Let’s go back 25 years

Let’s go back 25 years
31 July, 2009

“Could the PKFZ project become a RM12.5 billion “mother of all scandals” if the three Transport Ministers and four PKA Chairmen – all from MCA – had not been equally incompetent and negligent as the PKA managers from day one?” said Lim Kit Siang.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

To understand the present, one has to go back to the past. And in the case of the PKFZ, it has to be at least 25 years into the past.

25 years ago, MCA, the ‘number two’ partner in Barisan Nasional, was going through a crisis, like what is happening today. Neo Yee Pan, the new President, had taken over the party leadership in March 1983. He, of course, was ‘Team A’. And as soon as he took over, he ousted his opponents from ‘Team B’ led by Tan Koon Swan and his running mate Ling Liong Sik. With a stroke of the pen, so to speak, both Koon Swan and Liong Sik were out in the wilderness.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who himself had just taken over the leadership of Umno a couple of years earlier, was not too pleased. He wanted Koon Swan and Liong Sik to head MCA, not the man whom Umno called ‘the pork seller’. Yes, that was what Umno called Yee Pan, the pork seller, maybe because they thought he looked like one.

Plans were hatched to oust Yee Pan. Koon Swan and Liong Sik were told to cool their heels for a year or so while Dr Mahathir figures out his moves. They spent a short stint in Bolton, itching to get back into the political arena and grab back control of MCA.

Just before Dr Mahathir left for his overseas trip, he sent an emissary to meet Yee Pan with the message that he wants him out of MCA. And when he returns from his overseas trip he wants to see Yee Pan’s resignation letter on his table as a sort of ‘insurance policy’. The message was very clear. Go quietly and without any fuss or else get shoved out in a bloody and take-no-prisoners battle.

Yee Pan knew better than to take on Umno and Dr Mahathir. He decided that the best for his continued health would be to put his tail between his legs and exit with his head still attached to his shoulders.

In November 1985, Koon Swan and his running mate Liong Sik took over the leadership of MCA and Dr Mahathir was utmost pleased that at last MCA was being led by the people who he was most comfortable working with. Unknown to the MCA members at large, it was not the Chinese but Umno and the Prime Minister who decided their party’s fate and future.

Then Koon Swan suddenly found himself swamped with loads of legal problems. The 1985 recession had come without warning and to solve his financial predicament Koon Swan had done something illegal and the Singapore government caught him with his pants down. Dr Mahathir had no choice but to allow Singapore to send Koon Swan to jail and, in September 1986, Liong Sik found himself suddenly in charge of MCA as its new President.

Koon Swan was president of MCA for just ten months. He was in jail for longer than that.

A year later, Umno too went into crisis when it too saw the emergence of a Team A and Team B, just like MCA a couple of years before that. This crisis eventually led to the deregistering of the party by the Registrar of Societies and suddenly MCA found itself the lead partner of Barisan Nasional with Liong Sik as its new Chairman.

Umno no longer existed.

Dr Mahathir quickly registered a new party, which he called Umno Baru. But Umno Baru was not a component member of Barisan Nasional. The old Umno was. But the old Umno no longer existed. Umno Baru would need to apply to join Barisan Nasional just like any new party that wanted to join Barisan Nasional would have to do.

But the procedure to join Barisan Nasional is that all component members of Barisan Nasional must unanimously agree to admit this new member. A simple majority would not do. Even one dissenting voice would mean that the application to join Barisan Nasional would be rejected. And it would the Chairman of Barisan Nasional, Liong Sik, who would have to make sure that Umno is admitted into the coalition.

Liong Sik was a very crucial element for Umno. Without the lead partner of Barisan Nasional, now of course MCA, leading the charge, Umno is sunk. Umno would have to remain an independent party and Dr Mahathir would have to resign as Prime Minister as he would no longer command the majority seats in Parliament. Dr Mahathir, for all intents and purposes, was in fact now an independent Member of Parliament and legally no longer Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Yes, Liong Sik saved Umno. And he saved Dr Mahathir as well. Without him Umno and Dr Mahathir would be history while MCA would be the head honcho of Barisan Nasional with Liong Sik as Malaysia’s new Prime Minister. Dr Mahathir himself said that the Federal Constitution of Malaysia does not forbid a Chinese from becoming Prime Minister of Malaysia.

There is a special relationship between Umno and MCA’s past leaders that many Malaysians do not know about. MCA and Liong Sik are what the Malays would call talian hayat or lifeline. It was so more than 20 years ago. It is still so today.

In fact, today, it is even more so. Umno no longer holds more than 50% of the seats in Parliament. Without MCA’s 15 seats and another 30 from Sarawak, Umno is out of business. Sabah has another dozen or so and MIC and Gerakan another five combined. But these are not as crucial as MCA’s 15 and Sarawak’s 30. These 45 seats from MCA and Sarawak are what ensure that Umno remains in power.

The opposition wants to nail the balls of those involved in PKFZ to the wall. That would not be possible. If Umno allows the opposition to bring down all those behind the PKFZ then MCA and Sarawak will fall. And with them Umno too will fall. It is like all of them drifting in the same lifeboat. You can’t allow anyone to sink the lifeboat when you are also in it as that would mean you too would drown. So Umno needs to save MCA and the Sarawak politicians just so that it too will not fall. It is a case of survival and when your survival depends on others you have to make sure that they survive so that you too can survive.

The link between MCA and the PKFZ is clear. That is already public knowledge. The link between the Sarawak politicians and the PKFZ is also very clear because that too is public knowledge. But what many do not know is the link between MCA and the Sarawak politicians.

Many are perplexed as to why Ong Tee Keat (OTK) is trying to protect those behind the PKFZ. After all, those implicated are all ex-leaders of MCA and surely their downfall would not affect MCA. Actually, it is not just about the ex-leaders of MCA. It is also about the Chinese corporate bosses and the Sarawak leaders who have their hands dirty with the PKFZ fiasco.

The link between OTK and the Sarawak leaders may be a well-kept secret. But when OTK flies all over the place with Tiong King Sing’s private jet how can you keep this a secret?

As follows are some of the flight details we managed to get our hands on:

12 Feb G450 SZB/JB/KCH (ETD 11.00/12.00/17.00)
19 Feb G450 SZB/JB/SZB (ETD 7.30/22.30)
7 Mar Learjet 60 SZB/Kuantan/SZB (ETD 12.00/22.00)
24 Mar Learjet 60 SZB/JB/SZB (ETD 15.30/22.00)
20 Apr Learjet 60 SZB/JB/SZB (ETB 17.30/23.00)

“Could the PKFZ project become a RM12.5 billion “mother of all scandals” if the three Transport Ministers and four PKA Chairmen – all from MCA – had not been equally incompetent and negligent as the PKA managers from day one?” said Lim Kit Siang.

Actually, it is not about incompetence at all. Incompetence means they do not know what they are doing -- which would mean they are stupid. These people know what they were doing all along. They were ripping off RM12.5 billion of the rakyat’s money. And Umno just can’t do anything about it. Umno does not want to do anything about it. If they do something about it then MCA and the Sarawak politicians will have to suffer a fall. And 45 Parliament seats that are propping up Umno will also fall. And when 45 Parliament seats fall, then Umno too will fall.

It is all about survival. And Umno’s survival depends on MCA and Sarawak surviving. And would Umno be the head honcho of Barisan Nasional today if not for MCA and Liong Sik? So how can Umno not cover their ass when 20 years or so ago MCA and Liong Sik gave Umno its second lease in life? MCA and Liong Sik made Umno into what it is today. If not there would no longer be any party called Umno.

And this is how Umno says ‘thank you’ to MCA and Liong Sik. It makes sure that the PKFZ issue remains a non-issue. And the rakyat will just have to carry the RM12.5 billion financial losses for the sake of Umno and MCA remaining in power. That is the price the rakyat have to pay so that these people can stay in office.

It is ironical how the Chinese whack the Malays for what Umno is doing to the country. If only the Chinese knew that Umno is still around today because of MCA and Liong Sik. But then these Chinese were never really that smart anyway. If they were smart they would have blocked Umno from getting admitted into Barisan Nasional 21 years ago back in 1988.

Bodoh punya Cina! They deserve Umno and MCA. And they deserve losing RM12.5 billion of their tax money, 90% of which comes from the Chinese anyway. And today Ong Tee Keat is what Ling Liong Sik was 21 years ago, the man who ensures that Umno stays in office. So do you think OTK will allow the PKFZ issue to get out of control? After all, if Tiong goes down then he would not get to fly around in a private jet any longer.

