Don't lie about seeking help in getting the corruption charges dropped. Muhyiddin warns UMNO'S Zahid

 

Muhyiddin: Zahid wanted me to drop his cases, Umno pulled support when I didn't

#KiniNews: Muhyiddin refuses Zahid’s dare, Najib says pressured by Mahathir

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has told Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi not to lie to the rakyat about seeking his help in getting the corruption charges against him dropped.
`
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president said he had proof that the Bagan Datuk MP had sought his help over the matter when he was the prime minister.
`
“That night (during a ceramah), I have shown the witnesses.
`
“Don’t lie to the rakyat but if he wants to do the ‘sumpah laknat’, he can do so even multiple times, it’s up to him,” said Muhyiddin when met after chairing the National Recovery Council meeting here yesterday.
`
During a ceramah in Tangkak on Feb 16, Muhyiddin claimed that Ahmad Zahid had visited his home with piles of files a few days after he was sworn in as prime minister in 2020.
`
He claimed that the former deputy prime minister had asked for help and said that he had not done the things of which he was accused of.
`
Muhyiddin said he refused to help, which he claimed prompted Ahmad Zahid to back efforts to oust him as prime minister.
`
Ahmad Zahid in a response on Monday said he was willing to take the “sumpah laknat” to refute claims that he had sought Muhyiddin’s help to get the corruption charges against him dropped.
`
“Sumpah laknat” is usually an act of last resort, and is an oath made according to syariah principles and in the name of Allah, where the confessor calls upon God to punish him if he has told a lie.

Source link

Related News

---

Zahid prepared to take 'sumpah laknat' to deny Muhyiddin's claim he...

Zahid free to perform ‘sumpah laknat’ to refute my claims, says...

Only BN can kill off political ‘snakes’, says Ahmad Zahid

 

Related posts:

 

 

Malaysia’s new PM, Ismail Sabri brings graft-tainted UMNO back to power, announces new Cabinet; Azmin Ali, Tengku Zafrul keep respective portfolios

UMNO politician Ismail Sabri's rise to become Malaysia's prime minister   Malaysia's new PM brings graft-tainted UMNO back to p...

Malaysia Is Staggering Down the Road to Failed Statehood?

 The country used to punch above its weight on the global stage. Now, white flags seem like a surrender to dysfunction.

Tilda Kalaivani waves a shirt as a white flag from her apartment balcony in Kuala Lumpur.

Photographer: Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty

Malaysia is raising the white flag on the road to failed statehood

These banners are not quite a movement; people have no hope, and not much desire, to overthrow the govt. It’s more of a shorthand for discontent at the atrophying state.

A white flag hung outside a house in Malaysia |Twitter/@srhfarisya

What started as a cry for help by Malaysians during rolling lockdowns and galloping Covid-19 infections has come to epitomize the descent of their once-proud nation. The Southeast Asian country lost its status as a role model for the developing world some time ago. Now, it may be relegated to the lane of also-rans that shone during the heyday of globalization but failed to capitalize on a strong start.

Malaysians in distress have taken to  waving the white flag from windows and driveways. At the most basic level, it’s surrender and a plea for assistance: food, a bit of cash to help pay the rent. Thanks to social media, the banners have taken on an emblematic life of their own. Not quite a movement; people have no hope, and not much desire, to overthrow the government, and it isn’t clear these days that there’s one to topple. It’s more of a shorthand for discontent at the atrophying state and troubled economy.

The country’s prime ministers were once given grudging credit for stable leadership, albeit with authoritarian traits. However, lawmakers have proven breathtakingly unable to coalesce around a figure or program to guide Malaysia through this plight. The nation is beset by multiple crises — social, economic and political — fed and worsened by each other. It may only be a slight exaggeration to invoke the dreaded label of a failed state.

Civic life is suffering from numerous misadventures. The latest twist in a saga that’s been running since at least early 2020 came in the small hours of Thursday. The United Malays National Organization, the party that led Malaysia from independence until losing power in 2018 in the aftermath of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd. scandal, declared it will leave the ramshackle coalition presided over by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and urged him to quit. That may not be the end of the machinations; UMNO itself is split between a group that wants to reclaim its dominant position and lawmakers willing to keep nice cabinet posts that Muhyiddin has given them.

There isn’t an easy way out of this mess. Malaysia’s travails go beyond any one person. No prospective leader appears to have sufficient support in parliament, let alone a mandate from the population of 32 million, to replace the weak prime minister and provide stable administration. An election is supposed to be held once the pandemic subsides, a determination that’s hard to quantify. The monarchy, rotated among hereditary sultans of nine states, is being forced to leave the ceremonial shadows to referee, something that the royal households appear less than comfortable doing.

