One Down, 29 To Go - Advantage Pakatan Rakyat

Today, 8th September 2008, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Opposition Leader of Pakatan Rakyat scored another point towards realising his 16th September campaign to overthrow the National Front (BN) Government, eight days ahead of the scheduled date. Today, the BN has one less Member of Parliament (MP), thanks to the Kota Kinabalu High Court which this morning ruled against Tan Sri Joseph Kurup the unopposed winner of the Pensiangan Parliamentary seat in the March 8 general elections. This was reported in major online news portal more or less like this:

BN now has one MP less

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 8 — The Kota Kinabalu High Court today declared null and void the election of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup as the unopposed winner of the Pensiangan parliamentary seat in the March 8 general election. — Bernama (http://www.malaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia)

At the rate things are moving, Anwar might just make his dream come true, well...maybe not overthrow the BN Government exactly on 16th September but sometime before end of the year. Even with the whole Malaysian Government machinery fighting every move Anwar makes to realising his ambition of becoming the next Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar seems almost certain and closer to making this ambition a reality.

The BN Government, especially UMNO, has pulled every stunt in the book, even the seemingly most foolish and illogical, to deny Anwar his ambition. The past few months, ever since Anwar announced his intention to contest in a by-election as the first step towards getting into mainstream Malaysian politics, have seen incredulous allegations and charges against Anwar:

• the ridiculous Sodomy II and the impending court appearance on 10 September;
• the high drama arrest of Anwar by 30 policemen in full blalacava gear in 16 police cars;
• the demand for Anwar's DNA samples by UMNO people in high places including the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, himself;
• the 'oath-taking' demands on Anwar from numerous UMNO parrots just as his accuser, Saifool, and Deputy Prime Minister Najib, ridiculous as it seems, have done;
• the conspicuous tabling of the DNA Bill in Parliament on the very day polling for the Peramatang Pauh by-election was going on, and where Anwar and all his men were on the fileld ensuring Anwar's landslide victory; and
• now, the all-paid trip to a retreat (or is it a course?) in Australia for BN MPs from 7th to 19 September, obviously to head off Anwar's 16th September plan.

Despite the might and power of the Malaysian government machinery, all the above (not including the latter) failed to stop Anwar's landslide victory in Permatang Pauh. And now even with Anwar in Parliament, the BN Government is being made even more desperate to ensure, as openly promised by PM Badawi himself, that Anwar is stopped in his tracks to Putrajaya.

But by the way events are unfolding on a daily basis, Anwar might just get to Putrajaya. The 30 Members of Parliament (MPs) that Anwar needs to change the Government, as Anwar himself has openly announced, are from Sabah and Sarawak. There rumour mills have been on overdrive as the 16 September date looms near, and numerous rumours have been making their rounds. In the case of Sabah, the two Sabah SAPP MPs have made their intentions clear ever since announcing their support for any 'vote-of-no-confidence' against Prime Minister Badawi for BN's disastrous performance in the general elections last March. In addition to these two doubtful SAPP/MP seats for BN, today's decision by the Kota Kinabalu High Court to rule BN's win in Pensiangan as null and void could spell greater trouble for BN as these could mean 3 less seats for BN.

So, in the light of all that have been happening these few months, including and especially today's Kota Kinabalu High Court decision and the loss of an MP seat for BN, Anwar might just be headed straight to Putrajaya, maybe not on scheduled on 16th September as planned, but still on track to Putrajaya. Yes, right on track to a change in the government, and on to a new and better Malaysia for all Malaysians.