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Could the PKFZ project become a RM12.5 billion “mother of all scandals” if the three Transport Ministers and four PKA Chairmen – all from MCA – had not been equally incompetent and negligent as the PKA managers from day one?

Lim Kit Siang

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman blamed the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal on “a group of incompetent people” from day one. (NST)

The ad hoc committee on corporate governance probing the PKFZ fiasco, headed by Transparency International chairman Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan, denounced the PKA Board members for “gross negligence” in failing to discharge their fiduciary duties diligently, resulting in the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.

Both Azmi and Low are only half right. Could the PKFZ project become a RM12.5 billion “mother of all scandals” if the three Transport Ministers (Ling Liong Sik, Chan Kong Choy, Ong Tee Keat) and four PKA Chairmen (Ting Chew Peh, Yap Pian Hon, Chor Chee Heung and Lee Hwa Beng) – all from MCA – had not been equally incompetent and negligent as the PKA managers “from day one”?

Yesterday, the second Transport Minister mired in the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal, Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy appeared before the PAC in its inquiry into the PKFZ scandal, ensconced by a lawyer and two aides as well as lugging a box of relevant documents, giving the impression as if he is appeared as an accused in a public inquiry.

Chan created PAC history in 52 years in being the first to appear with counsel before a PAC hearing. Why was this necessary and why did the PAC Chairman allow Chan to appear with counsel? This is indeed most extraordinary and even self-incriminating.

Even more extraordinary was that Chan produced an opinion from a Queen’s Counsel in the UK that the three Letters of Support which he had signed in support of PKFZ were not letters of guarantee.

How much did it cost Chan to get the opinion of a Queen’s Counsel for him to go to the PAC with it to back up his argument? Easily over 10,000 sterling pounds i.e. RM60,000 to RM100,000.

Why didn’t Chan get a Queen’s Counsel opinion when he was the Transport Minister in 2007 to convince the Cabinet that his three Letters of Support were not government “Letters of Guarantee” for the RM4 billion bonds raised by the PKFZ turnkey developer, Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd. (KDSB) as Malaysian taxpayers would have been spared being victims of the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal?

In 2007, the Cabinet was advised by the Attorney-General and Treasury that the four Letters of Support to KDSB to raise RM4 billion bonds were implicit government guarantees to the bond market.

As a result, the Cabinet gave retrospective approval for the four unlawful and unauthorized Letters of Support, one issued by Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik in May 2003 and three by Chan, creating the RM4.6 billion liability for the government in the bailout of PKFZ which is now set to become a RM12.5 billion scandal.

What is most shocking is that Chan did not formally table the opinion of the Queen’s Counsel to the PAC but only referred to it orally. This is most improper and irregular and Chan should be recalled to formally table the opinion of the Queen’s Counsel, so that it becomes part of the documentation of the PAC report in its inquiry into the PKFZ when submitted to Parliament.

As reported in the New Straits Times, Azmi said the PAC is expected to table its findings on the PKFZ scandal in the Dewan Rakyat by October when the House resumed its sitting. It will also prepare a report for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to revisit the project and look into certain areas, which were not touched by the commission in its earlier investigation.

Azmi has got his parliamentary responsibilities as PAC Chairman all wrong. His duty as PAC Chairman is to report to Parliament and not to MACC or even the government. His job is to ensure that the PAC report and recommendations on the PKFZ scandal is first tabled in Parliament and not to submit any report to the MACC or elsewhere.

It is then for Parliament to decide whether to accept the PAC findings and recommendations, including whether the PAC report should be forwarded to MACC for necessary action, or whether to reject the PAC report because it is unsatisfactory and unacceptable.

In the latter circumstances, Parliament should invoke its full powers to hold an inquiry of the full House into the PKFZ scandal, should it arrive at the conclusion that the PAC report falls far short of parliamentary standards and expectations.

In which case, all the witnesses who had appeared before the PAC, including the current and previous Transport Ministers, Tee Keat, Kong Choy and Liong Sik can be recalled.

Azmi should not forget that PAC is delegated by Parliament to inquire into the PKFZ scandal and Parliament must decide whether to accept its findings and recommendations before further follow-up action is taken on the PAC report.

This point must be emphasized especially in a case of such great public interest and controversy like the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal.

As Parliament is reconvening on Oct. 19, and two weeks notice is required for a motion to accept or reject the PAC report on the PKFZ inquiry, Azmi should ensure that the PAC report on the PKFZ is circulated to MPs by end of September to allow MPs time to study it and decide whether a special motion on the PAC report on the PKFZ scandal should be moved – although formally, the PAC report would only be tabled in Parliament on Oct. 19 itself.

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Tiong dares Lim to repeat claims outside

BACKBENCHERS Club chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing lost his cool with veteran MP Lim Kit Siang over the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) issue, even challenging the DAP adviser to repeat his allegations outside the House “if he dares”.

The Ipoh Timur MP had spoken at length about the issue when Tiong came into the House to interject.

“Repeat it outside the Dewan if you dare,” the Bintulu MP repeatedly challenged Lim.

At one point, Tiong told Lim not to hide under the cloak of Dewan Rakyat immunity. Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN – Kinabatangan) and Datuk Ismail Kassim (BN – Arau) also stood to seek clarification several times.

While Lim went on speaking about the issue, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (BN – Putrajaya) shouted “gila” (mad), Bung Mokhtar uttered that Lim was talking rubbish and Tiong accused Lim of misleading the House before they themselves left the chambers.

Earlier, Lim expressed disappointment with chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, who turned up at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting but offered no details of the investigation into PKFZ.

“He is not willing to work with Parliament? Isn’t it not Parliamentary contempt?” he asked.

PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid rebutted the accusation, saying that the committee might call Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to attend its meeting.

He also told Lim that two of the Opposition MPs in PAC supported him when he received a letter from Lim urging him (Azmi) to resign as PAC chairman and not lead in the PKFZ probe.

However, Lim insisted that Azmi, who was in Cabinet between 2004 and 2007, should be a witness in the PKFZ probe as he was party to the Cabinet decisions on PKFZ. - The Star

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Tiong to file suit against Lee over PKFZ report
By LEE YUK PENG, The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Wijaya Baru Holdings Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said he will be suing Port Klang Authority (PKA) board chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng and several others within a few weeks over the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) audit report.

Nanyang Siang Pau reported on the front page of its evening edition last night that Tiong would also be suing auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Advisory Services Sdn Bhd and several media companies.

Tiong told the daily that Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd had appointed a team of lawyers to study the audit report to draft the suit. Tiong is a 70% shareholder of Wijaya Baru Holdings, which is the sole proprietor of Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd, the turnkey developer of PKFZ.

Speaking after launching a Buddhist project in Petaling Jaya yesterday, Tiong said that he decided to sue Lee and not PKA.

Tiong also challenged Lee to use his money and not PKA funds to defend himself.

Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP and Backbenchers Council chairman, warned Lim Kit Siang (DAP - Ipoh Timur) that he may be sued too.

Kuala Dimensi also took up full page advertorials in Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang, China Press and Guang Ming Daily to explain its position.

It said the PWC’s report, which was incomplete, had tarnished the company’s reputation.

When contacted, Lee said: “I have to wait for the suit and will inform my lawyers to file a defence. Whatever I did is on behalf of PKA and for the good of taxpayers.”

Do you remember Animal Farm?

Do you remember Animal Farm?
31 July, 2009

In 1946, the Malays united and formed a national organisation called UMNO. In 1951, the Malays, Chinese and Indians united to form The Alliance. In 1957, a union of Malays, Chinese and Indians won Merdeka for Malaya and the British colonialists were sent packing. Thereafter, the Malayan political scene transformed into a real-life situation of Animal Farm.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. At the Meeting on the following Sunday the question of whether or not to begin work on the windmill was to be put to the vote. When the animals had assembled in the big barn, Snowball stood up and, though occasionally interrupted by bleating from the sheep, set forth his reasons for advocating the building of the windmill.

Then Napoleon stood up to reply. He said very quietly that the windmill was nonsense and that he advised nobody to vote for it, and promptly sat down again; he had spoken for barely thirty seconds, and seemed almost indifferent as to the effect he produced. At this Snowball sprang to his feet, and shouting down the sheep, who had begun bleating again, broke into a passionate appeal in favour of the windmill.

Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies, but in a moment Snowball's eloquence had carried them away. In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs. His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. Electricity, he said, could operate threshing machines, ploughs, harrows, rollers, and reapers and binders, besides supplying every stall with its own electric light, hot and cold water, and an electric heater.

By the time he had finished speaking, there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go. But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before.

At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. Too amazed and frightened to speak, all the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase. Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road.

