Latest news with #Malaysiakini
Borneo Post
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Kota Belud MP urges unbiased action on Sabah corruption revelations
Isnaraissah KOTA KINABALU (July 29): Kota Belud Member of Parliament Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis has called for impartial and immediate investigations into all allegations of corruption, regardless of the individuals involved. Speaking on Tuesday, Isnaraissah emphasised that any case, exposure, or allegation should be met with swift action from the authorities. 'Whoever it is, investigate immediately,' she urged. She expressed her full support for the government's anti-corruption efforts, stressing that such action must be taken against offenders at all levels regardless of rank, race, religion or political affiliation. 'Investigations and prosecutions must be carried out promptly and, most importantly, without bias or favouritism,' she said. While debating the Whistleblower Protection Bill last week, Isnaraissah highlighted four critical points: 1. All whistleblowers must be protected. 2. All individuals involved in corruption must be investigated. 3. Investigations must be swift and non-discriminatory. 4. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should be placed under Parliament for independent oversight. Referring to past cases involving Sabah State Assembly members, Isnaraissah expressed concern over the manner in which the MACC and Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) handled the investigations. 'Whether we like it or not, the way these cases have been managed has tarnished the image of a government that claims to prioritise anti-corruption and good governance,' she said. She noted that eight months after Malaysiakini first exposed a corruption scandal involving video evidence, only two state assembly members and a businessman had been charged in court. 'This raises a serious question — why only these three? Why is there silence on the others shown in the video? If there's insufficient evidence, just say so. Or is this issue being used as a tool to pressure or threaten the state leadership?' she asked. Isnaraissah also referred to a second wave of exposes by Malaysiakini — dubbed 'Series 2' — that implicate several political leaders in Sabah, potentially affecting nearly the entire state government. 'True or not, this is humiliating for us Sabahans. It makes it look like Sabah is a haven for corrupt individuals. If proven true, it suggests the entire current state leadership is compromised,' she said. Rather than allowing Sabah's name to be repeatedly tarnished in the media, Isnaraissah urged those implicated to take legal action. 'Don't just deny it. Take action against Malaysiakini if the claims are defamatory. Your dignity is on the line — why remain silent?' she challenged. She also questioned the MACC's inaction regarding the new revelations. 'Has the MACC launched an investigation into this new expose? Why hasn't there been a single official statement? What more are you waiting for?' she said. Touching on another controversy involving Sabah's mineral resources, Isnaraissah alleged that top state leaders and a powerful Peninsular Malaysia figure were involved. 'People are asking — who is this person that seems immune from investigation? Initially, he denied involvement, but after evidence surfaced, he avoided the media,' she claimed. 'From every direction — land, sea, left, right — Sabah's resources are being plundered. And what do the people of Sabah get in return?' she asked. Next Article Joniston applauds formation of Tawau Tourism Working Group
Focus Malaysia
2 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Veteran journo: Actual dethroning of PMX needs greater momentum than July 26 ‘Turun Anwar' rally
STRIKE while the iron is hot. Saturday's PAS-inspired Turun Anwar (July26) rally alone – whether it attracted 300,000 as claimed by the party's mouthpiece HarakahDaily or Malaysiakini (25,000) and the police (18,000) – is insufficient to force Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to vacate his premiership. Henceforth, if the opposition is serious about forcing PMX to step down, they need 'to act quickly and in a serial manner' for 'a hot iron will not become a keris if it is truck only once'. 'They (the opposition) need to continue to build momentum from the Turun Anwar campaign especially when Anwar himself has 'challenged' them to do so,' penned veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin in his latest Facebook post. 'He recently stated that he would not prevent any gathering or criticism of his leadership, including demands for him to resign as long as they are made democratically whether through elections or a no-confidence motion in Parliament. 'Anwar will not fall nor step down because protests are not a legal channel that can topple or force a PM to resign.' On this note, Kadir reiterated his observation that while the Turun Anwar rally alone is unlikely to dethrone PMX, a successful aftermath can rub off on MPs to vote him out. 'Only Parliament and the public vote can bring down a PM or he himself has committed a serious legal offence,' justified the former group editor-in-chief of mainstream New Straits Times. 'Not to mention Anwar who is famous for street protests since the days of the campus revolution in the 1970s. By default, he himself may even stage a counter Kekal Anwar (literally, 'Stay on Anwar') rally.' Even if advances by the opposition and civil society movements through the Turun Anwar protests is capable of forcing the government to call an early general election, detractors must openly state who they have in mind as PMX's successor if their efforts are to be successful, according to Kadir. 'They must state their PM candidate authentically and firmly,' asserted the national journalism laureate objectively even though Madani backers tend to associate him as a loyalist to twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who is now an adviser of Perikatan Nasional (PN). On a bigger picture, Kadir opined that the economic woes that are burdening man-on-the-street Malaysians are caused by PMX's over-reliance on technocrats and corporate figures 'who are detached from the general public'. 'They're an elite focused on profit and loss, taxes and revenue,' observed Kadir who started his journalistic stint with national news agency Bernama in 1969 prior to joining the Economic Desk in 1976. 'The issue of the common people suffering is not their problem. That's the problem of politicians. For them, if they succeed in creating strong economic fundamentals and obtaining recognition from international rating agencies, their job would have been done. 'Anwar, on the other hand, suffers from a 'handicap' because he is considered to not have sufficient basic economic education (PMX is a Malay literature graduate). 'In conclusion, whoever takes over the PM's reign, the key challenge is sustainable economic management accompanied by a more equitable distribution of wealth.' – July 28, 2025
