NINE QUESTIONS FOR SARAWAK REPORT

CURRENT / THE 13TH WORLD ISLAMIC ECONOMIC FORUM IN KUCHING, SARAWAK - DAY 1

2017-11-21T05:48:00.000-08:00

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THE world-renowned co-counder of Apple Inc., Steve Wozniak spoke before an enraptured audience earlier today in Sarawak's capital, Kuching at the 13th World Islamic Economic Forum.

The wildly successful international event - which saw some of the biggest names gravitate to this otherwise laid-back boutique city from all over the world, Mr Wozniak's being one of the most anticipated - was chock-full of events and developments which will be produced below.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had also given his keynote speech, alongside the Chief Minister of Sarawak - who used this platform to promote his radical vision of digitising the economy of the State - Datuk Patinggi Abang AR Zohari Tun Abang Haji Openg. Other speakers include the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia-cum-Conference Chair, Tun Musa Hitam, Alan Laubsch (Switzerland), Andreas Hatzigeorgiou (Sweden), Andreas Schleicher (France), Anu Chadha (India), Armin Osmancevic (UAE), Brian W Tang (Hong Kong), Camelia Tan Sri Ya'acob (Malaysia), Camille R Escudero (Philippines), Daniel Sieberg (USA), Dato' Dr Norraesah Mohamad (Malaysia), Dato' Seri Tengku Dr Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahamood (Malaysia), Dato' Abdul Aziz Mat (Malaysia), Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani (Malaysia), Dato' Richard Alexander John Curtis (Malaysia-Sarawak), Datu Ik Pahon Anak Joyik (Malaysia-Sarawak), Datuk N Rajendran (Malaysia), Dr Alexander Böhmer (France), Dr Anirban Sukul (India), Dr Chen Shiun (Malaysia-Sarawak), Dr Soraya R Ismail (Malaysia), Dr Yeo Tiong Chia (Malaysia-Sarawak), Ebrahim Patel (South Africa), Essa Al Ghurair (UAE), Farzam Ehsani (South Africa), Glenn Rolfsen (Norway), H.E. Djaffar Ahmed Said Hassani (Comoros), H.E. Dr Mohamed Nouri Jouini (IDB), H.E. Dr Saad Eddine El Othmani (Morocco), H.E. Masoud Karbasian (Iran), H.E. Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi (Iran), H.E. Mohammed Shahriar Alam (Bangladesh), H.E. Professor Dr Ernesto M Pernia (Philippines), H.E. Rustam Nurgaliyevich (Tatarstan), Haji Sapuan bin Ahmad (Malaysia-Sarawak), Jeffrey Lo (USA), Jo Robrechts (Belgium), Johan Bygge (Hong Kong), Kamarul Bahrin Haron (Malaysia), Kunrat Wirasubrata (Malaysia), Lisa Oake (Singapore), Marc Prensky (USA), Martin Tan (Singapore), Mohamed Geraldez (USA), Mumtaz Khan (Bahrain), Masser Munjee (India), Professor Arif M Ansari (USA), Professor Dato' Dr Mohd Azmi Omar (Malaysia), Professor Volker Nienhaus (Germany), Raja Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz (Malaysia), Ramji Raghavan (India), Roshan Thiran (Malaysia), Salahuddin Kasem Khan (Bangladesh), Samba Bathily (Mali), Sevket Can Tulumen (Turkey), Sharbini Suhaili (Malaysia-Sarawak), Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar (Malaysia), Tan Sri Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman (Malaysia), Tan Sri Dato' Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin (Malaysia), Tanri Abeng (Indonesia), Teymoor Nabili (Singapore), Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamed (Malaysia), Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hasan (Malaysia-Sarawak), Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani (Malaysia-Sarawak), Tobias Puehse (Asia Pacific), and Todd Ashton (USA).

Below are some of the highlights of the day.

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2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA
8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

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WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

REPORTED BY BORNEO POST

Apple Inc., co-founder Mr Wozniak (right), and Tun Musa Hitam (middle), former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia at the World Islamic Economic Forum, being held in Kuching, Sarawak.
Photo: Borneo Post

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

The government should stand behind the digital growth of a country, says Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

“The government should be behind the digital growth. It is really the future for the whole world. The countries that do their best in it are going to go through this and have the best level of income.

“A country should try to attract the best talent. The region should also educate the talent and make a lot of parts and tools available to young people almost for free… so they can develop on their own and find out what they like to do and build. Incubators is a good term to use,” he told a press conference prior to his session at the 13th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) today.

Wozniak added that governments should start modifying some school programmes to include software, hardware, robotics, mixtures and so on into the curriculum of primary education.

He emphasised that with primary and university level education, “Orient yourself towards the parts of technology that are going to be important in the future.”

Wozniak also highlighted other key takeaways from disruption change which included thinking about it outside the box within a company.

WIEF Foundation chairman Tun Musa Hitam was also present during the press conference.

('Wozniak: Government Should Stand Behind Digital Growth.' – Borneo Post, November 21, 2017)

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1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA
8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

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RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

REPORTED BY THE SUN DAILY

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg (right) and World Economic Forum (WIEF) Chairman Tun Musa Hitam (left) at the 13th WIEF in Kuching, Sarawak.
Photo: BBXpress

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

Malaysia has called for a relentless commitment from Muslim countries in dealing with terrorism and violent extremism as well as fighting Daesh.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak quoted the continued death and destruction in Iraq and Syria, Daesh attack on Marawi, the Philippines, and the humanitarian tragedy in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

"The scale of suffering and strife that has taken place cannot be allowed to go unchecked.

"As Muslims, we are enjoined to fight injustice and evil, and this is a sacred duty that we are tasked with," he said at the 13th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) here today.

Najib, who is also the patron of WIEF Foundation, said Muslim countries across the international community and the Islamic World, have a role to play in dealing with the challenges.

He said Malaysia's efforts to help resolve the plight of the Rohingya had begun to yield positive results.

The prime minister also shared that Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi at the recently concluded Asean Summit in Manila, had expressed her commitment to finding a solution to the crisis in Rakhine.

Najib further revealed that nations at the summit made a commitment to curtail the threat of terrorism and violent extremism through information sharing and law enforcement cooperation.

"These are measures Malaysia has long called for, and I am pleased that our efforts at fighting Daesh have been recognised around the world," he added.

Meanwhile, the prime minister noted that much of the Muslim world lacked investment in the right kind of quality education, which posed a huge challenge for the Umma.

He said a country must equip its young people with higher order thinking skills “so that they are open-minded, creative and innovative and ready to adapt to the jobs that aren't yet even in existence”.

"Indeed, there is a vast amount of people who don't even have access to basic necessities like water, healthcare, even basic education.

"(This) reminds us that we (the governments) must always put our peoples at the heart of our policies," he stressed.

As for Malaysia, Najib said the country was ready for disruptive change given the peace and stability it enjoyed, and backed by the government's long-term planning, specifically efforts to be taken under the National Transformation 2050 where the government placed a special focus on innovation and creativity.

('Muslim Countries Must Relentlessly Fight Terrorism: PM' – The Sun Daily, November 21, 2017)

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1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA
8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

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RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

REPORTED BY BORNEO POST

Tun Musa Hitam speaking at WIEF2017.
Photo: Chimon Upon/Borneo Post

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

The 13th World Islamic Economic Forum 2017 (WIEF) falls in line with Sarawak’s goal to build and flourish its digital economy.

Hosted for the first time in Sarawak, WIEF chairman Tun Musa Hitam pointed out that this edition of WIEF focuses on ‘Disruptive Change: Impact and Challenges’, which explores issues such as shifting trade policies and technological disruption.

With Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s goal to boost the development of Sarawak digital economy, Tun Musa said this year’s theme coincides with the state’s ambition to adopt and boost digital economy.

“When we first talked to the chief minister about this forum and his first words were ‘Sarawak is adopting digital economy’.

“It’s very rare that the host’s government is very focused on a theme, and we immediately got on point with that.

“We made this forum relevant to Sarawak’s ambition,” he told the media during a press conference following the opening of WIEF 2017 this morning.

Tun Musa also commended Abang Jo’s ‘to the point’ personality.

“Political leadership is important to get things moving. But political leadership with determination and dedication and full attention is what we want,” he added.

('WIEF 2017 Coincides with Sarawak's Goal to Develop its Digital Economy.' – Borneo Post, November 21, 2017)

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1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA
8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

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RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

REPORTED BY THE SUN DAILY

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak gives a speech during the World Islamic Economy Forum (WIEF) 2017 at the Borneo Convention Center Kuching.
Photo: BBXpress

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

Digital economy will be a strong platform and the catalyst for Sarawak to reach out to the global business community as well as forge international collaboration, says Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He reiterated that the state government would do everything possible to transform Sarawak into a digital economy powerhouse.

Thus, he hoped the World Islamic Economy Forum (WIEF) 2017 being held here from November 21 till November 23 could discuss ways and means, identify opportunities and solutions as well as forge collaborations to benefit all parties.

Abang Johari said he was pleased that WIEF had chosen the theme 'Disruptive Change: Impact and Challenges' for this year's forum in Sarawak.

"The theme is very timely and well aligned to our aspiration to transform our economy capitalising on digital technology," he said in his special address at the opening of the forum by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.

Abang Johari said as chief minister of Sarawak, he had personally driven the efforts to leapfrog the state's development through the digital economy.

"I believe the Digital Economy will generate new jobs and opportunities for our entrepreneurs by creating greater efficiency in the way we do business.

"The enhancement of our economy will accelerate growth, increase our wealth and turn Sarawak into a developed and high-income State by 2030," he said.

Abang Johari said the disruptive change in the form of technological advancements had transformed human lives, creating new opportunities and altering conventional industries.

He said Sarawak was not spared from the disruptive change and must equip itself with necessary skills and knowledge to face the impacts and challenges.

"On the positive note, the opportunity brought about by this disruptive change has levelled the playing fields in the technology and economic sectors.

"The advent of new disruptive technologies also breaks the dominance of existing products and businesses while providing room for new products to be successful," he said.

Abang Johari strongly believed that Sarawak's economy needed to be further diversified as well as transformed to achieve the vision.

He said Sarawak being strategically located between the eastern region and the western region of the world and being an integral part of a fast developing nation, had been able to position itself as one of the most attractive investment destinations in the Asean region.

"While other parts of the world are facing geopolitical tensions and humanitarian crisis, our nation as well as Sarawak has been able to maintain peace and harmony," he said, adding that stability had been the linchpin over the years in developing the state.

The chief minister also pointed to Sarawak's attributes – vast natural resources, agricultural land, fisheries, and mineral as well as "modern and reliable infrastructure and utilities with efficient and business-friendly government".

"We also have young, productive, diligent and English speaking trainable workforce. Sarawak's labour force can provide educated, skilled, semi-skilled, and young workers to meet the needs of a high-technology business environment.

"Sarawak has safe, clean and pleasant working and living conditions. Standards of living have improved significantly over the past two decades, and foreign investors and their families can be assured of a high-quality life," he added.

With all modern facilities and amenities, he said visitors from abroad would find it easy to blend in with the local community and adapt to the culture.

He said with the support and cooperation of the State and Federal government, domestic and international corporation sectors, Sarawak not only could realise its full development potential but also play an important role as key hubs for regional cooperation and economic integration in the region.

In order to further accelerate economic growth in Sarawak, Abang Johari said the state government had also set up the Development Bank of Sarawak (DBOS), established the state's own petroleum company called Petroleum Sarawak (PETROS) and formed the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA).

('Sarawak Woos Global Business Community Through Digital Economy.' – The Sun Daily, November 21, 2017)

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1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA
8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

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RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

REPORTED BY BERNAMA

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

Enam belas memorandum persefahaman (MoU), bernilai US$2.5 bilion, dimeterai hari ini sempena Forum Ekonomi Islam Sedunia (WIEF) ke-13, jumlah tertinggi dalam sejarah penganjuran forum terbabit.

Sembilan MoU ditandatangani bersama organisasi antarabangsa dari Kanada, China, Amerika Syarikat dan Indonesia, meliputi kerjasama dan usaha sama dalam bidang teknologi, sektor makanan halal dan tenaga.

Antara lain, MoU membabitkan Sacofa Sdn Bhd dan Indonesia-PT Super Sistem Ultima; Resonic Consultancy dan US-Fintech4Good Group LLC; Noble Fairway Sdn Bhd dan Canada Triwin Holdings Group Ltd; dan perjanjian tiga pihak antara Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Sdn Bhd, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia dan Hall Amanie Sdn Bhd.

Majlis bertukar-tukar dokumen perjanjian disaksikan oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Ketua Menteri Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Dr Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg dan Pengerusi Yayasan WIEF Tun Musa Hitam.

Sejak lima tahun lepas, WlEF memudahkan perjanjian perdagangan daripada pelbagai sektor industri, dengan negara Islam dan bukan Islam bernilai US$13 bilion.

('US$2.5 Bilion Nilai MoU Dimeterai Pada WIEF.' – BERNAMA, November 21, 2017)

– - –

1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA
8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

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RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

REPORTED BY ASTRO AWANI

Najib berkata golongsn muda perlu dilengkapkan dengan kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi agar mereka bersikap terbuka.
Gambar: BERNAMA

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

Sistem pendidikan sedia ada perlu dirombak untuk memastikan generasi muda mampu mendepani cabaran di alam pekerjaan bukan sahaja pada masa kini tetapi juga masa depan.

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, golongan muda perlu dilengkapkan dengan kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi agar mereka bersikap terbuka dan bersedia untuk melibatkan diri dalam pekerjaan yang belum lagi wujud pada masa kini.

"Namun, yang menyedihkan kita, sebahagian besar negara-negara Islam tidak memiliki pelaburan yang mencukupi dalam pendidikan yang berkualiti.
"Malah, ada yang masih tidak mempunyai akses kepada keperluan asas seperti air, kemudahan kesihatan dan pendidikan asas," katanya dalam ucaptamanya di Forum Ekonomi Islam Dunia (WIEF) yang ke-13.

Bertemakan 'Disruptive Changes: Impact and Challenges' (Perubahan Disruptif: Impak dan Cabaran), WIEF kali ini diadakan selama dua hari di Pusat Konvensyen Borneo Kuching (BCCK).

Selain itu, Datuk Seri Najib turut mencadangkan supaya tiga negara yang berkongsi Kepulauan Borneo iaitu Indonesia, Brunei dan Malaysia untuk bekerjasama bagi memacu Ekonomi Hijau atau Green Economy.

"Malaysia bersedia untuk mengatur perbincangan bagi cadangan ini supaya kita dapat mengukuhkan kerjasama dalam perkara tersebut," kata beliau.

Turut hadir dalam Majlis Perasmian WIEF ialah Ketua Menteri Sarawak Datuk Abang Johari Tun Openg, Pengerusi Yayasan WIEF Tun Musa Hitam serta pemimpin dari negara-negara yang menghantar delegasi bagi menghadiri WIEF.

('WIEF: PM Najib Mahu Generasi Muda Dilengkapi Kemahiran Aras Tinggi.' – Astro Awani, November 21, 2017)

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1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

8. RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

– - –

RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA

REPORTED BY BERITA HARIAN

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan (kelima dari kanan) bergambar dengan Pengerusi Forum Ekonomi Islam Dunia (WIEF) Tun Musa Hitam (keempat dari kanan) sempena Majlis Makan Malam Menyambut Ketibaan Delegasi WIEF13 di Kuching malam ini.
Gambar: BERNAMA

KUCHING, November 21, 2017 –

Forum Ekonomi Islam Dunia (WIEF) ke-13 yang berlangsung di bandar raya ini meneruskan tradisi penganjurannya untuk tidak menyentuh isu berkaitan politik dan agama.

Pengerusi Yayasan WIEF, Tun Musa Hitam, berkata persidangan lebih menumpukan kepada perbincangan perdagangan dan perniagaan, selaras matlamat penubuhan yayasan terbabit.

"Kita akan meneroka lebih banyak peluang perniagaan dengan memberi tumpuan kepada perkembangan ekonomi digital.

"Ia selaras dengan dasar kerajaan Sarawak yang memberi tumpuan kepada ekonomi digital untuk membangunkan negeri," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada Majlis Makan Malam Menyambut Ketibaan Delegasi WIEF -13, di sini, malam ini.

Turut hadir Timbalan Ketua Menteri, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan yang mewakili Ketua Menteri, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Abang Openg; Menteri Kewangan II negeri, Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh dan Setiausaha Agung Yayasan WIEF, Tan Sri Mohd Fuzi Abdul Razak.

Seramai 2,476 delegasi dari 75 negara mengesahkan penyertaan pada WIEF-13 yang berlangsung selama tiga hari hingga Khamis ini.

Kuching adalah lokasi kedua penganjuran WIEF-13 di luar Kuala Lumpur selepas Johor Bahru.

Musa berkata, pihaknya bersetuju menganjurkan WIEF di Kuching selepas jemputan daripada Abang Johari, ketika menghadiri WIEF di Jakarta, Indonesia tahun lalu.

Sementara itu, Abang Johari dalam teks ucapannya yang dibacakan oleh Awang Tengah yang juga Pengerusi Bersama WIEF-13 berkata, Sarawak menghargai kesudian Yayasan WIEF untuk memilih Kuching sebagai lokasi penganjuran persidangan kali ini.

"Sarawak bertuah menerima peserta serta penceramah antarabangsa untuk berkongsi idea dan pengalaman pada forum ini.

"Sarawak sedang menghadapi transformasi sosio ekonominya daripada negeri pertanian untuk berubah kepada pembangunan ekonomi baharu termasuk minyak dan gas, pertanian komersial, teknologi tinggi dan sektor perkhidmatan," katanya.

('WIEF Bebas Isu Politik, Agama.' – Berita Harian, November 21, 2017)

– - –

1. WOZNIAK: GOVERNMENT SHOULD STAND BEHIND DIGITAL GROWTH

2. RELATED: MUSLIM COUNTRIES MUST RELENTLESSLY FIGHT TERRORISM: PM

3. RELATED: WIEF 2017 COINCIDES WITH SARAWAK'S GOAL TO DEVELOP ITS DIGITAL ECONOMY

4. RELATED: SARAWAK WOOS GLOBAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH DIGITAL ECONOMY

5. RELATED: US$2.5 BILION NILAI MOU DIMETERAI PADA WIEF

6. RELATED: WIEF: PM NAJIB MAHU GENERASI MUDA DILENGKAPI KEMAHIRAN ARAS TINGGI

7. RELATED: WIEF BEBAS ISU POLITIK, AGAMA

– - –

RELATED: DR MAHATHIR CAN'T GET RID OF ME, SAYS MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB

REPORTED BY TODAY ONLINE

Prime Minister Najib Razak has dismissed his political nemesis, Dr Mahathir Mohamad's chance of ousting him from power in the next general election.
Photo: The Malaysian Insight

PUTRAJAYA (THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT), November 21, 2017—

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dismissed his political nemesis, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s chance of ousting him from power in the next general election.

The prime minister, while acknowledging the presence of another former prime minister, Mr Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in his salutation at the opening of the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in Kuching, said Dr Mahathir will fail in his bid.

After describing Mr Abdullah, the founder of the forum, as a “very supportive immediate predecessor”, he said “my other predecessor is forcing a disruptive change” in reference to the theme of the forum, “Disruptive change: Impact and challenges”.

“He won’t succeed,” said Mr Najib.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir has teamed up with his former arch political foes in PKR and DAP to form an opposition bloc, Pakatan Harapan, in an attempt to oust Najib and his ruling Barisan Nasional.

Dr Mahathir, chairman of Bersatu, has teamed up with his former deputy and PKR de facto leader Mr Anwar Ibrahim, whom he jailed on a sodomy charge, and DAP’s Lim Kit Siang.

They accuse Mr Najib of embezzling billions of ringgit of public funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

('Dr Mahathir Can't Get Rid of Me, Says Malaysian PM Najib.' – Today Online, November 21, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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BREAKING / CORRUPTION WATCHERS: WHAT IS CLARE REWCASTLE BROWN HIDING IN A SPANISH COMPANY REGISTERED IN HER BROTHER'S NAME?

2017-11-14T21:16:00.000-08:00

IN another explosive development that is totally embarrassing to Clare Rewcastle Brown and associates, the diligent and vigilant Corruption Watchers (CW) exposes Clare yet again with another revelation about her allegedly corrupt and secret corporate involvement, this time in Spain.

This lady sure gets around...

According to CW, the company is registered under her brother, Patrick Rewcastle - by the name of Hutchings Investment, SL - and it is evident that if true, it very likely means that she has been keeping her involvement in this company very secret in order to hide the traces of her own corruption.

This explains how adept she has been at attributing corrupt practices to her targets, with yarns spun from cumulated personal experiences, creatively projected upon the victims.

The doer says others are doing what she herself is doing, it seems.

👇🏽

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EXCLUSIVE: WHAT IS CLARE REWCASTLE BROWN HIDING IN A SPANISH COMPANY REGISTERED IN HER BROTHER'S NAME?

After revealing that the investigative journalist, who is against deforestation, is funded by a Swiss Wood industry tycoon, Corruption Watchers is now exposing financial holdings that Mrs. Brown DOES NOT want anyone to know about. – CW

REPORTED BY CORRUPTION WATCHERS

Following Corruption Watchers' latest exclusive revelation regarding financial links between Sarawak Report and the Swiss tycoon Martin Pestalozzi, we have been approached by additional sources with further claims of conflict of interest and corruption allegedly made, by Mrs. Brown. The claims which have yet been fully verified, will not be published.

Corruption Watchers had recently received information regarding a registered Spanish company that goes by the name of "Hutchings Investments SL", the company is legally registered through public deed at the "Registro Mercantil de Alicante" with an initial capital of €750,000. Hutchings Investments brokers' real estate deals of all kinds (promotion, sale and leasing of rural and urban assets).

Further enquiries made by our source have revealed that Patrick Rewcastle is the owner of the company with 100% of the company shares. A simple background check revealed that Patrick Rewcastle is Mrs. Brown's brother who resides in the vicinity of Benissa. According to Corruption Watchers' source Clare Rewcasle Brown has been visiting Benissa on numerous occasions within the course of the last few months.

One very suspicious aspect regarding this establishment, was that we could not find any reports that would suggest Hutchings Investments to be a real operational entity - Hutching Investment SL made no financial movements whatsoever or has any available tax reports. However, the company owns a large villa and plot of land located in the rustic side of Benissa, Spain.

Hutchings Investments, SL. Private Limited Company

Established: 21.11.2014

Status: Active

NIF: B54826748

Address: Partida Pedramala 67C 03720 Benissa, Alicante, Spain.

This method is known to be a way of hiding properties through a "strawperson" in order to protect the privacy of 'real' owners, In this case, Mrs. Brown, and her €750,000 she wants to keep under the radar.

The information we gathered on Hutchings Investments SL also unveiled its business Directors:

Clare Rewcastle Brown is listed under her maiden name, Clare Louise Brown as the director/administrator of Hutchings Investments SL. Patrick Rewcastle on the other hand, is the "socio unico" or Sole proprietor of the company. There are no other individuals connected to the establishment's portfolio other than the two Rewcastle siblings.

In the past when asked about her source of income (you cannot really make a living by being an independent blogger), Brown made sure to declare that her work is being funded by and relies on "a steady stream of small donations", she claims her trips abroad were funded by NGO grants and failed to mention any side businesses.

This begs the questions: what does Mrs. Brown has to do with what seems to be a Spanish shell company? What is she hiding in a Spanish Straw company listed over her brother's name?

Corruption Watchers last articles, revealed Brown had promoted political and commercial agendas in favor of the highest bidder (be it a Swiss billionaire or a wealthy NGO).

The timing of the companies establishment (November 2014) perfectly matches Mrs. Browns first attempts to create political influence. When we tried to speak to Mrs. Brown in order to get her response on our article – she did not respond. When trying to reach her brother Mr. Patrick Rewcastle in order to get his response, he asked us to speak directly to Mrs. Brown only, for "I have nothing to do with that, and not supposed to be involved in it, you will have to deal with her directly".

On our previous article covering Mrs. Browns' questionable work ethics, Corruption Watchers has exposed the never-seen-before evidence showing the undisputable connection between the anonymous Swiss billionaire, Martin O. Pestalozzi and Sarawak Report's Editor-in-Chief.

By continuous unleashing on the deforestation phenomenon taking place in Malaysia, Clare Rewcastle Brown was actually assisting Pestalozzi's business agendas. The publications made by her where she criticizes the Malaysian government over alleged corruption in the wood trade field helped Pestalozzi eliminating competition, leaving NovelTeak (a wood company owned by Pestalozzi) at the top of the teak exporting industry.

We have also exposed the method Pestalozzi used BVI and Jersey located offshores when he paid Brown with almost half a million euros for her "devoted" services.

We are still examining other recent evidence regarding Mrs. Brown. According to the materials presented to Corruption Watchers editorial board by various worried individuals, some of Sarawak Report's donations money is allegedly being used by Mrs. Brown and her family for their personal welfare (we avoid publishing those assertions before they are fully verified).

Sadly, Mrs. Brown chose not to reply to Corruption Watchers' investigative article. In case Mrs. Brown will decide to respond we would be more than happy to publish her comments to the evidence mentioned above.

('EXCLUSIVE: What is Clare Rewcastle Brown hiding in a Spanish Company Registered in Her Brother's Name?' – Corruption Watchers, November 15, 2017)

👋🏽

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

– - –

BREAKING / PRINCE CHARLES, THE PARADISE PAPERS AND PRO-RAINFOREST FOR PROFIT

2017-11-07T21:43:00.001-08:00

🏵

WITH utterly grave disappointment, we learn that the widely-admired heir to the British throne may not be as earnestly concerned for the preservation of the environment as much as he is probably concerned with the preservation of his secret, offshore investments.

This latest discovery - the so-called Paradise Papers - made by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists - a grouping that Clare Rewcastle Brown and Sarawak Report are conspicuously not invited to - reveals how the Prince stands to gain with every "pro-rainforest" speech that he gives in public, due to his financial interest in a carbon-swapping company.

In fact, according to the news reports that broke yesterday, the Prince seemed to have only started campaigning specifically on a "pro-rainforest" platform, after he had diverted investment in the said company.

It is also known that the Prince personally oversees the investment made by the Duchy of Cornwall, which plays the role of his Dukedom's incorporated body.

It is also worth noting that somehow, Clare Rewcastle Brown's brother-in-law is implicated in this story, and we also wonder how far into this is Clare herself involved?

What we do know is that she issued a protest over the recent Royal Visit, but the whole pile of horse-patootie that she wrote at length, seem to cover every other possible and speculative allegation, yet this particular credible one isn't mentioned.

We surmise that this is either due to her being complicit, and hence diversionary, or she simply has no clue, and truly is resorting to spinning old wives' tales just to keep that lying ragheap Sarawak Report relevant.

We share this latest development while we number the days of Clare Rewcastle Brown and her unscrupulous associates.

As for the Prince's credibility, we are certain to take each and every references to the rainforest that His Highness makes with a pinch of financial and former-colonial salt, and will take HH's words 'under advisement', as long as it is clearly beneficial to the rainforest - with no financial strings attached.

Having said that, we express our disappointment that the Prince came and went from Sarawak giving us the impression that his concern for our development is out of HH's on sincerity and inculcated values, bereft of financial considerations - as befitting an heir to a once-great Sovereign throne.

We also note that although the Prince has paid taxes on his secret earnings, the fact remains that his modus operandi in concealing the prospect of his personal financial gain over his charitable and social works - while acting completely independent - is alarming and unethical to say the least.

We hope Sarawakians remain ever-vigilant of these self-interested actors out to line their own pockets, while pretending to care about us and our environment.

👇🏽

– - –

2. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED ON CLIMATE CHANGE 'WITHOUT DISCLOSING INVESTMENTS'

3. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS | PRINCE CHARLES'S PRIVATE ESTATE TRIPLE OFFSHORE INVESTMENT IN JUST OVER A YEAR

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES 'LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT DISCLOSING OFFSHORE FINANCIAL INTEREST'

5. RELATED: CHARLES AND CAMILLA LEAVE LASTING IMPRESSION DURING MAIDEN SARAWAK VISIT

– - –

PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED ON CLIMATE POLICY AFTER SHARES PURCHASE

REPORTED BY BBC

Prince Charles campaigned to alter climate-change agreements without disclosing his private estate had an offshore financial interest in what he was promoting, BBC Panorama has found.

The Paradise Papers show the Duchy of Cornwall in 2007 secretly bought shares worth $113,500 in a Bermuda company that would benefit from a rule change.

The prince was a friend of a director of Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd.

The Duchy of Cornwall says he has no direct involvement in its investments.

A Clarence House spokesman said the Prince of Wales had "certainly never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of a company that it [the Duchy of Cornwall] may have invested in".

He added: "In the case of climate change his views are well-known, indeed he has been warning of the threat of global warming to our environment for over 30 years.

"Carbon markets are just one example that the prince has championed since the 1990s and which he continues to promote today."

'Conflict of interest'

He added Prince Charles was "free to offer thoughts and suggestions on a wide range of topics" and "cares deeply" about the issue of climate change but "it is for others to decide whether to take the advice".

Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said Prince Charles's actions amounted to a serious conflict of interest.

He said: "There's a conflict of interest between his own investments of the Duchy of Cornwall and what he's trying to achieve publicly.

"And I think it's unfortunate that somebody of his importance, of his influence, becomes involved in such a serious conflict."

The leaked documents held by law firm Appleby show the Duchy of Cornwall also made offshore investments totalling $3.9m in four funds in the Cayman Islands in 2007. This is legal and there is no suggestion of tax avoidance.

A Duchy of Cornwall spokesman said Prince Charles voluntarily pays income tax on any revenue from his estate.

He added the estate's investments "do not derive any tax advantage whatsoever based on their location or any other aspect of their structure and there is no loss of revenue to HMRC as a result".

Kept confidential

The prince began campaigning for changes to two important environmental agreements weeks after Sustainable Forestry Management (SFM) sent his office lobbying documents.

Prince Charles's estate almost tripled its money in just over a year although it is not clear what caused the rise in the share value. Despite his high profile campaign, the environmental agreements were not changed.

The documents reveal the Duchy of Cornwall, an £896m private estate that provides Prince Charles with an income and which he is said to be "actively involved" in running, bought the shares in February 2007. At the time $113,500 was worth about £58,000.

One of SFM's directors was the late Hugh van Cutsem, a millionaire banker and conservationist who has been described as the one of the Prince's closest friends.

The minutes of a company board meeting that approved the Duchy's shareholding say: "The Chairman thanked Mr van Cutsem for his introduction of the Duchy of Cornwall and the Board unanimously agreed that the subscription by the Duchy of Cornwall be kept confidential except in respect of any disclosure required by law."

Source document

Change in policy

SFM traded in carbon credits, a market created by international treaties to tackle global warming.

It wanted to trade in credits from "tropical and subtropical forests" but was hampered by two important climate change agreements, the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and the Kyoto Protocol, which largely excluded carbon credits from rainforests.

When the Duchy bought its shares, SFM was lobbying for a "change in policy" on carbon credits, the documents show.

It had hired the US former lead negotiator on the Kyoto Protocol, Stuart Eizenstat "to lobby for inclusion of forest carbon credits" in new US and EU laws and regulations.

Board minutes from February 2007 show SFM was also taking "steps to influence events to support forest credits" ahead of Kyoto Protocol meetings at the end of the year.

On 6 June 2007, four months after the Duchy bought its shares, Mr van Cutsem asked SFM's chairman to send lobbying documents to the office of the prince.

Under the heading "public policy and advocacy", minutes of a board meeting held in Paris say "the chairman referred the committee to the bundle of materials which had been prepared by the company for various policymakers... Mr van Cutsem... asked that a set of documents be prepared for the Prince of Wales office. The chairman undertook to do so".

Rainforests project

Four weeks later, on 2 July, Prince Charles, made a speech that criticised the EU ETS and Kyoto Protocol for excluding carbon credits from rainforests, and called for change.

Speaking at the Business in the Community Awards Dinner, the prince said: "As the Kyoto protocol now stands tropical rainforest nations have no way of earning credits from their standing forests other than by cutting them down and planting new ones," he said.

"The European Carbon Trading Scheme excludes carbon credits for forests from developing nations. This has got be wrong and we must urge the international community to work together to redress these failings urgently."

The campaigning was taking place ahead of meetings about the Kyoto Protocol.
Photo: Getty

In October 2007, he launched the Prince's Rainforests Project, which aimed to "increase global recognition of the contribution of tropical deforestation to climate change and to find ways to make the rainforests worth more alive than dead."

In a speech to mark the launch, he said: "The Kyoto Protocol does not have a mechanism to protect standing rainforests.

"Credits are available for afforestation and reforestation projects, but not for maintaining an old growth forest. And the European Trading Scheme excludes carbon credits for forestry in developing nations altogether… surely we have to accept that the pressing urgency of climate change requires a response that embraces rather than excludes primary tropical forests?"

Panorama has been unable to find evidence of any speeches the prince made before 2008 about changing Kyoto and EU ETS to include carbon credits for rainforests. The programme asked the prince's office for any such speeches but they did not respond.

'Helping hand'

Over the next six months, the future king made further speeches and videos about rainforests.

In a video released in January 2008, the prince said: "The immediate priority, I believe, is the need to develop a new credit market which will give a true value to carbon and the ecosystem services the rainforests provide the rest of the world."

In February 2008, he reportedly discussed rainforests at a private meeting with the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Days later, he met with the then President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, and the EU's environment, energy, trade and agriculture commissioners.

