Sarawak DAP man: Why no East Malaysians in PH presidential council?

Very simple why Sarawak Pakatan Harapan leaders not in Federal Line up because need this leaders at State level to wrest the State government form BN and now with Johari Openg the possibility of a Pakatan Harapan government in Sarawak is very real and will be a reality in the next State Elections. After the task of wresting away the State Government from BN, the state leaders will be appointed to the Federal level. Their service and leadership now is required in Sarawak first and federal can wait. PH resources are very scare in Sarawak and every one need to be count on.

If Abull Aziz of Sarawak DAP does not understand this, best to ask his superiors in Sarawak DAP

Abdul Aziz Isa asks why PPBM has been given five seats but Sabah and Sarawak have none in a purported Pakatan Harapan presidential council line-up.

PETALING JAYA: A Sarawak DAP politician has questioned the lack of Sabah and Sarawak representatives in the purported Pakatan Harapan presidential council line-up.
Earlier this week, The Malaysian Insight, quoting sources, listed the line-up, led by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as chairman.
According to the article, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be the adviser, while Mohamad Sabu and Muhyiddin Yassin, who head Amanah and PPBM respectively, and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, will be vice-chairmen.
Another 14 leaders purportedly make up the rest of the council, but none are from East Malaysia.
“Pakatan Harapan presidential council but without any Sabah and Sarawak reps? What do you think?” DAP’s Abdul Aziz Isa asked in a Facebook post.

Seen by many as a rising star in Sarawak DAP, Abdul Aziz is the special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
“A new party that has just formed in less than a year was given 5 reps. But Sabah and Sarawak that have formed Malaysia for the past 54 years were left without any reps (sic),” he continued, referring to PPBM, which only officially joined Pakatan Harapan this year.
“Funny, right? Even if this is still under suggestion, where is Sabah and Sarawak reps? I wonder…”
Yesterday, PPBM strategist Rais Hussin told Malaysiakini that the PH presidential council list was still in the pipeline and would be finalised in two weeks.
Despite a long-standing presence in Sabah and Sarawak, the federal opposition has not been able to pose any serious threat to Barisan Nasional in either state, with only DAP and PKR achieving notable success, and that, too, in mostly urban seats.
In the run-up to the Sarawak election last year, ties between DAP and PKR were tested when some state-based politicians voiced unhappiness over seat allocations negotiated by national party leaders.
Disagreements over seats led to multi-cornered fights in six state assembly seats: Batu Kitang, Mulu, Murum, Simanggang, Ngemah and Mambong. All six were won by Barisan Nasional.

SABAH SPLIT DEEPENS and will upset the fix deposit apple cart

At stake for BN in Sabah is 22 parliament seats it won out of 25 Sabah parliament seats it contested .If one wrong move by Najib and federal BN like what they did to Shafie Apal then the 22 seats are no longer a BN fixed deposit and can safely say BN will not win even 1 parliament seat in Sabah.

Total Seats for parliament as the last PRU 13 General elections are 222 seats

Minus 25 Sabah seats – Balance left for BN to dream of winning are 197 seats.

To form Federal Government the winning party needs 112 parliament seats with a simple majority of 1 seat to form the Federal Government.

Pakatan Harapan will gain by the Sabah Infighting and will end up with 25 seats in hand and require another 87 more Parliament seats in PRU 14 to form the Government with a simple majority

Forecast now on next Federal government after PRU 14 have changed with the Sabah dynamics and Pakatan Harapan forecast to win easily 136 Parliament seats in PRU 14 and also BN-UMNO is now more divided between team A – B – C and each team will make sure the other team candidate is defeated in PRU14 thus handing victory to Pakatan Harapan candidates. Too late and too little time with so much bad blood for Team A-B-C to make up and face PRU 14 as one Party .Team C in UMNO are the members who disagree with Najib and Zahidi are all Preibumi Mahathir supporters. MIC is also divided into Team A and B, MCA is divided into 4 Teams; Sabah UMNO is waiting to implode. Only safe bet is Sarawak and Johari Openg will throw his lot with the party which wins the most Parliament seats and for Sarawak is always Sarawak’s interest

Pakatan can win

 9 parliament seats in Kedah

7 parliament seats in Kelantan

3 parliament seats in Terengganu

11 parliament seats in Penang

18 parliament seats in Perak

19 parliament seats in Selangor

 4 parliament seats in Negeri Sembilan

3 parliament seats in Melaka

10 parliament seats in Johor

0 parliament seats in  Perlis

 6 parliament seats in Pahang

10 parliament seats in Sarawak

25 parliament seats Sabah (Already in hand 25 seats)

