Phang gives Nazri’s non-Malay PM remark thumbs up

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Tan Sri Robert Phang has saluted Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz for saying a non-Malay could be prime minister if he was right for the job.Phang, a former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) adviser, said the de facto law minister’s statement was “very meaningful” and would help towards building a truly multiracial nation.“I must congratulate him for his farsightedness and conviction, which will transmit a very positive message to the people that the 1 Malaysia concept introduced by the PM is alive and well.

“For Datuk Nazri to have given this statement clearly illustrates that his true leadership is governed by the 1 Malaysia spirit... Well said, and well put,” the Social Care Foundation chairman told The Malaysian Insider.In an interview with The Edge Financial Daily published today, Nazri said he had no objection to a non-Malay prime minister so long as the best man got the job.“If it happens that the best person is a non-Malay, so be it,” the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said.“I cannot say, ‘I’m Malaysian first, but the prime minister must be Malay.’ You can’t have your cake and eat it (too).”

Last year, Nazri became the first Umno minister to declare he was Malaysian first and Malay second, in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia concept.His words appeared to be a direct snub to his superior in Umno, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who once famously declared himself to be Malay first and Malaysian second.But Nazri stressed today it was crucial for a Malay leader to lead the charge for greater inclusivity as non-Malay leaders would have a hard time garnering broad support.
He also said it was unacceptable for ethnic minorities to be told to go back to China or India more than half a century after Merdeka, and that Malaysians must instead respect cultural differences while celebrating what they had in common.“For heaven’s sake, after 50 years we should accept each other now,” he said.


Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/phang-gives-nazris-non-malay-pm-remark-thumbs-up/

Najib: Leave families out of politics

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak moved today to end allegations of sexual harassment levelled against Lim Guan Eng’s son by calling on politicians to leave family members out of politics.“That is ideal in a modern democracy where you concentrate on policy matters.“You can debate the differences in policies in terms of weaknesses of implementation but you leave aside family, or the exploitation of family matters for your own political gain,” the prime minister told reporters today.Pro-Umno bloggers had claimed that the DAP Secretary-General’s son had assaulted a 16-year-old schoolmate and had tried to escape punishment by using his father’s name.
The Penang chief minister denied the allegations, saying he was furious with the “barbaric lies” made about his teenage son by “pro-Umno ferocious beasts”.The DAP later said the picture of the purported victim used by pro-Umno bloggers was that of 21-year-old chess grandmaster Anya Sun Corke, who is studying at Wellesley College in the US.On Friday, Corke denied ever having met or hearing of Lim’s son.
Lim’s colleagues in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) also came out strongly in support of the DAP secretary-general against what they called “the lowest gutter politics” seen in decades.

But Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday called on Lim to let the police investigate the claims if he had nothing to hide.Najib today said, “You have to agree on certain ethics. It works both ways.“I do not know the facts of this case but if you want to abide by certain ethics, to exclude families, then everybody should adhere to it, including the Opposition,” he said, appearing to refer to attacks against his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.


Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-leave-families-out-of-politics/

Somali report on slain BernamaTV cameraman with PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — A copy of the report by the Somali government on the death of a BernamaTV cameraman in the Somali capital of Mogadishu is now with the prime minister, Bernama Online reported tonight.The news portal said that Somali Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Mohammud H. Ibrahim had personally given the report to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the latter’s office in Parliament House yesterday.BernamaTV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor was fatally shot on September 2 while on assignment with a humanitarian mission by the Putera 1 Malaysia Club to famine-stricken Somalia. TV3 cameraman Aji Sarigar Mazlan was injured in the incident.At the meeting, Mohamed, who is also Somalia’s foreign minister, conveyed his government’s open apology to Malaysians over the incident. He also gave his assurance at a news conference later that his government will make every effort to protect Malaysians should they venture to Somalia in the future.

