MACC and Lim Guan Eng-Nice Game!

Kg.Buah Pala issues has been ongoing for more than a year now since the take over by the Pakatan Rakyat Government from 3rd March 2008 due to the influence by the Hindraf supports which cannot be denied by anyone. Upon taking over the Penang State Government, its DAP based Chief Minister the Faithful and generous, Lim Guan Eng, the leader who does'nt Lie! (Bullshit!) had promised to take severe action on the Illegal transaction of the land of Kg.Buah Pala to the Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang by the former Penang TPM/DCM from Barisan Nasional Government.

He, and 2 more leaders with integrity(Bullshit!) and never lie leader(Bullshit!) Prof.Ramasamy and RSN Rayer(The Award winner for the best Liar! ADUN by Cryingvoices) had made a complaint to the MACC on the corruption and fraud found in the Buah Pala Land transaction. The report of the investigation is now available for public viewing at every bus-stop and public toilets nationwide!

Funny? are you thinking that this writer is insane and making fun of the situation? Yes I am, where the hell is the MACC report? why Lim Guan Eng who was so eager to file a case with MACC and bambooing UMNO and Barisan Nasional for the illegal transaction is on the developers underwear now? Why is he so eager to chase the Villagers and keep mum about the MACC report made by him and his pirates? Why was Jagdeep sent out of the State Assembly? What did he accused the former DCM who is from UMNO? Why blaming Koh Soo Koon for the fraud when you as the Chief Minister of a State has all the rights to stop the Project? and file a suit against the former government when you know it's an illegal transaction? Where is section 116(1)(D)? When you planned to use it? after all the houses been demolished and when the construction starts? so that you can use the land for your personal use and the senseless agreement that you are forcing the villager to sign now will be invalid when the project halts? or Is it because all the people there, are Poor Indians and the place is full of Cowshed and Cow Dungs all over like you have mention earlier?

You are not a racist Mr.Lim Guan Eng, yes we agree that you have 2 useless right hand mans with you who is a bigger liar than anyone else and blaming Samy Vellu and poking his backside whenever their fingers are itchy, Whatever Samy Vellu did for the past 30+ years in the politics maybe wrong, but he has never demolished anyones house and chase them out in the street, His 30+ years crimes are smaller compared to the sins that you two Liars commit! Prove me that I m wrong! Sue me if you have never promise the Villagers that this Land will be here as long as Ramasamy is in power with Pakatan Rakyat as the Deputy Chief Minister 2, Sue me if you say I talk nonsense and you have never promise to arrange for an allocation to have the Ponggal festival as an annual event in Kg.Buah Pala! Sue me if you did not say that Kg.Buah Pala is the only remaining indian Heritage Village in the country! Liar! Liar! Liar!

Simple point to think ; You were so eager to make this land fraud a big issue, then you said that you wanted to use 116(1)(D) to stop development project, then you screwed the Developer Nusmetro for trying to Demolish the Village, and now you are acting as Die Hard FAN for Nusmetro, why this much of changes in principals? What happened to case that you three stooges filed with the MACC?

Why Must you eager than the Developer and the Landowner Koperasi trying to persuade the Villagers to sign on the Shit agreement that Nusmetro Uneducated fools prepared? As a Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, Professor, Lawyer and crook team, dont you think that the agreement is a mere trap for the villagers? Who has prepared it? who signed on behalf of the Director? Where is the Stamp? where is the chop? Where is the floor plan of the Double storey house which you, you and only you claiming will fetch up to RM500,000 in the market? What Material? where will it be built? Who guarantees the project? Why no letter from the state government?

So many question is lingering in my mind, even my mind, as a fool in the legal terms, what about u? Professor? Lawyer? Crooks? Think... we know everything thats going on, you still have another 4+days to retract the project and stop all your sins.. Good Luck for the next General Election, If Buah Pala falls! DAP Government in the Penang State will be dragged together and buried beneath the Debris of the Demolition!

Conscious and Unconscious

Rwindraj@Cryingvoices..

Beer whipping: Dr M has some questions - Malaysiakini

The nation will be celebrating this year's Merdeka by whipping a Muslim woman for drinking beer, said former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In his latest blog posting, the 84-year-old statesman questioned the Syariah court's decision to sentence Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, a 32-year-old model, to six strokes of the cane.

Mahathir also touched on the possibility of the judge having erred, and asked if Islam was not merciful towards first time offenders.

Kartika's sentence was supposed to be carried out this week but it has since been postponed to after the month of Ramadhan.

Mahathir noted that news of this case has spread across the globe.

"I don't know if this will provide a good or bad image about Islam. As a Muslim, we should not care about other people's perception about Islam when executing our religious obligations.

"But is this sentence correct for the offence of consuming alcohol? Is this punishment contained in Malaysian syariah laws?" he asked.

Mahathir said if the government did not enact syariah laws through debates, the approval of state assemblies, and fatwas by religious scholars, can the writings of certain scholars be used as a reference for punishment based on judges' discretion.

He also asked if enacting syariah laws was forbidden by Islam?

'Don't say I am going to hell'

"I am asking these questions because there is a difference of opinions regarding the sentence imposed on this woman (left).

"Don't say that I am un-Islamic and that I am going to hell. I am merely asking," he added.

The former premier pointed out that there were 43 verses in the Quran which stressed on the importance of being just when meting out punishment.

"Is there a possibility that a judge is not fair or wrong in his consideration? Is there no mercy in Islam towards first-time offenders?" he asked.

Mahathir said justice and clarity were the cornerstones of Islamic teachings.

"Members of the Islamic jurisprudence are entitled to pen a book on Islamic laws. But as ordinary humans, there is a possibility of making the wrong interpretation," he added.

In the event of doubt, Mahathir said, Islam urged Muslims to refer to the Quran.

"Have we referred to the Quran about drinking beer (alcohol) and the punishment to be meted out in order for justice to be served.

"There is no need for us to be overly concerned about people's perception but mankind must know that Islam propagates justness of the highest order," he added.

‘Special position of the Malays’: It’s a shield, not a sword

By Eugene Tan (The Straits Times)

AUG 25 — The commitment of Singapore's founding generation of leaders to a multiracial ethos contributed to the island's failed merger with Malaysia. After independence, they sought to develop a “Singaporean Singapore” identity, while symbolically recognising the special position of Malays here.

As Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew explained in 2004 — and again in Parliament last week — the founding leaders were determined that the Chinese majority in Singapore, having “suffered communal bullying and discrimination during the two years we were a part of Malaysia”, will not discriminate against or bully any other race in turn.

The centrepiece of Singapore's attempt at inclusive citizenship for its minorities, especially the Malays, can be found in Article 152 of the Singapore Constitution. Article 152(1) states: “It shall be the responsibility of the Government constantly to care for the interests of the racial and religious minorities in Singapore.” And Article 152(2) recognises the “special position of the Malays” — “the indigenous people of Singapore”.

This means the government of the day has a responsibility to care for the interests of racial and religious minorities. This was agreed to in 1958, during the negotiations for self-government between the British colonial authorities and Singapore's all-party delegation. This commitment was incorporated into the preamble of the 1959 Constitution and is now found in Article 152.

Interests, duties and responsibilities — rather than rights and entitlements — constitute the de facto language of Singapore citizenship. Significantly, Article 152 does not use the word “rights” but “interests”.

Therefore, the constitutional safeguards as provided for in the article should be construed as political rather than legal. The special position of Malays in Singapore does not amount to the special rights Malays have in Malaysia. Likewise, the constitutional exhortation for the government to care for racial and religious minorities does not mandate affirmative action for them.

Article 152 should be seen as a shield, rather than a sword, that the minorities can use collectively against the government of the day if it fails to care adequately for them. Any government that fails to honour the spirit and substance of Article 152 will suffer the consequences at the ballot box.

Unsurprisingly, interpretations of Article 152(2) differ. Some feel the provision confers special rights on Malays. Others — Malays and non-Malays alike — argue that special rights for one ethnic group is antithetical to Singapore's multiracialism, undermines the ideal of meritocracy and would encourage a crutch mentality among Malays.

There is a semblance of preferential treatment extended to the Malay-Muslim community (99.6 per cent of Malays in Singapore are Muslim). For instance, Article 153 enables the establishment of Muis and the Syariah Court via the Administration of Muslim Law Act, thus providing for a limited degree of legal pluralism for the Muslim community. Muslims in Singapore are governed by Islamic law in matters of personal law such as marriage, divorce and inheritance.

The community also enjoys other privileges such as free tertiary education (modified in 1989 with means testing), state support for the mosque-building programme, and the appointment of a minister to help represent the interests of an important minority.

