Sunday, October 31, 2010

Only RM400 mil left in USP Fund!?

UPDATED Sun 10pm
YB Wee: "I'm shocked ... one of them is lying .. ".
The MP for Wangsa Maju has laid out the red carpet for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commisison (MACC) to investigate this CASH COW.


ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
FROM RM4 BIL TO RM400 MIL. Well-spotted by the NST's managing editor: the deputy minister in charge of the fund said on Oct 25 (see here) that the money had NOT been spent and that he DID NOT have full details of the fund. Last week, the NST reported that only 10 per cent of the RM4 billion collected under the fund since 2006 is still there [see article here, last para]. Does the deputy minister and the MCMC communicate at all? Or does the MCMC serve the Minister only? The managing editor has her own question on her blog 3540 Jalan Sudin: Was it money well spent?

To answer the question, the MCMC must explain where ALL the money had gone to. Since YB Wee Choo Keong was the one who had first asked the question (on his blog here and in the Dewan Rakyat here), and since the deputy minister was clearly in the dark, why not let the Minister himself explain to the Rakyat in Parliament?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Bursa Malaysia closes above 1500 points


GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES. This week Malaysians were in a frenzy that they will have THREE 100-storey towers. Then, ending the week, Bursa Malaysia closed above 1,500 points for the first time since late 2008. giving Malaysia a trinity of good economic news - strong market, strong ringgit and an even stronger GDP. Time to rejoice [but not so for those who remember - ONCE we were TIGERS. Yup, Tigers in the whole of Asia alongside Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. Where are they now, does anyone know?].

Friday, October 29, 2010

Political chess game in Galas, someone's moving the King!


ROYAL INTERVENTION. In Galas, a place we hardly hear of till this coming by-election, things are about to get complicated. There's talk that the new Sultan is going to officiate a state government's function where land titles will be awarded to some Orang Asli voters in the constituency. This move could be vital for PAS, which has come under intense pressure from the BN for allegedly isolating these indigenous people from its development policies all these years.It could also be suicidal. For its own good, the Istana has always stayed away from political campaigns such as this one, so any precedence set would be a dangerous one.


Why the Raja-Raja Melayu should not be part of their game, please read H E R E.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

My latest Bru in The Malay Mail

Rocky's Bru: Dizzy heights of Malaysia
AHIRUDIN ATTAN
Thursday, October 28th, 2010 12:45:00

King Nimrod was a cruel ruler and probably would go to hell, but he wanted to go to heaven. So he said to build a tall tower with a diving board on one side to jump onto heaven when it floated by on it's cloud! If the people of Babylon didn't build the tower, they were threatened with death! — from answers.com, Why did the people of Babel build a tower?

I WAS asked by a new acquaintance over lunch that ended with the biggest headache in my life what my stand was on Permodalan Nasional Berhad's (PNB) proposed Warisan Merdeka tower, a structure 100 storeys tall, one of the tallest in this world.

This was, more or less, the conversation that took place. I'm usually the listener but this guy was all ears, so I ordered my second cup of coffee, which probably triggered the headache.

So, are you for or against the Tower?

"Well, you must understand that I am not an economist and all I know is that the proposed headquarters of the PNB has been categorised by its opponents as a mega project, which is loosely defined as an infrastructure project that would cost over a billion dollars/ringgit to build but which is not worth that billion spent.

"And you must understand that my views are that of a layman's, and one who has never been against the so-called mega projects. For example, while Lim Kit Siang (the Opposition leader then and now) was opposing the North-South Highway, which was probably the first billion-ringgit project planned by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister from 1981-2003, I was waiting for its completion rather impatiently. You see, I was traveling quite regularly between Singapore and Melaka back in the 70s and 80s, and anyone who's driven or ridden on the old Federal roads can tell you what killers they were. And they still are today, especially during the festive seasons!

"Neither was I opposed to the construction of the Penang bridge, the KL International Airport, the new administration centre Putrajaya or the KLCC (once the tallest towers in the world) — all multi-billion ringgit projects under Dr Mahathir's grand plans.

"In my opinion, these projects have transformed our country. We were once the backwater of Southeast Asia but we now have some of the best infrastructure in the world, too good that we sometimes chide ourselves for having first-world facility but third-world mentality, which is quite true sometimes. But opposing the construction of those facilities, in the first place, was a backward stance, too. But this is my personal opinion, of course.

"Now, as for the proposed 100-storey building, as far as I am concerned the fault lies only on one factor — that the Prime Minister announced it in his 2011 Budget. So a lot of people think that Datuk Seri Najib Razak was going to start taxing people more in order to build this magnificent structure. Which isn't the case. The PNB has come out, belatedly, to explain that Warisan Merdeka is their project using their money, et cetera, but by that time the proposed tower has become a victim of Malaysian politics.

