One scam follows the other, taking the heat off the earlier scam. Of course, the hyper-active media moves on even as the earlier ‘huge scandal’ is consigned to the backburner, till it resurfaces.
This arrangement works beautifully for the perpetrators of scams. Gives them the breathing space and with the number of scams being exposed going up significantly, the person who has already been exposed knows once a new scam is unearthed, the focus would now be on others for quite a while and he/she can roam about as if nothing happened.
Just take a look at some of the scams unearthed in recent years.Why do we say “law and order” rather than “order and law”? Simple. Law comes before order. Law defines the nature of order. Law is the difference between civilization and chaos. Law is evolutionary: the edicts of tribes, chiefs and dynasties lifted human societies from scattered peril to structured coexistence. The laws of democracy have … Read more
Even a cursory glance would bear out what I said. Different scams, different times and different key dramatis personae. It almost seems that one was done to extricate the earlier one from a spot of bother. I may be over reacting or be at my pessimistic best, but such is the sorry state of affairs that even the current threat of
But these politicians have taken people for a ride far too long. As I have often said in the past, our politicians seem to live in dark ages. They do not realise that the world has moved on and the way they fool the gullible Indians since ages is no longer effective. The media may move on chasing in a newer case, but the huge social media, with its constantly growing base that is fast reaching a critical mass that few can ignore, is not that fickle.
Almost every scam is documented and available on open sources for anyone who wants to look into it. And that is not all. Just when one feels a particular scam is now destined for oblivion, someone points it out and it again becomes a talking point. Thank goodness for that. It is due to that alone that most of these scams may escape the prying media but not the vigilant citizen journalist. They serve as a constant reminder to all crooks that people are now more aware than ever and will not only not forget their misdeeds, but have the platform/s available to propagate their wrongdoings more than ever before. So all those who thought milking my nation and getting away with it was a breeze, THINK AGAIN!Abu Talib if A.G Gani incompetent.why Muhammad Shafee with prejudice ‘rarest of rare case’, An outgoing Chief Justice often reserves certain judgments, if they be so timed and be of such value, till his last day in office. It is an occasion more sublime than the one when he took oath. While taking oath, he … Read more
Najib is rewriting the rules of politics. His moves have rattled all those who have thus far thrived on setting their own rules that ensure that cozy relationships are formed and ‘respected’. Rules that ensure that you target an opponent’s wrongdoing, but stop short of calling a spade a spade. Everyone has been snug in belief that come what may, the real dirty secrets would not be played out in the open. The politicians, the bureaucrats and the industry too willy-nilly follow this unwritten rule.
The intention clearly was to have Tengku Adnan with his rapidly rising stock on their side and gain political mileage out of it. But after the initial greetings asked pointed and direct questions about why Najib remained quiet on certain issues when they had all the information, adding in good measure that the party was playing politics and waited till UMNO elections, clearly disregarding interests of Malays and suffering consumers who suffered all along..And it is this that is giving jitters to all those with the membership of the exclusive cozy club. The ability to break the mould. The ability to do what, in this cozy relationships game, would be considered unimaginable. And as he metamorphoses into his political avatar, one should expect more of the unexpected.
It is easy to see why Assange is disliked, indeed hated, by governments he exposes. Diplomacy and international relations are always two-faced. One is for public consumption and other is what goes behind the scenes. WikiLeaks has been exposing these behind-the-scenes happenings, embarrassing the nations involved. But questions are increasingly being raised on whether WikiLeaks will survive. Although there is a team of people, mostly volunteers, working to ensure everything goes on, Assange himself being confined to a single room in the Ecuador embassy in London, where he has been provided asylum, hurts. Even more worrisome from his point of view is the way the US government has blocked almost all sources of funding for the organisation. Not many may realise it, but keeping all the information that WikiLeaks receives safe on servers that can’t be hacked into needs significant investments. This would start impacting the ability to both receive and disseminate information.The more we talk about it, the worse it gets. The cozy clubs that exist in this country, whose membership is strictly restricted, seem to be getting cozier with almost no respect for the rule of law,This standing up for those who cheat the public and even play ball with the nation’s enemies is not new.It is revolting to see the ‘club members’ smile at events organised by those the courts have held guilty. Even now, when common crooks are caught, they hide their faces, for they are ashamed to be known in the society as wrongdoers.
