Najib to Pua: Come after me, not Foon Yew school

Najib to Pua: Come after me, not Foon Yew school

Najib Razak (centre) with members of the Foon Yew High School management on a visit to the branch school at Bandar Seri Alam last week. (Najib Razak Facebook pic)


PETALING JAYA: Najib Razak has accused a DAP leader of “intimidation politics” by criticising a top Chinese school for allowing the former prime minister to visit the school and deliver a talk last week.

Najib said Tony Pua’s criticism of Foon Yew High School was “absolutely unbecoming” and reflected a malicious need to lambast a prestigious school. The attack was nothing more than an election ploy, he said.

TP stop your bullying

“If you have a problem with me, come after me. Don’t go after school directors who have done a good job,” Najib said in a Facebook post tonight.

He questioned what gave Pua the right to judge the integrity of the board, which had turned the high school into Malaysia’s largest Chinese independent education institution with a 71-year history.

Pua is MP for Damansara and national publicity secretary of DAP.

Earlier today, he criticised the school board for allowing Najib to give a talk, saying it had “set the worst possible example for our children” by inviting a world-renowned kleptocrat.

Pua had also demanded that the school governors be sacked for their “complete lack of integrity”.

However, Najib said that it was he, while prime minister and education minister, who approved the development of the school’s campuses in Kulai and Bandar Seri Alam.

He decided to visit the Bandar Seri Alam branch campus last week to see for himself the development of the branch school. “Is it wrong for me to be asked to share a few words with their faculty and students and see how the school is doing after its opening last year?” he said.

He said Pua’s attack on the school smacked of DAP’s long-held frustrations at being unable to have its own people appointed to the board of one of Malaysia’s most revered institutions.

“Tony, continue to direct your energies and attention at me. But leave the school and its people alone to carry out their noble work.”

*********

kt comments:

TP has been notorious for his arrogant pompous ranting at especially Chinese entities - see my previous post of 08 Oct 2017 titled un-Chinese Tony Pua.

TP absolutely disgusts me.

Is US sanction legal or just Big Bully's sanction? Should Malaysia observe US or UN sanction?

Russian oil tanker hit by US sanctions ‘on its way to Malaysia’

The Russian-registered oil tanker Linda is believed to be heading for Malaysia. (Vesselfinder pic)


KUALA LUMPUR: A Russian-flagged crude oil tanker targeted by US sanctions is heading to Malaysia, shipping data showed on Monday, amid growing international scrutiny on businesses linked to Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine.

The tanker Linda, named in a US Treasury document detailing sanctions against Russia, was in the Indian Ocean and was expected to arrive at Sungai Linggi port on Malaysia’s west coast on March 5, according to data from ship tracking website MarineTraffic.com.

It was not immediately clear whether or not authorities in Malaysia plan to allow the ship to dock. Its marine department and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to the US, the Linda is owned by PSB Leasing, a unit of Russian lender Promsvyazbank, which has also been hit by international sanctions.

French authorities on Saturday seized another ship, Baltic Leader, that they said was owned by PSB Leasing.

Promsvyazbank has denied that its subsidiary owned the vessel, saying it was bought by a different entity before the sanctions were imposed.

Johor Polls: Najib’s Kick-Start Campaign Sending Shivers To Opponents

Johor Polls: Najib’s Kick-Start Campaign Sending Shivers To Opponents

PRN Negeri Johor 2022
Najib’s opponent has run out of bullets to hit him


Former prime minister Najib Razak has started the Johor polls campaign in a manner that sends shivers to the opponents.

The Pekan MP kicked off Barisan Nasional’s (BN) campaign on Saturday (26 Feb) by going around Pagoh, Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chairman and Bersatu President Muhyiddin Yassin’s stronghold.

The two former premiers had been on loggerheads since the announcement of the Johor polls on 22 January.

Muhyiddin, who has opted not to defend his Gambir seat in the state elections, seems to have been overshadowed by Najib and gone quiet since.

While Muhyiddin was in Pagoh and Muar to show his support for PN candidates and attended several events, there was an obvious lack of noise.

Najib on the other hand has engaged his top gear and is seen receiving overwhelming support from the people of Johor.

It is rather surprising to see the support from the Chinese community is back towards Najib with many seeking to snap pictures with him, despite his alleged involvement in the 1MDB scandal.

This was proven on Sunday (27 Feb) morning with the Chinese community in Perling, when Najib visited the area. The overwhelming chants of “Bossku” could be heard from the Chinese community over there.

Najib has remained busy with his Facebook postings, while Muhyiddin’s has been rather muted.

According to a news report from FMT, Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said it was apparent that the voters were leaning towards the Umno-led coalition, pointing out that they could now judge between BN and PN’s time in power.

He told FMT the sentiments on the ground showed that Najib was the more popular figure of the two, adding that the Pekan MP was “far ahead of Muhyiddin” in that respect.

“They can more or less assess who’s better in governing the state, or the nation as a whole. They’ve seen how Najib and Muhyiddin performed (as prime ministers).

“While some are trying to harp on 1MDB and the court cluster, it’s just overkill. People don’t care. What matters to people now is stability and the new state government’s ability to lead Johor into a new era.

“The people are trying to be realistic. This is real politics. Facing the future, they want political stability, economic growth, job creation, all these things,” the portal reported him as saying.

Jeniri added that Najib was going to the ground with full confidence, a factor he said was key for any political leader.

Najib Confident Of The Chinese Support Towards BN

Najib, who is also the BN advisory board chairman said there is a possibility that the tables will turn in Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) stronghold of Perling for the upcoming state election next month.

He said based on the current reading, support for MCA has been strong and something unexpected might happen in Perling.

“We are not dismissing the possibility that MCA can spring a surprise here as the Chinese community now feels cheated and disgruntled by the DAP.

“The Chinese and business communities have no avenue for assistance from the DAP. They know the difference that BN’s past rule is better compared to being under the previous PH administration that lasted for 22 months.

“However, in the end, such support needs to be translated into votes,” said Najib when met by reporters after visiting a food court in Bukit Indah with BN’s Perling candidate Tan Hiang Kee.

DAP chief Liew Chin Tong will contest under PH in Perling.

