Pakistan : Waiting For The Final Eruption

I recently finished reading Ahmed Rashid's third and latest book about Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Taliban and the goings on in that part of the world. The book is titled "Descent Into Chaos - The US and the disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia." Here is the cover.

Ahmed Rashid is not just a seasoned and very senior Pakistani journalist but he has that most valuable of all qualities for a documentary writer - observing first hand many of the things he speaks about and having access to most of the leaders, movers and shakers in the countries he writes about. Ahmed Rashid has written two other acclaimed books 'Taliban" and "Jihad". Here are the covers of those books.

All three books read together gives us a pretty good understanding of what is happening in that part of the world. Considering that quite a few years separate the three books, you can see the descent into chaos that is engulfing Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. It is also my opinion that Pakistan is a gone case and will just crumble and collapse on itself. It is just a matter of time. There maybe some repercussions for us here.

I was not aware that Ahmed Rashid had written his latest book until the Press reported that President Barrack Obama had bought 'Desecnt Into Chaos" on Nov 26 last year (it was 'Support Your Local Small Business Day' or something in the US and the Obama's went to the book store). Here is a picture.

About 17 days ago something crucial happened in Pakistan. Their Chief of the Army met the President Asif Ali Zardari and told him off over a few things. Here is the news :

"Islamabad, Jan 14 2012 (IANS) Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani Saturday called on President Asif Ali Zardari amid deteriorating relations between the government and the military over an alleged memo that sought US help to stop a possible military coup, media reports said."

As we are reading this, the Pakistani Army may be plotting to "legally" oust President Zardari and take over the country again. Twice before in Pakistan, their Supreme Court has legitimised military coups. The fact is despite "democracy" the Army still calls the shots in Pakistan.

From reading Ahmed Rashid's three books, the prolonging of the problems in Afghanistan are actually "Made in Pakistan". Not only that but the incitement to violence far into Central Asia also has links to the Deobandi religious movement that has become very influential in Pakistan. Since General Zia Ul Haq, the formerly professional Pakistani Army has also become corrupted by a strongly religious indocrination. Many Pakistanis in the Armed Forces genuinely feel that Pakistan is the instrument of God to restore the greatness of Islam in their region. Pakistan wants to be the regional Sunni power from the Indian border right into Central Asia - to check Shia Iran and Hindu India.

The great "enemy of Islam" which they use to sustain this hubris as well as their scare mongering is none other than their old nemesis Hindu India plus India's old ally the godless Soviet Union which invaded Pakistan's Sunni neighbour Afghanistan in 1979.

Two other things have also fueled the Pakistani religious ego. One is their development of nuclear weapons - the only Islamic country to have nuclear weapons so far. The second ego booster is that the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence or ISI secret services also assisted the Afghans to kick out the Russian invaders from Afghanistan. They feel vindicated that they have defeated a world power in battle. God must be on their side. For good measure or not, the ISI also created and sustained the Taliban in Afghanistan. Until today the Pakistanis are firm supporters of the Taliban in Afghanistan. They have also become host to their own homegrown Taliban.

In the years after the Soviets were kicked out of Afghanistan in 1989, the Pakistanis also played host to a whole gaggle of 'Islamic' militants including the Al Qaeda. This "Islamic militant" link culminated in the death of Osama Bin Laden in Abbotabad in Pakistan last year - within shooting distance of a major Pakistani military college.

The Pakistani Army is not just a standing Army. They are a power unto themselves. They have also ruled the country for a major part of the country's existence since 1948. The Pakistani Army is also involved in running hotels, factories, banks, supermarkets and all sorts of businesses. Ahmed Rashid says the Army's economic ventures contribute 12% of Pakistan's GDP. In certain parts of Pakistan a villager cannot even open a tea stall unless he gets a permit from the Army. It is a very strange but strong stranglehold that the Army has on their country.

This has of course led to extreme and endemic corruption in Pakistan with the Army being in the middle of it all. It has also caused other problems. To help fund the various militants in Afghanistan (especially the Taliban) huge amounts of poppy plants have been cultivated. The FATA areas (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) of Pakistan and Afghanistan are now the main sources of heroin and other illegal drugs, either grown there or transported through these parts. Hence the huge upsurge in the number of drug couriers coming through Malaysia (Iranians, Pakistanis etc).

The illicit drug money is used to finance the "Islamic" militants and their "jihad". The shoulder bone is connected to the backbone, the backbone is connected to the hip bone etc. "Jihad" against what? Or whom? That is an easy question. The whole world is their enemy.

The Pakistani Army - like the power axis in the country - is also tribe or race identified with the numerically superior Punjabis having the greatest say. Considering that Pakistan is also made up of Sindhis, Balochis, Pushtuns and other tribal groups, the Punjabi over dominance has stretched tribal and sectarian seams. There are serious regional disputes

Today you can see many Pakistanis of very obvious religious orientation arriving in Malaysia. They wear the white pyjamas, white skull cap and wear long beards with no moustache. You can see them around Kuala Lumpur. They are not textile merchants or rug dealers. Neither are they tourists with cameras. In the Masjid India area, they visit with the numerous Pakistani merchants and businessmen in this area. One wonders what would be their interest in Malaysia.

Dont say I did not warn you. Dont forget that for 13 years from 1985 till 1998, Indonesian religious militant guru Abu Bakar Basyir was resident in Malaysia as a guest of Liwat and his religious cronies. They even gave him PR status.

The Pakistan story is not over yet folks. Their economy is stunted, illiteracy is still very high, job opportunities are poor and the number of drug addicts in the country is increasing many fold. Plus religious extremism is taking over the country. The explosion is bound to come. Its just a question of when. Do read Ahmed Rashid's books and you will get a good understanding of what is going on in that part of the world. They are not far away from us at all. .

p.s. I would like to thank the Government for the recent Book Vouchers given to university students. We have three university students at home - my two boys and the Mrs. I am enrolled for evening classes as well. We got some book vouchers. So we went out and bought some more books. Nanti saya cerita lagi.

A Response From A Nigerian : Wisma Putra Take Note

I received this email from Mr Kennedy .W who says he is a Nigerian. He has responded to my earlier Blog "TIME TO CURB THE AFRICAN MENACE IN MALAYSIA". I have reproduced Mr Kennedy's comments in full.

I think we can easily gauge the genuineness of Mr. Kennedy's comments. I am particularly concerned when he says :

"6. I want to say that the Malaysian embassy in Nigeria is as well corrupt and the ambassador there or whosoever that is in-charge of issuing of visa needs to be changed, because Malaysian visa is like going to seven eleven to buy cigarette, instead of the normal price of 1,000 Naira you need to pay 10 or 20,000 Naira, as long as you can afford that you have a visa to Malaysia without a proper interview,it doesn't matter what you are going to do in Malaysia."

I hope Wisma Putra will take note. Here are Mr Kennedy's comments.

By Kennedy .W

Good day Mr Syed

I read your article on the internet (TIME TO CURB THE AFRICAN MENACE IN MALAYSIA)

regarding to Africans and particularly Nigerians and i wish to write down my thoughts regarding to that.

I am actually a Nigerian and sometimes things that i read about fellow Nigerians really bothers me a lot, Not only that,the kind of attitudes and life styles of some of our Nigerian here in Malaysia is nothing to write about. Sometimes they are becoming a threat to we Nigerians too.

