Media Intelligentsia Speculate as to Whether or Not Fake and Also Gay Ayatollah Currently Exists

 

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Media Intelligentsia Speculate as to Whether or Not Fake and Also Gay Ayatollah Currently Exists

An Atlantic article by Arash Azizi, examines persistent rumors that Iran’s supreme leader—appointed roughly six months earlier after his father Ali Khamenei’s death in a February strike—may be dead or brain-dead.

Mojtaba has remained completely invisible in public, with no photos, videos, or audio released. Even senior figures such as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have not seen him, and reports indicate no cabinet members have met him.

Multiple government sources told the Atlantic they believe he either died or became brain-dead from injuries sustained in the February attack on his family compound; similar accounts reached IranWire that word at the highest levels of the regime held he was in very poor condition and could die at any moment. A recent public appeal on a domestic messaging service urged Iranians to pray and sacrifice sheep for his health amid threats to his life.

Official and semi-official pushback has been firm.

Mojtaba’s office continued issuing decrees into early August (including religious rulings and military appointments) and confirmed a lengthy meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian in late July. A relative and former official, Khoshvaght, insisted to the author that Mojtaba is alive and dismissed the rumors as “psychological war” by the United States and Israel intended to demoralize officials and the public; another former adviser similarly claimed he is “in full health.”

The office’s silence after August 9, however, has intensified speculation.

Regardless of Mojtaba’s actual status, the article argues the opacity creates real governance problems. The supreme leader’s constitutional authority is now obscured, contributing to factional tension while the National Security Council effectively manages day-to-day affairs. Critical choices—such as responses to external pressure, potential diplomacy, or confrontation—risk paralysis or infighting in the absence of a clearly visible leader.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: I’ve long speculated that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (the father) has been dead for years, and that Mojtaba (the son) is not even a real person—at least, not the version of Mojtaba that we have been told about: the gay Ayatollah.

Ever since Mojtaba has become Ayatollah, he has been completely MIA. (Not that he was much of a public figure before. In fact, I had never even heard his name as a potential successor.)

Neither President Pezeshkian, nor Foreign Minister Araghchi, nor even members of Khamenei’s extended family have seen or spoken with Mojtaba since he became Ayatollah. All of them readily admit to this.

The MSM is now finally acknowledging his prolonged absence.

How could the leader of a regime that is allegedly fighting an existential war against its greatest adversary not appear publicly in an attempt to at least boost morale?

I’m actually okay with the MSM believing that this guy is real and totally the Ayatollah.

I find it deeply amusing that they actually think that the theocratic leader of the Islamic Republic is a homosexual.

I don’t know why we don’t spend more time mocking them for believing this. It’s genuinely hilarious.

Solehah's Maga - Malays Are Great Always

Solehah's Maga - Malays Are Great Always

Andrew Sia
Published: Aug 26, 2026 11:26 AM
Updated: 2:33 PM



COMMENT | Is Professor Solehah Yaacob “salah” (wrong)? Her views of history are dubious, but many Malay comments online support her.

Do they represent the majority? They seem like white Maga folks who love Donald Trump even though he keeps spouting dubious “Truth Social” messages.

Many Malay netizens bashed the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) for sacking Solehah.

One Amin S said - “Mereka takut fakta kegemilangan Melayu” (They are afraid of the glorious facts about the Malays). So, he continued, they had to sack her to shut her up.

His comment was in a post by Berita Harian about her sacking. It received more than 443 likes.

A post by Malay news portal Malaysia Gazette got even more strident comments.

One Izack Saujana said Solehah was brave and not “lembu cucuk hidung” (a cow with a nose ring) that could be pulled here and there. He received close to 900 likes.

One Mey Aprielle commented (in uppercase letters):

SEMOGA DR TERUS KUAT MEMBONGKAR SEJARAH MELAYU DAN ISLAM

(Hope doctor keeps boldly exposing the truth of Malay Muslim history). He received 426 likes.