Today, the discourse on citizenship has shifted to the quality of belonging and inclusiveness in nation-building. Article 152 represents the aspiration to racial equality as an integral part of the country's multiracial ethos. To be sure, this remains a work-in-progress.

Hence MM Lee's opinion that a level-playing field will take “decades, if not centuries, and we may never get there” is a sobering thought. It raises urgent questions of how we can catalyse the nation-building process.

Fifty years ago this year, Singapore secured internal self-government with the promise to care for the interests of racial and religious minorities. The commitment to this promise remains and nourishes the nation-building endeavours of this accidental state.

Turning point for the Indians

By Baradan Kuppusamy (The Star)

The Kampung Buah Pala issue may well be a point the Indian community will use to ponder whether they should go on supporting Pakatan Rakyat. After all, the pact has ‘washed its hands’ of an issue it had once championed.

THE Kampung Buah Pala issue where 24 families have been issued eviction notices has come full circle with the DAP-led Penang state government “washing its hands” of the issue, saying it had done its level-best but the families were adamant about standing their ground.

From statements coming from Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the public get the impression that the families and their descendants, who have lived in the land for nearly a century, were being unreasonable.

The families had an opportunity to cut a good deal with the developer but had been foolish enough to let it go and therefore, they should be blamed if they are evicted and end up with nothing.

The straw that broke the camel’s back for Lim must have been when the residents met Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to urge him to help resolve the matter.

“We have done our part and as far as we are concerned, the matter is over. Since they have gone to see Barisan Nasional, the matter ends there,” Lim had said, shutting the door on the residents.

The village sits on 2.6ha of prime land in the heart of the rapidly developing eastern part of George Town. Demolition work is slated for Sept 1.

However on the Internet, in SMS text messages and Yahoo! chat groups, Lim is under fire for much the same reason as MIC leaders were — for failing to protect, nurture and give hope to dispossessed citizens.

These were the very citizens who had voted for the Pakatan in the hope they would strike a better deal with developers.

While Lim is criticised for “abandoning” Buah Pala residents, the DAP’s Indian leaders are under greater fire from the Tamil intelligentsia — the same lobby groups that helped DAP’s Indian leaders beat MIC candidates in the last general election.

Betrayal — this is the key word spreading like wildfire in Tamil periodicals, newspapers, on the Internet and in endless SMS text messages, accusing DAP Indian leaders of failing to “save” Kampung Buah Pala from demolition.

Their emotional outburst is also sparking conflict between DAP’s Indian leaders and the party’s top leadership with some leaders privately grumbling that the issue could have been “more intelligently” handled.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy on whom the Indian poor and dispossessed had high hopes, is the one person singled out for criticism, probably because he holds high office and is more visible than other leaders.

Besides, in a 25-year career as an academic, Dr Ramasamy had defended dispossessed Malaysians, especially Indians, and had argued that while they might be squatters, they had rights over the land.

He had campaigned for land reform, supported the idea that squatters were actually urban pioneers and railed against absentee landlords and redevelopment of land for golf courses and luxury condominiums.

For the residents, the failure of the new Penang government that they had wholeheartedly supported in the 2008 general election, comes as a shock.

For others, it is sad that a newly-elected government promising fundamental reforms had washed its hand of an issue it had once championed.

Here was an opportunity for the Pakatan Rakyat to be different, to show empathy, to find a permanent, holistic and workable solution for ordinary people caught on the wrong side of development and facing an uncertain future.

In the Kg Buah Pala issue, the solutions Pakatan leaders offered were no different from what the Barisan government had offered.

The manner the issue was handled was also typical — blame the previous government, negotiate with the developer to stall eviction, offer inferior terms and finally blame the residents themselves for rejecting a “golden opportunity.”

Sungkai state assemblyman and DAP leader A. Sivanesan, expressing the DAP’s view of the issue, said:

“I feel the residents are unreasonable. They should work with the state government and find an amicable solution.

“Getting a free, double-storey house in Penang is a very good deal,” he said. “How can they reject it?”

Residents, however, lamented that the house was small, that not all residents were getting the houses and further, the quality of the construction, material to be used and numerous other details were not spelled out.

The ad hoc nature of the offer and the 24-hour deadline had forced them to reject the offer.

“We want to be treated like human beings, not like cattle herded into a pen,” one of the residents said.

However, DAP leaders also say “outsiders” like politicians, NGOs and others were exploiting the issue to put Pakatan in a bad light.

“In the end, it was not about housing, but politics,” Sivanesan said.

As ever, perception rules the political world and in the Kg Buah Pala issue, the phrases frequently thrown about in the Indian community now is “betrayal” and second: “Teach them a lesson.”

Just a year-and-half ago, the same phrases were employed by the Pakatan in banners, video compact discs and speeches to rouse the Indians to vote Pakatan on the promise of security, health and wealth.

The Kg Buah Pala agony, like the demolition of Shah Alam temple in November 2007, might well be the turning point for the Indian community, an incident which could be used to question whether they should continue to support Pakatan.

Press Statement by the Kg.Buah Pala residents

By Tharmaraj, Assistant secretary, KBP Rsidents Association

Lim Guan Eng has stated that he has washed his hands off this issue. But we live here, we have to find a solution for our problems with or without the State Government’s help. It is most unfortunate for a Chief Executive of a State Government to take this negative stand against its rakyat.

Nevertheless we will proceed.

We have decided we will talk to whoever will help us to resolve this issue. This includes the Koperasi to whom the land has been sold by the State Government. We will propose to them that they should consider sharing the land with us so we can retain a Heritage village, even though a smaller one. We are hopeful that the Koperasi will want to talk to us and to resolve this matter amicably, something that the Developer and the State Government has not been able to do up to now. We will be doing this on our very own initiative without the assistance of any political party.

We are reasonable people and we do not seek the double storey houses worth RM500,000 that Lim Guan Eng and his supporters have been talking about. Their objective in doing this is to turn public opinion away from us by making us look like a greedy set of people. What we seek is only to retain our land and our way of life. If we can negotiate a portion of the land from the Koperasi, we will build it up into a Heritage Village.

If we are able to get the Koperasi to agree to sell a portion of the land through our negotiation at a price that is reasonable and which is within the State Governments budget to buy and build on, the State Government should not now start to give some reason and deny us this opportunity again.

We are hopeful that the State Government will work along with us on this solution if it comes to pass. We hope that the State Government will not give any more reasons like bad precedents or that the villagers are being too greedy or arrogant and other such reasons. Here is an

Oh Maika, I am but a fool…

By Hakim Joe

Would you jump at the chance of purchasing a GLC share for RM5.00 if that particular share is actively trading at the KLSE at RM6.15? What if you were offered 10 million of that GLC company shares?

Let me calculate a bit here. Every share I take up would reap me an automatic profit of RM1.15. If I were to sell the share immediately at a loss of 5 sen (at RM6.10) at the KLSE and after the subsequent deduction of the 0.15% remisier’s commission (brokerage fee) and 0.05% clearing fee, I would still end up earning RM1.028 per share. I could even negotiate with my remisier as to his commission if I were to trade 10 million shares, possibly down to something like 0.05% because he will still be making RM30,500 from these transactions – not a bad payday from one customer but not as good as the owner of the 10 million shares who potentially could make RM10.28 million.

On 29 September 1990, Maika Holdings was specially offered 10 million Telekoms shares at RM5.00 per share by the Malaysian Government. Then Finance Minister DSAI told Parliament that Maika informed the Finance Ministry that they only had the financial resources to take up 1 million shares and proposed that the remaining 9 million shares be allocated to three MIC-linked companies of which the Government acceded to (3 million shares each).

The three companies were Clear Way Sdn Bhd, a RM2 shell company incorporated in October 1988 with two shareholders (Reman a/l Subramaniam and Muniady a/l Sadayen), S.B. Management Services Sdn Bhd, a RM2 shell company incorporated in December 1989 with two shareholders (S. Balasubramaniyam a/l M.S. Survei and Sothinathan a/l Sinna Govinder) and Advance Personal Computers Sdn Bhd (RM250,000 paid up capital) with four shareholders (S. Balasubramaniyam a/l M.S. Survei, Sothinathan a/l Sinna Govinder, R. Selvendra and Isphare Kumar).

SBMS and APC shares the same office at Damansara Town Centre and the same shareholders whilst R. Selvendra is a director of Maika Holdings.

It was also discovered that as on 6 October 1990, the Arab-Malaysia Merchant Banking Berhad had approved a RM50 million loan to finance Maika’s acceptance of the entire 10 million RM5.00 Telekoms shares from the Finance Ministry. Two days later on 8 October 1990, the Maika Board of Directors decided that they were able and willing to take up the entire offer of the10 million Telekoms shares.

