Demands of the Citizens’ Declaration

A landmark citizens’ declaration was signed today by dozens of politicans, opposition leaders and NGO activists.

List of demands in Citizens’ Declaration:

1. We the undersigned citizens of Malaysia append below our concern over the deteriorating political, economic and social condition in the country.

2. We wish to draw the attention of the people of Malaysia to the damage done to the country under the premiership of Najib Abdul Razak.

3. Under his administration the country has ascended to become one of the 10 most corrupt countries in the world according to the Ernst and Young in their Asia Pacific Fraud Survey Report Series 2013. The 2015 Corruption Perception Index showed Malaysia has dropped four places from 50 to 54.

4. This is because he believes that money can ensure his position as prime minister of Malaysia. He believes that “Cash is King”.

5. Allocations to all ministries and public institutions including universities have been reduced because of shortages of funds. Even when allocations are budgeted for, no money was available.

6. In 2009 he decided to set up a sovereign wealth fund to earn income for the government.

7. He created the 1MDB which became indebted with RM42bn of loans which it is unable to repay. It is no longer a sovereign wealth fund. It is a sovereign debt fund.

8. 1MDB borrowed approximately RM20bn to acquire three power plant companies for an over prices RM12.1bn. Despite being awarded new power plant contracts and extensions to the expiring power-producing concessions, the 1MDB power companies were sold for RM9.83bn, or a loss of RM2.72bn.

9. 1MDB invested or lent a total of US$1.83bn to Petrosaudi International (PSI) Limited between 2009 and 2011 under the pretext of bogus projects or non-existent assets. Bank Negara Malaysia had demanded 1MDB return the above money to Malaysia as their approval was given based on misinformation submitted by 1MDB. Of this sum, a total of US$1.4bn was directly and indirectly siphoned off to Good Star Limited and other companies controlled by Low Taek Jho.

10. To hide the missing funds, 1MDB “disposed” of its investments and loans to PSI for US$2.318bn, claiming to have made a profit of US$488m. However no money was returned to Malaysia. Instead, 1MDB claimed it invested the funds in Cayman Islands, that was subsequently found to be an unlicensed investment manager. KPMG was sacked as 1MDB’s auditors for refusing to confirm the value of the investment in the mysterious Cayman fund.

11. 1MDB claimed that the Cayman Islands investment has been fully redeemed. US$1.22bn was reportedly redeemed on 5 November 2014 but was substantially utilised on the very same day to compensate Aabar Investments PJS for the termination of options granted to Aabar to acquire 49 of 1MDB’s power companies. This is a lie because the parent of Aabar, International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC) did not mention receipt of any such payments in its audited accounts published on the London Stock Exchange. Instead the accounts stated that 1MDB owes IPIC the sum of US$481m for the termination.

12. 1MDB also took another loan of US$975m from a Duetsche Bank-led consortium in September 2014, for the very same purpose of compensating Aabar for the terminated options. The Wall Street Journal has exposed the fact that this money may have been paid to a different British Virgin Islands entity with a similar name, “Aabar Investment PJS Limited”, whose beneficial owner is completely unrelated to IPIC. The simple scam has fooled even the 1MDB auditors, Deloitte Malaysia into believing that the payments were indeed received by IPIC’s Aabar.

13. 1MDB announced that it made a second and final RM1.1bn redemption from the Cayman Islands investment in January 2015. Initially the PM told Parliament that the sum was held in cash in BSI Bank, Singapore. However two months later in May 2015, he informed Parliament that it was not in cash but “assets”. Subsequently, it was explained that these assets were “units”, which meant that they were never redeemed in the first place. This proved that 1MDB and the PM have been consistently lying to the Malaysian public. It also means that the money invested in Petrosaudi which was reinvested in Cayman Islands, is still missing and unaccounted for.

