KTemoc Konsiders ........

Monday, August 27, 2018

Mahathir' Banzai to China

MM Online - Dr M says no to Forest City homes for foreign buyers (extracts):

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — Malaysia will not allow foreigners to buy residential units in the US$100-billion (RM410 billion) Forest City project in its southern state of Johor bordering Singapore, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

The project has faced uncertainty since Dr Mahathir’s coalition scored a shock victory at a May general election, as developer Country Garden Holdings Co looks to revive faltering demand for a city planned to be home to 700,000 people.

“One thing is certain, that city that is going to be built cannot be sold to foreigners,” Dr Mahathir told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, the capital.

“We are not going to give visas for people to come and live here,” he added. “Our objection is because it was built for foreigners, not built for Malaysians. Most Malaysians are unable to buy those flats.”

A Country Garden official said the company did not have any immediate response to Dr Mahathir’s comments.

Opposition to the project helped drive Dr Mahathir’s election campaign, during which he called it, and other Chinese-backed projects, evidence of his predecessor selling Malaysia to China.

Malaysians living in Johor complained of large numbers of Chinese people snapping up properties in Forest City, besides concerns of environmental damage, a glut in the property market, and the impact of land reclamation on fisheries.

Country Garden has developed just a fraction of the planned reclamation of 20 sq km, where Chinese nationals accounted for about 70 per cent of apartment buyers last year.

Well, I guess there goes the "Malaysia My Second Home" program.

And here comes Mahathir's intended WAR with China. I don't think the Chinese (China) will be too pleased with Maddy screwing up a RM410 Billion project which had Malaysian approval. It bodes ill for Malaysian-China relationship and trade.

It also bespeaks a PM who doesn't care about Malaysia integrity and honouring of contracts, agreements and treaties - as he had shown in the barring of Chin Peng's return to Sitiawan, not even the late Malaysian's ashes.

Banzai!

Apa 'ni 'CONSULT'?

MM Online - Consult Pakatan partners before scrapping BR1M, PKR man says (extracts):

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Any policy decision on the cash handouts to replace 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) must have the consensus of Pakatan Harapan partners, a PKR lawmaker said today after Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mulled ending the initiative.

Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the move could have effects on the livelihood of the country’s bottom 40 per cent income earners (B40), the primary recipients.

The PKR leader also reminded Dr Mahathir that the ruling coalition had pledged to retain the programme in its election manifesto.

dari warung mamak

“Any reform should only be done with the consensus of all Pakatan Harapan parties and the Cabinet — especially since the manifesto we were elected upon promised that the BR1M/BSH should be retained for the B40,” he said in a statement.

“Moreover, any change must ensure that the current recipients will not be worse off. Also, any comments notwithstanding, there must also be a plan to help recipients who are simply not able to work, whether due to age or disability.”

Dr Mahathir said yesterday his government plans to gradually phase out the Cost of Living Aid (BSH) programmed, a renamed version of the Barisan Nasional-initiated BR1M.

I hope Pakatan people are waking up to the realisation that Maddy does NOT consult when he makes a decision on an issue he prefers.

In his previous PM-ship, anyone who hampered him would get the sack - ask Saleh Abbas, Anwar Ibrahim and even Lim KS but alas, perhaps not as he is now muzzled by his songsang-ised mentality.

now muzzled by his songsang-ised mentality

Thus Maddy hasn't changed from his old dictatorial self, which showed up in his recent multiple capati-ing, kereta baru and the retention of his crony Daim as Head of the un-elected CEP, who could even haul in the nation's Chief Justice and successfully-effectively sack him.

Ong KM shows his true beatiful colours.

Syabas Malaysia's Quinella Sweeties

Gold for squash queen Nicol David
Silver for her teammate S. Sivasangari

Love you both, sweeties

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Victory, Vengeance, Viciousness, Vainglory, Victim - Australia's PMs' Battle

NST - Scott Morrison sworn in as new Australian PM after bitter coup (extracts):

Scott Morrison
30th (new) PM of Australia

SYDNEY: Scott Morrison was sworn in as Australia’s seventh prime minister in 11 years Friday after a stunning party revolt against Malcolm Turnbull, which the new leader admitted had left the government “bruised and battered.”

