Aeneas. This American hedge fund is currently being investigated by our Securities Commission and its US counterpart for alleged manipulation of stocks in 4 listed Malaysian companies.
But there's another angle to the story that journos won't report. It seems that a business daily within the NSTP group has been churning out article after article on the 4 companies, articles which were overly "positive" - even PR-ish - in nature despite the fact that prospects weren't that rosy.
One Mr K. Lau would alert a top editor of NST about each news release about the 4 companies. At the same time, someone else would send a bottle of vintage wine now and then to a certain Executive Editor to ensure that the stories remained, er, sparkling!
One Richard Cohen, former CIMB trader, is behind Aeneas in Malaysia. He has been questioned by SC on the collapsed of four shares in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteIf you look into Aeneas profile in Malaysia and had long been in the market, you would know Cohen, like many other market punters, had gone into market with his eye closed. Perhaps, he was not here when market manipulators rammed Union Paper to RM22 or so and crashed. Too late for him to learnt the lesson...
Also read this....
(Source: Bloomberg)
Aeneas, whose biggest fund returned an average 6.5 per cent from 2000 to 2005, lost money in stocks including Iris Corp and Farm's Best Bhd, prompting Deutsche Bank AG to demand repayment of loans that financed the trades, said the people familiar with the firm's situation.
Aeneas was among the largest investors in at least four Malaysian stocks that more than doubled this year, according to filings with Bursa Malaysia. Priam and Aeneas Portfolio amassed stakes of more than 10 per cent in Iris and Farm's Best, as well as Kosmo Technology Industrial Bhd and MoBif Bhd, the filings show.
Shares of all four companies collapsed after regulators began probing the rapid appreciation in their shares.
Iris, a Kuala Lumpur- based electronics maker, gained more than 270 per cent this year after the funds run by Grossman acquired almost 20 per cent of the company's shares in February and then continued buying.
The stock exchange imposed trading curbs in May on Iris shares and last month said it was "very concerned" that the stock's "trading patterns were inconsistent" with movements in the broader market.
Shares of Iris have dropped 81 per cent since the exchange tightened rules on trading. Grossman's Priam fund still held Iris shares as of September 14, filings show. His Aeneas Portfolio fund sold five million shares on August 23.
By mid-July, Priam and Aeneas Portfolio held almost half of the outstanding shares of Malacca -based Farm's Best, which sells poultry products and animal feed. The stock has since dropped more than 70 per cent, following an August 17 letter from Malaysian regulators that faulted the company for selling a stake to unidentified private investors at "far below the market price".
The two funds bought up 46 per cent of the outstanding shares of MoBif, an Internet security company in Penang from February through June. During that period, the stock rose more than 80 per cent.
In August, Bursa Malaysia issued a statement questioning the "sharp increase in price and high volume" of trading in the stock. The shares are down 83 per cent from their high on August 16.
Frankfurt-based Deutsche Bank, Germany's largest bank, in August called the loans Aeneas used to increase the size of its trading bets, the two people familiar with his conference call said.
The SEC is investigating whether Grossman's firm improperly shifted assets or liabilities between its accounts, the three people familiar with the agency's inquiry said.
Trading records at the Bursa Malaysia show Priam and Aeneas Portfolio were active in the same stocks on the same days.
In one instance, Aeneas Portfolio fund sold 12 million shares in Mahajaya Bhd on December 30 2005. The same day, Priam, the Malaysia-only fund, acquired 12 million shares of the company, a Kuala Lumpur-based real estate developer.
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteExcerpt from the Nation article about cetain Thai-Malaysian tycoon Surin a.k.a as Lau Khin Khoon or K.K. Lau involved with Temasik Holdings and Kalimullah!
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"The clue to understanding it lies in the business activities of the Thai-Malaysian tycoon Surin Upatkoon, aka Lau Khin Koon. Initial focus must fall on one of Surin/Lau's assets: the Malaysian firm MPHB, or Multi-Purpose Holdings Berhad. MPHB operates in financial services, stock-brokering, and gaming. It is no ordinary business concern. Its ownership and activities have long been political matters. MPHB originated in the mid-1970s, when thousands of relatively poor Malaysian Chinese investors pooled resources into a company large enough to take advantage of Malaysia's boom."
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It is not surprising NST Malaysian Business will print anything from certain "Mr K Lau" which I am sure it is the same "K.K.Lau". If indeed NST is being used by dubious people, then the Securities Commission or ACA or any government agency responsible in policing abuses by any newspapers promoting dubious companies, surely manipulation of news to profit certain group or people can be seriously investigated. But then, if I were Rajan Moses I would quickly resign and, seriously, flee the country as some of his buddies are doing or will be doing pretty soon! They are closing in on you guys, and they can be brutal as how they did it to Anwar Ibrahim!
Bru,
ReplyDeleteStop jivin' man! You're speakin' in riddles. Name names man! Only 4 companies.
Who are they? Not fair to others if you don't name names.
Scomi?, Ecowood? ECM Libra? ECM Avenue Resources? Mah Sing? NSTP? Media Prima? Equine Capital?
These are companies linked to Kali and his buddies.
I dare you Bru!
Bru,
ReplyDeleteAre you sure this is happening? As a member of the public, such allegations shouldn't go unnoticed. In fact, it shouldn't go without some form of a probe. Journos getting vintage wines are not strange, really. If journos were to attend some of the numerous parties they get invited, they'll be feted with more than just wine. But for the wines to be sent as a reward for a good spin or PR job for a profit-making company, and especially if it's a PLC, then that's really bad. Leaves a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth. What is the management of the NSTP going to do about this? Will Dato S Faisal and Dato Hishamudin Aun keep it quiet and pretend not to know about this allegation? Would they call the Exec Editor and seek some form of explanation (as opposed to justification!). Heheh! Will this go uninvestigated, since the management can say that there's no written complaint? And will someone pass the info to Dato Zam, our Information Minister, who, in the past, had been so critical of some people in the NST?