14. A former Umno vice-head of the Batu Kawan Division made a police report on the loss of large sums of money by 1MDB. No investigations were carried out by the police. Instead he was interrogated by police, detained and charged under anti-terror law (Sosma) for sabotage of the Malaysian economy. His lawyer was also arrested and charged under the same law. This has the effect of frightening people from making police reports on the 1MDB.

15. The Wall Street Journal reported that Najib had US$681m in his private account at Ambank.

16. Najib denied this at first but later admitted he had the huge amount of money in his account. He claimed that it was a gift from an Arab; then that it was a donation to help him win GE13 in Malaysia; then that it was given because of his dedication to the fight against Islamic terrorists. He then claimed to have received the money from a Saudi prince, then from the King of Saudi Arabia who had passed away.

17. Later a Saudi minister stated there was no record of such a gift by the Saudis. He suggested it was probably a Saudi investment. The amount was small.

18. Najib expressed his intention to sue the Wall Street Journal. But he did not. Instead he asked his lawyers to ask the Wall Street Journal why it published the report.

19. To this day, the WSJ continues to report more and more details about the US$681m he has in his private account. He has not sued WSJ, which he can do in the country the WSJ is published.

20. Concerned over the huge sum of money in Najib’s private account, a task force was set up in Malaysia to investigate the origin of the money. Four government institutions became members of the task force. They are the police, the attorney-general, Bank Negara and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

21. Before the task force was able to finish its work, the attorney-general was removed by Najib claiming that he was sick and could not continue to work. Basically Najib had misrepresented to the King to get the attorney general to be replaced. The Public Accounts Committee was basically paralysed by Najib removing its chairman and members to prevent its investigations of the 1MDB. A new chairman, friendly to Najib, was appointed and he promptly declared that Najib had done nothing wrong.

22. He then appointed a new attorney general. Shortly thereafter, the new attorney general dismissed a recommendation by Bank Negara for action to be taken, claiming that nothing in the report showed Najib had done any wrong.

23. Bank Negara appealed but this was brushed aside.

24. The new attorney general also dismissed another report by the MACC. The contents of the report are not revealed and threats are made against revealing its contents.

25. The new attorney general has without valid explanations, dismissed the recommendations of the two institutions that possess the powers and expertise on their areas.

26. That dismissal prevented the matter from being determined by a court of law after all the evidence was evaluated. By doing this, the attorney general has acted as prosecutor and judge. Due process and the rule of law has been denied.

27. The sacked deputy prime minister later revealed that the former attorney general has shown him proof of Najib’s wrongdoings relating to the scandals. At the same time, various foreign government agencies, namely from Switzerland, the United States, Hong Kong and Britain, have initiated investigations on the 1MDB.

28. The press in Malaysia is heavily censored so that Malaysians have to rely on the foreign press. Yet when Malaysians discuss or write about the foreign press reports, the government (inspector general of police) invited people to make police reports so that the police can carry out questioning and investigations against the person concerned.

29. This is in contrast to the failure of the police to investigate the police report formally made against Najib, Jho Low and the reports to the attorney general by Bank Negara and MACC. The attorney general even threatens to amend the law to provide for jail for life with 10 strokes of the rotan against anyone “leaking” government papers. This means that crimes committed in the administration can be hidden from the public.

30. The attorney general claims that a part of the RM2.6bn (about RM2.3bn) has been returned to the donor or donors. Apart from this statement no proof has been provided.

31. The people are suffering.

32. Najib’s GST and increases in toll rates have increased the cost of living, forcing some businesses to close down and also causing foreign-owned industries to stop operations and relocate to other countries, creating unemployment.

33. Despite protests by the people Najib joined the US-sponsored Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which erodes our freedom to make policies and laws suitable for our country.

34. Today Malaysia’s image is badly tarnished. Apart from being classified as one of the 10 most corrupt countries, Malaysia is now regarded as undemocratic. There is denial of freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and people live in fear of arrest and detentions. Security laws are enacted to allow the prime minister (and not the King) to declare security areas where anyone could be arrested and detained without trial and tried under procedures that violate normal and fair criminal justice standards.

