KUALA LUMPUR — In a thinly-veiled reference to critics, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told Malaysian Muslims today (July 2) that instigators and slanderers will not be guaranteed a spot in heaven no matter how pious they may be.
“Even if you never miss your prayers, but you are an instigator, slanderous, inciteful and cause disunity, you will not be guaranteed heaven,” Mr Najib said, citing a hadith, or prophetic tradition, that promised heaven to those who can respect each other. He was speaking at a charity event today.
“And carrying a big badge on your chest will also not guarantee you paradise,” Mr Najib added smilingly, a statement seemingly made against his political foes.
Mr Najib has come under pressure in recent months, with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad actively campaigning for his resignation.
Dr Mahathir has claimed that Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition, would lose the next general elections if Mr Najib remains its leader.
Dr Mahathir has also repeatedly criticised Mr Najib’s handling of the state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), especially over its reported RM42 billion (S$15 billion) debt. Mr Najib, who is also Finance Minister, is chairman of the firm’s advisory board.
Dr Mahathir has called Mr Najib’s handling of the 1MDB issue “verging on criminal” during an interview with the New York Times that was published in mid-June and at a forum last month,
Dr Mahathir called for the people to “acknowledge the crime that is happening here”.
1MDB is currently being investigated by the Auditor-General and the bipartisan parliamentary Public Accounts Committee over its dealings.
Mr Najib has steadfastly refused to resign and accused Dr Mahathir of making “insinuations, speaking half-truths, cracking misleading jokes and twisting statements to make his views exciting and palatable”, he wrote in a blog post dated June 12.
“It is a shame that Dr Mahathir has, yet again, turned against the leadership of his own party. These public attacks will only harm UMNO, the government and ultimately Malaysia.
“This unbecoming behaviour will be an unfortunate postscript to his legacy,” Mr Najib wrote, referring to the United Malays National Organisation.
A 34-year-old Malaysian woman who allegedly failed to stop for immigration clearance at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Tuesday morning (June 30) was charged today.
Chong Jing Jing faces three charges for offences allegedly committed between 5.09am and 5.13am on June 30.
Chong allegedly failed to stop her car — bearing the Malaysian registration number AKB 7102 — at Arrival Car Counter 19 at Woodlands Checkpoint upon her arrival in Singapore. If found guilty, she could be fined up to S$2,000 and jailed up to six months.
She is also accused of failing to present her Malaysian passport to an immigration officer on duty before entering Singapore. If convicted, she could be fined up to S$1,000 and jailed up to six months.
Chong also allegedly obstructed the duty of an immigration officer by refusing to comply with instructions to switch off the vehicle’s engine and unlock the doors. If found guilty, she could be fined up to S$4,000 and jailed up to 12 months.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had earlier announced that a 34-year-old Malaysian woman had tailgated a car at the Woodlands Checkpoint. Its officer activated the alarm and intercepted her car at the Arrival Car Zone, which was locked down immediately.
Officers broke both the front and rear passenger windows to escort her out of the vehicle after she refused to switch off the engine and unlock the vehicle. She was also found to have an expired travel document and arrested.
During the brief court hearing, Chong smiled when the charges were read to her in Mandarin.
She will be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks and will return to court on July 16.
The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) says the areas of concern cited by the Ministry of National Development (MND) on its recently submitted accounts were “old issues” that have been explained previously, and that progress is being made to clear up other problems.
Although the Workers’ Party-run (WP) town council met a newly imposed June 30 deadline to submit its accounts for the financial year (FY) 2013/2014, the MND noted on Wednesday that the accounts were already late by 10 months.
But AHPETC responded on Thursday night saying “this is an old issue previously explained inside and outside of Parliament …”
AHPETC chairman Sylvia Lim had said in the foreword of the town council’s annual report that its resources were taken up by an audit by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) from March 2014 to January 2015. As such, it was only able to secure a commercial auditor to prepare the accounts after many months.
