Pinoy IM Roderick Nava wins 2015 KL Open Chess Competition. IM Nolte and IM Mas Hafizul, 2nd & Third!

SPORTS - Media Partnership
Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Monday, 31st August 2015

( Logo of the KL Chess Association )

( Champion 2015 KL Open - IM Roderick Nava from Philippines )

Complete Results:
OPEN event
U16 Juniors category


OPEN
Champion - IM Roderick Nava (Philippines), 8 points
Runners-Up - IM Nolte Rolando (Philippines), 7 points
Third - IM Mas Hafizulhelmi (Malaysia), 7 points


U16 Juniors Open
Champion - WFM Nur Najiha Azman Hisham (Malaysia), 8.5 points
Runners-Up - Amir Ghazi Mohd Saprin (Malaysia), 7.5 points
Third - Lee Zhi Wei (Malaysia), 6.5 points

2015 KL International Open Chess Competition Begins Today!

SPORTS - Media Partnership
Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Sunday, 30th August 2015

Official Results can be obtained here:-
OPEN Event - Pairings & RESULTS
Juniors U-16 Open - Juniors, Pairings & RESULTS

*pictures courtesy of L.G.Ng, KL Open 2015 Tournament Director

The 2015 KL Open begins today at the Cititel Midvalley - KL.
Round 1 was played in the morning and Round 2 was at 12noon

Round 1 ended with a few upsets in the premium OPEN event notably Olympiad, 11th seeded Sumant Subramaniam (FIDE Rating 2115) loss to CM Ng Jen Sheng (1642) seeded 39th. Other notables were CM Fadli (2024) seeded 20th who lost to Selangor MSSM player Bryan Yap(1417) seeded 48th and 5th seeded Nelson Villanueva(2294) who drew with 33rd seeded Lum Zhun Hong(1779).

In the developmental U16 Juniors category, introduced for the first time by KLCA this year for Juniors development purposes - the "script" or pairings were largely followed.

Round 2 began a short while ago.

KLCA Ready for tomorrow's Day 1 of the 2015 KL Open Chess Competition

SPORTS - Media Partnership

Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

Saturday, 29th August 2015

 ( L-R: The Invitation Card for the 2015 KL Open and KLCA logo )

The Kuala Lumpur Chess Association or KLCA is ready for tomorrow's 8th edition of the 2015 KL International Open Chess Competition which will be held at Cititel Midvalley Kuala Lumpur from 30th to 31st August. The event is held in conjunction with Malaysia's 58th Merdeka Day celebrations. The ASEAN 500 is an official Media Partner for the event.

( KL Open 2015 Technical Meeting, Customary for any FIDE-rated event )

( KL Open 2015, Technical Briefing done by IA Peter Long - Chief Arbiter for event )

*pictures courtesy of L.G.Ng - KL Open 2015 Tournament Director.

( An EXCO Member of KLCA, sitting in front of the event's backdrop )

* picture courtesy of CM Fadli Zakaria

The customary Technical Meeting has just ended around 7.05 pm. Around 100 players are confirmed to start the event tomorrow with players in the Open category slightly outnumbering the Under-16 Juniors category which is just introduced to help with the development of junior chess players in Malaysia. Numbers are a bit down due to the present political scenario which resulted in a few countries not confirming their participation in the Open event whilst a number of local players or more specifically chess parents had withdrawn their children from the U16 Juniors event as well despite initially expressing their interest to play.

( Gold Sponsors for KL Open 2015 - Kasparov Foundation A.Pacific and IGB Corporation Berhad)

Gold sponsors are Kasparov Foundation Asia Pacific and IGB Corporation Berhad. RM12,000 as prize money is at stake for the winners. The ASEAN 500 wishes KLCA All the Best in organising the event and wish the players well as well.

PIDM collaborates with Lat!

PIDM collaborates with Lat 
on new public awareness campaign -

Advertising campaign to enhance understanding about financial consumer protection

FINANCE & LIFESTYLE
Kuala Lumpur-MALAYSIA
Thursday, 27th August 2015: 

Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM) today launched its new advertising campaign for public awareness developed in collaboration with  famous Malaysian cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid, popularly known as Lat.

