According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted that he was glad to be back at work today after suffering from an E.coli infection. – Twitter pic, January 7, 2015.After a bout of E.coli infection, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak returned to work and chaired the Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today.Najib tweeted: "Alhamdullilah, back to work today. Thanks to everyone, including friends online, for praying for my speedy recovery."The main agenda of the Cabinet meeting is to discuss issues related to the floods and efforts to help the flood victims."Najib also took photograph with several ministers, including Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.He is said to have contracted E. coli while touring flood-affected areas and was advised to rest by doctors. However, the director-general of the Health Department later denied there was any outbreak of E.coli in flood affected areas.As at 1pm today, there are 18,171 flood victims in relief centres in Pahang, 4,771 in Perak and 3,984 in Kelantan. – Bernama, January 7, 2015.
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Mohamed Dris's friend, Ah Tuck, in front of the hut they shared. – The Malaysian Insider pic, Najjua Zulkefli, January 6, 2015.An old man who has been living in a forest for 30 years near Kuala Lumpur has been hailed as a refreshing antidote to all the suspicion and hate speech that has infected the public discourse lately.Seventy-four-year-old Mohamed Dris shared his little hut in the forest with his friend, Ah Tuck, 70, proving that despite all the talk of communal distrust, Malaysians in reality get along pretty well.Two dogs had also been Mohamed’s loyal companions. They had kept him safe and would follow him in his forays into the forest, near Wangsa Melawati.“I lived with an old Chinese guy. He doesn’t have any teeth left and he can’t really see all that well," Mohamed said of his friend, who works as a security guard.“I also sympathise with Ah Tuck. He has siblings but had a falling out with them," he added when met by The Malaysian Insider at his temporary shelter recently.After his plight was highlighted in the media recently, a printing company had offered Mohamed a temporary place to stay in an unoccupied room in its factory.The media had reported about Mohamed after the Wangsa Maju police in Kuala Lumpur posted a story about him on their Facebook.The cops had initially gone to Mohamed’s hut last month to check on a complaint that the building was being used as a drug haunt.Instead, they found Mohamed and his two dogs. They took pity on him and had been providing him with daily meals since then.
Mohamed Dris now lives in a room at a factory. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, January 6, 2015.While happy to have been provided a proper place to stay, Mohamed is worried about his two dogs and is sure that they are missing him.“The dogs are very good. I couldn’t bring them with me but they sensed that I was leaving. Dogs are smart.“They go with me in the forest when I have to pass motion. They are very attached to me and they can sense whether a person is good or bad," said Mohamed.Although he is grateful for the new place, he is sad to say goodbye to the hut which has been his home for 30 years.“I like living in the hut. But I hear they want to tear it down."Humble beginningsOriginally from Raub, Pahang, Mohamed started working as a rubber tapper when he was 16.“I didn’t go to school. Many people were like that back then. We all went out to find work at 16.“At the time I was paid RM3 a day to tap rubber. I worked for a year in a rubber estate in Raub before moving to Kuala Lumpur.“I used to work as a rubber tapper in this area back then when there was a rubber plantation. There were about 100 tappers like me when they started the plantation."According to previous media reports, after the plantation closed sometime in the 1980s, Mohamed had nowhere to go, no job and not enough money to rent a place for himself.So he built the hut from discarded zinc and wooden planks and had been living there since.Mohamed had an elder brother and sister but both have since died. He never married.The damp condition of the forest has taken a toll on his health.“Both my feet hurt because they constantly get wet. I have to massage them with ointment. My fingers are also bent," he said.Although destitute, Mohamed, who suffers from diabetes, said he was never one to bother people for help and would try to take care of himself as best as he could.
The hut in the forest which was shared by Mohamed Dris, his friend Ah Tuck and two dogs. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, January 6, 2015.He also cringes at the thought of going to live in an old folks' home.“There are many problems in those places. I know there’s food there but half of the people are okay while the other half are not.“Here sometimes people stumble upon me and some of them offer aid maybe RM2 or RM3," he said of the Indonesian workers who sometimes give him money and check on him.Friend in needAh Tuck, meanwhile, tells of a different side to Mohamed.“He used to like this Indian woman. They were friends for six years but she died. She used to live in SS2 in Wangsa Maju.“He gave all his EPF (Employee Provident Fund) savings to her," said Ah Tuck.Ah Tuck himself is from Sungai Siput, Perak. He was a rubber tapper in the same area as Mohamed but managed to get a job as a security guard.“I try to give him a meal every day but it’s hard because my salary is just RM650 a month."Ah Tuck is happy that Mohamed will be moving out of the hut as he has been worried about his friend’s health.He will continue to stay in the hut and look after the two dogs.“I don’t want a house. You never know, I could 'go’ anytime," he said.Help pours inMohamed’s plight had caught the attention of Achik Sdn Bhd manager Abu Zaki Abd Hashim who read about it in the media and through the Wangsa Maju Police Department’s Facebook page.
DSP A. Asmadi Abd Aziz says his men had been helping Mohamed Dris. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, January 6, 2015.“I got in touch with the police and offered Mohamed a temporary place to stay. We have a room above our factory and there is a couple that works there that can take care of him.“We can feed him and monitor his health as well because the factory always has workers at all times of the day," Abu Zaki told The Malaysian Insider.Abu Zaki praised Mohamed’s ability to be independent and to live alone in the forest.“I hope that the government comes to his aid."Wangsa Maju district police chief DSP A. Asmadi Abd Aziz said it was his men's own initiative to bring Mohamed food after they found him in the forest.“We found him shivering and hungry. I am proud of my men who brought him food and water every day.“I hope that other agencies will come forward and give him aid because obviously he can’t go to the government departments. I hope they come and help him." – January 6, 2015.
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The secretary-general of the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, Datuk Seri Dr Sharifah Zarah Syed Ahmad, has been appointed as the acting chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) effective from January 1, 2015.She will be the acting chairman until a chairman is appointed.Tengku Zaib Raja Ahmad, chief executive of services and support, has been appointed as the acting chief executive of MCMC, also effective from January 1, 2015. His appointment will also be until the new chairman comes in to fill up the position made vacant by the exit of Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi.Sharil’s term ended on December 31, 2014.It was reported earlier today that an Umno politician was being considered to take over as chairman of MCMC. – Bernama, January 6, 2015.