Former home affairs minister Peter Dutton, an ex-police officer and right-winger, was the driving force behind the move to oust Turnbull after a Liberal Party backlash against his more moderate policies.

But after a torrid week of political manoeuvring in Canberra it was Morrison, a Turnbull ally who served as treasurer, who won a party vote 45-40. He was officially sworn in as Australia’s 30th prime minister late Friday in a ceremony in the capital.

Environment minister Josh Frydenberg – who was elected as the deputy Liberal leader – was sworn in as treasurer.

Peter Dutton
very right-wing, wannabe PM but stuffed out by moderates, though he has a formidable and dangerously lurking very right-wing faction

Malaysiakini - Writing the wrongs of the ‘right’ by Dean Johns (extracts):

Don’t worry, Malaysiakini readers. I’m not about to bore you rigid about the recent riotous and ridiculously failed attempt by the ‘far-right’ wing of Australia’s current government and its attack-dogs in the mongrel media to rid themselves of a prime minister who was too moderate for their tastes and replace him with one of their own.

But I can’t resist at least briefly expressing my elation at the fact that the victory of the at least middling Scott Morrison over the dire Peter Dutton and his political and media accomplices appears to be yet another promising sign that the wrongs of the rabid ‘right’ are coming back to bite them, and with a vengeance.

Dean Johns is right in that most Australians are happy Scott Morrison beat Peter Dutton in the Liberal Party spill to be the new PM.

A Peter-Dutton win would have seen the National Party, the coalition partner of the quarrelling Liberal Party, leave the Coalition in disgust and anger (and in that process, fCking up the ruling party's hold on the government).

Australians are damn mad with the selfish antics of the Liberal Party's far right to seize power in the ruling party and its influential far right media, including the press and media of influential Rubert Murdoch.

The outgoing PM, Malcolm Turnbull, was too moderate for their liking, even though under his government the economy is robust with strong jobs growth, and the budget was returning to balance.

Malcolm Turnbull - 29th PM Australia

The three principal issues leading to Turnbull's ouster by his ultra right-wing colleagues have been:

(a) immigration (especially about Middle-East & African asylum seekers),

(b) energy with regards to Turnbull's original commitment to the Paris Talk on climate change (which the ultra right in his Liberal Party was against as they wanted to continue with massive use of coal),

(c) and the most important and poisonous of all, his arch-foe Tony Abbot who was all about politically 'finishing off' Malcolm Turnbull.

Tony Abbot - 28th PM of Australia

Abbott’s motive was vicious, vindictive, vengeanceful which reminds me of a certain "someone" at home, wakakaka. As the Australian press said of Abbot: Abbott was consumed by a visceral, vengeful rage against Turnbull.

Labor had already experienced that destructive model of intra-party vengeance when Kevin Rudd plotted against his successor, Julia Gillard.

Kevin Rudd - 26th PM of Australia

Julia Gillard - 27th PM of Australia

The Sydney Morning Herald said: Abbott’s anger drove him to persist in tormenting Turnbull even when it started to work against him, discrediting him in the eyes of his frustrated colleagues. But Abbott’s destabilising was an important precondition to this week’s upending of the Turnbull government.

Abbott’s attacks on Turnbull were compulsive, not career-minded. The former prime minister ended up getting the satisfaction he sought – the destruction of the prime minister who had destroyed his prime ministership. So for Abbott, vengeance has been sealed. Has the cycle of recrimination ended?

What's the difference between the two destructive former PMs, Rudd and Abbot?

Rudd wanted very very much for people to like him as PM, whilst Abbot wondered why people don't like him at all, wakakaka.

Anyway, though Turnbull gave way somewhat to the demands of the right-wing's demand on energy, he was decent enough to resist moving across to the far right of his party to discriminate against asylum seekers.

Peter Dutton and his far right bloc wanted to stop influx, especially of Middle-East and African migrants, though Dutton wanted to confer "special attention" to White South African farmers who wanted to migrate to Australia.