He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels. Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him. Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs were gaining on him again. One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball's tail, but Snowball whisked it free just in time. Then he put on an extra spurt and, with a few inches to spare, slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.

Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones.

Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech. He announced that from now on the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end. They were unnecessary, he said, and wasted time. In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself. These would meet in private and afterwards communicate their decisions to the others. The animals would still assemble on Sunday mornings to salute the flag, sing 'Beasts of England', and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates.

In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them, the animals were dismayed by this announcement. Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments. Even Boxer was vaguely troubled. He set his ears back, shook his forelock several times, and tried hard to marshal his thoughts; but in the end he could not think of anything to say.

Some of the pigs themselves, however, were more articulate. Four young porkers in the front row uttered shrill squeals of disapproval, and all four of them sprang to their feet and began speaking at once. But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again. Then the sheep broke out into a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good, two legs bad!" which went on for nearly a quarter of an hour and put an end to any chance of discussion.

Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others.

"Comrades," he said, "I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be? Suppose you had decided to follow Snowball, with his moonshine of windmills--Snowball, who, as we now know, was no better than a criminal?"

"He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed," said somebody.

"Bravery is not enough," said Squealer. "Loyalty and obedience are more important. And as to the Battle of the Cowshed, I believe the time will come when we shall find that Snowball's part in it was much exaggerated. Discipline, comrades, iron discipline! That is the watchword for today. One false step, and our enemies would be upon us. Surely, comrades, you do not want Jones back?"

Once again this argument was unanswerable. Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back, then the debates must stop. Boxer, who had now had time to think things over, voiced the general feeling by saying: "If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right." And from then on he adopted the maxim, "Napoleon is always right," in addition to his private motto of "I will work harder."

By this time the weather had broken and the spring ploughing had begun. The shed where Snowball had drawn his plans of the windmill had been shut up and it was assumed that the plans had been rubbed off the floor. Every Sunday morning at ten o'clock the animals assembled in the big barn to receive their orders for the week. The skull of old Major, now clean of flesh, had been disinterred from the orchard and set up on a stump at the foot of the flagstaff, beside the gun. After the hoisting of the flag, the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn.

Nowadays they did not sit all together as they had done in the past. Napoleon, with Squealer and another pig named Minimus, who had a remarkable gift for composing songs and poems, sat on the front of the raised platform, with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them, and the other pigs sitting behind. The rest of the animals sat facing them in the main body of the barn. Napoleon read out the orders for the week in a gruff soldierly style, and after a single singing of 'Beasts of England', all the animals dispersed.

On the third Sunday after Snowball's expulsion, the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. He did not give any reason for having changed his mind, but merely warned the animals that this extra task would mean very hard work, it might even be necessary to reduce their rations. The plans, however, had all been prepared, down to the last detail. A special committee of pigs had been at work upon them for the past three weeks. The building of the windmill, with various other improvements, was expected to take two years.

That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill. On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning, and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers. The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon's own creation.

Why, then, asked somebody, had he spoken so strongly against it? Here Squealer looked very sly. That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon's cunning. He had SEEMED to oppose the windmill, simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. Now that Snowball was out of the way, the plan could go forward without his interference. This, said Squealer, was something called tactics. He repeated a number of times, "Tactics, comrades, tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. The animals were not certain what the word meant, but Squealer spoke so persuasively, and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions.

All that year the animals worked like slaves. But they were happy in their work; they grudged no effort or sacrifice, well aware that everything that they did was for the benefit of themselves and those of their kind who would come after them, and not for a pack of idle, thieving human beings.

Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half. Even so, it was found necessary to leave certain tasks undone. The harvest was a little less successful than in the previous year, and two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough. It was possible to foresee that the coming winter would be a hard one.

Animal Farm by George Orwell (extracts from chapters 5 and 6)

'Criminals here seem to have gone crazy'

'Criminals here seem to have gone crazy'

Fri, Jul 31, 2009 The New Paper

By Gan Ling Kai

JUST three weeks ago, his car became a target of crime in Johor Baru.

The thief smashed its window, and stole a cash card machine and the cash card.

It was the second time in a few years that actor Yao Wenlong's car window had been smashed.

Although not much was stolen in both instances - the cash card had only RM50 ($20) in the latest incident - the incidents rattled the Singapore PR's confidence.

'It's better to park your car in a crowded place, and you should not leave any valuables in it,' he said.

If a recent online poll by the Malaysian Home Ministry is any indication, most people feel unsafe in Malaysia.

According to the poll, 97 per cent of 9,776 respondents as of 5pm yesterday said they did not feel safe, because of the high crime rate.

More than 60 per cent said this was because they or their family members were crime victims. Only 1 per cent said they felt safe.

However, like most online polls, anyone could vote, and vote any number of times.

Wenlong's actor friend Chen Hanwei, 39, another Singaporean PR, crosses the Causeway twice a month to spend time with his parents.

Hanwei says he exercises extra caution on these visits.

His parents live in an estate of more than 100 houses. The estate has 3m-high wire fence all round it, and is guarded by more than 10 security personnel round the clock on foot or bicycles.

'I hardly leave my doorstep the moment I'm home. Even if I have to travel, I make sure I park my car at a spot where I can see it,' he said.

The New Paper also spoke to Mr Haji Mohd Sulaiman, 60, village chief of Kampung Parit Raja in Batu Pahat, Johor.

The retired teacher claimed that despite frequent police patrols in his village, crime still occurs.

'There are about 16 policemen on their rounds regularly. The villagers also patrol the area, but they are unarmed,' he said.

Still, two weeks ago, his two motorcycles were stolen. He claimed that the theft happened around 3am, when he was asleep.

Alarm system

Another Johor resident, Mr Jackie Long, 46, who owns an automobile accessories shop, said an alarm system for a car is not enough to fend off burglars.

Increasingly, Malaysian car owners are purchasing 'immobilisers', he said.

Priced at RM600 ($250) each, these immobilisers prevent the engine from running unless the correct key is used.

This prevents the car from being 'hot wired', which means starting it without a key.

Is the situation better in Kuala Lumpur?

No, says KL resident Hazarina Zakaria, 31, a business development manager.

Her ex-colleague was walking towards her car, parked outside her office building, when someone snatched her bag, said Ms Hazarina.

The victim tried to put up a fight but fell to the ground, suffering abrasions. She had to take long leave from work to recover from the trauma.

'I never thought that such violence could happen to my friend. The criminals here seem to have gone crazy. I myself feel like a 'psycho' when I have to keep looking over my shoulder. These days, you can get robbed even in crowded places,' she said.

The window of her own car was recently smashed by a thief, she added. A laptop case was stolen. Fortunately, the case was empty.

The car of another KL resident - Ms Milly Ngoh - was stolen about six years ago.

Ms Ngoh said: 'My husband had parked it by the side of the road and gone to relieve himself by the corner but when he returned, the car was gone. The thief was really fast.'

Fashion designer David Fung, 39, whose workshop is in KL, said one of his staff, too, was a victim of a snatch theft.

'She was riding behind her husband on a motorbike when another motorcyclist reached out to grab her anklet,' he said.

Doesn't use same route

To be safe, Mr Fung himself doesn't use the same route to go home every day.

Miss Falisa Abu Bakar, 40, who lives in a KL condominium, has not been attacked, but she is also on guard all the time.

'Gone are the days when we could feel safe walking to the shops. Last time, when we dine out, we could just plonk our bag on the empty seat next to us. Now, we have to hold on to our belongings.'

Miss Falisa said the crime situation in KL is probably related to the 'Mat Rempit' gangs - bikers illegally racing and performing stunts on public roads.

They are known to also commit snatch theft and armed robbery.

But not everyone agrees Malaysia is unsafe.

Former Malaysian crime reporter Ahmad Asri Khalbi told The New Paper he feels secure in his country.

'I can drink teh tarik in Johor alone at midnight and still feel safe,' said Mr Ahmad Asri, 38.

He added: 'I don't bother to install any alarm system. When I am away, my neighbour watches over my house.'

Prime Minister Najib Razak has declared war on crime, pledging to bring down the crime rate on the streets by 20 per cent next year.

'Four main areas - Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, and Johor - have been identified as the hot spots for this type of (street) crime,' he said in Kuala Lumpur on Monday , while setting his administration's targets.

- Nurul Asyikin Mohd Nasir and Ervina Mohamed Jamil, newsroom interns

This article was first published in The New Paper.

Overseas students don't want to work in Singapore

Overseas students don't want to work in Singapore

Tue, Jul 28, 2009 AsiaOne

Jonah , 22, has been studying in US for less than a year, but he has already decided that he will not return to Singapore to work after graduation.

