Author Archives: wcw
The show must go on
IT’S a classic case of the right hand not knowing what the other hand is doing. We already have a one-stop agency known as Puspal for the applications for filming and performance by foreign artists.
The panel, which comes under the purview of the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, comprises representatives from the respective bodies.
So, the last thing the music tourism industry needs is more bureaucracy to make it even more difficult to get their permits approved.
Out of the blue, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim has said that approvals that had been given to concerts in Kuala Lumpur will be reviewed to ensure their suitability to the people.
He said the ministry had received complaints from the public that certain concerts did not contribute to youth development.
Now, that is a vague reasoning. Concerts to most of us are purely for entertainment value, so we really do not know what the Minister is thinking.
This is disturbing because it comes after the call by PAS to stop concerts featuring international artistes.
The party also asked for Jakim, the Islamic Development Department, to be given a bigger role to play within Puspal to stem performances, which it deemed not Islamic.
This is surely bad news for show promoters as they have just started to promote Malaysia as a destination for music tourism after a two-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It also runs contrary to the Tourism Ministry efforts to push Malaysia as a gateway to revive the nation’s tourism industry.
In July, it said the Ministry was supporting all concerts, local and foreign, being held here because the artistes will bring along their followers.
As an example, South Indian composer and singer R. Anirudh will see several chartered flights from India and Singapore to KL to watch his “Once Upon A Time” concert.
Indonesia’s Lords of Rock, Dewa 19, will be performing at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, KL, and a massive crowd, including those from other Asean nations, is expected.
It has been estimated by statista.com that the revenue in the music events segment is projected to reach USD30.68mil (RM139mil) in 2022 and that does not include the spillover effects to the hotel, restaurant, and airlines sectors.
It is highly regrettable that a few of our politicians do not understand the negative impact of their statements as it will send the wrong signals and narrative.
Our rival neighbours will only be happy to take over hosting by telling these prized acts that they are not welcome in Malaysia.
Even Saudi Arabia, a conservative country, has opened and pledged to stage ‘’600 per cent more concerts from this year’’ and over the past few years, before the pandemic, BTS, Justin Bieber, Salman Khan and Pitbull have all performed there.
Rave parties featuring international deejays have performed in Riyadh to thousands of locals and foreigners. Even men and women are allowed to mix and dance.
In Jakarta, the biggest K-pop concert dubbed KPOP LAND 2022 will be staged on Sept 16, where thousands of people will watch it at the Stadium Madya Senayan.
Something is terribly wrong when PAS Youth leader Ahmad Fadhli Shaari equates concerts to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and hedonism, and some of our leaders actually take what he has said seriously.
How he can derive such a perception is beyond the comprehension of level-headed Malaysians. He needs help, seriously.
If Shahidan, rightly or wrongly, heeds his complaint, what about the support of the majority of Malaysians for such concerts? Surely, the voices of moderate Malaysians count?
It won’t be wrong to say more toxicity comes out from some political gatherings than concerts, really. Now, these divisive political meetings for sure are bad for youth development.
Walk the talk
Standing out: Many commended Cheah for his readiness to speak up on national issues that concern the people in his open letter to fellow Malaysians on National Day.
NOT many renowned Malaysian businessmen would want to openly discuss issues affecting the nation, particularly those involving corruption because no one wants to antagonise the powerful.
It’s fair to say their fears aren’t unfounded. After all, as businesspeople, many depend on the goodwill of politicians to get their work expedited by avoiding obstacles.
Few would want to see themselves become the target of paid mercenaries on social media, especially not when business is involved. Many prefer to whine privately, but as political dynamics become more uncertain, they find it increasingly difficult to be friendly with only one side.
Now, they need to sidle up to both sides or worse, three or four sides even, but it doesn’t always work that way. Invariably, they are expected to choose sides.
But as we head towards an impending general election, there is growing speculation that results will be inconclusive, yet again.
That means there will be another round of horse-trading and deal-making to “hammer out” a Federal Government like it happened after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government after only two years.
Now, even the DAP has raised the possibility of working with Umno, saying it won’t rule out a collaboration with the latter as “anything is possible in politics.”