35. On the other hand, where errors are made in applying these laws by government officers, or where there is a blatant abuse of that power, the people are unable to hold them accountable. Whistleblowers are harassed and punished instead of being protected. Other repressive laws are used to stifle free speech and the legitimate comment about wrongdoings. The fundamental rights enshrined under the Federal Constitution have become meaningless.

36. For all these reasons, we, the undersigned citizens of Malaysia agree and support:

a) The removal of Najib as PM of Malaysia through non-violent and legally permissible means.

b) The removal of all those who have acted in concert with him.

c) A repeal of all recent laws and agreements that violate the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and undermine policy choices.

d) A restoration of the integrity of the institutions that have been undermined, such as the police, the MACC, Bank Negara and the PAC.

37. We call upon all Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion, political affiliation, creed or parties, young and old to join us in saving Malaysia from the government headed by Najib, to pave the way for much needed democratic and institutional reforms, and to restore the important principle of the separation of powers among the executive, legislature and judiciary which will ensure the independence, credibility, professionalism and integrity of our national institutions.

Bahasa Malaysia version:

1. Kami, warga Malaysia seperti nama-nama berikut ingin menyatakan kebimbangan kami terhadap keadaan politik, ekonomi dan sosial dalam negara.

2. Kami ingin menarik perhatian rakyat Malaysia terhadap kerosakan yang dilakukan kepada negara di bawah pentadbiran Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

3. Di bawah pentadbirannya negara jatuh tersenarai sebagai salah satu daripada 10 negara yang paling banyak mengamalkan rasuah mengikut laporan Ernst and Young Asia Pacific Fraud Survey Report Series 2013. Malaysia juga jatuh 4 anak tangga Indeks Persepsi Rasuah 2015, dari 50 ke 54.

4. Ini adalah kerana dianya percaya yang wang tunai boleh mempastikan kedudukannya sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia. Dia percaya duit adalah segala-galanya – “Cash is King”.

5. Peruntukan kepada semua Kementerian dan institusi awam termasuk universiti dikurangkan kerana ketandusan kewangan. Walaupun diperuntukkan, tidak ada sumber kewangan.

6. Pada tahun 2009, beliau menubuhkan satu Dana Kekayaan Negara (Sovereign Wealth Fund) bertujuan untuk menjana pendapatan bagi kerajaan.

7. Dia menubuhkan 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) yang kemudiannya dibebani hutang sebanyak RM42 bilion yang tidak dapat ditanggung. Tanya tidak lagi menjadi Dana Kekayaan. Sebaliknya Dana Hutang Negara.

8. 1MDB meminjam RM20bn untuk membeli tiga janakuasa elektrik pada harga yang RM12.1bn, melebihi harga pasaran. Walaupun diberi kontrak untuk membina janakuasa baru selain lanjutan bagi konsesi yang hampir tarnat, syarikat janakuasa 1MDB ini dijual pada harga RM9.83bn dengan kerugian berjumlah RM2.27bn.

9. 1MDB juga melabur atau meminjamkan sebanyak AS$1.83bn kepada Petrosaudi International (PSI) Limited antara 2009 dan 2011 di dalam projek dan aset yang tidak wujud. Bank Negara Malaysia meminta supaya 1MDB membawa pulang semula wang tersebut ke Malaysia kerana kebenaran yang diberi untuk pelaburan berdasarkan kepada maklumat yang tidak tepat. Daripada jumlah ini, sebanyak AS$1.45bn secara langsung atau tidak langsung disalurkan kepada syarikat Good Star Limited dan lain-lain syarikat dibawah penguasaan Low Taek Jho.

