Tuesday, April 02, 2019
Sales of HK Consulate: Najib or Guan Eng "bodoh" or reporters "dibodoh"?
It is Tuesday today.
Today, the newspapers frontpage is providing background story of Dato Najib's SRC trial that should begin tomorrow. There is also yesterday RM1.5 billion tax bill slapped at Najib.
On April 3rd 10 years ago, Najib sworn in as the 6th Prime Minister, but on same date 10 years later, he is in the dock.
Before getting involved with the case coverage, last Tuesday there was an issue in Parliament that led to exchanges between Lim Guan Eng and Najib, MPs exchanging "bodoh" remarks on each other.
It started with issues raised on the sales of the government's Malaysia Building in Hong Kong that used to house the Malaysian High Commission office but since 1997, renamed as Malaysian Consulate General.
Najib expressed concern on government's intent to sell the 28 storey building.
BMF scandal revisted
If only Tun Dr Mahathir was there to participate in the exchange, it could re-ignite the BMF story.
Back then in the 80s, the Malaysian government was planning to buy building. George Tan of Carrian Group moved in to buy the Gammon House building in the Central financial district.
Gammon House that became Bank of America building
Tan tried to resell it to the Malaysian government for a tidy profit. Property was booming and such play was possible. But, government went for the smaller and more affordable Gloucester Road property.
Gammon House ended in the hands of Bank of America. And, it began the fall of Carrian business empire and together with BMF and eventually Bank Bumiputera.
Mahathir was initially not directly involved but tried to pin it on Musa Hitam and Tengku Razaleigh. Ku Li sued South China Morning Post and won to clear-up his name.
However, it was Mahathir, who later place his people in positions to later did more cover-ups and good money ended chasing after bad money.
Guan Eng's short fuse
Instead of answering, Najib, Guan Eng went on the usual government side offensive move to counter attack using 1MDB issue.
It is repeatedly used that it is getting boring and stale. Najib responded to Guan Eng with a challenge to explain himself on the Penang tunnel and advise to do a better job in managing the country's economy.
Guan Eng mana boleh tahan being told off in such manner. He is god sent to Malaysian fiscal policy. That got the short fused and langsi Guan Eng to get aggressive.
He did not bother to explain the absence of tender process, which would push him further to the wall. And, he indirectly insinuate Najib tried to flick RM500 million out of the sales.
BN government planned to sell the building after EPU rejected a RM300 million request from Foreign Ministry to repair the leaking building and suggested to sell the building.
Bad decision
Frankly, it is a bad decision.
In land limited Hong Kong, once sold it will be difficult to get another property within the vicinity of the central district.
Renting will be costly. Malaysian Consulate there needs a lot of office spaces for trade, immigration, tourism etc.
Batu Pahat originate Lim Guan Eng tried to stem the flow of Penangites to Hong Kong, but failed in his plan to turn Penang into another Hong Kong.
He was focused on taking kickbacks and giving contracts to Batu Pahat and Johorean cronies. His plans for Penang ignored the Penang born.
By selling the Consulate, he could be thinking it will make Malaysians return and his claim of RM1 trillion debt left by Najib is believable and on-going "jual negara" supported!
The Consulate is located quite near the bad feng shui black coloured former Carrian Building of George Tan.
A bit of walk is the infamous cut throat Suzie Wong Bar, where the prices of whisky doubled or tripled that of outside. When the bill is questioned, tattooed bouncers immediately surrounds you.
The Makati Inn around the corner is a more lively place. Few of the ladies look pretty under the dicso lights, loud music and intoxicated ny Cibai Kok (vulgar description of Chivas Regal with Coke).
By Sunday morning, one could be waking up to the sound of an older looking Pinoy maid in a hurry for church confession session.
Reporters dibodoh!
Guan Eng was to make Najib look "bodoh" by explaining the open tender with bid fixed at half billion above Najib's alleged direct negotiation at RM1.1 billion should fetch a higher bid.
It was a defense mechanism of Guan Eng to evade the tunnel issue. He may have got wind that Dato Gnarajah will be charged in court for accepting RM19 million to cover-up investigation into the Penang tunnel investigation.
What about the pay-off to few politicians, in which Guan Eng is allegedly one of the recipient?
Must say Guan Eng's statement is not politically "bodoh", but technically, he tried to "bodoh" the public. When caught lying, he could end up looking "bodoh".
Dato Anifah Aman revealed the market price then was RM1.1 billion, a blatant attempt to lie on the part of Guan Eng.
An attempt to sell was made complicated by high tax, land swap request and other factors to be considered. Government ended up not selling.