A first-year student taking computer science at Stanford University, he says that US is far ahead of Singapore in science and technology. Situated near the Silicon Valley, Stanford's outstanding students are offered jobs by top IT firms even before they graduate.

"They have the world's top firms like Google, Microsoft and Apple - companies that value creativity. Working for them will broaden my horizons and improve my resume," he told my paper.

"While there are also many multi-national companies in Singapore, my impression is that they focus on product assembly, marketing and sales."

According to a survey by Experiences 2009, the organiser of an annual US education convention, there are quite a lot of overseas students who think like Jonah.

According to the survey of 153 Singaporean undergraduates at 15 top US universities, as many as 79 per cent prefer to work in US after they graduate. Only 18.1 per cent want to return to Singapore immediately after they complete their studies.

At Chung Cheng High School's 70th anniversary celebration last month, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong expressed his concerns about this phenomenon. He said that more than one-fifth of the students who performed well between 1996 to 1999 (those who scored at least four 'A's and a B3 in General Paper) are no longer working in Singapore a decade later.

More than one third of those who studied overseas and did not receive scholarships are also not working in Singapore.

In SM Goh's speech he pointed out Singapore's conundrum - while preparing our students to be 'entrepreneurial and world-ready', we are also 'growing wings' on them and more students will be heading overseas to develop their careers in future.

Why they leave

Why has Singapore no hold for these students? Do they leave because the pull factors from other countries are much stronger?

Students interviewed by my paper say that they leave not only because of the lack of job opportunities, but also because Singapore is too stressful, or because they don't feel appreciated.

Ng Hui Jin, 20, a Biology student at Imperial College in UK said that the pace of life is so fast in Singapore she can barely catch her breath at times. She feels that Europeans place more emphasis on quality of life. The pace is slower there and her classmates do not compare their results.

"Perhaps the learning environment and lifestyle here is what keeps Singaporean students in Europe," said Hui Jin.

Ridy Lie, 28, who graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2003 has worked at Amazon.com for six years. He said that he likes the free and easy culture in American IT companies. A software developer, he can wear t-shirt and jeans to work, and their supervisors do not require that they report to work by a certain time.

"The company also provides a two-storey recreation area which includes a basketball court, arcade and gym. Our bosses even encourage us to spend our time there during work hours, to get inspiration."

Higher pay also played a part in his decision to stay in the US.

"Big IT firms in US will pay a fresh grad between US$60,000 to US$80,000 (S$87,000 to S$115,000) while investment banks and consultancies can pay up to US$90,000 (S$130,000), this is practically three to five times more than what they can get in Singapore."

At least one student says that she wants to leave because she doesn't feel appreciated.

After the financial crisis last year, many firms around the world retrenched a large number of employees and quite a number of graduates made their way back home but were unable to find a job in Singapore.

London School of Economics graduate Ruchika Tulskyan, 22, applied to 20 companies for a job but received no response.

"The government has been encouraging overseas students to return to Singapore, but Singaporean corporations do not seem to hold the same attitude. It has made me doubt my decision to come back."

Disappointed, Ruchika has decided to further her studies at Columbia University next month.

Published: Tuesday July 28, 2009 MYT 5:09:00 PM

Malaysians’ sweet tooth now at alarming level

By WINNIE YEOH

GEORGE TOWN: The consumption of sugar by Malaysians has increased by an alarming rate, from an average of 17 teaspoons per person in the 1970s to 26 teaspoons in the new millennium.

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the consumption might have increased even further now given that the latest research was done in 2005.

He said Malaysians consumed sugar in the form of soft drinks, condensed milk, flavoured drinks, junk food and even breakfast cereals, with a CAP survey revealing that some drinks and food contained 10 teaspoons of sugar in one serving.

Idris said a brand of orange juice contained 40.8 teaspoons of sugar in a two-litre pack while a brand of cordial syrup had 200 teaspoons in a two-litre bottle.

He said that former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad had revealed earlier this year that Malaysia was the eighth highest sugar user in the world.

He said the International Diabetes Institute recorded Malaysia as having the fourth highest number of diabetics in Asia with 800,000 cases in 2007, expected to increase to 1.3 million in 2010.

“Sugar is a widely eaten nutrient-free food and it’s linked to over 60 ailments such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart problems, osteoperosis, kidney problems, asthma and allergies.

“According to Health Ministry statistics, 11.6 million of the 16 million adults nationwide are sick with a non-communicable disease like diabetes, hypertension or cancer.

“Malaysia has the most overweight and obese people in Asia with 54% of the adult population either being obese or overweight,” Idris told a press conference at CAP office here Tuesday.

He said that according to World Health Organisation journals, sugar was unnecessary for a person’s diet.

“Thus, CAP calls on the Government to work with food manufacturers to avoid sugar in their products,” he added.

He also urged the Government to make it a requirement for manufacturers to graphically display -- for example, with the number of teaspoons -- the sugar content in their products as well as use a colour-coded system to indicate the sugar level (red for high, orange for medium and green for low).

He said the color-coded system would allow consumers -- even children or those with limited nutritional knowledge or numerical skills -- to easily comprehend risk.

“They should also stop advertisements of highly-sugared drinks and food during children’s TV viewing hours.

“At the same time, the Government should educate schoolchildren and the general public on the dangers of excessive sugar intake through health education and the media, respectively,” he said.

He also said vending machines dispensing junk food and sugary drinks should be removed and replaced with drinking water dispensers at places such as hospitals, airports and schools.

Time for a hartal

Time for a hartal
28 July, 2009

Are we truly independent? Or did we just switch the white British colonialists with brown colonialists? Did we merely kick out one dictator, ten thousand miles away, and replace it with ten thousand dictators one mile away?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The federal government is sending each of us a $600 rebate.
If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money goes to China.
If we spend it on gasoline, it goes to the Arabs.
If we buy a computer, it will go to India.
If we purchase fruits and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
If we purchase a good car, it will go to Germany and Japan.
If we purchase useless crap, it will go to Taiwan.
In short, none of it will help the American economy.
The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes and beer, since these are the only products still produced in the US.

Dr. Marc Faber

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Dr. Marc Faber's company, Marc Faber Limited, acts as an investment advisor company concentrating on value investments with tremendous upside often based on contrarian investment philosophies. Faber also invests and acts as a fund manager to private wealthy clients. Faber is a regular speaker on the investment circuit, often quoted in the financial press for his non-conformist viewpoint and alternative investment philosophies. His current — if eccentric — tagline is: 'buy a $100 US bond and frame it to teach your children about inflation by watching the US bond value diminish to almost nothing over the next 20 years'. Faber is famous for advising his clients to get out of the stock market one week before the October 1987 crash. - Wikipedia

*************************************************

Hartal is a term in many Indian languages for strike action, used often during the Indian Independence Movement. It is mass protest often involving a total shutdown of workplaces, offices, shops, courts of law, etc., as a form of civil disobedience. In addition to being a general strike, it involves the voluntary closing of schools and places of business. It is a mode of appealing to the sympathies of a government to change an unpopular or unacceptable decision.

Hartal was originally a Gujarati expression signifying the closing down of shops and warehouses with the object of realising a demand. MK Gandhi, the Indian national leader from Gujarat, organised a series of anti-British general strikes, which he called hartals, thereby institutionalising it.

In Bangladesh a hartal is a constitutionally recognised political method for articulating any political demand.

In Sri Lanka, it is often used to refer specifically to the 1953 hartal of Ceylon. Hartals are still common in India, Bangladesh and in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.

In Malaysia, the word "hartal" was used to refer to various general strikes in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, such as the All-Malaya hartal of 1947 and the Penang hartal of 1967.

The word hartal in India is also used in humorous sense to mean abstaining from work. Another variant, which is common in Hindi-speaking regions, is the bhukh hartal, which translates as hunger strike. - Wikipedia

*************************************************

The recent Manik Urai by-election proved even more that Barisan Nasional, in particular Umno, depends on money for its survival. RM1,000 in cash was paid to every voter in Manik Uria, resulting in Pakatan Rakyat almost losing the by-election. One just can’t ignore the power of money. And money is one thing that Barisan Nasional has plenty of. Plenty of money would translate to plenty of power as well.

To cut Barisan Nasional and Umno down to size, we have to hit them where it hurts most. And it hurts most when the pocket is hit. So, to hurt Barisan Nasional and Umno, we must hit them in the pocket. And this means hitting the source of that money, the companies that are paying Barisan Nasional and Umno huge sums of money to help them stay in power.

