Ali Rustam's son wedding -- Like that is not corruption meh?

Record-setting wedding of Ali Rustam’s son paid for by sponsors

October 03, 2012

The chief minister refused to declare the cost of the 130,000-guest event. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 ― Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam’s office was forced to reveal yesterday that many of the caterers and other businesses sponsored the lavish wedding dinner of the Malacca chief minister’s son that drew over 130,000 guests during the weekend.

The wedding has come under intense public scrutiny after national news agency Bernama reported on Sunday that 26-year-old Mohd Ridhwan’s marriage to Nur Azieha Mohd Ali, also 26, lasted eight hours, with the number of guests earning a place in the Malaysia Book of Records.

An official with the Malaysia Book of Records was also present to present a certificate to the chief minister.

Mohd Ali’s special secretary Datuk MS Mahadevan was reported by The Star today as saying much of the wedding’s cost was paid for through sponsors. But he did not reveal the total cost.

Mohd Ali also did not say how much the wedding cost him, but dismissed suggestions that the wedding attended by more than 130,000 people was a lavish affair.

“No one was forced to attend the event, including state government employees,” said Mahadevan yesterday.

“This is the first wedding ceremony for the chief minister’s family and every Malaccan wanted to take part. Even estate workers wearing slippers stood in line to shake hands with the bride and bridegroom.

“Not a single sen was paid to these volunteers.”

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have questioned how the wedding was funded, and the revelation of sponsors will spark more questions about the appropriateness of accepting money from businesses to pay for the wedding.

PR lawmakers said that even at RM10 a head, the wedding banquet would cost RM1.3 million for food and beverages alone, far more than the long-serving chief minister’s salary.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang used his Twitter account to speculate further on the cost of the wedding, saying the banquet appeared to cost RM100 a person or potentially RM13 million just for the food.

But Malacca Umno executive secretary Datuk Akbar Ali responded to the DAP leaders’ tweets by saying they should not assume the wedding banquet was similar to a Chinese wedding dinner.

“Awak ingat ini jamuan makan malam 9 jenis seperti masyarakat Cina dengan sup sirip ikan yu. Ini cara kamu wujudkan fitnah. Ini orang yang sakit (You think this is like a nine-course Chinese dinner with shark’s fin soup. This is how you create lies. This is someone sick.)” Akbar wrote on his Twitter account.)”

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/record-setting-wedding-of-ali-rustams-son-paid-for-by-sponsors/

负债4561亿令吉，你还敢再给国阵5年委托吗？

2011年联邦政府財务报告，联邦政府財务报告：政府去年负债4561亿

• 国內
 

 2012-10-02 10:19

（吉隆坡1日讯）財政部今日在国会下议院提呈的《2011年联邦政府財务报告》显示，联邦政府截至去年12月31日累计的债务是4千561亿2千800万令吉，比前年的4千71亿100万令吉增加了12%。

联邦政府去年的借贷增加487亿1千700万令吉或12%，即去年及前年的借贷分別是4千484亿2千800万及3千997亿1100万令吉。

此外，海外援助的借贷也增加3亿1千万令吉或4%，即去年及前年分別为77亿令吉及73亿9千万令吉，去年的77亿令吉海外援助当中，分別是90%属於双边外债及10%属於多边外债。

70%国內借贷来自证委会

报告指出，联邦政府最大的国內借贷来自马来西亚证券委员会，高达70%，即介於2千500亿令吉至3千亿之间。

报告说，证券委员会將会持续成为联邦政府的国內债务主要借贷来源，其佔去年及前年的国內总借贷额比率分別是53%及51%。

政府在2011年发出总值360亿令吉的政府投资证券，从而筹集到285亿令吉资金，相比之下，前年发出210亿令吉政府投资证券，筹得155亿令吉资金。

海外债务增11%累计至104亿

在海外市场的债务方面，截至去年累计的外债是104亿300万令吉，比前年的93亿5千500万令吉增加11%，同时，政府剩余的房屋贷款也从前年的364亿令吉增至去年的390亿令吉，增幅为7%。

只是去年借贷的外债总额是64亿6千900万令吉，而政府去年偿还的外债是59亿1千900万令吉。

政府也在去年发行了为期5年总值12亿美元及为期10年总值8亿美元的国际伊斯兰代理人债券。

报告说，政府在去年总共借贷5亿800万令吉的双边外债，用以支付工程费用，並在去年偿还了7亿300万令吉的到期双边外债。

报告指出，根据1963年外债借贷法令，限制政府的外债不能超过350亿令吉。

去年流动资金增15%

《2011年联邦政府財务报告》表示，联邦政府截至去年12月31日的流动资金比前年同时期增加15%或31亿1千700万令吉至244亿6千700万令吉。

上述流动资金当中的97%或237亿8千814万4千927令吉，是存在银行的现款，剩余3%或6亿7千603万2千89令吉是周转中的现款，还有259万8千511令吉是手头上持有的现金。