It would have been unthinkable previously. But after being in the Federal Government for 22 months, it’s hard to relinquish power. After all, power is addictive.
So, businessmen would rather stay out of the many political crosshairs and minefields.
But eyebrows were raised last week when Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, the founder and chairman of Sunway Group, penned an open letter to fellow Malaysians in conjunction with our National Day.
Many commended him for his readiness to speak up on national issues that concern Malaysians.
In his well-articulated letter, he started off by highlighting the positive developments over the past 12 months, including the historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Prime Minister and the Opposition.
Cheah also cited the gazetting of the anti-party hopping law and the imminent tabling of a political finance Bill.
But the tycoon then rightly rued that “like many of my fellow Malaysians, I worry that some in power appear to be more focused on politics, rather than policies.
“We are all aware of the obstacles we face in trying to build a brighter, more progressive, more inclusive and more sustainable future for our country.”
Calling for an urgent need to strengthen national unity, he asserted that “we must all do what we can to clean up the toxicity that influences our conversations on race, religion and culture.
“And then, there is education. It is no secret that our education system needs a massive overhaul. Unless we urgently address this challenge, we will doom our children and our country to a future of poverty and misery.”
He expressed concern that the command of English among young Malaysians was on the wane, adding that while Bahasa Malaysia is obviously our national language and we should know it, “we are a trading nation and English is the language of trade and commerce. A lack of fluency in English may well pose a major hurdle in our efforts to build a prosperous Malaysia.”
Cheah also touched on corruption, intimating that “the perception is that corruption has now become endemic in this country” and “unless we seriously root out corruption, we are in trouble.”
Cheah has hit the nail on the head. The truth is, Malaysia needs to get its priorities right or risk slipping down the slope.
The level of toxicity in this country is unbelievable, especially with the amount of time devoted to politics, mostly destructive ones, when we, instead, could be focusing our energy on productivity.
Thinking out of the box has become a cliché, an overused phrase. We need everyone, especially ministers and government officials, to change their mindsets and welcome ideas and comments from credible business leaders.
It’s insufficient to be surrounded by so-called political sycophants whose skills are only limited to their manoeuvrings.
Businessmen who have proven themselves to be committed to nation-building should be encouraged to speak up since they surely mean well. They should be invited to share their expertise more often with our national leaders.
If there’s an award for “Businessman of the Year,” Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah certainly has my vote. Thank you for speaking up, sir. Standing out: Many commended Cheah for his readiness to speak up on national issues that concern the people in his open letter to fellow Malaysians on National Day.
PM bats aside intense pressure
National Day: Celebrations a good showcase of patriotism…
It’s been a harrowing week for Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, but he has come out on top and largely unscathed.
THE Prime Minister doesn’t enjoy the best narrative. It’s not surprising that he hasn’t received the kind of endearment his predecessors have.
For one, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has just been on the job for a year and Malaysians are still struggling to get to know him.
After all, he has never held high-profile ministerial portfolios.
He lacks the charisma, urbane and sophisticated qualities of previous prime ministers, and there’s the perception that he is uncomfortable with English, and thus seeks refuge in Bahasa Malaysia.
Social media has been vicious towards his fashion sense. Yet, everyone who has met him says he’s a pleasant, humble and decent man.
Unfortunately, that’s also a euphemism for being a weak leader, an impression even within Umno circles, with its legacy of tough-guy leaders.
However, the events of the past few weeks have changed the way many Malaysians view Ismail Sabri, including his critics.
Amazingly, he has been able to fend off the intense pressure heaped on him by his party.
Calls and texts had bombarded his phone even before the Federal Court upheld the 12-year jail sentence and RM210mil fine on Datuk Seri Najib Razak for misappropriating RM42mil of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds.
The former prime minister is facing four other charges on the 1MDB case.
Najib’s supporters, some still highly emotional, had insisted that action be taken, including initiating a royal pardon even before the court verdict.
There has been anger that the Bench hasn’t been fair to Najib while some insist that the Attorney General must, from now on, be an Umno appointee.
That’s fair comment because former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas would have been the choice of the Pakatan Rakyat government.
The push became stronger after the sentencing, but Ismail Sabri, trained as a lawyer, knew better because interference in the judiciary was a line not to cross.
