TUN MUSA

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at Che Det on February 25, 2016

1. My very good friend, colleague, former Deputy President of UMNO and Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Musa Hitam blames me for the failure to achieve Vision 2020 (read here). It is all because I failed to groom successors at all levels.

2. My first failure was Tun Musa Hitam himself. He could not wait for me to retire. So he resigned after 5 years being with me as my deputy, in a Government his boys called the MM Government.

3. He believed the UMNO Supreme Council would throw me out and appoint him as President. The Council decided to persuade him to return as DPM and Deputy President. He came back as Deputy President.

4. At the next UMNO Election he persuaded his erstwhile rival and enemy, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah to contest for President against me. He was prepared to be Deputy President and DPM under Tengku Razaleigh and not under me.

5. These he did even though I overlooked his bad faith and later appointed him as Special Envoy to the UN with ministerial rank.

6. In the contest for presidency, (Tan Sri) Syed Hamid Albar, (Tan Sri) Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, (Tun) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and (Tan Sri) Rais Yatim sided with Tengku Razaleigh.

7. I and Ghafar Baba won. Then I appointed all those who were not loyal to me as ministers in my cabinet. One of them, Tun Abdullah, eventually was named my successor as Prime Minister. Far from choosing only loyalists, I chose those disloyal to me.

8. I did not train anyone so they can make a success of Vision 2020. I believed in leadership by example. I must have set a bad example because those who succeeded me all failed to make a success of Vision 2020. I am to blame of course.

9. Dear Musa, thank you very much for pin-pointing the cause of the failure of Vision 2020. You must have known this in 1986, long before the Vision. It must have been your foresight which caused you to resign from the Government I headed. So no one can blame you. Your service to me and the nation will go down in history.

CORRUPTION IN MALAYSIA

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at Che Det on February 15, 2016

1. There has always been corruption in Malaysia but for years after independence the scale was small. A country where corruption is rampant can never be developed. But Malaysia developed at a good rate.

2. At the time of independence Malaysia was a poor third world country. All development work was done by the Government through the JKR (Public Works Department) with its own staff.

3. But as Malaysia developed rapidly the Government machinery was unable to cope with the development of infrastructure such as roads and railways, Government offices and buildings and staff housing, generation of power and water supply, ports and airports, telecommunications etc. So contracts had to be given to the private sector.

4. The contest for contracts by the private sector created opportunities for corruption. The bigger the contracts the bigger would be the amount of illegal gratification offered.

5. However, the political leaders in the Government were not obviously involved initially. Then came Najib who believes in “Cash is King”. This is just another name for influencing decision on the basis of money to be gained for the decision makers. As the contracts grew bigger the leverage and decision of the decision makers became more valuable. Unscrupulous contractors would offer bigger and bigger amounts in order to get the contracts. It came to a stage when the decision maker accepts higher cost in order to include his sweetener for the contract. In fact many are aware of demands for 30% share in the project if the contracts are to be approved. Of course proxies are used. And the gratification for getting the contracts can go into billions of Ringgit. Government had to pay more than the real cost of the project.

6. The decision makers collect lots of money. Getting proofs or evidence for cases of corruption is very difficult. No contractor would come forward to give evidence because he would be marked and his business and future contracts would be affected. Good contractors may withdraw and so do good officers. But they would never come forward to give evidence especially when their bosses and powerful people are involved. The more powerful their bosses the less would they be inclined to make reports on corruption. The Government says it will protect whistle blowers but only if the person exposed are not powerful.

7. The best way for the anti-corruption commission to act would be to audit the life-style of the suspects. Are they living within their means? If it is beyond their means a thorough investigation must be made on all sources of income of the suspect.

8. Although the Commission is free and can investigate even the Prime Minister but an unscrupulous Prime Minister can frustrate the Commission in many ways. Malaysian Prime Minister, Ministers and high officials are not very highly paid but with all the perks such as housing, payment of water and electricity bills, traveling allowances, motor cars and even aeroplanes, they can have a decent life in keeping with their official status.