10. Untuk menutup kehilangan wang tersebut, 1MDB melupuskan pelaburan dan Pinjaman ke PSI untuk AS$2.318 bilion, dengan mendakwa yang ianya telah membuat keuntungan sebanyak AS$488 juta. Bagaimanapun, tidak ada sesen pun daripada jumlah ini yang dipulangkan ke Malaysia. sebaliknya 1MDB mendakwa yang wang tersebut dilabur di dalam dana di Kepulauan caymans, yang kemudiannya di bongkar sebagai sebuah firma pengurusan pelaburan tidak berlesen. KPMG disingkir sebagai juruaudit 1MDB kerana enggan mengesahkan nilai pelaburan dana Caymans yang penuh misteri.

11. 1MDB mendakwa juga yang pelaburan di Kepulauan Caymans ini sudah pun ditebus sepenuhnya. Sebanyak AS$1.22bn dilaporkan ditebus pada 5 November 2014, tetapi digunakan pada hari yang sama untuk membayar ganti rugi kepada Aabar Investments PJS. Ini merupakan gantirugi kerana menamatkan opsyen yang diberi kepada Aabar untuk membeli 49% saham di dalam syarikat janakuasa 1MDB. Ini merupakan satu penipuan kerana, syarikat induk Aabar, International Petroleum Investment Corporation(IPIC), tidak pun menyebut tentang penerimaan pembayaran tersebut di datam akaunnya yang diaudit dan tersiar di London Stock Exchange. Sebaliknya akaun IPIC menyebut yang 1MDB terhutang sejumlah AS$481 juta kepadanya kerana penamatan opsyen tersebut.

12. 1MDB juga mengambil hutang berjumlah AS$975 juta daripada konsortium Deutsche-Bank pada bulan September 2014, untuk tujuan yang sama iaitu membayar ganti rugi kepada Aabar. Akhbar the Wall Street Journal membongkar bahawa wang tersebut digunakan untuk membayar pihak lain di British Virgin Islands yang mempunyai nama yang lebih kurang sama iaitu, “Aabar Investment PJS Limited”, yang dimiliki pihak yang tidak ada kena mengena dengan IPIC. Penipuan licik ini berjaya memperdayakan juruaudit 1MDB, Deloitte Malaysia yang mempercayai bayaran sudahpun diterima Aabar kepunyaan IPIC.

13. 1MDB mengumumkan ia membuat tebusan ke-2 dan terakhir berjumlah RM1.1bn daripada pelaburan di kepulauan Cayman pada bulan Januari 2015. Pada mulanya perdana menteri memaklumkan kepada Parlimen jumlah tersebut dimasukkan ke dalam Bank BSI di Singapura. Dua bulan kemudian, pada bulan Mei 2015, dia memberitahu Parlimen, ianya bukanlah di datam bentuk wang tunai, tetapi aset. Kemudian, dijelaskan pula yang aset-aset ini merupakan”unit”yang bermakna bahawa tanya tidakpun ditebus. Ini membuktikan yang 1MDB dan Perdana Menteri telah berulang-kali menipu rakyat Malaysia. Tanya juga bermakna bahawa wang yang dilaburkan di datam Petrosaudi yang kemudiannya dilabur semula di Kepulauan Caymans, masih lagi hilang dan tidak dapat diperakukan.

14. Seorang bekas naib ketua bahagian Umno Batu Kawan membuat laporan polis berkenaan kehilangan sejumlah wang yang besar oleh 1MDB. Tiada sebarang siasatan dilakukan polis. Sebaliknya pengadu disoal-siasat polis, ditahan dan didakwa dibawah Akta Kesalahan Keselamatan (Langkah-langkah Khas) 2012 (Sosma)kerana mensabotaj ekonomi negara. Peguam beliau juga ditahan dan didakwa dibawah Akta yang sama. Ini menakutkan sesiapa sahaja yang ingin melapor pada Polis berkenaan dengan 1MDB.