10 parliament seats in Kuala Lumpur

0 parliament seats in PutraJaya

1 parliament seats in Labuan

AS NAJIB PLOTS TO REMOVE HIS BROTHER MUSA AMAN AS SABAH CM, ANIFAH STARTS TO OPENLY COURT OPPOSITION LEADERS

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Aman speaks to the media after the foreign ministers' meeting at the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 26, 2015. Malaysia is hosting the summit from April 26 to 27, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. REUTERS/Olivia Harris

KOTA KINABALU  – Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said his “MySabah” group was aimed at bringing change to the state, amid criticism that the foreign minister’s group included Opposition lawmakers.

He said that he wanted to correct any misconception about his working with Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan and Datuk Yong Teck Lee through the MySabah group, and that his intention was to leverage his close working relationship with the prime minister by bringing up Sabah issues directly to the latter.

“I asked myself, I have done so much for the country (by my reckoning), why not take this opportunity to raise issues of great importance to Sabahans? Are we getting a fair deal? Were the promises, assurances, agreements been implemented and fulfilled in the formations of Malaysia?

“I have access to the prime minister and here is a leader who is sympathetic with our grievances why not have a go. So how do I do it? Oh, a forum consisting of great minds including prominent constitutional lawyers and other prominent individuals,” he said in a Facebook post.

Anifah said he thought of Jeffrey, who has for years and at every opportunity, raised issues on Sabah rights including the 20 points accorded to Sabah and the prominence of Sabah and Sarawak in the Malaysia Agreement.

“No one in the seat of authority took him seriously. So I started thinking how do I persuade some of us Sabahans to leave politics aside in this instance for common good,” he said.

Anifah, who is the younger brother of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, said that he did not ask his Barisan Nasional (BN) colleagues to join the struggle so as to not “rock the boat” and it was best to work with people who had “nothing to lose”.

“If anyone were to lose, then it would be me. But I convinced myself that this opportunities of mine will never come knocking again,” he said.

Anifah said he assembled other figures whom he had known over many years, including lawyer Ansari Abdullah whom he said he “worked with very closely over many years in football and a lawyer of some standing”, Yong and social activist Amde Sidek who were on his committee when he was president of the Sabah society in the United Kingdom.

“So I invited these people and specifically told them that I was not interested in their politics and they can leave their politics at home but come and work with me as a Sabahan. I have access to the prime minister and here is a leader who is sympathetic with our grievances why not have a go,” he said.

Anifah said that contrary to what some people thought, Najib was well respected among foreign leaders including “Kings, Emirs, Presidents and Prime Ministers,” and was a good listener.

Anifah said the My Sabah forum was attended by more than 7,000 people of like-minded minds.

“Where is politics in this??? I did invite some of the leaders in the current opposition but never responded. I told DDJK prepare a memorandum and we will submit to the PM as a United Sabahans devoid of any political and self promotions,” he said.

In the process, Anifah roped in contributions from other Sabahans, including constitutional lawyer Tengku Fuad Ahmad, former attorney-general Tan Sri Gani Patail, senior politician Datuk James Ligunjang and Dr Chong Eng Leong among others.

Anifah’s statement comes following accusations by Parti Cinta Sabah president Datuk Wilfred Bumburing, who had recently pulled out of the United Sabah Alliance.

Bumburing had also previously accused Yong and Jeffrey of playing both sides as their involvement in the My Sabah group was causing suspicion, compounded by Jeffrey’s actions of submitting a report to the state government’s Sabah rights review committee, chaired by Anifah.

Anifah said that the My Sabah platform has gone far, and done some good for Sabahans.

“All those aspiring wannabe please make yourself useful for our future generations instead of wasting your time hitting at other people. To those people asked what have you done to your state when your were in the position to do something.

“I am thankful to DDJK [Jeffrey Kitingan] and all that have the conscience to come together as Sabahans to rightly claim what are we entitled to. Sabahans this is our best time and best opportunity to come together for a common cause. I can assure you that the PM will not send you to the Kamunting University!” he said.

– Malay Mail

Selangor is shaky, says Najib - the end for Azmin is near and the shark have spoken

FMT Reporters | May 5, 2017

If PAS or DAP withdraws from the Selangor government, the position of the menteri besar and state government will be jeopardised, says the prime minister.