In February 1992, rumors abounded that Maika did not obtain the entire 10 million Telekoms shares that was allocated by the Finance Ministry. A journalist from Watan disclosed that “there could have been some hanky-panky in the allocation of Telekoms shares to Maika Holdings.” This was followed up in April 1992 by a Tamil magazine, Thoothan which disclosed that there could have been some discrepancy in the distribution of the 10 million Telekoms shares allocated to Maika by the Finance Ministry.

Until the declaration by then Finance Minister DSAI in Parliament on 6 May 1992 after being questioned by DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, nobody knew that 9 million Telekoms shares had been diverted to three companies instead to Maika. MIC President Samy Vellu immediately left the country “on sick leave” to America. (Tun Daim Zainuddin was the Finance Minister in 1990.)

On 8 May 1992, the Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) led by Federal Territories ACA Director, Nordin Ismail, raided these three companies.

On 10 May 1992, Deputy Finance Minister Abdul Ghani Othman said that it was entirely up to these 3 companies “to ensure that the Indian community benefited” and that it was Maika that had recommended these 3 companies and not the Ministry of Finance, and henceforth did not question the status of these 3 companies.

On 11 May 1992, Maika Chairman, Tan Sri G. Pasamanickam held a news conference to publicly announce that he knew nothing about the allocation of the 9 million Telekoms shares to the 3 companies. He also said that he “might bring up this matter” in the monthly Maika board meeting which was scheduled to be held two days later (on the 13 May 1992).

On 12 May 1992, MIC Working Committee member, Dr K.S. Nijhar called for the resignation of the Maika Board of Directors.

On 14 May 1992, Maika members were assaulted when peacefully picketing outside Maika Holding’s HQ in Petaling Jaya. MIC Selangor Assemblyman for Seri Cahaya, S. Sivalingam, was allegedly the leader of a group of Indians that assaulted the Maika members.

On 15 May 1992, MIC President Samy Vellu held a conference (after his return from the US) and said that Maika has never recommended that the 9 million Telekoms shares be allocated to the 3 aforesaid companies. Furthermore, SV said that Maika was never allocated the entire 10 million Telekoms shares but only a part of it due to its past dismal performance. SV also claimed that as of 5 October 1990, Maika had abandoned the offer of the entire 10 million shares but instead approved the purchase of only 1 million Telekoms shares. He also said that the allocation of 3 million shares each to Clear Way, SBMS and ACP were decided by the Ministry of Finance and that none of these companies belonged to him or any of his family members and that he did not have an interest in any of these 3 companies. He also informed the press that these 3 companies had pledged to donate the entire net proceeds of the share sales to Tafe College and proceeded to issue documents of these share sales and the Tafe College building accounts. When as by the press why he sold these shares, SV stated for a fact that he panicked after the trading price of Telekoms fell to RM5.30. As for the assault of Maika members, SV declared that he would himself have “walloped” the Maika shareholders if he had been at the scene then.

It was also later discovered that all these 3 companies had loans from CIMB (through Rashid Hussein Nominees Sdn Bhd) to purchase the Telekoms shares, utilizing these shares as collateral and with conditions that the share prices cannot dip below RM6.50.

On 7 November 1990, CIMB invoked this clause and force-sale the 3 million Telekoms shares held by Clear Way at RM5.95 per share. Telekoms was trading at RM6.00 at that time. CIMB did the same for the other 5.5 million Telekoms shares held by APC and SBMS at between RM5.75 and RM5.95 per share. Wait a minute here! Why only 5.5 million and not 3 million shares each? Well, APC/SBMS managed to hold back 500,000 Telekoms shares. How it was able to do so if CIMB was invoking their loan clause to force-sell these shares is unbelievable but Samy provided no explanation (APC/SBMS sold another 420,000 of these Telekoms shares on April 1992 at RM11.20). Another thing, why did Samy say 6 million shares and not 3 million shares each? Are these supposedly two companies in fact operating as one?

On 17 May 1992, Maika Managing Director, Tan Sri Rama Iyer, contradicted Samy Vellu saying that the latter has not “told the truth” in his explanation of the Maika Telekoms Scandal. Rama Iyer said that he had personally called the Treasury (after being instructed by Arab-Malaysia Merchant Banking Berhad) and had verbal confirmation from Munirah Abdullah Ng (Treasury Officer) that Maika has been allotted 10 million Telekoms shares by the Finance Ministry and that she had a letter to that effect. Rama Iyer also said that he immediately dispatched a senior Maika officer to collect this letter which was dated 27 September 1990 and then approached AMMBB Managing Director Datuk Malek Merican on 4 October 1990 to raise the loan of RM50 million to finance the share allocation in full.

Rama Iyer also said that then Maika Chairman, Tan Sri C. Selvarajah concurred with his actions and asked him to inform the MIC President to tell him of the share allocation by the Ministry of Finance, which he did the next day (at 6.10am). However, during the telephone conversation, SV told Rama Iyer that “there must have been a mistake as the offer to Maika was just for 1 million Telekoms shares and not 10 million Telekoms shares. When Rama Iyer contradicted SV stating the Finance Ministry letter, SV told him that the other 9 million Telekoms shares were for allocation to “other MIC bodies” and that he would contact the Finance Ministry to clarify the matter.

On 6 October 1990, Maika received a letter dated 5 October 1990 from AMMBB offering RM50 million to finance the purchase of the 10 million Telekoms shares. On 8 October 1990, the entire Maiko Board had a meeting and officially approved the purchase of the entire 10 million Telekoms shares. A few days later, Maika received a letter from the Finance Ministry stating that the initial letter of offer for 10 million Telekoms shares was officially retracted and that only 1 million Telekoms shares were on offer for Maika.

On 20 May 1992, Opposition leader LKS produced evidence that Paari Vel was in fact the managing director of APC. In an APC namecard bearing Paari Vel’s name and designation as the MD, the London office address was listed at K.K. Marketing Limited of 12, Whittington Road, Wood Green, London N22 4YD, England. (K.K of K.K Marketing stands for Kumar Kandasamy whose son Isphare Kumar is listed as a shareholder of APC.) BTW, Paari Vel is Samy Vellu’s son.

Also on this day, LKS proceeded to tear apart SV’s documents on the share sales of the 3 companies. One, Clear Way’s accounts did not specify the 0.05% clearing fee. Two, its share financing interest was documented at 14.75% when CIMB was only charging 11.25%. On the SBMS cum ACP accounts (no trouble was taken to separate them), it was stated that some of the proceeds of the sale of the Telekoms shares were used to purchase 3 million Renong shares (no mention at what buying price) and this time the share financing interest was calculated at 14.5%. No reasons were also given as to why SBMS/ACP was able to retain 500,000 of the Telekoms shares.

As for the Tafe College Building (TCB) accounts, LKS questioned the validity of these accounts as simple arithmetic (like addition) were done incorrectly (much like the Home Ministry’s recent poll on ISA). The total income of RM15,468,003.73 were tabulated as from the Federal Government (RM8 million), donations from MIC branches (RM300,000), Clear Way contribution (RM2,318,003) and from SBMS/ACP (RM4,850,000). The correct figures should be RM15,468,003 not RM14,468,003.73 – where did the 73 sen come from? The total expenditure is even worse! The TCB accounts stated that a total of RM24,662,528 were used. The correct addition comes to only RM24,112,528. Where did the difference of RM550,000 go?

Additionally SV stated that the total expenditure incurred was RM24,662,528 and the total payments made was RM15,690,808 and the outstanding is RM9,914,524.27. Simple subtraction of the two figures show an outstanding of RM8,971,720 and not RM9,914,524.27. If indeed the total outstanding is RM9,914,524.27, where did the additional RM942,804.27 go?

Lastly, the trading price of Telekoms shares had never fell to RM5.30 as stated by SV during the press conference on 15 May 1992. Between November 7th and November 15th, Telekoms traded at a low of RM5.85 and a high of RM6.15 and Between November 16th and November 27th, Telekoms traded at a low of RM6.00 and a high of RM6.90. From December onwards, Telekoms never traded under RM7.00.

It must be also noted that the remisier handling these transactions was also a director to both SBMS and ACP. By the way, the brokerage fee for the 8.5 million Telekoms shares came to a total sum of RM505,470.00.

On 24 May 1992, Maika’s offices were broken into and their offices ransacked. Documents in pertinent to the Telekoms shares allocation went missing. The guard was also assaulted. Earlier in the week, employees of the weekly Thoothan magazine were attacked at their Jalan Ipoh office premises (this magazine was giving prominent coverage to the Maika Telekoms shares Scandal and on one of its headlines, the magazine called SV a liar and a thief).