The nationwide campaign is part of PIDM’s ongoing initiatives to enhance public awareness and understanding about PIDM and the protection systems it administers, namely the Deposit Insurance System (DIS) and the Takaful and Insurance Benefits Protection System (TIPS). PIDM is also mandated to promote and contribute to the stability of the financial system in Malaysia.

“We want the public to know that PIDM is the financial consumer protection authority that administers sound protection systems for their bank deposits, insurance and takaful benefits,” said Encik Rafiz Azuan Abdullah, PIDM’s Executive General Manager.

“Knowing about this protection will give financial consumers added assurance that their funds are secure in the unlikely event of a member institution failure. This promotes confidence, and public confidence is key towards ensuring stability of the financial system in Malaysia,” he added.

He explained that PIDM expends considerable effort and resources towards enhancing public awareness and understanding of the financial consumer protection systems in place. Educating the public requires continuous effort that needs to be carried out over the long term for it to be effective.  

Since its inception in 2005, PIDM has embarked on various public awareness initiatives and previous advertising campaigns have provided valuable insights that the right communication channels and platforms are necessary to reach out to our target audiences and get this important message across.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Lat for our latest advertising campaign as his trademark black-and-white drawings have brilliant storytelling ability that can bring to life complex messages, which cut across all races and demographics. This is exactly what we were looking to employ for our campaign,” explained Encik Rafiz.

“I empathised with PIDM and understood the challenges in communicating about financial matters which can be daunting to many. I then felt compelled to do my part for the nation and its people as this information is important for every Malaysian to know,” said Lat.

The advertising campaign will kick off on 7 September and will be featured in traditional media channels through television, radio and print advertisements, as well as via online and social media platforms. PIDM will also utilise Lat’s work in its other communication materials planned for later this year, such as brochures, posters and the membership decal.

ABOUT PIDM

PIDM administers the statutory Deposit Insurance System and the Takaful and Insurance Benefits Protection System in Malaysia. Through these systems, eligible bank deposits and takaful and insurance benefits are protected under the law. As an integral part of the national financial safety net, we promote and contribute to the stability of the financial system.

So, What Next, Mr Najib?

POLITICS by John Dela Sage Southern Peninsular - MALAYSIA Tuesday, 25th August 2015

Note: The ASEAN 500 this week welcomes a Guest Writer in place of Amirul HM. Writer is a practising lawyer in one of Malaysia's southern states. A 'regular irregular' NGO supporter, he used to be the Secretary of a State Bar Association as well as other 'quiet' initiatives like GRI-M and HIKMAH. Not wishing to be thrusted into the limelight, he writes under the moniker John Dela Sage.

So, What Next, Mr Najib?

1. The political situation in Malaysia is becoming increasingly confusing by the day. This is mainly due to the events surrounding UMNO, the backbone and senior partner of BN and its president Mr Najib Razak.

2. The 1MDB saga has become a huge political and financial scandal. While most Malaysians might not be able to fully comprehend the intricacies of this somewhat complex and sophisticated investment fiasco, many will have some concept of the allegations involved.

3. It is submitted that given its sheer magnitude, the 1MDB controversy is unlikely to disappear from the pale of public discussion any time soon and will continue to feature prominently in both the social as well as the mainstream media.

4. One direct consequence that flows from this 1MDB issue is that UMNO has now become a political house divided. It is plain and obvious that there exist deep divisions within the party and political allegiances are now being tested to the core. In point of fact, many of its members are now caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place.  

5. Admittedly, the recent cabinet reshuffle has allowed Mr Najib to consolidate his position as head of the government. Additionally, with the party polls being deferred until the next General Elections [GE], he will also have the option of dropping his former Deputy and other detractors as candidates for the next General Election. Those dropped will find it extremely difficult to defend their party positions at the next party polls let alone challenge Mr Najib for the presidency. In that sense, and provided that BN prevails in the next General Election, Mr Najib’s position as President of UMNO too appears to be unassailable.

