Surabaya Paradox

There have been paradox in Surabaya. A skyrocketting inflation and rock-bottom deflation.

Liabilities starting from U$ 106 million to indefinite, price : U$ 1 million.

Loss of livelihood, price : U$ 250.

Loss of life, price : U$ 200.

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Condolences to all victims in Pertamina gas explosion, Gempol-Porong toll, Nov 22, 2006.

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He Says, They Say

Since last Friday, it has been very confusing who is going to be responsible for Lapindo recovery costs and compensation for victims. Even as the relief team fight to resolve the gas pipe explosion problem and PLN is losing Rp 4.7 billion/day, the ring of circus is in Jakarta, when previous owner of Lapindo, current owner of Lapindo, and government officials are divided in opinions as to who in charge of the liabilities.


Immediately after the announcement of the sale of Lapindo to Freehold, Vice President Jusuf Kalla implied on Nov 17, that the new owner of Lapindo must be responsible.

It is quite strange, since Minarak Labuan Co, Ltd. Director Jay Abdullah Alatas stated on Nov 17, at the same day with the Vice President, that Bakrie Group would still be committed to provide all the funds needed in Lapindo recovery and compensation. This is a small consolation, since we've heard less and less of Bakrie as the time progressed, compared to few months ago when the majority opinion was Bakrie should be responsible. The inquiry by Bapepam on the new owner, haven't been replied with positive response from EMP management.

The situation become more complicated after BP Migas Chief Kardaya Warnika said that even though Lapindo has been sold to the new owner, the previous owner and the three contractors of Brantas Block : Lapindo, Medco and Santos, could not shirk responsibility on the damage, recovery process and compensation, on Nov 17.

Meanwhile, Medco has been engaged in arbitrage suit against Lapindo, the purpose is to shed responsibility on the ground that they were non-operative partner.

In the same tone, echoing his boss and fellow Golkar, Coordinating Minister for People' Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, whose group is a majority owner of Lapindo, has stated on Nov 22, that the new owner of Lapindo would bear the responsibility, after commenting that Bapepam Chief should not make unnecessary comments.

And Pertamina gas pipe exploded on 8 pm, Nov 22, left 7 people killed and 14 injured. Geologists and relief team had warned since 2 months ago that the pipe should be relocated as soon as possible to avoid disaster.

In a bold move, or desperate one, before the call of special cabinet meeting tonight, Coordinating Minister for People' Welfare declared that the explosion is a natural disaster, thus government would be responsible, and the victims would be compensated Rp 2 million per head. He said since government and relief team didn't anticipate the possibility of explosion and failed to relocate the pipes, this would be reasonable conclusion.

After cabinet meeting, tonight Nov 23, President indeed declared the explosion as disaster, and that the government should be involved. One more confusing statement and further overhang, would the statement means that government will take over the resposibility from Lapindo ? Unclear. To end the fracas and uphold justice for the people, he must decides. Soon.

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Razak Baginda

It started as a very archetypal story.She was the beauty. He was the power and money. They met up in an event, being introduced by other people. Then the relationship set in motion.

After some time, the flames faded. Reality checked in. He wanted out. Have I mentioned that he has a family ? Yes, the guy always been married. Beside, he has reputation he could not afford to ruin, especially when the brain’s no longer clouded with lust.

That is when the demands of woman scorned intensified. She wanted to stay, and when it failed, she starts to seek for financial compensation. It is stereotypical. But it is the ending that different between stories.

We know that Monica lives. Gennifer Flowers and Paula Jones live. Chandra Levy died.


And Altantuya (she is not that Mongolian model Toya) also died, in a scandal that rocks both Malaysia political elite and people bystanders.

Her remains were found in a forest near Shah Alam, and anywhere near Shah Alam means still in the close vicinity of the Selangor capital. Her body was blown to bits by what identified as C4, and according to Polis diRaja Malaysia, not before she was executed with two point-blanks in the head. She had been reported missing for almost 3 weeks, last seen when she was abducted in front of her ex lover’s home in the posh Damansara Heights.

The man in the heart of the scandal is one Abdul Razak Baginda, a Malaysian scholar who has published number of books. He is the founder and lead political analyst for a defense think-tank : Malaysian Strategic Research Center (MSRC), and most importantly - has been known for years as Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak’ man.

He is no regular guy. He is not Rahim Tamby Chik picking up underage girl. He is UK graduate, a member of Global Economic Forum Leaders of Tomorrow. The Star daily cues him as urbane and debonair intellectual. Currently he is working on his doctorate with Oxford. In Indonesia, he may be an equal to Dino Patti Djalal or Denny JA. If you search Amazon, you will find numbers of his book with price tag of U$ 40-50 a piece.

I once attended his session during one of ASLI event in Kuala Lumpur, where he talked fluently of Malaysia in transition and Mahathirism. Among the ardent bumiputera views, he is one moderate voice of rationality.