The MND said that AHPETC’s own auditors, Audit Alliance, were unable to verify the accounts for the third year running.
The auditors flagged eight areas of concern, including the presence of related party transactions. This was a reference to two companies engaged by AHPETC, including managing agent FM Solutions and Services, being owned by some key officials of the town council..
Here, AHPETC’s response was that related party transactions was “an old issue on which AHPETC has made progress”.
It added that “any concerns will be completely removed after July 15, 2015, when the current managing agent contract expires and AHPETC is directly managed.”
The town council also said “significant progress has been made on clearing past disclaimers”. This was a reference to the 13 disclaimers – of which three remain unresolved – raised by previous auditors Foo Kon Tan Grant Thornton in its FY 2012/2013 report.
But AHPETC acknowledged that future audit reports were likely to still “contain qualifications relating to specific items especially handover opening balances, which remain unresolved even with the assistance of AGO, despite 10 months of extensive work”.
MND on Wednesday also highlighted the state of the town council’s operating surplus and deficit.
AHPETC had gone from an operating surplus of $1.1 million in FY 2011/2012 to a deficit of $1.53 million in FY 2012/2013.
By FY 2013/2014, the deficit hit $2.01 million.
But the town council said in its statement on Thursday that its operating deficit had increased substantially in FY 2013/2014, as operating expenses had risen.
Meanwhile, the additional revenue it received from the collection of service and conservancy charges (S&CC) in Punggol East – which the WP won in a 2013 by-election – were more than offset by increases in conservancy, cleaning, lift maintenance, and utilities, amongs others things.
AHPETC also took issue with the MND’s statement the town council had understated its annual operating deficit in FY 2012/2013 by half.
“The annual operating deficit for FY 12/13 was restated in response to the findings of the AGO audit. The adjustments included corrections as well as provisions made for impairment,” it said.
It added: “We believe that the trend in changes in AHPETC’s financial position and results of operations will become clearer following the audit (for) FY 2014/2015.”
These accounts are due for submission to the MND by Aug 31.
AHPETC also highlighted two points in its auditor’s report that it wanted to “draw public attention” to.
First, that its auditors said the town council complied with the Town Councils Act in “the receipts, expenditure, investment of moneys and the acquisition and disposal of assets”.
And second, that the auditors attested that “proper accounting and other records have been kept, including records of all assets of the Town Council whether purchased, donated or otherwise”.
This was in response to the MND having said that AHPETC failed to comply with the Town Council Act and Town Council Financial Rules as there were lapses in tender specifications prepared by its managing agent; that sinking fund transfers were late; and that town improvement expenses were wrongly paid out of the sinking fund – points that were also made by AHPETC’s own auditors.
I, Roy Ngerng Yi Ling, republish this apology on my blog, in recognition of having published Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Demand Letter to me, on my blog, which included links to the Article on my blog, links to the Article on my Facebook page and on The Heart Truths’ Facebook page, and links to the other websites as stated in Paragraph 11 of the Demand Letter. I have since removed the above-mentioned portions from the article where the Demand Letter can be found and have republished this apology on my blog again. As I had explained in court, I did not realise that there were links inside the Demand Letter which would lead to the Article, and the related links and republication. (The Article was published online from 15 May 2014 to 21 May 2014. The Demand Letter was published from 19 May 2014 henceforth.) It was never my intention to defame the Singapore Prime Minister and I hope that by voluntarily republishing this apology on my blog, that I can show my sincerity to the Singapore Prime Minister. Thank you.
2.I recognise that the Article means and is understood to mean that Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of Singapore and Chairman of GIC, is guilty of criminal misappropriation of the monies paid by Singaporeans to the Central Provident Fund.
3.I admit and acknowledge that this allegation is false and completely without foundation.
4.I unreservedly apologise to Mr Lee Hsien Loong for the distress and embarrassment caused to him by this allegation.
5.I have removed the Article and the links to the Article and undertake not to make any further allegations to the same or similar effect.
