Taib Plans To Commission A Better Reputation |
- Taib Plans To Commission A Better Reputation
- To Appoint Taib Is To Become Complicit In Corruption – Najib Should Delay
- BMF Hit By Cyber-Attack On Eve Of Major Book Launch
- So WHO Is The MACC Going To Arrest?
| Taib Plans To Commission A Better Reputation Posted: 01 Mar 2014 07:32 AM PST   What Taib did to Sarawak's world famous rain forests Taib has grabbed the Governorship, but now he is worrying about his reputation. In his outgoing speech as Chief Minister he chose to focus on the international bad publicity over his destruction of the rainforest; his rolling out of oil palm plantations and his self-enrichment in the process. Clearly, this matter has spoiled his promotion party and it is preoccupying his mind. As usual, he blamed "malicious attacks" by NGOs and he called on Malaysia's "envoys" to repair his reputation across the globe. Then he came out with some claims that have produced gasps and astonished laughter. 50% of forest 'untouched'! The new Governor announced that he has "managed Sarawak's forests quite well" and "looked after the interests" of the Penan tribespeople, many of whom are in fact starving now that the forest is destroyed. As listeners sought to re-capture their breath at such bold lies, the clearly self-deluded despot then went on to seriously claim that he has left 50% of Sarawak's forests so they "cannot be touched" and that no less than 84% of the state is still covered by forest:
Such a precise figure as 84% is particularly ridiculous, given the rampant and uncontrolled illegal logging that is stripping out the last remaining forests in the state, all of it carried out by crony companies linked to Taib.  Managed quite well? This destruction is all over Baram. A glance at the ravaged hillsides of the Baram region, which are presently sliding into Sarawak's rivers or at the satellite images showing the shocking destruction of what was till recently pristine rainforest, exposes the old man's statistics as a pack of lies. Honesty! So, no surprise that Taib's core claim in this speech was that of honesty! "Honesty has been my leadership principle" he told his hand-picked audience, not one of whom could have honestly agreed.  Stripping out whatever's left After all, how does an honest Chief Minister convert himself from a penniless student into the head of one of Asia's richest families over 40 years on a mere ministerial salary? Taib is no Mahatma Gandhi. He is, in fact, the head of South East Asia's biggest timber mafia, a matter that is compellingly detailed in a new book on Sarawak, published this week in Switzerland and which will soon be available in English. The author, Dr Lukas Straumann of Bruno Manser Fund told Sarawak Report:
So, do we believe Taib's claim of 50% 'untouched' rainforest? The NGO Global Witness has issued their own fact sheet detailing the full scale of Taib's lies over his management of Sarawak. It says that only 65% of the state remains forested and the vast majority of that is heavily degraded, much of it "degraded beyond recovery":
Reputation management  Taib hired FBC Media on a $15million contract to boost his reputation So now Taib's critics have been put on notice to await his next wave of 'reputation envoys'. Sarawak Report has already experienced its fair share of Taib's hired PR managers and learnt that they operate by going on the attack. Firstly, there was FBC Media, a bunch of London-based crooks, who cheated their way into TV news and broadcasted promotional films about Taib Mahmud, while hiring poison bloggers in the US to defame and criticise Sarawak Report. Next, through his son-in-law Sean Murray, he hired another UK PR outfit, Bell Pottinger, to worm their way around the internet improving his own Wikipedia sites, while placing unpleasant attacks on Wikipedia sites set up about the authors of Sarawak Report. Both these sets of attackers were exposed. FBC Media was closed down and Wikipedia banned Bell Pottinger's 'sock-puppets'.  PR jungle stunt with Ben Fogle So, Taib then hired yet another UK PR company, Hills Balfour, to do another positive PR blitz working 'new media' to try and create a positive tourism image for Sarawak. Hills Balfour engaged the popular TV adventurer Ben Fogle, who promoted Sarawak as an 'eco-tourism' destination. After we exposed the reality behind Ben's 'jungle adventures', Fogle pulled out, said he was sorry and gave money to a rainforest charity. Next, things got even nastier. Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak had already experienced expensive DDOS attacks and radio jamming, financed by Malaysian Government sources, but then someone turned to robbery and hacking.  