The separation of powers involving the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary is clearly defined.
Politicians and their supporters (many not well versed with the law) who have met Ismail Sabri, have ended up receiving the same response – he won’t interfere in the judicial process, and they must understand how the law works in Malaysia.
It got more intense for Ismail Sabri when he agreed to declassify the governance, procurement and finance panel investigation on the littoral combat ship (LCS) project, which revealed more damaging details.
Although it was a Cabinet decision, the directive was a double-edged sword, and the finger was firmly pointed at Ismail Sabri.
After all, it was he who gave the go-ahead to have it tabled and endorsed by the Cabinet.
While it showed accountability and transparency on the part of the government, it also proved the depth of corruption involving high-level officials.
Many Malaysians would find the dirt, as evident in the reports, repulsive, and as a result, fence sitters may even decide to vote against Barisan Nasional.
Some felt it was unnecessary since the Public Accounts Committee’s 250-page report on the multi-billion-ringgit LCS project is injurious enough.
Certainly, the decision of the apex court and the reports of the PAC and panel have proven that our institutions have remained independent and strong.
It’s commendable that lurid and colourful quotes have been retained, almost verbatim, in the PAC report, especially the parts on the findings by the forensic auditor.
We have proven to the world that the law is respected and upheld in Malaysia.
Yes, there was a lot of “letting off steam” at the recent Umno meeting, but no one took their anger to the streets.
The Prime Minister, Attorney General and Chief Justice were not sacked, as wrongly speculated by some media.
We are at a defining moment in our nation’s history.
We will be judged by how we stand now.
It has not been easy for our judges, especially Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who has been viciously intimidated and pressured.
Even members of the media have been subjected to irrational criticisms, mostly bordering on crassness and callousness, without any substantive value.
But sentiments are still raw, and many have found the events of the past week to be shocking because they have been unprecedented.
For some, it is another opportunity to take political potshots at their nemesis. But these are mere sideshows.
In Putrajaya, the seat of government, many are now saying that Ismail Sabri has begun to earn their respect.
But he must prove he has earned his stripes further by securing a convincing mandate for the Barisan Nasional in the coming general election.
This is one Merdeka celebration when we all can stand tall and proud. Happy National Day.
Too soon for a pardon
Loyal followers: Najib meeting his supporters at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on Aug 23. Some are demanding a royal pardon for the former prime minister. – IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
LET’S not make a mockery of the judicial process. Datuk Seri Najib Razak has barely spent a week in prison to serve his 12-year jail sentence, yet there are groups already demanding a royal pardon.
Of course, it’s within the former prime minister’s constitutional rights to seek a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the grounds of clemency, but he still must serve his time.
By that, it means a considerable amount of time – usually at least three years – to justify his bid before the Pardons Board, as a first step towards getting the nod from the King.
Najib will not be the only inmate who must plead before the board to be set free from jail. He has to join the long queue, and in most cases, these prisoners would have served decades since their conviction.
Najib has committed a heinous crime, which has been reported worldwide, so why should he be given any special treatment or consideration and priority over others who are probably more deserving of a reprieve?
The usual process of the Pardons Board, which meets regularly, is to first ask for reports from the prison on the behaviour of the applicant inmate, including the nature of the crime committed.
It will then prepare and submit a report from the Attorney General to the King.
Deliberation factors include the length of time served, level of remorse, correctness of the conviction, age and health.
Let’s not forget that Najib didn’t forward any mitigating factors before the Federal Court but decided to pull his lawyers out from making their submissions.
In fact, he claims he has been denied justice. In short, the judges were biased. This defiant stance is sure to complicate any process to earn him an early pardon.
As one comment, which was posted on a news portal, rightly said, “it defeats the retributive and rehabilitative nature of a criminal sentence if a prisoner can obtain a pardon immediately or shortly after a conviction by the court.”
And remember, there are four other on-going corruption cases.
So, how many times do his supporters expect the King to grant him a pardon?
These four cases are related to graft at the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and other government agencies, which could potentially result in more jail time and massive fines.
Basically, it doesn’t make sense for Najib to seek clemency when he has other court cases, with some at the trial stage.