In a speech to 150 MEPs, he said: "I have great hopes that the next version of the European Emissions Trading scheme might extend the helping and very visible hand of a market approach to assist in keeping the rainforests standing… the lives of billions of people depend on your response and none of us will be forgiven by our children and grandchildren if we falter and fail."

On 18 June 2008, as the global financial crash was beginning, the Duchy sold its stake in SFM.

The documents show it was paid $325,000 for the 50 shares.

SFM is no longer in existence.

Sir Alistair Graham says Prince Charles

should be accountable to public scrutiny.

– BBC

The Duchy was established in 1337 and uses the income to fund the public, private and charitable activities of the Prince of Wales and his children. Its accounts are independently audited and put before Parliament.

A Duchy of Cornwall spokesman said the estate followed a "responsible investment policy which governs the sectors that it may invest in".

The Paradise Papers documents also showed about £10m of the Queen's private money was invested offshore in 2004-2005 in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

('Paradise Papers: Prince Charles Lobbied on Climate Change Policy After Shares Purchase.' – BBC, November 7, 2017)

– - –

1. PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY AFTER SHARES PURCHASE

3. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS | PRINCE CHARLES'S PRIVATE ESTATE TRIPLE OFFSHORE INVESTMENT IN JUST OVER A YEAR

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES 'LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT DISCLOSING OFFSHORE FINANCIAL INTEREST'

5. RELATED: CHARLES AND CAMILLA LEAVE LASTING IMPRESSION DURING MAIDEN SARAWAK VISIT

– - –

RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES CAMPAIGNED ON CLIMATE CHANGE 'WITHOUT DISCLOSING INVESTMENTS'The Duchy of Cornwall says the Prince had no direct involvement in any of its investments following the latest tax revelation.

REPORTED BY SKY NEWS

The Prince of Wales is accused of not disclosing his estate's financial interests,
Photo: Sky News

The so-called Paradise Papers have revealed Prince Charles allegedly campaigned to alter climate-change agreements without disclosing the offshore financial interests of his estate.

The leaked documents showed the Duchy of Cornwall estate secretly bought shares worth $113,500 (£86,000) in a firm in Bermuda in 2007 that could benefit from changes in rules, according to the BBC's Panorama.

It claimed the Prince of Wales was a friend of one of the directors of forest management company Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd.

But the Duchy of Cornwall said Prince Charles had no direct involvement in any of its investments.

A spokesman for Clarence House said he had "never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of a company The Duchy may have invested in".

He added: "In the case of climate change his views are well known, indeed he has been warning of the threat of global warming to our environment for over 30 years.
"Carbon markets are just one example that the Prince has championed since the 1990s and which he continues to promote today."

A Duchy of Cornwall spokesman said the estate had a "responsible investment policy" and that its accounts were "independently audited and presented to Parliament every year".

He added: "These investments do not derive any tax advantage whatsoever based on their location or any other aspect of their structure and there is no loss of revenue to HMRC as a result."

The revelation comes after the Queen's private estate was accused of investing millions of pounds in offshore tax havens.

The Paradise Papers leak revealed the investments made by the Duchy of Lancaster but there is nothing to suggest any of them were illegal.

The Queen's estate is accused of investing millions of pounds in offshore tax havens.
Photo: Sky News

Tech giant Apple and Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton have also been named among those allegedly avoiding tax.

Apple is accused of holding most of its offshore funds in Jersey, where taxes are lower. The firm is said to have moved its money there when Ireland changed its tax rules in 2015.

But the iPhone maker insists its new tax structure has not reduced the amount of tax it pays and that it remains the world's largest taxpayer.

The leaked documents appear to show Hamilton avoided tax on a private jet worth £16.5m, which he imported into the Isle of Man.

His advisers set up a leasing deal which entitled Hamilton to receive a VAT refund of £3.3m on the jet on the basis it was used for business. But allegations surfaced that it was also used for personal use.

The Mercedes driver's lawyers said the tax structure was found to be lawful after it was reviewed by a barrister and they deny anything illegal has taken place.

('Paradise Papers: Prince Charles Campaigned on Climate hange "Without Disclosing Investments".' – Sky News, November 7, 2017)

– - –

1. PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY AFTER SHARES PURCHASE

2. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED ON CLIMATE CHANGE 'WITHOUT DISCLOSING INVESTMENTS'

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES 'LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT DISCLOSING OFFSHORE FINANCIAL INTEREST'

5. RELATED: CHARLES AND CAMILLA LEAVE LASTING IMPRESSION DURING MAIDEN SARAWAK VISIT

– - –

RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS | PRINCE CHARLES'S PRIVATE ESTATE TRIPLE OFFSHORE INVESTMENT IN JUST OVER A YEAR
Questions about conflict as heir to throne continued touting carbon offsetting while investing in it.

REPORTED BY CBC NEWS

Prince Charles visits the MacRitchie Reservoir Park on October 31 in Singapore.
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty

The Queen's forays into offshore investing may have been the Paradise Papers' biggest surprise, but in terms of impact they are easily eclipsed by a single, apparently very profitable deal made by Prince Charles.

Leaked documents show that in just one buy-and-sell transaction, the Prince of Wales's private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, appears in just over a year to have tripled an estimated $100,000 US investment in an offshore company co-run by one of his closest friends.

Leaked board minutes in the Paradise Papers show that from the purchase, in February 2007, the company, which specializes in carbon offsetting, also committed to treating his stake as a sensitive secret.

All the while, the heir to the British throne continued to publicly promote carbon offsetting — a subject he's repeatedly spoken about — even as he was invested in it.

None of the new revelations, which show the prince had millions more invested offshore, suggest illegal action. But they raise questions about the rules surrounding conflict of interest where royals are concerned, and, for the second time this week about whether senior royal figures are transparent enough about their sources of income — especially if they're investing offshore.

"The real problem with these revelations even if Charles had no knowledge whatsoever of what was going on, is that the optics are terrible," said David McClure, a royal finances expert, told CBC News. "It paints the future king of Britain in a bad light. It damages the brand of the British monarchy."

The peek into the prince's offshore dealings comes from a massive offshore leak obtained by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and provided to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which organized a global collaboration that included the Guardian newspaper and the BBC in the United Kingdom as well as CBC News in Canada.

Indirect stake

Through the Paradise Papers, it emerged for the first time on Sunday that the Queen had about 10 million pounds in investments offshore, including an indirect stake in a controversial chain of rent-to-own stores that just last month regulators ruled was not a responsible lender.

The Queen's private estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, said it did not know it held stakes in the chain until questions came from journalists.

Documents show Prince Charles's private estate purchased 50 shares in early 2007 in the Bermuda-based Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd., a now-defunct company that specialized in carbon offsetting. The price tag is estimated to have been in the $100,000 US ballpark.

Nearly a year and a half after the purchase, in June 2008, another document indicates the Duchy of Cornwall transferred its shares to another buyer. The purchase price is noted as $325,000, more than triple the initial investment.

The Prince of Wales has long spoken out in favour of sustainable forestry and carbon offsetting, and that did not change during the period when he held his stake in the company.

A speech prepared for Prince Charles for a July 2, 2007 event says: "We need to develop a new credit market which will give a true value to carbon and the ecosystem services that rainforests provide the rest of the world."

The BBC reported that the prince gave three major speeches which touch on the subject in the seven months after his private estate acquired the stakes.

Speaking out on climate change

A spokesperson for Clarence House told CBC News in a statement: "He has certainly never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of a company that [the Duchy] may have invested in."

"Carbon markets are just one example" of actions the prince has championed to "slow or halt the damage that is being done" by climate change, the spokesperson said.

Charles chats with Hugh van Cutsem, right, president of the Moorcroft and District Agricultural Society at its annual show in Mossdale, North Yorkshire.
Photo: PA/Getty

In a Guardian newspaper investigation, minutes were spotted from a meeting of the board of directors of Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd. on February 23, 2007, indicating the purchase was made possible with help from Hugh van Cutsem.

He and Prince Charles had been friends since they attended university in the 1960s, and the van Cutsem family has been a fixture in Prince Charles's life ever since. The elder van Cutsem died in 2013.

In the documents, the chairman is quoted as having "thanked Mr. van Cutsem for his introduction of the Duchy of Cornwall and asked that the board unanimously agree that the subscription by the Duchy of Cornwall be kept confidential except in respect of any disclosure required by law."

Leaked board minutes of Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd. show that from the purchase in February 2007, the company also committed to treating Prince Charles's stake as a sensitive secret.
Photo: CBC

Another document says van Cutsem "asked that a set of documents be prepared for the Prince of Wales office" about a scheme the company supported advocating the use of carbon credits.

In a statement, a Duchy of Cornwall spokesperson told CBC News the Prince of Wales "does not have any direct involvement in the investment decisions taken by the Duchy. These are the responsibility of the Duchy itself."

The spokesperson added the investments "do not derive any tax advantage whatsoever."

The Duchy of Cornwall was set up 680 years ago to provide a private income to the heir to the throne. Its net assets are in the range of 896 million pounds.

Tax exempt but paying taxes

Prince Charles and his Duchy are tax exempt, but like the Queen, he has been voluntarily paying income tax since 1993.

The Duchy owns mostly commercial and residential real estate as well as land, some of which has been harnessed to help produce the Prince of Wales's profitable organic food enterprise.

The Duchy also has a financial investment portfolio. Its website says the prince is "actively involved in running the Duchy."

There have been calls in the past for more transparency in the Duchy's workings and more scrutiny of the details of generating an income for Prince Charles.

In 2016-17, the Duchy paid Prince Charles — who is also the Duke of Cornwall, the longest serving in the title ever — 20.7 million pounds in income, a raise of 1.2 per cent over the previous year.

The website says the income is there for him to spend as he sees fit, but that Prince Charles uses "a substantial proportion of his income" to fund the "public and charitable work as well as the public and private lives of his family" including his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; his son Prince William and his family; and his son Prince Harry.

Prince Charles is not entitled to access the Duchy's capital holdings, which will be passed on to William, the likely next Duke of Cornwall, when his father takes the throne.

Paradise Papers: How tax havens work and why they are a problem - CBC News

('Paradise Papers | Prince Charles's Private Estate Triple Offshore Investment in Just Over a Year.' – CBC News, November 7, 2017)

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1. PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY AFTER SHARES PURCHASE

2. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED ON CLIMATE CHANGE 'WITHOUT DISCLOSING INVESTMENTS'

3. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS | PRINCE CHARLES'S PRIVATE ESTATE TRIPLE OFFSHORE INVESTMENT IN JUST OVER A YEAR

5. RELATED: CHARLES AND CAMILLA LEAVE LASTING IMPRESSION DURING MAIDEN SARAWAK VISIT

– - –

RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES 'LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE POLICY CHANGE WITHOUT DISCLOSING OFFSHORE FINANCIAL INTEREST'
Prince's actions amount to ‘serious conflict of interest’, says former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life

REPORTED BY THE INDEPENDENT

Prince Charles campaigned to alter climate change agreements without disclosing his estate’s financial interest in such a rule change, leaks from the Paradise Papers indicate.

In 2007, the Prince of Wales reportedly bought shares worth $113,500 (£83,600), in a Bermuda-based company run by one of his best friends, Hugh van Cutsem. That friend was also a director of Sustainable Forestry Management, the board of which invested invested in land to protect it from deforestation.

The purchase of the shares was regarded as highly sensitive, The Guardian reports, and members of Sustainable Forestry Management’s board were reportedly sworn to secrecy about the Prince’s involvement.

The Prince of Wales has long been a vocal speaker on the issue of climate change.

According to the BBC, he mounted a high profile campaign for changes to two major environmental agreements just weeks after Sustainable Forestry Management sent his office lobbying documents.

Four weeks after purchasing the shares, Prince Charles called for the Kyoto Protocol and the EU’s emissions trading system to recognise carbon credits from rainforests, saying it was “wrong”.

In October 2007, he launched the Prince’s Rainforest Project, which aimed to highlight the impact of tropical deforestation. And in January 2008 he released a video in which he called for new ways of supporting rainforests.

The BBC’s Panorama programme said it was unable to find any evidence of speeches made by the Prince about changing Kyoto, or EU ETS policy about rainforests, prior to purchasing the shares.

Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said the Prince’s actions amounted to a “serious” conflict of interest.

According to the BBC, he said: “There's a conflict of interest between his own investments of the Duchy of Cornwall, and what he’s trying to achieve publicly.
“And I think it’s unfortunate that somebody of his importance, of his influence, becomes involved in such a serious conflict.”

Labour MP Margaret Hodge said the revelations made clear the need for “proper transparency”.

She told The Guardian: “It seems clear to me that Prince Charles could not have known or understood the nature of the investment in his friend’s company,” she said.

“What is clear is that there should be proper transparency of all investments made by the Duchy of Cornwall, that the Prince of Wales should not be involved in investment decisions and that the Treasury should monitor the investments to ensure that the reputation and integrity of our royal family is protected.”

The Duchy of Cornwall said the Prince has no direct involvement in its investments.
A Clarence House spokesman said Prince Charles had “certainly never chosen to speak out on a topic simply because of a company that it may have invested in”.

“In the case of climate change his views are well known, indeed he has been warning of the threat of global warming to our environment for over 30 years.
“Carbon markets are just one example that the prince has championed since the 1990s, and which he continues to promote today.”

('Prince Charles 'Lobbied for Climate Change Policy Change Without Disclosing Offshore Financial Interest.' – The Independent, )

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1. PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY AFTER SHARES PURCHASE

2. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS: PRINCE CHARLES LOBBIED ON CLIMATE CHANGE 'WITHOUT DISCLOSING INVESTMENTS'

3. RELATED: PARADISE PAPERS | PRINCE CHARLES'S PRIVATE ESTATE TRIPLE OFFSHORE INVESTMENT IN JUST OVER A YEAR

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES 'LOBBIED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT DISCLOSING OFFSHORE FINANCIAL INTEREST'

– - –

RELATED: CHARLES AND CAMILLA LEAVE LASTING IMPRESSION DURING MAIDEN SARAWAK VISIT

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

SANTUBONG, November 6, 2017 –

Prince Charles and Camilla in Sarawak, publicly expressing his concerns over the rainforest.
Photo: NST/BERNAMA

Britain’s royal couple, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, left a lasting impression on the people in the state during their maiden visit to Sarawak today.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who is on their fifth day in Malaysia, kicked-off their whirlwind tour to the state by visiting the Sarawak Cultural Village, nestled at the foothills of Mount Santubong here.

Accompanied by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri S. K. Devamany and State Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the royal couple were greeted upon arrival by a cultural performance from dancers clad in colourful traditional costumes.

Prince Charles and Camilla spent almost an hour visiting attractions available at the cultural village, dubbed a ‘living museum’ displaying Sarawak’s diverse and rich cultural heritage.

The Prince of Wales also displayed his skills at using the Penan blowpipes when he visited the ‘Rumah Penan’ (Penan hut). He and Camilla also crossed a man-made lake via a bamboo raft.

The heir to the British throne also had a closed-door dialogue session with six community leaders representing the major ethnic groups in the state.

Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said Prince Charles was very passionate when the latter spoke about the preservation of indigenous cultures.

“He spoke at great length and shared his experience of preserving cultures and heritage among indigenous groups over the past 30 years.

“He also touched on the importance of pulling out all the stops to preserve Sarawak’s culture before it become extinct,” he said when met after the dialogue session.

Another community leader, Charlie Unggang, said Prince Charles was very humble and did his best to set everyone at ease.

“He was very down to earth and showed great interest in Sarawak’s heritage and issues related to the well-being and welfare of the people in the state,” said Charlie, who is DBNA deputy president.

Meanwhile, Ruekeith Jampong still cannot believe that he had attended a dialogue with the Prince of Wales.

“I am honoured to be part of the group who had this opportunity to attend a dialogue with British royalty. To be able to voice our opinions and for him to hear our views is an experience I will remember forever,” he said.

After concluding their visit to the cultural village, Prince Charles and Camilla later headed to the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Semenggoh near here, where they were given a brief on the rehabilitation efforts of orangutan and other protected wildlife.

Prince Charles also stopped by the Kuching and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre.

Camilla, on the other hand, proceeded the Old Court House in the state capital to meet representatives of Purple Lily, non-governmental organisation.

The royal couple is scheduled to leave for Penang later today.

('Charles and Camilla Leave Lasting Impression During Maiden Sarawak Visit.' – New Straits Times, November 6, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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CURRENT / THE BRITISH ROYAL VISIT - DAYS 6-7

2017-11-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

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AT the tail-end of their Royal Tour of Malaysia, the Royal Couple made another quick stop at the devastated State of Penang, the erstwhile Pearl of the Orient.

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2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA ARRIVE IN PENANG AMID FLOODS

3. RELATED: ROYAL COUPLE VISIT 4 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN PENANG

4. RELATED: PENANGITES TOUCHED BY THE WARMTH OF PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH
6. RELATED: BAREFOOT LUXURY! CHARLES AND CAMILLA DON ELABORATE SILK SHAWLS - BUT REMOVE THEIR SHOES - AS THEY'RE WELCOMED BY MALAYSIAN COMMUNITIES ON THEIR VERY ACTION-PACKED ROYAL TOUR

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PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA BEGIN TOUR OF RATHER DAMP PENANG

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

GEORGE TOWN, November 7, 2017 –

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, began their tour of the state today with a visit to the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.

The royal couple first visited St. George Church at Lebuh Farquhar to attend its service, before proceeding to Masjid Kapitan Keling at Jalan Buckingham.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales (left) and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall (centre) visiting the St George church.
Photo: BERNAMA

They then strolled to the Han Jiang Ancestral Temple and later paid a call on the Arulmigu Sri Mahamariamman Temple.

Hundreds of Penangites gathered for a glimpse of the heir to the British throne, with some being lucky enough to shake his hand.

Prince Charles and Camilla’s visit to the Heritage Site is expected to be concluded by 2pm.

('Prince Charles, Camilla Begin Tour of Rather Damp Penang.' – New Straits Times, November 7, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA BEGIN TOUR OF RATHER DAMP PENANG

3. RELATED: ROYAL COUPLE VISIT 4 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN PENANG

4. RELATED: PENANGITES TOUCHED BY THE WARMTH OF PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

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PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA ARRIVE IN PENANG AMID FLOODS

REPORTED BY CHANNEL NEWSASIA

GEORGE TOWN, November 7, 2017 –

The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in Penang on Monday (November 6) night as part of a day-long official visit to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

The heir to the British throne and his spouse flew in a Royal Air Force aircraft at the Penang International Airport at 8.10pm. They arrived at the northern Malaysian state after a storm triggered serious flooding on Saturday.

The royal couple was accompanied by Minister-in-Attendance S K Devamany, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Upon arrival, the royal entourage was greeted by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the full line-up of state executive councillors.

The royal couple are scheduled to visit a number of places of worship in the heritage enclave on Tuesday, including the St. George Church, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Han Jiang Ancestral Temple and Sri Mahamariamman Temple.

They are also expected to stroll around the heritage areas at noon before Prince Charles visits the Sun-Yat Sen Museum in Armenian Street while Camilla heads to the Teochew Puppet and Opera House on the same street to enjoy a cultural show.

The Prince of Wales will visit the World Fish Centre, an international research organisation that harnesses fisheries and aquaculture to reduce hunger and poverty based in Batu Maung, the southern part of the Penang Island.

Following the visit to the fish centre, the Prince will proceed to the Royal Malaysian Air Force in Butterworth, Seberang Perai in Peninsular Malaysia or previously known as Province Wellesley, for Five Power Defence Arrangements.

At night, the British royals will attend the Sandhurst Alumni Reception at Eastern and Oriental Hotel before they conclude their visit in Penang, by attending the Penang Peranakan Museum Reception in Church Street.

This is the royal couple’s maiden visit to Malaysia.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the official opening of the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, while Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited in September 2012.

('Prince Charles, Camilla Arrive in Penang Amid Floods.' – Channel NewsAsia, November 7, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA BEGIN TOUR OF RATHER DAMP PENANG

2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH

4. RELATED: PENANGITES TOUCHED BY THE WARMTH OF PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

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ROYAL COUPLE VISIT 4 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN PENANG

REPORTED BY BERITA DAILY

GEORGE TOWN, November 7, 2017 –

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, began their maiden visit to Penang by visiting places of worship in George Town, the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The British royal couple is on a one-day visit to Penang, which was originally named “Prince of Wales Island”, with their first stopover at the St. George’s Church, the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia which was built in 1818.

Upon the arrival at the church at 10.05 am, the royal entourage was greeted by St. George’s Church, Penang’s Bishop Charles Samuel before they spent 20 minutes admiring the church’s new pipe organ inside the church which was declared a national heritage in 2007.

Prince Charles and Camilla were also presented with an oil painting in conjunction with the church’s bicentenary celebration before they proceeded to visit the Kapitan Keling Mosque which was only a kilometre away.

Built in 1801 by Penang’s first Indian Muslim settlers, Kapitan Keling Mosque located at the junction of Lebuh Buckingham and Lebuh Pitt, is one of the largest mosques in Penang Island which was built according to the Indo-Moorish structure.

Earlier, hundreds of people from all walks of life holding the Malaysian and United Kingdom flags, had gathered along the streets under tight security to catch a glimpse of the British royal couple and some were lucky enough to shake his hand.

At the mosque, the royal couple was welcomed with a kompang troupe, a traditional Malay musical instrument, before they were greeted by the chairman of the mosque, Datuk Meera Mydin Mastan who later accompanied the British royal visitors to participate in a tree planting event to commemorate their visit here.

After spending about 15 minutes at the mosque, they then signed the guest book before leaving on foot to the Han Jiang Ancestral Temple, about 100 metres away.

Han Jiang Ancestral Temple or previously known as Teochew Kongsi located in Chulia Street was built in 1890 by the Teochew migrants from Chaozhou prefecture, on the eastern part of Guangdong province in China.

The Prince and Duchess spent about 15 minutes enjoying the lion dance troupe, a traditional Chinese cultural dance in the temple before they strolled across the street to visit the Sri Mahamariamman Temple at Queen Street.

British royal couple is on a one-day visit to Penang, which was originally named “Prince of Wales Island”, with their first stopover at the St George’s Church, the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia which was built in 1818

Accompanied by Minister-in-Attendance S K Devamany, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, the royal couple toured the temple.

Sri Mahamariamman temple is the oldest temple in George Town which was built in 1833 and was extensively renovated in 1933 with a prominent dome and entrance tower.

The royal couple then proceeded to visit the Seven Terraces, a contiguous row of Anglo-Chinese terrace houses located just behind the Goddess of Mercy Temple at Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling here.

The visit of Prince Charles and Camilla to Malaysia is part of a 11-day tour of Their Royal Highnesses to Singapore, Malaysia and India from October 30 to November 9.

('Royal Couple Visit 4 Places of Worship in Penang.' – Berita Daily, November 7, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA BEGIN TOUR OF RATHER DAMP PENANG

2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH

3. RELATED: ROYAL COUPLE VISIT 4 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN PENANG

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH

6. RELATED: BAREFOOT LUXURY! CHARLES AND CAMILLA DON ELABORATE SILK SHAWLS - BUT REMOVE THEIR SHOES - AS THEY'RE WELCOMED BY MALAYSIAN COMMUNITIES ON THEIR VERY ACTION-PACKED ROYAL TOUR

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PENANGITES TOUCHED BY THE WARMTH OF PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

GEORGE TOWN, November 7, 2017 –

The management committee of the three worship places in George Town were counting their lucky stars to be able to personally welcome the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, during their maiden trip to the island on Tuesday.

They were pleased to have had the opportunity to spend warm moments with the royal couple.

At the Sri Mahamariamman temple, Prince Charles and Camilla were given a rousing welcome as the committee had organised a traditional classical performance, which chairman N. Siva Subramaniam said the prince thoroughly enjoyed.

Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, greets the public at the Seven Terraces, Stewart Lane.
Photo: BERNAMA

"I was awestruck by the prince's humbleness.

"He said it the music was nice and unique. We welcomed them with flower garlands.

"He also came in and greeted my wife and our committee members' families. Each one of us felt very lucky to have met him personally.

"The prince and his wife showed us that they are really down to earth and humble," said Siva when met after the visit today.

The royals began their tour of the state today with a visit to the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site where hundreds of Penangites had gathered to catch a glimpse of the heir to the British throne. Some were lucky enough to shake his hand.

Prince Charles and Camilla first visited St George Church at Lebuh Farquhar before proceeding to Masjid Kapitan Keling at Jalan Buckingham.

At the mosque, Prince Charles also planted an olive tree to mark his visit.

The mosque's chairman Datuk Meera Mydin Mastan said he also shared with the royals the mosque's history.

He also praised Camillia for wearing the scarf provided by the committee when entering the historic prayer hall.

"They were very respectful regardless of their royal status, I wished they could stay a bit longer with us today so that they can fully experience the culture of our Indian Muslim community in Penang," said Meera.

Prince Charles later strolled over to nearby Han Jiang Ancestral Temple before leaving to visit other famous sites on the island including the Seven Terraces, Sun Yat Sen Museum and China House at Lebuh Pantai.

At about 3.35pm, the royal duo visited the Royal Malaysian Air Forces base in Butterworth.

Later this evening, the prince and his wife will attend the Sandhurst Alumni reception at Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Hotel before concluding their Penang visit at the Penang Peranakan Museum at Lebuh Church.

The royal couple is expected to depart for India tomorrow morning.

('Penangites Touched by the Warmth of Prince Charles, Camilla.' – New Straits Times, November 7, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA BEGIN TOUR OF RATHER DAMP PENANG

2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH

3. RELATED: ROYAL COUPLE VISIT 4 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN PENANG

6. RELATED: BAREFOOT LUXURY! CHARLES AND CAMILLA DON ELABORATE SILK SHAWLS - BUT REMOVE THEIR SHOES - AS THEY'RE WELCOMED BY MALAYSIAN COMMUNITIES ON THEIR VERY ACTION-PACKED ROYAL TOUR

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PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH
REPORTED BY BERNAMA

GEORGE TOWN (BERNAMA), November 7, 2017 –
The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles today expressed his concern on the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) based in the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RAMF) in Butterworth, here.

RAMF Butterworth Acting Base Commander Colonel Amer Mahmud Abdul Rahman said Prince Charles expressed his concern during the one-hour visit to the RAMF base, which was part of the maiden visit to Malaysia of the heir to the British throne.

"His Royal Highness was attracted and concerned about the FPDA (Five-Power Defence Arrangements) which contributed significantly in preserving stability and security in the South-east Asian region.

As members of the British Royal family, they are unique because their family members are also trained as military officers and involved in military operations around the world.

"In view of this, the Butterworth Air Base was chosen as one of the locations for the visit by His Royal Highness in Penang. There are many historical elements that he liked here," he told Bernama.
('Prince Charles Visits Malaysian Air Force Base in Butterworth.' – BERNAMA, November 7, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA BEGIN TOUR OF RATHER DAMP PENANG

2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH

3. RELATED: ROYAL COUPLE VISIT 4 PLACES OF WORSHIP IN PENANG

4. RELATED: PENANGITES TOUCHED BY THE WARMTH OF PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES VISITS MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BUTTERWORTH

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BAREFOOT LUXURY! CHARLES AND CAMILLA DON ELABORATE SILK SHAWLS - BUT REMOVE THEIR SHOES - AS THEY'RE WELCOMED BY MALAYSIAN COMMUNITIES ON THEIR VERY ACTION-PACKED ROYAL TOUR
REPORTED BY DAILY MAIL

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were honoured with luxurious silk shawls and garlands of sandal wood as they experienced four religions in one day.

The couple visited places of worship belonging to the Christian, Muslim, Chinese and Hindu communities in the Penang capital George Town as they celebrated the Malaysian city's diverse residents.

Strolling down what is colloquially known as the Street of Harmony, the royal couple walked from a mosque to the temples as backpackers and shop keepers stopped to capture the unannounced visit on their mobile phones.

Drummers and other musicians led the way as they walked to the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu temple, completed in 1833, that was ornately decorated with colourful statues and beautiful carvings of gods inside.

Following tradition, Charles and Camilla removed their shoes and were given a brief tour of the place of worship before shimmering gold coloured shawls were placed around their shoulders and matching garlands draped around their necks.

Preveena Balakrishnan, a local historian and hindu, said: 'We wanted to have a fragrant garland so we chose sandal wood, flower garlands will fade and die.
'The silk shawls are given to Kings and Queens and we believe silk has the power to attract positive vibes.'

Outside the couple posed for photographs, with an impatient Camilla amusingly tapping her husband smartly on the arm to get his attention so that they could pose - probably the only woman in the world who could get away with it.

Earlier in the day the couple visited St. George's Church, the oldest Anglican Church in South East Asia, a Muslim mosque where they met leaders and planted a tree, a Teochew Chinese Temple where they watched a colourful lion dance.

The visit was intended to show the religious diversity of Malaysia, showing how different faiths can live in peace and prosperity.

The 800m road known as the Street of Harmony, reflects the migrant communities which moved to Penang during the British Administration when it was a bustling trading port.

Later Camilla visited the Teochew Puppet and Opera House, where she posed with two of the elaborately costumed performers.

Unique to the state of Penang, Teochew puppetry and opera came to Malaysia from the Teochew people, who emigrated from China in the 19th century.

Traditionally, Teochew puppetry troupes consist of nine members divided into groups of three to handle puppets, sing and play musical instruments.

The musical ensemble uses the same instruments as a regular Teochew opera troupe — gongs, drums, cymbals, dulcimer, fiddle and a traditional Chinese instrument made from coconut shells.

The puppets themselves are intricate and detailed, taking up to three weeks to make.

Camilla also happily took the starring role in an impromptu shadow puppet show, as she showed off her skills in a short play.

PRINCE CHARLES THANKS DIVER WHO PROTECTED WAT

Prince Charles has thanked a British diver who has helped protect the wreck of a Second World War ship bearing his name from 'awful' looters.

The Prince, on a visit to RAF Butterworth in Penang, said his work in quietly preventing the ship, which is Crown property, being stripped for scrap metal was 'marvellous' and 'so appreciated'.

As a sign of his thanks he gave Stephen Flew, a 54-year-old petroleum engineer originally from Swansea who has voluntarily dived the wreck for 18 years, and the Malaysian Navy a signed photograph of HMS Prince of Wales in 1941 with its crew to them as a gift.

Royal Navy battleships HMS Prince of Wales, where Churchill and Roosevelt signed the Atlantic Charter, and HMS Repulse both sank off the east coast of Malaya, near Kuantan, Pahang, on December 10, 1941.

Part of Force Z, it was intended to intercept the Japanese invasion fleet but instead, with no air cover, were attacked in open water and sunk by long-range torpedo bombs.

Admiral Sir Tom Phillips went down with the ship, becoming the highest ranking Allied officer killed in battle in the Second World War and causing

The two ships sank with 840 sailors, and now exist as war graves on the ocean floor.

In recent years, they have become a target for looters who anchor small boats above them and use homemade explosives to loosen and then steal their metal.

The Royal Navy wrecks are Crown property, and looked after by the Royal Malaysia Navy which cooperates with the British High Commission to protect them.

They are aided by divers from company Xtreme Divers, with volunteer Mr Flew.

For the last six years, when the problem of looting has become serious, Mr Flew has monitored changes and activity in the ship to report to the British High Commission, who have in turn worked with the Malaysian Navy, Air Force and coastguard to patrol the seas.

The Prince, a diver and former president of the British Sub-Aqua Club, thanked volunteers and the military, telling them he appreciated their work 'trying to keep these awful people away'.

'I can't thank you enough for your fantastic work,' he said. 'It's so appreciated'.

Greeted by Ling Goh, founder and director of museum, and assistant director Chai Lin, the Duchess posed for a photograph with the ladies in traditional dress.

Moving inside, she was shown instruments including cymbals and drums, asking how they were made.

Told Ling Glh's family had been puppeteers for five generations, she exclaimed: 'Its a family affair.'

Directed to a table, she was shown shadow puppets and, when invited, picked one up to see how it worked.

Pauline Fan, creative director of cultural organisation Pusaka explained that the story had been adapted from the Ramayana ancient Indian folk tale Rama and Sita.

The Malaysian version tells the story of a Princess, played by the Duchess' puppet, who is kidnapped by an ogre king. Instructed by her beloved, she is eventually saved by an army of monkey warriors.

The Duchess appeared to thoroughly enjoy herself, gamely moving the puppets arms to play along.

She then moved to listen to a yang quing instrument being played and admire ornate opera headdresses, before sitting down to take in a puppet show from be professionals.

Afterwards, she was given a second try at joining in, this time with a stringed puppet.

Successfully manipulating its limbs with the string, she appeared pleased and surprised, telling onlookers: 'I could've been a puppeteer.'

The Duchess later moved to the cool shade of the China House cafe, a favourite Penang haunt for visitors including Julie Walters who became a regular while filming Indian Summers in the region.

She was shown the cafe's extraordinary selection of around 40 different cakes, before sitting down with local craftswomen to learn about their skill.

Pulling up a chair next to Lilian Tong, director of the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, the Duchess watched as they deftly embroidered a beaded pattern in a frame.

'It's very good,' she said. 'So impressive.
'My husband started a school for traditional arts and now it's scattered in different countries. I hope they'll have it here because it conserves there traditions.

'It's so lovely to see this, this lovely work still being done.'

Particularly taken with a pair of tiny embroidered slipper-like shoes, she told Mrs Tong: 'I love bead work, I always have it on my clothes. It's a great favourite of mine.'