Who are these crony companies? Which are the companies that are paying Barisan Nasional and Umno huge sums of money? Where did all this money come from? How much of that money actually belongs to you and me, the rakyat?

Companies are in the business of making money. You do not set up a company to do charity. Companies have only one philosophy in mind and it can be summed up in just three words: profit, profit, profit.

So we need to reduce the profit of these companies. We need to cut into their war chest so that they have very little left to give to Barisan Nasional and Umno. Companies depend on licences, permits, quotas, government contracts, political patronage and whatnot to survive. And to procure these licences, permits, quotas, government contracts, political patronage and whatnot, they need to pay ‘under the table’ money to those who walk in the corridors of power. Bribery makes the world go round in corporate Malaysia. Bribery fuels the government machinery. Business empires are built on bribery, corruption, political patronage and cronyism.

Look for alternatives. Buy products and services from those that are not crony companies. Deny yourself whatever it is you normally indulge yourself in so that these companies do not earn your money, which in the end ends up in the pockets of Barisan Nasional and Umno.

Another way to hurt them financially would be to launch a hartal. On 8 August 2009, a few NGOs and civil society movements are organising a hartal in Perak. They want to turn Perak into a ‘ghost town’. Stay home on 8 August 2009. Don’t leave your house. Empty the streets, shops and restaurants. Do what you need to do the day before. And on 8 August 2009 stay behind the locked doors of your home.

On 31 August 2009 we shall, again, be celebrating Merdeka or Independence Day. Independence was declared on midnight of 30 August 1957. On that day the Union Jack was lowered and proudly replaced with the Malayan flag.

But are we truly independent? Or did we just switch the white British colonialists with brown colonialists? Did we merely kick out one dictator, ten thousand miles away, and replace it with ten thousand dictators one mile away?

No, we are not yet Merdeka. What we have done is merely to replace one colonial government with another. The present government is continuing the oppression and discrimination of the previous government. We need to be truly Merdeka by ending the dictatorial rule of the present government.

There is no reason to celebrate Merdeka. There is no justification to raise the flag this 31 August 2009. Merdeka has not been achieved yet. It will only be achieved when we see a change in government or at least a change in government policy. Only then would it be feasible to celebrate Merdeka.

We need a hartal. We need many hartals. The rakyat need to vote with their feet. They rig the ballot box. Voting with our ballot paper is an uphill task. We must use our feet to vote. And the way to vote with our feet would be to launch and participate in many hartals and boycotts.

Civil disobedience is the order of the day. If we stay home and refuse to buy the products and services of those who are propping up the illegitimate regime the government will eventually crumble. Without our participation the government can do very little. Without our money we will starve them.

If we come out and protest they can use the police against us. If we demonstrate they will brutalise us. But they can’t do anything to us if we launch a hartal. No government can clamp down on civil disobedience.

So do nothing. No one can harm you if you do nothing. And doing nothing involves staying home and not allowing your money to leave your pocket. And if you still need to buy products and services make sure it is not from one of the crony companies.

Another DANAHARTA scam revealed

Another DANAHARTA scam revealed
28 July, 2009

Is DANAHARTA a saviour or robber? How many pieces of property have DANAHARTA taken by force at way below market prices just to be sold to 'middlemen' at even lower prices so that they can make a huge profit. You will be surprised to discover how many millionaires and billionaires are created through DANAHARTA.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

DANAHARTA SDN BHD / PROKHAS SDN BHD
Tingkat 9, Bangunan Setia 1
15 Lorong Dungun, Bukit Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur

Attn: Encik Fadzlur Rahman Ebraheem
BY HAND

Dear Sirs,

RE: DISCUSSIONS ON SETTLEMENT ON MARINARA

I refer to your faxed letter dated 20th July 2009 with regards to the discussions on Marinara..

We are very disappointed that the discussions between us have come to nothing. If you had told me that you had already made up your mind on the matter I would not have bothered to discuss the matter at all.

1. Regretfully I do not agree with your contention that “MARINARA has been successfully sold and transferred to the new owner, Danaharta Hartanah Sdn Bhd”. It is a subsidiary of Danaharta and fully owned by Danaharta Nasional Bhd and also controlled by you. Clearly it is conflict of interest.The principal of both these companies is the Minister of Finance.

2. A sale of the property to one of Danaharta’s subsidiaries does not constitute a proper sale as Danaharta are only custodians of the property which has to be returned to the rightful owner as soon as the shareholders are able to repay the sum owing. It was never the intention of the Danaharta Act to make profit in this manner. As such any surplus on a sale should be returned to the owners. According to Danaharta’s Board decision made in 2002 it was decided as a matter of policy that there shall no longer be any sale to Danaharta’s subsidiaries but only direct sale to buyers be made as the chances of getting a higher sale price was found to be better.

3. The Danaharta Act clearly states the functions upon taking over a company to which you have not complied. You are supposed to act in the best interests of the shareholders but instead you have acted contrary to the Act. Selling well below the market value is also against decided cases and the Courts will frown on your action in doing so. You are well aware there are two Court cases pending which has been fixed for trial. We are unable to withhold the legal actions at this stage and will leave it to the lawyers how best to handle these matters.

4. Your claim that we still owe you a sum of RM41.2 million is ridiculous. The fact that Danaharta bought both MARINA SDN BHD and PEKELILING TRIANGLE SDN BHD for only RM35 million should have some bearing on what you are claiming from us. You yourself stated that ” being a Government organization you should not be making profit” is certainly contrary to what you are saying in your letter.

5. Please bear in mind that Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd’s loans were NOT A NON-PERFORMING LOAN at the time of vesting in Danaharta. As such the wrongful freezing of the accounts and the Project would result in our claiming for Liquidated and Ascertained Damages calculated at RM47,000 per day multiplied by 8 years would result in approximately RM 137 million payable by Danaharta and or it’s agents to all Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd’s shareholders.

6. The alleged sale price of RM171million ( objected to by the shareholders right from the beginning) decided on private negotiations between you and the “Receiver” was exceptionally low as the market value by then was RM430 million as at that time the services were all functioning and rented out. There was sabotage and manipulation in the three “tenders”.

7. We deny that we still owe a further sum of RM41.2 million to you. Danaharta. purchased all the assets of Marina Sdn Bhd and Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd for only RM35 million. At the time of acquisition by Danaharta the total sum owing by Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd was only 59 million (37 million principal and RM22 million interest). As it was NOT A NON-PERFORMING LOAN Danaharta cannot now charge any further interest during the period when Danaharta wrongly took over and froze all the assets since 2001 and refused to allow us to sell the building, contrary to the Loan Documents.

8. MARINA SDN BHD had completed the building at a cost of RM25 million and obtained the Certificate of Completion. In February 2006 a Sale and Purchase Agreement between Marina Sdn Bhd and Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd was made whereby the building was sold to Marina Sdn Bhd. The sum of RM25 million was agreed to be the deposit to be paid to Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd as a consideration and were accepted by all the shareholders and Directors. You were informed at the meeting we had with you at your office in February 2006 and copies of the Agreement were sent to you and your lawyers. Marina Sdn Bhd was at all times willing and able to pay the balance owing to Danaharta and informed you of the intended redemption.

9. MARINA SDN BHD went to great effort to rent out the building to Embassies and Diplomats and high profile businesses and was already getting a good income. Without justification you instructed the “Receiver” Duar Tuan Kiat of Ernst & Young to cut the Electricity and water knowing there were tenants in the building, and instructed them to take out an Injunction against me knowing very well I had to be at the building to complete the final touches requested by DBKL for the issuance of the final Certificate of Completion. You even rang and threatened DBKL not to issue the Certificate of Completion.

10. The closing down of the building has caused irredeemable damage to the mechanical and electrical fittings and great loss and humiliation to the shareholders. The guards chased out all the tenants including the diplomats, Embassies and occupants without giving them due notice. Marina Sdn Bhd incurred great losses, damages and humiliation.

11. Your proposal of refurbishing the building at a budget of RM100 million is a sheer waste of good money as there is nothing wrong with the building or design done by a Gold Star Architect Dato Baharuddin Kassim. What you have to rectify is the damage and losses caused by the security guards in cutting the electric cables and stealing the electrical fittings and assets and jamming the electrical devices and lifts. They were employed as agent for Danaharta on your instructions. These should be rectified immediately

As such my counter proposal is that :

A) You accept the redemption sum of RM59 million as settlement . In consideration of that we are willing to waive claims of the LAD incurred for freezing the project for the last 8 years and to withdraw all legal actions.

b) To allow the shareholders to sell the building on an ‘as is basis” immediately as we already have ready buyers

I trust you will consider my proposal seriously and give an affirmative reply within one week from date hereof.