另外，2010年截至年底的流动资金是213亿5千万令吉，分別是207亿7千908万6千850令吉存在银行、5亿6千871万9千734令吉在周转中及248万7千360令吉手头持有。

2011年营运开支增20%

与2010年相比，联邦政府的2011年营运开支已增加至1千825亿9千400万令吉（未包括28亿多令吉的发展基金转移），增幅达20%。

2011年联邦政府財务报告指出，有关营运开支是用在津贴开支、州拨款和法定机构拨款、摊还国债、退休金、服务与供应开支和其他行政营运成本。

营运开支的组成部份，分別是固定支出与奖掖开支（55%）、工资开支（28%）、支出额开支（18%）、服务与供应开支（16%）、资產（2%）和其他开支（1%）。

在营运开支中，支出额开支佔330亿4千100万令吉或18%，而达177亿1千600万令吉的国债偿还，佔支出额开支的54%比重。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/263177?tid=1

国会会议：指总开销比去年超支9.4%，安华批评纳吉铺张

 2012-10-02 10:34

（吉隆坡1日讯）国会反对党领袖拿督斯里安华批评首相兼財长拿督斯里纳吉的铺张开销模式，有如一种病態和成癮，中央政府今年的总开销比2012年財政预算案超支9.4%，或多出216亿令吉。

他指出，政府超支不是因为公务员薪资调涨或政府津贴，而是包括採购开销超支15亿令吉。

“在国家面对严重赤字的情况下，政府理应谨慎开销，並且通过透明的採购程序来节省开销；然而，政府的採购经费比获批的数额超支15亿令吉。＂他指出，自从纳吉担任財长期间，我国的债务服务经费在5年內增涨56%或增加80亿令吉，这显示自2009年至2013年我国新的借贷（根据国家银行数据）高达1千840亿令吉。

经费飆涨70亿

“如果政府是採用透明和公开招標的方式，供应与採购费用理应可以受到控制，但是经费却飆涨了70亿令吉或增加28%成本。＂安华今日在下议院参与辩论2013年財政预算案时指出，自纳吉担任首相以来，政府开销已超支了150亿令吉，若这笔款项获得控制和节省，能够承担一些援助人民的计划，包括废除高等教育基金和提供免费教育。

安华说，政府每年无法达到预期经济成长也將为中央政府的財务状况带来巨大影响，以及影响经济地位和人民的幸福，以及面对日益严重的財政赤字问题。

民联首务控制赤字

“根据记录，我国经济成长每年都无法达到6%的成长率，这意味在2011年至2013年期间，国家收入和税收消失了超过88亿令吉。这笔款项是政府预计在6%经济成长率所徵收的额外数额，而不是如现在般介於4%至5%。＂因此，安华表示，民联一旦执政中央，首要任务之一是要控制財政赤字和达到开销平衡，以恢復谨慎开销和通过健康的经济成长来增加国家收入。

安华强调，要促进经济成长必须依赖大量的中小型企业，而非依靠一两个大老板或富商垄断大部份的经济活动。

“政府在促进经济方面需要开拓更多新的领域和加快经济活动策略，而不是干预每一项经济活动和与小型企业竞爭。＂

一旦民联执政中央
要提高家庭收入至最低4千

安华指出，一旦民联执政中央，民联计划在第一个任期最后阶段，能够把家庭人口收入提高到每月最低4千令吉。

他说，有心人士却歪曲了民联的意思，误称是民联承诺给予每个家庭每月4千令吉。

安华今日辩论时炮轰首相与內阁成员没有出席国会聆听反对党针对预算案的演说。

安华讥讽首相纳吉早前发表言论，要求人民不要更换政府，有如埃及前独裁总统穆巴拉克给予该国人民的劝告，並揶揄“所有独裁政府都害怕改变＂。

指民联州属施政出色

此外，安华也引述数据，指由民联执政的州属如雪州、檳城、吉兰丹和吉打州的施政表现出色，並且指责国阵议员操弄数据，谎称檳州边缘化马来人的发展。

巫统哥打毛律区议员拿督阿都拉曼和巫统巴西沙叻区议员拿督达祖丁等国阵议员，纷纷批评檳州政府忽略马来人和边缘化马来人的发展。

安华回应时，再次调侃首相纳吉没有胆量到国会与他辩论，只把政府数据交给国阵议员作出辩护。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/263187?tid=1

2013预算案不为大选？别当那些会想的马来西亚人为白痴

“预算案考量大选”‧3主讲人认同‧財政部秘书长否认

• 国內
 

 2012-10-02 10:47

• 
  维林德吉星（左起）、福布斯和刘权胜针对2013年財政预算案发表各自的看法。右是主持人陈有財。 （图：星洲日报）

（吉隆坡1日讯）3名来自厂商、商会和税务公司的代表一致认为，2013年財政预算案是直接呼吁选民支持的“选举预算案＂。

对於这项说法，財政部秘书长拿督莫哈末依尔旺反驳时指出，该部在草擬预算案过程，包括半年前开始收集资料和进行咨询的工作，都不曾考虑全国大选的因素。

他说，该部是的主要考虑是“以民为本＂，以便减轻人民的生活负担。他举例，政府第二度发放“一个大马人民援助金＂，包括给月入2千令吉以下单身者250令吉现金，是因为生活在大城市如吉隆坡的人民负担沉重。