My guess will be this - all the Datos in NSTP will not even be bothered to even raise this at the Management meeting. If they do, they'll be seen to be reacting to Rocky Bru, a persona non grata in the higher echelon of the NSTP kingdom! Someone in the HR dept will probably come to the defence of the Exec Editor, insisting that if the managment were to probe into this, it'll start a precedent! Then Encik Wahab or someone there will say - if we probe this, then we have to probe everything that's contained in Rocky Bru!
So Bro, thank you for highlighting this allegation. Many would like to believe you. In fact, many do believe you, and in you!
Kawan, do you expect Syed Faizal, the CEO of NSTP and angguk-angguk Hishamuddin Aun, the half past six GEIC will do something over the allegations? Believe me, sampai kiamat pun tak akan berlaku. He do nothing for the betterment of the company, n/papers and to us, the staffs. We listen to his promises after promises, but nothing done. Where is our XG?. I was told by one bureau chief that in a Bureau chiefs meeting in KL recently, there was a unanimous suggestion to switch the third section of Berita Harian to Regional Section in order to counter Sinar Harian in East Coast. Hishamuddin strongly said No to the idea with the reason regional news cannot sell the paper. The third section now is HIP, the entertainment section. Under Hishamuddin and Manja, the most important unit in Berita Harian is Entertainment Desk, followed by Sport Desk then only News Desk, then Economic Desk. So far, no punishment to reporters who miss or write badly about general news or economic stories but not entertainment news, especialy kahwin-cerai and khalwat artist. If they miss the story, Hishamuddin will go after the reporter and the editor. So sorry lah. Tak dapat XG lagilah kita. Sinar Harian sudah mengalahkan Berita Harian dan Harian Metro di sesetengah tempat di Pantai Timur.
ReplyDeleteClark Gable of Pulau Duyong signing in:
ReplyDeleteMust admit, myself am an illiterate in financial matters.
But when there is hanky panky going on in stock market with public manipulation in company report through financial news agency ....it seems like things is out of control alright.
With 10 years anniversary of 87 crash around the corner,coup in Thailand with massive investigation into Thaksin,Temasek and technologies share(Triple T ),and suspiciuous share movements...a very bad recipe brewing indeed...any comment Rocky Bru?
What's wrong is wrong and what's right is right.
ReplyDeleteI ask Rocky, the ousted and thus former head honcho at the much better than now Malay Mail, why do you sound so aggrieved in this?
The references to PR-like articles and gift-giving are not the exclusive domain of the new team at NST right? YOU were there!
You received the same treatment when you headed the better-than-now Malay Mail. Why the sour grapes man?
You're sounding more and more like the ousted Deputy Premier, who can find no right in what his superior and his successor are doing. Yet when he was part of the team, CLOSE ONE EYE lah...
Rocky, come on man. You know what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, even if you no longer play a part in the scheme of things.
Bru
ReplyDeleteFor jivetalking’s info, the Bloomberg report quoted by Ocper named names - farmbest, kosmo technology, mobif and also iris.
I have several theories:
Theory A: It could be blamed on editorial naivety, that is, a reporter or editor falling in love with some companies they cover, and just can’t wait to share the good news with the rest of world on how great these firms are.
But this is just silly. How great are these four companies anyway, compared to the blue chips on Bursa Malaysia? If the reporter/editor did fall in love with them, then it is not naivety, but stupidity, and they have no business running newspapers.
Theory B: Editors and reporters have vested interest, i.e, buying the companies’s shares. To make sure that these firms get good media play, they became their unofficial PR agency, and use their influence to ensure positive reports get in the newspapers.
This is not on, because you are using the Press to forward personal agenda, but then again, in these days and age, why not.
It is also silly since reporters/editors are supposed to write on facts and not speculation or rumours. Fundamental-wise, the counters are speculative at best, and no editors would want to stake his reputation by investing in speculative counters, or syndicate play. What if the rest of the world find out? We should then just junk the biz section and turn it into a tip sheet.
Theory C: Editors/reporters are paid by someone to support the counters in the press. It can’t be just be for a few bottle of wines, even for winos, need cash, too. But if just wines, then the editors are dirt cheap, and all firms should just stop engaging PR agencies and drop by Balai Berita with the cases.
Anyway, while Theory A points to stupidity, Theory B & C represent serious breaches of the Securities Industries laws, including areas with regards to insider trading and manipulation.
They are serious allegations, but it is easy to be sure. If the Securities Commission suspects something, it should just ask for the trading records of the reporters/editors who have anything to do with the firms. With CDS, it would be fairly easy.
If you recall the informer Deepthroat in “All The President’s Men” told Woodward & Bernstein to “follow the money”.
In this case I am not sure if all of them were heavily reported by BT, but if you were to follow the NST’s archive you would find that at least for a couple of the firms, over a certain period last year and this year, EACH of them had greater exposures in BT than Telekom, Tenaga, Maybank and Sime Darby, combined!
But Bru, we have to pay to access their archives, damn. But, it should be easy for NSTP’s management to investigate and disprove the innuendoes since they have free roam of the archives… but only if they want to… or give a damn about the integrity of their BT.
salam
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteThis was posted by Umno-Reform.Com.
A story of Malays converted to Christianity. It is about Datuk Azhar Mansor (Allegedly converted to Christianity) and Lina Joy. it is not so much about the story or about Morons converting and succumbing to the wishes of Western Imperialism but rather how simplistic Malays(those runnng the Umno-Reform blogsite) to fall for stories written by a Christian Fundamentalist website. If you ask me if Amat, or Azhar, or Hamidi, or Lina or Sharifah want to convert nothing the system can do about it but just dont highlight their cases, what we dont know doesnt really matter (say 2,000 Malays converted to Christian from say 20 millions others, negligible)my point is that Christan fundamentalist groups are abundant especially after globalisation nothing new and dont lose sleep over it just strenghten your religion. For a start please tell the local authority to ask the muezzin from Ampang Jaya and Taman TAR to stop "memekik melolong bila membang" for their calls for prayers are more like ancient Chinese torture. Their calls are unnecessary loud tuneless and coarse and not the one that I am used to like the muezzin from Masjid Kampung Baru where the calls made me want to do my prayer. Just think how many Malays will want to convert after the screeching and screaming of tuneless and rhythmless muezzins from Masjid Taman TAR and Ampang Jaya, everyday! Some Chinese had to sell their houses to get away from this nerve wrecking noise made by those who think they are doing Islam a favour! Selamat Berbuka Puasa! And below are the article posted by Umno-Reform taken from a Christan Fundamentalist organisation!
