REPRISE : I AM WILLING TO GIVE MAHATHIR A SECOND CHANCE....

September 6, 2017 at 5:20 am

Bottom line — I am willing to give Mahathir a chance, but ….

Mahathir spent his political life bashing America, and there was no love lost between us when he decided after July 1997 — the Asian Financial Crisis — to blame America day after day for everything that had happened.

That was then followed by his arrest of Anwar. That led to even more tension between our two countries.

As Ambassador, and for years after, I defended my country against Mahathir’s accusations. That was my job, because I was the US Ambassador.

I was there, and I knew the truth about what happened. That is why, after I left the US State Department, I was so vocal in speaking out about the injustice that was committed against Anwar.

Even though I hated what Mahathir had to say about my country, I still had respect then (and now) for everything that he did to promote Malaysia’s economic development and raise its stature in the world.

Now Najib has destroyed all that….Today Malaysia has become, as I said, Mugabe-Land.

I recognize how Mahathir subverted Malaysia’s political institutions to achieve his goals for the nation. But in his mind, he did it for Malaysia, not to enrich himself.

Agree or disagree, that clearly is very different from the incredible kleptocracy that we see today under Najib — where people are out to make as much money for themselves as they can, regardless of what happens to the country.

So yes — I am willing to give Mahathir a chance — a BIG chance. I hope that he can “Save Malaysia,” which Najib is now destroying.

But there have to be conditions. (1) Mahathir — and the movement or political party he leads — must call for Anwar’s release from prison. (2) He must call for dropping all sedition and other political charges that Najib has filed against all other opposition political figures. (3) He must say that those who have stolen money from the Malaysian people must be brought to justice.

Maria Chun Abdullah now says that she will lead Bersih 5.0. It probably will be held, as always, in KL, so it will be a waste of time. In KL, she will be “preaching to the choir” — as the saying goes.

I am sorry to say this, but Maria lacks imagination. I miss Ambiga.

To get rid of Najib, you have to get out of KL and go into the Malay heartland — and make sure they know the truth.

And who better to do that than Mahathir. In the Malay heartland, Mahathir is still famous, loved, and respected.

Question — is Mahathir willing to go into that heartland — and meet the people — and tell them in Malay that Najib is a crook who has stolen their money?

Is Mahathir willing to tell the people that Anwar — whom so many of the Malays in the countryside also still love — was unjustly imprisoned by Najib?

Is Bersih willing to organize that? Is Mahathir willing to do that?

If so, then for the sake of Malaysia’s future, I will stand with Mahathir.
Ambassador Malott: Give Tun Dr. Mahathir a Second Chance to Save Malaysia

JULY 28, 2016 BY DINOBEANO

July 28, 2016

Ambassador Malott: Give Tun Dr. Mahathir a Second Chance to Save Malaysia

By John Malott

http://www.malaysiakini.com

JOHN MALOTT is a former US Ambassador to Malaysia. The above article first appeared in Din Merican’s blog.

COMMENT: Dennis Ignatius, a veteran of Malaysia’s foreign service, recently wrote an article in which he said, “Mahathir may not be the ideal candidate to lead the charge for change but, like it or not, he is now the only one with the experience, the standing, and the gravitas to seriously challenge UMNO-BN.”

Dennis said that “our nation is deteriorating rapidly, and our democracy is dying.” I agree with both points that Dennis made.

The question is – why should we give former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad a chance?

Every time Mahathir’s challenge to PM Najib Abdul Razak is raised, there has been no shortage of people who point out that it was Mahathir who subverted Malaysia’s political institutions, which Najib has now used to his advantage. There is no shortage of people who point to the corruption and cronyism that occurred during Mahathir’s era.

But to me, there is no comparison between Mahathir’s day and the incredible kleptocracy that we see today under Najib.

In the old days, people were content to steal millions. Then it was tens of millions. Now, under Najib, it is billions that have disappeared.

In the old days, Siti Hasmah was respected; today Rosmah is despised. In the old days, Mahathir flew on Malaysia Airlines (MAS); today Rosmah and Najib fly around the world for shopping trips on private jets.

There are many people, myself included, who say that it does no good to get rid of a corrupt leader like Najib – if there is no change to the Malaysian political system itself. All we will do is substitute one devil for the other.

Mahathir spent his political life bashing America, and there was no love lost between us during my time as ambassador when he decided after the Asian Financial Crisis to blame America, day after day, for everything that had happened.

That was followed by his arrest of then Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. That led to even more tensions between our two countries. But I was there, and I knew the truth about what happened. I knew the truth about the charges against Anwar. I also knew what happened to all of the economies in South-East Asia, and why.

So I thought it was totally unfair for Mahathir to blame everything on the United States. That was the easy way out for him – it was America and the “orang puteh’s” fault, and it had nothing to do with him.