Attacker pleading it is under attack! The now defunct Malay Messenger Just before GE13 the mobile phone of Sarawak Report's editor was robbed and within a few minutes it was used to hack their gmail account. Within days distorted versions of some of those gmails were put up on a website in Malaysia (Malay Messenger, now defunct) to give the impression that the Editor of Sarawak Report was executing a grand plan to steal Sarawak's oil reserves! This scenario fitted in closely with Taib Mahmud's earlier accusation to the State Assembly that the Editor of Sarawak Report was engaged in a bizarre plan to re-colonise Sarawak for the British. Interestingly it was the Taib family owned newspaper, New Sarawak Tribune, which first drew public attention to this Malay Messenger website. Was this a coincidence? Meanwhile, a covert campaign was simultaneously taking place back in the UK, where the robbery had originally been carried out.  Owned by the Taibs and Edited by daughter Hanifah. Sarawak Tribune moves to support her father's insane claims. The paper had prior knowledge about Sarawak Report's hacked gmails. A local crime reporter attempted to pass around a story to various top London newspapers, based on these false hacked gmails and also hacked skype messages. The UK news outlets were directed to read the Malay Messenger and given false information that Sarawak Report had paid discredited private investigators in the United States to hack the bank accounts of the Mahmud family. Sarawak Report now has a copy of the document sent to these newspapers. Who could possibly have approached that crime reporter and hired those operatives, who stole and hacked the phone in the first place? Even though the reporter concerned was working to defame Taib's critics, he gave an accurate assessment of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, calling it "naturally, very corrupt". No UK newspaper took up the story. So, what will come next as Taib seeks 'envoys' to secure his reputation as Governor? Clearly money can buy PR people, reputation managers and bloggers. It can buy people who jam and hack and burgle and steal. Money could even buy someone to push an inconvenient person under a train perhaps or arrange a 'suicide'? But, the only way money can buy a back a good reputation is if you give it all away. Sign up to receive regular updates from Sarawak Report |
| To Appoint Taib Is To Become Complicit In Corruption – Najib Should Delay Posted: 27 Feb 2014 10:36 AM PST   The ultimate goal? Immunity! – cartoon by Zunar Taib has made clear that he expects to be appointed Governor today, with an audience scheduled to meet the Agong at the Istana Negara at 3pm. He has informed people that he believes that this will elevate him to a similar status to the British Queen, dispensing advice and held in fond regard. And, of course, he is making it clear he believes the position will offer him total immunity from any kind of prosecution over his three decades of kleptocracy in Sarawak. The powers that be, including Malaysia's PM, ought not to pander to these vanities, because if they promote Taib in this unnecessary and indeed unlawful way the world will hold them complicit in his corruption, which is known to all.  Delusions of grandeur – force from his position as CM Taib is now desperate to prove he is all powerful in Sarawak Outraged opposition YBs took their case direct to Najib's office yesterday and also to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC). Sheepish MACC officials confirmed in that meeting with PKR's Rafizi Ramli and YB See Chee How that their long-standing investigation into the despotic multi-billionaire continues. However, publicly they have also announced that since Taib's juniors and not himself signed off his family's outrageous land grabs, amongst a host of other abuses, they still require proof of culpability (could a generous donor please be found to hire the MACC some decent legal advice?). Meanwhile, other public figures have placed the issue before the courts. How could the CM, who has broken the constitution through his company directorships, asked DAP, be allowed to become Governor – a position that also forbids company directorships?  