So, can WikiLeaks come out with more leaks? Perhaps it can, but that will be increasingly difficult. Apart from some fatigue, there is realisation that world powers can be brutal if their hegemony is threatened. Sure enough, several celebrities who had committed unstinted support have started deserting him, now that his future is uncertain. I remember querying him on the point when we met, but he seemed unperturbed. Truth is, not many support something dying. He perhaps is reconciled to it, hence remains calm. But is that enough to keep his organisation alive?
When not so clever people come to power they often make a simple mistake. They think the rest of us are fools. Former deputy solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden has urged those accusing prosecutors in the Sodomy II trial of taking bribes to examine his conduct during the proceedings, as well as his track record The public school of politics has only one subject in its tutorials: Events. The big boys of UMNO have been playing truant, lulled by an imposter’s note the first substantive suggestion , as distinct from political verbiage , that Najib government made in order to “punish”
Malaysian democracy is in danger of subversion by a self-confident,aggressive, articulate, patriotic and well-meaning force, the oligarchy of the successful. It might be a mild exaggeration to suggest that its principal characteristics are aftershave and English.Many of them possibly disdain aftershave or perfume, and would not be crass enough to be preceded by five yards of Axe effect, to name the most advertised aftershave of the moment. But they are loyal to the English language, the proven mantra to worldly success. This new class of thirty-somethings (terribly reluctant to turn 40) is a product of consistent high growth since economic liberalization began in 1991. They bring with them a fresh mindset, a happy sense of purpose, a professional approach to governance and a welcome lack of social baggage.So why should they be considered a potential hidden danger? Their assets dominate contemporary business, media and politics; their liabilities are buried in a general reluctance to see beyond their celebrity status. Politicians have always been celebrated, and rightly so; if you are in public life, you will be under public scrutiny. But they have not been celebrities. The difference is being squeezed by a squeal culture that is another dominant trait of a substantial and growing elite. has been changing all that. Little wonder that politicians of all hues and sizes, irrespective of their affiliations, are jittery. The interloper has set the cat among the pigeons.am reminded of the former Chief Justice of India, S H Kapadia’s advice to judges, not too long ago. He had said the Judges should refrain from socialising much, for they get familiar with individuals they may have to sit on judgment sometime and this intimacy has the potential of influencing the verdict. The venerable judge clearly knows how the system works and was honest enough to spell it out to the discomfiture of some of his clan. But this is a time-tested strategy used by almost all. Why just judges, us scribes would fall under the same category. It is no secret that journalists, several of them, strut around with a swagger, as the high and mighty wine and dine them, molly coddle them, give them the preferential treatment. All this often results in them getting a misplaced sense of importance and that the world revolves around them and that they have the power to change the world. The truth however, is different. Those who fawn on them are doing so because of their own vested interests. And the interests are exactly what Justice Kapadia hinted at.
“Malaysia is more dangerous than South Africa,” were the parting words of a retired couple who returned to Johannesburg after a failed attempt to live in Malaysia under the ‘Malaysia My Second Home’ (MM2H) programme. Friends of the couple said they had feared for their own and their family’s safety.
Unlike this South African couple, ordinary Malaysians are trapped in a vicious cycle of emboldened criminals, an inept police force and a government in denial. Few have access to guns like the Tan Sri who recently shot dead a thief at a clinic in Kuala Lumpur.
Owning a gun is not what Malaysians desire. We want a police force which is committed to tackling crime and not being the lapdog of Umno Baru. Cabinet ministers deny that a state of lawlessness exists. They issue statements and are then trapped by their own spin.
http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/654/c9161f62eab78c5cc8eb4e67151e4ab5.jpg Former home minister Hishammuddin Hussein, more noted for his incompetence than his achievements in office, had complete disregard for the concerns of the public. He ridiculed the rakyat after they complained about rising crime levels and told them that increased crime was only a “perception”.
In October 2012, the government’s efficiency-monitoring unit Pemandu released data which appeared contradictory. This prompted the DAP’s Tony Pua to request from the home minister, a detailed breakdown of statistics, according to categories of crime.
Hishammuddin said the statistics were not available: “…the ministry is of the view that it is not plausible to present the detailed statistics for each crime category according to the various districts in Selangor and all states…”
He knows that BN’s fabricated crime figures would be exposed if the statistics were released.
