Friday 17 July 2009
Protesters want MACC probed, 6 arrested - Malaysiakini
The police this morning dispersed about 300 protesters who gathered outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Selangor office in Shah Alam demanding that MACC be investigated for the death of an opposition politician's aide.
As they shouted 'Siasat, siasat, siasat' (investigate, investigate, investigate), top Pakatan Rakyat leaders submitted a protest memorandum to MACC.
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim arrived at 10.20am and gave a short speech to the crowd before entering the building.
"Enough of the cruelty. We have seen a lot of it. We want an explanation from MACC."
About 10 minutes later, Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel began dispersing the crowd and a scuffle broke out.
Rawang state assemblyperson Gan Pei Nee (left) was beaten on the head while trying to help Lu.
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The MACC Selangor headquarters was where Teo Beng Hock, 30, had plunged to his death yesterday after he was interrogated over alleged misuse of state funds.
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"Enough of the cruelty. We have seen a lot of it. We want an explanation from MACC."
Joining Anwar were other top Pakatan leaders including DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
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At least six protesters were arrested in the melee. They included Kapar parliamentarian S Manikavasagam and Selangor exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
Lu Chuan Boon (right), an aide of Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong, was dragged by the police for about 30 metres when he refused to budge and sat on the ground.
However, he fainted while he was being pulled and the police decided to carry him into the MACC building.
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The crowd shouted 'Police violence, police violence' as Lu was pulled away.
By 11am, most of the protesters dispersed under the watchful eyes of Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar.
However, about 100 protesters regrouped at the rear exit of the MACC building.
The riot police formed a cordon around the front entrance of the building.
Anwar calls for royal commission
At 11.15am, Anwar emerged from the building accompanied by Kit Siang, Guan Eng, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub.
Anwar told reporters that they met with Selangor MACC director Jaffar Mahad.
"We are saddened by Beng Hock's demise and there are mysterious
circumstances which warrant immediate action (such as)
investigations into how MACC conducts interogations," he said.
Anwar also called for a royal commission to look into the incident.
Meanwhile, Khalid said MACC's interrogation over the alleged abuse of constituency funds should now be conducted at the Selangor state secretariat instead.
He added that the Selangor government would cover Teo's funeral expenses.
Anwar also announced that Pakatan leaders would meet at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur tonight to discuss further action.
Tentatively, Anwar said a Pakatan rally would be held in Stadium Kelana Jaya at 4.30pm on Sunday.
YB Manikavasagam and YB Xavier Jayakumar (EXco Selangor) Arrested
Samy Vellu opts for yes-men
Samy Vellu has selected his team.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — In endorsing Datuk G. Palanivel for the deputy presidency, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has gone back on his word to allow a free and fair fight for all posts in the Sept 12 MIC election.
He has decided to select his team and let the delegates "elect" them as had been done for the past three decades.
This is the election that would decide who runs the party for the next decade or so because Samy Vellu’s time is up and he is on his way out after holding the president’s post since 1979.
Considering the importance of this election for the future, Samy Vellu had earlier promised a free and fair contest, raising expectations across the party that anybody can contest and have a fair and equal chance at the polls.
That promise and the fact that the Samy Vellu era is closing sparked intense lobbying among prospective contestants for all the posts — from deputy president to three vice-president’s posts and 23 seats in the party’s central working committee.
But he has gone back on his word and decided on the well-honed system of “selection and election” — a process that produces unquestioning yes-men.
Samy Vellu now decides who he wants for all the posts open for contest and from now on he will campaign across the country, taking his team with him, alternatively cajoling, feting or browbeating delegates to get his team "elected".
He has chosen his incumbent deputy Palanivel, whom he helped to win in 2006, as his deputy again, rejecting former deputy Datuk S. Subramaniam with whom he had a brief reunion of sorts after the March 8, 2008 disaster.
Samy Vellu has also rejected his loyal vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan in favour of Palanivel.
Understandably Subramaniam is upset with this "select and elect" process and said he is shocked Samy Vellu has gone back on his word.
Palanivel expressed gratitude to Samy Vellu for selecting him and having confidence in him.
Sothinathan, who had expected Samy Vellu to pick him over Palanivel, is equally upset but has vowed to stay in the contest until the very end.
With Samy Vellu again backing Palanivel, the incumbent is expected to have an easy win unless the 1,500 delegates muster enough gumption to reject Samy Vellu's “selection” and instead elect other contestants.
Sothinathan is confident he has the support to win but narrowly and is crisscrossing the country meeting delegates and urging them to have an independent mind.
Subramaniam’s best hope is for a three-way contest for the deputy presidency to split the vote to give him a slim chance to slip through. He is banking on there being enough delegates to find the courage to reject Samy Vellu's selection.
Both Samy Vellu and Palanivel would however vigilantly guard against a split and are likely to keep working on Sothinathan to pull out of the contest and instead contest for vice-president.
It’s a crowded field in the vice-president contest with at least eight or nine candidates vying for the three vacancies. Many are state chiefs and even division chairmen.
For most, the contest is their final fling before they retire for good from active politics.
Samy Vellu’s choice as vice-presidents — Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk K. Devamany — is an excellent one considering the circumstances.
All three are ministers or deputy ministers and are young, dynamic and capable at politics and their ministerial duties and have been speaking out for the Indian community.
They are expected to win easily although there would be fierce contest among them to decide who gets the most number of votes that would decide the pecking order in the MIC after Samy Vellu.
Samy Vellu is also selecting 23 members for the central working committee and would want the delegates to elect them.
The vast majority would be Samy Vellu’s yes-men. He is likely to allow one or two independent-minded division leaders to win just to give the party election a semblance of democracy.
His decision to “select and elect” simply means he will be getting another team of yes-men who are expected to do his bidding until he decides to retire and even beyond that as the power behind the throne.
But over and above the election is the still unresolved crisis facing the party — how to win back the Tamil grassroots that have fled to the Pakatan Rakyat.
The Indian community is not as excited with this Sept 12 election as it was with many previous elections.
There is a wide disconnect between the party and the people it claims to represent and unless they are won back this MIC election is just an academic exercise.
HINDRAF – IS MACC another PDRM in making?
HINDRAF is appalled at the death of the young Malaysian Teoh Beng Hock while being in custody of the MACC.
Is it rather unorthodox and unbecoming that a witness needs to be interrogated from 5pm to 3.45 am. He is only a witness not a suspect. UMNO led BN seems to have added another public institution ie the MACC as the public’s tormentor along side the PDRM. The sole responsible of the Anti Corruption agency is to investigate and procure evidence, not to act as the executor.
HINDRAF condemns MACC for its ruthlessness towards innocent Malaysian citizens under the protection of the Machiavellian UMNO led government to protect their own nepotism, cronyism and corrupt practice against public interest and benefit.
MACC was wholly responsible for the safety of the late Teoh Beng Hock as he was in their custody. HINDRAF holds them solely responsible for his death similar to what happened to Kugan & Gnanapragasam who died in police custody recently.
MACC has such wide unwritten power to hold the public at ransom similar to what PDRM has been practicing under the UMNO led BN regime. This has to stop as HINDRAF does not want the government to create another monster against public interest in the form of the MACC.
HINDRAF urges the public to unite irrespective of race, religion or colour and pressure the government to run a full fledge independent investigation on MACC for the ill-fated death of Teoh Beng Hock.
HINDRAF will extend its support to ensure that justice is served in unraveling the truth behind the suspicious death of Teoh Beng Hock. We call upon the AG to immediately order an inquest to be held to preserve crucial and relevant evidences before a cover up by both the MACC and PDRM whom the public has lost confidence in.
Lastly, HINDRAF would like to extend our condolences to the family of Teoh Beng Hock as we mourn together on the tragedy that has befallen to a fellow Malaysian.
P.Waythamoorthy
HINDRAF – Chairman
death at MACC headquarters
By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah,
With all Malaysians I am shocked and deeply dismayed at the death of Teoh Beng Huat, political secretary to a member of the Selangor state executive councillor, at the headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in Shah Alam.
The strange circumstances of Mr Teoh’s death put the credibility of the government and our investigative and law enforcement agencies under a microscope. The public will expect nothing less than a full investigation into how something like this could have happened.
I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the late Mr Teoh’s family and to his betrothed.
Meanwhile, we await more information from the ongoing police investigation.
Doing the nation a favour, the Najib way
by Augustine Anthony
First it was Yb Lim Kit Siang and now Yb M. Kulasegaran joining the concern few leaders of the opposition that prime minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak’s popularity is a warning to the bickering politicians within the opposition to put aside their differences and present a united and strong opposition or face irrelevance.
Beyond the warring ruling and opposition parties, it must be noted that the approval rating for the prime minister in reality augurs well for the nation as a whole for various reasons among others.