At RM1.6 billion, Guan Eng is telling half truth. What is the price in Hong Kong Dollar or US Dollar, the currency property deals are done in Hong Kong?
Let's not blame and name call the politicians as "bodoh". What are the reporters and journalists doing?
Are there not business reporters able to see the basic shortfall of Guan Eng's claims? Are they not brave enough to pose him the difficult questions?
The ones not doing their work honestly, critically and eating out of the government leaders and politicians hands are the real "bodoh" and "goblok".
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Anifah's statement in Malay:
KENYATAAN AKHBAR YB DATO' SRI ANIFAH AMAN, AHLI PARLIMEN P.176 KIMANIS MENGENAI PENJUALAN TANAH DAN BANGUNAN MALAYSIA DI HONG KONG
1. Kenyataan media yang dikeluarkan oleh YB Menteri Kewangan pada 27 Mac 2019 berkenaan dengan isu penjualan tanah dan Bangunan Malaysia setinggi 28 tingkat di 50 Gloucester Road, Hong Kong merupakan maklumat separuh masak atau tidak lengkap meskipun sebahagian kecilnya adalah merupakan fakta.
2. Memang benar bahawa semasa pemerintahan Kerajaan Barisan Nasional, Jemaah Menteri dalam mesyuarat mingguannya telah bersetuju dengan syor oleh UKAS dan Kementerian Kewangan pada masa itu untuk menjual tanah dan Bangunan Malaysia di Hong Kong secara rundingan terus. Salah satu daripada faktor penyebab keputusan berkenaan diambil ialah kerana kos membaik pulih bangunan tersebut terlalu tinggi.
3. Namun demikian keputusan tersebut telah dibuat setelah melalui pelbagai proses atau due diligence dan setelah menimbang pelbagai faktor sebelum keputusan tersebut dibuat. Untuk memahami proses tersebut maka seharusnya segala maklumat yang terperinci dihebahkan kepada rakyat dan bukan hanya maklumat yang setengah masak atau maklumat terpilih sahaja.
4. Untuk makluman YB Menteri Kewangan, perkara sebenar yang terjadi ialah pada awalnya kita tidak bersetuju untuk menjual tanah serta Bangunan Malaysia di Hong Kong. Kementerian Luar Negeri yang pada ketika itu yang merupakan kementerian dibawah saya telah mengemukakan cadangan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk melakukan kaedah land swap dimana kita bekerjasama antara Kerajaan dan Swasta bagi mendapatkan tempat baru menggantikan bangunan Malaysia yang telah uzur di Hong Kong. Inisiatif ini adalah dimana kos ditanggung oleh syarikat swasta setelah mendapat sebahagian daripada tanah milik kerajaan Malaysia di Hong Kong bagi tujuan membina dan memberikan tempat yang baru bagi keperluan pentadbiran serta logistik pihak Kerajaan Malaysia di Hong Kong.
5. Kementerian Luar Negeri pada masa itu mencadangkan agar proses pemilihan dibuat melalui kaedah RFP (Request For Proposal) dimana kita menjemput mana-mana syarikat untuk memberikan cadangan mereka kepada Kerajaan melalui UKAS yang pada masa itu adalah bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Banyak syarikat telah memberikan cadangan mereka dan setelah melalui proses pemilihan dan saringan yang ketat, maka syarikat yang berjaya telah dipilih untuk kaedah land swap tersebut.
6. Sungguhpun demikian, kaedah land swap ini akhirnya tidak dapat dilaksanakan kerana komplikasi-komplikasi yang timbul. Salah satu daripada komplikasi tersebut merupakan kos / cukai yang terlalu tinggi yang akan dikenakan oleh pemerintah Hong Kong jika Kerajaan Malaysia meneruskan kaedah ini.
7. Setelah mengambil kira faktor-faktor yang menyukarkan Land Swap ini terutama sekali faktor kos serta cukai yang terlalu tinggi dan merugikan Kerajaan Malaysia maka satu lagi cadangan telah diberikan oleh pihak UKAS dan Kementerian Kewangan pada ketika itu iaitu untuk menjual tanah serta bangunan Malaysia di Hong Kong.
8. Cadangan ini lebih memberikan nilai keuntungan kepada pihak Kerajaan terutama sekali dari segi Cukai dari pemerintah Hong Kong dan disebabkan proses RFP telahpun dilaksanakan maka UKAS dan MOF pada ketika itu mencadangkan tidak perlu lagi untuk melalui sekali lagi proses tender kerana RFP telahpun dilaksanakan dan syarikat yang menang setelah melalui proses pemilihan dan penyaringan yang panjang dirasakan layak untuk ditawarkan cadangan penjualan tanah serta bangunan Malaysia di Hong Kong secara rundingan terus namun beberapa syarat telah dicadangkan untuk pihak syarikat swasta ini penuhi.
