Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Malaysiakini : Former religious affairs minister Jamil Khir Baharom said Tabung Haji’s long-term hotel leasing strategy during his tenure aimed to lock in better accommodation rates and reduce the cost of haj.
“At the time, I took the approach of locking in hotels for a long-term period so that we could secure better rates, or lock in the best prices, to reduce the cost of performing the haj,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex after claiming trial to three charges of dishonestly causing Tabung Haji to dispose of RM860.3 million of its funds to a Saudi property management firm.
The charges followed the release of the Tabung Haji royal commission of inquiry report, which listed the dealings with Al-Rawda Investment for Real Estate Development and Projects Management Co Ltd as one of the fund's troubled investments.
Jamil said accommodation was a core component of Tabung Haji’s services to haj pilgrims, as he defended the rationale behind securing hotels over extended periods. He also described the case as the culmination of a long process stemming from issues raised over Tabung Haji since 2018.
“Today, in the end, I have been charged in relation to the rental of hotels by Tabung Haji. “I am also grateful that this matter has received serious attention because one of the core aspects of serving haj pilgrims is accommodation,” he said.
Jamil ready to clear name
He added that he would contest the allegations in court. “I will defend myself in court. So, we will wait and see what developments come after this,” he said. Asked whether the prosecution would allow him to clear his name, Jamil said the court was the best forum for him to do so.
“Yes, to clear my name in court. This is the best place to seek justice. “I believe, God willing, that the court will deliver the best and fairest outcome,” he said.
Asked whether it was now a case of “lawan tetap lawan” (fight on regardless), Jamil laughed and said, “Once you are in court, of course you will respond to the arguments and so on.”
Deal with Al-Rawda
According to the RCI report, Tabung Haji paid Al-Rawda for long-term leases on four hotels in Mecca and Madinah with Al-Rawda, appointing the company as operator under a projected 2.49 million Saudi riyal lease agreement. In March 2019, Al-Rawda defaulted on rental payments, accumulating 560.7 million Saudi riyals in arrears by December 2021.
Consequently, Tabung Haji enforced promissory notes issued by Al-Rawda in Saudi courts, and obtained orders for asset freezes and initiated the liquidation of 20 properties owned by the property firm’s owner.
Later settlement negotiations failed after Al-Rawda proposed a reduced payout and initiated arbitration, claiming syariah non-compliance. The RCI, in its report, recommended a full forensic audit of the dealings.
Jamil was previously detained by the MACC for seven days from Sept 2 to 8 to assist investigations into the leasing of a Tabung Haji-linked hotel in Saudi Arabia, one of the matters highlighted in the RCI report.
He is the fourth person to be charged following the publication of the RCI report.
BlueParrot8964 : Looks like Mkini trying to kill the community that once help them overcome the rm500k saman by cloud funding/donation. If you treat your readers/subscribers like enemy sooner or later you won't have any left.
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