Big Time Betrayal For Sabah by Yet Another UMNO Chief Minister

Barely have Sabahans gotten over the folly of its infamous gambler cum ex-Chief Minister, Osu Sukam (please refer to my earlier post "Of Elections, The Development Promises, The Betrayal), now Sabahans are further embarrassed, not to mention made very much poorer, by the current Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman should a report on money traficking and money laundering (see below) be true. The report below basically says that the Hong Kong Government has arrested one Michael Chia, the adopted brother of Datuk Seri Musa Aman, at the Chep Lap Kok Airport and has seized the RM16 million worth of Singapore currency which Michael Chia was attempting to smuggle out of Hong Kong. Chia is alledged to be involved in money laundering and traficking in Hong Kong together with two other partners of Musa Aman. When arrested, Chia pleaded to be freed as the money belongs to Musa Aman, and that he (Chia) is merely an agent to take the money out of Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur for the Permatang Pauh by-elections.

It comes as a shock to many Sabahans to think that the Chief Minister they voted in the General Elections last March would be even remotely involved in money laundering and traficking, much less have an adopted brother who had confessed to the police that the ill-gotten money belongs to the Chief Minister. Come to think of it, in the current manner Malaysia is being managed by the powers that be, it would be naive for Sabahans to think that the Chief Minster could be where he is today without having to pay 'ang-pow' money (much like the mafia protection money) to those higher-ups in UMNO who govern and corrupt Malaysia every which way they can. The timing of this latest revelation involving Musa Aman and BN/UMNO couldn't have come at a better time - on the third day of the campaign period for the by-election in Permatang Pauh (polling day is on 26 August 2008), deemed a critical by-election that could forever change the political landscape of Malaysia and spell the end of the corrupted BN Government, the ruling coalition that had governed and held Malaysia by her throat for the past 50 years since Independence.

The article which, if true, reveals concrete evidence and the missing link between Musa Aman and the more than an average joe's riches that the Aman brothers/family flaunt (riches which obviously belong to Sabah), was posted in Malaysia Today on this 18th day of August, 2008:

http://malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/11529/84/

Kerajaan Hong Kong Rampas Wang Musa Aman?

Posted by Super Admin
Monday, 18 August 2008 13:20
Oleh: 'Deep Throat' Sabah

Penangkapan adik angkat Ketua Menteri Sabah, Datuk Seri Musa Aman iaitu Michael Chia di Hong Kong pada jam 2.35 petang khamis (14 Ogos 2008) telah membongkar misteri di sebalik enigma.

Michael Chia ditangkap polis Hong Kong di Lapangan Terbang Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong ketika ingin menyertai penerbangan ke Kuala Lumpur.

Menurut sumber rapat Polis Hong Kong dan Interpol, mereka telah memantau kegiatan haram Michael Chia sejak tiga tahun lalu dan akhirnya berjaya menangkap Michael bersama bukti wang tunai Singapura bernilai RM16 juta yang diseludup keluar daripada Hong Kong di dalam beg pakaiannya.

Setelah disoalsiasat, Michael merayu agar dibebaskan kerana wang berkenaan milik Musa Aman dan beliau hanyalah agen membawa keluar wang berkenaan ke Kuala Lumpur bagi membantu meringankan beban kewangan Barisan Nasional dalam proses penamaan calon di Permatang Pauh dan sebahagiannya untuk kegunaan pilihanraya kecil berkenaan.

Penangkapan ini membuatkan Musa Aman berang dan bimbang beliau akan terjerat berikutan penahanan Michael Chia bersama bukti dan lebih malang lagi apabila akaunnya di beberapa bank di Hong Kong dibekukan serta merta.

"CM (Musa) marah betul atas kebodohan Michael Chia kerana bawa wang tunai. Kenapa tidak TT (Telegraphic Transfer) saja? Saya rasa CM kita dalam bahaya," ujar Datuk Amin Khan, seorang proksi Musa Aman ketika memberitahu rakannya yang juga Datuk melalui telefon di sebuah coffe house hotel terkemuka yang sempat didengar wakil Malaysia Today di Sabah yang secara kebetulan menikmati makan malam di situ.

Penangkapan suspek ini mengejutkan semua pihak terutama Badan Pencegah Rasuah Sabah kerana Michael Chia tidak boleh meninggalkan Negara ini tanpa mendapat izin BPR kerana pasportnya dalam simpanan BPR atas beberapa pertuduhan rasuah bersama Loh Man Heng.