15. Akhbar Wall Street Journal melaporkan yang Najib mempunyai AS$681 juta di dalam akaun peribadinya di AmBank.

16. Najib pada mulanya menafikannya, tetapi kemudian mengakui bahawa dianya mempunyai sejumlah wang yang banyak di dalam akaun peribadinya, Dia mendakwa menerima derma dari seorang Arab, kemudian ianya menjadi derma untuknya memenangi Pilihanraya Umum ke-13 kemudian pula menyatakan ianya adalah kerana dedikasi beliau menentang keganasan. Dia kemudiannya mendakwa menerima duit berkenaan daripada seorang Putera Raja Arab Saudi, dan kemudian daripada Raja Arab Saudi yang mangkat.

17. Kemudian seorang menteri Arab Saudi menyatakan tidak terdapat apa-apa rekod berkenaan sebarang hadiah daripada Arab Saudi. Beliau mencadangkan bahawa wang tersebut mungkin merupakan peaburan. Tetapi jumlahnya kecil.

18. Najib menyatakan hasrat untuk menyaman Wall Street Journal di mahamah tetapi dia tidak berbuat apa-apa. Sebaliknya dia meminta peguamnya bertanya kepada Wall Street Journal kenapa akhbar itu menyiarkan laporan tersebut.

19. Hingga ke hari ini WSJ berterusan mengeluarkan laporan demi laporan dengan fakta terperinci berkenaan dengan duit sejumlah AS$681 juta yang terdapat di datam akaun peribadinya. Dianya masih tidak mengambil tindakan saman terhadap WSJ, sesuatu yang boleh dilakukan di negara di mana WSJ diterbitkan.

20. Khuatir dan syak dengan jumlah wang banyak datam akaun peribadi Najib, satu pasukan petugas ditubuhkan di Malaysia untuk menyiasat sumber wang tersebut. Empat institusi Kerajaan terlibat, Polis Diraja Malaysia, peguam negara, Bank Negara dan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia.

21. Belumpun pasukan petugas berjaya selesaikan penugasan mereka, peguam negara disingkir Najib atas alasan beliau sakit dan tidak mampu meneruskan tugasannya. Secara terang Najib telah memberi gambaran yang tidak benar kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk mendapatkan perkenan Tuanku bagi menggantikan peguam negara, Jawankuasa Kira-Kira Wang Negara dilumpuhkan apabila pengerusi serta beberapa ahlinya dipindahkan Najib bagi menghalang penyiasatan keatas 1MDB. Pengerusi baharu, kenalan Najib dilantik dan beliau secara spontan menyatakan yang Najib tidak melakukan apa-apa kesalahan.

22. Najib kemudian melantik peguam negara baharu. Peguam negara baharu menolak cadangan Bank Negara untuk tindakan diambil sambil mendakwa yang tidak ada apa-apa di dalam laporan tersebut yang menunjukkan Najib melakukan kesalahan.

23. Rayuan Bank Negara tidak diendahkan.

24. Peguam negara yang baharu juga menolak lagi satu laporan daripada SPRM. Kandungan laporan tidak didedahkan dan ancaman dibuat terhadap pendedahan laporan tersebut.

25. Peguam negara baharu juga tanpa penjelasan yang munasabah menolak cadangan dari dua institusi yang mempunyai kuasa dan kepakaran dalam bidang mereka.

26. Penolakan ini juga menghalang perkara tersebut dibawa ke mahkamah di mana semua bukti dapat diketengahkan dan dibicarakan. Dengan ini peguam negara memain peranan sebagai pendakwa dan juga hakim. Proses undang-undang terhalang.

27. Timbalan perdana menteri yang disingkir kemudian mendedahkan yang peguam negara yang lama menunjuk bukti kesalahan yang dilakukan Najib bersangkutan skandal tersebut. Di masa yang sama, beberapa agensi kerajaan asing, iaitu Switzerland, Singapura, Amerika Syarikat, Hong Kong dan Britain, telah memulakan siasatan ke atas 1MDB.

28. Akhbar di Malaysia ditapis menyebabkan rakyat lebih bergantung kepada laporan media asing. Tetapi apabila rakyat berbincang atau menulis berdasarkan laporan media asing, Kerajaan menerusi Ketua Polis Negara menjemput sesiapa sahaja untuk membuat laporan polis agar polis dapat menjalankan soal siasat terhadap orang itu.