Cabinet never said Ling cheated in PKFZ project, says ex-minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Cabinet ministers have never complained or lodged a police report against Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik over the RM1.088 billion land buy in the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project, a former federal minister said today.Senator Datuk Seri Mohd Effendi Norwawi, who was Agriculture Minister from 1999 to 2004, told the cheating trial of Dr Ling that no minister had complained or accused the former transport minister of cheating the Cabinet at any time after the land deal was sealed.
Cross-examined by defence lawyer Wong Kian Kheong, Mohd Effendi went on to say that then-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had “personal knowledge” of plans to compulsorily acquire the said land for the PKFZ project.

Wong: Have you reported to the police that the accused cheated Cabinet? (in the PKFZ project)

Mohd Effendi: No.

Wong: Have you receive complaints from other ministers that the accused had cheated Cabinet?

Mohd Effendi: No.

The former minister said yesterday that the Cabinet had dithered on its purchase of the PKFZ land, after originally agreeing to buy it on October 2, 2002.Citing delays, Mohd Effendi had said it was “normal” practice for Cabinet to change its mind over such matters, and that the government had on October 9 postponed the purchase pending the Finance Ministry’s presentation of a report from the Attorney-General’s chambers.

No Letter States That RM25 Includes Interest, Says O.C Phang

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 - Former Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager, O.C. Phang, told the High Court here today that she never received any letter from the Transport Ministry stating that the RM25 per sq ft (psf) land in Pulau Indah included interest.She said the Finance Ministry and Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB), the company which sold the land, also did not give her such a letter.Phang, 65, who is involved in the development of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project since 1998, said she only knew that the price included interest in January this year after being informed by two investigating officers.

However, she maintained the price did not include interest when cross-examined by lawyer Wong Kian Kheong, who represented former Transport Minister Dr Ling Liong Sik, who is charged with cheating the Malaysian Government.Dr Ling, 68, is charged with cheating the Malaysian Government by not disclosing to the Cabinet an additional interest rate of 7.5 per cent per annum on the purchase price of the land for the PKFZ project, which had been fixed at RM1,088,456,000 by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH) based on RM25 per sq ft inclusive of the coupon/interest rate.

Veteran singer Ahmad Jais dies

  

Veteran singer Mohd Jais Ahmad or popularly known as Ahmad Jais, died at the Darul Ehsan Medical Centre at about 9.20am today, believed to be due to lung complications. He was 75.

His son-in-law Amirul Izwan Razak, 28, said his remains would be brought to the Shah Alam Mosque for prayers. He would be buried at the Seksyen 21 Muslim Cemetery in Shah Alam today.

Ahmad Jais, who was popular with such songs as ‘Selamat Hari Raya’ and ‘Budi Setahun Segunung Intan’ - a duet with Kartina Dahari - had been admitted to the hospital two weeks ago after complaining of breathing difficulties.

He is survived by five children. His wife, Mas Halilah Mas Nayeem, died on June 22, 2009.

The singer, who had been active since the 60s, complained of lethargy after coming back from a show in Batu Pahat, Johor, on Sept 8. His conditions worsened on Sept 20 and had been put on a respirator at KPJ Specialist Hospital in Selangor.

His last performance was at the national Aidilfitri open house in Permatang Pauh, Penang, on Sept 11, attended by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

 

 

Source - Bernama

Two Per Cent Payment Made To KDSB To Prove PKA's Commitment To Develop PKFZ - Phang

KUALA LUMPUR -- Former general manager of Port Klang Authority (PKA), O.C Phang, told the High Court here that the downpayment of two per cent to Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) was to prove PKA's commitment to develop the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.She also said that soon after being informed about the cabinet's approval for the purchase of the 1,000 acre (404.7 hectare) site at Pulau Indah by former Transport Ministry deputy secretary-general (planning), Abdul Rahman Mohd Noor, he told PKA assistant general manager (administration), Paul Seo Tet Cheng, to make the necessary preparations for the project.

Phang said this when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Tun Majid Tun Hamzah.Phang also told the court that she was later informed by PKA finance manager Rohasnah Othman that the two per cent downpayment could not be made as there were certain procedures which had to be observed before making the payment.Phang said she took responsibility for making the payment because she did not regard it as something which was not right.