"Najib was not announcing a new project. The PNB had made statements in the Press about the 100-storey tower late last year. No hoo-ha then. But when the PM included it in his Budget, wham bang! I was going to say, perhaps, he should not have included it in his budget, but then that would be strange — the tower is supposed to be one of his "high-impact" projects.

"Obviously, the Najib administration is banking big time on construction and property development to get the economy going for the next few years and Warisan Merdeka is one of them. The others are the RM15 billion Matrade project (several tall towers will be built by Naza-TTDI), the redevelopment of the Pudu jail by the Urban Development Authority (around RM10 billion), and sprawling Sungai Besi development, the RM40 billion Rapid Transit Project the KL-JB fast train project, and the massive Iskandar Development (10 times the size of Subang Jaya).

"Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Tokyo all have very tall towers. In recent years, Shanghai and Dubai have been building them. South Korea is also building a 100-storey tower and some of the tallest buildings in the world are in China.Why can't we have another one? Why can't PNB? If Public Bank wants to build a hundred-storey building, do we stop Public Bank from doing so?"

My new acquaintance looked rather worried by this time, probably saw I was getting worked up. It had been stressful the last couple of weeks, especially with the police report lodged against my blog by the Information, Communications and Culture Minister.

(And talking about the ministry, its unprecedented netbook scheme may be classified as a mega project, too: its infra structure costs RM1 billion and its usefulness is being seriously questioned. So far, over 100,000 netbooks worth RM1,000 each has been distributed in rural areas as part of the ministry's plan to reduce the Digital Divide. Phase Two, which will involve 500,000 units of these netbook computers, will commence soon).

My lunch guest slipped another question: Isn't the protest against the PNB tower not against the tower itself but due to the fact that taxpayers' money is involved?

"Everything involves public fund, so I don't buy that argument. Haven't you read Syed Akbar Ali's blog? The government does not own any money. This is Rule No 1. There is no such thing as government's own money. All government money is taxpayer's funds. Even for countries which do no have income taxes, it is still public funds. The people's money.

"To me, the objection is purely political. North-South Highway back then, Warisan Merdeka now. The difference is, we didn't have blogs, we had no access to Facebook, we did not even have computers in our homes back then. And talk about the Internet, what about the government/TM's massive RM10-over billion broadband project? We are all enjoying the infra, and we are certainly benefiting from Dr Mahathir's promise for openness and non-intervention policy.

"And we should view the protests positively, too. I mean, the government should. What does this group of people want to see? Many said we need more hospitals and doctors, schools and teachers. Look into those. At least the people are talking and giving feedback.

"Remember when the government decided not to build the "crooked bridge" that would have replaced the archaic Causeway? The PM then said the reason for not building it was because the people of Johor did not want it. Hogwash! The people said nothing.

"Now the people are telling you something. Be thankful.

"But there's the silent majority, too. There's always the silent majority. These people also put you there to govern as best as you can. If the government installs all the necessary elements of good governance and is transparent, the people would feel re-assured. Show us how the 100-storey, Matrade, Sg Besi, the KL Financial District, Iskandar, the Greater KL, the rail transit project are going to improve the people's quality of life."

So you think the government should go ahead with the 100-storey project?

"They should continue developing this country. And the people should continue to protest and let the government hear them. But at the end of the day, we have to decide what we want to be. If Dr Mahathir had given in to his political opponents, Lim Guan Eng would be traveling from Penang island to the mainland on the ferry and the rest of us would still have Third World facilities, bro. And the Third World mentality, too."

And then the headache came. My new acquaintance ordered warm water with lemon. My trusted Minyak Cap Kapak, the same ointment my grandma used in the days before there was even proper roads between towns, was missing. I wanted to tell my acquaintance about some people's attempt to equate the Warisan Merdeka to the Tower of Babel, how some of us are still stuck in the Dark Ages, but I was feeling to dizzy.

Wonder if that's the feeling if you look down from the 100th floor ...

AHIRUDIN ATTAN is group editorial adviser for The Malay Mail, Bernama TV and The Malaysian Reserve. Heblogs at rockybru.com.my.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Abuse of power, Minister?

"Rais is the complainant, Rocky is the suspect, MCMC is the investigating office and BigDog is the witness to the investigations. Is it proper that the IO wanted to bring the suspect and witness to meet the complainant in a middle of an investigations? More over, with the expressed instructions of the complainant”. - Zakhir Mohamad


Big Dog aka Zakhir Mohd
Courtesy of the Dog, the cat's out of the bag, here. It's abuse of power, lawyers tell me. Rais Yatim is trained as a lawyer, wouldn't he agree?


And thanks to YB Wee Choo Keong, the USP issue is kept alive and bloggers' latest plight is brought to the august Dewan Rakyat. Read the MP's posting based on his fiery speech in Parliament yesterday, here.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

NOTICE: My court case tomorrow is adjourned

WANTED: A new solicitor. The Court has granted a "last adjournment" in the defamation suit taken against me by Kalimullah Hassan, Brenden Pereira, Hishamuddin Aun and Syed Faisal Albar. The case was supposed to have been heard tomorrow 27 October 2010.

