PI Bala: Razak regretted not paying Altantuya

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda apparently regretted not paying the US$500,000 in "commission" due to slain Mongolian Altantuya Shaaribuu, claimed former private investigator P Balasubramaniam.
He recounted Razak as allegedly saying this just prior to his arrest in 2006.

Balasubramaniam, employed by Razak then, was giving a blow-by-blow account of the circumstances surrounding Altantuya's death during his first public appearance last night after fleeing the country nearly five years ago.

He said he was leaving the office of a lawyer identified as Puravelan, with Razak, in a lift at that time.
Newspapers were already speculating then about Razak (left) being arrested soon, and the lawyer was busy preparing his client for such an eventuality.

Upon hearing this, the private investigator supposedly told Razak, "Boss, look here. What was my advice to you? Police report. You should have done the police report."

Went against advice

Balasubramaniam explained that Razak had engaged him to keep Altantuya at bay, but the private eye advised him to lodge a police report instead.

However, Razak purportedly declined to do so because "a VVIP was involved," who was later revealed to be then defence minister and now Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Altantuya was said to be demanding US$500,000 (RM1,550,750) and three air tickets to Mongolia from Razak at the time, supposedly as "fees" for her role in mediating the Scorpene submarine deal.

Balasubramaniam said Razak did end up being arrested on Nov 7, the day the conversation took place, just 30 minutes upon reaching his office at Bangunan Getah Asli, Kuala Lumpur after the meeting.

He was eventually charged and acquitted of allegedly abetting in Altantuya's murder, while two police Special Action Unit (UTK) officers were sentenced to death for allegedly shooting Altantuya and blasting her remains with military-grade explosives.

Some 1,000 people crammed Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall's main hall last night to hear first-hand what Balasubramaniam had to say on the Mongolian's killing.

New revelations were few and far in between while Balasubramaniam often stumbled to find the right words and had to rely on a Powerpoint slide he had prepared since his return to recall some of the events.

Exposures entrance crowd

Nevertheless, the audience remained glued to their seats - or the floor if they couldn't find one - for nearly two hours until around 11.30pm as Balasubramaniam painstakingly went through the events.

This included what had transpired between him and Razak from their introduction until the arrest, the circumstances surrounding his first statutory declaration implicating Najib in the murder and a second statutory declaration made under duress to retract it, and further attempts to bribe him to slander opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The audience appeared to be engaged by Balasubramaniam's version of the events, clapping and cheering at key points of his talk or whenever a prominent personality's name, like Najib, cropped up.
They also booed at a video of Najib denying any involvement in the incident that was screened as part of the prelude to the talk.

Other speakers included Suaram secretariat member Cynthia Gabriel and cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar.

During the talk, Balasubramaniam mentioned that he was alone with the commissioner of oaths during the second statutory declaration.

When event moderator Badrul Hisham Shaharin asked him about a lawyer supposedly involved in preparing the document, Balasubramaniam said he only knew of this through ‘hearsay' via businessperson Deepak Jaikishan, who had persuaded him to make the declaration.
"If you ask me, I don't know. I only heard the hearsay info because Deepak had already mentioned that it was Cecil Abraham (left)," he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

He said his lawyer Americk Sidhu and human rights activist Haris Ibrahim had pressured the Bar Council to look into the allegation and its president Lim Chee Wee had asked him to give a statement.

"If everything goes right, Cecil Abraham's cover will be blown," he said.
When approached by Malaysiakini last month, Cecil had refused to comment on the allegations. Malaysiakini is currently seeking Razak Baginda’s comments on the matter.

Uthaya: Manifesto overlooked Hindraf's 18-point demand

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) de facto leader P Uthayakumar has slammed Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto for overlooking its 18-point demand to assist the Indian community.

He said that while Pakatan supremo Anwar Ibrahim has offered to fix an omission in the manifesto by adding in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang's oil royalty, Hindraf's demands did not receive the same treatment.

Uthayakumar, who is also the Human Rights Party pro-tem secretary-general, questioned whether the manifesto transcends racial boundaries as Anwar had claimed on Tuesday.

"There are zero provisions in the manifesto to undo these 56 years of ongoing Umno racism-cum-injustices victimising the most vulnerable community in Malaysia, like the Indian poor.

"(Although) Pakatan shouted ubah (change), the manifesto does not include undoing these injustices," Uthayakumar said in a statement today.

To illustrate his point, Uthayakumar described the condition of a 61-year-old Indian Malaysian woman named Pushpagantha, who is suffering from several diseases and had approached Hindraf for help yesterday.

"The Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun Nasional) and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) government loans do not reach the Indian poor like Pushpagantha.

"Neither are they in Pakatan’s manifesto," he said, adding that the woman had asked for land for agricultural purposes.

Yesterday, Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy expressed "extreme disappointment" with the manifesto, saying that it has neglected the interests of the Indian Malaysian community.

He also lamented the fact that Pakatan has not endorsed Hindraf’s five-year blueprint, which he said offers a "permanent, practical and comprehensive" solution to the problem of marginalised Indians for a "mere" RM4.5 billion a year.

