BY: MOHD EZLI MASHUT
GLOBAL ANALYSIS, SEP 13: Malaysia to help strengthen US economy – Najib. This headline is enough to raise many questions when the Malaysian economic performance itself is being doubted by many parties.
At a time when Malaysian are thinking that the meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak and the American President will create a positive impact in the form of billions of investments into Malaysia, however it is in fact the opposite.
It was reported that the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Khazanah Malaysia are planning to increase their investment in the United State (US) and purchase more Boeing aircrafts to help strengthen their economy.
EPF alone is expected to invest between USD3 billion to USD4 billion in the US.
It was also reported that Malaysia has committed to purchase 25 737-MAX 10 aircrafts, eight 787 Dreamliners and there is a big probability for an additional 25 or 25 737-MAX 10 in the near future.
Hence, within five years, with those purchases, the deal would be worth over USD10 billion.
Najib said the government will try to persuade low-cost airline, AirAsia Bhd to buy the US-made General Electric engines.
Najib also said that Khazanah Nasional, who owns an office in Silicon Valley, California and has invested almost USD400 million in high-tech companies, is also planning to increase its investment.
This shows that Najib’s administration is in a fantasyland, as though Malaysia is a rich country that can help the world super-power. As if Malaysia has a lot of money to spend.
Although in reality, Malaysia is suffering in a stalled economy with huge debts with China to fund mega projects.
TRANSKRIP: http://bit.ly/2f4ufaN
Najib’s accommodation in Trump Hotel is questionable
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib razak reportedly stayed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC during his trip to meet the US President, Donald Trump.
The Washington Post reported that it can almost confirm that Najib stayed at the 263-rooms hotel, which is among the most expensive in Washington.
SUMBER: http://wapo.st/2xjdRK6
The White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a media session following the Najib-Trump meeting, that the White House has nothing to do with Najib’s accommodation bookings.
She said that she was not sure if Najib’s hotel accommodation was brought up during the meeting.
The meeting also raised questions following Najib’s tainted image globally following the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue when many countries have started investigating and prosecutions in the world’s biggest kleptocracy issue.
This include the revelations by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on the case and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) report on witnesses’ constraints to testify due to threats.
DoJ’s had stated that an unnamed Malaysian officer – Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) – has received a huge sum of the embezzled 1MDB fund.
Last year, a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan has confirmed that MO1 is Najib.
No press conference
Media had also reported that Presidents Trump’s office had offered to hold a joint press conference after the meeting and Najib could choose to allow for a questions to be asked or not.
Reportedly, Najib chose to not even hold any press conference but will only issue a statement which will be circulated after the meeting.
Whereas it is a norm that after the US President’s meeting with other country leaders, a media session will be held.
REUTERS reported that White House initially planned to allow reported to the Oval Office where the meeting took place, but the plan was discarded in the last minute.
It raises questions on whether Najib is afraid of being asked many questions on the 1MDB scandal in view of the numbers of court cases relating to the 1MDB scandal in the US.
The Federal Government also needs to explain who is funding and what is the total cost of the US visit.
Strange visit?
Najib and Trump’s meeting is at the moment raising many speculations in Malaysia and internationally. There are parties saying that is has something to do with restoring Najib’s reputation ahead of the 14th General Election, which can be announced at any time now.
It is as though signaling that Najib is still very much welcomed in the White House albeit ongoing criminal investigations by DoJ on 1MDB.
REUTERS also reported that a US Senior Official admitted that it is strange to have the meeting with Najib when 1MDB is under regulatory supervision.
The media had reported that Najib informed US and ASEAN industry leaders that there is a campaign to deliberately sabotage 1MDB to undermine Malaysia’s economy.
Speaking at the US-ASEAN Business Council and US Chamber of Commerce dinner function at the St Regis Hotel, Najib had said that the aim is to overthrow the government.
SUMMARY:
Malaysia needs to be smart in its international diplomatic relations to ensure the nation has its own standing and not become a proxy to world’s super powers.
It is important for Malaysia to have the courage to become the important voice of Southeast Asia to avoid from becoming a pawn in the game of chess between US and China in their race to seek and expand their powers.
That is possible only if the leader has a high integrity and charisma internationally as well as free from scandal and corruption allegation.
Najib – Trump’s meeting: Strange, mysterious and shocking, why?