The adjournment is to give me time to appoint a new solicitor by next month.

Hishamudin, advises Astro
Syed Faisal, now Pos Malaysia boss










 The four plaintiffs were bosses of the New Straits Times Press. They took out the suit against me in January 2007 when Abdullah Badawi was the Prime Minister and blogs were attacking his administration. Kalimullah was the Executive Director and Editorial Advisotr of the NSTP group, Hishamuddin his Group Editor-in-Chief, Brenden the NST's group editor, and Syed Faisal was CEO of NSTP. Hisham has since joined a unit in Astro as advisor, if I'm not mistaken, and Syed Faisal has gone on to head government-linked company Pos Malaysia. I'm not sure what Kali and Brenden are doing. Last I heard, the former resigned from his post as Air Asia X chairman and the latter was till at Fox Communications. 

Also still fighting the Abdullah era's defamation suit is Jeff Ooi , who faces Kalimullah, Brenden and Hishamudin. In March 2008, Jeff Ooi stood as DAP candidate in Jelutong and won convincingly. He hasn't been blogging recently [see his last posting here] but he hasn't stopped, either. Jeff is still being represented by Malik Imtiaz and Haris Ibrahim.

Jeff Ooi faces Haris and Malik, pic from early 2007

Monday, October 25, 2010

MPs want MCMC to clarify

The malay mail followed up on YB Wee Choo Keong's posting. Read DEPUTY MINISTER RESPONDS TO BLOGGER's CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY

A case (or two) for the anti-corruption men to investigate MCMC and its Minister

The MCMC sits on a gold mine. A RM5 billion gold mine called the USP fund. And YB Wee Choo Keong's posting MCMC: How is the USP being managed? reflects not just the parliamentarian's but also the industry's concern that the unscrupulous could have been mining the gold for themselves. If the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission or MCMC does not respond quickly to YB Wee's questions then others, especially the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or MACC, should do it for them.

A day after YB Wee's article appeared, I posted a comment which consists of even more questions. I wrote:
Dear YB,
Please do, bring this up in Parliament. They dont call you Yang BerWeebawa for nothing.
Re Tuan Syed Akbar’s comment on the RM1 billion netbook scheme, actually the first phase of the scheme involving over 100,000 netbooks for rural folks is under way. Second phase involving 500,000 netbooks is coming soon. Questions to ask are:
1. Who are getting the contracts to supply the netbooks for phase 1 and phase 2.
2. What is the progress of phase 1 (ie how many recipients of the netbooks have sold it back to Low Yatt for a few hundred ringgit?)
3. Has the MCMC been churning out new licenses to companies without track records?
4. In view of the Dino Rais’ civil suit, has the MCMC investigated to ensure that no other family members of those who are in position to make decisions about the netbook scheme are involved with the companies selected?
And YB, the biggest question…..
5. Is not the USP fund for the government to address the “digital divide” by building infra and providing education and training? Who gave the directive to use the RM 1 billion to buy netbooks?
YB, there is now in excess of RM 5 billion in the USP. That is something of pkfz proportions!
Thank you, YB.
Yesterday, a corporate leader told me that he was offered the netbook and out of curiosity filled up a form and sent it in. To his disbelief, he was offered RM500 in cash for his trouble. But no Netbook!

The MCMC pays out RM1000 for each netbook!

If the MACC doesn't think the above are good enough reasons for them to muscle in, there's another compelling reason why the MCMC and its Minister, Rais Yatim, must be investigated by the MACC. This has something to do with the MCMC's on-going investigation into me and fellow blogger Big Dog following the police report lodged against me on Oct 12.


 From Husin Lempoyang's Jembatan Bosi, Jembatan Kayu

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Chinese-style internet censorship: Where does Malaysia stand?

Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines have all moved or are moving towards Chinese-style internet censorship, Ben Doherty of The Guardian of London writes. In his interview with me, I told journalist Ben Doherty that Rais Yatim's recent crackdown on bloggers was not representative of what the Najib Administration stands for as far as the Internet is concerned. I told him that Malaysia has one of the freest Press on the Internet and Najib Razak has continued to pledge greater room for freedom of expression to grow [check out his remarks at the end of Umno's general assembly today: Embrace the New Media ]. Rais Yatim's action - to lodge a police report against bloggers and made use of his MCMC to lean on Big Dog and I - runs totally counter to what Najib wants to achieve.
Unfortunately, Bin Yatim is not just a minister in Najib's Cabinet but he is THE minister in charge of the New Media!
Fortunately, Ben saw the point and had done his research: He does not see Malaysia as one of the countries in the region which have moved or are moving towards Chinese-style internet censorship.
For now.