That such high approval rating of 65% within the first 100 days and the need to maintain a continuing rise in the approval rating of the prime minister throughout the period leading to the 13th general election will from now onwards be keenly observed by Malaysians.
Failure to maintain the status quo or to better it will lead the general public to view the prime minister as being unable to bring lasting reforms to our oversized and pregnant civil service that is often perceived as lacking the needed integrity and efficiency. This does not and will not benefit the ruling Barisan Nasional government in their quest to retain power.
In order to maintain 65% or more percentage of approval rating, the prime minister must now continue to introduce and implement policies that will benefit the majority of the people. We are only at the announcements stage that must be met with delivery soon. Good news for the people I should think.
One must also remember that this approval rating is for the prime minister alone and not for the entire Barisan Nasional lawmakers. The performances of many of them certainly need acute improvements. The prime minister cannot stand alone. Any unpopular and non performing members of the ruling party must now match and equal the approval rating of the prime minister. It is a daunting task for Barisan Nasional and a stressful expectation for the people.
We should never forget that the approval rating is also a reflection of the maturity and rapid growth in the political awareness and intelligence of the demanding Malaysian voting population.
In one such stroke of brilliance, the Malaysian voting population had “killed many birds” two of which are noteworthy:-
The ruling government must now continue to deliver and deliver more, in fierce and urgent manner and this can only be done by revamping the entire delivery system of our civil service saddled with many administrative dead woods that remain a major stumbling block in our push to be declared as a developed nation.
This approval rating is also seen as the people relaying a gentle reminder to the opposition parties that they must now compete with Barisan Nasional to better serve the people and that they will only be voted in if they can position themselves as an efficient, effective and viable alternative.
The final analysis is that a prosperous nation requires effective and ethical administrators and a competent opposition that will maintain an ever watchful eye on the ruling elites.
In a country where there is now an increasing demand for a greater competency, accountability and transparency, such competition among the political parties and their leaders will only benefit the nation.
May the best man dance with the ‘bride’.
Which is better, learning maths and science in Bahasa Malaysia or in English?
By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life adviser
THE CRUX OF THE PRESENT CONTROVERSY IS WHICH IS BETTER, TO STUDY MATHS & SCIENCE IN BAHASA OR TO STUDY MATHS AND SCIENCE IN ENGLISH?
So as not to confuse the issue, it is necessary to point out the fact that all are agreed that Malaysian students must study Bahasa Malaysia and be fluent with the language.
It is also generally accepted that students should study English as it is the common language in the world and it is the language of commerce, diplomacy, of business and in science and technology.
For some mistaken rationale, the Ministry of Education has after months of debate and dialogue decided that students should use Bahasa to teach Maths and Science in secondary schools.
This has caused considerable disbelief and distress among many parents who prefer to have their children learn Maths and Science in English. They want their children to fit into the new world which has become global, and where English is the currency acceptable in most countries and in most fields of human endeavour.
In the new world, Science and Technology is the wave of the future. The industrial age is now replaced by the age of knowledge. In the field of knowledge, world libraries and the internet use the English Language as the primary language of communication. It is a sad fact that the libraries of Malaysian universities have failed to provide adequate Bahasa Malaysia reading material in Science and Technology for our university students.
Their parents are very much aware that their children can have a better chance to equip themselves with science and technology if they are well versed in the English language.
SINGAPORE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE VALUE OF ENGLISH TO MASTER MATHS AND SCIENCE.
Asia leads the world for having the best students in science and maths, as shown by the 2007 report by TIMSS (TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE STUDY) .
The international educational scores for 2007 show that Asian countries top the ranking with 1. Chinese Taipei 2. S Korea 3. Singapore 4. Hong Kong 5. Japan 6. Hungary 7. England 8. Russia, 9. United States and 10. Lithuania.
Sadly, Malaysia came in a distant 20th position in Mathematics, compared to 10th in 2003. (see attachment)
The Ministry of Education should look to Asian countries for solutions to the issue of Maths and Science for students in Malaysia.
Learn from our closest neighbour Singapore which took first position in TIMSS 2003 and 3rd position in TIMSS 2007. Singapore teaches maths and science in English.
No one is questioning the sovereignty of Bahasa Malaysia. Maths and Science can be taught in any language, but parents’ choice should be respected.
To join the new global age of a knowledge society it would be in the best interest of Malaysia to encourage students at secondary schools to learn Maths and Science in English.
This is very true for rural and kampong students who can benefit immensely by learning maths and science at secondary schools. We want them to be in the mainstream of global advancement, and empower them with Science to take a rightful place in a knowledge society.
Ensure Malaysia will join the ranks of top asian countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, rather then being in the company of third world countries, by allowing Maths and Science in English in Secondary schools from Form 1 to Form 5.
Jui Meng quits as Bakri MCA chief, stays in MCA
MUAR, 17 July 2009: Former health minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng yesterday resigned as chairperson of the Bakri MCA Division, which he helmed since 1988, but dismissed talk that he was also quitting the party to joining Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Instead, he urged all the division committee members to give their undivided support to MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
"The time has come for me to give way to a younger person. In the history of the MCA, rarely has any chief handed over his post to an opponent after a fierce contest the previous year.
"I have forgiven those who have challenged me in last year's elections. I want them to look ahead. I do not want them to oppose again due to trivial matters," he said at a news conference yesterday at the Bakri MCA Division office, here.
Chua had earlier held a closed-door meeting with his supporters for about an hour at the division office. He also handed over the post of divisional chairperson to the deputy, Sia Ka Tuan.
Replying to questions, Chua said this was not the first time there was talk of him joining the opposition.
"At the last general election, I was made an offer to contest as an opposition candidate but I rejected it," he said.
He said that at the meeting with the divisional committee members, he had asked them to support Ong whom, he said, he had invited twice to visit the Bakri division.
"By this (resignation), I have acted to reunite the party members," he said, emphasising that his resignation did not mean that he would remain silent.
In the MCA elections last year, Chua lost in his bid for the presidency. He had also lost in his first bid for the post in 2005.
He was not picked to be the BN candidate for the Bakri parliamentary seat in 2008 general election. The seat was won by the opposition.
Commenting on his future, Chua said he would continue with his vision, as stated in his manifesto when contesting the MCA presidency in 2005 and 2008, of wanting the government leadership to review the New Economic Policy and champion the rights of all races in the country.
"I believe Malaysia can become a wealthy country, much wealthier than Singapore, and I want the wealth of the country to be returned to the people of all races in the country," he said. — Bernama
Lawyer lodges police report against Guan Eng
The Sun
by Bernard Cheah
“Lim has insulted hundreds of Chinese, Indians and other converts who retain their pre-conversion names for social and personal reasons. He is hitting below the belt,” he said in a report lodged George Town District Police Headquarters today.
“He is trying to separate the Kampung Buah Pala residents who are mostly Hindus from me. This is diabolical,” he said, adding that Lim is “not fit to be the Chief Minister for many other reasons too.”
Darshan has called on the police to investigate the case under Section 4(1) and Section 298(a) Sedition Act 1948 and Section 298 Penal Code for turning the issue into a racial and religious one.
“He and others of his ilk had in the past begun a campaign against Islam with slogans like ‘No to Islam State’, and ‘Islam over my dead body’,” he added.
Darshan has called on PAS and DAP to take disciplinary action against Lim who is DAP Secretary-General.
by Bernard Cheah
GEORGE TOWN (July 16, 2009) : A lawyer has lodged a police report against Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for allegedly denigrating and insulting him and his religion, Islam.
Darshan Singh a/l Joginder Singh, who is the legal adviser of the Kampung Buah Pala Residents’ Association, said that Lim’s statement, which was reported recently in Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh (on July11) and theSun (on July15) were personal attacks on him and was ‘kurang ajar’ (rude).
Darshan Singh a/l Joginder Singh, who is the legal adviser of the Kampung Buah Pala Residents’ Association, said that Lim’s statement, which was reported recently in Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh (on July11) and theSun (on July15) were personal attacks on him and was ‘kurang ajar’ (rude).
“Lim has insulted hundreds of Chinese, Indians and other converts who retain their pre-conversion names for social and personal reasons. He is hitting below the belt,” he said in a report lodged George Town District Police Headquarters today.
“He is trying to separate the Kampung Buah Pala residents who are mostly Hindus from me. This is diabolical,” he said, adding that Lim is “not fit to be the Chief Minister for many other reasons too.”
Darshan has called on the police to investigate the case under Section 4(1) and Section 298(a) Sedition Act 1948 and Section 298 Penal Code for turning the issue into a racial and religious one.
“He and others of his ilk had in the past begun a campaign against Islam with slogans like ‘No to Islam State’, and ‘Islam over my dead body’,” he added.
Darshan has called on PAS and DAP to take disciplinary action against Lim who is DAP Secretary-General.