Read more here warned warned Sep election Slangor MBto call for Sna

read here and watch out for the Selangor deputy speaker from PAS already bought over and will do what the ex-DAP deputy speaker did in Perak
PETALING JAYA: Within days of the PAS muktamar’s decision to cut ties with PKR, Prime Minister Najib Razak has waded into the controversy to depict the coalition government in Selangor comprising PKR, PAS and DAP, as unstable.
Writing in his blog today, Najib said the political situation in the state would become shaky should PAS or DAP pull out of the Selangor government.
He added that the position of Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is the PKR deputy president, and that of the state government would be adversely affected.
PAS at its recent muktamar voted unanimously to cut ties with PKR, after the Islamist party accused it of breaching mutual agreements. The PAS Syura Council is expected to endorse the decision.
Barisan Nasional (BN), led by Najib, has been striving to recapture Selangor from the opposition, which came to power after the 2008 general election.

Najib said political stability was crucial for the development of a country, adding that this can only be achieved if there was cooperation between the political parties forming the government.
“(But) look at the history of opposition coalitions… they never could last long.
“Since 1986, the opposition had formed nine coalitions, such as Barisan Alternatif set up in 1998 but was dissolved in 2008. Next, Pakatan Rakyat which emerged in 2008 until 2015. All these coalitions were forced to disband after a few years.
“What is amusing is that the present opposition (coalition) is joined by small new parties which seek to change the name of Pakatan Harapan. What (kind of) Pakatan will come out of this?”
Najib predicted that internal conflict would divert the opposition’s focus from (the welfare of) the people, adding that any government controlled by them would break up and this would cause economic ruin.
He said leadership without a single agenda would lead to frequent cabinet changes, which would interrupt basic government services.
He said in order to ensure development and the welfare of the people, the government must be led by a coalition that was strong, experienced and of one mind.

Delta apologises for forcing family off flight

Reuters | May 5, 2017

It said it had contacted the couple to refund their travel and provide additional compensation.
delta2LOS ANGELES: Delta Air Lines apologised on Thursday after a couple said they were kicked off an overbooked flight with their two toddlers so their seats could be given to waiting passengers, the latest US airline to apologise over incidents on board their flights.

Delta Air Lines Inc said in a statement it was “sorry for the unfortunate experience”, a day after Brian and Brittany Schear posted a video online showing them being told to leave a flight or be arrested during a dispute over a seat they had bought for their teenage son.

“Delta’s goal is to always work with customers in an attempt to find solutions to their travel issues. That did not happen in this case and we apologise,” said the airline.

It said it had contacted the couple to refund their travel and provide additional compensation.
The apology came the same day members of a US Senate committee held a hearing on the industry’s customer service failures and issued harsh criticism of airline fees, disputes with passengers and the lack of competition in the heavily consolidated sector.

The video posted on YouTube by the California couple shows Brian Schear arguing with a police officer and a Delta employee as he sat on Flight 2222 waiting to depart from Maui to Los Angeles.

The dispute was about whether Shear was allowed to use a seat he had originally purchased for his teenage son for his toddler son and whether the toddler needed to be in a car seat or sit on the lap of an adult.

“You will hear them lie to me numerous times to get my son out of the seat. The end result was we were all kicked off the flight,” Shear wrote in the caption.

“They oversold the flight. When will this all stop?”

The Schears stayed at a hotel before flying home the next day.
The Delta incident came nearly a month after United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) sparked outrage when a passenger was dragged off an overbooked flight by his hands. The airline reached a settlement with the passenger last month.

Southwest Airlines Co said after that incident it would stop overbooking its flights.
American Airlines Group Inc experienced another public relations fiasco last month when a video showing an onboard clash over a baby stroller went viral.

PAKATAN SUBMITS TOP LINEUP TO RoS

MALAYSIA’S NEW CABINET TO BE? DR M ADVISER, AZIZAH CHAIRMAN, GUAN ENG, MUHYIDDIN & MAT SABU VICE CHAIRMEN

KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan has decided its presidential council lineup to be submitted to the Registrar of Societies (RoS), with Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as chairman and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as adviser, according to a senior leader.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub also alluded to the possibility that the coalition’s shadow cabinet will comprise the same leaders on the presidential council list.



“The list is just a pro-tem committee, we have to register to the RoS the name of Pakatan Harapan, our objective is to use this list and the symbols in the coming GE.

“We agreed to name a few figures for each party to prove that we are very serious, especially when [PPBM] is on board, now the time is right to show public we are serious, so all the big names are named in the protem committee,” he told Malay Mail Online.