Islamic Violence erupted in Bangladesh. Jamaat men attacked Hindus in Noakhali. 32 killed after death sentence given to War Crime Sayedee.

 

At least 23 killed including Hindu minorities by Muslim fundamentalists in protests in Bangladesh over Islamist’s death sentence.

Jamaatis wreak havoc over Hindu minorities in Bangladesh after announcing death sentence to Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

Dhaka | BD News Agency | Feb 28 2013 :: Islamic Bangladesh is again on Jihadi fire. Bangladesh was put on the boil today as at least 32 people, including three policemen, were killed and scores injured in violence after a death sentence was handed down to a top leader of the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami for “crimes against humanity” during the 1971 liberation war. Hindu Minorities were then being targeted in NoaKhali, Satkhira and almost all over Bangladesh, out of a bare outburst of Islamic communalism. The same repetition is now being observed in Noakhali and Chattagram in present situation after Sayeede’s death verdict.

After Jamaat executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee was awarded death sentence for 1971 war crimes, the attacks there were carried out from a Jamaat procession protesting the verdict. The violence followed the verdict of the special Bangladeshi tribunal that handed down death penalty to Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president of the party, amid a nationwide shutdown called by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).

“He (Delwar Hossain Sayedee) will be hanged by neck till he is dead,” pronounced chairman of the three-judge International Crimes Tribunal Justice ATM Fazle Kabir.

Right after the verdict, leaders and activists of Jamaat and its student affiliate Islami Chhatra Shibir took out the procession at Begumganj’s Rajganj Bazar.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Begumganj circle Mahbub Alam Khan said attacks were carried out from that procession and the Hindu temples at Rajganj Bazar, Thakur Barhi and Bainnabarhi areas were vandalised. Reports of molestation of Hindu girls are also hooked up in the widespread news.

The attackers also set the residences of Bhuiyan and Banik families on fire, leaving six people injured.

ASP Khan said additional police forces were deployed later.

Meanwhile, activists of Jamaat supporters clashed with police in Noakhali town following the verdict. Shibir activists detonated several crude bombs at that time.

Acting SP Mahbub Rashid said the Shibir men also vandalised 12 buses and torched four more at the Al-Amin Bus Depot at Dattar Haat.

He said police fired at least a hundred rounds from the shotguns to take control of the situation. – See more at:

At least 23 people were killed as the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir went on the rampage across the country after Sayedee’s verdict,the Daily Star reported.

The victims included the cops, activists of Jamaat, Shibir, Juba League and common people.

Of the deceased, six people, including three policemen, were killed in Gaibandha, four in Thakurgaon, three in Satkhira, two each in Rangpur, Noakhali and Sirajganj while one each in Dinajpur, Natore, Cox’s Bazar and Chapainawabganj.

In Gaibandha after the verdict several thousand supporters of the Islamic party attacked a police outpost in Sundarganj upazila.

They beat three policemen to death and set fire to the outpost. In response, police opened fire, leaving three people killed.

In Thakurgaon about 1,500 Jamaat-Shibir men took out a procession after the verdict and attacked shops and houses of Awami League men and the Hindu community.

Noakhali- Begumganj

Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) teams rushed there and fired blank shots and tear shells to disperse the attackers.

Encircling the police, the marauding Jamaat-Shibir men started to throw brick-bats and, at one stage, closed in to fight them. Police opened fire to escape, leaving one dead on the spot and about eight to 10 injured.

A 13-year-old Shibir supporter, was later found lying dead, bullet-hit, inside a shop. Two other persons were declared dead at the Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital, police said.

At least two people were killed and 57 others injured during clashes between the activists of JI-Shibir and the police in the northwestern district of Rangpur.

The deceased were Shibir activists.

In Noakhali after the pronouncement of the verdict, Jamaat and Shibir activists set fire to a temple and houses of Hindu community.

Two people were killed as the activists clashed with law enforcers at different points in Noakhali.

In Dinajpur, a Shibir man was killed and two sustained bullet wounds when the BGB men opened fire on activists of JI and Shibir.

Three people in Satkhira, two in Sirajganj and one each in Cox’s Bazar and Chapainawabganj, were killed in violence following the verdict.

An Awami League activist was hacked to death in Natore district.

Banshkhali- Chattagram

JI activists also attacked police camps at different places.

Authorities earlier called out paramilitary BGB along with the police and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to maintain law and order.

The verdict came as a security blanket covered the capital Dhaka and other major cities after JI called a nationwide shutdown coinciding with the date of the judgement, while thousands of youngsters enforced a street vigil demanding the capital punishment for the war criminals.

Following the verdict, thousands of youngsters celebrated beating drums and chanting slogans in the capital and several other major cities where transport plied in large numbers and offices and businesses remained open defying the JI strike call.

“Hang the war criminals, ban Jamaat-Shibir,” they shouted parading the city streets.

No clash was reported in Dhaka though witnesses said JI activists tried to make visible their presence on the street exploding homemade bombs and staging street marches at places but fled the scenes as police chased them with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters.