Firstly before i make myself clear,I want to state clearly that there are still a lot of innocent Nigerian youths who are here in Malaysia for studies. I also know a lot of Nigerians who comes in to Malaysia every month for a legal businesses, some of them comes here to purchase used/second handed car spare parts and other things,and they goes back to Nigeria after their business. What i am trying to say here is that all Africans/Nigerians in Malaysia cannot be generalized.

Secondly, I want to say that the Malaysian authorities especially the immigration has failed to do their job properly.

1. The immigration has failed to find out from the Nigerians coming into Malaysia how much money they are bringing here,some of them comes here without nothing but only a 100usd to bribe the immigration.

2. The immigration has failed to check their travel itinerary/return ticket.

3. To check their accommodation.

4. Purpose of coming in to Malaysia.

5. I see no reason why a Nigerian has to come into Malaysia from any other neighboring country without having to obtain a visa from his or her home country. Unless the person is already holding a long term visa in Malaysia.

6. I want to say that the Malaysian embassy in Nigeria is as well corrupt and the ambassador there or whosoever that is in-charge of issuing of visa needs to be changed, because Malaysian visa is like going to seven eleven to buy cigarette, instead of the normal price of 1,000 Naira you need to pay 10 or 20,000 Naira, as long as you can afford that you have a visa to Malaysia without a proper interview,it doesn't matter what you are going to do in Malaysia.

I can go on and on but i need to make it short hence the instruction said (Please keep your articles brief) What i am trying to say here is that, for Malaysians to curb the African menace in Malaysia or to get rid of the bad eggs among us, it has to work with Nigerians. Few years ago Singapore has the same problem but i want to tell you that the few Nigerians living in Singapore now are those who are responsible and who are in Singapore for a proper reason, either running their business and married or expatriates.

So, I suggest that to get rid of the bad Nigerians, deal with them accordingly and send them back to Nigeria, there is a need for Malaysians to get few Nigerians involved because majority of us knows those bad ones,but a times there is nothing we can do than to just avoid them.

Thanks, and if further info is needed please get in touch.

Regards.

Arabs Liwat 'Small Brother' Khazanah

I received an early sms today alerting me about an article in the Forum of Utusan Malaysia today.

The article by Rakyat Johor Prihatin is well researched and very well written. Lately there are many strange things going in Johor. To cut a long story short - it involves thievery. Either State money or State wealth that belongs to the people of Johor; or it is taxpayers funds that belongs to the people of Malaysia is being whisked away by the truckloads.

Here are the main points of the article. My comments in brackets.

Hartanah Medini mencurigakan?

RAKYAT JOHOR PRIHATIN,

Johor Bahru

LANGKAH diambil Khazanah Nasional (Khazanah) dalam urusan korporat sudah tentu mendapat perhatian umum kerana bukan saja ia milik Kementerian Kewangan, tetapi setiap perjanjian jual beli yang dibuat oleh Khazanah melibatkan wang berbilion ringgit.

Persoalannya, siapakah di dalam kerajaan yang memantau kegiatan Khazanah? Pemantauan di sini bukan sekadar mendapatkan taklimat atau penjelasan daripada Khazanah. Tetapi, siapakah di dalam kerajaan yang membuat analisis atau kajian terperinci mengenai tindakan-tindakan Khazanah sebelum kelulusan diberikan terhadap langkah-langkah korporat mereka?

(My comments : Jawapannya tidak ada siapa pun yang memantau Khazanah Nasional. I believe there is one infamous Minister who still sticks his nose into Khazanah's affairs - from the time of the corrupt Slumberjack until now. ALL the major appointees in Khazanah are his cronies or kaki bodek. There is only one small problem : this Minister will not know a business from the backside of a cow. That is the main problem. That is also why Khazanah Nasional gets involved in all sorts of brainless business deals - and now hanky panky as well).

Khazanah pembangunan wilayah Iskandar Malaysia - di kawasan Nusajaya - UEM Land dan Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB). Kedua-dua syarikat ini memiliki 24,000 ekar

UEM Land disenaraikan di Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur

IIB pula diwujudkan untuk menjadi pemaju besar kawasan Iskandar Malaysia

IIB adalah Medini yang terletak bersebelahan dengan Kota Iskandar. Tanah seluas 2,200 ekar ini pada asalnya adalah tanah UEM yang disuntik masuk oleh Khazanah ke dalam IIB.

Mei 2008, IIB menandatangani perjanjian Medini dengan Mubadala dari Abu Dhabi dan Kuwait Finance House dari Kuwait AS$ 1.2 bilion, atau RM4.2 bilion

(My comments : Folks I wrote about these 'sheikhy' Middle Eastern investment friends of Khazanah. After four years, habuk pun depa tak invest. The RM4.2 Billion has not come in from the Arabs. Instead - the Arabs have been paid money, our money. Duit depa tak masuk, tapi duit kita depa boleh ambil pula. Do read on).

Hampir empat tahun berlalu, Medini menyaksikan beberapa pengumuman tentang komitmen pelaburan di dalam projek perumahan, taman tema Legoland, pusat membeli-belah dan hospital swasta.

Baru-baru ini Khazanah mengumumkan projek kerjasama mereka dengan Temasek dan Sunway untuk membangunkan Zon E dan F di Medini.

Namun, terdapat desas-desus di Johor mengenai Medini yang sepatutnya diselidiki oleh kerajaan - merujuk kepada bagaimana Medini telah menjadi satu skema projek hartanah yang mencurigakan.

OK the shockers start coming now.

persoalan atas dasar apakah IIB mewujudkan syarikat Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MIMSB) melalui kerjasama dengan sebuah syarikat British Virgin Island bernama UWI Capital (One) Ltd, yang diwakili oleh seorang warga asing dalam nisbah 75:25?

Sekiranya warga asing itu telah membantu IIB mendapatkan kedua-dua konsortium Arab melabur di Medini, bukankah lebih patut beliau dibayar komisen 2-3% daripada nilai pelaburan yang dibawa masuk, dan tertakluk kepada jumlah sebenar yang dibayar oleh pelabur-pelabur ini. Mengapa perlu memberi individu ini saham 25% di dalam Medini?

(My comments : A very good question. UWI Cap (One) in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) ? Why set up a company in the British Virgin Islands? Hot money from gun runners, drug dealers, Third World dictators and other mysterious people is also parked in the British Virgin Islands. Why is Khazanah Nasional Bhd involved in this type of mystery transactions? This is taxpayers' money.

And why give this mystery foreigner a 25% stake in Medini Iskandar Malaysia S/B? Why not pay him the usual 2% or 3% commission only AFTER he brings in the Arab money.

Jangan lupa, MIMSB has 2,200 acres of prime land worth RM4.2 Billion in 2008. 25% of that should be worth RM1.05 Billion. So has this mystery foreigner from the British Virgin Islands connection paid any of the RM1.05 Billion for his 25% stake in MIMSB? Folks, you know and I know that no such money would have been paid. This is Khazanah Nasional we are talking about. Depa punya bodoh - beruk pun terkejut.)

And read this :

Yang lebih menghairankan, individu ini juga mewakili dua syarikat British Virgin Island lain - Alpha Four dan Alpha Five Ltd yang memegang 10% di dalam kedua-dua konsortium Arab yang melabur di Medini. Bukankah ini bermaksud individu ini mengaut keuntungan daripada penjual (Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.) dan pembeli (Mubadala dan Kuwait Finance House)?