Thank you. WASSALAM.

Yours faithfully,

Hajjah Marina Yusoff,
for and on behalf of all the Directors and shareholders
of Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd

c.c.1. Miinister of Finance I
2. Minister of Finance II

Teoh Beng Hock was still under custody when he died

Teoh Beng Hock was still under custody when he died
27 July, 2009

The statement that he was released at 3.45am is utter bullshit. Teoh would not walk out of the MACC office at 3.45am without his hand phone or at least a receipt that the MACC had confiscated his hand phone. This is a requirement under the MACCA.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The MACC says that Teoh Beng Hock was released at 3.45am after a gruelling marathon interrogation session that lasted the whole night. But Teoh was not under arrest or even a suspect in a crime, says the MACC. He was merely a witness, and a very cooperative witness on top of that, claims the MACC.

If Teoh was merely a witness, as what they say, why was there a need to interrogate him throughout the night? Could not his interrogation have been done during normal working hours?

Even when under Internal Security Act (ISA) detention, the Special Branch is supposed to interrogate detainees during ‘office hours’. They are not allowed to interrogate detainees at night or outside ‘office hours’. And, in particular, detainees should not be subjected to marathon interrogation sessions or subjected to sleep depravation, a form of torture.

And these are ISA detainees, mind you, said to be ‘threats to national security’ and/or suspected ‘terrorists’. Yet there are certain rules to be observed. What more if one is merely a witness to a suspected crime, not even established yet whether a crime had or had not been committed?

But in Teoh’s case he was subjected to a marathon interrogation session and outside ‘office hours’ on top of that. He was subjected to sleep depravation. And he was not a detainee, he was not under arrest, and he was not a suspect in a crime, claims the MACC. He was merely a witness to a suspected crime, and a very cooperative witness too.

After Teoh’s statement was recorded he was released and allowed to go home at 3.45am, they say. He was supposed to return at 8.00am for the interrogation to continue. And he was supposed to go home and come back at 8.00am with some documents that the MACC required.

But Teoh decided instead to sleep on the sofa at the MACC office. At 6.00am he was alleged to have ‘disappeared’. He never returned at 8.00am for his interrogation to be continued. And the MACC never bothered to go look for their witness who had ‘absconded’. The pathologist says he died between 8.30-9.30am. But they never found his body until lunchtime.

Was Teoh released at 3.45am and allowed to go home, as what the MACC claims? Or was he still under custody right up to the time of his death around 8.30-9.30am?

Teoh was never released at 3.45am. He was still under custody right up to the time of his death at around 8.30-9.30am.

One very important point that many may have overlooked is that Teoh’s hand phone was not found on his body. His hand phone was still with the MACC. And the police confirmed this. And that hand phone is now with the police.

If Teoh had been released, his hand phone would have been in his pocket or beside his body (or on the sofa where he had slept). It would not have been in the ‘safekeeping’ of the MACC.

If the MACC had released Teoh at 3.45am but wanted to retain his hand phone then they would have had to issue a piece of paper listing down all Teoh’s property that was going to be retained for further investigation.

Assuming the MACC was going to retain Teoh’s hand phone then this paper would not only list down all the property to be retained but full details such as make, model, serial number, and so on.

In short, Teoh would walk out of the MACC office at 3.45am without his hand phone but with a piece of paper confirming whatever property the MACC was retaining for further investigation with full details of that property. And both Teoh and the MACC officer would have to sign this paper.

This provision comes under Section 33 of the MACCA.

And this is what the Act says:

Section 33(1): …any movable property which is the subject matter of an offence or evidence relating to the offence shall be liable to seizure.

Section 33(2): A list of all movable property seized pursuant to subsection (1) and of the places in which they are respectively found shall be prepared by the officer of the Commission affecting the seizure and signed by him.

Section 33(3): A copy of the list referred to in subsection (2) shall be served on the owner of such property or on the person from whom the property was seized as soon as possible.

In Teoh’s case, the list of moveable property seized under Section 33(1) of the MACCA was not issued nor served on him, which is a requirement under Section 33(2) and Section 33(3) of the MACCA. This confirms that Teoh was still under custody and was not released at 3.45am as claimed. If not, Teoh would have this paper on his body confirming that his hand phone had been retained by the MACC.

In short, Teoh died between 8.30am and 9.30am while still under the custody of the MACC. The statement that he was released at 3.45am is utter bullshit. Teoh would not walk out of the MACC office at 3.45am without his hand phone or at least a receipt that the MACC had confiscated his hand phone. This is a requirement under the MACCA. If not how would Teoh later prove that his hand phone was still with the MACC? He would need evidence of that.

Furthermore, what if they find incriminating evidence in his hand phone and Teoh later denies that it is his hand phone? The MACC would need to prove that they had confiscated Teoh’s hand phone to be able to use this evidence in court. And that would make the paper very crucial for both Teoh and the MACC. And both Teoh and the MACC would need to sign this paper for it to be valid.

The government wants to set up a Commission and Board of Inquiry to investigate Teoh’s death. The crucial question is: did Teoh die while still under custody or had he already been released by then? Our investigation shows Teoh was still under custody. And the absence of that piece of paper required under Section 33 of the MACCA proves it. Teoh’s hand phone was with the MACC when he died. If he had been released they would either return his hand phone or give him a receipt confirming they are retaining his hand phone. None were found on his body.

His sexual posers

His sexual posers

Sat, Jul 25, 2009 The Straits Times

BY June Cheong

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

It is a poser many women will want the answer to. When put to the medical experts, they unanimously told Mind Your Body: 'Yes, men can and do.'

Dr Peter Lim, president of the Society Of Men's Health and an andrologist, said: 'Men can be totally turned on just by looking at an attractive woman.

'Generally, most men, when stimulated enough, can have sex whether he knows the woman or loves her.'

Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said studies have shown that men stray more.

'Men tend to view sex as an entity alone and just do it to gratify their physical desire. They are less likely to think of long-term consequences,' he said.

What food should men eat to improve the quality or quantity of their sperm?

Fertility starts with general good health. A diet rich in fresh food and leafy vegetables is advised.

Dr Ng said men's diets should include vitamins and minerals like vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and folic acid.

'These vitamins are natural antioxidants which basically fight free radicals that attack and destroy the membrane that surrounds sperm,' he said.

'Infertile men have been found to have a higher concentration of free radicals in their semen compared to fertile men.'

Dr Ng also advised drinking just one to two cups of coffee a day and no more than two ounces of alcohol twice every week as 'alcohol is sperm poison'.

What and where is a woman's G-spot?

This very sensitive and erotic zone was originally known as the Grafenberg Spot and named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg. He first described it in 1944.

The G-spot is believed to be located near the urethra in the anterior part of the vagina behind the pubic bone. Stroking that area is useful for establishing whether you have a G-spot and how it adds to your sexual pleasure. Stimulation of the area during penetration can also enhance pleasure.

Dr Peter Chew, a senior consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said the G-spot is an extension of the clitoris and is highly sensitive because of the nerve endings concentrated in that area.

It is not known if all women have a G-spot.

Dr Chong said: 'Many believe that if you can find it, you may want to buy lottery.'

Are masturbation and sexual fantasies healthy and can they affect your sex life?

Dr Gan Tek Kah, a general practitioner at Singapore Men's Health Clinic, said: 'Masturbation does not harm the body. However, if a person becomes so obsessed with it and pursues it at the expense of his social life, studies or work, then it's wrong.'

Consultant psychiatrist Brian Yeo added: 'Masturbation is a powerful reinforcer. The image that you play with in your mind is very powerful. If a man masturbates and thinks of a woman, he reinforces his sexual attraction to that woman.'

As for sexual fantasies, Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said: 'Fantasies are healthy as long as both parties are consenting adults.

'What goes on behind closed doors is your business. If playing out fantasies enhances your sex life and you don't harm each other, it's a good thing.'

However, if your partner disagrees with your fantasy, Dr Yeo advised modifying it such that only acceptable elements are used.

Does penis size matter?

Dr Gan said: 'All our sexual thoughts, ideals and behaviour are socially constructed. The social expectation of a man is that he is big and strong so size counts. However, it is the hardness of the erection that matters, not so much the size of the penis.'

Dr Wang said that while size does not matter, a certain girth or length helps bring about sexual pleasure. He advised men who are less-endowed to focus on technique.

A 2007 British study reviewing 50 international research projects on penile size since 1942 found that the average erect penis' length is between 14 and 16cm and its girth is 12 to 13cm.

Do women achieve orgasm more easily through penetrative or oral sex?

