrations or you don’t give at all.
If demonstrations are not allowed, then the law must also work retrospectively.
In which case, police must arrest all those who protested aggressively against Bersih and Ambiga a few days ago.
This excerpt is from the writer’s sakmongkolak47 blog. The writer is also an FMT columnist.

Proof that Umno is evil and vile: Umno Youth 'threatened' to torch PKR HQ!

A group of Umno Youth members - about 300 people, according to PKR estimates - had converged on motorcycles and gathered in front of their arch nemesis PKR's headquarters in Petaling Jaya late last night in a noisy demonstration, threatening to burn down the building, demanding that PKR withdraws its support from the Bersih 2.0 march on July 9.

NONE PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, who rushed to the HQ after being alerted by party members, said he arrived at about 11pm and observed the demonstration from a distance and told Malaysiakini, "How do I know they are Umno members? First of all, they were carrying Umno flags and they were wearing their red 'Patriot' T-shirts. I could also see (Umno Youth exco Lukman Adam) and (former Perkasa Youth chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah) leading the group.”

Monday, June 27, 2011

Why does Umno still work with Communist Party of China? Umno hypocrite!

UPDATED @ 06:46:42 PM 26-06-2011
June 26, 2011

The home minister said today his orders to the police were to “take action to maintain peace and security.” — file pic
HULU SELANGOR, June 26 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has defended the arrest of 30 Bersih activists in Penang under Section 122 of the Penal Code, saying today there were reasons to justify the police action.
The police said they are probing an alleged attempt by some Bersih activists to revive communism and are investigating 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jayakumar for “waging war against the Yang DiPertuan Agong.”
Hishamuddin, who is the Home Minister, said that he had yet to be briefed in detail on the arrests, but stated that preliminary reports showed that the activists had “other agendas” in mind.
“I have not received a detailed report. But preliminary reports show that the movement, which was said to be mainly a “peaceful” demonstration, (had) other agendas (in mind).
“I believe in facts. I will wait for a further report, but my orders to the police from the start was follow the law, take action to maintain peace and security,” he told reporters after opening the Hulu Selangor Umno division meeting here.
He did not elaborate on the reasons for the arrests, and stressed that it was the police who made the arrests and not him as he did not have the power to do so.
“It’s not me who arrested them. The police decide,” he said, adding that the public should look at the incident from a “wider perspective.”
Deputy Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar said today that remand orders would be exercised in order to detain the 30 activists under Section 122 of the Penal Code.
The law was used to prosecute militant terrorist group Al Ma’unah who were involved in an audacious arms heist at an army camp and a tense standoff in the jungles of Perak in 2000.
Section 122 of the Penal Code states: “Whoever collects or attempts to collect men, arms or ammunition, or otherwise prepares to wage war with the intention of either waging or being prepared to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or any of the Rulers or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or abets the waging or the preparation of such war, shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twenty years, and shall also be liable to fine.”
“It’s not as straightforward as the points (put forth) by Bersih ... Why do you need to have roadshows (throughout) the country?” Hishamuddin said.
The government has said it will not issue permits for Bersih’s planned rally on July 9 that demands free and fair elections.

When will Umno sever all bilateral ties with China, given the fact that the Communist Party of China (CPC), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China (PRC)?

Denouncing attempts by various groups to link the minor political group backing Bersih to “communists”, Ambiga said, “I don’t know what it’s about... They are caught in a time warp. Who talks about communists in this day and age?”

Indeed, Umno is in a time warp, an archaic party that is, slowly but surely, sinking like the Titanic! ;-)


UPDATED @ 06:49:41 PM 27-06-2011
June 27, 2011

Ambiga waves as she arrives at the Dang Wangi police station for questioning, June 27, 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Despite being hauled up for police questioning today, Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan insists the July 9 march for electoral reforms will continue as planned.
The prominent lawyer said she will also not apply for a police permit to hold the street demonstration as the home minister and the police have made it clear one will not be issued.
She then slammed the authorities for hauling up civil society members campaigning for electoral reform instead of engaging them.
“Instead of threatening people, engage with us,” she urged the authorities, repeating the movement’s statement made last night.
Ambiga also repeatedly called the arrests of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members in Penang during the weekend “ridiculous”, denouncing attempts by various groups to link the minor political group backing Bersih to “communists”.
“I don’t know what it’s about... They are caught in a time warp. Who talks about communists in this day and age?” she quizzed, claiming the arrests were baseless.
The British colonial authorities battled communist terrorists from 1948 to 1960 in a police action called the Emergency and Malaysia later enacted the Internal Security Act (ISA) to allow detention without trial. The Communist Party of Malaysia (CPM) later laid down their weapons in 1989.
“Whoever wants to support Bersih, it’s up to them. It's open to all citizens,” she stressed.
Ambiga, who arrived at the Dang Wangi police station at about 2pm and left nearly two hours later, told reporters she had been questioned on three issues.
The first concerned the Bersih rally launched last week at the Chinese Assembly Hall here; followed by a recent police report in which she was accused of holding an illegal assembly outside the Jalan Travers police station; and the last was about her speech at a PKR-organised event held at the Girl Guides’ Association in Brickfields on June 12.

Anwar: Najib, I know what you did in PD. Does najis not come from Najib? ;)

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has poured scorn over the prime minister's remark that 'finding the truth" was most important in determining whether the man in a sex video was indeed him.

