Yoursay: There’s no mafia in Felda, only kleptomaniacs

Puad questions presence of ‘mafia’ in Felda

Odin Tajué: I remember reading a news report published some years ago of a court case where the son of a well-off, reasonably well-known personality in Kuala Lumpur was prosecuted for shoplifting.

In seeking for leniency from the court, the defence submitted that he was suffering from a certain disease. Unfortunately, I cannot now recall exactly what the disease was said to be called, but I can remember that it sounded rather unusual, that it was a psychological problem.

The nearest to it, if it was not it, would be ‘impulse disorder’. Two of the causes of this disorder are a response to depression and the need to fulfil some psychological needs.

Shoplifting is, of course, a very, shall we say, mild form of the stealing that we have been witnessing of public funds and/or assets, where we are talking of hundreds of millions and billions.

The culprits are unlikely to be suffering from depression. That leaves the need to fulfil some psychological needs.

Some of us are not geniuses (I am definitely not one), but we can easily figure out the psychological needs that have driven this alleged grand thievery from Felda (as well as institutions such as 1MDB and SRC International).

When you want to live in and own mansions here, there and everywhere; when you want to drive a Porsche, a Lamborghini or a Ferrari and be driven around in a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce; when you want to go on a pleasure trip across the Seven Seas on your own yacht and avoid queueing up like cattle at airports when you fly and so have your own jet; and when your wife wants to lose weight by lifting sparkling boulders and atrociously expensive skins but you lack the wherewithal and have brains that don’t function well, you steal.

So, Special Affairs Department (Jasa) chief Mohd Puad Zarkashi, there is no mafia within Felda. Nor, for that matter, without Felda. You have kleptomaniacs. And they all want to be rich beyond their wildest dreams, and to do so faster than fast.

As they are not exactly the Jack Mas, Jeff Bezoses and Warren Buffetts of this world, they allegedly steal.

SusahKes: There are the poor among us, who get jailed for stealing Milo, milk powder, for their children.

But at the other end of the spectrum, you now have, according to Puad, a ‘mafia’ species. Take a guess on the likelihood of this bunch facing the law. And these guys want to yell justice for Palestinians?

Bluemountains: Puad is right in questioning whether there is mafia in Felda. Puad should also question whether there is also mafia in 1MDB and Mara, too.

The fact that the authorities are unable to bring the wrongdoers to book suggests that Fuad may not be wrong, after all.

Slumdog: The Prime Minister’s Department has instructed for a forensic audit and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Razali Ibrahim said the audit will be conducted by an independent party.

Really, or is this all a soap opera? These people couldn’t organise a one-man queue.

Anonymous 2436471476414726: Puad, the 1MDB scandal involved a far bigger amount of the rakyat’s money allegedly stolen. It is in the billions of ringgit. How come you do not show your disgust, instead you had been defending the perpetrators.

1MDB scandal involved far bigger mafia. 1MDB had incurred debts of at least RM40 billion which the rakyat and future generation would have to pay. Yet Umno leaders pretend there is nothing wrong and continue to support those involved.

Lest you forget, Jeff Sessions, the US attorney-general, recently announced in an international forum that 1MDB is a case of kleptocracy at its worst. Nothing can be more damning than this.

Yet there has not been a whimper of protest from Umno leaders. Singapore authorities had convicted and sentenced to jail some bankers involved in money laundering related to 1MDB.

But in Malaysia, nobody had been charged in court. That a plot of land valued at least RM270 million is lost is therefore not surprising.

Tekad: The hijacking of Felda will be a greater political threat to Umno and its top leaders than 1MDB. Where are the Pakatan Harapan leaders on this issue?

Don’t put all your political eggs in the 1MDB basket.

Clever Voter: Puad will one day regret those he supported when he realises his pants are gone. His rice bowl is dependent on these people who should be accountable for the strings of careless handling of Treasury and the nation’s resources.

There is no way anyone would dare sign off an expensive deal in Felda without the knowledge of the bosses at Putrajaya. No one can be blamed except the previous board and management. It’s as simple as that.

LCCTs: Malaysia has no mafias nor yakuzas but lots of orang minyak and thieves.

It’s easy to identify them as they usually dressed in expensive Hermes suits with Ferragamo ties but spurt out either lies or rubbish.

Hang Babeuf: “I am shocked at how the developer was given full power of attorney that it could transfer the land ownership without Felda’s knowledge. Or was there a mafia in Felda that was in cahoots?” Puad was quoted as saying in Berita Harian.

Here recall the words of a different IGP, Captain Renault, the top cop in the movie “Casablanca”:

Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?

Captain Renault: I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here! [a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]

Croupier: Your winnings, sir.

Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.

[aloud]

Captain Renault: Everybody out at once!

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