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2 With Links To ISIS Arrested Over Terror Plans In Klang Valley

The police have arrested two Malaysian men suspected to have links with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) militant group.

The duo had plans to attack several targets in the Klang Valley, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

He said that the suspects were picked up in two operations in Kuala Lumpur, on July 2 and 7, conducted by the Counter Terrorism Division of the Bukit Aman Special Branch, which also resulted in the seizure of books on jihad (holy war) and the Salafi Jihadi ideology as well as receipts for the purchase of tactical combat items.

One of the suspects, aged 28 and hailing from Kuala Lumpur, was caught on July 2, he said, adding that he was found to have links with several Europeans who were senior members of the Isis in Syria.

“Since the middle of last year, two senior European members of Isis had given instructions to the suspect to launch attacks on Western interests in Kuala Lumpur and places of entertainment in the Klang Valley.

“The suspect, who was exposed to the ideology of the Isis militant group from 2012, had had close links with Ahmad Affendi Manaf, the Malaysian who was killed in a suicide attack in Homs, Syria, on Nov 9 last year,” he said in a statement.

Khalid said the other suspect, aged 31 and also from Kuala Lumpur, was arrested on July 7. He said the suspect was with Isis in Syria between early and August 2014 before returning to Malaysia after being injured in a clash over there.

“The two suspects met several times in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor since the end of 2014 to discuss their plot to launch attacks in Malaysia,” he said.

Khalid said the latest trend of Malaysians planning to launch attacks in the country upon getting instructions from Isis senior members in Syria is most worrying.

“This is similar to the modus operandi of the latest attacks in Tunisia, France and Kuwait at the end of last month, where individuals sympathetic to and influenced by terrorist ideology or upon getting instructions from Isis senior members in Syria launched attacks,” he said.

Khalid said the two suspects were caught for offences under Chapter VIA – Offences Relating to Terrorism of the Penal Code (Act 574) and would be investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Act 747).

Sources: www.themalaysianinsider.com

July 10, 2015
Dr Mahathir: Yes I’m Behind ‘Crisis’ But Najib Can End It By Resigning

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Undeterred by Datuk Seri Najib Razak blaming him for creating the current 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) “crisis”, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad lobbed the ball back in the former’s court by accepting the blame.

But Dr Mahathir also offered Najib a solution to end the “crisis”, saying the best option would be for the latter to resign as prime minister and return only when 1MDB is thoroughly investigated and cleared of any wrong.

Dr Mahathir added that although he admits to being the person behind the “crisis”, it was Najib who had caused it by “borrowing huge sums of money and losing billions of ringgit”.

“I will admit that I am behind the ‘crisis’. I am behind it because there is a climate of fear in this country.

“Lots of people know about the loss of billions of ringgit by 1MDB. These people are in a position to know because they have seen evidence of this loss.

“But they are afraid because of actions which the government can take against them. They may lose their jobs, or contracts or expectations of titles etc,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his latest blog post today.

He said these critics of 1MDB approached him for help but he desisted for a long time, knowing full well that any move on his part to reveal the alleged misdeeds of 1MDB would eventually lead to Najib being questioned.

Dr Mahathir said he first tried to resolve the matter quietly by telling him in private that he no longer supports his leadership.

“But there was no result,” he claimed. “So I had to go public. Najib has destroyed Umno and BN.

“I know he would lose the next election. And then the whole country will see turmoil as no party, would have the majority to run the country,” he said.

“So I decided to expose the wrong-doings of 1MDB of which the Prime Minister is effectively the head.

“Is there a crisis? There is. It is caused by the Prime Minister creating 1MDB borrowing huge sums of money and losing billions of Ringgit,” Dr Mahathir added.

He urged Najib to step down to allow a full investigation on 1MDB’s reported RM42 billion debt pile, insisting that with the prime minister still in power, the probe would not be carried out thoroughly.

“If no crimes can be detected and all the money is returned, Najib can come back as Prime Minister and lead BN in the next election,” Dr Mahathir said.

He said by accusing him of starting the so-called crisis, Najib was as good as saying the alleged disappearance of billions of ringgit should be accepted and ignored as though no wrong had been committed.

But from the public’s interest in the controversy, Dr Mahathir said the matter cannot be ignored and those guilty of any wrongdoing must be brought to book.

“A crisis may be the result but should we allow thieves to steal billions of ringgit in order to avoid a crisis,” he said.