马来亚大学经济与管理系，以及马来西亚经济协会今日联办“公佈2013年预算案后的对话会＂，3位主讲人，包括马来西亚厂商联合会副主席拿督刘权胜、马来西亚国际商业和工业商会执行董事史都华福布斯，以及TAXAND大马有限公司主席维林德吉星各自发表本身的看法。

福布斯：忽略基本面

福布斯坦言他对上週五公佈的预算案呼吁选民保留现有政府的“直接程度＂，以及首相在预算案讲词中攻击反对党的做法感到吃惊。

他说，有关预算案忽略了基本面的课题，但基於大选將近，所以这是预料中事。

“有关预算案注重人民，大多数人民都受惠，但商业则略被忽视。＂

他说，无论如何，就经济角度而言，有关预算案没有负面的因素，它不会打击到投资者的信心。

维林德吉星：过於慷慨

维林德吉星则形容2013年预算案为“过於慷慨的预算案＂，而且確实含有政治因素。

“观察员都觉得很奇怪，这是非常政治性，而不是著重於经济的预算案，有些措施是可以暂缓施行的，例如1%的所得税减税，直到全面的检討工作完成为止。＂

刘权胜：著重人民

刘权胜说，从有关预算案可以看出政府是著重在人民，因为大选即將要到了。

针对政府减少白糖津贴的问题，他说，对於厂商而言，最重要的是把白糖从统制品名单中除名，让市场决定它的价格。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/263156?tid=1

Can we see a debate between Najib and Anwar over 2013 Budget?

Anwar wants BN vs Pakatan budget debate with Najib

By Clara Chooi

September 28, 2012

Anwar (centre) challenged Najib to debate the Budget.—Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 ― Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today renewed his debate challenge on Datuk Seri Najib Razak, this time suggesting to take on the country’s number one by pitting Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Budget 2013 to Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) alternative.

The opposition leader pointed out to how Najib had laced his Budget speech this evening with direct insults against PR and told the prime minister that if he was prepared to attack the opposition, he should do so in a debate.

“Debate me. If you are prepared to attack the opposition and the opposition leader, why can you not engage in a debate?

“Confine it to economic policies... or the Budget. I am now reiterating my earlier proposal that we debate ― that I debate Najib on the national Budget... PR versus BN’s Budget,” he told reporters after Najib tabled the government’s Budget 2013 in Parliament this evening.

Anwar had earlier described BN’s Budget handouts as mere “titbits” fed to the poor and middle income earners, pointing out that the move would do nothing to narrow the country’s income gap.

The prime minister hopeful said the fresh round of cash handouts in Budget 2013 to middle- and lower-income Malaysians was proof that the government was merely concerned with its chances at the ballot boxes in the coming months.

“The announcements of handouts to general Malaysians is just a small dosage for the elections... but the basic structural problem of the country, where the rich cronies and their family members amass millions of dollars of profits through improper means ― that is left intact,” Anwar said.

In his Budget 2013 speech, Najib took an indirect swipe at Anwar when he pointed out that among the leaders of the federal opposition were “those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation’s wealth.”

Anwar was finance minister under the Mahathir administration.

“We recognise that the BN government is not without fault, but what differentiates us from the other is that they do not have the courage to accept mistakes. On the other hand, they make excuses and find fault in others.

“Ultimately, parties that offer an alternative must be evaluated on their merit,” Najib had said in his speech.

“The rakyat know them well. Among them, there are those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation’s wealth.

“If today they make promises, the rakyat must ask why is this leadership, while in power, did not take any action.

“When they had the opportunity; and did not implement what they promises, what guarantee is there that they will fulfil promises when they are in power?” he asked.

Najib pointed out that it was during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s when the country was “almost destroyed”.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-wants-bn-vs-pakatan-budget-debate-with-najib/

GST a ploy to hide economic ills, says Pakatan Rakyat

By Lee Wei Lian

September 27, 2012

Idris said GST will help boost state revenue. — File pictures

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Putrajaya’s desire to implement the goods and services tax (GST) in the future is an easy way get more money and divert attention away from economic problems such as inefficiency and corruption, says Pakatan Rakyat (PR)

While the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is not expected to introduce the GST till after the general election, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala was quoted in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that he expects the proposed GST to help boost state revenue and help put an end to the federal budget deficit by 2020.