Offered the chance to do some sewing of her own, she tried to do a tentative stitch before apologising for forgetting her glasses.

'I'm sorry I don't have my glasses but even if I did have them I'm not a very good sewer,' she said.

The Duchess also tried her hand at batik painting, creating the beginning of a blue flower while she asked about the coloured ink artists were using.

As her husband embarked his own programme of events focused on heritage and the environment - which included an impromptu walkabout through the islands streets - she took a moment to pause for a cup of tea at China House before an evening reception.

Later the prince visited RAF Butterworth to meet, first opened by the British in October 1941 but now controlled by the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Among those he met was Squadron Leader Caroline Would, whose husband Wing Commander Colin Would, is the senior British officer there, who taught his son, Prince William, weapons training when he was in the RAF.

Squadron Leader Would, who has now retired, told Charles that she had been William's instructor in the air warfare centre at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

His brother, Prince Harry, was at the base at the same time.

She said afterwards: 'Prince William was great, really down to earth.
'He did a three day course with us that had a lot of theory and he slotted straight into it.
'He made a few jokes at his bodyguard's expense. He pinched his lunch one day and told us he didn't need it because he was getting a bit tubby. It was very funny.'

She said she had also done six months on secondment with The Prince's Trust and Charles has spotted the charity's pin badge she was wearing.

'It's an incredible charity and we have been able to replicate it here, especially with young women,' she told him.

And then in the evening, Hollywood met royalty as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Bond girl Michelle Yeoh met Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Malaysian-born actress was introduced to the couple at a reception on the last night of their hugely successful six-day visit to her home country.

The couple were at a reception to celebrate Malaysian art and culture at Penang's Peranakan Mansion.

Built in 1894, Penang Peranakan Mansion was originally the home of Kapitan Cina (Chinese Captain) Chung Keng Kwee and is a glorious example of Malay/Chinese architecture.

Charles, in a lounge suit, and Camilla, in a while flowing Anna Valentine tunic, were greeted by owner Peter Soon and met with the chief minister and governor of Penang, before being introduced to Ms Yeoh, elegant in a pink dress and satin heels.

Eighty reception guests ranged from a diverse arts and cultural background and included Malaysian actress Tan Sri Dato' Seri and comedian Harith Iskander.

The couple were also treated to a performance on a traditional sape' stringed instrument by musician and singer Alena Murang, one of the few women in the country to play professionally.

One guest said: 'The prince was speaking about how it was the first time he has visited this country and how much he has loved Malaysia.

'He has really connected with the people he has met and has a great understanding of the issues facing us here such as deforestation.'

('Barefoot Luxury! Charles and Camilla Don Elaborate Silk Shawls - but Remove Their Shoes - as They're Welcomed by Malaysian Communities on Their VERY Action-Packed Royal Tour.' – Daily Mail, November 7, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

– - –

CURRENT / THE BRITISH ROYAL VISIT - DAYS 3-5

2017-11-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

THE moment that has been awaited for has come, and Their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla arrived in Sarawak for their whirlwind visit.

Having witnessed Sarawak and its beauty first-hand, the Prince had a few choice words, which are constructive and bears plenty of useful advice that can be taken by the conservators and authorities managing these efforts.

Certainly, the alarmist and fraudulent viewpoint being peddled by pseudo-journalists such as Clare Brown and associates fail to radicalise the fair, impassioned and learned observations of the Royal Prince.

In fact, the Prince seems genuinely interested in conservation, and has shown that his knowledge extends far beyond what Sarawak Report gives His Highness credit for.

In one of two separate articles (quite an extraordinary 'feat' in itself - for Sarawak to get not one, but two articles, from the same British publication on the same day, not to mention on the same topic) in the Daily Mail, titled "Charles describes tragedy of lost habitat after close encounter with orangutan," (#10.) the author identified only by the handle "Press Associations", strangely prefers to indirectly quote the Prince through Clare Brown-style phrasings such as, "a source said the prince felt it was tragic...", and "[the] source raised another issue, saying the prince was determined to...", and more of the sort, although the title clearly represents the situation as if it came from the (Royal) horse's mouth, when it in fact is far from the case.

This is simply bad journalism. We won't be surprised if this source turns out to be Ambiga herself.

Humour aside, it must be pointed out that the Daily Mail's other article on the Royal Visit in Sarawak , titled "Here's a jungle VIP! Prince Charles feeds an orangutan as he and Camilla are given a colourful tribal welcome in the Borneo rainforest" (#11.), written by Rebecca English seem more objective and sober as it addresses the issue of deforestation in Sarawak, and the constructive ways that the State tries to deal with it through its conservation efforts.

Other than the so-called Press Associations' strange writing and journalistic style, other write-ups seem to be more journalistically ethical, and do seem to be more fair in their reporting - to their credit, of course.

As we bid adieu to the Royal Couple, we hope that they will have the opportunity to come to visit Sarawak again, if only to give due justice to its sheer vastness.

We also hope that Their Highnesses will be able to see the real toll that blatant and unbridled environmental degradation has been taking place on the island of Penang - formerly the Pearl of the Orient - under the hands of Clare Brown's oft-declared darlings, the people running the Democratic Action Party.

The recent flooding eclipses events that took place prior to it, such as the recent landslide that took 11 lives at Tanjung Bungah. The cleared hillslope is widely believed to be the cause of the disaster, to the vehement denial of the DAP-led Penang State Government.

If Penang continues down the path it is in, we are sad to say that it will tragically turn into a modern-day and oriental version of Easter Island.

May that day never come.

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2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

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KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

REPORTED BY MALAY MAIL ONLINE

KUCHING, November 6, 2017 —

The Royal Couple arrive in Kuching on November 6, 2017.
Photo: BERNAMA

Sarawak is all set to receive Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla here today, on the fifth day of their visit to Malaysia.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will head to the Sarawak Culture Village, a unique award-winning living museum on the foothills of Mount Santubong at Damai Beach, some 35 km north from here.

The seven-hectare site combines history, tradition, lifestyle and architecture, and equipped with seven unique traditional houses to educate visitors on Sarawak, its people and their cultures.

Charles is also expected to tour Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), while Camilla will proceed to the Old Court House in the city to meet representatives of a non-governmental organisation, Purple Lily.

Founded some four years ago, Purple Lily’s mission is to “inspire and empower women & girls to thrive and shine” by providing life skills training and financial education.

Meanwhile, Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which is the biggest Orangutan rehabilitation centre in Sarawak, was established in 1975 as a sanctuary for injured and orphaned orangutans.

It is reportedly the best place to view semi-wild orangutans that have been rescued from captivity and trained to survive in the surrounding forest reserve.

The rehabilitated animals roam freely in the rainforest and usually return to the centre at feeding time.

Some 1.3km away from the rehabilitation centre is the SBC, set up in 1998 to initiate programmes for the conservation, utilisation, protection and sustainable development of biodiversity in the state.

The visit to Sarawak is part of the royal couple’s seven-day official visit to Malaysia.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Malaysia in 1998 and attended the official opening of the 16th Commonwealth Games. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Malaysia in 2012.

('Kuching All Set to Welcome Britain's Royal Couple.' – Malay Mail Online, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE
2.

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

SANTUBONG, November 6, 2017 –

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, begin their tour to the state today by visiting the Sarawak Cultural Village.

Dubbed as the living museum showcasing the diverse cultures among the people in the state, the royal couple was welcomed with traditional performance from dancers at the cultural village.

Accompanied by State Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the royal couple are expected to visit several attractions during their visit at the cultural village including taking a ride on bamboo raft and meeting local community leaders here.

Charles is also schedule to visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Semenggoh near Kuching and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC).

His wife, on the other hand, will head to the Old Court House in the state capital to meet representatives of Purple Lily, a non-governmental organisation.

('Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall Visit Sarawak Cultural Village.' – New Straits Times, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

REPORTED BY THE TELEGRAPH

The Prince is given a garland by a child in a tribal dress.
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty

When in Rome, they say, do as the Romans do. When in the Bornean jungle to visit native tribesman, it was only polite for the Prince of Wales to join in a spot of friendly dart blowing.

The Prince, who was visiting Sarawak with the Duchess of Cornwall as part of a tour of Asia, gamely seized the chance to try his hand at the skill, wielding a long pipe resting on a stand to take aim.

Encouraged by his wife, who reminded him not to accidentally suck the dart in, he took aim at a small target a few metres ahead of him.

Taking time to prepare, the Prince blew out his cheeks to let the first dart fly and hit the target.

Although it did not quite hit the bullseye centre, it was successful enough to draw praise from the expert tribesman around him who murmured encouragingly.

A second shot was close but unsuccessful, with the Prince laughing self-deprecatingly at his attempt.

As he had a go on the practice range, the Prince wiped his brow with his handkerchief in 32ºC heat and said: "I ran out of puff."

Prince Charles blows out his cheeks before hitting the target with his first dart.
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty

He asked his instructor how far prey could be hit by a dart in the wild and was told they could strike a lizard from 20-30m.

"Do you lie in bed and practice on the lizards on the ceiling?" the Prince wondered. "I think I need some practice, but we are most grateful."

Normally loaded with a poison dart, the weapon is used by the Penan people and others to hunt everything from wild boar and lizards to monkeys.

But for Charles the deadly substance was not used and he happily got to grips with the five-foot long blowpipe, following a demonstration.

The Prince and Duchess were greeted by whirling tribal dancers as they arrived at a Sarawak Cultural Village and given gifts of handmade beaded garlands.

It was the first time that either have been to Borneo, famed for its endangered orangutangs.

Accompanied by the Chief Minister of Sarawak and senior managers of the cultural village, the couple were also given a tour of the area, looking into traditional Sarawak longhouse dwellings and watching cooking and craft demonstrations.

The Sarawak Cultural Village that the couple are visiting is a "living museum" that reconstructs and conserves the traditional lifestyle and architectural diversity of Sarawak’s indigenous tribes.

The Duchess of Cornwall is greeted by a girl at Sarawak Cultural Village.
Photo: Yui Mok/PA

The 17-acre site rests at the foot of Mount Santubong and encourages visitors to learn through engaging with culture.

Meeting with indigenous tribal leaders, the Prince spent time discussing how to preserve their customs and traditions in the changing world. Sarawak has seven major tribes, each with different dialects and ways.

The Duchess, meanwhile, retired to a large hut to sit with leaders' wives for conversation and a glass of water, before admiring arts and crafts.

She was so charmed by a woven grass bird, in the shape of the swiftlet (known locally as layang layang), that she plucked one out to pose for a photograph.

Skilled craftswomen demonstrated making a basket from leaves to cook rice, weaving colourful threads to make an iban sash, the sewing of a bright headscarf, and a hat made from softened tree bark.

One man played a sapeh, a stringed instrument he had made himself, while his neighbour carved small sculptures.

Visitors were invited to try a range of local dishes, including tapioca mixed with sugar into cake-like bites, and brightly coloured Chinese angku - glutinous rice with bean and nut filling.

The Duchess admired a table laden with gifts for sale, including bracelets, beads, purses and pepper.

The Prince and Duchess were treated to an Iban warrior dance known as the ngajat, believed to have been in existence, along with the Iban tribe, since the 16th Century.

As they departed the village, the royal couple were offered a lift across the picturesque lake on a raft, paddled slowly by tribesmen.

('Prince Charles is King of Jungle as He Learns How to Blow Darts Like Borneo Tribesman.' – The Telegraph, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

REPORTED BY FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

SANTUBONG, November 6, 2017 –

Taking aim with a traditional Borneo blowpipe, Britain’s Prince Charles gave a royal puff and shot a sharpened wooden dart into a target as he tried out the weapon during a visit to the island on Monday.

Charles, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla met tribal leaders, enjoyed a raft ride and watched traditional dance on their trip to the vast, jungle-clad island during a tour of Malaysia, part of an 11-day swing through Asia.

The royal couple visited the “Cultural Village” in Sarawak, an outdoor museum that showcases traditional dwellings and ways of live of the area’s many different ethnic groups.

The blowpipe was traditionally used by tribes on Borneo to fire poison-tipped darts at animals or human enemies, although modern guns have largely replaced the old weapons.

Charles, dressed in a light suit, striped shirt and tie, closed one eye and appeared to be concentrating hard as he puffed through the lengthy wooden blowpipe which was balanced on the branch of a tree.

He had some success with the fearsome weapon, hitting the target with his arrow.
The couple were ferried round on a wooden raft on a lake at the museum, which sits on the Santubong Peninsula, with a roof to protect them from the tropical sun, against a backdrop of dense jungle.

Charles met the heads of some of the area’s tribes, and he and Camilla also watched a dance by performers in multi-coloured tribal costumes and elaborate headdresses.

Borneo, the world’s third largest island, is shared between Malaysia, Indonesia and the tiny sultanate of Brunei.

The couple have already visited Singapore and the Kuala Lumpur on the tour, which is aimed at strengthening ties ahead of a Commonwealth Summit in Britain next year.

They will head to Penang Tuesday, which was hit by deadly floods at the weekend, before ending the tour in India.

('On Target: Prince Charles Shoots Blowpipe in Sarawak.' – Free Malaysia Today, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

REPORTED BY THE SUN DAILY

KUCHING, November 6, 2017 –

Today, the cheerful atmosphere at the iconic Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) is somehow special and unique from any other day, when the 'living museum' on the foothills of the legendary Mount Santubong received British royalty as visitors.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived at the SCV, some 35 km from here around 2.30pm, accompanied by the Minister-in-Attendance Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister and Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth And Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah.

Upon arrival, the royal entourage was greeted by Sarawak Economic Development chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Hussain, SCV general manager Jane Lian Labang, SCV officials and feted to a brief welcoming performance by SCV dancers in their colourful traditional costumes.

The British royal couple then took a stroll along the wooden trail to explore the fascinating 'village' landscape the centre had to offer in its tireless hope to share the Sarawak experience to the world "all within a day".

Their first stop was at the Rumah Iban or Iban longhouse to explore the interior of the traditional house of the largest ethnic tribe in Sarawak.

At the Iban longhouse with its unique home structure that is usually located away from the bustling city, it is customary for its visitors to be greeted by the longhouse maidens and young men performing traditional dances and playing ceremonial gongs as a welcome gesture to their humble house.

Prince Charles later had a private dialogue session with six community leaders from the Bidayuh, Iban, Orang Ulu, Melanau, Chinese and Malay communities at Persada Alam, while Camilla proceeded to the Dewan Lagenda to view the local craft exhibition.

The session lasted for some 15 minutes, and after that the royal couple proceeded to Rumah Penan, or the Penan hut, where Charles was clearly excited when he tried his skill at using the blowpipe.

The royal couple were then ushered to the lake in the middle of the 'village' for a ride in a simple bamboo raft to get that "daily transportation in the remote area" experience.

The royal couple left the SCV at around 3.40pm to proceed with their tour of Kuching.

They are expected to head for Penang later this evening.

('Prince Charles and Wife Visit Sarawak Cultural Village.' – The Sun Daily, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

REPORTED BY ITV News

A female orangutan and her young.
Photo: ITV News

There are only two places in the world where you can still see orangutans in the wild.

The creatures - which face possible extinction from deforestation, hunting and the rapid growth of oil-palm plantations - can only be found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra - and Borneo was where Prince Charles and Camilla landed on Monday.

They touched down in Sarawak this morning, where the Prince visited a conservation project for the endangered creatures.

The Prince of Wales fed some of the orangutans as he came face to face with them.

But the Prince felt it showed how “tragic” their situation has become that he was able to get so close.

These animals had been rescued by a wildlife project as their natural habit is constantly under threat on so many fronts.

The Semenggoh Wildlife project, near the city of Kuching, cares for the animals in a lowland rainforest where the Prince visited.

After watching "the king of the swingers" (to borrow a phrase from The Jungle Book) this particular jungle VIP handed a couple of them some bananas.

Oswald Braken, one of the conservationists here told us afterwards that they rarely let humans that close as orangutans have a fierce four-way grip which can be quite dangerous.

These ones, however, were calm, he said.

The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall spent the day on the island which is home to Indonesia, and Brunei as well as Malaysia - the country the couple are currently visiting on their south-east Asia tour.

The Malaysian state of Sarawak also has its own cultures and traditions - and the prince had a go at firing some poison darts - although his darts came without the poison.

He fired the darts from a traditional blow pipe.

The prince missed the target both times but he came quite close.

Kubai Uat, who showed the prince how to do it, said that his royal trainee was "good for a beginner".

Charles and Camilla were also punted across a lake on a raft made of bamboo.

Prince Charles is keen to raise the conservation issues here and he wanted to draw attention to the plight of orangutans.

Some wildlife experts fear they could be extinct within 50 years.

Hundreds of baby orangutans are also hunted each year and sold into the pet trade.

But the loss of habitat is their greatest threat.

The Prince has been alarmed by the palm-oil plantations he has seen on his travels.

The plantations also kill the biodiversity and plant life which has developed over thousands of years.

But, as the Prince of Wales saw today, the orangutans remain on Borneo and there are people working hard to ensure this beautiful species survives.

('The King of the Swingers and the Jungle VIP.' – ITV News, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON BORNEO JUNGLE

REPORTED BY THE EVENING STANDARD

He has shaken thousands of hands on Royal tours but even for Prince Charles this was a first.

This was the moment that the heir to the throne made contact with a rare wild orangutan during a visit to the jungle of Borneo.

Prince Charles shakes hands with the orangutan during a visit to Semenggoh Wildlife Center in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia as part of the royal tour to the Far East.
Photo: Evening Standard

The five foot ape descended a tree in the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehab centre and touched hands with the prince as he offered a piece of banana.

Charles, who was visiting Sarawak with the Duchess of Cornwall as part of a tour of Asia, also accepted an invitation to try dart blowing.

He impressed tribesman by hitting the target - although not the bullseye - with the dart.

The royal couple were greeted by whirling tribal dancers as they arrived and given gifts of handmade beaded garlands.

It was the first time that either Charles or Camilla have been to Borneo - famed for its endangered species of wild orangutans - and both appeared to enthused.

In 32 degree heat and stifling humidity Charles and Camilla - accompanied by the Chief Minister of Sarawak - were also given a tour of the area, peeking into traditional longhouse dwellings and watching cooking and craft demonstrations.

The Sarawak Cultural Village that the couple visited is a ‘living museum’ that re-constructs and conserves the traditional lifestyle and architectural diversity of Sarawak’s indigenous tribes.

The seventeen acre site rests at the foot of Mount Santubong and encourages visitors to learn through engaging with culture.

The highlight of their visit was the Iban warrior dance - also known as the ngajat, it is performed accompanied by the tabohand gendang, the Ibans’ traditional music.

The indigenous dance has been passed down from generation to generation and is believed to have been in existence, along with the Iban tribe, since the 16th Century.

The Ngajat dance was traditionally performed by warriors on their return from battles, although it Is now performed to celebrate the most important harvest festival, Gawai Dayak, and to welcome important guests to the longhouses.

Traditionally, the male dancers wear a cawat, or loincloth, and a headdress made from the tail feathers of the hornbill.

They hold a long sword in one hand and an ornately decorated shield in the other.

Female dancers have an elaborate headdress, chains, beads and a ‘dress’ that reaches to below their knees with intricate weaving.

The male dancers make slow movements, as though stalking the enemy, before darting forwards to attack.

The dance is performed accompanied by the music from percussion instruments including the enkeromong, bendai and canang.

At the sanctuary Charles was welcomed to the centre by the Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak who will introduced the centre's aims, specifically the orangutan rehabilitation project.

The Prince visited the orangutan feeding deck and witness how these animals are cared for by the centre's staff.

Forests make up 75% of Sarawak's geographical landscape, with 8% under government protection. All orangutan habitats fall within these protected areas and it is estimated that the local government supports over 3,000 of the animals this way.

It was opened in 1975 as a rehabilitation centre for orangutans found injured in the wild or rescued from captivity. Once they are ready the animals will be released back into the wild.

Twice a day, the centre's staff lay fruit out near a special viewing platform, giving visitors the unique opportunity to see the orangutans in their natural environment.

Later visited the Sarawak biodiversity centre at greeted by the centre's CEO, Dr Yeo Tiong Chia who will accompany The Prince on a tour, taking in gardens and labs to learn about the variety of plants grown in the centre and the research undertaken there.

('Charles Meets the King of the Swingers: Prince Shakes Hands with Orangutan on Borneo Jungle.' – The Evening Standard, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

REPORTED BY GLOBAL TIMES

Britain's Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, ride on a raft in Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, outside Kuching, on the island of Borneo, on Monday,
Charles and Camilla are on a seven-day visit to Malaysia.
Photo: AFP

('Unique Experience.' – Global Times, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

REPORTED BY THE DAILY EXPRESS

Prince Charles gave the orangutan a banana.
Photo: Getty

Prince Charles met the king of the jungle as he ventured into the heart of the Borneo rainforest to visit the endangered animals and learn more about efforts to safeguard them.

Wearing a [cream] suit and tie, the Prince walked over to one of the trees, reached up and touched hands with one of the orangutans.

Six great apes had come to the feeding spot at the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre on the island of Borneo.

In a rare moment, one of the apes reached out to the Prince who was holding a banana that was handed to him by one of the guides.

It appeared that Prince Charles and the orangutan touched hands for a split second.

The rehabilitation centre is the biggest of its kind in the state of Sarawak and is located close to the region's capital Kuching.

The orangutans, who are only found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra are threatened by the destruction of their habitats due to logging, mining and forest fires.

Earlier, during the visit to a "living village" in Malaysia with the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles was taught the ancient skill of hunting with a blowpipe.

The Prince was praised and hailed a natural at the ancient art.

The trip to Sarawak Cultural Village near Kuching was supposed to showcase the lifestyles and customs of Borneo tribes.

The weapon is usually loaded with a poison dart, and is used by the Penan people and others to hunt animals such as wild boars, lizards and monkeys.

During the Prince's attempt, the deadly substance was not used, and he happily got to grips with the five-feet long blowpipe.

The pipe was then propped up on a stand, to which Charles laughed and said: "You're allowed to put that up? But that's cheating."

Camilla offered her husband some words of encouragement, telling him not to "suck".
He said: "I'll just close one eye," while he looked down the pipe's barrel.

When Charles first dart shot out and hit just below a five-inch wide target painted with a bulls-eye five yards away, cries of encouragement and applause could be heard from his entourage.

He was clearly enjoying it, as he turned to blowpipe expert Kubaj Uat, 33, to ask for "one more, I was just getting the range".

For his second attempt, Charles puffed his cheeks up, but his effort fell short of the target.

He said: "Not right that one".

Before leaving he joked with Mr Uat, who has wearing a large loin cloth.

He said: "You lie in bed at night and practise?"

Prince Charles was later praised for his efforts.

Mr Uat said: "For a beginner it was a good effort, the target is very small and if he can get that close he can hit a wild boar."

('Prince Charles Gets Physical with Orangutan and Fires Poisonous Dart from Blowpipe.' – The Daily Express, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10.

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

REPORTED BY DAILY MAIL

Prince Charles came face to face with another endangered species in the heart of the Borneo jungle today - a 5ft Orangutan.

He went deep into the rainforest to see the great ape and looked on in awe as six of them came to a feeding station at the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

The prince, wearing a cream suit and tie, walked over to where one of the apes had descended.

The young adult male then reached out to the prince - who was holding a banana handed to him by one of the guides - and he stretched out his arm too.

The prince has long championed the need to save the rainforest. Deforestation is one of the key reasons the Orangutans are endangered.

Semenggoh is the biggest orangutang rehabilitation centre in the state of Sarawak, 30km from Kuching.

Visitors can see semi-wild orangutangs that have been rescued from captivity and trained to survive in the surrounding forest reserve.

This exclusively Asian species of great apes, found in only the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, are currently facing destruction of their habitats due to logging, mining and forest fires, as well as fragmentation of their habitats by roads.

The main goal of the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is to rehabilitate wildlife captured due to prolonged captivity by humans with the objective of releasing them to the forests eventually.

Charles was briefed on the wildlife conservation work carried out by the centre, and then ushered to a special visitors’ platform to view the orangutangs in their natural surroundings.

The orangutangs at the wildlife centre are fed twice daily, and although visitors can view this from a special visitors’ platform, a sighting of animals is not guaranteed as they are often able to find their own food in the surrounding forest.

Currently, there are at least 26 semi-wild orangutangs in Semenggoh in total, roaming free within a 740- hectare forest reserve.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed a jungle adventure today as they travelled into the heart of the Borneo rainforest.

The royal couple were greeted by whirling tribal dancers as they arrived at a Sarawak Cultural Village and given gifts of handmade beaded garlands.

It was the first time that either Charles or Camilla have been to Borneo - famed for its endangered orangutans - and both appeared to be delighted.

Accompanied by the Chief Minister of Sarawak and senior managers of the cultural village, the couple were also given a tour of the area, peeking into traditional Sarawak longhouse dwellings and watching cooking and craft demonstrations.

The Sarawak Cultural Village that the couple are visiting is a ‘living museum’ that re-constructs and conserves the traditional lifestyle and architectural diversity of Sarawak’s indigenous tribes.

Camilla and Prince Charles posed with locals in traditional dress during a visit to the Sarawak Cultural Village, where visitors are encouraged to learn through engaging with culture.
The couple are on a tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and India

The seventeen acre site rests at the foot of Mount Santubong and encourages visitors to learn through engaging with culture.

The highlight of their visit, however, was undoubtedly the Iban warrior dance.
Also known as the ngajat, it is performed accompanied by the tabohand gendang, the Ibans’ traditional music.

The indigenous dance has been passed down from generation to generation and is believed to have been in existence, along with the Iban tribe, since the 16th Century.

The Ngajat dance was traditionally performed by warriors on their return from battles, although it is now performed to celebrate the most important harvest festival, Gawai Dayak, and to welcome important guests to the longhouses.

Traditionally, the male dancers wear a cawat, or loincloth, and a headdress made from the tail feathers of the hornbill.

They hold a long sword in one hand and an ornately decorated shield in the other.
Female dancers have an elaborate headdress, chains, beads and a ‘dress’ that reaches to below their knees with intricate weaving.

A woman donned a traditional dress ahead of the visit by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Photo: Getty

The male dancers make slow movements, as though stalking the enemy, before darting forwards to attack.

The dance is performed accompanied by the music from percussion instruments including the enkeromong, bendai and canang.

Later Charles and Camilla will speak with representatives from local tribes and discuss the preservation of traditional cultures.

A Melanu bamboo dance will be performed before the Prince and the Duchess depart in eye-catching style - on a traditional raft across a lake.

The heir to the throne has helped launch the Forgotten Foods Network – a project to find long-lost and unfashionable foods to feed the world’s booming population and grow in extreme temperatures.

It hopes to emulate the success of quinoa, once considered the ‘lost crop of the Incas’, before foodies rediscovered its highly nutritious properties and made it fashionable.

The scheme is now collecting forgotten recipes and testing them for their nutritional value and growing abilities in hotter weather.

During his visit to Crops of the Future, the Malaysian organisation behind the project, Charles tasted some of the recipes, including kevaru roti, a type of millet grown in arid areas of Africa and Asia.

‘They’re good,’ he said. ‘And very nutritious as well, are they?’ Also on the menu were biscotti using bambara groundnut rather than almond, as well as soup, mini-burgers and quiche made from moringa, a superfood dating back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

More elaborate dishes included dragon fruit tortellini with turmeric yoghurt and mint oil.

One royal aide said the prince was passionate about the project, while Charles himself said that the focus on finding crops that would grow in the future was ‘crucial for food security over the next 20 years’. He also praised the food project as ‘impressive’ as he launched it during his 11-day visit to South East Asia.

Professor Sayed Azam-Ali, of the Forgotten Foods Network, said: ‘It’s about collecting recipes from as many people as possible from all over the world, and learning from them.’

('Here's a Jungle VIP! Prince Charles Feeds an Orangutan as He and Camilla are Given a Colourful Tribal Welcome in the Borneo Rainforest.' – Daily Mail, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11.

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

REPORTED BY DAILY MAIL

The Prince of Wales has touched the hand of an orangutan and spoken of the tragedy of the great ape’s habitat being destroyed.

Charles’ close encounter came in the Borneo rainforest, where he met conservationists to learn about efforts to safeguard the endangered animals.

But after handing over a banana to a young adolescent male, a source said the prince felt it was tragic the animals’ habitat had been destroyed so dramatically over the past 20 years, its survival was in doubt.

It meant many young orangutans were being rescued after being separated or losing their mothers, and then rehabilitated back into the wild.

Orangutans are only found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra and are threatened by the destruction of their habitats, which are being felled due to logging, mining and forest fires.

Charles looked on in awe as six of the giant apes came to a spot at the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre on the island of Borneo, where they feed.

He watched intently though his binoculars as one huge adult male, nicknamed Edwin, went on to a feeding platform to enjoy a feast of mangoes and bananas, followed by a mother and her baby.

He was allowed to carefully offer two adolescent males a banana each, stretching out his arm to offer the apes a treat as they mirrored his movement.

Semenggoh is the biggest orangutan rehabilitation centre in the state of Sarawak and is close to the region’s capital Kuching.

The source raised another issue, saying the prince was determined to halt the destruction of the rainforests to protect the indigenous tribes that have lived in the unique habitats for thousands of years.

“They have such crucial knowledge of the natural environment and an understanding of the biodiversity of the rainforest that will be lost forever,” the source said.

“It is like an amazing library being burnt down, and all the knowledge being lost forever.”

Earlier the prince became king of the jungle when he was taught the art of hunting with a blowpipe – and was hailed a natural.

Charles got to grips with the ancient weapon when, with the Duchess of Cornwall, he visited a ”living village” in Malaysia, showcasing the lifestyles and customs of Borneo tribes.

Normally loaded with a poison dart, the weapon is used by the Penan people and others to hunt everything from wild boar and lizards to monkeys.

But for Charles the deadly substance was not used and he happily got to grips with the five-foot long blowpipe, following a demonstration at Sarawak Cultural Village near Kuching.

Camilla gave her husband a few words of encouragement, telling him ”don’t suck”, and he replied: ”I’ll just close one eye,” as he looked down the barrel of the pipe.

A few cries of encouragement and applause went up from Charles’ entourage when the first dart hit just below a five-inch (13cm) wide target painted with a bulls-eye some eight metres away.

Charles turned to Kubai Uat, 33, a blowpipe expert, and asked for ”one more, I was just getting the range”, before puffing out his cheeks again for another go, but his effort fell well short of the target.

Mr Uat said later: ”For a beginner it was a good effort, the target is very small and if he can get that close he can hit a wild boar.”

('Charles Describes Tragedy of Lost Habitat After Close Encounter with Orangutan.' – Daily Mail, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12.

13. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOOD

– - –

DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

KUCHING, November 6, 2017 –

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, today met with representatives of Purple Lily, a non-governmental organisation committed to inspiring and empowering disadvantaged women and young girls by providing life skills training and financial education.
Photo: BERNAMA

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, today met with representatives of Purple Lily, a non-governmental organisation committed to inspiring and empowering disadvantaged women and young girls by providing life skills training and financial education.

Her Royal Highness arrived at 4.23 pm at the Old Court House here before proceeding for a discussion with the women empowerment group.

At the event, the visiting Duchess of Cornwall was briefed on Purple Lily’s initiatives by Purple Lily president and facilitator, Suraya Bujang and Purple Lily founder and International Projects director Ginette Collin.

Also present were Sarawak Chief Minister’s wife Datin Patinggi Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang and British Deputy High Commissioner Paul Rennie.

Her Royal Highness also participated in a workshop on topics such as ‘Know and Love Yourself’ (Introduction to Reproductive Health and Sexual Awareness), which is part of Purple Lily’s Girls Programme specifically designed for girls from aged 14 to 19 years.

Suraya when met after Camilla’s visit, said the Her Royal Highness expressed her happiness with Purple Lily’s initiatives during the visit which lasted for one hour and 20 minutes.

“Her Royal Highness commended the effort carried out by Purple Lily and wanted it to be sustained. She wants the organisation to keep up the good work being carried out and had been carried out.

“While participating at the workshop with the teens, Her Royal Highness looked happy and she also reminded the 27 participants on how important it is to learn and be socially aware of sex education to adolescents,” she said.

Previous visits by the British royal family here were by Princess Royal, Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh for a two-day study tour to Kuching, Sarawak in October 2016.

The visit of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall to Malaysia is part of their 11-day tour to Singapore, Malaysia and India from October 30 to November 9.

('Duchess of Cornwall Meets Representatives of Purple Lily.' – New Straits Times, November 6, 2017)

– - –

1. KUCHING ALL SET TO WELCOME BRITAIN'S ROYAL COUPLE

2. RELATED: PRINCE OF WALES AND DUCHESS OF CORNWALL VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IS KING OF JUNGLE AS HE LEARNS HOW TO BLOW DARTS LIKE BORNEO TRIBESMAN

4: RELATED: ON TARGET: PRINCE CHARLES SHOOTS BLOWPIPE IN SARAWAK

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND WIFE VISIT SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

6. RELATED: THE KING OF THE SWINGERS AND THE JUNGLE VIP

7. RELATED: CHARLES MEETS THE KING OF THE SWINGERS: PRINCE SHAKES HANDS WITH ORANGUTAN ON TRIP TO BORNEO JUNGLE

8. RELATED: UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

9. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES GETS PHYSICAL WITH ORANGUTAN AND FIRES POISONOUS DART FROM BLOWPIPE

10. RELATED: HERE'S A JUNGLE VIP! PRINCE CHARLES FEEDS AN ORANGUTAN AS HE AND CAMILLA ARE GIVEN A COLOURFUL TRIBAL WELCOME IN THE BORNEO RAINFOREST

11. RELATED: CHARLES DESCRIBES TRAGEDY OF LOST HABITAT AFTER CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ORANGUTAN

12. RELATED: DUCHESS OF CORNWALL MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF PURPLE LILY

13.

