"Rabble rouser" without a cause

Few days ago, UMNO President and Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said something that may have annoyed certain UMNO supporters. 

At a party Hari Raya event in Hulu Selangor near the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baru by-election to be held, Zahid said UMNO should accept the reality it is no more dominant and should learn to adapt. 

It is similar to the reality Malay right wing have difficulty accepting that the Malay's majority is not overwhelming at 58% of the population and in 6 states, Malays are either minority or marginal majority. 

With Malay politically segmented along different political ideologies, parties and special interest, the Malay narratives once championed by a dominant UMNO is not politically viable with the current demography.    

This relates to the attempt by UMNO Youth Chief, Dr Akmal Salleh to regain the rural Malay support lost to Perikatan using the recent KKMart boycott affair as his cause celebre and claimed it as his Islamic calling. 

It may seemed he personally benefitted politically with overwhelming praises from similar thinking Malays for voicing something they wanted to hear, but is it sustainable?

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MATVCS made fraudulent claim

After three DAP wakil rakyat made statements in their respective houses, its obvious that the illegally put together specialist medical training program inititive by Ministry of Health, which ignored established procedures and law under the Medical Act and Malaysia Qualifying Agency Act to be run by a medical NGO of non-academic medical practitioners guised as a specialist association, is now a DAP agenda. 

DAP Agenda have a tendency to be anti-establishment in nature and serves the interest of a certain ethnic group or tendency to opposse to well established norms and practises in place to the credit of a certain ethnic group.   

Adding to it, DAP portal Financial Twitter, which yesterday could go scot free for making 3R insults of the former Agong, the Sultan Pahang by Fahmi Fadzil's MCMC is today doing an onslaught of the Malaysian Medical Council, the legal guardian against academic fraud practising as medical experts. 

Perhaps because one member of MMC, namely nephrologist at Hospital Putrajaya whose undivided loyalty to the illegal Parallel Pathway program, could unethically blast her fellow council member publicly in which she is bound by law to secrecy and ethical practise to respect the collective agreement of the council. 

Usually wayward member of any such Board can be suspended and believe MMC should rightly do so.   

Today MATVS the NGO operating as a "haram" educational institution to train Medical Specialist equivalent to Masters degree made false claim. 

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Indian to be kingmaker at KKB

KKB by-election will test the political mood

By JOCELINE TAN

ANALYSIS 

Star Online Saturday, 20 Apr 2024

The peaceful outpost of Kuala Kubu Baru is about to be stirred and shaken in a by-election that could reflect the swirling political sentiments in Selangor

THE late Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong was not a standout figure in Selangor politics.

Some journalists who reported on her death from cancer had wondered what it was about her that resulted in so many DAP leaders weeping over her coffin and paying their respects at her wake.

Lee was an arch loyalist of Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang whom she got to know back in Melaka where she grew up. She began her political career managing the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya and became quite powerful in her own way because she had the ears of the DAP maestro.

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When only a "Safe" Hari Raya wish could be expressed ....

The usual customary greeting for Hari Raya Aidil Fitri is the familiar "Selamat Hari Raya". For the festivity greeting, "Selamat" means happy as in Happy Hari Raya similar to Happy New Year or Happy Deepavali greetings.

"Selamat" also means secure or safe. The Ramadan celebration was, to put it mildly, not as its usual celebration with food prices and pasar Ramadan offerings prices skyrocketed. Operators of Bazaar Ramadan and Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman pasar malam felt the pinch. 

The rising food prices was a result of disrupted supply chain during the Covid and worsened by the Russia-Ukraine war in Europe. It has not gotten any better with the Gaza genocide followed by another supply chain disruption at the Red Sea. Now drought is adding to the problem or in the new term being used these days, climate change problem.  

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Not whether consumer price rise, but how much?

Economists: Targeted fuel subsidies will impact consumers

By KEITH HIEW

ECONOMY

Star Online Thursday, 04 Apr 2024

PETALING JAYA: As Putrajaya pushes on with the implementation of the Central Database Hub (Padu), the immediate issue that jumps into the minds of Malaysians is another impending “unavoidable” – the targeted petrol subsidy initiative.

Or rather, it can be said that the public is concerned about the inevitable inflationary effects that will follow when the government reduces its petrol subsidies to a significant portion of the population.

Economists are unanimous that petrol subsidy rationalisation is almost certainly going to bring about a general increase in the prices of goods and services, and even the World Bank Group is estimating that a complete removal of fuel subsidies is likely to cause a 9% increase in consumer prices.