Gynaecologists Mind Your Body spoke to said every woman has different preferences. Dr Wei Siang Yu, a medical doctor with a special interest in sex education who styles himself as Dr Love, said it is easier for women to achieve orgasm through external stimulation.

He explained: 'The nerve endings distributed in the vaginal wall can be dissipated while nerves around the clitoris of a woman are very localised.'

The Durex Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey 2006 found that 23per cent of Singapore women almost always or always had orgasms. It also found that couples 'satisfied' with the intensity of their orgasms spent 15.7 minutes on foreplay, compared to 10.4 minutes, which was the time others who were 'not satisfied' spent on it.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.

The science of sexual intimacy

The science of sexual intimacy

Mon, Jul 27, 2009 The Straits Times

By: June Cheong

Sex - it's all in your head, really.

Contrary to popular belief, sexual arousal starts in your brain, not in the nether regions.

Of course, hardwired into the human being's DNA is the instinct to have sex, which is Nature's canny way of propagating the species. The brain and private parts must then work in sync.

'There's a mind component however,' said Dr Peter Lim, the president of the Society Of Men's Health and a private andrologist.

'If a medicine is given to knock off the paraventricular nucleus - the brain's sex centre - you'll have no sex drive,' he said.

To put it simply, the act of romantically sniffing each other - or even looking at an erotic image - sends sensory impulses to the paraventricular nucleus, stimulating your sexual urges. The brain's reward system, the ventral tegmental area, also encourages having sex by inducing feelings of pleasure.

It is especially true for men.

'A man's most important sexual organ is his brain, not his penis,' said Dr Ng Kok Kit, a consultant in the department of urology, andropause and men's health clinic at Changi General Hospital.

It is a little different for women.

Beyond sexual impulses and hormonal influences, women require love, friendship and emotional intimacy from men before they get aroused sexually, said Professor Ganesan Adaikan, a clinical sexologist with the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at National University Hospital.

What drives men and women to have sex

Libido, or the sex drive, is primarily driven by hormones.

Testosterone - present in both sexes - is the hormone that causes most of the changes in a boy's body during puberty. It is also what drives both men and women to have sex.

Oestrogen, together with luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - both stimulate the development of sexual organs in both sexes - is what causes a girl's body to mature and is necessary for maintaining a woman's libido.

This is why kids turn into sex-starved teenagers when puberty hits and hormonal levels are ramped up.

Men peak sexually between their teens and 20s, urologists and andrologists told Mind Your Body. Women usually enter their sexual prime when they are in their early 30s.

Dr Michael Wong, the president of the Singapore Urology Association and medical director of Singapore Urology & Fertility Centre, pointed out that testosterone in a man usually stays high until he hits 40.

Dr Brian Yeo, a consultant psychiatrist in private practice, explained the consequences of men starting out early in life with high testosterone levels: 'There's this thing with young men about how many women they've bedded. It's easier for men to have sex without emotional bonds.

'There are a lot more men searching for commercial (paid) or consensual sex than women. It's due to testosterone and the man's cultural background and upbringing.'

After 40, a man's testosterone level drops between 1.2 per cent and 5 per cent every year.

'Testosterone production declines with age and, with that, a man's libido will drop. Frequency of intercourse and masturbation will decline too,' said Dr Gan Tek Kah, a general practitioner from Singapore Men's Health Clinic.

Some 50 per cent of men aged 50 and above will have some degree of erectile dysfunction while 20 per cent of men older than 60 years have low testosterone levels, which may lead to loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction and lethargy, among other symptoms.

However, sperm is produced and replenished constantly so men can be fertile into their 60s or 70s.

That is how it is with men - they generally peak early and fizzle out gradually.

Women, on the other hand, hit their sexual stride in their late 20s or early 30s before their libidos crash after the age of 40 or menopause.

Dr Peter Chew, a senior consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Peter Chew Clinic For Women, said: 'Sex can still be there after menopause but it declines with age. Women can still desire sex but they won't have sex so often.'

Asked whether older folk can still have sex, Dr Yeo said: 'It's a slow burndown. It's possible to have sex but its frequency will not be as high as when you were a teenager. And your positions may have to be more conservative.'

Cocktail of chemicals

When a couple have sex, their bodies go through four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.

Excitement, the first stage, is when desire and arousal occur.

This is what happens in a man: He receives stimulation, which can range from the visual (in the form of an attractive partner) to the tactile (in the form of touch and stroking), and his brain sends out signals to his penis via the spinal cord.

Neurochemicals like endorphins are produced and circulated in the whole body. Nitric oxide is produced by nerves in the penis and expands blood vessels there, enabling the spongy tissue of the penis to be filled with blood and thus becoming erect.

In the woman, signs of sexual arousal include secretion of vaginal fluid and erect nipples. A cocktail of chemicals, including oxytocin and dopamine, are released in a woman's body throughout sexual intercourse.

The couple enters the plateau phase when sexual stimulation is more intense and orgasm is imminent. Breathing gets heavy and heart rates shoot up, and the lovers may experience sex flush, or red spots on the skin.

Dr Christopher Chong, an obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist from Chris Chong Women And Urogynae Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital, said: 'Sex hormones like testosterone, oestrogen and oxytocin are increased. This can cause a woman's breasts to swell and her womb to contract.' The womb contracts so as to suck in sperm for fertilisation.

As orgasm approaches and with increased blood flow to the vaginal area, a woman's clitoris swells and the inner lips of her vagina thicken while the outer lips flatten.

Orgasm marks the sexual climax, comprising a series of involuntary muscle contractions accompanied by a sudden release of endorphins and a feeling of euphoria.

In the man, orgasm involves rapid rhythmic contractions of the prostate, urethra and the muscles at the base of the penis, followed by the ejaculation of semen through the tip of the penis.

Dr Ng said: 'Men usually have a single orgasm. Some men may report multiple orgasms but it's probably because they did not ejaculate completely the first time round.'

In the woman, rhythmic muscular contractions in the uterus, outer vagina and anal sphincter occur and may spread through her body.

Initial contractions may occur at intervals of one second or less and subsequent ones may be spaced further apart. A mild orgasm can have three to five contractions while an intense one usually counts 10 to 15 contractions.

After the orgasm, the body returns to its normal, unaroused state. Some women may experience several more orgasms before calming down.

After ejaculation, the man enters a refractory phase, where the penis becomes flaccid and he cannot be sexually stimulated any further. Depending on the man's age, physical fitness and libido, the refractory period can range from 15minutes to one day.

A study last year found that satisfactory sexual intercourse - from penetration until ejaculation - for couples lasts from three to 13minutes.

The survey, which looked at the ideal length of time to have penetrative sex, was conducted by 34 American and Canadian sex therapists.

The time does not count foreplay and the therapists rated sexual intercourse that lasts from one to two minutes as 'too short'.

Professor Adaikan said a couple is at the peak of their love and intimacy, and hence sexual desire, between three months and two years into their relationship.

Asked how he would define 'good sex', Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said: 'Sex is not just for reproduction, it's an expression of love and commitment.

'However, men tend to see sex on a more basic, primal level and find the physical aspects of sex more gratifying. Women tend to emphasise more on the emotional and psychological components.'

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

by June Cheong

Sat, Jul 25, 2009

Mind Your Body, The Straits Times

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

It is a poser many women will want the answer to. When put to the medical experts, they unanimously told Mind Your Body: 'Yes, men can and do.'

Dr Peter Lim, president of the Society Of Men's Health and an andrologist, said: 'Men can be totally turned on just by looking at an attractive woman.

'Generally, most men, when stimulated enough, can have sex whether he knows the woman or loves her.'

Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at DrAdrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said studies have shown that men stray more.

'Men tend to view sex as an entity alone and just do it to gratify their physical desire. They are less likely to think of long-term consequences,' he said.

Why do men fall asleep after sex while women want to cuddle?

Men's sexual desires usually die immediately after sex as they enter a resting phase called the refractory period.

Dr Lim said: 'The man feels satisfied that he's done his job, so he goes to sleep. The woman's reason for sex is love. After it's over, she still feels the effects of the oxytocin hormone, which is linked to stimulation and orgasm, so she wants to be cuddled and held to feel secure.'

The difference in the way men and women reach orgasm may also explain men's seeming callousness.

Dr Ng Kok Kit, a consultant in the department of urology, andropause and men's health clinic at Changi General Hospital, said: 'Men reach orgasm more quickly, after which they have a refractory period averaging eight hours when they do not get aroused. Women, on the other hand, are not limited to a single orgasm and may be keen to continue with sex.'

Also, sexual activity involves physical exertion and cardiologists have classified sexual activity as 'moderate exertion'.