By the way, the new PM, Scott Morrison is a Hallelujah bloke belonging to the Pentecostal Church, but he said in his maiden speech as the 30th PM of Australia:

"Growing up in a Christian home, I made a commitment to my faith at an early age. My personal faith in Jesus Christ is not a political agenda."

"In recent times it has become fashionable to negatively stereotype those who profess their Christian faith in public life as ‘extreme’ and to suggest that such faith has no place in the political debate of this country."

"Australia is not a secular country — it is a free country. This is a nation where you have the freedom to follow any belief system you choose. Secularism is just one. It has no greater claim than any other on our society."

STOP PRESS: 26 August 2018:

Julie Bishop quits as Foreign Minister and will likely retire from Parliament

widely admired, Australian public wanted her as PM
but her party sidelined her

served Australia very well as Foreign Minister & DPM

Julie Bishop will not serve in Prime Minister Scott Morrison's revamped cabinet and will likely quit Parliament at the next election in a bombshell decision that leaves the coveted foreign affairs ministry up for grabs.

BEST political statement 2018 (25)

Let's look at Malaysiakini's article by my Aneh Commander (rtd) S Thayaparan. His latest column is titled: Murder and service in the armed forces.

The extracts below reflect Aneh's outrage at the hypocritical promise by (for example) the RMN's Chief to investigate the unexplained deaths of two servicemen, Mohd Baihaqi Nik Mat, 28, and Muhammad Lailatulman Mohd Sukri, 26.

Extracts: There is always a familiar pattern. A service person dies. This is followed by statements that it was part of a training exercise. Then the family points to suspicious circumstances and then (maybe) there is an investigation.

The usual assurance from the political establishment that there would be no cover-ups.

Aneh showed that N Surendran (Lawyers for Liberty) said it was unacceptable, in fact outrageous for Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman the RMN Chief to say to the family that the probe was completed and that they should wait for the results.

This was the shameful outcome even after new Defence Minister Mat Sabu, who BTW has been bloody good at revealing defence secrets, had ordered that a probe conducted into the death of naval cadet J Soosaimanickam.

Will Mat Sabu repeat his highly praised breach of confidential military secrets again in the findings of investigations into unexplained deaths of servicemen?

the late J Soosmaimanicka

The article continued: Someone asked me if this was a race or class issue when it comes to these types of murder in the military. I honestly do not know. Maybe just more of the latter.

These are not rich, privileged kids who are murdered. They are (mostly) from the working class who want to make a better life for themselves and their families and, are no doubt, motivated to serve their country.

When people belong to a certain economic bracket and they die, the people who do the covering up understand that their families have extremely limited avenues to turn to get some form of justice and redress. They know that there are “bigger issues” that the public hankers after than poor kids who die during physical training.

This kind of thinking is the foundation on which corrupt systems thrive.

These deaths and the corruption endemic in these types of systems carry on because the public is more interested in the scandals and corruption of the political elite. The death of Altantuya holds more public interest than the murder of servicemen.

I deem Aneh's statement The death of Altantuya holds more public interest than the murder of servicemen as the BEST political statement 2018 thus far.

And just as a reminder why it is so, I have add in one more word, voyeuristic (* word probably first mentioned by FB matey Robert Lip Seng Kee) to Aneh's excellent given reason, namely:

the voyeuristic public is more interested in the scandals and corruption of the political elite.

poor Altantuyaa - your tragic death has been exploited for many political purposes in Malaysia

And because the public is so voyeuristic, the politicians play (played) that up to titillate their gonads and equivalent, of course for their votes (against whoever they accused as the murderer) - see below.

would these PKR people do the same for their own dead relatives, or even the late naval cadet J Soosaimanickam

does one need a loudspeaker (see in 3rd photo) in a funeral prayer ritual? Presumably those pretend-mourners used it to 'wail' their political message

if the dead is not useful for their political purpose like so many ordinary Malaysian dying suddenly each and every day, would the above PKR members conduct such 'how-laam' rituals?

how many of you can NOW (without referring to Google) tell me the name of the marathon runner who was knocked down in Klang by a hit-and-run vehicle on 10 December 2017? But you guppies certainly know Mongolian Shaariibuu Altantuyaa

that's the hypocrisy of political exploitation of the unfortunate but politically useful dead

Foreign Minister cutting a nice chunk of "face" for Bossy

FMT - Saifuddin: ECRL status depends on private companies’ decision (extracts):

KUANTAN: The status of the construction of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) depends on the outcome of negotiations between the private companies involved, says Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

He said the companies should be given a reasonable time period to review and renegotiate several matters before coming to a final decision.

