Royal commission motion dismissed

The Star (8/7/08): The Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday dismissed an emergency motion filed to request for a royal commission to be set up to probe allegations made against politicians, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General.

The emergency motion filed by Salahuddin Ayub (PAS - Kubang Kerian) was dismissed in chambers but Salahuddin raised it in the Dewan Rakyat.

In the motion, Salahuddin asked for a Royal Commission to be set up to investigate allegations made against Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was presiding then, said the motion was rejected in chambers as the case of Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin filing his statutory declaration (which implicates Rosmah in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case) was being investigated by the police at the moment.

Dr Wan Junaidi added that the police were also investigating the report lodged by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan who alleged he was sodomised by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

On the third case, Dr Wan Junaidi said the Anti-Corruption Agency is investigating the report lodged by Anwar against the IGP and Abdul Gani.

"We do not want to turn this into a media trial," said Dr Wan Junaidi.

Week of shockwaves and drama for Malaysian politics

The Star (6/7/08): Shockwaves pounded the Dewan Rakyat one after another starting with a sodomy allegation and ending with a statutory declaration on Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder.

There was so much action on the side that the debate on the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan was sidelined as many MPs tried to get the latest updates.

The week started with everyone asking the whereabouts of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim following the sodomy allegation against him. Many were also asking who the accuser – 23-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan – was.

Anwar's wife, Opposition Leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai) were much sought after by the media.

Inside the Dewan, Anwar also caused a stir when Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) mentioned his name when he tried to ask a supplementary question on housing.

An argument between Gobind Singh and Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia took place and Gobind Singh ended up being kicked out of the Dewan for two days.

It was Monday and the drama had only just began.

At the end of Question Time, just when Dr Wan Azizah was scheduled to debate on the Mid-Term Review, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak stood up to table a ministerial statement.

Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), citing Standing Orders, protested, saying it was an unprecedented move for Najib to speak as the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had tabled the motion on the Review the previous week.

Lim said that anything that Najib wanted to say should have been done when supporting the motion then.

Pandikar Amin replied that the Malaysian Parliament had its own House rules and allowed Najib to speak.

Opposition MPs then staged a walkout as Najib went on to explain the government’s social restructuring policies.

Dr Wan Azizah, who was outside the Dewan with the rest, did not get to debate and it was Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent-Pasir Mas) who spoke – for more than one hour.

Meanwhile outside Parliament house, a group of PKR supporters and several NGOs who wanted to meet Dr Wan Azizah, ended up having a shouting match with security personnel when they were denied entry.

The next day turned out to be hectic again as news emerged that Anwar had left the Turkish Embassy the evening earlier.

The highlight of the day was the meeting concerning Anwar's safety between Abdullah and Dr Wan Azizah at his office in Parliament building.

There was other activity as well as S.A. Vigneswaran, who quit as MIC Youth chief days earlier, met Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein while MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu met Najib.

Inside the Dewan, Pandikar Amin announced that Gobind Singh visited him in his office to apologise and therefore the episode between them was closed.

But Gobind Singh returned to Parliament and denied making any apology.

“I have no reason to apologise, I have done nothing wrong and there is no need for me to apologise,” he said, showing no remorse.

This riled several MPs, who tried to refer him to the Rights and Privileges Committee.

While tension was mounting inside the Dewan, in the lobby the press waited for Abdullah and Dr Wan Azizah’s meeting to be over.

In the end, the journalists had to split up to attend Abdullah's press conference and Dr Wan Azizah's – as both held them at the same time.

On Thursday, Parliament was again hit by the shock wave of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration linking Najib with murdered Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) latched on to the piece of breaking news in his debate and received jeers and shouts from the backbenchers.

However, he caught the attention of MPs resting in the lounge as many rushed to the TV screens to listen.

It really was a hectic week, very unlike the usual sittings.

The Dewan Rakyat sits again tomorrow.

Mahfuz raises latest allegation against Najib in Parliament

The Star (4/7/08): PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar has gone where angels fear to tread and brought up the latest allegation by a private investigator against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in his debate at the Dewan Rakyat at 4.30pm.

The Pokok Sena MP, who had earlier been criticising the Government’s policies on the control of fuel prices, took many MPs by surprise when he raised the issue at the tail end of his debate.

This prompted Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to remind Mahfuz that “his time was up” while some of the backbenchers took to heckling him.