Perling, with a high percentage of Chinese voters, is considered a DAP stronghold since clinching the seat in 2013.

In the previous 14th general election (GE14), PH won the Perling seat with a 19,533 majority from about 100,000 registered voters.

For the coming state polls, Perling will see a three-way contest between BN’s Tan, PH’s Liew and PN Khoo Shiaw Lee.

In Johor, the Chinese community comprises 37 per cent of the electorate where most of the Chinese community has expressed frustration with the PH administration for failing to fulfil its promises to develop the state constituencies won during GE14.

The return of the Chinese community definitely sends shivers to opponents not only to PN but also PH.

Forget about Mahathir’s Pejuang, Shafie Apdal’s Warisan, MUDA, PBM, PSM, Putera or even PAS as they are nowhere near the game.

Although MUDA was initially seen as a threat, Syed Saddiq’s latest strategy will kill him eventually.

PAS, as usual, has dug its own grave because the leaders prefer PN rather than Muafakat Nasional (MN), which is a disastrous move for the Islamist party to survive and still be relevant.

PN Is Heading Without Any Directions

PN is clueless on where they are heading in this Johor polls.

The coalition has got nothing to offer and the only pledge it made is if PN wins in the forthcoming polls on 12 March, Muhyiddin will be made the state’s economic advisor.

This pledge does not go well as Muhyiddin is proven to be a failure during his tenure as the eighth prime minister of Malaysia. His longest half-baked lockdown angered Malaysians.

Muhyiddin was seen as corporate-friendly by relaxing business standard operating procedures (SOP) to them while small and medium business industries were forced to close.

Many small retailers were forced to close shops during this period.

Several families were also forced to raise the “white flag” surrendering themselves as they failed to put food on the table. Survival was tough during this period although financial aids were given by him but many failed to receive them because of the “red tapes”.

PN’s leaders and a tiny fraction of supporters went on claiming that “Abah” was really “prihatin” (concerned) and allowed withdrawals from Employee Provident Fund (EPF) in three stages.

This too does not go well because the common man out there knows this was the pressure given by Najib to the PN government on EPF withdrawals.

Claiming credit on EPF withdrawals by Muhyiddin has failed too.

Muhyiddin has no other choice other than to hit below the belt on Najib and UMNO President, and BN Chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

In Johor, Pakatan Harapan seems to have lost the plot while BN seems to be going strong. – File photo of Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional flags seen during the Melaka state elections in 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)


Recently, Muhyiddin accused Zahid and Najib of having asked him to intervene in their ongoing court cases during his tenure as the eighth prime minister.

Both Zahid and Najib maintained that they never sought Muhyiddin’s help to clear their court cases.

Najib went on saying that he only met Muhyiddin once when the latter was prime minister in December 2020 to request that people be allowed to make withdrawals from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

“He asked me about my court cases and I told him I was still applying to recuse Gopal Sri Ram as the (lead) prosecutor in my cases,” Najib said in one of his Facebook postings.

Zahid also took this to his Facebook and said he was willing to take the “sumpah laknat”, or religious oath, to deny Muhyiddin’s allegation that he had asked him to intervene in his court case. He also challenged Muhyiddin to do the same.

Muhyiddin, being known for his “religious” nature and also the son of an Imam (a leader of congregational prayer in a mosque) declined to take Zahid’s challenge to take the oath and maintained he was telling the truth.

Many Muslims began to wonder why Muhyiddin was reluctant to take the oath if he was telling the truth. Muhyiddin’s refusal to take this oath has raised eyebrows within the Muslim community if he was telling the truth.

This clearly shows Muhyiddin has run out of bullets to hit BN. Muhyiddin is only focusing on hitting Najib and Zahid. He has nothing against any of the BN’s candidates.

It seems that Muhyiddin’s PN is losing its plot.

PH Is Doomed

PH knows where they are heading and what might be their fate in this coming state election.

DAP to be precise, knows the Melaka and Sarawak polls results might repeat and that was the reason they decided to throw Anwar Ibrahim and his PKR under the bus.

PKR’s Organising Secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the party’s decision to use its logo in Johor is due to “overwhelming” requests to do so from the party’s grassroots and supporters.

While PKR strategic director Sim Tze Tzin said this was an important decision, adding that he had “first-hand experience” from PKR’s wipeout in the Melaka polls.

Although these leaders portray that they are on the same page, the fact is, they are not.

DAP leaders know Anwar no longer has the pulling factor among the Malays. PH’s 22 months rule was a disaster. They have to find another icon to replace Anwar.

"Someone" is more than willing and ready 😂😁😆😅😄

Anwar also knows DAP is no longer accepted by the Malays. Holding on to DAP could be suicidal for Anwar.

If by PKR using its logo and losing badly in Johor, we can expect PH to break into pieces. DAP, with its pet Amanah will show PKR the door.

And, if PKR manages to do better than Melaka, Anwar will show DAP and Amanah the door.

Whatever it is, PH is doomed, and if this happens as predicted, we have to thank Mahathir. It was Mahathir’s factor who put PH into power and it was also the octogenarian’s factor who brought it down.

BMF, Forex, Maminco, Mukawasa, Perwaja, Proton, Crooked Bridge, Civil Service, UMNO I, UMNO II, PRIBUMI, Pakatan Harapan and soon PEJUANG, etc etc etc - all turned to sh*t


BN’s Opponent Has Nothing To Offer In Johor

Other than BN, none of the parties contesting in Johor has an interesting or shall we say “spicy” menu to offer to Johoreans.

BN’s opponents have only Najib, 1MDB and “court clusters coming into power” in their menu card.

DAP’s Lim Kit Siang as usual has started his “kleptocrats” chants in all his Facebook postings and 99 per cent are hauling abusive words towards him. Kit Siang too, losing his plot.

Even Kit Siang’s “ceramah” (political talks) are no longer gaining momentum unlike how it used to be previously.

PN’s political talks are being attended by supporters out of Johor. Busses load of people are being brought in by PAS from neighbouring states.

Same goes to Amanah and PKR. Johoreans are losing interest because nothing is interesting to look into.

Everyone repeating the same old stale stories of 1MDB and corruption issues.

