Sex, Sodomy & Scandal
While the Shazryl Eskay vs Merong Mahawangsa hearing began unceremoniously earlier this month, the sex video scandal has thrown a spotlight on the proceedings.
Abandon Thread
NONEThis follows Eskay's professed involvement as part of the 'Datuk T' trio in the sex-tape affair in which Anwar now finds himself implicated.
Eskay is alleged to have been angry with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for declining to testify in his favour in the case against Merong and Yahya.
While Eskay's own lawyer, CV Prabhakaran, has denied this, the case may provide other clues as to what has made Eskay tick so furiously against Anwar and seek his downfall as a politician.
The following is a recap of the case, on which Kuala Lumpur High Court justice VT Singham will issue a decision on May 5:
The case was filed in 2002 by Eskay, and was heard before two judges before later being transferred to Singham.
NONEEskay, who is a director in Aman Agropreneurs Sdn Bhd, said in his statement of claims that sometime in 1998, Yahya approached him for help to secure the bridge project to replace the Johor Causeway.
Eskay said he was promised 16.66 percent stake in Merong Mahawangsa Sdn Bhd, where Yahya is an executive director, for finding funders due to his contacts inside the government as well as overseas during his stint overseas.
“Yahya wanted my help to use my good ties with the Malaysian government to increase his equity in the consortium from 20 percent to 60 percent. Yahya also knew I had a good network with international funders,” Eskay said in his statement.
Eskay - a physiotherapist by training - was said to have gained a lot of contacts while working for high profile sports bodies in the US.
johor singapore new crooked bridge causeway 270106Eskay claimed that he was told Merong Mahawangsa had to increase its paid-up capital if the Malaysian government were to give the company 60 percent of the consortium.
Sometime in February 1998, Eskay secured a guarantee from the Alabama-based firm Charles E Jay for a loan of RM640 million as the initial requirement for the proposed project.
Meeting Anwar
After securing the guarantee letter from the American firm, Eskay said he met then-deputy prime minister and finance minister Anwar Ibrahim on May 3, 1998, over the proposal and set up a meeting between Yahya and Anwar.
Mohamad Mahti Abdul Rahim“Anwar agreed to meet Yahya at his official residence the next day, where Yahya explained about him wanting Ibex Corporation Amalgamated Sdn Bhd to be given a 60 percent equity share.
Anwar advised both of us to write directly to then-EPU director-general Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman,” he said in reference to the Economic Planning Unit.
Eskay also sought the help of a former deputy home affairs minister, the late Megat Junid Megat Ayob, to increase Merong's stake in the consortium.
“Sometime around June 25, 1998, the EPU and prime minister awarded the project, known as 'Proposal to build a bridge to replace the Johor causeway', to consortium Suria Kalbu Sdn Bhd, which Ibex had a 60 percent stake, while Transwater Corporation and Diversified Resources Bhd each had a 20 percent stake.
This was verified by a former bodyguard Mohamad Mahti Abdul Rahim, who was the first witness to testify in the case.
Eskay, also testified in court on March 10, that as a result of a VVIP, namely, the present Sultan of Johor Ibrahim III, wanting a stake in Ibex. Eskay said he was therefore sidelined from the 16.66 per cent stake.
Merong and Yahya then offered him RM20 million.
crooked scenic bridge 110406 custom office building 01The plaintiff later got to know that the project was renamed the Malaysia Singapore International Gateway, and had been transformed into a turnkey project for the construction of the scenic/crooked bridge, which later included the construction of the Integrated Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex (left), a road bridge and railway swing bridge.
Eskay claimed the defendants had reneged on the agreement or pledge to pay him RM20 million for services rendered to secure the contract and increase the Ibex stake in the consortium.
Defence statement
Merong Mahawangsa in its statement of defence described Eskay's allegations as wild, saying it obtained the project known as the crooked/scenic bridge on merit and that it was on a design-and-build concept or turnkey contract basis which it was awarded on Aug 1, 2003.
NONEMerong also claimed the project was terminated by the Malaysian government on April 12, 2006, and that the preliminary work was not done. It also said the EPU letter dated June 25, 1998, was not an award letter.
Yahya, in his defence, similarly maintains that he obtained the project on merit.
He denied making any offer, and said the onus is on the plaintiff to prove his assertions.
In his court testimony on Wednesday, Yahya admitted Eskay had helped set up a meeting with Anwar. Yahya in his testimony, however, claimed it was not he who approached Eskay but the other way around.
azlan“I was approached by the plaintiff and he represented to me that he has close relationship with the leaders from all around the world, especially the leaders in Malaysia, and was able to provide his assistance to procure the project,” he said.
He also said Eskay made it seem that he was “able to use his personal influence, good relations, family and contacts with leaders in the government to secure the contract”.
Yahya said as the events took place a long time ago, he could not remember if he had, in fact, offered Eskay a 16.66 percent stake in Merong Mahawangsa.