We may not remain so for long if the likes of Rais Yatim and his band of YES men at the MCMC and the Information, Communications and Culture Minister are allowed to continue damaging the status quo. The RM50,000 fine the MCMC slapped on TV3 for their Christmas-like Hari Raya ad is truly high-handed. Someone in the Ministry really, really hates Santa Claus!
 Read The Guardian's special write-up on Silence of the Dissenters and Censorship in Asia: following the great firewall of China.

Ben Doherty made it into my latest weekly column in the Malay Mail - For the Freedom of Expression

Friday, October 22, 2010

Dino Rais in telco suit


Click to read Rais' son named in telco suit.

Big Dog, who is also being investigated by Rais Yatim's MCMC for a posting he did on the minister two weeks ago, has given the Malay Mail's report  context in "Rais, what say you now?"
Big Dog, whose real name is Zakhir Mohamad, had posted the original article 2.6 GHz Spectrum: Transparency the way to go that so riled Rais. The minister in charge of telcos and bloggers lodged a police report against Big Dog, Taikors and Taikuns and Rocky's Bru after I'd made the link to that article on my blog, here.

Rais Yatim's police report against bloggers have attracted the attention of YB Wee Choo Keong, who asks in his latest posting: MCMC, how is the USP being managed?
The MCMC, the agency that is investigating Big Dog and I, sit on a RM6-plus BILLION USP fund that has somehow escaped our scrutiny before this ...

Ada "pihak yang terasa"?

“Tetapi kalau dia nak panjangkan cerita, saya minta Menteri Nogori ini tak perlulah pakai pegawai SKMM datang jumpa saya untuk pujuk jumpa dia.”
Rocky Bru cabar Rais lapor SPRM

Dalam reaksi segeranya, Blogger Rocky Bru mencabar Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan Datuk Seri Rais Yatim supaya membuat ;laporan kepada Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) jika beliau percaya ada pihak cuba ‘mengharubirukannya’.

Katanya ini sebagai memenuhi apa yang diwar-warkan oleh Rais sendiri.
Rocky, atau nama sebenarnya Datuk Ahirudin Atan, berkata demikian sebagai menjawab kenyataan menteri itu kepada Agendadaily yang mengatakan beliau mempunyai hak membuat laporan polis ke atasnya berhubung posting di laman blognya.

Posting berkenaan dibuat pada 9 Oktober dibawah tajuk Who gets Santa Rais RM1billion handout? Ialah berhubung desas desus yang mendakwa kononya anak seorang menteri ada kaitan dengan salah satu syarikat yang dapat kontrakmengendalikan perkhidmatan jalur lebar.
“Memang semua orang ada hak buat laporan polis. Anwar Ibrahim pun selalu buat laporan polis. Rais nak buat laporan polis, dia punya suka. Memang betullah kalau dia nak kata itu hak dia,” kata Rocky kepada Agendadaily..
Rocky bagaimanapun berkata beliau kesal kerana merasakan Rais tidak membaca blognya dengan teliti dan memahami maksud sebenar posting itu.
“Saya kesal kerana saya rasa dia tak baca posting saya betul-betul. Ia( posting pada 9 Oktober dibawah tajuk Who gets Santa Rais RM1billion handout?) adalah berbentuk satu soalan.Ia bukan tuduhan.Ia untuk memberi peluang kepada Rais membersihkan namanya.

“Tetapi kalau dia nak panjangkan cerita, saya minta Menteri Nogori ini tak perlulah pakai pegawai SKMM datang jumpa saya untuk pujuk jumpa dia.”ujarnya – 21/10/2010


Lepas laporan polis oleh Menteri, lepas SKMM ambik laptop dan modem saya, lepas tu soal-jawab saya dua round, dan kemudian datang rumah, lepas tu suruh pegawai tinggi SKMM talipon saya mintak jumpa kononnya untuk berdamai, saya ingat semalam saya nak buat bodoh saja dan duduk diam-diam.
Tiba2 pak Menteri ni melatah lagi bila ditanya pihak akhbar. Sila baca  "Rais vs Rocky Bru: Pihak yang tak terasa memanglah mereka tak faham". 
Saya pun terpaksa melatah samalah.
Dan kemudian saya tertanya-tanya ... Apa yang Rais terasa sangat agaknya?

“Saya pernah bertugas di bawah bapanya (Allahyarham Tun Razak) . Sekarang saya bertugas di bawah dia, Jadi kalau beliau tidak suka, ataupun tidak rasa selesa, beliau ada pilihan ..." - Rais Yatim


Sila baca juga laporan Bernama "PM cakap kena hormat undang2" yang memetik Menteri dari awal hingga akhir. Pasal Bernama ni dibawah tapak kaki Rais, maka diorang tak tanya pandangan saya. Mampuih kalo buek ..