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MOH, MOHE inadvertently admitted PP a scam and illegal

Push come to shove, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) could not keep their silence and let the locals do their bidding. FMT here reported RCSEd President Rowan W Parks writing to the Minister of Health.  

RCSEd had to express their dismay to cover-up before their "Medical Scam" is blown wide open. Despite intense efforts by the colluding "Medical Scam syndicate" the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) was not falling to the snake oil charm of RCSEd to deceptively peddle their "illegal" FRCS International diploma.

The syndicate includes MATVCS, Malaysian College of Surgeons, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, Deans of Medical Faculties of several colluding Universities, IJN, former DG of MOH, current Deputy DG of MOH (who signed a gazettement which is an old trick and mistake), private practitioners, DAP politicians, and most recently Malaysia Medical Association.

Sadly, both the Minister of Health and Minister of Higher Education responded to the letter to oblige by stooping and kow-towing to RCSEd to announce swift amendment to the Medical Act as solution for the Parallel Pathway to get registrated as specialist. 

Inadvertently, the Ministers confirmed that PP was a scam and illegal from the onset. It needed an amendment to the law for a resolution to the impasse. MMC was never a stumbling block or Little Napolean. It was the law. 

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Who directed Jamaluddin to the Ncell RM6.3 billion blunder?

Two persons alerted yours truly to Cilisos.my March 19th article, "Explainer: How Axiata lost RM6.3 billion in Nepal" and one is of the opinion MACC should check the broker and financial adviser of the deal. 

The loss is not the size of another BNM forex loss, but it is within the 1MDB or adjusted for inflation, the BMF scandal proportions. It will be a difficult and complex cross border investigation but MACC should pursue it. 

More so, the MP for Pasir Gudang, Hasan Karim raised it in Parliament. He maybe referring to the Cilisos's expose by chance or by design, but in the current fiscal predicament, every billion adds up. It should not be ignored after RM2 billion supposedly received as profit, and RM230 million from sales proceed deducted.  

Actually, the names have been talked about for quite sometime. 

Why didn't Daim's brother-in-law or elder brother to Mahathir 2.0's Economic Adviser, Dr Muhammad Abdul Khalid did something about it since his elder brother, Tan Sri Ghazali Abdul Khalid was Chairman of Axiata and Ncell?    

It raised the suspicion why no solution from that political regime and sale was only made in December 2023.  

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MP for Kuching lied on the 7 practising CT Surgeons

MP for Ipoh Timor, Howard has spoken in Dewan Rakyat to enquire on the fate of the unrecognised Parallel Pathway program for the "illegal" FRCS International which is a "medical scam" by esteemed institution, Royal College of Surgeon, Edinbrugh (RCS Edin). 

DAP Senator from Penang Dr RA Lingeswaran argued strongly in Dewan Negara for the recognition of PP and indirectly call the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) as Little Napolean for not heeding their request to BREAK THE LAW. Can refer to the previous article on the legality HERE.  

And now it is MP for Bandar Kuching, Dr Kevin Yii's turn to speak. As reported by Code Blue HERE, he dispute the official statement by MMC that fellow from RCSEd was NOT recognised with A LIE that seven Cacrdiothoracic surgeons with fellow from RCSED allowed registeration.  

No names mentioned but Code Blue quoted their registration numbers. Unfortunately, Bo Su Lyn either conveniently did not reveal fully the tip-off or failed to check it.

Code Blue unscrupulously colluded to lie for the "medical scam syndicate".

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PP's illegal FRCS will not overcome shortage

The storyline repeatedly told by proponents of the 2016 MOH-initiative Parallel Pathway (PP) program is shortage of Medical Speacialists. 

When this blog first pursued this subject, NST, Code Blue and Star was selling the shortage narrative in February in response to decision by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) to not recognise the program prematurely commenced by then DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham. 

It was part of a media campaign presumably orchestrated by The Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (MATCVS), the program champion and coordinator who issued a statement on Feb 15 and objected to the MMC decision. 

Apparently, part of the campaign is to get media to block the publication of the truth and any dissenting views. 

Recently, Sarawak Minister and a heart surgeon himself, Dr Simm Kui Hian in hs FB joined the bandwagon with the same shortage argument to lend support with subtle threat to invoke Malaysia Agreement 1963 to pursue its own course of action.  