Donald Trump


The overall mindset seen is: We are victims of the “conspiracy” of colonial history, and Solehah is our saviour who has revealed the truth. Never mind the fact that in our country, the Malays control all the levers of power, including in public universities.

It's like Trump smartly using racial identity to exploit an “underdog” identity against the so-called “swamp” and “fake news” of the elites.

Fact or fable?

Solehah is infamous for her fantastical claims. In November 2025, she asserted that the Malays taught Romans how to build ships. Forget the inconvenient fact that the designs of the ships were very different.

Last September, she claimed in a Gabungan Nasionalis (Nationalist Coalition) podcast that ancient Malays could fly and even taught the Chinese the art of “flying kung fu”.

Sahul Hamid Maiddin of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi) told the Scoop portal, “Such claims are simply not logical. History must be based on sources that can be cross-verified.

“Myths, on the other hand, are folk stories infused with imagination, romanticism and superstition.”

Prof Solehah Yaacob


He added that the British encouraged legends so that people would remain lost in fantasies as “escapism”. If so, then it looks like Solehah has taken over that colonial role.

She also implied the Prophet’s wife, Siti Khadijah, may have had links to the Malays. This looked like an attempt to gain some reflected glory.

Most recently, she claimed Kedah’s leaders had Ancient Alien ancestors – just joking, she said Kedah had much iron ore because of deposits from meteors!

Boat cruises of ‘truth’

To refute Solehah, people have to dig into facts and history. But she knows many people lack the ability to look deeper or are too lazy to do so.

There's also “confirmation bias” - the human tendency to look for things that support existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

In other words, people believe their prejudices – for example, that DAP is the “greatest threat” to the Malays, even though the huge scandals of Tabung Haji, 1MDB and Felda were linked to Umno.

Yet, Solehah has clearly been proven “salah”. In a 2018 paper for an “Islamic Civilisation Journal”, she wrote that “a group of historians admitted to fabricating Ancient Greece”.

Her proof? An article from satirical news outlet The Onion!

If she doesn't know that satire is not fact, how could she become a professor? This was a classic “kangkung goreng belacan” job.

I had thought that only less educated or poorer people would be fooled by her.

But James Chin, who studies Malaysian politics, pointed out that she has gone on to lead paid boat-cruise tours built around her theories.

James Chin

For example, Solehah promotes herself as a speaker for the “Islamic Civilisation Voyage 3.0”, a four-day cruise from Port Klang to Phuket in early Dec 3.

During the tour, she will speak on “The Mystery of the Roman Ship Deception”.

Did IIUM review her work?

The Kedah meteors story seemed to be the last straw that broke IIUM’s back.

Shortly after, the university announced on Aug 23 that Solehah had been terminated from service on April 27.

But why delay announcing this by 118 days or four months? Why was she still allowed to go around claiming to be a “professor”? Did she have some special “protection”?

IIUM

There’s a fresh fracas with Solehah claiming she was “unfairly dismissed” – if so, let IIUM pay compensation. But that’s just a sideshow distraction from more crucial issues.

Chin noted that IIUM finally took action because of the negative publicity. So, he asked, if social media had not exposed her "research", would she still be a professor?


In other words, did anyone internally check her work or peer-review it? If there were, how did she pass them?

If professors at Oxford or Cambridge had made equally bizarre claims without proper proof, how long would they have lasted?

How did Solehah remain as a “professor” long after she was caught for citing The Onion as “evidence”?

A deeper disease?

One academic in a public university told me, “To get promoted, we have to play the racial game, or we get sidelined.”

So the real problem could be: was Solehah tolerated, maybe even encouraged, by the system?

The rewriting of history to glorify one race has been going on for years in Malaysia.

Solehah was just its comical extreme.

Historian Ranjit Singh Malhi has pointed out repeatedly that school history textbooks have covered up the roles of non-Malays in building this country.