Indecisive? Then better don't decide. Leave Taib waiting until he is cleared of all corruption. The Kuching High Court came back to claim that it was not its role to veto an appointment by the Agong. However, the court ruling commented that surely Taib would give up his directorships if appointed Governor! What better confirmation both that Taib has directorships and that they are illegal? So, despite the widespread recognition that Taib has transgressed in numerous ways, there is no will to halt the progress of his silver Rolls Royce from Demak Jaya to the Astana, unless the Prime Minister himself does the job he was elected to do and protects the people. If Najib does not act by delaying the appointment of this famous crook the entire world will ask "what was his price? Did Taib agree to pay all the bribes for the GE14 election or was it some other deal that rescued him from a rightful sacking?" The PM would do better to avoid being tarred with Taib Mahmud's dirty brush, a man whose name is synonymous with corruption on a gigantic scale. This is the man who who was described by his own relatives as corrupt "of course" in a Global Witness video. That NGO has just released yet another corruption story, this time concerning million dollar kickbacks to Taib's son Abu Bekir from a Gernman firm Trienekens. Trienekens was chosen to handle Kuching's waste following its conviction in a high profile bribery case back in Cologne – what better recommendation for the Mahmud family? Delay the appointment  Posturing as tougher than ever…. Indeed it has been Najib, conscious Taib's shameful record in Sarawak, who has been a key factor in pushing out this outrageous kleptocrat. There is no doubt that Taib himself, despite his stories to the press, wants to remain Chief Minister. But, the PM should not leave the job half done and allow this experienced operator to wriggle up into a position of supposed immunity. He should chop him out of power forever. Because, if Najib allows Taib to become Governor, with his own chosen replacement (a heart patient who is also a relative) sitting in his old office, he will continue to act as though he remains in total control of the state. So much so, that the old dictator yesterday astonishingly authorised the announcement of plans to build no less than 5 news dams in Sarawak, beginning within just one year. Taib is determined to prove he is still in charge – it can only cause problems  Sacked, but Taib plans to make fools of his party and continue to call the shots. That is quite some master-plan to announce two days before leaving office and a clear message that Taib plans to continue calling the shots, even over this highly controversial hydropower programme, which has outraged the people. It is a sign of hubris bordering on total insanity and Najib should be wary of an old man, who is ceasing to accept reality. Taib is ready to confront the protesting public head on over the dam issue, while at the same time making huge profits for himself from the construction contracts awarded to his own companies. Indeed, the retiring Chief Minister's behaviour is becoming increasingly scandalous and embarrassing by the day. Whereas before the Prime Minister could present the Sarawak's White Haired Raja as an awkward inheritance from past times, if he appoints him Governor he will take full responsibility for the unhappy consequences. Sign up to receive regular updates from Sarawak Report |
| BMF Hit By Cyber-Attack On Eve Of Major Book Launch Posted: 26 Feb 2014 07:41 AM PST  This post is also available in: Iban, Malay  Rainforest Robbery – New book from Bruno Manser Fund The Swiss NGO Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) had its website brought down by a cyber-attack today, 26th February. The 'break-in' appeared to be a highly professional hack, according to the NGO's web-team and it comes at a crucial moment politically for Taib Mahmud, who is facing a local and international campaign for a Clean Governor, waged against his planned appointment to the post on Friday. BMF is also the focus of considerable publicity in Switzerland today, surrounding the publication of a major expose of Taib's corrupt management of Sarawak with the book 'Rainforest Robbery', authored by the NGO's Director, Dr Lukas Straumann. The book which is being launched in German, but will soon be available in English translation, details the history of Sarawak since independence and the hi-jacking of the wealth of the state by the Taib family over the past 40 years.
The book also covers the history of the campaigns to try to halt the forest destruction and support the native rights of the indigenous peoples, whose plight is movingly described. Bruno Manser, who mysteriously disappeared in 2000 while campaigning for the rights of the Penan in the Sarawak interior led the early resistance to Taib's logging destruction. Following his demise the book details the investigation into Taib's extraordinary wealth and his investments across the globe, an investigation taken on largely by the Bruno Manser Fund, which has continued in his memory.
