Witness: D9 personnel inflicted Kugan's injuries

The injuries on A Kugan, who was found dead in the Taipan-USJ police station on Jan 20, 2009, were inflicted by men from the D9 (Serious Crimes) division, a police sub-inspector admitted in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

However, Loh Voon Chye, 56, attached to the Subang Jaya CID, did not name the officer or the rank-and-file personnel involved in assaulting Kuga .

"There must be some people involved in causing the injuries," Loh said yesterday in reply to questions from Sivarasa Rasiah, who is appearing for Kugan's mother N Indra, in her RM100 million suit against the police and the government.

Indra (left) filed the suit on Jan 13 this year over Kugan's death, in which she named former Selangor police chief and present deputy inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar, constable V Navindran, former Subang Jaya OCPD the late Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar, the IGP and government as defendants.

Loh was the supervisor at the Taipan police station where Kugan died on Jan 20, 2009 morning and was issued with a letter of warning after the incident.

Sivarasa: What was Kugan wearing when he was under detention?

Loh: He was wearing the orange lock-up attire, which is a long-sleeved shirt, and also long pants.

Sivarasa: Was he handcuffed, and also his legs, during the interrogation?

Loh: He was handcuffed but there were no cuffs on his legs. (Pictures from the Kugan autopsy report show his legs, too, were cuffed.)

Sivarasa: Look at the post-mortem report. There it is stated there were 45 injuries. Can you see them? Did you at any time between Jan 14 and 20 see the injuries?

Loh: No, he was fine and there were no signs of injuries.

Sivarasa: Look at the post-mortem report where the pathologist says there were external marks of injuries. There must be someone who had inflicted these wounds and injuries.

Loh: Yes

Sivarasa: I put it to you that the D9 fellows, maybe not you, did it.

Loh: I do not know.

Sivarasa: I put it to you since you admitted that someone had inflicted the wounds, it is the D9 officers who did it.

Loh: I agree, but I do not know who.

There were 11 officers from D9 then at the Taipan-USJ police station, which is not gazetted as a lock-up station.

Interrogators asked to feed victim
Loh also told the court that he and Inspector Faaezel Monir had instructed the interrogators to provide Kugan with food and drinks.

He admitted that he was instructed by one ASP Radzuan that Kugan was to be interrogated for 24 hours.

Questioned by Navindran's counsel, R Ramesh Sivakumar, Loh agreed that since there was no lock-up at the Taipan police station, Faaezal and he asked the policemen interrogating Kugan to provide him with food and drinks.

"They had to provide the receipt and either Faaezal or I would reimburse them  from our own pocket money. We cannot claim this from the government," he said.

Asked by Ramesh whether this was the usual practice, Loh replied "yes" and said they had to fork out their own money to feed and provide drinks to suspects at the station.

To another question, he said he did not know whether Navindran, or anyone else, had hurt Kugan resulting in his death.

"All I know is that Kugan's death at 11.48am on Jan 20 was not during Navindran's watch as he (Navindran) was supposed to start work at noon," Loh said.

Navindran, who was convicted of causing hurt to Kugan, had earlier testified that he had been made a scapegoat by the police, and was blamed and charged for what had happened to Kugan.

Loh said he prepared the roster for the police and the interrogators who were to keep watch on Kugan between Jan 15 and 20.

Despite the instructions that Kugan was to be interrogated for 24 hours, he said, the suspect was given time to rest and sleep.

The hearing before Justice VT Singham continues on Dec 13.

Dato' Hamidah kata jumpa ular dan India pukul India dulu

Time for minimum energy performance standards

Piarapakaran S

Energy efficiency is where we use lesser energy to carry out similar or more work without jeopardising the comfort or actual desired output.

Based on 2009 Energy Commission report, a total of 92753 GWh (GigaWatthour) of electricity was sold in Malaysia.

The domestic sector accounts almost 20 percent of the overall consumption and emits 11.7 million tonnes of CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide).
Therefore, a 20 percent increase in energy efficiency in domestic sector will be able to reduce more than 2.34 million tonnes of CO₂ annually from 2025 onwards if non-energy efficient products are phased-out completely from the market by 2020.

In addition to that, ever increasing demand for energy resources only makes these resources more expensive and continues to increase electricity tariff and energy prices.

The Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer) has conducted stakeholder engagement with industry, government agencies and members of public to get more understanding of the problems related to policy, legal framework, standard and labelling as well as feedback to solutions proposed by Awer to increase energy efficiency in domestic sector.
In addition to that, we have also reviewed energy efficiency implementation in selected Asia Pacific and Asean countries to further compare Malaysia's performance.

Vital need for Meps

Based on the detailed reports and case studies reviewed by Awer, we conclude that a combination of mandatory and voluntary labelling coupled with Minimum Energy Performance Standard (Meps) is vital to "kick out" inefficient products from the market successfully.

Meps is a minimum performance level set for many types of energy consuming products. This eliminates inefficient energy consuming products from entering a market by mandatory requirements.

Only 8 out of 17 countries we reviewed have implemented Meps. South Korea and China are leading economies in Meps implementation.
Malaysia still does not have Meps in place.

After series of findings released to media by Awer, recently the Energy Commission has come forward and announced that it will be implementing Meps soon for existing equipments that has five star energy efficiency labelling.

This is a move that we welcome. However, Meps should also be extended to more other high energy consuming equipments.
This is the primary function of Meps implementation. In addition to that, there should also be a review in five star energy efficiency labelling policy.

Mandatory labelling recommended

Products that have voluntary energy efficiency star rating labelling implemented now must be upgraded to a mandatory labelling with revised energy efficiency rating requirements and Meps.

Introduction of an energy efficiency star rating labelling scheme for a new product must begin with voluntary labelling for a 12 months period.

After that, it can be upgraded to mandatory labelling. This is how many energy efficiency rating requirements are implemented internationally.

Mandatory labelling is usually imposed for equipment with high energy consumption or likely to be consumed in large quantities or with long hours of usage duration.

Korea is a leading country in mandatory labelling implementation to assist end users to choose the right products. Indirectly, this allows product technology and human capital development.

Information to public

Energy Commission must also compile and update an online database for the products that have obtained energy efficiency star ratings and Meps for all stakeholders to do a cross reference.

The online database must also keep the details of products that has been disqualified, recalled or banned due to any technical or regulatory reasons.

This would assist consumers to identify misleading or fake products. This online database system will be an added advantage for the Energy Commission to carry out enforcement as well.
Public would also be able to launch complaints directly to the commission if there are any irregularities detected.

Responsible regulator
In conclusion, labelling revamp for energy consuming products is vital. As a responsible regulator, Energy Commission is duty bound to rectify all the labelling problems.

Based on global greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement cost curve, energy efficiency falls under no investment or less investment sector. Many energy audits and studies have given similar trends.
This means investment into energy efficiency has an immediate return and will not be wasteful. For businesses, the risk of investing into energy efficiency is relatively low.

Convincing the receiving ends (members of public and business) on the cost saving and environmental benefits of energy efficiency needs a whole new advanced method.

Awer has begun the process in Malaysia via 'Click d' Thief', an online Low CO2 Tool to assist residential, commercial, industrial and other sectors to conduct simple energy audit.
This energy audit is focused on electricity consumption to outline cost and equivalent carbon footprint. It is available for free at www.click.org.my.

Energy resources are getting scarce, we have nowhere to run! Start clicking to low carbon lifestyle.

---

Piarapakaran S is president of the Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer).

Scorpene: Sekat peguam elak skandal terdedah

Pengerusi gamat dewan dengan angkat tukul

Islamo-fascist power and Pakistani penetration into Indian Politics set an ultimate goal of Islamic Empowerment in India within 2020.

Recent over-tuning of Islamo-fascist power and Pakistani penetration into Indian Politics.
~Upananda Brahmachari.

Bangalore | 29th Nov. 2012 :: In the last week I was in Delhi to review the matter of forceful construction of an illegal mosque at Subhas Park after the Hon’ble Delhi High Court ordered to restrict any further construction of the so-called Akbarabadi Masjid in that area under North Delhi Municipal Corporation. In the course of legal pendency and amidst the protest of oppositions, the local MLA of Matiamahal Constituency, Md. Shoaib Iqbal (Lok Janshakti Party) has successfully been able to speed up the incomplete mosque works, to keep liaison with the police and administration and obviously to arrange the daily offerings of Namaz timely under the invisible and invincible collaboration all Islamic factions of Delhi, ruling political party, political parties in Islamic folds and the religious authority of Jama Masjid of Delhi. The works for floor, staircase, minerates of Subhas Park Mosque are almost completed as habitable. The cops stay there sometime as a daily routine duties outside the mosque, but the so-called Akbarabadi Masjid is posed as an existence of Islamo-fascist power in Delhi in the face of a unable administration, police and judiciary as the so-called able pillar of politics has been debacled by the way over this issue. And ‘a huge fund is ready to build a colossal Mosque at Subhas Park, Inshallah!’