Michael yang sebelum ini ditangkap bersama rakan kongsi Musa Aman, Loh Man Heng dan Chong 'Khung Long' (Chong Dinasour) kemungkinan akan dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Tinggi Hong Kong pada hari ini bagi menghadapi pertuduhan penyeludupan wang dan pengurupan wang haram (Money Traficking dan Money Laundering).

Penangkapan Michael ini memberi tamparan hebat kepada Ketua Pengarah BPR, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan kerana desas desus yang tersebar meluas mengatakan bahawa Kes Rasuah Loh Man Heng telah ditutup berikutan pengakuan Loh Man Heng sendiri bahawa beliau telah membayar sejumlah RM4 juta melalui pegawai kanan BPR, Mohd Jamidan Abdullah yang sebelum ini menutup kes Musa Aman dalam kegiatan pembalakan haram di Keningau.

Sebelum ini, Pengurus Besar Operasi Kumpulan Yayasan Sabah, Mohd Daud Tampokong yang sering kelihatan bersama dengan Michael Chia di Hong Kong dan Singapura untuk menjalankan transaksi kewangan bagi pihak Musa Aman.

Namun bak kata pepatah modern, sepandai-pandai ayam melompat, akhirnya menjadi KFC, Michael Chia terjebak walaupun sebelum ini telah berjaya melakukan traksaksi pemindahan wang dalam jumlah yang besar, namun kali ini tertangkap kerana gelojoh membawa wang tunai dengan jumlah melebihi had yang dibenarkan.

Musa Aman begitu mempercayai Michael Chia kerana syarikat bapa Michael, Chia & Sons telah banyak membantu Musa di era beliau membina kerjaya dalam bidang pembalakan dan kontrak, terutama penyewaaan skau (tongkang) untuk menarik kayu balak Musa.

Apabila Musa menjadi Pengarah Yayasan Sabah dan Ketua Menteri Sabah, Michael telah menjadi 'Taiko' dalam bidang perhutanan terutama di konsesi Yayasan Sabah.

Michael turut dibantu oleh Chong 'Khung Long' atau yang digelar 'Dinosour' kerana kegiatannya dalam bidang pembalakan haram untuk membekalkan balak kepada Michael selain daripada konsesi dengan kerjasama Pengarah Perhutanan Sabah, Datuk Sam Mannan @ Sam Singh.

Berita penangkapan Michael Chia belum diketahui umum namun tidak mengejutkan penduduk Sandakan kerana selama ini beliau menunjukkan kekayaan luar biasa dan hidup mewah dengan memiliki sekurang-kurangnya dua bungalow dan 17 kereta mewah, selain harta yang dibeli di Hong Kong dan Singapura.

"Satu sport rim keretanya sama nilainya dengan sebuah proton wira," ujar William, seorang mekanik yang menyelenggara keretanya sejak tujuh tahun lalu.

Dalam pada itu, hubungan antara Daud Tampokong dan Michael Chia terlalu rapat kerana mereka sering dilihat bersama di Shang Hai, Shang Zen, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapura dan Quang Zhou untuk menguruskan 'ang pau' untuk Musa Khan yang kebanyakannya dimasukkan ke dalam akaun Hajjah Rosmawati Haji Lasuki (Gundik Musa Aman) yang juga Pengurus Sumber Manusia dan Pentadbiran Yayasan Sabah.