Morning Protest At MACC, Plaza Masalam
by Nathaniel Tan
I should have been with comrades in Shah Alam :( I believe the crowd is now dispersing.
Anyway, here’s some info from Malaysiakini and various Facebook on what happened at the gathering at the MACC building to protest Teo Beng Hock’s death.
- YB Gan Pei Nei beaten on the head by cops while trying to intervene for
- Lu Chuan Boon, dragged 30 meters while seated
- YB Elizabeth Wong pushed to the ground by cops, trampled on. Had to grab one of their legs, and saved by supporters
- YB Manickavasagam and YB Xavier Jeyakumar among roughly 7 arrested.
It’s horrible.
Trying to do more research on the case.
Blasts At Ritz Carlton, Marriott Hotels In Jakarta, Kill At Least 4
JAKARTA, July 17 (Bernama) -- Two explosions occurred in Ritz Carlton and Marriott hotels in Jakarta on Friday morning, killing at least four people and wounding tens of others, China's Xinhua news agency reported quoting Local Metro television as saying.
The first blast took place at 7:55 Jakarta time (0055 GMT) and minutes later the second one occurred, before the hotels were open.
The two hotels were located in opposite.
"Two explosions have taken place in two locations," south Jakarta district police Commissioner Firmnan said.
An eye witness said she saw at least three foreigners with blood on their bodies were carried out to an ambulance. The wounded persons were rushed to nearby Jakarta Hospital.
The Ritz Carlton hotel was set to be the place for upcoming visit of Manchester United team.
A police special bomb squad is checking the blasts.
MACC Death Row: Who... and what killed him?
By Jeff Ooi,
I am now in Petaling Jaya. I want to know the reasons why Teo, 30 years old, had died in MACC building, and while in MACC custody.
I am now in Petaling Jaya. I want to know the reasons why Teo, 30 years old, had died in MACC building, and while in MACC custody.
His fiance wants to know why he had to die in the MACC building, and while in MACC custody. His family wants to know why he had to die in MACC building, and while in MACC custody.
The whole country wants to why know he had to die in MACC building, and while in MACC custody.
Teo is supposed to get married today.Will new Michael Jackson music be released?
(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's songs and albums went to the top of the charts in the days and weeks following his death --and there may be plenty more hits to come, if his rumored plethora of unreleased songs find their way to the public.
Rumors are swirling that new Michael Jackson material could soon be released
Since his death, rumors have surfaced about a mountain of unpublished material from the King of Pop, including recent collaborations with artists such as will.i.am and Akon, as well as unused tracks from studio sessions dating back to the 1980s.
Jackson was known to have over-recorded during his sessions, former Sony Music CEO Tommy Mottola told Time magazine. (Sony's subsidiary Epic was Jackson's label from the late '70s on, and Sony owns the distribution rights to much of Jackson's music.) He noted Jackson "absolutely" over-recorded while in the studio for his most famous albums, and that "dozens" of new albums in a variety of formats could come to fruition.
"Let's say 12 or 13 songs end up on the album; Michael could have possibly recorded 15, 20 or 30 songs," Mottola told Time. "This would probably go for every album he recorded and probably pre-dating [Sony] to his Motown days."
Mottola also said he thought some of the unreleased material made during the height of Jackson's success could be some of the star's "best work."
In addition to the material recorded years ago, Jackson also had been creating new material.
The King of Pop was working recently with will.i.am, Ne-Yo and Akon -- the Senegalese rapper who collaborated with Jackson on a remix of "Wanna Be Startin' Something," and the new song "Hold My Hand." The latter was leaked on the Internet in 2008.
"We were working on a lot of ideas," Akon told Billboard after Jackson's death. "A lot of the songs that were done were all ideas; they weren't really complete songs. He was the kind of person that wanted to lay all the ideas down [first]."
Brian May, Queen's lead guitarist, wrote on his Web site that Jackson and Freddie Mercury recorded a couple of tracks together at Jackson's house in the mid-'80s. (Mercury died in 1991.)
"Amusingly, after Freddie and Michael had spent some time together recording, Freddie came back and played us the work in progress, and he remarked that Michael had come up with a great album title ... BAD," May wrote. "A little later, Freddie smiled his wicked little conspiratorial smile, and said ... 'I have a perfect idea for our album title -- you may love it or hate it ... but think about it ... we can call it ... wait for it ... GOOD!'"
Those tracks, May said, "have never seen the light of day," though a purported song of the two has made the rounds on YouTube.
May responded to the "music thieves" but never gave a clear-cut answer as to whether the song was indeed a Mercury-Jackson finished collaboration.
"Well, there is much to be said about these 'leaked' tracks, but I'm not going to get into it right now," May wrote.
There are some reports of a secret library of 100 songs meant for his children as a personal legacy, according to Jackson biographer Ian Halperin. There has also been speculation about what could be Jackson's latest video project, called "Dome Project," which is believed to include a cemetery similar to the one in "Thriller."
That unreleased material doesn't even take into account the two albums Jackson is rumored to have been working on before his death, including a classical album with composer David Michael Frank, who told CNN that Jackson had "the tunes pretty much worked out."
So far, no details have emerged about what will become of the unreleased songs. But if his recent sales are any indiciation, music labels will seize the opportunity to release any material they have.
In the past two and a half weeks, since Jackson's death, more than 2.3 million Jackson albums have been sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Jackson certainly wouldn't be the first to find posthumous music success.
In 1970, after Jimi Hendrix died, unfinished tracks, demos, outtakes and a partially completed album were left behind. Tracks by Tupac Shakur and his rival Notorious B.I.G. hit the airwaves after their deaths in the form of reimagined songs, verses and freestyles paired with beats.
And, of course, Elvis Presley's music had dramatic success after his death. One song, a remixed version of the 1968 cut "A Little Less Conversation," hit No. 1 in Britain in 2002, 25 years after Presley died in 1977.
But Jackson's legacy may eventually emerge victorious in this battle of music Kings. Mottola told The Associated Press that Jackson could by far have the most extensive collection, with enough music that releases "could go on for years and years, even more than Elvis."He was to be married tomorrow - Malaysiakini
Teo Beng Hock was supposed to register to be married tomorrow, revealed DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang.
Expressing disbelief over his death, Lim said: "No one in his right senses will imagine to commit suicide a day before he is slated to be married."
"He was going to get married, why would he want to commit suicide," the visibly distraught DAP leader told reporters in Shah Alam.
According to the state exco, Teo looked normal before heading off to the MACC office.
"He looked calm. Before he went to the MACC office, (lawyer M) Manoharan and myself talked to him about how to answer the questions.
"If there was any problems, I should be the one (to face action). I don't see any reason for him to commit suicide," he said.
This is what other Pakatan leaders had to say about Teo's death:
It is difficult to continue cooperating with MACC (on the investigation of corruption charges) when our personal safety is not guaranteed. They better arrest me than record my statement if I am going to subjected to 'torture'.
MACC should get its priority straight. This is a case which involves (relatively) lower amount of money; it involves a few thousand, at most RM10 000. Why conduct an overnight investigation? There are other scandals which involve billions. What was the urgency for an all night probe when MACC has all the documents?
Teo was a healthy, energetic young man and his death comes as a shock. There was no need for him to commit suicide.
Teresa Kok, Selangor exco and DAP Kinrara assemblyperson
MACC has to be responsible for the death. There are a lot of questions being raised. Why did it (the investigation) drag on for so long? Why did MACC deny Teo access to a lawyer? Why should he (Teo) hang around the office (after he was released), and what sort of investigation was being carried out?
We are all very sad with the death of Teo which we hold MACC responsible for.
Hannah Yeoh, DAP Subang assemblyperson
I am extremely traumatised and shocked by Teo's death. I last spoke to him yesterday, after lunch, before MACC came to us. He was a friend of mine.
I do not know what to say because at the moment we do not know what really happened to him. I now fear for the safety of my assistant.
Elizabeth Wong, Selangor exco and PKR Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson
I am shocked and outraged. This tragic incident is another reminder of the recklessness of supposedly public institutions like the MACC in pursuing the goals of its political masters.
Let me be clear, I hold the MACC responsible for Teo's death. The shameless press conference this afternoon by MACC director of investigations Shukri Abdull is the biggest insult to the death of an innocent young man, and to Malaysians at large.
Does the MACC think it holds powers greater than the police when it interrogated Teo from 5pm to 4am the next day? In the face of such a frightening incident, I will not allow any of my staff to be taken in for questioning by MACC unless accompanied by their legal counsel.
The police must seal off Plaza Masalam and take into custody all those involved in the interrogation. Shukri should save whatever honour he and the MACC has left by resigning.
Tony Pua, DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara
Whatever it is, he was under their care. And it is fishing expedition, of people who will be the last person in the world to take money. This has gone completely over board.
Tan Seng Giaw , DAP MP for Kepong
We should let the police investigate first? Some people say there is foul play but let police investigate first.
Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR president
PKR is shocked and saddened by this incident. We want an immediate and thorough probe to be carried out by the police and MACC. Immediate action must be taken to ensure that justice is served.
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The veteran politician added that the entire nation is shocked by the "first death of custody under the MACC."
"MACC's reputation is at an all time low. It must satisfy Teo's family and the public that there was no foul play or abuse involved," he added.
He was responding to reports that the 30-year-old political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah fell to his death from the MACC Selangor headquarters in Shah Alam.
Teo was taken in for questioning yesterday in relation to a probe by MACC pertaining to its investigations of seven Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons.
His boss cannot believe it
Meanwhile, Ean Yong also refused to believe that Teo would have taken his own life.
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According to the state exco, Teo looked normal before heading off to the MACC office.
"He looked calm. Before he went to the MACC office, (lawyer M) Manoharan and myself talked to him about how to answer the questions.
"If there was any problems, I should be the one (to face action). I don't see any reason for him to commit suicide," he said.
This is what other Pakatan leaders had to say about Teo's death:
Lau Weng San, DAP Kampung Tunku assemblyperson
MACC should provide a full explanation. I would ask that the investigating officers be suspended until a thorough investigation is done.
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MACC should get its priority straight. This is a case which involves (relatively) lower amount of money; it involves a few thousand, at most RM10 000. Why conduct an overnight investigation? There are other scandals which involve billions. What was the urgency for an all night probe when MACC has all the documents?
Teo was a healthy, energetic young man and his death comes as a shock. There was no need for him to commit suicide.
Teresa Kok, Selangor exco and DAP Kinrara assemblyperson
MACC has to be responsible for the death. There are a lot of questions being raised. Why did it (the investigation) drag on for so long? Why did MACC deny Teo access to a lawyer? Why should he (Teo) hang around the office (after he was released), and what sort of investigation was being carried out?
We are all very sad with the death of Teo which we hold MACC responsible for.
Hannah Yeoh, DAP Subang assemblyperson
I am extremely traumatised and shocked by Teo's death. I last spoke to him yesterday, after lunch, before MACC came to us. He was a friend of mine.
I do not know what to say because at the moment we do not know what really happened to him. I now fear for the safety of my assistant.
Elizabeth Wong, Selangor exco and PKR Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson
I am shocked and outraged. This tragic incident is another reminder of the recklessness of supposedly public institutions like the MACC in pursuing the goals of its political masters.
 |
Does the MACC think it holds powers greater than the police when it interrogated Teo from 5pm to 4am the next day? In the face of such a frightening incident, I will not allow any of my staff to be taken in for questioning by MACC unless accompanied by their legal counsel.
The police must seal off Plaza Masalam and take into custody all those involved in the interrogation. Shukri should save whatever honour he and the MACC has left by resigning.
Tony Pua, DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara
Whatever it is, he was under their care. And it is fishing expedition, of people who will be the last person in the world to take money. This has gone completely over board.
Tan Seng Giaw , DAP MP for Kepong
We should let the police investigate first? Some people say there is foul play but let police investigate first.
Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR president
PKR is shocked and saddened by this incident. We want an immediate and thorough probe to be carried out by the police and MACC. Immediate action must be taken to ensure that justice is served.
Khairy Jamaluddin, Umno Youth chief
I will call for Royal Commission of Inquiry but we must not pre-judge and cast aspersions as per LKS (Lim Kit Siang).
Muslims desecrate Sacred Host
These Muslims consumed the “Holy Communion” and spat out the sacred host. They humiliated the Catholics by having it photographed and its image published in the monthly Al-Islam. This is a violation of Christians in Malaysia and challenges the nation's Federal Constitution.
The Herald Malaysia
CHRISTIANS have been formed in the way of God’s love as taught by Jesus Christ. There is a sense of wellbeing and mature disposition in most of the Christians who are always ready to forgive in the way of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus, in his life on earth as the revelation of God, showed the Father’s merciful love and forgave those who sinned against God and humanity. Even at the moment of his arrest by the civil and religious authorities in a lonely place where he was conversing with God the Father, Jesus corrected Peter for cutting off one of the soldier's ear. Jesus, who is merciful and loving, immediately touched and healed the soldier by attaching his chopped ear without any surgery, (see John 18:10 and Luke 22: 51)
Human history tells us that there will always be people who may be misguided by teachings that are not in accordance with the will of God. But God will always elect from among his people some prophets, who will proclaim the true teachings of God, which are experienced in our cultures as peace and love among the people.
But in Malaysia, we are developing a strange culture of “god competition”. It is like the way the children boast to one another of their father’s physical prowess or ability: “My father is great; my father can beat your father”. This is seen in the way government bodies and groups of persons violate the dignity of the human persons and defy the people’s particular laws and customs and subject them to unjust laws. Aren’t these reminiscent of our childish ways? Such attitudes or bully tactics are manifested when some of the nation’s laws are enforced inappropriately and according to the political expediency of ‘powers that be’ of the time. Such socio-political and culture behaviour goes against the common law as well as the United Nations Charter of Rights and our esteemed Federal Constitution.
Because of such blatant violations over the years, Christians are beginning to echo the words of Jesus Christ, when he said, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” (Jn 18:23).
And so some Christians have lodged police reports recently at the Police Stations around the country against the offensive behaviour of some Muslims who have hurt the Christians deeply. The story of this behaviour was highlighted by Al-Islam of May 2009, with the headlines; Mencari kesahihan remaja Melayu murtad, pages 28-30.
These Muslims consumed the “Holy Communion” and spat out the sacred host. They humiliated the Catholics by having it photographed and its image published in the monthly Al-Islam. This is a violation of Christians in Malaysia and challenges the nation's Federal Constitution. Is Malaysia a secure land where all religions can practice their religion in peace and tranquility? Will the police (PDRM) and AG’s chambers bring those Muslims to court? As guardians of just laws will they carry out their noble task and honour the Law of our nation Malaysia? This desecration speaks against the 1Malaysia project of the Prime Minister.
From the very beginning of the Church, the Fathers of the Church and approved theologians have addressed the Church’s serious concern that due respect be paid to the Most Blessed Sacrament, that souls not fall into the sin of sacrilege by receiving the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily.
Those Muslims who have desecrated the Sacred Host have just done that — received the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily.
This is a very serious offence to our Christian Faith, and we support the efforts of Sudhagaran Stanley and Joachim Francis Xavier for their courageous stand in highlighting this sacrilegious act of certain Muslims and we call on the Catholic Lawyers’ Society to follow this through by taking the appropriate action and ensuring that such events do not take place.
As the incident committed by those Muslims was a willful act of desecration of the Sacred Host, the Body of Christ, it is proper that we, the Catholics, make reparation for the offence committed against the Lord. It should not be seen as a single incident since there have been many such instances of this nature taking place in other churches and going unreported. Therefore, it is the duty of the parish priests of those churches where such sacrilegious acts have been committed to do the necessary acts of reparation and also forgive those Muslims and pray for them.
Let us receive the Lord worthily always.
Religious row flares in Malaysia
Police in Malaysia have said they will release nine Christians mistakenly accused of trying to convert Muslim university students to Christianity.
A university security guard wrongly thought they were handing Christian pamphlets to Muslims, police said.
Trying to convert Muslims to another religion is forbidden in Malaysia, though Muslims may proselytise.
Members of religious minorities have complained that their rights are being ignored in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
The nine Christians, five students and four friends from Hong Kong, were arrested late on Tuesday at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang, near Kuala Lumpur.
District police chief Zahedi Ayob said they had been distributing questionnaires to other Christians, not Muslims, as security guards at the university had believed.
Religious disharmony investigation
The arrests followed a controversy last week centring on two journalists who wrote about hiding their Muslim identity in order to receive Communion at a Roman Catholic church.
One of the journalists said they were investigating reports that Muslims had committed apostasy by attending prayers or Communion at the church, but that they found no evidence of this.
A Christian priest complained about the article, published in the Malay-language magazine al-Islam.
Police said officials were investigating whether the two men had caused religious disharmony, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Religious issues are highly sensitive in Malaysia, which has a 60% Muslim population. Christians, Buddhists and Hindus make up most of the rest of the population.
Religious freedom is guaranteed by law, but minority groups have accused the Muslim Malay majority of trying to increase the role of Islam in the country. - BBC
Remember my ‘Dear Son’ and ‘Dear Dad’ series?
I wrote these two articles in March 2004 and published them in the freeanwar.com website. That was before the launching of Malaysia Today in August the same year. Against the backdrop of the recent Manik Urai by-election maybe it is a good idea to rehash these two articles of five years ago. That would probably give you a better understanding of what happened.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Dear Son,
I thought I would write you this letter, which I feel is long overdue and should actually have been done much earlier. In light of the present euphoria of the 11th General Elections maybe I should have a man-to-man ‘talk’ with you about some of the realities of life.