– - –

PRINCE CHARLES, WIFE TO VISIT PENANG TODAY DESPITE FLOODS

REPORTED BY MALAY MAIL ONLINE

KUALA LUMPUR, November 6 —

The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and his consort and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, will visit flood-struck Penang as scheduled this evening.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng confirmed the royal visit, but said he would be delegating the duty of escorting them to other state executive councillors, theSun Daily reported on its website.

“For the arrival of Prince Charles, all programmes will carry on as scheduled.

“However, I have to take a leave of absence from escorting them as I need to focus on the floods in Penang,” he was quoted saying.

Prince Charles and Camilla are expected to arrive at the Penang International Airport at 7.20pm today, after visiting Sarawak.

The British royals arrived in Malaysia on November 2 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.

('Prince Charles, Wife to Visit Penang Today Despite Floods.' – Malay Mail Online, November 6, 2017)

👋🏽

– - –

CURRENT / THE BRITISH ROYAL VISIT - DAY 2

2017-11-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

🏵

SEMBAH hormat, Tuanku-tuanku.

👇🏽

– - –

1.
2. RELATED: ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT
3. RELATED: PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM
4. RELATED: ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS
5. RELATED: PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING
6. RELATED: CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK
7. RELATED: IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

– - –

PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

REPORTED BY SINAR HARIAN

KUALA KANGSAR, November 4, 2017 –

Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah dan Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim bersama Prince of Wales Putera Charles dan Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles ketika bergambar bersama kerabat diraja Perak di Istana Iskandariah hari ini.
Photo: BERNAMA

Putera Charles, Prince of Wales dan isteri baginda, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, hari ini menghadap Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah di Istana Iskandariah, Bukit Chandan di sini.

Terdahulu, Camilla, yang memakai blaus berwarna hijau teal dan berseluar panjang putih, tiba pada jam 1.40 petang dan disambut oleh Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim.

Putera Charles, yang juga pewaris takhta Britain, tiba kira-kira sejamdan 20 minit kemudian dengan menaiki helikopter selepas mengunjungi Suruhanjaya Perkuburan Perang Komanwel (CWGC) di Tanah Perkuburan Taiping di sini, hari ini.

Semasa pertemuan kira-kira 30 minit di Bilik Menghadap, Istana Iskandariah itu, Sultan Nazrin turut meraikan pasangan diraja itu dalam sesi minum petang.

Lawatan rasmi pertama Putera Charles dan Camilla ke Malaysia adalah sebahagian daripada lawatan pasangan diraja itu ke Asia yang turut merangkumi Singapura dan India mulai 30 Oktober hingga 9 November.

Sebelum ini, beberapa kerabat diraja British pernah mengunjungi Malaysia termasuk Ratu Elizabeth II dan Duke of Edinburgh yang menghadiri pembukaan rasmi Sukan Komanwel Ke-16 di Kuala Lumpur pada 1998 dan lawatan Putera William dan Kate Middleton, iaitu Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, pada September 2012.

('Putera Charles, Camilla Menghadap Sultan Nazrin.' – Sinar Harian, November 4, 2017)

– - –

1. PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

3. RELATED: PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM

4. RELATED: ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS

5. RELATED: PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING

6. RELATED: CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK

7. RELATED: IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

– - –

ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT

Support for the initiative has also come from the Duke of Cambridge’s wildlife conservation charity.

REPORTED BY BELFAST TELEGRAPH

Charles during a visit to the Belum Rainforest Reserve in Malaysia

Photo: Arthur Edwards/PA

British forces will train Malaysians in anti-poaching techniques to help protect endangered wildlife species like the tiger, the UK’s High Commissioner to the country has announced.

The counter-poaching specialists – who have worked in Africa – will next year teach groups like rangers how to track down poachers over great distances and long periods of time.

The Prince of Wales’s charitable body supported the project financially when it was in its infancy and Charles attended a conservation summit in Malaysia where High Commissioner Vicki Treadell made the announcement.

Support for the initiative has also come from the Duke of Cambridge’s wildlife conservation charity, Tusk Trust, which William supports closely as royal patron, and has given funds to the scheme.

Charles had the chance to see the sort of habitat Malayan tigers live in when he was taken on a boat trip in the Royal Belum State Park, in northern Malaysia, where the conference was held.

Wearing a life jacket over his cream suit, the Prince’s boat, also carrying his entourage, sped over rainforest-fringed Lake Temenggor for 45 minutes.

Charles during a visit to the Belum Rainforest Reserve in Malaysia
Photo: Arthur Edwards/PA

Speaking briefly at the end of the summit, Ms Treadell told delegates: “I’m pleased to announce, albeit a small sum, we have identified an initial £30,000 or 165,000 ringgit – depending on the rate of exchange – to develop some capacity building programmes working across Malaysia.”

She added: “The other commitment that we will make today is that we will bring British military anti-poaching training expertise to Malaysia next year to run some training of anti-poaching.

“Of course we will do it here in Belum but we also hope to take it to other parts of Malaysia. That is our commitment to take the work that flows from this summit forward.”

The numbers of Malayan tigers have fallen by around half to just 250 animals during an 11-year period to 2014 – but global figures for the big cats have increased by 700, from 2010-16, to 3,900.

The British Army’s project to train countries in anti-poaching skills has been piloted in Malawi during the summer.

Commanders see the initiative as a way of enhancing soldiers’ tracking skills which have not been needed in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Charles listened to the conclusion of the two-day conference where wildlife conservation groups and government and state organisations pledged to increase their efforts to safeguard a range of habitats from coral reefs to rainforests in the region.

During his tour of the park’s lake, Charles was ferried to and from the motor boat in a golf buggy – complete with yellow curtains – and was joined by the High Commissioner and others.

The Sultan of Perak, who like the Prince has a keen interest in the environment, was among the group as the Royal Belum State Park lies within his state.

Charles and Camilla had tea earlier with the Sultan, who is Malaysia’s deputy Agong or King, at his lavish palace Istana Iskandariah in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar.

Royals gifts were exchanged with the Prince given artwork and the Duchess a large silver water flask, while Charles gave the Malaysian ruler two sets of table mats featuring his watercolours.

The heir to the throne, who is on an 11-day tour of south-east Asia and India, had travelled from the capital Kuala Lumpur by helicopter and returned to the city as the hot and humid conditions turned to a heavy downpour.

('Anti-Poaching Project Backed by Charles's Charity Announced at Wildlife Summit.' – Belfast Telegraph, November 4, 2017)

– - –

1. PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

2. RELATED: ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT

4. RELATED: ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS

5. RELATED: PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING

6. RELATED: CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK

7. RELATED: IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

– - –

PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM

REPORTED BY BERITA HARIAN

GERIK, November 4, 2017 –

Putera Charles menziarahi 'Commonwealth War Graves Commission' hari ini. Turut hadir, Menteri Besar Perak Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir. Putera Charles dan isteri dalam lawatan rasmi selama enam hari ke Malaysia turut melibatkan lawatan ke beberapa negeri. 
Photo: BERNAMA

Kerajaan Perak akan melaksanakan lima inisiatif untuk memulihara Taman Negeri Royal Belum di sini, dalam usaha mengekalkan pemuliharaan pembangunan alam sekitar termasuk menjadikan Kompleks Hutan Belum, sebagai kawasan penempatan utama harimau di negara ini.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, berkata kerajaan negeri juga akan memastikan jaringan hubungan kompleks itu dengan landskap Taman Negara yang lebih baik melalui rangkaian saling berkaitan dengan kawasan hutan dilindungi, hutan simpan dan koridor untuk survival jangka panjang harimau di Semenanjung Malaysia.

Beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri juga akan memastikan Taman Negeri Royal Belum dan kawasan sekitar Hutan Simpan Kekal dikendalikan dengan mapan untuk pemuliharaan harimau dengan menempatkan sekurang-kurangnya tiga anggota penguatkuasa bagi setiap 10,000 hektar serta memperoleh akreditasi Pemuliharaan Standard Harimau (CATS) untuk Taman Negeri Royal Belum.

"Kita juga ingin menubuhkan Pasukan Tindakan Khas yang serba lengkap bagi mencapai sifar pemburuan haram di Belum menjelang 2020.

"Selain itu, kerajaan negeri juga akan membantu meningkatkan dana sehingga RM100 juta menjelang 2025 bagi pemuliharaan harimau di Malaysia," katanya dalam Deklarasi Royal Belum pada Sidang Kemuncak Pemuliharaan WWF di sini.

Putera Charles, Prince of Wales, dan Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah, masing-masing berangkat ke taklimat mengenai sidang kemuncak tersebut.

Zambry berkata, kerajaan negeri juga berjanji akan bekerjasama rapat dengan semua entiti termasuk sektor swasta, orang ramai, rakyat Malaysia yang prihatin, bersama-sama dengan kerajaan, organisasi dan aktivis pemuliharaan dari seluruh dunia bagi memastikan aspirasi Perak itu menjadi kenyataan.

"Kami menyokong pernyataan dibuat Duli Yang Teramat Mulia (Putera Charles) bahawa tugas paling sukar adalah mengubah komitmen seperti dibuat pada tahap sangat tinggi kepada tindakan di lapangan.

"Tiada erti mengalah, jika kita mahu menyelamatkan spesis terancam yang bukan sahaja merugikan kita semua, tetapi juga mendedahkan habitat ditinggalkan haiwan itu kepada risiko kemusnahan lebih besar, yang boleh mengancam kepada manusia," katanya.

Kunjungan Putera Charles dan isteri baginda Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, ke negara ini adalah sebahagian daripada rangka lawatan 11 hari pasangan diraja itu ke Singapura, Malaysia dan India dari 30 Oktober hingga 9 November.

Kerabat diraja British yang pernah melawat Malaysia sebelum ini ialah Ratu Elizabeth II dan Duke of Edinburgh bagi menghadiri upacara perasmian Sukan Komanwel Ke-16 di Kuala Lumpur pada 1998 dan Putera William, Duke of Cambridge dan isteri Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, pada September 2012.

('Perak Pulihara Taman Negeri Royal Belum.' – Berita Harian, November 4, 2017)

– - –

1. PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

2. RELATED: ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT

3. RELATED: PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM

5. RELATED: PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING

6. RELATED: CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK

7. RELATED: IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

– - –

ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS

REPORTED BY MALAY MAIL ONLINE

KUALA LUMPUR, November 4, 2017 —

Prince of Wales Prince Charles (front left) and the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles visit the St Mary's Cathedral in Kuala Lumpur November 4, 2017.
Photo: BERNAMA

After 19 years, the St. Mary's Cathedral near Dataran Merdeka in Jalan Raja today hosted a visit by British royalty.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the Anglican church as part of their ongoing seven-day maiden visit to Malaysia.

The last time that the church hosted a visit by a member of the British royalty was in 1998 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit when she attended the official opening of the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The Queen had also visited the church in 1989 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

Prince Charles and Camilla arrived at the church at 10.10 am in a heavy drizzle and were welcomed by Archbishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing.

Their Royal Highnesses were accompanied by minister-in-attendance Datuk Seri SK Devamany, who is deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

The royal visitors attended the 40-minute church service and then met church members and several staff of the British High Commission who were also present.

Prince Charles and Camilla signed the guest book before leaving.

Archbishop Ng told Bernama later that the church members were delighted and excited over the visit by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

He said he showed Prince Charles the plaque commemorating the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1989 and he said he remembered that visit.

The visit of Prince Charles and Camilla to Malaysia is part of a 11-day tour of Their Royal Highnesses to Singapore, Malaysia and India from October 30 to November 9.

('St. Mary's Cathedral Hosts British Royalty Again, After 19 Years.' – Malay Mail Online, November 4, 2017)

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1. PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

2. RELATED: ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT

3. RELATED: PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM

4. RELATED: ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS

6. RELATED: CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK

7. RELATED: IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

– - –

PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING

REPORTED BY BERNAMA

TAIPING (BERNAMA), 4 November, 2017 –

Photo: BERNAMA

Putera Charles hari ini melahirkan penghargaan baginda terhadap pasukan pengurusan Suruhanjaya Perkuburan Perang Komanwel (CWGC) atas kejayaan menguruskan dan mengekalkan Tanah Perkuburan Perang Taiping atau Taiping War Cemetery di sini.

Pengurus Negara CWGC G.Ghobu berkata Prince of Wales melahirkan penghargaan itu semasa mengunjungi tanah perkuburan itu yang merupakan sebahagian daripada atur cara lawatan rasmi pertama selama tujuh hari pewaris takhta Britain itu dan isteri baginda, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, ke Malaysia.

"Baginda bertitah baginda benar-benar menghargai apa yang telah dilakukan mengikut keupayaan kita bagi mengekalkan dengan begitu baik tanah perkuburan itu dan melahirkan rasa keprihatinan baginda untuk mengetahui jika wujud sebarang masalah bagi menguruskan tanah perkuburan itu.

"Kami daripada CWGC amat berbangga dengan lawatan Putera Charles dan berasa gembira dapat berbual sendiri dengan baginda," katanya kepada Bernama di sini hari ini.

Putera Charles tiba di tanah perkuburan itu, yang menjadi tempat persemadian anggota tentera yang terkorban semasa Perang Dunia Kedua di Tanah Melayu, pada kira-kira 1.20 tengah hari dengan menaiki sebuah limosin berwarna gelap.

Baginda diiringi menteri pengiring Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany, yang juga timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana menteri dan Menteri Besar Perak Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Pewaris takhta Beritain itu kemudian berjalan ke tanah perkuburan Orang Islam dan Buddha sebelum baginda meletakkan karangan bunga di batu peringatan dan bertafakur.

Baginda yang memakai sut berwarna kuning muda turut mengunjungi tanah perkuburan Kristian yang terletak di tempat yang berbeza sebelum meletakkan karangan bunga Cross of Sacrifice dan menundukkan kepala baginda sebelum bertakafur sebagai tanda penghormatan ke atas mereka.

Putera Charles juga diperkenalkan kepada pengurus dan kakitangan CGWC yang menguruskan tanah perkuburan itu sebelum baginda mengadakan pertemuan dengan Persatuan Veteran Malaya dan Borneo di bawah khemah berdekatan tanah perkuburan itu selama kira-kira setengah sejam.

Putera Charles kemudian menandatangani buku pelawat sebelum menaiki helikopter untuk majlis menghadap dengan Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah di Istana Iskandariah, Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar.

('Putera Charles Hargai Usaha CWGC Urus Perkuburan Perang Taiping.' – BERNAMA, November 4, 2017)

– - –

1. PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

2. RELATED: ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT

3. RELATED: PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM

4. RELATED: ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS

5. RELATED: PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING

7. RELATED: IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

– - –

CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK

REPORTED BY BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR (BERNAMA), November 4, 2017 –

Photo: BERNAMA

Hujan gerimis hari ini tidak mematahkan semangat kanak-kanak yang begitu sabar menanti ketibaan Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall di Rumah Kebajikan Kanak-kanak Lighthouse di Bangsar, di sini.

Wajah 70 kanak-kanak kurang bernasib baik itu berubah ceria sebaik sahaja baginda tiba pada kira-kira 11.05 pagi dengan berpakaian hijau pudina dan putih dengan memegang payung.

Ketibaan Camilla disambut pengetua Lighthouse, Steven Silvaraju dan Jacinta Steven.
Baginda kemudiannya mendengar taklimat mengenai The Lost Food Project (TLFP), sebuah badan bukan berasaskan keuntungan, daripada pengasasnya Suzanne Mooney sebelum bertemu dengan benefisiari rumah kebajikan itu.

Duchess of Cornwall itu kemudiannya bermesra dengan kanak-kanak berkenaan dan melibatkan diri dalam beberapa aktiviti bersama mereka sebelum menghidangkan makan tengah hari berupa nasi putih, kari ayam dan kobis goreng.

Mooney yang ditemui pemberita kemudiannya berkata Lighthouse merupakan satu daripada 50 badan kebajikan yang disokong TLFP di Lembah Klang.

TLFP bertindak mengumpul makanan dari pasar raya dan pengilang di seluruh negara sebelum mengedarkannya kepada mereka yang memerlukan.

Baginda begitu berminat dengan persekitaran dan melahirkan pandangan tentang keperluan menyediakan makanan untuk kanak-kanak itu.

"Baginda memberitahu saya bahawa beliau sangat kagum dan teruja dengan inisiatif yang diambil Malaysia. Baginda sangat suka berbual dengan kesemua kanak-kanak, baginda suka dengan budaya dan negara ini, dan telah melalui pengalaman yang bermakna hari ini," katanya.

Menurut Steven, cucunya Ariana Shine Lewis telah menghadiahkan kepada baginda seutas gelang tangan dan baginda gembira menerimanya.

Kanak-kanak tersebut turut menghadiahkan kepada baginda, lukisan burung merak yang mereka hasilkan sendiri menggunakan ibu jari dan sebuah buku skrap.

Putera Charles, Prince of Wales dan Camilla tiba di sini pada Khamis untuk lawatan rasmi pertama ke Malaysia bersempena ulang tahun ke-60 hubungan dua hala antara Malaysia dan United Kingdom.

Lawatan ke Malaysia ini merupakan sebahagian daripada lawatan pasangan diraja itu ke Singapura, Malaysia dan India mulai 30 Oktober lepas hingga 9 November ini, bertujuan untuk mengeratkan hubungan antara Britain dan Asia.

('Camilla Melawat Rumah Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak.' – BERNAMA, November 4, 2017)

– - –

1. PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA MENGHADAP SULTAN NAZRIN

2. RELATED: ANTI-POACHING PROJECT BACKED BY CHARLES'S CHARITY ANNOUNCED AT WILDLIFE SUMMIT

3. RELATED: PERAK PULIHARA TAMAN NEGERI ROYAL BELUM

4. RELATED: ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL HOSTS BRITISH ROYALTY AGAIN, AFTER 19 YEARS

5. RELATED: PUTERA CHARLES HARGAI USAHA CWGC URUS PERKUBURAN PERANG TAIPING

6. RELATED: CAMILLA MELAWAT RUMAH KEBAJIKAN KANAK-KANAK

– - –

IN PICTURES: CHARLES AND CAMILLA TOUR MALAYSIA

The Royal couple are on an 11-day tour of south-east Asia.

REPORTED BY JERSEY EVENING POST

The Prince of Wales (left) meets His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak, Deputy Agong of Malaysia, at his official residence, the Istana Iskandariah, in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia during his 11-day autumn tour of Asia.Photo: Jersey Evening Post

The Duchess of Cornwall meets Zara Salim Davidson the wife of His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak.Photo: Jersey Evening Post

[More photos to come.]

('In Pictures: Charles and Camilla Tour Malaysia.' – Jersey Evening Post, November 4, 2017)

👋🏽

– - –

The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

– - –

CURRENT / THE BRITISH ROYAL VISIT - DAY 1

2017-11-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

🏵

SELAMAT DATANG, Your Highnesses.

👇🏽

– - –

1.
2. RELATED: AGONG GRANTS AUDIENCE TO PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA
3. RELATED: NAJIB DAN ISTERI MENGHADAP PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA
4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IMPRESSED WITH MALAYSIA'S PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES
5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES SAYS MALAYSIA OFFERS POWERFUL MODEL TO OTHERS IN THE REGION
6. RELATED: ALL HAIL KING CHARLES! PRINCE LOOKS VERY COMFORTABLE ON THE THRONE AS HE AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL ARE FETED IN MALAYSIA ON ROYAL TOUR

– - –

PRINCE CHARLES AND SPOUSE CAMILLA OFFICIALLY START THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA
Charles in his speech said he had always been fascinated by Malaysia’s rich cultural, religious and racial diversity which was something to be cherished and celebrated.

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

British heir to the throne Prince Charles (right) kicked off his maiden visit to Malaysia by visiting the Islamic Arts Museum today, hosted by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah (left).
Photo: Mohamad Shahril Badri Saali/NST

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 –

British heir to the throne Prince Charles kicked off his maiden visit to Malaysia by visiting the Islamic Arts Museum today.

The event was hosted by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

Charles toured the museum’s permanent gallery where he was briefed on various Islamic exhibitions by its head curator Dr Heba Nayel Barakat.

According to Heba, Charles was attentive during the walkabout around the museum and had asked many questions and shown a particular interest in calligraphy-themed exhibitions.

In a brief ceremony afterwards, Sultan Nazrin welcomed Charles to Malaysia and said the visit, in celebration of 60 years’ of bilateral relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom, was a celebration of great occasion made more special by the visit.

Charles in his speech said he had always been fascinated by Malaysia’s rich cultural, religious and racial diversity which was something to be cherished and celebrated.

"The setting for today’s reception could hardly be more appropriate. The Islamic Arts Museum is the most wonderful celebration of the great diversity of traditions in Islamic arts, and the rich variety of influences that have shaped it over the centuries.

"I am particularly delighted that the museum has such strong connections with my own School of Traditional Arts which itself aims to ensure that traditional arts and skills continue to enrich our changing world."

Present was British High Commissioner to Malaysia Vicki Treadell.

The museum, Charles said served as a reminder of just how important it was for all societies to preserve and be proud of their cultural heritage.

Charles also wished a happy birthday to Sultan Nazrin, whose official birthday falls tomorrow.

During the ceremony, a gift from Charles to the museum, in the form of a framed signature of himself in calligraphy, was unveiled.

The museum gifted him a large calligraphy artwork of blue hues.

Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, are scheduled to visit a number of places in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak and Penang, as well as participate in various events over seven days from November 2.

('Prince Charles and Spouse Camilla Officially Start Their Royal Visit to Malaysia.' New Straits Times, November 3, 2017)

– - –

1. PRINCE CHARLES AND SPOUSE CAMILLA OFFICIALLY START THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA

3. RELATED: NAJIB DAN ISTERI MENGHADAP PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IMPRESSED WITH MALAYSIA'S PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES

5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES SAYS MALAYSIA OFFERS POWERFUL MODEL TO OTHERS IN THE REGION
6. RELATED: ALL HAIL KING CHARLES! PRINCE LOOKS VERY COMFORTABLE ON THE THRONE AS HE AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL ARE FETED IN MALAYSIA ON ROYAL TOUR

– - –

AGONG GRANTS AUDIENCE TO PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA
During the 45-minute meeting at Bilik Seri Maharaja of Istana Negara, Sultan Muhammad V hosted a high tea for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

REPORTED BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhamad V, with the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles and consort, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Photo: BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 –

YANG di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V today granted an audience to visiting Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla.

During the 45-minute meeting at Bilik Seri Maharaja of Istana Negara, Sultan Muhammad V hosted a high tea for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

The maiden visit by Their Royal Highnesses to the country is to commemorate the 60 years of diplomatic ties between the UK and Malaysia.

Having arrived yesterday, Their Royal Highnesses are scheduled to visit a number of places in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak and Penang, as well as participate in various events, over a span of seven days.

('Agong Grants Audience to Prince Charles, Camilla.' – The Malaysian Insight, November 3, 2017)

– - –

1. PRINCE CHARLES AND SPOUSE CAMILLA OFFICIALLY START THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA

2. RELATED: AGONG GRANTS AUDIENCE TO PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IMPRESSED WITH MALAYSIA'S PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES

– - –

NAJIB DAN ISTERI MENGHADAP PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA
Pasangan diraja itu yang tiba di ibu negara pada Khamis, dijadual melawat pelbagai tempat di Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak dan Pulau Pinang selain menyertai pelbagai acara penting sepanjang lawatan selama tujuh hari dari 2 hingga 8 November.

REPORTED BY BERNAMA

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor (left) and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak with Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla dressed to the nines for the Royal Gala.
Photo: BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 –

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan isteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor hari ini menghadap Putera Charles, Prince of Wales dan isteri baginda, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall di Hotel Majestic, malam ini.

Pertemuan berlangsung kira-kira 15 minit sebelum kedua-dua pasangan diraja itu menghadiri majlis Makan Malam Gala di hotel berkenaan yang diadakan untuk meraikan lawatan keluarga diRaja England itu.

Lawatan pertama pasangan diRaja itu ke Malaysia adalah bersempena ulang tahun ke-60 hubungan dua hala antara United Kingdom dan Malaysia.

Pasangan diRaja itu yang tiba di ibu negara pada Khamis, dijadual melawat pelbagai tempat di Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak dan Pulau Pinang selain menyertai pelbagai acara penting sepanjang lawatan selama tujuh hari dari 2 hingga 8 November.

Kerabat diRaja British yang pernah melawat Malaysia sebelum ini ialah Ratu Elizabeth II dan Duke of Edinburgh bagi menghadiri upacara perasmian Sukan Komanwel ke-16 di Kuala Lumpur pada 1998 dan Putera William, Duke of Cambridge dan isteri Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, pada September 2012.

('Najib dan Isteri Menghadap Putera Charles, Camilla.' – BERNAMA, November 3, 2017)

– - –

1. PRINCE CHARLES AND SPOUSE CAMILLA OFFICIALLY START THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA

2. RELATED: AGONG GRANTS AUDIENCE TO PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

3. RELATED: NAJIB DAN ISTERI MENGHADAP PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA

– - –

PRINCE CHARLES IMPRESSED WITH MALAYSIA'S PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES
Mohammad said Prince Charles was keen on the British and Malaysian governments working together, especially in the offer of training, knowledge-sharing and expertise to Malaysia on how to further maintain heritage buildings and parks, as was done in London.

REPORTED BY MALAYSIAN DIGEST

"Prince Charles is really passionate and really cares about education in Malaysia." – Yap Ern See, SMK Convent Bukit Nanas

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 –

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, was impressed to see Malaysia having reached another milestone in promoting sustainable cities and community well-being, it was stated here today.

Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Mentek said His Royal Highness, who is also actively involved in urban planning through The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community in Britain, listened intently to brief-yet-detailed explanations from representatives of the ministry and various government agencies on the country’s initiatives in championing community-building.

“Prince Charles was happy to listen to our initiatives such as the River of Life community development, especially those involving river cleaning and beautification. He also commended us on our New Urban Agenda towards sustainable urbanisation and development.

“His Royal Highness was very satisfied with how Malaysia was developing the cities, how we are positioning ourselves at the forefront of low-carbon cities and the space we create between sustaining urban development between people and technology,” he told Bernama after accompanying Prince Charles on a 20-minute visit to the event at a leading hotel here.

Mohammad said Prince Charles was keen on the British and Malaysian governments working together, especially in the offer of training, knowledge-sharing and expertise to Malaysia on how to further maintain heritage buildings and parks, as was done in London.

Mohammad said he extended an invitation, on behalf of Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar, to Prince Charles to attend the World Urban Forum scheduled to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from February 7 to 13 next year.

“I did mention that during the forum, we will present a video speech of the Prince of Wales to the participants and he said he is looking forward to the forum,” he said, adding that His Royal Highness was impressed that Malaysia is the second country in the world and third in the Commonwealth to host the forum.

The World Urban Forum, which is held every two years, is a non-legislative technical forum which has been convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) since 2002 and aims to examine the most pressing issues faced by cities around the world, like rapid urbanisation and its impact on cities, communities, the economy, climate change and policies.

Earlier, in his closing speech, Mohammad said it was an honour for Malaysia to be selected to host the World Urban Forum.

“We are committed to establishing the Commonwealth Network of Cities and Nations during the World Urban Forum and we hope this will be a platform for continued discussions and sharing of knowledge among the Commonwealth cities and nations.

“We look forward to the United Kingdom’s active participation in the forum, Sir, and we truly value your insights and views today and your continued passion on ensuring communities shall be at the heart of growth and development,” he said.

Prince Charles also spent time interacting with six Form Two students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Convent Bukit Nenas and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Chong Hwa, Jalan Gombak, on their models portraying Malaysia in the future.

Yap Ern See of SMK Convent Bukit Nanas said it was a rare opportunity for her to have met Prince Charles who, she said, complimented them and advised them on the importance of having bicycle and pedestrian lanes in a future city.

“This shows Prince Charles is really passionate and cares about education in Malaysia. He asked us to study hard and was concerned whether this workshop had affected our studies. I am so glad that I was able to meet Prince Charles, who is really a nice person,” she said.

Pang Chin Wen of SMK Chong Hwa said she saw in His Royal Highness a fatherly figure because the Prince of Wales asked her and her friends about their studies. She said she was glad she had the chance to meet Prince Charles in person.

Prince Charles and Camilla arrived here Thursday on their maiden visit to Malaysia, which commemorates the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

The visit to Malaysia is part of a tour of Their Royal Highnesses to Singapore, Malaysia and India from October 30 to November 9, aimed at strengthening ties between Britain and Asia.

('Prince Charles Impressed with Malaysia's Promotion of Sustainable Cities.' – Malaysian Digest, November 3, 2017)

– - –

1. PRINCE CHARLES AND SPOUSE CAMILLA OFFICIALLY START THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA

2. RELATED: AGONG GRANTS AUDIENCE TO PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

3. RELATED: NAJIB DAN ISTERI MENGHADAP PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IMPRESSED WITH MALAYSIA'S PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES

6. RELATED: ALL HAIL KING CHARLES! PRINCE LOOKS VERY COMFORTABLE ON THE THRONE AS HE AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL ARE FETED IN MALAYSIA ON ROYAL TOUR
– - –

PRINCE CHARLES SAYS MALAYSIA OFFERS POWERFUL MODEL TO OTHERS IN THE REGION
Prince Charles said Malaysia’s long-standing global reputation for understanding across the borders of faith and community was a precious asset in a world threatened by a lack of “this most essential commodity”.

REPORTED BY MALAY MAIL ONLINE

Prince Charles speaks at the Royal Gala Dinner in Kuala Lumpur, November 3, 2017.
Photo: BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 –

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales was impressed that sixty years after independence, Malaysia offers a powerful model to others in the region, not only because of its particular strength in business, education, science, security and defence, but also the way Malaysia operate on the world stage.

Prince Charles said Malaysia’s long-standing global reputation for understanding across the borders of faith and community was a precious asset in a world threatened by a lack of “this most essential commodity”.

“The pillars of such a reputation, founded, as they must be, on mutual respect and the willingness not merely to tolerate, but to celebrate differences and diversity in all their forms, could not be more relevant or, indeed, needed in today’s fractious times,” said Prince Charles in his speech at the Royal Gala Dinner held here, tonight.

The Gala Dinner, hosted by the British High Commission in Malaysia, was attended by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, several ministers and deputy ministers, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall alongside the guests were treated to a fusion of British-Malaysian menu including home smoked Scottish salmon with wilted wild fern leaf and “rendang” beef Wellington.

Prince Charles said the 60th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence was a worthy moment to reflect, on the fact that both countries have much to learn and everything to gain by building on the legacy of trust and the strong bonds that exist between them and which were augmented by their membership of the very special Commonwealth Family of Nations.

“Sixty years on from independence, it is clear that very strong foundations of mutual respect and understanding were laid down when Malaysia became part of the Commonwealth, with its shared principles, strong values and vision of a common future,” he said.

The heir to the British throne also expressed hope that Malaysia and the United Kingdom may resolve to keep strengthening the enduring friendship between the two countries so that it thrives and prospers for many years to come.

His Royal Highness said that today, the partnership between the two countries was vibrant, dynamic, and vitally important for the prosperity and security of the two countries.

“The trade and investment that flows between us, in both directions, creates skilled, well-paid employment in the United Kingdom just as it does in Malaysia.

“The defence and security cooperation that we enjoy makes a crucial difference to keeping all our people safe, whether through the Five Powers Defence Arrangements that I am greatly looking forward to learning more about when I visit the Royal Malaysian Air Force station at Butterworth, Penang, next week, or through our shared determination to tackle the evil of terrorism that threatens us all,” he remarked.

On the visit, His Royal Highness also mentioned that it would end in Penang, where two hundred and thirty one years ago, the long-standing history between the United Kingdom and Malaysia began.

“I gather that Penang was known for many years as Prince of Wales Island and the fact that it isn’t the case any longer, I promise I will not take personally, although my grandson, George, may possibly be cheered in due course by the name of its capital!

“Rather more poetically, though, I believe Penang was known as ‘the Pearl of the Orient,’ so my wife and I are very much looking forward to discovering its charms for ourselves,” he said.

Prince Charles said that, he and Camilla have long held a firm desire to visit Malaysia, “so this occasion is not only a very special moment for us personally, but also a particularly special opportunity to celebrate the enduring ties between our people”.

“I cannot tell you how delighted my wife and I are to have been invited to visit Malaysia to celebrate the 60th anniversary of your independence and all the years of diplomatic ties between our countries that have followed,” he said.

The maiden visit by the royal couple to Malaysia was to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

The Royal couple who arrived in the Malaysian capital Thursday, are scheduled to visit a number of places in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak and Penang, as well as participate in various significant events over a span of seven days from November 2 to 8.

('Prince Charles says Malaysia Offers Powerful Model to Others in the Region.' – Malay Mail Online, November 3, 2017)

– - –

1. PRINCE CHARLES AND SPOUSE CAMILLA OFFICIALLY START THEIR ROYAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA

2. RELATED: AGONG GRANTS AUDIENCE TO PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA

3. RELATED: NAJIB DAN ISTERI MENGHADAP PUTERA CHARLES, CAMILLA

4. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES IMPRESSED WITH MALAYSIA'S PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES
5. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES SAYS MALAYSIA OFFERS POWERFUL MODEL TO OTHERS IN THE REGION

– - –

ALL HAIL KING CHARLES! PRINCE LOOKS VERY COMFORTABLE ON THE THRONE AS HE AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL ARE FETED IN MALAYSIA ON ROYAL TOUR
Meanwhile, Charles was almost mistaken for a Time Lord when he stepped out of a Tardis - but luckily there wasn't a Dalek in sight.

