YOURSAY | ‘Such deals which involve so much of public funds must be debated in Parliament.’
Dr M: Najib's China deals may threaten Malaysia's sovereignty
Negarawan: This China deal could turn out to be 1MDB 2. The East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project was not awarded by open tender. This is quite worrying for a project worth RM55 billion.
Is there any economic justification for this project in the first place, especially when the country is already in very heavy debt? What is the return on investment (ROI)?
Why was this project awarded to a China company, state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which is apparently banned by the World Bank because of its involvement in tendering fraud?
Why is China so generous to extend a 100 percent loan with relaxed repayment terms? Is it possible that Malaysia will cede disputed islands in the South China Sea to China, to get this deal in return?
Is the financing in China currency and not involving US dollars to bypass clearing in the US, that is subject to tight scrutiny?
Has there been any audit on the RM55 billion budget, and open consultation with the rakyat, or is this deal under the tight wraps of Official Security Act (OSA)?
Is China willing to get involved in the 1MDB imbroglio and tarnish its international reputation?
Trueglitter: It is ironic to recall the event when some Malaysian government leaders were made to proceed to China with their grovelling apologies for the alleged mistreatment of a supposedly Chinese national in a local police lock-up some years back.
So, it is no great surprise that the humbled PM Najib Razak has returned to China with his begging bowl to seek for financial assistance to the tune of RM55 billion for the country's infrastructures, along with the purpose to conceal the abject bankruptcy of the nation caused by the ravages of 1MDB scandals.
For a man who is seen to embrace Western culture and ideology through his education overseas and his consistent boasts of playing golf with US President Barack Obama, the decision of the seemingly untouchable and defiant Najib would be consistent with the suggestion as "pay back" due to the controversial US Department of Justice (DOJ) allegations.
Inevitably, this would also be construed as Najib's last roll of his political dice in his desperate endeavour to delay his political demise.
Anonymous #21828131: Such deals, which involve so much of public funds, must be debated in Parliament.
MO1 (Malaysian Official 1) in his haste to absolve himself from 1MDB is clearly a runaway train out to derail the entire country, just to save his skin. Do you think he really cares about the rakyat or our future generations?
What’s foremost in his mind is settling of the 1MDB debt. The threat of the ECRL project becoming a white elephant is very real. Who exactly is going to use this ECRL? But then who cares, there is more money to be made.
Wow, this is killing three birds with one stone.
Mushiro: Najib has come to China to solve his 1MDB scandal. It is impossible for 1MDB to pay up or even service the interests for 1MDB's RM42 billion as the money has been allegedly siphoned to different individuals, including Najib, Jho Low and Riza Aziz.
With the ECRL project awarded to China at an inflated price, China will allegedly be transferring back billions to 1MDB to settle its debts.
With China willing to do this deal for Najib, Najib has to ‘kow tow’ to China, awarding China other mega projects, selling cheap some of 1MDB's failed ventures like Edra, disclaiming the Spratly Islands and basically, giving a free hand to China.
RM2.6 Billion Turkey Haram: What choice has Najib? His pet project, 1MDB, failed miserably and is heavily in debt.
My guess is that Najib is desperately finding one who can loan such a massive sum of money. Who in the world can do it? Only China.
Yes, China complements Najib perfectly. The former has plenty of cash, not knowing where to invest, while the latter is hungry for it.
Bear in mind that Chinese generosity comes at a price. It ranges from having access to the country's mineral resources, and the control over the country's assets like sea routes, telecommunication or transportation, which it is now heavily involved in.
Eventually, it might even control the country's policy, as stated by former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Najib is indeed leading the country into uncharted territory.
Hmmmmmmmm: Soon the Chinese will have a free rein coming in and out of this country. How do you stop them if they choose to stay behind? When you take their money, you are beholden to them.
Spinnot: The South China Sea disputes involve overlapping claims between China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Both China and Vietnam claim the whole Spratly Islands, while the Philippines claims over 90 percent. Malaysia is as much in dispute with Vietnam and the Philippines as it is with China.
It's not a Malaysia versus China dispute. China's Nine Dash Line was first published in 1947 by the Republic of China.
But neither the Republic of China nor the People's Republic of China has claimed all the sea within the Nine Dash Line as China's territory.
Justine Gow: MO1 is exactly the kind of weak Malaysian leaders loved by foreign countries which want to take advantage of Malaysia.
JD Lovrenciear: Malaysians, it is rather too late in the day to do something. The country's asset sales have been inked. The nation's independent future is being carved out to be put permanently on the lifeline.
What is there to shout now? You had four rallies and two general elections and some by-elections. You pawned it all away.
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