Whether MOH intend to bypass the power accorded to MMC using gazettement, the law remained that MMC has final say to determine the qualification to enter the National Specialist Register and legally accord doctors as Medical Specialist.

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Did Rafizi's team called PADU critics as "monyets"?

A month ago, social media took notice that Rafizi Ramli's spending to promote his responses to critics on social media were not getting the desired attention. 

In the previous weekend, came the frontpage bomb in Sunday Star. Just 14 days to go, 83% of Malaysians yet to register on PADU. The poor response was attributed to Malaysians suspicious nature, fears over data privacy and security.

In the same manner Rafizi call his critics as ignorant and naive as "mereka ini tidak tahu", he arrogantly gave thinly veiled threat in his reminder to register.  

When Ong Kian Meng first expressed concern with his system, he ignored the warning. Since then, more problems surface and discussed by social media commentors. Wee Ka Siong saw something fishy in the RM80 million spent. Puad Zarkashi join the berating to describe formula man as a failure. 

For the past few days, Sarawak Minister Karim Hamzah expressed reservation on the overly detailed personal information requested. Sabah DCM Jeffrey Kitingan called the approach taken as too assertive and coercive.  

Rafizi's people response was to call critics as monkeys!

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MOH gazette of "illegal" FRCS in conflict with Medical Act 1971

FMT reported the Ministry of Health gazetted the "illegal" status FRCS International issued by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCS Edin) under an NGO-initiated Parallel Pathway (PP) program. 

This gazettement is in conflict with the Medical Act 1971 and the last media statement ironically issued by the former Director General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham on September 22, 2022 prior to his retirement.

Only the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) can certify any doctors as fit to be specialist and surgeon, and qualify for the National Specialist Register. This is over riding their authority and applying unprofessional political and government pressure on MMC to recognise a legally and technically unqualified diploma.  

The PP Program was endorsed and championed by Noor Hisham since the first batch of trainee in 2016. His successors pushed for its recognition, in which its application have been viewed to not met the basic criteria, required standards and duly rejected by the MMC. 

This move by MOH will attract abuse by those in administrative position and undermine the high standards and good reputation of the Malaysian healthcare practitioners. 

One can expect unqualified and insufficiently trained surgeons be allowed to perform surgery with serious implications to patients' safety and possibly lead to the rise of casualties on the operating tables.   

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Malaysia's household debt problem

Malaysia household debt accounted for 81.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2022, compared with the ratio of 88.9 % in the previous year.

CEIC Data 

By ELIM POON

ECONOMY

Star Online Wednesday, 20 Mar 2024

PETALING JAYA: The surge in the country’s household debt level is symptomatic of broader systemic issues in the economy rather than isolated financial mismanagement.

While economists generally applaud the government’s efforts in promoting financial literacy among Malaysians, more comprehensive reforms are needed to get to the root of the problem.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said this is quite similar to the situation of low savings for retirement. He noted the fundamental cause lies in the low level of salaries and wages along with the high cost of living.

“This may entail implementing policies related to education, healthcare and infrastructure that will help our country to improve its productivity level. Clearly there are no shortcuts. 

“Therefore, it is a strategic imperative to enact economic reforms that will allocate the limited resources effectively, prioritising initiatives that improve our productivity.

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The problem may not be just rising cost of living ...

Rising Cost of Lifestyle in Malaysia

By Tai Zee Kin

In Malaysia, it's essential to distinguish between the rising cost of living—expenses for basic needs like food, shelter, and employment—and the escalating cost of lifestyle, which involves spending on items or commitment of lifestyle preferences. 

Following global trends, Malaysia's cost of lifestyles have become more and more expensive, suggesting the real pressure comes from our choices in spending.

To combat the increasing cost of lifestyle, consider these ideas for more sustainable living without sacrificing quality of life:

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MH370: 10 years after ...

On March 16th, 2014, about 8 days after the mysterious and dreadful disappearance of MH370, Raja Safiah shared this messafe on her FB here. She reshared on the 10 years anniversary of the tragic MH370 recently.  

I am sharing this again in loving memory of Suraya Hanim who passed away in January this year. May you lay peacefully in Jannah my dear friend.

I can't help sharing this note. Beautifully written by Dr. Nadia Abdul Rahim to her father. She is also the eldest daughter of an old friend, Suraya Hanim.

THE FLYING DRIVER

This note is long overdue and is something that I should have written a long time ago - to let my dad know of how proud I am of him.