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OTHER ORGS: CMS Matthias Media Introducing God CASE MTS School of Christian Studies sydney mission indepth culture community « back to southern cross
Muslim women who share a secret lovePosted on 28/06/2006
Filed in:
Islam, rather than Western culture’s focus on sexual freedom, shapes day-to-day reality for a third of the world’s Anglicans. Malay women who convert to Christianity are forced to live a double-life. KATRIN ARNHOLZ spoke to one of them.
Under Kamariah’s* photo on her Malaysian identification card is her ethnicity. Right under that her gender, and to the left: Islam. But the 28-year-old woman with the angular eyeglasses and the broad smile is Christian. She belongs to the largest ethnic group in Malaysia—the Malays. According to the official census, Malays number 65 per cent of the population. In Malaysia, Kamariah says, a Malay is a Muslim by definition. “A Malay is a Muslim. Full stop,” she says. Few dare to go public if they convert to Christianity.
One man who has publicly converted is the well-known yachtsman, Azhar Mansor, who in 1999 sailed around the world in 190 days without the aid of an engine. The main mast of his yacht broke around Cape Horn. He managed, nevertheless, to reach the Faulkland Islands to repair the mast. What happened on the way between the cape and the islands is subject to speculation. The internet is full of questions by Muslims as to whether Mansor – who no longer lives in Malaysia – is really converted. And there is much discussion among Christians as well. Kamariah’s version is that Mansor, about to drown in the sea, was saved by a dolphin, and that Jesus appeared to him soon after.
Lina Joy did not intend to become famous when she requested officially to leave Islam in 2001. She succeeded in changing her name, Azlina Jailani, to Lina Joy, but the government’s National Registration Department refused to delete ‘Islam’ from her identification card. For such decisions, it is not the government departments that are responsible, but the Syariah Court – the court in Malaysia which supervises Muslims’ adherence to Islam. To the disadvantage of Lina Joy, the judge ruled, ‘As the plaintiff is a Malay, she is subjected to the laws of Islam until she dies’.
She has appealed the decision several times, and her latest appeal will appear soon before the High Court in Kuala Lumpur. Then it will be determined whether the Syariah Court has jurisdiction over those people who want to convert out of Islam. Article 11 (of the Malaysian Constitution) promises freedom of religion. “It is true for all the other faiths, but not for Muslims who want to leave Islam”, says Kamariah.
She and the 34-year-old Natasha* are the only ethnic Malays in the international church they visit. “Many Malay Christians hide themselves and meet secretly”, explains Kamariah. They are still registered as Muslims. In two months, Kamariah will start a business which plans weddings. But the business intends to do much more: it will also offer free pre-marital counselling. The counselling will be based on the principles of the Bible. Kamariah had to negotiate this plan with the relevant authorities - and the plan was approved.
The identification card of converted Muslims becomes a problem when they want to marry, because by Islamic law, a Muslim can only marry another Muslim.
“The only way to get legally married is to marry a Malay Christian who is also still on paper a Muslim”, says the young woman. “But then our children will also be Muslims on paper, and their children, and the circle is never broken. But if we want to change our identification cards, it won’t happen without problems.” The Syariah Court can decide to put me in prison”, explains Kamariah. Therefore she does not think now of marrying or of changing her identity card, and she lives – like most single adults in Malaysia – with her Muslim parents. They do not know that their daughter is a Christian. “Here I must be careful whom I confide in”, Kamariah says. “Some Malays are tolerant, but others would not hesitate to turn me in to the Syariah Court. If they didn’t turn me in, then others might think that they were cooperating to hide me – and that is not good at all in Islam.”
Kamariah became a Christian in 2000 after being in a two-year relationship with a Chinese Christian. “I was always envious; he had a relationship with his God. My God was far away, unattainable,” she remembers. “His prayers were answered. Mine were not.” So Kamariah decided one day to entrust her life to Jesus. Since then much has changed. Even though she does not speak with her parents about Christianity, she prays in her house. “Suddenly my mother took the Koran verses off the wall and instead hung up a picture of some flowers”, she says happily. One day, she hopes, she will not have to hide her faith any longer. “I wish that more Malay Christians would come out publicly and go to church and not meet secretly. That would be a break-through in our society.”
ends
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the Securities Commission is under the purview of Finance Minister, and I am sure Finance Minister Two has been given the task of "looking overmatters" and he is a very close buddy of Kali! Well we should start having competition on a good epitaph for "Moronesia", read Malaysia (to Morons who cannot figure this)
bahaman,
ReplyDeleteread mr tamnbourine man's comments to understand what i was driving at with my latest posting.
it's not a case of sour grapes; I was sharing with you what I know was going on in the newsroom with regards to reporting on those 4 companies.
if the executive editor had rejected the offer of vintage wine or other gifts, i would have proudly reported it in this blog of mine.
the point is some people close to the "new team at nst" may be using the paper to make a killing in the stock market.
the SC, if not the NSTP, should look into that.
as for the time when i was head honcho of the better-than-now (thank you bro) malay mail, i believe i had already established a reputation by then that i couldn't be bought.
pasquale,
ReplyDeletethe k.lau who's been calling the nst top editor is not the same as the k.k. lau who's said to be behind shin corp and remoured to have taken kalimullah on that fishing trip to bali or tom yam restaurang in bangkok.
i am not sure if k.lau has been introduced to k.k. lau though i won't be surprised if they know each other.
Bru,
ReplyDeleteBloomberg has an article that carries the headlines: "FBI to Crack Down on Options Fraud, Sees `Emerging Threat' in Hedge Funds". Just thought it might interest you and your readers. Happy fasting!