The article above confirms how terribly desperate the powers that be are to hold on to power in the already terrible political state that Malaysia is currently embroiled in. What easier way to stay in power than play money politics. This RM16 million that is making its way to Permatang Pauh is obviously just tip of the iceberg. (I have not even started to mention the UMNO party elections later in October where even party members have publicly complained that delegates are already rampantly and openly buying nominations to be elected into UMNO supreme council and top party positions.) The UMNO/BN Government is pulling out the plug on this no holds barred by-elections in Permatang Pauh in a desperate bid to stop opposition de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at all costs from becoming the next Prime Minister of Malaysia. Just as it's crucial for Anwar to win this by-election and embark on his way to the country's premiership, it is a more critical Do-or-Die for UMNO, the dominant party in the ruling coalition. This desperation on the part of UMNO to hold on to power is alleged to be the reason behind the conspiracy to politically assassinate Anwar using an old political ploy - the infamous sodomy charge against Anwar. Based on an old 1998 script, for total lack of creativity on the part of the perpetrators, this latest sodomy charge - now known as Sodomy II - just seems too ridiculous to be true. And the fact that the whole UMNO machinery is moronically supporting every move the 23-year old complainant makes is evident enough that Sodomy II is all politically choreographed and, as Anwar says, a political conspiracy as only UMNO is capable of.

Should Anwar win the Permatang Pauh by-election on 26 August 2008, the Prime Minister and his cronies and the Deputy Prime Minister and his cronies, too, should be counting the days to their political demise. The former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, who ruled Malaysia with an iron fist for 22 years and who everyone now knows was behind Sodomy I had recently said that if Anwar becomes Prime Minister, he will migrate. So to those behind Sodomy II (by now many Malaysians know who they are because of the internet), be prepared to join Mahathir in his migration plans. And should Anwar win the by-election, Malaysians can look forward to a change for the better and to a New Dawn for Malaysia.

This piece of information is important to Sabahans. This information has revealed the type of Chief Minister we have under BN and in UMNO and which Sabahans have voted for in the General Elections last March. See what Sabahans voted for as their leader - a Chief Minister who sole purpose during his chiefministership tenure seems to be self-enrichment. This RM16 million - just the tip of the iceberg, obviously - is a hell lot of money. It could built schools and provide clean water supply in many villages in Sabah where even these basic amentities are glaringly lacking. Many Sabahans were terribly dissapointed at the conculsion of the General Elections last March: Sabah was the first State in the country to announce a win for Barisan Nasional. It seemed Sabahans never learnt!

Well now, Sabahans, learn this. The current political situation is troubling many right thinking Malaysians. The blantant use and abuse of the total Government machinery, especially the police and the public prosecutor's office, by BN/UMNO for their own political agenda raises serious questions on the current misrule of law in this country. What this country critically needs at this point in time is a CHANGE from the direction this country is heading into; we need a change towards a better future for all Malaysians .... a Malaysia for all races. At this point, if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim represents that promise for change and seems to be our only hope for a change, so be it. Malaysian will want to support those individuals/parties that promise a change for a better future and equality for Malaysians, irrespective of race. To initiate such a change immediately, Sabah's Members of Parliament (MPs) must be among the 30 or so MPs that Anwar needs to jump over to the alternative front (Pakatan Rakyat) to form the next Government of Malaysia. To the Sabahan MPs, do the wise thing when Anwar Ibrahim wins Permatang Pauh on 26 August 2008. Join en masse the Pakatan Rakyat and help Anwar Ibrahim form the next democratic Government of Malaysia. Let Sabahans be counted and let us make a difference in forever changing the political landscape of Malaysia. Let Sabah go down in history as an important kingmaker at a time when it is duty bound and critical to do so. Sabahans, let us redeem ouselves. Let us save Sabah and Malaysia from the clutches of the evil, corrupted and greedy UMNO. Let us do the wise thing - support and vote for change - and, for once, let us do good for our country, for our children and for own future.

Illegal Immigrants are only Good for their Votes in Sabah

Illegal migrant workers are only good for their votes in Malaysia, or more specifically, in Sabah. This was implied by Javellana-Santos in her news piece "Sabah Migrant Workers Often Deported After Polls: Labour Leader". Read full story here: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=125136

For once, I agree with a Filipino opinion. Actually, Filipino migrant workers are also great for manual labour in Malaysia, especially in the construction industry. However, in the eyes of the power that be, this usefulness is eclipsed by the migrant workers' usefulness at the polls. To quote the trade unionist, Ambet Yuson:

"the mass repatriation of undocumented migrants in Sabah crops up when Sabah politicians don't need voters, but disappears during elections when politicians need their votes.