(MY comments : Wow. Ini betul style Arab kut - depa main depan belakang !! First the mystery guy gets 25% of Medini Iskandar Msia SB - held thru the BVI registered UWI Cap (One). Then this mystery guy also has 10% stakes (thru more BVI mystery companies) in Mubadalla and Kuwait Finance House.

This mystery foreign guy now is connected to THREE mysterious British Virgin Island companies. Just what the hell is Khazanah Nasional getting involved in? Ini bukan high finance bro. Itu Pak Arab tipu sama awak semua lah. They are really making little brothers out of you dunggus yang tak tahu niaga. High finance konon).

Umum mengetahui individu berkenaan dilantik menjadi ahli lembaga pengarah di dalam ketiga-tiga syarikat ini, sehingga menimbulkan persoalan, siapakah sebenarnya individu ini? Apakah beliau memegang kepentingan orang-orang lain yang tidak dapat diketahui disebabkan kesemua syarikat pesisir (offshore) yang diwakilinya berpangkalan di British Virgin Island?

(My comments : Why does Khazanah get involved in shady deals which only "menimbulkan persoalan"?)

This next point by Rakyat Johor Prihatin is critical :

Persoalan kedua ialah apakah usaha-usaha yang telah dilakukan oleh konsortium-konsortium Arab dalam menarik pelaburan Asia Barat ke Medini? Jika dikaji semula keratan akhbar mengenai projek-projek Medini, hampir semuanya melibatkan Khazanah dan anak-anak syarikatnya sendiri.

(MY comments : What this means is that the Arabs have not invested the money. Itu RM4.2 Billion investment deal signed in 2008 dah jadi hot-hot chicken sh*t saja. They have gone kaput. After the Arab Spring last year, all the Arab sheikhs are holding their money closer to their chests now - just in case someone takes a swipe at their heads. They are not going to part with their money. So no RM4.2 billion has come into Medini from the Arabs.

To digress a little, why the hell call it Medini? Pasal apa depa ini suka sangat anta, enta, unta, Medini and all this Arab crap. Why not call just it the Tanjong Puteri Development? Apa salahnya gunakan nama Melayu? Ini bukan Tanah Melayu lagi ke? Mungkin betul juga cakap Khoo Khay Kim - Melayu pun pendatang. Tak tahu asal usul - sekarang dia nak jadi Arab pula)

Anyway all the investment in Medini is now being undertaken using our own taxpayers' money. Khazanah Nasional is blowing our taxpayers funds.

Sebagai contoh

projek pusat membeli-belah di Zon A Medini akan diusahakan oleh UEM Land (anak syarikat Khazanah)

projek hospital Gleaneagles adalah milik Khazanah

projek pembangunan bercampur di Zon E dan F pun akan diusahakan oleh syarikat kerjasama Khazanah dengan Temasek dan Sunway.

(So at the end of the day, duit Arab habuk pun tak ada. Semua pakai duit rakyat - taxpayers money. This is the "nenek tua" business model. Just take unlimited amounts of taxpayers funds and throw it down the toilet. If the money runs out, just get more 'taxpayers funds'. Even the Legoland has been built using our taxpayers money - no Arab money involved.)

Taman tema Legoland pun tidak boleh dilihat sebagai pelaburan asing ke Medini kerana sebahagian besar kos pembinaan RM720 juta dibiayai oleh pinjaman mudah kerajaan dan dana mudahcara. Ini bermaksud pembayar cukailah yang membiayai projek tersebut.

Now we come to the really sick parts. Please read this carefully:

Sekiranya tiada usaha sebenar yang dilakukan oleh kedua-dua konsortium Arab untuk membawa masuk pelabur-pelabur Asia Barat ke Medini, dan ditambah pula dengan kenyataan bahawa Khazanah yang akhirnya melabur di Medini melalui anak-anak syarikatnya sendiri, mengapa perlu mewujudkan beberapa syarikat orang tengah?

(So if the Arab money and that RM4.2 Billion Arab investment agreement has not materialised why are these British Virgin Island mystery characters still involved?)

Mengapa Khazanah tidak terus menjual tanah kepada Khazanah-Sunway JV? Mengapa transaksi tanah ini perlu melalui pelbagai syarikat tengah seperti IIB, Medini Iskandar Malaysia dan konsortium Arab? Bukankah ini membolehkan warga asing yang disebut tadi mengaut keuntungan daripada syarikat-syarikat orang tengah ini?

(MY comments : Alamak its a scam job. So now even when Medini sells land to Malaysian property developers, the mysterious British Virgin Island middle men - who have failed to bring in the Arab money - still get a cut or commissions from the land sales!! Banyak cantik. This is where the Arabs are liwatting Khazanah and Khazanah is liwatting us the Malaysian taxpayer).

The next one is really sickening. Folks this is kena liwat in public. It will not be difficult to get more than four witnesses of sound mind and body to witness this type of public liwatting.)

Persoalan ketiga yang perlu diselidiki ialah sekiranya Khazanah sendiri yang melabur di dalam projek Legoland, hospital swasta dan pusat membeli-belah di Zon A Medini, apakah ini bermaksud Khazanah atau IIB membeli semula tanah yang pada asalnya dijual kepada konsortium Arab? Desas-desus di Johor mengatakan bahawa IIB terpaksa membeli semula sebahagian dari tanah-tanah yang dijual kepada konsortium Mubadala akibat dari perjanjian berat sebelah yang ditandatangani oleh Khazanah bagi pihak IIB.

(My comments : So the Arabs signed a deal to invest RM4.2 Billion to buy and develop the land. But their money never turned up or only some of it turned up. In the meantime, Khazanah decided to develop the land by itself. They couldnt wait for the Arabs. So this means Khazanah had to buy back the land from their Arab partners as well - at a higher price. Possibly the same land for which the Arabs have not paid for yet or not paid in full. This means the Arabs make buta money. They sign the S&P, they dont pay in full, or they dont pay at all, then they sell back the S&P to Khazanah at a profit. They pocket the diference. Why is Khazanah so unbelievably stupid?

This is what happens when you put budak hingus tak tahu niaga in charge of billions of Ringgit, supervised by a Minister who has been tainted by surrounding himself with corrupt staff and having lost billions of taxpayers funds throughout his career. And he wont know a bad business deal from a hole in the ground.)

Apa yang perlu disiasat ialah apakah harga tanah yang dibeli semula oleh IIB lebih tinggi dari harga yang dijual kepada konsortium Mubadala? Jika ini benar, bukankah ia boleh membawa maksud konsortium Mubadala mendapat untung atas angin daripada perjanjian jual-beli dengan IIB.

(My comments : And now the Mubadalla Arabs will take this buta money and invest it in the Sg Besi Redevelopment - where they are considered the 'Big Brother' - according to the CEO of Mubadalla - another budak hingus. Ya Allah is it that easy to perbodohkan these Khazanah dunggus?)

Satu lagi yang perlu diketahui ialah apakah konsortium-konsortium Arab ini mematuhi jadual pembayaran kepada MIMSB? Desas-desus di Johor ada mengatakan bahawa MIMSB dibebankan dengan masalah aliran tunai akibat kelewatan pembayaran oleh kedua-dua konsortium Arab ini, yang mungkin berkait dengan kegagalan mereka menarik pelabur asing ke Medini.

(My comments : I think I raised this same question about this about two years ago - when the 1 Malaysia development and the Sg Besi airbase redevelopment was being spoken about. I recall asking if these Arabs will have funds to undertake all these investments - considering all the problems in the Middle East. Looks like what I feared has come true - habuk pun tak ada from the Pak Arab).