Touching on the ministerial statement delivered by Najib on Monday to further explain the social restructuring policies under the Mid-Term Review report, Mahfuz said this was equivalent to a “no-confidence’ motion against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“His (Najib’s) wife has been implicated in the statutory declaration by Raja Petra Kamarudin, which claimed that she was present during (Mongolian translator) Altantuya (Shaariibuu)’s murder.

“And the latest allegation by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam in his own statutory declaration that Altantuya had been promised US$500,000 commission from the sale of a submarine – what about all these statutory declarations? How is the investigation into all these claims going to be?” Mahfuz asked.

At this point, someone was heard shouting that “just because it’s a statutory declaration, this doesn’t mean it’s the truth”.

There were also jeers for Mahfuz not to fitnah (slander) and a slow rumble of disapproval could be heard from among the backbenchers.

He only sat down after Wan Junaidi repeatedly told him his debate time was over.

More cracks in Abdullah's crumbling facade

Asia Times (26/6/08): These are trying times for Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who after a sub-par showing in the March general elections now faces opposition both from inside and outside his Barisan Nasional (BN) ruling coalition.

Many political analysts speculate his administration will not last the year as the opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance ramps up its efforts to either poach parliamentarians from the BN into its camp or secure a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The latest blow to coalition unity came on June 18, when two parliamentarians from the Sabah Progressive Party (SPP), a small coalition member from the north Borneo state of Sabah, said they would support a planned no-confidence motion on June 23 against the prime minister. Such a no-confidence motion would have required advance notice and in the end, no vote was put to the house.

But another opportunity arose the same day when a politically sensitive vote on a recent government-ordered reduction in fuel price subsidies, which resulted in a 41% hike in pump prices, was put to parliament. Ruling coalition officials had been on tenterhooks in the run-up to the vote and heaved a sigh of relief when it was passed with a 129-78 majority.

Nonetheless, 11 BN parliamentarians failed to show up for the crucial vote, among them the two disaffected SPP parliamentarians. A report on the SPP's website on the same day said that, since June 18, its leaders had been advised by "friendly parties" not to underestimate "the risky consequences and likely threats" to the party and its leaders.

The legislative endorsement for Abdullah's fuel price hikes has not dampened speculation that his government could yet face a vote of no confidence if, in the coming months, enough members of parliament defect to the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, or People's Alliance. At the same time, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has indicated that there are enough parliamentarians who would be willing to defect to his side by September 16, the date commemorating the formation of the Malaysian federation in 1963.

The ruling coalition currently has a 140-82 majority over the opposition alliance in terms of numbers of parliamentarians, while the opposition alliance is looking for at least 30 coalition members to defect in its bid to seize power. It is believed that Anwar is in particular targeting parliamentarians from the states of Sabah and Sarawak, which are rich in natural resources, including oil and timber. The ruling coalition includes 24 parliamentarians from Sabah and 30 from Sarawak.

Opposition leaders are also believed to be courting disgruntled members of Abdullah's United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which currently has 79 seats in parliament and Anwar was formerly a member.

Many in Sabah and neighboring Sarawak feel aggrieved by what they see as the marginalization of their states in the Malaysian federation. The two entities, along with Singapore and Malaya, merged to form Malaysia in 1963, though Singapore left the federation two years later. Now, Sabah and Sarawak are widely viewed as just two among the federation's 13 states, even though they were previously granted special administrative concessions in recognition of their distinct character.

Apart from the disgruntled Sabah and Sarawak parliamentarians, Abdullah also has to contend with a rival within UMNO, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is bidding to challenge him for the party presidency in December. He also has to deal with the scathing pot-shots lobbed at him by his prime ministerial predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, whose critical blog postings have received widespread attention.

Moreover, Abdullah has to lug the political baggage that his deputy, Najib Razak, brings along. On Tuesday, the parliamentary speaker rejected a motion by veteran opposition parliamentarian Lim Kit Siang to discuss the latest allegations surrounding the murder of a Mongolian woman, whose body was blown up with explosives in a remote area in 2006.

Popular blogger Raja Petra filed a written declaration in the high court last week alleging that Najib's wife and two others - an acting colonel and his wife - were at the scene on the night of the murder. A close associate of Najib's, Abdul Razak Baginda, and two police special operatives already stand accused in court in the ongoing murder trial. But Raja Petra's sensational allegations point to higher-ups who have not yet been brought to court.

