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24 May 2018

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“Patriot”, “Perfect”, and “NAAM” are some of the vanity plates in circulation today for which the Road Transport Department has received criticism under the BN administration.

This is because the rights to sell these plates were traded away by the department, through direct negotiations, without the customary open tender process.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/426618

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malaysiakini.com‏Verified account @malaysiakini

Newly minted Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he will stop the controversial practice of outsourcing the right to sell car registration plates to NGOs, causing the latter to gain huge profits at the expense of the government.

On the car plate rights given by the previous administration to 35 NGOs, he said those car plates must be auctioned off in a year starting from the signing of the contract between both parties.

Otherwise, the NGOs will lose the rights after the contracts expire.

“I have ordered (the ministry) to stop such practices. Every car plate bidding must go through the Land Transport Department (JPJ),” Loke said.

He added that some NGOs had previously paid as much as RM 1 million to obtain the right to sell car registration plates, and that the cost was subsequently retrieved by selling as little as one license plate.

“I noticed (the transport) minister can approve car plate outsourcing but I would not permit that. JPJ cannot make any exemption. Any income from (the sale of) car plates must go to government coffers.”

The Seremban MP was speaking at a press conference in the Transport Ministry after meeting with JPJ senior management.

Loke also said the Road Transport Department (RTD) will implement an e-bidding system for the sale of car plates, which is estimated to be introduced by next January.

He noted that the sale of car plates had provided an income of RM280 million for the government last year, and expressed hopes that e-bidding would help boost public coffers.

“This will help people. You can sit in Putrajaya and bid (on) a Penang car plate. No need to go to Penang.”

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/426618

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10 December 2015

‘Patriot’ car plates makes comeback at PWTC, now at half price

BY ERMIZI MUHAMAD

Malay Mail Online ‏@themmailonline

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陳姓女子標得 “PATRIOT 1”車牌 | 中國報

交通部長拿督斯里廖中萊指出，大馬愛國者基金會（YPNM），已按照陸路交通局的規定拍賣“PATRIOT”愛國車牌號碼；得標“PATRIOT 1”車牌的，是一名陳姓女子。

chinapress.com.my

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YPN is laughing all the way to the bank!

The ‘Patriot 1’ vanity car registration number plate was sold last Wednesday for a sky-high bid of RM1,308,000 to take honours as the most expensive number plate ever sold in the country.

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“Certain things are just not meant to be put on a shelf in a shop or on the plate of a fancy sports car where it can be urinated upon by four-legged creatures, especially the word ‘patriot’,” he said.

Patriot plates will be urinated upon: Umno rep http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/306687 

What would happen if the ‘Patriot 1’ vanity car number plate is given to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang?

This was posed by Umno state assemblyperson Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid, who earlier this month, had likened the selling of the ‘Patriot’  number plates to prostitution.

“Wouldn’t it be a poetic irony if the winning bidder for ‘Patriot 1’ were to present it to Lim Kit Siang to drive to Parliament?

“Picture this. An opposition leader using the sacred number sold by a former executive secretary of Umno.

“If one is the patriot, what shall we call the other?‎” Tengku Putra (photo) told Malaysiakini in an e-mail interview.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/306687

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Free Malaysia Today

Patriots or pimps and prostitutes?

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Everything in Malaysia has a price, be it education, justice, health, freedom, housing, business opportunities, and now patriotism. The sale of the “Patriot” car registration number plates to the highest bidder just proves to ordinary Malaysians that our authorities have no sense of right and wrong. The ordinary Malaysian sees our leaders acting only if they will receive an eye-watering amount of money, and not because the action is right or is for a useful cause.

Malaysia’s latest scandal involves the Road Transport Department (JPJ), which has authorised an obscure NGO called the Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPN) to auction the number plates.
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Formed in April 2013 to “foster unity” among the multi-ethnic Malaysian population, YPN claims to be an apolitical organisation. It responded to criticism of one of its “patriotic events” with, “It has nothing to do with politics. We are also fed up with the present political trends.” According to a news report, details available at the Registry of Societies show that YPN’s key people are politically-linked.

