History will judge Najib positively, says Sabah speaker

Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak has emerged as one of Datuk Seri Najib
Razak's fiercest supporters, defending the prime minister and the
controversies surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)
through his blog.

The Sabah assembly speaker also pulled no punches against retired prime
minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, repeatedly taking to his blog to
counter the statesman's criticism on Najib and 1MDB which is sitting on
RM42 billion debt.

The Usukan assemblyman is well known in Sabah, having been the state's
ninth chief minister in the mid-1990s during Dr Mahathir’s era.

 His father, Mohamad Said Keruak, was Sabah's fourth chief minister 20
years earlier and later appointed the state's Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

The Malaysian Insider asked Salleh to explain his defence of Najib.
Below are excerpts from his interview:

TMI:  Why do you choose to express your opinions through your blog?

A: I choose to give my opinion through my blog because, firstly, I want
to express my personal opinion rather than the opinion of Umno or the
Sabah government and, secondly, I want to reach out to the younger
generation who are going to represent the majority of the voters in the
next general election.

There is nothing wrong in having a personal opinion. Everyone has one.
But you must make it clear that this is your personal opinion and not
that of the party you represent, or the government you serve. So what
better way than to do that in a blog? This is me, Salleh talking, not
the speaker of the Sabah state assembly or spokesman of Umno.

TMI: In your blog, you have repeatedly defended the prime minister
against his critics, who include Dr Mahathir. Why are you doing this? Is
 it because there are not many ministers and BN leaders defending Najib?

A: The issue is simple. Tun Dr Mahathir cannot seem to agree with all
his successors whereas he personally handpicked these successors. The
reason Dr Mahathir is angry with Najib is because, according to Dr
Mahathir, Najib gives in to Singapore.

That has been repeated many times. I think this is an unfair allegation.
 Countries must be considerate, civil and courteous to their neighbours.
 Dr Mahathir is talking as if Malaysia is at war with Singapore.

That is why I defended the prime minister. I think Najib is doing the
right thing in discussing with Singapore, before doing something that
mutually affects both countries. Can Britain build a tunnel to France
unless France also agrees to it? That is the issue.

TMI:  Do you think Najib is under siege? Is he misunderstood? Is he a
good, capable leader?

A: The opposition will oppose any prime minister from Umno or Barisan
Nasional. But now some in Umno have united with the opposition to attack
 the prime minister. So they are creating an impression that the prime
minister is under siege.

Why don’t they try to pass a vote of no-confidence against him in
Parliament? Then we will know whether the PM is under siege or not.

Is Naijb misunderstood? Every prime minister since Tunku Abdul Rahman
was misunderstood. Even Dr Mahathir was misunderstood. Winston Churchill
 and Margaret Thatcher were also misunderstood. I suppose it is natural
that all great men/women are misunderstood to some extent. Great people
are complicated people so simple people can never understand them. It
comes with the territory.

They say that people are judged after they have gone, so maybe we will
allow history to answer the question of whether Najib is a capable
leader. I believe, however, history would judge Najib positively.

TMI: What is your message to Najib's critics?

A: What message can I give Najib’s critics? If they do not like Najib,
they will continue not liking him, never mind what I say. Most have
closed minds, which will never open to whatever you may say.

TMI: What do you think of the controversies surrounding 1MDB?

A: Malaysia is facing many issues – economic, security, social, racial,
religious, etc. But the way 1MDB is being played up is giving the
impression that is the only issue or the most critical issue of all.

Even if 1MDB can be considered a serious problem, it is not the only
problem or even the most serious of all. I would rate security, racial,
and religion as being above all other problems because if they are not
properly handled, they can tear the country apart or cause a great loss
of lives.

So that is why I speak about 1MDB. Furthermore, there appears to be a
lot of distortion and misconception regarding 1MDB. On the one hand, we
want PAC (Public Accounts Committee) to investigate 1MDB and come out
with an extensive and thorough report.

On the other hand, even before the investigation and report can be
completed, we have already formed an opinion and made up our minds
regarding 1MDB. There are even statements such as 1MDB must be
considered guilty until and unless it can prove its innocence. This goes
 against the very grain of justice, which is innocent until proven
guilty.