When asked whether the pact had finalised its shadow Cabinet line-up, Salahuddin said that the presidential council list will send an “implicit” message to Malaysians on the leaders they hope that “Malaysians can give their trust to.”

“Shadow Cabinet, let the public judge and interpret from the (presidential council) list. All the names there are top-ranking leaders.”

News portal The Malaysian Insight earlier today carried a report quoting sources saying that Pakatan Harapan has decided its line-up of top officials to lead the coalition in the 14th general election (GE14), and that the list was finalised at a meeting on Sunday.

According to the report, PKR president and federal opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah will chair the council with three vice-chairmen: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu (Amanah president) and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah will be the coalition’s secretary-general while DAP vice-president M. Kulasegaran will act as treasurer.

The report also said that each component party in the coalition will have three representatives in the presidential council.



Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Nurul Izzah Anwar and Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will represent PKR; Salahuddin, Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Anuar Tahir will represent Amanah.

The DAP’s line-up will consist of Tan Kok Wai, Teresa Kok and Anthony Loke.

PPBM’s three representatives will be Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman and Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh.

On Sunday, Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah announced that the four Pakatan Harapan parties have decided on a common logo and a leadership lineup for its application to be formally registered with the Registrar of Societies.

Previous attempts to register Pakatan Rakyat, the predecessor to Pakatan Harapan, with the Registrar of Societies were unsuccessful.

– Malay Mail

Did YOU know you can swipe on Apple's calculator app?

 'Secret' backspace feature goes viral

19-year old university student Jazz Johnson revealed the trick in a Twitter video

He showed that you can swipe left or right to erase the last number typed, instead of erasing the entire string on numbers and starting over again

The post has been re-tweeted almost 26,00 times, with many people responding with GIF's to express their surprise at the handy hack

UK Local elections - Conservatives Wipe-out Labour and the Liberals

Tories win nine councils for their best result in a DECADE so far as Ukip face wipe out, Labour collapse and the Lib Dems falter - with Corbyn blamed by senior members of his own party for losses 

Tories rack up local election gains for best result in a DECADE so far as Ukip face wipeout, Labour collapse and the Lib Dems falter - with Corbyn blamed by senior members of his own party for losses

Labour are defending 1,535 seats, the Conservatives 1,136 and the Lib Dems 484

Six mayoral elections are also being held for regions and cities across the UK

The results will give an early showing of the mood ahead of the General Election 

First wave of declarations look disastrous for Jeremy Corbyn and Labour party

Ukip facing catastrophic collapse across UK and Lib Dem performance is patchy

Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire and the Isle of Wight are Tory gains

Election count staff count ballot papers for the local election at Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre in Chelmsford, Essex

Conservative candidate for Chelmsford Central, Dick Madden, celebrates with colleagues after retaining his seat

Is a new PAS emerging? Or Recycled from the 1980’s

Malaysia's Islamist party PAS' 63rd congress did not result in a much-discussed break from the opposition alliance. But it did offer PAS' vision for the future, which may see it become a kingmaker in Malaysian politics.

Last week, on April 29, soon after the evening call to prayer, a freak storm blew where the 63rd PAS muktamar, or party congress, was being held in Alor Setar, Kedah. Many tents collapsed, injuring several people.

Amanah, the splinter party of PAS (Parti Islam SeMalaysia), was swift to issue a statement of sympathy. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang later described the strong wind as a divine test for PAS - "as well as our opponents".

The storm, an unprecedented event during a muktamar, however, did not derail the PAS congress, nor distract it from its main agenda: to chart a new course through the much bigger tempest in Malaysian politics, marked by the splintering of parties, making the opposition scene more crowded. Indeed, the big question on everyone's mind was what kind of PAS would emerge from the gathering.

This year's PAS muktamar was significant. Firstly, it is also a party election year - the country's 14th general election has to be called by June next year, but is widely expected some time this year.

Secondly, PAS was to decide whether to make the final break from the opposition coalition which it helped form two elections ago - Pakatan Harapan (PH), a reconstructed alliance previously known as Pakatan Rakyat.

All eyes were on a formal termination of its political cooperation pact - tahaluf siyasi - with the last of its opposition links, the People's Justice Party, or Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), led by the wife of Anwar Ibrahim.

However, PAS' top leaders held off making a decision to sever ties with PKR despite pressure from a section of the party membership.