Malaysiakini
4 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Businesses carry on as thousands gather around Sogo
The 'Himpunan Turun Anwar' rally organised by the Perikatan Nasional opposition coalition kicks off in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon. Thousands of protesters, who are expected to gather at four designated meeting points in the city centre since morning, will march towards the iconic Dataran Merdeka to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Police estimate a crowd of between 10,000 and 15,000 participants at its peak, but opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin had claimed they could attract up to a million protesters who are unhappy with the government. Among the top opposition leaders expected to show up and give speeches during the protest are former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang. Authorities have given their commitment to facilitate the event, including deploying extra personnel to ensure safety and uninterrupted public transportation operations. The Malaysiakini team, comprising reporters Hariz Mohd, Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, B Nantha Kumar, Tan Fu Qi, Annessa Tan, and Firdaus Hanafiah, reports from the ground.
Malaysiakini
4 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
'Turun Anwar' rally organisers claim police harassment
The 'Himpunan Turun Anwar' rally organised by the Perikatan Nasional opposition coalition kicks off in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon. Thousands of protesters, who are expected to gather at four designated meeting points in the city centre since morning, will march towards the iconic Dataran Merdeka to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Police estimate a crowd of between 10,000 and 15,000 participants at its peak, but opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin had claimed they could attract up to a million protesters who are unhappy with the government. Among the top opposition leaders expected to show up and give speeches during the protest are former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang. Authorities have given their commitment to facilitate the event, including deploying extra personnel to ensure safety and uninterrupted public transportation operations. The Malaysiakini team, comprising reporters Hariz Mohd, Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, B Nantha Kumar, Tan Fu Qi, Annessa Tan, and Firdaus Hanafiah, reports from the ground.
AFP
5 days ago
- Business
- AFP
Hoax posts about Malaysian cash aid scheme misuse unrelated visuals
The purported news report by online news site Malaysiakini was shared on Facebook on July 19, 2025. "GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE OF RM50,000 FOR ANYONE WHO APPLIES," reads the Malay-language chyron on the report, which features footage of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at various events and a voiceover that repeats the claim about the subsidy. "Please check your eligibility and the application method," the voiceover says. Image Screenshot of the false Facebook post captured on July 22, 2025, with a red X added by AFP Another version of the claim shared on July 11, 2025 includes a photo of people posing in an office with a mock cheque labelled "Disaster fund Turkey". Image Screenshot of the false Facebook post captured on July 23, 2025, with a red X added by AFP Other posts on Facebook ask users to get in touch for further details about the purported subsidy. AFP reached out to one of the Facebook accounts and was given an order form asking for personal details, including full name and delivery address. Applicants are also told to prepare a copy of their national identity card and bank statement. Scam posts demanding users' personal information regularly circulate on social media in Malaysia. AFP has previously debunked accounts impersonating government schemes that garnered tens of thousands of followers. However, the government has not announced a 50,000 ringgit cash aid scheme. A spokesperson for the finance ministry told AFP the claim is false, and pointed to a list of all genuine government assistance announced under the 2025 budget instead (archived link). Misused visuals A combination of keyword and reverse image searches on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to a similar news clip published by Malaysiakini on its Instagram page on July 15, 2025 (archived link). The original report states Anwar would make a "big announcement" as a tribute to Malaysians (archived link). On July 23, he announced a host of measures to help citizens with cost of living issues, such as a 100 ringgit handout and lowered petrol prices (archived link). A Malaysiakini representative told AFP on July 22 that its logo had been misused. "This is definitely not our video. We have never edited any of our videos to promote government aid," the spokesperson said. The clip shared in the false posts has been altered, including font that does not match Malaysiakini's style and a pink chyron covering the original orange one that reads "Anwar to announce extraordinary tribute to citizens". Image Screenshot comparison between the fabricated clip (left) and a genuine Malaysiakini news video report (right) A separate reverse image search on Google found the photo of people posing with a mock cheque was first posted on the verified X account of the Ambassador of Turkey to Kuala Lumpur on March 3, 2023 (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the false post (left) and the original post by the Ambassador of Turkey to Kuala Lumpur (right) The ambassador was thanking the Malaysian Aeon Foundation, a charitable organisation under the Aeon Group of Companies, for donating to victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023. A similar photo of the event was also published on the Aeon Credit website (archived link).