“What’s important is the leaders of both countries have agreed on the need to negotiate. China understands the problems faced by the Malaysian government.

“However, the decision and details lie with the companies.

“If we continue with the project, how much will it cost? If it is scrapped, hopefully they will not impose a high penalty,” he said when met after the “10 Janji 100 Hari: Apa Kata Menteri” dialogue programme here today.

Saifuddin was asked to comment on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement that the government was studying whether to defer or find other means of implementing the ECRL.

Look, YB Menteri, I like you and have always supported you, even unto blaming Brother Haris' "ABU" for indiscriminately wiping you out from Temerloh in 2013 when you were still in UMNO.

But stop bullshitting as per above, though I know you are just covering up for your Boss, and cutting a nice chunk of "face" for him who realised that cancelling the ECRL, as he intended to do originally, will cost MORE than continuing to finish it.

muka ultra-asam

He's now swallowing back his words (saliva), pride and anger but I feel no pity for his outburst in China, damaging Malaysia's previously good relationship with that country and harming our prospect to trade with it.

(1) Lau Mah “whacking China everyday”.

(2) Mahathir gostarn-ing on ECRL?.

(3) Mahathir in Bad Bad mood.

Sue complainants into sweet silence

MM Online - Muslim activist says sorry to Khalid, shows ‘evidence’ of gay fest (extracts):

Gerakan Muslimah Islam Malaysia (GMIM) president Wan Asshima Kamaruddin shows reporters the purported advertisement for ticket sales for a purported three-night gay festival in Kuala Lumpur to be held from August 30 to September 1. — Picture by Ida Lim

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — A Muslim activist apologised to Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad today after he previously said he would sue her for claiming he approved a “gay festival”, but provided what she said was “evidence” of its existence.

Wan Asshima Kamaruddin, president of Muslim women coalition Gerakan Muslimah Islam Malaysia (GMIM), insisted she never meant to embarrass Khalid in her since-removed video containing the initial allegation.

“If the video was misinterpreted as accusing him and government departments, I hereby apologise as I had no intention of embarrassing and challenging his position as federal territories minister.

“I truly hope that they will be more focused on the issue of saving youths who are increasingly deviating far from the true path of Islam and crack down on gambling, drugs and so on; not play with emotions or get personal by suing me,” she told reporters here opposite the Dang Wangi district police headquarters.

There is something wrong in the way ministers behave, more so on Pakatan side.

Ministers and civil servants should NOT sue a member of the public who complains against the government, regardless of how unsubstantiated the accusations may be.

One, ministers serve the rakyat and if a member of the rakyat buat bising and accuses a minister or civil servant, please explain why the accusation is not true, not substantiated or not valid.

That's the minister or civil servant's job, to serve and not to bloody sue.

Two, threatening to sue is a threat to silence the complaining member of the rakyat, because of the associated tedious and costly process. It's undemocratic and unfair, especially if that public member is poor or lacks knowledge of the law or is easily intimidated by the aggressive talk-back of "City Hall".

Too fCking sensitive of Minister Khalid Samad, just like Lim Guan Eng.

Former PM Najib had also threatened to sue or had actually sued the press, but a/the press would be expected to have more knowledge, responsibility and deeper pockets (than an individual) about libel, though the best way would be to intelligently rebut any accusations, libel or slander. The later Lee Kuan Yew was also fond of using the law to STFU the press, wakakaka.

If one has thin skin, please don't be a minister lah. You'll just keep threatening to sue anyone who complains, and soon there'll be complete silence around you except for brown-nose polishing. Then you become the Emperor without (or with new) clothes.

he certainly has a very impressive uniform, inclusive of a paratrooper wing, wakakaka

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Ong KM shows his true beatiful colours

FMT - No choice but to keep our promises, DAP MP tells PH (extracts):

Ong Kian Ming

KUALA LUMPUR: A DAP leader disagreed with those who suggest that Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) manifesto was not cast in stone, saying it was only proper that Malaysians hold the coalition to its promises.