Kegagalan membawa masuk pelabur lain ke Medini jugalah yang menyebabkan mereka terpaksa menjual semula atau memulangkan sebahagian tanah Medini kepada IIB dan MIMSB. Dalam hal sebegini, Khazanah perlu telus dengan memberitahu berapa banyakkah tanah Medini yang telah dijual balik atau dipulangkan semula kepada IIB dan anak-anak syarikatnya.

Apakah harga jualan kepada konsortium Arab ini masih kekal pada harga AS$ 1.2 bilion?

(MY comments : Arab itu pandai. Khazanah bodoh. Do you think they will just return the land or give it back to you for the same price? With all the infratsructure that has already been put into the land by the Gomen - using our taxpayers funds - the land value would have increased. The Pak Arab will ask for a higher price to "memulangkan sebahagian tanah Medini". Khazanah bodoh).

Sejauh manakah pengurangan dari jumlah asal ini sekiranya terdapat sebahagian tanah yang telah dijual balik atau dipulangkan semula kepada IIB atau MIMSB?

(MY comments : Kurang sangat. Khaznah bodoh)

And here is another shocker :

Yang menghairankan, walaupun MIMSB menghadapi masalah aliran tunai akibat kelewatan pembayaran dan pemulangan semula sebahagian tanah Medini oleh Mubadala, syarikat tersebut masih boleh membayar dividen sebanyak RM475 juta pada 2008? Perlu diingatkan, 25% daripada dividen ini ialah milik syarikat British Virgin Island yang diwakili oleh individu berkenaan. Mengapa MIMSB tidak sabar-sabar mahu mengagihkan dividen pada tahun tersebut sedangkan bayaran daripada konsortium-konsortium Arab belum diterima sepenuhnya.

(My comments : Ayo Mama! The Pak Arab have not paid their moneys in full. As a result MIMSB faced cash flow problems. Then MIMSB resold the land at a higher price and then MIMSB even declared dividends of RM475 million in 2008. The mystery British Virgin Island shareholder (25% stake) would have got RM118.0 million. Without doing anything, without delivering the Arab investors into Iskandar. Khazanah kena liwat)

Bukankah fokus sepatutnya diberikan untuk membelanjakan wang ke arah pembinaan infrastruktur Medini, bukannya pengagihan dividen? Apakah IIB membeli balik tanah pada harga lebih mahal daripada Temasek dan Sunway? Mengenai penjualan semula tanah Medini kepada IIB, Khazanah juga perlu telus mengenai berapakah harga tanah yang dibeli balik oleh IIB daripada konsortium Mubadala. Harga ini perlu dibandingkan dengan harga yang dibayar oleh syarikat kerjasama Khazanah dengan Temasek dan Sunway untuk Zon E dan F Medini.

(MY comments : Pak Arab pandai. Khazanah bodoh. So no need to guess - Khazanah bought back the land at a higher price)

Mengikut apa yang dilaporkan di Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur, harga yang dibayar untuk Zon E dan F ialah lebih kurang RM25 sekaki persegi kawasan lantai kasar (Gross Floor Area). Berapakah harga yang dibayar oleh IIB?

Sekiranya IIB membeli semula tanah dari konsortium Mubadala pada harga yang lebih tinggi (dalam nilai RM sebenar, bukan USD) daripada apa yang dibayar oleh Sunway dan Temasek, ini bermaksud IIB disepit oleh perjanjian berat sebelah yang ditandatangani oleh Khazanah.

(My comments : Bukan saja IIB disepit tapi IIB telah diliwat oleh Pak Arab - dengan terang terang di tepi Pantai Lido, sambil mendengar lagu Tanjung Puteri).

Bagaimana pula dengan pemulangan semula sebahagian tanah Medini kepada MIMSB? Siapakah yang dilantik oleh MIMSB atau anak syarikatnya sebagai ejen untuk mencari pelabur-pelabur asing ke Medini? Desas-desus orang Johor menceritakan bahawa sebuah syarikat tempatan yang dilantik menjadi ejen hartanah untuk pihak MIMSB. Dikatakan bahawa syarikat itu mendapat hak eksklusif untuk menjadi ejen hartanah pada kadar komisyen 30%.

(My comments : Wow. Mula Pak Arab liwat Khazanah makan saham 25%. Sekarang 'syarikat tempatan' pula akan dibenarkan meliwat Khazanah Nasional dengan bayaran 30% komisyen)

Banyak perkara lain yang boleh dibangkitkan di sini mengenai peliknya skema hartanah Medini yang diuruskan oleh Khazanah pada awal penubuhan IIB. Persoalan yang penting ialah apakah pemegang saham IIB yang lain - Kumpulan Wang Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) dan Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KPRJ) - diberi taklimat jelas mengenai risiko-risiko ini? Kita semua mengetahui KWSP ialah sebuah institusi pelaburan yang konservatif, tidak mungkin skema hartanah sebegini boleh diluluskan oleh Panel Pelaburan KWSP, melainkan sekiranya kertas kerja Lembaga Pengarah IIB tidak menghuraikan risiko-risiko sebegini.

(MY comments : Bukan susah. The same Menteri who has been screwing the GLCs also has significant influence over the EPF. One of his kaki bodek from UEM has even been appointed to a senior 'Investment' position inside EPF).

Skema hartanah Medini yang dihuraikan di sini nyata sekali mencurigakan dan perlu disiasat. Transaksi-transaksi hartanah yang berlaku di Medini distrukturkan secara canggih dan rumit, berselindung di sebalik perjanjian-perjanjian jual-beli yang sukar difahami dan mengundang pelbagai soalan, seolah-olah terdapat konspirasi besar yang mahu mengaburi mata rakyat.

Sudah sampai masanya pihak kerajaan memantau lebih kuat syarikat-syarikat GLC. Memantau bukan bermaksud sekadar mendengar taklimat daripada syarikat-syarikat ini, tetapi menyiasat, mengkaji, membuat analisis dan membangkitkan soalan-soalan yang boleh memastikan tidak ada perjanjian berat sebelah yang menggadai kepentingan negara.

(My comments : Sdra Rakyat Prihatin Johor, jangan haraplah Kerajaan buat apa pun. Kalau Kerajaan ada sikit akal pun, sudah lama Menteri GLC itu bersama kaki-kaki bodek nya yang tidak tahu menahu pasal niaga atau bisnes dipecat dan diganti oleh orang lain yang lebih jujur, tidak tercemar reputasi mereka dan tidak tercemar tangan-tangan mereka.

Semalam kita dapat tahu Petronas telah membakar duit rakyat RM100 juta untuk membina jejantas pejalan kaki sepanjang 562 meter sahaja di Kuala Lumpur. Hari ini surat sdra Rakyat Prihatin Johor menjelaskan ratusan juta Ringgit wang rakyat telah dibazirkan atau disonglapkan hasil daripada kebodohan Khazanah Nasional Bhd. Percayalah tidak ada sebarang tindakan akan diambil. Kita akan terus kehilangan wang rakyat beratus dan berbillion Juta Ringgit.)

Petronas Blows A Hundred Million Ringgit !!