What would Hishammuddin and his family know about crime when they have 24-hour security and well-guarded properties? Many Umno-Baru politicians enjoy the trappings of high office which closely resemble an aristocratic life of pomp, pageantry and pampering.
In 2010, PKR’s Tian Chua revealed that the police had lost 36 semi-automatic pistols, 51 revolvers and two sub-machine guns since 2001. The loss also included 49 motorcycles, three cars, one van and one 4WD.
Were these items lost through carelessness or were they stolen? What steps have been taken to ensure that the mistakes are not repeated?
http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/660/680b6388a0cb529ac384a12c5a1b4229.jpg Three years ago, the MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek allegedly called Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng a liar, when a Bernama report alleged that Lim had said that kidnappings were common in Johor.
Chua said: “If he really said that, then Lim Guan Eng is a liar….As I come from Johor itself, I say the statement is very unfair. The crime rate has gone down and Johor is almost all the time the country’s top investor destination.”
Today, Chua is trapped by his own words.
‘Political meddling’
The country has seen an unprecedented rise in gun crime, with six shootings recorded last week. Why did it take the murder of the Arab-Malaysian Development Bank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi, to wake Umno Baru president Najib Abdul Razak from his hibernation?
http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/643/b715130d4abe5fc5c030f79349d4f9f1.jpg Did Najib address the nation because the high-profile murder of a foreigner would dent his image overseas? Was he afraid that his silence could be used against him in the Umno general assembly?
Najib said he was prepared to consider giving the police “whatever they required” to fight crime, provided these requests were reasonable and affordable.
Why the hypocrisy? His spirit is not willing and his flesh is even weaker. The police will never be given the independence they need to operate effectively. Umno-Baru finds the police useful for hounding opposition politicians, activists and dog trainers.
If Najib were sincere, he would push for the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar fears that, with the IPCMC, police personnel would end up being treated worse than criminals. Only an Umno Baru politician would be capable of making stupid remarks like that.
When the former police chief Musa Hassan exposed corruption in the police force, we were angry with him for waiting until he had left office before making the revelations.
http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/555/31c13a73b47dce05a2fef675fa3c88a7.jpg Musa (left) had also complained about political interference. So, has Najib stopped this political meddling? Has Najib even begun to investigate any of the points raised by Musa? Have any conclusions been drawn, or is Najib afraid of revealing a can of worms?
Musa’s allegations of the police being linked to criminal syndicates are not new. We heard about them over 20 years ago, but what has been done?
Last week, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar fumed over the Singaporean newspaper The New Paper’s headline, ‘Welcome to Malaysia where… death is cheap and staying alive costly’.
There is some truth in the claims of the article, although it omitted to mention that inflation has increased the cost of arranging contract killings. In the nineties, an Ipoh man claimed that hacking off a limb would cost RM200 and that taking someone’s life would cost RM 400.
Why two reports?
Today, Ipohites who are victims of crime, are angry when told to make two police reports; the first brief report must be made at the police station which covers their area of residence or where the theft occurred, whilst the second detailed report is to be made with ‘Team A’ at the police headquarters, opposite the Ipoh railway station.
Why two reports? Have the police so much time on their hands, that they feel it necessary to waste the rakyat’s time and taxpayer’s money, too?
http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/498/9ecd90310b94a8131eb2d8d510530bcf.jpg Victims of crime are already traumatised. Must they go through more agony, this time at the hands of the police? Not everyone can spare money for travel, or time off from work or their hospital bed, to make several reports.
There are many stories of police incompetence or delay in reaching the scene of the crime. Some victims claim that the police are either too lazy or incapable of taking any forensic evidence.
In one case, the victim whose car was a write-off after a drunk driver drove into him, was told by the police not to mention the drunkenness in his report. Why? Others allege that the police brow-beat the victims into making very brief police reports. Is this to save police time or reduce their work load?
Khalid accused the Singaporeans of being busybodies, whilst Utusan Malaysia went further and claimed that jealousy was a contributory factor in the controversial headline.
Instead of quibbling about newspaper headlines, Khalid should act to reduce the crime rate of Malaysia. He faces a difficult task because he will be trapped in a mire of corruption created by rogue policemen, a corrupt judiciary and corrupt Umno Baru politicians.
