The Realmild Story: UMNO the owner?
October 29, 2010
UMNO the real owner of Realmild Sdn Bhd(?): Judgment on December 2, 2010
by Debra Chong@www.themalaysiainsider.com
When the High Court here hands down its judgment on the disputed sale price of Realmild Sdn Bhd’s shares on December 2, all eyes will be trained on the grounds — whether UMNO, the senior party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), has been ruled to be the shadowy company’s real owner.
In taking their quarrel over the sale price of Realmild’s shares from a decade ago, former company directors Datuk Khalid Ahmad and Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Maidin have showed how the political giant has fed and sustained its tight grip on power through control of several conglomerates starting from the early 1990s.
The suit was mooted by Khalid in March 2005 against his successor, Abdul Rahman, to claim RM10 million in payment for a block of the company’s shares.
But Abdul Rahman made a counter-claim to be refunded the RM5 million he already paid, after being told by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that UMNO owned all Realmild’s shares and the appointed directors were only nominees acting in the party’s trust.
The nexus between UMNO and certain conglomerates has been revealed in the court hearing that started in August this year involving the past shareholders of Realmild, the shadowy company that took over media giant The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd in 1993, and Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB).
A number of high-flying corporate figures have entered the witness stand, most notably Tan Sri Syed Anwar Jamalullail, younger brother to the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail who also held the position of Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the time of the contentious takeover.
Khalid is suing Abdul Rahman for RM10 million over the sale of a five per cent stake in the company in 1999, which took place during a shake-up and buy-out related to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sacking from government. Abdul Rahman had paid RM5 million but later reneged on the remainder.
The silver-haired industry captain testified in court that Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister at the time of the buy-out, told him that the shares actually belonged to UMNO.
Abdul Rahman, a former Malay Chamber of Commerce Penang president, also claimed to have received instructions from Tun Daim Zainuddin and Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop had previously instructed him to undertake a management buy-out of MRCB by purchasing the 7,101,001 ordinary shares in Realmild.But Khalid maintained the five per cent stake was his own although he acknowledged that the majority stake was part of an “UMNO Trust”.
The other directors in Realmild then were former Berita Harian group editor Datuk Ahmad Nazri Abdullah, New Straits Times group editor Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin, and Mohd Noor Mutalib, who replaced Khalid as NSTP managing director in February 1993. Realmild, originally a RM2 company, was then already the majority shareholder of MRCB, which is now developing the KL Sentral commercial and transport hub in Brickfields.
Representing Khalid is lawyer Ahmad Fadzil Mohd Perdaus. Alex De Silva and Eugene Jeyaraj Williams acted for Abdul Rahman.
Mamak Tulkan’s hand is everywhere and yet he escapes public censure. More of his wrongdoings will come after he is gone. The evil that he does will be remembered and people will forget his good deeds. Our country is in this sorry state because of him, worsened by his successor, Abdullah “Sleepy Jackass” Badawi.
Muthu-Tamil Nadu - October 29, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Over time King ApaNama He-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed’s habit of sticking his dirty finger in every pie and his transgressions hitherto hidden will be exposed for all to see. The evil than Man does is nothing when compared to his.
Mr Bean - October 29, 2010 at 5:42 pm
The Mamak is wicked, he is the unparalleled “Mother of all evil”, this is just a small piece in the securely covered bin.
You will never know the true because it is so rampant and so toxic, no administration can effort to reveal them all, not in this part of the world, as no hand is clean enough to open it.
ICIT - October 29, 2010 at 7:35 pm
When the evil UMNO is gone after GE13. The people’s political consciousness – now awaken – cannot be stemmed or stoppedor reversed. Nothing that BN can now do to stop the march of history.
When UMNO is gone:
[1] those who plundered the country must be sysystematica how long it takes] charged and pursued to its logical end , namely a conviction with a commenserating sentence. even if the evil perpetratrator is dead and gone;
[2] history written to expose their evil deeds
ILLIADWONG - October 29, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Hmm.., and all this while i thought Real Mild was a cigarette brand! Been smoking the wrong stuff, all these years.. 70% owned by Octo-bumno & started by saifuled bro. Anwar.
Menyalak-er - October 29, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Whatever it is that you’re smoking, can I have some?
Mr Bean - October 30, 2010 at 8:52 am