Pussy willow for me this new year

Today is really not a good day for me.

Tried to finish my KPRJ story but got stucked and need to do some extra research.

It's getting a bit long and I may have to break it up into several parts.

Well, never mind lah.

For now I will just do small small postings only. Just for fun, eh.

Ok, today after work I am going to do my Chinese New Year shopping.

Yup, I do celebrate CNY. It's like some of you Muslims who celebrate Christmas la.

I started celebrating CNY during my college days.

I was the only non-Chinese in my class and when it's CNY my friends always asked me to come over to their house.

After doing my rounds I always end up at my best friend's house in Subang Jaya.

I will stay there for two or three days, mostly spending time playing black jack just for fun. Used coins only lar. Just for fun, ok?

I always wanted to join the others playing mahjong but my friend refused to teach me how to play the game.

She said I will just lose all my money. Her parents and uncles and aunts are mahjong experts. But I suspect she just don't want me to play as I will only slow down the game.

Whatever it is, it was all great fun you know.

I actually always went to my friend's house those days that her mom even got me special plate, cup and glass for me.

Well, my friend's family are the real Cina Bukit type and proud of it. They eat pork all the time. Her mom bought food for me from a nearby mamak restaurant whenever I am around despite me insisting to go and eat there myself. My friend always told me to be ok about it as her mom like me very much because I was actually her first non-Chinese friend. I always miss Mrs Law whenever CNY draws near like now.

Later today, I will go to Leisure Mall to buy those paper decorations for my cubicle in the office and my room at the rented apartment.

Oh...also this year I want to buy some Pussy willow for my room.

You don't know what a Pussy willow meh?

Here's a bit of it from Wikipidea (sorry aarr...my English not so good to explain properly. Need to cut and paste )
  
Pussy willow is a name given to many of the smaller species of the genus Salix (willows and sallows) when their furry catkins are young in early spring.

Since the Chinese like numerous blossoms on a branch, the many buds of the pussy willow make it a favourite flower for Chinese New Year. The fluffy white blossoms of the pussy willow resemble silk, and they soon give forth young shoots the color of green jade. Chinese enjoy such signs of growth, which represent the coming of prosperity.

Towards the Lunar New Year period, stalks of the plant may be bought from wet market vendors or supermarkets.

Once unbundled within one's residence, the stalks are frequently decorated with gold and red ornaments - ornaments

with colours and text that signify prosperity and happiness. Felt pieces of red, pink and yellow are also a common decoration in South East Asia.

Xie Daoyun's comparison of snow and willow catkins is a famous line of poetry and is used to refer to precocious young female poets.

What a DAP girl want

Had a chat with a friend from Kota Iskandar last night.

It turned out that she was not even interested in the KL High Court's verdict of Anwar Ibrahim's case.

"Anwar will not make much difference anyway," she said.

"He was not even the main contributing factor to the BN losses in 2008 as he was just there to take the credit from the screwed ups of the past BN administration.

"Do you really think Anwar would have been of any consequence if Pak Lah was not the Prime Minister back then?," she asked

Reflecting on what my friend said, I do have to agree with her.

My personal opinion is that, this coming general election will be decided mostly only by two factors :

1. How fragmented is the Malay electorates?

2. How much have BN win back the Chinese votes?

Some may argue that Anwar is the uniting factor of the Pakatan coalition. Well, maybe so to a certain extent, but now that he is saddled with so much baggage, I see him as more of a liability than anything else to PKR, Pas or even DAP.

The night before the sodomy verdict came out, I had a phone conversation with someone close to me who is a DAP supporter.



She was very confident that Anwar was to go to jail due to the "corrupt" judiciary.

"Let's say Anwar is found to be innocent by the court, and he lead Pakatan to victory and become PM....you like or not?" I asked.

"Choy!!!! Don't want lah. I actually cannot tahan him la. I think he really like men lar.....errr, can someone else become PM?" she replied, much to my surprise..

"Can, but who?" I asked back.

"Guan Eng lar....," she said.

Honestly, I rather have Hsien Loong as my PM.....at least he is more handsome what....

Justice then and now (updated 3)

UPDATED 3

The three explosions which injure five people outside the KL High Court today marked another notch in the increasingly volatile political landscape of our country.

It was often argued that we Malaysians are mature enough to handle all those freedom of these and that. Cautions of dangers posed by extremists among us were often dismissed as government's attempt to silence its critics and deny the people of those freedom.