Last week, the Federal Court ordered Najib to serve a 12-year sentence with immediate effect. He was also fined RM210mil. He was found guilty of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, and three counts of money laundering.
His supporters rallied outside the palace to seek a royal pardon, just a day before he began his sentence, while his opponents launched an online petition urging the King not to grant him his absolution.
These actions from both sides are mere political side shows and are inconsequential since there can be no immediate pardon from the King because the law is very clear on this.
Likewise, those who had spoken of a pardon before the court sentencing also didn’t know what they were talking about. That’s not how the law process works, and they were simply ignorant.
Najib’s immediate concern would be his Pekan parliamentary seat. He must apply to seek a royal pardon within 14 days but there have been no updates of whether he has done so.
In any case, should Najib lose his seat, it would have little consequence as a general election is expected to be held soon.
If there’s none soon, the elections must still be held by July 15, 2023, because the Parliament term expires after that.
When it comes to pardons involving high-profile politicians, precedents have been set.
Former Selangor Mentri Besar, the late Harun Idris, was convicted of embezzling funds to sponsor the 1975 Muhammad Ali-Joe Bugner boxing match in Kuala Lumpur. He served three years in jail.
Ex-youth and sports minister Datuk Mokhtar Hashim was sentenced to death for the murder of then Negri Sembilan state assembly speaker, Mohamad Taha Taib, in 1982, but was pardoned after serving eight years in jail.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was also pardoned only after serving three years and three months for sodomy.
Najib’s biggest immediate concern will be his four corruption cases and the number of years that could be added to his prison stay.
Tunku, My Grandpa
My 15 minutes with one of the world’s most famous paintings, ‘The Last Supper’
The Last Supper can be found at the Convent Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. — Photo: Florence Teh
It took three trips to Milan, Italy, before I finally got to see one of the most revered paintings, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, the greatest painter of the Renaissance period.
It has certainly been a long wait, but all I got in the end were 15 miserable minutes and a viewing experience shared with 12 other people – those are the rules for each session.
I paid a princely sum to one of the tour agencies to join a group to see this magnificent work of art, which has been on the wall of the dining hall at the Convent Santa Maria delle Grazie since 1495.
Thrilled about the visit, my wife and I decided to make our way to the convent three hours before our session, thanks to our kiasu-ness (afraid to lose).
We didn’t want to miss our slot since we had to use the underground metro train to the nearest station, which has signs conveniently only in Italian, and that might have slowed us down.
Unsurprisingly, we were too early, and the blistering summer heat didn’t reward our eager beaver approach as there’s practically no shade outside the convent.
But really, time passes by fast because there are plenty of eateries and shops in the vicinity. Besides, when one is in Milan, do as the locals do – order a drink at a café, be idle and just watch people passing by. After all, when one is on holiday, who cares what’s happening in Malaysia or anywhere else in the world? The artwork we had planned to feast our eyes on certainly kept us focused at the time.
The Last Supper has created a deep impression of what Jesus’ last meal with his 12 Apostles was like, before he was captured and crucified.
Non-Christians, and even many Christians, assume that da Vinci’s artwork is an accurate depiction, but in truth, it’s not.
Firstly, the table is linear, and incredibly, all the characters are seated in a straight row. Well, da Vinci likely had to fit everyone in a single frame. Liken it to using our phone to capture a memorable moment and squeezing everyone into the shot and you’ll get the picture.
But the Jews then would have been seated at a triclinium, which was the popular culture of that time.
(A couch extending around three sides of a table is a triclinium used by Romans as well as the Jews then.)
Visitors to Jerusalem would be able to see paintings and wooden carvings of a more likely version of The Last Supper’s seating. I know this first-hand having been to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage in 2005.
Theologians including Prof Jonathan Klawans from Boston University, have said The Last Supper may be a “characteristic of the Passover meal, which is equally characteristic of practically any Jewish meal”.
The disciples were also unlikely to have sat upright, as in da Vinci’s impression, as they were reclined, which was the custom when partaking in the Passover meal, according to Creation.com, a Christian website.
(The Passover event is to commemorate the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt and the “passing over” of the forces of destruction, more than 3,000 years ago.)