These issues may have some effect on the “elites” but not on the commoner on the streets who are struggling for their bread and butter due to the pandemic.

PN or PH can’t go on showing their track records of what they have done to the commoners, unlike BN.

Well, Guan Eng could show his "track record" of being hostile to TAR-UC

And his subservience to Atuk and his Edu Mini Maszlee

BN’s strategies are simple. It is just showing the graphs of pre and post GE14. That speaks louder than anything else there.

The D-Day is on 12 March, and it is all in the hands of the Johor voters. Their fate is in their own hands. If they vote wisely, Johor will go back to her glory days like how she used to be.

So Johoreans, vote wisely. – New Malaysia Herald

Just as the US did not want Russian missiles at its doorstep in 1962, Russia in 2022 does not want overwhelming Western military power at its gate

Malaysia Now:

Understanding the concern of the other

Just as the US did not want Russian missiles at its doorstep in 1962, Russia in 2022 does not want overwhelming Western military power at its gate today.

Chandra Muzaffar

The mainstream Western media is almost unanimous in demanding that Russia and Vladimir Putin stop their military operation in Ukraine immediately. This in their opinion is the only solution to the current conflict. However, if one attempts to understand how the current conflict had evolved, one would ask not Russia but the US-led Western alliance to bring down the political temperature as a first step.

The roots of the present conflict have to be traced back to the end of the Cold War in 1991. The leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Russia’s predecessor, Mikhail Gorbachev felt that if peace is to greet the demise of the Cold War then the military posturing that signified that era should be buried once and for all.

For his part, Gorbachev was prepared to dismantle the Warsaw Pact that the USSR helmed which was his country’s response to the US led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). All that he asked for in return was a firm commitment that Nato would not expand eastwards, extend its military power to the states adjacent to Russia thus posing a security threat to the latter.

Though the undertaking that Gorbachev sought was not engraved in written language, American leaders at that time like President Ronald Reagan and Secretary of State James Baker had some notion of the gravity of the verbal pledge they had given to their Russian counterpart.

It is a pity that in the years that followed, the US government made no attempt to give substantive meaning to that pledge.

On the contrary, in 1997, three former Warsaw Pact states, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland, were invited to hold talks on joining Nato. On March 27, 2020, all three joined Nato, in spite of protests from elements in the Russian leadership. A few other states that were once part of the USSR and others allied to Russia in the past have now joined Nato.

It is against this background that one should view events in 2014 that exacerbated Russia-Ukraine ties in relation to Nato. These events are directly linked to the current conflict in Ukraine. The democratically elected president of Ukraine, Victor Yanukovich, who was not prepared to follow blindly the dictates of Western powers was unceremoniously removed from power through the manipulation of parliamentary procedures and replaced by a new regime more inclined towards Washington.

Though the Yanukovich government was seriously flawed in some ways, his engineered ouster which strengthened the hands of neo-Nazi and fascist elements, spawned virulent anti-Russian rhetoric and spiked street violence has left deep scars upon Ukranian society. The separatist tensions and turmoil in parts of Eastern Ukraine in the last eight years that have taken the lives of at least 14,000 people can only be understood within the context of this post-2014 scenario.

It is also this scenario that explains in part why Putin acted the way he did in Crimea in Eastern Ukraine. The overwhelming desire among the vast majority of the people of Crimea to re-link their land to Russia affirmed in the 2014 Referendum is irrefutable proof of how ordinary citizens view their security and well-being.

This is why loose talk in Kiev and Washington in the last few months that “Ukraine should join Nato” or that “Ukraine should acquire nuclear weapons” in the end produced a backlash effect. It increased anxiety among both elites and citizens in Russia about security concerns.

It is important to emphasise yet again that this concern for their collective security as a nation and as a people is what Putin, Sergei Lavrov and other Russian leaders have tried to convey to their counterparts in Washington, London, Paris, Berlin and indeed every other Western capital for more than 20 years since the end of the Cold War.

Simply put, Russia does not want a Western military alliance – Nato – perched at its gate. The West has refused to address this very legitimate concern. Worse, it has wilfully chosen to brush aside Russia’s fear.

Bluntly put, Moscow has now been provoked to act. Since Washington in particular was not willing to use diplomacy to address Russia’s fear, its concern, Moscow has opted for a special “military operation”. Moscow’s response is perfectly understandable. It is completely rational.

Perhaps we should all remind Washington and the West of a fragment of their own history to help them appreciate better what is happening now in Ukraine. In 1962, there was a huge international political crisis. We thought we were on the verge of a world war. The USSR had deployed missiles in Cuba, on the soil of its ally, facing their common foe, the US. Cuba was just 90km from the US shoreline. The US president, John Kennedy, saw it as an act of provocation. He wanted the missiles removed immediately. Otherwise, he would attack Cuba. After some negotiations, Cuban leader Fidel Castro requested his Soviet friends to remove the missiles. The Cuban crisis was defused.

In response to Castro’s decision, Kennedy, it is alleged, undertook not to overthrow Castro through illegal means. Whether he kept his word or not, it was not really tested because Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 before he could complete his second term as US president. Some of his successors tried to undermine Castro but that is another story.

Cuba 60 years ago is relevant to the present situation in Ukraine. Just as the US did not want Russian missiles at its doorstep in 1962, Russia in 2022 does not want overwhelming Western military power at its gate today. The Cuban leadership understood what had to be done to assuage American fears. One hopes that the US and Western governments today realise why it is so important to allay a legitimate Russian concern about its security.

In a nutshell, both situations demand an appreciation of that ancient truth found in all spiritual and moral traditions: do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you. It is a truth that has been described as the fundamental ethic in relations between human beings, communities and states. It is, in plain language, the Golden Rule of Life. The US elite in particular has shown so little regard for this golden rule in international affairs.

Chandra Muzaffar is president of the International Movement for a Just World.

Like his father, Mukhriz desperately seeks much-needed attention

Ignore Mukhriz, says PKR man after criticism of Anwar

PKR’s Hassan Karim (left) says the party should focus on the people’s needs rather than hit back at remarks from other politicians like Pejuang’s Mukhriz Mahathir.


