NAJIB PONDERS THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF BANK NEGARA

by Toffee 
3 Feb 2016


 "1 BENGKRUP MALAYSIA!!" 
SAYS MY UMNO FRIEND DAUD


 To understand the "UMNO buddies" referred to in this article please click on this link UMNO Buddies and read the article I penned on Dec 7 2012, almost everything they said came to pass, yes, BN took a beating in Johor that was unthinkable before, BN had a lesser majority than before, it was the Malays vote that swung the popular vote in favour of the opposition and not the Chinese vote as Najib woudl like everyone to think.
the story at;  http://toffeesturn.blogspot.my/2012/12/najib-nero-of-sorts.html


I was in Tangkak just two weekends ago visiting my UMNO buddies, and what happened there did not seem to be significantly important at that point in time with  what I assumed to be loose political talk, but after I got home and after meeting others and hearing whispers of the same things I heard in Tangkak from my UMNO buddies from both Melaka and Johor, it got me thinking that I decided I have to put pen to paper to let you all know lest it is true.

Zeti the retiring Governor.

I really have no reason at all to doubt my UMNO buddies, they have given me information from as far back as 2008 and most of it was spot on (click on link). That they have a lot of credibility as far as I am concerned is beyond doubt, but like most of my Malay friends they are apt to joke at times, poke fun and create an environment of laughter, its so nice to be with them as even in the most serious times they have time for a joke, that was what made me not take them seriously at our last meeting.

There are times they tell you things that seem like they are joking and you tend to just put it off as in this case only to find out later that it is true. I can only say this is because the stories they tell are real bt are not completely verified or that the sceenario may change, and I believe the Tangkak experience is one like that, what was said has a good chance of coming to pass.

We were as usual in the confines of a particular house in Tangkak sitting down having"mee hoon" and teh "O" when one of the young UMNO men got the ball rolling.

"Who do you think will be the next Governor of Bank Negara?" he asked, no one seemed to pay attention as our conversation was still about 1MDB and the fact that one particular chap in the group, a lawyer was   telling us about Morais, Kevin Morais whom he referred to as a "distinguished Public Prosecutor and Servant," he told us a lot about Kevin and why he thought Kevin was murdered in connection with 1MDB. 

He was relating 'facts' about Kevin, 'facts' in inverted commas because we could not verify those facts or how he knows for a fact Kevin was involved in the 1MDB case and he told us that he was really as  troubled as was many of his friends in the legal service he claims over Gani Patel's decision to remain quiet over the whole episode.

Blood thicker than water?

"For my own health," he said, "I think I'll have to go into practice, and get out of service as soon as possible." before taking a toilet break and then  our friend who brought up the Bank Negara issue came in again, "look" he said, " I am serious, but who do you think is going to be the next Governor of Bank Negara?"

Architect for 1 Benkrup Malaysia

It was all quiet no one responded or no one seemed to be really interested in wanting to make a comment till that chap who had identified himself to me as Daud in one of our earlier encounters, said jokingly, " Arul Kanda I guess," and everyone laughed.

The chap who asked the question then interrupted, "don't laugh but that was one of the names I heard Najib is considering seriously," of course he did not say Najib they have a more crude term to refer to the PM every time they talk and that is quite well known in UMNO circles and even to Najib's trusted lieutenant Hamid Zahid Hamidi I am told.

When he said that some among us laughed most of us shrugged it off, then he went on, "he is not the only one I heard about there is also Nazir his brother, but I think Najib will not try him, but then again you really can't tell, after all 'Blood is thicker than water' and then there is another a former Bank Negara man who served in the Finance Ministry, but that chap is suspect as he is rather close to Mahathir and has been rather quiet, he is suspected to be feeding Mahathir with the facts to hammer Najib with," he said,

"Of all" he continued "Arul Kanda stands the best chance they say, banker or no banker Najib knows one thing and that is he can Bank on Arul Kanda. A deputy will be appointed who will do the real managing but Arul Kanda will hold the fort and it will be all his (her) Indian men again".

"Arul Kanda?" scoffed the Charted Accountant in the group, "what does that idiot know about banking?"

"Remember he was an investment banker, with extensive experience in structured finance, corporate finance, and restructuring across multiple markets including London he has what it takes to run the Central Bank so things Najib and that is what counts in this country, if Najib thinks he is fit he is fit!!" said the chap who began the topic, and many seemed to agree.

Daud then said the man who takes over as the Governor of Bank Negara must be beyond reproach, he must blameless, his integrity without blemish, not only that it just hasn't got to be that way it must also be seen to be and seem to be that way. It is Bank Negra mind you."

After a moment of silence the group went back into gear their usual relaxed selves  and all the members of the group were then joking,  "no more 1MDB," said one,  "it will be 1Benk Negara," and yet another said, "well, well we might as well rename it now, 1 Benkrup Malaysia."

In making his choice, he has a massive headache

The group then got active on the subject and all in the group were in agreement with the idea of having Zeti's tenure extended, but no one was confident that Najib of all persons would be magnanimous enough to  do so.  

The general feeling was  there are too many factors for Najib not to extend Zeti's tenure, for one, they say, if she has her way she would want Najib to be charged with multiple offenses, secondly too much illicit money has changed hands within Najib's ever growing inner circle and these guys would feel uncomfortable with Zeti up there, thirdly and most importantly, Rosmah will most certainly not want Najib to do that as there is they suspect  too much bad blood between the two.

Zeti herself may not want to consider an extension to her tenure because anyone who sits there in an "Independent Position" as the position of the Governor of Bank Negara, has to be forceful enough to take everyone regardless of stature to task, because governor only reports to the King, but we know that can't be done and that is not good for an image that has already taken a beating over the issue of 1MDB.

"Gentlemen, the country has crossed the cross roads, we are not at the cross roads, be prepared for bad times, real bad times, " said the one in the group, who to me seems to be the leader in the group, the one who told me I could call him Daud.