On his blog on Monday, Najib accused Dr Mahathir of causing the “mess” in the country that he now has to bear the brunt of the blame for, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding 1MDB.

Najib also said in the Frequently Asked Questions section on his blog that the former prime minister did not have to face endless allegations during his time in office, from 1981 to 2003, as social media was not developed then.

“The ‘mess’ that Tun refers to, is largely of his own making as a result of his attacks and his echoing of Opposition lies and slander,” Najib wrote.

Dr Mahathir has been calling openly for Najib’s resignation, citing the controversy surrounding 1MDB that is currently being investigated by the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committee.

Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

July 10, 2015
A Guide To Being The PM’s Wife By Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — A prime minister’s wife is there to support her husband in his duties and must resist competing with him for attention, according to Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.

In words that epitomised her position as arguably the most recognisable wife to a Malaysian prime minister despite her low profile, the spouse to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said such virtues were among those needed to perform the unofficial role, in an interview published by Malaysiakini today.

“As the prime minister’s wife, do not compare (yourself with anyone). Generally, you have to support your husband, you have to be knowledgeable, you have to know what is happening around you and you have to make sure that you are together with your husband to meet with the people,” she said in the interview.

“People like to know that this is the PM’s wife and that they are together, they are family-oriented. So you have to support your husband, definitely. But don’t compete with him,” she advised.

The soft-spoken medical doctor by training explained that the wife of the prime minister was often an unofficial intermediary between the public and the head of the government.

But despite the seeming power this conveyed, Dr Siti Hasmah said it was imperative that a prime minister’s wife avoid taking an active role in matters that are within her husband’s powers to decide.

“They (the people) cannot see the PM. So, they want to see the wife, and then for no reason, they will ask for anything. Never promise anything. Just say that you will convey the message to your husband to consider.

“You have no part in telling people that ‘yes, I will make sure you get this, you get that, you get the contract’,” she said further in the interview with the news portal.

As part of her general tips, which she insisted was not directed at any person in particular, Dr Siti Hasmah pressed on the need to be humble, regardless of one’s station in life.

She said she learned this lesson during her days as the first female Malay doctor in Kedah, where she treated the poor.

“You may be a doctor or you may be a minister’s wife but if you are arrogant, they (the people) won’t accept you,” she said.

Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

July 10, 2015
Lui Tuck Yew Takes On 2nd Portfolio As Second Minister For Defence

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew takes on a second portfolio today, replacing Mr Chan Chun Sing as the Second Minister for Defence.

His new appointment was announced yesterday as part of the latest round of Cabinet changes.

Commenting on it yesterday in a Facebook post, the former chief of Singapore’s Navy said he looked forward to renewing his interactions with the Defence Ministry.

“Will do my best to contribute to both transport and defence portfolios. But you can be sure that I will still continue to pay particular attention to matters related to public transport,” he added.

Mr Lui’s links with the military go back to the 1980s, when he joined the Navy as a Singapore Armed Forces scholarship holder.

He rose to become Chief of Navy in 1999 and served in the position until he left in 2003 to join the Maritime and Port Authority and later the Housing Board as chief executive.

Mr Alex Yam, deputy chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, said that with Mr Lui’s experience, he would be “well-attuned to the requirements of service and is also known to many of the men serving in the Singapore Armed Forces as well as the other services”.

Mr Lui entered politics in 2006 and has since held posts in the Education and Foreign Affairs ministries as well as the former Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. He became Transport Minister in May 2011.

Mr Chan will be the new secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress and a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

July 10, 2015
Goh Meng Seng: My People’s Power Party Has Been Officially Registered

The People’s Power Party (PPP) has officially been registered, said its head Goh Meng Seng on Thursday.

This means that its candidates can contest on its ticket in the next general election, which must be held by January 2017.

Mr Goh, an opposition veteran who was formerly from the National Solidarity Party (NSP) and the Workers’ Party (WP), said: “I am glad to announce that Registrar of Societies has been quite efficient this time round and our registration of People’s Power Party has been approved.”

Mr Goh applied to register the PPP in early May.

He told The Straits Times at that time that the PPP will champion greater separation of powers and a more active role for the President.

It will also advocate a less “lopsided” development approach for Singapore, said Mr Goh, focusing not so much on economic growth but more on achieving a better balance in social, cultural, political and economic growth.

Source: www.thestraitstimes.com

July 10, 2015