PETALING JAYA: PKR’s Hassan Karim has urged party president Anwar Ibrahim to ignore criticisms by his Pejuang counterpart, Mukhriz Mahathir.

Hassan said Anwar and PKR should not respond or retaliate as the public, and voters in Johor especially, did not wish to see politicians fighting.

“Voters in Johor want to hear what politicians will do to help the people who are struggling now.

“Let Mukhriz attack Anwar more aggressively than Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional leaders,” he said in a statement today.

On Saturday, Mukhriz criticised Anwar for not doing more to unite opposition parties in his position as the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman.

He said there was no true leadership in PH, and cited PKR’s decision to forgo using the coalition’s logo for the Johor polls as a sign of disunity.

Hassan, who is the Pasir Gudang MP, said Anwar and PKR should focus solely on the people’s needs rather than hit back at criticisms from other politicians.

“Anwar and PKR should focus their campaigns on people’s issues, such as presenting solutions to the rising cost of living,” he said. “That means more to the voters.”

Johor goes to the polls on March 12. Early voting will be held on March 8.

PDRM: Only AGC can comment why tycoon’s son not charged over drug-linked offences - [C'mon Tommy don't be shy]

MM:

Reports: Only AGC can comment why tycoon’s son not charged over drug-linked offences, say cops

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the department had conducted investigations in December 2019 into the case involving the tycoon’s son and gave the investigation papers to the AGC. ― Picture by Hari Anggara


KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — Only the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) can comment on matters regarding the decision to drop drug-linked charges against a local tycoon’s son, as the police were involved only at the investigation stage, Bukit Aman said.

Its Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the department had conducted investigations in December 2019 into the case involving the tycoon’s son and gave the investigation papers to the AGC, local daily Berita Harian reported today.

Berita Harian also reported Ayob Khan as stating that it is the AGC that would decide whether to press charges against a suspect.

“As of now, we have not received new reports involving the allegations,” he was quoted as saying today by Berita Harian.

He was also quoted as saying by local daily The Star: “Any issue over the charges is a matter that only the Attorney General Chambers (AGC) can comment on.”

Previously on February 19, Tan Sri Tommy Thomas denied having acted improperly while serving as Malaysia’s attorney general from 2018 to 2020, denying having ever received any bribes during his tenure.

While Thomas did not name the source of allegations that he was responding to, it is believed that he was responding to claims by Twitter account “Edisi Khas” that he had chosen not to press criminal charges against the son of the prominent businessman.

Recalling a case involving a tycoon’s son arrested over drug offences, Thomas said he also remembered reducing the charges after having studied the investigation papers and the representations from lawyers and reviewing the relevant laws and after discussions with the deputy public prosecutors who were the case’s case officers.

Thomas had said it was common in AGC to receive representations from lawyers and the accused and to reduce or drop charges, adding that he had never represented the tycoon or the tycoon’s companies throughout his professional career and that he also did not know the tycoon before becoming attorney general.

EAIC: Hamid has no right to comment about ‘cartel’ among cops [Now go cry to Atuk, wakakaka]

theVibes.com:

Hamid has no right to comment about ‘cartel’ among cops: EAIC

Former IGP did not provide evidence to support his allegations, says commission

The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission says former inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador admitted that as the IGP, he had never raised the issue of this cartel in any meeting involving the directors of Bukit Aman’s police departments. – Bernama pic, February 28, 2022


KUALA LUMPUR – In a biting rebuke, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) today said that former inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has lost all right to make any comment on the alleged existence of a cartel in the police force.

The EAIC’s commissioners said they had unanimously found that he did not provide any evidence to support his own allegations on the matter.

In a statement today, they said that he had refused to have his statements recorded further to provide elaboration on the issue he had raised.

“He also did not name any officer involved in this cartel issue,” they said.

“In fact, he admitted that as the IGP, he had never raised the issue of this cartel in any meeting involving the directors of Bukit Aman’s police departments.”

They said this in response to Hamid’s recent reported remarks calling the EAIC’s investigation into the alleged cartel within the force as “shallow and incorrect.”

On February 22, the commission had announced that it could not verify the claims made by Hamid.

The commission had however revealed that its investigations managed to unearth the involvement of officers with criminal syndicates.

In March last year, Hamid, during his final press conference before retiring, had alleged the existence of cartels within the force plotting his downfall as the then-IGP.

In the explosive press conference, he had also claimed that there were corrupt officers and personnel within the Police Force Commission (SPP) who were using their positions to influence the appointment and promotions of officers.

The EAIC statement today was signed by chairman Tan Sri Sidek Hassan, deputy chairman Tan Sri Zainun Ali and five commissioners – Tan Sri Mahmood Adam, Tan Sri Aziah Ali, Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin, Datuk John Louis O’Hara and Prof Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood.

They said the EAIC also found that Hamid had not taken appropriate action despite knowing about the cartel issue since 2020, as he had the time and power to address it before disclosing it to the media.

Hamid should have instructed the Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) to conduct a detailed investigation, they added.

“Instead, he did not give information to JIPS Bukit Aman so that the cartel issue can be investigated and resolved.

“Hamid also never raised the issue of this cartel in the Police Force Commission meeting,” they stressed.

In fact, the commissioners added, there were witnesses in the EAIC investigation who stated that Hamid’s last-minute assertion on the matter before his contract as IGP was to end in May last year raised questions on the motive and purpose of him making such a disclosure.

“Besides that, the EAIC wishes to stress that Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador refused to have further statements recorded to give clarification related to these issues,” they said. – The Vibes, February 28, 2022

Number of flood evacuees in Terengganu, Kelantan increases to 22,450

MM:

Number of flood evacuees in Terengganu, Kelantan increases to 22,450

In Kelantan, the number of victims increased to 8,920 people from 2,862 families as of 2pm, compared with 8,489 from 2,750 families this morning. — Bernama pic


KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — The number of flood victims in Terengganu and Kelantan continued to increase to 22,450 people at 234 temporary relief centres as of this afternoon compared with 19,626 at 225 relief centres this morning.

In Terengganu, the number of people affected by the floods increased to 13,530 from 3,735 families at noon in contrast to 11,137 people from 3,177 families as of 8 am today.