Thursday, October 21, 2010

In Malaysia, "Bloggers against Bullies" group formed

KUALA LUMPUR, 20.10.10: A group of bloggers met last night to discuss the police report lodged against bloggers by a Cabinet minister and the on-going investigation by the MCMC that was initiated against two bloggers so far following that police report. They decided at the end of their meeting to set up "Bloggers for Malaysia" and vowed to make it a force to be reckoned with against parties - government or not - that resort to police reports, the MCMC, and lawsuits to intimidate bloggers.

Controversial author Syed Akbar Ali, who runs OutSyed The Box, was unamimously made protem President of the BfM (same initials as everybody's favorite station BFM Radio). Syed was charged for sedition in 2008 on the same day as RPK but this charge was DNA (Dismissed Not Amounting to Acquittal). RPK was also given DNA later as he'd fled the country by that time.

Tony Yew, the blogger Alliedmaster who took on Malaysia Airlines in 2007 (and lost, of course) over the infamous sacking of his pregnant stewardess wife, is the pro-tem secretary-general.

The meeting took place in the conference room of the National Press Club, the same place the so-called "Band of Blogers" was formed one still night in 2007 by a group of Malay bloggers from different political backgrounds who met discreetly to plan a new media "war" against the arrogant and ignorant Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration.

The NPC was also where some 60 socio-political bloggers of various races and political affiliation met to set up the National Alliance of Bloggers, or All-Blogs, after the shocking lawsuits against me and Jeff Ooi.

With the setting up of BfM, All-Blogs will cease to be. I will be writing to the other All-Blogs' office bearers in my capacity as the interim presidenr of All-Blogs of my plan to disband it.

I am confident that BfM will be able to pursue All-Blogs' objectives of promoting responsible blogging and providing a shield for bloggers.

Bloggers for Malaysia's interim principal office berares:
President. - Syed Akbar Ali
Deputy President - Akramshah
Secretary-general - Tony Yew
Assistant sec-gen - Firdaus Abdullah
Treasurer - Zakhir Mohamad
Exco members: Rocky, Shamsul Akmar, Eric Woon and Endie Shazaly Akbar

We will meet in two weeks to finalize details for registration and expect to call for a general meeting by end of the year or early 2011. In tne meantime, the protem president has issued a stinging statement regarding the latest attempt to intimidate bloggers by the authorities.

Will provide links later.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

celcom rocks

Testing test

PM "terkilan" with Rais' MCMC?

Second meeting with MCMC, 2.15 pm, today. The story about PM Najib being "terkilan" with Rais Yatim's action against bloggers via the Minister's Communication and Multimedia Commission, or MCMC, is making its round on blogosphere. I was not invited to the lunch yesterday, it was closed to about 60 UMNO bloggers. I read about it here, here and here.

The MCMC, however, has proceeded to call me for another round of investigation, venue to be determined later. I doubt they're meeting me to return my laptop, though.

Kalimullah & Three vs Rocky Bru, 27 Oct 2010

KALIMULLAH HASSAN, BRENDEN PEREIRA, HISHAMUDIN AUN &  SYED FAIZAL ALBAR versus ROCKY'S BRU.
Venue: Jalan Duta courthouse
Date: 27/10/10

This particular date has been bugging me greatly the last couple of weeks, more so than Rais Yatim's irritating police report and losing my lap-top to the, ehem, Minister's Communication and Multimedia Commission, or MCMC.
 
Why? Because until earlier yesterday there was a chance that, for the first time since the four former bosses of NSTP took out the lawsuit against me in Jan 2007, I could be going to court with no counsel/lawyer to represent me. 

The thought brought sleepless nights, I wouldn't mind admitting.

Then yesterday afternoon, on my way back from Sepang, I received the sms from the lawyer: "OK, we'll cover your butt on 27/10."

Now I can sleep easier.

Maybe even dream of Santa ....
 

Sunday, October 17, 2010

LMAO! Conspiracy to bring down Rais?

DAFTEST THEORY. The Penerangan people have been sending overtures through blogger Bujai. The problem is, there is a police report against me and the Investigation by the MCMC is underway, so if I were to meet any emissary from the Minister or the ministry, I may be jeopardizing the process.

But now they are telling Bujai that I am part of a conspiracy to bring Rais down. Read his latest posting here.

LOL. ROTF. LMAO.

There is no need for a conspiracy. Rais Yatim is doing fine without my help. Some of his advisers seem very keen to dig a hole to bury their boss. I don't have anything to do with that, and I don't wish to be part of it.

One only need to go to the archives of this blog to know that I was not interested in Rais Yatim's welfare, if he remained in the Cabinet or if he aspired to become the Prime Minister. I hardly blogged about him or his Ministry. He was, basically, off my radar.

He was also off the radars of the bloggers I'm close to. (But now) Some of these bloggers are arranging for a meeting in KL this week to discuss the minister's police report against bloggers and the ministry's blatant use of the MCMC to intimidate us. It's not a conspiracy, I can assure you. Bloggers don't hide behind conspiracies. What you read is what you get.

