Where is the reformasi?

Following his dismissal as Deputy PM and UMNO member, Anwar Ibrahim started the reformasi movement as his political platform. 

After 25 years, he finally managed to step into the Prime Minister's Office he was involved in the development of Putrajaya. Over time, he has articulated on the repeated over many elections of the corrective programs he wish to undertake. 

The social media is now regurgitating the promises and manifesto items he made under the then Pakatan Rakyat at GE 12 and 13 and later the Pakatan Harapan's for GE14. 

However, Anwar is not expected to deliver in abolishing PTPTN student loan, 20% royalty for Sabah and Sarawak, change the Wang Ehsan for certain states in Peninsular to royalty, immediate cut in the retail oil prices by 50 sen and the list can be longer. 

Understandably, the government is in a slippery situation constrained by debt and revenue shortfall. Many of the promises have rightly been pointed out by then BN government of the day as ridiculous.

To be more rational and mature in our politics, lets ignore the usually mindless and deceptive campaign sloganeering.  Election promises are sensational but seldom delivered. 

But the 25 years of chanting, "Reformasi!" is ideological and cannot be put at bay.

The growth status of the Malaysian economy

Rafizi gave a sarcastic and patronising reply to Opposition Leader, Hamzah Zainuddin attempt to give a political spin to the growth statistic data in Parliament.

Economic growth will be the issue opposition intend to dwell on to gain political points despite knowing well there is an impending global recession and current inflationary concern. 

It is expecting too much to pursue high growth now. 

Shahrizat thrown down the gauntlet

In difficult times ...

The idiom "throw down the gauntlet" means to invite someone to fight or compete with you. 

Tan Sri Shahrizat Jalil is not the incumbent to invite, but where she submitted her application form to run for Wanita UMNO Chief, the incumbent Dato Noraini Ahmad have yet to do so.  

Defend Aini will. Her supporters are already exuberant with their campaign. It is not Aini to condone, but the whispering campaign is accusing Shahrizat as a Muhyiddin proxy. Its no secret that her son works with Hishamuddin.  

More such talk will be coming and Shahrizat expect the husband's NFC issue will be used against her. It need be reminded that Dr Salleh Ismail was acquited from alleged misappropriation in 2015. 

Too many whys in the Revenue corporate saga

Left to right: Eddie Ng (MD), Brian Ng (COO) and Dino Ng (CTO)

Revenue Group Berhad (Revenue) is not a major company to keep a watch on. Its nature of business in IT deals with systems, proprietary knowledge and involved security and confidentiality. 

The happenings in the company seemed to raise many questions, and strange links surfaced. 

Since late last year 2022, Revenue was embroiled in controversy following the suspension of two founder-Directors, Brian and Dino Ng, from its Board of Directors. 

The payment gateway company brought in MACC into the picture for some claims made against them. One can expect it will complicate the situation and even be more destructive than preventive. The detailed story will be dealt with in later posting, 

If it is a case of abuse of power, why must MACC got involve? 

Their primary concern should be corruption. Complain over company vehicle or procurement could be dealt by Securities Commission and perhaps, police. 

The lies in Muhyiddin's denial and seemingly consistent narrative

Expectedly no response from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the 1MDB settlement from Goldman allegation. Its customary for politician to not response to allegations to avoid from being misconstrued. Better remain silent and hope it will go away.

Give time Muhyiddin will eventually respond as it could be a significant contribution to his GE15 war chest. He will on the 5G contract to Ericson and continuing the SPANCO privatisation to Robert Tan.   

Last Thursday, Muhyiddin responded to the allegation of his family involvement in the NIISE contract to Iris. It is his standard denial which include diverting responsibility to others. Having written extensively on the deal, it is not a convincing denial. 

If they could, MACC should comb the historical shareholding structure of 5S, trace the present and past shareholders, and association of Nexbis Soluions and S5 Systems. Who decided on the technical prequalification on Bestari.net?      

A contributor, FLK asked on newswave.com, "Opinion: On why MACC stop at possible abuse of power in connection to the NIISE?" 

Muhyiddin is known for the consistency of his narratives but to the familiar, it is a convenient camouflage to lie and habit of "what he say is not what he do".  

Muhyiddin was caught lying incessantly on the RM600 billion stimulus package. He was reluctant to response and had Dr Marzuki to do so only to expose him lying in his capacity as Prime Minister. 

Food security to food sovereignty

The conversation on the concern for food security have long been heard. Since the days of yours truly's early career in banking and later in the capital market, concern over food security due to high food import have long been the talk. 

However, a serious government policy was not forthcoming. Availability of land for agriculture was increasing in scarcity and losing to the more lucrative sectors such as property development, tourism and leisure industries, manufacturing, etc. 

Financiers were saying why reinvent the wheels as it is more  efficient to import. They prefer to invest into food retailing, high-end agri-product, or easy cash crop in which planting is once for every 15 years but harvesting every quarterly.   

The attitude then and in fact still remain so. When there was a shortage of chicken prior to GE15, the  former PM Ismail Sabri's natural affinity was to import chicken. 

This is strange because Malaysia is one of the world's cheapest and efficient broiler producer. So efficient that CP Pokhphand could not enter the highly competitive Teo Chew clan dominated industry. The first sight of problem and government  open the local market for foreign entry.   

The early part of the shortage in certain food items was blamed at global supply chain problem during the C19 pandemic and later, the war in Ukraine. It rightly is but as time goes by and more realisation creeped in, the age old conversation on food security began to emerge. 

In a 2021 article on NST, Muhammad Hisyam Mohamed highlighted the need to deal with issues of availability, access, utilisation and stability in food security. By December 2022, Dr Goh Chun Seng in Borneo Times shifted the food security discussion to food sovereignty. 

Anwar's boy, Farhash corporate misadventure

One month after Anwar Ibrahim announced his cabinet line-up, Berjaya Group announced his former Political Secretary, and PKR Perak Chief, Farhasy Salvador Wafa as its new Chairman for 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Berhad. 

The official communique gave a glowing resume of Farhasy corporate experience, education and related positions held, but its a dime too many.

Those in the know are more concerned with his association with the Seremban-based stockbroking outfit, Apex Holdings Berhad. 

The public attention is on the fiery, temperamental and explosive close confidante of Anwar joining Vincent Tan's outfit. 

Muhyiddin's Goldman scheme of things

MACC have been on the prowl of public spending guise for emergency but suspiciously diverted into the war chest of PPBM and PN.

At the time rakyat were "imprisoned", financially in strait jacket, and ones couldn't bear the pressure resorted to suicide, the impression is Muhyiddin-led government were amassing a political warchest at the rakyat expense.

It is despicable, but more despicable is when the country is in a dire financial state, and there is an attempt to recoup the dissipated money of the 1MDB scam, but those in power may have diverted the Goldman Sach's settlement ala Low Taek Jho.

The loss due to Goldman's indiscretion is US$9.5 billion. The Lim Guan Eng seek a claim against Goldman at US$7.5 billion. Back then, Lim Sian See may have argued for a ballpark of US6 billion cash. 

When PH fell, Tengku Zafrul and a coterie of officials and Muhyiddin advisers quickly agreed to a settlement of US$3.9 billion.