6. Be that as it may, any decision to drop prominent party stalwarts will certainly entail serious political repercussions. UMNO could conceivably end up losing a few more seats to the opposition and this will affect BN’s overall performance. A weakened mandate as a result of a diminished majority in Parliament will not augur well for Mr Najib’s leadership.

7. It is pertinent to observe that criticism of Mr Najib is mounting over his handling of the 1MDB issue. There appears to be this perception that his administration has not demonstrated a real sense of urgency in allowing the investigations into this matter to be conducted and concluded in an impartial, timely and efficient manner.

8. The Task Force that was set up to investigate the 1MDB saga too appears to have been rendered ineffectual. The police and the MACC are at odds with one another with the latter alleging unwarranted meddling in its investigative duties.

9. In the meantime, the investigations carried out by the Public Accounts Committee (PACC) have also been suspended pending appointment of new members to replace those who have been co opted into the cabinet following the latest reshuffle.

10. Those turn of events have certainly afforded Mr Najib some respite and much needed breathing space to ponder over his next course of action. In actual fact, he has a range of options at his disposal.

11. One of them would be to revoke UMNO’s earlier decision to postpone the party elections. He can opt to hold it next year as scheduled. Such a move will be viewed as a bold step to seek a fresh mandate to lead the party into the next General Election and to bolster his claim that the majority of members in the party stand full square behind him despite the ongoing political crisis.

12. Certainly he can expect to be challenged for the top position but being the incumbent he will definitely have the upper hand against his would be challenger. Once he succeeds in retaining the presidency, party members including his detractors will have little option but to unite behind their President. The 1MDB issue will then be placed on the back burner as the party gears up for its biggest challenge for political survival in the next General Election.

13. Alternatively, Mr Najib can call for a snap General Election. This is certainly a much riskier option and it is also conceivable that his ruling coalition might even lose in that election. However, such a move will also force UMNO members to close ranks and cease internal squabbling as they need to galvanize their efforts and resources to face the enemies from without.

14. The upcoming Sarawak state elections will provide Mr Najib with some useful indicators as to where the ruling coalition stands in the wider political scheme of things. A divided opposition front which is not at their strongest for the moment the Ringgit slide, as well as an uncertain economic climate are some of the factors that could strangely tip the political scale in his favour.

15. Next it is also conceivable that Mr Najib could use this breather to plan a dignified exit strategy and at the same time put in place a smooth succession plan for UMNO. However such a succession plan will involve a great deal of horse trading and UMNO members may simply refuse to accept such an arrangement. In other word, they will want to have their say on who should be the next President should Mr Najib decides to call it a day.

16. The final option is to sit tight and do nothing. Three years is a long time in politics and one can expect that attitudes and opinions will change with the passage of time. With some luck even the 1MDB saga will become nothing more than a historical footnote in Malaysian politics.

17. In the meantime, Mr Najib can devote and concentrate his efforts in fixing the 1MDB mess, bolstering the economy and crafting his foreign policies, to boost his international standing. All these factors can have an impact on the outcome of the next General Election.

18. Over the years UMNO has become synonymous with the concept of Malay Political Dominance. This theme was controversially revisited by Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad in a lecture delivered in 1986 at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It is pertinent to note that apart from UMNO no other political party has attempted to portray itself as one which seeks to defend, protect and preserve this pre eminence position of the Malays in Malaysian politics. That was how UMNO has kept itself relevant. Therefore, the idea of a weakened leadership leading the party into what would arguably be the toughest General Election ever will not resonate well with the majority of its members and would generate a great deal of anxiety and apprehension all around.

19. George Orwell, the prominent British novelist once said: . . . . “power worship blurs political judgment because it leads almost unavoidably to the belief that present trends will continue. Whoever is winning at the moment will always seem to be invincible.” In the case of the ruling coalition, such feeling of invincibility will have significantly diminished over the course of the last two General Elections and now replaced with a palpable sense of vulnerability.