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Volunteers at evacuation centres for flood-affected areas say some people have returned to stay as they have nowhere else to go after seeing that their homes destroyed. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Clean water and hygiene kits like toothbrushes and soap are among the important items needed now during the post-flood phase to prevent diseases from spreading in flood-stricken areas.IMAM response and relief team (Imaret) on-the-ground mission coordinator Dr Ahmad Munawwar Helmi Salim said diseases like diarrhoea, skin disease and leptospirosis (spread water via contaminated with rat urine) typically emerge one or two weeks after floodwaters recede.He said Imaret was currently focused on distributing necessities like blankets, mattresses, cooking equipment as well as hygiene kits to flood victims to prevent diseases from spreading.“Hygiene kits to prevent disease spread and basic necessities are for them to start their life again," he told The Malaysian Insider.He said items like proper plates, cups and eating utensils were important as the reusing of polystyrene plates, even with washing, can contribute to disease.Dr Munawwar, who recently returned from Temerloh, Pahang, said flood victims also needed psychological support as some of them who were low income earners would be demotivated. Many had lost their only home and all their belongings which were swept away in the disaster.He said for post-flood relief missions, Imaret had two teams, one to focus on cleaning and the other on medical aid, which also provided psychological help and counseling.“For victims' psychological needs, we have sent a team of nine people to go to the most affected areas like Kuala Krai, and we will get more information from the ground and check which areas that the team needs to go."Imaret has also set up a mobile clinic at evacuation centres providing free medical check ups. Many flood victims were still lingering around the relief centers as some did not know what to do after finding their houses destroyed.Imaret also has teams conducting house to house checks to give out medicines, he added.There have been a few reports of people so desperate that they drank flood water, but for the most part, people were well aware about hygiene care, Dr Munawwar said.Providing clean drinking water is the focus of Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), whose collection centre coordinator Mohd Kamaluyasir said they had received reports of people falling sick after drinking contaminated water.He added that the cleaning process was tedious and larger equipment like spades, hoes and wheelbarrows were needed as the mud was thick.Abim is also collecting funds to buy materials for the flood victims to rebuild their own homes.“We were told that the Kelantanese are skilled in building houses, so we will provide them the materials," Kamaluyasir said.Yayasan Darul Hijrah, meanwhile, was focusing on providing temporary shelter like tents.“As of yesterday, we have sent 50 tents to the affected areas in Kelantan," volunteer coordinator Mohd Zulhazmi said. These areas included Manjur, Karangan, Kelubu, Manik Urai and Kuala Nal.The tents provided could sleep seven or eight people.Funds are also being collected to build a temporary mass shelter in Kemubu, to be named Darul Hijrah Shelter, that will be equipped with 40 tents, toilets and a kitchen, as a place for flood victims to live while their homes are rebuilt. – January 6, 2015.
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Islamic Renaissance Front chairman Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should take a leaf out of US President Barack Obama’s book and engage with civil society leaders. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 7, 2015.In a bid to get Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to meet with moderate Muslims, three civil society leaders met privately with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week to discuss their concerns about the lack of national leadership and Putrajaya's inaction against worsening religious and racial rhetoric.The groups – Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and Movement for a Just World (JUST) – sought out Dr Mahathir in the hopes of getting Najib to meet with the group of 25 prominent Malays, now dubbed the G25, who signed an open letter appealing for rational discourse on Islam.The meeting with the former prime minister came about last Tuesday after Najib snubbed the G25's requests for a meeting with him.The three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are among 93 other groups that have expressed support for the G25, which have urged Najib to address religious and racial tension and exercise his leadership in guiding Malaysia back to moderation.JUST chairman Dr Chandra Muzaffar and SIS founding member Zainah Anwar, when contacted by The Malaysian Insider, confirmed that there was a meeting but refused to divulge details, stressing that it was held in private.IRF chairman Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa told The Malaysian Insider that the meeting with Dr Mahathir was to discuss the current situation in the country."He (Dr Mahathir) wanted to have a look at their (G25) statement and their stand first."We arranged for the meeting to allay our worries about the current situation in the country and Tun M agreed. In fact, he was also not happy with what is happening now," Dr Ahmad Farouk said.The request by the G25 to meet Najib was thwarted after the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) claimed that the 25, who are retired leading civil servants, had to meet them first if they wanted to meet Najib.MPM claimed that the Prime Minister's Office has appointed it as an intermediary to meet the G25 and that they would plan a closed-door meeting, but this was refuted by G25 spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin.MPM is a caucus of more than 200 Malay NGOs. This ethnic group is the largest in Malaysia and in recent times, conservatives from within have grown more vocal about communal rights and privileges under the government's affirmative action policies for Malays and Bumiputeras, leading to polarising and inflammatory rhetoric in public.Dr Ahmad Farouk, who is also the former deputy chair of Bersih 2.0, said that Najib's refusal to meet with the G25 did not make sense, as even United States President Barack Obama himself had met with NGO during a visit here."No point in us talking to MPM or the likes of them, we have to meet Najib and tell him clearly."In fact, when I was still with Bersih, we wrote to Najib to request a meeting but he never replied. This shows that he doesn't care about the country."He compared Obama's readiness to meet with representatives from 10 NGOs in April last year when he made a trip to Malaysia as part of his Asia tour, with Najib's refusal to meet the G25."Najib should be pressured. When Obama came to Malaysia, he met with representatives from 10 NGOs."If Obama was willing to meet us then, Najib should have learnt from there. Look at how Obama treats civil society," the IRF head said.Dr Ahmad Farouk also suggested that the G25 meet with Dr Mahathir to discuss the issues they had raised in their open letter."They (G25) can take the initiative to meet Dr Mahathir. From there, it can be a stepping stone to meeting Najib."The open letter decried the "lack of clarity and understanding" of Islam's place within Malaysia's constitutional democracy, as well as a "serious breakdown of federal-state division of powers, both in the areas of civil and criminal jurisdictions".They also called on Najib to establish an inclusive consultative committee and called for dialogue on Islamic laws.Signatories of the letter were former high-ranking civil servants, including directors-general, secretaries-general, ambassadors and prominent individuals.Since it was published on December 8, public support for the content of letter and for its 25 signatories has been strong, with many writing to media organisations expressing their thanks and solidarity with the signatories, while an online petition called #iam26 has drawn thousands of signatures.Last week, Noor Farida said G25 had grown in number, with 10 more Malays, many of whom were former but influential members of the government service, adding their names to the group. – January 7, 2015.
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Riot police units were stationed at various places around Kuala Lumpur during the 2007 Bersih rally. One participant, Aleyasak Hamid, said he was injured by police when he was detained during the rally. – Wikimedia Commons pic, January 7, 2015.A former contractor in a pest control company had to resign from his job after police damaged his left kneecap during the 2007 Bersih rally campaigning for electoral reform.Aleyasak Hamid @ Hassan told the High Court today that he could no longer lift heavy things or climb high buildings."I am always in pain and uncomfortable as a result of the injury," he testified in his suit against the police and the government for unlawful arrest, detention and assault by FRU personnel during the assembly.He said he suffered, among others, a broken leg, wounds, bruises, a swollen kneecap, nervous shock, mental anxiety and embarrassment during the incident.He was sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment the same day and had to undergo surgery on his left leg on November 12, 2007.Aleyasak, 38, alleged that the defendants abused their power and violated his rights under the Federal Constitution by physically assaulting and intimidating him.He said that he had to rely on a cane to walk soon after he was discharged from the hospital.He said he went for several job interviews but his prospective employers declined to employ him after he revealed his injuries to them."Now I do food catering to support my family but the income is irregular," the father of four said when examined by his lawyer Latheefa Koya.Aleyasak said his wife gave tuition to bring additional income."I am also sad because I am no longer physically active to meet the demand of the children," he added.In his statement of claim, Aleyasak said the injuries were caused by Federal Reserve Unit and policemen.“They attacked me and stepped on my knee until it broke. I asked them to help me but they insulted me and kicked me," he said.He said he was left in the truck for half a hour before being taken to a police station and then the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.Aleyasak said his suit was filed almost three years after the incident as police did nothing to identify his assailants.The Bersih rally five years ago aimed at calling for electoral reform attracted about 50,000 participants who gathered at several spots around the city in Kuala Lumpur before they attempted to march to Istana Negara to hand over a memorandum.Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters and several dozen were arrested before being released on bail.Aleyasak claimed that the FRU did not issue any warning to his group that was reciting prayers at that time to disperse.The government had attempted to strike out Aleyasak's suit on grounds that he had failed to name each and every individual FRU personnel who had assaulted him.But, in 2011, the court ordered that a trial must be held to give Aleyasak the opportunity to prove his claims.The government in its defence denied the assault. – January 7, 2015.
