VOXPOP 'The IGP has to take instructions from PM on this and PM will never allow an investigation because Sarawak is Umno's fixed deposit.'

Arrest Taib call: Interpol passes the buck

vox populi small thumbnailTaiph: As a respectable and honourable citizen of Malaysia, the IGP (inspector-general of police) is duty bound to arrest and charge Abdul Taib Mahmud - the ‘thief minister' of Sarawak and all his family members for ‘prostituting' the money that belongs to the Sarawakians.

The IGP is reminded that he is to protect the innocent, and Taib Mahmud is no where near it.

Cala: Unbelievable, incredulous, and mind-boggling - the stand taken by Interpol to call for action on the corruption-infested Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud family is beyond reason, logic and imagination.

Remember the advice given by British government on complaints filed by Hindraf that Indians have been maltreated? In that episode, Hindraf was advised to create a social mobilisation of substantial magnitude before it would take up the issue.

So what legitimate excuse the Interpol has, now that the evidence is there gathered by BMF (Bruno Manser Fund)? At least the Interpol is not disputing the fact of corrupt practices in Sarawak, is it not?

To my mind, Interpol is deviating from neo-liberalism, an ideology embraced by the West which recognises individual liberty, equality and freedom.

Behind the tenets of this paradigm is a belief that a democratic government is honest and fair in governance, and in the process allows growth and economic development. Obviously, Interpol has gone off-tangent in this case.

Tailek: If our IGP has to institute an action or investigation before Interpol can act, then nothing will happen until the ‘NFC' cows come home.

The IGP has to take instructions from PM on this and PM will never allow an investigation or prosecution of Taib because Sarawak is Umno's fixed deposit.

1Justice: Yes, the Najib government is not going to do anything about Taib Mahmud and his family's alleged corruption. This is all politics at the expense of the Sarawak people.

This makes the Najib government a conspirator by keeping mum in the face of such evidence.

The MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) and the IGP are just playing ‘sandiwara' and are not serious about investigating him. They can only act if their political master tells them to.

In the meantime, the Sarawakians' welfare and future continue to suffer while Taib and cronies continue to bleed the state's riches and resources.

Trumpet Call: My analysis of the main reason why it is so difficult to break the stranglehold of Taib over Sarawak is that the poor rural folks are totally oblivious of the scale of his corruption.

Land, oil and timber that rightfully belongs to them are taken away to profit the elite few. While there is still time before the next GE, why can't a coordinated effort be made to educate and inform the interior folks of Taib's excesses?

The state opposition parties should do this and start a 'Save Sarawak blitz' to garner human and financial support to implement this. There is no point blowing hot air and do not scratch where the itch is.

Manjit Bhatia: Taib gets off scot-free - again!


Taib withdraws suit after out-of-court settlement

Ferdtan: This is no capitulation on the part of Malaysiakini. Malaysiakini is only the messenger of news and not the initiator - so if the source of the news lost/reversed their earlier contention, then it is the right thing to do and accept the out-of-court settlement.

To think about it, Malaysiakini is lucky that Taib Mahmud withdrew his suit against them; for reasons we know very well: he doesn't want any more bad publicity - it's more than he can handled.

Lexicon: Let's stick to the issue. Malaysiakini was factually correct. It reported that the Japanese tax authorities found graft.

Then the Japanese changed their minds, for reasons best known to themselves, and Malaysiakini reported this, too. (Are Japanese bureaucrats particularly well-known for financial probity and transparent governance?)

Taib was certain the courts would grant him victory. Malaysiakini recognised, too, that it could not win without the testimony of the late Tony Thien (former Sarawak correspondent).

So, to recap, did Taib's brother Onn Mahmud's timber export/import company exist? Were Sarawakian logs channelled through the company? Was there conflict of interest? Surely the answer is clear.

Dood: You know what's the difference between Malaysiakini and the Umno/BN-controlled mainstream media? When Malaysiakini has to issue a correction, they have the balls to give it the prominence it deserves, if it warrants such exposure.

When the mainstream media is forced to issue a correction, it gets hidden away in some little corner of the paper, and written with as little detail as possible. Thanks for sticking to your principles, Malaysiakini.

Reborn: Wow, Malaysiakini eating humble pie. Does it taste nice, guys? No worries, your readers here will still read every word you write like gospel simply because you are anti-establishment.

Wira: We understand your situation, Malaysiakini. It happens to many papers carrying news that are sourced from elsewhere.

Once the source reverses its position, it is incumbent of those carrying the news to issue corresponding corrections.

The settlement does not exonerate the chief minister who accumulates so much wealth on the income of his salary from the state.


S'pore to slash ministers' million-dollar pay

Ksn: I agree with the comments that salaries of our ministers can be high without corruption, commissions and other illegal milking of the nation's resources.

Add to that, the ministers must be competent, capable, with integrity and able to contribute to nation building. The result of that approach is there to see in Singapore.

But our minsters, especially Umno ministers, are incorrigible, incompetent and are incapable of contributing towards nation building by example, ideas, effort, etc, and the example of the last 30 years is there for all to see in all walks of our lives - the country going down the drain.

James1067: The salaries come together with the quality and calibre of the Singapore ministers.

We should be able to pay such salaries as CEO of companies earn higher incomes than this, but the big question is whether they can deliver. Maybe millions of ringgit are peanuts to our ministers as we can see now the target is billions of ringgit.

Kgen: In Malaysia, the ministers' pay are not sky high but their salaries are probably a minor income to them compared to their ‘fringe benefits'.

I'm sure Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will agree with me.

 

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