REPORTED BY DAILY MAIL

The Royal Couple on the evening of November 3, 2017
Photo: Daily Mail/Getty Images

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 –

Charles and Camilla got their very own golden thrones when they met His Majesty The Agong of Malaysia on Friday.

The couple met with the country's ruler at the Istana Negara, the national palace, in Kuala Lumpur on the second day of their official visit to the country.

Charles and Camilla were ushered by the King's Grand Chamberlain, Datuk Padua Maharajelela Going, into the Seri Maharaja room to await heir host's arrival.

They were seated in two elaborately gilded chairs that looked like royal thrones as they awaited the arrival of the Agong, His Majesty The Yang di-Pertuan Agong XV Sultan Muhammad V.

After a short wait he joined them, taking his seat in an even larger 'throne' for official photographs.

The Prince of Wales and The King of Malaysia most recently met in May 2017 at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies where Charles, who is the centre's Patron, opened its new buildings.

During the event the prince gave a speech calling for a strengthening of ties between the Muslim and Western worlds.

The Duchess of Cornwall was mobbed by crowds of excited school children after touching down in Kuala Lumpur on Friday - just hours after joking of her wish to 'slow down'.

Camilla, 70, was visiting the International School at ParkCity in the Malaysian capital with Raja Zarith Sofiah, the Queen of Johor, and the school's principal Andrew Dalton, as part of her south-east Asian tour with husband the Prince of Wales.

It came after the Duchess told the wife of the Sultan of Brunei: 'It's more tiring as you get older.

I keep trying to tell everybody that I'm not as young as I used to be, and have to slow down.'

Meanwhile, Charles was almost mistaken for a Time Lord when he stepped out of a Tardis - but luckily there wasn't a Dalek in sight.

The Prince walked into Doctor Who's famous time machine when he visited a co-working space for start-up companies in the city, but was only transported a few feet into a members-only area.

The heir to the throne, who is on an 11-day tour of south-east Asia and India, met young entrepreneurs, tech savvy school children showcasing projects, and established businesses during his tour of WORQ.

A Tardis has been created as the doorway from the public space into the private members area and, as staff walked through a nearby side entrance, Charles emerged from the replica of the BBC character's sci-fi machine.

He joked with the waiting press saying 'I should have gone through the side (door)' before sitting down to a meeting with executives from some of Malaysia's established technology firms.

Andrew Yeow, 28, co-founder of WORQ which opened in March, said they had tried to create a relaxed, fun and practical working environment for fledgling businesses offering facilities like a gym, sleeping pods and a cafe, and much needed space for firms to grow.

He said: 'The response to the Tardis has been good so far, a lot of people find it really cool. They don't realise it's a door it's quite quirky and helps with the ambience.'

The 28-year-old added: 'This is the first of its kind in Malaysia - a co-working productivity community, what I mean by that is we try and solve two big problems for new businesses.

'Real estate, issues of having to get an office, and issues entrepreneurs have like increasing sales or trying to connect with regulators or partners - we're trying to help them by providing a supportive community.'

The Duchess of Cornwall accompanied by the Queen of Johor, surrounded by excited Malaysian schoolchildren.
Photo: Daily Mail/Getty Images

Earlier, Camilla was entranced by a group of children who performed a traditional Malay wedding dance for her in the Malaysian capital.

The Duchess was visiting the Permata Negara, an educational facility for children up to four, when the youngsters, dressed in traditional Malaysian outfits, entertained her with a 'Silat' for the Bride.

'How sweet, they are just adorable,' the royal said.

Camilla was greeted by Datin Paduka Seri Hjh. Rosmah Mansor, First Lady of Malaysia and founder of the PERMATA, who led her on a guided tour of the facility just outside Kuala Lumpur.

She saw youngsters decorating 'flower eggs,' or Meghias Bunga Telur, and 'creating flowers' (bunga manggar), as well as meeting teachers leading the activities.

Camilla was also charmed after two of the children greeted her with a double handshake while another took her hand and held it to their heart, a sign of honour.

The PERMATA Programmes were founded by the First Lady (sic) of Malaysia with the objective of providing a platform that enables children to achieve their potential through cultural learning.

PERMATA Negara cares for new-borns up to pre-school aged children.

('All Hail King Charles! Prince Looks VERY Comfortable on the Throne as He and the Duchess of Cornwall are Feted in Malaysia on Royal Tour. ' – Daily Mail, November 3, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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CURRENT / CHARLES AND CAMILLA ARRIVES IN MALAYSIA FOR A WEEK-LONG NATIONWIDE VISIT - TO CLARE BROWN'S CHAGRIN

2017-11-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

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WE at the NINE QUESTIONS Blog are excited to welcome their Highnesses Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla to Malaysia - both of whom arrived yesterday evening - and look forward to sharing their Malaysian tour for posterity.

We also note how this visit had stirred some violent bouts of fitful anger from the lady at Sarawak Report, who is adamant that no British VIPs ever set foot into Malaysia for fears of endorsing - what they unilaterally label as - a kleptocratic state.

In fact, Sarawak Report wrote a scathing open-letter to the Royal Couple, which was published on the site alleging that the visit was actually arranged through a PR company and PM Najib had paid for this visit to materialise. No desperate move tops this lie, yet she would go so far as to baselessly accuse the British Royalty of taking bribes to determine their official visits. Again, she asserts this without proof, and expects her readers simply to believe her at face value.

Never mind her for now. Let us focus on the jubilations at hand, as we are sure that many Malaysians are happy with the honour of receiving the future heir to the British throne, and the NINE QUESTIONS Blog joins this chorus of the multitude in wishing them, "Selamat Datang"!

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2. RELATED: MALAYSIAN STOP LONGEST IN PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA'S TOUR OF THREE COUNTRIES

3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA'S TOUR OF SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, BRUNEI AND INDIA, IN PICTURES

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PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA ARRIVE ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived today on an official visit to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom.
Photo: BERNAMA/NST

SEPANG (BERNAMA), NOVEMBER 2, 2017 –

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived today on an official visit to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

The Royal Air Force aircraft carrying, Their Royal Highnesses landed at KLIA at 6.45 pm, they were welcomed by Minister-in-Attendance Datuk Seri S. K. Devamany, who is Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Also present were Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and the British High Commissioner to Malaysia Vicki Treadell.

Prince Charles and Camilla then walked past a static guard-of-honour.

Their Royal Highnesses are scheduled to visit a number of places in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak and Penang, as well as participate in various significant events over the span of seven days from November 2 to 8.

Prince Charles and Camilla are expected to engage with all levels of Malaysians, from royalty to underprivileged children as well as the business community.

Their Royal Highnesses are expected to have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, at Istana Negara and grant an audience to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

This is the maiden visit by Their Royal Highnesses to Malaysia.

Previous visits by the British royalty here were by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh who attended the official opening of the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and the visit by Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, in September 2012.

Relations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom encompass a wide range of areas including trade, defence and security, education, digital economy, green technology, renewable energy, culture and tourism.

Malaysia is the United Kingdom’s second largest export market in ASEAN and the UK is Malaysia's third trading partner in Europe, while in the field of education, there are currently more than 18,000 Malaysians studying in the UK.

The royal visit is part of a tour of Singapore, Malaysia and India from October 30 to November 9. Prince Charles and Camilla began their tour in Singapore on October 30. After visiting Malaysia, they will tour India for 11 days.

('Prince Charles, Camilla Arrive on Official Visit to Malaysia.' – New Straits Times, November 2, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA ARRIVE ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA
2.
3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA'S TOUR OF SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, BRUNEI AND INDIA, IN PICTURES

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MALAYSIAN STOP LONGEST IN PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA'S TOUR OF THREE COUNTRIES

REPORTED BY THE STAR ONLINE

KUALA LUMPUR, NOVEMBER 1, 2017 –

It will be the longest stop on the autumn tour for the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, when they arrive here on Thursday.

In their inaugural visit to the country, Their Royal Highnesses are expected to visit a number of places in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Sarawak and Penang, as well as participate in various significant events over the span of seven days from November 2 to 8, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Britain.

The royal visit is part of a tour of Malaysia, Singapore and India from October 30 to November 9.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall's visit to the Commonwealth nations, which is at the request of the British government, will highlight key themes, including celebrating community, cultural diversity and promoting business innovation.

"Compared to their visits to other parts of the world, it is actually the biggest in terms of the number of days that they have done anywhere else.

"They want to see the diversity of the Malaysian people, their culture, heritage, flora and fauna, as well as the diversity of the partnerships that we have, whether it is through the government, business, defence, academia, science, research and so forth," she told a press conference, here on Wednesday.

Treadell said the royal visit would commence in the heart of the city, with an event hosted by the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, involving some youth engagement with both Prince Charles and Camilla.

Their Royal Highnesses are also expected to have an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negara and a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Treadell said one of the highlights of the tour would be the Gala Dinner, attended by senior dignitaries in Malaysia, as well as key figures from business, arts, culture and media communities.

"We have gone to the extent of designing a menu for the Gala Dinner where each dish is a fusion of British and Malaysian elements.

"An example of the menu is the beef 'rendang' Wellington and an English trifle dessert layered with Malaysian mango puree, dried pineapple crisps, alongside English berries and the standard custard," she said.

Treadell said there would be occasions where the public could come and see Their Royal Highnesses for themselves.

"However, for security reasons, we are not allowed to reveal those locations at this time, but we will put out information closer to those moments, so people can look out for news on that on our (UK in Malaysia) social media channels," she said.

Treadell also encouraged the public to look out for updates and information, as well as to post on their social media using the #MYUK60 and #RoyalVisitMY hashtags.

('Malaysian Stop Longest in Prince Charles and Camilla's Tour of Three Countries.' – The Star Online, November 1, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA ARRIVE ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO MALAYSIA
2. RELATED: MALAYSIAN STOP LONGEST IN PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA'S TOUR OF THREE COUNTRIES
3.

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PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA'S TOUR OF SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, BRUNEI AND INDIA IN PICTURES

REPORTED BY THE TELEGRAPH

Prince Charles and Camilla at the Singapore National Orchid Garden.
Photo: The Telegraph

The Royal Couple at Tiong Bahru Covered Market, Singapore.
Photo: The Telegraph

Charles signing the guestbook at the Istana Negara in Singapore, with Camilla looking on.
Photo: The Telegraph

('Prince Charles and Camilla's Tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and India in Pictures.' – The Telegraph, November 1, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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BREAKING / CAUGHT SPEECHLESS, CLARE REWCASTLE BROWN PUTS AMBIGA ON THE SPOT, LASHES OUT MORE INSIDIOUS CLAIMS AS DEFENCE

2017-10-30T07:22:00.003-07:00

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IN an interesting twist, the Editor-in-Chief of Sarawak Report, Clare Rewcastle Brown names former Bar Council President, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan as her key witness.

She also made more bold claims, which she claims she can corroborate with solid evidence.

There are several dimensions to this development, one of which is her primary defence of the statement as having been made in good faith, as a matter of public interest. By naming Ambiga as her witness, she intends to prove that the verbal claim made during her conversations with the said witness is sufficient to be published in her capacity as a political commentator.

By citing 'serious harm' as another aspect of her defence, she is also adding to this first dimension a claim that this case is invalid due to the fact that there had been no serious financial loss to the individual.

She is also attempting to extricate herself from this mess by claiming that she never specifically meant the person of MP Abdul Hadi Awang, President of the Islamist PAS Party - former member of Pakatan Rakyat the former incarnation of the political coalition proclaimed by Clare as her choice for the Malaysian rakyat.

Thus, there remains a possibility that she may get away with the 'public interest' defence, as subsection 4 of article 4 of the act in reference - the Defamation Act of 2013 - provides that, "In determining whether it was reasonable for the defendant to believe that publishing the statement complained of was in the public interest, the court must make such allowance for editorial judgement as it considers appropriate".

In other words, the presiding Judge will consider and allow for a degree of "editorial judgment as it considers appropriate".

This very appropriateness is key in her defence, and she needs to prove that she is not a malicious party with objectives other than merely being a "political commentator".

One way that this can be determined is to see whether the claims that Clare Rewcastle Brown had recently entered as her counter defence can actually be proven beyond any reasonable doubt - with the proper documentation.

These claims include that RM200 million had made it into the bank account of a PAS Deputy President Nasharudin Mat Isa, and that some of these monies had also contributed to enabling some PAS members in "acquiring new cars, new properties, and new wives", and that the documentation that she had entered would suffice to prove her case.

If she can unequivocally prove this, then the day may go to her, but if she cannot provide sufficient or even any unadulterated 'evidence' to support her case, then she certainly runs the risk of proving her malicious intent in making purposefully inaccurate and false claims based on hearsay, in order to influence the political course of a Sovereign nation.

In court, it is no longer "a matter of public interest", but rather a matter of provable claims - and Clare is risking being caught trying to use the court to play her own brand of propaganda politics by making a mirror image claim against her adversary while she is actually doing it herself.

Against the backdrop of her previously failed attempt at throwing accusations against the Malaysian Judiciary, we await with mouth agape at the boldness of her claim and await the myriad interesting ways she will come up with either to absolve herself, or dig her own grave ever deeper.

By naming Ambiga, she is confirming that she is in collusion with a figure that had long been associated with her work on a Malaysian 'regime change', and had also admitted to receiving a large sum of money from the Soros-founded Open Society Foundation.

To the claim that she never mentioned Abdul Hadi by name, but only made references as to monies that had "entered the accounts of top PAS leaders", Abdul Hadi may win this argument due to his capacity as the President of PAS, and thus reputationally has the most to lose due to the perception that he would have had the control in doling out such a huge amount of alleged bribe. All RM90 million of them.

As for the "serious harm" defence, the law specifically spelt out that, "A statement is not defamatory unless its publication has caused or is likely to cause serious harm to the reputation of the claimant," which is to say that reputation loss is at the centre of what the Judge would consider in this case, however, as stressed in part 2 of this definition, that "harm to the reputation of a body that trades for profit is not 'serious harm' unless it has caused or is likely to cause the body serious financial loss," meaning to say that 'serious harm' in this case is dependent on the currency that is gained in the reputation.

In other words, for a business, their currency is money, and thus financial loss is required to to constitute 'serious harm', but for a politician, the currency would be the loss of support.

The emphasis on the phrase "is likely" is worth noting, because an actual loss in the number of support is not expected to be necessary, merely the possibility of it happening should suffice.

As a coup de grâce, Clare is attempting to compel Abdul Hadi Awang into entering his defence following her 'bombshell' of a counter-claim. It remains to be seen if the Judge would allow such a defence as being sufficient to compel the claimant to provide said defence.

This particular defence includes a claim that commentators such as Malaysia Today and blogger Raggy Jessy/The Third Force (RJ/TTF) are propaganda machines under instructions both by PM Najib and Abdul Hadi himself, setup in order to influence the court's decisions.

In her world, everyone who disagrees with her, or knows that she is up to no good would be branded a propagandist, and not herself.

It is her bogus Sarawak Report - ipso facto - that is nothing but propaganda, not the other way around, precisely to present to the Judge that she is the victim instead of the victimiser.

We hope that the presiding Judge would be wise enough to discern this fact, and that Abdul Hadi is able to stress this point as well.

And that is pretty much the crux of the matter: that a Judge, especially in the age of electronic media, would be trained not to be affected by the possibility of external media influence, and that she firstly needs to prove as to how she arrived at the conclusion that PM Najib and Abdul Hadi had their hands in controlling what MT and RJ/TTF publish instead of being mere political commentators themselves, however offensive their language or writings seem to her own warped out sense of what's right and what's wrong, before compelling that Abdul Hadi prove his innocence.

That is the long and short of what we can surmise thus far. An interesting development, certainly.

Now, we await the courtroom action unless something new comes up - as things usually do in cases such as these.

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2. RELATED: SARAWAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE OF INFORMATION, SAYS REPORT

3. RELATED: CLARE: HADI, NAJIB COLLUDING TO EXPLOIT LONDON CASE PROCEEDING

4. RELATED: HADI WILL HAVE TO FILE DEFENCE TO CLARE'S CLAIM, SAYS LAWYER

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'RM90M FOR PAS': S'WAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE

REPORTED BY MALAYSIAKINI

Clare (left) and Ambiga, who is named as the former's source.
Photo: Malaysiakini

Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown has named former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan as part of her defence with regard to a defamation suit filed against her by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

Rewcastle-Brown claimed she had spoken to Ambiga in July 2016 on matters related to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, 1MDB and PAS [continues in subscription].

(''RM90m for PAS': S'wak Report Editor Names Ambiga as Source.' – Malaysiakini, October 30, 2017)

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1. 'RM90M FOR PAS': S'WAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE

3. RELATED: CLARE: HADI, NAJIB COLLUDING TO EXPLOIT LONDON CASE PROCEEDING

4. RELATED: HADI WILL HAVE TO FILE DEFENCE TO CLARE'S CLAIM, SAYS LAWYER

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RELATED: SARAWAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE OF INFORMATION, SAYS REPORT

REPORTED BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

Clare at a Bersih Rally in London, clearly campaigning for the Opposition party using a civil rights event as a cover. The Bersih movement admitted to having received money from George Soros' Open Society Foundation to exact 'regime change' in Malaysia.
Photo: The Malaysian Insight

SARAWAK Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown has named former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan as a source of information for alleging that top leaders in PAS had received money from Prime Minister Najib Razak, Malaysiakini reported today.

According to the report, Rewcastle-Brown said she spoke to the former Bersih chairman in July 2016 regarding Najib, 1MDB and PAS.

"Ambiga had told the defendant that her sources, whom she said were reliable, had estimated the amount that had been paid was around RM90 million," said Rewcastle-Brown in her court filing dated October 11.

The court documents were filed in relation to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's defamation suit against Rewcastle-Brown in April this year.

Hadi claimed that he had been defamed in a Sarawak Report article entitled "As Najib denies all over 1MDB let's not forget his many other criminal connections" that was published on August 6, 2016.

The article suggested that money was in exchange for PAS support for Barisan Nasional.

Rewcastle-Brown said she published parts of her conversation with Ambiga in good faith as a political commentary on a matter of public interest, the report said.

The Sarawak Report editor said her statements were not directed at Hadi and any other individuals personally.

The filing also told the court Najib allegedly transferred more than RM200 million to former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa since 2014, to fund a particular PAS faction.

Rewcastle-Brown said former party leader and other top PAS officials had bought cars, properties or took new wives. She provided a long list of luxury vehicles bought by them.

('Sarawak Report Editor Names Ambigs as Source of Information, Says Report.' – The Malaysian Insight, October 30, 2017)

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1. '90M FOR PAS': S'WAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE

2. RELATED: SARAWAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE OF INFORMATION, SAYS REPORT

4. RELATED: HADI WILL HAVE TO FILE DEFENCE TO CLARE'S CLAIM, SAYS LAWYER

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RELATED: CLARE: HADI, NAJIB COLLUDING TO EXPLOIT LONDON CASE PROCEEDING

REPORTED BY FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

Abdul Hadi Awang (right) is accused to collude with PM Najib to use Malaysia Today and The Third Force as an attempt to influence court decision.
Photo: FMT

PETALING JAYA, OCTOBER 30, 2017 –

Clare Rewcastle Brown claims PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has colluded with Najib Razak or his agents to exploit the London court proceedings as part of their propaganda effort to exonerate the prime minister.

In her counter-claim in response to Hadi’s defamation suit, the whistleblower website editor said they want to discredit her and Sarawak Report in its justified campaign that Najib be removed from office and be brought to justice for his alleged corrupt and criminal conduct.

In court papers sighted by FMT, Clare said Hadi, whether by himself or his agents, had been party to the publication of a series of articles, viciously or racially abusing, defaming and harassing her on the Third Force and Malaysia Today websites.

In a counter-claim filed on October 11, she said these publications amounted to harassment and she wanted the court to award her damages for severe stress, anxiety and distress caused to her and an injunction restraining Hadi from further harassment.

Lawyer SN Nair had said Clare would stand to obtain costs and damages if the court dismissed Hadi’s suit and allowed the counter-claim.

Hadi filed his suit at the London High Court in April following an article she wrote on Aug 6 last year.

Sarawak Report ran an eight-paragraph article in which it claimed RM90 million was “reckoned” to have entered the accounts of top PAS leaders to woo them into supporting Umno and Barisan Nasional.

Clare, in her defence to Hadi’s suit, said the PAS leader was not named or identified as being the object on any statement in the article.

She said allowing Hadi’s cause of action as the person referred to in the article would be disproportionate, unnecessary and unjustified interference and inhibition of her and the public right to freedom of expression, especially in the discussion of political matters.

Clare said Section 1 of the Defamation Act 2013 required that it be proved that the publication of the statement complained of had caused serious harm to Hadi’s reputation.

She denies that such harm had been caused to Hadi.

Clare said Hadi filed the claim not to protect his image but for the illegitimate purpose of protecting the reputation and advancing the political purpose of PAS and his political ally, Najib.

She said the statements in the article were a matter of public interest, namely on corrupt and criminal history and activity, conduct and influence of the government, the political and judicial process in Malaysia and whether Najib was fit to hold public office.

Clare said she would prove that Hadi knowingly allowed PAS to be compromised and corrupted and the democratic process to be undermined by senior party personnel.

She said these officials accepted and personally benefited from enormous secret payments from Najib to undermine and withdraw the party from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

She said Hadi ‘s claim for damages and any injunction should also be dismissed.

('Clare: Hadi, Najib Colluding to Exploit London Case Proceeding.' – Free Malaysia Today, October 30, 2017)

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1. '90M FOR PAS': S'WAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE

2. RELATED: SARAWAK REPORT EDITOR NAMES AMBIGA AS SOURCE OF INFORMATION, SAYS REPORT

3. RELATED: CLARE: HADI, NAJIB COLLUDING TO EXPLOIT LONDON CASE PROCEEDING

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RELATED: HADI WILL HAVE TO FILE DEFENCE TO CLARE'S CLAIM, SAYS LAWYER

REPORTED BY FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

Lawyer SN Nair claims that Hadi now needs to enter his defence against Clare's as yet unsubstantiated counter claim.
Photo: Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA, OCTOBER 30, 2017 –

Abdul Hadi Awang has to file his defence to absolve the prime minister of accusations in response to Clare Rewcastle Brown’s claims that the PAS president has conspired with Najib Razak or his agents to exploit a court case in London, a lawyer said.

SN Nair said this must be done within a stipulated time as provided under the English court rules.

“Failure to do this will amount to Clare obtaining a judgement in her favour,” the lawyer told FMT.

Nair said he believed Hadi’s lawyers in London would rebut the counter-claim due to the serious allegations made.

He said this in response to the Sarawak Report editor who filed the counter-claim and defence to Hadi’s defamation suit filed in April.

In her counter-claim, the whistleblower website editor said they want to discredit her and Sarawak Report in its “justified campaign” that Najib be removed from office and be brought to justice for his alleged corrupt and criminal conduct.

In court papers sighted by FMT, Clare said Hadi, whether by himself or his agents, had been party to the publication of a series of articles, viciously or racially abusing, defaming and harassing her on the Third Force and Malaysia Today websites.

[Clare can sue these parties and prove in court that they are actually doing all these things to her, and if she has a strong case, she should sue to prove this claim first before expecting the court to simply accept it as fact, just on her say so. The quality of her 'evidence' is yet to be evaluated, but judging by what had transpired regarding her claims against the Malaysian judiciary being also in collusion with PM Najib and Abdul Hadi, we feel that this claim may go the same way as well. This is of course, up to the Judge to consider.]

In the counter-claim filed on October 11, she said these publications amounted to harassment.

In it, she has implicated Najib in the financial scandal of state investor 1MDB, the Scorpene submarine deal and the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, the prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy, endemic corruption and money politics in the 2013 general election.

Clare has also listed out at least 10 senior PAS officials from the ulama group who have been beneficiaries of money sourced from 1MDB.

Hadi filed his suit at the London High Court following an article she wrote on August 6 last year.

Sarawak Report ran an eight-paragraph article in which it claimed RM90 million was “reckoned” to have entered the accounts of top PAS leaders to woo them into supporting Umno and Barisan Nasional.

Clare, in her defence to Hadi’s suit, said the PAS leader was not named or identified in any statement in the article.

She said Hadi’s suit was an infringement of her right and the public’s right to freedom of expression, especially in the discussion of political matters.

Clare said Hadi filed the claim not to protect his image but for the illegitimate purpose of protecting the reputation and advancing the political purpose of PAS and his political ally, Najib.

She said the statements in the article were a matter of public interest.

Nair said Hadi and Clare could also opt to strike out each other’s claim after their defence had been filed.

“But it must be filed before the trial commences,” he said, adding that it would interesting to see which personalities would give evidence.

('Hadi Will Have to File Defence to Clare's Claim, Says Lawyer.' – Free Malaysia Today, October 30, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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EDITORIAL / UNMASKING THE REAL LUKAS STRAUMANN AND THE BRUNO MANSER FONDS: PART II - BOGUS SCIENCE, BOGUS VALUES AND HIDDEN AGENDA

2017-10-19T06:13:00.001-07:00

IN the last editorial, we had written on BMF and its notoriously belligerent director, Lukas Straumann and examined how they have been caught whitewashing the misdeeds of Swiss Nazi chemical companies while unfairly and distortedly attacking Sarawak with a degree of vehemence that would have been more appropriate when directed at the Nazis - new and old - much closer to home.

In this instalment, the NINE QUESTIONS Panel examines the faulty and sinisterly dangerous worldwiew that the operators of the Bruno Manser Fonds hold fast to. We also explore the twisted 'science' behind the existence of this shadowy organization, the suspicious fundings of which has been verifiably substantiated and covered by the good people at Corruption Watchers.

The Panel will also scrutinise current issues surrounding the subject of the nomads, and compare the many different groups to shed light on the issue concerning the Penan natives of Sarawak and we will show how the people at Bruno Manser Fonds are misleading and even maliciously using the Penans to advance their self-serving and suspicious cause.

– The NINE QUESTIONS Panel

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-PART II-

"Over 90% of Sarawak's rainforests were logged."

– Bruno Manser Fonds

THUS goes the oft-repeated mantra favoured by Bruno Manser Fonds and their close - but equally bogus - affiliate, Sarawak Report. Depending on their mood, they will also use the contradictory line of, "Only 5% of forest cover left", just to lend their agenda an air of alarming urgency that is best focussed on other, more realistically urgent locations around the world*.

Over time, they have refined this claim to include the word "primary", when they realised that their original claim cannot be substantiated by any acceptable method whatsoever.

STATIC STATISTICS

The other problem with this whimsical claim is precisely because in the decades since this claim had first been made - since the late 1980s to the early 1990s - their statistics had barely changed from the same old tired general accusation, and thus we can conclude that the original accusation was made from a blatantly biased estimation and thus designed to cause maximum damage despite ground evidence to the contrary.

Thanks to modern technology, we are now better able to discern with little room for doubt that the claims made by BMF and their well-meaning but mislead affiliates (except for Sarawak Report, whom we are adamantly sure is one maliciously unrepentant organisation, with the zeal of a biased and hateful fanatic) are far from accurate.

This zeal is best encapsulated in Bruno Manser's own, albeit gravely false proclamation made in February of 2000 that, "[through] his logging license policies, Taib Mahmud is personally responsible for the destruction of nearly all Sarawak rainforests in one generation."

GOOGLE EARTH TIMELAPSE RELEASED

A few days ago, Google Earth had released their latest innovation, which is a timelapse of satellite photographs composited over the period of 32 years (1984-2016).

Satellite shot of Sarawak in 1984.
Screenshot: Google Earth Timelapse

Satellite shot of Sarawak in 2016.

Screenshot: Google Earth Timelapse

Looking closer to the situation using objective data, the interactive map furnished by Global Forest Watch tells another starkly different story than the tired old "90% gone, 5% left" jingle, that makes neither logical nor mathematical sense.

In this 2016 rendering of the Global Forest Watch interactive map, forest cover loss is clearly less than 40% to 50%. Furthermore, if only 5% was left, or as Mr Manser would prefer to term it as "nearly all" is gone, then wouldn't Sarawak be left with absolutely no forest cover in the 16 years that the ridiculous pronouncement was first made? Evidently, these campaigners are not interested in the truth, but merely using false data to advance their hidden political/commercial agenda.
Screenshot: Global Forest Watch

Just a cursory view would tell the observer that there is still way more than merely 5% forest cover over Sarawak, and certainly, even the primary rainforests are still largely intact.

Given that Mr Manser had made such a boldly apocalyptic pronouncement way back at the turn of the millennium, the sixteen years that had passed would have seen Sarawak with absolutely no forest cover by today, especially presuming that they were correct in saying that all this is due to then-Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud's "indiscriminate policies".

LET'S GO EUROPE

Let's zoom in closer to Europe where these 'campaigners extraodinaire' come from.

Below is a screenshot of the Global Forest Watch interactive map of a large section of Scotland, United Kingdom, which shows two large forested parks, surrounded by what looks like sparsely tree-covered areas. In other words, Scotland either doesn't have that much forest cover to begin with, or it had already decimated most of its virgin forest covers before environmental data had been collected in such a manner as we see today.

Yet still, there is evidence of relatively massive tree-cover loss occurring even in National Parks not mentioned by BMF or Sarawak Report. Clicking on the photo will show the full extent of the damage.

According to the Trees for Life Organisation, there is only 1% of primeval forest cover left in Scotland.

Anyone cares to save this even sadder state of affairs in Scotland? Apparently BMF and Sarawak Report do not.

If they really cared about the environment, they would have done or said something about this, but they evidently have not.

This 2016 map from Global Forest Watch clearly shows logging activities and forest loss areas unrelated to logging being worryingly present in both the Galloway Forest Park and the Northumberland National Park, both in Scotland - a country with an already scarce forest cover.
Screenshot: Global Forest Watch

Whatever be the case, it is clearly hypocritical of the BMF and close affiliate Sarawak Report to give undue focus and spread misinformation about Sarawak to the international community, while at the same time claiming to be eco-heroes to anyone who would believe them. Other than the recent lip-service (at worst)/belated effort (at best) to protect the Polish Białowieża Forest, they repeatedly ignore other hotspots around Europe to give the impression that everything is super-enlightened and that they know what they are talking about.

They evidently don't, as we have clearly demonstrated.

This is not to say that all's 100% well in Sarawak and there is absolutely no environmental concerns involving the Sarawak rainforest, but we are certainly saying that the hyper-alarmist views taken by these irresponsible and self-serving activists are nothing more than hogwash guesstimates that reflect their own bigoted biases and lack of knowledge on their own part.

Despite the lack of knowledge, they are certainly full of presumptions.

What Sarawak and the Penans need in this case is more NGOs and activists who are not only better informed, but are willing to work with the democratically-elected Sarawak Government to help them preserve their culture and knowledge, but also to ease into modern living, and pursue a destiny they had never charted for themselves before, in harmony with all the other communities in Sarawak - a bottom line too easily ignored by manifest destiny organisations such as BMF and Sarawak Report.

It must be noted that although by now - with the power of the internet and social networking - BMF had managed to 'diversify' their previously skewed focus on Sarawak into other places in the world, we will prove that this is merely 'greenwashing' on their part based on the essential and needful things that they never bothered to take up, and as the window of opportunity had recently closed, they will also not be able to rectify.

And this is what we will explore below to prove the disingenuousness of BMF and its operators.

But first, let us take a look at the supposed raison d'être of this organisation, and that is the late Bruno Manser himself. In order to do this, we need go no further than the chilling semi-autobiography of the man himself, called Laki Penan (2006), which we will discuss in detail a little later.

Before we do that, a quick look at who Bruno Manser the man is, pre-Sarawak.

BRUNO MANSER, SWITZERLAND AND HIS FIRST CULTURAL MISAPPROPRIATION

Frequently hailed as an "eco-hero", Mr Manser is of Swiss origin and is said to be passionate about the environment and would fit the description of what Westerners would call a typical 'hippy'.

His personal life - according to Wikipedia, without a doubt fluffed up by BMF or affiliate - reads as following: "Bruno Manser was born in Basel on 25 August 1954 in a family of three girls and two boys...During his younger days, Manser was an independent thinker. His parents wanted him to become a doctor, and he studied medicine informally...Manser spent three months in Lucerne prison when he was 19 years old because, as an ardent follower of non-violent ideologies espoused by Mahatma Gandhi (Satyagraha) he refused to participate in Switzerland's compulsory military service. After leaving prison in 1973, he worked as a sheep and cow herder at various Swiss Alpine pastures for 12 years. During this time, he became interested in handicrafts, therapeutics, and speleology. He laid bricks, carved leather, kept bees, and wove, dyed, and cut his own clothes and shoes. He also regularly pursued mountaineering and technical climbing...At the age of 30, he went to Borneo, looking to live a simpler life...In 1984, while learning more about the rainforests, Manser learned of a nomadic tribe known as the Penan tribe. After learning more about the tribe, he decided to attempt to live with the Penan tribe for a few years and traveled to the East Malaysian state of Sarawak in 1984 on a tourist visa."