NONEPrime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had said that the people could judge for themselves as to the authenticity of the tape since foreign experts had reportedly said the video - showing a couple on a sexual romp in a room - resembled Anwar 99.99 percent,

Anwar said Najib and his spouse Rosmah Mansor are not fit to speak about morals, although he did not explain in detail why he made such a snide remark and added by saying, "I have been challenged to reveal what I know about Port Dickson," said Anwar at a ceramah in Pokok Sena last night in reference to a scandal that purportedly occurred in the mid-1990s. But it is not my style to insult (cerca) or fitnah (slander) others just because I want to win."

He quipped in front of the 700-strong crowd and said, "I want to win with good morals intact."

Adakah tidak mustahil – ugutan bunuh terhadap Khairy dilakukan sendiri? ;)

Ambiga got a death threat and the 'deformed' Umno Reform 2 blogged:
Khairy got a death threat too and of course all of us know all too well that:
Adakah tidak mustahil – ugutan bunuh terhadap Khairy dilakukan sendiri?

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Hold police responsible! Rally will only turn chaotic if police start the attack!

June 26, 2011
  















What a load of crap from Najib!

Now read:
Nathaniel Tan believes this world is full of people, he was born to love them all. He blogs at www.jelas.info and tweets @NatAsasi
June 22, 2011
JUNE 22 — “Ambiga is a Jewish agent!”
“Cyber attacks part of Bersih campaign!”
“The Chinese better stock up on food supplies!”
That’s what people in power have had to say about Bersih, and we’ve got three whole weeks left to go. I think we can only expect the demonization, ridiculousness, paranoia and accusations of being opposition puppets to continue.
It’s full Cabinet ministers who are accusing Bersih of orchestrating web hacks that brought down multiple websites, and recording mad rants about how Bersih is a ploy to create a city full of rioting chaos.
I find myself asking: What is it these people are so afraid of?
Are their consciences and confidence so threatened that they’ve started jumping at their own shadows?
A government gripped by fear
A Father’s Day story: As young kids, we used to get freaked out by stuff like cockroaches, lizards, spiders and stuff sometimes.
Dad used to ask, “How big is the cockroach?” We’d show the size of the cockroach with our fingers, and he’d continue, “OK, now how big are you?”
Given the size and power of the government relative to the means that civil society has at its disposal, we are forced to conclude that the government is in the grip of an immense paranoia that is causing top officials to lash out desperately with incoherent accusations that even the most hardened conspiracy theorist would find hard to believe (Jewish agent? Really?).
When those entrusted with the highest positions of power in the country start seeing little yellow devils everywhere they turn, I think something has gone terribly wrong somewhere.
If there is nothing to genuinely fear of the rally, the cause of this paranoia can only be a conscience troubled by numerous misdeeds and decades of corruption, and/or a deep and abiding fear that this rally is the first step towards massive losses in the next elections.
Any real reason to reject Bersih?
In the interests of fairness, let’s try our best to objectively examine whether there is in fact anything to fear from Bersih and the July 9 rally.
Firstly: Is there any reason to fear rioting and chaos?
Let me answer with another question. Can anyone name a single civil society organised gathering in Malaysia that has erupted into any violence or chaos whatsoever in the absence of heavy-handed police action?
I think history will show that every single rally organised by Malaysian civil society has always been peaceful and contained. Chaos only happens when riot police start firing into crowds, as they seem so fond of doing.
When we gather on the streets, all we want to do is stand together as Malaysians to peacefully make a point. We march, we listen to a few speeches, chant a few slogans, and want nothing more than to disperse peacefully when everything is said and done. I for one can’t wait to get out of the sun and back to a cool shower.
Why the Barisan Nasional government refuses to allow such a scenario to play out as peacefully as we want it to is a source of constant perplexity.
Secondly, is this some Pakatan Rakyat orchestrated scheme?
I can say with great personal conviction that the people calling the shots in Bersih would take great offence at the suggestion. The steering committee is devoid of political representation, and chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan has publicly asserted that Anwar Ibrahim is not the one to decide whether or not the rally should go on.
The invitation to participate in the rally and align with Bersih’s goals has been extended to every single political party in Malaysia, bar none. BN parties have every opportunity to work together with civil society towards a clean and fair electoral system, but seem to find the very idea toxic.
They’ve been invited to the party, and after refusing to come, insist that their opponents are using it as a platform to attack them.
Bersih’s real goals
Third and most importantly, all this demonization of Bersih seems intent on distracting from what Bersih is really all about: Eight very simple, non controversial calls for freer and fairer elections.
I think it’s worth listing out what does eight calls are:
1. Clean the electoral roll
2. Reform postal ballot
3. Use of indelible ink
4. Minimum 21 days campaign period
5. Free and fair access to media
6. Strengthen public institutions
7. Stop corruption
8. Stop dirty politics
Simple, right? The question we now have to ask the BN government, Umno Youth and Perkasa is, exactly which of these points do you have a problem with?
If it’s one or two that seem problematic, if any at all, is it worth waging this ridiculous war against Bersih’s very simple, straightforward manifesto?
Do you want a dirty electoral roll? Easy ways to use phantom voters? Lopsided access to the media? Weak public institutions? Corruption? Dirty politics?
Fighting the very simple, non-partisan things that Bersih is pushing for really seems quite ridiculous and unreasonable.
Bersih 2.0 was designed to be a universal movement, open to Malaysians of all colours, creeds and affiliations. All we want is a level playing field where patriotic citizens are able to choose their government in a just and fair manner.
The question is: Why do so many people — especially our highest government officials — seem to hate us so much for wanting something so simple and universal?
What are Ibrahim Ali, Khairy Jamaluddin and the BN government’s real motivations and motives?
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

'Malays are going to slay the Chinese' come July 9. Thank you, Ibrahim Ali!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Umno-led BN not Bersih. That's why not for Bersih and a free & fair election

June 25, 2011

Public porn screening in court 'a first'. Umno court has scored many firsts! ;)

Karpal Singh slammed the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court's handling of the Datuk T proceedings yesterday for showing the sex video to the public and for allowing Anwar to be implicated in his absence. In a statement today, the Bukit Gelugor MP and veteran lawyer said, “This is the first time in legal history of the country that a pornographic video clip produced as an exhibit in court has been played on two big screens, one facing them magistrate and the other the public gallery.”