Sixteen more relief centres were opened, bringing the number of operational relief centres to 173 namely 45 in Besut, Hulu Terengganu (31), Setiu (30), Dungun (26), Kemaman (23), Kuala Terengganu (nine), Kuala Nerus (eight) and Marang (one).

The State Disaster Management Committee secretariat said Kemaman recorded the highest number of flood victims at 3,857, Hulu Terengganu (3,537), Besut (2,251), Dungun (1,572), Setiu (1,298), Kuala Terengganu (592), Kuala Nerus (418) and Marang (five).

According to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) through its website publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, water levels at five rivers in the affected districts are at the danger mark namely Sungai Kemaman in Kemaman, Sungai Nerus (Setiu), Sungai Telemong (Hulu Terengganu), Sungai Dungun (Dungun) and Sungai Terengganu (Kuala Terengganu).

In Kelantan, the number of victims increased to 8,920 people from 2,862 families as of 2pm, compared with 8,489 from 2,750 families this morning.

The Social Welfare Department Disaster Info application reported that a total of 61 relief centres were opened namely 20 in Pasir Mas, Kuala Krai (15), Tanah Merah (13), Pasir Puteh (six), Machang (five), and one each in Jeli and Kota Bharu.

Meanwhile, according to publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, water levels at two major rivers in the state are at the danger mark namely Sungai Golok in Kampung Jenob, Tanah Merah at 24.68 metres and Sungai Kelantan in Temangan, Machang (21.18m). — Bernama

Unbridled US expansion, reason for Russia's aggression

Unbridled US expansion, reason for Russia's aggression

by P Ramasamy


ADUN SPEAKS | Russian aggression in Ukraine would not have taken place if the United States and its allies had not pursued a liberal enlargement policy.

If only they had considered the national and strategic interests of Russia.

A worldview based on realism rather than liberalism might have stopped Russian aggression.

With the end of the Cold War, the US and its allies believed in the logic of liberal expansion, the supremacy of the market forces and others.

This meant that the former Soviet republics became the target of incorporation into the EU and at some point in Nato.

In the earlier years after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia was weak and unable to counter the US moves in eastern Europe.

But however, in the last two decades or so more with the ascension of Russian President Valdimir Putin, Western enlargement took on an ominous note.

In fact, a few State Department officials have warned the US that unlimited expansion both economically and militarily would destabilise Russia.

However, in Francis Fukuyama’s “end of ideology” phase, no US leader took note that liberalism, the spreading of Western liberal ideology, might pose a balance of power problems, particularly for Russia.

As the US and its allies subtly encroached on the areas of former Soviet control, alarm bells were raised in Russia.

The failure of the West to engage and reassure Russia about its enlargement plan was the primary cause of the present tensions.

Russia had repeatedly asked the US and its allies for treaties to assure its security.

However, such pleas fell on deaf ears of the Western leaders, including US presidents.

Ukraine might have gone independent in 1991, but the country was a sensitive spot for Russia.

Past invasions of Russia took place via Ukraine.

It was in the larger economic and military interest of Russia that Ukraine existed as a buffer zone between the West and Russia.

An idealistic liberal pursuit took no note of the national interest of Russia.

Since Russia was still suffering from the after-effects of the Soviet Union’s collapse, the West thought it was doing a favour by slowly moving into the countries that were incorporated with the Soviet federation.

Russia endangered

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US and its allies have poured in billions of dollars to resuscitate the economies of the former states of the Soviet Union.

It was not just an altruistic move but with the ultimate desire to weaken the last remaining bastion of Western opposition, Russia.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was the US-sponsored removal of the Ukrainian president in 2014.

In the immediate aftermath of this US-sponsored coup, tensions accelerated to the point of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the fomenting of opposition in the eastern part of Ukraine, an area with a Russian-ethnic population.

There was a stark incongruence in how the US and its allies viewed the world order quite differently from the Russian.

While the US and its allies sought an unlimited liberal expansion into states that were once under the former Soviet Union, the Russian view was based on realism—the West simply cannot expand into areas near the borders of Russia without understanding its security implications.

There was fear in Russia that the West’s enlargement process, both economically and militarily, might have seriously endangered Russia.

The Russians, having fought foreign invasions in the past, are not prepared for another invasion through Ukraine.

If only the West had thought about the genuine concerns of Russia when attempts were made to install pro-Western leaders in Ukraine.

Leaders in Ukraine, without considering the consequences of moving into the Western orbit, alienated the Russians.

If only they had maintained neutrality between the West and Russia.

The final attempt to seek membership in Nato was something not acceptable to Russians at all.

Russia can be blamed and condemned for invading Ukraine.

But at the same time, there is a need to understand the complex forces that brought about the invasion.

The unbridled social, economic and military expansion of the US and its allies were largely responsible for the present state of affairs.

Just imagine Russians putting up military bases in Cuba, how do you think the US and its allies would act.

Can we defend the sovereignty of Cuba?

Would realism supersede liberalism on this matter?


P RAMASAMY is Perai assemblyperson and Penang deputy chief minister II.

Menteri2 Lebai selalu relax sangat

'Why is state govt never ready for floods?' - Terengganu PKR Youth


Terengganu PKR Youth deputy leader Wan Muhammad Haikal Wan Ghazali has blasted the state government for being unprepared for the floods that are rocking the state.

He questioned why there appeared to be no readiness despite warnings from the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).

"The floods this time were a bit out of the ordinary as they are outside the regular monsoon season. However, it is surprising that there is no readiness by the state government as MetMalaysia had issued a weather forecast since early February saying that the weather in Terengganu is not as usual.

"We feel that the state government has been reckless in failing to warn the people of Terengganu to prepare.

"We also question the governance of the state government which seems not to be serious in dealing with the issue of floods in the state," he said in a statement today.

State govt urged to issue guidelines

Wan Muhammad Haikal said it was common knowledge that floods in the East Coast are a frequent occurrence but until now there has been no proactive step from the state government even though Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar had set up a Central Flood Management Committee.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar


"We urge the state government to issue guidelines every time the people of Terengganu face floods.