Its head is Brig-Gen (R) Husainay Hasim, who was Umno-Baru’s executive secretary when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the party president. The deputy chairman, Nadzim Johan, is the head of the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM), which is pro-Najib Abdul Razak. YPN is deluding only itself if it believes it can deceive Malaysians into thinking that it is apolitical.

JPJ is arrogant if it thinks YPN could convince the public that it and JPJ are transparent organisations and that all of YPN’s activities are above board. YPN does not deserve to be commissioned to sell these number plates and the Minister of Transport should stop this activity immediately. It is starting a dangerous precedent and tarnishes the already tainted civil service.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2015/07/04/patriots-or-pimps-and-prostitutes/

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Malaysian Insider

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Malaysiakini in a special report on Tuesday had highlighted that the YPNM committee comprised politically-linked individuals, with at least three of them having the same paternal name. The majority of the committee members were also executives in the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM), which has controversially called for a boycott of Chinese businesses that were supportive of the opposition.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303778 —

#Umno rep likens selling #Patriot car plates to prostitution http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303778 

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An Umno state assemblyperson has likened the selling of ‘Patriot’ vanity plates to prostitution. Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid took offence at a lucrative contract given to Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPNM) to auction off the plates. “This act of selling the plates is akin to ‘prostituting’ the sacred word to the highest bidder making them pimps, not patriots,” said the Kempas representative in a blog posting today. … Tengku Putra, whose blog is named “The Patriot”, questioned whether YPNM understood the word “patriot” and whether it conducted background checks on those bidding for the plates. “Among those who win the bid could be known economic traitors who have sabotaged the nation to make a fast buck! Are they worthy of carrying these plates? “Don’t the organisers want to ascertain or ensure first that the bearers are true patriots?” he said. Tengku Putra said this would be even worse if the winning bidders were not Malaysian citizens. “If a foreigner wins the bid for “Patriot 1”, symbolically, the organisers have sold our country. http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303778 — Jul 2, 2015

‘Minister puts patriotism on his backside’

The minister, who allowed an NGO to auction the ‘Patriot’ vanity plates, has effectively put patriotism on his “backside”, said Umno’s Kempas state assemblyperson Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid. He was referring to a lucrative contract granted to Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPNM) to auction the number plates, with ‘Patriot 1’ now going for up to RM1.3 million. “The minister in charge of approving it is also responsible for putting ‘patriotism’ on his backside. “Coincidentally, it is said when they applied for it, the acting minister was the same person who was apologetic after being under pressure for kissing the traditional Malay dagger called the keris. “It figures,” he said in a blog posting, which coincidentally carries the name ‘The Patriot’. Even though he did not mention names, Tengku Putra appeared to be taking aim at both Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai and former acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein but did not specifically name them. http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303783 — The group is led by Brig-gen (R) Husainay Hashim, who was Umno executive secretary for five years when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was Umno president. — The Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPN) YPN was set up on April 12, 2013, to initiate programmes relating to encouraging racial unity, religious tolerance and patriotism among Malaysians. The NGO is led by Government retirees and those from the private sector with the aim of encouraging a harmonious nation. http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/24/Five-in-hot-bid-for-Patriot-1-number-plate/ — Reporters had also wanted to know why many YPN office bearers came from the same family and if there were any check-and-balance mechanisms in place.