Abdullah said he doesn't believe that either Najib or his wife were involved and has denied Raja Petra's allegation that he had received a written report from military intelligence over the murder. Najib, for his part, has denied that he and his wife were involved in the murder. "Everything that is written is a total lie and fabrication," he said on Wednesday. "It's total garbage."

Anwar in the wings

Meanwhile, various civil society groups and the youth wings of opposition parties are planning a massive protest against the oil price hike on July 5, when organizers hope - somewhat ambitiously - to gather a million aggrieved Malaysians in the heart of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Government crackdowns on street protests staged by aggrieved Hindu groups last year were one factor in UMNO's disappointing electoral performance in March, analysts have said.

All the while, Anwar Ibrahim lies in wait for the opportune moment to make one final push to seize power for the opposition alliance. In that connection, all eyes are focused on what happens next in Sabah. Through its actions last week and its defiance of the ruling coalition, SAPP has tapped into a current of discontent after having toed the party line for years.

The party sees the current moment as a window of opportunity to achieve greater autonomy for Sabah, which despite its considerable oil resources only receives 5% in royalties from the national government. It is a perennial source of political discontent in the state, which has large pockets of poverty in its interior areas, and the small party now seems keen to renegotiate those terms for its future political support. Anwar has already promised the oil-producing states that he would raise their royalty to 20%.

A recent report on the SAPP's official website said, "The momentum for us to recover our autonomy, get 20% oil royalties and return of Labuan [an island off Sabah now regarded as a federal territory] would be lost. Unfair federal laws, excessive taxes and structural imbalances in the economy will remain entrenched. Sabah will remain the poorest state subservient to the central leadership. Labuan bridge, poverty eradication and rural development will remain elusive. Racial politics and wasteful monopolies will continue as usual."

Abdullah has tried to cajole the Sabahans by scrapping the Federal Development Department - an intermediary for federal funds allocated to the state - and with the appointment of a local Sabahan as the vice chancellor of the University Malaysia Sabah. His government has also set up a cabinet committee to look into the large number of illegal immigrants - a major source of discontentment among Sabahans. Najib has said that the government will soon launch a major operation against illegal immigrants.

But those moves are likely to be too little too late for many Sabahans to maintain their political support to the BN. As the political temperature rises, Abdullah has also bid to soften the blow caused by the removal of oil subsidies.

For instance, the government has started to pay out cash rebates amounting to 625 ringgit (US$192) to each car owner across the country. And in an apparent nod to the call for more political openness, his administration has allowed the opposition Harakah newspaper, run by the Islamic Party, PAS, to publish twice a week - its original frequency - instead of once a fortnight as was the case until now.

But that was quickly forgotten this week as new administrative rules restricting reporters' access to the lobby of parliament provoked an angry reaction among mainstream media journalists, prompting them to boycott several press conferences held by politicians in parliament. And with higher oil prices hitting the livelihoods of all Malaysians, it seems unlikely the pressure on Abdullah - and the ruling coalition - will ease any time soon (Anil Netto).

Witty repartee doesn’t always translate to good debate

The Edge Daily (2/6/08): Some people expected the quality of debates in parliament to improve with more opposition members of parliament (MPs) to watch over the government. Undeniably, the Dewan Rakyat has become more interesting - but it is difficult to tell if the quality of debates has improved.

The first day of parliament was already marred by boyish antics from both the government and opposition camps. In a heated exchange over some technicalities, Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor-DAP) labelled Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan-BN) as “bigfoot”, and the latter responded in kind by calling Karpal “big monkey”.

Although such incidents are not unusual in the Dewan Rakyat, the matter was compounded by the fact that the first half hour of the parliament session was telecast live for the first time nationwide.

Some consider this as entertainment which one can expect from parliament, while others feel embarrassed, so much so that the Information Ministry threatened to stop the live telecast. In the end, the government decided to proceed with the broadcast.

However, the opposition has continuously engaged the government in name-calling and mud-slinging throughout the sessions.

Be that as it may, there was a lot of creativity flowing from the ranks of Pakatan Rakyat, especially Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Azmin Ali (Gombak-PKR), who made a memorable remark in one of his speeches.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau-BN), he said: “Since when does Umno care about “ketuanan Melayu” (Malay supremacy), when all this while it only practised “ketuanan menantu” (son-in-law’s supremacy)?”

When it came to Khairy’s turn to speak, the Umno Youth deputy chief tried to get his revenge by sowing the seed of disunity in the opposition camp, targeted at staunchly Islamic PAS MPs, by playing up the pig farm issue in Selangor.