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The scene last week in Kota Baru at one of the man evacuation centres. More such centres have ben closed following the drop in the number of evacuees. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.The number of victims staying at the flood evacuation centres in the three states that are still affected by the floods tonight dropped by 12% to 27,181 compared with 30,891 this afternoon.In Pahang, the number of flood victims dropped to 18,171 compared with 20,619 victims the afternoon who were staying at 94 evacuation centres in six affected districts.According to the Flood Operations Room of the Pahang Contingent Police Headquarters, the Pekan district was still accommodating the most number of victims at 9,961 followed by Temerloh (3,010), Maran (2,779), Kuantan (1,127), Bera (731) and Jerantut (563).Meanwhile, in Perak, three evacuation centres had been closed, leaving 28 centres still operating in five affected districts, namely Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Perak Tengah, Manjung and Hilir Perak.A spokesman of the National Security Council (NSC), said the number of victims in the state dropped to 4,956 from 1,385 families compared with 5,488 victims from 1,552 families this afternoon.The number of victims in Perak Tengah dropped to 3,834, in Hulu Perak (594), Hilir Perak (304), Manjung (160) and Kuala Kangsar (64).In Kelantan, the state NSC spokesman said the number of victims dropped to 4,054 from 4,784 this afternoon in four districts namely Kuala Krai (1,817), Gua Musang (1,662), Tanah Merah (387) and Machang (188). – Bernama, January 6, 2015.
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The excuse of having a shortage in supplies due to floods given by retailers and wholesalers for raising the prices of fish and vegetables nationwide by up to 100% is illogical, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pic) said.He said this was because there exist adequate supplies for domestic use as the east coast states hit by floods were not major producers of vegetables, except Cameron Highlands in Pahang."Vegetable-producing states are Selangor, Perak and Johor and these states contribute 60 to 70% of vegetable production in the country. Even in Perak, not all areas were inundated by floods."As for fish, there's no excuse for inadequate fish supply because December is the monsoon season in the east coast. Even if there was no flood, fishermen in the east coast states will not go to the sea during this season, but those in the west coast states will."He said this to reporters after launching the ministry's post-flood mission, involving 2,900 volunteers, to help victims in the flood-hit states.The prices of fish and vegetables nationwide were reported to have experience a steep rise since last week, allegedly to be caused by a shortage in supplies, including in the states not affected by the floods.Hence, Ismail Sabri called on consumers to purchase fish and vegetable at a more reasonable price as offered at 556 farmers' markets nationwide in a bid to give pressure to those retailers and wholesalers to reduce their prices."The ministry has also made early preparations to face the monsoon season by banning export of fish supply, such as kembong and selar, since last October to enable the supply to be purchased and frozen by the National Fishermen Association,""The Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) has also imported 20% of vegetable supply to be sold at farmers' market," he added. – Bernama, January 7, 2015.
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The cover story in The Edge Financial Daily today with the report on 1MDB's inability to repay its debts. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Just a day after being appointed president and group executive director of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Arul Kanda Kandasamy has had to come out in defence of the strategic investor over its inability to service its debts.
“As far as the banking sector and the credit sector is concerned, we are responsible borrowers and the company has never defaulted," Arul Kanda Kandasamy told Bloomberg today.“We need to manage the use of our cash in the most efficient way for the company," he added.Though not directly addressing a report by The Edge Financial Daily today, Arul seemed to downplay on the concerns highlighted in the report over 1MDB's failure to repay a loan of about RM2 billion last month.The business daily, quoting sources, said that the sovereign fund had missed its December 31, 2014, deadline for settlement of the loan, and had received an extension up to January 30, 2015, to settle the outstanding payment.The RM2 billion amount was part of an RM5.5 billion debt taken through its subsidiary Powertek Investment Holdings Sdn Bhd in May 2014 to refinance an RM6.17 billion bridging loan taken in 2012 to part finance the purchase of power assets.Maybank has 58.99% of the RM2 billion loan while RHB has 32.41%. The other lenders are Alliance Investment Bank Bhd (4.06%), Malaysia Building Society Bhd (3.24%) and Hwang DBS Investment Bhd (1.29%).1MDB’s loan with Maybank and RHB was first due on November 30, The Edge Financial Daily reported.The paper also reported that top executives from 1MDB were given a dressing-down by Bank Negara recently. They were told in very strong terms that they will face action if the matter is not settled.Arul admitted that 1MDB needs to improve communications and address concerns about its transparency and debt, especially in light of the criticisms the company has been facing.“We have to recognise there are challenges, there are legitimate questions, legitimate queries that have been raised on 1MDB," Bloomberg quoted him as sayingHe added that 1MDB’s debt has a role in the company’s growth and expansion, which is no different to any other business.“1MDB is a development company," Kanda told Bloomberg, adding: “It takes time to develop, to first of all conceptualise and then construct these assets. That does not happen overnight."Arul, 38, is an investment banker, with extensive experience in structured finance, corporate finance and restructuring across multiple markets including London, the Middle East and Malaysia. He joins 1MDB from Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, where he was executive vice-president and Head of Investment Banking.Arul succeeded Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman as chief executive officer under a transition plan, 1MDB board of directors chairman Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin said yesterday.1MDB had borrowings of RM42 billion and suffered a negative cash flow of RM2.25 billion in FY14 with its debt servicing at around RM2.5 billion. – January 6, 2015.