20. In the final analysis, Mr Najib’s ultimate decision will certainly have a profound impact on the ruling coalition is political fortunes that will surely will be manifested in the results of the next General Election. The ball is clearly in his court and the spectators are waiting with bated breath to see what he does next.

ASEAN Ministerial Statement on the Bombing at Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok, Thailand

ASEAN Ministerial Statement on the Bombing
 at Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok, Thailand

ASEAN
F.T. of Putrajaya - MALAYSIA
Tuesday, 25th August 2015

The ASEAN Member States extend their deepest sympathies and condolences to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Thailand and to the families of the victims of the bombing incident at the Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok on the evening of 17 August, which resulted in the loss of lives and injuries.  

ASEAN strongly condemns the bombing as it had in the past condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever it is committed. 

ASEAN renews its commitment to work with the international community to further intensify its cooperation to combat all forms of terrorism. 

ASEAN expresses solidarity with the Government and people of the Kingdom of Thailand and supports the efforts to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice.    

" Death by Drone", an ASEAN 500 cartoon with Poem by Notrumi

CARTOON & POEM

by Notrumi
Bukit Damansara - MALAYSIA
Monday, 24th August 2015

( Death by Drone )

.

A Signature Strike

There was once a boy called Abu,

He lived in a village near

Peshawar, Mosul or Kabul,

He could have been me,

He could have been you,

He could have been anyone

You might meet in school,

Anyways, one day

He borrowed a cellphone

*ring ring*ring ring*

Went the ringing tone,

*ring ring*ring ring*

Isn’t anybody home?

*Target Acquired*

Fire! Fire!

And now on a rocky slope

Rests his bones,

Never more to call home,

Obliterated through no fault of his own,

Obliterated because of

Someone else’s phone,

Remembered in words

Carved on his gravestone,

"ABU

Made Prone,

Eternally,

By Drone."

-Notrumi (Taufiq bin Abdul Khalid)

Japanese Business Sector Cooperating with ASEAN

Japanese Business Sector to Cooperate with ASEAN 

in its Post-2015 Development

ASEAN

Kuala Lumpur - MALAYSIA

Saturday, 22nd August 2015

The Japanese business sector expressed its willingness to cooperate in assisting ASEAN with its post-2015 development.  The private sector representatives also voiced confidence on the growth prospects of the ASEAN economy. These were conveyed during the 8^th Dialogue between the Federation of Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA) and H.E. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, held on 21 August in Kuala Lumpur at the side-lines of the 47^th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting. The Dialogue was participated in by the heads of the Japanese Chambers of Commerce in ASEAN and hosted by the Japanese Chamber of Trade & Industry, Malaysia.

During the Dialogue, the Japanese private sector communicated their strong interest in several initiatives of ASEAN. They were especially keen on several on-going ASEAN trade facilitation measures on customs and rules of origin.  In particular, they welcomed the projects on the ASEAN Single Window and Self-Certification, which when completed will provide exporters and businesses more timely clearance of goods and reduce their costs of doing business.

The FJCCIA representatives were also interested in issues pertaining to standards and requested for information to be made more easily accessible, especially on products that are subject to mandatory certification, the issuance process of certificates of conformance and the test laboratories availability.  The mobility of labour, financial sector liberalisation and taxation issues also represented issues of importance to businesses.

The FJCCIA presented their views on the post-2015 scenario for ASEAN, particular in respect of seeking to secure skilled industrial human resources in ASEAN, the development of rules and regulations which enable cross-border transportation and initiatives that encourage industry-wide conformity of standards and specifications.  In particular, they expressed willingness to cooperate in developing vocational training programmes in ASEAN and to engage in a ten-year plan with ASEAN for human resource development.

SG Minh briefed the Japanese sector on recent ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) developments. He stated that ASEAN has stepped up efforts to implement the remaining AEC initiatives.  According to him, ASEAN has made further progress towards the implementation of the full-fledged ASEAN Single Window Pilot Project and has intensified efforts to address important issues relating to non-tariff barriers in trade and investment.  He added that ASEAN Member States have also made progress in building up their laws and regulations database under their respective national trade repositories, which will contain important information important to businesses. 