No, I am not going to talk about the ‘birds and the bees’, as in these modern times I am sure you could tell me more about that subject. What I want to talk to you about concerns our race, Melayu.
When you came home for your semester breaks, I quietly listened to your rhetoric of freedom of speech, equality of all races, eradication of poverty, and all such notions, without comment. I understand that you are young and are just beginning to open your eyes to what is going on in the world so I thought I would allow you to speak your mind.
Mind you, in my days, I could never speak to your grandfather is such a tone of voice. He would never have tolerated my ‘independent’ views and would regard it as insolence. But that was then and I appreciate the fact that nowadays the young tend to speak their mind so I allowed you to ramble on. Now, however, it is my turn to speak my mind and I hope you too will allow me my right to speak just like how I allowed you yours.
I want to remind you that you are Malay, first and last. Whatever you say and do must be tempered with this in mind. This fact tends to escape you and your idealistic beliefs do not take this into consideration.
You oppose the Umno-led Barisan Nasional because you say it is a corrupt government. You say it does not allow freedom of speech, association and assembly. You say it is undemocratic and despotic. And you go on and on listing everything that you perceive is wrong with it.
I must remind you, however, that this is the same government that gave you, me, your grandfather, an education. Without this government that you despise so much would we be where we are today? We would still be in the kampong planting padi like my grandfather before this.
You are looking for perfection. But perfection does not exist here on earth. Perfection only exists in the afterlife (akhirat) so you will have to wait until you die before you see this perfection. As long as you are on earth you will be faced with imperfections so you will have to learn to live with this situation.
I too would like to see a perfect world; a world filled with justice, equality, freedom, and all those ‘modern’ values you students shout about. But would you be prepared to gain all this at the expense of the Malay race?
I know you worked hard and campaigned for the opposition during the recently concluded general election. And I also know you are terribly frustrated and disappointed with the outcome of the election. I will not hold my punches here. As you said, the opposition won, or could have won, but was robbed of its win through an unfair election system and a biased Election Commission.
I shall not insult your intelligence by denying all this, as I know you are smart enough to see things for what they are. But it is my duty as your father and as a Malay to explain certain things that you have probably overlooked in your zeal of upholding your modern ideas.
You must understand, the Election Commission is run by us Malays. It is there merely to ensure that we Malays retain our political power. You accuse the Election Commission of manipulating the elections and of unfair practices. This has nothing to do with fair or unfair. It is all about ensuring that we Malays do not lose our political power to the non-Malays.
Why do you think Tunku Abdul Rahman kicked Singapore out of Malaysia? Can you imagine what would happen to us Malays if Singapore were today still part of Malaysia? The Chinese would sweep all the seats and we Malays would be reduced to a minority. Can you imagine being a second-class citizen in our own country the way the Malays in Singapore are?
You say you support keADILan because it is a multiracial party that fights for equality for all races. Do you know what keADILan is asking for? How can there be equality for all races? We Malays own this land and the other races are all immigrants. They do not deserve equal rights.
You must remember, when we gained independence in 1957, it was agreed that all these immigrants would be given citizenship as long as the Malays are given special rights and privileges. This is why we have a Ketuanan Melayu policy. The Chinese and Indians agreed to this so we gave them citizenship. Now that they are citizens they demand equal rights. This is a breach of agreement.
If they do not agree to Malays being given special rights and privileges why agree to it in 1957? They should have disagreed then. Then we could have sent them back to India and China. We did not force them to become citizens of this country. They wanted citizenship. And the terms and conditions of their citizenship was discussed and agreed upon. It was a social contract between them and us. How can they now turn around and not agree to it?
And this is what keADILan is fighting for. They are supporting the non-Malays in breaching the agreement made in 1957. An agreement is an agreement. If you want to break it, fine. If you no longer want to honour the agreement, then that is okay. But the clause in that agreement where they get citizenship must also be rescinded. The non-Malays will then have to go back to their own country. After all, no one is forcing them to live here. If they do not like it they can leave. But do not expect us Malays to give up our special rights and privileges, which have already been agreed upon long before independence.
You say the Election Commission cheated. They did not cheat. They just ensured we Malays continue to dominate Malaysian politics till the end of time. Parties like keADILan are dangerous. They pawn the country to the non-Malays just for the sake of political power. The Election Commission cannot allow this. Parties like keADILan must be wiped out from this country. Parties that collaborate with the non-Malays to rob Malays of our political power must be exterminated.
If you think the Election Commission is there to manage fair elections then you are mistaken. It is there to ensure that political power does not fall into the hands of the Chinese. It is there to ensure that your children and grandchildren have a place in Malaysia and will not become second-class citizens in our own country.
But the Election Commission is not the only player in this whole conspiracy. I should know as I used to work in the National Registration Department and it was our job to issue identity cards. Without these identity cards the Election Commission can do very little. Umno decides how many voters it needs and where they are needed. We will then ‘generate’ these voters through the issuing of identity cards. The Election Commission then registers them in the respective constituencies based on the identity cards we issue.
So you see, I was very much a part of the system. And it was a system meant to ensure Malays remain lords of this land.
I hope I was able to shed some light on what, to you, must be a most perplexing situation. Never mind. You are young. Your blood is hot. Later in life you will realise and understand what I am saying. And one day you too will be telling your hot-blooded children what I am telling you now.
Dad
*************************************************
Dear Dad,Thank you for your letter of 24 March 2004, which just arrived by Pos Laju yesterday. Maybe from now on we should just use the regular postal service. At least it will arrive at the very latest in three days rather than six.
I must admit I was very surprised to receive your letter. I was at first afraid to open it lest it be some bad news from home. After all, you have never written to me before and this is the first time. So I suspected it surely could not have been any good news. After reading your letter I now realise why you chose to write rather than tell me to my face what you said in that letter.
I understand and respect your views on Ketuanan Melayu. Many of your generation, especially those who have served the government, share your same views so you are not alone. But my generation no longer holds dear the concept of Ketuanan Melayu.
You say we owe the government a debt for the education we have received. Are you saying you, I and grandfather, would never have received an education and would still be planting padi back in the kampong if not for the government? What about all those Africans and Latin Americans who live in third world countries just like us? They too are educated, in fact better educated than us. Do their countries also have a Ketuanan Melayu policy? If not, then how did they receive an education and how come they have a higher ratio of university graduates compared to Malaysia?
The only reason we need government assistance is because we have to pay for our education and the government gives us loans to finance our education. But if education were free, then we will not need any government assistance would we? We need government loans because there are not enough places in local universities so we have to go to an overseas university. And this costs money. But if we did not have to go overseas and could instead go to a local university then the problem of financing would be solved, as we will not need any.
One can argue that building universities cost money. How much are we talking about? In the last 25 years or so, our national petroleum company, Petronas, has earned an estimated RM500 billion to RM750 billion in revenue. The actual figure is still a mystery because Petronas needs to only report to the Prime Minister and need not table its accounts for public perusal, not even to Parliament. Could not one or two billion of that be used to build more universities? In fact, they could have easily spent ten billion without feeling the pinch and many universities could have been built with that amount of money.
As an example, look at China, a poor country that has to support 20% of the world’s population. China has more than 1,000 universities. Beijing alone, whose population is less than half of Malaysia’s, has more than 100 universities. If China can do it why can’t Malaysia? How many universities does Malaysia have? Going by Beijing’s ratio, we should have more than 200 universities. But we have less than 10% of that. Yet, on a per capita basis, we are richer than China.
To say the Malays would never receive an education unless we have a preferential treatment policy and unless the government hands out charity to the Malays is an insult to our race. We are admitting that the Malays are failures and can only succeed with government handouts. Considering that you are a proud Malay I would imagine you would be the last to admit this. I would imagine you would want to say that the Malays could succeed under any circumstances if just given a fair chance.
On your argument of ensuring the Malays do not lose their political domination, Dad, have you analysed the latest election results? The ruling party created 25 additional parliamentary seats. At the same time they redrew the election boundaries. Let us take one example, Kuantan.
In the past, Kuantan had about 70,000 voters. Then the Election Commission shifted about 20,000 Malay voters to Paya Besar. With the ‘loss’ of 20,000 Malay voters, Kuantan suddenly became a ‘Chinese’ seat so the ruling party had to field a Chinese candidate in that constituency, which traditionally had been an UMNO or Malay seat.
This was done all over the country. In an attempt to defeat PAS and keADILan, both who depended on Malay votes, Malay majority constituencies were carved up and turned into ‘Chinese’ seats. And what is the result of all this?
In the recent election, UMNO won only 96 seats in Peninsular Malaysia and another 11 in Sabah, a total of 107 out of 219, and slightly less than half the seats in Parliament. And this is supposed to be UMNO’s best performance ever. Imagine what it would look like if UMNO performed badly, say like in 1999?