Thirdly, this complete break, if ultimately endorsed by PAS' Majlis Syura Ulama (Council of Ulama), would launch PAS on its own trajectory while possibly sinking any lingering chance of dethroning the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) led by Prime Minister Najib Razak's United Malays National Organisation (Umno). Indeed, ahead of the PAS congress, there was talk that Datuk Seri Najib would exploit PAS' final break with the opposition by calling the widely expected general election before Ramadanstarts in the last week of this month.

Parti Islam SeMalaysia president Abdul Hadi Awang (centre) at a polling booth in 2015. His plan of a new opposition grouping could be the swing factor that will decide the next government. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

All signs seemed to point to a "new" PAS emerging, with the Islamist party striking out on its own to lead a "third bloc" and playing the role of a kingmaker - two key phrases frequently heard during the week of the congress.

Indeed, the Alor Setar muktamar also threw up some early signs of PAS forging a new vision and strategy of going alone in an increasingly unpredictable and uncertain political landscape following the 2015 exodus of its core of politically savvy reformists and professionals.

PAS seems conflicted on whether it should cut off ties with the opposition alliance completely, or forge a united front with the ruling Umno based on the grand idea of Malay-Muslim unity.

NEW OPPOSITION COALITION?

There are three core elements in PAS' new posture.

The first is the rise of what Datuk Seri Hadi calls Blok Ketiga, or the Third Bloc, positioned as a new coalition called Gagasan Sejahtera (Group of Harmony). This new political alliance will presumably be led by PAS but may also include public personalities, community leaders, former senior officials and non-governmental organisations.

In his presidential speech last Saturday, Mr Hadi described this as "the foundation to face the increasingly tense political atmosphere".

The second element is the push for a Gelombang Tsunami Hijau (Green Tsunami) for harmonious and peaceful change, an approach that will "unite various races" who will, at the same time, "understand the aspirations of the Muslim community".

The third element is a vision to be launched ahead of the coming general election called Wawasan Induk Negara Sejahtera or Harmonious Nation Vision.

Following this vision, Gagasan Sejahtera will strive for harmony, justice, transparency and effective governance with Islam as the guide, "consistent with the position of Islam as a religion of the federation".

Electoral politics and political change will be pursued without conflict while avoiding "the politics of hate, community enmity and chauvinism".

At a press conference later, Mr Hadi said PAS was opposed to the Chinese-dominated secularist Democratic Action Party (DAP) because it was "chauvinistic" and "against the role of Islam in the country, although Islam is the religion of the federation".

In terms of electoral strategy, PAS projected a target of winning 40 parliamentary seats and capturing five states, presumably through the "third bloc".

These targets were endorsed at the congress by Mr Hadi, and backed up by the head of the PAS research arm, Dr Zuhdi Marzuki. Dr Zuhdi said PAS' targets were "not empty talk" but based on research and a scan of "a hundred scenarios".

BOLD VISION OR TOO AMBITIOUS?

The vision, mission and strategy unveiled by the repositioned PAS is unprecedented in its clarity of thought and strategic design.

Such exposition of strategy is also uncharacteristic of Mr Hadi, whose regular congress speeches tend to avoid such details.

But, while the plan looks good on paper, questions are being asked on whether the post-2015 PAS is being driven by an ambition that is as unrealistic as it is bold. To begin with, winning over 40 parliamentary seats as well as five states is a huge jump from PAS' current hold of 14 parliamentary seats and the control of one state, Kelantan.

Secondly, PAS is a party that has just gone through a major split. This is bound to show cracks down the rank and file. Indeed, Mr Hadi and other leaders still harbour suspicions about fence-sitters or sleeper supporters of the breakaway party Amanah - which has since joined the PH alliance - which they branded as "harumanis local mango" - green on the outside, orange inside (also the colour of Amanah).

Thirdly, the new PAS strategy assumes some kind of peace pact with Umno. But the possibility of the PAS rank and file revolting against Mr Hadi cannot be ruled out if he goes all out to forge peace with Umno. The PAS grassroots have been too conditioned to be anti-Umno. A peace pact with Umno may backfire and lead to a further split in PAS. This will certainly undermine the target of winning 40 parliamentary seats and five states.

But,while PAS is aiming high, the party's secret ambition really seems to be to become the new kingmaker in the Malaysian political landscape. If it succeeds in building up the "third bloc" that is neither with the opposition PH nor the ruling Umno, this bloc could be the swing factor that will decide which of the other two coalitions gets to form the next government.

This is a shrewd move because neither the BN nor the opposition PH will be strong enough to rule on its own. They will need the numbers to win the simple majority. Those numbers will come from the "third bloc", or specifically from PAS.