Further, SG Minh told the Japanese business representatives that improvements are being made on the liberalisation of the services sector, while progress is seen also in the implementation of the Mutual Recognition Arrangements towards better mobility of professionals.  Currently, ASEAN Registries are in place under the MRAs on Architect and Engineers and with about 1,500 professionals already registered under these two registries. 

SG Minh noted the important contribution of the private sector in bringing about prosperity and benefits to the people of ASEAN including jobs and employment.  He noted that the business sector has helped to spur ASEAN’s economic growth with per capita GDP income doubling from USD2,000 in 2006, just before the adoption of the AEC Blueprint, to USD4,130 in 2014. Total trade has grown from USD1.4 trillion to USD2.6 trillion in the same period, while visitor arrivals has doubled to 105 million visitors last year.

In this respect, SG Minh called upon the Japanese business sector to be more participative in ASEAN’s post-2015 activities and welcomed the offer of the Japanese companies to be more engaged in cooperation for developing vocational training programmes. He further stated that “the private sector will also be called upon to collaborate more in the development of SMEs especially in relation to their integration into the regional value chains and that there is much room for more direct business involvement in the initiatives under the SME Plan Post-2015.” He also urged the FJCCIA members to lend their expertise and to enhance SME development through the mentoring and capacity building programmes.    

The Japanese private sector has a strong and important presence in ASEAN.  Japanese FDI in the last five years have reached up to USD 80 billion.   The number of Japanese companies in ASEAN who are members of FJCCIA has increased by almost 20% since 2012 to 6,500, reflecting the high levels of FDI and their huge confidence in ASEAN’s economies.

IFSB - BIBF to Continue Programme in October 2015

IFSB – BIBF to Continue Islamic Finance Executive Programme in October 2015 Covering Topics on Islamic Capital Market

ISLAMIC FINANCE

Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA / Manama, BAHRAIN

Thursday, 20th August 2015

The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) and BIBF are organising the second joint IFSB-BIBF Islamic Finance Executive Programme (IFEP) series, themed, “Towards a Vibrant Islamic Capital Market: Opportunities and Challenges,” on 5 – 6 October 2015 in Manama, Bahrain.

With the theme “Towards a Vibrant Islamic Capital Market: Opportunities and Challenges”, this second edition of the IFSB-BIBF Islamic Finance Executive Programme will focus on key areas that are expected to be catalysts in driving Islamic capital markets into the next phase of growth and development from the perspectives of market practitioners, regulators and academia. It also aims to promote an informed analysis and understanding of Islamic capital markets through discussions of topical and contemporary issues as well as of prospects and challenges relating to Islamic capital market products and services.

The sessions will include analysis and deliberations on the current trends and developments of the Islamic capital markets, innovations inSukuk structures such as perpetual Sukuk, and prospects for cross-border Sukuk. Furthermore, the participants will be exposed to issues related to development of new markets, Islamic Collective Investment Schemes (ICIS), Shariah-compliant hedging, as well as the role of the regulatory and supervisory authorities in ensuring market integrity, transparency and protection of investors.

The panel session, as a key feature of this Islamic Finance Executive Programme will highlight key issues and challenges in Islamic capital markets relating to the Shariah framework, the resilience of its infrastructures as well as develop policy recommendations drawing on the views and experiences of both supervisors and market practitioners.

Among the topics which will be covered are:

• Development of the Islamic Capital Market (ICM): Progress and Trends
• Innovative Sukuk Structures: A New Path for the Growth of ICM
• Islamic Collective Investment Schemes (ICIS): Promoting Strong Foundations
• Islamic Real Estate Investment Trusts (I-REITs): An Emerging Asset Class for Wealth Management
• Shariah-compliant Hedging Instruments: Addressing the Market Risk Management Needs of the Industry
• Sound Development of the ICM: The Supervisory Role
• Panel Discussion on Building a Vibrant Islamic Capital Market: Key Issues and Challenges

The IFEP is ideal for Regulators and Supervisors of the Islamic Capital Markets, Chief Executive Officers and Board Members of Investment Companies, Originators and Issuers as well as Arrangers/Bookrunners of ICM Products, Senior Management at Credit Rating Agencies. Senior Management of Islamic Capital Market Associations, Senior Managers in the Risk Management, Shariah Governance and Compliance Functions, Auditors, Lawyers, Academicians and Researchers in ICM.