Apparently, it's proven today that those dangers are real. Next time it could be even worse.

With the most crucial general election in this country's history to take place within the coming few months, lets pray that this is not going to be the year of living dangerously in Malaysia.

Now, it is up for our much maligned "anjing kerajaan" police force to handle the situation and ensure our safety.

Who had maligned our police force?

Easy la that one. They are none other than those who have been bad mouthing our justice system and the judiciary as well as other government institutions. Don't tell me you don't know. who they are. 

UPDATED 2

Come to think of it, here is an excerpt of Anwar's statement from the dock during the trial, where he made it clear to the world what he thinks of the court which set him free today

"I say it because as I’ve stated earlier, the court’s integrity has been completely compromised and bears all the classic symptoms of a show trial where the script has been effectively written and the outcome a foregone conclusion. I say it because as a presiding judge you have demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt your complete lack of impartiality. I say it because you have consistently refused to recuse yourself even in the face of mounting evidence of your bias against me. I say it too because you have persistently turned a blind eye to the gross violations of protocol and procedure committed by the prosecution while at the same remaining impervious to my protestations about these blatant irregularities that would have without more alerted any impartial judge as to the malice and bad faith of the prosecution."


UPDATED

 This is just in from NST SMS alert
NST 09/01: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of sodomy charge.

True enough, the court had acted professionally and all quarters must respect its decision.

Does the Pakatan crowd outside the court influenced the decision? I don't think so. Our judiciary make their decisions based on facts....nothing more, nothing less, ok?

I am personally glad for Anwar's family. It would probably be too much for them to bear if he was found guilty again.

However, as it was back in 1998, I do not think the court's decision really matter in shaping the perception of the public.

Anwar was found guilty back then, yet it did not stop BN from suffering quite huge losses in the 1999 general election.

This time around, he was found to be innocent, but would that mean anything to the electorates?

Will it turn thousands to the Pakatan cause?

I don't think so.

This case is after all just a criminal case involving a man who allegedly had sodomized another man. Both sides presented their case and one of them wins. Ya, it's a bit more juicy as Anwar was again involved. But does it has anything to do with anything more than that? I really don't think so.

By the way, will the Pakatan people continue to accuse our judiciary of being influenced by the evil Umno/BN after this?

My answer to that is yes and no.

Yes, if a court's decision doesn't favors them, and no if a court's decision goes their way.

Well, nothing much you can do with hypocrites, eh?


ORIGINAL POSTING

Tomorrow is going to be Anwar Ibrahim's big day.

I wonder what is in his mind today.

I wonder what his wife and children think. Are they very sure of his innocence?

My mind wanders back to those restless September days of 1998.

It seems as if all that happened those days were just yesterday.

I can remember clearly sitting on the stone bench at the lawn of Anwar's house at Jalan Setiamurni, Damansara. I spent many days there , observing the whole thing unravelling before my eyes.

I was even there the night Anwar was arrested. 

Nurul Izzah was just 18 years-old, and my favorite of Anwar's daughters at that time, Nurul Nuha was 14. I can't remember the name or age of the other children.

.

Honestly, I was sympathetic towards them.

My personal opinion at that time was that Anwar's case was poorly handled by the government and that was what convinced me that he was innocent.

Fast forward to now,  the trial of Saiful Bukhari's case took three and a half years to complete.

It was postponed about 60 times. All upon the request of the defense team, who also tried twice to recuse the presiding judge.

Then there was that political sermon by Anwar as he refused to give a sworn statement to the court.

I was actually looking forward to that sworn statement by him as it would have been the only way to see him swearing his innocence while holding the Quran. Apparently he wouldn't do that even in court.

I also find that the current Anwar's defense team being clearly of lower quality compared to the one who defended him back during the reformasi days of the late 1990s.

The government have on its part clearly stayed away from the trial and went out of their way so as not to be accused of trying to influence the judiciary.

They even allowed tomorrow's gathering outside the court by Anwar's supporters, which to me is unprecedented indeed.

It makes me wonder, what if some other groups had also requested for them to be allowed to gather there, to demand for Anwar to be thrown in jail. Would they also be allowed to gather there?

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the court had acted in the most professional manner throughout the trial and I believe it will do so again tomorrow.

Clearly, any right thinking person could see that  the perception of those who have inappropriately tried to influence the court have changed this time around.