After Subhas Park, I had to visit the camps of our illegal Rohingya Brothers of Myanmar where the living a most supported life than their original land in Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) or their place of disputed primary settlements in Burma, now Myanmar. More than 3000 Rohingya Muslims out of 620 Rohingya families are now staying in the Refugee camps near Sultan Garhi Dargah in south Delhi. The area of Darul Hizrat was abandoned once, but now is full of Rohingya Muslims who easily earn Rs 200 ($4) per day as daily labours in the nearest Delhi Market or adjacent places. The area has been set anew with market place, Namaz place (makeshift Mosque), coaching rooms, carom clubs, tea-shops etc. As per Wall Street Journal, at least 7,000 Rohingya have made their way to India over the year. A portion of Rohingya Muslims are now settled in Hyderabad. Rohingyas in India are now organised under an covered banner. These 620 Rohingya families residing in India capital hit the headlines in Delhi in April 2012, when they landed up unannounced in Vasant Vihar’s UNHCR office to demand their refugee status. It could not be possible without any political support under specific Islamic patronage. But unfortunately Dilliwalas are very much reluctant for such a Muslim invasion in India Capital. I heard the prayer call Allah ho Akbar in that Friday noon from the Rohingya Refugee Camps in South Delhi outskirts which is same as a Big Mosque of Delhi or Islamabad. I had an intention to visit the martyr place of encounter specialist of Delhi police, Mohan Chand Sharma at L-18 Batla House, Jamia Nagar, Delhi which is still considered as a terrorists prone zone in the Capital city of Delhi, but my associates prevented me. Two religious personalities are common in most of the Urdu posters pasted on the walls of Muslims areas of Delhi. No. 1 – Dr Zakir Naik of Peace TV & Islamic Research Foundation and No. 2 – Ahamed Bukhari, Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi. Both are notorious for their communal feelings and hatred speech. And Delhi Muslims are now fan of two Islamic political exponents. One of them is Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi, the MP of Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat (All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen) and another is Perfume Barron, Badaruddin Ajmal, MP of Dhubri Lok Sabha seat ( All India United Democratic Front ). These four persons from Maharashtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Assam are ruling the real Islamic psyche in Delhi and have definite plan to capture the politics of India under a Islamic design that created Pakistan in 1947. These men of Allah are supplying all the amenities to the Rohingya Muslims to strengthen the Islamic Power in Delhi. So the Muslims in Delhi are flourishing even in the Refugee camps with a chain of help and they are growing like tadpoles. I saw over 100 Muslim babies on breast feeding in these Rohigya camps in Delhi.

Recently, BJP, a Badly Jeopardized Party (from Yeddyurappa to Jethmalani, how much I have to tell), have raised a good point of national concern. The Kerala unit of BJP (serious and disciplined rather) demanded a probe on Keralites’ role in recent Assam riot.

On Nov. 25th 2012 at Kozhicode, the state BJP president has demanded that ‘the Union and State governments conduct a fair inquiry to expose the suspected involvement of some of the Keralites in the recent series of riots in Assam.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, BJP State general secretary K. Surendran said both the Union and State governments were well aware of the “shocking development” but they were trying to maintain silence on the issue.

“Also, there were suspected move from the part of some Kerala politicians and the government to scuttle police inquiry against the suspected persons,” he alleged.

The BJP leader claimed that 22 persons from Kerala had already been nabbed by the Assam police in connection with the riot, but they were later released. “It was quite surprising that none of them were taken into custody by the Kerala police for questioning,” he said.

According to Mr. Surendran, the police in Kerala were clearly aware of the role of nearly 100 such persons maintaining close links with extremist movements in Assam. “All of them were getting secret training and massive funds from anonymous sources in Kerala,” the BJP leader said.

The BJP leader said attempt on the part of the State Home Ministry to weaken the National Investigation Agency (NIA) inquiry into various cases without showing proper cooperation’.

Actually, it is not a role of Keralite Muslims for the Assam violence, nor we did see only a role of Hyderabadi Muslims enticed with the Bangalore violence. If we analyse the post Bodo-Muslims violence in Assam, the issue of Myanmar Rohingya torture or the issue of “Innocence of Muslims”, one must find a certain over-tuning in the aggressive Islamic insurgency all over India. From Azad Maidan to Azamgarh, Bangalore to Bareilly, Kanpur to Kolkata, the Muslims are showing their direct approach to attack Hindus like span of Direct Action in 1946. GOI revealed that the MMS and SMS flood depicting purported footage of violence in Assam causing communal outrages in Bangalore-Hyderabad etc. were actually originated from Pakistan.

It’s clearly not different now. Then the one face of Muslim League and two faces of Qa’id-i A’zam Muhammad ‘Ali Jinnah and Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy sufficiently eschewed the communal provocation for Pakistan. Now, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Abdul Nasser Madani (Kerala), Popular Front of India led by Mohammed Tahir (Delhi/Karnataka), All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen led by Owaisi family (Andhra Pradesh), All India United Democratic Front led by Badaruddin Ajmal (Assam), Samata Party led by Azam Khan (Uttar Pradesh), People’s Democratic Conference of India led by Siddiqullah Chowdhury (West Bengal, now merged with AIUDF), Welfare Party of India (West Bengal), Peace Party and Qaumi Ekta Dal (Uttar Pradesh), the strength of old Muslim league in many shapes and the strength of Jamiat-i-Islami Hind and Tableg-i-Jammat, all are working hand to had for an absolute Islamic empowerment in India. Another Pakistan as an ultimate goal. The strategy, finance, logistics, Jehadi armaments all are easily being made available through the ISI, DGFI, GIP joint net work. Pakistan and its Inter Services Intelligence are the master mind of all these. The volume of Islamo-fascist power and Pakistani penetration into Indian Politics is beyond any calculation right now. Sometimes Hindu public in India is stuck with utter embarrassments after finding a Muslim League-BJP coalition in Nagpur Municipal Corporation for power sharing.

More over, almost every political party has its Islamic Edition (the so called minority cell alias Muslim cell) or a pressure groups within it to fulfil its Islamic goal. For example Congress under Salman Khurshid, Samata Party under Azam Khan, CPIM under Com. Razzak Molla and so on. Under their tantamount pressure for Muslim reservations and marvellous communal demands, some name sake Hindu leaders are changed with renowned with their second Muslim names. Samta Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is called as Mulla Mulaym Singh. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee is now widely known as Mumtaz Banu Arzee. Consequent Islamic pressure in Indian Politics under a definite international (more specific and profound Indian sub-continental) conspiracy has put forth many unprecedented Islamic record in India.

1. India is the only country which gives Haj subsidy to Muslims.

2. India is the only non-Islamic country in which Govt. honorarium is given to Muslim clerics (Imam and Muazzin of Mosques) on monthly basis.

3. India is the only Non-Muslim country where its top most Presidential post has been adorned by Muslims thrice. Zakir Hussain (1967-69), Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1974-77) and A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (2002-07).

4. India is the fastest growing Non-Muslim country in consideration with its Muslim population growth and the economic and political development of it Islamic populace.

One may continue this list up to 100 points or more.

All these are the symbols of Islamic changes of India as a prospective Muslim country. Internal and external strategies are drawn and developed by the support of Pakistan counterpart.

Islamo-fascist power and Pakistani penetration into Indian Politics set an ultimate goal of Islamic Empowerment in India within 2020.

A practical Hindu empowerment and declaring Bharat (India) as a Hindu State is the only solution for this big Islamization problem in India.

Anti-Shiite violence rises in Pakistan as Islam’s sectarian divide moves beyond the Middle East

By Saeed Shah
McClatchy Newspapers

KARACHI -- More members of Pakistan’s Shiite Muslim religious minority were killed by Sunni Muslim extremists this year than in any previous year, a development that could further destabilize this key U.S. ally and draw it into the widening Shiite-Sunni conflict that up to now has been manifest primarily in Middle Eastern countries.

Unlike conflicts in Iraq and Syria, where the violence runs both ways, nearly all the deaths along the sectarian divide in Pakistan are on the Shiite side. Anti-Shiite groups here have linked up with Pakistani Taliban militants, who are close to al Qaida and were previously focused on attacking the security forces, forming a deadly coalition.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are believed to support Sunni hardliners in Pakistan, while Iran is thought to be providing some aid to the Shiites. The biggest anti-Shiite group, Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP), operates openly in Pakistan.

According to Hasan Murtaza, an independent researcher, 456 Shiites have been killed this year through Monday in violence that has stretched across the country. Of those, 103 deaths took place in Karachi and 120 in the western city of Quetta. That’s more than double the casualties of 2011 and, Murtaza said, the highest figure since Pakistan came into existence in 1947.

The violence reached a grim climax this month as eight bomb blasts targeted Shiite processions commemorating Muharram, the month of ritual mourning that began Nov. 16. At least 31 people died.