“I signed the letter of understanding, but whether it was because of the agreement (to give Eskay 16.66 percent), I cannot remember,” he said.
The Merong Mahawangsa executive director denied his company had secured the project, which was revised as a crooked bridge and other related works, because of Eskay's help.
The crooked bridge, Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, roadworks, railway line and related works were awarded to Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Merong Mahawangsa.
MESSIAH ANWAR, HIS GOD’S ARMY AND THEIR PAROXYSM OF VIOLENCE
Pix: ‘God’s Gift’ parting the Red Sea. Also see Insider’s ‘Anwar function turns ugly as crowd attacks cops‘
By Sharifuddin A Latiff
If this man is a gift from God to the people of this country, then he has to fulfil a ‘God-ish’ quality control criteria which are unlike man-made standards (admittedly fallible).
However, if one is ‘Anugerah Tuhan’ and pitches his politics as endorsed by God’s seal of approval, then his personal morality would be required to meet the religious high standards that he himself has vigorously implemented in the bureaucracy and public life.
Pakatan is only getting what they wished for. They want this country to run on the religion track instead of secular. The scrutiny on Anwar Ibrahim is the logical progression and outcome of what they’ve been clamouring for.
When a politician consciously develops a personality cult, and not only that but projects himself as religiously pure (views the segments in the video where he speaks Arabic and invokes Allah) and the country’s messiah, then the fanaticism displayed by his cult following is similarly another logical progression.
Pakatan supporters must beware lest things get out of hand. Clearly we’re not dealing here with a crowd that buys the Star for its Soduku.
We’re voicing our concern at the escalation of the action-and-reaction cycle, and sounding an alarm on the potential for violence given the behaviour of Anwar’s followers, and the quick-draw reputation of the police as well as general lack of confidence in the service among members of the public.
See this video.
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Chants of ‘Reformasi’ and ‘Allahuakhbar’, and then the outraged Anwaristas start throwing chairs, water bottles, bricks and sticks at the riot police personnel.
The crowd of ketayap wearers and shrieking women became so aggressive that they forced the police to retreat. The riot police had helmets and shields but they were hugely outnumbered.
There is a difference between the responses by Anwar and Chua Soi Lek, and their respective parties. Chua quickly owned up and was subsequently sacked by his party.
MCA has never claimed that Chua Soi Lek is God’s gift to Malaysia whereas PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has told the whole country that Anwar Ibrahim is ‘Anugerah Tuhan’.
See video below where God’s Gift unleashes his thundering fury like the prophets of old.
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Daim on Anwar Ibrahim
March 27, 2011
Daim on Anwar: … reminds us of the main character in Christopher Marlowe‘s play, Dr Faustus“
“Can PKR remain the core of the (opposition) pact and can a pact like this convince the people that it can guarantee a better future for the people and the country compared to UMNO and the BN, which have been building the country over the past 50 years?” he said in an interview with Mingguan Malaysia, published today.
Daim, who is a former special functions minister and finance minister, said an opposition that was relevant would be the one that was able “to provide a check and balance to the government, one that is not chauvinistic and not having a tunnel vision, and one that is able to unite Malaysians of various races.”
Daim said: “If we look at the opposition parties now, it is clear that they have not lost their direction. It just that, each of them has their own directions. They are just a marriage of convenience,” he said.
Daim also said that the opposition pact was “plagiarising” the BN’s format but “they do this only half way, and not in full, and this is not a compelling alternative to the people.”
“Pakatan Rakyat, like I once said, is only a political conspiracy. I foresee that this group will not be able to reach consensus on important national matters because they are obsessed with their own stands and principles,” he said.
He also slammed Anwar for being inconsistent. “Ask Anwar’s friends, they say Anwar has been 
“But it appears that Anwar is now a fighter of multi-culturalism and utopian liberalism, to the extent that some are questioning the positions of the Malay Rulers. This kind of attitude and political action, which forgo all self-esteem, dignity, standings and principles in order to gain support, reminds us of the main character in Christopher Marlowe’s play, Dr Faustus,” Daim said.
Daim also said that Anwar’s sacking from UMNO was not due to political conspiracy, and said that the conspiracy theory was Anwar’s own making because he wanted to portray himself as “The Fall Guy” in order to attract sympathy and to cover up the blemishes of his own personality.
He added that without the then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and UMNO’s machinery behind him, Anwar would have never become the party’s deputy president. To the eyes of the public at large, he said, Anwar did not have any extraordinary capability as an administrator. There was no reform carried out in the ministries he had helmed as a minister then, he said.
“He is an orator who has the ability to flare up his audience’s emotions even if his speeches contain only political nightmare. Based on this, the people nowadays are no longer convinced that Anwar can be an effective leader even upon the disposal of his court case,” he added. –BERNAMA
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