"The MB had in previous speeches talked about disaster mitigation by controlling deforestation, building Smart tunnels, riverside reservoirs and developing warning systems based on artificial intelligence but it turned out to be just talk.

"Until now the people of Terengganu are trapped in floods due to negligence on the part of the state government," added the PKR man.

Today the number of flood victims in the state rose to 11,137 people from 3,177 families at 8am, compared to 6,963 people from 2,072 families yesterday.

They are placed at 157 evacuation centres in eight districts, with 44 in Besut, Setiu (30), Hulu Terengganu (27), Dungun (23), Kemaman (22), Kuala Nerus (eight), Kuala Terengganu (two) and Marang (one).

The Terengganu Disaster Management Committee Secretariat said the weather in most districts in the state was forecast to be good this morning while the Drainage and Irrigation Department website reported that six rivers were still at the danger level.

The six rivers are Sungai Kemaman and Sungai Tebak in Kemaman, Sungai Nerus (Setiu), Sungai Telemong (Hulu Terengganu), Sungai Dungun (Dungun) and Sungai Terengganu (Kuala Terengganu).

The number of flood evacuees in the neighbouring state of Kelantan also increased to 8,489 people.

Worry on the ground

Social media was abuzz with netizens sharing footage of the floods in Terengganu.

Twitter user @Haziq_Escobar shared aerial shots of floods in Setiu while another user from Kuala Berang said it was the first time in 20 years that water had entered his house.

Facebook user Azlan Sharif also questioned if the flooding in Kemamam could be due to logging and mining activities clogging up the rivers.


SEMENTARA itu keadaan semalam di Jalan T138 Jalan Permaisuri / Hulu Seladang di
SK Kampung Buloh Permaisuri, Setiu #DaruratBanjirPantaiTimur pic.twitter.com/2S2FzQ5Z3Q— HAZIQ ASYRAF JR (@Haziq_Escobar) February 27, 2022

Why Putin opted to support ‘independents’, not invasion

Why Putin opted to support ‘independents’, not invasion

BY NURY VITTACHI

THE RUSSIAN LEADER called the bluff of his Western critics by pointedly NOT invading Ukraine at the precise time and place that they had specified, according to many media reports.

But then he did something even more surprising — on the day of writing this article, the news media is full of reports saying that he had recognized the independence campaigns of two areas of Ukraine.

This writer will not pretend to be a fan of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but it is worth pointing out that he has been very clever in using the West’s favorite trick, which was to recognize independence movements to its own advantages.

For example, Hong Kong people have always been passionately against independence – yet the West idolizes the few who disagree.

The Dalai Lama strongly opposes independence for Tibet – yet you wouldn’t know that from what you read in the West.

China’s Uyghur people are smart, and know that the UN and Obama were right to condemn the violent ETIM independence movement. But what you read about the Uyghurs today implies the opposite.

So, in the Western playbook recently, independence fighters, however unpopular, are presented as heroes.

Which is why Putin recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.

So what will be the eventual result? Western politicians and press will do an instant u-turn and say that recognizing independence is an international crime.

Bizarrely, they will find a way to blame the Chinese, or lump them together with the Russians for convenience. They’ll say that China and Russia are enemies of USA-style democracy, human rights, and so on. They’re already doing it.

The media lumps Russia and China together and churns out the Western keywords, such as “democracy” and “human rights”. Picture shows today’s South China Morning Post.


Here’s an example of the gulf between what’s reported, and what actually happened. This top editor at Politico (below) is telling the world that Putin wants to track down people who introduced democracy to Ukraine.

What Putin actually said (below) was that he wanted to track down violent criminals who burned people alive. Not the same thing at all.

Now that is something that will resonate with Hong Kong people. The attempted murderers who tried to burn a man alive in Hong Kong are safe and well in the US protectorate of Taiwan, and their movement is always described as “pro-democracy activism”. If that’s democracy, I’ll take a portion of anarchy with a side of French fries instead.

Stay detached. Read widely. Make up your own mind about things.

Son of Malaysia's Most Notorious DIS-uniter blames Anwar for DIS-uniting Pakatan

MM:

As Opposition parties clash in Johor, Mukhriz says Anwar not uniting Pakatan like Dr Mahathir did

Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (pic) said saying Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim appeared to be acting primarily on behalf of PKR instead of PH or the larger Opposition. — Bernama pic


BATU PAHAT, Feb 28 — With dozens of Opposition overlaps in the Johor state election, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir has criticised Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for not doing more to unify the bloc.

In an interview with Malay Mail, Mukhriz was asked to comment on the apparent disunity among the Opposition parties, such as PKR’s decision to use its own logo while DAP and Amanah contested as PH.

“We didn’t quite understand that within Pakatan itself they are having two logos, so what happened to the big tent? So how do you contest under a big tent when you have things like that?” he said after a meet-and-greet session in Rengit town on Saturday.

As recently as January, Anwar had said he planned to rope in all Opposition parties — including Pejuang — to ensure that Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno would be defeated at the state polls.

But his so-called “big tent” approach has not yet materialised, as evidenced by the severe clashes among the federal Opposition parties for the March 12 state election.

Mukhriz, the son of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, also went as far as saying Anwar appeared to be acting primarily on behalf of PKR instead of PH or the larger Opposition.

“This is my assessment from the outside as an outsider. Perhaps my opinion is not valid but that’s how I see it that even between them (Pakatan component parties) there’s no true leadership of PH.

“You’d remember it was Tun (Dr Mahathir) before GE14 who decided that all four PH parties should come together and we would contest under the PKR logo, the thinking behind it was to unite all of us but what’s happened to PH now, two different logos, disunited.

“Ironically it was Tun who did it for the first time. Now Tun is not in PH anymore and they cannot get their act together on their own so how are we supposed to come in under the big tent?” he said.

Prior to the 14th General Election in 2018, Dr Mahathir — then the de facto leader of PH — had announced that all its parties would contest using a common logo regardless of the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) decision on the coalition’s application to be formally registered.

When the PH application had been rejected, DAP, Parti Amanah Negara, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and PKR all contested under the logo of the last party, and went on to an unlikely victory in the 14th general election.

However, the coalition government collapsed in February 2020 when Dr Mahathir unexpectedly resigned as the PM.