For example, the vital role of Chinese tin miners and Indian rubber tappers has been reduced to just a few sentences. The hard work of Indian workers who literally built roads, railways, bridges and ports all over Malaya has also been ignored.

Our country’s Indian (Hindu and Buddhist) past is denied, said Ranjit, even though many Malay words such as suka, duka, kapal, kedai, raja and even bahasa and bumiputera all come from Indian languages.

Even the role of the most bumi of bumiputera, the Orang Asli, has been ignored, lamented Ranjit.

Rightful ‘masters’

All this seems to point in one direction – that this country was first established, then built up by one group.

Therefore, the land belongs to them as the rightful “tuan” or “masters”.

Many embrace this rewritten “truth” as a kind of soothing ubat or drug, as seen in the many online comments supporting Solehah.

It masks the pain of ordinary Malays struggling as food delivery riders or low-level staff while the elite tuan grab most of the wealth.

Who cares about “petty concerns” such as jobs, corruption and education, when people are comforted by Solehah's fables of Maga - Malays Are Great Always.

ANDREW SIA is a veteran journalist who likes teh tarik khau kurang manis. You are welcome to give him ideas to brew at tehtarik@gmail.com

Akmal wants Tabung Haji RCI sequel, netizens say read the first one

Akmal wants Tabung Haji RCI sequel, netizens say read the first one





UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh defended calls for a new Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Tabung Haji (TH) to be established to reinvestigate issues concerning the institution’s management.

He said the public also wanted to know the status of the transfer of Tabung Haji assets to Urusharta Jamaah Sdn Bhd during the previous PH 1.0 administration.

“Want to expose, expose it fully, not halfway,” Akmal was reportedly quoted as saying by Malaysia Gazette.

In reply, Angkatan Muda Keadilan Information Chief Danish Hairudin said the Tabung Haji Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) was not established when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was prime minister, and therefore dissatisfaction with the report’s findings should not be directed at the current government.

Away from the diplomatic replies, netizens have some hard hitting responses to Akmal too.

Take for example @AbdulAz67039163 who pointed out that the whole report is already there for public reading.

According to @syah5547, he read the report but simply didn’t understand it.

@TKohHock even provided a step-by-step method to get the full report.

Readers should check out this sharp comment from @_RakyatMalaysia too.

For context, the RCI was formed in 2021 and completed its investigation in July 2022.

The report was submitted to the King the following month before being declassified and released to the public on July 29 this year.

The report found that TH faced mounting financial pressure between 2014 and 2020 due to factors including high hibah commitments, questionable accounting practices, inadequate oversight, aggressive investment strategies and growing subsidy obligations.

The commission also concluded that TH had failed to accurately reflect its financial position for several years.

In 2017, the institution reported a RM3.4 bil profit, when it should have recorded a net loss of RM1.4 bil under the relevant accounting standards, a difference of almost RM4.8 bil.—Aug 26, 2026

‘The dream does not bode well’: Wan Junaidi recalls jungle operation that shaped his leadership

‘The dream does not bode well’: Wan Junaidi recalls jungle operation that shaped his leadership



The Iban phrase, meaning ‘The dream does not bode well... don’t do it’ has remained etched in the memory of the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, even after more than 50 years. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon


Summary

• The article recounts the poignant memories of Tun Dr. Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak, from an operation against communist terrorists in Tulai, Sarawak, in 1971.
• During this operation, Jungle Squad Constable Jabu Ajai, who had an ominous dream, was killed, marking a significant moment in Junaidi's career that emphasized lessons of leadership, responsibility, and humanity.
• Through his time in the Jungle Squad, Junaidi learned the importance of understanding diverse cultural beliefs within his team, which later influenced his leadership approach.
• His experiences are chronicled in his book, "A Policeman," and he has held prominent roles in politics and administration, culminating in his appointment as the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak.