Here is the news from The Star

• Cool way to get around KLCC and Bukit Bintang in pedestrian walkway
• A fully air-conditioned RM100mil pedestrian walkway linking Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and Bukit Bintang, two major retail and tourism spots here, is open now.
• The walkway includes a 562m long and five-metre wide elevated walkway ..with escalator and staircase entry and exit points at strategic and convenient locations.
• The project was financed by Petronas under its social contribution programme.
• It links the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre to Impiana KLCC Hotel, and the hotel to the Pavilion bridge crossing at Bukit Bintang.

Folks, RM100 million is a mind boggling amount of money for a 562 metre long walkway.

Lets do some arithmetic : 562m x 5m = 2810 sq. metres. One sq. metre = 10.76 sq feet. So 2810 sm x 10.76 sq ft = 30,235 sq ft.

Petronas has paid RM100.0 million / 30,235 sq ft. = RM3,307 per sq foot (psf) of pedestrian walkway !! Ayo Mama. That is a lot of money.

I do some development work too. Lets do some comparions:

A medium sized bungalow house in KL and the Klang Valley should have a built up area of about 5,000 sq ft. (Smaller than that is Semi-D already). So Petronas' 30,235 sq. ft pedestrian walkway has the floor area of about six medium sized bungalow houses only. Bukan lah besar sangat pun.

The price of a 5,000 sq. ft. bungalow house in say 6000 sq feet of land in non prime areas in the Klang Valley like Country Heights, Kajang (not in Bangsar, Damansara Hts or Kiara ok) should be around RM2.5 - RM2.8 million. This means the psf selling price of the bungalow is about RM500 - RM560 per sq foot. of built up house area.

Six such bungalows (30,000 sf total built up area) can be bought for between RM15.0 - RM16.8 million. This would include land cost, fairly up market fixtures and finishings, at least six bathrooms each and even a jacuzzi in the master bath.

Lets also compare some condominium selling prices in upmarket areas in KL. Here are some psf condominium prices in Kiaramas and Bangsar.

1. KIARAMAS SUTERA penthouse & deluxe units at Mont Kiara 4,000sf. Few units fr RM1.5M onwards.

My comment : This works out to about RM375 only per sq ft.

2. SENI MONT Kiara. Brand new 6star. 19th flr 3541 sqft. 4+tv room+1. Rent RM9K or sale RM750/ sqf. Negotiable.

My comment : Wow, this is 6 star, brand new and it is selling for RM750 per sq foot and NEGOTIABLE.

3. BANGSAR MENARA Bangsar. Extensively renovated unit on lower floor. 1650sf. Modern fitted kitchen, brand new bathrooms, ceiling etc. Move in condition RM1.15m ono ..

My comment : this works out to about RM700 per sq ft.

In comparison Petronas has paid RM 3,307 psf of pedestrian walkway - almost SIX times the psf price of a six star condominium in Mont Kiara.

I dont think Petronas suffered any land acquisition cost (it is elevated above the road). Yes the construction is elevated, light weight steel box girder. The walkway is designed for pedestrians, not cars, buses or lorries. This means the load bearing structures should be fairly light (hence it should cost much less).

I dont think it is paved with 916 gold either. And there are no Jacuzzis provided in case the ever increasing number of KL's vagrants who do populate some of the other walkways at nite, want to take a bath or have a water massage.

Petronas paid RM100.0 million or RM3,307 psf for a 30,285 sq. ft. pedestrian walkway. If you ask me, this type of costing is worse than the lembu condo. Someone had a very early Christmas.

M'sia's Wimbledon Hopefuls Plus The Fabulous Five

Folks I heard the most hilarious thing a few weeks back. Did you know that Dato Nallakaruppan and Anwar Ibrahim were at one time Malaysia's hopefuls for tennis doubles at Wimbledon? The people who had such high hopes for Dato Nalla and Anwar were no other than former senior ranking ABIM people. I met one such person a few weeks back. He was among the top five ranking ABIM leaders in his heyday.

Not surprisingly - along with other ex "very close friends and supporters" of Anwar Ibrahim like Dato Nalla, Zul Noordin, Zahrain Hashim, at least three members of the legal team, and even the 'bela jin' professor - this ex-senior ABIM leader whom I met has also broken ranks with Anwar.

And when I say 'broken ranks' it is an understatement. This man is now 180 degrees on the other side. He now spends time educating many ABIMers as well as ex-ABIMers (who are feeling quite foolish right now) about Anwar Ibrahim's real credentials.

By the way, they say the 'bela jin' professor saw that video too and almost fainted. He confirmed the actor but he regretted not being able to finger the actress. Oh well.

Back to Wimbledon, the ex-ABIM man said since Dato Nalla was Anwar's "tennis partner" and they played tennis very hard for 10 years or 13 years, surely both of them should have been ready to represent Malaysia at Wimbledon. Well they did not. Maybe they could not get the right sized tennis racket?

We all know what they were really doing right? Dato Nalla was actually the world's leading expert on the economics of nuclear power stations and stabilising the national power grid. Between sets on the tennis court, he could let fly about a thing or two which no one else could.

Now lets talk about the Fabulous Five. These are the superheroes who have now come to life in Malaysia. Malaysia Boleh.

The five superheroes are Ummi Hafilda Ali, Dato Nallakaruppan, Rahim Tambi Chik, Shuib Lazim and Dato Eskay. They are now untouchable - by Anwar Ibrahim. These five people have said enough shocking things about Anwar Ibrahim to justify another set of defamation suits of at least RM100.0 million each.

Ummi Hafilda is now the major attraction at ceramah around the country where she speaks totally unhindered and 'tidak berlapek' about the man who ordered the Police to detain and torture her because she just wrote a letter accusing him of immoral behaviour (for which he went to jail for six years). In fact Ummi's battle cry now seems to be 'Kenapa dia tak mahu saman saya'?

Rest assured Ummi, I dont think you will be sued in Court by Anwar Ibrahim at all. He will not dare. So you are untouchable.

The other untouchable by Anwar Ibrahim is Dato Nallakaruppan. Nalla has appeared on stage, in video and many other places where he says more shocking things about Anwar Ibrahim. And Nalla claims intimate knowledge of Anwar (they were training together for 10 years or 13 years remember - for Wimbledon).

Nalla too has challenged Anwar to sue him in Court. But until today, no action has been taken by Anwar. Nalla is another 'untouchable' for Anwar.

This list of people whom Anwar dares not sue in Court is growing. The latest group to join the Fabulous Five in Malaysia are Rahim Tambi Chik, Dato Eskay and Shuib Lazim.

Here are some links to the Utusan Malaysia which has reported statements from these people or about these people. The reason for my comment is because this issue is current - it appeared in yesterday's Utusan. Here are some of the links in Utusan:

Cabar Anwar saman 3 'orang rapat'

Enggan saman bukti ada kebenaran

Kenapa Anwar tak saman kami?

I also found this article :

Pendedahan Raja Petra sahkan 'tembelang' Anwar

These three super heroes are openly challenging Anwar Ibrahim to sue them for slander, libel or whatever. But you and I know that no such thing will take place. Just like Ummi Hafilda and Dato Nalla, these three are also "untouchable" by Anwar Ibrahim.

And there is possibly another video production in the pipe. Tiny parts of the video have been posted on the Net. Maybe that 'bela jin professor' may feel like he wants to faint again.

With so much crap flying around why are there still people who "support" Anwar Ibrahim? I dont think anyone really supports him. They are pretending - at an increasing pace now.