Briefly, Bruno Manser has had many a brush with mainstream establishment years before he came to Sarawak, purportedly to live much closer with nature. Evidently, he isn't able to be as hippy as he can in 1970s Switzerland, so he eventually decided to try his luck in Malaysian territory in 1984.

Despite all the polished marketing efforts that BMF and others had spent in creating this eco-hero imagery, what cannot be erased is the fact that Bruno is in fact a belligerent failure in his own society who expects to make a stake - James Brooke-style - elsewhere where the jungle people live, because he simply cannot fit in with the rest of mainstream Switzerland.

Having been jailed due to his refusal to serve the Swiss military service, he is touted as a worthy follower of Gandhi's Satyagraha or non-violence movement/ideology. What the propagandists would love for people not to realise is the fact that even Mahatma Gandhi himself had served in military service for the British Army.

Gandhi (fifth from left, middle row) alongside members of the Indian Ambulance Corps during the Second Boer War.
Photo: Times of India

"Gandhi left England for India in December, 1914 and arrived in January, 1915.

That year, Gandhi was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal.

In the next few years, Gandhi continued to espouse the cause of the British,

though he also fought British imperialism through Champaran satyagraha in 1917 and the Kheda satyagraha in 1918.

In fact, after Kheda satyagraha ended, Gandhi aggressively started campaigning for the war as a recruiting officer of the empire.

This time, Gandhi wasn't recruiting non-combatants but fighters."

– Times of India

Noting that even the father of Satyagraha is not against serving in the military, the claim that Bruno Manser and supporters have been making to the effect that he is merely following the tenets of Mahatma Gandhi's ideology is proving to be just another whimsical claim to justify an action that isn't actually supported by the said ideological founder and main proponent.

At the very least, this reflects the blatant ignorance - not to mention the false misappropriation - of a well-delineated ideology.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, Mahatma Gandhi is far from being a hippy, but is of a different breed altogether - a breed that Bruno Manser evidently is far from belonging to.

1973, THE YENISH PEOPLE AND KINDER DER LANDSTRASSE

Mr Manser was released from Swiss prison in 1973.

That particular year was also a significant milestone for Switzerland, because it was exactly that year that the notorious program called the Kinder der Landstrasse (Children of the Open Road) was finally abolished by the Swiss Government.

For the uninitiated, this controversial program was focused on the Yenish people of Switzerland, with the aim of forcibly settling them down through the process of imposed assimilation.

Who are the Yenish? They are a group of nomadic natives who roam or travel around Switzerland and neighbouring countries as a way of life. In short, the Yenish Travelling Nomads are the Swiss equivalent of the Penans in Sarawak.

We bet most readers have never even heard of the Yenish people until today, and we cannot blame them. Given such an atrocious history, it makes sense that the authorities, and Swiss society itself would rather not mention the subject of the Yenish.

Tellingly, instead of being called the Yenish - as they call themselves - they were for the longest time known simply as "The Travellers", conjuring up images of hippy bandwagons instead of a persecuted minority.

In fact, we are more likely to hear about the so-called Gypsy Romas who originated from India around a millennia ago. While both groups have been facing and still face their own unique brands of persecution in Europe - including Switzerland - it seems that as far as Bruno Manser's native Switzerland is concerned, the Yenish nomads has had it really bad.

Another group, the Sinti nomads, are also not doing any better in Switzerland, as we will see below.

A Gypsy Roma beggar in Geneva.
Photo: Glocal Forum

"Switzerland has tried to make the Jenish population settle down.

Between 1926 and 1973 an aid organisation of the foundation Pro Juventute and the guardianship authorities took away more than 600 children from their parents.

The federal government, welfare centres, teachers, pastors and aid organisations supported the operation Relief Organisation for Children of the [Open] Roads.

Many Jenish children were placed with rural families, supposedly as children in care. They were exploited as cheap labour and often mistreated. Because of public pressure, the operation was stopped in 1973.

In 1987 the cabinet apologised.

A foundation was set up to guarantee the future of the travellers, their living conditions and their way of life in Switzerland."

– SwissInfo.ch

The persecuted Yenish nomadic natives of Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Wallonia and France.
Photo: Traveller's Voice

As mentioned before, the year that this this program was shut down coincides with Bruno Manser's release from Swiss prison. And although that fascistic program that lasted for 47 years was dissolved officially in 1973, the plight of the Yenish Travelers continue to this very day - not only is their indigenous culture threatened, they are also facing blatant racism and bigotry from the supposedly enlightened and socially compassionate Swiss - the archetype that BMF is trying so hard to cultivate in the persona of Bruno Manser.

According to Traveller's Voice, "The 1948 UN Genocide Convention defines the forcible transferring of children of a 'national, ethnic, racial or religious group to another group' in the intent to destroy, in whole or in part; as genocide and this, along with public shame and pressure brought an end to the forced adoptions and the beginning of a programme of reparations for survivors."

Not only was Bruno Manser a false prophet who was actually a misguided and unruly anarchistic hippy, he and others aligned with him in this whole BMF Progrom are clearly caught being silent about a fascist-inspired genocide that was taking place right at home.

It comes as no surprise then, to see a pattern of whitewashing the misdeeds of various fascists around the home front - while attacking faraway tropical lands inhabited and administered by natives ripe for a 'civilising-to' - emerging from looking at concurrent developments taking place while their campaign has been running.

Ditto Herr Straumann, "historian". Instead of radicalising the Penans and peddling falsehoods, he would do well to expose the neo-fascists that are actively taking hold of Europe as we speak. Unless, of course this is something that he condones.

The victorious Sebastian Kurz, whose win is described by the New York Times as such: "An anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim party won the Austrian elections on Sunday, and its leader might form a government with a party founded by ex-Nazis."
Photo: NYT

NOTHING TO SEE HERE - LOOK AT SARAWAK INSTEAD

In all the interim years between leaving prison and embarking on the journey to Malaysia (1973-1984), and even the subsequent years since and until the day he went missing, isn't it strange that Mr Manser had never even mentioned the Yenish people, much less to fight for their rights with as great a zeal as he possessed while fighting in the name of the Penans?

Why is it that Mr Manser needed to venture all the way to Sarawak in order to "be one with nature", when he can perfectly do that with the Yenish people of Switzerland who also need someone like him to fight for their rights?

Unfortunately, Bruno Manser and his Fonds never even cared for their plight for reasons only beknownst to them and their close circle of political/commercial activists masking as well-meaning environmental activists.

If the reason is that there is very little forest area left in Switzerland that could sustain nomadic living, why haven't BMF done something about that situation, as opposed to Sarawak, which still has those roaming grounds for the Penans to practice their culture?

The Penans may face hardships by virtue of living a hard life in the forest (in case anyone is entertaining that living in the jungle is like living in paradise, let us tell you right now it isn't and the Penans will also be the first ones to tell you that), but they never faced anything remotely close to what Swiss society had done to their Yenish nomads.

Bruno Manser and BMF can say any number of false things, but what they cannot deny on any level is the fact that the Government of Sarawak had never stooped to approving anything even remotely close to attempting to kidnap Penan children forcibly to assimilate them into mainstream society.

For Sarawakians, that is simply unthinkable, yet the Swiss did it for 47 cruel years.

In fact, it was only in 1998 - two years before the disappearance of Bruno Manser - that the Yenish, were granted protection under the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities - 14 full years after Bruno Manser left Switzerland and deserted the Yenish nomads in favour of the Penans of Sarawak, thousands of kilometres away from home.

And we haven't even started talking about the plight of the other nomadic tribes currently being persecuted in Europe, despite their protected status, and we shall elaborate later below.

Just as we had caught Lukas Straumann whitewashing Swiss Nazi chemical companies while attacking Sarawak, we are again seeing the same pattern of covering up or blatantly ignoring their own dark fascist history while claiming that worse things are happening halfway across the world, when there is nothing further than the truth.

Perhaps this tactic would have worked before the internet liberated information flow, and thus we are better able to check against a whole backdrop of hypocrisy, long-standing ignorance, and bigoted prejudices being practiced.

Welcome to the 21st Century, Bruno Manser and Lukas Straumann.

LAKI PENAN, STARRING BRUNO MANSER

The video feature Laki Penan was made in 2006, and it aims to glorify Bruno Manser as an eco-hero, who had supposedly managed to figure out a way of living in harmony with nature, before his tragic disappearance in 2000.

It also explores and explains in length the philosophical leanings of the man himself based on his writings found within the pages of his journals - which is illustrated with surprisingly good sketches of the scenes that he witnessed during his stay with the Penan tribe.

But it is precisely the words that he had recorded that we are more interested in looking into.

Given that the whole film is quite lengthy, we would zoom into certain important parts to glean the ideological construct behind the man who would be the self-made Sarawakian Tarzan.

Laki Penan (2006) Part 1 of 7.

In this part of the film, the audience is introduced to Mr Manser's encounter with the Penans, where he describes their lifestyle and worldview.

Note that while we are not criticising the right for the Penan to maintain a certain cultural identity, we are certainly criticising BMF's continually misguided attempt to preserve the Penan foraging, hunting and gathering lifestyle in toto and without any concessions to be made to fit into mainstream society whenever they are ready.

This point is evidenced 7m27s into the Part 1 of 7 instalment, whereby the consuming of wildlife simian flesh is clearly depicted as taking place. Bruno Manser's journal stressed that,"Our guides tell us when a nomad hunts a monkey mother with a child, they'll only kill the mother and then take care of the child."

Contrast that statement with the following news report by the Telegraph, out of Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo: "The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation has reported the discovery of 19 babies so far this year. In the latest cases of a male, six to eight months old, and a three-year-old female weighing only 11 pounds, it is suspected that their mothers were deliberately killed."

Evidently, the same is being frequently and rampantly practiced by poachers just south of the border from Sarawak, where the poachers would kill the adults and adopt the baby primate.

A recently rescued baby orangutan clings on its cage at Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Photo: Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation, Central Kalimantan

We don't see BMF either, (1) praising this practice as acceptable and indeed noble; or, (2) condemning this practice taking place in Kalimantan, perhaps it isn't in line with their broader unstated agenda.

It is clear that despite their many endearing qualities, the Penan also need to undergo their own cultural changes in line with modern sensibilities, and even their own philosophical ideals just to survive.

Laki Penan (2006) Part 2 of 7.

We move on to the Part 2 of 7 video, where at minute 8th, second 25th, we hear something seemingly benign at a glance, and only takes a sharp ear to detect. The narrator reiterates Bruno Manser's words, and in a soothing matronly voice states, "Earth with all its life form is like a huge organism. Even the smallest creature has its own designated space to live in. Everything in nature is fit to work in harmonious cycles."

Seems innocuous enough, until we noticed the following phrase, "designated/living space", or in its original German, der Lebensraum, which is clearly audible through that soothing, raspy voice.

Perhaps the word was mistranslated in order to hide this significance to the non-German speaker.

This word - der Lebensraum - is a word oft-abused by German-speaking colonialists throughout the ages, and the most recent example we should all remember was 1930s Germany and surrounding countries. Yes. We are seeing Nazis again, and it's all from looking at objective - and in this case, primary-sourced - materials.

"The German concept of Lebensraum, (English: "living space") refers to policies and practices of settler colonialism which proliferated in Germany from the 1890s to the 1940s. First popularized around 1901, Lebensraum became a geopolitical goal of Imperial Germany in World War I (1914–1918) originally, as the core element of the Septemberprogramm of territorial expansion. The most extreme form of this ideology was supported by the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and Nazi Germany until the end of World War II.^"

^{– Wikipedia, Lebensraum}

Emblazoned across the entrance to the infamous Auschwitz Concentration Camp are the immortal words, "Arbeit Macht Frei", or "Work Sets You Free". This is eerily echoed by Bruno Manser's own words, "Everything in nature is fit to work in harmonious cycles". The usage of the word Lebensraum by both the Nazis and Bruno Manser himself is strikingly worrying indeed.
Photo: DeviantArt

Seeing how European neo-Nazis are recently gaining more popularity these days, we are not surprised that this attitude had taken root (or rather, never really departed from) within Swiss and the broader European mindset since the 1980s when Bruno Manser decided to make a run to Malaysia.

Whether or not Bruno Manser is a neo-Nazi hippy, we aren't as concerned as towards the fact that he does seem sympathetic to their brand of ideology - whether knowingly or not. His actions, worldview and also lack of knowledge certainly makes him an anarchist in the truest sense of the word, if not also a confused neo-Nazi tree-hugger.

FAULTY SCIENCE, BIASED POPULARISM AND THE ROMANTICISING OF NOMADIC LIFESTYLE

Renowned ethno-anthropologist, Dr Wade Davis is another Western figure who famously did a study on the Penans. He published his findings in collaborative books called, Nomads of the Dawn - The Penan of the Borneo Rainforest, and Penan - Voice of the Borneo Rainforest.

The second book describes the Penans as "one of the world's last hunting and gathering people", which is to be expected given the level of atrocities and genocide that had occurred elsewhere, some of which with impunity - as we have demonstrated with the Swiss program called Children of the Open Road.

Campaigners such as Mr Davis and associates - Lukas and Clare being chiefly amongst them - like to repeatedly accuse the Sarawak Government of stealing from the Penans, based on their very obvious and visible poverty.

With such thick biases, it is best to refer to a more neutral party, who is more of an expert than these fly-by-night visitors, who come and go as soon as their work is done.

We shall see soon below who the actual thieves are.

DR JARED DIAMOND

Dr Diamond is a world renowned author of the award-winning Guns, Germs and Steel - The Fates of Human Societies (1997), which won the 1997 Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science, and the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction. The book also won the Aventis Prize for Best Science Book and The Royal Society's Rhône-Poulenc Prize in Science in 1998.

In his authoritative and groundbreaking study on the nomads of Papua New Guinea, he questions, "What separates the haves from the have nots?", and it is there that he begins his quest to "uncover the roots of inequality".

According to Dr Diamond, who also authored another ground-breaking and seminal book titled, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (2005), a Papuan nomad named Yali bluntly asked him around 40 years ago, "Why you white man have so much cargo (wealth) and we New Guineans have so little?"

Dr Diamond, whom the eminent anthropologist Barbara King described as one who "does not succumb to a Noble Savage fallacy of romanticizing small-scale societies" - a trait which is all to commonly possessed by the overzealous political/commercial campaigners, purely to advance their manifest destiny agenda - and with his solid academic background and breadth of experience living with the natives, is a more credible neutral party to describe the situation of the nomads with greater clarity and authority.

Excerpted from the transcript of the PBS Special titled Guns, Germs and Steel - Out of Eden:

"To catch an animal requires skill, stealth, and encyclopedic knowledge about hundreds of animal species. You have to be pretty smart to be a hunter. But the fundamental problem with hunting is that it’s never been a productive way to find enough food. It takes time to track each animal. And with a bow and arrow, there’s no certainty of how the hunt will end."

He continues,

"Because hunting is so unpredictable, traditional societies have usually relied more on gathering. In this part of Papua New Guinea, the gathering is done by women. An important source of food here is wild sago. By stripping a sago tree they can get to the pulp at the centre, which can be turned into dough and then cooked. Although it’s physically harder work, gathering is generally a more productive way of finding food than hunting."

And most importantly,

"But it still doesn’t provide enough calories to support a large population. This jungle around us, you might think it’s a cornucopia, but it isn’t. Most of these trees in the jungle don’t yield, don’t give us anything edible. There were just a few sago trees, and the rest of these trees don’t yield anything that we could eat. And then sago itself has got limitations – one tree yields only maybe about 70 pounds of sago. It takes them three or four days to process that tree, so it’s a lot of work really for not a great deal of food, plus the sago starch is low on protein, and also the sago can’t be stored for a long time. And that’s why hunter/gatherer populations are so sparse."

He concludes,

"If you want to feed a lot of people, you’ve got to find a different food supply, you’ve got to find a really productive environment, and it’s not going to be a sago swamp."

And therein lies the crux of the terrible lie spread by these irresponsible political/commercial campaigners: Their message that the Penans should be able to maintain their lifestyles as is, without interference from the outside world will perpetually limit their population and condemn them to a life of poverty and subsistence living - while Bruno Manser and associates get to return to their urban Swiss homes as they please, until such a time they get tired of that again.

Although these campaigners claim that the Penan population are under threat, they are also all too keen on keeping the latter under conditions that we ourselves - including Mr Straumann, Ms Brown and associates - wouldn't want to "emulate, such as cycles of violence, frequent risk of starvation, and short lifespans resulting from infectious disease."

Nomadic cultures have little choice but to settle into an agricultural-based lifestyle simply to be able to have a sustainable population in this era, and they need to learn agricultural practices as soon as possible.

Without a sustained population level, and agriculture, the tribe will remain in an endless cycle of poverty by default.

On the flipside, if everybody in this world start becoming nomads all at once, we would have very little food left for our total population, and there would be perpetual and internecine warfare between all the roaming tribes of the world.

This is an unsustainable future, and it clearly shows how misguided these campaigners actually are.

Certainly, teaching the nomads agriculture is a much better solution than attempting to wipe them out genocidally - as what the Swiss did until 1973 to the Yenish people.

This is further reinforced by current attitudes - ones which are actually bigoted and racist than what they are claiming that Penans experience in general - in Switzerland towards the nomadic Yenish, Roma and Senti natives.

In February of this year (2017), the Society for Threatened Peoples at the United Nations Human Rights Council, in their Written Statement concerning the "Situation of the Yenish, Sinti and Roma communities in Switzerland" stated that,

"The Society for Threatened Peoples calls upon the members of the United Nations Human Rights Council and its relevant mandatory bodies to urge Switzerland to:

ºAddress the problem of Racial Profiling by raising data on the topic; by sensitizing the Police in dealing with minorities; by distributing knowledge about Yenish, Sinti and Roma minorities and about travelling groups; by introducing new methods for police practice like a ticketing system for identity checks,

ºIntervene and to take comprehensive measures to fight antigypsyism in media, politics and society by recognizing and officially condemning Racism against Yenish, Sinti and Roma,

ºAddress the lack of transit sites and permanent sites immediately,

ºGuarantee systematic political participation and inclusion of Sinti, Roma and Yenish on federal, cantonal and communal level,

ºRecognize Roma as a national minority in the sense of the framework convention on the protection of national minorities of the Council of Europe and recognize Romanes as a non-territorial minority language,

ºSystematically integrate the history and culture of Jenish, Sinti and Roma in Swiss school curricula,

ºActively promote the culture of Yenish, Sinti and Roma in Switzerland by acknowledging their cultures as a relevant and integral part Swiss cultural heritage."

It seems that the campaigners thrive on such an impasse in order to perpetuate their false and self-serving premises, while completely ignoring the more atrocious problems continually faced by the nomads of Europe in general and Switzerland in particular.

Whatever criticisms that BMF, Lukas Straumann and associates can throw at Sarawak, they can never deny that their own society is committing much graver violence against their own nomads, and they have not said a thing about it.

BMF'S TRUE PLANS FOR THE PENANS

Despite BMF's insistence that its activities are legitimate and despite their elaborately stated aims, a November 25th, 2004 interview with Lukas Straumann by Swiss publication, Online Reports reveals a sinisterly different aim, which isn't stated on the BMF official page, for reasons only known to them.

Mr Lukas Straumann: All quiet on the Western front.
Photo: Online Reports

In that interview, tellingly titled "Switzerland has Greater Influence than One Thinks", to the last question, "There are several Penan objects of cultural and historical interest in Basel. Are there any intentions of making them accessible to the public or even returning them to the Penan?", Mr Straumann states,

"We envision a Bruno-Manser-Building in Basel where the culture of the Penan and life in the rainforest could be brought closer to the public through a permanent exhibition."
– Lukas Straumann, BMF

From these words, we can clearly see that Mr Straumann is more interested in misappropriating Penan culture, with the plan of sequestering their already scarce cultural artefacts permanently in Basel, where they are currently kept.

Is the BMF trying to commit its own 'Elgin Marble' event, when the priceless white marble reliefs from the ancient Greek Parthenon was appropriated to Britain, seemingly with permission of the cultural guardians at the time, but hotly disputed today?

The question is, who really is stealing from the Penans, whilst enjoying their "full trust"?

This is especially worrying given the backdrop of Mr Straumann having the tendency to either whitewash or entirely ignore cases of fascistic behaviours that is occurring much closer to home, even as we speak.

It is is furthermore perplexing as to how Mr Straumann proposes to have the Penans travel all the way to Basel just to visit the proposed "Bruno-Manser-Building" and see their own cultural artefacts?

What's even more insulting is the fact that the proposed building/museum will be named after Bruno Manser, not the Penans. It seems that this whole project is partly aimed at glorifying the late Mr Manser even at the expense of the subject of his 'adoration'.

To further reinforce this notion, we are also witnessing how Swiss scientists themselves tend to ascribe to this 'cult of Bruno Manser' when they named recently discovered Sarawakian species of frog and spider after Bruno Manser, and not any reference to the Penans or any known Sarawakians frequently used by these organisations to promote their self-serving cause.

"The Bruno Manser Fund said that a goblin spider collected by a Dutch-Swiss research expedition in the Malaysian state of Sarawak in the 1990s has been named Aposphragisma brunomanseri. The scientists also dedicated the Murud black slender toad, Ansonia vidua, to Manser. Stefan Hertwig from the Natural History Museum of Bern and Bern University’s Institute for Ecology and Evolution had discovered the toad on the Gunung Murud mountain in the region where Manser went missing in 2000."
– SwissInfo.ch

Whatever BMF's stated plans for the Penans, they certainly do not involve immediate benefits for the Penans, when things are completely within their control, such as in the naming of new species.

SWEEPING THE ROHINGYAS UNDER THE CARPET

BMF's first and foremost stated aim is, "the respect of all human rights, especially that of indigenous peoples".

Looking back at how they have been ignoring the plight and erstwhile genocide of the Yenish people right in their backyard, it isn't that surprising to see that they are also complicit in silence over the genocide of the Rohingyas, nearby in Myanmar.

To date, over 800,000 Rohingya Muslims have had to leave their burning homes at the pain of death, rape and torture. The United Nations recognises this catastrophe as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

Again, we do not see BMF mobilising its network to help the Rohingyas even by a jot. All they have displayed thus far is more silence, as if they do not even know that the Rohingyas exist. There is also always the possibility that they actually condone such atrocious action.

Lukas Straumann's associate Clare Rewcastle Brown, had in fact acknowledged that such an atrocity certainly is occurring in Myanmar, when she described the cancellation of the Royal Visit to Myanmar by the heir to the British throne - Prince Charles and consort, which is a sign of protest to the genocide taking place there - by contemptuously stating, "Even more disgraceful is the fact that this ‘validating’ tour of Malaysia sanctioned by the British Government has been accompanied by a deliberate and public snub of Myanmar, by means of an announcement that the Royal Couple have abandoned their plan to also visit, because of the treatment of the Rohingya."

Bruno Manser was expelled from Malaysia in 1999 for having protested against the destruction of the rainforest and for human rights of the indigenous population [while ignoring graver atrocities that are ongoing much closer at home in Switzerland against the Yenish, Roma and Sinti].
Photo: SwissInfo.ch/Keystone

Try as they might, these fascist-minded saviours of the destitute natives clearly do not care as much about "the respect of all human rights, especially that of indigenous peoples" as they do their hidden political/commercial agenda.

CONCLUSION

Using the extrapolation of changes over time, and also utilising the advancement of technology to further dig deeper into the motivation and actions of these political/commercial campaigners, we can clearly see that these actors are merely stating some sweet idealisms to front their actual aims for the foreseeable future.

It is true that they have contributed in some measures to helping some aspects of Penan life, but all those pale in comparison to the things that they would rather not have the general public know.

We can nowadays acquire information at the touch of a button, and all it takes is some legwork and earnest research to see the true picture of what this whole story is really telling us.

And the picture that emerges is one of blatant hypocrisy, neo-fascist sympathy, misinformation, misunderstanding of the world around them, and the overwhelming urge to impose civility in an already auto-civilising society, that has been moving along well and will continue to move well ahead without Bruno Manser, his Fonds and associates.

They can keep doing all the other nice things to benefit the Penan for them to put up pictures online and show some work, but they can never undo their repeated whitewashing and ignoring of major cases of genocide and persecution of minorities that went on and still going on in Switzerland, elsewhere in Europe, and Myanmar - to name just a few.

Their vehemence in chasing after Sarawak's wealth is worrying not due to fears for social justice, but precisely the opposite - these Europeans seem to be thirsting to fix our faraway tropical lands again while letting their own minorities continue to suffer, and misappropriating the cultural treasures of others - whether ideologically, or even physically.

In the process, the cultural and artefactual treasures of the people BMF seeks to "protect" end up in faraway Basel, almost completely isolated from those who need to access them the most: the Penans and other Sarawakian and Malaysian people.

And the artefacts need to return to Sarawak, which Mr Straumann is refusing to do.

Thus cultural misappropriation should be included into the BMF's list of 'achievements', and not just the fairytale fluff stories that is the staple of their own self-promoting portal.

In the truest sense of the word, BMF and associates are actually the ones that are clearly stealing from the Penans as we speak - directly or indirectly - while enjoying the strong and full trust of the said native tribe.

This conclusion is however, far from being the end of the story, as the facts are still trickling in as the time passes. When that time comes, we will be back again with the next instalment of our exposé on Lukas Straumann, Bruno Manser Fonds and their associates.

[*We note BMF's recent campaign against the deforestation in Poland, but we are of the opinion that this is to preempt suspicions of disingenuousness of their previously Sarawak-only campaign, designed to target Sarawak Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and family, and in the process also unfairly attacks Sarawak and its fledgling, yet independent economy. This development, however, supports our statements shared by many that BMF should in fact focus more on issues more relevant to them, which are in fact, more atrocious and pressing.]

–END OF PART II–

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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CURRENT / CLARE BROWN FINALLY FILES HER DEFENCE, INCLUDES A COUNTER-CLAIM AND CONFIRMS HER LAWYERS WERE CHANGED

2017-10-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

AFTER a lull, Clare Rewcastle Brown finally managed to file her defence in the case of Hadi Awang v. Clare Brown. For added effect, she even included a counter-claim although suspiciously, she is completely mum about it.

Certainly a strange change in attitude coming from the 'Mother of all Sensational News' herself - to whom commenting sub judice is a daily thing, in fact an oft-deployed battle tactic.

"She would only stand to get costs if Hadi is unable to prove his case. Clare has gone another step to file an action against the PAS leader."

– SN Nair,

We are very curious as to the value of the counter-claim that Ms Brown filed, and certainly she should share this information with everyone, if it is so justifiable.

Interestingly, it seems as if the prospect of simply winning at cost isn't enough for Clare, and she will attempt to fleece as much money as she is able, given the chance - as evidenced in this latest development.

It could also mean that Clare is hoping to deter Hadi from proceeding with the case with the threat of an (presumably huge) undisclosed sum as counter-claimed by Ms Brown.

Or both. Until more information trickles out, you get to decide for now.

Another interesting fact that we can glean from this development is the fact that she in fact did change her "horses mid-stream" as alleged by blogger Raggy Jessy a.k.a. The Third Force previously. There is somehow a silent admission on the fact that she changed her lawyers although she was also atypically mum about that whole question.

So much for transparency.

– The NINE QUESTIONS Panel

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2. SARAWAK REPORT EDITOR FILES DEFENCE AGAINST HADI

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CLARE FILES DEFENCE, COUNTER-CLAIM AGAINST HADI

Sarawak Report ran the article in which it claimed RM90 million was “reckoned” to have entered the accounts of top PAS leaders to woo them into supporting Umno and Barisan Nasional.

REPORTED BY FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

Photo: FMT

PETALING JAYA, OCTOBER 12, 2017 –

Clare Rewcastle Brown has filed her defence in response to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s defamation suit against the editor of the whistleblower website, Sarawak Report.

She also revealed that a counter-claim had been filed against Hadi.

“The defence and counterclaim were filed in the UK High Court this afternoon,” she told FMT in an e-mail.

Clare, who did not provide details, said the filing includes a summary of the lengthy full document.

Last week, in updating FMT on the suit, Clare said she would file her defence very soon.

Meanwhile, lawyer SN Nair said Clare would stand to obtain costs and damages if the court dismissed Hadi’s suit and allowed the counterclaim (fresh suit).

“She would only stand to get costs if Hadi is unable to prove his case.

“Clare has gone another step to file an action against the PAS leader,” he said.

On August 2, the court rejected Clare’s application to demand that Hadi deposit a higher security to meet the expected costs before the start of his suit.

The court also ordered her to file her defence by August 30.

However, Clare was given more time after she appointed a new lawyer.
The Islamist party leader was only ordered to place RM80,000 as security, in the event he lost the case against Clare.

The suit, filed at the London High Court in April, was related to an article she wrote in August 2016.

Sarawak Report ran the article in which it claimed RM90 million was “reckoned” to have entered the accounts of top PAS leaders to woo them into supporting Umno and Barisan Nasional.

('Clare Files Defence, Counter-Claim Against Hadi.' – Free Malaysia Today, October 12, 2017)

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1. CLARE FILES DEFENCE, COUNTER-CLAIM AGAINST HADI

– - –

SARAWAK REPORT EDITOR FILES DEFENCE AGAINST HADI

The court did not accept her argument that she would not be able to bring a legal suit against Hadi in Malaysia, where the “judiciary, government and the prime minister are corrupted and are complicit with him”.

REPORTED BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is suing Clare Rewcastle Brown, who is questioning the source of funding for the suit, yet refuses to say whether she will return the money she collected in donations and other sources in the case that she loses.
Photo: The Malaysian Insight

OCTOBER 12, 2017 –

SARAWAK Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown has filed her defence in the United Kingdom High Court against PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s defamation suit, reports Free Malaysia Today.

Rewcastle-Brown told the portal that the defence and a counter-claim were filed against Hadi yesterday.

She, however, did not divulge details of the suit only saying the filing includes a summary of the lengthy full document.

Hadi sued the London-based journalist over an article which appeared on the whistle-blower site last August alleging that he received RM90 million in bribes from Prime Minister Najib Razak in return for support.

Lawyer S.N. Nair said Rewcastle-Brown would stand to receive costs and damages if the court dismissed Hadi’s suit and allowed the counter-claim (fresh suit).

“She would only stand to get costs if Hadi is unable to prove his case.

“Clare has gone another step to file an action against the PAS leader,” he was quoted as saying.

The Malaysian Insight reported that Rewcastle-Brown had asked who was funding Hadi’s suit as such cases are expensive in the UK.

She said Hadi’s lawyer in the UK has so far refused to reveal details of who was funding the suit.

“Nor have they explained why their client is suing in London and not in KL (Kuala Lumpur), where more than a handful of people have at least heard of Hadi Awang.”

She said in August Hadi should reveal if he or his party is footing the bill, which was estimated at £100,000 (RM600,000).

She also attempted to make the court force Hadi to pay a deposit as security, should he lose the defamation suit.

The court decided that Rewcastle-Brown should pay Hadi £15,000 (RM83,700), or two-thirds of the cost of her application, with the quantum of the balance to be assessed by the court in due course.

The court did not accept her argument that she would not be able to bring a legal suit against Hadi in Malaysia, where the “judiciary, government and the prime minister are corrupted and are complicit with him”.

Hadi offered to pay a RM80,000 deposit, which the court accepted.

('Sarawak Report Editor Files Defence Against Hadi.' – The Malaysian Insight, October 12, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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BREAKING / HRH PRINCE CHARLES AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL WILL VISIT SARAWAK ON MALAYSIAN TOUR TO WITNESS ITS CONSERVATION EFFORTS FIRSTHAND

2017-10-05T07:30:00.001-07:00

WE are delightfully elated to learn of the impending visit by their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla to Sarawak, and we are looking forward to hearing what the future heir to the British throne has to say about our lovely Fairland Sarawak.

– The NINE QUESTIONS Panel

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1.
2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA TO VISIT MALAYSIA NEXT NOVEMBER
3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA CANCEL BURMA TRIP AMID 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' OF ROHINGYAS

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PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA TO VISIT MALAYSIA NEXT MONTH

In Sarawak, Prince Charles and Camilla will see first-hand the work being done to promote wildlife conservation and the protection of biodiversity.

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will make their maiden official visit here next month, celebrating the United Kingdom’s partnership with Malaysia on shared priorities ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in April 2018.
Photo: Hugo Burnand/NST

KUALA LUMPUR, OCTOBER 4, 2017 –

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will make their maiden official visit here next month, celebrating the United Kingdom’s partnership with Malaysia on shared priorities ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in April 2018.

The visit is part of a tour of Malaysia, Singapore and India as Commonwealth nations and will be held from October 30 to November 9, said Clarence House.

The tour will kick off in Singapore on October 31, after which Prince Charles, who is the next heir to the British throne, and his wife will arrive here, before visiting Sarawak, Perak and Penang, and then proceeding to India.

Key events in the programme include a gala dinner celebrating 60 years of diplomatic ties between the UK and Malaysia, attended by senior dignitaries in Malaysia as well as key figures from business, arts, culture and media.

The programme also includes a celebration of the Commonwealth in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Summits to be held in the UK in 2018 and Malaysia in 2020.

In Sarawak, Prince Charles and Camilla will see first-hand the work being done to promote wildlife conservation and the protection of biodiversity.
The pair is also expected to meet members of Sarawak's diverse indigenous communities.

The Duchess of Cornwall will meet representatives of Purple Lily, a non-governmental organisation committed to inspiring and empowering disadvantaged women and young girls by providing life skills training and financial education.

“Their Royal Highnesses will end their visit to Malaysia in George Town, originally named Prince of Wales Island.