“Are we also not human? Democracy surely means that every community is allowed to live the way they want,” said a sobbing Salma Jaffri, mother of Waseem, a 22-year-old who was shot in the head by unseen gunmen as he attended a Shiite funeral procession in Karachi’s Liaquatabad district earlier this month.

“My son was an innocent boy. I never let him get into any trouble. He was killed in such a way that I couldn’t even recognize his face,” she said.

There are some 30 million Shiites in Pakistan, according to an estimate by Vali Nasr, dean of the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and former Obama administration adviser. That would make Pakistan the country with the largest Shiite population in the world after Iran. Pakistan’s total population is around 180 million.

Sunni militants have long targeted Shiites in Pakistan, but the assault intensified in 2012. I.A. Rehman, secretary general of the advocacy group, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, called the anti-Shiite violence of the last year “quite unprecedented”.

Rehman blamed the surge in violence, in part, on the creation in 2009 of a new province in northeast Pakistan, Gilgit Baltistan, which has a Shiite majority. He added that the ethnic Hazara population in Quetta, which is Shiite, “is an obstacle to what the Taliban want to do in this part of the world.”

The Hazara, a significant ethnic group in neighboring Afghanistan, also has lived in Pakistan’s Quetta region for generations. In the Hazara graveyard in Quetta, a bleak, separate section with hundreds of graves – each with a photograph of the victim – is kept for those assassinated by extremists. Many Hazara have now fled Pakistan.

Adding to the bloodshed this year has been a melding of Sunni militant death squads, which have gunned down doctors, lawyers and other educated Shiites in Karachi and Quetta, with the Pakistani Taliban, which has battled the Pakistani government for years. On Sunday, the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for recent anti-Shiite bombings, saying the group “looks forward to more ahead”.

The Pakistani Taliban’s overall aims are much broader than sectarianism, with its goal being to seize power from what it sees as an “apostate” government. But it is manned by many who were first led into militancy by involvement with anti-Shiite organizations. A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from 2009 stated that the Pakistani Taliban’s “foot soldiers are from SSP ranks”, referring to the Sipah-e-Sahaba group.

The Pakistani Taliban also works closely with the fiercest anti-Shiite group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which in turn has expanded its own murderous agenda to include Pakistan’s security forces. Both groups are headquartered in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region.

Since the 1979 Iranian revolution, which created a Shiite theocracy there, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have funneled money to Sunni hardliners in Pakistan as a bulwark against Iranian influence. Neighboring Iran also provides some help to Pakistan’s Shiites, who have small underground militant groups of their own.

In response to the sectarian conflict in the Middle East, those foreign channels of support in Pakistan appear to have been stepped up, said security officials, who declined to be quoted by name because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Najib: Umno struggles for Islam, opposes pluralism, liberalism

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak emphasised that Umno will always struggle for and defend Islam and will strongly oppose those propagating pluralism or liberalism.

The Umno president said the position of Islam would always be defended as enshrined in the party constitution and in line with its position as the religion of the federation.

"I wish to emphasise here, that undoubtedly Umno is committed to continue to elevate Islam based on the objectives of the syariah, to protect the religion, life, property, mind, dignity and race.

"At this assembly, we wish to state clearly that we strongly oppose those propagating pluralism or liberalism," he said when delivering the presidential speech carrying the theme, "Transformative Leadership Towards Achieving National Vision" in conjunction with the opening of the Umno General Assembly 2012, here, on Thursday.

Addressing the 2,759 delegates at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Najib strongly rejected the allegations by certain quarters that Umno was a secular nationalist party.

Describing the allegation as "grossly incorrect", Najib said all this while it was Umno that enabled Islam to be practised as a righteous way of life in the multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation.

Najib said Umno had done a lot to ensure the survival of Islam in the country.

The setting up of the Haj Fund Management Board had enabled Muslims to save and perform the haj pilgrimage in a systematic manner, Islamic banking and financial services had been widened, in fact, Malaysia which had been recognised as a model Muslim nation had contributed to prosperity worldwide through the peacekeeping force, observers and medical teams sent to Islamic countries that were facing conflicts such as Bosnia, Somalia, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

Malaysia was also committed in obtaining justice for the people of Palestine, in fact, it may become the first country to open an embassy in the Palestinian capital.

Cynically criticising the attitude of the opposition that prayed for doom to befall Umno, Najib said Umno was not prepared to divide the solidarity of the Muslims and would never curse its Muslim brothers like what had been done by the opposition.

"So, we wish to remind that we should no longer deceive the rakyat. Umno was once accused as infidels through the message of Tuan Guru (Datuk Seri Hadi Awang)...Umno was labelled as infidels for working with Malaysians who were not Muslims, as though (we) did not support the formation of a Muslim nation and implementation of hudud," he said.

As a result of the message in 1981, Muslim solidarity had been divided and there was a feeling of hatred between the Muslims themselves, said Najib.

"As a result, there was the Memali tragedy, Lubok Merbau incident, prayers leb by two imams, husband and wife divorcing, and enmity within the family," he said.

However, despite the malicious allegations and propaganda by the opposition against Umno, the party's struggles to empower Islam in Malaysia and the world continued to be appreciated.

The latest, in fact, Malaysia had been placed in the fifth spot in complying the Malaysian Syariah Index managed by a group of international ulamas, Najib said. Several young Umno leaders echoed his stance, saying that the emergence of various ideologies based on secular liberal thinking and that which contravened Islamic teachings could be thwarted by rejecting the Opposition.

Puteri Umno vice-chief Shahanim Mohd Yusoff said the opposition promised to grant and allow everything because they underestimated the intellectual level of the people and did not take into account the adverse consequences to the country.

She said it was feared that the opposition might allow the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) community to grow and accord religious freedom to Muslims.

"But we cannot leave the matter to the government alone. What is our action as Muslims? Our objection can be translated by rejecting the opposition in the next general election and silent the willful voices," she told Bernama here.

Umno Youth executive committee member Shafiqurrahman Shamsudin said Malaysians had been living in peace and harmony based on the Islamic values.

He said the opposition's action in giving credence to various ideologies which were abhorred by Islam was intended to attract a handful of supporters to their cause.

"Although the number of those who subscribe to the ideologies is small but by endorsing such practice, they may be able to spread the deviant ways," he said, adding that liberalism should not be allowed to flourish for it promoted religious co-existence.

Another Umno Youth executive committee member, Datuk Muhammad Khairun Aseh said he was confident the people, including the younger generation, were wise and would reject deviant ideologies.

"The Malays can now see the true colour of the opposition whose weaknesses are so obvious," he said. - Bernama

Umno paints bleak scenario to cow rivals ahead of polls

Najib’s call for progressiveness failed to make it into the second day of the Umno general assembly. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 ― With polls just around the corner, the Umno general assembly today continued to see more Pakatan Rakyat-bashing as party delegates repeated the old chestnuts that anarchy and racial conflicts would destroy Malaysia should the opposition pact come to power.

Day two of the party’s main general assembly here witnessed delegates taking turns to discredit PR, criticising them for the purported lack of cohesion among their three member parties and accusing them of suppressing the Malays in the states they lead.

Although more reserved compared to the usual chest-thumping rhetoric typical of Umno’s past annual assemblies, debates today offered only a glimpse of the transformation that the party has professed to have undergone.

Instead, delegates focussed on PR’s failures and played the race card again in a bid to drive a wedge among their rivals.

Apart from the repeated calls for unity, the delegates also deviated from president Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s advice to surge forward, and continued to dwell on the past.

In his presidential address at the opening of the assembly yesterday, Najib had reminded Umno members that they were facing a more discerning and forward-thinking Malaysian electorate today.

The country’s sixth prime minister said voters now want to see what their leaders have to offer to better their future.

But, departing from this reminder, Johor delegate Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali laced his debate with accusations that the federal opposition pact’s culture of “extremism” would lead to racial and religious conflicts in Malaysia.

“PAS promotes religious extremism. DAP, on the other hand, preaches equality without respecting the rights of other races, while PKR brings this ideology of liberalism that would only lead to anarchy,” he told the over 2,000 delegates gathered at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

Samsol pointed out that during the country’s first general election, Umno had been willing to share power with MCA and MIC although the country’s Malays made up 80 per cent of the population.

“Is this an apartheid and racist like the opposition claims?

“In truth, they only know how to spew rhetoric here and there and create chaos in this country,” he said.

A Negri Sembilan delegate later expanded on this by claiming that even Umno’s partners, MCA and Gerakan, were aware that only the Malay could protect the Chinese community’s interests.

In his debate, Datuk Jalaludin Alias said the two parties, whose traditional support base is the Chinese voters, are more “practical” than opposition party DAP because of their recognition of the special rights of Malays.

“Gerakan and MCA know only Umno is able to protect the Chinese and not the opposition.

