Future Forward accuses Prayut of involvement in Malaysian 1MDB scam

By The Nation

 

Pannika Wanich

 

Future Forward Party spokesperson Pannika Wanich spent an hour and a half making their case against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for his performance over the last six years and four months without an opposition, in a censure debate arranged by the now-defunct opposition party on Sunday afternoon.

 

The spokesperson alleged that the prime minister was involved with 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), one of the biggest financial scams in Malaysia. She said she expected him to clarify the accusation.

 

She said that the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved by the charter court on Friday, would continue the promises that they had made during the general election campaign as political activists instead of as politicians.

 

Pannika expressed her hope that the former MPs of the party would keep the same ideology and said the party would further support the coming censure debate.

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-24

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Banned Thai opposition party says junta helped 1MDB cover-up

 

Thai students and supporters protest against a court's decision that dissolved the country's second largest opposition Future Forward party, less than a year after an election to end direct military rule, at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand February 22, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A banned Thai opposition party on Sunday accused the former military junta of helping cover up Malaysia's multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal, urging Thais to demand the truth ahead of a censure debate against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

 

The Future Forward Party, the third-largest party in parliament, was dissolved on Friday by Thailand's Constitutional Court over a loan it took from its billionaire founder.

 

The dissolution was decried by democracy advocates as a means of weakening opposition to the government of Prayuth, who first came to power in a 2014 military coup and led a military junta until after elections last year that his pro-army party won.

 

Future Forward's spokeswoman, Pannika Wanich, told a news conference on Sunday that the junta had worked with Malaysia's former government to arrest a whistleblower in the 1MDB case in 2015 and had allowed financial criminals to operate in Thailand, risking the country's international ties.

 

"The junta government yearned for international acceptance after the coup ... and formed a dark alliance with Malaysia," Pannika said.

"The only person who can issue these orders is Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha," Pannika said.

 

Pannika cited irregularities surrounding Thailand's arrest and the subsequent confession of Xavier Justo, the Swiss national who was arrested in Thailand in 2015 the first whistleblower in the 1MDB affair.

 

The government also harboured Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, allowing him to enter the country at least five times between October 2016 and May 2018, despite Low having an Interpol red notice from Singapore, she said.

 

Low has been charged in Malaysia and the United States over the alleged theft of $4.5 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), set up by former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak with the help of Low, to promote economic development.

 

At least six countries, including the United States, have launched money laundering, financial mismanagement and criminal probes into 1MDB dealings.

 

Low has denied any wrongdoing. His whereabouts are unknown.

 

The government denied involvement.

 

"These accusations are not true ... and create confusion in society," government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said.

"Anything said that was false will be followed with legal action," she added.

 

Future Forward Party said it would have opened an investigation on corruption and money laundering related to the 1MDB case if it were in power.

 

"If we were in government, we would investigate. We want a government that is a responsible neighbour and acts with dignity," Pannika said.

 

"Since we have been dissolved, we can't, but the Thai public can demand the truth."

 

A spokesman for the Malaysian prime minister's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Giles Elgood)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-24

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Oh dear! This is going to be fun to follow.

Urging Thais to demand the truth.????

WHAT, that is something impossible to obtain from the mob running the country, they would not know how to tell the true.

Edited February 23, 20206 yr by colinneil

19 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Urging Thais to demand the truth.????

WHAT, that is something impossible to obtain from the mob running the country, they would not know how to tell the true.

Even the fake truth is for sale. ????

Where's the popcorn 

The solution is simple & obvious (unless individuals have been banned from politics as well) start a new party...  I have to admit, I haven't followed this all that closely, so not sure of the extent of the ban & censure.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Anything said that was false will be followed with legal action," she added.

We can see where this is headed and it won’t be pretty. 

give it a break will ya ..... no one is listening or cares as it's just another case of trying to stir up trouble.

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

give it a break will ya ..... no one is listening or cares as it's just another case of trying to stir up trouble.

When the day dawns, that Prayut and his cronies decide to kick out all farangs, you will go just the same as the rest of us.

Using the defence, but i am Prayuts only farang supporter/ friend wont matter 1 iota, you will get the boot.

3 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Oh dear! This is going to be fun to follow.

and unless you cut the internet all over the country, you can't sweep it all under the rug ...

3 minutes ago, colinneil said:

When the day dawns, that Prayut and his cronies decide to kick out all farangs, you will go just the same as the rest of us.

Using the defence, but i am Prayuts only farang supporter/ friend wont matter 1 iota, you will get the boot.

sorry to disagree ...

I believe Khun Prayut Chan O Cha will be around for a long time yet. He isn't going anywhere.

He has big support up country as I have witnessed on many occasions.

Thais are happy to have the security and stability, they are sick and tired of road blocks and protests and fighting. Farang keep telling us Thailand is going down the drain and it's the final nail in the coffin and bla ..bla ..bla .. but funny thing is Thailand just keeps ticking over as it has done for the last decade and will continue for decades to come. Tourists keep coming and infrastructure continues to be created. 

enough said.

 

 

16 minutes ago, colinneil said:

When the day dawns, that Prayut and his cronies decide to kick out all farangs, you will go just the same as the rest of us.

Using the defence, but i am Prayuts only farang supporter/ friend wont matter 1 iota, you will get the boot.

There will never be a shortage of people to lick Prayut's boots. After all, he is second or third tier at the trough!

23 minutes ago, steven100 said:

give it a break will ya ..... no one is listening or cares as it's just another case of trying to stir up trouble.

As Prayut’s #1 spokesperson, the truth can sometimes cause problems for you. However, even if it stirs up trouble or “confuses society”, the truth will come out.