So, the surrender flag captures the end of a strutting, can-do mentality, or “boleh.” Citizens are stepping in where authorities have failed as the pandemic has delivered seemingly endless misery. Southeast Asia has been rocked by the delta variant. On Thursday, Malaysia added almost 9,000 Covid cases. Only a bit more than 8% of Malaysians have received both vaccine shots, as of Monday. Some of the strictest lockdowns have been in Kuala Lumpur and the nearby commercial powerhouse of Selangor state, and taken a toll. At their worst, factories have been shut, public transportation has run on a skeleton schedule, and the military has manned road blocks.Some measures have been eased, but large parts of the country remain shuttered.

Asia, writ large, is in the midst of a strong economic upswing. However, that recovery has yet to fully visit Southeast Asia, a region of more than 650 million people. In its last World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund forecast growth in Malaysia of 6.5% this year. Gross domestic product plummeted by more than 5% in 2020, the worst performance since the Asian financial crisis in 1998. To meet such a bullish projection or even get close to it, the second half of 2021 needs to be stellar. Further interest rate cuts and fiscal outlays are almost assured. But whatever the numbers say, many Malaysians aren’t close to feeling the benefit. Even  rubber glove makers are worried; they appealed to authorities this week to lower Covid restrictions and let them continue to produce.

The last decades of the 20th century offered a different route. During Mahathir Mohamad’s premiership from 1981 to 2003, Malaysia was an emerging-market icon. The country grew rapidly with relatively low inflation and stable budgets. Mahathir loved to poke at the West, but he opened markets and privatized state companies. He resisted aid from the IMF and challenged orthodoxy by imposing capital controls and fixing the exchange rate during the Asian crisis. Contrary to predictions that the efforts would fail, they shored up Malaysia.

But it started to go wrong. Boondoggles like an ostentatious new airport and the soaring twin towers funded by state oil giant Petronas suggested waste. One of Mahathir’s successors, Najib Razak, bungled the  disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in front of the world’s cameras. Najib led UMNO to defeat in 2018 and has been  convicted of corruption related to 1MDB. Mahathir’s return at the helm of an opposition bloc offered a brief moment of renewal. But he couldn’t give up on political wheeling and dealing — even well into his 90s — and opened the door for Muhyiddin to edge him out of office.

Longstanding  ethnic and religious fault lines have been worsened in recent years by an urban-rural divide and a generation gap that no political organization has come to grips with. The credibility of the ruling class will keep eroding the longer it takes to vaccinate against Covid and for a recovery to take hold. The current intrigues sadly seem far removed from the daily needs of business, finance and even putting food on the table.

No country can continue on this course indefinitely and be a model for anything other than dysfunction.-Bloomberg

Source link

Related posts

Health systems on the brink of collapse, says DG

Patients lying on stretchers outside the emergency department of the Hospital Tengku Ampuan  Rahimah in Klang because there is no place for ..

Dangerous period of the pandemic: WHO warns over deathly Delta variant of the coronarirus

    https://youtu.be/kk69yWl0Wpc   . https://youtu.be/ljYafQ5AkOo  World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyes.

 

Malaysia Govt unveils RM150bil Pemulih aid package to curb the spread of Covid-19

RM20bil aid for the people: the 6th economic stimulus package, Pemerkasa

 

PUTRAJAYA: The government has unveiled its sixth economic stimulus package, the RM20bil People and Economic Strategic Empowerment Programme (Pemerkasa), which, among others, will see targeted assistance given to the people and sectors still affected by the pandemic.

Focusing on 20 initiatives, Pemerkasa is also aimed at giving the economy a jump-start and to support business continuity, as the government reaffirms its commitment to care and listen to the people.

Unveiling Pemerkasa, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin identified five focus areas to promote economic recovery – control the spread of Covid-19, accelerating economic recovery, strengthening Malaysia’s competitiveness, ensuring inclusivity by reducing development gaps within regions and communities, and transforming the economy.

Of the RM20bil under Pemerkasa, RM11bil is fresh fiscal injection by the government.

Muhyiddin said among the efforts in driving economic recovery was to revitalise the tourism and retail sectors which had been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister said to alleviate the burden and to support the recovery of the tourism sector, the government would extend tourism tax and service tax exemptions on accommodation provided by hotel operators until Dec 31,2021.