9. But if their life-style is lavish, owning luxurious homes and mansions in the country and abroad, their shopping involve buying of high priced things occupying crates and crates, their personal entertainment such as weddings etc very lavish and if they have money in the banks or elsewhere very much in excess of their sources of income, then it can safely be assumed that they may be in receipt of illegal gratification. The source of great wealth needs to be investigated by the authorities and institutions of the country.

10. The Inland Revenue Board was set up as an independent authority so that they can act without fear or favour. It is within their right to investigate everyone including the Prime Minister.

11. Of late we are seeing clear interference with the functioning of the Anti-Corruption Commission. Since the Board of Inland Revenue appeared not to be doing their duty in a case involving the Prime Minister, principally the ownership of the 2.6 billion Ringgit in his private account in Ambank, this amount of money is obviously beyond what a Prime Minister of Malaysia can have, investigations need to be made.

12. Because of the status of the Prime Minister concerned authorities set up a special powerful task force to investigate the source of this money. There was to be no fear or favour. The task force consist of the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, the Governor of the Central Bank and the Anti Corruption Commission.

13. Malaysia is fortunate in that officers of Government are professionals. They do not get involved in politics. They simply take orders from the elected Government. But what if the Government ask them to break the law? Well they did not think this would happen. But this has happened. They are in a quandary. But better obey orders than refusing orders and have to face unpleasant consequence.

14. Today Malaysia is listed among the 10 most corrupt countries in the world. No doubt the involvement of Dato Seri Najib in the formation and management of huge sums of borrowed money for 1MDB with clear support from the Government and the subsequent loss of a big portion of this money, the buying of Independent Power Plants at inflated prices, the commission of 10 per cent to Goldman Sachs as well as the interest rate at 5.9 per cent, the inability to repay the loans, the 2.6 billion Ringgit in Najib’s personal account, plus lots of other unsavoury stories and the publications in foreign press, lead to Malaysia becoming one of the 10 most corrupt in the world. Saying that it is all untrue and the Attorney General has cleared Dato Seri Najib does not carry water. Only a full investigation including the identification and questioning of the donor or donors, sources of income and the documentary evidence of money transfer to Najib’s account would clear the air.

15. The AG has no credibility at all after his dismissal of the reports by Bank Negara and the MACC. He proposes life imprisonment for leaking Government information – a sure indication that he is hiding the truth.

16. As a good Muslim he should swear on the Quran in a mosque witnessed by mosque officials and the public that the reports did not implicate Najib in any way. He should not try to cheat by vowing in his heart something else, and swearing aloud something else. That would be a double sin. He will go to a worse hell.

17. And the new publicity chief suggests I am doing this because I want to be arrested. That is as clear a warning as can be of the wish to arrest me.

18. And so Najib’s Cash is King creed must be promoted because it advocates corruption as a means of holding on to power. The country is now one of the 10 most corrupt countries but don’t say anything about 1MDB and the 2.6 Bilion Ringgit if you wish to remain free.

PROTON

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at Che Det on February 09, 2016

1. Recently, I officiated the first firing of the new engine for Proton. It is not often that an automotive company produces a new engine. Proton’s Campro engine is now more than 10 years old. Obviously it is no longer suitable for today’s cars. So the production of a new engine for Proton is something to celebrate.

2. But unfortunately journalists do not see the significance of this event. We used to export quite a lot of Proton cars to the UK. But since the introduction of new emission and fuel efficiency standards we have not been able to sell any Proton cars in the UK. The development of the new Proton engines by our engineers working with RICARDO of the UK is going to make us once again able to meet the conditions in the UK and Europe. We hope to export our cars to these countries once again.

3. Incidentally the engine will only be used after rigorous testing including running for five million kilometers. It will not be until late 2017 before their installation in Proton cars. After that there will be more tests for each model. Producing a car takes a lot of time.

4. Proton is aware of the negative perception of its cars in the Malaysian market. This is especially among owners of imported cars. Nothing can persuade them to buy Proton cars. Certainly pride in a Malaysian made car is not with them.

5. But the cars we produce now are not like the cars we produced before. They are much improved and often have more features than other

cars in the same category. In fact the low-priced Protons have features normally found in higher-priced cars.

6. The Iriz 1.6 automatic has six airbags, doors which only open after the second pull, will not slide back when the foot is lifted from the brake on slopes etc.

7. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And so it is with Proton’s new cars. You need to drive them to know their capability. I drive the Iriz and the Suprima S and believe me I enjoy driving them. The Iriz especially has electric powered steering. It is very light. It responds quickly to the accelerator.

8. I think Proton cars deserve a test drive by Malaysians. Tell us about your experience. Criticise these cars. We want feedbacks so we can further improve the cars.

9. I am not an engineer although I know something about engineering. Believe me it is not easy to design, build, test and produce cars. If you are familiar with jigsaw puzzles, you will understand the problem faced by our engineers and assembly workers as they put the parts together.

10. There are 4000 parts to be designed, calibrated, manufactured and put together. We are the only developing country in the world that can do all these. I think our workers and engineers deserve to be tested if not supported.

11. We are not the cause of car prices being high. What support we get from the Government is also given to other companies because of local content. We have almost 90% local content; so we pay less excise duty. But since its founding Proton has paid more than 24 billion Ringgit in taxes while receiving only 14 billion in excise duty cuts, not cash. Yes, we have received a part of the research and development grants the industries have been promised.

12. Taxes on motor vehicles are what caused the prices to be high. But Government need to tax motorists because of the roads and other infrastructures that Government has to provide.

13. It is important to remember that when you buy foreign cars, money will flow out of the country to sustain their economies, to benefit their workers.

14. When you buy a local car, money stays in the country, workers earn money, dealers and agents and their employees enjoy the business they do and the local economy grows. Thousands of families enjoy a good life.

15. Assuming that all local industries are closed, few will have money to buy imported things. We will revert into being a failed third world country.

16. Malaysia is a trading nation i.e. we export and we import. If imports exceed exports we will not grow and prosper. All the countries which export cars to Malaysia protect their markets so that Proton cannot enter them.

MALAYSIA’S SHAME

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at Che Det on February 05, 2016

1. There was a time not so very long ago when Malaysia was admired for successfully raising itself from an impoverished third world country into a stable newly industrialised country. No one doubted that its announced intention to become a developed country by 2020 would be achieved.

2. But today when we go abroad we are asked, “Hey, what happened to your country.” Some mention 1MDB and the corrupt Government which has lost billions of dollars. Many comment on the lavish lifestyle of the Prime Minister.

3. They asked these questions because reputable foreign newspapers publish stories about 1MDB, about the Prime Minister having appropriated to himself billions of dollars, about huge amounts of money in his private accounts, about his lavish life-style. No Malaysian Prime Minister can afford the grand wedding that he had for his daughter.

4. Although Malaysians read only good things about Najib in the local media but the alternative media do not mince words when expressing their disgust with Najib and the sycophants covering up for him. When the Wall Street Journal reported that the PM has 2.6 billion Ringgit in his private account in AMBank, the world laughed at Najib’s claim that it was a donation from an Arab.

5. Then there is the story of the purchase of submarines from a French company. It is now before a French court. Razak Baginda, a close associate of Najib, and the companies owned by him have been named in the court case.

6. Razak had no authority to decide on Government purchases. But Najib as Minister of Defence had. Whatever, if Razak or his company received money from the builders of the submarines; he should be hauled up before the French court.

7. The Malaysian A.G. would certainly not charge Razak because it might lead to Najib’s name being brought in. The A.G. has already not only dismissed but hidden the reports by Bank Negara and MACC.

8. All these and more have given Malaysia a bad name. Najib’s name is even worse. Malaysians are generally ashamed of these things and the role of their Prime Minister in these scandals.

9. To clear Malaysia’s good name and his own, Najib must prove beyond a shadow of doubt that he is innocent of all the accusation against him. The A.G. saying he is innocent means nothing. He, the A.G. has no credibility.

10. Failing this Najib should resign. So should all those who have been covering up and abusing their authority so as to save Najib.

11. Malaysia must be freed from a Prime Minister with such a bad reputation if it is to regain its reputation.

Versi Bahasa Melayu

MEMALUKAN MALAYSIA

1. Ada satu masa tidak berapa lama dahulu apabila Malaysia dikagumi kerana kejayaan meningkatkan dirinya daripada sebuah negara dunia ketiga yang miskin menjadi sebuah negara industri baru yang stabil. Tiada siapa meragui bahawa ia akan mengumumkan hasratnya untuk menjadi sebuah negara maju menjelang tahun 2020 akan tercapai.