I am proud of what he does, in spite of him not being around for almost half of my life.

This is for my dad,

Captain Abd Rahim Harun,

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Saravanan man, Dato Malik implicated in an Indian drug bust

The September 2023 enquiry on Dato Malik Dashtigeer's July arrest by MACC has no development yet and there is the likelihood that there is no case against alleged human trafficking former Minister Dato Saravanan's "business associate".

He is now implicated in an international drug syndicate involving India, Australia and New Zealand. The reporter inferring of his involvement claimed it involves Malaysia too. 

And, Malaysians apparently has a notorious reputation in the illegal drug trade. One was arrested early in the year in a drug bust involving an international drug trafficking syndicate.   

Five days ago on March 9th, the Narcotic Control Bureau of India (NBI) busted an India-Australia-New Zealand drug racket of pseudoephedrine involving a Tamil Film Producer, Jaffer Saddiq.  Four others were arrested in a warehouse in Delhi.

Adding a twist of this news, Senior Reporter and owner of media Savukku, A. Shankar made an allegation in an interview on Youtube that Malaysia is part of the drug racket and the boss to Jaffer is a Malaysian and influential in the Tamil film industry. 

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Ringgit: "See you at 5" didn't happen again

That was the line used to hyped the market into thinking ringgit will plunge further during the financial crisis back in 1997. Ringgit weakened from 2.50 level to hit 4.7958 in October 1998. 

Last yeat, it fell to a 25 year low of 4.7750 in October 2023. See you at 5 was heard again. Recently on February 20th, see you at 5 when it hit a 26 year low at 4.7965. 

The decline agitated the public as the spectre of 1998 reappear. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anwar Ibrahim, Economics Minister Rafizi Ramli and the Madani government took the brunt of the blame.

Premature accusation of failure to revive the economy were heard. This is despite the ringgit weakness and rising food prices are fiscal mess inherited from Mahathir 2.0 and the two subsequent PN governments. 

That seemed to be forgotten since fiscal reform came with increases in and wider coverage of consumption tax, new taxes for online businesses, and improvement on tax collection. Yet it is the same fiscal reform that is needed to strengthen Ringgit.

As of yesterday, it is interesting to observe that the outcry on Ringgit seemed to waned off. 

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Lives at stake to allow illegal FRCS and RCSEd scam

A memo from the Prime Minister, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the Minister of Health, Dato Seri Dr Dzukefly Ahmad was to "follow the law" in resolving the initiative by former MOH DG, Tan Sri Nr Hisham Abdullah to carryout a Parallel Pathway Training (PP) with the Royal College of Edinburgh (RSCEd) for Cardiothoracic Surgery. 

The program was conducted illegally and ahead without prior approvals from both the Malaysian Qualifying Agency (MQA) under MOHE and the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC). 

More so, RCSEd did not issue the usual Intercollegiate Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) diploma prevalent among practising Medical Specialists, but the FRCS International (FRCSI) version. 

FRCSI program were organised by the Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MATCVS), instead of Universities. 

The training and exposure in Edinburgh seemed intentionally conducted to be too basic and insufficient. It gave a reason for RCSEd to not issue Certificate for Completion of Training (CCT). 

FRCSI were awarded but without CCT, trainees could not practise in the UK, the home country of the fellowship. This was the legally unchallengeable ground for MMC to not recognise FRCSI. Decisions made by MMC are never revoked or reviewed.

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Local institutions fall victim to MITI scam

In the midst of the shock from new Auditor General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Radzi's report on LTAT and Felda in her findings on GLCs, a story broke out yesterday of a scam in which an actor may have been hired to scam MITI into a FDI signing ceremony involving a PLC. 

All looks like any typical corporate signing of a business venture with news report of a RM36.8 million private placement of new shares to finance the venture. That was till the hired actor uploaded a video on his Tik Tok and it went viral overnight. The video have been taken down but the one distributed in one  Whass App group is shared above.

It means the venture do not exist and it was all a show to convince the necessary financial institutions and approving bodies as though it was a bona fide deal. All along it was merely a scam to raise money from the public. 

The shares would likely be subscribed by institutional investors such as LTAT, EPF, KWAP, Felda, LTH and such. Auditors from the Auditor General office would not have known the legit looking shares in their portfolio are from scams that will turn out later to be worthless. 

Market sources claimed it a Corporate Mafia group stock market scam. 