2012 Budget Highlights

KUALA LUMPUR -- The following are the highlights of the 2012 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also Finance Minister, at the Dewan Rakyat on Friday:

* Government will introduce other transformation programmes, culminating in the National Transformation Policy, effective 2011-2020.

* RM232.8 billion allocated to implement all government development plans, focusing on the well-being of the rakyat, with RM181.6 billion for operating expenditure and RM51.2 billion for development expenditure.

* RM13.6 billion allocated to the social sector, including education, training, health, welfare, housing and community development.

PKFZ project not viable at RM2.44b, says ex-Treasury official

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — The proposed Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project was not viable at RM2.44 billion, a former Treasury official told Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik’s cheating trial today.However, Datuk Abdul Rahim Mokti, who was at one time deputy secretary-general in the Ministry of Finance (MoF), admitted he failed to impart this vital detail to his immediate superior or to the Port Klang Authority (PKA) board members before the deal was signed in November 2002.Abdul Rahim, 61, added he did not disclose the information to Parliament’s bipartisan Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when it held an inquiry into the port scandal two years, saying police investigators had not asked him about when they took up the case against Ling last year.

Putrajaya stands by refusal to charge A-G

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Putrajaya has insisted it will not take action against Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail despite renewed allegations of corruption and fabricating evidence made against the country’s top lawyer.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said that last year’s decision to close the door on the A-G’s alleged involvement in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s 1998 “black eye” case still stands.“Same reply, same reply. I replied to (DAP adviser Lim) Kit Siang in Parliament before. The reply is the same,” he told The Malaysian Insider when asked if Putrajaya would act on the latest allegations against Abdul Gani.

When asked to state if the government would take action against Abdul Gani’s accusers, Nazri repeated, “Same reply.”In Parliament last December 14, the government side-stepped the damning accusations made by former investigating officer Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim that Abdul Gani had falsified documents in the “black eye” case, brushing aside several open letters and appeals issued by the retired policeman..Instead, Nazri had told the House that there was no need for Mat Zain to complain that the independent panel formed to investigate the claimed evidence fabrication had failed to clear his name in the incident.

PKA GM Issued Directive To Proceed With Payment, High Court Told

KUALA LUMPUR -- A former finanical manager of the Port Klang Authority (PKA) told the High Court here on Wednesday that a PKA general manager issued a directive to pay RM21 million downpayment to Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) for the purchase of land in Pulau Indah despite the absence of a letter of approval from the Cabinet.Rohasnah Othman, 55, said even though the process did not follow certain procedures, the general manager, OC Phang, was insistent on the payment.

"She said she was prepared to take full responsibility for the payment on the land purchase for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) development project," Rohasnah said.According to Roshasnah, the process was incomplete because there was no sale and purchase agreement between KDSB and PKA, no approval from the PKA board and PKA also did not have the funds."Apart from that, to withdraw from the fixed deposit that had not matured would cause PKA a loss," she said during examination in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah.

PKA legal adviser: OC Phang refused to consult AG

A Port Klang Authority (PKA) legal adviser told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today in the corruption trial of former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik, that its former general manager OC Phang had refused to consult the attorney-general (AG) on the terms of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) land deal.

Ninth prosecution witness, Fazilah Surkisah Mohammad, 47, said she advised Phang to do so, before and after the sale and purchase agreement was signed to ensure there was no conflict in the document.“I raised it with Phang. She didn't agree due to several reasons. First, it was not the norm for PKA to send any sale and purchase agreement to the AG.

“Second, the matter took such a long time to be resolved that the Jabel Ali company, a party to the project, had threatened to withdraw, and third, because Phang was of the view that PKA's request will not be given priority by the AG's office as PKA was a statutory body,” she said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Manoj Kurup.

"LONG LIVE OUR PRESIDENT”????

 Nanyang Siang Pau ( 03-10-2011)

 

This picture, gives us the belief that Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek appears to be a “SULTAN” that all his subjects must "SEMBAH"

Please interpret by your self.

Comments Welcome.