While he agreed that as a fundamental element of the charge against the Datuk T trio, the screening had to be done in the presence of the magistrate and relevant parties, and in such situations the public gallery would always be cleared. He said, “It should have been the business of the magistrate to have immediately removed the screen facing the public gallery and cleared the public gallery.”

Beacon Hospital: Mother's & Father's Day health screening only at RM399!


This is one promotion by Beacon Hospital that is not to be missed.

The sign up and scanning period are until 30th June 2011 and 31 December 2011 respectively.

If you compare the actual price of each itemized screening with other health centers or hospitals, it is at least 20% cheaper. For example, for item no. 6, the 'Mammogram / Ultrasound Breasts' scan, the actual price is RM160 compared to another diagnostic medical centre that is currently running a promotion for its 'Breast Examination: Mammogram or Ultrasound including Consultation. RM89 instead of RM200' via an Internet company built on the social e-commerce and collective-buying platform. ;)

I already did my screening last Monday. Am I satisfied with the services or facilities provided? Certainly, yes!

Welcome!

The Reception Area

Entrance to the Health Screening  Centre

 Inside the Corporate Lounge

The Changing Room

Inside the  Health Screening Centre.
Can you see the two terminals on the far left?
Yes, now you can surf the Internet while waiting!

Beautiful orchids!

Surprisingly, I saw 'Phua Chu Kang' - on a magazine cover, of course! 8P

The '360-degree' view of the Health Screening Centre.

I've neither a Maybank nor CIMB a/c. How am I a real beneficiary of GLCs?

Despite open day, public still find GLCs a mystery

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Stand in Maybank’s bright yellow booth in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in the city, and it will probably take all of ten seconds before someone notices you milling about.
You’ll be offered an Apple iPad if you open an account, asked if you would like a new credit card or some other banking product.
However, if you were hoping to find out more about how Maybank functions as a government-linked company (GLC) at the GLC Open Day, you’ll probably be disappointed.
The event billed itself as “a showcase of five Government-linked Investment Companies (GLICs) and 18 GLCs which will share how they have contributed towards the development of the Malaysian economy, and in doing so, touched the lives of every Malaysian.”
But visitors who spoke to The Malaysian Insider found that aside from exhibits set up by the government to showcase its Economic and Government Transformation Plans, most other exhibitors seemed to think it was a trade fair to sell their products, rather than showcase their role according to the theme of “nation-building, touching lives.”
“They have a lot of props to show their good points, but none of the staff could really explain to me the things I was interested in,” said Nor Alyshia Daud, a 20-year-old law student looking for scholarships.
She came with Wan Nazrin Wan Anuar, 20, a recently trained pilot who said outright, “they’re not doing a good job of meeting the event’s objective.”
When launching the event, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said that the real beneficiaries of GLCs are the people of Malaysia who are given “the opportunity to share in the wealth of the country.”
Besides two bankers who were pleased to have made possible business contacts - but still said that the open day was not really supportive of business-to-business linkups - others did not find out about their slice of the pie.
“I see a lot of projects around Brickfields where I live, but I have no idea what they are and what they are for. Instead of open days, why not spend more time in public consultation?” said Rowena Ramachandran, who works in a legal firm in the city.
But perhaps the biggest question is still whether GLCs are working in the interests of the public, or Barisan Nasional (BN). From the general tone of scepticism, it appears that the public tolerates as a fact of life, the presence of GLCs in the market, rather than embraces it.
“The government keeps pumping money into things like MAS and Proton supposedly to help the industry. But what is the return to normal people?” said Johnny Chan, a 29-year-old geoscientist.
“If you ask me, it’s all politically-linked,” said Lee Hock Chan, who works in IT.
And although CIMB Bank chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak said at a forum later that “Malaysia Inc 2.0 is so much better than Mk I, where there were really, really bad practices,” it’ll probably take more than the insistence of the prime minister’s brother to change such a perception.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Economist: Do not repeat Middle East error. "High income at high cost?"! ;)

Malaysia, a country with one of the highest income inequality in the region, second only to Papua New Guinea in Asia, should not repeat the mistake made by the Middle East nations in blindly pursuing economic growth, but should also take into consideration income inequality and other social developments, chief economist in Malaysia Rating Corporation Berhad Nor Zahidi Alias advised. Nur Zahidi cited Penang as an example, saying that its inequalities had worsened in past 14 years despite the state having a higher income level.

He also pointed that 70 percent of Malaysian workers earned less than RM1,500 per month, with the percentage being higher in Sabah and Sarawak. He said the cost of living in Malaysia has gone up when the CPI index and food price rose 11 and 22 percent respectively since the civil servants received their last pay hike of 7.5 percent to 35 percent in July 2007 - hence, the pay hike that civil servants received had been only enough to cover the price hike of the last two to three years.

Najib Razak had a meal with Altantuya but he's still 'innocent' & a free man!


Sex video: Datuk Trio plead guilty and fined
The three individuals behind the sex tape which featured a man resembling Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim were charged in Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court today - three months after they screened the video at a hotel to a group of journalists.

