Ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the haul of RM1.1 billion comprising RM116 million cash, 12,000 pieces of jewellery, 567 handbags, 423 watches and 234 pairs of glasses by the police from residential properties connected to him were just donations and wedding gifts, period.
Even if so, there is a whole load of legal, ethical and moral issues to dissect from that.
Now it seems that RM60 million or 44 pieces of jewellery from the Pavilion Residences stash belonged to a Lebanese jeweller. We are told that Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor regularly received consignments from this jeweller to check out before purchasing.
The jeweller Global Royalty filed a lawsuit against Rosmah on June 26 when they learned the police had retained the jewellery concerned together with the RM1.1billion stash.
Today, Rosmah’s lawyers claimed the jewellery were sent her unsolicited. With this Malaysian affair, hardly any future screenplay surrounding grandiose behaviours of spouses of presidents and prime ministers can be accused of taking too much creative license.
Thumbs up, Nga
When it was known that Nga Kor Ming (DAP’s 5th term assemblyman and 3rd term MP) was going to be denied a position in government, his many fans in Perak were raring for a showdown with whomever… Nga calmed the situation and asked that they all just wait for further announcements. On July 16, he was sworn in as one of the two deputy speakers of Parliament.
The greatest irony is, Nga is famously famous for his rabble-rousing and downright provocative speeches. He would make fun of anybody and anything – almost nothing was taboo as long as it was “fun”. He would draw huge crowds to his ceramah.
And his job is now to keep order and to promote decorum! I find this quite hilarious – Nga giving advice on proper behaviour! And on the first day he took charge he was brilliant. Nga spoke BM with unqualified distinction and his manner was impeccable.
Could this appointment be Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s payback for Nga’s tasteless joke that Dr Mahathir could soon be joining (late) Lee Kuan Yew for mahjong sessions “upstairs”, during the GE14 hustings? Isn’t this a fantastic way to direct Nga’s boundless energy and talents to benefit the nation instead of wasting on “laugh-a-minute” overly earthy humour? Irrepressible Nga reined in! Dr Mahathir has great humour, I think.
Expressed intentions
There have been increasing murmurs on Pakatan Harapan not meeting its 100-day manifesto pledge. Some have been accomplished; several are work in progress, and a few pending.
I wouldn’t even come near to judging their performance based on the 100 days. Campaign manifestos are just expressed intentions.
Any thinking electorate would have known if the pledges were doable or just fancy talk before they cast their votes.
I am most interested in the institutional reforms i.e. MACC, JAC, EC, AG reporting to Parliament, reinstatement of the Parliamentary Service Act, repeal of Sedition Act and establishing the IPCMC. Then we wouldn’t need Dr Mahathir to stay in office till he is 101.
Kuan Yew once said, “Even from my sick bed, even if you are going to lower me to the grave and I feel that something is going wrong, I will get up.” Our Tun just did it his way on May 9, 2018 – he returned to save our nation!
God bless Malaysia Baru!