There is one group that wants to break the Malay domination of national politics at all costs. This can only be achieved by dividing the Malay vote. 'Over my dead body' DAP is even willing to sleep around with PAS. But PAS has not been able to split the Malay vote enough. So now this group looks to Anwar Ibrahim as the saw horse to help them achieve their objective.

We can easily see the simplicity behind this strategy. In politics and war anything goes. The only problem is their "saw horse" is becoming more 'saw' than horse. So be careful, you can cut yourself really bad. Anwar Ibrahim is now losing the Malay support. People are getting tired of all the crap. They want to move on.

There has to be more to a leader than just fending off an endless series of 'thats not me.." accusations. And there has to be more to life than the urge to identify with such a leader.

A.B.I.M. : "I support all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel"

Folks, Anwar Bin Ibrahim (aka A.B.I.M. in brief) has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal today. Here is the link where you can read the article in full. Its the usual Anwar Ibrahim tripe.

Anwar Says Appeal Won't Derail His Bid

KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he isn't worried about state prosecutors' move to appeal a court decision acquitting him of sodomy earlier this month, and said he remains confident it won't derail his campaign to lead a new government to power in elections expected later this year.

He said the appeal process, which began Jan. 20, would likely take at least six months, meaning it could loom over and outlast the election campaign.

Mr. Anwar said he believes the election is unlikely to take place later than June.

If elected, Mr. Anwar said he will accelerate privatizations

Mr. Najib has also embarked on a series of sales of government assets to spur growth. Earlier this month, a government state investment fund sold its stake in car marker Proton Holdings

And here is Wall Street Journal bullshit :

"Once a high-ranking member of the United Malays National Organization that has run Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957, he was sacked from the party and lost his post as deputy prime minister after challenging former leader Mahathir Mohamad in the 1990s. He was subsequently charged with sodomizing his driver and his speechwriter, and spent six years in prison before his conviction was overturned."

(This is Wall Street Journal bullshit. In the first trial, he was found guilty for the corrupt abuse of power of ordering the Police to break down a house and grab Ummi Hafilda Ali for writing a signed letter to the Prime Minister complaining that he (Anwar) was involved in immoral activities. Acting on his orders the Police confined Ummi Hafilda Ali and forced her to retract her letter and sign a forced confession denying what she had written earlier. For this abuse of power, Anwar was found guilty in the Court and jailed for six years.)

In the interview, Mr. Anwar also clarified his position on homosexual rights and Malaysia's sodomy laws, and also the Muslim-majority nation's relationship with Israel.

"I support all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel," said Mr. Anwar

Still, Mr. Anwar said that Malaysia's sodomy laws are "archaic" and could be amended.

"It is not my business to attack people or arrest people based on their sexual orientation," he said.

Folks, I am not saying anything about these last two points. But what do the ABIM boys (Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia) have to say?

Pak Sheikh kata : "I support all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel". ABIM kata apa?

Pak Sheikh kata : "..Malaysia's sodomy laws are "archaic" and could be amended. . . "It is not my business to attack people or arrest people based on their sexual orientation," he said."

ABIM kata apa?

A 60 Year Toll Concession??

Yes that is what I read in the paper today. Here is the Star

• KEuro unit gets nod to build RM7b Banting-Taiping highway
• 64.2%-owned subsidiary West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd (WCE)
• 316km highway between Banting, Selangor and Taiping, Perak
• estimated cost of RM7.07bil.
• approval letter from the Public Private Partnership Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department for the project
• comes with a 60-year concession.
• 224km, of the highway will be tolled, while 92km will be toll-free.
• To enhance the viability of the project, Government would extend support loan of RM2.24bil, commencing in 2013 at an interest rate of 4% a year,
• and an interest subsidy of up to 3% from commercial loans for a period of 22 years.
• toll revenue in excess of an agreed traffic volume would be shared on a 70:30 basis between the Government and WCE until the full settlement of the loan, after which the ratio would be adjusted to 30:70.
• land acquisition cost of up to RM980mil would be borne by the Government

Wow! A 60 year toll concession? I will be 112 years old when this concession comes to an end. Of course if it is further extended then I will be even older. As far as I am concerned, as a road user and taxpayer, the Goverment might just as well grant them Freehold status over the highway. Or do a "Nga Kor Ming" and give them a 999 year concession. It makes no difference.

What the dickens is the Public Private Partnership Unit? Members only ke? How do I get in?

Folks, we really have to get away from awarding 30 year concessions, 25 year concessions and such even for 'maintenance' contracts. And a 60 year concession is definitely too much.

Why should a company that services and maintains cars (sometimes by 'outsourcing' it to the Chinaman car mechanic) be given a 'service and maintenance contract' for 20 years or 30 years? Tiga tahun cukuplah. Bukan semua kereta dia service sendiri pun. If you give contracts like that, nenek tua pun boleh buat.

The 'outsourcing' mechanic can charge the nenek tua RM100. The nenek tua charges the Gomen RM200 and pockets the RM100 difference. That is not even business. The nenek tua will simply throw away her crutches and settle down permanently in a brand new wheel chair, crippled for life. With this type of easy money, any capacity she had at all will be destroyed completely.

Let me share some other thoughts on this. Any economic enterprise that the human being may undertake must have a payback period. Here is some copy paste -

"Payback period in capital budgeting refers to the period of time required for the return on an investment to "repay" the sum of the original investment. For example, a $1000 investment which returned $500 per year would have a two year payback period. The time value of money is not taken into account. Payback period intuitively measures how long something takes to "pay for itself." All else being equal, shorter payback periods are preferable to longer payback periods".

It is generally accepted that a fast moving nasi lemak stall can have a payback period of just a few hours. The kakak or makcik invests say RM100 in fish, chicken, veges, etc. Plus her RM35.00 plastic table and some plastic containers. She sells her nasi lemak from 6:30 am till 10:00 am and makes RM270.00 in sales. Her untung (gross) is RM135.00. She has paid back her entire investment in just three and a half hours. That is a very good business.

For a factory producing metal parts, furniture, textiles etc the payback period can be longer. Three years is not impossible. Seven years is possible. Going beyond 10 years is not attractive. Few businessmen want to start a factory where they have to wait 10 years to get their money back (they may not be alive in 10 years). These are all rule of thumb ok, I know there are many of you number crunchers out there.

Other economic projects like bridges, dams, airports and highways have much longer payback periods. The rate of return on infrastructure projects like roads and airports may be only 2% or 4% per year. Why? They are high cost investments - you have to pour and pour tons of concrete, cement, tar and stuff but the annual "revenues" generated are little compared to the total cost.

Infrastructure projects may take 20 years or 25 years to payback the investment and also to make a decent profit. That is why infrasructure investments are usually undertaken by Governments. The private sector has little stomach for such long term investments - unless there are massive subsidies thrown in - like in this road project.

But a 60 year concession is a tad too long especially for a toll road project - anywhere on the surface of the earth. Please note that the Government's interest rate subsidy for their commercial loans is only granted for 22 years - meaning the entire commercial loan may be repaid in 22 years or less. This also means that the payback period must also be less than 22 years. So why extend the concession for 60 years? When it was first awarded, even the much longer and super duper North South Hiway concession did not go to 30 years.

For this project the Government is giving a support loan of RM2.24 Billion at 4%. Wow. Then another interest subsidy of 3% from commercial loans for 22 years !! Cool.

1% of RM1.0 Billion is RM10.0 million. 3% of RM1.0 billion is RM30.0 Million. Katakanlah they borrow RM2.0 billion commercial loans from the banks. This means the Gomen must pay RM60.0 million a year in interest subsidy. For 22 years it will add up to about RM 1.32 Billion (plus minus).