So what are we asking PAC to do? Are we asking PAC to prove that 1MDB is
 innocent and if it can’t, then we will have to assume it is guilty?
Will we put someone on trial for murder and unless that person can prove
 he or she did not commit the murder we will send him or her to the
gallows?

In that case it will be very simple. All PAC has to do is to issue a
statement saying that they have investigated 1MDB and they can’t find
any evidence that 1MDB is innocent so that means 1MDB must be guilty
although there is no evidence of guilt.

In other words, prove that you did not receive any bribes and if you
cannot do that then you must have taken bribes even though we have no
evidence that you did. That is crazy!

We demand that 1MDB reply to the questions. But when they do we say we
do not believe they are telling us the truth. So why demand they reply
to our questions, if we are determined that whatever they reply is not
true? Don’t ask any questions then. Ask a third party instead of 1MDB to
 reply. And this third party is PAC.

But they can only reply after they investigate 1MDB first. That is why I
 talk about 1MDB in my blog. The whole situation has become ridiculous
and many are talking irrationally. It is almost like mass hysteria. No
one wants to know the truth any longer. They want to hear just one
thing: that 1MDB is guilty.

Any statement other than 1MDB is guilty is not acceptable. What is going
 on? Have we all become mad? Why not just let PAC and 1MDB do their
jobs? What we want is for a good job to be done. But we are not allowing
 that to happen. That is what I am trying to say in my blog.

TMI: With the current imbroglio over 1MDB, won't it be a good idea if
Najib rebuts his critics in a forum, dialogue or even a televised
Q&A for Malaysians to listen to his points of view rather than being
 branded a coward for not attending the Nothing to Hide forum on 1MDB?

A: There are many controversies. There is also the controversy of
Anwar’s (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) sodomy charges and the controversy of
 the illegal ICs given to Sabah immigrants during Dr Mahathir’s time.

Did Dr Mahathir agree to a public debate to talk about these? What about
 the Memali massacre? Can Dr Mahathir agree to debate on that also? Why
just pick on 1MDB? The Memali massacre is even more serious, and to us
in Sabah, the illegal ICs are the number one problem.

So why just pick on 1MDB? 1MDB is trying to resolve all the issues.
Also, PAC has not completed its investigation and report yet. So why
disturb everything?

The Nothing to Hide dialogue was supposed to be a dialogue between NGOs
and Najib. It was also supposed to be by invitation only. Then they
tried to turn it into a Najib-Mahathir debate. That was not was what
agreed.

TMI: Issues surrounding 1MDB were brought up as early as two years ago,
but the company did not rebut or answer them. Do you think 1MDB should
have answered its critics from day one when issue of its mismanagement
was brought up instead of keeping quiet and letting it fester until now?

A: The opposition raises so many issues. We cannot reply to every issue
the opposition raises. The government is spending too much time just
replying and rebutting that we no longer have time to run the country.

It is becoming too ridiculous. Let us allow PAC to reply. After all,
whatever 1MDB says is rejected anyway.

TMI: Dr Mahathir has been vocal against Najib on several issues like
1MDB, BR1M (1Malaysia People's Aid), the murder of Altantuya (Mongolian
Altantuya Shaariibuu) and it cannot be denied that his views have
influenced Malaysians' views on the prime minister and BN. How damaging
are his actions to BN and Najib? What should be done to counter his
influence?

A: Dr Mahathir helped the opposition win big in 2008. I suppose Dr
Mahathir can still cause more damage to BN in the next election. Let us
see what happens.

TMI: The country has also been mired in racial-religious tension since
the last general election and the government has been viewed as not
doing enough to douse such flames. Do you feel the government is not
doing enough to check raging racial religious tensions? What needs to be
 done to bring us back to harmonious Malaysia where people of all races
respected each other?

A: Politicians from both sides of the fence, in particular in (the
peninsula), are playing the race and religion card. There is nothing
politicians can do if the people do not reject this. So the people need
to reject these types of politicians.  If not, then they will continue
playing race and religion politics. – June 16, 2015.