In 1994, then chairman of MIC public claims committee, V. Subramaniam (also known as Barat Maniam) made a startling public accusation. He charged that the accounts were fabricated to make it appear as if all the profits from the sale of Telekom shares were channelled to Maju Institute of Education Development (MIED). V. Subramaniam declared, "I have come out with this statement to prove that Samy Vellu is a thief. He has stolen (Telekoms) shares from the Indian community."

In 1999, SV appointed his son Vell Paari (of the K. Sujatha fame) as CEO of Maika Holdings. From a high of RM106 million in 1984, Maika’s assets fell to about RM32 million in 1992 (after the Telekoms shares scandal) and is in the process of selling off all its assets today (due to massive debts). Vell Paari remained as the CEO of Maika Holdings until today and said that he would step down once “he has cleaned up Maika…” (more like clean out though).

SV was cleared by the ACA over the Maika Scandal and nobody was arrested over it. The 66,000 Maika shareholders are still holding their breath waiting for an explanation by the Maika Board. As for the Maika-Telekoms share scandal, nothing was ever heard of it. S. Sothinathan is now the MIC vice-president and MP for Teluk Kemang.

In October 2006, the MIC Johor assemblyman for Tenggaroh, the late S. Krishnasamy assaulted the DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran at the Maika annual general meeting at the Legend Hotel in KL. Even though Kulasegaran lodged a police report, no action was taken against Krishnasamy.

A bit about Maika. Maika Holdings was once touted as the miraculous economic vehicle to elevate the Indian poor from the shackles of poverty. Launched by MIC in 1982 as their investment arm, the original plan was to ensure that at least RM30 million worth of shares were subscribed to but so successful was the promotion campaign that by 1984, RM106 million was raised from almost 66,400 shareholders with SV being the largest shareholder with 2.8 million shares. From then onwards, it was downhill all the way.

Let me continue the song, “Oh Maika, I am but a fool, Darling I love you, though you treat me cruel…..”

PAS Youth wants Kartika to be caned

Kartika is welcomed home by her father Suhkarno after the religious authorities temporarily freed her of her caning sentence yesterday. — Reuters pic

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — PAS Youth wants the caning punishment against Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno for drinking beer to be meted out as requested by her and the family.

Its chief Nasrudin Hassan however said today he does not question the postponement of the sentencing which the authorities said was to respect the fasting month of Ramadan.

Kartika, a Singapore-based part time model and former nurse, was fined RM5,000 and sentenced to six strokes of the cane after she was caught drinking beer with her husband in a hotel in Kuantan in 2007.

“They have obtained conviction and as requested by her and family the sentence must be carried out,” Nasrudin told The Malaysian Insider.

“We do not want the syariah courts to be seen to be inconsistent or powerless,” he added, refusing to comment further on the sentence postponement.

On the legal complication that could arise from the punishment, he said the religious authorities should have studied the matter earlier.

“Any type of punishment must be according to the law, they should have thought of any legal obstacle during the trial,” said Nasrudin, adding that it only exposed the weakness of the syariah system.

Kartika was picked up yesterday by the religious authorities from her family home in Sungai Siput, Perak to be sent to the Kajang Prison for the sentence to be executed.

She was released soon after, and the authorities said the sentence could only be carried out after the fasting month, scheduled to end in late September.

The 32-year-old would have been remanded beginning yesterday for the caning to be carried out.

The decision to remand her in order to be whipped however was questioned by legal experts as it opened up the Pahang government to legal action as she was never given a custodial sentence.

However, Prisons Department rules state that only prisoners can be caned. Both Kartika and her father have asked for a public caning which is not a punishment under Malaysian laws.

Civil rights group have asked the authorities to rescind the whipping sentence, saying that corporal punishment is against human rights. The sentence has also whipped up an international media storm.

MACC officer admits top officials gave orders

By Debra Chong

SHAH ALAM, Aug 25 — Anti-graft investigator Mohd Anuar Ismail told the coroner’s court today that top Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials had ordered him to step up investigations into allegations that Selangor assemblymen misused public funds.

He named the senior officials as Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim and investigations unit chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah.

One of them was named in a mystery letter alleging political collusion in investigating the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Mohd Anuar, 32, is the 16th witness in the inquest into political aide Teoh Beng Hock's death on July 16 at the MACC office in Plaza Masalam here.

Previously a lawyer, he had gone through six months of training at a police college in Kuala Kubu Baru before joining the MACC.

Teoh was earlier interrogated for nearly 10 hours before he was found dead the morning he was to register his marriage to his two-month pregnant fiancee.

The MACC investigator also admitted to Teoh family lawyer Gobind Singh Deo that it was unusual to question people into the wee hours of the morning.

He also told the court that he did not check if Teoh's lawyer M. Manoharan had turned up to be present during the interrogation. Gobind claimed Manoharan had waited an hour at the MACC office.

Teoh’s family arriving for the inquest this morning. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Gobind: Why did you need to question the witness at night?

Mohd Anuar: That's normal practice.

Gobind: Don't be silly. If I asked you to climb a tree, will you do it? I'm asking you why?

Mohd Anuar: To hasten the investigation.

Gobind: Why?

Mohd Anuar: [after hesitating] Because the issue had become sensitive.

Gobind: What issue?

Mohd Anuar: The issue on the allocation of state assemblymen. Because the newspapers were publishing it every day.

The MACC man's reply drew a snide remark from Gobind before he continued his heated interrogation of the witness.

Gobind: You were directed to bring them in and get confessions from them?

Mohd Anuar: No.

Gobind: Please! You're on oath here.

Mohd Anuar: [hesitates] Ya.

Gobind: Who directed you?

Mohd Anuar: There were two people.

Gobind: Who are they?

Mohd Anuar: The deputy director Tuan Hishamuddin Hashim and Tuan Hairul Ilham.

Gobind: Who is he?

Mohd Anuar: Head of investigations unit.

Gobind seemed satisfied that he succeeded in extracting some names from Mohd Anuar, but couldn't seem to stop from pointing out that the MACC investigator who had been asked to step up the investigations had been “sleeping all night”, causing the public gallery to erupt into chuckles — even drawing a smile on the magistrate's face — and a faint protest from the witness.

MACC legal affairs director Datuk Abdul Razak Musa objected to Gobind's line of questioning and later called the inquest a “kangaroo court”.

Coroner magistrate Azmil Munthapa Abas asked Gobind to “soften” his manner of questioning the witness.

Permatang Pasir: PAS win likely

By Deborah Loh
thenutgraph.com

Buka puasa delicacies outside a PAS centre in Permatang Pasir

"ALL this is just to create the setting," Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) elections director Saifuddin Nasution says. He waves his hand, gesturing towards a just-concluded press conference by PAS leaders in which they again harped on the disbarment of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Rohaizat Othman.

The onslaught by the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) about Rohaizat's moral fitness to stand as a candidate in the Permatang Pasir by-election has been a daily affair. It is the PR's strongest psychological weapon — one which the BN delivered to them.

"We didn't create any untruths about Rohaizat, it [was] already there, [as clarified] by the Bar Council," Saifuddin says.

But will voters decide who to vote for today, on 25 Aug 2009, based on a campaign that has been rife with personality attacks and short on people's issues?

Permatang Pasir's 20,290 voters go to polls from 8am to 5pm. They will choose between the BN's Rohaizat, who is Permatang Pauh Umno division secretary, and Penang PAS commissioner Mohd Salleh Man. PAS is defending its only seat in the DAP-dominant Penang legislative assembly.

Based on sentiment, a PAS win appears likely. The question is whether it can maintain its 2008 general election majority of 5,433 votes.

Permatang Pasir March 2008 general election results
Candidates	Datuk Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman (PAS)	11,004
	Ahmad Sahar Shuib (Umno)	5,571
Majority		5,433
Voter turnout		82.57%

Source: Election Commission

Even if all things were equal between both candidates, PR leaders say they would still have faced a tough campaign. Despite Rohaizat's disbarment, the PR has had to go up against attempts to weaken support for the alliance using race, religion and the PR's internal problems.

The news about PKR's Lunas assemblyperson turning independent in the Kedah state assembly two days before polling appears to be another BN strategy to create doubts about the PR, its leaders believe. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said it shows the PR's instability. And PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was forced to admit that the party had weaknesses in its vetting system for the 2008 general election.

There are other issues. Muslim voters watched the verbal spat between Umno and PAS leaders over PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and whether he did or did not say that Umno members would go to hell.