In mitigation before sentencing, defence lawyer Shafee argued that the motive of the accused was “honourable” - to expose the hypocrisy of a leader who at one time was one step away from becoming the prime minister and said the sex video would open him up to be blackmailed by local and international forces.

“This is more important than the issue of the case. The accused have merely committed a minor offence in the bid to expose bigger offence, and perhaps the biggest fraud ever,” added Shafee.

ramli yusuff asset declare case 120310 muhammad shafee abdullahShafee, who has prepared 40-page affidavit which detailed Rahim's background and achievements, said that even though there were rumours surrounding the former politician, he was never convicted in a court of law.

Similarly, the court heard that Najib Razak had a meal with Altantuya but he was never convicted in the court of law.

Saturday June 30, 2007

Picture causes ruckus in court

THERE was a heated exchange among lawyers and prosecutors during the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial following a witness’ testimony that she had seen a picture of the deceased and Abdul Razak Baginda with a government official.
In the aftermath, a police report was lodged against one of the defence lawyers while the grudge between a veteran counsel and the lead DPP intensified.
It began when Burmaa Oyunchimeg, a cousin of Altantuya, was being re-examined by DPP Manoj Kurup on a contention made by lawyer Wong Kian Kheong on Thursday.

Daily ritual: Abdul Razak waving to his family members as he is escorted to the courthouse yesterday along with C/Insp Azilah and Kpl Sirul Azhar who have always arrived with jackets covering their faces.
The 26-year-old witness was asked why she disagreed with Wong, the counsel for Abdul Razak Baginda, that she did not have personal knowledge of how Altantuya disappeared. Her answer was that she knew Altantuya came here to see “Razak Baginda.”
“She only knew Razak Baginda in Malaysia. I knew why she wanted to see Razak Baginda because I’ve seen a picture of Altantuya, Razak Baginda and a government official.”
DPP Manoj immediately stopped her from continuing, and repeated his question.
Burmaa said Altantuya’s second cousin Namiraa Gerelmaa and friend Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir had told her about it.
Just before the witness was discharged, lawyer Karpal Singh, who represents the family of the victim and the Mongolian government, asked to pose two questions and clarify the testimony on the “government official.”
The moment “government official” was mentioned, lawyer Hazman Ahmad representing C/Insp Azilah Hadri and lead prosecutor DPP Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah stood up almost simultaneously to deny that there was such evidence.
A commotion followed as Hazman and DPP Tun Abd Majid continued to dispute Karpal Singh’s observations while Justice Mohd Zaki checked his notes.
In the midst of it, Burmaa put up her right hand and said loudly: “Yes, I said that.”
“In Hong Kong ... after Altantuya came back from France, she went to Hong Kong to meet me to show me the picture,” she said as the judge replied that he had not noted that part down earlier.
At this point, Hazman and DPP Tun Abd Majid began quarrelling with Karpal Singh over the matter.
After the commotion, Justice Mohd Zaki finally made a ruling that since he had missed the part, Karpal Singh could proceed to ask about the “government official.”
Karpal Singh: You said after Altantuya came back from France, she showed you a picture. Can you tell us what the picture was?
Burmaa: There was a picture ... having a meal. A picture of Altantuya having a meal with Razak Baginda and a Malaysian government official and other people.
Karpal Singh: Who was the government official in the photo?
Justice Mohd Zaki: You should ask her whether she knows him or not.
Burmaa: Najib Razak. I remember the name Najib Razak because the name Razak is the same. I thought maybe they were brothers.
Justice Mohd Zaki: What is the relevance of this to the charge?
Hazman: Political basis.
DPP Tun Abd Majid: Irrelevant.
Karpal Singh: The relevance is in the affidavit of the third accused (Abdul Razak), he had mentioned that the ADC of Najib Razak, the police officer ...
Burmaa: (Putting up her right hand to interrupt) The picture was even shown to her (Altantuya’s) father.
Karpal Singh: It was the ADC that directed and who helped in the three police personnel going to the house of Razak to take Altantuya away.
DPP Tun Abd Majid: DSP Musa Safri is listed as a witness in our list. You can examine him when he is called to testify later.
Hazman: It’s subjudice. The witness (DSP Musa) has not been called yet. This witness (Burmaa) is being coached. If he wants to make allegations, I also can make.
Karpal Singh: There is an allegation of coaching. My Lord, would he withdraw that? This witness has not been coached.
DPP Tun Abd Majid: What is the purpose of watching brief? To safeguard the interest of the victim’s family. You are not here to turn this court into a political forum. This is a court of law... The AG (Attorney-General) has given his assurance that we will produce everything in court leaving no stone unturned.
Wong, suddenly stood up to implore all parties including the press to allow his client Abdul Razak to defend against a capital punishment charge through the process of law.
Justice Mohd Zaki: I’ve been thinking, what is your purpose of watching brief, Mr Karpal?
Karpal Singh: My Lord, it’s to make sure everything comes out in the open.
The judge then told the court what he had recorded so far and that he was not allowing Karpal Singh to ask Burmaa any further questions. He then adjourned the court.
After the break, DPP Tun Abd Majid asked if Burmaa’s testimony about the picture would form part of the evidence.
The judge replied: “It is part of the record. Unless both sides want to pursue further on the replies?”
When Justice Mohd Zaki saw that no one had stood up, he discharged Burmaa from the stand.
Up to this point, the alleged photograph had not been produced in court.
After the proceedings ended at noon, Burmaa lodged a police report against Hazman over his allegation that she had been coached on how to give evidence in the trial.