Ong Kian Ming, the Bangi MP who was part of the team who worked on the PH manifesto, said although the document was not legally binding, it was politically important in ensuring the success of the reforms agenda.

“Please continue to remind us of our manifesto promises. If we can’t fullfil them, put it as a black mark in five years’ time,” Ong, the assistant head of DAP’s Political Education bureau, told a forum on the theme of institutional reforms after 100 days of PH taking control of the federal government.

Earlier in the forum, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said that the manifesto had been “elevated” to a “holy book”, saying it was a massive challenge for the government to undertake reforms after 60 years of Barisan Nasional rule.

Tommy Thomas

“The manifesto is a political manifesto and has no legal significance,” Thomas said, and questioned the “obsession” over the manifesto.

Well said, Kian Ming.

At least I am somewhat assured of one more true blue DAP member. Mind you, there aren't many left, what with its loud-mouth senior leader and his son deserting the DAP Isle of Principles.

I am relieved my old FB matey shows his true streak - it's gold, mate.

Can't say the same for the new AG.

Tabung Haji in just a mere 100 days

MM Online - Mujahid: Other countries keen to learn about Malaysia’s Haj management system (extracts):

MAKKAH, Aug 25 — Several foreign countries especially from Africa are interested in learning the Malaysian Haj management system practised by Tabung Haji (TH) which has been described as among the best in the world.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa said he was approached by his foreign counterparts on this at the King Salman Khadim Haramain Annual Conference with Global Islamic Affairs Ministers held at the Mina Palace on Thursday.

Incredible, fantastic, marvellous.

In a mere 100 days you YB have achieved a world first, developing and managing the BEST Haj management system on this globe.

Syabas.

Lau Mah “whacking China everyday”

Star - PM's statements on China 'insensitive', says MCA:

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has urged the Prime Minister to be mindful in his choices of words when making statements relating to China as it may hurt the feelings of the super power.

Its central committee member Datuk Chew Kok Woh said some remarks made by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad were insensitive and not thoughtful.

He cited the remarks made by Dr Mahathir ordering the surrounding walls of the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park to come down.
Chew lambasted a news portal for its negative report on the park, which it described as the “Great Wall of China".

Chew also said some of the statements made by Dr Mahathir ahead and after his recent China visit were “unwise and undiplomatic,” pointing out the Prime Minister’s "new colonialism" warning.
“The impact will be great if China loses its patience and choose to retaliate quietly, which some countries like South Korea and Palau, a Pacific island, have found out when Chinese tourists stayed away,” he said.

He added that Malaysia should have taken advantage of the current China-US trade war instead of “making China lose face".

Chew said China had stopped buying soy beans from US farmers and this was the best time for Malaysia to increase its palm oil export to China.

He also questioned the timing of Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah’s RM500,000 donation, on behalf of Malaysia, to Japan on the eve of Dr Mahathir’s visit to China.

“This was on the day, Aug 15, that China annually mark the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War Two.

“The Chinese-speaking world is talking about it and the insensitiveness of Malaysian leaders.”

Chew said Wisma Putra would surely know of the bitter rivalry between China and Japan.

“Thanks to Dr Mahathir, we are now seen as pro-Japan and at a time when everyone wants a share of the huge China market,” he said.

Chew said Dr Mahathir was “whacking China everyday” and that it was time that “he tone down his rhetoric".

He also asked what was DAP leader Tan Kok Wai, who is special envoy to China, doing.

“The new government sacked politically appointed ambassadors but is now starting to replace them with their own political cronies.

“That’s hypocrisy for you but the MCA wants the new government to be tactful in handling China because we can never win.

“Don’t let the anger against the Najib administration blur the rationality and in the end affect our country.

He questioned why the DAP leaders were “silent” and “not giving sound advice to Dr Mahathir".

“This is not a poker game for the PM because the stakes are high and Malaysia cannot afford it.

“Dr Mahathir is wise and revered but it doesn’t mean he’s right in everything,” Chew added.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Saturday, August 25, 2018

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