“We will also extend tax incentives to tour companies until the year of assessment 2022, allow deferment of monthly income tax instalments from April 1 to Dec 31,2021 to companies in the tourism and industries such as cinemas and spas.

“The sector will also be provided entertainment duty exemption on admission fees to entertainment venues such as theme parks, stage performances, sporting events and competitions as well as cinemas in the Federal Territories, ” Muhyiddin said in a special address yesterday.

The scope of special relief on individual income tax of up to RM1,000 will be expanded to include expenses on travel packages provided by travel agents registered with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) while the HRDF levy exemption for affected businesses under the tourism and retail sector will be extended until June 2021.

Muhyiddin said in addition, the government had agreed to a one-off special assistance grant of RM3,000 to more than 5,000 tourism agencies registered with Motac.

The government will provide a one-off cash assistance of RM600 to homestay operators registered with Motac, which is expected to benefit more than 4,000 Malaysian Homestay Programme hosts or entrepreneurs.

“When most of us are vaccinated, the government will consider allowing interstate travel in stages and may even establish a special green lane for border travel involving air transport.

“At the moment, the government will need time to assess all the necessary aspects and weigh the risks before a decision is made, ” he said.

To assist cash flow and reduce operating cost for hotel operators, theme parks, convention centres, shopping malls, local airline offices and travel and tour agencies, a special discount on electricity bills of 10% will be extended for another three months until June 30.

The total cost borne by the government for this extension is RM135mil.

The Prime Minister said the Perikatan Nasional government remained committed to moving forward in planning various economic recovery strategies for the well-being of the rakyat.

“The government has done its level best to ensure that no groups are left behind from receiving government’s benefits.

“Perikatan as a caring government always listens and cares about the well-being of the people.

“This trust will be shouldered responsibly and sincerely for the sake of the people and the nation, ” he added.

Muhyiddin also urged the public to register for the Covid-19 vaccination, advising all not to delay because the sooner people get vaccinated, the sooner everyone can enjoy a normal life.

Source link

Related stories:

‘Risk based approach in travel restrictions the right step forward’

Helping hand for those most in need

No more blanket MCO, says PM

 

Pemerkasa: Something all can look forward to

 

  PETALING JAYA: The government’s People and Economic Strategic Empowerment Programme (Pemerkasa) includes hiring incentives and micro credit facilities to give a leg-up to the economic sectors most affected by the pandemic.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government would allocate RM700mil to extend the Wage Subsidy Programme 3.0 for another three months, targeted at the tourism, wholesale and retail sectors.

Other sectors that were not allowed to operate during the movement control order would also benefit from this, he added.

“This initiative is expected to benefit 400,000 employees and 37,000 employers, ” he said.

Muhyiddin said the government would also enhance the PenjanaKerjaya 2.0 initiative under the Social Welfare Organisation (Sosco) by expanding the scope of hiring incentives to include temporary and gig workers.

This will include an allocation of RM300mil to assist 60,000 workers, where each worker will receive RM600 per month for a maximum of six months.

Employers offering short-term employment or gig service platforms registered with Socso will receive RM200 for each worker they hire.

The government will also extend the duration of PenjanaKerjaya’s apprenticeship programme to six months, where trainees undertaking this programme will be given an incentive of RM800 during their apprenticeship.

He said the government would continue to support the business continuity, especially local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“We will continue with the Prihatin Special Grant 3.0 (GKP) initiative to support businesses to recommence operations. Every eligible micro SME will receive a one-off assistance of RM1,000, ” he said.

.

“Micro SMEs that have not received the GKP prior to this can apply for GKP 3.0 beginning April 1. GKP 3.0 is expected to benefit more than one million entrepreneurs.”.

He added that the government would increase the allocation for small-scale projects in 2021 from RM2.5bil to RM5bil..

“Among the types of small-scale projects which will be reserved for G1-G4 class contractors are the repair of public infrastructure and facilities damaged by floods, road repairs, social amenities, repair of strata housing including the replacement of elevators at public housing, and constructing stalls in municipalities, ” he said..

The government would also simplify procurement procedures to expedite the implementation of projects, he added..

Under Budget 2021, the government approved an allocation of RM1bil for micro credit financing facilities..

As such, Muhyiddin said the government would provide an additional RM500mil for micro credit financing through programmes under Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), the National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional), Mara and SME Corp..

“Through BSN, a fund of RM300mil will be made available with a financing limit of up to RM50,000 and the interest rate reduced from 3.5% to 3%. The loan tenure will be for five years and loan repayments will only commence after the sixth month..