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BSC, B'raya Devt. robbed by Daim using CLOB?

When Daim was being charged, keen followers familiar with the Malaysian corporate scene were sceptical the authorities had any chance of getting him. A friend and distancely related to him confidently claimed Daim would cover his legal.

Rather sceptical with such claims since had long known a controlling shareholder of a PLC directed by one of the two acquisitive Tuns to sell his company to one of their son and not getting paid.

So much for them labelling Najib as "pencuri, penyamun dan penyangak." Since the owner have let bygone be bygone and gentlemanly moved on, lets just let it lay. 

However, it was recently made known that an owner of a stockbroking firm directed to merge into a financial group suffered the same ordeal. It dispel the notion that the Tuns legitimised their actions. 

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Ghost from political past

Joceline Tan's Saturday column reminded of the first spirit to visit Ebenezer Scrouge in Charles Dicken's novel, Christmas Carol. The ghost from Christmas past gave him a glimpse of the future from his action and indifference. The vision was to save him from his past. 

The current Madani government is facing public backlash for raising SST from 6% to 8% and expanded scope to other services. Whether the GST remain in operation or its the current SST, the public has to face up to the new reality of fiscal reform to salvage the country's finances from deteriorating further.

There was no ghost to warn PH of their impact of their action to take up GST as a cause celebre together with 1MDB to topple BN in 2018. Teething problem in the implementation of a new tax policy was blamed for price hike, and made into Boston Tea party-like uproar that started the American revolution for independence from the Brit. 

However, the table has turned and tax-on-tax of their preferred SST system will accelerate price hike and cause public dissatisfaction, but not expected to significantly add to the tax revenue.

There are still other unimplementable promises to bring petrol prices down, hudud law, free education, abolish PTPTN, judicial independence, law and order, long list of freebies and the long list promised by PH and former PR.    

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May it be the last ever Bumiputera Economic Congress

Having attended many such Bumiputra-themed discourses that the current on-going Kongres Ekonomi Bumiputera did not motivate yours truly to attend. Judging from the attendance yesterday, UMNO Youth Chief looked juvenile for misunderstanding Ti Lian Ker's critique.  

The intention of KEB is towards a forward moving transformation, an economically independent Bumiputera, and not to replace NEP, which was soiled by Mahathir's greed and self serving motivation. The gut feel there will be the repeatedly disappointing same ole, same ole tune of "desak kerajaan", "minta kerajaan", and "kerajaan patut" this and that in the moulding of another Ibrahim Ali.  

KEB is supposed to be a discussion to bring forth issues and proposal from the participants. It will end up being the platform for EPU or certain government agencies to shove their plan and get the discourse to rubber stamp. 

What was discussed and proposed will be lost in the piles of papers and diverted to serve non-economic and sometimes self serving interest. 

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Towards an economically non-Government dependent Bumiputera

Experts pin hope on coming bumi congress to drive effective change

By SHERIDAN MAHAVERA

NATION

The Star Wednesday, 28 Feb 2024

PETALING JAYA: For three days starting tomorrow, ministers, civil servants, business and NGO leaders will convene in Putrajaya to forge a new bumiputra economic agenda that, according to one of its participants, “will hopefully be the last of its kind”.

This is because this year’s Bumiputra Economic Congress (BEC2024) is the eighth since the first in 1965, with each one having had the same aims – to end poverty among Malays and bumiputra and to increase their incomes so that they are on par with other communities.

But after 59 years of continued bumi-centric policies, government statistics still show that those aims have not been met despite significant leaps in reducing poverty.

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Post-Taib Sarawak

Post-Mahathir Malaysia has not been a smooth transition. Two of his predecessors from UMNO were toppled by the strong man leader for not succumbing to his wishes. He came back as the seventh PM and the country went into a tailspin. 

The subsequent eight and nineth PM was beseiged with a global crisis that could not stabilise the disaster of Mahathir's return in 2018. 

The news and social media reported the strong man was admitted into IJN but talk is there were political meetings held in the hospital to plot the downfall of PM X in retaliation to the corruption investigation against his children and henchman the former Finance Minister. 

Ringgit touched its 26 year low against US dollar and the lowest ever against Singapore. The planned fiscal reform that had to be instituted is causing public anxiety to increase taxation and rising prices of goods in the midst of a softening growth. All is in place for a challenging Year of the Wooden Dragon as predicted by the zodiac. 