“Compared to DAP, these two parties are more practical and [acknowledge] the special rights of the Malays,” Jalaludin said this morning when debating Najib’s policy speech.

He also criticised the PR parties of DAP, PAS, PKR for their alleged inability to be united due to their different ideologies, a mantra that has been repeated countless times so far during this year’s Umno meet.

“Ignore the opposition’s accusations, (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) with his promises, DAP with its arrogance and racism and PAS with its narrow ideology,” he said.

In Election 2008, Gerakan and MCA both fared badly at the polls, which many attributed to falling support from unhappy Chinese voters.

Chinese education groups have this year held rallies to demand for fair treatment for vernacular education, which contributed to the federal government’s approval of a Chinese independent school in Kuantan earlier this year.

Ahead of the 13th general election, BN has actively campaigned to win back support from the Chinese community.

Najib, who is also the BN chairman, recently urged the Chinese community who liked his leadership to throw in their full support behind Umno and BN if they wanted to see more successes in Malaysia through the country’s transformation plans.

Penang Umno delegate Datuk Abdul Rahim Saibu agreed with his fellow colleagues, adding that Malays have been sidelined under PR’s rule.

He cited Penang as an example, calling its DAP Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng “arrogant” and rude.

“We need to win back Penang for the sake of the Malays there.

“Guan Eng is so arrogant that he is regarded as a deity and he cannot be criticised for whatever he does,” he said.

‘Najib has a lot to answer’

PKR and NGOs want the prime minister to clear the air following allegations linking him to the murder of Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaariibuu.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak must come out and clarify the recent statement by carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan linking him to the murder of Altantuya Shariibuu, PKR leaders and NGOs said.

At a press conference yesterday, Deepak promised to reveal more details surrounding the murder of Altantuya.

He said he was involved in arranging for a second statutory declaration (SD) for private investigator P Balasubramaniam.

The second SD reversed the earlier SD which had directly linked Najib to the murder of the Mongolian national.

Deepak said: “I got involved in the second SD to protect the interest of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?”

PKR vice-president and Subang MP R Sivarasa said that Deepak’s statement clearly showed that the first SD was the truth.

“… Deepak’s decision for arranging the second SD was obviously to reduce the impact of Bala’s revelations.

“If this is true, then the prime minister has a lot of questions to answer with regard to the real murderers of Altantuya,” he said.

He added that the whole country knew that the two policemen who killed her had acted on instruction.

“So who were the ones who ordered the murder? The policemen acted as the gun, but who really pulled the trigger?

“The prime minister, his closest aides and his wife [Rosmah Mansor] should have been called as witnesses during the murder trial, which would have helped the court in determining the truth,” said Sivarasa.

Reopening murder trial

On whether Deepak’s revelation would benefit Pakatan in the coming general election, he said, “This revelation certainly shows whether the prime minister and his party can continue to lead the country. The people are also be aware of the continued cover-ups.”

On what PKR intends to do with the latest revelation, Sivarasa said, “It depends on the press reports; if the reports continue to reveal more things, we will decide then.”

He added that the latest revelation definitely strengthens the call for a re-opening of the murder trial for truth to be established.

However, Batu MP Tian Chua said, “I don’t need Deepak to tell me whether the prime minister is involved or not.”

“I already know the fact of the matter and what I do know is that the prime minister has a lot to explain,” he added.

He said that regardless of whether a person is a supporter of Barisan Nasional or Pakatan, everyone wants an explanation.

He also said that the people know that Najib cannot just sweep everything under the carpet.

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah said that “we should all wait for the full revelation”.

Meanwhile, Suaram chairman K Arumugam said that Najib should clarify the allegation.

“Najib should either admit or deny. He must clarify the matter or he should lodge a police report against Deepak,” he said.

Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah urged Deepak to raise his allegation in the court.

“Whatever Deepak alleged should be said in court if he wants justice. Then Najib can appear in court to clear the air,” she said.

Deepak’s exposé: Najib should respond, not Zahid

It is Najib and not Zahid who should respond to Deepak’s most serious allegations at the Umno General Assembly tomorrow, says Lim Kit Siang.
COMMENT

Defence Minister and Umno vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that he would respond tomorrow to allegations made by businessman Deepak Jaikishan on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s family which is also related to the high-profile and long-running Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case.

It is not Zahid but Najib himself who should be responding in his winding-up speech at the 66th Umno General Assembly tomorrow, for three reasons.

Firstly, Deepak’s allegations pertain to Najib’s family, that he had paid an undisclosed sum for the premier’s intervention to allow him to come in as a party in a RM100 million defence ministry project in 2005 when Najib was the Defence Minister - stitching a deal with a Selangor Umno Wanita leader’s company where he would participate as a third party in the project.

As Najib is not only around but is also the chief of the pack in Umno, he should respond as whatever Zahid could say would only be hearsay with neither credibility nor legitimacy.

Secondly, the Deepak connection with the high-profile and long-running Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case. Deepak has expressed regret of his involvement in getting private investigator P Balasubramaniam to make a second Statutory Declaration which reversed an earlier one linking Najib to murdered Mongolian Altantuya.

Deepak said in interviews that he got involved in Bala’s case to help “the family of the prime minister”.

Again, Zahid’s response to Deepak’s allegation cannot be satisfactory as only Najib is in a position to respond with any credibility.

Thirdly, this is an acid test of Najib’s Umno Presidential Address yesterday which had asserted that Pakatan Rakyat should not be given a chance to win the 13th general election as Umno/Barisan Nasional could boast of great success in governing Malaysia in the past five decades – one of which is the “efficacy of national institutions”.

The sordid Deepak/Bala/Altantuya scandals are shameful testimony, not to success but corruption and subversion, of the “efficacy of national institutions” as Malaysia would not have reached such a sorry pass in the Altantuya murder case if various national institutions, whether the police, the judiciary, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Malaysian press had maintained and upheld their integrity, independence and professionalism.

Is Najib prepared to fully vindicate himself, his government and the country by subjecting himself to a full and independent public inquiry into the sordid Deepak/Bala/Altantuya scandals and announce it at the Umno General Assembly winding-up tomorrow?

If Najib is prepared to submit himself to a full and independent public inquiry into the Deepak/Bala/Altantuya scandals, his apology in his Umno Presidential Speech on behalf of the Umno leadership for any “mistake” or “oversight” would be a bona fide one.

If not, his “apology” is just mere rhetoric.

Lim Kit Siang is DAP parliamentary leader and MP for Ipoh Timor.

Apology accepted, I’m sorry too, Karpal tells Speaker

The veteran politician also thanks Pandikar Amin Mulia for his services rendered to the Dewan Rakyat.

PETALING JAYA: DAP chairman and veteran politician Karpal Singh today said he was deeply touched by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia’s apology to him yesterday, and reciprocated with his own apology.

“I wish to reciprocate by asking for his forgiveness for the many transgressions for which an apology is due from me to him.

“I wish Tan Sri Pandikar well and thank him on behalf of the DAP for his services rendered to the Dewan Rakyat,” Karpal said in a statement today.

Yesterday, at the end of the last parliamentary session before the 13th general election, Pandikar took the opportunity to apologise to MPs if he had hurt their feelings in the course of the parliamentary sittings since 2008.

He specifically tendered his apology to Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh for being insensitive over the veteran MP’s health conditions.

He explained that there was one time during the sitting when he had asked for all the MPs to raise their hands to make a decision on a Bill and had reprimanded Karpal for failing to do so.

He said it had slipped his mind that Karpal could not lift his hand as he was disabled following a bad car crash some years ago.

“I still feel bad about it till today. Although Karpal is not in the House today, I would like to say that I am very sorry. I did not mean to be so insensitive,” Pandikar said yesterday.

Indian groups divided over MIC unity talks

While Indian leaders in DAP are cautious over the idea, PKR and Hindraf have slammed shut the door on such talks.

PETALING JAYA: Hindraf and PKR Indian politicians have snubbed MIC’s proposal for unity talks among Indian leaders while the DAP remained cautious of the idea.

Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy declined outright MIC’s invitation to such talks, saying that the move may be politically motivated in view of the upcoming 13th general election.

“Vel Paari is now making this call of ‘unity talks’ as he is worried that Hindraf’s blueprint is picking up momentum among the grassroots Indians.

“MIC and Umno are now worried that they would lose support of the Indian voters forever, now that Hindraf has gained momentum throughout the country over the last four months since my return,” said the Hindraf leader.

Hindraf had presented a blueprint for the betterment of the Indian community during its fifth anniversary gathering on Sunday.

Yesterday, MIC central working committee (CWC) member and party communications chief S Vell Paari announced that he has suggested to the CWC to call for unity talks with Indian opposition and NGO leaders for the sake of Indian community.

He also cited the Hindraf rally in 2007, saying that the movement had invited MIC to a discussion then but the latter had turned it down.