Don't worry what people think, they don't do it very often

Lynas not keen to meet international safety standard, Malaysian std suffice

Lynas boss Nicholas Curtis has conceded that his company made the mistake of failing to adequately engage the community in Kuantan over fears of radioactive waste from its controversial rare earth plant, saying, "We made a mistake, and it was a big mistake, of thinking that because we have met the (Malaysian) standards (of safety), that it was enough. It was not enough. Our obligation is to continue to engage the community in Kuantan."

NONEThe Lynas chief's mea culpa came after the emergence of stringent opposition to the RM700 million plant, which is being built in Gebeng Industrial Estate, about 50km from Kuantan and will be completed by the end of September.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Mahathir, Perkasa patron, blames everything else except racist Perkasa! :|

Dr M blames press for worsening race relations

UPDATED @ 12:17:54 PM 23-06-2011
June 23, 2011

Dr Mahathir says race relations today are not as good as when he was prime minister. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad blamed press freedom today for poor race relations which, he claimed, had worsened since he stepped down as prime minister in 2003.
He said that this was because press freedom has allowed racial and religious tension to ferment in Malaysia.
“Those days we didn’t talk so much about race, showing disrespect to others. Today we talk about race and religion, putting a wedge between the different races.
“Race relations today are not as good as when ‘a dictator of 22 years’ was leading the country,” the former prime minister told a forum of chief executives today.
Dr Mahathir said that although he is made out to be a “Malay ultra and the Chinese are afraid of me,” he only managed to maintain Barisan Nasional’s (BN) two-thirds of Parliament in 1999 due to Chinese support.
“Chinese support gave me two-thirds majority despite the displeasure of Malays due to the black eye,” he said, referring to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s injury suffered in jail after he was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998. 
The 1999 election was Dr Mahathir’s last as prime minister before being succeeded by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Despite leading BN to its best-ever showing in 2004, Abdullah was forced to resign in 2009 after BN ceded its customary two-thirds majority and five states in Election 2008.
The emergence of online media was credited as a main factor in the swing against the ruling coalition, especially in urban centres such as the Klang Valley and Penang, which saw Pakatan Rakyat (PR) win even in seats considered to be BN strongholds.

Ambiga death threat: Hisham orders police probe. SMS from 01119732179

Ambiga death threat: Hisham orders police probe
June 23, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has received a death threat via text message which was also sent this morning to reporters and some members of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih).
The text message warned Ambiga as well as PAS and PKR leaders from going ahead with the July 9 Bersih rally, and said her life would be in jeopardy should it (the rally) proceed.


Ambiga said she will lodge a police report today. — File pic
“Korg ni buta hati ke?? buat apa sokong ambiga keling paria haramjadah tu? dia ni kapir laknat. korang tau tak dia ni jadi alat anjing2 politik untuk musnahkan keutuhan melayu. dia kata je nak BERSIH kan SPR. bersih kepala bapak dia. puak2 PAS n PKR pun buta tuli n pekak badak.. kalau SPR tak bersih, boleh ke diorang menang kat Sgor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan n perak dulu? “DAP cina sial tu pulak lagi haram jahanam. dia tengok je melayu bertekak. hujung2 dia perintah negara ni dan kristiankan kita semua. aku nak kasi amaran kat korang semua. kalau perhimpunan ni jadi, aku dan org2 aku akan bunuh ambiga dan korang2 keliling dia satu persatu, termasuklah orang2 politik bangang yang bersekongkol ngan kafir laknat tu.. ini amaran aku. Korang tengok nanti.”
(Are you people blind? Why would you support that pariah keling Ambiga? She is an infidel. Don’t you know that she is a toll of those political dogs who are out to destroy the strength of the Malays. She is just saying she wants to clean up the Bersih election, she should clean up her father’s head. And the PAS, PKR leaders, they are deaf, dumb, blind and illiterate. If the EC is not clean then how did they win Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kelantan and Perak? The damned Chinese DAP are even more despicable. They just watch the Malays go at each other’s throats. In the end, they will rule the country and turn all of us into Christians.)
Ambiga has confirmed that she will be lodging a police report on the matter today.
The first rally in 2007 saw up to 50,000 people take to the capital’s streets before they were dispersed by police armed with tear gas and water cannons.
The 2007 rally has been credited for the Pakatan Rakyat’s record gains in Election 2008, where the opposition pact swept to power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats.
PAS has promised to bring 100,000 protestors this year in hopes that it will galvanise support for the opposition in the next general election, which is expected to be called within a year.
But Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has repeatedly warned of police action against the illegal gatherings, saying yesterday that the organisers of all three rallies will be summoned to Bukit Aman.

Some IPPs got 'favourable' contracts, concedes gov but it was necessary!

The government has conceded that the first generation of independent power producers (IPPs) were offered "relatively favourable terms" at the inception of the IPP programme in the 1990s.
 
A question-and-answer (Q&A) paper published by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water and distributed at a press conference chaired by minister Peter Chin in Putrajaya today, to explain issues related to the gas subsidy provided to the power industry and IPPs reads, "But this was necessary to address the tremendous growth (in demand) for electricity in the early 1990s and to ensure sufficient and reliable supply of electricity,"

azlanTo the question 'What is so special about the first generation IPPs?', the document answers: 'Being the first batch of IPPs, the risks were relatively unknown for the country as we were still low on the learning curve. Thus, the developers had to secure the best possible terms in the power purchase agreement (PPAS) to provide sufficient comfort for all stakeholders especially the financial institutions.'

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

THREE VALID & GOOD REASONS TO HOLD JULY 9 BERSIH RALLY! ;-)

If certain quarters claim not to know why the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 needs to be held, the reasons have been provided by the BN leaders themselves within and outside Parlaiament, said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang today.