PKR’s strategy chief Rafizi Ramli said Malaysia did not meet the conditions for the introduction of GST and it was being used as a “shortcut” to reduce the budget deficit instead of addressing fundamental flaws in the country’s economy.

“GST is a red herring to cover those economic weaknesses,” Rafizi told The Malaysian Insider.

He noted that if the ruling coalition instead stamped out rent-seeking activities, corruption and cronyism it would boost economic growth which would in turn boost government income.

Rafizi also noted that in other countries, GST was used as a substitute tax, meaning that income tax would be cut if the consumption tax was implemented which amounts to the net effect of the new tax being neutral.

He pointed out however that if it was implemented in Malaysia, the net effect would be an additional tax burden on large numbers of Malaysians whose earnings currently fall below the taxable income threshold.

Rafizi said GST would be an additional tax burden on large numbers of Malaysians.

Rafizi said that based on PKR’s means testing, which involved evaluating the size of the economy, government revenue and people’s income levels, Malaysia was a poor candidate for GST at the moment.

“There are pre-requisites for GST, you can’t implement as you wish,” he said.

DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua said that while GST was supposed to broaden the tax base as only an estimated 10 per cent of Malaysians currently pay income tax, the question that needed to be asked was why were so many Malaysians earning so little as to fall below the taxable threshold.

He said that even if 10 per cent out of the people who are not currently paying tax are tax dodgers, GST still would not make sense as it meant that many more low-income Malaysians would be burdened.

“If they can’t earn enough, why should they be burdened with additional taxes,” he said. “People’s incomes have not increased significantly.”

Pua also said that there was little risk of a sense of entitlement developing among those who do not currently pay income tax.

He also questioned what the government would do with extra income earned from GST.

Pua said BN should look at cutting expenditure, getting value for money, open tenders and abolishing corruption as ways to save money rather than imposing more taxes.

“Has the government exhausted all the means?” he asked. “If they have not there is no need to impose new taxes.”

He said that getting more funds from taxes will not solve the problem of the deficit if leakages are not plugged.

The DAP lawmaker also warned that once GST was in place, rises in the tax were almost inevitable.

He said that GST was a “lazy” approach to solving the country’s revenue issues and PR’s approach was to cut wasteful expenditure and leakages as well as increase revenue through non-tax avenues.

Pua wanted to know what the government would do with extra income earned from GST.

These include land sales through open bidding and increased revenues from government-linked companies (GLCs).

“We believe we can balance the federal budget without GST,” he said.

Malaysia has been running a budget deficit since 1998 and stated its intention to implement GST several times since approving the law in 2009 but has always postponed the new tax, which has some 3,000 exemptions.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in September last year that GST would be introduced “probably after the next general election.”

He said then that GST needed to be properly explained to the people and that there was a growing acceptance that the broad-based consumption tax was the way forward for Malaysia.

Many economists have said that Malaysia has some of the weakest financials in Asia and needs to shore up its revenue base and one of the ways was via the GST.

The Najib administration has aimed to bring the deficit down to 4.7 per cent this year from 5.4 per cent last year.

The government said that it expects to collect revenue of more than RM200 billion this year, exceeding its initial target of RM187 billion thanks largely to enhanced tax collection.

Operating expenditure however was also revised upwards and was reflected in a RM13.8 billion supplementary budget tabled in June and RM2.2 billion worth of civil servant bonuses in August.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/gst-a-ploy-to-hide-economic-ills-says-pakatan/

民联预算案：汽车国產税降20%，废一马公司所有计划

 2012-09-27 09:17

• 
  民联领袖公佈民联替代財政预算案，左起雪州大臣卡立、伊斯兰党副主席沙拉胡丁、安华、行动党国会领袖林吉祥和伊斯兰党副主席马夫兹。（图：星洲日报）

（吉隆坡26日讯）民联议员今日在国会率先公佈的“民联財政预算案＂，並且强调一旦执政，將立即废除“一个大马发展有限公司＂的所有计划。

提供全民免费教育

民联財政预算案建议提昇国民福利金至每月550令吉、汽车国產税下降20%、发放20%石油税给產油州政府、提供全民免费教育和把最低工资调整到1千100令吉。

国会反对党领袖拿督斯里安华在国会率领全体民联高层领袖和议员召开新闻发佈会，公佈2013年民联財政预算案，並强调民联预算案主要著重於3大宗旨，即：提昇可支配收入，缓解经济困难；建立企业阶层，促进良性竞爭；以及打造一个有尊严与骄傲的公正社会。

女性奉献金每年发600

安华说，明年度民联財政预算案的主题是《人民经济，国家庇佑》，整份预算案国家赤字的开销总值高达2千340亿令吉，而国家赤字则降低至3.5%，行动开销达1千850亿令吉，行政开销则是490亿令吉。

他说，民联预算案有几项新建议，包括设立全国女性奉献金（Caruman Wanita Nasional）、兴建泛婆罗洲高速大道（P a nBorneo Highway），以及提供农业和郊区小园主全面性的安全网机制，通过福利局发放一次性500令吉的援助金给受橡胶和原產品价格影响的小园主。

