Let truth be told

With just 29%, Tajudin became the Executive Chairman of MAS and controlled the national airlines that had RM600 million in cash reserves in its bank account, plus many other assets.  By the end of 2000, Tajudin was asked to leave MAS, but not before Tajudin forced the government to buy back the MAS shares from him at RM8 per share whereas the price then was less than RM4 per share.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Deep Throat MAS

In the last few weeks, the Umno Bloggers have been attacking Tan Sri Robert Phang. They have also tried to spin a new story behind the MAS scandal, as if what is being reported is a lie. They also insinuated that there is conspiracy involving Raja Petra, Din Merican and a few others to bring down AG Gani Patail and the MACC.

In other words, AG Gani is an innocent victim of a malicious conspiracy to tarnish his squeaky clean image, or at least that is what they are trying to spin.

They then pushed it one notch higher by accusing Robert Phang of trying to bribe the KSU of a Ministry. They hope this will make Robert Phang the subject of an investigation by PDRM and MACC. AG Gani Patail can then decide whether to press charges against Robert Phang.

That is what happens when you go against those who walk in the corridors of power. And this is Robert Phang’s response to those allegations:

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ON THE RECENT PERSONAL ATTACKS AGAINST ME IN ANONYMOUS BLOGS

In the last two days I have been receiving many calls from friends and the media asking for my comments on the personal attacks made against me in various anonymous blogs. I have asked these callers to help me identify who these writers and blog-hosts are, but I am told that no such information are available on these blogs. In other words, these are cowards who hide their true identity. These are mercenary writers and spreaders of falsehoods as aptly described by the Malay saying “Lempar Batu Sembunyi Tangan”.

It is noted that I started to come under personal attacks only recently, after I raised concerns about public perceptions on a host of issues about the lack of action in the MAS Scandal; the Attorney-General’s Haj Trip under suspicious circumstances; AG Tan Sri Gani Patail’s  relationship with the former Chairman of  MAS, Tajudin Ramli’s proxy, one En Shahidan Shafie;  about perceived selective prosecution; and also the disclosure of a confidential MACC meeting by Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam who announced that the AG had been cleared of any wrongdoing without any investigation. For merely asking for accountability for all these controversies that were already in the public domain, I became the subject of these attacks.

Let me be clear that in all the above matters, my comments are proven justified. I have been vindicated in that the MACC now says it is investigating the MAS Scandal. It is notable that the MACC Corruption Prevention Panel, after a meeting with the Home Minister, Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, on 10 January 2011, was authorized to issue a public statement to censure its Chairman, Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, for making that unauthorised clearance of AG Gani Patail. The Panel also urged AG Gani Patail to clear the air on the issues raised in public domain with the Rakyat as soon as possible – in which he agreed to do so.

In regard to the vicious attacks by these anonymous blogs against me, I can only deduce that some people have been hurt badly by my previous comments. Let me also be clear on this – my comments referred to above were based on matters that are already in the public domain. It is on record, that from day one till now, I have merely urged and invited AG to engage, explain and clear the air with the public as soon as possible.

I am told that one of the stories in these anonymous blogs initially claimed that I am involved in a conspiracy to discredit former IGP Musa Hassan, AG Gani Patail and the MACC. This is such a lame and illogical allegation. Recently, to intimidate me from speaking out on issues of public importance, these blogs also created a fanciful story that I tried to corrupt a KSU of one Ministry. Very amusing stories.

I say to these phantom writers – do not think I can be cowed by such delinquent and childish antics. I will not dignify these acts of cowardice seeking cheap publicity at my expense. TO BE SURE AND CLEAR, I DENY THESE VINDICTIVE STORIES OF FICTION AND IMAGINATION. The objective of these personal attacks against me is clearly to confuse and distract the public from the real issues that I have identified above. I will walk my talk. I INVITE THESE MERCENARY WRITERS TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND MAKE THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ME PUBLICLY. Do not think by doing this you can shut me up to cover up for your masters.

Sincerely and humbly, I say to these cowards again – if you have the guts, identify yourselves and repeat your allegations in an open forum. Then, I will expose the liars that they are and I will take the appropriate action against them. I will continue to speak out until all these rogues are weeded out. That is my pledge.

If at all there is any investigation by MACC, not only do I welcome it but I will extend my fullest corporation. THE TRUTH MUST PREVAIL.

I will support MACC in their fight against corruption.

“HUMBLENESS IS GOOD VIRTUE, ARROGANCE SHALL FALL, THE MEEK WILL RULE THE WORLD”.

Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang Miow Sin, Justice of Peace

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Malaysia Today had previously warned us about this Unholy Trinity between the IGP, AG and those who walk in the corridors of power in Putrajaya. This sounds all too familiar because that was what they did to take out the former Director of the CCID, Dato’ Ramli Yusuff, and his lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, who were then on hot pursuit of Tajudin Ramli on his role in the MAS scandal.

Instead of going after the real crooks, they went after the Police Director and the lawyer who were about to reveal their shenanigans.

But again, that is what Umno blogggers do. They have no creativity. They use the same plot and script over and over again. When they spin, they do it very badly. That’s why you have Sodomy I and, now, Sodomy II, and then they find ways to get out of the mess that they have created for themselves.

So, are the MACC and the AG making the same mistake of going against someone who will not be cowed by such intimidations?

Reproduced below is Bernama’s report of Rosli’s suit against the MACC.

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Rosli Dahlan’s Suit Against MACC Set For Hearing On Feb 28

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) — The High Court here Monday set Feb 28 to hear a RM50 million suit filed by lawyer Rosli Dahlan against 17 parties including senior officers of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) and the Government over his arrest and being charged for failure to disclose information on his assets.

Deputy Registrar Anisah Normah Muhammad Noor fixed the date in chambers.

Senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad, who represented the defendants, told reporters that on that day the court would hear an application by the 16th defendant, Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar, a manager at Bank Negara Financial Intelligence Unit, to strike out the suit.

In the suit, filed on Sept 16, 2009, Rosli named the owner and publisher of Utusan Malaysia Bhd, as the first defendant, followed by its editors, Mohd Zaini Hassan and Abdul Rahim Lajis.

Among the MACC officers named as defendants are its deputy chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed (now chief commissioner) and deputy director of Investigations and Prosecution, Kevin Morais.

In the statement of claim, Rosli stated that his arrest by MACC was unlawful and the notice was served on him on July 17, 2007, despite the agency being aware that investigations on his client, former Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director, Datuk Ramli Yusuff, were ongoing at the material time.

He further alleged that a check on his financial position carried out by a Bank Negara officer under the Anti-Money Laundering Act was also improper.

The lawyer claimed that the MACC (formerly the Anti-Corruption Agency) opted to prosecute him despite his offer under oath to provide the details asked for in its notices to him.

Rosli alleged that on Oct 12, 2007, the eve of Aidilfitri, Utusan Malaysia published an article which defamed him.

However, the first four defendants from the newspaper had apologised and their public apology was published in the daily on April 14, 2008.

Rosli is seeking RM20 million in general damages and another RM30 million in exemplary and aggravated damages.

On Dec 20 last year, Rosli was discharged an acquitted by the Sessions Court here on a charge with failing to disclose information on his assets without calling for his defence.

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Now, in case some of you may have forgotten what the issue was about, or you may have not read the earlier reports, let me reproduce the facts of the case.

In 1994, Tajudin Ramli used his corporate vehicle, Naluri Bhd, to acquire 29% of Malaysia Airlines System Bhd (MAS). With just 29%, Tajudin became the Executive Chairman of MAS and controlled the national airlines that had RM600 million in cash reserves in its bank account, plus many other assets.

By 1999, just five years on, MAS’s debts had bloated to such a huge figure that the government realised something was very wrong.

By then Tajudin had embarked on some grand scheme to fleece MAS. He wanted MAS to have cargo hubs in Avalon, Australia, Sharjah in the Middle East, and Hahn in Germany. Tajudin also committed MAS into a wetlease agreement with Atlas Air for several B747F aircraft.

All these plans were opposed by some of the old guards in MAS because there were already whispers that Tajudin was making all these moves to benefit his own family holding company, Kauthar Bhd.

These old guards were not wrong.

To avoid scrutiny by the MAS Board of Directors and the old guards, Tajudin formed MAS Tiara Sdn Bhd, which in name was a MAS subsidiary but in reality it controlled all operational and management decisions of MAS. Tajudin removed Nadimah Nik Adeeb as MAS Company Secretary and replaced her with his sister-in-law, Rizana Daud. Rizana then removed all of MAS statutory books from the MAS building and transferred them to his own office at Menara TR.

That is why all tracks to Tajudin’s wrongdoings have been well covered.

Many of the contracts during Tajudin’s time as Chairman would bleed MAS to bankruptcy. Tajudin awarded the computer procurement and all consultancy projects to his family owned Edar ALS Group of Companies. The Atlas Wetlease drew disquiet as the terms were totally unfavourable to MAS and which committed MAS to a 10-year contract amounting to RM1.2 billion.

In most procurement contracts there would be economies of scale. But not in the Atlas Wetlease. That was the same feature of the Hahn Cargo Handling Agreement with a German incorporated company known as ACL GmbH. That company was only German in name, whereas the people controlling it were all Malaysians.

When Datuk Sulaiman Sujak discovered what Tajudin was up to he called in the Boston Consulting Group to audit all these plans. Boston’s report was very damaging — just like the PWC Report on PKFZ. It was so damning that it practically called for the closure of the cargo business, which by then had bled MAS to a monthly losses of RM11million-RM16 million.

By the end of 2000, Tajudin was asked to leave MAS, but not before Tajudin forced the government to buy back the MAS shares from him at RM8 per share whereas the price then was less than RM4 per share.

Tajudin walked away with a handsome profit, which explains how he can live like a Texas oilman billionaire at his horse ranch called Al Raudah (the Gardens of Heaven) in Kuang, Selangor. 

In the MAS 10-year Report, MAS reported liabilities of RM8 billion.

The late Tan Sri Azizan, who was asked to use Petronas to salvage MAS, was astounded at the abuses that he discovered. He then tasked Dr Mohamadon Abdullah, JJ Ong and Shahari Sulaiman to review the Cargo operations of MAS. They concluded that MAS would just go into bankruptcy unless the Atlas Wetlease and the Hahn project were terminated. This was aside from other problematic contracts including one where Tajudin boldly claimed that he used MAS money to donate RM20 million to Umno!

MAS went into arbitration to show that the Atlas Wetlease was procured by fraud. When he lost the Atlas case and his cash flow was severed, Tajudin buried deeper to camouflage his interest in ACL GmbH in order to launch an arbitration claim of Euro 63 million against MAS in Switzerland.

Initially, Tajudin used a Singapore company known as Caerphilly Pte Ltd to own ACL. When his cover was blown, Tajudin restructured ACL. He formed a shell company in tax haven British Virgin island (BVI), known as Dannur, to then takeover ACL.

To create further confusion, Dannur appeared to be owned by a Canadian, Kerry Morris.

Just scratch the surface and immediately you will discover that Kerry Morris is married to Shahidan Shafie’s sister. Shahidan is Rizana’s cousin cum foster brother. So, all this web of deceit is to hide Tajudin’s interest in companies that had entered into contracts that were totally disadvantageous to MAS.

Shahidan Shafie was a former OC Secret Societies in Johor. He was charged for bribery when he released some Chinese gangsters. Since leaving the police force, he went into wheeling and dealing and then formed his legal firm as a front for all these activities. Just ask anyone in the legal circle and nobody has ever heard of him as a lawyer. But as a wheeler-dealer and Mr Fix-it, he moves in very powerful circles. He is the new owner of Naluri Bhd in court documents filed by Tajudin’s lawyers.

Several Umno Ministers are Shahidan’s wards, which attracted AG Gani Patail to also be his bosom friend. That was how Shahidan managed to prevent action being taken against Tajudin. He cut a deal with the then Deputy Director of the CCID, Dato’ Nawawi Ismail, who is in his pocket.

Immediately upon retiring from the police, Dato’ Nawawi joined Shahidan’s firm as a partner. How much more balatant can that be?

When Dato’ Ramli became Director of the CCID, things began to unravel after the MAS MD, Idris Jala, complained to Ramli about police inaction. Despite being approached by Nawawi, Ramli refused to play ball. Nawawi then warned Ramli that he would face problems if he decided to re-open the MAS case. By then Ramli had committed to Idris Jala and MAS`s Lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, that the CCID would investigate without fear or favour.

That was when life changed for Ramli and Rosli. Both were hunted down by the MACC at the instructions of AG Gani Patail. The rest is history as disclosed by Malaysia Today in Part 1 to Part 10 of the MAS Story.

Since then, both Ramli and Rosli have been acquitted, but history is about to repeat itself now when a new protagonist enters the scene. That protagonist is Tan Sri Robert Phang.