P.S. was reading Zorro's latest posting here and realise that our blogging brothers on the side of Pakatan Rakyat are actually more prepared against threats against bloggers. Compare RPK's bailout fund with the desperate case of Hassan Skodeng, who had to rely on my own limited finances to bail him out! In the case of legal suits, RPK's army of bloggers can rely on a long list of lawyers who'd come to their aid pro bono. Who can Syed Akbar Ali, A Voice, Tony Yew and Parpukari depend on? If they charge Big Dog in court for his posting on Rais Yatim, i wont be able to raise bail. I have my court case against Kalimullah-Brenden-Hishamudin-Syed Faisal at the end of the month to worry about.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Rais, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is still waiting for your report


[Pls click to enlarge]
Rais Yatim uttered these words on Monday to The Malay Mail, here. The next day, he lmade good his threat and odged the report against this blog and two others. WIthin hours, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which comes directly under Rais' thumb, informed me on the phone that they would be investigating me. Wednesday morning, I spent 90 minutes with the MCMC and after that the MCMC and the Bukit Aman's cyber unit officers accompanied me to my home and took away my laptop and Streamyx modem.
As of yesterday, HOWEVER, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has not recorded any statement or report from the Minister.
Late last night, Shamsul Yunus reminds Rais of his promise to report me to the MACC to clear his name of the so-called allegations made by this blog, Big Dog's, and TnT. Shamsul says in RAIS vs ROCKY: Where is Rais' MACC Report?:

" I like the idea of the MACC report because it means the minister is serious about clearing his name....the only problem is he hasn't lodged said report.

"Hmmm...Rais had better lodge that report soon, otherwise people may think he is afraid to lodge a report. For whatever reason....

"Battle lines have been drawn so now its up to both sides to make the next move.."

Indeed, what is the Minister waiting for?

Friday, October 15, 2010

Betoll ke?

Budget 2011: NO toll hike on four PLUS highways for FIVE years. [Read the NST report here] [updated: TnT gets the Press Release by UEM here]

Ok, now, what's the catch?
Should we say thank you to Asas Serba? A year ago, I did ask in How to preempt your boss if NMY had a better idea (for rejecting Asas Serba's proposal). Well, it would seem that he has come up with a better idea!

Ma, my Toughbook's back!


You want this too, Rais? My old Panasonic Toughbook, which I sent for servicing last month, came back last night. The timing is divine, I must say. I don't think I'm going to see my Acer Ferrari, which was taken by Rais Yatim's MCMC to help them investigate my posting that so offended the Minister, ever again. Just as Shamsul Akmar, the guest writer of the article Jernihkan kekeruhan dengan blogger (see pic), does not expect to get back his camera and other items seized by the Israeli during his Rachel Corrie's ordeal.

Excerpts from Shamsul's article in the Utusan today:
"Kerana itu, tindakan Rais dan SKMM terhadap Rocky dan jurublog-jurublog lain di atas isu ini tidak harus berlaku. Bagaimanapun, ia terlah terjadi dan Rais serta SKMM harus mencari jalan menyelesaikannya dan menjernihkan kekeruhan tersebut. Jika tidak banyak lagi "jambatan" yang akan terbakar dan Rais tidak akan mampu memadamkannya."
I'd like to thank Big Dog for his Notebook campaign for Datuk Rockye and Tony Yew for his promo here. Big Dog has explained to those who actually came forward on his blog to give me their hard-earned money to buy me a new laptop that the campaign was a just gesture of protest against Rais Yatim's action against the bloggers. I know who they are, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I won't need a new laptop as I have the faithful Toughbook. And if Rais wants to take the Toughbook, too, so I would be intimidated and dismayed, I'm sure I still have a couple of other old laptops lying somewhere.

There are attempts to get me to see Rais and bury the hatchet. I had to decline.

Like A Voice wrote in Rais' Skodeng reminded of Mexico
"Rais had initiated an action to make a police report. (A handshake) will not reverse police and MCMC investigation. Do they think that by a handshake, police and MCMC should stop? What kind of a third world country do they think Malaysia is?"
Don't ask me why A Voice was going on and on about Mexico. 
"Is there more than midst the eyes? My Anger here think so.
Oh, Mexico
It sounds so simple I just got to go
Go Guadalajara!"

Read also:
Minang Berapi! Bloggers vs Boss Media Perdana
Panas Berapi: Pesanan Khas untuk Rais Yatim
Bloggers boycotting Galas and Batu Sapi
Rocky, Rais and Gum Infection
Rocky, saudara tidak keseorangan bro!
Rais vs Rocky's and Bloggers
No laptop, no blog, no Bru?
Rais vs Rocky: More govt bullying
Apakah ada agenda tersembunyi di sebalik isu Rais Yatim?
MCMC releases remake of "A Bridge too Far" 
The Importance of the Rais Report: Corruption or Plain Efficient?
Gutless in the Gutter (p/s Don't try to bribe bloggers with your 1Malaysia laptops, it shall backfire) 
Police report against Rocky's Bru and two others
Umno bloggers vs Pakatan Bloggers

Meanwhile, here's to my Acer Ferrari. On its tombstone, the epitath:
RIP. A victim of VIP stupidity. 