Hsien Loong the handsome

Last month I wrote this
Bridge to happiness

That posting was actually prompted after PM DS Najib Razak's visit to Iskandar Malaysia earlier on the day.

I was full of hope for the "crooked bridge" project to be revived when Najib during the visit did not rule out the possibility of the project to be discussed in his next meeting with Hsein Loong, which took place several days ago.

It turned out that the bridge project was not discussed. At least that was what appeared in their joint-statement.

Instead they mentioned about the possibility of building a tunnel.

I am happy that Malaysia and Singapore seems to be on good terms. By the way, I kinda like Hsien Loong. He seems to be genuinely friendly and smiles a lot.



Well, at least he is more handsome than Lim Guan Eng lor....I think.

Eh...sorry....back to the tunnel.

Ok, I am all ok for Malaysia and Singapore to built the tunnel. Very good, I said. But will it replaced the Causeway? Will the water of  Tebrau Straits be freely flowing ever again?

Hmmm... here I promise to Hsien Loong that I will forever be a supporter of the Singapore football team if ever the answer to all that is yes. Of course except when the team is playing against Malaysia lah.

Intermission, again

I believe, especially at the end

A daring flying squirrel

I am going to concentrate on finishing my KPRJ story over the next few days.

Meanwhile, you all may ponder on this challenge by Mr Flying Squirrel About to Fall which he send on my previous posting.

Flying Squirrel About to Fall said...

The Medini Scam and Sri Lankan Connection

On the Medini deal, the multi-layer get rich scheme works like the following. Can Khazanah deny any of this?

1. IIB sold Medini land of 2,200 acres to Medini Iskandar S/B (75% IIB, 25% UWI Capital (One) Ltd) for RM 1 billion.
2. Medini Iskandar S/B later sold most of the land (2,120 acres) to Global Capital Devt S/B (60% Mubadala, 30% IIB, 10% Alpha (Five) Ltd) and Medini Central S/B (60% KFH, 30% IIB, 10% Alpha (Four) Ltd) for RM 4.2 bil (let's call them the Arab Consortiums).
3. Medini Iskandar S/B appoints Terra Lumina S/B as marketing agent to sell a section of 80 acres of Medini land, where Terra Lumina gets 30% commission on sales revenue. It is not known if the company has actually able to sell any land plot to foreign investors.

The questions are:

1) UWI Capital (One) Ltd, Alpha (Four) Ltd and Alpha (Five) Ltd are all domiciled in British Virgin Island. They are controlled by a person called Imran Markar, who sits on the Board of Medini Iskandar S/B, Global Capital Devt S/B and Medini Central S/B. Terra Lumina S/B is registered in Malaysia and is also controlled by Imran Markar.

Now the question is - who is Imran Markar? Why the need for offshore companies? Is he a proxy to some people who are supposed to get the kickback from Medini land sale?

2) Why is KNB itself investing in Medini when the land was supposed to attract Middle Eastern investors?

The initial purchase of Medini land by Arab Consortiums were supposed to attract investment from Middle East. But what happened now is that most of the lands acquired back by Khazanah JV and associate companies (eg. KNB-Temasek JV, KNB-Sunway JV etc, Gleneagles, UEMLand-IIB JV).

If Khazanah were to eventually buy back the Medini land from these Arab Consortiums, then there was no need to sell the land to them in the first place.

Why go convoluted ways (ie. KNB->IIB->Medini Iskandar->Global Capital Devt->Khazanah/SunwayJV) when you can just have direct transaction KNB->Khazanah/SunwayJV. By having multiple layers, you are creating profit leakage vehicles, which ultimately benefitting people like Imran Markar.

As an example, didn't Medini Iskandar S/B pay a dividend of almost RM 500 mil in 2008? Didn't this mean UWI Capital (One) Ltd's portion of 25% equivalent to a cool RM 125 mil? Guess who was the accounting auditor? It is E&Y!! The same culprit who went in to dig all procurement files of IIB!! And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Who knows probably the real figures could escalate up to RM BILLIONS when we sum up the total laundered money for all middlemen vehicle companies.

Compare that to the petty theft that Khazanah is pointing at IIB Management - they looked so pariah in comparison.

Now, who is that foreign agent Sri Lankan Imran Markar again? Isn't he the one bossing around in Iskandar and telling people that he has direct connection to Azman Mokhtar?

