Muhyiddin Yassin The Reformer?-Malaysiakini

The jostling is seemingly over. A weak leader is quickly and unceremoniously overthrown. The vultures come to feed. Everyone moves up one rung. The people will have new rulers soon.

Let's look at Muhyiddan, the quiet one who is a frontrunner for DPM and future PM(?). This story was carried out in the magazine Asiaweek a while back.

One day, when Muhyiddin was the Menteri Besar of Johor, he called up Stamford Holdings, a Singapore company which owned more than 4000 acres of land in the state under oil palm cultivation.

Muhyiddin told them to develope 400 acres of the land. He then demanded that Stamford Holdings give him 30% of the development. Stamford Holdings agreed, developed the land, and Muhyiddin got his 30%.

Sometime later, Muhyiddin called up Stamford Holdings again and told them to develop the remaining 4000 acres of land. This time, Muhyiddin wanted a whopping 70%! Stamford Holdings refused.

A few days later, Muhyiddin called up Stamford Holdings again, and told them, 'Look, I have this piece of paper in front of me on my desk. All I have to do is sign it and Stamford Holdings will no longer own the 4000 acres of land. Now, do you agree or not to develop the land and I take 70%.'

Stamford Holdings again refused. The following week, they received a letter from the Johor government signed by Muhyiddin stating that the government have taken over the land. The nationalised land was later divided to three of Muhyiddin's cronies.

Muhyiddin did not dare sue Asiaweek for this report. Asiaweek pre-empted any funny ideas Muhyiddin had by also reporting that all the telephone convesations were taped by Stamford Holdings.

Now is this guy going to be successful in attracting foreign investments? Is this guy going to be Malaysia's DPM? Do we deserve him?

Bye-note: When Mahathir heard of the deal, he immediately transferred Muhyiddin to Federal level, not because he disapproved of the deal, but because Muhyiddin did not share the loot with him! Just as a former MB of Kedah was sacked because he did not give any share to Daim and Mahathir in a prawn project in Kedah with Arab partners. Incidentally, one of the Arab partners was named Osama!

Written by Michael Chick, October 19, 2008 11:01:33