The reasons are:
1. Prime Minister's Department's written reply yesterday to DAP's Seputeh M Teresa Kok, in which it was revealed RM1.18 billion worth of programmes and projects had been announced for Sarawak during the state's recently concluded polls.
2.  During the election, it was not just Sarawak BN but the entire federal government that had campaign, during which a cabinet meeting had been cancelled. The move to 'dragoon all federal ministers' to the eastern state for the polls made “a complete mockery of the principle of free and fair elections!
3. BN's spending of over RM500 million in the Sarawak election, which Lim said breaks election laws limiting election expenditures for state assembly candidates to RM100,000 per candidate.

One glass, 7 Layers of Tea in Bangladesh beats Sarawak iced 3-layer tea

One Glass, Seven Layers of Tea

By Christopher Shay from WSJ’s Scene Asia blog:

Christopher Shay for The Wall Street Journal
Mr. Gour and his layered tea.
Bangladeshis will travel hours to the sleepy town of Srimongol, in Bangladesh’s northeast, just for a cup of Romesh Ram Gour’s famous tea. In a country of avid tea drinkers, Mr. Gour is the inventor behind a seven-layer tea which, he claims, no one else has been able to replicate. Copycats in the region have succeeded in creating five-layer teas, but none have been able to unlock the secret to Mr. Gour’s rainbow brew.
Mr. Gour invented his colorful layered teas 10 years ago, when he was selling tea from a bamboo shack. He says he realized that teas from different leaves have slightly different densities. It took a year of experimenting before he could sell teas with more than two layers. Over the years, he learned to expand to seven.
The kind of layer tea Mr. Gour makes is unique to the Srimongol area. An iced three-layer tea has become popular in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, but those drinks include one type of tea and are typically layered with palm sugar on the bottom, evaporated milk in the middle and tea on the top. What makes Srimongol’s special are the discrete layers of tea blends.
Continue Reading on Scene Asia.

Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia: Now ALL kedai-kedai runcit boleh gulung tikar! ;)

June 22, 2011

The 1 Malaysia “brand” will be used on a quarter of the goods offered at KR1M. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will launch the pioneer Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia (KR1M) thrift store, which promises essential goods at up to 50 per cent discounts this evening, in hopes of countering surging inflation.
The pilot store, located at the Kelana Jaya LRT station, will sell 1 Malaysia-branded goods such as rice, milk and diapers without profit-motivation, said operators Mydin, who run a wide chain of hyper and supermarkets locally.
The move comes as Putrajaya was forced to make cuts to a subsidy bill that would otherwise double to RM21 billion this year while it grapples with inflation that hit a two-year high of three per cent in March and continued climbing to 3.3 per cent last month.
If successful, the store will spawn more outlets in other rail stations that cater to lower income commuters, said Mydin managing director Datuk Ameer Ali at a pre-launch briefing.
“The cost of promotion usually adds 25 to 30 per cent to the price tag. With the 1 Malaysia brand, it is the PM himself who is providing the promotion,” he said, adding that the idea was mooted by Najib himself.
He told reporters that basic household goods such as sweetened creamer would cost RM1.95 instead of RM2.80, and diapers at RM20.50 instead of over RM40 as found in his own Mydin stores.
However, he said that KR1M would not cannibalise Mydin sales as “we are a hypermarket, of over 100,000 sq ft and sell other products besides essential goods, so our target market is different.”
Ameer said that KR1M, whose Kelana Jaya store takes up just 2,000 sq ft, would target urban poor who earned RM3,000 or less. It will stock 1,000 different items, a quarter of which would be 1 Malaysia-branded goods.
He added that KR1M would be operated on Mydin’s books as a corporate social responsibility programme but would also lower Mydin’s costs due to increased volume.
“The products are purchased from about 30 SMEs who already supply our own stores. So the extra volume will help bring cost down for all parties,” Ameer said.
The Najib administration is expected to call a general election within the year but recent hikes to fuel, electricity and sugar prices have sparked public anger, leading to protests from groups such as fishermen, whose recent strike caused a spike in seafood prices.
The government has repeatedly explained that it must cut subsidies to ensure that the budget deficit, which hit a two-decade high of seven per cent in 2009, is reined in to a projected 5.4 per cent this year.

PAS: A peaceful protest Islamic: Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen all protest! ;)

UPDATED @ 06:50:51 AM 22-06-2011
June 21, 2011



I believe the peaceful protests that took place in Muslim countries turned chaotic when stubborn and autocratic leaders refused to step down and resorted to violence against the people.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

No action against Ibrahim Ali: He is not a threat but an advisor & a shocker!

Remember, not too long ago, Ibrahim said 'jihad' for shock value?


Now, he says his statement was an advice and not a threat.
UPDATED @ 02:13:48 PM 21-06-2011
June 21, 2011

Ibrahim making his speech Sunday which he claims has been "misunderstood". — Picture by Choo Choy May

EC no integrity, no balls, no teeth. Bersih chief to EC: Now Action Talk Over!