By Robert Schmidt
Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) -- The FBI is conducting probes of 52 companies that may have illegally backdated stock options and more cases are on the way, its new criminal investigative chief said.
The number of criminal cases has increased 16 percent in less than two months, said Chip Burrus, an assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ``We're going to knock that pretty good,'' he said in an interview. ``We're going to go after those.''
Burrus signaled the Justice Department will oppose efforts to water down the corporate-governance overhaul adopted in the wake of the scandals involving Enron Corp., WorldCom Inc. and others. In the interview, he praised the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley accounting law, which has been under attack from business groups and Wall Street, and said the FBI is paying close attention to fraud in the $1.2 trillion hedge-fund industry.
The FBI is investigating 486 corporate fraud cases this fiscal year, up from 423 in 2005, according to the agency. It has also opened 1,160 securities fraud probes, compared with 1,139 last year. Twenty of the bureau's corporate-fraud cases allegedly involve more than $1 billion.
``There is a general idea that this has sort of gone away,'' Burrus said. ``It's not going away.''
The bureau works closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. attorneys' offices, the Justice Department's fraud section and other agencies.
Burrus's comments echo those of Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, who said in a June 29 interview that corporate fraud remains a priority for the Justice Department.
FBI at the Door
For executives, Burrus said, a knock on the door from an FBI agent sends a strong message.
``I'm not interested in civil fines,'' he said. ``If I'm coming in and I'm looking, there are allegations of criminal misconduct. There's obviously a different pucker factor that comes when you start talking to an FBI agent.''
Illegal manipulation of stock options is one of the biggest growth areas, Burrus said. Backdating occurs when companies reward executives by retroactively setting the grant date to a time when the stock was cheap, increasing the potential for profit. At least 130 companies have disclosed internal probes or federal investigations into their options practices.
The first criminal charges in the options scandal were brought against former executives of Brocade Communications Systems Inc., based in San Jose, California, and New York-based Comverse Technology Inc.
Admit Wrongdoing
Burrus said the Justice Department is encouraging companies to come forward and admit wrongdoing.
``Honest corporate executives want fast resolution to this so they can move on with what they do best, and that's the business that they're in,'' he said. ``If we linger around these things, then it's not good for them, it's not good for us.''
On hedge funds, Burrus said the FBI is concerned about the number of smaller investors gaining access, mostly through pension funds, to the private partnerships meant for the wealthy. President George W. Bush's corporate fraud task force, including the FBI, has identified hedge funds as ``an emerging threat.''
The assets of largely unregulated hedge funds have more than doubled over the past five years. An attempt by the SEC to set up minimal requirements for the investment pools, such as periodic inspections, was struck down in June by a federal appeals court in Washington.
`Emerging Threat'
``It is an emerging threat because of the dollar value and the number of institutions that are actively taking a look at this,'' Burrus said. ``People that maybe aren't expecting to have this type of a risky investment in their portfolio end up taking a bath.''
Several high-profile hedge funds have collapsed in the past two years, including Stamford, Connecticut-based Bayou Management LLC and Atlanta-based International Management Associates LLC, which counted professional football players among its investors. Earlier this month, Greenwich, Connecticut-based Amaranth Advisors LLC informed clients that it lost $6 billion on natural gas trades.
As the Justice Department's investigative arm, the FBI has some 260 agents working on corporate, securities and commodities fraud cases.
Still, business investigations take a back seat to terrorism and counter-intelligence probes. In Burrus's own division, corporate fraud ranks third in importance behind combating gangs and investigating public corruption, he said.
White-Collar Crime
That doesn't deter Burrus, 49, who said he ``cut his teeth'' at the bureau on white-collar criminal investigations in the 1980s and 1990s, especially bank fraud. He joined the FBI in 1983 and rose to head its office in Salt Lake City. Burrus became acting head of the criminal investigative division in February and was appointed to the permanent job last month by FBI Director Robert Mueller.
``Our goal has always been to maintain the integrity of the markets to protect the average investor,'' Burrus said, citing retirees who ``just get fleeced right and left'' and those who lose their jobs due to corporate malfeasance.
Burrus said the agency learned valuable lessons from the accounting scandals, including where to locate resources. Most of the bureau's financial expertise is in major cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the agency was forced to play ``catch up'' in places like Clinton, Mississippi, home to WorldCom, and in Houston, where Enron had its headquarters.
``It took us a while to get peddling on Enron and WorldCom,'' Burrus said.
Response Teams
Karen Spangenberg, chief of the FBI's financial crimes section in Burrus's division, has created four, 10-person regional response teams. They include lawyers, accountants, financial analysts and asset forfeiture specialists. They can be deployed at the first sign of trouble.
``In corporate fraud cases, especially ones that are disintegrating in front of your eyes, there is a real need to quickly get all the evidence,'' Burrus said.
He also said the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley law, which increased penalties for financial fraud and required executives to certify that their books are in order, ``has been a big help.''
The law ``brings a seriousness to the company's financial statements, where corporate executives are held accountable,'' Burrus said. ``It puts some real teeth into what they knew, when they knew it. And I think it does a great service to the American investor.''
Lapuran Khas Malaysia Today mengenai skandal Minyak-untuk-Makanan (Oil-for-Food)
ReplyDeleteoleh: Raja Petra Kamarudin
Perdana Menteri Malaysia Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi baru-baru ini membuat kunjungan hormat terhadap Presiden Amerika Syarikat dan mengikut ceritanya kunjungan tersebut lebih merupakan lawatan peribadi daripada lawatan negara walaupun ianya adalah suatu acara rasmi. Khabar dari Washington menyebut Pak Lah telah meminta pertolongan Bush untuk menghalang tindakan beberapa ahli Kongress Amerika yang berhasrat mendedahkan kepada rakyat Amerika dua isu yang paling hangat dan boleh merosakkan masa depan Perdana Menteri Malaysia itu.