“We refused Hindraf’s invitation just to defend Umno’s stand of banning Hindraf and declaring it an illegal movement,” Vell Paari, son of former MIC president S Samy Vellu, was quoted as saying.

However, Hindraf’s Waythamoorthy denied this and called it a blatant lie.

“Vell Paari’s statement is an absolute lie. It was Samy Vellu, the then MIC president, who desperately called me on Nov 22, 2007, three days before the mass rally for discussion.

“He even volunteered to drive down to Ipoh immediately to meet me as I was then attending to a rally in Ipoh. However, I turned his invitation down as it was too late and we have absolutely lost confidence in MIC,” said Waythamoorthy, when asked to comment on the MIC leader’s call for Indian unity talks.

Let’s talk Malaysian unity

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president, N Surendran, rejected the idea altogether.

“We should talk about Malaysian unity, not Indian unity, and I don’t think the talks would help the

community in anyway,” he said.

DAP, on the other hand, was more on a reconcilatory note.

Its vice-president M Kulasegaran welcomed the notion but added that there is a need to ensure MIC is committed to it.

Recalling a Tamil school blueprint initiative he had proposed in June last year, he said Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz chaired a meeting on that initiative.

“MIC president G Palanivel had sent his vice-presidents [Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department SK Devamany, and Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Well Being Minister M Saravanan]. But they had refused to follow through and yet this year Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced that there was a need for a blueprint for Tamil schools.”

National Indian Rights Action Team (NIAT), however, has thrown its support for the unity talks proposal.

“I fully support his call. If MIC has the community’s [welfare] in its heart, it must align its political interest to the community,” said NIAT chairman, Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim, who has identified five major and 17 subsidiary issues concerning the Indian community.

Welcoming the call for Indian unity talks, he noted that Pakatan Rakyat was more open to consultation and was willing to listen to NGOs.

“MIC should talk to other Indian-based BN component parties such as IPF, Kimma, MMSP, MUIP, PPP and Gerakan Indian leaders. I am sure they have not sat down and discussed anything,” said Thasleem.

He also took note of MIC’s non-participation in the proposal for unity talks.

“MIC is least bothered. Only Vell Paari is communicating,” he said.

Samy Vellu to Pakatan: What have you done?

The former MIC president challenges Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor to reveal what it has achieved for the state.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former MIC president S Samy Vellu has challenged the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government to reveal its achievements over the last four years rather than ride on Barisan Nasional’s past successes in the state.

“Pakatan has been ruling Selangor for more than four years. But the question running in everybody’s mind is what has it done all this while,” he said.

Samy Vellu, who is now Malaysia’s Special Envoy (Infrastructure) to India and South Asia, said the state government had no master plan and Shah Alam, the state’s capital, had remained as it was when the change of government took place in 2008.

“They’ve got no achievements to talk about. Malaysians now are more realistic than 2008,” he said.

Samy Vellu also described the presidential address of Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Tun Razak at the Umno general assembly yesterday as reflecting Najib’s determination and dynamism to lead Malaysia to greater heights and that only the BN could elevate the country’s economy through political stability, economic upliftment and social well-being.

“His speech made every citizen realise that since independence, the BN had never failed to serve Malaysians through modernisation, infrastructure development and immense economic opportunities,” he said.

Samy Vellu said Najib knew how best to shape Malaysia from now on towards a high-income nation through the Government Transformation Programme, Economic Transformation Programme and New Economic Model.

Najib has said that Malaysia was capable of achieving a per capita income of US$15,000 (RM45,682) in seven years’ time or even earlier.

Samy Vellu said most of Pakatan’s promises made before the 2008 general election had remained just that.

Isu Gatco semakin tegang

Peneroka Kampung Serampang Indah mendakwa mereka diserang lebih 40 lelaki kerana cuba memberhentikan penebangan pokok getah di tanah perladangan tersebut.

JEMPOL: Perbedaan antara peneroka Kampung Serampang Indah (Gatco) dengan pemaju kawasan perladangan tersebut semakin meruncing apabila peneroka Gatco mendakwa mereka diserang lebih kurang 40 pemuda yang tidak dikenali.

Wakil peneroka C John berkata pada 28 November, pemaju telah menghantar kontraktor untuk menebang pokok getah di ladang mereka dan kontraktor itu telah menebang 43 pokok getah menggunakan jentolak.

“Semalam kami seramai 70 peneroka cuba menghalang kontraktor itu daripada meneruskan kerja-kerja penebangan pokok getah kami sehingga konflik hak milik tanah perladangan ini diselesaikan.

“Walaubagaimanapun pemaju atau kontraktor ini datang dengan lebih kurang 40 pemuda yang saya rasa gangster kerana mereka membawa alat-alat seperti kayu, rotan dan batang besi.

“Apabila kami cuba merunding dengan mereka, pemuda-pemuda ini tanpa belas kasihan menyerang kami dengan rotan. Malah seorang peneroka wanita cedera dalam kekecohan itu.

“Justeru itu kami membuat laporan polis di Ibu Pejabat Daerah (IPD) Polis Jempol semalam. Beberapa peneroka yang tercedera juga dihantar ke hospital untukmendapatkan rawatan”, katanya kepada FMT pagi ini.

John juga memaklumkan bahawa polis telah menahan enam peneroka Gatco untuk membantu siasatan berikutan cermin (windscreen) dua buah kereta pemuda-pemuda terbabit pecah dan sebuah kontena milik kontraktor terbakar dalam kekecohan itu.

Kampung Serampang Indah secara geografi dan pentadbiran terletak di dalam daerah Jempol. Walaubagaimanapun dari segi politik ianya terletak di bawah Parlimen Jelebu.

Bersih 3.0: Cops acquitted of assault charges

Magistrate Nurulain Abdul Rahim says the prosecution has failed to 'fulfill all elements' needed to order the policemen to enter their defence.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two policemen charged with allegedly using criminal force during the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28 against a Guang Ming Daily photographer was acquitted and discharged by the magistrate’s court today.

The court ruled that the complainant and prosecution witnesses had failed to identify positively the policemen involved in the assault.

Magistrate Nurulain Abdul Rahim said after perusing all the testimonies of the complainant Wong Onn King and the four witnesses, she found that the parties had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused.

She ordered L/Cpl Mohd Khairul Asri Mohd Sobri, 30, attached to the Tanjung Malim police station and Constable Shahrul Niza Abd Jalil, 24, of the Dang Wangi police station to be acquitted and discharged.

In her brief judgment, Nurulain said the prosecution had failed to fulfil all the elements needed to order both the policemen to enter their defence under Section 352 of the Penal Code.

On May 18, both of them were charged with allegedly assaulting Wong, 33, at the Jalan Tun Perak and Jalan Raja junction here between 5.20pm and 5.30pm on April 28.

If they had been found guilty, they would have faced three months of imprisonment or fined up to RM1,000, or both, under Section 352 of the Penal Code.

Counsel Salim Bashir acted for both the policemen, while DPP Kalmizah Salleh appeared for prosecution.

Salim later told reporters that even the prosecution had conceded that there was no case for both accused to answer after the complainant himself and two other photographers had contradicted their testimonies with police reports they had lodged after the incident.

Shame on you, Shahrizat: You are a fear-monger

It is disgraceful that a politician seemingly on the way out has to ressurect the fear factor to shore up her flagging fortunes in Umno.

P. Ramakrishnan, Former President, Aliran

As a former minister, she should have more sense to be responsible and appreciate the democratic process. Instead, she comes across as someone who is not prepared to accept the verdict of the people in a democratic election if that verdict went against Umno.

Is she planting the seeds of hatred in the minds of Umno members and instigating them to run amok and create havoc?

How does one view her statement when she said at the Wanita Umno Assembly, “If we are no longer in power, we would lose political stability. Certainly, the Malays, the majority in this country, would be unsettled” (Malaysiakini, 28 November 2012).

“I am concerned and worried that this would bring racial tensions that could lead to a repeat of the May 13, 1969 tragedy.”

Is she threatening Malaysians that there will be a recurrence of the May 13, 1969 tragedy if Umno were to lose power? Why should that be so? Is she calling on Umno members to get ready to do the unthinkable if they were forced by the electorate to vacate Putrajaya?

Is she aware of the terrible consequence of rioting following the likely routing of Umno? She doesn’t care to think for a moment of the destruction and the loss of innocent lives that can ensue in such an eventuality. Her concern seems not to be for the well-being of the country and the people but only focused on remaining in power at whatever cost.

This is utterly irresponsible!

Her unintelligent gibberish only bewilders thinking Malaysians. Consider this for a moment when she rambles, “We must address this now if we don’t want to be refugees in our own land. A split in the Malay vote would dull the political power of the Malays.”

How can citizens become refugees in their country? Refugees are people who flee their own country because they no longer feel safe for their lives. Refugees run away to another country for some valid reasons: political oppression, social upheavals, unrest, persecution, absence of rule of law, absence of protection from the government, inability to eke out a livelihood, etc.