UMNO, which at one time had the majority seats in Parliament, are now just the largest minority. If you want to include the PAS and keADILan seats as ‘Malay’ seats, though they do not regard themselves as Malay parties, then the total would be 115 seats.
In what way do you say UMNO’s or the Election Commission’s interest is merely to ensure that Malay political domination is not eroded. The way I see it, the manipulation of electoral boundaries has done exactly this -- erode Malay political domination.
Now, I am not propagating or supporting the idea of Malay political domination mind you. I am just showing you that your argument to justify the Gerrymandering and rampant cheating in the last election as necessary in the interest of Malay political domination does not hold water. What it has done instead is to give the non-Malays a stronger voice in Parliament.
Allow me to paint this hypothetical scenario. What if the non-Malay parties, even those in the ruling coalition, gang up on UMNO? And what if PAS and keADILan side with the non-Malay parties in the interest of multi-racial politics, or at best, do not side with anyone? Would your UMNO then still be able to defend the Ketuanan Melayu policy with less than half the seats in Parliament?
So you see, your loyalty to UMNO based on the notion that it is defending Malay rights and privileges is flawed. UMNO can only do so as long as the rest do not mount any challenge and are prepared to live and let live. However, once they decide to change things and make a move to end the Ketuanan Melayu, then there is very little UMNO can do.
I know, Dad, this fact has never occurred to you. You have always believed that UMNO is invincible and commands the majority voice in Parliament. This is not so. In fact, even the policy of Malay as the national language and Islam as the official religion can be abolished if the majority in Parliament wishes for this to happen. Then whom does UMNO turn to? The rulers? We must remember that the rulers are no longer required. Even if they do not sign the law it will still automatically become law with or without their signatures.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah pointed this out in the late 1980s when he opposed the Constitutional Crisis engineered by UMNO, which, may I add, our new Prime Minister, Pak Lah, too opposed. Tengku Razaleigh said, what if one day UMNO loses its majority in Parliament and the non-Malays seek to remove Malay as the national language and Islam as the official religion? Now, said Tengku Razaleigh, it cannot be done without the rulers’ unanimous consent. But once the amendments to the constitution are made and the rulers’ consent is no longer required, then the Malays face the danger of losing their language and religion plus their special rights and privileges.
More than twenty years ago Tengku Razaleigh saw this coming. He knew UMNO would one day lose its majority in Parliament and the only thing left for the Malays would be their Raja-Raja Melayu. Today, what Tengku Razaleigh predicted has happened.
I must repeat that I do not subscribe to the concept of Ketuanan Melayu. You do, Dad. I just want to point out that if the only reason you support UMNO is to defend the Ketuanan Melayu, then that reason no longer exists. The Ketuanan Melayu will remain not because UMNO says so. It will remain because the non-UMNO Parliamentarians in Barisan Nasional allow it to.
In the light of this, is there any longer any reason to continue supporting UMNO?
Your son
Ean Yong’s political secretary dead at MACC HQ
By Neville Spykerman SHAH ALAM, July 16 – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) controversial probe into several DAP assemblymen’s activities was thrown into more turmoil today with the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock at the anti-graft authority’s Selangor headquarters.
The 30-year-old’s death will put more pressure on the MACC, which has been accused by the opposition of conducting selective investigations.
By 9pm tonight, a crowd had gathered at the scene for a candlelight vigil in his memory, which soon grew into a protest with angry chants of “Najib pembunuh, BN zalim, BN jahanam” (murderer Najib, cruel BN, go to hell, BN)and “Reformasi!”
Teoh, the political secretary of Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken in for questioning by the MACC yesterday at its 14th floor office in Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.
MACC said he was freed but his body was later found sprawled on the roof of a five-storey building next door.
It is unclear if Teoh, a former journalist with Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh, fell or jumped from the MACC office.
DAP’s Ronnie Liu said he could not understand how this could have happened.
Forensic investigators examine the body of Teoh Boon Hock for clues. Teoh was found dead next to the MACC’s office today, after being taken in for questioning yesterday.
However, Teoh apparently said he was tired and so he rested on a settee in the lobby. He was seen sleeping on the settee at 6am.
At about 1.30pm, Shukri said, they heard that a body had been found on the 5th floor of the adjacent building and when one of the MACC officers went to investigate, he realised it was one of their witnesses.
Shukri said Teoh was not a suspect but was questioned as part of their investigations into the misuse of state allocations.
Police have not allowed anyone to view Teoh’s body, which has still not been removed at 6.30pm, when his brother was at the scene. According to witnesses at the scene, the body was finally removed about 9.20pm.
In an immediate reaction, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang expressed shock and asked in his twitter account, “Is there now the first case of death in custody, not police but MACC? If so, heads must roll!”
The DAP leader is in Penang and said he was waiting for a full report about the tragedy.
“What has this country come to?” he asked, adding later he and other Pakatan Rakyat leaders will meet the MACC on Friday for an explanation.
According to Kit Siang, Teoh, an Alor Gajah boy, was to register his marriage tomorrow.
Kit Siang also confirmed he and Anwar will meet reporters at the MACC building in Shah Alam at 10am Friday.
Teoh was taken in for questioning yesterday after MACC officers raided Ean Yong’s office in the State Secretariat as they were investigating complaints about the failure of state allocations to reach the people.
Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim weighed in by saying the MACC is responsible for the incident.
His lawyer M Manoharan, who accompanied Teoh to the MACC office yesterday, said he had looked normal and showed no signs of being under stress.
“He was happy and looked composed. I had advised him how to handle the interrogation as I was not allowed in during questioning,” he said.
Manoharan, who is the Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson, last saw Teoh at around 7pm yesterday.
The brother and sister of the late Teoh are consoled by Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo (R), after they arrive at the MACC office.
"Furthermore, there was no reason for him to linger (after the interrogation) because his car was here," he added.
Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong expressed shock over Teoh’s death and added to the chorus that MACC was responsible for it.
“This tragic incident is another reminder of the recklessness of supposedly public institutions like the MACC in pursuing the goals of their political masters,” she said in a statement.
Wong said MACC investigations director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul’s explanation flew in the face of logic, adding that the authority should operate within acceptable guidelines when conducting interrogations.
“Even the police stops interrogating suspects at 6pm. Did the MACC think it holds powers greater than the PDRM when it interrogated Teoh from 5pm to 4am the next day?” she asked.
She said the incident has prompted her not to allow her staff to be questioned by the MACC unless accompanied by legal counsel, adding the police should also seal the office for investigations.
“Datuk Mohd Shukri … should save whatever honour he and the MACC have left by resigning,” said the Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman.
In a statement, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the MACC must bear full responsibility for this death as Teoh was in their custody at the time.
“MACC should stop its political persecution of PR, especially DAP leaders and members, that does not serve the interest of fighting corruption or justice,” he said. “Such political games have caused the loss of life of a bright young idealistic DAP member.”
“There must be a full investigation on how he died. Unless MACC can clear its name, the public may suspect that Teoh was mistreated and MACC had a hand in his sudden death. There must be full transparency and accountability.
A man lights a candle during a vigil for the late Teoh Beng Hock. – Picture by Jack Ooi
Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Swee Lim, who was weeping openly at the press conference, said he had wanted to take Teoh for seafood yesterday.
Meanwhile, PKR vice president K. Sivarasa calls this a “death in suspicious circumstances.”
PKR assemblyman Xavier Jeyakumar is questioning why a normal young man would want to kill himself over being questioned about state allocations.
A vigil organised for Teoh outside the MACC office was held at 8.30pm tonight. A group of youth unveiled a banner saying: "MACC we want answers and the truth".
By 9.20pm, the scene was beginning to evoke memories of Reformasi protests as at least 200 people had gathered.
Cops classify Teoh’s case as “sudden death”
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani SHAH ALAM, July 16 – Selangor CPO Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said tonight the authorities had classified the death of Teoh Beng Hock as sudden death and do not see any evidence of foul play so far.
“So far the police do not see any suspicious circumstances in this case and will wait for the report. We will carry out the investigation properly and thoroughly,” he said.
Teoh, the political secretary of Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken in for questioning by the MACC yesterday at its 14th floor office in Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.
MACC officials claimed he was freed but his body was later found sprawled on the roof of a five-storey building next door.
It is unclear if Teoh, a former journalist with Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh, fell or jumped from the MACC office.
Khalid told reporters that forensic teams from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Klang have examined Teoh’s body and the police had offered the victim’s family to bring their own team but it did not show up.
The police also allowed the victim’s brother to see the body at the scene.
“This is a very sensitive case. That was why there were many pathology experts from different places,” he said.
Khalid confirmed that a janitor found th body at 1.30pm and the police have begun questioning a few officers from the MACC.