He also said Pakatan Rakyat was just a “public relations” stunt among parties with different ideologies to pull wool over people’s eyes.

Calling PAS a “junior partner” in Pakatan Rakyat, he claimed that the PKR-led Selangor state government was giving more priority to “Projek Khinzir Raksasa” (mammoth pig project), which is a play on the acronym “PKR”.

Khairy’s remarks managed to rile up several PAS MPs, who pointed out that the project was actually approved by the previous state government led by Umno.

Not to be outdone by Khairy, Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena-PAS) said it was actually “Projek Babi Negara” (National Pig Project), which is a twist on the Barisan Nasional’s acronym.

Khairy appeared to be a favourite target of the opposition’s stinging attacks, as DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh Timur-DAP) had earlier called him the “richest unemployed in the world” for being able to acquire and sell a lot of shares in ECM Libra.

Lim also challenged Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun-BN), who is the youngest son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to answer on his father’s behalf.

“Isn’t Dr Mahathir’s administration known for KKN? Does the honourable Jerlun MP know what KKN is? The first K stands for kronisme (cronyism), the second K for korupsi (corruption) and the N for nepotisme (nepotism),” he said.

Even the demure Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Permatang Pauh-PKR) displayed her mettle as an Opposition Leader in the debate on the motion of thanks on the royal address, by hurling various accusations against the government.

She tried to implicate Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also the defence minister, by alleging corruption in the procurement of military equipment, such as Scorpene submarines and Sukhoi fighter jets.

Najib also hogged the limelight as popular blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin was charged with sedition for his article, which contained allegations linking the deputy prime minister and his wife to the murder of Altantuya Shaaribuu.

Despite the prevalence of playground antics, the Dewan Rakyat still managed to hear an array of issues of public interest, ranging from food security to highway concessions.

While it is heartening to note that many MPs took the opportunity to raise many issues while debating the motion of thanks on the royal address, their skills on real policy matters are not really tested this round.

The real occasion for law-making only came in the fourth week when they debated the Supplementary Supply Bill and the Pensions (Amendments) Bill. Alas, the two bills had to be rushed through the Dewan Rakyat.

In a nutshell, it is still too early to tell whether parliamentary debates are better now, as mud-slinging and name-calling seem to have moved to a new level.

On a more positive note, the government is trying to become more responsive to certain issues judging from certain pronouncements made in parliament. Some BN MPs are also becoming more vocal on issues such as minority rights, corruption and independence of the judiciary.

For example, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has even been accused by some backbenchers from his own camp of being “an opposition minister” and “realising the opposition’s manifesto” for his plans to reform the judiciary.

The government also announced that it would consider taking over highway concessions or review the toll charges to reduce the financial burden on the people.

In fact, Abdullah himself was seen sitting in the Dewan Rakyat to observe parliamentary proceedings until as late as 11pm on one occasion.

At the end of the day, regardless of the quality of debates in parliament, the more important objective of parliamentary democracy is to ensure that the government is honest and responsive.

Govt denies paying 114 million Euros commission in purchase of submarines

Bernama (14/5/08): The Defence Ministry Wednesday reiterated that the government had never paid 114.96 million euros in commission to Perimekar Sdn Bhd in connection with the purchase of two Scorpene-class submarines.

On the contrary, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said, the purchase was done through direct negotiations in line with the government's procurement method with the submarine makers, France and Spain.

"The Defence Ministry would like to stress that the claim by Permatang Pauh MP (Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) is baseless," he said when winding up the debate for his ministry on the motion of thanks for the royal address at the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday.

Debating the motion recently, Wan Azizah claimed that there were elements of corruption in the purchase of the two submarines as well as the 18 Sukhoi fighter jets.

Explaining further, Najib said, the 114.96 million euros paid to Perimekar Sdn Bhd was not a commission but rather, a payment to provide coordination and support services to the Malaysian navy's submarine project team in Cherbourg, France, and in Cartegana, Spain, as well as the submarine trainees in Brest, France.

Perimekar Sdn Bhd is owned by the Armed Forces Fund, Boustead Holdings Sdn Bhd and K.S. Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd.

Najib said: "The government did not make any purchase negotiations with Perimekar Sdn Bhd. Instead, the company was given a contract to provide the coordination and support services for a period of six years."