First Published: Wednesday, 26 Aug 2026 9:00 PM MYT



KUCHING, Aug 26 — “Nda manah mimpi... anang baka nyak.”

The Iban phrase, meaning “The dream does not bode well... don’t do it” has remained etched in the memory of the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, even after more than 50 years.


Those were the last words uttered by Jungle Squad Constable Jabu Ajai before he was killed during an operation to hunt communist terrorists in Tulai, Sarawak, in 1971.


For Wan Junaidi, who was leading the team during the operation, the incident was more than just another episode in the line of duty. It was a deeply moving experience that taught him enduring lessons about responsibility, leadership and humanity.

Operation to hunt communists

Recalling the incident, Wan Junaidi said that, as an Inspector at the time, he was ordered to lead his platoon to a location to conduct a special operation after a team stationed at Tulai, Binatang (now Bintangor), came under an ambush.


The attack left two Jungle Squad personnel dead and six others seriously injured.

“After receiving a briefing in the operations room, my platoon left Sibu for the location at about 4 pm aboard a Nuri helicopter and spent the night near the area.

“I instructed my men that we had to move at 7 am the next morning because we could not spend two nights in the same place. We had to find those who had killed our men,” he told Bernama.

The following morning, as all the personnel were preparing to move out, Jabu was still asleep.

“I wondered why Jabu had not got up. Then one of the men, Constable Merom Bujak, volunteered to wake him up the Gurkha way by kicking him until he woke up.

“Once awake, he told us he had a nightmare. But before I could ask him more about the dream, I ordered Jabu to get ready and delayed our movement by an hour. We finally set off at 8 am to begin the mission,” he said.

After about two hours of travelling, his team arrived in a hilly area, where a reconnaissance team alerted them to the suspicious movement of several individuals believed to have fled from a house nearby.

Wan Junaidi and his men proceeded to the house for further inspection. Inside, they found an elderly man, a woman and five children. Nothing appeared unusual, except for several cups of tea placed on the table.

“It was suspicious because children would not be drinking tea. Besides, there were far too many glasses on the table.

“I then instructed one of the men to check the hilly area behind the house. The search uncovered a resting place used by communist terrorists, confirming that the house had been used as a stopover for the communists to eat and drink before retreating to a strategic position on the hill,” he said.

Jabu's final mission

Wan Junaidi said he subsequently led his platoon up the hill, when suddenly gunfire erupted from the enemy’s direction.

In a split second, Jabu and Merom fell.

Wan Junaidi rushed to Jabu, who had died on the spot, while Merom was seriously injured.

“I can still vividly remember the blood gushing from Jabu’s body... I never imagined that his nightmare, which had left him feeling uneasy that morning, was a bad omen.

“After realising that Jabu had been killed, Corporal Majani, his close friend, rushed forward, embraced his body and wept, crying, ‘Why must you die?’,” he said, his voice filled with emotion.

According to Wan Junaidi, Majani, overwhelmed by grief and anger after seeing his close friend’s body, wanted to kill all the civilians in the house.

“He acted rashly, returning to the house with the intention of killing the elderly man, woman and children there, while pointing a Bren light machine gun at them.

“Realising what Majani was about to do, I immediately rushed back to the house and kicked him to stop him from acting on his intention. I then ordered a member of the team, Hassan, to keep the situation under tight control.

“I told Hassan, ‘I have no time to deal with Majani. Don’t let him get hold of his weapon. Even though we know what their parents have done, we cannot kill these children,’” Wan Junaidi said firmly.

For him, the principles of humanity and the safety of civilians could never be compromised, even in the midst of battle and the loss of a fellow comrade.

Investigations later revealed that the elderly man was a key leader of the group responsible for managing the finances of communist terrorists in the area.

“Intelligence also revealed that the killing of the Jungle Squad personnel at Tulai Camp was carried out by a group from Ngemah led by Ubong Nuing,” he said.