He also said that the gathering outside the MACC office tonight was not legal but he was allowing it tonight “because of the circumstances”.
A crowd of 500 people had gathered at the scene for a candlelight vigil in his memory, which soon grew into a protest with angry chants of “Najib pembunuh, BN zalim, BN jahanam” (murderer Najib, cruel BN, go to hell, BN)and “Reformasi!”
The post-mortem examination will be conducted at 9.30am at the Klang hospital.
Teoh supposed to marry tomorrow
SHAH ALAM, July 16 – It was supposed to have been his wedding day. Instead, July 17 will be now be forever remembered by the Teoh family as the day they prepared for Beng Hock’s funeral.
Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah said today his special assistant Teo Beng Hock, who was found dead on the fifth floor of the Plaza Masalam today, was supposed to register his marriage tomorrow.
Ean Yong, who was in shock over the tragedy, said he wanted explanation from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Teoh was a witness in the investigations by the MACC regarding allegations of misappropriation of state allocations recently.
MACC’s director of investigation Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull, who was at the scene, said Teoh came to the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam at 5pm yesterday to give his statement and was allowed to go back at 3.45am today.
He said before leaving, Teoh promised to return to the Selangor MACC office and bring several documents to assist in the investigations.
“He, however, said that he wanted to rest first in the visitors’ room of the MACC office and was allowed to do so. At 6am he was seen sleeping on the sofa and after that he was not seen again,” he said.
Teoh’s body was found face-down at about 1.30pm. His body was still at the building as at 9pm tonight.
Police had yet to issue any statement about Teoh’s death.
Several members of Teoh’s family were seen in the building but refused to comment.
Also present were several DAP’s executive councillors. – Bernama
Death of Teo Beng Hock : MACC must be held to account
By Lim Kit Siang,
Lil Hummingbird dropped by a little while ago.
LH : “Nazri’s talking c*+k again!. Malaysiakini reports that he warned all and sundry, and Pakatan Rakyat in particular, not to speculate on how Teo Beng Hock, political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah fell to his death from the MACC Selangor headquarters in Shah Alalm, and then he shoots off his big mouth and says : “I was informed by MACC earlier that he was released yesterday (early this morning). Then he should have gone home….and how would we know that he would jump out of the building?”
Who’s jumping to conclusions now, and why?
Another death in custody and Nazri’s quick to shield the custodian?
And in the process cast aspersions on the just departed without a shred of evidence?
Teo didn’t jump off the building and he didn’t kill himself”.
Me : How do you know?
LH : “Did you know that Teo was due to get married tomorrow? Why would he want to take his own life?
Didn’t lawyer Mano, who accompanied Teo to the MACC HQ, and who last saw him at 7pm yesterday, say that Teo “was happy and looked composed”, as was also reported in Malaysiakini?
Teo was not being investigated, was he?”
No, MACC should not be allowed to wash their hands off this matter with mindless explanations like ‘Teo was released but wanted to sleep in the pantry”!
Remember the complaint of the UMNO chap in Kuantan who was taken in by the MACC for investigations? He said the real target was Norza Zakaria. He lodged a police report that he was roughed up and made to strip. Remember?
What’s become of that report? Nothing!
Now we have Teo called in to assist in investigations and, on the eve of his marriage, wants to sleep in the MACC pantry?
And then leaps to his death?
Nazri, just shut up and let Najib explain this”.
First case of death-in-custody in MACC HQ
Question: How did Sel Exco/Serdang SA Ean Yong Hian Wah’s political secretary, Teo Beng Hock in custody at 14th floor Sel MACC Hqrs since yesterday, died from fall?
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Malaysiakini.com
Jul 16, 09 5:10pm
Teo Beng Hock, 30, an aide of Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, has plunged to his death at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Selangor headquarters in Shah Alam.
Teo’s body was found on the rooftop of a building next to the towering block which houses the MACC headquarters.
He was believed to have jumped from the 14th floor of the tower block where MACC Selangor is located.
Yesterday, Teo was taken to the MACC headquarters for questioning in relation to a probe concerning several Pakatan assemblypersons.
When the news broke, Pakatan leaders, including Ean, rushed to the building.
Other DAP leaders who are at the MACC headquarters included Ronnie Liu, Teng Chang Khim and Tony Pua.
Both Liu and Teng, after having waited for over one hour at the building, confirmed that Teo had died.
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Malaysiakini.com
Jul 15, 09 4:12pm
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided the offices of two Selangor Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives, including a member of the state cabinet.
The duo – both from DAP – are Seri Kembangan assemblyperson and state exco Ean Yong Hian Wah and Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San.
According to Ean (left in photo above), a six-member MACC team raided his service centre in Seri Kembangan at around 12.30pm.
Three hours later, the team also raided the Selangor DAP chief’s exco office located in the state secretariat building in Shah Alam.
The raid is related to MACC’s probe on seven Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state reps in relation to the use of state funds in their respective constituencies.
The MACC team left Ean’s office around 3.45pm, only to return some 10 minutes later.
This time, the MACC officers confiscated a laptop belonging to Ean’s political secretary Teo Beng Hock as well as a desktop computer, which were sent to the Selangor MACC headquarters in Shah Alam.
Teo was also taken to the headquarters to assist in the investigation. He was accompanied by Kota Alam Shah representative M Manoharan, who acted as Teo’s lawyer.
“The team leader, known only as Mohd Anwar, told me that he left earlier because he was uncomfortable with the presence of many journalists at the scene,” said Ean, who is state exco in charge of new village development and solution for unlicensed factories.
“He also said that all Selangor assemblypersons will be investigated but I am not sure if this also includes those from BN,” he added.
Ean also said that the officers failed to provide any identification before conducting their investigation and refused to reveal the complainants who had lodged the report against the state representatives.
“However, when asked what was the investigation based on, they only said, ‘we have received instructions from the top’,” said Ean.
Apart from Ean and Lau, the other five Pakatan reps being probed are Teresa Kok (Kinrara), Hannah Yeoh (Subang), Elizabeth Wong (Bukit Lanjan), Dr Cheah Wing Yin (Damansara Utama) and Edward Lee (Bukit Gasing).
Earlier Ean lambasted the move, alleging that the investigation and raids were ‘politically motivated’.
Previously, the commission have quizzed several people, including the personal aides of five assemblypersons – Ean, Lau, Kok, Wong and Yeoh.
Selangor state representatives are given RM500,000 each every year to fund community programmes in their respective constituencies.
Lau: More states reps on the list
Speaking at a press conference later, Lau said that his aides at his service centre in Petaling Jaya were questioned by the MACC officers at about 12.30pm while he was attending the state assembly sitting in Shah Alam.
Upon hearing the news, he went to his Kampung Tunku office at around 1.30pm and told the MACC officers that he would cooperate with the investigation.
“I showed all my community programmes documents to them,” he said.
Lau added that all documents pertaining to the use of state funds are kept in the land office.
“The land office is very strict when it comes to claims for our community programmes. In fact, in our submission (for the claims), we need to attach photos (as evidence of community programmes held) to our forms before it is being sent to the land office,” he said.
According to Lau, it is also learnt that similar investigations will be carried out on Pakatan representatives in the Gombak area of Selangor.
He further brushed off suggestions made by Kok previously who claimed that MACC were targeting Chinese elected representatives.
“I think they are targeting all Pakatan reps, regardless their races,” said Lau.
Wong, who is also a state exco, said that she and her office have yet to be investigated by the MACC officers.
“Although I welcome any investigation carried by them, I would also like to know what happened to our complaints made against BN state reps who have misused state funds,” she said.
MIC Elections 2009: I Have A Chance Of Winning, Says Former MIC Deputy President
MELAKA, July 15 (Bernama) -- Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam today reiterated that he would contest the party's number two post in the MIC election in September.
He said it was up to the delegates to evaluate his charisma as an 'old guard' in the party when making the right choice for the post of deputy president.
He said it was up to the delegates to evaluate his charisma as an 'old guard' in the party when making the right choice for the post of deputy president.
"I will certainly contest for the post of deputy president. I have a chance of winning," he told reporters here this afternoon.
Earlier, he attended the 63rd Melaka MIC Convention opened by MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. Also present was Melaka MIC chairman Datuk S. Raghavan.
Subramaniam said this when asked to comment on a Bernama report today that Samy Vellu had endorsed his deputy Datuk G.Palanivel to defend his number two post in the MIC election on Sept 12.
On the statement by Samy Vellu that he was endorsing the incumbent deputy president, Subramaniam said: "It's up to Samy (Vellu) to make the statement although he (Samy Vellu) had earlier said that he would be neutral in the election."
Meanwhile, Palanivel announced that he would defend his post at the MIC general assembly which is expected to be attended by about 1,400 delegates throughout the country.