June 21, 2011

Ambiga speaking during Bersih 2.0's launch June 19, 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi
KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — Bersih 2.0 welcomes the Election Commission’s (EC) offer to discuss electoral reforms but said it was too late for talks due to blatant abuses in polls and government disinterest for reforms.
The election watchdog cited the EC’s admission it lacked the authority to act on blatant power abuses reported during the Sarawak polls as well as Putrajaya’s seeming disregard towards reform ideas proposed as reasons it was rejecting the invitation.
“We thank the EC for the invitation but the time for talk and discussion has passed,” Bersih chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said in a statement last night.
“This is due to the recent reports of blatant abuses in the recent Sarawak election and in view of the impending general elections,” she added.
The former Malaysian Bar president noted the EC has suggested certain reform measures in postal votes, but said the ideas do not go far enough.
She told The Malaysian Insider the ideas themselves must also be tabled in Parliament to take effect.
She urged the EC to reveal in the public’s interests, the reform ideas they have suggested to the Najib administration, which have been shot down.
Ambiga also rapped the election body for what she insisted were “baseless” comments on Bersih’s independence, adding the remarks did not reflect well on the EC, which is “constitutionally required to be above partisan politics”.
“It should not matter to them where the suggestions for reform come from, whether it is from the government, the opposition, NGOs or any citizen. They should deal with all suggestions on their merits,” she stressed.
The EC yesterday offered to meet Bersih and discuss the election watchdog’s eight demands, including having free and fair elections, on condition the group calls off a planned march this July 9.
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof also said that Bersih’s protest would only prove fruitless as their demands could only be met through amendments to the relevant laws.
“We can discuss on that condition (that the rally is called off), but if they (Bersih) want to hold the illegal street demonstration and meet us just as a rubber stamp or an excuse, it is meaningless,” he told reporters.
Umno Youth and Malay rights group Perkasa have also vowed to hold demonstrations against Bersih on the same day if the elections watchdog group carries out its promise to protest.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he would ask Bersih to stop their plans if the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government agreed to reforms. But Bersih officials say it is not up to politicians to decide the rally’s fate.

Monday, June 20, 2011

PAS Youth ready to protect non-Malays from 'bloodthirsty, violent' Perkasa

If BN is Bersih, it will not face opposition, let alone being toppled by them! ;)


On Nov 30, 2009, Dr M blogged about 'Umno' and said:
1. Pilihanraya Umum ke-13 hanya dua tahun lagi. Saya sedang meneliti reaksi rakyat terhadap UMNO dibawah pimpinan baru. Saya terkejut. Saya terkejut kerana seorang bekas pemimpin UMNO yang kanan telah meluahkan perasaannya dengan berkata "UMNO is rotten to the core" (UMNO busuk hingga ke ususnya).

The truth is the BN government is a corrupted government with 'rotten-to-the-core' Umno leading the way.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Nice ambiance, nice food @ House + Co Bangsar. I prefer WIP Bangsar. ;)


I'm not a foodie but all I can say is that this dish lived up to its name and description.
Simply creamy and yummy!

In short, since 1980s, Umno-led BN govt has made Malaysia a failed state!

The decline of democracy, the abuse of power, and the mismanagement of our economy and the nation’s finances, the economic waste, the lack of national cohesion in our economic policies led to the flight of capital in the region of RM880 billion over the years from the 1980s. That was the beginning the lost decades and the full impact of the consequences of the economic policies which has continued since then, is yet to have its full impact on our national lives. 
by YBM Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, at Perak Lectures, organized by Perak Academy on Saturday 18th June 2011 at 8:45PM at the New Club, Main Hall, Taiping, Perak.


Read the full speech of YBM Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah here.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Rais says website attacks part of Bersih but can't tell how they're both linked

June 17, 2011
Rais said the web attacks were politically motivated. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Information, Communications, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim today expressed belief that yesterday’s mass attacks on local websites may be connected to the upcoming Bersih rally.
Earlier, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili told reporters that initial investigations showed 90 per cent of attackers who participated in the attacks were based in Malaysia.
Today, Rais described the cyber attacks as politically-motivated and intended to disrupt the workings of the government, but did not provide details as to how the denial of service attacks were related to the July 9 rally pushing for electoral reforms.
“If for example a land authority website is hacked, then property transactions will be interrupted. The same goes for banking and others; these cyber attacks are strange and, sadly, politically motivated,” he said in a press conference today.
Rais also said the cyber attackers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and urged those involved to not damage the country out of anger towards the government.
Operation Malaysia, launched by the international hacker group known as Anonymous, had succeeded in bringing down its main target, malaysia.gov.my, at about 4am yesterday.
But it also spawned attacks on other sites, with the government stating that 60 per cent of the estimated 200 sites belonged to the federal administration.
Prior to conducting Operation Malaysia, Anonymous named the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission’s recent move to block file sharing sites like Pirate Bay and whistleblowers WikiLeaks as “inexcusable” acts of censorship that took away “basic human rights.”

Plunder people first! RM81,000 catering for PM's daughter's engagement?!

PKR leader Dr Tan Kee Kwong today raised a query on who footed the bill for the engagement ceremony of Prime Minister Najib Razak's daughter which was held at Seri Perdana last night.

Nooryana Najwa Najib and Daniyar NazarbayevThe dinner was held at the Prime Minister's residence in Putrajaya on the occasion of Najib's daughter, Nooryana Najwa's engagement to Daniyar Nazarbayev, a relative of Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev. The guests' list of the dinner included royalty, politicians and members of the diplomatic corps totaled 810.

Dr Tan said that he understood that the purchase order to a leading hotel was issued in the name of the PM's Department which raised the question of who actually footed the bill for the catering, which came up to RM81,000.

The former Gerakan MP and deputy minister who is likely to be a candidate for PKR in the fast approaching general election, said his query was justified under any circumstances but more so in these 'belt-tightening times when the rising cost of living burdens the ordinary citizen.”

Seatbelt 'offender' lodges complaint at Bukit Aman: Never offend a cop, ok

A bank manager, 26-year-old Hiew Kok Ming, arrested for not wearing a seat belt, has filed a complaint with the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar about his treatment at the hands of a traffic police in Malacca.