It only proves Malaysia cannot settle in after Mahathir left in 2003. The prolong state of transition has languished to a state of decline. Will the same phenomenon occur in Sarawak after two Chief Ministers since Taib Mahmud?  

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Gratification to Nor Hisham for alleged illegal FRCS?

The first posting entitled "FRCS medical training scam?" dated February 14th attracted cynical and criticism comments. 

Most important, more feedback came this way. One is this Facebook status dated February 3, 2018 in which former Director General of the Ministry of Health, Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah received Fellowship Ad Homimem from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd). However, that status is no where to be seen and was removed from his Facebook. 

Apparently a month earlier on January 17th, 2018, there was a launching ceremony for the RCSEd International Office at UKM for the FRCS International program allegedly referred as "scam" program not accredited by the Malaysian Medical Council but pressure is being applied to accredit the inadequate surgery training program. 

When asked by a commentator whether FRCS can now be done in Malaysia, Noor Hisham proudly gave the affirmative and claimed it has been going on since 2016. 

On May 29th 2022, he jubilantly published the successful 8 trainees that passed the Joint Specialty Fellowship Program for Cardiothoracic Surgery. An effort from the Edinburgh accredition visit on June 27th 2015.  To the horror of the trainees, the program was inadequate and rejected by MMC. 

It explains the frantic pressure applied on Minister for MOH by The Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MATCVS), Malaysian Urological Association, Academy of Medicine, and other NGOs. All seemed many but are the same group of people with personal vested interest.  

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Verily, we belong to Allah, and verily, to Him we return - Al Quran 2:156

Former Sarawak governor Taib Mahmud passes away

NATION

Star Online

Wednesday, 21 Feb 2024 7:30 AM MYT

SIBU: Former Sarawak governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud has passed away.

In a Facebook post, his daughter Datuk Hanifar Taib said the 87-year-old breathed his last at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur at 4.40am on Wednesday (Feb 21).

She said his remains will be at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur before being brought back to Kuching.

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The mystery of Taib Mahmud's alleged abduction

The last day of Tun Pehin Seri Abdul Taib Mahmud's second term as Yang DiPertua Negeri Sarawak will be this Sunday February 26, 2024. 

Taib will be replaced by former police officer, lawyer, Federal Minister and President of Dewan Negara, Tun Wan Junaidi Wan Jaafar. He has taken his oath on January 29th, 2024. 

At about the time media began reporting on the change over, Sarawak Report was in their elements over Rahad, the wife of Taib Mahmud. Then came the viral article, "Is Ragad on the way out of town?" dated February 2nd. 

Clare Rewcasrle speculated Ragad is moving everything lock, stock and barrel out to live in Turkey. It would have been another of her typically twisted reporting and prejudice against the state she was born. 

However two days later, Clare had the newsbreaker Taib was allegedly "absconded" out of hospital late at night. A police report by a medical staff and message pleading MACC to step-in and prevent Taib's young wife from leaving Sarawak went viral. 

Apparently it was too late. Two container load of cargoes were already shipped out to Kuala Lumpur. Taib was flown out by private jet late at night.

Before this incident, the writing was on the wall from late last year following two sons of Taib filing a civil lawsuit against Ragad over a RM500 million worth of Cahaya Mata Sarawak shares. 

Market was aware of the lawsuit. Upon Taib stepping down, Edge wrote an analysis on the impact to his family's expansive business [read here].       

There is more gossip or speculation and even claimed insider story related to the incident including on Taib's Syrian born young wife's  Kurdistan ethnicity, Lebanese link and Lebanese notoriety as fraudster, scammers and their own Lebanese Mafia. 

For the time being, lets put it aside and stick with Joceline Tan's "safe" official version in her Saturday Star Online column, below:

Drama behind former strongman's decline

By JOCELINE TAN

ANALYSIS 

Saturday, 17 Feb 2024

THE sun has long set on the political career of Tun Taib Mahmud but who could have imagined that the final stage of the former Sarawak governor and chief minister's life journey would be playing out publicly in such a dramatic fashion?

Once the most powerful man in Sarawak – and arguably the richest too – Taib, 87, is lying helpless in a hospital bed, being treated for undisclosed ailments as rumours swirl about the feud between his biological children and his glamorous Syrian-born wife Toh Puan Raghad Kurdi Taib, 44.