Then the Government will also undertake the land acquisition cost - thats another RM980.0 million.

So RM2.24 Billion support loan + RM980 million land acquisition + say RM1.3 Billion interest subsidy adds up to over RM4.0 billion in Government support over 22 years. And on top of that, the public will have to pay toll for 60 years.

The project costs RM7.0 Billion - why not the Government just build the highway by itself? The Government is already committing about RM4.0 Billion worth of money. The Government can easily borrow the balance RM3.0 billion and complete the project, with no toll burden on the public. Even Khazanah Nasional can borrow RM3.0 billion over one weekend.

The Government can repay the Bond in whatever time frame that is suitable. Please comment intelligently folks. I know for a FACT too many people in Government do not understand these things too well.

Alamak ! Another Corruption Scandal !

Folks remember I have said this before : NO MONEY NO RELIGION.

• Corruption scandal shakes Vatican as internal letters leaked
• 
  
• VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican was shaken by a corruption scandal Thursday after an Italian television investigation said a former top official had been transferred against his will after complaining about irregularities in awarding contracts.
• 
  
• Vigano, currently the Vatican's ambassador in Washington, said in the letters that when he took the job in 2009 he discovered a web of corruption, nepotism and cronyism linked to the awarding of contracts to outside companies at inflated prices.
• 
  
• In another letter to the pope on April 4, 2011, Vigano says he discovered the management of some Vatican City investments was entrusted to two funds managed by a committee of Italian bankers "who looked after their own interests more than ours."
• 
  
• LOSS OF $2.5 MILLION, 550,000 EURO NATIVITY SCENE
• 
  
• Vigano says in the same letter that in one single financial transaction in December, 2009, "they made us lose two and a half million dollars."
• 
  
• In one of the letters to the pope, Vigano said Vatican-employed maintenance workers were demoralized because "work was always given to the same companies at costs at least double compared to those charged outside the Vatican."
• 
  
• In early April, Vigano went over Bertone's head again and wrote directly to the pope, telling him that he had worked hard to "eliminate corruption, private interests and dysfunction that are widespread in various departments."

My question : so how will this affect the Vatican's score on the Corruption Perception Index or CPI? Still occupy pole position?

Dr M And Chua Soi Lek On 'Kekayaan Misteri'

Dr M all for Cabinet members to declare assets

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in favour of Cabinet members declaring their assets, but it should not be to the public.

“If the asset declaration is made public, then people will focus on that and not on unity or development.”

He also said those who become ministers must be honest. “If they feel they are not honest, please resign and don't wait to be kicked out.

Dr Mahathir was commenting on a suggestion by the MACC that Cabinet ministers declare their assets as well as that of their family to the MACC.

Here is Dr Chua Soi Lek

Yes to assets declaration

BATU PAHAT: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek supports the move to make ministers declare their assets to the MACC and hopes it will also cover top government officials, including ministry secretaries-general and directors-general.

He said the declaration, which should include that of spouses and family members, should be made to the prime minister and the MACC.

I am glad that both Tun Dr Mahathir and Chua Soi Lek the MCA president, agree that the MInisters, their spouses, family members and (as suggested by Chua) even top Government officials should do the same.

I think there is some momentum gathering here. Referring to the Cabinet Ministers, Dr Mahathir says “If they feel they are not honest, please resign and don't wait to be kicked out."

This refers to "INEXPLICABLE WEALTH" or kekayaan misteri. Wealth that cannot be explained. If it cannot be explained, then it must have been gotten by dishonest means. Kekayaan yang telah diperolehi secara misteri. Dr Mahathir says 'better resign now and dont wait to be kicked out'.

Another way of putting it is 'jangan berebut nak jadi calon sekali lagi'. Just withdraw quietly and disappear. It may save your neck - though there is no guarantee of that either (referring the Khir Toyo case). And I dont think 'I dont speak English' will save you in a Malaysian Court either (as opposed to an Australian Court).

The fight against corruption has to start from the top. Clean up those at the top and the downliners will also fall in place. If those at the top are drowning in KEKAYAAN MISTERI, that is not the best example for the lower liners.

The time has come where we cannot have Ministers, their spouses, topcats in Government service and the GLCs living a life of luxury and extravagance based on "inexplicable wealth". This thing has to stop now.

Shame On You Guan Eng

Actually I was wondering too how Lim Guan Eng could have raised RM630 million in such a short time to settle the State's debts to the Federal Government.

And the Federal Government guys were also sleeping on the job. Why couldnt someone speak up earlier and say that Guan Eng did not actually payback RM630.0 million. At last Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim has spoken up quite clearly.

It was just an adjustment in the books, an accounting entry only, a previously agreed upon settlement of outstandings (before the DAP came to power in Penang), a trade off for water treatment plant assets. It was NOT a cash payment by Guan Eng to the Federal Government. Here is the news :

Guan Eng should stop claiming he helped settle RM630mil loan, says Donald Lim

PETALING JAYA: The DAP-run Penang Government was only able to record a positive budget because it shifted its RM630mil debt to the Federal Government, said the Finance Ministry.

Deputy Minister Datuk Donald Lim, who disclosed this, said it was wrong for Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to mislead the public into thinking that the state had settled the loan on its own.

The deputy minister explained that the state debt was actually transferred to the Federal Government following a water restructuring agreement that was initiated even before Pakatan Rakyat came to power in Penang.

Under the rationalisation scheme, the state must pay interest-free rental of RM14.6 mil annually for a period of 45 years, he said.

Lim said this in response to Guan Eng's claim that the Penang government had successfully reduced its debt by 95% from RM630mil in March 2008 to RM30mil in Oct last year through prudent and transparent financial management.

Guan Eng had said in an article uploaded on his blog that it was the highest debt reduction recorded in a state in Malaysian history. (Fuiyyo!!)

Lim said Guan Eng should stop claiming credit that he has helped deplete the hefty loan.

“Guan Eng has not generated such a high revenue to pay off the huge debt within such a short period of time,” he added.

Lim said Guan Eng should be ashamed for telling half-truths for cheap political mileage.

“It goes to show that Guan Eng's Competency, Accountability and Transparency policy is a mere gimmick,” he added.

According to the Finance Ministry, Penang's outstanding loan of RM655.25mil owed to the Federal Government was rationalised by alienating state land-related water assets to Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PABB).

Under the agreement, PAAB will become water asset owners after buying the water infrastructure from the states. In exchange for these assets, PAAB will assume Penang's outstanding Federal water supply loans of an equivalent sum.

highest debt reduction !! Sudahlah Guan Eng. Shame on you for misleading people like this. These are cheap tricks.

Hang Tuah, Hang Myth & Hang Khalsa

There is a good write up about Hang Tuah in today's Star here, titled "Is Hang Tuah fact or fiction?" I have taken certain points from the article and added my comments. Here goes :

1. "Even Indonesians acknowledge his existence. (Is this an) effort to discredit Malay history?”

My comments : Hang Tuah is not just a figure from Malacca but in Riau the legends of Hang Tuah are well known. There is a Jalan Hang Tuah in Pekan Baru in Riau. The Riau people call their country 'Riau - Tanah Melayu Lancang Kuning'. Here is a picture of the Masjid An Nur in Pekanbaru, Riau which is located at one Jalan Hang Tuah area (this is from Google but I have also been to Pekanbaru, Riau).