Mungkin inikah punca yang menyebabkan Pak Lah tidur tak lena? Dan adakah Bush bersetuju untuk menolong menyelamatkan Pak Lah dari musibah yang dihadapinya ini? Dan apakah yang perlu Pak Lah buat bagi membalas budi Bush itu? Malaysia sudahpun membenarkan kapal nukeliar Amerika berlabuh di pelabuhan-pelabuhan kita. Malaysia juga sedang berunding mengenai FTA dengan Amerika dan mungkin akan menandatanganinya dalam sedikit masa lagi. Apa lagi yang boleh kita serahkan?
Mungkin suatu perkara yang bermain difikiran Pak Lah kini ialah penangkapan lima orang rakyat Jepun yang bekerja di syarikat Mitutoyo, termasuk Presidennya, kerana 10 tahun lalu syarikat itu ada mengekspot komponen-komponen yang boleh digunakan untuk membuat senjata nukeliar kepada Scomi yang kemudiannya telah diekspot semula ke Libya. Malaysia Today telah melapurkan perkara ini pada 11 September 2006 dalam sebuah artikel bertajuk Three strikes and you're out.
Hakikat bahawa orang yang bernama Tahir, yang dikatakan terlibat dalam skandal komponen nukeliar itu telah ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri Malaysia (ISA) menunjukkan bahawa skandal yang melibatkan Scomi amatlah luarbiasa. Biasanya , hanya orang-orang yang dianggap boleh memberi ancaman kepada keselamatan negara akan ditahan di bawah ISA. Tahir bukanlah orang yang boleh mengancam keselamatan dalam negeri Malaysia. Dia ditahan di bawah ISA bagi menutup mulutnya. Kerana kalau beliau bercakap maka pastilah gambaran baik mengenai Scomi yang cuba ditonjolkan itu akan tercemar.
Isu kedua ialah penglibatan Pak Lah dalam skandal Oil-for-Food yang mana nama beliau telah dikaitkan dengan dua buah syarikat yang telah memperolehi lebih dari 50,000,000 tong minyak Iraq. Jumlah nilai keseluruhannya melebihi RM11 billion. Skandal kedua ini dijangka lebih merosakkan kalau dibandingkan dengan skandal pertama di atas kerana ramai pemimpin-pemimpin negara luar yang turut terlibat dalam skandal ini telah dipaksa meletakkan jawatan. Dan leher Pak Lah terjerut kerana beliau telah menandatangani sepucuk surat bagi menyokong kedua-dua buah syarikat tersebut pada 13 November 2000. Nah! habuan bernilai RM11 billion dengan hanya sepucuk surat.
Apabila Pak Lah ditanya mengenai perkara ini pada tahun 2004, beliau menafikan menandatangani surat tersebut. Beliau menepis dengan menyatakan itu perkara yang remeh, kerana katanya beliau biasa memberikan sokongan kepada ramai ahli-ahli perniagaan yang datang menemui beliau dari masa ke semasa, dan beliau sendiri tidak ingat semua mereka dan beliau sendiri tidak ada apa-apa kepentingan dalam urusniaga perniagaan mereka.
Alasan ini mungkin boleh diterima jika orang yang diberi sokongan itu bukan iparnya sendiri. Kita boleh faham jika beliau tidak ingat semua mereka, tapi mungkinkah beliau terlupa mengenai sokongan yang telah beliau berikan kepada kakak iparnya sendiri?
Apakah peranan Pak Lah dalam skandal Oil-for-Food ? Apakah beliau benar-benar tidak bersalah dan namanya telah disalahgunakan? Jawabnya tidak. Pak Lah sebenarnya telah mengeluarkan surat bagi menyokong kedua-dua syarikat tersebut untuk mendapatkan kontrak minyak Iraq itu ketika beliau masih lagi menjadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mimiliki salinan surat tersebut, demikian juga beberapa orang lagi termasuk salah seorang bekas Menteri Kewangan Malaysia. Siapakah bekas Menteri Kewangan yang dimaksudkan ini? Adakah ianya Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah? Adakah ianya Daim Zainuddin? Atau adakah ianya Anwar Ibrahim? Malaysia Today tidak akan mendedahkan nya tapi Pak Lah tahu siapakah yang dimaksudkan.
Kenapakah Tun Dr Mahathir masih belum mendedahkan surat ini? Mungkinkah beliau menunggu sehingga Pak Lah menafikannya sebelum beliau mengemukakan surat yang bertarikh 13 November 2000 itu bagi mendedahkan siapa sebenarnya Pak Lah, seorang ulamak palsu atau seorang pembohong?
(terjemahan hajimat)
Nota: Untuk maklumat lanjut mengenai nama pengarah, nilai aset dll. milik kedua-dua syarikat yang terlibat dan siapakah Ipar yang dimaksudkan sila layari Malaysia Today di:
http://malaysia-today.net/reports/2006/09/how-to-make-more-than-rm11-billion.htm
Brew, who is the big editor that you are talking about, and I dont mean the wine editor... heheh that runs in the family, as his brother, also an editor had some dirt, when he was at life and times... talk was the brother try to pau the hotels for freebees. But who is the big editor???, tell us Brew...could it be that this big editor has used Kali's name, exploited it for his own gain?It very well could be, as this big editor, is a known friend of K Lau (not KK Lau). But what has K Lau have on this big editor???? Could it be years ago, when this editor was roaming the streets as a reporter, K Lau, who i gather is involved in the poultry business had given him a helping hand very very often? Could it also be that people are exploiting Kali's name in NST for their own gains? But who is this big editor? He position must be above that of an executive editor. Who is he? Is he tall or is he SHORT (beep bp beep bp beep bp).... whats the PAP now?
ReplyDeleteHey Rocky,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response, and I stand corrected!
On another note, can someone kill the Malay Mail now please!
Selamat Berpuasa!
Anon, petikan rencana tulisan RPK dalam Malaysia Today tidak memeranjatkan.
ReplyDeleteIn the intelligenc parlance, our PM had been compromised.
The Scomi Centrifuge smuggling activities for the Libyan Nuclear Programme and the UN Oil-for-Food scandal have made our PM beholden to the US.
On the first, the US is literally holding him by the balls because the future and security of his son, Kamal are at stake. The CIA loves to have a go at Kamal.