Can anyone foresee this ever happening in this country i.e. people being forced to flee? She has to exaggerate this lie to create fear and horror in the minds of unthinking Umno members!

How would “a split in the Malay vote dull the political power of the Malays”? The Malay vote has been split for decades. That has not dulled the political power of the Malays. This goes to show that Umno doesn’t necessarily equate with the Malays, and vice versa. The political reality is much more complex than Umno would like us to believe. Besides, Malays, like any other ethnic group in the country, should instead unite around noble principles of justice, equality and compassion.

Take Kelantan for example. There was and has been a split in the Malay vote but has that dulled the political power of the Malays? Has that forced Umno members to seek refuge elsewhere outside the country?

There was a change in government in Kedah. Has that dulled the political power of the Malays? How many Umno members fled Kedah to seek safer haven elsewhere?

Take the case of Perak that was taken over by the Pakatan Rakyat. In recognising the political reality and the make-up of the polity of this country, Tan Sri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was appointed the Menteri Besar of Perak. Obviously, Pakatan was very sensitive to the Malay sentiment and did not do anything that could be upsetting. We are not aware if Umno members were involved in any exodus from Perak!

Then there is Penang, which fell to Pakatan Rakyat in March 2008. In keeping with the tradition and original understanding – unlike Malacca – Lim Guan Eng was sworn in as Chief Minister. There was no unrest. There was no flight of refugees from Penang.

So there is no basis to claim that the Malays will become refugees or that their political power will be diminished. What has been established is the fact that change can be peaceful and that the harmony of the country will not necessarily be destroyed.

As long as we accept and respect the political process as a legitimate avenue of expression, political change will be without any untoward incident. By and large, the majority of Malaysians are peaceful, sensible and responsible. However we must be on the lookout for the few who may try and stir up trouble. We should leave them to the police to take care of.

Umno must be desperate if such lies have to be manufactured!

Stay out of our hair, PAS!

Swetham M

PAS is trying to set the clock back when the nation is moving ahead. True. PAS should go back to the Dark Ages when there was no need for barbers, and it didn't matter whether hair matted or not.
PAS's ruling on gender segregation in barber shops is the unkindest cut of all for Indian barbers who have been the backbone of the Malaysian hairdressing industry for over 100 years. Contending, as they have to, with rising rentals and a shortage of skilled workers, barbershops are facing tough times.

Now, PAS's insistence on Men Only and Women Only salons is throwing sand into their rice bowls. In a statement, K. Kaviarasan, chairman of the Malaysian Indian Barbers Association told PAS to stay out of its hair. He called on PAS not to interfere in their business which have traditionally been family-run and handed down from father to son. These barbershops have been catering for the needs of male and female family members for generations.

If PAS still insists that its ruling is to be followed, then it should be fair and extend it to all other areas where there is human contact, including hospitals where doctors and nurses (both male and female) work as a team to help all those in need of medical care, regardless of gender.

Kaviarasan said PAS is trying to set the clock back when the nation is moving ahead. True. PAS should go back to the Dark Ages when there was no need for barbers, and it didn't matter whether hair matted or not.

Will they or won't they demolish that shrine again?

Steve Roads

The silence until now of the Selangor government over the destruction last week of a Hindu shrine inside the house of Gopikumar in Sepang had many people questioning the sincerity of Pakatan Rakyat in protecting religious rights in the state. The news made page one headlines in the Tamil papers but the Selangor government chose to remain silent for almost a week.

In the incident, officers of the Sepang Municipal Council used sledgehammers to demolish the shrine built inside the porch. Yesterday, EXCO member Dr. Xavier Jayakumar issued a press statement defending the action. In the statement he also said the house owner did not get official approval to build the structure. Since when was it necessary to get permission to set up a shrine in one's own home? As I understand it, it becomes illegal only when approval is not sought for any house modification that affects it structurally.
A shrine does not in any way affect the structure of the building. An extension of Dr. Xavier's rationale is that all the hundreds of religious shrines in the compounds of Chinese homes in Selangor must also face the sledgehammer. They were all built, and rightly so, without any need for official sanction.

Also, if that Gopikumar shrine was illegal, the Sepang authorities should take a ride in all the housing estates in the area and destroy the hundreds of extensions and modifications that have been built without permission.

It has been reported that Gopikumar's shrine has since been rebuilt, in defiance of the Municipal order. If the Selangor state Government wishes to be credible, its officers should go in and demolish the shrine again. The question is, WILL IT?

More Embarrassment for Malaysia's UMNO

(Asia Sentinel) Party forced to deal with corruption allegations in the midst of its annual general assembly

The United Malays National Organization, Malaysia’s biggest political party, finds itself embroiled in yet another scandal right in the middle of its annual general assembly, which is to run through tomorrow night.

Instead of a grand national potlatch, in which the unified 2,600-odd deputies accuse the opposition of being disorganized and unable to run the country, untrue to the Muslim faith and in thrall to the ethnic Chinese, the party is forced to deal with deep concerns that a carpet trader formerly close to Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, has now turned on the first family. Deepak Jaikishan has been giving interviews to any opposition websites who want to listen, saying he had played a role in a move to funnel RM5 million (US$1.64 million) to get out of the country to Perumal Balasubramaniam.

Balasubramaniam at that time employed by Abdul Razak Baginda, one of Nahib’s best friends, was a private detective who charged in a sworn declaration that Najib had been the former lover of murdered Mongolian translator and party girl Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was shot in the head by two of Naib’s bodyguards in 2006. After Bala filed his sworn statement describing his knowledge of the affair between the two and giving excruciating details of sexual practices, among other specifics, under pressure from police, he recanted his statement and wrote a second saying the first had been false. Then he left the country for Chennai, where he has remained, saying he had been intimidated to recant the statement.

Apparently disillusioned because of a business deal gone bad, Jaikishan is also charging that the first couple engineered the cancellation of government contracts to his businesses after he first went public about his role in the affair and got him kicked off the boards of directors of 26 companies. He has threatened to reveal more details of the cover-up and offered to sue Najib himself.

Jaikashan’s firm Asacannggih Sdn Bhd is suing Raja Ropiaah Raja Abdulla, a federal government senator and head of the women’s division of the Selangor state chapter of UMNO. In addition, he is alleging that Najib in 2006, when still defense minister, illegally bypassed the Barisan Nasional cabinet and signed over land worth RM400 million owned by the Ministry of Defense for privatization and redevelopment to Raja Ropiaah for a still uncompleted defense research center. He is charging that Astacanggih was cheated out of a portion of the land purchased from Raja Ropiaah's Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd. The land had been privatized by the Defense Ministry to Ropiaah's firm.

Jaikishan is charging in court that Astacanggih in 2007 bought 90 hectares of land from Raja Ropiah’s Awan Megah for RM120 million but that the transaction was never concluded and that the titles have never been released to an Astacanggih subsidiary. He accused Raja Ropiah of selling the land that had been sold to him to other parties.

"Without Najib's OK, Raja Ropiaah would not have been awarded the deal by the Ministry of Defense," Jaikashan told a local independent website. Jaikashan is also suing the Ministry of Defense and the land and mining office for complicity in the deal.

Jaikishan’s decision to make himself available to opposition media in the middle of the UMNO general assembly has caused outrage among rank and file UMNO members, coming as the affair does on the heels of a series of other scandals including the notorious Cattlegate scandal, in which family members of the head of the women’s wing of the party allegedly misused a RM250 million soft loan to build a cattle feed operation, spending considerable amounts of the money on condominiums, luxury cars and overseas trips.

“I am sure Deepak will name whoever he tried to bribe and hence start the investigation,” said one UMNO source. “On my end, I have got no sympathy for Deepak. In fact, I would say it serves him right. Other than that, I don't care too hoots for Deepak.”

Speculation as to who is behind Jaikishan’s decision to go public inevitably centers on Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. Others believe that Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, with the connivance of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, is behind Jaikishan’s actions although yet another wing of the party, controlled by forces aligned with former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, whom Mahathir helped to drive from power in 2009, could also be playing a role.

Jaikishan has publicly said he will talk more if his safety is guaranteed by someone powerful.

“Najib’s side retaliated immediately by arranging for Deepak to be sacked from the boards of 26 companies over which he holds shares,” said a political operative in Kuala Lumpur. “It looks like Deepak is using his involvement in the Bala saga as leverage to force Najib to come to terms with him. On the other hand he is probably being made use of by Najib’s UMNO rivals, as up to this point, he must have been backed by a powerful faction before he would dare to go this far.”

The source called Mahathir and Muhyiddin “the current suspects” although there is no concrete evidence other than the fact that Jaikishan has said he is close to Muhyiddin. The affair, he said, depends on how much Jaikishan knows and how much evidence he has, how the political tussle plays out behind the scenes, “and to what extent Najib & Co. are prepared to appease him.”