2. Tetapi hari ini apabila kita pergi ke luar negara, kita akan disoal “Apa yang berlaku kepada negara anda?” Ada yang mengatakan 1MDB dan unsur korup di dalam Kerajaan penyebab kehilangan berbilion-bilion dollar. Ramai yang memberi komen tentang gaya hidup mewah Perdana Menteri.

3. Mereka bertanyakan soalan sebegini kerana suratkhabar-suratkhabar asing yang bereputasi tinggi telah menerbitkan cerita-cerita tentang 1MDB, tentang berbilion dolar wang untuk kegunaan PM sendiri, tentang jumlah wang yang besar di dalam akaun peribadinya, tentang gaya hidup mewah beliau. Tidak ada Perdana Menteri Malaysia mampu mengadakan majlis perkahwinan besar-besaran seperti yang dilakukan untuk anak perempuannya.

4. Walaupun rakyat Malaysia membaca hanya perkara-perkara yang baik mengenai Najib di dalam media tempatan tetapi media alternatif tidak menyembunyikan perkataan apabila menyuarakan rasa meluat mereka dengan Najib dan pengampu yang melindunginya. Apabila Wall Street Journal melaporkan bahawa PM mempunyai 2.6 bilion Ringgit dalam akaun peribadinya di AmBank, dunia mentertawakan Najib kerana mendakwa ini adalah derma yang diberi orang Arab.

5. Kemudiannya ada pula kisah pembelian kapal selam dari syarikat Perancis. Kini dihadapkan di mahkamah Perancis. Razak Baginda, rakan karib Najib, dan syarikat-syarikat yang dimiliki beliau telah dinamakan dalam kes mahkamah.

6. Razak tidak punyai kuasa untuk membuat keputusan mengenai pembelian Kerajaan. Tetapi Najib sebagai Menteri Pertahanan telah melakukannya. Apa pun, sekiranya Razak atau syarikatnya menerima wang dari pembuat kapal selam; dia harus ditahan di hadapan mahkamah Perancis.

7. Peguam Negara Malaysia pasti tidak akan mendakwa Razak kerana ia mungkin membawa kepada perkaitan nama Najib. Peguam Negara telahpun bukan sahaja menolak bahkan menyembunyi laporan oleh Bank Negara dan SPRM.

8. Kesemua ini dan banyak lagi telah memberikan nama buruk buat Malaysia. Nama Najib sememangnya lebih buruk. Rakyat Malaysia secara umumnya berasa malu dengan perkara-perkara ini dan Perdana Menteri berperanan dalam skandal sebegini.

9. Untuk membersihkan nama baik Malaysia dan beliau sendiri, Najib mesti membuktikan di luar bayangan keraguan bahawa dia tidak bersalah terhadap semua pertuduhan ini. Peguam Negara berkata beliau tidak bersalah tidak membawa apa-apa makna. Dia, Peguam Negara yang tidak punyai kredibiliti.

10. Kegagalan melakukan ini memerlukan Najib meletakkan jawatan. Juga kepada kesemua mereka-mereka yang telah membantu menutupi kesalahan ini dan salahguna kuasa untuk menyelamatkan Najib.

11. Malaysia mesti dibebaskan daripada seorang Perdana Menteri yang berprestasi buruk sekiranya ingin meraih semula reputasinya.

AG TO AG

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at Che Det on February 03, 2016

1. Following upon the Malaysian A.G.’s (Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali) decision that the report of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission showed there were no wrong doings by the Prime Minister in relation to the 2.6 billion Ringgit and 42 million Ringgit in his personal accounts, perhaps coincidentally, the French legal authorities have initiated legal action on the payment of so-called consultation fees to companies under the control of Razak Baginda, a close associate of Dato’ Sri Najib. Then the Swiss A.G. released a media statement against former officials of the state-owned fund 1MDB and persons unknown, on suspicion of bribery of foreign public officials (Article 322septies of the Swiss Criminal Code – SCC), misconduct in public office (Article 314295 SCC), money laundering, (Article 305bis279 SCC) and criminal mismanagement (Article 158 SCC). The office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has requested the Malaysian Authorities for mutual assistance. This request for mutual assistance now puts the agreement in principle between Malaysia and Switzerland into concrete forms.