The BN has also accused the PR of registering phantom voters in the constituency with the help of co-conspirators in the Penang Election Commission. These claims, by Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, are yet unproven. It is, however, interesting to see the BN using one of the PR's common complaints while contesting in an election.

In what the PR hopes will be a vote-clincher among Malay Malaysians, Anwar announced on the night of 23 Aug that the Penang government would appoint Salleh as Penang Islamic Religious Council president if he wins. This is perhaps an attempt to answer Khairy's other taunt that despite being in the Penang PR, PAS has not been given an executive council post in the state government.

The DAP's Bukit Bendera Member of Parliament Liew Chin Tong says the worst thing that could happen if PAS loses is the retreat of each of the PR parties into communalism.

Liew Chin Tong"If PAS were to be left out of the Penang government, supporters might feel that multiracial cooperation is no longer viable," he says. In other words, a dejected PAS might retreat into stronger Islamism to underscore its identity, possibly causing an opposite but similar reaction from the DAP.

"Umno's campaign through its media for the past half a year has taken its toll on the PR in the eyes of the public. I can't say for sure if voters really believe it, but I would rather be cautious than overconfident," Liew adds.

Too personal

Sungai Tiang assemblyperson Suraya Yaacob, of the BN in Kedah, feels that this by-election has been a "missed opportunity" to gauge voter sentiment about the federal government.

"The truth about Rohaizat does not mean it will cause people to vote for PAS. It may upset voters, but not enough to make them vote. It [was] too personal. The issues in this election end up not being about the respective parties and what they can do for voters, but [about] the candidates," she tells The Nut Graph while campaigning for Rohaizat.

PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad is aware that the party should not "overkill" on Rohaizat's disbarment. "Among Malay [Malaysian] voters, it might turn into sympathy votes or cause resentment against PAS," he says.

PAS candidate Salleh is not free from allegations either, but claims of misappropriation of party funds are unproven.

If the BN has any optimism, it is based on the hope that voters want the best of two worlds: a state seat under the BN, but a PR government at the state level, says Seberang Jaya assemblyperson Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, who heads the BN campaign for non-Malay voters.

He notes: "It's only two to three years more till the next general election, and people are willing to give the BN a chance in Permatang Pasir. If they vote for the BN, they know they can enjoy federal benefits while still maintaining the DAP-led state government. It's a win-win situation for voters."

Numbers game

Turnout on polling today is something the politicians are genuinely concerned about. It is a working day, and coincides with the Muslim fasting month.

The DAP's Bukit Mertajam Member of Parliament Chong Eng feels assured of support for the PR in the Kampung Cross Street polling district, where voters are nearly 80% Chinese Malaysian. But she admits that voters may be tired of election politicking, a year after the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last August, and the Penanti state by-election in June.

Chong Eng (right) visiting with a Chinese Malaysian voter

With voter sentiment hard to read, politicians say it all depends on the turnout today. Suraya estimates either more spoilt votes or a low turnout of about 60%. Her guess is in line with that of some DAP leaders, too, who predict a 60% to 65% turnout.

Voter turnout in the last by-election in Manik Urai was 88%, in which PAS won by a whisker. In Penanti, turnout was the lowest ever in national elections history, at 46%. Many attributed it to the fact that the BN did not contest.

Liew says a lower turnout will yield a lower majority for PAS in Permatang Pasir. But a turnout higher than 60% will be "very good news". This is based on speculation that BN supporters may be demoralised over their lacklustre campaign, while PR supporters are in the mood for a fight.

After PAS wrested the Permatang Pasir seat from the BN in 1999 with a 3,194 majority, PAS's margin of victory dipped to a majority of 679 votes in 2004, attributed to the national feel-good factor over the new premiership of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. PAS's majority jumped to 5,433 in the 2008 general election in line with protest votes against the BN that were felt nationwide.

Arif Shah points to the possibility of a lower majority for PAS this time, based on the 2004 results. "People are thinking about giving Najib a chance. At the same time, people are questioning the state of affairs in Pakatan," he says.

If, indeed, the results by the end of today see a lower turnout and a lower majority for PAS, it will be a win the PR can celebrate. But it might also set the stage for the BN's recovery in the years to come.

LIVE: Permatang Pasir polling day - Anil Netto

Riot police line up against a wall of Pas supporters along a street in Permatang Pasir – Photo courtesy of Wartawan Rasmi Laman Reformasi

A crowd of about 3,000 attended the final ceramah at the Permatang Pasir Pas markas last night – Photos by Anil

As at 11.00am, 39 per cent of registered voters have cast their ballots.

Live coverage in Malay from Permatang Pasir here.

Live coverage in English begins on this website at 3.30pm.

Jackson Died From Lethal Dose Of Propofol - Coroner

Fans make a shrine for the late pop star Michael Jackson on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, June 26, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/FilesBy Chris Baltimore

HOUSTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Pop star Michael Jackson died from a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol given in a cocktail of drugs, leading authorities to suspect his doctor of manslaughter, court documents showed on Monday.

The "Thriller" singer suffered cardiac arrest and died on June 25 at age 50. Since then, an investigation by state and federal agencies have focused on Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal doctor who was at his bedside the day he died.

The findings, contained in a warrant to search Murray's home and offices, paint a picture of an insomniac pop star who could not sleep without heavy medication. Jackson sought out propofol -- routinely used to sedate patients and anesthetize them before surgeries such as a colonoscopy -- and called it his "milk."

"The Los Angeles Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner, Dr. (Lakshmanan) Sathyavagiswaran, indicated that he had reviewed the preliminary toxicology results and his preliminary assessment of Jackson's cause of death was due to lethal levels of propofol (diprivan)," according to a warrant to search Murray's offices issued by California.

The document was unsealed and released by the Harris County District Clerk in Houston, where Murray has an office. U.S. agents raided the office on July 22.

In an affidavit seeking the warrant, Houston police officer E.G. Chance said U.S. agents had gathered "items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense."

Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, was not available to comment.

In a statement, a representative said Jackson's family has "full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the L.A. County Coroner, the L.A. District Attorney and the L.A. Police Department."

Murray, who was with Jackson on June 25 administering drugs to ease the pop star to sleep, gave him a range of medication including a 25-milligram dose of propofol via an intravenous drip at 10:40 a.m. PDT, the state search warrant said.

Jackson was "very familiar" with propofol and referred to it as his "milk" because of its milky appearance, the warrant said. Murray, who had been treating Jackson for about six weeks leading up to his death, was worried that Jackson was addicted to propofol. Murray was trying to wean him off the drug by giving him smaller doses, it said.

Jason Hymes, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California who is not associated with the case, said the drug was a true anesthetic. "You administer it to somebody and then operate on them ... This concept of giving somebody a general anesthetic for sleep disturbance strikes me as just bizarre and astoundingly inappropriate."

In the early hours of June 25, Murray also gave Jackson doses of anti-anxiety medications Valium and Ativan and sedative Versed, the filing said.

Jackson went to sleep after Murray gave him the propofol, and Murray stayed by his side for about 10 minutes, then left "to go to the restroom and relieve himself," the search warrant said.

Murray was out of Jackson's room for about 2 minutes and when he returned, Jackson was no longer breathing, the warrant said.

PKR chief admits flaws in party

Satu Persoalan - Pecah Amanah oleh Kerjaan Negeri

Orang politik semuanya sama, kira kaum, kira wang, kira kuasa dan lepas kaut
semua, cuci tangan. Apa ertinya manifesto di Malaysia jika orang politik
pandai cakap tak serupa bikin...

Isu Kg Buah Pala boleh di tulis dalam sejarah kerana ia menjangkau masa 200
tahun, semasa orang putih bawa masuk orang India Selatan ke Malaysia dan
tidak boleh dinafikan korban generasi kaum ini untuk meredah hutan, menebang
dan membersihkan hutan yang kemudian jadi ladang dan seterusnya kampung.

Pemilik asal Kampung Buah Pala The Brown's Family semasa jual harta kekayaan
mereka dan pindah ke negara asal mereka di England, mereka telah mewasiatkan
secara wasiat amanah Kg Buah Pala kepada generasi penduduk Kg Buah Pala dan
keturunannya.

Dengan adanya wasiat ini yang bertarikh 1938 dimandatkan kepada Kerajaan
Inggeris sebagai pemegang/penjaga amanah pada masa itu maka Kg Buah Pala
adalah tanah milik kaum India Selatan yang telah menetap di kampung tersebut
sekian lama.