The Sri Lankan Tahir, a Kamal business partner, was arrested under ISA to stop him from being kidnapped by the US and sent to Guantanamo.
It does not surprise me if he (Tahir) sought shelter under ISA. It's better being detained in Malaysia, where your friend's father in the PM and minister in charge of ISA than being kidnapped by the CIA and sent to Guantanamo.
In the case of oil for food, the PM's kins were involved and he was aware of it when he was Foreign Minister.
That's why he cannot adopt stronger stance on Muslim issues although he is at the chair of OIC.
What we are seeing now is a PM who is compromised not only abroad but also at home.
We are in for an uncertain future for some time to come as our PM is beholden to forces inside and outside the country.
Ironically, only Umno can decide in the short term. In the longer term, Umno has to decide what type of outcome it desires at the coming general election.
We cannot go on allowing our country and our well being to be compromised simply because our PM is compromised.
Last Sunday, Hishamuddin Aun, GEIC of NSTP in his column, Kaca Mata, wrote about Opcom, owned by Mukriz Mahathir, of which he coincidently admitted that KJ is a very influential person in making decision for Telekom Malaysia (TM). I would like to suggest that, for next sunday piece, he writes about Scomi, ECM Libra and Food for Oil. Try to give as many facts that you have. Thank You.
ReplyDeletebro,
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it, NST reporters can now indulge in business. Courtesy Kalimulah. Afterall, Kalimulah is a businessman. The minute he steps into his office at the NST, he looks at his shares -- what's up, what's down. He uses his NST position to boost his business. What do you expect then? And then you hv the GEIC helping his wife gets business thru Berita Harian.
Brother, times have changed. Rules are menta to be broken. and that's the truth.
Kalimulah has re-defined newspapering. And this is not said in complimentary tone.
Journalism at the NST is at a low.
If I were a reporter at the NST now, I'd be making money on the side. and nobody can preach to me about ethics.
I am just emulating the top bosses.
JONAH
How to make more than RM11 billion with just one letter
ReplyDeleteSPECIAL REPORTS ARCHIVES
Malaysia Today Special Report on the Oil-for-Food scandal
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi recently paid the US President a courtesy call and it is rumoured it was more a personal visit than a state visit though it may have been an official visit nevertheless. The talk in town -- Washington that is -- is that Abdullah wants Bush to help quash a move by some members of the US Congress to bring to the attention of the American public two needling and most damaging issues that would seriously affect Malaysia’s already beleaguered Prime Minister.
Could this have been the source of Abdullah’s sleepless nights? And did Bush agree to help Abdullah out of his predicament? And what did Abdullah have to agree to in return for this service he is asking Bush to do? Malaysia is already allowing American nuclear ships to berth in our ports. Malaysia is already negotiating the FTA with America and would probably sign it in the not too distant future. What else can we give away?
One matter on Abdullah’s mind is the recent arrest of five Japanese from Mitutoyo, including its President, for exporting components to Scomi as far back as ten years ago that could be used to make nuclear weapons and which were re-exported to Libya. Malaysia Today reported about this on 11 September 2006 in an article called Three strikes and you're out.
The fact that Tahir, the man implicated in the nuclear component scandal, has been detained under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act speaks volumes about Scomi’s complicity in this whole thing. Normally, a person would be detained under the Internal Security Act only if he is a threat to Malaysia’s national security. Tahir is no threat to Malaysia’s national security. He was detained to prevent him from talking. If he talks, then it would be revealed that Scomi is not as innocent as it has been painted.
The second issue is Abdullah’s implication in the Oil-for-Food scandal where his name has been linked to two companies that are beneficiaries to more than 50,000,000 barrels of Iraqi oil. The total value of this whole thing comes to more than RM11 billion. This scandal is even more damaging than the first one because other foreign leaders also implicated in this scandal have already been forced to resign from office. And the noose around Abdullah’s neck is the fact that he signed a letter on 13 November 2000 recommending these two companies. RM11 billion! And all it took was one letter.
When asked about it back in 2004, Abdullah did not deny signing the letter. He just brushed it aside as a trivial matter by explaining that many business people approach him for support from time to time, which he does give, and that he does not even remember who they are nor does he have any interest in the business deal. This would be a valid excuse if not for the fact that the person in question is his sister-in-law. If it was just one of the many he recommended we could understand that he cannot remember who they are. But when it is his own sister-in-law, how could he not remember?
What is Abdullah’s role in the Oil-for-Food scandal? Is he really innocent and has his name really been unwittingly used? Not really. Abdullah actually issued the letter when he was still the Deputy Prime Minister, endorsing the companies that were making a bid for the Iraqi oil contracts. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has a copy of this letter as do some others including one of the previous Finance Ministers of Malaysia. And who is this previous Finance Minister? Is it Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah? Is it Daim Zainuddin? Is it Anwar Ibrahim? Malaysia Today is of course not telling but this man knows who we are talking about. And why has Mahathir not revealed this letter thus far? Could it be because Mahathir is waiting for Abdullah to deny it before he throws the 13 November 2000 letter onto the table to expose Abdullah for what he is, a fake ulamak and a liar?
There are two reports on the Iraqi Oil-for-Food scandal.
1) Charles Duelfer - Comprehensive Report of the Special Adviser to the Director of the Central Intelligence on Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction, dated 30 September 2004
2) Paul A. Volcker - Independent Inquiry Committee into The United Nations Oil-for Food Programme (Manipulation of the Oil-for-Food Programme by the Iraqi Regime), dated 27 October 2005. (See full report here).
Both reports have named Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s connection to the Oil-for-Food programme via two Malaysian companies, Tradeyear Sdn Bhd and Mastek Sdn Bhd. Table 3, page 13 of the Volcker Report specifically named Abdullah as a “Non-Contractual Beneficiary”. The Volcker Report also mentions that Abdullah had written a letter to Taha Yassin Ramadan on 13 November 2000 recommending a delegation headed by Mr. Faek Ahmad Shareef and Noor Asiah Mahmood (Abdullah’s sister-in-law).