Ubong Nuing was the leader of the North Kalimantan People’s Army (PARAKU), an Iban who joined the communist armed movement in Sarawak opposed to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, before surrendering to the authorities in the 1980s.

The jungle as a teacher

Wan Junaidi said his years serving as a Jungle Squad officer taught him the true meaning of discipline, emotional control and humanity while carrying the responsibility of defending the country.

He said the sense of camaraderie within his multi-ethnic platoon also changed the way he viewed situations, particularly as a leader who had to respect the views and beliefs of his men.

“In my platoon, when I was serving in Miri, half were Orang Ulu and the other half Iban, with only two or three Malays. In Sibu, the composition was slightly different, with most being Iban and a smaller number of Orang Ulu and Malays.

“That was where I learnt a great deal about the cultures and beliefs of my men. The Iban, for example, have certain beliefs about dreams, sounds and various other signs... I learnt about all these things so that I could understand my men,” he said.

Recalling another experience while serving in the jungle, Wan Junaidi said it taught him the importance of understanding his men’s beliefs, particularly when faced with critical situations.

He said it was around 7 pm and darkness was beginning to descend, but his platoon had yet to set up camp for the night.

“While we were putting up the tent, suddenly a tree branch fell near the spot where we intended to set up camp. After that, all my men fell silent.

“I did not know why they had suddenly stopped working. One of them came to me, spoke to me in Iban and explained their belief.

“The Iban believe that if you are doing something and something unexpected happens, it is a sign that misfortune is about to come,” he explained.

Wan Junaidi, who was only 23 at the time, realised that although he was the leader, he still needed to remain humble and respect the views of his men, particularly those who were much older and more experienced than him.

“I then asked how we could overcome the situation as it was almost dark, we had not eaten and the tent had yet to be completed.

“They said we could move elsewhere and did not have to go far. Although we had already gathered the wood and materials to put up the tent, I agreed and ordered everyone to move,” he said.

Realising that his men’s concerns could affect their concentration and morale, Wan Junaidi decided to move about 100 metres from the original location.

“Everyone was happy. If I had said we were staying there, they would not have been happy because, for them, it was not just about the leader dying. Many more could have been killed if a battle broke out.

“After we moved and put up the tent again, everyone became calm. A sergeant came to me and said, ‘Sir, you made a very good decision.’ Otherwise, the men would have been worried and unable to sleep,” he said with a smile.

From that experience, Wan Junaidi said a leader must not only know how to defend the country, but also understand the hearts, beliefs and concerns of his men.

“In the jungle, where uncertainty is everywhere, the strength of a team lies not only in its weapons, but in the confidence and trust they have in one another,” he said.

What shaped his leadership

Wan Junaidi’s experiences as a police officer were also documented in his 2014 book, A Policeman, which includes accounts of his encounters with the communist threat as well as historical information on the era of communist violence in Sarawak.

Born in Kampung Pendam (now Sadong Jaya), Sarawak, on Feb 1, 1946, Wan Junaidi, 80, joined the Royal Malaysia Police in 1964 and served in the Jungle Squad from 1968 to 1973, during which he was also posted to the Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom).

He subsequently pursued legal studies at the University of Buckingham, England, in 1978 before becoming a practising lawyer.

He later became actively involved in politics and administration, holding several key positions in the Federal Cabinet before being appointed President of the Senate.

He was appointed the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak for a four-year term from Jan 26, 2024 to Jan 26, 2028. — Bernama

Ex-Tabung Haji chairman, former Treasury sec-gen arrested by MACC over RCI findings

 

Ex-Tabung Haji chairman, former Treasury sec-gen arrested by MACC over RCI findings



The men, both in their 60s, were detained around 4pm today after arriving at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya. They are expected to be brought to the Putrajaya Magistrates’ Court for a remand application tomorrow. — Picture by Choo Choy May


Summary

• The MACC has arrested a former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman and a former Treasury secretary-general for investigation related to the royal commission inquiry.
• Both individuals in their 60s were detained at the MACC headquarters in Petaling Jaya.
• The duo is expected to appear at the Putrajaya Magistrates' Court for a remand application tomorrow.