2. Investigation by the Swiss A.G. has revealed serious indications that the funds have been misappropriated from Malaysian State companies.

3. The Swiss A.G. mentioned specifically Petrosaudi, SRC, Genting/Tanjong and ADMIC.

4. The sum involved is stated to be USD 4 billion. The object of the request for mutual assistance is therefore to advise the companies and the Malaysian Government of the results of the Swiss criminal proceedings, with the aim of finding out whether loss of the scale have been sustained.

5. The Malaysian A.G. responded immediately that he and the relevant Malaysian authorities are keen to establish all the facts about 1MDB that have led to recent allegations against the company. However in stating the number of authorities in the ongoing investigations he mentioned only three i.e. the Public Accounts Committee, the Royal Malaysian Police and the Auditor General’s Department. No mention is made of the Central Bank (Bank Negara) which actually submitted a report.

6. It is public knowledge that the A.G. dismissed this report without explanation and that Bank Negara appealed against the dismissal. The appeal was rejected by the A.G.

7. Now the A.G. has dismissed the report by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission with instruction that MACC stops its investigation.

8. The contents of these reports are the results of serious investigations by reputable authorities. Will the A.G. in response to this request by the Swiss A.G. submit the reports for the latter’s examination and assessment? Or will the A.G. simply dismiss these reports as of no relevance in the Swiss A.G’s investigation, perusal and assessment of the loss of USD 4 billion by 1MDB.

9. Already the A.G. has warned that “any attempt by media organisations to conflate the two sets of investigation is irresponsible and prejudicial”. Clearly the AG does not want the Swiss A.G. to know whether the money in the Prime Minister’s personal accounts comes from 1MDB or not.

10. The public has always insisted that the funds in the personal accounts of Dato’ Sri Najib is from 1MDB. The A.G. in dismissing the two reports has not proven that it is a donation from a dead King and other Arab individual. There is no clear explanation as to how this huge sum of money was moved into Najib’s accounts, the banks used by these Arabs, the sources of the fund, the business of the donor.

11. The Saudi authorities have already declared that there are no records of the King giving any money to Dato’ Sri Najib.

12. The Saudis do make large donations to Bahrain and Jordan and perhaps other countries. But these were not personal gifts to individuals. These were from their Government to the Governments of the recipients.

13. The claim that the USD700 million were for fighting IS is not credible because Najib openly claimed that it was for UMNO to win the election in 2013.

14. Winning elections in Malaysia does not require billions of Ringgit.

15. The money is said to have been moved to Singapore banks where it is supposed to be frozen. So how come the claim that RM2.3 billion has been returned to the Saudis? On what basis has the Singapore banks unfrozen it??

16. The European Union Parliament has passed a resolution condemning the erosion of democratic rights in Malaysia. This is likely to be because of arbitrary arrests of a Malaysian who had made police reports together with his lawyer; the improper dismissal of the previous Malaysian A.G. just before he was expected to bring a charge against the PM, the emasculating of the Public Accounts Committee by appointing its members to the Government. No report could be made by the task force for investigating money in Najib’s private accounts. But Bank Negara did make it own report.

17. The current A.G., with whom the Swiss A.G. seeks cooperation, was appointed by the PM through false representation made to the King. This means the A.G. owes to the PM his position. Can he be expected to charge the person to whom he owes his position? Knowing his predecessor was dismissed for trying to do the same, the new A.G. is not likely to prefer a charge against the PM. Hence his dismissal of the reports by Bank Negara and the MACC. He is therefore unlikely to provide the Swiss A.G. with any evidence which may incriminate his employer.

18. If any truth is to be obtained by the Swiss A.G. and the European Parliament, they need to know Malaysian laws and practices. For this it is important that they appoint Malaysian lawyers to work with their lawyers in the interest of justice.