Mukhriz blamed Anwar for splitting the Opposition vote in Johor, alleging the latter was not sincere in wanting to bring all Opposition parties together. — Bernama pic


Splitting Opposition votes

Pejuang has been accused of splitting the Opposition vote in Johor, after the Malay-centric party announced its entry into the state election by contesting 42 seats, which led to inevitable clashes with PH in all.

Mukhriz conceded that the situation was disappointing but again blamed Anwar for the matter, alleging the latter was not sincere in wanting to bring all Opposition parties together.

“He (Anwar) didn’t talk to us, there was no real serious discussion about this ‘big tent’ and we only heard about it through the media. There was no real engagement with us.

“We have now decided we’re not going to be part of the ‘big tent’ and now they are saying we are splitting the votes. It conflicts,” he said.

The Jerlun MP also said Pejuang’s participation in the Johor election was not intended to split Opposition support but to gauge his party’s standing among voters heading into the next general election that must be held by next year.

However, Mukhriz also conceded that it would have been difficult for his party to align with PH due to past issues, which subsequently led to them deciding to go separate ways.

“We (Pejuang) were the third bloc with the likes of Parti Warisan Sabah and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) but then there was no serious approach by them to try and bring us together to see how we can get into this Johor state election by divvying up the seats,” Mukhriz added.

Time will tell on two logos

Despite PKR and PH’s reasons, the usage of two different logos would reflect disunity at a glance, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) political science professor Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid has said.

“Whether it’s the right or wrong move will only become clear in the light of the (election) results,” he said when contacted.

However, Ahmad Fauzi said PKR could have valid reasons for wanting to use its own logo in the election instead of the common PH symbol.

“Johor is largely Malay ground; Felda constituencies forming a significant portion of the seats.

“Without Bersatu, breaking into Malay ground would be an arduous task. The PKR logo lends a more Malay look to the party’s campaign than the PH logo,” Ahmad Fauzi added.

Bersatu had been a component of the Pakatan coalition when it won the 14th general election in 2018, but quit to align itself with the Umno-led BN coalition and PAS, to wrest federal power.

While Bersatu is still a ruling party and partnered with PAS in the Perikatan Nasional coalition, it will challenge Umno and BN in the Johor election.

With election campaigning in full swing, Ahmad Fauzi said it was now crucial for PH parties to convince voters that separate logos was a strategic decision and not symptomatic of growing divisions.

The Election Commission has set polling day for Johor on March 12, while early polling is on March 8.

War in Ukraine: Battle reaches the outskirts of Kyiv

War in Ukraine: Battle reaches the outskirts of Kyiv




THE Russian and Ukrainian governments yesterday signalled an openness to negotiations even as authorities in Kyiv urged citizens to help defend the capital from advancing Russian forces in the worst European security crisis in decades.

Ukraine and Russia will consult in coming hours on a time and place for talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s spokesman Sergii Nykyforov said on social media, offering the first glimmer of hope for diplomacy since the invasion began.

The Kremlin said earlier it offered to meet in the Belarusian capital Minsk after Ukraine expressed a willingness to discuss declaring itself a neutral country, but that Ukraine had proposed Warsaw as the venue. That, according to Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov, resulted in a “pause” in contacts.

“Ukraine was and remains ready to talk about a ceasefire and peace,” Nykyforov said in a post on Facebook. “We agreed to the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation.”

But US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Russia’s offer was an attempt to conduct diplomacy “at the barrel of a gun”, and that President Vladimir Putin’s military must stop bombing Ukraine if it was serious about negotiations.

The diplomatic overtures stood in stark contrast to events unfolding on the ground and Putin’s harsh rhetoric against Ukrainian leaders, including a call for a coup by the country’s military.

Kyiv residents were told by the defence ministry to make petrol bombs to repel the invaders, and on Friday evening witnesses reported hearing artillery rounds and intense gunfire from the western part of the city.

Zelenskiy filmed himself with aides on the streets of the capital, vowing to defend Ukraine’s independence.

Some families cowered in shelters after Kyiv was pounded on Thursday night by Russian missiles. Others tried desperately to get on packed trains headed west, some of the hundreds of thousands who have left their homes to find safety, according to the United Nations’ aid chief.

After weeks of warnings from Western leaders, Putin unleashed a three-pronged invasion of Ukraine from the north, east and south on Thursday, in an attack that threatened to upend Europe’s post-Cold War order.

“I once again appeal to the military personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine: do not allow neo-Nazis and (Ukrainian radical nationalists) to use your children, wives and elders as human shields,” Putin said at a televised meeting with Russia’s Security Council on Friday. “Take power into your own hands.”

Putin has cited the need to “de-Nazi-fy” Ukraine’s leadership as one of his main reasons for invasion, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies dismiss the accusations as baseless propaganda.

The US imposed sanctions on Putin, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, defense minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov. The European Union and Britain earlier froze any assets Putin and Lavrov held in their territory. Canada took similar steps.

However, the steady ramping-up of economic restrictions has not deterred Putin.

Moscow said on Friday it had captured the Hostomel airfield northwest of the capital – a potential staging post for an assault on Kyiv that has been fought over since Russian paratroopers landed there in the first hours of the war. This could not be confirmed and Ukrainian authorities reported heavy fighting there.

There was corruption during PH’s time too, says Najib

There was corruption during PH’s time too, says Najib

Najib Razak says the more Dr Mahathir Mohamad ranted about him, the more the public grew disgusted with the elderly statesman.


PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak tonight denied that corruption existed only during the Barisan Nasional government’s time in power.

Najib said there were many corruption cases during Dr Mahathir Mohamed’s stint as prime minister of the Pakatan Harapan government.

“There was corruption during Mahathir’s time. Everyone knows it happened during his time,” Najib said. And in that 22 months, it was up to Mahathir whether to take action or not, he said.

“To say that it only occurred during the BN era is unfair,” he said in an interview that was streamed online.

Last year, Mahathir told FMT that corruption had led to the subversion of the PH government two years after coming to power, when several MPs decided to switch sides in March 2020.

Najib also claimed that the more Mahathir, who is among his fiercest critics, ranted about him, the more the public grew disgusted with the elderly statesman.