Apabila Malaysia Merdeka kerajaaan bertukar tangan dan tanah tersebut
amanahnya bertukar kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan, yang kemudian diwar warkan
bertukar tangan kepada kerajaan negeri sebagai penjaga amanah dan bukanya
pemilik.

Didalam satu keputusan mahkamah di Pulau Pinang diantara penduduk Kg Buah
Pala dg Koperasi Peg Kerajaan P Pinang YM hakim O'Hara telah mendapati tanah
ini bukan milk kerajaan negeri dan masih dibawah amanah Pengarah Tanah
Kerajaan Persekutuan dan dengan itu Kerajaan Negeri tidak ada hak untuk
menjual tanah kepada Koperasi.

Kerajaan BN pada masa itu telah pecah amanah dan demi kepentingan sendiri
telah menjadikanya sebagai tanah TOL dengan alasan memberi api letrik dan
air.

Penduduk Kg Buag Pala rata rata tidak berpendidkan tinggi, mereka setuju
bayar cukai TOL untuk mendapatkan letrik dan air.

Selang berapa tahun bayar kerajaan negeri berhenti kutip cukai TOL dan
dengan diam diam kategorikan tanah tersebut sebagai tanah setinggan.

Kerajaan Negeri kemudian meluluskan penjualan tanah tersebut kepada Koperasi
dengan adanya kepentingan maka harga yang disyorkan adalah 6.4 juta sahaja.

Kemudian, apabila kerajaan negeri perlu sebidang tanah milik Koperasi untum
meluaskan bangunan mahkamah, kerajaan negeri telah mengurangkan 50% harga
tanah Kg Buah Pala kepada 3.2 juta walhal tanah tersebut dianggarkan
mencecah lebih seratus juta.

Demi mengaut keuntungan Koperasi telah memajak kepada Nusmetro untuk di bina
Kondo Oasis sebelum selesai urusan jualan dan pidah milik tanah tersebut
yang sekali gus bertentangan dengan undang undang yang sedia ada.

Apabila Koperasi gagal bayar wang baki kepada kerajaan negeri maka urusan
jual beli tersebut telah terbatal dengan sendiri nya

dan kerajaan negeri perlu bersidang dan memberi kelusan baharu.

Pada masa ini kerajaan negeri bertukar tangan dan di terajui oleh Pakatan di
ketuai oleh Lim Guan Eng. Isu Kg Buah Pala jadi isu hangat dalam manifesto
mahu pun kempen pilihanraya oleh Pakatan Rakyat.

Ahli Pakatan berpusu pusu ke Kg Buah Pala menaburkan janji manis akan
megekalkan Kg Buah Pala sekiranya mereka menang pilihanraya. Bukti nya
banyak tersiar dilaman web dan youtube.

Semasa dalam pentadbiran ketua menteri Lim Guan Eng, baki wang jual beli
telah diterima dan geran tanah di berikan kepada Koperasi yang telah
gunakannya sebagai bukti sah dimahkamah sebagai pemilik berdaftar dan dengan
itu penduduk Kg Buah Pala telah kehilangan kuasa menyaman mereka "Locus
Standi". Siapa sebenarnya dalang disini?

Koperasi pula, walaupun terdapat syarat diatas geran tanah menyatakan tanah
tersebut tidak boleh dijual, dicagar atau dimajukan untuk tujuan keuntungan,
telah melanggar undang undang dan jual nya kepada Nusmetro untuk membina
Kondo mewah Oasis, terang terang melanggar undang undang yang sedia ada.

Persoalan nya sekarang :

1. Mengapa kerajaan negeri menerima baki wang sejumlah 3.2 juta pada
14/3/2008 walaupun kelulusan oleh Kerajaan Gerakan sebelumnya telah terbatal
dengan sendirinya kerana tempoh bayaran sudah tamat?

2. Mengapa pada 27/3/2008 kerajaan negeri telah keluarkan geran tanah
tersebut kepada Koperasi walaupun terdapat banyak percanggahan dan salah
laku oleh berbagai pihak?

3. Mengapa kerajaan negeri meluluskan "caveat" Numestro keatas geran
tersebut wal hal kerajaan negeri sendiri telah melapurkan kepada MACC bahawa
terdapat salah laku dalam transaksi penjualan tanah ini?

4. Memandangkan kerajaan negeri sendiri telah mendapati salah laku berlaku
mengaku meneruskan proses penjualan dengan mengeluarkan geran tanah?
Bukankah Sek 320 Kanun Tanah Persekutuan memberi kuasa untuk membatalkan
pemberian geran tanah tersebut sekiranya terdapat apa apa penyelewengan?

5. Mengapa kerajaan negeri tergesa gesa mengeluarkan geran tanpa tunggu
keputusan penyiasatan MACC?

6. Mengapa kerajaan negeri tidak mematuhi syarat syarat yang tertera di atas
geran tanah tersebut?

7. Mengapa kerjaan negeri luluskan penjualan ini tanpa mengira lunas lunas
undang undang? Tidak tahu kah syarat tanah di dalam perkara ini tidak boleh
di "caveat" kepada sesiapa?

8. Tidak tahu kah kerajaan negeri bahawa kehadiran Numestro menuntut tanah
tersebut salah disisi undang undang dan perkara tentang syarat syarat diatas
geran tidak diajukan kepada pengetahuan mahkamah sampai sekarang.

9. Mengapa kerajaan negeri memaksa penduduk Buah Pala menerima pampasan?

10. Adun Seri Delima - Rayer telah berjanji akan fail writ di mahkamah di
bawah sek 116(1)(d) untuk menghalang Numestro, apa jadi?

11. Apakah status Sek 116 (1)(d) sekarang?

12. Bukankah hak seseorang didalam kerajaan berdemokrasi untuk membawa
peguam sendiri untuk menguruskan hal hal perundangan mereka? Mengapa Lim
Guan Eng menghalang penduduk daripada menggunakan peguam sendiri semasa nak
berjumpa dengan beliau. Tidak kah ia bercanggah dg undang undang dan juga
manifesto kerajaan negeri?

13. Kerajaan negeri beria ia nak :"diklasifikasi" minit kelulusan kerajaan
sebelumnya, mengapa minit kelulusan mereka untuk menerima wang baki dalam
keadaan melanggar undang undang tidak di "diklasifikasi" untuk pameran umum?
Apa rahsianya?

14. Ada ura -ura (rumour) mengatakan Ketua Menteri Lim Guan Eng tidak lagi
tinggal dirumah yang dibekalkan kerajaan negeri tapi sebaliknya tinggal di
rumah teman wanita pemilik Numestro? Betul atau tidak? Kalau betul sudah
tentu ada kepentingan peribadi ketua menteri didalam hal ini.

15. Perkara tersebut diatas cuma beberapa soalan yang menimbulkan keraguan
didalam pentadbiran kerajaan persekutuan sekarang, kerajaan negeri
sebelumnya dan kerajaan negeri sekarang yang harus di jawab dan
diperbetulkan dengan segera?

16. Kami sebagai rakyat Malaysia memerlukan satu Keraajaan yang telus dan
mematuhi undang undang.

Di harap persoalan yang terdapat diatas dapat perhatian rakyat Malaysia
umumnya supaya rakyat boleh memilih antara kerajaan yang mereka percaya akan
memberi manafaat kepada rakyat jelata tanpa kira kaum dan ugama.

Sekian.

Hindraf head to sue DAP - Malaysiakini

Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy is threatening legal action against three Indian DAP leaders over allegations that he misappropriated funds ranging from RM700,000 to millions allegedly collected to meet the cost of a civil suit against the UK government.

The exiled Indian rights activist came under attack last week with allegations that he misappropriated the funds to live a comfortable life in exile, while his followers footed the bill.

Waythamoorthy (right) has been living in-exile in London, after he fled the government's crackdown on Hindraf following the events of their rally on Nov 25 last year.

“The unfounded malicious and vindictive allegations by DAP leaders are defamatory,” said Waythamoorthy who will instruct his lawyers to initiate legal action against the DAP leaders in the coming weeks in a statement e-mailed to the media from London.

He named Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, Sungkai assemblyperson A Sivanesan and Hindraf activist V Ganabatirau as responsible for the defamatory attack upon his character.

He added that the purpose of the action is to give all three DAP leaders the honour and opportunity to prove their allegations in a court of law.

DAP's diversionary tactics

According to him, “Hindraf have vigorously campaigned to save this last remaining heritage village (Kampung Buah Pala) and in the process have raised various legitimate questions that the DAP-led government could not and dare not answer”.

Waythamorthy also claimed that because of Hindraf's support of the Kampung Buah Pala villagers, “(Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng had instructed his Indian party lieutenants to divert attention by attacking... Hindraf” in order to bury the issue.