“For entrepreneurs from the informal sector, Tekun Nasional will be providing an additional fund of RM60mil, especially for the Informal Financing Scheme with a financing limit of up to RM5,000 for small businesses operating from homes, night markets and wet markets..

“The Tekun Mobilepreneur programme will also be expanded to finance the repair or purchase of new motorcycles with a financing value of up to RM10,000..

“To complement this initiative, locally assembled motorcycles with an engine capacity of 150cc and below will be given a 100% exemption on excise duty from April 1 to Dec 31 this year, ” he said..

Financing assistance of up to RM20,000 will also be provided for repairing vehicles and up to RM50,000 for the purchase of vans or lorries under the POS-prenuer programme from Tekun..

“Through Mara, the Prihatin Micro Business Financing Scheme will be implemented, focusing on assisting 1,000 bumiputra micro SMEs in sustaining their business..

“A total of RM50mil will be allocated with a financing value of up to RM50,000 at an interest rate as low as 3%, ” he said..

“Additionally, SME Corp will provide RM50mil to assist local SMEs to obtain financing of up to RM250,000 at an interest rate as low as 3%.”.

Source link

Related stories:

‘Risk based approach in travel restrictions the right step forward’

Helping hand for those most in need

No more blanket MCO, says PM

 

Related posts:

 

Malaysia Bigest Budget 2021 as New Covid-19 cases at its highest

 

Budget 2021 – Great expectations

 

 

Malaysia's PM, a one-man show as Cabinet list jigsaw puzzle

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be in charge of all ministries and government departments until the appointment of Cabinet ministers, says the latest Federal Government gazette.

The gazette signed on Tuesday by the Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali, also stated that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, pursuant to Article 43 of the Federal Constitution, has appointed Muhyiddin as Prime Minister.

“This Order is deemed to have come into operation on March 1,2020, ” said the notice that was uploaded on the Attorney General’s Chambers website.

“It is notified that the Prime Minister, (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin) shall be charged with the responsibility in respect of all departments of the Federal Government and the subjects for which the departments are responsible until the appointment of other ministers in the Cabinet.”

Muhyiddin, who was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 1, met chief secretaries from the Education and Foreign Ministries yesterday.

The newly minted Prime Minister posted pictures on Facebook of him meeting the duo in his office that featured empty shelves and empty tables, a sign of someone who has just moved in.

In the Facebook post, Muhyiddin said Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Gazali Abas briefed him on developments and suggestions to upgrade the education sector.

Foreign Ministry chief secretary Datuk Seri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob was also seen explaining Malaysia’s current diplomatic relationships and pending international conferences.

“Mohd Gazali gave explanations on developments in the education sector as well as statistics of achievements, and gave suggestions on how to build up the education sector.

“Shahrul of the Foreign Affairs Ministry briefed the prime minister on the current relationship between Malaysia and other countries, as well as collaborations and important conferences which will take place this year, ” said the post.

It is believed that one of the main subjects discussed was the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) inter-governmental forum that will be held in November in Kuala Lumpur.

Source link

The Cabinet list jigsaw puzzle

 

Muhyiddin Yassin

GPS, having played the kingmaker in the political saga, expects to be well rewarded. Thus, drawing up the Cabinet list will be a more complicated task this time around, as there are just so many variables that need to be considered.

AS Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin thinks about the composition of his Cabinet list, he will certainly need to take heed as to how Sarawak should be rewarded.

There is no doubt that the 18 Members of Parliament from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) were the ones who made the critical difference in the numbers game last week.

The GPS consists of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

It was game over when these lawmakers chose Muhyiddin instead of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be prime minister.

Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg put it aptly when he told the media that “now you know the value of GPS votes.”

He said the ruling state coalition initially supported Dr Mahathir to continue leading the country.

“After that, he resigned. Then he resigned from Bersatu. After that, he was back again. So left, right, left, right, what else to expect?

“That’s why we supported Muhyiddin. At the same time, our Sarawak interest is uppermost, ” he added.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had hoped that GPS would remain neutral at least but the political reality was that GPS had to make a stand.

If there was one big factor that had made up the final decision of the GPS, it has to be the DAP.

Outspoken Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing has consistently said that GPS would not support a coalition that included DAP in the ongoing political crisis.

He blamed DAP’s “administrative arrogance” for this, adding that the party did whatever it pleased without listening to others, citing Lim Guan Eng as an example.

He pointed out that the former Finance Minister had announced that Sarawak would go bankrupt within three years when the DAP leader came to the state last year.