Copy and WIN : http://ow.ly/KNICZ

History will judge
Najib positively, says Sabah speaker
BY EILEEN NG (Interview with Malaysian Insider
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/history-will-judge-najib-positively-says-sabah-speaker?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
Published:
 16 June 2015 7:00 AM


Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak has emerged as one of Datuk Seri Najib
Razak's fiercest supporters, defending the prime minister and the
controversies surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)
through his blog.

The Sabah assembly speaker also pulled no punches against retired prime
minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, repeatedly taking to his blog to
counter the statesman's criticism on Najib and 1MDB which is sitting on
RM42 billion debt.

The Usukan assemblyman is well known in Sabah, having been the state's
ninth chief minister in the mid-1990s during Dr Mahathir’s era.

 His father, Mohamad Said Keruak, was Sabah's fourth chief minister 20
years earlier and later appointed the state's Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

The Malaysian Insider asked Salleh to explain his defence of Najib.
Below are excerpts from his interview:

TMI:  Why do you choose to express your opinions through your blog?

A: I choose to give my opinion through my blog because, firstly, I want
to express my personal opinion rather than the opinion of Umno or the
Sabah government and, secondly, I want to reach out to the younger
generation who are going to represent the majority of the voters in the
next general election.

There is nothing wrong in having a personal opinion. Everyone has one.
But you must make it clear that this is your personal opinion and not
that of the party you represent, or the government you serve. So what
better way than to do that in a blog? This is me, Salleh talking, not
the speaker of the Sabah state assembly or spokesman of Umno.

TMI: In your blog, you have repeatedly defended the prime minister
against his critics, who include Dr Mahathir. Why are you doing this? Is
 it because there are not many ministers and BN leaders defending Najib?

A: The issue is simple. Tun Dr Mahathir cannot seem to agree with all
his successors whereas he personally handpicked these successors. The
reason Dr Mahathir is angry with Najib is because, according to Dr
Mahathir, Najib gives in to Singapore.

That has been repeated many times. I think this is an unfair allegation.
 Countries must be considerate, civil and courteous to their neighbours.
 Dr Mahathir is talking as if Malaysia is at war with Singapore.

That is why I defended the prime minister. I think Najib is doing the
right thing in discussing with Singapore, before doing something that
mutually affects both countries. Can Britain build a tunnel to France
unless France also agrees to it? That is the issue.

TMI:  Do you think Najib is under siege? Is he misunderstood? Is he a
good, capable leader?

A: The opposition will oppose any prime minister from Umno or Barisan
Nasional. But now some in Umno have united with the opposition to attack
 the prime minister. So they are creating an impression that the prime
minister is under siege.

Why don’t they try to pass a vote of no-confidence against him in
Parliament? Then we will know whether the PM is under siege or not.

Is Naijb misunderstood? Every prime minister since Tunku Abdul Rahman
was misunderstood. Even Dr Mahathir was misunderstood. Winston Churchill
 and Margaret Thatcher were also misunderstood. I suppose it is natural
that all great men/women are misunderstood to some extent. Great people
are complicated people so simple people can never understand them. It
comes with the territory.

They say that people are judged after they have gone, so maybe we will
allow history to answer the question of whether Najib is a capable
leader. I believe, however, history would judge Najib positively.

TMI: What is your message to Najib's critics?

A: What message can I give Najib’s critics? If they do not like Najib,
they will continue not liking him, never mind what I say. Most have
closed minds, which will never open to whatever you may say.

TMI: What do you think of the controversies surrounding 1MDB?

A: Malaysia is facing many issues – economic, security, social, racial,
religious, etc. But the way 1MDB is being played up is giving the
impression that is the only issue or the most critical issue of all.

Even if 1MDB can be considered a serious problem, it is not the only
problem or even the most serious of all. I would rate security, racial,
and religion as being above all other problems because if they are not
properly handled, they can tear the country apart or cause a great loss
of lives.

So that is why I speak about 1MDB. Furthermore, there appears to be a
lot of distortion and misconception regarding 1MDB. On the one hand, we
want PAC (Public Accounts Committee) to investigate 1MDB and come out
with an extensive and thorough report.