Even more damaging is the revelation that kickbacks were involved. In Table 2 of the Volcker Report (Exhibit “E”) it is clearly stated that a kickback of USD10,916241 was demanded from Mastek Sdn Bhd, of which USD9,803,960 was paid, leaving a balance of USD1,112,281 unpaid. In the case of Tradeyear Sdn Bhd, the sum of USD116,870 was demanded, which was paid in full.
The Volcker Report states that according to Mr. Jaya Sudir in a 19 August 2005 interview, Mr. Faek Ahmad Shareef had leveraged his connection with Abdullah. A review of Iraqi documents confirms the association between Iraqi officials, Mr. Faek Ahmad Shareef and Abdullah. References to Mr. Shareef’s oil allocation in the SOMO (State Oil Marketing Organisation) documents appear in some instances as “Mr. Faek Ahmad Shareef/for the benefit of Abdullah”.
Anyway, all one needs to do is to look at the details below to see that Abdullah is not as innocent as he might pretend to be. Points to note would be as follows:
1) Tradeyear Sdn Bhd, which entered into two contracts (M/08/61 and M/06/42), is beneficiary to 5,600,000 barrels of Iraqi oil under the name of Abdullah Badawi.
2) Tradeyear Sdn Bhd is owned by Tradeyear Limited, a Singapore company, and it is only a ‘two dollar company’ (the paid up capital is RM2.00).
3) Mastek Sdn Bhd, which entered into four contracts (M/09/46, M/11/12, M12/54 and M/13/94), is beneficiary to 45,000,000 barrels of Iraqi oil under the name of Faek Ahmad Shareef.
4) Mastek Sdn Bhd is owned by Obata-Ambak Holdings Sdn Bhd and Noor Asiah Binti Mahmood (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s sister-in-law). Obata-Ambak Holdings Sdn Bhd is in turn owned by Noor Asiah Binti Mahmood plus three others of the same surname and living at the same address as Noor Asiah. Therefore, Noor Asiah Binti Mahmood owns Mastek Sdn Bhd directly, as well as indirectly through Obata-Ambak Holdings Sdn Bhd.
1) Petmal Oil Holdings Sdn Bhd
Contract in the name of: Dato Paduka Affendi
2,000,000 barrels
Contract no: M/09/41
2) Tradeyear Sdn Bhd
Contract in the name of: Abdullah Badawi
5,600,000 barrels
Contract no: M/08/61 and M/06/42
3) Atlantic Offshore Supplies Sdn Bhd
Contract in the name of: Jamil Harun
2,000,000 barrels
Contract no: M/09/107
4) Jawala Corporation Sdn Bhd
Contract in the name of: Dato Majid Khan
7,500,000 barrels
Contract no: M/09/46, M/11/12, M12/54 and M/13/94
5) Mastek Sdn Bhd
Contract in the name of: Faek Ahmad Shareef
45,000,000 barrels
Contract no: M/07/59, M/08/60 and M/09/18
The above is according to the INDEPENDENT INQUIRY COMMITTEE INTO THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME report which can be viewed here (Link to UN Oil-For-Food Report in PDF format)
Details of the companies above are as follows according the latest filings with the Registrar of Companies:
1) Petmal Oil Holdings Sdn Bhd
No. 02-2, Plaza Kelanamas
19 Lorong Dungun, Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Telephone: 60-3-20952219
Facsimile: 60-3-20950704
E-mail: lmnaffendi@petmaloil.com, dimov@petmaloil.com, venzo@petmaloil.com
Group Financial Highlights, 2002-2004 (millions US$)
Sales and other revenue
2004: 2,477
2003: 2,142
2002: 1,985
Net Earnings
2004: 52.4
2003: 50.8
2002: 31.4
Current Assets
2004: 856
2003: 1,022
2002: 740
Property and other assets
2004: 807
2003: 457
2002: 418
Total Assets
2004: 1,663
2003: 1,479
2002: 1,158
Current Liabilities
2004: 1,195
2003: 1,095
2002: 835
Net Worth
2004: 468
2003: 384
2002: 323
2) Tradeyear Sdn Bhd
Old Company Name: Kuala Adil Sdn Bhd
Co. Registration No: 361316-K
Date of Incorporation: 27-09-1995
Date of Change of Name: 03-05-1966
Business Address: Level 49, Tower 2
Petronas Twin Towers
KLCC
50088 Kuala Lumpur
Wilayah Persekutuan
Paid Up Capital: RM2
Authorised Capital: RM100,000
Directors:
1) Syd Mohd Anwar Bin Syd Othman
47, Jalan Setiawangsa 3A
Taman Setiawangsa
54200 Kuala Lumpur
I/C No: 560317-02-5405
2) Munusamy Baskaran
391, Orchard Rd
No. 21-03/05, Ngee Ann
City Tower A
Singapore
Passport No: 0034433H
3) Hj Affendi Bin Tun Hj Mohd Fuad Stephens
2A, Jalan 4L
Ampang Jaya
68000 Selangor
I/C No: 590103-12-6013
Shareholder:
1) Tradeyear Limited (Singapore)
Total Shares: 2
Balance Sheet
Year End: 31-12-2005
Fixed Assets: 72,138.00
Current Assets: 929,033.00
Total Assets: -365,719.00
Unappropriated Profits: -365,721.00
Current Liabilities: 1,366,890.00
Profit & Loss
Year End: 31-12-2005
Profit Before Taxation: -327,866.00
Profit After Taxation: -327,866.00
Profits Attributes to Shareholders: -327,866.00
Unappropriated Profit Carried Forward: -365,721.00
Unappropriated Profit Brought Forward: -37,855.00
3) Atlantic Offshore Supplies Sdn Bhd
Now called: Alami Plantations Sdn Bhd
Co Registration No: 531268-K
Date of Incorporation: 07-11-2000
Date of Change of Name: 15-08-2003
Registered address: Lot 03-02, 3rd Floor
PKNS Complex