What food should men eat to improve the quality or quantity of their sperm?

Fertility starts with general good health. A diet rich in fresh food and leafy vegetables is advised.

Dr Ng said men's diets should include vitamins and minerals like vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and folic acid.

'These vitamins are natural antioxidants which basically fight free radicals that attack and destroy the membrane that surrounds sperm,' he said.

'Infertile men have been found to have a higher concentration of free radicals in their semen compared to fertile men.'

Dr Ng also advised drinking just one to two cups of coffee a day and no more than two ounces of alcohol twice every week as 'alcohol is sperm poison'.

Can you have sex or get pregnant during your period?

Dr Christopher Chong, an obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist from Chris Chong Women And Urogynae Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital, said most women are turned off sex during their period as there is so much blood.

It is medically safe, however, to do so, he said.

The chance of a pregnancy from having sex during one's period is one in 30,000. 'It's not impossible; you can still get pregnant if you ovulate at different times,' said Dr Chong.

What and where is a woman's G-spot?

This very sensitive and erotic zone was originally known as the Grafenberg Spot and named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg. He first described it in 1944.

The G-spot is believed to be located near the urethra in the anterior part of the vagina behind the pubic bone. Stroking that area is useful for establishing whether you have a G-spot and how it adds to your sexual pleasure. Stimulation of the area during penetration can also enhance pleasure.

Dr Peter Chew, a senior consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said the G-spot is an extension of the clitoris and is highly sensitive because of the nerve endings concentrated in that area.

It is not known if all women have a G-spot.

Dr Chong said: 'Many believe that if you can find it, you may want to buy lottery.'

Is it normal for women to feel like peeing during sex?

Dr Chong said: 'Orgasm causes muscle contractions. When women have over-active bladders, the bladder muscles contract involuntarily and the bladder may release urine during orgasm.'

He advised women to seek treatment if they pee every time during an orgasm.

Dr Chew added: 'If you want to pee during sex every time, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or a sexually transmitted disease.'

Can pregnant women have sex?

Dr Chong said pregnant women can have sex as long as they do not experience bleeding or have vaginal discharge.

He usually advises his patients to refrain from sex after the 30-week mark.

He said: 'Sperm has enzymes that can induce labour and cause the cervix to open up. Stimulation of the expectant woman's nipples can also cause premature labour as oxytocin is released and that can cause contractions.'

Meanwhile, Dr Chew said sex can occur throughout pregnancy and that, in fact, sexual desire in pregnant women shoots up during the second trimester.

Are masturbation and sexual fantasies healthy and can they affect your sex life?

Dr Gan Tek Kah, a general practitioner at Singapore Men's Health Clinic, said: 'Masturbation does not harm the body. However, if a person becomes so obsessed with it and pursues it at the expense of his social life, studies or work, then it's wrong.'

Consultant psychiatrist Brian Yeo added: 'Masturbation is a powerful reinforcer. The image that you play with in your mind is very powerful. If a man masturbates and thinks of a woman, he reinforces his sexual attraction to that woman.'

As for sexual fantasies, Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said: 'Fantasies are healthy as long as both parties are consenting adults.

'What goes on behind closed doors is your business. If playing out fantasies enhances your sex life and you don't harm each other, it's a good thing.'

However, if your partner disagrees with your fantasy, Dr Yeo advised modifying it such that only acceptable elements are used.

Does penis size matter?

Dr Gan said: 'All our sexual thoughts, ideals and behaviour are socially constructed. The social expectation of a man is that he is big and strong so size counts. However, it is the hardness of the erection that matters, not so much the size of the penis.'

Dr Wang said that while size does not matter, a certain girth or length helps bring about sexual pleasure. He advised men who are less-endowed to focus on technique.

A 2007 British study reviewing 50 international research projects on penile size since 1942 found that the average erect penis' length is between 14 and 16cm and its girth is 12 to 13cm.

Do women achieve orgasm more easily through penetrative or oral sex?

Gynaecologists Mind Your Body spoke to said every woman has different preferences. Dr Wei Siang Yu, a medical doctor with a special interest in sex education who styles himself as Dr Love, said it is easier for women to achieve orgasm through external stimulation.

He explained: 'The nerve endings distributed in the vaginal wall can be dissipated while nerves around the clitoris of a woman are very localised.'

The Durex Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey 2006 found that 23per cent of Singapore women almost always or always had orgasms. It also found that couples 'satisfied' with the intensity of their orgasms spent 15.7 minutes on foreplay, compared to 10.4 minutes, which was the time others who were 'not satisfied' spent on it.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.

Graft Witness’s Fatal Plunge Sours Malaysia Premier’s Honeymoon

Graft Witness’s Fatal Plunge Sours Malaysia Premier’s Honeymoon
22 July, 2009

The anti-corruption commission “is just another tool of UMNO,” said Haris Ibrahim, a Kuala Lumpur-based human rights lawyer. “Short of completely overhauling the composition and the makeup of this body, this perception will not change.”

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

By Ranjeetha Pakiam, Bloomberg

An opposition aide’s death last week after plunging from the 14th floor of Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency may have ended Prime Minister Najib Razak’s honeymoon with the electorate.

Teoh Beng Hock, 30, died after being grilled by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as a witness to the alleged misuse of public funds by the opposition-run state of Selangor. The government today may accede to demands from its own coalition partners and the opposition for an independent commission of inquiry after the death sparked public protests.

“This is a reminder to the Malaysian public that the institutions of the state have been compromised,” said James Chin, a professor of political science at the Malaysian campus of Australia’s Monash University outside Kuala Lumpur. “There is no check and balance within the police and the other law enforcement agencies. They’re not accountable to anyone save for the” government.

The police account of the circumstances of Teoh’s death, as reported by the New Straits Times, is that he was questioned for nearly 11 hours in a probe into misuse of public funds by opposition politicians and released at 3:45 a.m. on July 16. Police said his body was found on the 5th floor podium of the commission’s building at 1:30 p.m. and that he died between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., the newspaper said.

Additional Questions

Abu Kassim Mohammad, the deputy commissioner of the anti- graft agency, said Teoh wanted to rest for a while on a couch after he was discharged and several officers saw him sleeping there at 6 a.m., the New Straits Times reported. The police have not concluded investigations and will bring in another 40 people for questioning in addition to the 33 already queried, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday.

Najib, whose National Front has ruled since Malaysia’s independence from Britain in 1957, had seen his public approval ratings jump before Teoh’s death. The prime minister recaptured political ground lost at last year’s election by adopting opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s mantle as a reformer, dismantling preferences in business for ethnic Malays.

Anwar’s People’s Alliance says Najib’s ruling United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, uses the police to stamp out dissent. Anwar himself is on trial for sodomy, a crime in Malaysia, and says the charges are politically motivated and that he doesn’t expect a fair hearing.

The anti-corruption commission “is just another tool of UMNO,” said Haris Ibrahim, a Kuala Lumpur-based human rights lawyer. “Short of completely overhauling the composition and the makeup of this body, this perception will not change.”

Lack of Faith

The latest survey by the Merdeka Center, an independent research institute based outside Kuala Lumpur, showed that while Najib had a 65 percent approval rating, the public’s confidence in the police stood at 46 percent, and at 41 percent for the anti-corruption body.

The opposition will set up an independent police complaints commission, a recommendation by an earlier Royal Commission in 2005 that the government has not fully implemented, Anwar says.

Hishammuddin said yesterday the police investigation into Teoh’s death would be carried out “without fear or favor.”

“There are many questions asked that need to be answered,” he told reporters. “If the questions raised are not answered, we might have to look at other options, including the possibility of setting up a royal or independent commission.”

Funeral Protest

About 2,000 people, including Anwar, attended Teoh’s funeral on July 20, the New Straits Times reported. The procession following the body carried banners and posters demanding justice. Seven people were arrested when protesters scuffled with police at a July 17 demonstration, the Star said.

Local councilor Tan Boon Wah, 39, was one of the suspects called in for interrogation on July 15, after the anti- corruption agency accused him of pocketing 2,400 ringgit ($677) he was given to supply flags for the Malaysian National Day celebrations on Aug. 31 last year.

“They made me stand still, at attention, for four hours, during which they made as if they were going to hit me, and called me ‘stupid Chinese’ repeatedly,” Tan said in a telephone interview. Tan said he was released at 2:30 a.m. after promising to show the receipts for the flags.

“Public confidence has disappeared and a lot of rebuilding has to be done,” said Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, a former president of Transparency International and vice-president of the opposition Democratic Action Party. “The prime minister has to take the lead. There should be no cover-up.”