"They only deport the undocumented migrants in Sabah after the elections,"

The only thing I'd like to qualify in the above statement is that 'Sabah politicians' should read "Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians". As regards to the rest of the statement, many in Sabah know this to be true as this has long been an open secret. Not only the Filipino migrant workers but also the Indonesian migrant workers are good for their votes. However, most Indonesian workers are properly documented, so the problem of mass repatriation of Indonesian workers does not arise. Still, this does not erase the fact that the Indonesians are also used as voters to ensure the ruling parties hold on to power.

For years, both groups of migrant workers (Filipinos and Indonesians) have been playing their role (with monetary rewards, of course) as phantom voters and have been helping the ruling parties hold on to power by ensuring that the votes swing to their benefit in many constituencies in Sabah. In the past, bus loads of these migrant workers would be transported on polling day by the ruling power to rural constituencies where they then cast their 'already paid-for' votes. After the election, the foreigners' squatter houses (mainly, the Filipinos) are torn down and flattened by bulldozers, and they are deported only to return in two weeks' time and set up colony somewhere else.

These are the truths and the facts of the twisted democracy in Sabah. I was eye witness to one such incident in the 1999 general elections in the town of Kuala Penyu, Sabah. The locals in Kuala Penyu got wind that bus loads of foreigners are coming into town to cast their votes in a few villages nearby. The locals only managed to ambush two bus loads that made the mistake of entering the town via the river ferry which was the other means of entry into town (instead of using the the longer route via dirt road through Beaufort District). While the other buses using the dirt roads manage to escape the wrath of the locals, these two bus loads of foreigners were ambushed by locals just as their vehicles were getting off the ferry. Stories had it that many of the foreigners were beaten, some escaped by jumping into the Kuala Penyu river, while others were chased like dogs all over the town (lucky or rather unlucky for them, the town is rather tiny with only two rows of shophouses). The small town authorities had to come to the foreigners' aid to prevent the locals from beating them to death. The foreigners took refuge and were holed up in the Barisan Nasional (BN, the ruling National Coalition) Office in Kuala Penyu from mid-morning to late afternoon. Their action to take refuge in the town's BN Office only confirmed further who exactly were behind this act of betrayal to the process of democracy in Sabah. The BN office was surrounded by a huge angry crowd shouting verbal abuses and demanding the heads of the foreigners holed inside. I was part of the angry crowd that had to be held back by police called in to control the situation. In the end, two buses accompanied by police vehicles arrived to transport the foreigners out of town. Although the BN incumbent won the Kuala Penyu State constituency that election (thanks to the phantom voters), but in the next election 5 years down the road, this particular BN politician was finally send into political retirement by an independent candidate.

For years, come election time in Sabah, one hears and witnesses such acts of betrayal to democracy in Sabah by the parties concerned, driven by their insatiable craze for power. In the 12th General Elections last March 2008, it was not much different. The same dirty tactics were used by the parties concerned; this time, however, their strategy to hold on to power was strengthened by what is known as 'postal votes', the ruling parties' contingency votes, again, to help them hold on to power.

Over the years, the trend had remained the same. No deportation or repatriation of migrant workers from Sabah before election time. But once polling is over every time, then a few of the easily visible Filipino colonies are bulldozed to the ground to drive the illegals out. The illegal immigrants are repatriated to their home country only to come back in two weeks' time to rebuild their squatter colonies elsewhere. And the cycle continues.

And so the cycle continues, making it very difficult to completely rid Sabah of these illegal immigrants because the political powers that be have no political will at all to resolve the problem once and for all. How serious is the ruling government in the current mass repatriation exercise? Sabahans can only hope and pray that this time they will fulfil their promise to cleanse Sabah of these undesirable illegal immigrants. How serious is the BN government in fulfilling its promise to Sabah? Only time will tell.