There is of course the likelihood that the entire episode will fizzle out without crippling Najib nor UMNO, though they may be bruised, out of common interests among the warring parties to keep the present UMNO power structure afloat. Jaikishan can only be expected to go as far as his UMNO backers agree to allow him to go. If Najib were to be driven from power within UMNO now, with elections looming probably in April, the party would be in serious disarray that could cost it dearly in organizational terms. He could be expected to take revenge of his own on the other factions.

In addition, said a source with a nonpartisan think tank in Kuala Lumpur, “I don’t think Deepak’s accusations will have that much impact on voters. For a start, he isn’t linking Najib directly to Altantunya’s murder. He has said he was only involved in the 2nd statutory declaration. Second, the election will be won or lost in the Malay heartland – and I can’t see Malay heartlanders getting worked up about the allegations. They will have a tremendous impact on middle class, urban voters but that is a voter segment already lost to the Barisan.”

Jaikishan told the opposition Malaysia Chronicle that he had "lost 20 kilos, my father says I have grown up from a boy into a worried man. Just yesterday, I suffered a revolt from my board. The directors in all 26 companies want me to step down. To them, I have committed an unforgivable sin of exposing these matters to the press as it affects the credibility of all 26 firms."

Perbandingan Pencapaian Pentadbiran Ekonomi Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim: Rakyat Arif Membezakan Angka Ekonomi

by Anwar Ibrahim

Serangan Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak terhadap kredibiliti dan kemampuan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengemudi teraju ekonomi negara bukanlah perkara baru. Retorik yang sama turut digunakan menjelang Pilihanraya Umum ke-12 (PRU12) dalam tahun 2008 bertujuan untuk menakut-nakutkan rakyat; kononnya negara akan muflis jika UMNO tidak diberikan kuasa untuk memerintah.

Pun begitu, dalam PRU12 rakyat tetap memilih KEADILAN dan rakan – rakan PAS dan DAP untuk mentadbir negeri-negeri terkaya di Malaysia seperti Selangor dan Pulau Pinang, selain Kelantan, Kedah dan Perak. Maknanya, rakyat yang matang tidak akan terpengaruh dengan propaganda politik UMNO – BN yang meremehkan keupayaan rakyat untuk menilai pencapaian ekonomi negara di bawah kepimpinan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai Menteri Kewangan. Sekali lagi saya yakin rakyat pastinya menolak politics of fear yang dibawa oleh Presiden UMNO.

Cara terbaik menilai keupayaan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim mentadbir ekonomi adalah dengan membandingkan angka-angka ekonomi seperti berikut:

Pertumbuhan ekonomi sepanjang Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim menjadi Menteri Kewangan[1]
Tahun
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
% pertumbuhan[2]
8.8
9.9
9.2
9.8
10.0
7.3

Pertumbuhan ekonomi sepanjang Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak menjadi Menteri Kewangan[3]
Tahun
2009
2010
2011
% pertumbuhan[4]
(1.5)
7.2
5.1
Sejak menjadi Menteri Kewangan, pencapaian ekonomi Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak tidak pernah sekali pun mengatasi pencapaian Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Tatkala Dato’ Seri Anwar berjaya memacu pertumbuhan ekonomi negara sehingga mencecah 9% – 10% dalam tempoh beliau menjadi Menteri Kewangan, Dato’ Seri Najib (2009) telah membawa ekonomi negara dari tahun pertama pentadbirannya ke arah sebaliknya dan menjurus ke arah ekonomi yang semakin gawat, sedangkan negara jiran seperti Indonesia kekal berkembang pesat.

Hakikatnya, rakyat Malaysia tidak buta angka dan arif membezakan pertumbuhan ekonomi sekitar 9% – 10% semasa Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim mentadbir ekonomi negara, berbanding pertumbuhan yang lembap sekitar 4% – 5% sekarang, disamping pentadbiran Najib berdepan dengan pelbagai masalah ekonomi harian seperti kos sara hidup yang semakin tinggi.

Rekod ekonomi Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim juga menunjukkan beliaulah Menteri Kewangan yang berjaya mencapai belanjawan lebihan. Selepas beliau, menteri-menteri kewangan UMNO mengambil pendekatan berhutang untuk menampung perbelanjaan negara yang boros dan tidak berhemah sedangkan hasil tidak bertambah. Justeru itu, Malaysia masih bergelut dengan masalah hutang/defisit yang meruncing sehingga kini.
Perbandingan angka berikut membuktikan kegagalan Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak sebagai Menteri Kewangan untuk mengatasi masalah hutang/defisit, walaupun ditinggalkan dalam keadaan yang cukup baik oleh Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim:

Perbandingan defisit belanjawan dan jumlah hutang negara

Rethinking wage policy to reposition our economy ― Liew Chin Tong

NOV 28 ― Although the minimum wage law is scheduled to take effect in January 2013, the Barisan Nasional government does not seem to be particularly committed to re-imagine the Malaysian economy through wage policy reform. Efforts to smoothen the transition for small and middle industries are seriously lacking too.

Minimum wage is meant to tackle several long-standing structural issues of the economy at once. As the United States and Europe struggle to stay afloat economically, Asia can no longer remain as an exporter, we need to grow our domestic/Asian markets; a higher income among locals will help generate a more vibrant domestic market which in turn will generate more jobs.

Also, with minimum wage, companies and industries will likely to rely less on cheap labour but invest in longer term potentials, capabilities and hence productivity of the workforce.

This is a virtuous cycle that will check dependence on unskilled foreign workers and brain drain at once. Skilled citizens who work in foreign countries are likely to consider resettling back to their homeland if the wage difference between their home and host countries is narrowed.

Gangnum-style policy making

Essentially, BN lacks a coherent new economic framework.

I frankly do not think that the BN government and its leaders had any idea why there was a need to introduce a minimum wage. Like many other policies, it was done just to respond to the opposition’s agenda.

While BN is currently the longest serving elected government in the world that is still in office and wanted to be re-elected for policy continuity, most policies were made in what I call “Gangnam style manner” ― on the horseback, basing on just back-of-envelope calculation. Consultants were brought in later to make ad hoc decisions implementable.

So we hear hilarious claims by MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and his son, Chua Tee Yong, that minimum wage leads to national bankruptcy and that paying foreign workers minimum wage will amount to more currency outflow through remittance.

By the way, Dr Chua Soi Lek also claimed that Pakatan Rakyat’s policy to renegotiate toll rates with concessionaires and to end North-South Expressway toll collection would result in tens of thousands of toll workers losing their employment.

To Pakatan Rakyat, removing many monopolies and rent seekers in the economy will help generate higher disposable income for ordinary Malaysians. To Dr Chua and BN, any change to the crony economy is a bad idea.

Why minimum wage?

Before we venture into the rationales for a minimum wage in Malaysia, let us first understand the regional economic dynamics.

On November 21, 2012, newly elected Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo raised Jakarta’s monthly minimum wage by 44 per cent to Rp 2.2 million (RM700).

On the subsequent day, West Java increased the minimum wage levels of its 26 districts and cities by an average of 25 per cent; one of which, Bekasi, is at Rp 2.1 million, just slightly below Jakarta’s level. More regions are likely to match Jakarta’s level close enough to prevent their own workers from flocking to Jakarta.

The immediate response from the Indonesian stock market was huge appreciation of share prices for companies producing consumer goods, as higher wages mean higher domestic consumption. Of course some employers were not happy with the rise but many can immediately spot the benefit of a bigger domestic market.

In the Eastern seaboard of China, such as Shenzhen, minimum wage is at RMB1,500 (RM735) while new daily minimum wage level in Thailand is at 300 baht a day (RM30, almost equal to Malaysia’s minimum wage).

What do these figures mean for Malaysia? The Barisan Nasional government sets its minimum wage at RM900 for Peninsular Malaysia and RM800 for Sabah and Sarawak while Pakatan Rakyat proposed a RM1,100 package with transitional funds to facilitate vulnerable industries to adapt.

The challenge for Malaysia in the years to come is whether there will still be abundance of supply of foreign labour from neighbouring countries like Indonesia and Burma where their wages are close enough to that of Malaysia’s.

The Malaysian economy will soon to be at a standstill if supply of cheap labour dries while Malaysia’s skilled labour and professionals look elsewhere for greener pastures due to low pay and lack of upward mobility in general in Malaysia.

Minimum wage is but one of the many reforms Malaysia that needs to undertake to move to the next level.

A new agenda for SMIs/SMEs

Many of the reforms like helping labour-intensive industries to become skill and knowledge intensive should have happened twenty years ago in 1992 when Malaysia first reached middle income nation status. But because for every foreign worker brought into this country, someone close to the establishment makes a cut through licensing and other sorts of payment, there is a huge lobby to resist any change.

While minimum wage has very little impact on most industries especially those with very high value added, it is also clear that the implementation of minimum wage, even at RM700 – not to mention higher rate, causes problem for small and medium industries in low-end manufacturing.