“有了全国女性奉献金后，政府届时將每年发放600令吉奉献金给女性，以便她们能与丈夫的存款匹配；这也是提供给女性的第一项全国性社会安全计划，目的是加强国內女性的经济和社交力。＂

改善警队薪酬

他说，泛婆罗洲高速大道则是砂拉越古晋衔接沙巴亚庇，旨在改善东马的內陆交通系统和基设，也是砂沙州人民急需的一条大道。

在打击罪案方面，安华表示，警方公佈的数据受到爭议和引起混淆，因为人民普遍上认为国內的罪案率有增无减。

“民联建议警方应该更专业执行打击罪案的任务，所以警方的薪金应该调整15%，这將花费7亿5千400万令吉的开销，改善警察部队的薪酬待遇才能有效杜绝贪污，警方前线人员工作认真有效减少罪案率。＂

民联：若执行橙皮书建议
家庭可支配收入会提昇

2013年民联財政预算案指出，只要执行该预算案以及在橙皮书所提出的建议，可提昇每个典型家庭可支配的收入。

该预算案也以例子举例，每月提昇的可支配收入將高达930令吉。

该预算案指出，典型的家庭是指一家五口，先生是一名教师（只有先生工作）、拥有一辆汽车和一间价值25万令吉的房屋、还在偿还高等教育基金、住在巴生河流域以及每年有四次会回到位於亚罗士打的家乡。

40%家庭
每日可消费数额少过50

2013年民联財政预算案指出，40%的大马家庭以每日低於50令吉或每月1千500令吉维持生计。

该预算案说，80%的家庭平均收入是每月2千500令吉，因此预计平均4人的家庭需要每月2千令吉或每日68令吉以达到舒適的生活。

该预算案指出，民联的重点是在提昇大马打工族可支配的收入。

该预算案说，民联推出3个提高可支配收入的方案，其中包括减少生活成本、减少垄断和关联公司的股份和通过劳力市场的改革提昇工资（包括实施1千100令吉的最低薪金）。

该预算案指出，民联有信心每个家庭每月最少4千令吉的家庭收入能在民联政府执政的首5年达到。

强调重振警力
“调薪15%不监视反对党＂

安华表示，民联財政预算案强调有效重振警力，除了调整警员和警官薪酬15%，也希望警方能真正执行专业的职务，同时不能监视反对党的活动。

他揶揄国阵说：“所以一旦民联执政中央，国阵和巫统不必担心被监视，因为警方的人手始终还是不足。＂此外，他说，民联也认为应仿效雪州民联政府的撙节措施。

“我们也要废除国阵政府通过垄断石油、糖、米和大道特许经营权的治理方式，以招標和透明作业方式，从中减低政府工程的成本。＂民联財政预算案也建议废除高等教育基金（PTPTN），全面提供免费高等教育给在公立大专就读的国人，以履行政府的责任。

私立大专学生则將接受政府提供的津贴，以减少学生的负担。

须缩紧借贷条例

2013年民联財政预算案指出，要控制房价的高涨，必须进一步干预及缩紧国阵政府现有的借贷条例。为人民提供居所是中央政府的责任，不能完全交由私人发展商去负责。

为了协助贫困的社群，预算案建议在各州兴建廉价屋和出租给月入少过1千500令吉的贫穷人士，同时以低廉的租金出租。

安华：根据经济架构估算
民联可把赤字减至3.5%

安华指出，民联的財政预算案估计可把国家赤字减低到3.5%，主要根据国家在2013年的经济架构和所预算的收入来估算，即国家收益达1千970亿令吉、国家经济成长5.2%，以及通膨率3.0%。

安华被询及如果民联执政，若根据预算案所减低的赤字目標，会否把节省下的金钱注入其他国家开销，他表示民联执政时才会考虑，毕竟这只是一个预算案，民联预算可从减少资源的浪费中节省开支。

“我们的预算也不能太过强调激烈的改变，因为那將不会对政府其他计划带来影响，如教育、大眾健康、乡区发展等，还有半岛內陆地区如彭亨、登嘉楼和吉兰丹州的发展，这些都需要考量。＂他指出，比起国阵的財政预算案，民联预算出比较符合现实状况的通膨率，即3%，至少比国阵预算的1.6%来得实际。

“这些数据骗不了人，你去一趟超市就知道政府所提供的数据，有的並不符合现实。＂询及民联的预算案没有提到减少政府津贴，安华说，合理化津贴固然必要，但站在管理经济的角度，並不一定要先从惩罚穷人开始，政府必须强调外资，杜绝政府部门的贪污和朋党之间的滥权，等到人民收入提昇后，才来谈减低津贴。

公眾若要瞭解民联財政预算，即日起可上网瀏览或下载，网址是http://www.keadilanrakyat.org，http://www.dapmalaysia.org，http://www.pas.org.my。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/262483?tid=1

Vote for Pakatan Rakyat, your pockets will have surpluses

Anwar vows to put more cash in Malaysians’ pockets

UPDATED @ 04:56:51 PM 26-09-2012

By Lisa J Ariffin

September 26, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 ― Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has promised to raise the disposable income of Malaysians in an alternative set of Budget proposals announced today, just two days before the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) unveils the government’s official proposals for spending and taxes.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto leader of the PR pact, said disposable income would rise through measures such as cheaper car prices, abolishment of tolls and waiver of student loans, as the opposition sought to pre-empt Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s Budget announcement on Friday.