Taib's situation made the headlines, sparking accusations of an "abduction" when Raghad suddenly transferred him from a private hospital in Kuching in the middle of the night to their private residence on the outskirts of Kuching.

Taib, who was then in the intensive care unit, was apparently taken out against the advice of doctors and members of his family immediately lodged police reports, saying it was done without their knowledge and could harm his health.

Taib Mahmud taken out of hospital, cops probing case under negligence

NST Feb 5th, 2024

Raghad reacted by urging people not to believe rumours about her and said she had her husband's health and interest at heart.

Raghad lodges police report over claims she kidnapped Taib Mahmud from hospital, considers legal action

NST Feb 18, 2024 

It was all quite sensational, almost like a K-drama unfolding in Kuching.

For several days, no one could figure out what was going on until Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Ismail stepped in to dismiss claims of an abduction and clarified that Taib was being treated at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.

Taib being treated at a private hospital in KL, IGP confirms

The Star Feb 10, 2024

The Sarawak elite, especially those close to Taib, are saddened that it has come to this. They are appalled that the man's personal troubles have become the subject of gossip.

"It's an unfortunate end to an era," said a Sarawak politician whose career began at the same time as Taib's.

Unfortunately, there is quite little sympathy among ordinary people.

"People say it is karma. It is pitiful this is happening in his twilight years," said political analyst Dato Dr Jeniri Amir, the only academic who dared to criticise Taib at the height of his power.

Taib's 33 years as chief minister were controversial, marked by his imperious political style and marred by allegations of cronyism, land grabs and wealth accumulation.

At the same time, he changed Sarawak and stood his ground on multi-cultural tolerance which is today the pride of all Sarawakians and which his successor Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg intends to continue.

"We are thankful he never allowed Umno to come in or else we would have problems like you all over there. Stories of his wealth are a matter of speculation but the more crazy the story, the more people seem to believe it," said lawyer and Chinese community leader Datuk Jonathan Chai.

Both Taib and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad rose to power at about the same time in the early 1980s. A politician-cum-close friend of Taib was at a meeting during which Taib told the then-prime minister that Barisan Nasional would have his full support if Umno stayed out of Sarawak. Both men kept their word.

Speculation about Taib's declining health began not long after he became governor.

Those who met him in recent years found him to be forgetful, often appearing confused and asking the same question again and again. He once told a state exco member whom he was rather fond of and whose parents had passed on, to send them his regards.

In 2022, Jeniri was among a group of people conferred state awards by Taib, after which all of them posed for the camera. Midway through the photography session, Taib suddenly left to use the toilet and never returned.

As governor, Taib was entitled to a month of leave a year but he and his wife spent quite a bit of time in Istanbul. They only returned to Kuching late last year, around the time when talk of appointing a new governor started.

Taib back in Sarawak after recuperating in Turkiye

Borneo Post Online Sept 16 2023

Taib was unable to carry out his duties in the past one year and a top Sarawak leader who flew to Istanbul to see him went away in tears on seeing his condition.

Sarawak politicians are generally thankful that as governor, Taib did not give Abang Johari any problems.

But many Sarawakians are outraged that Raghad and her two sons from her previous marriages were granted native status, which gave them access to native land.

Malaysian citizenship, native status for Taib's Syrian-born wife, step-sons questioned

Daily Express June 21, 2023

Public opinion turned against Raghad in a horrible way. It was seen as an abuse of the law, an insult to the natives and locals began calling her "that foreigner", the point being they do not see how a foreigner can be deemed a Sarawak native.

Videos of a handsome young man wiping his mouth with Euro notes while having a burger also went viral. Allegations that it is one of her sons have yet to be denied.

Did Taib's stepson wipe his mouth with Euronotes? Sarawakians angry and upset

theVibes.com Feb 8th, 2024

However, accounts that Taib's children and siblings are prevented from seeing him in hospital are untrue. A close relative confirmed they have access to him in the hospital while his daughter and son who reside overseas have returned to be with their father.

IGP rubishes Taib's abduction claims, says family free to visit him

Malaysiakini Feb 7th, 2024 

Relations between Taib's biological children and their stepmother crumbled years ago and they are suing Raghad over the ownership of RM500mil in shares of the family-held development conglomerate Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd.