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A Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission officer has allegedly misused the commission's assets for personal use. – flickr pic, January 7, 2015.The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has begun gathering information on a high-ranking officer in the country's communications and multimedia industry regulator in connection with an internal complaint of abuse of power, a source in the regulatory body has revealed.The officer is with the enforcement and investigation division of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and was identified in a letter from the MACC sent to the regulator requesting information on the officer concerned.No specific offence was stated in the MACC letter, but the source in MCMC said it was possibly related to abuse of power and misuse of the commission's assets for personal use."The complaint made to MACC was over wrongdoing," the source in MCMC told The Malaysian Insider.The preliminary exercise to collect information also covers assets obtained by MCMC for use by the officer's division.The letter had showed that MACC was also seeking information on assets, including the MCMC's vehicle registration list."The letter seems to have a number of requests on the registration plates of the vehicles owned by MCMC, so maybe it is related to the wrongdoing," the source said.There are also some purchases made of assets purportedly for the division's use, such as communications transmission detectors, that have not been utilised.The source said these, too, were being looked at by the MACC.It is learnt that the complaint to the anti-corruption body was filed by MCMC officers.An MACC source, when contacted for confirmation, did not deny the preliminary investigation into the officer concerned.However, the anti-corruption authority would follow certain processes before opening formal investigation papers, especially since the complaint had been lodged by an internal whistleblower.Attempts to contact and text messages sent to MCMC's corporate communications department yielded no response.MCMC is the body that oversees the communications and multimedia industry in the country.The regulator is undergoing a change at the helm, following the non-renewal of its chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi's contract, which ended on December 31. Among the candidates speculated to replace him is an Umno man, Dr Mazlan Ismail, who once ran for elections against opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Pauh constituency. Sharil had come under pressure from Malay rights groups and some Umno division chiefs for not cracking down hard enough on social media postings that were critical of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government and of its lead party, Umno. – January 7, 2015.
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Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong says GST on insurance products should not be a problem for most consumers. – The Malaysian Insider by Najjua Zulkefli, January 7, 2015.All insurance premiums, except for life insurance, will be subjected to the 6% goods and services tax (GST), which comes into effect in April, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong.He said, however, GST on insurance premiums was not an issue as consumers have all along been subjected to sales and service tax (SST)."With the exception of life insurance, any insurance premiums will be subjected to GST," he told reporters after attending a briefing with retailers in Petaling Jaya today."If I'm not mistaken, SST is levied at insurance."Organised by the Customs Department, the briefing included a booklet with lists of items that are subjected and not subjected to tax, aimed at guiding the retail sector.Chua said the booklet listed 1,800 taxable items.The list will be emailed to all registered retailers.Putrajaya is set to roll out the broad-based consumption tax effective April 1, pegged at 6%, despite the opposition's protests that it will further burden Malaysians already grappling with the rising cost of living and price hikes of goods and services as a result of subsidy removal.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when announcing the implementation of the GST in his Budget 2014 speech, had said the 6% rate would be among the lowest among Asean countries, with Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Laos capping theirs at 10% and Singapore at 7%.Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously criticised the move, describing it as a regressive tax which would contribute to income inequality and widen the gap between the rich and the poor."GST can be the main cause of inflation," he had said, citing a study by CIMB Research that the implementation of the consumption tax would contribute to a 5% increase in inflation because of a lack of stringent enforcement laws.Putrajaya has defended its move to peg the GST at 6%, saying several measures were put in place to help the lower-income group.The GST was first announced during Budget 2005 and was originally scheduled to be implemented in 2007 but was deferred.It was then tabled in Parliament for the first reading in 2009, for implementation the same year, but was shelved after the move was resisted by Malaysians.GST, known as value-added tax (VAT) in some countries, is imposed on goods or services at each stage of the production and distribution chain. – January 7, 2015.
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Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong says GST on insurance products should not be a problem for most consumers. – The Malaysian Insider by Najjua Zulkefli, January 7, 2015.All insurance premiums, except for life insurance, will be subjected to the 6% goods and services tax (GST), which comes into effect in April, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong.He said, however, GST on insurance premiums was not an issue as consumers have all along been subjected to sales and service tax (SST)."With the exception of life insurance, any insurance premiums will be subjected to GST," he told reporters after attending a briefing with retailers in Petaling Jaya today."If I'm not mistaken, SST is levied at insurance."Organised by the Customs Department, the briefing included a booklet with lists of items that are subjected and not subjected to tax, aimed at guiding the retail sector.Chua said the booklet listed 1,800 taxable items.The list will be emailed to all registered retailers.Putrajaya is set to roll out the broad-based consumption tax effective April 1, pegged at 6%, despite the opposition's protests that it will further burden Malaysians already grappling with the rising cost of living and price hikes of goods and services as a result of subsidy removal.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when announcing the implementation of the GST in his Budget 2014 speech, had said the 6% rate would be among the lowest among Asean countries, with Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Laos capping theirs at 10% and Singapore at 7%.Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously criticised the move, describing it as a regressive tax which would contribute to income inequality and widen the gap between the rich and the poor."GST can be the main cause of inflation," he had said, citing a study by CIMB Research that the implementation of the consumption tax would contribute to a 5% increase in inflation because of a lack of stringent enforcement laws.Putrajaya has defended its move to peg the GST at 6%, saying several measures were put in place to help the lower-income group.The GST was first announced during Budget 2005 and was originally scheduled to be implemented in 2007 but was deferred.It was then tabled in Parliament for the first reading in 2009, for implementation the same year, but was shelved after the move was resisted by Malaysians.GST, known as value-added tax (VAT) in some countries, is imposed on goods or services at each stage of the production and distribution chain. – January 7, 2015.
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According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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A casket with the body of a passenger from the ill-fated AirAsia flight QZ8501 is being transported from the airport in Surabaya. Insurance claims by AirAsia for compensation to the families of victims will proceed as normal despite investigation into the legality of the flight. – Reuters pic, January 6, 2015.Insurers have begun processing claims in the crash of an Indonesia AirAsia aircraft last month and hope to identify the beneficiaries by the end of January, an official from Indonesia's financial regulator said yesterday.
Speculation about insurance payments surfaced after Indonesia's transport ministry said the airline only had permission to fly the plane's Surabaya-Singapore route on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight which crashed took off on Sunday, December 28.Firdaus Djaelani, non-bank financial institutions supervisor at the Indonesian financial services authority, told reporters that the incident remained "claimable" despite the confusion over the route permit."AirAsia didn't fall because it was a Sunday," he said, adding that initial investigations showed that weather appeared to have been a factor. "Whatever the reason, the airline has to be responsible for its passengers."The "money has been prepared", he added.Indonesia AirAsia, 49% owned by Malaysia-based AirAsia, has made little comment on the route permissioning, but said it would fully cooperate with investigations.The next of kin of each passenger will get up to 1.25 billion rupiah (RM352,000) from the airline's insurers, PT Asuransi Jasa Indonesia and Asuransi Sinar Mas, Djaelani said. Allianz SE, the lead reinsurance firm, has declined comment on the extent of its exposure, or to identify others exposed to the crash of the Airbus A320-200.Some passengers may have taken an additional insurance policy via the airline from PT Asuransi Dayin Mitra, Djaelani added.Elizabeth Quendangen, technical deputy director at Asuransi Dayin Mitra, said the additional payout could be up to 750 million rupiah for each passenger.The plane had 162 passengers and crew on board when it crashed into the Java Sea around 40 minutes into a flight from the Indonesian town of Surabaya to Singapore. All are presumed dead.Search teams, which have faced bad weather and rough seas in the crash site, have so far recovered only 37 bodies. The crucial black boxes, the digital data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which should provide clues on why the aircraft crashed, have yet to be found.Aviation lawyers told Reuters that the insurers will be liable for almost all of the compensation paid by the airline.Indonesia is not a signatory to the Montreal Convention, which sets the liability of passengers killed in commercial air accidents to around US$170,000 (RM605,000) each.Its airlines are liable under the older Warsaw Convention which limits compensation to around US$10,000. However, in the aftermath of a January, 2007 crash of a plane operated by Indonesia's Adam Air, the now defunct carrier offered families around US$55,000 each.Families, therefore, can expect more than the Warsaw Convention allows for, said lawyers."It is still early days, of course. But if there is some evidence during the course of an investigation that suggests that there could be additional liability on the airline, it would be prudent and indeed common sense to consider a payment that is higher than the limit," said one Singapore-based lawyer."This has taken on a global profile and the attention is on both the government and the airline. They will both want to be seen to be doing the right thing." – AFP, January 6, 2015.