Anwar (picture) said a PR government would be able to pay for the proposed measures not through raising taxes but by plugging leakages that arise as a result of inefficiencies and corruption.

“We will make the policies under the PR government more transparent to avoid leakages and waste through corruption,” he said today while unveiling PR’s alternative budget 2013 here.

“We will also make the process in procuring government contracts more transparent and have open tenders to end the monopoly by families of ministers,” he added, taking a swipe at his BN colleagues.

Anwar also said PR’s budget would present a more “realistic” picture of Malaysia’s economic situation next year, forecasting the size of the Malaysian economy at RM1,064 billion with an economic growth rate of 5.2 per cent, inflation rate of three per cent and a budget deficit ease of 3.5 per cent.

“BN has never fulfilled any of their economic forecast. They have never been honest about their figures,” he said, pointing out that Putrajaya had failed to register the targeted growth of six per cent for eight consecutive quarters from Q3 2010 onwards.

“PR will be honest about the figures and in turn, present a more realistic forecast on the direction of the economy,” he added.

Prime Minister Najib is also expected to unveil a voter-pleasing budget on Friday, placing the priority on winning a tough election above addressing the country’s rising debt burden.

Economists say Najib will likely delay much-needed reforms to broaden Malaysia’s tax base and reduce its dependence on oil revenues to at least next year, while announcing measures to help poorer families struggling with rising living costs.

Both Anwar and Najib are using populist approaches to court votes in what is expected to be the most keenly-contested elections in the country’s recent history, and both will avoid promising any tough measures for reforms.

Najib must call an election by next April and has already announced a series of handouts this year, including RM2.6 billion ringgit in cash payments to poor families, to shore up support for BN.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-vows-to-put-more-cash-in-malaysians-pockets/

US multinational fined RM80m for bribery in Malaysia and other countries

By Lee Wei Lian

September 25, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — US multinational Tyco has agreed to pay US$26 million (RM80 million) to settle charges by the US government that it engaged in corrupt practices in more than a dozen countries in Asia and the Middle East, including Malaysia.

According to documents from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Tyco is alleged to have bribed officials, including an employee of a Malaysian government-controlled entity, in order to win lucrative contracts.

The SEC said in a media statement yesterday that the global manufacturer allegedly perpetuated schemes that typically involved payments of fake “commissions” or the use of third-party agents to funnel money improperly to obtain the contracts.

It also said that Tyco, whose place of incorporation was shifted to Switzerland in 2008, agreed to pay more than US$26 million to settle the SEC’s charges.

Other countries that Tyco was alleged to have engaged in bribery include China, India, Thailand, Croatia, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Syria, the UAE, Mauritania, Congo, Niger, Madagascar, Turkey, Poland and Egypt.

The SEC’s charges against Tyco claim that the latter made payments to approximately 26 employees of customers in Malaysia, including an employee of a government-controlled entity.

It also claimed that Tyco’s Malaysian subsidiary inaccurately described these expenses as “commissions” and failed to maintain policies sufficient to prohibit such payments, resulting in Tyco’ s books and records being misstated.

Tyco is a leading provider of electronic security products and services, fire protection and detection products and services, and valves and controls. 

A Tyco spokesman was quoted by UK’s Financial Times yesterday as saying: “We’re committed to maintaining our rigorous compliance programmes across all of our business activities.”

Malaysia, which is attempting to stamp out corruption, has made international news over several other cases related to graft by multinationals in the country including one involving Australian banknote company Securency and French telecommunications giant Alcatel.

The headlines could reinforce perception that Malaysia has a reputation where bribes are paid to public officials.

Corruption was identified by the World Economic Forum this year as one of the top five problems facing businesses in Malaysia.

Malaysia also slipped four spots to 60th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index last year.

The Najib administration has made corruption one of the National Key Result Areas of its Government Transformation Programme to reform the government and make it more efficient and transparent.

Alcatel admitted in 2010 that it had bribed Malaysian government officials some time between 2004 and 2006 to win a US$85 million contract.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Australian central bank officials were told in 2007 that Securency had engineered a scheme to hide a RM492,000 payment to a Malaysian arms dealer in order to secure contracts from the Abdullah administration despite an earlier denial.