Taib's son Sulaiman sues step-mom Raghad

theVibes.com 16 June 2023

Sulaiman Taib challenges authencity of father's signature on shares transfer document to Raghad

Borneo Post Online Oct 6 2023

Taib Mahmud's sons apply for father to be a defendent in civil suit against stepmother, bank 

Malay Mail Nov 29th 2023  

Politician and lawyer Robert Lau, who had just left to study abroad when Taib came to power, said Taib came from an era of strongman politics.

"He had his own brand of development which, mixed with our rich natural resources, became quite toxic. History will judge him in a mixed way. But the loss of privacy at his most vulnerable moment is such an inglorious thing to happen," said Lau.

The above close friend of Taib has this to say: "I only wish he will be comfortable and at peace."

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From Board room to bedroom ....

The current Edge Weekly issue wrote in the Frankly Speaking column below:

CEO appointments require more care

Last week, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) won a civil suit against Datuk Aminuddin Md Desa, former CEO of the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) and CEO of its publicly traded unit, Perak Corp Bhd, for insider trading violations.

Aminuddin is required to pay the SC RM2.46 million, which is three times the profits gained as a result of the insider trading breach and a penalty of RM1 million with costs of RM100,000.

The SC said Aminuddin had breached Section 188(2)(a) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007 (CMSA) by acquiring 1.4 million Perak Corp shares between October 2013 and January 2014, when PKNP was proposing the privatisation of Perak Corp.

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Cleaning up police of petty corruption

Early in the month, media reported police officers - ASP rank and Sargeant - suspected of involvement in a burglary. We texted the concerned state CPO, who happen to be an old friend for more than 20 years, to express curiosity. 

In the past, there were unfair bust-up on the lower ranks for corruption. Knowing there were bigger sharks higher up the ranks and raking millions as protectors of illegal gambling untouched, thought it is unfair to parade the few bad apples in the media. Public tend to brush the whole police force with the same brush.  

The Datok expressed disappointment and felt bad karma beseiging  the police force. He reassured PDRM would do everything needed to address the situation. 

We pray they do because not all cases the cases reported by media is as bad as it seemed.  

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FRCS Medical Specialist training scam?

The Star Online yesterday reported Minister of Health, Dato Seri Dr  Dzulkefly Ahmad gave commitment to solve the FRCS International qualification from UK under the name Patallel Pathway Training program.

He said any solution must take into consideration the local law, qualification and standards. It seemed a normal politician and government leader statement till Code Blue portal highlighted the program was rejected and not accredited by the Malaysian Medical Council.

Code Blue and the Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MATCVS) via an NST article dated February 6th seemed to be lobbying and pressuring the Minister for presumably sub-standard medical training to be accredited under the emotional plea to solve shortages of medical specialist.

This is the usual modus operandi for political and policy making lobbyist, but not for professional accreditation similar to IEM or or MACPA etc. It reminded of degree issuing scam but this would the highest level involving medical specialists and medical NGOs.

NGOs or self-interest groups or the Health Ministry are supposedly not authorised to carryout educational and training programs. It is the purview of the Higher Education Ministry. 

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Perfect storm or Inflationary worry for Year of Dragon

Looking at the myriad of economic challenges the present Madani government led by Anwar Ibrahim and economic management under Rafizi Ramli has to deal with, it is heart thumping.  

The challenges comes in the form of long term structural problems either KIV-ed or swept dust under the carpet piled up into a protruding molehill in the middle of the living room. Then, there is the present challenges posed by the unconvincing post-Covid recovery, and on-going and potentially new clashes at several hotspots in the world. 

With the politically sensitive Malaysian environment, and Rafizi accused on social media for undelivered campaign, its tempting to anticipare the making of a perfect storm in the horizon. Currently he is being criticised for giving  wrong message to the market in his remark on the weakening ringgit.

Is there really a widespread economic turmoil in the making? Or it is just public jitters over the consumer level inflation, uncertain job security, and economy wide adjustment in tax and subsidies structure? 

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Gong Xi Fa Cai, Xien Nin Kwai Ler

To readers and Malaysians out there, we like to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai and Xin Nien Kwai Ler. 

This is the year of the wood dragon. Traditional Chinese believe each year has a character of its own and has influence on one's fortune and action to be taken according to a pre-determined horoscope. 

Ultimately it is god's will to determines the outcome. There are those who believe it. To each his own. For the fun of it, we taken an extract of the prediction of a Master Steven Chen in his website here of what could be in-store for us. 

It can be an indication for the non-believer of a possible self-fulling prophesy.    

Year of the Dragon 2024 Predictions: Chinese Horoscope Explained

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