He said he came to such a conclusion based on comments made on social media.

And if Mahathir continued ranting about him, Najib said that he would be the one benefiting from the tirade. “If he wants to continue (ranting), no problem, it is up to him.”

On Feb 20, Mahathir said he would continue his diatribe on Najib to prevent the latter from returning to power.

"F*** you" heard in Dewan Rakyat 😲😲😲

Ex-Speaker says Bung was provoked into using foul language

Former Dewan Rakyat speaker Ariff Md Yusof said 56 MPs were unhappy that Bung Moktar Radin had been let off lightly despite using obscene language in Parliament.


PETALING JAYA: Former Dewan Rakyat speaker Ariff Md Yusof has described the use of obscene language by a Sabahan MP as being a “low point” in his tenure as speaker.

Recalling the incident in his memoirs “Parliament, Unexpected”, Ariff said he had to persuade Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin to offer a “full, open and sincere” apology for uttering the four-letter word.

Ariff said Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin was at fault for provoking Bung during the debate on the Sales Bill 2018. Mongin had asked Bung Moktar if he had gone to a casino. To this, Bung Moktar said: “What is this? You are rude. You don’t deserve to sit here.” He added: “Gangster. You want to fight? F*** you.”

Ariff said Bung had later apologised for using the expletive, though some considered the apology to be half-hearted. Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, then the housing and local government minister, informed him that 56 MPs were unhappy that Bung had been let off lightly.

Ariff said the MPs wrote a letter demanding that sterner action be taken or at least have Bung referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee.

“So I decided to persuade the Kinabatangan MP to offer a full, open and sincere apology before the House … and there the matter rested. “No other member profaned the chamber thereafter with the word,” he wrote.

Call KJ cunning, call him smart but he avoids repeating mistakes - KJ says reporter not at fault, cancels RM1,000 compound

KJ says reporter not at fault, cancels RM1,000 compound

Khairy Jamaluddin also reminded the media to observe the SOPs.


PETALING JAYA: A RM1,000 compound fine issued on a reporter covering the Johor elections has been cancelled, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

He said he had reviewed the report by the ministry and found that the reporter in question was clearly not in the wrong. “I have asked for the fine to be cancelled,” he told reporters in Simpang Renggam, Johor.

Khairy also said he informed the ministry’s enforcers to either reprimand or issue journalists a warning first “unless (reporters) are (approaching individuals) for an interview”.

He also reminded the media to observe the SOPs.

Khairy said he also advised his officers to use their discretion when enforcing the law, saying he knew that many members of the public wanted to take selfies with the political leaders, some of which would last “five seconds”.

“(But) If they are really stubborn then it is okay to fine them,” he said.

Khairy also said he has not ruled out the possibility of penalising former prime minister Najib Razak for any SOP violations while campaigning in Perling. “If the video shows he has caused SOPs to be breached we will issue a compound,” Khairy said.

Yesterday, a reporter from Sin Chew Daily, Wong Kian Yong was issued a compound notice after he allegedly failed to observe physical distancing when approaching a candidate during the nominations in Larkin. A reporter from Malaysia Gazette, Khairulanuar Yahaya, was let off with a warning.

MCA's Perling candidate brings her 'secret weapon' - Najib

MCA's Perling candidate brings her 'secret weapon' - Najib


JOHOR POLLS | MCA kicked off its campaign for its Perling candidate Nicole Tan Hiang Kee by riding on the star power of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who has been convicted of corruption, abuse of power and money laundering.

Tan, who visited a food court at Taman Bukit Indah in the suburbs of Johor Bahru, saw predominantly Chinese patrons crowding around them but their attention appears to be focused more on Najib than the MCA candidate.

Nicole Tan Hiang Kee


Tan, who was later asked if she was worried Najib was outshining her, replied: "It doesn't matter as we share the limelight."

"After all, we are from the same political coalition. I feel honoured that he is willing to help me in this election," she told journalists.

Her opponents in Perling are Perikatan Nasional's Khoo Siaw Lee and Pakatan Harapan's Liew Chin Tong.

Liew had said despite Najib's posturing in the Chinese community to show that he is popular, the Johor DAP chief did not think that the majority of middle-ground voters will take kindly to a leader accused of grand corruption.

Najib, however, sees otherwise.

"I see that the support of the Chinese community (for BN) has grown. Look that the reception this morning, it can be said to be a great response.

"We didn't see this during the 14th general election. I hope it can be translated into support on March 12 (Johor polling day)," he told journalists.

Najib said he even saw a youth who will be voting for the first time donning a ‘Bossku’ T-shirt.

"Malu apa bossku" (What is there to be ashamed of, my boss?) is Najib's slogan that has been used to rebrand his image after he was ousted from power in the 2018 general election as the 1MDB scandal prompted the opposition to present a united front.

However, the fractious coalition that ended BN's six-decade rule collapsed after only 22 months in power.

The anti-BN forces are now split into two major coalitions, Harapan and PN.

Najib vs Muhyiddin star powers

PN has also tried to ride on persona-driven star power, promoting its chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin as the caring father who they refer to as "Abah".

Najib, however, said whether it was effective is another matter.

"Time will tell if it benefits Bersatu, we wait for March 12," he quipped.

Najib posed for photographs and fist-bumped a number of patrons in the area, while some even greeted him with cheers of 'Bossku'.

Najib has made very public appearances ahead of the Johor polls, including a visit to the popular annual Johor Chingay procession and a visit to the prestigious Foon Yew High School - the biggest Chinese independent school in Johor.

Najib, when asked about the criticism towards his visit due to his conviction which he is appealing at the Federal Court, said he was invited to both venues.

"If the local community invited me why do other people want to be busybodies? It is their right to invite whoever they want.

"If they want to invite DAP leaders, they also have a right to do so but they didn't," he said.

The incumbent in Perling is DAP's Cheo Yee How, who has been dropped. In the 2018 general election, he won with a 19,533-vote majority.

BN received very little support from the Chinese community in that election but is counting on a swing.

Najib is appealing his 12-year jail sentence and RM210 fine over the misappropriation of RM42 million belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former 1MDB subsidiary.