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The Sarawak assembly gazetted the creation of 11 new seats but not the renaming of parliamentary constituencies. – flickr pic, January 7, 2015.The Election Commission's proposed redelineation of political boundaries in Sarawak to create 11 new state constituencies is an example of gerrymandering at its best, says a political analyst.“I was dumbfounded when I saw the new electoral map," Dr Mohd Faisal Syam Abdol Hazis of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak said of the proposed redelineation on public display in Kuching and 16 district offices.“The drawing of the new political boundaries is systematic and very organised.“It must have been drawn up by someone who is meticulous, with an eye for detail and an intimate knowledge of the state's political landscape," the social science lecturer said.Faisal said the redelineation was definitely not worked out in the last couple of months, referring to the time the bill to increase the number of seats in the state legislative assembly from 71 to 82 was passed in November and the EC announcement on Monday.“This would have been two to three years of work done without the knowledge of the public," he said.“A lot of input was needed to draw up what they did."He said past election results and political trends, for example, had to be analysed so they could “draw the boundaries to shift voters to negate the inroads the opposition had made into a particular constituency or dilute the opposition voters' strength".“These are all meticulous work not done in a couple of months."Faisal also said the new boundaries that were drawn were “very weird".“It does not follow convention, the normal wisdom nor what is stipulated in the constitution.“In some constituencies, the boundaries were zigzagging.“On what basis is the EC doing this, I wouldn't know unless if it’s to meet a political objective.“The redrawing and shifting of the electoral boundaries clearly showed it is being done to benefit certain political parties."He cited the DAP-held seat of Kidurong, renamed Tanjong Batu in the redelineation exercise, as example of how a redrawn boundary had weakened the opposition.To negate the opposition's strength, a new seat – Samalaju – was carved out of Kidurong and to a lesser extent part of the adjacent Barisan Nasional-held seat of Kemena.“A large chunk of Chiu Chiew Sing's (the DAP Kidurong assemblyman) rural voters, who are mainly Dayaks, had been taken away from him.“Kidurong has been reduced to a small urban constituency where Chinese voters are dominant.“The redrawn boundary is like telling Chiu: you keep your Chinese voters, we're taking the Bumi voters away."Faisal said he also noticed “lots of changes in the boundary of marginal seats" – seats which BN won in thin margins in the last two (state and general) elections and where the opposition had made inroads, like the Malay-majority seat of Kalaka and the Iban-majority seat of Krian currently held by PKR – done to weaken the opposition.In the case of these two seats in central Sarawak, the EC carved out the new seat of Kabong “to shift some voters away from Krian to Kabong".Faisal also said he foresaw legal issues ahead.He said what was stated in the gazette was a redelineation in relation to the creation of the 11 new seats that was passed by the assembly.“The gazette notice only states the creation of the 11 new seats, not renaming parliamentary constituencies, shifting state seats from one parliamentary constituency to another or redrawing the boundaries of constituencies not involved in the creation of the new seats."He was referring to the shifting of the PKR-held state seat of Batu Lintang from the Stampin parliamentary constituency to the Bandar Kuching parliamentary constituency and changing the name of the Mambong parliamentary constituency to Puncak Borneo.He said while the creation of state seats was the purview of the state, changes to parliamentary constituencies came under the purview of Parliament.“The EC could be challenged, particularly the shift." – January 7, 2015.
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Indonesia Air Force soldiers are seen inside a Super Puma helicopter during a search operation for passengers on board AirAsia Flight QZ8501, off the Java sea, in Indonesia, today. Indonesian search and rescue teams hunting for the wreck of the AirAsia passenger jet have located the tail of the aircraft underwater, agency chief Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo told reporters. – Reuters pic, January 7, 2015.Indonesian search and rescue teams hunting for the wreck of an AirAsia passenger jet have located the tail of the aircraft underwater, agency chief Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo told reporters today."We have found the tail that has been our main target today," said Soelistyo. "The tail part has been found and confirmed at a position in our second priority sector."The tail is the section where the crucial black box voice and flight data recorders are located.The Indonesia AirAsia Airbus A320-200 plunged into the Java Sea on December 28 en route from Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya to Singapore with 162 people on board. No survivors have been found. – Reuters, January 7, 2015.MORE TO COME
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G25 spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin said they will be seeing an officer from the Prime Minister's Office to prepare for an eventual meeting with prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. – January 7, 2015. The group asking for a rational dialogue on Islam will finally meet a government representative tonight, a month after issuing an open letter urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to end extremist rhetoric and resolve disputes arising from the application of Islamic law in the country .An officer from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is to meet representatives of the 25 prominent retired civil servants (G25) who signed the open letter, to prepare for an eventual meeting with Najib , G25 spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin said.This development came about after three civil society leaders met privately with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week to discuss their concerns about the lack of national leadership and Putrajaya's inaction against worsening religious and racial rhetoricNoor Farida said tonight's meeting would be a "preparatory meeting" between the G25 and Najib."For your information, the representatives of G25 will meet with PMO representatives, including Jakim's director-general, tonight," she said, using the Malay acronym for the Islamic Development Department."The aim of this meeting is to organise a meeting agenda between G25 and the PM," she said in an SMS to The Malaysian Insider.In a press statement issued later this evening, Noor Farida said the date for the meeting had been agreed upon on December 22 between herself and Datuk Jailani Ngah, who is the prime minister's political secretary."The meeting is being held on the instructions of the prime minister for the relevant government agencies to meet with the G25 and to come up with suitable recommendations for his consideration regarding the issues that the G25 had raised in the open letter," she added.The Malaysian Insider had reported this morning that three civil society groups – Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and Movement for a Just World (JUST) – met Dr Mahathir last Tuesday over fraying race relations in the country.The three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are among 93 other groups that have expressed support for the G25, whose open letter urged Najib to address religious and racial tension and to exercise his leadership in guiding Malaysia back to moderation.Noor Farida, however, clarified that tonight's meeting was not the result of the three NGOs having met Dr Mahathir, nor had Najib declined to meet the G25.After the G25 said it wanted to meet Najib, the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) claimed that the 25, who are retired leading civil servants, had to meet them first if they wanted to meet Najib.MPM claimed that the Prime Minister's Office had appointed it as an intermediary to meet the G25 and that they would plan a closed-door meeting, but this was refuted by G25 spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin.MPM is a caucus of more than 200 Malay