The reality is actually the opposite.

In 2019, S&P Global Ratings has affirmed its ‘A-’ rating on Sarawak with stable earnings outlook and said the state’s exceptional budgetary performance and liquidity will likely mitigate its elevated debt, supporting its creditworthiness.

The state’s healthy financial standing and its stable socio-political environment have earned Sarawak commendable investment-grade credit ratings of A-, A3 and AAA by reputable international and domestic rating houses.

A Google search of the financial standing of the country’s largest state is sufficient to show that.

Lim’s hurtful remark, and other past disputes with the DAP, seem to have left a deep-rooted resentment of the party among GPS members, and last week, was payback time.

While it has been said that there are no permanent friends or foes in politics, this doesn’t seem to apply in the case of the GPS in this regard.

At one point, Masing even said the GPS was “more comfortable working with PAS than DAP.”

As the situation turned desperate, Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen said the party was willing to make concessions with GPS to keep the Pakatan Harapan government intact, appealing to GPS “to put aside all past political differences and work together with Pakatan to save our country.”

Many interpreted the offer to mean the DAP’s readiness in not contesting in the upcoming Sarawak state elections.

But it came too late as the GPS had already made up its mind after having huddled together for two days at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

It remains to be seen what the GPS had asked for and what Muyhiddin has to offer.

It will be Sarawak’s gain over neighbouring Sabah as Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal opted to stay with Pakatan.

A statement from the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office on Feb 29 said GPS supported Muhyiddin to restore political stability in the country without sacrificing Sarawak’s interest.

It also said that GPS would be friendly to the new Federal Government but was not a member of the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

Some senior leaders of the GPS said privately that they wanted to see what would be on the table but expected to be rewarded accordingly.

Others said that they were prepared to wait till the state elections were over – as these veteran politicians were aware that Pakatan would most certainly use the alliance with Perikatan Nasional as a rallying call against the GPS in the state polls.

Unlike Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawakian leaders are more interested in protecting and keeping their state positions rather than federal posts.

“The interest of Sarawak is more important than the interest of lawmakers, ” Masing told this writer.

But the immediate priority would be to demand a higher oil royalty from the current 5% and if this was a sticky point under Pakatan, it will likely remain so for the new Perikatan Nasional government.

The other is the Malaysia Agreement 1963, or more popularly known as MA63.

The agreement – an 18-point pact for Sarawak and 20-point for Sabah – was signed on July 9,1963, before the formation of Malaysia.

It is an important document safeguarding the rights and autonomy of the two states.

The 18-point and 20-point agreement covers religion, language, constitution, immigration, the position of the indigenous people, finance, tariffs and citizenship.

Sabahans and Sarawakians are understandably annoyed when they hear “orang Malaya” remark that these two states “joined Malaysia”, pointing out that they had, in fact, helped to form Malaysia.

In the peninsula, the governing state leaders are known as state executive councillors but over in Sabah and Sarawak, they are known as state ministers.

That also explains why Malaysians from the peninsula side need their identity card or passport when entering these two states, and state immigration have the right to deny anyone entry.

“Orang Semenanjung” who want to work in these two states have to apply for a work permit.

The same goes for lawyers who wish to appear in the courts of either state – they have to get approval beforehand.

Most Malaysians may not understand fully what MA63 is all about, even if they have become contentious political issues.

But most believe that the Federal Government has not given due recognition to the MA63 or that these safeguards have not been honoured or taken away.

Sarawakians want a greater degree of financial and political autonomy as compared to other states in the peninsula and not end up being merely one of the 13 states in Malaysia.

It remains to be seen how or what posts would be given to the GPS MPs, and whether this state coalition wishes to wait till the state polls are over before moving in but what is certain is that the new Prime Minister certainly cannot ignore the Land of the Hornbill.

Abang Jo’s words (now you know the value of the GPS) would surely ring continuously in the ears of the Prime Minister.

And now, this explains why a tiny country like Malaysia, with a population of over 32 million people, has a big Cabinet – it is simply because the Prime Minister has to accommodate so many geographical and ethnic interests.

It is also very possible that the Prime Minister may announce the appointments in batches, starting with the crucial ones. This will allow him time to tinker.

Drawing up the Cabinet list will be a more complicated task this time, unlike previously, as there are just so many variables that need to be considered.


Source link


Related posts:

Malaysian minority citizens being marginalized in Malaysia! We want leaders with calibre!

 

https://youtu.be/0sBKSDwRKt0