Swiss television and radio have been giving full coverage to the publication of the book, which officially launches at an event in Basle this evening. Bemused staff at the NGO were left wondering if the cyber-attack was linked to an attempt to disrupt the event and the publicity surrounding it or whether it was due to Taib's upcoming plan to be installed as Governor of Sarawak on Friday. BMF has been at the forefront of an international campaign by NGOs to warn the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, that appointing Taib would make himself and the Malaysian Government complicit in the corruption of the out-going Chief Minister of Sarawak. "It is telling that whenever there is an important political event, like an election or this appointment of Taib, they attempt to stamp out publicity. It seems they like a media blackout at times of transfer of power", said Dr Straumann. Sign up to receive regular updates from Sarawak Report |
| So WHO Is The MACC Going To Arrest? Posted: 24 Feb 2014 07:21 AM PST  This post is also available in: Iban, Malay  Anti-corruption unit or white washing unit? Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Commission has made some key acknowledgements according to a recent interview with the Malaysian Insider. The investigators have confirmed that huge tracts of land and concessions were handed to the family members of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, making clear that a crime has been committed against the state. They have gone further and informed the world that the signatories on the documents that illegally ceded these lands at a fraction of market price were two of Taib's closest ministers and colleagues, Alfred Jabu and Awang Tengah. However, inexplicably, these dutiful diggers at the MACC have come to the conclusion that, because Taib took care not to put his own signature on the documents and set up a system whereby his juniors could sign off lands at will, he cannot be "proved" responsible. They have decided to give the old crook the benefit of the doubt, apparently, saying they "discovered" that his system of getting his junior ministers to sign off these lands time and again into his own family interests was "not to evade falling foul of the law", but because he "delegated" authority in these matters! Well that's jolly nice of the MACC towards the all powerful Taib Mahmud.  Criminal activity? Simple, just delegate it to a junior! After all, most of the rest of the world would conclude that if Taib is in charge of a department he should take responsibility for that department's actions, particularly if the department is busy signing off billions of ringgit worth of lands into his own possession. Taib's gross negligence in 'delegating' these activities to his junior ministers, who then for years and years followed a pattern of signing lands to his family, would demand serious explanations in any genuine investigation just about anywhere else in the world. To avoid taking due responsibility for the grand fraud conducted by his own department, Taib would surely need to somehow show he had been tricked by these juniors who were displaying such obsessive generosity towards him? Otherwise, he might opt to plead some sort of mental incapacity that made him unable to manage the government departments, which he in fact ruled with an iron fist for decades. Both excuses would be tricky to pull off in any sensible investigation. If Taib is not guilty then who is? But, if Taib is to be let off the hook then who is to get the blame for these evident crimes that deprived the state of billions? It would appear that the MACC are compelled to take action against the two men they have named as having signed off Taib's acquisitions instead, his Deputy CM Jabu and Deputy Planning Minister Tengah. After all, the anti-corruption agency spelt out the law to the Malaysian Insider and in so doing they really landed Taib's two deputies in it!
After all, if Taib Mahmud is not an associate of Jabu and Tengah, then what is he? For these two men, appointed by Taib, the Chief Minister is the font of all their wealth and power. Both have become ostentatiously rich as a result of being part of PBB and the Taib machinery of Government and Taib is their senior associate who has made it all possible.  Jabu's grand town house So, done and dusted, it would appear. These two guys were benefiting an associate, who held great power over them and rewarded them mightily. Indeed, both these men have enjoyed their own handouts of lands and concessions in much the same manner as Taib's relatives. Did they sign for each other on these occasions? Surely the sirens will be sounding at any moment, as the police snatch squads roll up to their two whopping great mansions and drag them off for questioning? A day or so for those guys in jail, followed by some gentle interviewing, ought to result in everyone getting a lot nearer the truth about these matters. What about the kickbacks? Meanwhile, it should be remembered that land-grabbing was just a fraction of Taib's money-making machine. Sarawak Report has just produced a whole lot more evidence showing Taib's direct involvement through his wife and children with the companies involved in the Japanese kickback scandal over timber exports. Again, as with the land grabs, Taib set up the system from which his family then benefitted. He changed the procedures to make them more open to abuse, explains the MACC. To understand who we mean by family we can return to the MACC definition, as laid out in the interview:
In this context we point out that the Taib family members linked to the web of companies tied by Regent Star to the Japanese kickback scandal were Leila Taib (spouse), Onn Mahmud (brother), Sean Murray (son-in-law) and three children of Taib, Jamilah, Abu Bekir and Sulaiman Taib. So, how does Taib get off on this completely separate corruption count, perhaps the MACC can explain?  Under construction – Tengah's huge house is now completed Contract corruption And this is all before we even start on the billions handed over in state contracts to Taib family firms. Taib doubtless made sure he left the room before one of his pliant juniors called a vote and signed the papers for. But, as we have established, if Taib has been the victim of excessive generosity from juniors then those juniors will have to be arrested, charged and punished, because they were benefitting an associate to the tune of billions of ringgit on a regular basis at the expense of the state. Bring out the handcuffs surely and sort out all these lowly yes men, who have brought the gracious Taib into disrepute! On the other hand, the momentum is growing in Sarawak and Malaysia for the appointment of a Clean Governor and if Taib still gets the job with all this hanging over him then Malaysia will become an international laughing stock and Najib's weakness will be for all to see. Having fingered Tengah and Jabu so effectively, the MACC should rescue the situation and start rounding up Taib's henchmen. Sign up to receive regular updates from Sarawak Report |
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