NGOs. This ethnic group is the largest in Malaysia and in recent times, conservatives from within have grown more vocal about communal rights and privileges under the government's affirmative action policies for Malays and bumiputeras leading to polarising and inflammatory rhetoric in public.However, the G25 snubbed MPM, with Noor Farida telling The Malaysian Insider last week that the PMO had informed her it did not appoint MPM as its representative.The G25 open letter had decried the "lack of clarity and understanding" of Islam's place within Malaysia's constitutional democracy, as well as a "serious breakdown of federal-state division of powers, both in the areas of civil and criminal jurisdictions".They also called on Najib to establish an inclusive consultative committee and called for dialogue on Islamic laws.Signatories of the letter were former high-ranking civil servants, including directors-general, secretaries-general, ambassadors and prominent individuals.Since it was published on December 8, public support for the content of letter and for its 25 signatories has been strong, with many writing to media organisations expressing their thanks and solidarity with the signatories, while an online petition called #iam26 has attracted massive support with thousands of signatures.Last week, Noor Farida said G25 had grown in number, with 10 more Malays, many of whom were former but influential members of the government service, adding their names to the group. – January 7, 2015
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According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua said 1Malaysia Development Board's delay in repatriating its RM4 billion Caymans fund could potentially harm Malaysia’s financial stability. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 7, 2015. DAP has questioned the delay in repatriating 1Malaysia Development Board's (1MDB) RM4 billion in the Cayman Islands, which Putrajaya and the strategic development firm had pledged to bring back last year.The opposition party's national publicity secretary, Tony Pua, said the delay in getting the fund back not only raised concerns about 1MDB but also threatened Malaysia's financial stability."The question hence arises as to why the RM4 billion funds from the Cayman Islands which was supposed to be 'returned' in November 2014, hasn’t been repatriated to assist in alleviating 1MDB’s debt crunch?" he said in reference to the company's some RM40 billion debt.Pua said deputy finance minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan was quick to dismiss critics questioning the existence of the Caymans fund when he promised Parliament that it would be fully returned to 1MDB by the end of 2014."However, as of today, a week into the month of January 2015, there has been no trace of these funds returning to Malaysia or to 1MDB," he said.The company's financial statements for the year ending March 2014 which was filed in October 2014 disclosed that the RM4 billion fund will be received in full before the end of November last year.But, 1MDB's chairman Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin last month said 1MDB only “expects to redeem the remaining amount in the coming months."Pua said that was contrary to what was stated in the financial report, adding that there was no trace of the money returning to Malaysia or to 1MDB."Perhaps the funds in the Cayman Islands are tied up in 'investments' of highly questionable value, which if disposed today will result in massive unbearable losses to 1MDB?"He said the firm missed two repayment deadlines for a RM2 billion debt in November and December last year, which was part of a rescheduled and restructured debt it couldn’t pay in November 2013.On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Pua said his "deafening" silence, and the appointment of high-flying banker Arul Kanda as president and group executive director would not move “the elephant in the room".Najib is also 1MDB's advisory board chairman."It demolishes any confidence the investment and financial community has in his administration," Pua said. He said 1MDB's failure to repay the RM2 billion loan will severely affect the financial health of two of the country’s largest banks – Maybank and RHB Bank – who were the firm’s biggest lenders.He added that a default would be "catastrophic" to Putrajaya, the entire financial system and taxpayers.Lodin last month said repatriating the funds back to Malaysia would have exposed the money to fluctuations on the foreign exchange market.This followed the decline of ringgit in the past 10 months against the US dollar.An estimated RM18 billion of 1MDB's money is parked in the Caymans.Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hit out at the firm, noting that a large part of the money raised from the issuing of debt paper by 1MDB was sent to the Caymans – a move which many, including the opposition, also questioned.Lodin said there was nothing unusual about companies of 1MDB's size investing their funds in the Caymans, adding that it was one of the largest registered fund jurisdictions internationally.The Edge Financial Daily reported last year that the depreciating ringgit would hurt 1MDB, which had a sizeable chunk of its total RM42 billion in debtsin the US dollar denomination.This chunk – which amounted to RM22.25 billion according to 1MDB's financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2014 – has grown to about RM25.7 billion, an increase of about RM3.96 billion, due to the ringgit's decline by some 6.5% in 2014. – January 7, 2015.
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Selangor residents will soon be able to post pictures of illegal-dumping sites, pot holes, fallen trees and other urban living woes via an app, which is to be launched this Friday. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 7, 2015.Gone are the days when a phone call to the municipal council to lodge a complaint about pot holes or illegal rubbish dumping goes unanswered or is passed around.A smart phone and web-based app for Selangor residents to post pictures of illegal-dumping culprits, pot holes, fallen trees and other urban living woes will be launched on Friday as a tool to help local councils respond more swiftly as well as be more transparent and accountable.The CleanMyCity app, which will be deployed as a pilot project first in the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), is also part of efforts to strengthen the public's role as a key stakeholder in shaping municipal and government policies.The app is an initiative of the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), which is working together with the MBPJ and the Selangor government.C4 head Cynthia Gabriel said the app would feature a public notice board to post complaints of illegal rubbish dumps, pot holes, flash floods and fallen trees.There will also be a catch-the-culprit module where residents can snap and upload photos of contractors illegally dumping rubbish or construction material.Complaints and how long it takes for them to be resolved can be tracked, while backlogs will be brought up by councillors during meetings with MBPJ officers.“Complaints are supposed to be resolved within 48 hours. That is the promise. So those that are still pending can be used as evidence when we meet officers."She said MBPJ and C4 were still working on ways to integrate CleanMyCity complaints to MBPJ’s own e-aduan or online complaint system.The aim is for the tool to be used by the public as key stakeholders in shaping and influencing government policy, said Cynthia who is also an MBPJ councillor.“When the public is a key stakeholder they can recommend policy proposals and how to use MBPJ’s budget," said Gabriel.For instance, illegal dumping grounds can be turned into parks or green areas so that people will use them and dissuade contractors from turning them disposal sites.City council officers, Gabriel said, have been receptive to the initiative and were particularly interested in the catch-a-culprit module as PJ has had a problem with enforcement against illegal dumping.The Selangor executive councillor in charge of local councils Ean Yong Hian Wah is expected to launch the app this Friday.“PJ is the pilot project but the state government is studying its effectiveness because it wants to deploy the system in all 12 of its municipalities.“Because everyone has a smart phone nowadays, we want them to use it for something good and to connect to the government." – January 7, 2015.