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

They took my Ferrari

Laptop, Streamyx modem seized. The MCMC "interviewed" me for 90 minutes. I told the reporters that they treated me nice. After the interview, we took a drive from Cyberjaya to Puchong via the backroads and to my house, where I parted ways with my dear laptop. The guys from Bukit Aman's cyber unit came along. My neighbours were hiding behind the curtains. The sight of a patrol car and an MCMC 4x4 on a Wednesday afternoon does not inspire many to venture out.

I'm being investigated by the MCMC under Section 256 under "Pemeriksaan orang yang tshu mengenai kes". If the A-G decides to charge me, I shall be charged under Section 233, the same provisions they used against blogger-cartoonist Hassan Skodeng. Basically, it's a crimkinal offence. I could be fined max RM50,000 and jailed a year if convicted.

Next to be summoned is Big Dog. Maybe even the business site Taikors & Taikuns, if they know who is or are behind it.

The reporters did not come to my house. At the MCMC headquarters, after the interview, TO BE CONTINUED.

The NsT reports:
2010/10/13

Share |




CYBERJAYA: Datuk Ahirudin Attan yesterday spent 90 minutes at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) headquarters answering questions on a posting on his blog, Rocky's Bru.
Ahirudin, who is president of the National Alliance of Bloggers (AllBlogs), was summoned after Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim lodged a police report against his blog and two others.

The report was about the blogs' postings on the ministry's RM1 billion grant to improve broadband access in the country.


He was accompanied to his house in Puchong by seven officers from MCMC and Bukit Aman federal police headquarters' cyber unit where they confiscated his laptop.

Ahirudin, better known as Rocky, told the New Straits Times that he did not know which part of his posting "Who gets Santa Rais' RM1 billion handout?" offended Rais.

"Maybe the word 'Santa' offended him. But if the minister had cared to read the posting properly, he would find that the posting from bigdogdotcom which I had linked on my blog was actually feedback from people who are talking about his son being a beneficiary of the grant.


"It was not an accusation, not even a claim. It was a constructive message for the minister and the ministry.

"To stop people from talking, he should make the award of the grants as transparent as possible," Ahirudin said.

He added that the reason he posted the link on his blog was for that reason alone.


"No malice was intended to the minister but his action against the bloggers does seem malicious.

"Unfortunately, the minister has taken it in a totally different way. He was probably advised to lodge a police report against me and the other two bloggers.

"In fact, what he got out of all this is that he is the first minister to have lodged a police report against bloggers. For that, I must congratulate the minister."

Ahirudin has yet to be contacted by the police but believes that he will be soon. He is being investigated under Section 256 of the Penal Code.

"The minister is wasting everyone's time, including his own. He could have just responded by denying the talk and thanking bloggers for bringing it to light.

"Personally, I'm disappointed at the minister for aiming to intimidate all bloggers.

"It is a shame because the minister is in charge of bloggers.

"He should take time to read the posts thoroughly and understand them as he is supposed to protect bloggers and encourage responsible blogging."

Rais, in his police report, said the complaint was against the three blogs -- believed to be Rocky's Bru, Taikos and Taikuns (TnT) and bigdogdotcom -- for allegations contained in the article and not levelled at the bloggers.


The NST REPORTS:

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Rais Yatim lodges police report against this blog

Wassup, Minister? The Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim this morning lodged a police report against me for my posting Who gets Santa Rais' RM1 billion handout?
I'm not really certain what inspired Rais to go to the police. As far as I remember, no Cabinet minister has lodged a report against a blogger. 

The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC ) has summoned me to its office in Cyberjaya to assist them with an investigation they have been ordered yesterday to conduct into my blog. I've agreed to meet them at noon tomorrow (Wednesday).

The cops have not contacted me but they will have to. I guess it's back to Bukit Aman's cyber unit for me, again.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Today's Malaysian-Chinese are not "Pendatang"

 
It's depressing to see that the Prime Minister himself had to provide this re-assurance h e r e about the status of the Malaysian-Chinese. 

Sure, a few non-Chinese from Ahmad Ismail to Anwar Ibrahim have called the Malaysian-Chinese "pendatangs" but most of them are politicians, and why do the Chinese who are Malaysians bother to give them so much credit?

The fact is, if you were born in Malaysia and you have never revoked your citizenship, then you are Malaysian. You may think you are Malay first or Malay second but if you are Malaysian then you are Malaysian. You may have been born in Singapore, Indonesia or the US but have opted to become a Malaysian citizen, you are Malaysian. 