9. Maka sekali lagi cadangan diangkat ke peringkat Mesyuarat Jemaah Menteri kali ini oleh Kementerian Kewangan bagi mendapatkan keputusan serta persetujuan Jemaah Menteri.
10. Setelah dipertimbangkan, keputusan telah dibuat bagi meluluskan cadangan MOF pada ketika itu untuk menjual tanah dan Bangunan Malaysia di Hong Kong secara rundingan terus dengan beberapa syarat yang ditetapkan. Sebagai contoh syarikat swasta yang membeli tanah serta bangunan tersebut haruslah memenuhi syarat-syarat yang telah ditetapkan seperti mendapatkan pejabat serta tempat penginapan baru para diplomat Malaysia yang ditugaskan di Hong Kong.
11. Pada ketika itu, harga pasaran yang dicadangkan Knight Frank dan Vigers iaitu dua real estate agent kita disana (Knight Frank sebuah estate agent terkenal di merata dunia termasuk Hong Kong, Eropah dan UK) adalah RM1.1 Bilion.
12. Kemungkinan besar apa yang dikatakan oleh YB Menteri Kewangan Lim Guan Eng adalah benar bahawa harga pasaran kini adalah RM1.6 Bilion namun semasa Kerajaan yang terdahulu waktu itu harga pasaran merupakan RM1.1 Bilion. Namun begitu ini adalah perkara biasa kerana nilai hartanah bagi sebuah pulau yang memiliki kepadatan penduduk seperti Hong Kong memanglah sentiasa meningkat tinggi. Pada ketika itu juga nilai Ringgit Malaysia juga adalah lebih kukuh berbanding sekarang. Maka saya tidak mempertikaikan nilai RM 1.6 billion terbabit.
13. Harga pasaran hartanah dan bangunan lebih-lebih lagi di Hong Kong sememangnya akan naik dan jika ditanya harga pasaran setelah 6 bulan dari sekarang kemungkinan besar akan naik lagi daripada angka RM1.6 Bilion. Namun begitu berapa lama lagi harus ditunggu sehingga masalah kita di Hong Kong diselesaikan. Bangunan tersebut sudah terlalu uzur dan kos penyelenggaraan pun semakin meningkat. Lebih lama kita tunggu lebih banyak kos penyelenggaraan yang harus dikeluarkan oleh pihak Kerajaan Malaysia dan kemungkinan besar membahayakan nyawa para diplomat serta rakyat kita disana.
14. Untuk mendapatkan pulangan kepada pelaburan bagi sewaan ruang pejabat pun amat sukar ditambah dengan kos penyelenggaraan yang menjadi salah satu sebab kita terpaksa menjual bangunan berkenaan tetapi pada masa yang sama kita akan mendapat hartanah yang baru seperti yang dipersetujui dalam syarat-syarat yang diberikan pada masa itu.
15. Secara umumnya kita sendiri tahu bahawa Kementerian Luar Negeri dibawah saya ketika itu pun tidak mempunyai kuasa dan mandat untuk urusan jual beli Bangunan dan hartanah Malaysia di luar negara. Fungsi Wisma Putra terhad kepada mengemukakan cadangan dan terpulanglah kepada Jemaah Menteri dan Kementerian Kewangan untuk meluluskannya. Apa yang mustahak bagi kita ialah agar Kerajaan Malaysia memiliki bangunan yang selamat untuk diduduki dan dapat mencerminkan imej Kerajaan Malaysia di luar negara.
16. Bagi menjawab soalan YB Menteri Kewangan kenapa kita hendak menjual pada harga RM1.1 Billion sedangkan kita boleh jual pada harga lebih tinggi iaitu RM1.6 Billiion, sekali lagi saya ingin ulangi bahawa harga RM1.1 Billion itu adalah berdasarkan kepada penilaian dua agen hartanah antabangsa pada tahun lepas. Walaubagaimanapun, RM 1.6 billion adalah penilaian semasa pada masa ini. Katakanlah pada jangka masa setahun dari sekarang, nilainya meningkat lagi contohnya menjadi RM1.8 billion, bolehkah kita kata Kerajaan salah kerana menjualnya pada harga RM200 juta dibawah harga pasaran? Bagaimana pula jika nilaiannya jatuh daripada paras RM 1.1 Billion, katakanlah RM 900 juta, bolehkah kita katakan pembeli telah membeli pada harga yang dibawah pasaran? Sudah tentunya perkara ini tertakluk kepada perubahan matawang Ringgit kerana setahu saya sejak Kerajaan PH mengambil alih, nilai matawang Ringgit Malaysia semakin lemah berbanding pemerintahan Barisan Nasional dulu.