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S. Deepa is fighting for the return of her son abducted by her ex-husband despite a court order. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 6, 2015.Clerk S. Deepa has given her Muslim convert ex-husband until next week to produce their seven-year-old son whom he abducted in court if he wants the Federal Court to hear his leave applications to keep the boy.Lawyer Fahri Azzat, who is representing Deepa, told a five-man Federal Court bench today that his client would not raise Izwan Abdullah's contempt of court provided he brought their son Mithran along at the next proceedings.Panel chairman Tan Sri Zulkelfi Ahmad Makinuddin, who remarked that Deepa's request was fair, then adjourned the hearing to January 14.The bench was today scheduled to hear Izwan's leave applications against custody and recovery orders before the apex court decide the merit of the appeals.Fahri told The Malaysian Insider that Izwan was given one last chance to bring the boy if he wanted the court to hear his leave the appeal applications."Failure to produce the boy means that Izwan is still in contempt," he added.A Federal Court had earlier ruled that no interim applications and appeals would be heard of a person who had shown disrespect to court orders.Iwzan, who was reprsented by Mohd Hanif Khatri Abdullah, was not in court today.On April 7 last year, the Seremban High Court granted Deepa, a Hindu, custody of the couple's two children.The civil court's decision overrode a Shariah Court ruling in April 2012 that granted Izwan custody of the children, Sharmila (Nurul Nabila), 9, and Mithran.
Izwan (pic, right), formerly known as N. Viran, unilaterally converted the children without Deepa's knowledge in April 2012.Two days after the High Court order, Izwan abducted Mithran from Deepa's home in Jelebu, Negri Sembilan, and has kept the boy since.Deepa then obtained a recovery order from the High Court on May 21 last year to get police to search for and recover Izwan and Mithran.On December 17, the Court of Appeal dismissed Izwan’s appeal against the custody and recovery orders obtained by Deepa to get her son back.The order, served on Bukit Aman, the police headquarters, on June 26, stated that Izwan must return the boy to Deepa, failing which police must locate the ex-husband to take the child from his unlawful custody.However, police have refused to enforce the order.Meanwhile Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) welcomed the one-week extension to Izwan for him to purge his contempt. "This decision is yet another affirmation by the highest court in the land of Deepa’s rights as a mother to be with her children, whom she has lawfully obtained custody of," WAO said in a statement.It added that the court’s decision would be meaningless unless it is complied with."We urge Izwan to respect the rule of law and return the son to Deepa on 14 January 2015. We urge the police to enforce the rule of law and ensure the son is returned to Deepa," the group said.To avoid future agony on other families, WAO repeated its call to amend family laws to explicitly disallow unilateral conversions as decided by the Cabinet in 2009. – January 6, 2015.
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According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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Crossing the first hurdle in what is expected to be a painful experience ahead, the mother of a doctor who died under mysterious circumstances in Langkawi four years ago today obtained a High Court order to exhume his body for the purpose of another post-mortem.The Alor Setar High Court also granted Santaamal Philip's application for an inquest to determine how Dr Sebastian Joseph, who was a medical officer at the Kuah government clinic in Langkawi, died.DPP Mohamad Rizal Fadzil and the family's lawyer also came to a compromise that the post-mortem will be jointly handled by the family’s choice of Australian pathologist Dr Richard Byron Collins and local pathologists.The family will also bear all costs related to the exhumation and post-mortem.Santaamal's lawyer M.Visvanathan told The Malaysian Insider that he expected the exhumation of Dr Sebastian's remains from a cemetery in Shah Alam to take place this month, after he extracts the relevant orders from the court next week.He said the next step would be to liaise with the Attorney-Genral’s Chambers, the police and Dr Collins on the scheduling of the exhumation."We want Dr Collins to be here when the exhumation takes place, so I am hoping we can do this by the end of this month," Visvanathan said.Visvanathan said that while the family is relieved that they are finally on track to finding out what happened to the 30-year-old medical officer, it is not going to be an easy journey for them.Dr Sebastian was found dead in his government quarters in Padang Matsirat on November 17, 2010.He was said to be in a kneeling position with his hands clenched.In her application to the court in November last year, Santaamal said the post-mortem on Dr Sebastian was conducted at Langkawi Hospital by Dr Muhamad Arif Mohamad Rasat but the report stated the cause of death as "unascertained".She said that the doctor who conducted the post-mortem was not a pathologist but only a general practitioner.In a previous interview, Santaamal had said that a month before her son's death, she had visited him to help him furnish his five-bedroom quarters, and said he had shared some “troubling" information of what was going on at his workplace.Declining to elaborate, Santaamal only said it had to do with how many of the patients at the health clinic were prescribed Panadol for all sorts of ailments.Dr Sebastian had also told his mother that various types of medication prescribed by him were not available in the clinic pharmacy, and that he wanted to report the matter to his superior. – January 7, 2015.
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According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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China, Singapore and the United States will be sending in various supplies for Malaysians affected by the floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 7, 2015.Three countries will be sending humanitarian aid to help Malaysia as it struggles to deal with the worst flooding it has seen in more than a decade.Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said they were China, Singapore and the United States.He said Singapore had supplied water purifying machines to be used in flood hit states while China would be sending tents for flood victims to use."The United States has contacted Malaysia to find out the requirements needed to help the flood victims."This is an advantage to us but we cannot depend entirely on outside aid and these are merely additional assistance besides the contribution received from the rakyat," he told reporters in Subang yesterday.He was speaking to reporters after witnessing the handing over of flood relief contributions from the Malaysian Armed Forces Family Welfare Association (Bakat) by his wife, Datin Seri Tengku Marsilla Tengku Abdullah to Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim, the women, family and community development minister.He said 312 flights made possible with Malaysian Armed Forces assets under “Ops Murni" helped transport 748.6 tons of supplies for distribution to victims in flood-affected states.He said the Flood Relief Supplies Collection Centre at the Subang Air Base had received about 3,256 tons of relief supplies from various parties."Of the total, 2,999 tonnes had been distributed by road while the rest have yet to be distributed, as of yesterday."Hishammuddin said, apart from delivery of necessities to flood victims, post-flood process must also be focused upon, adding that various authorities were in the midst of cleaning up badly-affected areas. – Bernama, January 7, 2015.