I was the US Ambassador, and I was not going to stand there – and just go play golf – when my country was attacked unfairly.

But actually, I also understood how upset Mahathir was about what had happened to his country’s economy – and why he chose to lash out and blame America for what had happened.

Even though I grimaced when Mahathir spoke ill of my country, I still had respect then (and I still do now) for what that he did for over 20 years to promote Malaysia’s economic development and raise its stature in the world.

Now Najib has destroyed everything that Mahathir accomplished.

Mugabe-land

I think I know both Mahathir’s strengths and his warts. I have studied and followed him for over 20 years. If I were Mahathir, I would be concerned about my legacy. I would be concerned that everything I accomplished during my years as Prime Minister is now being destroyed – by Najib.

Today Malaysia has become, as I said, Mugabe-land. It was not the country that Mahathir dreamed for – and worked for.

I recognise how Mahathir subverted Malaysia’s political institutions to achieve his goals for the nation. But in his mind, he did it for Malaysia, not to enrich himself. Agree or disagree, that clearly is very different from the incredible kleptocracy that we see today under Najib.

Today people are out to make as much money for themselves as they can, regardless of what happens to their country.

Yes, Mahathir had his sycophants. He was very susceptible to flattery. But he also had some very intelligent and competent ministers, with whom I was privileged to work and engage. He “ran a very tight ship.”

But today?

Najib’s movie producer stepson Riza Aziz is famous for the movie ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says was produced with money stolen from the Malaysian people.

Riza also produced a movie called ‘Dumb and Dumber, Too’. How appropriate. Dumb and Dumber. Because it seems that under Najib, his ministers are competing with each other to see who can “out-dumb” each other. Their number one concern is loyalty, sycophancy, and making sure that they can keep on making money.

So yes, I am willing to give Mahathir a chance – a BIG chance. I hope that he can “Save Malaysia,” which Najib is now destroying. But there have to be conditions.

1) Mahathir – and the movement or political party he creates – must call for Anwar’s release from prison.

2) He must call for dropping all the sedition and other political charges that Najib has filed against other opposition political figures.

3) He must say that those who have stolen money from the Malaysian people must and will be brought to justice. In order to find the truth, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the attorney-general (AG) must be fired.

As for Bersih?Maria Chin Abdullah says that she will lead Bersih 5. It probably will be held, as always, in Kuala Lumpur, so it will be a waste of time. In KL, she will be “preaching to the choir”, as the saying goes.

To get rid of Najib, you have to get out of KL and go into the Malay heartland – and make sure that they know the truth. And who better to do that than Mahathir? In the Malay heartland, Mahathir is still famous, loved, and respected. So is Anwar.

So here is the question – is Mahathir willing to go into that heartland and meet the people – and tell them in Malay that Najib is a crook who has stolen their money?

Is Mahathir willing to tell the people that Anwar – whom so many of the Malays in the countryside also still love – was unjustly imprisoned by Najib?

Is Bersih willing to organise that? And really make a difference?

If so, then for the sake of Malaysia’s future, I will stand with Mahathir.

https://dinmerican.wordpress.com/…/ambassador-malott-give-…/

This is the end of Najib. He is an international pariah. The world now thinks he is a crook. He is a fraud. The world will want nothing to do with him. He will not be welcomed anywhere. When he speaks to the United Nations General Assembly next fall, there will be only 30 or so people in the room, mostly Malaysians. Other leaders will be embarrassed to be seen with him, to shake his hand, to be photographed with him. As for Rosmah, her credit at Hermes and Tiffany's and elsewhere is now cut off. Those luxury stores now know the money was not hers. It was stolen from the Malaysian people. They do not want to be complicit in international money laundering. They have their own reputations to protect.

 

Assalamu'alaikum my friends, here's something to cheer us all up (the demise of Najib) and something to make us despondent(we have no credible person that we can put our trust in for the immediate future).

John Malott (former US ambassador to Malaysia) in his commentary lists down the next steps the US DoJ will take. It is a foreign policy doctrine DXthat the US will not prosecute a sitting leader, except for extremely serious crimes against humanity such as genocide. I particularly find interesting his opinion about Rosmah being unable to shop anymore for luxury items because branded companies do not want to be implicated in money laundering.

What John Malott writes should provide those in power many sleepless nights. His comments are not to be taken lightly for he is a former US Ambassador to Malaysia. 

Syed Idid

John Malott : Former US ambassador to Malaysia : COMMENT

Some people were surprised when I said that the US government’s seizure of assets - condos, mansions, hotels, and art work - all of which were purchased with money stolen from 1MDB and the Malaysian people - was only the beginning.

It’s true. There’s lots more to come.