The Passover is celebrated after sunset on a full moon – and not during daytime as depicted in the painting, “which shows daylight outside the windows, suggesting an Italian luncheon rather than a sacred observance conducted in Jerusalem”.
The painting also features crusty loaves and fish, but it should be unleavened bread, and crucially, wine. Basically, the menu was wrong, and luckily, there were no pizzas, or it would be blasphemous.
Certainly, it’s one of the most studied paintings of this great artist since religion is involved, unlike the Mona Lisa – reportedly a portrait of Lisa, the wife of rich Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.
As I sat inside the room of the monastery, I took the valuable short time to immerse myself and admire this art of wonder, which has attracted the world to this place. In 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic, nearly half a million people visited the convent in conjunction with the 500th anniversary of the death of this great Renaissance painter and inventor.
As the tour ended, I asked the guide who the feminine looking person with long hair seated to the right of Jesus was.
“That’s not Mary Magdalene (a disciple of Jesus’), that’s John (one of the 12 Apostles),” he retorted, looking annoyed and seemingly tired of this question from another idiot who has read Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
But ironically, the book, which was eventually made into a Hollywood movie starring Tom Hanks, has generated interest in the subject as well as this great 15th century masterpiece.
As Riyadh dances, PAS is out of tune
IT may be news to PAS – and they will hardly be able to believe it – but Saudi Arabia has been promoting international concerts, including even rave parties. Party-goers are even free to dance together.
Massive reforms are taking place in this once deeply conservative country but thanks to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, rapid and radical plans are being pushed ahead, leaving even some clerics aghast.
MBS, as he is known, has allowed women to drive while improvements are taking place in areas like employment and freedom of movement.
What’s more, over the past few years, especially before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, international concerts had already taken place in Riyadh, with men and women allowed to dance together.
Big acts such as Justin Bieber, Pit Bull, Jason Derulo, A$AP Rocky, Black Eyed Peas and Salman Khan have all performed in this Arab nation. Rave parties featuring French DJ David Guetta have also taken place.
In fact, South Korea’s biggest K-pop group, BTS, also performed in Riyadh – and they got VVIP treatment.
Saudi Arabia officially announced in December 2021 that it plans “to offer up to 600% more concerts”.
Over in Malaysia though, we seem to be regressing. We have PAS Youth threatening to stage nationwide protests unless the Federal Government cancels all upcoming concerts featuring international artistes.
Its Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari claims the concerts will encourage “hedonism” – a PAS favourite term – and were not in line with the norms and values of Muslim life in Malaysia.
He said: “Our party will not hesitate to stir up resistance across the country if these are not cancelled.”
This is what happens when a little power gets into the head of PAS leaders. With just 18 parliamentary seats in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, it has become part of the Federal Government, only because of how the country’s political scenario has unfolded.
PAS leader Datuk Idris Ahmad now holds the religious affairs minister post. He was given a royal rebuke recently by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, after warning Muslims against attending the Japanese cultural celebration Bon Odori.
The Islamist party, which has long run the Kelantan government, has closed cinemas, banned concerts, and imposed gender segregation including at supermarket check-outs. Unisex hair salons are a no-no, too.
Now that is has squirmed into the Federal Government, PAS seems to be trying to push its luck – and authority – on the rest of Malaysia.
The Islamist party, which always seems soft and even apologetic when it comes to real issues like corruption, is always loud when it comes to the subject of lifestyles.
It has conveniently forgotten that Malaysia is a multiethnic and multireligious country and that it has no right to impose its interpretation of religious values on others. After all, religious freedom is guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.
PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also the special envoy to West Asia, should be explaining to his party members and supporters why huge changes are taking shape in Saudi Arabia.
He might want to start with the news – which will be heartbreaking for the PAS folk – that Saudi Arabia has even staged the MDLBeast Soundstorm festival, its version of Tomorrowland, a Belgian electronic dance festival.
In Riyadh, the party went on for four nights with non-stop entertainment, dancing and electronic tunes, with 500,000 people attending.
Perhaps, PAS needs to organise a lawatan sambil belajar (study tour) to Saudi Arabia soon to see all these purportedly hedonistic concerts, featuring foreign acts.
But then, PAS might be more interested in visiting the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Budget 2023 expected to be tabled on Oct 7
KUALA LUMPUR: The Budget, scheduled to be tabled on Oct 28, will now be held earlier.