To help them is not to stop implementing minimum wage but to support them with financing as well as skill development so that they can be less labour-intensive. What is lacking in BN’s minimum wage policy is a facilitation fund as proposed by Pakatan Rakyat to assist these affected industries.

Beyond minimum wage, Malaysia’s small and medium businesses face other challenges. Corruption, red tape and dominance of GLCs in the economy make it very difficult for the “small guys” to operate in. A form of “tax terrorism” in heightened tax collection and frequent tax raids on SMIs/SMEs have caused fear among small businesses.

What Malaysia needs is a rethinking of our wage policies in a new global and regional environment. Anything short of that won’t take us very far. ― The Rocket

* Liew Chin Tong is the member of parliament for Bukit Bendera

* This article was originally published by The Rocket

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

In fact…Umno is God!

By Martin Jalleh

Ex-police chief's statement accepted in Kugan suit

The New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Selangor police chief Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said there was no cover-up in the death of A. Kugan and that a comprehensive investigation had been conducted.

Khalid, who is now deputy inspector-general of police, told the High Court that police constable V. Navindran had been charged to demonstrate to other cops that the force and the government would not be responsible for any "private actions" in the course of official duties.

(In June, the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court sentenced Navindran to three years' jail after finding him guilty of causing hurt to Kugan, a suspect in a luxury car theft case, in an interrogation room at the Taipan USJ police station in Subang Jaya on Jan 16, 2009.)

Khalid, 55, said this in his witness statement, which was accepted by the High Court yesterday.

The senior police officer, who took the witness stand before judge Datuk V.T. Singham, signed the statement after questioning by senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad.

On Jan 13, N. Indra, as administrator of Kugan's estate, filed a RM100 million suit against the government for alleged negligence and breach of statutory duty.

Apart from Khalid and Navindran, former Subang Jaya district police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar is also a defendant.

Indra, 44, claimed that the defendants had failed to ensure the safety, health and welfare of Kugan while he was in police custody and failed to monitor the policemen there.

She alleged that the defendants also attempted to cover up the actual cause of Kugan's death and issued statements calculated to exonerate the police from liability.

Khalid said he had obtained information about the cause of Kugan's death from the case's investigating officer. Kugan had died of pulmonary edema (a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs).

Indra's counsel, R. Sivarasa, will cross-examine Khalid on Dec 13. But hearing will proceed today with the other defendants testifying.

Home arrow News arrow Legal/General News arrow Sultan: Judiciary needs men of integrity Malaysian Bar Web Ads Sultan: Judiciary needs men of integrity

The Sun Daily 
by Michele Chun

PETALING JAYA (Nov 29, 2012): The judiciary must continue appointing men and women of integrity and intelligence to the Bench regardless of race and religion, Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan said.

In his keynote address at the International Bar Association's 3rd Asia-Pacific Regional Forum Conference on Tuesday, the ruler said in order for Malaysia to be successful, foreign investors must not only have confidence in the government but also in the legal system.

"Our neighbours across the causeway have been successful to a large extent in achieving this and we in Malaysia must endeavour to do the same.

"It is imperative that our judiciary consists of some of our country's brightest legal minds so that the jurisprudence in this country can grow along with the economic development that is taking place in Malaysia," he said.

Sultan Muhammad called on Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Arifin Zakaria and Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Makinuddin to consider calling on the "legal eagles of the Bar" to do "national service" and urged lawyers aged 60 to 70 to serve on the Bench if they are financially sound.

He also brought up the 1988 judicial crisis and reminded the legal profession and judiciary to "never, ever go back to the few years of darkness in our country's history".

While noting the importance of a strong Bar to act as a check and balance, Sultan Muhammad reminded the Malaysian Bar to remember its duties under the Legal Profession Act.

"It is imperative that the Bar works in conjunction with the government, attorney general's chambers and judiciary to ensure we have a strong and proud legal system.

"We shall not dwell on the past here today but we must learn from it so the same mistakes will never be repeated," he said.

PPP's 59th Annual General Assembly On Sunday

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- A total of 4,047 delegates are expected to attend the People's Progressive Party (PPP)'s 59th annual general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here on Sunday.

PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would open the assembly which would also be attended by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

On his policy speech, Kayveas said it would focus on the party's preparations for the general election, among others.

"I will make a short speech, on two or three issues including what needs to be revamped in order for us to garner more support," he told reporters before chairing the party's supreme council meeting here Friday night.

Kayveas said the PPP Cluster Insurance would also be launched at the assembly: "It is open to all PPP members; they only have to pay an annual premium of RM15 for a maximum protection of up to RM20,000," he said.

UN recognises Palestine after historic vote

The United Nations has implicitly recognised the state of Palestine after the General Assembly voted for a resolution to upgrade the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic status to ‘non-member observer state’. 

 

Bala 'vindicated' by Deepak's expression of regret

The man who claimed to have been coerced to reverse his sworn testimony linking then deputy prime minister Najib Razak with murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaaribuu, is pleased that the truth has finally emerged.

Private investigator P Balasubramaniam said carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan (left), who was involved in getting him to reverse his statutory declaration (SD), did "the correct thing".

In an email response to Malaysiakini over Deepak's about-turn, Balasubramaniam urged the carpet trader to reveal everything he knows about the sordid affair.

"I would like him to confirm who exactly put him up to all this and exactly who were the individuals involved, from the beginning to the end," said Balasubramaniam, who has been living in exile with his family in India for three years since he fled the country after signing the second SD.

Deepak, in an interview with Malaysiakini early this week, said his participation in the conspiracy was the result of request from a "female friend" associated with the parties who would be affected by the fallout of Balasubramaniam's original statutory declaration.

Meanwhile, Balasubramaniam (right) added he wanted to know the identity of the lawyer who drafted the second SD, which he said was prepared without his "knowledge or input".

"The question is, who did it? No one interviewed me before preparing that second SD. It was prepared without my knowledge or input. I would like to find out who this lawyer is."

The following is Balasubramaniam's email response to Malaysiakini.

Malaysiakini: Deepak has more or less confirmed his involvement in your second SD case. Do you feel vindicated?

Balasubramaniam: I am pleased that Deepak has finally come out and told the truth. Now perhaps everyone will believe what I have been saying for the past three years.

I was asked to sign that second SD when I was being held in a room at the Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, on the night of July 4, 2008, while my wife and children were being intimidated by members of the military intelligence.

I had earlier, the night before, been taken to meet Nazim Razak (brother of then deputy prime minister Najib) at the Volkswagen showroom in The Curve, Damansara. He basically warned me to follow Deepak's instructions if I loved my family and wanted them to be safe.

I did not read that second SD. I was just asked to sign it and was told everything would be okay.

A commissioner for oaths turned up in my room at the Hilton Hotel in the early morning to witness my signature. This commissioner for oaths had an address at the law office of Zul Rafique & Co.

I don't know who prepared that second SD but it must have been a lawyer, the way it was written. I did not see any other lawyer that night. The only lawyer I saw was (M) Arunampalam, in the morning at the Prince Hotel. Deepak has confirmed Arunampalam did not prepare that second SD.

The question is, who did it? No one interviewed me before preparing that second SD. It was prepared without my knowledge or input. I would like to find out who this lawyer is.

According to Deepak, he never got any money from you or your lawyer. Your response?

That is true. This payment of RM100,000 was made in cash into my wife's account in KL by a friend of Deepak. After the payment had been made, he emailed me the paying-in slip.

This payment, plus the apartment at Berjaya Times Square, was supposed to be for a media statement I was asked to release just before the Sarawak elections in April 2011.

I have a copy of the S&P (sales and purchase) agreement for this apartment in my wife's name. This agreement was again prepared by the lawyer, Arunampalam.

The script for this media statement had been prepared by Deepak. It was full of lies and implicated my lawyer Americk Sidhu for accepting money from (PKR leader) Anwar Ibrahim to concoct the first SD.

It was never my intention to release this media statement. I had been advised by my lawyer to play along with this scheme and to gather evidence against Deepak.

At the last moment, I told Deepak I would not release this statement. He got very angry and called me a ‘sodomite'. I have this telephone conversation recorded.

My wife did not sign the S&P agreement for the Berjaya Times Square apartment (right). I instructed my lawyer to write to Deepak asking to return the RM100,000 to him.

My lawyer received no response so he sent a reminder. Still no response. So Deepak is correct in saying this RM100,000 was never returned to him. It is still sitting in my wife's account.

If Deepak confirms he is the one who banked in this cash into my wife's account, I will gladly return this dirty money to him. At the same time, I will lodge another report with the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).

What would you advise Deepak to do?

I think what Deepak is doing at the moment is the correct thing. Eventually the truth will emerge. I would like him to confirm who exactly put him up to all this and exactly who were the individuals involved from the beginning to the end.

Perhaps he will now achieve some inner peace for what he has done to me and my family. I want to return to Malaysia to carry on with my life without fear for my safety and the safety of my family.