On Aug 12 Ramasamy had called upon the leader of the outlawed Hindraf to account for the funds allegedly collected for Hindraf's suit. Sivanesan and Ganabatirau echoed the Penang DCM's call for an accounting of the purported funds.

Waythamoorthy stressed that he “never collected a single cent from the public to fund the civil suit” filed by Hindraf in 2007.

The suit against the Britain claimed damages for the suffering of their Indian forefathers and the present generation of Malaysians of Indian descent, allegedly caused by the then British Empire.

“I had been very reluctant to counter the allegations against me by these DAP Indian leaders as I did not wish to divert the attention and make the people of Kg Buah Pala scapegoats in their desperate attempt to save their village, however I am now compelled to break the silence” said Waythamoorthy.

Police probe only points relevant to Teoh inquest

The Sun

SHAH ALAM (August 23, 2009): Police will probe only certain allegations in a mystery letter which are relevant to the Teoh Beng Hock inquest while the rest of the explosive claims will be investigated for abuse of power by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Selangor police chief DCP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar declined to specify what they are looking at but said the investigations are almost complete and the investigating officer will hand over the findings directly to the coroner within this week.

Police are acting on the instruction of coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas who adjourned the inquest on Wednesday after he was given a typewritten letter by Gobind Singh Deo, the lawyer for Teoh’s family.

The content was not revealed in court, but a five-page document on MACC letterhead, purported to be the same as that which was tendered to the coroner, was published on some websites. It indirectly implicated a senior officer of the Selangor MACC and a prominent Selangor politician.

It is learnt that among the areas police are probing is a DNA profile of the senior MACC officer mentioned in the letter to find a match with two other unknown DNA samples found on Teoh’s body. Despite extensive sampling, the owners of the samples have yet to be identified.

Meanwhile, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, who had also received a copy of the mystery letter, lodged a police report on Friday, urging police to investigate the two individuals named in it.

Manikavasagam, who lodged the report at the Brickfields district police headquarters, said his report was transferred to Klang police and subsequently to Shah Alam police. He said he received a call from a senior police officer from the Shah Alam commercial crimes investigations department (CCID) on the same day and was told that his report was being looked into.

He said if nothing moves, he will hand over a memorandum to the Inspector-General of Police.

“The letter contains serious allegations linked to Teoh’s death and they should be looked into seriously. An investigating team from Bukit Aman should handle this,” he said.

Manikavasagam said copies of the letter, which also had the MACC letterhead, were also sent to Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and an official of PAS.

Go all the way or no way

So, forget about peeping into pubs to catch Muslims drinking beer. Go catch those Muslims driving cars bought with car loans. Go catch those Muslims who use credit cards. Go catch those Muslims who own houses bought through loans. That is a much, much bigger and more serious crime in Islam.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Selangor mosque officials to help enforce syarak

Mosque officials in more than 370 mosques in Selangor have been given authority letters to assist the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to enforce the Selangor Syariah Crimes Enactment 1995.

The chairman of the Selangor Islamic Affairs, Malay Culture, Infrastructure and Public Amenities committee, Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali, said only four officials of each mosque were given the authority letters two weeks ago and they were the 'Nazir', 'Imam', 'Bilal' and 'Siak'.

Among the syarak (Islamic religious law) that will focussed on in the fasting month was eating, drinking and smoking in public during fasting times, Dr Hasan said at a news conference here Monday.

An offence under Section 19 of the Enactment can lead to a maximum fine of RM1,000 or a maximum of six months jail or both.

Dr Hasan said for this offence the mosque officials cannot arrest offenders but could only take down their particulars and the case items and pass them to the religious enforcement officers for further action.

Besides that, Dr Hasan said mosque officials were also asked to pay attention to the drinking of alcohol among Muslims under Section 18 of the enactment for which they could be fined not more than RM3,000 or jailed for not more than two years or both.

Any Muslim who makes, sells, offer for sale, stores or buys alcohol commits an offence under Section 18 (2) and could be fined not more than RM5,000 or jailed a maximum of three years or both.

For the offence of drinking alcohol, the mosque officials can detain offenders but must hand them over to police or religious enforcement officers, he said.

On the directive by the mentri besar for sellers of alcohol to have self-regulation to not sell alcohol to those under 18 years of age or to Muslims, Dr Hasan said mosque officials were asked to monitor whether the directive was effective or not.

"At the same time, effective or not ...the Syariah Crimes Enactment 1995 has to be enforced. This is not an ad hoc enactment," he said. (Bernama)

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PAS: Rock event festival of sin

Organisers of the "Michael Learns to Rock - eternity tour 2009" had better take heed of PAS's disapproval of the concert as it sees political implications and, at stake, the dignity of Muslims.

PAS Youth called on the organisers to immediately cancel the concert by the Danish group or face a protest demonstration.

Its chief, Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi, strongly condemned the cabinet's decision in allowing the "Michael Learns to Rock - eternity tour 2009" scheduled for Sept 5 in Genting Highlands.

"This is an insult at the highest level to Muslims and it shows that BN is disrespectful towards the Muslim community," he said today in a press statement.

While urging Islamic NGOs to support calling off the event, he also hit out at the BN government for approving the concert.

He threw a challenge at Umno youth: "Join forces with us in getting the concert banned."

He also questioned the role of Umno as defenders of the Islamic faith.

"If Umno allows this to go on, not only would they be devoid of blessings from Allah, the people would regard them with disgust at their Islamic pretense," he said.

He also called on the Fatwa Council and muftis to join in the protest against the cabinet for allowing such a "festival of sin" to take place.

He urged them to cleanse this land of the "sin and transgression sponsored by Umno/BN".

"The government has scant respect or sensitivity for Muslims observing the holy month of Ramadhan," he said.

PAS said that the cabinet's decision to allow the band to perform violates the sacredness of the holy month.

"Foreign bands, not aware of the local culture, would challenge the sensitivities of the Muslims.

"A concert of this nature would corrupt and weaken the morals of the people, causing them to be undiscerning in their conduct," said Nasrudin.

The concert which is organised by Star Planet will be held at the Arena of Stars Genting Highlands, at 9pm on Sept 5.

PAS held protests against Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne's concert last year after failing to have it banned, saying her performance would weaken the younger generation "morally and mentally."

A performance by Gwen Stefani was also targeted, and although the event went ahead she was forced to cover up after complaints about her skimpy outfits. (Malaysiakini)

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I am glad that there is an all-out war against sin and activities that Islam regards as contempt and vile. It is time we grabbed the bull by the horns, as they say. And what better time than now, the holy month of Ramadhan?

PAS wants rock concerts banned, although Michael Learns to Rock is not a rock band but a mushi-mushi group just like Sharifah Aini and Siti Norhaliza. They sing love songs just like Sharifah Aini and Siti Norhaliza.

I hope in keeping with this spirit PAS will also announce their fatwa calling for Sharifah Aini, Siti Norhaliza and all those other crooners to be banned from singing this entire month of Ramadhan as well so that the feelings of Muslims can be protected.

I also find those musicals and sing-song TV shows on the first day of Hari Raya also most upsetting. The first day of Hari Raya is a day of ibadah. You should go to the mosque and go visit the old folks, uncles, aunties, abangs, kakaks, and so on and salam and beg forgiveness. You should visit cemeteries and clean graveyards.

Why the hell is everyone, especially the kids, glued to their TV screens watching boys and girls singing, dancing, laughing and joking on the first day of Hari Raya? The Prophet Muhammad never did this. The Prophet Muhammad never taught us this. In the two Holy Cities of Mekah and Medina such things would never be allowed. These types of TV programs are banned in the entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, home of the Prophet Muhammad.

Please, PAS, I urge you. Quickly come out with a statement. Organise a demonstration. Get all these TV programs banned. In fact, there should be no entertainment programs whatsoever on TV on that day other than Quran reading and other religious programs just like what they do in Saudi Arabia, home of the Prophet Muhammad. I don’t want to see Sharifah Aini, Siti Norhaliza or any of those faces on TV ever again. It is so, so, so un-Islamic, especially on the first day of Hari Raya, a day of ibadah, not a day of non-stop TV shows.

And this latest move to baptise or deputise everyone into the moral police squad in Selangor, again, that is a very good move. But please don’t just catch those drinking beer. Drinking beer is so, so petty. Like the Deputy Prime Minister said about Umno’s candidate for the Permatang Pasir by-election being disbarred for cheating clients’ money -- it is a mere parking offence.