3 January 2012 01:03

A little chirpy bird and the IIB-gate

When I read what rockybru posted in his Friday intermission, I was kinda curious about how such a story could be leaked from a supposedly highly confidential board meeting.  So I began digging around, but in a leisurely manner, you know, it was a Friday after all, and a long weekend at that.  But when A Voice posted this, my digging became a bit more urgent as I see that the speculative nature of that piece will adversely affect the diligent work done by BN Johor to ensure BN victory in the coming election.

After a bit of arduous digging, I got access to a little chirpy bird. 

This little bird (who does not represent KPRJ, by the way) told me that the matter on how to handle the "IIB-gate" was indeed discussed in the board meeting and that it was an open discussion, more in the nature of "how do we handle this?... if we do this, what will happen? ... if we do that - what will be the implications?" etc.  

Apparently it was an open discussion, but what was minuted was that the final decision was made unanimously, with no one dissenting.

Turned out the KPRJ representative was not the only one who had reservations about the option of making a police report, there were 2 or 3 others (the little bird couldn't remember the details as it wasn't minuted, more of a discussion, and it wasn't that recent, etc.) who shared the same concerns.

Mostly these people were concerned about how such a decision will affect IIB day-to-day operations, the image thing, etc. ... probably because these people were not involved in the operational management and decision-making within IIB.

It was therefore strange  when the story that came out in rockybru's was very particular about the representative of KPRJ, and of him being a representative of the Johor State, or probably in this case Johor MB, I suppose.  What about the other board members who shared his concerns?  Why no mention of which organisations they represent?  Was it because they are all based in KL? What about the board member who was adamant about not involving the MACC?  The way it was worded looked like it was also made by the same KPRJ rep, as there were no other board members identified, wasn't it?  In fact, A Voice more or less stated in his article that it was so.  Was it?

What got me curious was, that the Haji Johar Salim that I had the pleasure to have encountered, does not at all reflect the corporate shark potrayed here.  Maybe my gut feel is wrong, for once, but it just felt wrong.


Further on, in his article, A Voice then linked Johar Salim with Lim Kang Hoe, and then to Abdul Ghani Othman.  Aha!  That was just too convenient guys, but all the same, very revealing.  They will then link this with the Utusan and Berita Harian story, and people will jump immediately and say ya la, that must be true, so and so is an Umno politician, so he must be corrupt, kan?  Then people will begin to demand for independent audits of these Johor institutions.  So the corruption matter will stay in Johor and the "corrupt" Johor politicians/state GLC heads/IIB rogues/etc., and will not touch any of the "pristine" pure-as-snow Khazanah people in KL kan?  Can you people who leaked and spun the confidential board meeting discussions be a bit less obvious?

And another thing, if you do a bit of proper digging, you would know that Dato Lim Kang Hoe serves a different political master/partner lah, definitely not a Ghani Othman proxy.

As for the Kulim Board appointments, you should read Benchmark and make your own conclusions.  I have sorta made mine.

In the matter of QSR and KFC being sold to CVC, and being backed by CIMB Investment, which is deemed to be bad news by A Voice, I was planning to write about the rationale of that move (my own speculative insinuations will be at work here, hehehe), but I must first confirm some of my facts with sources within JCorp and of course PMO.  After all, CIMB Investment is controlled by you know who.  In short, I personally think the move is a sensible one for JCorp in the long run and should have been done a long time ago, but what do I, a curious cat, know about corporate wheeling and dealing?

For example, if I were an ambitious person in a position of decision-making for a GLC investment arm, I would structure all the investments in such a way that if I were kicked out of the GLC, I can still be in control within the public-listed entity that control all the businesses, provided I fight tooth and nail to stay in control of the public-listed entity of course, or keeping it intact while I fight to get control.  I don't have to worry about liabilities, because the investments were made by the GLC, which will have very little benefit from its investments because the corporate entity will be under my control.  Hmmm ... maybe I should not write about it as my tiny brain is incapable of thinking of all that complicated corporate stuff.

Instead, maybe  I should complete that little article I was working on about KPRJ and its role in fast-tracking rural development as well as the many social projects it does for the public and how their assets have now grown to billions over the last few years, while maintaining a very low operating cost and a very small team.  However, if I were to write about this, I may be accused of being a mouthpiece of whoever.  Hmmm ... maybe I should not finish that article after all.