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Petrol station operators are paying a higher price for petrol products but can't charge users more because of Putrajaya's method of fixing the retail price of petrol and diesel. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 7, 2015.Petrol station operators are at risk of closing down under the automatic price mechanism Putrajaya uses to fix the retail price of petrol and diesel, PKR said today, noting that at current pump prices, retailers would have racked up losses of up to RM15,000.They would have to bear this loss for the rest of the month, and run the risk of having it snowball into larger amounts of debt owing to the higher price they paid to petrol companies, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli said today.The Pandan MP said that petrol station operators are exposed to losses when oil prices go down because they buy their stocks of petrol and diesel at a higher price."Oil companies like Petronas, Shell, Petron and BHP have set that every petrol station buys stock that is at least three days worth of their sale at any time," he said at a press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya."They would have to pay for the stock at market price minus the commission, which is 12 sen for petrol and 7 sen for diesel set by the government."Rafizi said he pitied station operators because they were widely blamed for taking advantage of fluctuating fuel prices."Most Malaysians don't understand the mechanism and it is unfair for petrol dealers to suffer massive losses with the current float system."He said about 70% of some 5,000 petrol stations throughout Malaysia were small or medium-sized, and sell an average of 500,000 litres of fuel every month. This would generate RM40,000 to RM50,000 in revenue based on the petrol and diesel commissions set by the government."And from that amount, dealers would have to pay utility bills, rental to oil companies, salaries of workers and other charges."With these costs factored in, petrol station operators gain a net profit of RM5,000 to RM10,000 every month," Rafizi said.The PKR vice-president also noted that these operators would also have to keep a huge amount of reserve money to buy the three-day stock."So when the petrol price came down on January 1, they automatically lost between RM10,000 and RM15,000 because their stock, which was bought at a higher price could now be sold at only RM1.91."Taking into account their nett profit, which is RM5,000 to RM10,000, and the losses incurred in just one day (RM10,000 to RM15,000), means that they will be making losses that month."If this continues, many petrol station operators are facing the risk of closure."Rafizi said the Barisan Nasional-led government had made a "rash decision" to do cut fuel subsidies without studying the effect on the people and other stakeholders."Without subsidies as the balancing figure, the prices of petrol will keep going down or up and the changes in prices represent financial risks to the operators."Besides exposing the rakyat to higher oil prices, it also victimises petrol station operators who are left to bear the losses."The lawmaker fired Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) chairman Tan Sri Ali Rustam who had rubbished the concerns raised by station operators, saying it was clear that the former Malacca chief minister had no understanding of the operations and financial mechanisms of petrol stations."He has also forgotten that most of these dealers are Bumiputera entrepreneurs whom Umno is supposedly caring for."Where is Perkasa and Isma on this? We don't see them coming out to defend the Malay operators."Rafizi also said consumers were still paying 30 to 40 sen more than what they should be paying for petrol and diesel, based on world market prices, and called on Putrajaya to implement a system that would be fair to all."Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak will go down in history as the first PM who has inflicted the most changes in fuel prices."I want to see the cheapest price implemented that is fair to the people. And I also want a fair pricing system for petrol station operators and a guarantee that the petrol and diesel supply will be stable." – January 7, 2015.
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Dutch officials are leading the probe into what brought down Malaysia Airlines MH17 over the Ukraine and are asking why the flight route had been given the all-clear. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 7, 2015.The Netherlands wants to know whether its intelligence services warned airlines about flying over war-torn Ukraine prior to the downing of flight MH17 in July, officials said yesterday.Dutch officials are leading the probe into what brought down the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 over Ukraine and killed 298 people aboard, most of them Dutch, as well as why the flight route had been given the all-clear.The Dutch safety board in charge of both inquiries asked the Intelligence and Security Services Oversight Committee (CTIVD) to investigate what assessment the domestic intelligence agency (AIVD) and military intelligence service (MIVD) made of flight routes over Ukraine ahead of the July 17 disaster."What information did the two services have prior to the MH17 crash about the security situation in eastern Ukraine, and how did they share this information with relevant aviation parties? What were the reasons for doing/not doing so?" the CTIVD said on its website. MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists, who have been fighting Kiev forces since April.Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of supplying the rebels with a surface-to-air missile launcher, but Russia has said a Ukrainian military jet was responsible for the crash.Three other commercial planes were flying in the vicinity of the Malaysia Airlines flight – two Boeing 777s and an Airbus 330 – when it was shot down at an altitude of around 10,000m. – AFP, January 7, 2015.
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Lawyer Dr N. Ahilan (left) says his client, former national junior athlete Nor Azleen Mohammad Mustafa, had to cut short her athletic career after she underwent the corrective spinal surgery in 2005. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, January 7, 2014.Former national junior athlete Nor Azleen Mohammad Mustafa, who suffered nerve damage resulting in partial paralysis of the legs after spinal surgery 10 years ago, is seeking more than RM4.6 million in damages from the surgeon concerned and the hospital where she was treated.Her lawyer, Dr N. Ahilan, said the Penang High Court would hear clarifications and submissions from both the plaintiff and defence on January 22.He said they were seeking RM3 million in general damages, RM1.6 million in special damages and others."We hope to be awarded the amount. Azleen's career was cut short after she underwent the corrective spinal surgery in 2005. Now she is paralysed from waist down."She was only 14 then and she had dreamt of having a bright future in her sport. It is now almost a decade that she has been suffering from pain, emotional and psychological embarrassment."She has no job prospects. She couldn't find work since she cannot sit or stand for long, and needs to be assisted. Her movements are impaired... even her marriage prospects have been destroyed," Ahilan said after submitting an assessment of damages to court deputy registrar Ahzal Fariz Ahmad Khairuddin today.Azleen was a 100m sprinter who represented Penang and Malaysia in junior championships.Ahilan said when she was a teenager, her track record was good and she had a bright future as an athlete, with prospects to do well internationally as well.Ahilan said the defendants' lawyer also handed in their submission today.He said the defence has also filed an appeal to the Federal Court against the Court of Appeal's ruling last year that favoured Azleen.However, a date has yet to be fixed for the hearing.Azleen filed her suit in Penang against Dr Omar Md Isa of Universiti Malaya Medical Faculty's Orthopaedic Department and Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) several years ago.But then judicial commissioner Nurmala Salim dismissed the suit in November 2012, ruling that Azleen had failed to prove that Dr Omar had been negligent when performing the surgery.Azleen took her case to the Court of Appeal and won her medical negligence suit in July last year.A three-man bench chaired by Datuk Mohd Hishamuddin Mohd Yunus, which reversed the finding of the Penang High Court, ruled that the doctor who performed the operation was liable.Hishamuddin said as a result, the hospital he was working in was also held to be vicariously liable and ordered the case to be reverted before a High Court registrar in Penang for assessment of damages.Azleen was also awarded RM30,000 in costs. – January 7, 2015.
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According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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The Finance Ministry wants government-linked companies and statutory bodies to prioritise domestic investments in light of the weakening ringgit. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.The Finance Ministry has asked government-linked companies (GLCs) and statutory bodies to temporarily halt purchases of foreign assets, in response to falling commodity prices and in a bid to contain capital outflows.The ministry confirmed that a circular signed by the treasury's secretary-general on December 26 was a move to boost domestic consumption.In an email response to Reuters, the ministry said that the entities were "requested to give priority to domestic investment activity and postpone or put on hold, purchase of assets or investment abroad".Malaysia is a net oil exporter. The government measure was taken at a time of prolonged weakness for the Malaysian currency, largely rooted in the tumble of oil prices.The ringgit, the weakest emerging Asian currency in 2014, dropped to 5-1/2-year lows on Tuesday as falling crude oil prices and a strong dollar continue to add pressure on the currency.According to the ministry, affiliated companies would need to "review their investment policies to support the government's initiative to boost the domestic economy".Analysts say the move should help the country deal with capital outflows."It's not just them reducing or preventing the GLCs from investing outside. Maybe some assets could also be brought back home as well," Nomura Holdings' Southeast Asia economist Euben Paracuelles said. – Reuters, December 6, 20145.
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According to the Bangkok Post, Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted about his lunch with his Thai counterpart so as to deflect criticism over taking another private trip while east coast states were still badly-hit by floods. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 6, 2015.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning."They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons."The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy" which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline" as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
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