“The Prince and The Duchess will have the opportunity to meet members of the different religious and ethnic communities who live side-by-side in the UNESCO World Heritage site, and to experience its rich cultural heritage," said Clarence House in a statement.

The visits would highlight key themes including celebrating community, cultural diversity and promoting business innovation.

In Singapore, Prince Charles and Camilla will meet newly-elected President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong while in India, they are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

('Prince Charles and Camilla to Visit Malaysia Next Month.' – New Straits Times, October 4, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA TO VISIT MALAYSIA NEXT MONTH
2.
3. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA CANCEL BURMA TRIP AMID 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' OF ROHINGYAS

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PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA TO VISIT MALAYSIA NEXT NOVEMBER

Also on the agenda for Prince Charles and Camilla is a meeting with members of Sarawak’s diverse indigenous communities.

REPORTED BY FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

The Prince and the Duchess will also visit Sarawak and Perak where they will see first-hand the work being done to promote wildlife conservation and the protection of biodiversity.
Photo: Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR, OCTOBER 4, 2017 –

Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will be visiting Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Perak and Penang on their first official trip to Malaysia next month.

The visit is part of their tour to celebrate Britain’s partnership with Commonwealth nations in the region and will include a trip to India and Singapore, a statement posted on the Prince of Wales’ official website said.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will start their visit to Kuala Lumpur on November 3, after their trip to Singapore on October 31.

The statement said the royal couple will attend a gala dinner celebrating 60 years of diplomatic ties between Britain and Malaysia. The dinner will be attended by senior dignitaries in Malaysia as well as key figures from the sectors of business, arts, culture and media.

The programme includes a celebration of the Commonwealth in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Summits to be held in Britain in 2018 and Malaysia in 2020.

The Prince and the Duchess will also visit Sarawak and Perak where they will see first-hand the work being done to promote wildlife conservation and the protection of biodiversity.

Also on the agenda for Prince Charles and Camilla is a meeting with members of Sarawak’s diverse indigenous communities. The Duchess will meet representatives of Purple Lily, a non-governmental organisation committed to inspiring and empowering disadvantaged women and young girls by providing life skills training and financial education.

They will end their visit to Malaysia with a trip to George Town, Penang, originally named Prince of Wales Island. The Prince and the Duchess will have the opportunity to meet members of the different religious and ethnic communities who live side-by-side in the Unesco World Heritage site, and to experience its rich cultural heritage, the statement said.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, the royal couple will be welcomed by President Halimah Yacob at a ceremony at the Istana, the official residence and office of the President of Singapore.

They are also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong before attending an official dinner.

Their visit will also include a meeting with leaders from Singapore’s 10 national religions aimed at highlighting the republic’s innovative approach to community cohesion.

Prince Charles and Camilla head to India on November 8 where they will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and undertake various engagements to celebrate the UK/India Year of Culture.

('Prince Charles, Camilla to Visit Malaysia Next November.' – Free Malaysia Today, October 4, 2017)

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1. PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA TO VISIT MALAYSIA NEXT MONTH
2. RELATED: PRINCE CHARLES, CAMILLA TO VISIT MALAYSIA NEXT NOVEMBER
3.

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PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA CANCEL BURMA TRIP AMID 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' OF ROHINGYAS

Campaigners had warned against royal visit to country where 500,000 have fled murder, gang rape, and burning of villages.

REPORTED BY THE INDEPENDENT

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall met Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi at Clarence House in May.
Photo: PA Wire/The Independent

LONDON, OCTOBER 4, 2017 –

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have pulled out of a planned trip to Burma amid an international outcry over "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims.

The royals will visit Singapore, Malaysia and India this autumn in an Asian tour on behalf of the British government, Clarence House has announced. But Burma was omitted from their schedule despite once forming part of the plans.

It had been widely speculated the heir to the throne and his wife would visit the south-east Asian country during their traditional autumn tour, despite violence and turmoil in parts of the nation.

Burma has faced widespread condemnation from the international community after more than half a million Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh to escape a military operation described by the United Nations as "ethnic cleansing".

The crackdown was launched response to a series of deadly attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents.

The Prince and Duchess will make an 11-day trip starting in Singapore on October 30 before moving on to Malaysia and ending in India, Clarence House announced at a press briefing.

Scott Furssedonn-Wood, the Prince's deputy private secretary for foreign and Commonwealth affairs, said the visit was planned at the request of the Government.

He added: "Their royal highnesses are delighted to be returning to India, and to be visiting Singapore and Malaysia for the first time together."

The deputy private secretary said Charles and Camilla "will undertake nearly 50 engagements that showcase the breadth and depth of the United Kingdom's relationship with these key Commonwealth partners in advance of a Commonwealth summit in London next April".

Philip Malone, south-east Asia department director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), was asked at the press briefing why and when Burma had been rejected.

He replied: "For a tour like this you look at a range of options and we decided to go with Singapore and Malaysia."

Pressed about when Burma was dropped from the tour, he said only: "These visits are planned over a number of months, preparations are made and you get to the point, working with Scott and his team here, where we decide on the ones that we will pursue for the visit."

Charles and Camilla met Burma's de facto leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for talks at their official London home in May, before the country's military began the offensive on the Rohingya.

Ms Suu Kyi, whose position as state counsellor does not give her authority over the military, has faced international criticism for her failure to speak out against alleged human rights abuses including mass killings, gang rapes, and the burning of villages.

More than 500,000 of the persecuted minority have fled from Burma to Bangladeshi in the past month, with many facing desperate conditions in refugee camps.

Last month Britain suspended its training programme for the military in Burma because of the violence, and diplomatic relations have deteriorated.

Rights campaigners had argued against a royal visit to Burma.

“To have someone of Prince Charles’s stature go to visit the country would be seen as a reward, and giving legitimacy to the government and the military that are currently violating international law,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has called on Ms Suu Kyi to "show the leadership she is capable of to try to heal that terrible situation".

The Prince knew the Burmese leader's late husband Michael Aris, a Tibetan scholar who endured years without his wife when she was under house arrest during her fight to end military rule in her country.

Mr Aris, 53, died of prostate cancer in 1999 and later that year Charles became patron of the Michael Aris Memorial Trust for Tibetan and Himalayan Studies.

During their autumn tour, Charles and Camilla will be flown in the ministerial Voyager jet, a dual purpose refuelling aircraft that has also been refurbished to carry senior government ministers and members of the monarchy on official trips.

The Duchess will arrive in Singapore separately for the start of the tour after spending a few days on a private holiday.

This week 13 UK charities launched a major fundraising appeal to help provide food, medical care and shelter to Rohingya fleeing persecution in Burma.

The UK government pledged to match the first £3m donated by the public to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal.

Rohingya Muslims have faced decades of persecution in Burma, where many of the Buddhist majority consider them illegal immigrants.

('Prince Charles and Camilla Cancel Burma Trip Amid 'Ethnic Cleansing' of Rohingyas.' – The Independent, October 4, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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EDITORIAL / UNMASKING THE REAL LUKAS STRAUMANN AND THE BRUNO MANSER FONDS - PART I: WHITEWASHING SWISS NAZIS WHILE ATTACKING SARAWAK

2017-09-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

– PART I –

IN an interesting development happening in Canada, Lukas Straumann of the Bruno Manser Fonds had initiated a lawsuit against a Canadian company owned by the daughter of the current Sarawak Governor, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Their allegations will be explored in a separate upcoming piece, and will be another interesting matter to expand. However, in this first part of the "Unmasking of the Real Lukas Straumann and the Bruno Manser Fonds", we will take you on a journey of discovery over what motivates people like Lukas Straumann and Bruno Manser to be so passionate about very certain minorities, but ignore others, no matter what their plights.

Below, we attach an open letter to Lukas Straumann, and we hope that he can answer us in due time. We have also posted the same message on the BMF official YouTube video of Mr Straumann explaining the lawsuit - by his own understanding, of course - he initiated against the Canadian company, Sakto Corporation - so that there would be no question as to Mr Straumann having knowledge of this open letter.

In this installment, we would like to highlight the contrast between Lukas Straumann's approach towards Nazi-linked Swiss companies, and his approach towards a company owned by the daughter of the Governor of Sarawak, the latter so far has not been convicted of any of the allegations that had been made by Mr Straumann, Ms Brown, and their manifest destiny organisations, BMF and Sarawak Report (SR), even after many, many years of global effort.

May they fail again.

To spare any further suspense, this story succinctly concludes with the notion that if you were a confirmed Nazi-linked Swiss company, you will get off with merely a private meeting and a short comment from Mr Straumann. Any lawsuit? No. Just a slap on the wrist and then they move on to relentlessly bother Sarawak instead - as if the State was the one with the atrocious Nazi past and all the attendant genocides and war crimes and not them. On the contrary, Sarawakians - including the Taib family are against any acts of genocide. We just can't say the same about Lukas Straumann and friends, as elaborated within the open letter attached below.

[UPDATE: October 19, 2017]

N.b., we checked again on the same YouTube video account, and found that our open letter to Lukas Straumann had not only been ignored, but duly deleted for reasons known only to themselves.

We rest our case on reaching out to Mr Straumann for any civil discussions as they are merely interested in blocking anyone who disagrees with or questions them instead of engaging in a fruitful and meaningful discussion. In fact, they would rather entertain groups of uncouth and foul-mouthed commenters on their various pages.

– The NINE QUESTIONS Panel

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AN OPEN LETTER TO LUKAS STRAUMANN

– - –

by CASSIUS PEREIRA

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

Dear Lukas Straumann,

Your interest in Sarawak issues is commendable - albeit self-serving. We wonder when will you be suing the Swiss chemical companies that were complicit with the Nazis during WWII one way or another, the case of which you investigated in 2001 (see attachment below). It is entirely baffling to see your sense of priorities, whereby given all these years you have still not taken any legal action to bring Swiss companies to justice for their profiteering from the plight and degradation of the persecuted minorities, especially the Jewish people of Europe, where Mr Straumann, a Swiss is from.

A private lawsuit is imperative in the case of Ciba AG, whereby its former Jewish owners, Syngala "wouldn't be able to sue" even as Ciba allegedly failed to complete the purchase payments. Someone such as Lukas Straumann, given the vast expanse of his passionate activism should be best positioned to fight for the former Jewish owners, or even to return it some sort of a common Jewish ownership, anything other than merely commenting, "It is from small and rare remarks like these that you deduct that there was indeed an awareness of wrongdoing", and leaving the matter to rest as if nothing ever happened. Did those lawsuits (Mr Straumann uncovered several other similar Swiss chemical companies) ever happen?

Yet, here we see Lukas Straumann, back in the private lawsuit game allegedly to restitute monies for the far-flung people of Sarawak, which they allege had been stolen and brought to Canada.

Mr Straumann, the Nazi involvement in Switzerland is more extensive than previously admitted by the Swiss, but your actions in whitewashing Nazi atrocities and later your relentless pursuit of a career in crusading faraway natives is at the very least, deeply unsettling. This is especially worrying considering that you have not spoken out - not even on one occasion - against the mistreatment of the Romas and other nomads of Europe. If you still prefer to go further afield in Asia, we don't see you speaking up against the genocide actually happening in Myanmar, where 400,000 Rohingyas have had to flee, mostly into Bangladesh.

Granted that these are actual cases of tribal persecution by the authorities, we don't see Mr Straumann bothering to lend his voice to those that actually need them. Yet, he has a strange fetish for the Penans of Sarawak, who aren't even close to experiencing such prosecutions and are in fact in the process of familiarising themselves with modern development.

What's that? The Nazis stole Jewish companies in Switzerland and this Swiss historian simply shrugs it off with merely a comment, and the Swiss would rather look further afield in Sarawak in order to save the world, or the Penans, or the Sarawakians and whatnot - and keep us in our jungle just the way they want us to?

It seems likely that Lukas prefers to whitewash Nazi Germany atrocities in Switzerland so that he can walk around pretending that they had fairly dealt with the matter, while pursuing some sort of a Revenge/Crusade/Activism project involving the peoples of Sarawak on behalf, it seems, of the Bruno Manser Fonds.

Lukas Straumann can make mountains of claims, but what they cannot deny is that Sarawak is an open developing society and anybody with a passport can visit and explore the land without restriction - other than the conventional law and order, of course.

In fact, there are thousands of Europeans and Americans - young and old - that do come and visit the Land of the Hornbills to see for themselves what Sarawak is all about behind the negative Western publicity usually churned out by the same people time and again. Mr Straumann and Clare Rewcastle Brown are partly to thank for that, certainly - although that is absolutely not their intention.

Is there a genocide or persecution against the Penan people, as alleged and hinted by the BMF this whole while? Is 90% of the forest really disappearing or has disappeared? People can choose to continue reading your propaganda, or people can choose to book the next Air Asia flight to Kuching and see for themselves.

It is not like Burma, as much as you like for people to think. :D

Contrasting the earlier point with your current lawsuit in Canada, we do think that you are still whitewashing Nazi atrocities while targeting alleged corruption cases from further afield just to have something to show in terms of your activism, and that there is a guiding hand behind your actions, which isn't exactly activism.

With that, we conclude with the Swissinfo.ch article in reference.

SWISS CHEMICAL FIRMS PUT PROFITS FIRST, STUDY FINDS -
REPORTED BY SWISSINFO.CH

December 30, 2001 –

Scrutiny of chemical firms' archives has provided key insights into the attitude of Swiss business in its dealings with the Nazis.

Switzerland's 20th century pharmaceutical giants - Ciba, Geigy, Sandoz (since merged to form Novartis) and Roche - have traditionally kept tight-lipped about their wartime past.

But that changed when the firms were ordered to open their archives to an Independent Commission of Experts (ICE), set up in 1996 to probe Switzerland's wartime past.

The study into "Swiss chemical subsidiaries in the Third Reich", by historians Lukas Straumann and Daniel Wildmann, was one of numerous studies published this year by the ICE, led by historian Jean-François Bergier.

The study reveals that the four Swiss parent companies, which were all based in Basel, had a greater control over their German subsidiaries during the period under consideration (1933 to 1945) than had hitherto been assumed.

Pressure to sack Jews

The 358-page study provides evidence that the firms did not come under Nazi pressure to sack Jews until 1938 - before that they were more or less free to employ and dismiss anyone they chose.

Nevertheless, the authors point out, Ciba, Geigy and Sandoz went out of their way as early as 1933 and 1934 to voluntarily "Aryanise" their German subsidiaries by sacking Jewish employees and replacing Jewish members of the board of directors.

Roche's subsidiary in Berlin, by contrast, only reluctantly replaced its Jewish staff, and did so only in 1938 when the Nazi regime intensified its anti-Semitic policies, allowing only "non-Jewish" companies to continue to operate.

The decisive factor in Roche's case was probably personal, the authors contend. [Roche director-general] Emil Barell had a Jewish wife, which meant that he was more sensitive to Nazi policies towards Jews than other people", Wildmann says.

Straumann adds: "We found documents in the Roche archive that describe details of Nazi 'aryanisation' policies, which proves there was an interest in the fate of Jews."

Forced to comply

Swiss enterprises have often justified their behaviour in Nazi Germany by saying they were obliged to comply with the Reich's policies as a condition of doing business.
But Wildmann's and Straumann's evidence belies such an interpretation. Roche didn't lose any business as a result of its loyalty towards Jewish employees - in fact the company boomed like no other during the war.

The report suggests that the chemical sector is particularly suited for studying the ethical standards of Swiss business as a whole during the war years.

The reason is because as a knowledge-based industry, the chemical sector had traditionally established closer ties between parent company and subsidiaries than was the case in other sectors. The industry probably also employed more Jews, especially as scientists.

The study probes other controversies surrounding the business practices of Swiss subsidiaries in Nazi Germany - their contribution to the German war-effort, their use of forced labour, and financial transfers.

German re-armament

Firms who relied on dyes and heavy chemicals, chiefly Geigy, did less well out of German re-armament and the war than subsidiaries that relied on pharmaceuticals.

Roche did particularly well thanks to its control of the German vitamin C market and its position as a major producer of opiate-based painkillers. Its sales almost trebled during the war from 8.8 million Reichmarks (roughly worth $100 million today) to 22 million Reichmarks.

Unlike other sectors, where Swiss investments in subsidiaries paid off after the war but not in the short-term, Swiss chemical firms managed to transfer large sums to Switzerland in the form of licence fees.

In addition, most of the German-based production relied on input materials from the parent company, the payments for which were also transferred freely to Switzerland.

But the most interesting aspect of the study is what the authors discovered about the moral choices faced by the companies' managers.

Polish ghetto

Wildmann tells of a situation where the management of Ciba dispatched one of its employees to track down a former client who had disappeared in the Jewish ghetto of Stenstochow, Poland - in order to recover a payment that Ciba was owed. On his return, the employee drew up a report but omitted any mention of the conditions in the ghetto.

When the Austrian drugs company Syngala was "aryanised" in 1938 and its Jewish owners forced to sell, Geigy saw an opportunity to expand into the pharmaceutical market.

Geigy agreed to buy the company from its Jewish owners, who escaped to the United States, but failed to meet all its payments.

When the issue was brought up in a boardroom discussion, Geigy's company lawyer remarked that Syngala's former owners wouldn't be able to sue. He later added to the minutes in handwriting that the point was "unimportant but worth a consideration".

"It is from small and rare remarks like these that you deduct that there was indeed an awareness of wrongdoing", Straumann says.

('Swiss Chemical Firms Put Profits First - Study Finds.' – SwissInfo.ch, December 30, 2001)

– END OF PART I –

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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FOCUS / THE IMPACT FROM PM NAJIB'S VISIT TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO MEET PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

2017-09-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

AFTER last week's flurry of activities involving PM Najib Tun Razak's back-to-back bilateral visits to the US and the UK, we zoom in on the significance of the Prime Minister's visit to see Donald Trump, the 45th President of the "land of the free and home of the brave".

We salute the successful visit, and look forward to further strengthening of ties between Malaysia, and the US this time around.

– The NINE QUESTIONS Panel

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2. RELATED: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRIME MINISTER NAJIB ABDUL RAZAK OF MALAYSIA BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

3. RELATED: JOINT STATEMENT FOR ENHANCING THE COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND MALAYSIA

– - –

NAJIB MAKES HIS MARK IN WHITE HOUSE VISIT

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Photo: BERNAMA

WITH his landmark White House visit closely watched by the US media, Datuk Seri Najib Razak confided later that he was caught off-guard when Donald J. Trump suddenly called in journalists before his bilateral talks with the US president.

Anyway, the Malaysian leader was in a very good form and he looked very composed. He spoke in a clear voice in response to the welcoming remarks by his host as TV cameras and long boom mics captured his rare moment.

By all accounts, Najib’s ground-breaking visit to the White House proved to be a huge triumph, which reflected not just his standing as a Malaysian leader but also as a statesman championing issues, such as the Rohingya and the fight against terrorism.

“The truth is that this visit is a coup,” said one journalist covering the trip.

“The PM has been bold, talking about 1MDB and other matters to set the record straight.”

The impact of his US visit, and later his stop at 10 Downing Street to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May, was very clear.

Until Najib met Trump, the world’s superpower had been silent on the plight of the Rohingya.

After raising the issue in the White House, Washington began taking a stronger stance as evidenced by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s comments the day after.

He said Myanmar’s democracy was facing a “defining moment”.

“I think it is important that the global community speak out in support of what we all know the expectation is for the treatment of people regardless of their ethnicity,” Tillerson, who attended the meeting with Trump and Najib, said.

“This violence must stop, this persecution must stop,” he said.

And like when Najib met Trump, he offered May a Malaysian value proposition.

And she ended up asking him about geopolitics.

“No doubt at all who was the more senior and knowledgeable of the two, and who needed who more,” said one of Najib’s aides who attended the meeting.

Post-White House visit, there had been very positive vibes in the Malaysian camp and the business fraternity.

The prime minister was in high spirits well after the talks with Trump, who once played golf with Najib, and proved very receptive to the Malaysian leader.

He also broke with convention to see the prime minister off to his car on his way out.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed was also gushing with positivity, and likewise our new envoy to the US, Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique.

One of the strong messages emerging from Najib’s US visit was that Malaysia is now a force to be reckoned with as a serious global investor, with portfolio investments even in the US capital market.

“The prime minister has broken the barrier and minds of those in the box of ‘jaguh kampung’,” said one government official who accompanied him.

We are also one of the world’s top trading nations, including enjoying a huge trade surplus with the US.

For the first seven months of 2017, Malaysia imported only US$7.8 billion from US while exporting US$21 billion, giving a trade surplus of US$13.2 billion.

EPF, which at the end of last year had 29 per cent of its investments overseas and had said that overseas’ investments outperformed local investments in the past two years, already had US$7 billion in investments in US bonds and shares, and may invest another US$3 billion to US$4 billion.

By the way, what is wrong with Malaysia Airlines ordering Boeing’s super-modern 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 MAX planes in order to help turn around the struggling national airline?

Don’t forget, Boeing also invests in Malaysia through a joint venture with Hexcel, USA, to manufacture composites for secondary structures of commercial aircraft.

The plant is located at Bukit Kayu Hitam Industrial Estate in Kedah.

A veteran newsman, Jalil believes that a good journalist should be curious and sceptical at the same time.

('Najib Makes His Mark in White House Visit.' – New Straits Times, September 17, 2017)

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1. NAJIB MAKES HIS MARK IN WHITE HOUSE VISIT

3. RELATED: JOINT STATEMENT FOR ENHANCING THE COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND MALAYSIA

– - –

RELATED: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRIME MINISTER NAJIB ABDUL RAZAK OF MALAYSIA BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY

Cabinet Room - 12:11 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s great to have the Prime Minister of Malaysia and his very distinguished delegation with us today.

We’re talking about trade -- very large trade deals. We’re working on one deal where between 10 and 20 billion dollars’ worth of Boeing jets are going to be purchased, General Electric engines will be purchased, and many other things.

Also, Malaysia is a massive investor in the United States in the form of stocks and bonds, and the stock exchange. And they have to be very happy because we’re hitting new highs on almost a weekly basis. And so we’re very proud of our stock market and what’s happened since I became President. So I congratulate you on those investments.

But I just want to say, it’s an honor to have you here. It’s an honor to have your delegation with us. I believe you’ll be at the United Nations next week, and a lot of folks are going to be at the United Nations next week. It should be an exciting week, and we look very much forward to that.

But I want to thank you very much for all of the investment you’ve made in the United States. Also, the Prime Minister has a major role in not allowing ISIS -- or, as you say, Daesh -- and others to exist. And he’s been very, very strong on terrorism in Malaysia, and a great supporter from that standpoint. So that’s a very important thing to the United States.

He does not do business with North Korea any longer, and we find that to be very important. We had a vote yesterday on sanctions. We think it’s just another very small step -- not a big deal. Rex and I were just discussing -- not big. I don’t know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-to-nothing vote. But those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen.

So thank you everyone for being here, and we appreciate it. Mr. Prime Minister, it’s a great honor to have you in the United States and in the White House. And thank you everyone for being here. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Would you like to say something?

PRIME MINISTER RAZAK: Thank you very much, Mr. President, for your invitation for me and members of my delegation to meet with you at the White House. I want to say that we come here with a strong value proposition to put on the table.

Number one, we want to help you in terms of strengthening the U.S. economy. I come with three specific proposals. Number one, we intend to increase the number of Boeing planes to be purchased by MAS. We are committed to 25 planes of the 737 MAX 10, plus eight 787 Dreamliners. And there is a strong probability -- not possibility – probability that we will add 25 more 737 MAX 10 in the near future. So within five years, the deal will be worth beyond $10 billion. That’s one. We will also try to persuade AirAsia to purchase GE engines.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Great.

PRIME MINISTER RAZAK: Secondly, we have Employees Provident Fund, which is a major pension fund in Malaysia. They’ve got quite a big sum of capital to be exported. They have invested close to $7 billion, in terms of equity, in the United States. And they intend to invest three to four additional billion dollars to support your infrastructure redevelopment in the United States.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Great.

PRIME MINISTER RAZAK: And thirdly, our sovereign fund, Khazanah, they have an office in Silicon Valley. They have invested about $400 million, in terms of high-tech companies, and they intend to increase that investment as well.

Secondly, the other goal of your administration, Mr. President, which is to make the United States safe -- and with that, the world safe -- we are committed to fight Daesh, IS, Al-Qaeda, Abu Sayyaf -- you name it. They are the enemy of the United States, they are also the enemy of Malaysia, and we will do our part to make sure that our part of the world is safe.

We will also contribute in terms of the ideological warfare because you need to win the hearts and minds. And the key to it is to support moderate and progressive Muslim regimes and governments around the world, because that is the true face of Islam; that is the authentic face of Islam. The more you align with progressive and moderate regimes, the better it would be in terms of winning the hearts and minds of the Muslim world.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Right.

PRIME MINISTER RAZAK: So, Mr. President, thank you once again. The United States has always been our partner for a long, long time. And this year is our 60th anniversary of our relationship, and I hope that today’s meeting will make it even stronger in the years to come.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

END - 12:18 P.M. EDT

('Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia Before Bilateral Meeting.' – White House Office of the Press Secretary, September 12, 2017)

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1. NAJIB MAKES HIS MARK IN WHITE HOUSE VISIT

2. RELATED: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRIME MINISTER NAJIB ABDUL RAZAK OF MALAYSIA BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

– - –

RELATED: JOINT STATEMENT FOR ENHANCING THE COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND MALAYSIA

WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

The President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, hosted the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, at the White House to strengthen the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries as they mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.

The United States and Malaysia share a long history of close cooperation built on economic ties and mutual security interests. The two leaders pledged to continue building upon that relationship through enhanced diplomatic, economic, security, and people-to-people ties.

President Trump and Prime Minister Najib recognized the grave threat posed by North Korea to security and stability across the Asia-Pacific region. The two leaders expressed their concern over North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile tests, which are a flagrant violation of the multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and will only further escalate tensions in the region. Both sides reaffirmed their support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the need for the international community to strictly implement UNSC resolutions. President Trump welcomed Prime Minister Najib’s commitment to go beyond the UNSC resolutions, including through a review ofits diplomatic relations and business links with North Korea.

The two leaders pledged to nurture the economic ties between the United States and Malaysia to create jobs and opportunities for people in both countries, reflecting a longstanding and substantial trade relationship. The two countries recognized the importance of regular discussions under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to strengthen the trade relationship by removing barriers in key sectors. Both sides announced their intent to pursue trade and investment opportunities in the transportation and energy sectors and to address the bilateral trade imbalance. The two leaders welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Malaysia Airlines Berhad and The Boeing Company for eight new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, purchase rights for eight additional 737 MAX airplanes, and maintenance for the national carrier’s fleet, with a potential total value of $4 billion (USD). President Trump welcomed the probability of additional purchases of Boeing aircraft in the future. Both leaders welcomed the involvement of the United States private sector in the development of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project. The two countries also committed to review regulatory frameworks with the aim of facilitating investment in their respective economies.

Prime Minister Najib and President Trump discussed matters relating to the South China Sea and emphasized the importance of ensuring, maintaining, and safeguarding peace and stability, maritime security, freedom of navigation and over-flight, and other lawful uses of the seas. The two leaders underscored the importance of upholding and adhering to the rules-based maritime order. They called upon all disputing parties to implement their international legal obligations in good faith, and to avoid the threat or use of force, intimidation, or coercion. They further called on all disputing parties to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities and refrain from action that erodes trust and confidence, and escalates tension, including the militarization of outposts. The two leaders reaffirmed that all maritime claims must be based on and resolved in accordance with international law as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the strategic partnership between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN) and to the continued implementation of the principles decided upon by the leaders of the United States and ASEAN in the 2016 Sunnylands Declaration. They affirmed their support for common efforts to develop a rules-based ASEAN Community, and to maintaining ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture. The two leaders noted the 50th anniversary of ASEAN’s founding and the 40th anniversary of relations between the United States and ASEAN and welcomed commemorative activities.

The two leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation to counter the growing threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Southeast Asia. Both leaders re-affirmed the importance of promoting community resilience and mutual respect across religious and ethnic boundaries. As a partner in the fight against ISIS and a member of the Global Coalition led by the United States, the two leaders noted Malaysia’s pledge of $1 million (USD) for humanitarian assistance in areas liberated from ISIS. The United States recognized Malaysia’s continued progress toward meeting program requirements for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, including obligations under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6 (HSPD-6) and Preventing and Combatting Serious Crime (PCSC) information sharing arrangements. Prime Minister Najib announced Malaysia’s commitment to implement its data sharing agreements with the United States and to phased enhancements of passenger screening at all points of entry, and the United States committed to actively work with Malaysia towards this end. The United States and Malaysia acknowledged that cyber and other crimes often help finance terrorist networks. The countries committed to utilize available multilateral instruments, including the Budapest Convention in order to strengthen domestic legislation and foster international cooperation in combating cybercrime.

The United States and Malaysia pledged to strengthen bilateral defense ties. The two leaders underscored the importance of expanding cooperation in priority areas, including maritime security, counterterrorism, and information sharing between our defense and security forces. They committed to pursue additional opportunities for joint exercises and training. The leaders also underscored the importance of enhancing maritime domain awareness through the development of maritime capabilities such as surveillance, communications, and information-sharing, and expressed their intent to continue discussions on funding of assets through the most effective mechanisms for developing these capabilities in order to advance regional security. President Trump welcomed Malaysia’s intent to make an additional $60 million (USD) in defense procurements from the United States.

They discussed the need to end the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Both leaders called for an end to the violence targeting civilian populations, and discussed the need for a strong international community response for the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have been victimized and displaced by violence, including those who have arrived in Bangladesh. Both sides urged the Myanmar government to end the violence against innocents and ensure that humanitarian relief reaches victims immediately.

President Trump and Prime Minister Najib held a constructive discussion about the importance of good governance and the free flow of information to prosperity and a positive business environment. They also discussed the importance of protecting human rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of religion. The United States welcomed Malaysia’s commitment to increase prosecutions of human traffickers, as well as expedited assessment with the aim of increasing substantially the number of trafficking victims granted freedom of movement.

The two leaders welcomed continued strong people-to-people ties, especially Fulbright academic exchanges. They recognized the growing number of Malaysian undergraduate and graduate students studying in the United States, now numbering nearly eight thousand. They expressed anticipation for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding sustaining the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program, one of the largest in the world, through 2020.

The two leaders discussed their commitment to further strengthening the Comprehensive Partnership to promote peace, stability, prosperity, and international consensus in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.

('Joint Statement for Enhancing the Comprehensive Partnership Between the United States of America and Malaysia.' – White House Office of the Press Secretary, September 13, 2017)

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The NINE QUESTIONS Blog will return with more facts.

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CURRENT / PM NAJIB AND HIS SUCCESSFUL BACK-TO-BACK BILATERAL VISITS TO THE US AND UK

2017-09-18T01:45:00.001-07:00

WE note with great interest the recent developments surrounding the Malaysian Primus Inter Pares, PM Najib Tun Razak and his key visits to the United States of America - at the invitation of President Donald Trump, and to the United Kingdom to visit Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss common issues and renew Malaysia's bilateral relationships with both countries' new leaders.

Recent weeks leading up to the visit had seen a vehement stepping up of media and political attacks ranging from the quintessential (but lately quieting down) 1MDB allegations, to the more absurd telling-to of President Trump on the demerits of PM Najib Tun Razak's very important visit to deter the President from going ahead with the planned meet - all of those efforts having by now been proven to have been a major waste of time and resources, not to mention credibility.

Some claims even pointed out to the possibility that the visit was solicited through a large sum of money paid to lobbyists, while ignoring the fact that it was President Trump himself who extended the invitation to PM Najib.

Plus, it is important to note that contrary to some wild rumours circulating in the Malaysian political conversation, PM Najib was not arrested during his visit.

We happily select some of the news articles surrounding this whole episode, and we hope you will enjoy the story by hindsight as we in the Panel had as this drama was unfolding.

Grab some 🍿, sit back and enjoy this latest episode in "How the Malaysian Coup Facepalmed and How the Plotters Got Butthurt", brought you by the Malaysian Dungu Action Party (DAP) and their attendants in Pakatan Har^pan.

– The NINE QUESTIONS Panel

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2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

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WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

REPORTED BY THE MALAY MAIL

US President Donald Trump welcoming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the White House in Washington, September 12, 2017.
Photo: Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR, SEPTEMBER 16, 2017 –

I never intended to write this piece but the nonsense that I have been reading on social media in the past three days has compelled me to put to writing to separate fact from fiction.

I was part of the Malaysian press corp that covered the trip and before anyone says it, I will tell you that every single newspaper and TV station paid for their own trip and not the government.

So do not accuse me of being bribed.

How long did they meet?

Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his team met with President Donald Trump and his senior Cabinet members for over 50 minutes of which the Prime Minister met President Trump one-to-one for 20 minutes.

Many critics have pointed to the five-minute video and transcript released by the White House, presuming that it was the only amount of time Najib and team got from their American host.
This is nonsense.