As Jeff Ooi said in Screenshots : ‘’.. there’s so much still about defence and foreign affairs that need analysed and developed’’, then why this so called debonair intellectual would involved in such unnecessary megawatt sex scandal ?

The whole story is very confusing and splashed with red herrings. I am amused. I really smell that prawn behind bakwan.

Imagine yourself as Razak Baginda. Say, with brain-size half of his and much less at stake.You met this girl, yes, a venus de millo compared to that old napkin at home your child call mom. It is a nice escapade, being a bachelor again with those sojourns to Europe and Alaska with the beauty; but surely you know sooner or later it should be ended or you stand to lose so much more.

She is foreigner and it should came handy, yet you still brought her into close proximity of home, checked in those luxurious service apartments in the heart of KL. May be the rate per-night is much cheaper than two-room flat rental in Hongkong. But average man would still call the act as stupid.

You sent her money, bought her jewelries which receipts her father keeps. All those trails. What happened to cash ? And on top of that, you failed to procure your own Durex.

Now that she refused to break-up with you, you changed your phone number and disappeared. But Malaysia was no strange place for her thanks to you; she came, she hired Private Investigator and tracked you down. Then she started to harass you, called your office and home, sent barrage of SMS, embarrassed you in front of family, friends and colleagues. Worse was she started to appear in your front gate and made a lot of noises. You could not stood the terror you even lodged a report with Brickfield police station.

Yet, with so many people knew and involved : your colleagues, private investigator, police, public; you, Razak Baginda, decided to eliminate this woman – worse, with such obvious method equal to Italian mafia kidnapping in 1960s New York : you ordered people, who loosely known as your police acquaintances, to snatch her and push her into car, in a broad daylight, in front of public eye, and not before she was able to make a call to her sister on her whereabouts. Knowing that with so many witnesses, if she lost a strand of hairs, you will be the number one suspect.

Is it a foolishness or sheer arrogance, that political connection guarantee freedom at will ? In my opinion, it is just plain dumb, even for the average Joe.

Would it be better if you just gave her a little of what she demanded, say $10K then coaxed her back to Mongolia; or if you already made up your mind not to let her live – bought some time then have her killed when people have forgotten her ties with you, in location faraway that less likely it would be linked to you. Even that tennis coach guy in Woody Allen’s ‘Match Point’ knows how to handle the situation well all by himself.

In dedication and proficiency that surpass America’ CSI, Polis diRaja Malaysia in such a short span are able to identify the remains as poor Altantuya. Two members of police force had even been detained and questioned before the remains were found. And immediately all fingers point to the beleaguered analyst, who was whisked in handcuffs from his office while police seized bank books, statements, documents, hard-disks and laptop from his home. One day after they recovered what were left of Altantuya, Razak Baginda was arrested. If only our police or Amsterdam authorities possess half of Malaysia’ aptitude, Munir’ killer would have been brought to justice long ago.

However, there are still few mind-boggling questions :
· How police members are involved ? It was police members who sloppily handle Altantuya’ kidnapping and murder. It was police too, with their super high efficiency, seems have solved the murder instantly.
· Who procure the C4 ? Should be someone from police force.
· Why police have to seize documents, hard-disks and laptop ?

There are too many police here. Police who attended when Razak lodged his report. Police who kidnapped Altantuya. Police who procure the C4. Police (may be) who executed the Mongolian beauty. And finally, the brilliant police who was able to identify blown-up remains in a day and solve the murder in the matter of less than a month.

And why on Nov 19, Internal Security Minister Fu warns publications not to carry any news on the investigation ?

The detention of Razak Baginda, would be a heavy blow for DPM Najib Razak, who already lose many closest aides since the departure of Datuk Alies Nor and Rohana Mahmud. Razak Baginda is at par of Khairy Jamalludin for Badawi to Najib. This may be another episode when Khairy finally outsmart Najib again in stripping him off his most able men.

Najib, the crown prince of ‘Razak-Onn’ dynasty, is a strong candidate to be Prime Minister one day after Abdullah Badawi. But it has been no secret that Badawi’s son in law, the super-ambitious Khairy wants the position for himself and after Endon’ passed away – Badawi is sort of Soeharto, losing his pillar of strength to curb the insatiable demands of his family, children and son in-law. Such weaknesses that, left Mahathir panting in fury.

As cited from Harakahdaily, Razak Baginda was a key mediator and negotiator in Malaysia weapon purchases for Najib during his tenure as Minister of Defense. He is key to Najib’s past dealings that Khairy has been aiming for months.

Whatever the truth, Razak Baginda is a lost case, his life and sparkling career have ended short; in a nation that may tolerate corruption but always tough on sex scandal. Now, people are anxiously waiting for DNA result of Altantuya’s baby boy. I would like to think positive and bet it would be positive, same like Anwar and Sukma’ DNA on the infamous mattress was positive.

The slapdash scandal delivers like movie with poor plot, but Malaysian politic is always delightful to watch.

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