-- BERNAMA
*******
NST
Samy Vellu unveils team, Vell Paari excluded
2009/07/16
By B. Suresh Ram
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu yesterday endorsed incumbent deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel who is seeking re-election in party polls in September.Others who have announced their intention to contest for the No. 2 post are former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam and incumbent party vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan.
For the vice-presidency, the other hopefuls are Negri Sembilan MIC chairman Datuk S. Rajagopalu, Samy Vellu's son, S. Vell Paari and former Kuala Lumpur MIC chairman, Datuk V.K.K Teagarajan.
Sothinathan is going for broke. Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar, who resigned as vice-president last year, is not contesting, while the third incumbent Datuk S. Veerasingam is unlikely to defend his post.
"I am endorsing incumbent MIC deputy president Palanivel for the No. 2 post because he is a very efficient, strong and a simple man of the people," Samy Vellu said.
He hoped the members and delegates would support him and the people he is endorsing, saying this is his team for continuity in the party.
"I want a team which will deliver and strengthen the party," he said.
On his endorsement of Dr Subramaniam, Devamany and Saravanan for the vice presidency, he said the three men were holding government posts and were in a good position to better serve the Indian community.
Samy Vellu said he was drawing up the list of candidates for the party's central working committee, many of whom would be new faces.
Samy Vellu said as a leader, he has the responsibility to hand over the party to the right person.
"I have taken great care of the MIC for the last 29 years. I built the party from just 120,000 members to 630,000 members, and from just 700 branches to more than 3,300 branches now. All this was possible through the constructive teamwork I created among my office-bearers."
Nominations will be held on Sept 6 and polling on Sept 12.
A total of 1,400 MIC delegates are expected to vote.
******
July 15, 2009 19:56 PM
Rajagopalu Pulls Out Of Veep Election
SEREMBAN, July 15 (Bernama) -- Negeri Sembilan MIC chairman Datuk T. Rajagopalu today announced his pulling out of contesting for a vice-president post in the party's September elections.Rajagopalu said although he had announced contesting for a vice-presiedent post he was following the directive from party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
"I will follow the party president's directive as I am a party man and am ready to give way to the president's choice. I will give full support to the president's choices.
"However, I will discuss with Samy Vellu for another position as he knows what position I am qualified for. I have been on the supreme council for 10 years and and am always ready to contribute to the party," he told Bernama here Wednesday.
Yesterday, Samy Vellu announced that he endorsed his deputy Datuk G. Palanivel to be retained as the number two man in the party.
Samy Vellu also voiced support for the Human Resources Minister and party secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam; Deputy Federal Territories Minister and party information chief, Datuk M. Saravanan; and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K.Devamany as the three vice-presidents in the party.
Meanwhile, the Selangor MIC treasurer who is also the Serdang MIC division chief, Senator N. Rawisandran, said the endorsements by the president was appropriate as it would alleviate a tense situation.
"The three vice-presidents who got his support are qualified as they have postiions in the government.
"The president knows the actual situation in the aprty and he is doing this for the good of the party and the Indian community. I am confident that the delegates will agree with the president," he said.
High Chaparral: Kampung Buah Pala: Residents' Applications Dismissed With Costs
PENANG, July 16 (Bernama) -- The High Court here dismissed with costs an application by five Kampung Buah Pala residents to set aside a writ granting the ownership of a piece of land in the area to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaaan Negeri Pulau Pinang Bhd.
The court also dismissed with costs the residents' application for a stay of execution of the writ.
High Court Registrar Ahmad Hidayat Md Nor read out the verdict in chamber.
The residents' lawyer Darshan Singh Khaira told reporters later that he would file an appeal on Monday against the eviction order on the 23 families in the village.
Karin Lim Ai Ching, who represented the cooperative and developer Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, said bailiffs would enforce the eviction order on Aug 3.
Earlier, Darshan filed a summons on behalf of six residents seeking to declare any agreement and transfer of ownership of the land among eight parties null and void.
The eight parties are the personal representative of David Brown and Helen Margaret Brown's estate, the state government, federal land commissioner, Malaysian government, Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaaan Negeri Pulau Pinang Bhd, Nusmetro Ventures, Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer and Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy.
The villagers have named them as defendants in the suit.
Selangor exco's aide found dead
SHAH ALAM, 16 July 2009: A Selangor state executive councillor's special assistant, Teoh Beng Hock, was found dead today in the corridor of the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam.
Teoh, who was in his 30s, was believed to have fallen off the building. His body was found lying face-down at about 1.30pm.
At about 8pm, his body had not been taken from the scene and the police were still investigating.
Teoh, the special assistant to exco Ean Yong Hian Wan, was a witness in the investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into allegations of misappropriation of state allocations.
MACC's director of investigation Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull said at a news conference at the scene that Teoh went to the Selangor
MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam at 5pm yesterday to give a statement and was allowed to leave at 3.45am today.
He said that before leaving, Teoh promised to return to the Selangor MACC office and bring several documents to assist in the investigations.
"He however said he wanted to rest first in the visitors' room [in] the MACC office and was allowed to do so. At 6am, he was seen sleeping on the sofa and after [that he] was not seen again.
"During the investigation the victim cooperated fully as he was not an accused but was a witness," he said.
Yong, the Seri Kembangan assemblyperson, was among seven state assemblypersons and executive councillors being investigated by the MACC.
Yesterday, the MACC raided Yong's office at the state secretariat here to take documents related to state allocations and took Teoh in for questioning.
Mohd Shukri said that after he was informed that Teoh's body was found on the fifth floor today, the commission made a police report.
On the long time taken to conduct its investigation, Mohd Shukri said it was normal procedure in all investigations done by the commission. — Bernama
High Court allows PRM to continue
Parti Rakyat Malaysia won a decision at the High Court in Jalan Duta today against its dissolution.
Eight former PRM members who are now PKR leaders were seeking to dissolve the party.
In the end, the judge ruled in PRM’s favour.
According to a PRM leader, Rohana Ariffin, there were no provisions in the party’s constitution governing dissolution. Thus, she said, the court held that the Societies Act applies – in which case, the party should have convened a final congress to obtain its members’ approval for the dissolution of the party. This, she said, was not done.
So, for now, PRM still survives as a party.
Hishammuddin threatens to blacklist those who use agents to speed up applications
The Star
PUTRAJAYA: People who pay “agents” to speed up their citizenship, work permit and other applications have been warned that they will be blacklisted and any approvals given revoked if they are caught.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he had received reports that such agents had been approaching companies and individuals with claims that they can get faster approvals for fees ranging from RM5,000 to RM10,000.
He said the highest number of cases involved applications for foreign workers while the others were applications for citizenship, permanent residence, entry permits and birth certificates.
“I have spent sleepless nights poring over a large number of files just to speed up the processing of applications, and I will not stand by and allow unscrupulous parties to take advantage and profit from it,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Hishammuddin said he had to personally look at each application before the decision whether to approve or not was made.
He added that he was distressed because the act by agents created the perception that all officers at the ministry were corrupt, applications could be bought and the process was not above board.
Both the agents and officers involved would face stern action if caught, he warned.
He advised the people to submit their applications personally and refrain from using the “services” of agents as they would only stand to lose, since the ministry would no longer consider their applications once they were blacklisted.
On another matter, Hishammuddin said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would chair a committee meeting on Friday over the source countries for foreign workers, including whether to allow maids from countries other than Indonesia.
He said the meeting would also decide on whether to lift the temporary freeze on Bangladeshi workers.
“The committee will also look at the needs for foreign workers in each sector and the possibility of stopping certain sectors from employing them when there is adequate local labour,” he said.
PUTRAJAYA: People who pay “agents” to speed up their citizenship, work permit and other applications have been warned that they will be blacklisted and any approvals given revoked if they are caught.Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he had received reports that such agents had been approaching companies and individuals with claims that they can get faster approvals for fees ranging from RM5,000 to RM10,000.
He said the highest number of cases involved applications for foreign workers while the others were applications for citizenship, permanent residence, entry permits and birth certificates.
“I have spent sleepless nights poring over a large number of files just to speed up the processing of applications, and I will not stand by and allow unscrupulous parties to take advantage and profit from it,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Hishammuddin said he had to personally look at each application before the decision whether to approve or not was made.
He added that he was distressed because the act by agents created the perception that all officers at the ministry were corrupt, applications could be bought and the process was not above board.
Both the agents and officers involved would face stern action if caught, he warned.
He advised the people to submit their applications personally and refrain from using the “services” of agents as they would only stand to lose, since the ministry would no longer consider their applications once they were blacklisted.
On another matter, Hishammuddin said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would chair a committee meeting on Friday over the source countries for foreign workers, including whether to allow maids from countries other than Indonesia.
He said the meeting would also decide on whether to lift the temporary freeze on Bangladeshi workers.
“The committee will also look at the needs for foreign workers in each sector and the possibility of stopping certain sectors from employing them when there is adequate local labour,” he said.
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