The same goes if you were born in Malaysia but you decide to hold a Green Card. For all intent and purpose, you are still Malaysian not matter how many people question your loyalty. There's talk that a very prominent politician who spends so much time abroad is a Green Card holder of the United States of America but until he revokes his Malaysian citizenship, he's still Malaysian.
 

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Who gets Santa Rais' RM1 billion handout?

Christmas is stll over two months away but the talk is Santa is already in town in the form of Rais Yatim, our Information + Telco ministry. How much? Close to a billion ringgit, courtesy of existing telco players, including Telekom Malaysia. The money will go to three out of nine companies which have been awarded licences to operate Wimax and 3G. Why three companies? Dunno. Which three? Dunno, but Big Dog heard some disturbing rumor about a Minister's son being part of the nine, or three. There's also talk about a D-G's son or KSU's son being involved. But talk is cheap and gets cheaper by the day. The business site T n T also has the story, here.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Hidup-Mati Akhbar Melayu

Forum: The survival of Malay language newspapers
Saturday Oct 9
9am-Noon
UiTM, Shah Alam


Did you know that the largest circulation daily is a BM-language newspaper, the Harian Metro? And yet, the future of credible Malay language newspapers are in the balance. Why is that? Why are advertisers shunning the Malay dailies? And why are the people who claim to fight for Press freedom calling for Utusan Malaysia, the oldest Malay newspaper, to be boycotted?


At a tribute to the nation's 8th Tokoh Wartawan Negara, CC Liew, yesterday at the Sime Darby Convention in KL, former editor-in-chief of Utusan Malaysia (and the 7th TWN) Zainudin Maidin aka Zam recalled how Utusan Malaysia was helping out Sin Chew Jit Poh, the newspaper CC Liew was editing, by providing it with newsprint. This was after the Operasi Lalang in 1987 and Sin Chew was one of the 3 papers that had been suspended during the crackdown. Sin Chew did not even have the newsprint to publish the next day's edition. Business rivalry meant that the other Chinese media groups were not going to help out Sin Chew.

Today Sin Chew is the largest Chinese language daily.


Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Nazri: BTN's not racist


Lonely Figure? This pic of Nazri Aziz accompanied Wong Chun Wai's column in the Star last Sunday. Picture and words depict Nazri as someone all Malaysians must support. 

I'm glad the Star and Wong have made their stand in support of Nazri.

And I'm glad too that Nazri has made it clear that Biro Tata Negara, or BTN, is not racist.

I hope the Star and my bro Wong Chun Wai will come strongly in support of BTN and Nazri.

Those who readily supported Nazri's gallant "I'm Malay second" statement should not let him down now ....

Support BTN, Support Nazri!

Read also Big Dog's Can the anti-nationalists be consistent?

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

In KL, a property bubble's waiting to burst

Bubble and Bubbles. Here is a picture of Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee BUBBLES, a word  synonymous with our property market, with residential loans now accounting for 27 per cent of all loans for banks.

BUBBLES has a new home at a Florida primate sanctuary. Malaysians, though, are finding it hard to buy a home.

The Malay Mail's Marhalim Abbas writes there is an artificial property bubble in the making, with bankers and developers working hand in glove . Rear his piece H E R E.

The government's own National Property Information Center (NAPCI)'s data show average prices for homes rose 19 per cent in the first half of this year from a year ago while in Kuala Lumpur prices have soared by more than 35 per cent. The NAPCI's Property Overhang reports disturbingly show unsold properties rose to 22.6 per cent of new launches in the second quarter of this year.

Unsold homes, and rising prices!!!

Are banks and developers making BUBBLES out of us? 

Who is going to bear the brunt of the burn when the music stops playing at the property party?

Doa buat Negarawan

A special prayer will be held at the Masjid Jame in Kampung Baru, KL after Maghrib this evening (Tuesday) to ask for Dr Mahathir Mohamad's speedy recovery. Those who can't be there may say a prayer at any time, anywhere. Amin.

Monday, October 04, 2010

I'm ok, thank you, but Petronas is not

RM5 million a bed. When you don't feel well, go see the doctor. It's an advice I should start listening to. But I'm feeling better now, thanks to modern medicine. Can't say the same for people at Petronas who are running its hospital. I heard the audit ordered by new boss Shamsul is stumbling upon lots of unexpected bumps and humps. The cost of investment in the hospital by Petronas, for example, is simply extraordinary. Industry average is about RM750,000 a bed (we're talking about SJMC, Pantai, Damansara class here) but in the case of Petronas, the auditors discovered, it's about RM5 million per bed!

It does not guarantee you get well sooner but I suppose a patient would want to stay admitted longer. The hospital's CEO, an expat, has gone missing since the audit started, I heard. The audit is part of a group-wide exercise ordered by Shamsul after taking over from Hassan Merican.

Tho those not feeling so good out there, get well soon. My doa for Dr Mahathir in Australia.