The five states that PAS hopes to win will, in the end, likely be a negotiated power-sharing partnership - between PAS and Umno, or PAS and PKR, or PAS and Bersatu, led by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

---

• The writer is a senior fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. An earlier version of this article appeared in RSIS Commentary.

Another Chicken Business Desperate for Sales, Used Cocaine-based Flour

Well, what do you know? To increase sales for his Popeyes’ branch, this one manager decided to use cocaine-based flour to dip his chicken in before frying the chicken in his premise.

A customer got so high he decided to report the restaurant branch to the Brunswick Police Department after dinner, when he realised that he was craving for more food rather than feel that it was filling. Smart move, yet a grave decision! Part of the side-effects of getting high is hunger, so the manager decided to use this to his advantage, making his customers even more hungry means more sales when they can’t stop eating! But this logic is a bit too desperate, and not to mention detrimental to his own cause.

After investigations, it is found that the chicken found within his premises contain not only large but many traces of crack cocaine, marijuana and heroin. Imagine consuming these combination of drugs, you’d not only feel euphoric, but the feeling after the highness could turn you into an addict without realising that you have been exposed to the effects of drugs. The crime of this manager wouldn’t be just for possessing and use of drugs, but also for harming others just for the good of his own business! Makes you wonder if competition is that desperate.


Apparently, more details will come but it is fair to assume that this manager was arrested for further investigations. For those interested in the specific location of this Popeyes’, it is in Brunswick, Georgia.

As for Malaysia, we no longer have Popeyes’ around. Most branches are now replaced by Texas Chicken, whose original name in the USA is Church’s Chicken.

[ALERT] Blue Whale Challenge Not in Malaysia, Parents Advised to be Careful

Please be careful when viewing this article, as it has sensitive content.*

“If you die, you win. If you don’t, we will help you. Are you ready?”

The world has lost lives thanks to this challenge. No, it isn’t something you can get from Google Play Store, or the Apple Store. The Blue Whale Challenge begins when a curator invites an individual into playing the game, and they must not quit the game halfway once they have given their yes. Thankfully, according to our local Befrienders member, there has been no report on this game being played in Malaysia, however parents are told to remain alert and control their children’s exposure on the internet.

Sources say that the game has many names, a few being “A Silent House”, “Wake Me Up at 4.20am” and “A Sea of Whales”. Sounds almost poignant, no? Apparently the game takes 50 days to complete, and it is attracting teenagers and adolescents in Russia and Central Asia. Possibilities of its influence spreading across Europe and UK are reported as well. Russia has suggested that the reason why there was a high number of children suicide between late 2015 to early 2016 was because of this game. Up to 130 deaths were reported at the time, however there is no solid proof that shows that these deaths were caused by the game. But the pain the parents had to go through!

If anyone is familiar with the movie Nerve (starring Emma Roberts), I’d say it’s pretty similar. Both are dangerous and risky, however, the Blue Whale Game is a lot more blatant and I dare say that it doesn’t even try to hide its intentions. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to these games, either because these games are viral and that they wish for the thrill that comes with it, or that they are suffering from suicidal ideations. (Please contact Befrienders if you suffer from suicidal ideations and are in need of a listening ear!)

The news first came as part of the game when two teenage girls in Russia jumped off of a roof on an apartment together, named Veronika Volkova, 16 and Yulia Konstantinova, 15.

A picture of a whale posted by Yulia before she completed her last task. | Source: Facebook

A Reddit user has posted a completed list of tasks from the game, translated from Russian. If any child or teenager are seen visibly performing any of these tasks are advised to be watched and supervised before contacting local police or Befrienders. It is best to not approach these individuals with aggression as they might be suffering from depression and are seeking a place to belong:

Carve with a razor “f57” on your hand, send a photo to the curator.

Wake up at 4.20 a.m. and watch psychedelic and scary videos that curator sends you.

Cut your arm with a razor along your veins, but not too deep, only 3 cuts, send a photo to the curator.

Draw a whale on a sheet of paper, send a photo to curator.

If you are ready to “become a whale”, carve “YES” on your leg. If not, cut yourself many times (punish yourself).

Task with a cipher.

Carve “f40” on your hand, send a photo to curator.

Type “#i_am_whale” in your VKontakte status.

You have to overcome your fear.

Wake up at 4:20 a.m. and go to a roof (the higher the better)

Carve a whale on your hand with a razor, send a photo to curator.

Watch psychedelic and horror videos all day.

Listen to music that “they” (curators) send you.

Cut your lip.