Shah Alam
Selangor
Paid Up Capital: RM500,000
Authorised Capital: RM500,000
Directors:
1) Mohd Zin Bin Su
34, Jalan Desa Serdang 14
Taman Desa Serdang
42300 Seri Kembangan
Selangor
I/C No: 551201-11-5113
2) Mohamad Radwan Alami
7, Jalan Bunga Kertas 2/15
Section 2
Selangor
I/C No: 530723-71-5201
3) Jamil Bin Haron
Suite 15.01, Level 15
Menara Haw Par
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
I/C No: 550709-71-5027
Shareholders:
1) Jamil Bin Haron
I/C No: 550709-71-5027
Total Shares: 150,000
2) Mohamad Radwan Alami
I/C No: 530723-71-5201
Total Shares: 350,000
No accounts filed
4) Jawala Corporation Sdn Bhd
Co Registration No: 118011-U
Date of Incorporation: 13-04-1984
Business Address: Lot 17.02, 17th Floor
Menara Promet
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Wilayah Persekutuan
Paid Up Capital: RM16,200,000
Authorised Capital: RM25,000,000
Directors:
1) Tan Sri Abdul Majid Khan
7.02 Tara Condominium
33, Jalan Ampang Hilir
55000 Kuala Lumpur
I/C No: 431215-12-5367
2) Hazmat Aqbal Bin Mohd Ayub Khan
Lot 26, Jalan Pelanduk
Taman Kinamount Baru
Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah
I/C No: 640512-12-5823
Shareholders:
1) Datuk Jema Anton Khan
I/C No. 650515-71-6433
Total Shares: 1,452,000
2) Hazmat Aqbal Bin Mohd Ayub Khan
I/C No: 640512-12-5823
Total Shares: 4,500,000
3) Tan Sri Abdul Majid Khan
I/C No : 431215-12-5367
Total Shares : 7,998,000
4) Chee Ah What
Passport No: S0560573C
Total Shares: 2,250,000
Balance Sheet
Year End: 31-07-2005
Fixed Assets: 1,901,125.00
Current Assets: 7,354,128.00
Total Assets: 22,698,058.00
Unappropriated Profits: 1,891,342.00
Current Liabilities: 10,769,234.00
Profit & Loss
Year End: 31-07-2005
Profit Before Taxation: 2,163,576.00
Profit After Taxation: 1,122,637.00
Profits Attributes to Shareholders: 1,122,637.00
Unappropriated Profit Carried Forward: 1,891,342.00
Unappropriated Profit Brought Forward: 658,854.00
5) Mastek Sdn Bhd
Co Registration No: 50717-A
Date of Incorporation: 20-09-1979
Business Address: Suite 3 & 3A, Level 2, Block 3B
Plaza Sentral
Jalan Stesen Sentral 5
Kuala Lumpur Sentral
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Wilayah Persekutuan
Directors:
1) Noor Asiah Binti Mahmood
2, Lorong 16/9C
46350 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
I/C No: 530624-08-5224
2) Reymee Bin Mohamed Hussein
2, Lorong 16/9C
46350 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
I/C No: 761115-145151
Shareholders
1) Obata-Ambak Holdings Sdn Bhd (see item ‘6’ below)
Company Registration No. 149198-M
Total Shares : 379,200
2) Noor Asiah Binti Mahmood
I/C No. 530624-08-5224
Total Shares: 100,800
Balance Sheet
Year End: 31-12-2005
Fixed Assets: 29,371.00
Current Assets: 223,329.00
Total Assets: 26,126.00
Unappropriated Profits: -457,776.00
Current Liabilities: 451,574.00
Profit & Loss
Year End: 31-12-2005
Profit Before Taxation: 100,181.00
Profit After Taxation: 96,279.00
Profits Attributes to Shareholders: 96,279.00
Unappropriated Profit Carried Forward: -457,776.00
Unappropriated Profit Brought Forward: -554,055.00
6) Obata-Ambak Holdings Sdn Bhd
Old Name: Teraju Ehsan Sdn Bhd
Date of Incorporation: 03-10-1986
Date of Name Change: 18-07-1992
Business Address: Suite 3 & 3A, Level 2
Block 3B, Plaza Sentral
Jalan Stesen Sentral 5
Kuala Lumpur Sentral
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Paid Up Capital: RM4,350,000
Authorised Capital: RM5,000,000
Directors:
1) Reymee Bin Mohamed Hussein
2, Lorong 16/9C
46350 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
I/C No: 761115-14-5151
2) Hanizah Binti Mohamed Hussein
2, Lorong 16/9C
46350 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
I/C No: 701102-10-5818
3) Raezal Bin Mohamed Hussein
2, Lorong 16/9C
46350 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
I/C No: 811231-14-6189
Shareholders:
1) Noor Asiah Binti Mahmood
I/C No. 530624-08-5224
Shares: 1,740,000
2) Reymee Bin Mohamed Hussein
I/C No: 761115-14-5151
Shares: 870,000
3) Hanizah Binti Mohamed Hussein
I/C No: 701102-10-5818
Shares: 870,000
3) Raezal Bin Mohamed Hussein
I/C No: 811231-14-6189
Shares: 870,000
Balance Sheet
Year End: 31-12-2005
Fixed Assets: 1,201,683.00
Total Investments: 237,500.00
Current Assets: 8,518,077.00
Other Assets: 399,712.00
Total Assets: 5,164,220.00
Unappropriated Profits: -1,380,363.00
Long Term Deferred Liabilities: 2,429,752.00
Current Liabilities: 5,192,752.00
Profit & Loss
Year End: 31-12-2005
Operating Revenue: 9,138,032.00
Profit Before Taxation: 63,156.00
Extraordinary Item: -1,396,418.00
Profit After Taxation: 48,850.00
Profits Attributes to Shareholders: -1,380,363.00
Unappropriated Profit Carried Forward: -1,380,363.00
Artis BILLIONAIRE malaysia. Apa sangatla dengan Mawi dan Siti Nurhaliza tuh!!! Reymee ni lagi dahsyat..
ReplyDeletehttp://musicmoz.org/Bands_and_Artists/I/Innuendo/Members/Reymee/