Drinking beer is a peanuts crime. Can catch lah, if you want to, but catch later mah! After all, what is drinking beer? A more serious crime than drinking beer is riba’ or usury. According to Sheikh Imran Hosein (http://www.imranhosein.org/), the sin of riba’ is equivalent to the sin of sexual intercourse with your own mother/father.

So, forget about peeping into pubs to catch Muslims drinking beer. Go catch those Muslims driving cars bought with car loans. Go catch those Muslims who use credit cards. Go catch those Muslims who own houses bought through loans. That is a much, much bigger and more serious crime in Islam. After that, when all car owners, house owners, credit card holders, etc., have been sent to jail, then go catch those Muslims drinking beer, if there are any Muslims left not yet sent to jail.

And please don’t give me that bullshit about terpaksa and dharurat and all that other excuses Malays offer to justify breaking the rules and committing sins. Malays are good at this. They pick and choose the sins to whack and which sins to justify doing according to what suits them. Then they will label those sins they commit as terpaksa, dharurat, etc.

There is so much bullshit amongst Muslims. Sigh...it has become so embarrassing to admit that you are Muslim.

Hassan Ali’s religious police to nab errant Muslims

By Leslie Lau and Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Mosque committee members such as the imam and the bilal will be given powers to arrest Muslims drinking alcohol in public, in a move that highlights the fundamentalist face of PAS and could scare off non-Muslim voters from backing the Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Selangor executive councilor in charge of religion Hassan Ali, who has been locked in controversy over his views on the open sale of beer in convenience stores, made the announcement today.

He also said that the mosque committee members would be allowed to arrest Muslims for selling and storing alcoholic beverages.

Such a ruling could result in many Malay-Muslims losing their jobs in restaurants and hotels in the state.

It is also likely to have consequences for many businesses in the state, and could drive non-Muslim voters who have been strong supporters of the PR alliance to Barisan Nasional (BN).

Hassan also said that the mosque committee members would be given wide ranging powers to also help in the arrest of Muslims for being “disrespectful during the Ramadan month”.

The new ruling suggests a push for a culture of intolerance reminiscent of attempts made by both Terengganu and Federal Territory religious officials to set up snoop squads to report on “immoral activities” a few years ago.

It also comes at a time when controversy continues to brew over the recent whipping sentence imposed on Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno for drinking beer in public.

Kartika was to have been sent to Kajang prison today to be whipped but it has been postponed till after the fasting month.

Hassan was also recently embroiled in controversy after he lashed out at fellow executive council member Ronnie Liu for stopping the illegal seizure of beer by local enforcement officers from a convenience store in Shah Alam.

The state PAS commissioner appears to be trying now to circumvent the law which does not allow local councils to enforce religious rulings by giving the power of arrest to mosque committees.

But such civilian religious vigilante squads are not likely to be well received by the public.

State government religious department officers are already empowered to enforce Islamic enactments.

Hassan Ali said these religious officials would be briefed and given training in stages in order to enforce the state religious law.

Speaking at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, Hassan said many youths in luxury cars had been killed because of drink driving.

The Selangor Islamic Affair executive councillor stressed the enforcement would only involve Muslims and would not interfere with the rights of non-Muslims to drink and buy alcohol.

However, his assurances are unlikely to assure non-Muslims, already weary of his increasing hard line position and his last attempt to ban the sale of beers in Muslim majority areas.

A PR politician who spoke on condition of anonymity said today’s move would further dilute the goodwill non-Muslims have extended to PAS.

“I would not be surprise if non-Muslims in Permatang Pasir vote against PAS during the by-election tomorrow.”

Hassan said Muslim caught drinking in shops or in public places could face a fine of RM3,000, two years imprisonment or both.

Muslims who sell or offer to sell, display or keep alcohol could be fined RM5,000, face three years imprisonment or both.

However, state assistant Syariah legal advisor Mohamed Fouzi Mokhtar today said the power of arrest for religious officials are limited and unlike police powers.

He cautioned that religious officials could not detain suspects for 24 hours but must hand them over to police and must lodge a report if force is used during the arrest, to avoid being sued.

“Any arrest must be according to procedure to avoid any legal liability because religious officials also risk being sued in their personal capacity.”

Mohamed Fouzi was speaking after briefing 1,000 religious officials.

He said they were also empowered to take action against 24-hour convenience stores which sell alcohol under the same enactment.

For the offence of not respecting Ramadan, he said religious officials could not arrest Muslims not observing the fast unless they refuse to give their particulars or cooperate.

Muslims can be fined RM2,000, face one year imprisonment or both if they are caught eating, drinking or smoking during Ramadan.

Return to sender. Victims unknown

By Haris Ibrahim,

Until the deaths of A. Kugan and Teoh Beng Hock this year, the death in police custody of Francis Udayappan was probably the most widely known.

Francis died on 24th May, 2004.

Police say he had escaped whilst in remand at the Brickfields police station, and, they would have us believe, he drowned in the Klang river whilst attempting to make his escape.

One person has never believed the official version of Francis’ death.

Madam Sara Lily, Francis mother, has always refuted the police version of his death, contending that Francis had been violently assaulted by the police prior to Francis’ death.

She pursued this contention, and lost, at the inquest, in 2006. The coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play.

Sara filed an application to the High Court to review the coroner’s finding.

That was heard and dismissed in November, last year.

I understand that she has filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal.

She has also launched a RM29 million suit against the government and 11 others for negligence resulting in Francis death.

In her own words, “How can my son die and allegedly escape while in police custody? I will not rest until I get justice”. You can read about this in a Malaysiakini report HERE.

Francis is one of 1,805 cases of deaths in police custody since 2003 that were remembered on the night of 28th July, 2009, at the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, where a memorial was held in memory of these death in custody victims.

As part of that evening’s program, the organisers had put together two powerpoint presentations.

I was not prepared for what was about to unfold before us during that presentation.

The organisers have very kindly made the second presentation available to me so that I might share it with you.

It comprises in all 163 slides. It’s linked below.

I’d urge you to first view the whole slide presentation before you continue reading the rest of this post.

Please.

Custodial Death Presentation

As I watched the slides countdown from death in custody case no. 1805 down to 1, I was numbed.

Then shame came over me.

And then I broke down.

Of the 1805, only 60 whose names were known.

And of the 60, most were faceless names.

What of the mothers of these many, circumstanced like Madam Sara?

Were they, albeit unnoticed, fighting for justice for their dead?

Or had they given up on the system of justice and the citizenry ever affording them the truth of why their loved ones were dead?

I left the memorial that night troubled at how, even after Francis case had drawn so much attention to the issue of death in police custody cases, civil society had been seemingly oblivious to three deaths in custody every four days even as Francis case was making its way through the courts.

Had the mainstream media so effectively blacked out news of these deaths?

Or were we simply apathetic?

Gunasegaran’s awaits an inquest.

Beng Hock’s inquest is ongoing

Ghana Pragasam?

Kugan?

We cannot ignore this anymore.

Something must be done.

I’d like to have your thoughts, before I give mine.

How many anak Bangsa Malaysia must die before you are moved?

By Haris Ibrahim,

Update at 5.05pm : Just got off the phone with Father Sylvester Ding. He has provided the details for those who wish to send love to the anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia in Kapit, Sarawak.

Account holder : St Francis Centre Belaga

Bank : Maybank, Bintulu branch, Sarawak

Account No. : 011065307834

God bless all you good people.

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Update at 4.50pm : Have left a voicemail on Father Sylvester Ding’s mobile, informing him of this online initiative to raise funds for the anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia in Kapit. Have asked him to let me have bank account details as soon as possible.

Again, bear with me, people.

____________________________________________

Update at 3.30pm : Efforts are being made to get the bank account or postal address details so that you can send your contributions directly to Sarawak where the funds are needed.

Please bear with me.

_____________________________________

“The children are the most badly affected by the food shortage”.

Read the rest of this report in the Staronline.

That report, whilst mentioning that Father Sylvester Ding, who is coordinating getting aid to those in need of the same, had said that people could send their donations in kind to the Miri Carmelite Chapel, does not give details as to how contributions could be sent. By Haris Ibrahim

I have asked for bank account details and / or the full postal address to which contributions might be sent and will post those details here the soonest I receive the same.

People, if you hold to the spirit of One People, One Nation, then you must see these starving children in the remote Kapit Division in central Sarawak as your own.

As you read this, you would have probably already had your first meal for the day.

Get your office mates to join you and skip lunch today, pool the money that you would have saved from that missed meal and get ready to send it out to our children in Sarawak.

The little pangs of hunger you will feel will be more than offset by the sense of fullness you will derive from knowing that the meal you missed is on its way to a little one who hasn’t eaten anything of substance in days.