There will be criminal indictments coming, most likely including Riza Aziz and Jho Low, who both are very closely connected to Prime Minister Najib Razak.

There will be a mention in a future criminal prosecution of an “unindicted co-conspirator,” who now is widely known as ‘Malaysian Official 1’. When he no longer is in office, he will be indicted in the US.

Here are some thoughts about what happens next on the US side. The US government already has seized these assets, or asked other governments, such as Switzerland and the UK, to seize them.

So now Najib’s stepson Riza and his close advisor Jho Low cannot sell anything or try to get their money out of the US or other countries. They have been blocked.

Under US law, the next step is for Aziz, Jho Low, and others to try and prove in a court of law that the assets that were seized from them truly were purchased with their own money - and not from funds stolen from 1MDB.

Of course, they cannot prove that. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) filing was meticulous, thorough, and totally professional. The evidence is all there. It even includes the transcripts of wiretapped phone calls of a panicked Jho Low talking to his bankers.

Thanks to the FBI and DOJ, it is so clear. We know where the money came from. It was stolen from the Malaysian people, through 1MDB.

Your money, not ours

As US Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the others pointed out many times, the money was stolen from the people of Malaysia. The assets belong to them.

So the US government will hold all of the seized assets - the real estate, the paintings, the rights to ‘Wolf of Wall Street’, etc - in trust on behalf of the people of Malaysia, from whom the money was stolen.

The assets will not belong to the US government.

(How ironic that the US attorney general seems to care more about this thievery than the Malaysian attorney-general does...)

In the meantime, the US government will rent out Aziz's condo in New York and his Beverly Hills house. It will take over the management of the hotels in New York and Beverly Hills that were purchased by Jho Low with the stolen money.

The US government will collect the profits from all future sales of the DVDs and TV rights of ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’. The Monet and Van Gogh paintings will go on exhibition somewhere, so everyone can enjoy. And so on.

And all of the profit that is earned will be held in trust by the US government on behalf of the Malaysian people. It is your money, not ours.

What about Rosmah’s son, Riza?

Young Riza will soon be homeless. The US government has seized his homes.

In order to save itself and the films it has in production (including a new film about George Washington, starring Leonardo DiCaprio), I predict that Red Granite Pictures will get rid of Aziz.

So Aziz will be jobless, too.

When the US government files criminal charges against Aziz (and I am sure they will), they will ask the court to seize his passport so he cannot leave the US.

The Malaysian Embassy in Washington may try to defraud the US government and issue a new passport to Aziz, with a new number, so he can leave the country. At that point, we will see how efficient the US government is at catching this.

If the Malaysian government asks for the seized assets to be transferred back to them, the US government will do so.

But will Najib do that? No. If Najib asks for the money back, it means that he is admitting that the money was stolen from the development fund that he headed, that the stolen money went to his stepson and his "advisor" Jho Low, and that he has been lying about this to the Malaysian people for years.

So, of course he will never do that.

Asking for the money back will have to wait for a future prime minister.

And why would Najib want to ask "for the money back," when he and his family and cronies already have it - or have spent it?

An international pariah

From an international viewpoint, this is the end of Najib. He is an international pariah. The world now thinks he is a crook. He is a fraud. The world will want nothing to do with him. He will not be welcomed anywhere. When he speaks to the United Nations General Assembly next fall, there will be only 30 or so people in the room, mostly Malaysians.

Other leaders will be embarrassed to be seen with him, to shake his hand, to be photographed with him.

As for Rosmah, her credit at Hermes and Tiffany's and elsewhere is now cut off. Those luxury stores now know the money was not hers. It was stolen from the Malaysian people. They do not want to be complicit in international money laundering. They have their own reputations to protect.

That is how the world will react. But how will the Malaysian people react? Will Najib get away with this, back in Malaysia?

I fear that the answer is yes. If so, it means that Malaysia is now in Mugabe-Land.

The inspector-general of police (IGP) says that the US government never asked for cooperation from the Malaysian government in their investigation. Yet both the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the FBI have said that they cooperated with each other in this investigation. The IGP knows the truth, so why did he say otherwise? Why did he lie?

The Malaysian AG says that this is all speculation and innuendo, and that there is no proof of the US government's charges. Yet the US government has issued a very thorough, professional, and detailed 136-page filing of evidence with the court. It is there for the AG to read. Instead, why did he choose to insult the integrity of the US government?

Why did he lie?

As long as Malaysia’s IGP and AG continue to deny the truth in the face of the overwhelming facts, we know where this is going.

How ironic it is, that is the US government – the FBI and the US attorney general – who are doing the job that the IGP and Malaysian AG should be doing.

As US AG Lynch said, this is the Malaysian people’s money. It is not America’s.

We want to give it back to you.

JOHN MALOTT is a former US ambassador to Malaysia.