Adding to the tit-for-tat exchange, he claimed that he had been very cooperative with the policeman concerned but the latter had 'failed to control his emotions and ego'. Consequently, he was accused with a false report by the policeman and had to stay in the police lock-up for three days. After that, he was released unconditionally and without police bail.

In the May 28 incident at about 9.30pm, Hiew was driving an MPV together with four friends after a birthday celebration in Malacca when he was flagged down by a lone traffic policeman for not wearing his seatbelt and said that he was detained because he annoyed the police officer by not immediately producing his IC and for taking his photo, however the police had initially investigated him for obstructing a government officer from discharging his or her duty.


NONEThis morning together with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, Hiew (right) was at the national police headquarters at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur to hand over his letter of complaint to the IGP.

.

Camisole, bra: Ambrace camisole, bra are comfortable lingerie for women!

I only knew the difference between a camisole and bra when I bought them for the first time in a Cosway shop. Well, obviously, they were for my wife. Do you know which one is a camisole? No prize for the correct answer. ;-)

Daniyar Nazarbayev not "Ivy League material" will marry Najib's daughter!

Borat's that! Kazakh big sues in Ivy snub

Wednesday, August 1st 2007, 4:00 AM

A Long Island company is being sued because it did not make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan.
IvySuccess of Garden City allegedly collected $200,000 from a relative of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev for a course aimed at getting him into an Ivy League school - and then dumped him as a client.
Daniyar Nazarbayev, who was educated in Kazakhstan, said in his suit IvySuccess dismissed him after one session because, the firm said, he was not "Ivy League material."
Nazarbayev eventually was accepted into Columbia University, where he will start next fall - no thanks to the "admissions strategists" at IvySuccess, according to the suit, filed Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
"He's a very smart and likable kid who got into Columbia on his own," said Sam Israel, the student's lawyer.
Neither Israel nor court papers specified Nazarbayev's exact relation to the strongman leader of the country lampooned in "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."
After only one meeting, IvySuccess owner Robert Shaw allegedly told an "incredulous" family representative that Nazarbayev had no shot at cracking the Ivies.
Shaw did not respond to phone calls.
Read more:

June 18, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — The daughter of Datuk Seri Najib Razak was today betrothed to her college sweetheart in a ceremony at the Prime Minister’s residence in Putrajaya.
Nooryana Najwa and fiancé Daniyar Nazarbayev exchanged their engagement vows in a grand ceremony attended by family, friends, diplomats and royalty.
The couple, both aged 22, had met while studying in the United States, where Nooryana attended Georgetown University in Washington, while Nazarbayev went to Columbia University in New York.
Gracing the ceremony today were Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Sultanah of Pahang Hajah Kalsom, Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Abdullah and Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah.
Also present was Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan, who arrived today for a state visit, and wife Sheikha Salam Hamdan Al Nahyan.

Facebook fiasco: Yen Yen talked nonsense! Cabinet took note! PM quiet!

June 17, 2011
Ng provided scant details on how the RM1.8 million was spent, said the source. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Already facing growing public discontent, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen was confronted with a hostile Cabinet today when she tried to explain her ministry’s controversial RM1.8 million outlay on six Facebook pages and was even told by some colleagues not to waste their time.
The Malaysian Insider understands several ministers also insisted against announcing that Cabinet had officially accepted Ng’s explanation, preferring instead to say they had taken note of it.
A source who was familiar with what transpired said this was because the ministers did not want Ng to publicly declare that she had been cleared of guilt by the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The source told The Malaysian Insider that rather than addressing the root cause of the allegations against her, the tourism minister had chosen to beat around the bush in defending herself.
Ng, who is also MCA vice-president, was scheduled to explain to the Cabinet today her ministry’s RM1.8 million expense bill for developing six Facebook pages to promote tourism in Malaysia.
“She did not explain [the] cost, not the cost or bill. Only the importance of cyber advertising and other [nonsense],” said the source.
The source said when it grew clear that Ng had no plans to divulge further details or provide a breakdown of her expenses, several ministers cut her short.
“She was trying to explain but she did not finish because people asked her to stop. They said she was just wasting their time. She was not talking about the main thing — the cost and why she spent so much,” said the source.
But the source noted that it was unclear if the prime minister considered Ng’s explanation satisfactory or planned to pursue the matter further.
“The PM was silent on that part. What is clear is that the ministers only want to say that Cabinet has taken note of her explanation and that she should not go and say that Cabinet has accepted it,” said the source.
The debacle over the Tourism Ministry’s Facebook expenses first began on Tuesday when Ng’s deputy, James Dawos Mamit, revealed in Parliament that RM1,758,432 was spent on developing six Facebook pages for Malaysia’s tourism.
He had said each of the six pages — Cuti-Cuti 1 Malaysia, Citrawarna 1Malaysia, Karnival Jualan Mega 1 Malaysia, Festival Pelancongan Seni Kontemporari 1 Malaysia, Kempen 1 Malaysia Bersih and Fabulous Food 1 Malaysia — cost RM293,072
The announcement drew condemnation from the online community and a spontaneous campaign was kicked off on Tuesday evening, inviting thousands to condemn Ng’s exorbitant spending.
Her ministry first entered the spotlight late last year when it was revealed in Parliament that while Ng had slashed her tourism promotional budget, she had spent more for her official trips abroad.
Ng again came under fire after Tourism Malaysia’s former advertising agency alleged that the ministry had asked for bribes in exchange for a promotion contract.
Following the latest complaint against Ng, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that the Cabinet would seek an explanation from her over the matter and that an investigation would be mooted if she failed to do so satisfactorily.

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