On the other hand, even before the investigation and report can be
completed, we have already formed an opinion and made up our minds
regarding 1MDB. There are even statements such as 1MDB must be
considered guilty until and unless it can prove its innocence. This goes
 against the very grain of justice, which is innocent until proven
guilty.

So what are we asking PAC to do? Are we asking PAC to prove that 1MDB is
 innocent and if it can’t, then we will have to assume it is guilty?
Will we put someone on trial for murder and unless that person can prove
 he or she did not commit the murder we will send him or her to the
gallows?

In that case it will be very simple. All PAC has to do is to issue a
statement saying that they have investigated 1MDB and they can’t find
any evidence that 1MDB is innocent so that means 1MDB must be guilty
although there is no evidence of guilt.

In other words, prove that you did not receive any bribes and if you
cannot do that then you must have taken bribes even though we have no
evidence that you did. That is crazy!

We demand that 1MDB reply to the questions. But when they do we say we
do not believe they are telling us the truth. So why demand they reply
to our questions, if we are determined that whatever they reply is not
true? Don’t ask any questions then. Ask a third party instead of 1MDB to
 reply. And this third party is PAC.

But they can only reply after they investigate 1MDB first. That is why I
 talk about 1MDB in my blog. The whole situation has become ridiculous
and many are talking irrationally. It is almost like mass hysteria. No
one wants to know the truth any longer. They want to hear just one
thing: that 1MDB is guilty.

Any statement other than 1MDB is guilty is not acceptable. What is going
 on? Have we all become mad? Why not just let PAC and 1MDB do their
jobs? What we want is for a good job to be done. But we are not allowing
 that to happen. That is what I am trying to say in my blog.

TMI: With the current imbroglio over 1MDB, won't it be a good idea if
Najib rebuts his critics in a forum, dialogue or even a televised
Q&A for Malaysians to listen to his points of view rather than being
 branded a coward for not attending the Nothing to Hide forum on 1MDB?

A: There are many controversies. There is also the controversy of
Anwar’s (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) sodomy charges and the controversy of
 the illegal ICs given to Sabah immigrants during Dr Mahathir’s time.

Did Dr Mahathir agree to a public debate to talk about these? What about
 the Memali massacre? Can Dr Mahathir agree to debate on that also? Why
just pick on 1MDB? The Memali massacre is even more serious, and to us
in Sabah, the illegal ICs are the number one problem.

So why just pick on 1MDB? 1MDB is trying to resolve all the issues.
Also, PAC has not completed its investigation and report yet. So why
disturb everything?

The Nothing to Hide dialogue was supposed to be a dialogue between NGOs
and Najib. It was also supposed to be by invitation only. Then they
tried to turn it into a Najib-Mahathir debate. That was not was what
agreed.

TMI: Issues surrounding 1MDB were brought up as early as two years ago,
but the company did not rebut or answer them. Do you think 1MDB should
have answered its critics from day one when issue of its mismanagement
was brought up instead of keeping quiet and letting it fester until now?

A: The opposition raises so many issues. We cannot reply to every issue
the opposition raises. The government is spending too much time just
replying and rebutting that we no longer have time to run the country.

It is becoming too ridiculous. Let us allow PAC to reply. After all,
whatever 1MDB says is rejected anyway.

TMI: Dr Mahathir has been vocal against Najib on several issues like
1MDB, BR1M (1Malaysia People's Aid), the murder of Altantuya (Mongolian
Altantuya Shaariibuu) and it cannot be denied that his views have
influenced Malaysians' views on the prime minister and BN. How damaging
are his actions to BN and Najib? What should be done to counter his
influence?

A: Dr Mahathir helped the opposition win big in 2008. I suppose Dr
Mahathir can still cause more damage to BN in the next election. Let us
see what happens.

TMI: The country has also been mired in racial-religious tension since
the last general election and the government has been viewed as not
doing enough to douse such flames. Do you feel the government is not
doing enough to check raging racial religious tensions? What needs to be
 done to bring us back to harmonious Malaysia where people of all races
respected each other?

A: Politicians from both sides of the fence, in particular in (the
peninsula), are playing the race and religion card. There is nothing
politicians can do if the people do not reject this. So the people need
to reject these types of politicians.  If not, then they will continue
playing race and religion politics.