23 minutes ago, colinneil said:

When the day dawns, that Prayut and his cronies decide to kick out all farangs, you will go just the same as the rest of us.

Using the defence, but i am Prayuts only farang supporter/ friend wont matter 1 iota, you will get the boot.

Palang Pracharath, the key member of the Prayut coalition government, won the by-election in the central province of Khamphaeng Phet on Sunday, a day ahead of the no-confidence debate.

As I mentioned, Khun Prayut has support across Thailand and especially up country.

12 minutes ago, steven100 said:

sorry to disagree ...

I believe Khun Prayut Chan O Cha will be around for a long time yet. He isn't going anywhere.

He has big support up country as I have witnessed on many occasions.

Thais are happy to have the security and stability, they are sick and tired of road blocks and protests and fighting. Farang keep telling us Thailand is going down the drain and it's the final nail in the coffin and bla ..bla ..bla .. but funny thing is Thailand just keeps ticking over as it has done for the last decade and will continue for decades to come. Tourists keep coming and infrastructure continues to be created. 

enough said.

 

 

I would have to agree with most of that, but he remains in power not by popularity, by force, and he is fortunate to have a population who are rather apathetic and are only concerned about their next meal!

43 minutes ago, Das Boot said:

The solution is simple & obvious (unless individuals have been banned from politics as well) start a new party...  I have to admit, I haven't followed this all that closely, so not sure of the extent of the ban & censure.

That is the issue - they have all been banned for 10 years in Thailand politics.  Anyone know what happens to those seats they won? Will there be by-elections? If so, that is the chance for another anti-Junta Party and People to stand, and how many votes they get would be interesting.  Or has the Junta just gotten rid of some troublesome members and no one replaces them? 

 

What they should do is create a new party called the 'illuminati party' just for the hell of it

31 minutes ago, steven100 said:

sorry to disagree ...

I believe Khun Prayut Chan O Cha will be around for a long time yet. He isn't going anywhere.

He has big support up country as I have witnessed on many occasions.

Thais are happy to have the security and stability, they are sick and tired of road blocks and protests and fighting. Farang keep telling us Thailand is going down the drain and it's the final nail in the coffin and bla ..bla ..bla .. but funny thing is Thailand just keeps ticking over as it has done for the last decade and will continue for decades to come. Tourists keep coming and infrastructure continues to be created. 

enough said.

 

 

"He has big support up country" really? I'm up country and everbody (Thais) I know hates him.

17 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

That is the issue - they have all been banned for 10 years in Thailand politics.  Anyone know what happens to those seats they won? Will there be by-elections? If so, that is the chance for another anti-Junta Party and People to stand, and how many votes they get would be interesting.  Or has the Junta just gotten rid of some troublesome members and no one replaces them? 

 

....its a tactic directly out of 'The Art of War'..how to unsettle your foe and undermine their confidence and abilities.

What no way?  The billion he got stash oversea is just fake news?????️‍♀️

Steve100 wrote '...Thailand just keeps ticking over as it has done for the last decade...' Yep, fake democracy ticking over like those fake brand name watches. And the outside is listening...but of of course you, like this fake democracy, will ignore what the US Embassy and EU said.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Anything said that was false will be followed with legal action," she added.

That is only ok if applied to all , the government as well ...!

The government does everything to stay in power , even the amendment of the constitution .

The dissolution of FFP is just part of these efforts , as they threatened the ruling class .

The ( Pseudo ) Democracy bubble has burst finally .

This country has no real democratic system , just one that wants to appear as such , and does everything to suppress or dissolve anything that could represent a danger to the rulers .

The only way to end this is a clear win for the opposition , (if they allow one ) , in the next elections .

As she said , ' anything false will be followed with legal action ' .

There are a lot of high ranked people who did a lot of things that are false , I suppose .

In hope that these wrongdoings will be published in the future  and not just only swept under the carpet .

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by nobodysfriend

This government kills the little plant of a beginning of democracy and not respect the votes of the people of Thailand.  A missuse of power, same as they did as junta! Nothing changed, no got more worse. They must be kicked out of power!

The kettle is starting to whistle. I think their honking their horn.

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by Winky Wilson

52 minutes ago, steven100 said:

sorry to disagree ...

I believe Khun Prayut Chan O Cha will be around for a long time yet. He isn't going anywhere.

He has big support up country as I have witnessed on many occasions.

Thais are happy to have the security and stability, they are sick and tired of road blocks and protests and fighting. Farang keep telling us Thailand is going down the drain and it's the final nail in the coffin and bla ..bla ..bla .. but funny thing is Thailand just keeps ticking over as it has done for the last decade and will continue for decades to come. Tourists keep coming and infrastructure continues to be created. 

enough said.

 

 

He doesn't have "big support up country".

 

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

give it a break will ya ..... no one is listening or cares as it's just another case of trying to stir up trouble.

Top trending hashtag on Thai twitter today? #1MDB 1.56 million and counting, Steven.

 

Again, who doesn't care? 

 

 

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by rkidlad

22 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

"He has big support up country" really? I'm up country and everbody (Thais) I know hates him.

How many people do you know?Do you know a lot of the older people who now get a pension and are quite grateful for it?Their are also a lot of people working in the government who also admire the Joker.Personally I don't like him but have been surprised by the amount of support he does have up here.These guys are not new to this game and are masters in more ways than one.

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by FarFlungFalang

Great news..  tear him down

5 hours ago, webfact said:

"Since we have been dissolved, we can't, but the Thai public can demand the truth."

To be truthful the average Thai is apathetic  to what the government or local officials are doing, they are only concerned with their immediate family issues.

If the FFP got shot down by the government, the individual on the street isn't even going to bother!