Personally, I feel sorry for poor Haji Johar Salim and the few (about 12 I think) KPRJ staff in general - never mind guys, KPRJ may not have huge sophisticated offices, or super duper vice presidents running around earning 5-6 digit salaries, or massive PR budgets to waste on newspaper pull-outs, or multi-million ringgit consultants producing impressive-sounding blueprints, but KPRJ has done good for many ordinary folks in Johor and I for one have no major complaints about KPRJ.

In any case, I am going to sit back for now and see how this whole thing unravels, unless of course I come across more insinuations/speculations/etc. that perk my curiosity.  Eh, what exactly did they say about curious cats?

Tai-chi masters and my dream car

UPDATED

Please read this posting again CAREFULLY for better perspective

One brave blogger and three interesting comments

Thanks

ORIGINAL POSTING

Thought of going on an all out offensive against the Pakatan gang as the new year begins, but now it looks like I will have to tighten up a few things first.

Now, out of the blue there are people who tried to link Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman and Johor Umno with the Khazanah-IIB corruption mess.

This I have to check as some of the allegations, though without any solid evidence could potentially damaged not only Ghani's reputation but also Johor Umno's and BN's efforts to defend the State in the coming general election.

I strongly believe that this is the work of some tai-chi masters from KL.

Well, I will try to get the truth on this as fast as I can, so that I can go back to the urgent business of going on the offensive against the Pakatan folks. This, I think going to involve some serious research works on my part. Actually, such a waste of time and effort having to defend from an internal attack with the general election just around the corner, But what to do....this is Johor.

For the time being, I will leave you all to admire my dream car.

Yup, that is my dream car. Cute isn't it?  Don't telll me you don't know what car is that.  I know, I will never get it, but no harm in dreaming , right? Cheers.

Another fashionable reformasi, anyone?

So, it's really looks like we are going to have another major demonstration in KL on Jan 9.

Free Anwar Campaign, they said. They are already starting with the national road tour.

Errr....Anwar still free what....these people don't want to wait until he is not free first ka?

Well, I guess these people are more advance.

By the way, the whole thing makes me feels like I am somewhere in Indonesia....or rather the Philipines. Thought these people want to be something like Singapore? Singapore better what, very peaceful and neat.

Anyway, I have to admit that I have this wicked wish for the "gathering" to happen. I don't think the authorities will be too nice this time like it was during the Bersih 2.0. No more nasi beriyani meal for those nab for rioting.

I also want to see if Marina Mahathir is stupid enough to join them.

Also Ambiga and her Bar Council gang for that matter....well, I just want to see this bunch joining in the rioting just for the simple pleasure of seeing them smartly attired in suits and being hosed down by the water cannons.

Yes, I am that wicked....hehehe

On a more serious note - I pray that no one is moronic enough to bring their children along. Errr, Marina, please ya, I know you want to be as cool as your daughter, but this time I believe it is going to be really some serious heavy duty stuff and not just a fun and be cool like occassion.

As for the uni students taking part, hmmm...sorry to say this - boys and girls, you all are being stupid.
Well, I don't blame you. I was as stupid as you back in 1998.

I was at all the major events of the Reformasi era...Kampung Baru, Masjid Negara, Anwar's house at Jalan Setiamurni in Damansara....I was even there when they arrested Anwar that night.

Wah, I tell you...I was so semangat...wore that white ribbon all over the place. Sometimes I got embarassed whenever I remember those days.

I know you all boys and girls will not listen to me, but what the heck lah, let me tell you this....it's all just a con lah adik-adik.

Well, I know you all are still going to join the crowd. Really, I understand, it's the fasionable thing to do. Demi perjuangan dan keadilan, they said. Yes, I understand. I was conned too back then. Never mind. Whatever it is, please don't get hurt ya.

 Remember you parents who work hard to raise you into a smart adult and a uni student. Please try not to commit any serious crime during the rioting. It can destroy not only your life, but also your parents'.

I know, you have no intention to commit any crime...just a gathering for justice, they said....well, trust me, things will most likely get out of hand. I am speaking from experience. If that happened, try to stand to one side and avoid getting into any serious trouble, ok?  Take care.

A very good Malay movie

Started this new day of this new year by doing something I normally do not do. I watched a Malay movie.

The last time I watched a Malay movie in a cinema was many many years ago.

Not really a fan of Malay movies because I find most of them being of poor quality. Sorry to say that, but facts are facts.

But this movie I watched just now is very very good. It made me cried at one point. It reminds me of my own life. Never thought a Malay movie can make me cry, seriously.

It's Ombak Rindu.