The Malay Civilisation has strong roots in Riau. (Err that is why this part of the world is called the Malay Archipelago. From the northern tip of Sumatera to the eastern tip of Borneo is over 2000 miles. "Sumatera" is a corruption of the Malay "Samudera" and "Borneo" is a corruption of the Malay 'Brunei'.)

Also plus the fact that "history" places Hang Tuah in the 15th century (about 600 years ago) which is fairly recent. The Dutch and British who appeared here in the 18th-19th centuries already heard these Hang Tuah stories as well.

Of course the stories about Hang Tuah are often too fantastic, certainly plenty of myth has been added to the story. We have to differentiate between his existence and the fantastic deeds he was supposed to have done. The two are not the same.

2. 'questions about his ethnicity and origin..'

My comment : The questions over Hang Tuah's ethnicity are more recent - post 1970, post NEP in Semenanjung Malaysia only. The five Malay warriors were Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekiu, Hang Kasturi and Hang Lekir. And there is also mention of a Chinese woman Hang Li Po.

The presence of the very Chinese Hang Li Po does seem to neutralise the comment which says that Hang Tuah and gang were Chinese. The advocates of the "Hang Tuah was Chinese" theory say that the name Hang Tuah was actually a Malacca Malay corruption of "Hung Too Ah" or something similar. And they say Hang Lekiu was Hung Lee Kiu. Well lets hang on to the 'hung' for a while ok.

Then how do we explain "Li Po" from the "Hang Li Po" which is a perfectly Chinese name? How come Hang Li Po was not corrupted by the same Malacca Malays to "Hang Lipat" or something like that?

And there is no way that Hang Kasthuri was a Chinese. Kasthuri was a 100% mamak name - saya punya gang. Dont believe me? Here is proof. There is a well known Kasthuri Palaykat Company in Jalan Masjid India. They have also been selling Kain Pelikat Cap Sauh in Jalan Masjid India since the 15th century I think.

So no way Hang Kasthuri was a Chinese. Kasthuri was mamak. Hang Tuah was likley Malay or a mamak campur as well. Dont forget that Malay - Mamak mixing has been going on for a very long time on the Peninsula and Sumatera. Folks in places as remote as Sri Menanti should have their DNAs profiled as well :)

There may not be records of Hang Li Po in China perhaps because she may have been not significant at all. The Chinese married off their girls to all sorts of people to establish friendship. Its no big deal. The Austrians did the same thing too. Remember Marie Antoinette? When the French lost their cool, she lost her head.

According to Gavin Menzies who wrote the book "1421 - The Year China Discovered The World" Chinese records show the arrival of a ship from Malacca way before the 14th century with over 500 people on board !! It is not just the early date that seems surprising but a ship that could take 500 people aboard must have been one massive vessel. There were few tourists then. People who travelled were either traders or conquerors. This means there were already long established trade routes between the Malay Archipelago and China which even predates Hang Tuah.

The Chinese also arrived in Sabah a long time ago. The Kinabatangan River takes its name from 'Chinese River' or 'Kina - batangan'. Chinese used to sail up the Kinabatangan to trade in birds nests. In short Hang Li Po was not the "discoverer" of Malacca for the Chinese.

3.

• several versions of the Sejarah Melayu (it is known that there are more than 20 versions)
• too many inconsistencies among the different versions.
• There were those who felt “betrayed” and asked if everything else they had learnt in History was false and mythical as well.
• If you deny Hang Tuah’s existence, it means you also deny the whole historical text of the ‘Sejarah Melayu’.
• 
  

My comments : These are the most important as well as most logical points about this Hang Tuah debate. No one knows what really happened in history. Hang Tuah goes back 600 years and we dont know myth from reality. Just go back to 1962 - who really killed John F Kennedy? Was it a lone assassin or was there a grand conspiracy? We cannot even answer questions about 1962.

A few weeks ago I wrote a Blog titled Sadaqallaah Al Azeem which questioned the Battle of Siffin - a catastrophic event in Islamic history which also caused the great divide between the Sunnis and the Shiahs. (Do read it again if you have time). Just like Hang Tuah or Jack Kennedy's assasination, we really dont know who did what to whom at the Battle of Siffin. We do not know the myth from the reality.

Some people really believe that their hero flew down from the sky and defeated another bad villain who had also flown down from the skies to torment people. Other people believe that their hero was the product of a union between their god and a virgin woman. Yet others really believe that their hero also flew through the sky on a hybrid animal (never seen hence) to get from Point A to Point B.

Folks I have just described at least three major religions here. If you say Hang Tuah was a myth, then what about your own beliefs? Are you saying that all your own beliefs are based on solid historical facts ? Langsung takde myth ke? Wahh ! Banyak cantik.

I think they are all myths. The whole world is confused because it runs on too many myths. So please dont get too carried away by all these grandfather tales. Dont start hating your neighbour today just because of what was done by or done to your own mythical hero about a thousand years ago.

Dont dislike your neighbour today because his great grandfather magically flew through the sky and cut off your great grandpas nose or your great grandpa jumped over a short horse in one big leap and cut off his grandpas ears. You know lah - stuff like that. Lets live in the real world ok. Do grow up.

4. “He is not a Malay supremacist, if anything, but a wandering diplomat who had no sense of superiority or arrogance towards others,” he says

My comments : Well if you are in Italy, there is no such thing as an Italian restaurant. All restaurants are Italian. In the same way, during Hang Tuah's time, there were only Malays living here - with transient Indians, Arabs and Chinese traders passing through.

Even if Hang Tuah felt supremacist, to whom would he have shown his supremacy? To the Javanese folks at Kampong Jawa by the Malacca River? Or the Kalinga folks folks at Tanjong Keling? Or the Mamak folks at Klebang (Keling Bang) in Malacca ? Or the Chinese folks at Lubok China? Why would Malay supremacists allow their land to be named Kampong Jawa, Tanjong Keling, Klebang (Keling Bang) and Lubok China? Can anyone explain this mystery. And no one has changed these names yet.

Now we come to the Raj Karega Khalsa part. You can see the stickers in the rear windscreens of cars driven by many Sikh people in Malaysia.

Raj Karega Khalsa means 'The Sikh Shall Always Rule'. In India, the Sikhs have an ongoing thing with the majority Hindus. They want to create a separate Sikh only nation called Khalistan. "Raj Karega Khalsa" is their Sikh nationalist slogan. (It has perhaps gone past them that a Sikh has now become the Prime Minister of Hindu majority India).

The fact that many Sikhs in Malaysia still identify very closely with Sikh nationalism in India does indicate an identity crisis. The stickers on the rear windscreen just say the words Raj Karega Khalsa - they seem innocent enough, especially in Malaysia where only the Sikhs (and me of course) understand what they are saying. But here are more militant versions of the "Raj Karega Khalsa" slogan from the Net.

The character holding the sword and the AK47s do not exactly represent your friendly neighborhood milk supplier or trial lawyer. And those three handsome heavily armed guys are not security guards at the Gillette factory either.

But imagine if Hang Tuah or Perkasa did the same thing. They will certainly be accused of being racial supremacists. I am quite certain of this.

I think this 'Malay supremacy' thing has been stretched too far by the more racist folks among us.

यदि मलायी supremacist थे वे तुम्हें फेंक दिया होगा एक लंबे समय सेपहले.बस म्यांमार, केन्या और युगांडा जैसे