By Kenneth Tee
First Published: Wednesday, 26 Aug 2026 7:28 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Aug 26 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman and a former Treasury secretary-general to assist an investigation stemming from the findings of the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the pilgrims’ fund.

The men, both in their 60s, were detained around 4pm today after arriving at the MACC headquarters here.


They are expected to be brought to the Putrajaya Magistrates’ Court for a remand application tomorrow.

MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman confirmed the arrests.

 

New Report Highlights Western Tanks Have Become Near Useless in Ukraine’s War Effort

Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff

August-26th-2026

Ukrainian Abrams Tank Hit By Precision Guided Artillery in Early May 2024

Western-supplied tanks that Ukraine once regarded as among its most important battlefield assets are increasingly being kept out of direct combat due to their very limited survivability. A New York Times report on Ukraine’s 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade found that German-built Leopard tanks are spending much of their time concealed beneath camouflage netting in forest positions in the Kharkiv region. Instead of spearheading assaults, some are now primarily used to recover damaged vehicles. This follows years of reports pointing to the limited usefulness of Western tanks in the high intensity conflict. 

German Supplied Leopard 2A6 Tank Destroyed in Kursk in September 2024 - X

Ukraine began receiving large numbers of Western tanks in 2023, including the German Leopard 2s, British Challenger 2s and U.S. M1 Abrams, which Western analysts widely asserted would be a game changer that would allow the country to conduct large-scale armoured offensives. These tanks’ viability for modern warfare has been widely questioned, as their emphasis on heavy armour protection is considered far from optimal in an era of drone warfare. The German Leopard 2, which was the first to be used in combat, has taken very high losses, while several of the tanks have been captured and analysed in detail at Russian facilities.

Ukrainain Army M1A1 Abrams Tank Captured By Russian Forces in Sumy in June 2025

The Leopard 2 tanks operated by the 33rd Brigade reportedly cost around $10 million each, creating a striking mismatch with the inexpensive drones that can threaten them. According to The New York Times’ report, crews venture out primarily to tow damaged equipment, with poor weather sometimes providing the safest conditions because rain, fog and low visibility reduce drone activity. The brigade has also adapted by changing what its tank crews do. About half of one tank battalion has reportedly retrained as drone operators, reflecting the growing importance of unmanned systems even among personnel originally trained for armoured warfare. Some younger recruits have joined the unit without ever operating a tank and instead work with ground drones and other unmanned systems.

Ukrainian Army Abrams Tank

After the underperformance of the Leopard 2, Western analysts widely projected that the U.S. M1 Abrams would provide more capable. The vehicles quickly began to take heavy losses after their first combat operations in April 2024. In June 2025 87 percent of the Abrams were assessed to have been lost. The U.S. Army subsequently cancelled plans for further modernisation of the M1A2 to deeply revise the Abrams’ design, and instead financed the development of the very deeply revised and much lighter M1E3 Abrams next generation variant. 

Challenger 2 Milliseconds Before and After Destruction by Vikhr Missile in Kursk - Telegram

The capture of significant numbers of Abrams and German-supplied Leopard 2 tanks, which have often been filmed being towed away from the frontlines by Russian units, has allowed Russian experts to study the vehicles in detail. Footage released in October 2024 confirmed that at least one captured Leopard 2A6 had been sent to Russia’s main tank manufacturing facility, Uralvagonzavod, in order “to assess the actual military-technical level of various systems and the captured vehicle itself.” It was subsequently reported by multiple Russian sources in December 2024 that at least one Abrams tank would also be studied at Uralvagonzavod. It is notable that a significantly lower proportion of the British Challenger 2 tank fleet has been lost in combat, largely due to its lack of frontline deployments relative to other tanks in the Ukrainian fleet.