The arms dealer — Abdul Kayum Syed Ahmad — was charged here last year with two counts of giving RM50,000 bribes in 2004 and 2005 to former Bank Negara assistant governor Datuk Mohamad Daud Dol Moin in order to procure a contract to print the RM5 polymer bank notes by Reserve Bank subsidiary Note Printing Australia Ltd.

Abdul Kayum has pleaded not guilty.

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has also denied allegations that the Australian banknote firms attempted to bribe him for a RM100 million Malaysian currency contract during his tenure as prime minister.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/us-multinational-fined-rm80m-for-bribery-in-malaysia-and-other-countries/

2012年9月国会，大马总稽查司报告拖延，为何？

纳兹里：比预算案迟一两週提呈‧总稽查司报告准备就绪

• 国內
 

 2012-09-24 18:41

（吉隆坡24日讯）首相署部长拿督斯里纳兹里表示，2011年总稽查司报告已经准备就绪，但不会於本週五（24日）与2013年財政预算案同时间提呈国会，以让国会议员有足够的时间跟进这两份报告。

纳兹里在国会走廊对记者说，以往政府都是在同一天提呈这两份报告，但去年开始便分开提呈，而今年也不例外；两份报告提呈的时间將会相差一至两个星期。

“总稽查司报告已经准备就绪，但不会（和財政预算案）一起提呈，因为稽查报告比財政预算案更多新闻。＂“两份报告提呈的时间將会相差一至两个星期。＂他说，他们希望国会议员先討论財政预算案，因为总稽查司报告会吸引更多的“注意力＂。

2013年財政预算案將会在本週五（28日）提呈国会，这也意味著总稽查司报告將会在10月7至14日之间提呈国会。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/262162?tid=1

预算案与总稽查司报告没同时提呈‧安华：疑有隱议程

• 国內
 

 2012-09-24 18:39

（吉隆坡24日讯）反对党议员今日对总稽查司报告没有与財政预算案同时提呈国会表示不满。国会反对党领袖拿督斯里安华说，將財政预算案和总稽查司报告分开提呈是不恰当的，当中似乎有隱藏议程。

安华今日在国会走廊针对首相署部长拿督斯里纳兹里指政府不会在週五提呈財政预算案的同一天提呈总稽查司报告，表示不满。

他认为这样的安排是要转移对政府表现的视线，並指两分报告应该同时提呈国会。

公正党鹅嘜区国会议员阿兹敏也说，他对这样的安排感到惊讶，当中似乎有“隱藏的议程＂，包括尝试掩盖政府的弱点和滥权。

他说，国会议员是以总稽查司报告的內容作为辩论的基础。

“我们不要用没有根据的指责来辩论，这个报告（总稽查司报告）会显示出政府是否有根据程序和正確的方式，还是当中有涉及滥权。＂他表示，既然政府推行政府转型计划，就应该要有开放的作风，而不是用藉口来掩盖政府部门在过去一年的弱点。

来源：http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/262161?tid=1

Kit Siang urges Suhakam to intervene in harassment of Suaram

By Lisa J. Ariffin

September 23, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — Lim Kit Siang today called upon the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to invoke its powers to protect Suaram from what he described as “continued government harassment and infringement of human rights” over its funding sources.

The DAP parliamentary leader (picture) today called upon Suhakam to intervene in Putrajaya’s continued harassment of Suaram’s parent company, Suara Inisiatif Sdn. Bhd “as they (Suaram) had been continually persecuted by the government and its agencies since July 2012”.

Human rights group Suaram is currently in the limelight due to its part in an ongoing French inquiry probing possible corruption in Malaysia’s multi-billion ringgit purchase of two Scorpene submarines, which has been linked to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the murder of Mongolian model Altantuyaa Shaariibuu.

Lim explained that Suaram has since asked Suhakam to take a stand on Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s “overreaching powers in interrupting and influencing investigations by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) and to acknowledge the normalcy of foreign funding to organisations in Malaysia”.

He urged Suhakam to act under Section 4(1) (4) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999 which vested it with functions “to inquire into complaints regarding infringements of human rights” and Section 4(2)(3) empowering it “to study and verify any infringement of human rights”.

Lim also called upon prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to end the harassment of “other independent-minded human rights NGOs and news portals”.

“This is totally inimical to word and spirit of his (Najib’s) ‘political transformation’ and pledge to make Malaysia’s the ‘world’s best democracy’,” he said today in a press statement.

“(It is) also totally alien to the ‘new politics’ recently advocated by deputy higher education minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah which envisaged a positive partnership of government with business and civil society to create a new governance framework,” he added.

Earlier this month, the CCM raided the office of Suara Inisiatif. Ismail Sabri was quoted as saying the accounts of Suara Inisitatif were “highly suspicious”.

Suaram, established since 1989, has been investigated by the CCM since early 2012 for being registered as a company instead of a society, a practice among NGOs whose applications under the Societies Act 1966 were rejected by the government.