 You are invited to Register click here, or View the IFEP brochure at click here.

For further information of IFEP, visit www.ifsb.org. or contact Mr. Hamizi Hamzah at hamizi@ifsb.org for enquiries.

----------------------------------------------------------- end -------------------------------------------------------

NOTE TO EDITOR:

About the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB)

The IFSB is an international standard-setting organisation that promotes and enhances the soundness and stability of the Islamic financial services industry by issuing global prudential standards and guiding principles for the industry, broadly defined to include banking, capital markets and insurance sectors. The IFSB also conducts research and coordinates initiatives on industry-related issues, as well as organises roundtables, seminars and conferences for regulators and industry stakeholders. Towards this end, the IFSB works closely with relevant international, regional and national organisations, research/educational institutions and market players.

The members of the IFSB comprise regulatory and supervisory authorities, international inter-governmental organisations and market players, professional firms and industry associations.

For more information about the IFSB, please visit www.ifsb.org.

About BIBF

BIBF has an important role to play in supporting the financial sector of Bahrain. BIBF continues to support all the financial institutions in Bahrain in the development of a world class people for the sector.  BIBF does this by providing the highest quality of assessment, education, training and development in the region and ensuring that it deliver internationally accredited courses and programs.

Since its inception in 1981, BIBF has grown from 450 participants mainly from within the Banking sector to over 17,000 participants largely within the financial services industry. BIBF delivers training and development solutions across all major business disciplines including Accounting and Finance; Banking; Insurance; Islamic Finance; Information Technology; Management and Leadership expertise. BIBF also has a major emphasis in Academic and Executive development.

BIBF has an international footprint having delivered programmes in regions such as Asia, Africa, Europe, and the wider Middle East, and educating over 60 different nationalities here in Bahrain.

" To THE Point " Please, Mr. PM!

POLITICS - Column: " from THE fringes "
Bandaraya Bersejarah-MELAKA & Damansara Utama-SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
Tuesday, 18th August 2015 

But Always, I Come back To THE Point.

And THE POINT is ?

What's YOUR Answer Dato' Seri Najib ???

I need to pre-empt readers and former viewers -  No, I am not referring to " To the POINT " a socio- political economy talk show which I once hosted for Capital TV on Hypp TV-UNIFI for a few seasons starting in 2013 and was also the Consultant Producer.
The POINT for me is a certain unmarked place in Melaka town, somewhere between Dataran Pahlawan and the row of shophouses on reclaimed land. Whenever I pass by "the POINT" in Melaka it echoes and re-echoes - " Duty, Country / Empire and ..."

When I was very young, my father ensured that I had a taste of Kampung (the Malay term for Village) life in Jasin, Melaka. Often, he would take me for a drive to Melaka town, passing by many historical sites and buildings (which tourists flocks to now) but were then in the 70s not really 'appreciated'  nor commercialised. My father will now and again take different routes but always we would end up at a row of food stalls just off to the right off Dataran Pahlawan if one were to be facing the Melaka Straits. Over a bowl of Ice-Kacang and him normally taking a coconut drink, he will start talking about the history of Melaka and of our family and of how Melaka achieved greatness and why it fell etc etc.

Well what did you expect from a 5 or 6-year old kid? Attention? When someone is going on and on about history!? I would like to think that I was a bit smarter though and gave the impression to my father that I was paying attention only because I can order my second bowl of Ice Kacang(nuts) littered with sweetcorn. Nowadays, time and again I can remember certain stories like Si Kitul, Si Tanggang, bloody fights or battles, the war to retake Melaka in 1517 and 1521 which have been relegated to just a line or brief footnote in Malaysian history books by 'unchecked' historians. At times, I was regaled over Ice Kacang and some finger food on the role the family played in WW2 and in the Communist Insurgency as well as the cowardly Brits labels hurled at the MPAJA in addition to the family sufferings at the hands of Japanese and Communists alike. A recurring theme in all stories seemed to be the role played by traitors.