It is now expected to be presented in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 7 – three weeks earlier than scheduled.
The Cabinet, which met on Friday (Aug 26), was informed of the decision by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The decision is regarded as an indication that the general election will be held soon.
Barisan Nasional officials, in reacting to the news, said the Parliament could be dissolved after the Budget is tabled.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz will present the Budget when the Dewan meets again on Oct 3.
Following the Cabinet’s directive, the next step will be to inform Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, who needs at least 28 days to inform the Members of Parliament of the new date.
The decision to hold an earlier Budget is being made ahead of the special Umno meeting on Saturday (Aug 27) where leaders are expected to push for a general election to be held soon.
The present Parliament term ends in July 2023.
Barisan leaders said Parliament could be dissolved after the Budget is tabled.
”Political developments are moving very fast as the GE tempo will now be accelerated,” said one Barisan leader.
A peek into prison life
Kajang Prison.
KAJANG Prison is located right in the middle of this town in Selangor, about 40km away from Kuala Lumpur.
No new visitors to Kajang, in the Hulu Langat district, would miss the imposing medium-security prison building.
It is now home to Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the first Malaysian prime minister to be jailed.
The former premier is one of more than 5,000 prisoners there as at July 2022.
Like all Malaysian prisons, this facility is overcrowded, but it is surprisingly clean and well-maintained.
Our senior prison wardens are even sent overseas to learn from others on how to manage these facilities.
I had the opportunity of visiting both the Kajang and Sungai Buloh prisons several times, where I was allowed access to most parts of these centres in the company of the wardens, to see for myself what the situation there is really like.
I was invited to give motivational talks to the inmates and on one occasion, was even asked to help an inmate facing natural life imprisonment to obtain a royal pardon.
He had served 28 years by then. He was a model prisoner who ran a church service at Kajang Prison.
For a start, it’s nothing like the prisons we see in American TV dramas.
There are no double-decker beds for our inmates. They sleep on the cement floor, on standard latex mattresses that are about 5cm thick.
Those in the good behaviour category are rewarded with a 10cm-thick mattress.
There are about four to six persons in a cell, with a shared open toilet covered by low partial walls with no door.
They have to shower in the cell, too.
Some of the cells have no shower and inmates will have to go to a shower area, known simply as “tempat mandi”.
At Kajang, inmates are served three meals a day, starting at 7am when breakfast is served. The inmates usually have a cup of tea or coffee and a piece of bread. Lunch is around noon and dinner at about 4pm, mainly consisting of rice and curry with chicken or fish.
Former prisoners describe it as “canteen food’’. They eat in the dining hall.
At 10pm, it’s lights out.
The prison is a hot place and it feels like an oven in there.
No fans are provided in the cells. Trees are also not planted in the prison complex as they are deemed unsuitable for security purposes.
Many male inmates strip down to their underwear in the cells. In some areas, though, industrial fans are installed to allow better ventilation to reduce the unbearable heat.
Well-behaved inmates, who wear blue attire, get some form of reward like a desk and possibly a fan.
It is unlikely that Najib will share a cell with five or eight other inmates at Kajang Prison.
While VIP prisoners are expected to be treated the same as others, the prisons would certainly want them to be safe.
Based on what former inmates, wardens and non-governmental organisation visitors say, these VIP prisoners – usually former politicians, lawyers, policemen or corporate figures – would likely be assigned their own cells.
Even Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when he was incarcerated at Sungai Buloh Prison, had his own cell, which was located near the clinic wing.
Politician Lim Guan Eng and Hindraf activist P. Uthayakumar were also held in Kajang Prison.
In both the Kajang and Sungai Buloh prisons, drug addicts and traffickers make up the largest number of inmates, with many rehabilitation programmes drawn up for them.
Unlike in the movies, the average prisoner is usually well-behaved, and they conventionally stay away from trouble.
Sexual relationships in these facilities are regarded as a crime and certainly, any sexual act or even attempting it leads to only one thing – extra prison time.
Prisoners are addressed by their numbers, NOT names, and for newcomers with titles, this certainly needs some getting used to.
Welcome to Kajang Prison.