What was released by the White House was nothing more than the opening remarks by the two leaders for the benefit of the tens of TV cameras and a dozen-odd newsmen present in the Cabinet Room in the West Wing of the White House.
It was just a show for the benefit of the cameras and sound bite for the newsmen. What they spoke after the cameras and journalists were gone was much more in depth but unlike the opposition politicians, I will not speculate what was said exactly because I was not there then.
The Opposition leaders were quick to jump on the transcript and video as though that was all that had happened.
But I can confirm that the transcript of the opening remarks was accurate because I was there.
The White House’s protocol officer David Solomon had briefed everyone that we were going into the Cabinet Room just for the opening remarks and would have to leave before the actual meeting started.
The transcript released by the White House was for the benefit of the newsmen present so that they got their quotes correct. As we all know the White House press corp are not very friendly to Trump. So it was released to ensure no one in the US media can misquote him.
As a result, none of the American print media bothered to use much of the transcript at all.
Anything that sounds good for Trump is not news for the US print media.
So the truth is that the bilateral meeting between the American and Malaysian team lasted 30 minutes and not the mere six minutes.
We were told by press officers from both side the two leaders also had a separate meeting with each other in the Oval Room which lasted about 20 minutes.
The EPF investment
Our Employees Provident Fund have been investing in the US equity market since 2008 when the law was amended to allow EPF to invest overseas. As part of the Capital Controls Act introduced in 1998, the EPF was previously not allowed to do so.
In fact, the EPF has invested some US$26 billion since 2008 and has made good returns. If one looks at the markets in Malaysia and compares it with the US after 2008, one will see that the US equity has offered better returns than ours.
I strongly suspect that the majority of over 5.5 per cent dividends that we have been getting since 2009 came from the overseas investments that the EPF has been making.
Below are the dividends EPF has been paying out from 2001 to 2017:

There is a very high level EPF investment committee made up of respectable professionals.

If Najib had so much control over the EPF then the EPF should be asked to reveal where and what they are investing but the EPF investments are secret. They move so much money in and out of the country that if they let on when and what they are investing in, the money market speculators will make a killing.

On top of the return on the investment, we can safely say that the EPF must have also made a killing from the depreciated ringgit.

Propping up the US economy

This is probably just posturing on the part of Najib in front of an American leader who is out to “make America great again.”

EPF would have already decided what and where they will invest even before Najib’s visit and the decision was based on returns and not to prop up the US economy.

Trump has made it known from when he was campaigning that rebuilding ageing American infrastructure was among his priority. Thus it will only make sense to invest in equities and funds that will benefit from this policy.

So in that sense Malaysia will be investing in making “America great again” but everyone forgets that EPF will probably make a lot of money from doing so.

Najib’s visit to Washington came in the light of a list of countries listed as “Trade Cheats” who are responsible for America’s nearly US$50 billion trade deficit.

Said to be targeted at China, the other countries list are Japan, Germany, Mexico, Ireland, Vietnam, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Thailand, France, Switzerland, Taiwan, Indonesia and Canada.

Najib came knowing that he had to show to Trump that trade is a two-way thing and was in Washington bearing goodies.

This was why he chose the phrase “value proposition” when talking about the investments.

Previous Malaysian prime ministers went to the US with the intention of getting investors to come to Malaysia. Najib wanted to show Trump that he was not there to do the same.

Working trip

Najib’s visit to the White House was a working visit at the invitation of Trump. It is not an official or state visit. So far Trump has not invited anyone to Washington for an official or state visit.

Beyond all the pomp and formality, this visit was about business.

Trump broke all protocol when it came to Najib and reminded all his officers twice “he is my friend”.

First was when Najib arrived. Usual protocol would have the Vice-President (in this case Mike Pence) to receive the visiting VIP but Trump decided he would welcome Najib himself at the door.

This was the first time when he told his protocol officer, “he is my friend.”

The second time was when Najib was about to leave. Usually the US president would see his guest to the door of his Oval Office but Trump walked Najib all the way to the downstairs gate to his car.

Again, he brushed off reminders of the protocol by saying “he is my friend.”

As widely reported the two leaders struck up a friendship when they played golf at one of Trump’s golf course. There is a picture of that event in Najib’s office which Trump inscribed on the picture, “To my favourite PM.”

Yes, the two men spoke about golf on this trip but did not play as it was meant for business.

Why then did Najib decided to stay at the Trump International Hotel?

Because it was the best one in town and was situated just between the White House and the Capitol Hill. It made logistical sense.

Trump had promised when he became president that any profit made from visiting leaders who stayed at the hotel would be donated to charity. He didn’t make a cent from Najib’s trip.

So was the trip a success? For Najib it was a huge success as it put to rest the negative DOJ stories about him and more importantly he renewed his friendship with Trump.

For Malaysia? It was a good trip as we are now again back on the map for the US and they have reaffirmed Malaysia as a comprehensive partner.

– Datuk Wong Sai Wan

('Why Najib's Washington Visit was a Success.' – The Malay Mail, September 16, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

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RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

REPORTED BY THE SUN DAILY

KUALA LUMPUR (BERNAMA), SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 –

The success of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's visit to Washington, which also witnessed a friendly meeting between the prime minister and the US President Donald Trump, seemed hard to be accepted by the opposition leaders who continue spreading lies about the government, according to political analysts.

Photo: Reuters

They said although the meeting had a positive impact to the nation, opposition leaders were still trying to create a negative public perception on the prime minister's visit.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) geostrategist Prof Dr Azmi Hassan said such a strategy was common among the opposition leaders, especially during prime minister's trip abroad.

"They criticize it as if the government is selling the country off. They had used the same strategy before, especially when the prime minister announced about Chinese investments, they said he had sold the country to China," Azmi told Bernama.

During the meeting with Trump, Najib announced that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Khazanah Nasional Bhd were planning to expand their investments in the United States and to purchase more Boeing jets to help strengthen the US economy.

Najib said the EPF alone was expected to invest between US$3 billion (RM12.57 billion) and US$4 billion (RM16.76 billion).

However, several opposition leaders, including PKR vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar and Rafizi Ramli, as well as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, had used the social media to criticize the outcome of the meeting between Najib and Trump.

Azmi said the prime minister's announcement on the investments by the EPF and Khazanah in the US were indeed capable of generating revenue for the country and would benefit the people through high dividends.

"Among the business strategies of EPF and Khazanah is to invest overseas and to be able to do so in the US is indeed a good opportunity not any company could have," he said.

Meanwhile, political analyst Prof Madya Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the prime minister's visit to the US had also brushed off the negative perception on him, especially regarding the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issues.

"By going to the US, he (Najib) had brushed off the perception that he wouldn't dare to go there," he said, adding that the visit had indeed benefited the prime minister in terms of moral legitimacy.

('Opposition Finds it Hard to Accept Najib's Successful Visit to Washington: Analysts.' – The Sun Daily, September 15, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

The Malaysian government has paid lavishly in the past for Washington ‘swamp dwellers’ to purchase influence and disparage its opponents and critics says Paul Wolfowitz, former US deputy secretary of defence.

REPORTED BY FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

Paul Wolfowitz.
Photo: FMT

KUALA LUMPUR, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 –

Malaysia is known to pay money to enable meetings with US presidents, a Washington insider says in reference to the recent meeting between Prime Minister Najib Razak and US President Donald Trump.

Paul Wolfowitz, a friend of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who served seven US administrations, suggested that the meeting was arranged by a former Trump aide.

In an opinion piece carried by Newsweek, Wolfowitz, who once served as US deputy secretary of defence, cites several instances of Malaysia or Malaysians paying for the attention of US presidents in the past.
He said: “In May, a former Trump campaign aide – Healy E Baumgardner-Nardone of the ‘45 Group’ – registered as a foreign agent to represent the Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. She reported receiving US$250,000 for her services.
“The Malaysian government has paid lavishly in the past for Washington ‘swamp dwellers’ to purchase influence and disparage its opponents and critics.”
During president Barack Obama’s second term, he says, Malaysians “rewarded a major Democratic Party fundraiser handsomely for representing them, just before Najib secured an Obama state visit to Malaysia (the first by a US president in 60 years), and then received an even more unprecedented invitation from Obama to join him in Hawaii for a game of golf.”
Wolfowitz noted that during George W Bush’s first term as president, “Malaysian business interests” hired Belle Haven Consultants for fees in excess of US$1 million over two years to promote Malaysian interests in the US.
“Some of that money was reportedly used to influence the views of a prominent conservative think tank, through the intermediary of the Alexander Strategy Group, associated with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and the notorious Jack Abramoff.”
During Obama’s first term, he says, the Najib government “paid millions to APCO Worldwide of Washington, a portion of which went to the London-based ‘Fact Based Communications, Ltd’ to hire an individual named Josh Trevino, to organise a network of bloggers to write blog posts disparaging opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim – whose coalition was growing in strength heading into the 2013 elections.
“That game blew up when Trevino was fired by The Guardian of London for failing to disclose that he was on the Malaysian payroll while writing a supposedly independent column. That forced Trevino to file a belated foreign agent registration exposing the whole scheme.”
Wolfowitz, who has also served as World Bank president, says the Malaysian government does not “merely disparage its critics”.
“Just last week, in the latest development in the 1MDB case, FBI special agent Robert Heuchling asserted in a filing in court in Los Angeles that ‘identifying witnesses [in the case] could result in intimidation or threaten their safety,’ citing ‘reports of local officials and politicians who have been arrested for purportedly disclosing information linked to 1MDB’.
“He also cited Malaysian press reports from Aug 30 that said ‘the driver of former Malaysian attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail was shot in public as a possible warning against assisting the US government in the case’.”
Wolfowitz clearly does not approve of Trump’s meeting with Najib, quoting what several people or newspapers had said about the meeting, including the remarks of an Australian expert on Southeast Asia.
He notes that the New York Times had quoted Donald Greenlees of the Australian National University as saying, before the meeting: “From a pure public relations point of view, it’s a meeting the White House should avoid. Even a photo op with Kim Jong-Un would be better.”
The suit seeks to recover and forfeit over US$1 billion in assets alleged to have been purchased with funds allegedly misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
Najib has consistently denied any wrong doing.
He says Trump should have given a diplomatic excuse not to meet Najib, as doing so would have sent a strong signal to other lobbyists attempting to “sell access” to the US president.
Wolfowitz adds, having failed to do that, at a minimum Trump should find out who was responsible for inviting Najib to the White House. “And if they did not properly inform him of the scandal surrounding Najib, someone needs to be disciplined.”

('Washington Insider: Malaysia Likely Paid for Access to Trump.' – Free Malaysia Today, September 15, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER - NURUL IZZAH ANWAR

Nurul Izzah Anwar is a member of the Malaysian Parliament and vice president of the People’s Justice Party.

REPORTED BY WASHINGTON POST

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is seen during a visit to New Delhi, India, on March 31.
Photo: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

On Tuesday, President Trump will host Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in the White House. The two men will discuss cooperation on counterterrorism and economic development. But what should be foremost on the agenda is the hatred and fear fueled by Najib’s own party’s support of extremist groups that routinely harass and frighten the country’s significant Christian, Buddhist and Hindu minorities. Any conversation with a purported partner against extremist violence who fails to address these concerns at home is pointless. As a Malaysian, I am sorry to say that my country faces a desperate situation. For the 60 years since independence, we have been under single-party rule. The corruption scandalsurrounding our sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, the largest of its kind ever investigated by the U.S. Justice Department, alleges that Najib’s government routinely pilfers public funds for its own enrichment and the funding of its political survival. Our political leaders are so accustomed to power that they will do anything to keep it. Our elections are routinely corrupted just enough to maintain the ruling status quo. Print and broadcast media are more than 95 percent owned or controlled by the ruling party, and peaceful political protest is routinely a cause for detentionunder laws meant to fight terrorism.

I know this from first-hand experience. As an opposition member of Parliament, I was arrested under sedition laws and imprisoned with actual terror suspects simply for daring to raise questions in the legislature about the political imprisonment of my father, detained opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Before he was thrown in jail, my father championed a multi-ethnic and multi-religious opposition movement in Malaysia that garnered 52 percent of the votes in the 2013 parliamentary election — a victory set aside because of gerrymandering. His arbitrary detention has been condemned by the United Nations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

All the while, a growing cohort of educated young people facing high unemployment is growing deeply mistrustful of their leaders. These energetic young men and women are frustrated by the absence of democratic institutions. That they may feel compelled to seek recourse for this dissatisfaction outside the political system represents a major threat to Malaysia’s future.

Tensions between different ethnic and religious groups have also reached alarming levels. Najib’s ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) party has not just turned a blind eye to extremism — they have actively encouraged it. Religious extremists are permitted to promulgate their views with impunity, and the government has actually incorporated those views and personalities into its own platform. As if this weren’t astonishing enough, in 2014, Najib himself encouraged his own party followers to emulate “brave” Islamic State fighters.

If Najib’s autocracy and extremist actions are not condemned and resisted, all of us are at risk.

Yet despite our challenges, I love my country and I know that we have incredible potential. In fact, that is what makes this issue so important. Unlike many autocratic Muslim-majority countries, Malaysia can be a true functioning pluralistic democracy with real economic strength and growth potential. Our coalition of opposition parties follows the leadership of our imprisoned leader, Anwar Ibrahim, in asserting that the only acceptable way forward for Malaysia is as a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, democratic and freedom-supporting state.

But to achieve this, the Malaysian people need the help of true friends and partners around the world. Najib must hear from every nation that his actions are a threat to international security and undermine genuine efforts at countering violent extremism.

President Trump has the opportunity to deliver this message. As a former golfing buddy of the prime minister, he has an established rapport with Najib. And Trump set a precedent in his recent recalibration of aid to Egypt, where he laudably recently recognized the opportunity to stress civil society reforms by cutting some U.S. aid to Egypt. The same frankness should be applied when assessing Najib as a potential recipient of anti-terror funding from the United States.

To advance his foreign policy goals and the mission of international security cooperation, Trump must hold Najib to account. Trump must make clear that Washington will no longer be silent when U.S.-Malaysia cooperation on countering violent extremism is undermined by the Malaysian government itself. To start, Najib should immediately cease persecution of journalists and opposition leaders, and release all political prisoners, including my father. Trump must also make clear that the United States does not tolerate partners who harbor and protect terrorists, much less partners who actively encourage such behavior.

Without reforms, the Malaysian government is not a reliable partner on counterterrorism, international security or economic development. A clear message, followed by strong action, is the only way to transform Malaysia from a liability to a credible ally.

[The NINE QUESTIONS Panel would like to point out that Nurul Izzah Anwar had failed to mention her connection to the terrorist-linked Jacel Kiram family, and her father's connection to the Muslim Brotherhood terror organisation.]

('Here's What President Trump Should Tell the Malaysian Prime Minister - Nurul Izzah Anwar.' – Washington Post, September 11, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE PR SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

REPORTED BY MALAYSIAKINI

Photo: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur

YOURSAY | "Fact is, the White House show was orchestrated with the rural folks in mind."

Najib-Trump meet masterstroke or master joke?

FairMind: US President Donald Trump meeting was meant to place Prime Minister Najib Razak in the elevated and unbeatable position of a world-respected Malaysian leader? Clearly it did the opposite.

Never have the American press and the world been so united and focused in their attention and criticism of Trump and our PM. You can imagine the seriousness and impact of the news media calling our PM a crook?

Never has a Malaysian PM received so much negative publicity and attention, both abroad and locally. If I were to be the current PM, I would rather resign than to continue the charade of smiling and pretending as if nothing has happened, while fully knowing people are criticising me and spitting behind my back.

The good that comes out of this trip is that the PM now knows how poorly the world and Malaysians think of him.

Dont Just Talk: The best part of the Trump-Najib meeting was that there was no press conference for journalists to ask questions, perhaps for fear that it might lead to queries about the 1MDB financial scams.

And Najib proudly announced that Malaysia would help improve US infrastructure with an investment of between US$3 billion and US$4 billion via the Employee Provident Fund (EPF).

What a joke, when Malaysia's national debt is at a historic high, and yet we want to help the greatest economy of the world. And mind you, when our ringgit value has depreciated to RM4.20 to US$1.

What is Najib trying to prove to Trump, or is he expecting something in return as is the familiar practice in Malaysia, which is, you scratch my back and I scratch your back?

Fair Play: Indeed, the five minutes and 50 seconds recorded exchange in the White House is an embarrassment of gigantic proportions to all Malaysians who have a brain and know how to use it.

Jaguh: What a waste of our money. All these to give Umno an ego boost to try and win the upcoming general election. This man has no shame.

Anonymous 2439101477311390: I fully agree with Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang. Rich nations must help developing nations. Not the other way around.

Anticonmen: Trump will take money from oligarchs, mobsters, launderers, dictators, kleptocrats and drug lords. He is a businessman, and not a leader.

HaveAGreatDay: Lim, say what you like, the fact is that the White House show was orchestrated with the rural folks in mind. Najib also met UK Prime Minister Theresa May as well.

Xiao Zhu: This is an expensive public relation show to boost one person's image at the taxpayers' expense.

Zaid has no right to get details of 1MDB-linked accounts, says PM

Caripasal: This is not whether former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has the right to ask for disclosure of the AmBank accounts implicated in the 1MDB scandal, but rather for Najib to prove his innocence.

Najib has in the past repeatedly claimed that the money in his account was a donation from the Saudis, and that he did not use that money for personal gain.

If this is truly the case, he should prove it in court – by revealing his bank statements.

Jaguh: If Najib is innocent, one should not be afraid to disclose the details.

In any investigation by the police or judiciary, the bank accounts of a person are always checked for fraudulent payments and activities, especially when money laundering is involved.

Drifter: 1MDB is dealing with public money. As the public, we should be able to get all the information we need because it is our money.

Dont Just Talk: It is not only Zaid's interest but every taxpaying Malaysian's interest to file for a court order to compel Najib to reveal the five personal accounts kept with AmBank, when it is now known that US$681 million had been wired into his accounts.

Since the amount involved is beyond Najib's proven income, the mere reason given that it was a donation does not hold water, unless the money trail from the rich Arab is proven.

Had the amount of US$681 million appeared in any of the opposition leader's personal accounts, the MACC and PDRM, along with Bank Negara, would act fast and furious.

Let Najib have his day in court and prove to all Malaysians that the US$681 million wired into his personal accounts is indeed as clean he claims.

JusticeNow!: "However, AmBank replied that it only had records of four of the five accounts." Wonderful. This proves that those accounts did exist and it did belong to Najib. No fake news here.

Hplooi: While we, as a country, may keep denying that theft had been committed with regards to 1MDB, the assets currently under recovery by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) (and this is very real) will forever be lost to Malaysians if we (as a nation) keep on with such denial.

The tragedy will be that we stand to lose twice; first when someone and his allegedly criminal associates stole the money, and then when the assets from the stolen money are recovered by the DOJ ultimately stay in the US, simply because we keep on denying it.

Let's not forget that interest is accruing at millions per day on the billions we borrowed to cover the loss.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakinisubscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.

('Najib-Trump Meet an Expensive Show at Our Expense.' – Malaysiakini, September 18, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

REPORTED BY CHANNEL NEWSASIA

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak delivers his keynote address at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.
Photo: Channel NewsAsia

WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 –

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday (September 13) hailed the longstanding United States-Malaysia partnership following his visit to the White House and talks with President Donald Trump on Tuesday (September 12).

"I want you to be fully aware why it is right that we build on the Comprehensive Partnership we forged in 2014," he said.

"We share your values on working towards a world that is secure; where nuclear threats are contained; where we come together to fight violent extremism; and where we face the future confident that trading with each other will enrich both our nations."

In his speech at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, Najib spoke of the increasingly close defence and security ties between Malaysia and the United States, and expressed his confidence that these would reach new heights over the coming years.

Addressing an audience of scholars, academics, policy-makers and government officials, he called for further cooperation on counter-terrorism measures, action to alleviate the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and resolving the dangerous tensions in the Korean peninsula, while also emphasising the commitment to democracy and free speech that the two countries share.

THREAT OF TERRORISM

Najib highlighted that the threat of terrorism was one that both the US and Malaysia faced.

He said: “Travelling to Washington DC on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks offered me a sobering reminder of that.

"There has, so far, been only one successful (Islamic State)-linked attack in Malaysia, but that has not been for want of trying. It is only thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement agencies that at least 13 major terrorist attacks have been thwarted since 2012.

“These people, both those who encourage others to go down the path of violence - and those that do so themselves, are our enemies just as much as they are your enemies. Indeed, by claiming their terrorism is Islamic in nature, these individuals blaspheme against our religion - something for which we simply cannot forgive them.

"I want to reiterate here, in your capital, that Malaysia is the United States’ firm ally in this battle. In this battle we fight as a proud partner in the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, and through the strategic dialogue between our Ministry of Defence and the Pentagon.

"Malaysia will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with America on this vital mission to eliminate a terror group whose acts sicken all of civilised humanity."

NORTH KOREA TENSIONS

On current tensions within Korean peninsula, Najib said: “President Trump and I discussed this at length yesterday, and Malaysia offers its full support and assistance in resolving the current very dangerous tension over North Korea.

"Malaysia has been consistent in pressing North Korea to fully comply with all its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and to return to the negotiating table, with a view to achieving the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."

ROHINGYA CRISIS

On the plight of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, Najib said: “Many have said that the atrocities committed against them could be rightly described as constituting ethnic cleansing or genocide.

"I promised the Malaysian people that I would raise this with President Trump - and I did. I am glad to say that the president shares my concern, and that is why this heart-rending humanitarian crisis was included in our joint statement.

"While I cannot speak for exactly what the US Government plans to do, I can tell you that there is now a distinct possibility that they will also provide humanitarian assistance to these desperate victims of atrocities that the world simply cannot ignore.”

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Concerning criticisms that have been directed at Malaysia by the country’s political opposition, and supplied to the American press, Najib said: “Malaysia has been a democracy ever since independence.
"We have the longest and most consistent record as a democracy in Southeast Asia. Elections are fiercely contested - which is shown by the fact that opposition parties have won state elections. They won five out of Malaysia’s 13 states in 2008, for instance."

He added: "Cabinet ministers and prominent politicians have lost their seats in elections. I myself only just retained my parliamentary constituency in 1999.

"There were particular reasons why the government was not popular at that time; but my point is that ours is a genuine democracy and no one is guaranteed election, no matter how high their position. It is the people who have the final say - which is how it should be in a democracy.”

He also reminded the audience that while there had been severe crackdowns on free speech and the independence of the judiciary during the rule of a former leader, his government takes a different approach.

“Ministers and state chief ministers from both sides of the political divide have been taken to court, which shows the impartiality of our judiciary," he said. "Malaysia’s democracy survived, and under my Government, it has been strengthened.

"We increased media freedom by scrapping restrictions on newspaper publishing licences. We reformed the Universities and University Colleges Act to allow undergraduates to participate in political activities.

"Large demonstrations, that would never have been allowed under the former leader, have taken place in Kuala Lumpur over the last few years.

"Why? Because we passed the Peaceful Assembly Act, for the first time enshrining in law the right to peaceful protest - which we recognise as being part of a democratic society.”

Questioning the opposition’s claim that free speech in Malaysia was under threat, Najib said: “Why, then, is it that you will find praise for opposition politicians in our national newspapers, and vigorous debate - including plenty of criticism of the government - on Malaysia’s web portals?”

('Najib Hails Shared US-Malaysia Values, Stresses Need for Global Action on Rohingya.' – Channel NewsAsia, September 14, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

REPORTED BY THE MALAY MAIL

Malaysian Ambassador to the United States, Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique.
Photo: The Malay Mail

WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 10, 2017 –

In international politics for the past 60 years, the US has always shown what they think about another country by either withholding or bestowing its diplomatic favours.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak is the second South-east Asian leader (Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was the first) to be invited by President Donald Trump to come and visit him at the White House.

The two leaders are to have a one-to-one meeting at the Oval Office — the president’s private sanctum — before they join the expanded delegation meeting between their two teams.

Najib’s team will consist of International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa as well as National Security Council director-general General (rtd) Tan Sri Zulkefli Mohd Zin.

His American host’s team will consist of Cabinet members and senior members of his administration including Vice President Mike Pence, State Secretary Rex Tillerson, Defence Secretary James Mattis, Chief of Staff Gen John Kelly, National Security Advisor Lt General HR McMaster, and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner.

These are Trump’s top people and their presence augurs well for Malaysia as the US President and his administration are extending its full diplomatic favours.

After all, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is only scheduled to visit Trump only in October. The island republic is after all a much closer US ally in the Asean region.

In fact, Malaysian Ambassador to the US, Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique, has been to the Oval Room three times since Trump took office in January. Some foreign ambassadors in Washington only get to do it once in their usual three-year term.

But this meeting between Trump and Najib is more than just for show as many critics have claimed back home that this visit was to demonstrate that Malaysia is still favoured by the US.

Zulhasnan said the meeting is substantive as there are a lot of bilateral issues for the two sides to discuss.

“We wish to take the opportunity to discuss cooperation in the field of economy, security, defence, education, counter-terrorism, immigration, science and technology and people-to-people relations,” said Zulhasnan to Malaysian media covering Najib’s visit here.

There are quite a number issues are on the table but it will not be lost to Najib’s team that getting concession is going to be a lot more difficult than diplomatic favours. A lot needs to be done to impress their American to see everything from the Malaysian perspective.

Zulhasnan admits that top of the agenda for the Americans would be the imbalanced trade figures which favours Malaysia which has been listed among the “trade cheats” country by Trump in his America for Americans policy.

“Total trade between Malaysia and the US has increased by 20.3 per cent in the period from January to July this year, totalling RM93.77 billion or US$21.44 billion. During that period, our exports to the US grew by 11.1 per cent, while imports from the US to Malaysia went up by 33.1 per cent.

“Meanwhile, cumulatively, US’ investment in Malaysia based on approved projects was valued at US$28.57 billion by December 2016. As of August this year, Malaysia’s cumulative investment in the US was valued at US$14.56 billion,” said Zulhasnan, adding that the trade surplus was definitely was in Malaysia’s favour.

“It’s been like this for more than 20 years but we have to look at this positively,” he explained.

On the part of Malaysia, top of the agenda will be regional security, counter-terrorism and moderation but with the recent events in Myanmar, the Rohingya issue will definitely be raised.

Najib has said yesterday that he would bring it up during his four-eyed meeting with Trump.

Many American companies are making a bee line to invest in Myanmar and putting pressure on them may be more effective than political and diplomatic pressure.

Asked if Malaysia’s close ties with China would be a thorn in the discussion between Trump and Najib, Zulhasnan said this year marked the 60th Anniversary of ties between Washington and Kuala Lumpur.

“The relationship is deep and the increasing investments by China will not affect it.

“We expect it to take bilateral relations and cooperation to new heights,” said the Malaysian ambassador.

Najib arrives in Washington tomorrow and is scheduled to deliver two speeches — one at a dinner organised by the US-Asean Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday and at a luncheon conference organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

('As PM Najib Visits Washington, More than Just a Visit.' – The Malay Mail, September 10, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

9. RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

REPORTED BY MALAYSIAN DIGEST

Photo: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur

While analysts generally agree on the successful outcome of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's trip to the White House, his detractors continue to spread rumours and criticism about it online.

Yesterday, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak wrote in his blogpost that whether or not Najib goes to the US, opposition leaders will still make an issue of it.

"If Najib does not meet foreign leaders such as the President of the United States, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says it is because Najib is scared of travelling to other countries in case he gets arrested.

"Then, when Najib does travel to the US to meet President Donald Trump, they say the Prime Minister paid lobbyists to arrange the meeting," he points out the irony of it all in sskeruak.blogspot.my yesterday.

Does the VIP treatment given to Najib mean that US President Donald Trump supports him or as the Opposition would have readers believe that Najib is risking our nation's economic well-being by investing taxpayers money in US just to win Trump's approval.

So, what actually transpired during the visit?

According to a journalist who accompanied Najib on the trip, a lot of what has been spun by Opposition leaders is so far from the truth that he felt compelled to come forward to debunk it.

Datuk Wong Sai Wan, Malay Mail Editor-In-Chief who was part of the press delegation wrote an insightful commentary of the trip based on his own experience.

"Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his team met with President Donald Trump and his senior Cabinet members for over 50 minutes of which the Prime Minister met President Trump one-to-one for 20 minutes," he debunked critics' assertions that the entire trip lasted all of five minutes based on the video clip released by the White House.

Photo: Twitter

He also addressed criticism over using money from EPF to bolster US trade ties.

"Our Employees Provident Fund have been investing in the US equity market since 2008 when the law was amended to allow EPF to invest overseas.

"In fact, the EPF has invested some US$26 billion since 2008 and has made good returns...On top of the return on the investment, we can safely say that the EPF must have also made a killing from the depreciated ringgit," he points out.

Finally, he put to rest once an for all that the entire trip was a personal one that was made to polish Najib's public image.

Photo: The Australian

"Najib’s visit to the White House was a working visit at the invitation of Trump.

"Trump broke all protocol when it came to Najib and reminded all his officers twice “he is my friend”," he confirmed media reports that Trump went out of his way to make Najib feel welcome.

He also reminded detractors about Najib's choice to stay at the Trump International Hotel was for practicality and did not imply any hidden motive.

"Trump had promised when he became president that any profit made from visiting leaders who stayed at the hotel would be donated to charity. He didn’t make a cent from Najib’s trip," he highlighted.

"So was the trip a success?" he summed up.

"For Malaysia? It was a good trip as we are now again back on the map for the US and they have reaffirmed Malaysia as a comprehensive partner."

Ultimately it is not because the US president had a personal liking for Najib, but rather because of Malaysia's strategic location in the region as well as its political role, another commentary on SinChew Daily points out.

"As Washington and Beijing vie for dominance in Asia Pacific, other regional countries must be lured to join their ranks or at least be prevented from leaning towards the rival.

"Malaysia's foreign policy has always been shaped on pragmatism, as it finds itself a space that best suits its interests in the international community, and fights for biggest benefits in the interplay between major powers of the world."

('What Actually Happened on Najib's Trip to Washington.' – Malaysian Digest, September 18, 2017)

– - –

1. WHY NAJIB'S WASHINGTON VISIT WAS A SUCCESS

2. RELATED: OPPOSITION FINDS IT HARD TO ACCEPT NAJIB'S SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO WASHINGTON: ANALYSTS

3. RELATED: WASHINGTON INSIDER: MALAYSIA LIKELY PAID FOR ACCESS TO TRUMP

4. RELATED: HERE'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD TELL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER

5. RELATED: NAJIB-TRUMP MEET AN EXPENSIVE SHOW AT OUR EXPENSE

6. RELATED: NAJIB HAILS SHARED US-MALAYSIA VALUES, STRESSES NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION ON ROHINGYA

7. RELATED: AS PM NAJIB VISITS WASHINGTON, MORE THAN JUST A SHOW

8. RELATED: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NAJIB'S TRIP TO WASHINGTON

10. RELATED: NAJIB MEETS THERESA MAY IN LONDON

11. RELATED: NAJIB AND THERESA MAY REAFFIRM STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

– - –

RELATED: NAJIB-THERESA MEETING REAFFIRMS STRONG MALAYSIA-UK TIES

REPORTED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES

LONDON, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 –

The meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and British Prime Minister Theresa May today (Friday), reaffirmed the strong ties both countries have enjoyed since Malaysia's independence 60 years ago.

Najib, who arrived from Washington, the United States, after a successful meeting with President Donald Trump last Tuesday, regarded the meetings with these world leaders as most significant as it demonstrated their acknowledgement of Malaysia as a global player.

“Our views are being given serious consideration by them including President Donald Trump,” he said after a 40 minute meeting, which he regarded as very fruitful and productive.

“Britain and Malaysia are old partners. My discussions with Prime Minister May confirmed the depth of our friendship, and we look forward to our two countries working together to forge a prosperous and secure future for our peoples,” he said.

“We reaffirmed the strong ties between Malaysia and the United Kingdom, which pre-dated and have continued since our independence 60 years ago."Yes, she (May) mentioned that it is significant; 60 years of independence, 60 years of bilateral relations with the UK and it gives us a good opportunity to look ahead and to strengthen, revive, resuscitate our longstanding relationship," he said.

Najib said that in addition to the shared values and history, the UK is seeking a new relationship with friends and partners around the world as it leaves the European Union.

“Malaysia is well positioned to add value being strategically located at the heart of Southeast Asia, with strong links to the Muslim world and China,” he added.

The meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday, reaffirmed the strong ties both countries have enjoyed since Malaysia's independence 60 years ago.
Photo: NSTP

The Prime Minister had conveyed to May, that Malaysia will be ready to do business with the UK post-Brexit.

“They will need new partners, new trade deals ....so Malaysia stands ready; Malaysia is well poised and can add value proposition to whatever plans UK might have post Brexit," he told reporters outside 10 Downing Street after the meeting.

He added that as an outward-looking trading nation, which the World Bank recently said is facing the future “from a position of strength”, Malaysia welcomes the opportunity to have a closer economic partnership with the UK.

“I assured Prime Minister May that Malaysia will be happy to discuss setting up a trade arrangement between our two countries as soon as possible. We know that trade between our countries will benefit our economies and our peoples.”

The issue of terrorism was also high on the agenda during their discussions.

“The UK and Malaysia stand united on the need to fight terrorism and violent extremism. We mourn the deaths of those who have died in the recent appalling attacks in the UK. Malaysia is ready to share its expertise and experience in combating the threat from those who blaspheme the name of Islam by falsely claiming that their atrocities are Islamic,” he said, adding that cooperation will be strengthened in areas of counter terrorism, in the fight against IS.

“They are our common enemy , we will work closely together with the UK and other countries to eliminate this scourge and this threat,” he said.

On the plight of the Rohingya, he said, “Prime Minister May and I agreed that the international community must come together to find a solution to bring to an end a crisis that has shocked both the region and the world.”

The prime minister who arrived in London with his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was accompanied to the meeting by among others, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, and Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK & Northern Ireland, Datuk Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi.

('Najib-Theresa Meeting Reaffirm Strong Malaysia-UK Ties.' – New Straits Times, September 15, 2017)