Poke your hand with a needle many times

Do something painful to yourself, make yourself sick.

Go to the highest roof you can find, stand on the edge for some time.

Go to a bridge, stand on the edge.

Climb up a crane or at least try to do it

The curator checks if you are trustworthy.

Have a talk “with a whale” (with another player like you or with a curator) in Skype.

Go to a roof and sit on the edge with your legs dangling.

Another task with a cipher.

Secret task.

Have a meeting with a “whale.”

The curator tells you the date of your death and you have to accept it.

Wake up at 4:20 a.m. and go to rails (visit any railroad that you can find).

Don’t talk to anyone all day.

Make a vow that “you’re a whale.”

30-49. Everyday you wake up at 4:20am, watch horror videos, listen to music that “they” send you, make 1 cut on your body per day, talk “to a whale.”

And lastly, jump off a high building. Take your life.

To contact the Befrienders for support and assistance please use the following contact numbers: Penang (04-281 5161/1108), Ipoh (05-547 7933/7955), Kuala Lumpur (03-7956 8144/8145), Johor Baru (07-331 2300), Kota Kinabalu (088-255 788) or send an email to sam@befrienders.org.my.

Ladies, Beware Of These Hidden Camera Disguised As Screws In Public Toilets!

Technology has changed the way we live. Generally, it has made our lives simpler. Spy cameras or surveillance cameras are among the technological developments that have demonstrated exceptionally valuable for safety measures.

These devices now come in many shapes and sizes. There are models that are disguised to mix in with the environment. Others are made to show up as something else, for example, a pen, a clock or a toy. One of the more advanced models are those that are disguised as screws.

Evidently, some sick people have exploited these spy screw cameras for their own particular sick reasons. Such small concealed cameras can be bought on Amazon for just $15 (RM65). Police issued a warning about how these small cameras are being utilized by some criminal persons.

This is what their warning says: “This is a warning to everybody who use open restrooms, particularly ladies. Be cautious since a few degenerates or individuals who need to blackmail you have figured out how to put these screw cameras inside restrooms. They’ll take indecent pictures of you and after that upload it on some adult site.”

“They may likewise utilize these pictures to extort you. Along these lines, please tell your spouses, sweethearts, little girls, and every one of the ladies you care, about this, so they won’t get casualties.”

THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT’S A PIECE OF THE DOOR BODY.

The screw cameras could without much of a stretch be hidden as a component of the restroom door’s bolt and latches.

Thus a lot of viewers have remarked that shopping centers and other open spots ought to take measures to keep these gadgets from abusing anybody privacy. Till then, however, all we can do is be more cautious.

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Proposed sale was part of bid to resolve 1MDB debts

Artist's impression of the Bandar Malaysia project.PHOTO: BROADWAYMALYAN

The proposed sale of a 60 per cent stake in the Bandar Malaysia township, which has now been aborted, was part of a three-pronged approach by the Malaysian government to retire the massive US$11 billion (S$15.4 billion) debts of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The government calls the debt workout plan by a more neutral name, "1MDB's rationalisation plan". The debts were mainly caused by borrowings through the bond market to buy power plants and an abortive plan to develop an oil field which critics say was a cover to launder money. Opponents of the state firm contend that 1MDB paid high costs for the bond issues.

A big chunk of the funds, some US$3.5 billion, went missing after it was banked into accounts in the British Virgin Islands that have since been closed.

The government, through the Ministry of Finance, has today undertaken the work to wipe out the fund's debts and in negotiations to settle its dispute with Abu Dhabi's wealth fund.

The Najib administration is widely seen as being keen to see the 1MDB troubles fade away as Malaysia approaches the next general election that must be called by the middle of next year.

Broken Bandar Malaysia deal raises questions anew over 1MDB debt's

Jitters over China projects with axing of Bandar Malaysia deal

The government changed the name of 1MDB Energy in 2015 to Edra Global Energy when it was trying to list the energy assets in 2015.

1MDB Real Estate Sdn Bhd, owner of the Bandar Malaysia township, has changed its name to TRX City Sdn Bhd.

The moves to retire the debts involve:

• Selling the 13 power plants in six countries grouped under Edra Global Energy to China General Nuclear Power Corporation for US$2.3 billion, in November 2015.

• Selling a 60 per cent stake in Bandar Malaysia to Malaysia's Iskandar Waterfront Holdings and China Railway Engineering Corp, for RM7.41 billion. This was announced in December 2015, but has now been aborted.

• Resolving the financial dispute with Abu Dhabi's wealth fund International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC).

