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.

PR MPs stage walkout

The Edge Daily (30/6/08): Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Members of Parliament (MPs) staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat today to protest Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia’s decision to allow Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to speak on the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

While in the Dewan Rakyat, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, supported by other Pakatan Rakyat members, pointed out that it would be a misuse of Standing Order 14(1)(i) to make a ministerial statement on his support for the mid-term review.

“He should have make the statement when he seconded the motion last week,” Lim said, adding that it was misuse of standing order.

Meanwhile, Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) questioned whether the government was admiting that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had missed out some points when he presented his speech on the mid-term review last Thursday by allowing Najib to provide further explanations.

In response, Pandikar said it was his discretion under the Standing Order as the Speaker to allow Najib to make the speech and told the MPs who disagreed with his decision to submit a motion to the parliament on the matter.

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.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs stage walkout

The Edge Daily (1/7/08): Pakatan Rakyat Members of Parliament (MPs) staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat yesterday to protest against Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia’s decision to allow Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to speak on the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Pandikar said it was his discretion under the Standing Orders as the Speaker to allow Najib to make the speech, and told the MPs who disagreed with his decision to submit a motion to parliament on the matter.

DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh Timur-DAP), supported by other Pakatan Rakyat members, pointed out that it would be a misuse of Standing Order 14(1)(i) to make a ministerial statement on his support for the mid-term review.

“He should have made the statement when he seconded the motion last week,” Lim said, adding that it was misuse of a standing order.

He said they walked out in protest because there was no respect for the standing orders.

“This has never happened. It was very clear the DPM didn’t use his opportunity to support the mid-term review last Thursday, and now he wants a second bite of the cherry. It is unparliamentary and unacceptable. We will present a motion to review the Speaker’s decision on this matter and also on suspending the Puchong MP for two days,” Lim said.

He said any ministerial statement should have instead touched on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was taking refuge in the Turkish Embassy because of fear for his personal safety. “That is an urgent matter. Not an extra explanation on the mid-term review. That is ridiculous,” he said.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs kept interrupting Najib, who was trying to deliver his speech, with various points of order until they finally decided to walk out in protest.

As they were walking out, the deputy prime minister could be heard quipping that it was “better” without the opposition MPs in the House.

In his speech, Najib elaborated on the third thrust of the 9MP, which involved strategies to overcome socio-economic inequality in a constructive and productive manner, to avoid misinterpretation by any party.

“The approach taken under this thrust is to reduce the imbalances among ethnic groups, between rural and urban areas and among regions. I would like to explain that the implementation of strategies under this thrust will not exclude opportunities to other groups,” he said.

Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena-PAS) asked if the government was admitting that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had missed out some points when he presented his speech on the mid-term review last Thursday by allowing Najib to provide further explanations.

Opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Permatang Pauh-PKR) questioned why was there a need for Najib to add further explanations to the mid-term review.

“The review by the PM finished before 1pm last Thursday. They had time until 5.30pm,” she said. The House went into a recess until Monday right after Abdullah had presented the review.

Fury, suspension and a walkout

Malay Mail (1/7/08): Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who has long been threatening to erupt in fury at Members’ indiscipline, finally invoked Rule 46 of Parliamentary Standing Orders yesterday to suspend Gobind Singh Deo (DAPPuchong) from the House for two days.

The first-term backbencher had taken a swipe at the government’s handling of the latest Anwar Ibrahim affair, and did so during a completely unrelated supplementary question on abandoned residential housing projects.

“This is a matter of security,” Gobind began, but got no further than “just as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim” before general mayhem broke out on the government benches.

Gobind was allowed to continue but insisted on the rather pompous Malaysian habit of preceding every question with a century-long speech masquerading as a preamble.

Pandikar Amin swiftly lost patience, amidst much wailing and gnashing of government teeth, and made the Sergeant-at-Arms escort Gobind from the House, A deceptive calm then descended as Members, chastened by the experience, sought politely to dispose of Question Time as quickly as possible.

Mahfuz Omar (Pas - Pokok Sena) managed to ask a tricky question about Petronas’s expenditure on the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department S. K.

Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands) tried his best to wriggle his way to safety.

“The MPO represents a part of Petronas’s corporate social responsibility to provide recreational activities and facilities to meet a part of society’s many demands today,” he told an incredulous opposition.

“And as a country of diverse peoples, including expatriates, these facilities offer a choice to those who enjoy the live performances of a world-standard symphony orchestra.” The opposition was rumbling, and Devamany wisely went on to state the good the MPO had managed to do in the years since its foundation: It had assisted 1,000 local musicians and 110 youths (as part of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra), and had encouraged 30 new orchestral compositions.

Humbug, thought Mohd Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak): “In Venezuela, where they have a similar programme of using oil money for music, they have hundreds of community orchestras involving thousands of Venezuelan youths.

“How then does the MPO compare?” he demanded, but Devamany was saved by the bell. Pandikar Amin directed him not to answer as time had run out, and Azmin had allegedly strayed from the original question anyway.

The deceptive calm then vanished like morning mist.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who had appeared in his seat some minutes earlier, was given the floor to make a ministerial statement seeking to “clarify” a point in the Prime Minister’s Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (delivered last Thursday).

Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) rose on a point of order before Najib managed to utter his first line, and demanded to know the grounds on which Najib now held the floor.

A half-hour long argument then ensued, during which Lim and opposition leaders maintained that such a move would compromise parliamentary standards beyond redemption, and to which Pandikar Amin retorted that the decision was his, and that nothing could be done about it It should be noted, however, that at no time did the Speaker attempt to eject Lim for being cantankerous. That would have been disastrous, and Pandikar Amin managed to remain relatively calm.

At one point Najib, mistakenly thinking the coast to be clear, rose to continue — only to have to sit down again under a barrage of points of order now issuing from several opposition Members.

Government backbenchers were restive and tried some tentative booing, but something was brewing on the opposition frontbench: Azmin kept nodding assent at his colleagues. Notes were passed. Pas frontbenchers were getting excited (a rare thing), and Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor), the father of Gobind, was assaulting the chair with quotations from the House of Commons rulebook that appeared insuperable.

Again Pandikar Amin relied on his interpretive powers under Rule 99 of the Standing Orders, and finally the opposition rose as one and walked out of the House.

This had the unfortunate effect of leaving the floor open, after Najib’s statement, to Ibrahim Ali (Ind- Pasir Mas) who thanked the absent opposition for the sterling opportunity to present an hour-long harangue about everything ranging from higher education to the price of potatoes.

The rest of the day proceeded quite normally.

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)