The NGO has come under pressure since it started scrutinising the purchase of Scorpene submarines by the Defence Ministry.

When asked by reporters to comment on its foreign funding, Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong said many NGOs used the funds for programmes without intervention or advice from such parties.

Kua was referring to allegations by Malay dailies that Suaram took aid from the George Soros Foundation, which made them an agent of the billionaire currency speculator.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/kit-siang-urges-suhakam-to-intervene-in-harassment-of-suaram/

Zahid Hamidi must be fired!

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad is a member of the PAS central working committee and MP of Kuala Selangor.

September 23, 2012

SEPT 23 ― Will the public take it lying down, now that the Defence Minister, DS Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has conveniently shifted all blame to the suppliers?

While his pretentious response about not knowing whether the allegation of the Johor Sultan was indeed true was deplorable enough, his admission of the fact that the supplier would be taken to court for misleading them in term of bloated prices is even more shocking. Was he asleep on the job?

Is he now admitting the fact that he had totally relied on this one supplier for all information regarding the Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV), including its price tag?

Was it again a case of procurement not done through an open tender i.e. it escaped comparison of prices and specifications?

Is he also admitting the fact that the ‘supposedly sophisticated and elaborate’ procurement process (given during our meeting with him in his ministry) has failed to detect this vast difference in the price, assuming that the Johor Sultan was correct at making an ‘apple to apple’ comparison?

On the contrary, the public could still recall that on September 8, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, who presented a unit of RIV to the Special Forces Regiment, expressed his disappointment that military equipment was lacking in quality yet purchased at exorbitant prices. His claim that his RIF was superior and yet he bought it for RM540,000 cheaper than the price paid by the ministry. So it’s not even an ‘apple to apple’ comparison.

Unusually high prices paid for military equipment had led Pakatan Rakyat to call for the setting up of a Parliament Oversight Committee to review and monitor defence expenditure on numerous occasions in recent past.

Pakatan Rakyat represented by three members of parliament from DAP, PAS and PKR, in January this year met with the Defence minister with a suggestion that a parliamentary oversight committee be formed to provide check and balance to the country’s defence expenditure. The meeting was also attended by its chief secretary Ismail Ahmad, army generals as well as Barisan Nasional MPs.

In recent months, Pakatan Rakyat has also questioned the inflated costs of several new arms deals proposed by current Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi, which includes the purchase of 30 Eurofighter, Typhoon jets and 6 naval patrol boats. 

Earlier, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR had expressed concern at another RM2 billion directly-negotiated government procurement contract Network Centric Operations with Sapura Secured Technologies Sdn Bhd, on the basis that it can potentially waste millions of ringgit more of taxpayers’ money. 

The controversial deals linked to Najib include the 2 Scorpene and one Agosta submarines purchase in 2002 worth RM7billion, 18 Sukhoi jetfighters in 2003 worth RM3.5billion, the 12 Eurocopters EC275 helicopters in 2008 worth RM2.3billion, the ongoing RM52billion MRT system for the Klang Valley, 38 units of EMU costing half a billion RM extra and a multi-billion ringgit slush fund within the 1MDB project are some obvious ones. The list of much-to-be-desired mega procurements in mega projects is indeed a very long one.

The government has yet to date, provide for specific details of equipment and services which makes the difference between the acquisition cost of RM7.55 billion relative to the base system of only RM1.7 billion in the case of the controversial procurement of the littoral combat ships (LCS – Frigate Class).

Even WikiLeaks has reported a diplomatic cable between the US Embassy in Malaysia and the United States that alleges corruption in Malaysia’s defence procurement in which Umno politicians, agents, civil servants and military officials routinely receive 30 per cent “commission” on deals. That’s a very serious allegation worthy of the nation’s attention.

Although national security is a serious issue, Malaysians are beginning to insist that the defense ministry be transparent and accountable on procurements that run into billions of ringgit. Pakatan is not going to be listening to ‘sweet talk’ of ministers anymore if it doesn’t end in serious action in term of improving good governance ― transparency and accountability.

Najib’s commitment of effecting both ‘Political and Economic Reforms’, presumably in turn of governance as well, is fast turning into a farce, a mockery of sort. His commitment to an ‘open-tender’ process, without its attending transparency,  with respect to the award of mega-project namely the LRT and MRT (and now the IPPs by the Energy Commission), has left many in the lurk of what had truly transpired and how transparency has been severely compromised and subverted. The mention of George Kent has now become a ‘bad word’, well, almost. 

On the verge of a critical General Election, the irresponsible action of a minister like Zahid Hamidi is fast turning to be construed as an act of subversion to his boss. His ignorance very baffling and appalling at best and his pretension is very hypocritical indeed. He needs no reminder that the bulk stops at him. 

He must be fired before his boss gets to be ousted by the electorates!

* Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Executive Director of PAS Research Centre and MP for Kuala Selangor.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/zahid-hamidi-must-be-fired/