Under the spotlight, some Yayasan Patriot Negara members cry foul http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303552 

Jun 30, 2015

Under the spotlight, some YPN members cry foul

Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPN) found itself under intense scrutiny during a press conference today, prompting some of the group’s members to claim the focus of the press was misplaced. YPN had called the conference today on its lucrative project to sell vanity vehicle plates bearing the word “Patriot”.The scheme is projected to help the group make between RM10 million to RM15 million. … Given the sheer scale of the profits involved, the press had grilled YPN leaders on how the money would be split with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and on allegations that the group is politically linked. … Nevertheless, the leaders kept beating around the bush when quizzed how would the public be able to monitor the money spent in the future. Instead of replying directly to questions in the press conference, much of the time was used to explain why YPN is promoting patriotism. While the press tried to focus back to the questions itself, YPN vice-president Nadzim Johan suggested the press should “come and see”, stressing there was no foul play in its http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/303552 —

Is Yayasan Patriot Negaraan UMNO-linked NGO?

Malay Mail Online

Yayasan Patriot Negara denies using Umno links to get Patriot number plates

BY BOO SU-LYN

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Pro-patriotism group Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPN) today denied using its Umno connections to secure a lucrative Patriot number plate auction from the government.

YPN chairman Brigadier-General Datuk Husainay Hashim acknowledged today that he was Umno executive secretary for about five years, but stressed that he did not use his links to the Malay ruling party to sell the Patriot number plates, where the top vehicle registration number, “Patriot 1”, has seen a bid of RM1.3 million.

“Never. For what reason?” Husainay asked at a press conference here today. “If you’re free to talk to Datuk Seri Najib (Razak) and Tan Sri Muhyiddin (Yassin), you can ask them if I ever went around asking them. We don’t take instructions for patriotism. Everybody should be involved,” he added, referring to the prime minister and deputy prime minister, who are also Umno’s top leaders.

– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/yayasan-patriot-negara-denies-using-umno-links-to-get-patriot-number-plates?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed#sthash.LKlVJmRK.dpuf

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Bidder ‘from south’ bid RM1.3 million for ‘Patriot 1’, group claims http://bit.ly/1HpJZdl 

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Now you can be a licensed ‘patriot’… for only RM1 million! http://bit.ly/1Nd5m1I 

Malay Mail Online Now you can be a licensed ‘patriot’… for only RM1 million KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Would you be willing to pay at least RM1 million to get a custom vehicle plate that says “Patriot 1”? If you are, you can join the public auction that is being called by to the Malaysian National Patriot Foundation (YPNM) this month as part of its efforts to  “foster patriotism and unity among the multiracial Malaysian society” and raise funds for its group. The fledgling group has claimed that the Road Transport Department (RTD) had given it the authority to auction the “Patriot” plate numbers as part of its fundraising campaign for June. To be eligible to bid for the plates, participants must register as a YPNM volunteer before paying a deposit of 20 per cent of each plate’s bidding price. The opening bid for “Patriot 1” has been set at RM1 million. – See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/now-you-can-be-a-licensed-patriot…-for-only-rm1-million#sthash.yMAuDAcg.dpuf —

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Paul Tan ‏@paultan Jun 23

‘PATRIOT 1′ number plate set to Malaysia’s most expensive, bidding starts from RM1 million http://paul.my/1LAefBI

‘PATRIOT 1’ no plate set to be the most expensive, from RM1m

By Paul Tan @paultantk

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Five bid for ‘Patriot 1′ number plate http://english.astroawani.com/malaysia-news/five-bid-patriot-1-number-plate-63557?cp …

KUALA LUMPUR: Five Malaysians are bidding to own the number plate ‘Patriot 1’, said to be the most expensive number plate registration in the country. The auction price for the number plate starts at RM1 million, The Star reported. The five interested individuals have also put down a 20 per cent deposit for their bids, the paper said. The exclusive number plate is being offered by Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPN). It is part of its initiative to raise funds to promote moderation and is working together with the Road Transport Department (RTD). The RTD has agreed to release the special series registrations to the NGO. The RTD has given the NGO permission to auction numbers Patriot 1 to Patriot 9999, YPN’s special project director Mass Ayu Mass Akbar told the daily. The bidding for the vehicle registration number began on June 1 and the successful bidder will be announced on June 30.

— http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/now-you-can-be-a-licensed-patriot…-for-only-rm1-million#sthash.yMAuDAcg.dpuf —