http://www.malaysiakini.com/frame/eNrLKCkpsNLXLy8v18tKTUvLz8/US87P1U8sSs7ILEst1jcyMDDVNzDRz8lPSqqMTyvNS4kvyS/QK8goAABjOxTD
Mahathir rasuah RM5.3 juta wang rakyat untuk jumpa George Bush di White House. Petronas untung berbillion-billion RM setiap tahun, tapi tidak pernah bayar zakat ........ wang lesap tanpa faedah untuk rakyat. http://www.malaysiakini.com/frame/eNrLKCkpsNLXLy8v18tKTUvLz8/US87P1U8sSs7ILEst1jcyMDDVNzDRz8lPSqqMTyvNS4kvyS/QK8goAABjOxTD US investigates Malaysia's lobby fund Reader Nabil Kannan sent me a link to Washington Post last Sunday (April 17). The story is getting out via Malaysiakini today, with augmenting reports from The Hong Kong Standard and TIME magazine. But it is a story first broken by MGG Pillai as early as March 28. In essence, the reports reveal three things: Malaysia, during the Dr Mahathir Administration, had hired Washington lobbyists through US-based Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, to secure the old man a visit to the White House in 2002. The bill came to at least RM5.3 million, and nobody can pinpoint who had picked it up, but a Malaysian company was mentioned. Heritage Foundation, which had sharply criticized Mahathir Mohamad for years over his autocratic rule, denounced his anti-Semitism, his jailing of political opponents and his "anti-free market currency controls", was willing to bend its rules and accept Malaysia's lobby fund. Source #1: Washington Post According to Washington Post, investigations show that the money was paid to Hong Kong-based Belle Haven Consultants - a company linked to Heritage’s president Edwin Feulner - which funnels funds to lobbyists in Washington. The report, bylined Washington Post staff writer Thomas B. Edsall, with contribution from staff writer Susan Schmidt and researcher Lucy Shackelford, questioned the possibility of conflict of interests by Feulner, whose Heritage Foundation exercised tremendous influence among Washington's policymakers. It pointed out that the think tank had diluted its criticism of Malaysia soon after Belle Haven accepted the multi-million contract to lobby in favour of Kuala Lumpur. Part of Heritage's deliverables included a change in its assessment of Malaysia: Heritage financed a trip to Malaysia (Aug 30 - Sept 4, 2001) for three House members and their spouses. Heritage put on briefings for the congressional delegation titled "Malaysia: Standing Up for Democracy" and "U.S. and Malaysia: Ways to Cooperate in Order to Influence Peace and Stability in Southeast Asia". US tax experts are now saying that the relationship between Heritage Foundation, and a network of lobbying firms collecting fees from Malaysian business interests - well in excess of US$1 million over two years - could pose a problem for Heritage's tax status as a nonprofit group. The fees were disclosed in reports filed with Congress and the Justice Department, says Washington Post. It was revealed that, on Sept. 27, 2001, Belle Haven hired Alexander Strategy Group, a Washington lobby firm run by Edwin A. Buckham, a former chief of staff to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), to help represent Malaysian clients. Source #2: The Standard, HK In April 22 edition of The Standard Hong Kong, available online today, it is revealed that Malaysia’s wooing of Washington was engineered by the US-Malaysia Exchange Association (Usmea), an organisation that works to improve relations between Kuala Lumpur and Washington. The organisation was set up in 2001 and chaired by former deputy home minister Megat Junid Megat Ayob, The Standard says. Its joint deputies are Dr Jamaludin Jarjis, the Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation, and retired Wyoming senator Malcolm Wallop. Wallop is now a fellow at Heritage's Asian Studies Centre, and owner and chief lobbyist for Western Strategy Group, a Virginia-based firm that received more than US$120,000 between 2002 and 2003 from Belle Haven Consultants to promote Malaysian investment and business opportunities. The newspaper said that Usmea and Belle Haven - in which Megat Junid is believed to have a stake - spearheaded a RM5.3 million (US$1.4 million) lobbying campaign, using the platform of the Heritage Foundation. The Standard says, in September 2001, Usmea arranged for then Republican majority whip Tom DeLay, the second ranking leader in the US House of Representatives, to visit Malaysia. DeLay was accompanied by his wife, his staff and two Florida Republican House members, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and and Ander Crenshaw. Datai Hotel at Langkawi was quoted as the meeting place. A second senior congressional delegation was brought out in April 2002. One month later, says The Standard, Usmea helped to arrange a visit to Washington by the then Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who used the occasion to make a speech at the Heritage Foundation. Washington Post says Najib's visit was followed by a talk by then-Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, themed "Strengthening the U.S.-Malaysia Friendship", delivered on Oct 4, 2002. Source #3: TIME magazine Related to this, the April 25 issue of TIME magazine carries a story, titled: THE FOREIGN JUNKET: Who Paid for the Malaysia Trip?. It quotes Malcolm Wallop as saying that his organisation did not pay for the trip. But Belle Haven did. This is becoming an issue in the US as it is against US House Ethics rules if a group other than the official sponsor paid for a trip for a member of Congress. DeLay's spokesman Dan Allen has surfaced to insist that Heritage was the party that "sponsored, organised and paid for the trip" to Malaysia. It is also reported that DeLay had offered to appear before the House Ethics Committee to defend himself against the allegations. The money trail How was the Malaysian lobby money funnelled into US? The Standard says financing for Usmea's lobbying activities was not straightforward. According to disclosure reports filed with the US Senate, four US firms received more than RM5.3 million in funds from Belle Haven between 2001 and 2003 to lobby on behalf of Malaysian interests. Some of the money was paid by PK Baru Energy, a Malaysian company established in 2000 with significant shareholding by Megat Junid and his son. Meanwhile, according to Washington Post, the US Justice Department is conducting an on-going investigation into Jack Abramoff, a former Republican lobbying powerhouse and closely linked to DeLay and the think tank American International Center (AIC). Abramoff’s former associates have produced documents that claim he has been indirectly paid by the Malaysian government. Through the investigation, it was discovered that the Malaysian embassy in the US gave AIC a cheque for RM1.14 million (US$300,000) dated March 6, 2002. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/hjtSRD/3MnJAA/i1hLAA/JcWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Alternatif-Net : A Discussion Forum Focusing on Issues Related to Justice Forum Perbincangan Maya Yang Fokus Kepada Isu Keadilan Disclaimer: Messages sent do not represent the stand of the Barisan Alternatif (BA) unless otherwise stated Complaint : Send to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Sub : Send blank e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsub : Send blank e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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