29. Ini bercanggah dengan kegagalan polis menyiasat laporan polis yang dibuat terhadap Najib, Jho Low dan laporan Bank Negara dan SPRM kepada Peguam Negara. Peguam Negara juga mengugut untuk jatuhkan hukuman penjara seumur hidup dan 10 sebatan rotan terhadap sesiapa yang bertindak membocor maklumat kerajaan. Ini bermakna yang kesalahan jenayah di datam pentadbiran kerajaanpun akan dilindung daripada pengetahuan awam.

30. Peguam negara mengumumkan sebahagian daripada sejumlah RM2.6bn (sebanyak RM2.3bn) dipulangkan kepada Arab Saudi. Selain daripada kenyataan ini tiada bukti lain yang dikemukakan.

31. Rakyat juga semakin menderita.

32. Cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) yang dikenakan Najib, kenaikan kadar tol lebuhraya, semuanya mengakibatkan kenaikan kos sara hidup, memaksa perniagaan ditutup, menyebabkan industri kepunyaan asing menghentikan operasi dan berpindah kepada negara lain. Ini mengakibatkan peningkatan kadar pengangguran.

33. Walaupun rakyat membantah, Najib tetap menyertai Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TPPA) Amerika Syarikat yang mengikis hak kita untuk membuat dasar dan undang-undang yang sesuai bagi negara kita.

34. Hari ini imej Malaysia amat buruk sekali. Selain diklasifikasikan antara 10 negara terburuk mengamalkan rasuah, Malaysia juga dianggap tidak demokratik. Hak kebebasan bersuara juga kebebasan akhbar terhalang, dan rakyat hidup datam ketakutan ditangkap dan ditahan. Akta Majlis Keselamatan Negara digubal untuk memberikan Perdana Menteri dan bukan Yang di-Pertuan Agong kuasa mengisytiharkan sesuatu kawasan itu sebagai kawasan keselamatan dimana sesiapa sahaja boleh ditangkap dan ditahan tanpa bicara dan didakwa dibawah prosidur yang melanggar batas keadilan yang diterima.

35. Sebaliknya pula jika berlaku kesilapan datam penggunaan Akta ini oleh pegawai Kerajaan, atau di mana terdapat salahguna kuasa, rakyat tidak boleh mengambil apa bentuk tidakan terhadap mereka. Whistleblowers, atau pemberi maklumat, diganggu dan dihukum, dan bukannya diberi perlindungan. Undang-undang lain digunakan yang menyekat kebebasan bersuara menegur salahlaku. Hak asasi yang termaktub di datam Perlembagaan persekutuan tidak lagi membawa apa-apa makna.

36. 0leh kerana sebab-sebab ini, kami rakyat Malaysia seperti yang tertera bersetuju dan menyokong

a) Penyingkiran Najib sebagai perdana menteri menerusi saluran yang aman dan mengikut undang-undang yang dibenarkan.

b) Penyingkiran semua mereka yang bersekongkol dengannya.

c) Pemansuhan semua undang-undang dan perjanjian baharu yang jelas metanggar hak asasi yang termaktub di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan melemahkan polisi terpilih.

d) Pemulihan integriti institusi yang dilemahkan, seperti polis, SPRM, Bank Negara dan PAC.

37. Kami menyeru kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, tidak mengira kaum, agama, politik, kepercayaan atau parti, tua atau muda, marilah bersama-sama kami selamatkan Malaysia daripada kerajaan yang dipimpin Najib untuk membuka jalan kepada mereformasikan institusi demi proses demokrasi dan memulihkan prinsip pengasingan kuasa diantara eksekutif, legisiatif dan kehakiman yang akan memastikan kebebasan, kredibiliti, profesionalisme serta integriti institusi nasional.

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama

1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme

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