Among others, the services include providing accommodation and equipment for the project's team in France and Spain for a period of six years; providing insurance coverage for the personnel and their families as well as the submarine crew in France and Spain; to pay daily allowance and submarine crew allowance of 50 euros a day for each personnel for the first three years, and 60 euros a day for each personnal for the second three-year period.

Najib said the 114.96 million euros contract value would be paid in stages in line with the progress of the submarine project.

As of now, a total of 95.54 million euros or 83.11 per cent of the amount had already been paid to the company, he said.

Najib also said the government had never made commission payment to IMT (M) Defence Sdn Bhd in the purchase of the Sukhoi jetfighters.

"The accusation by members of the House that the government paid commissions in the purchase of the submarines and the Sukhois was not true and is a concerted attempt at confusing the people for their own political gain," he said.

On the price difference between the purchase of the Sukhois by Malaysia and India, Najib said, it was due to the way the jetfighters were configured as well as the number of aircraft purchased.

Malaysia bought 18 Sukhois compared to India's 180, said Najib, adding that the government had carried out a thorough study including making price comparison with the acquisition made by the Indian air force.

At the end of the speech, Najib made reference to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu by saying that he had never known, let alone met, the Mongolian woman.

"God willing, I'm still able to withstand all the lies aimed at tarnishing my name. Let the court carry out its duty and uphold justice. At the same time, I pray that the truth will prevail," he said.

I never met or knew Altantuya, Najib tells Parliament

The Star (14/5/08): Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak reiterated in Parliament Wednesday that he had never met nor knew murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He said he did not want to make any further comments on the matter as the hearing of the case was still going on.

"I know that some of the Dewan Rakyat members are concerned about the court case of the murder of the Mongolian woman, and I also know that there are some members who deliberately tried to link my name to the case,"

"Let the court play its role and carry out its responsibility to uphold justice in this country without any party interfering," he said

The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Defence Minister said the Government had never paid anyone commission for the procurement of two Scorpene submarines and 18 Sukhoi fighter jets.

He said both projects involved only direct negotiations between Malaysian firms and the countries that sold the submarines and the fighter planes.

"On the allegation made by Yang Berhormat Permatang Pauh (Opposition Leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) that Syarikat Perimekar Sdn Bhd had received a commission of 114.96mil Euros in the procurement of Scorpene submarines, the ministry wants to stress that the Government has not and had never paid any commission directly or indirectly to the company.

"On the procurement of Sukhoi, I also want to stress that the Government had never paid any commission to Syarikat IMT (M) Defence Sdn Bhd as alleged," Najib said in his winding up speech on the motion of thanks on the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat .

On the issue of National Service, Najib said the Government would continue with the programme as it promoted unity although there were accidents and death cases

He said since the programme started in 2004, there had been 16 death cases, of which 11 trainees died in their camps.

"The people are very happy with the programme despite the death cases. Their response is proven in the increased number of voluntary trainees from 929 last year to 1,137 this year," said Najib.

Malaysia's No. 2 leader rejects opposition claims of corruption

PR-Inside (14/5/08): Malaysia's deputy prime minister defended himself Wednesday against accusations of corruption that the opposition says make him unfit to become the country's leader.

Najib Razak, who is also defense minister, has been increasingly targeted by the opposition, which has sought to link him to scandals, including allegedly dubious defense
contracts and the slaying of a Mongolian woman.

In a speech to Parliament, Najib said the opposition has made "completely baseless" claims that major military procurements conducted by his ministry were tainted by graft.

Many politicians expect Najib to succeed Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. After their ruling coalition suffered stinging losses in March general elections, Abdullah pledged to hand over power to Najib in a leadership transition they would start planning after December.

Najib rejected accusations that his ministry misled the public about deals to buy French submarines in 2002 and Russian fighter aircraft in 2003. Opposition leaders have claimed massive commissions were paid to facilitators of the two deals.

"There's no need" for an independent inquiry into the purchases, Najib said.

Rivals have also claimed Najib was involved in the slaying of a Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaariibuu, in late 2006. Two policemen are on trial for allegedly using explosives to destroy Shaariibuu's remains in a jungle clearing near Kuala Lumpur.

Abdul Razak Baginda, one of Najib's close associates, has been charged with abetting the murder of Shaariibuu, with whom Abdul Razak had an affair.

Najib reiterated Wednesday that he was not involved in the death and said he never met Shaariibuu.

Opposition activists have not produced solid evidence to substantiate their claims against Najib, but have widely spread their criticism through public speeches and Web sites. (AP)