Sekian.
YB DATO’ SRI ANIFAH HAJI AMAN
Ahli Parlimen P.176 Kimanis29 Mac 2019
Update: 11:00 PM
The MCA president said the property had been evaluated by industry players in Hong Kong, who valued it at HK$1.6bil (RM832,300) and not RM1.6bil, which Lim had disclosed in the Dewan previously.
"The offer was for HK$1.6bil, don't try to equate our currency with Hong Kong dollars.
"HK$1.6bil is equivalent to RM800mil.
Dr Wee - Guan Eng trade barbs over sale of Malaysian Consulate building in Hong Kong
This confirms Guan Eng is not able to differentiate betweem Hong Kong dollar and Ringgit. Either Guan Eng is "bodoh" or Tony Pua made him look too stupid to be MOF.
Still, the unquestioning reporters could be easily "dibodohkan" by Guan Eng.
Read latest posting HERE.
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
Guan Eng foul mood, Red-handed flicking RM800 million!
After almost reaching a year as Minister of Finance, and two terms of close observation as Penang Chief Minister, it is sufficient to not believe the words of Lim Guan Eng.
Guan Eng argued he is innocent of Penang tunnel because former MP of Temerloh from PAS, Nasaruddin Hasan apologise for raising the issue in 2016. Since he claimed Penang tunnel linked projects is based on open tender, he expect us to believe him.
It is easy to spot Guan Eng is lying. Very easy...
One is when he argue incessantly, be it by out shouting or doing turn the table counter argument. That is him not answering the question as in the issue on the sales of Malaysia's Hong Kong Consulate!
Another is when he shows his anger as in the above video circulating in social media. It could be him caught trying to flick almost RM800 million from sale of the Consulate!
When anyone become angry, Malaysians tend to try to calm things down and not to flame it further. So they refrain from pursuing the issue further.
Guan Eng learned this from DAP patriach, Lim Kit Siang as a ploy to not be confronted by issues. Thats why reporters are afraid of this schoolboy wimp.
Continuing from the last posting HERE, lets see how he react now that YB Dato Dr Wee Ka Siong caught him red-handed:
The MCA president said the property had been evaluated by industry players in Hong Kong, who valued it at HK$1.6bil (RM832,300) and not RM1.6bil, which Lim had disclosed in the Dewan previously.He is definitely caught.
"The offer was for HK$1.6bil, don't try to equate our currency with Hong Kong dollars.
"HK$1.6bil is equivalent to RM800mil....
Read on HERE
Now that Gnarajah is in court, heard P Ramasamy, Chow Koon Yeow, Phee Boon Pah and many more will be summoned as witness.
Guan Eng will be more argumentative and exhibit his anger as defense mechanism. However, others can express anger too.
This FB posting tells what was happening:
But it does not tell why it is happening.
In Guan Eng's last visit to meet Sabah DAP in Kota Kinabalu, the late Stephen raised the issue of Malaysia Agreement 1963.
He was basically telling him that as Minister.of Finance, he must ensure to fulfill it. Otherwise, DAP is gone in Sabah and Sarawak.
Guan Eng reply was really an insult to anyone intelligence. He said. "How to pay Jho Loh took all the money?"
Guan Eng was telling the late Stephen to spin that story because he was not going to pay those money.
It didn't matter that DAP and PKR made a Kuching Declaration for GE13 to not only adhere to MA63 but promised 50% sharing of tax raised from Sabah and Sarawak, more than the 40% stipulated for Sabah only in MA63 and Constitution.
He failed to emphatise and in his usual self, to be sensitive to others. Sandakan by-election should be interesting. But, who will stand against DAP?
The interesting story found this morning from Utusan Malaysia is Guan Eng claming his target of attack.
Why not when he messed the economy by announcing removal of GST system before cabinet made a decision?
The plan was to zero-rise GST, but retain the system as it is useful to stem black money in the system.
When Guan Eng announced. Cabinet had no choice but accept to save face for new government. Many cabinet decisions were refused to be implementsd by Guan Eng on advise by the devilish adviser, Tony Pua!
By the way, playing victim is one indication Guan Eng is lying. He is a heartless oppresor and never victim.
Its another of this untrustworthy character's defense mechanism.
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