Coming back, To THE Point:
Dato' Seri Najib bin TUN ABDUL RAZAK,
YOU've not and never answered YOURSELF whether a sizeable amount have been deposited into your personal account at AM Bank

Instead, the people have been served with this:-

SPRM 10 August 2015

(SPRM Media Statement on August 2015)

A statement by the SPRM or MACC which instead of ending the saga you've created, led to an unprecedented visit by the Police to the MACC office. Subsequently, MACC officials were given transfer orders presumably for "cold storage" purposes.

Perhaps, you should have taken heed of the visit by 17(or was it 19, I can't recall) UMNO Supreme Council Members during the holy month of Ramadhan instead of thinking it as a Hollywood script.


Coming back, To THE POINT:
Dato' Seri Najib bin TUN ABDUL RAZAK,
YOU've not and never answered YOURSELF which Country(ies) gave the RM2.6 Billion Political Donation stated by the MACC Media Statement in August 2015.


If its:-
PM Lee Hsien Loong or Singapore - What else have you given up or piece(s) of land surrendered?
President Obama or USA - Does that mean Malaysia will sign the TPPA?

If you claim it's a Middle East country, then if its:-
Iran - Does that mean Syiah is now allowed to be practiced in Malaysia?
Saudi Arabia - another version of Islam being consented ??
.......surely its not the Pariah Terrorist state of Israel???

Perhaps, you should have clarified the matter when it was raised during discussions between your Goodself, and UMNO's Deputy President, Treasurer and Secretary-General on GE13 funding instead of thinking of it as a Bollywood script.


Coming back, To THE POINT:
Dato' Seri Najib bin TUN ABDUL RAZAK,
YOU've not and never answered anything YOURSELF Mr.Prime Minister.
And, because of this there exists a lacuna(e) in the script.

Whatever your story, Please Come Clean or Forever Be Tainted !!!

Please come clean as there's still a glimmer of hope.
Based on last week's survey in Perak, Selangor and KL...there's still a glimmer,
...some Perakians are seeing it as nothing more than Johor making way for Perak;
Based on last weekend's poll in NS and Melaka...there's still some ember,
...a diminishing minority are saying you've been framed.

Whatever your story, Please Come Clean or Forever Be Tainted !!!

" To THE Point " Please, Mr. Prime Minister of Malaysia!

ASEAN Responds to Disasters as One

ASEAN

Manila, PHILIPPINES

Tuesday, 18th August 2015

The Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council – Office of Civil Defense (NDRRMC-OCD) together with the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) conducted the “One ASEAN, One Response” Roadshow from 11 – 13 August 2015 in Manila.  The event aimed to promote the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Disaster Management as well as to socialize the “One ASEAN, One Response” vision where all ASEAN Member States unite as one to respond to disasters within or outside the region.

AHA Centre’s Executive Director Said Faisal and NDRRMC Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Alexander Pama graced the event.

“One ASEAN, One Response is the vision where ASEAN is moving forward.  It envisions unity and solidarity amongst ten Member States.  Therefore, we would like to extend our deepest appreciation for the continuous support of all the ASEAN Member States which enables us further in achieving One ASEAN, One Response,” said Mr Faisal in his opening remarks.

“We believe that this roadshow will bring significant impact towards the understanding of ASEAN’s framework on disaster management and emergency response.  Moreover, we can also understand how the AHA Centre fits in the regional mechanism of disaster management and how the NDRRMC can fully utilize its support on information sharing, emergency response and also capacity-building programme for our officials,” said Usec Pama.

The entry into force of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) in 2009 reflects a strong commitment from the ten ASEAN Member States to become a stronger region in responding to disaster.  As the operational organization of the AADMER, the AHA Centre is fully committed to realize the “One ASEAN, One Response” vision.