The two countries announced two weeks ago that 1MDB will pay US$1.2 billion in two instalments in July and December to IPIC.

IPIC asked a London court to arbitrate last year in a dispute with 1MDB, in which the Abu Dhabi group claimed about US$6.5 billion.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 05, 2017, 

T

Key players in the saga

A model of Bandar Malaysia.PHOTO: IWCH-CREC SDN BHD


TYCOON LIM KANG HOO

He is the controlling shareholder of property group Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH), which in turn has a majority stake in Iskandar Waterfront City (IWC).

IWC is listed on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange, Bursa Malaysia.


The two companies are to be merged under a deal announced in March. At the end of the merger, an enlarged IWH will take over the listing status of IWC and emerge with RM41 billion (S$13.3 billion) in mostly property assets.

Tan Sri Lim, 63, is perhaps more familiar to Singaporeans as the developer behind the Danga Bay project in Johor Baru.


Proposed sale was part of bid to resolve 1MDB debts


Jitters over China projects with axing of Bandar Malaysia deal

He also controls Bursa-listed construction firm Ekovest, which is building a new 30km highway in Kuala Lumpur that will link to Bandar Malaysia.

His net worth last month, according to Forbes, was US$705 million (S$988 million).

CHINA RAILWAY ENGINEERING CORP (CREC)

It is the state-owned parent of China Railway Group, which is a Hong Kong- and Shanghai-listed railway construction firm. CREC's chairman and executive director is Mr Li Changjin, who is also China Railway Group's chairman.

CREC's general manager Cai Zemin announced last November that the company is setting up its US$2 billion regional headquarters in Bandar Malaysia. It is not clear whether this will now continue.

JOHOR'S SULTAN IBRAHIM SULTAN ISKANDAR

The ruler is entwined in the Bandar Malaysia deal by virtue of his involvement in IWH.

Under the proposal for IWH's listing, the Sultan is to inject his property assets worth up to RM833 million, for a stake of up to 13 per cent in IWH.

The assets include waterfront land in Johor Baru that faces Singapore.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 05, 2017,

ISIS cell found smuggling weapons into Malaysia

Malaysian police have arrested six people in a nationwide swoop in the last few weeks, including two militants in Kelantan, believed to be involved in the smuggling of weapons from southern Thailand for ISIS.PHOTO: ROYAL MALAYSIA POLICE

Kelantan militants have stockpiled them for about a year for attacks, say police sources

KUALA LUMPUR • A cell of ISIS militants has been smuggling weapons into Malaysia from southern Thailand and stockpiling them for about a year to prepare for attacks in the country and abroad, police sources say.

The cell, based in the state of Kelantan that borders Thailand, was exposed when police arrested six people in a nationwide swoop in the last few weeks.

The arrests were believed to be the first time that security forces had uncovered weapon-smuggling by militants linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Previously, Malaysian followers of the terrorist organisation arrested by police were those caught sharing images or text messages on social media, trying to influence others to join the group, or attempting to enter Syria via Turkey.

"The authorities believe they have been smuggling weapons for at least a year, but it could have been longer than that," a source told The Star newspaper. Among the weapons brought into Malaysia were a pump gun, a Colt M4 Carbine and Glock guns.

"The authorities believe the cell had five semi-automatic pistols, a pump gun and a Colt M4 Carbine. However, there could be more that the authorities have not found," another source said.

Two ISIS members were arrested in Kelantan on March 24 and 25, while another escaped to Golok, southern Thailand. Four other ISIS militants, including two women, were detained in Malacca, Penang, Johor and Selangor.

Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the arrests in Kelantan of the two militants, aged 26 and 41. "We believe they were involved in smuggling weapons from southern Thailand for the terror group," he said.

Tan Sri Khalid added that the police were also looking for Muhammad Muzaffa Arieff Junaidi from a village in Rantau Panjang, northern Kelantan. The 27-year-old is the third member of the terror cell.

Between 2013 and the end of last year, police have arrested more than 250 ISIS suspects, most of them Malaysians. More than 90 have been charged, with at least 48 convicted and jailed.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that police have arrested two Turkish nationals in Malaysia this week over connections to ISIS. The families of the Turks had raised concerns after they went missing, believing they had been abducted.

"The anti-terrorism unit under the police's special branch has been closely following the movements of several individuals involved in the spreading of influence and the funding of activities related to Daesh," Datuk Seri Zahid told reporters yesterday, using another name for ISIS.

"These include the two Turkish nationals."

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK