The Final Script in 1MDB's Saga

A kadir Jasin

I WOULD like to start by once again thanking Prime Minister’s special officer, Encik Rizal Mansor, for his allegation that all facts in my writing were picked up from the roadside.

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I continue to pick up information from the streets, the coffee shops and stalls where the rakyat jelata – the people like the angry Angela and the steady smiling Michael, the disappointed Lim and cynical Khaeruddin gather to talk about this beloved land.

But respecting Encik Rizal’s advice, I have started pursuing the more vigorously information from the cabinet room, the Umno headquarters, the executive suites and the Prime Minister’s media office although they mostly ignored my enquiries.

So, combining and aggregating information that I picked up from these sources, I would like to pose the following questions for your consideration:

1. Could the penning of the final script of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s saga have started?

The PM: The money will be brought back to Malaysia

[The Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak finally admitted to the Parliament that 1MDB did not deposit any money in the Singapore branch of the Swiss-registered private bank, BSI. It “deposited” what he called US dollar-denominated assets. But 1MDB had earlier confirmed reports that it parked US$1.103 billion proceeds from investments in Cayman Islands in the bank. This was further reinforced by Mohd Najib in his TV3 interview on April 10, when he said: “Time will determine but at a certain time, the money will be brought back to Malaysia.” Now he said there was no money in Singapore but only asset certificates.]

2. Does this not amount to misleading the public and “lying” to the Parliament?

[He had publicly said or indicated that 1MDB parked its Cayman Islands money in Singapore. Now he said it wasn’t cash but assets.]

3. What assets is the Prime Minister talking about?

4. Is it true that some members of the PAC are trying hard to sabotage the committee’s investigation of the 1MDB’s affairs?

[Here are members of the committee – Nur Jazlan, Chairman (BN), Deputy Chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP), Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN), Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir (BN), Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (BN), Liang Teck Meng (BN), Madius Tangau (BN), Hasbi Hasbollah (BN), Wee Jeck Seng (BN), Kamarul Baharin Abbas (PKR), Leong Jee Keen (PKR), Kamaruddin Jaffar (PAS) and Tony Puah Kiam Wee (DAP)].

PAC Members - The Star

5. Is it true that members of the 1MDB board have been told by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to step down?

[The MoF is the sole shareholder of 1MDB. Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno President Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin, speaking at the Umno Training Centre (Ilmu) in Janda Baik a couple of days ago called for the resignation of the 1MDB board. (“….seluruh lembaga pengarah 1MDB harus dipecat dan polis dipanggil untuk menyiasat mereka.”). The first to go is likely to be its Chairman, Lodin Wok Kamaruddin. As a face saving device, it will be made to appear that he voluntarily steps down. Other board members, according to 1MDB’s official website, are Arul Kanda, Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, Ismee Ismail, Ong Gim Huat and Ashvin J. Valiram.]

Muhyiddin at Umno Training Centre, Janda Baik

6. Is it true that at least one former top executives of 1MDB faces eminent prosecution for offences relating to the company’s operations?

[Two presidents and group executive directors of the company, who had resigned were Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman and Shahrol. The latter resigned early this year.]

7. Is it true that the MoF is mulling or is already on the verge of nominating Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) as key rescuer of 1MBD and to facilitate the exercise TNB will be taken private?

8. Is it true that the management of TNB and its controlling shareholder, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, are against TNB being made to bail out 1MDB and for it to be de-listed from Bursa Malaysia, but the TNB board is in favour?

[It is unthinkable that after the Tabung Haji-1MDB land deal fiasco, Mohd Najib dares to take an even bigger risk by forcing TNB to rescue 1MDB. TNB has already taken over the 2,000-MW coal-fired project, dubbed 3B, that 1MDB could not implement due to lack of money. But Khazanah sources swore that the national power company would not bail out 1MDB or compensate it for the 3-B takeover. The sources told me via SMS: “We have no intention to take TNB private (prohibitively expensive to begin with) …, secondly TNB and/or Khazanah will not bail out or cover up for 1MDB or its assets. We are, thankfully, not involved, to date at least.” We should all make sure that it stays that way. TNB is the biggest company on Bursa Malaysia by way of market capitalisation. It is valued at RM97 billion.]

9. Since the Umno Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin, has been extremely vocal about the need for PAC to get hold of Jho Low, what is he going to do about it?

Picture tells a thousand words: In Monaco they met

10. Has he not had in his possession incriminating evidence about Jho Low’s role in 1MDB that he could present to PAC?

11. Is it true that since the death of Jamaluddin Jarjis on March 4, the running of Mohd Najib’s propaganda office has been taken over by a member of his household with the assistance of a controversial Umno operator?

[It was after this changeover that attacks on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other critics of the PM picked up tempo. Their latest target is Muhyiddin. JJ and the more seasoned journalists in the PM’s media outfit would not have recommend such a strategy because they knew Dr Mahathir well. But the new team is inexperience and their method mimics that of Anwar Ibrahim that is, alleging the former PM of practising cronyism and nepotism, and was involved in many corporate rescues. It appears that this new group regards the PMO’s media operations with disdain. Encik Rizal and his mentor, Datuk Farid Ridzuan – formally from TV3 – and Fuad Zarkashi are said to be key members of this new group. With this new set of propaganda agents and the emergence of PR maestro, Lim Kok Wing, as Special Programme Co-ordinator to PM, we can expect some very interesting psychological warfare activities in the mainstream media and the cyberspace.]

The calling card says it all

12. For instance, would the PM be made to appear on TV3 or at another Tawau-like gathering and shed crocodile tears while at the same time blaming others for the 1MDB debacle?

In the meantime, we must pay full attention to PAC investigation. There could be attempts to sabotage it. PAC is our best hope for now.

Wallahuaklam.