Source News & Pic.s: BD News | Daily Star | Outlook | AFP | Reuters | Agencies.

Protest over 'gay hate' Islamic cleric's vist to university

Campaigners have hit out at the University of Reading for allowing a 'gay hate' Islamic preacher to address students.

Abu Usamah at-Thahabi is due to give a speech to the university's Muslim Society as part of its Discover Islam Week on Thursday night.

Anti-extremist group Student Rights has condemned the meeting and called on the university to review its decision to allow the controversial cleric on campus.

Protestors claim he has been caught making homophobic remarks including referring to gay people as "perverted, dirty, filthy dogs who should be murdered".

The Muslim cleric is also being accused of sexual harassment at the Birmingham mosque where he preaches.

According to Birmingham's Sunday Mercury, Mr At Thahabi, who is an imam at the Green Lane mosque in Sparkbrook is named in a website which claims to expose “sexual deviant preachers who prey on our Muslim sisters.”

The site alleges that it has been contacted by at least two female victims of the US-born convert.

The University of Reading has refused to give in to the demands insisting that it was committed to upholding both the right to free speech and lawful protest.

Collapsed Cyberjaya flyover was closed for repairs, say PKNS, Works Ministry

A view of the collapsed flyover in Cyberjaya. PKNS and the Works Ministry say the collapsed flyover has been closed for repairs. – Photo by Choo Choy May

CYBERJAYA, Feb 28 – The flyover near the Selangor Science Park 2 (SSP2) here that collapsed today was closed for repair works since last November, the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) said today.

PKNS general manager Othman Omar said that the flyover, which was originally built by PKNS but has been handed over to highway operator PLUS Malaysia Berhad, was closed to repair a road that had begun to sink beneath it. However, PLUS has denied the flyover was handed to it, saying it is still under the purview of PKNS.

Othman said that both PKNS and PLUS began investigations last December after noticing damage to the flyover from excavation works.
“Before we could finish the investigation, the flyover has collapsed,” Othman told reporters here.

Minister of Works Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor said in a statement today that the flyover and the road below it were closed since December 7 last year, and will remain closed until December 31 this year, depending on the speed of repair works.

“On December 7, I visited the bridge after I was informed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) that there was movements on one of the pillars at the Science Park 2 tiered interchange that connects to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya,” said Shaziman.

Shaziman’s statement was confirmed by PKNS’ deputy general manager Abdul Ghani Hashim, who said that four pillars on the Cyberjaya side suffered from structural problems.

According to PKNS, the peaty land in the area caused the road underneath to sink, causing PLUS to hire a third party to run repair works.

PKNS insisted that the flyover was in perfect condition when it was handed over to PLUS, but it was not designed to withstand deep excavation underneath which has caused structural disturbance.

Othman today promised that works to rebuild the flyover will be started as soon as possible, with clean-up expected to take three weeks, and construction another eight months.

“We don’t want this to be a war of pointing fingers ... We want to take pro-active measures, we will fix this first. Hopefully along the way we will resolve this issue,” he said.

The flyover collapsed around 12.30pm today and appeared to have been broken into two pieces, in the latest incident involving public works projects in the country.

PKNS confirmed that no one was hurt in the incident.

The flyover, which was closed last November, is an exit from the Elite Highway (KM P2.4) towards SSP2. The Lingkaran Putrajaya stretch managed by PLUS towards Putrajaya runs below it.

Works on the RM7 million flyover by contractor BNI Construction started on October 2007, and it was completed on November 2009. Four developers – PKNS, Utuh Aspirasi Sdn Bhd, Taraf Unggul Sdn Bhd, and Semai Ria Sdn Bhd – shared the cost for its construction.

Surendran to make election debut

The PKR vice-president confirms that he will be contesting for the parliamentary seat of Padang Serai in Kedah.

VIDEO INSIDE

KUALA LUMPUR: He started out as a human rights activist and then made the transition to politics. Now, PKR vice-president N Surendran has his guns trained on a parliamentary seat for his election debut.

The lawyer, a familiar face at the forefront of numerous human rights abuse cases, would be contesting in the Padang Serai constituency in Kedah, now held by N Gobalakrishnan.

Gobalakrishnan, who quit PKR following differences with the leadership, is still hoping that he would be allowed to contest the seat without hindrance from Barisan Nasional.

In an exclusive interview with FMT, Surendran said: “Yes, I would be contesting the Padang Serai seat. I have worked in elections since 1999; however, this would be the first time I would be standing as a candidate.”

“It is quite a challenge and at the same time it is exciting, but the main goal is to garner enough seats in order to take control of the federal government.

“There is a need to change this country; to rule this country the way it ought to be done,” he added.

Commenting on the speculation that many PKR MPs would be replaced in the coming election, he said that seat deliberations are still ongoing.

“It is an open secret that certainly some may be dropped and there may be new candidates but most would be able to accept the central leadership’s decision.

“There are many ways for them to contribute especially after the takeover of Putrajaya, which we are reasonably confident of, because there’s a lot of work to be done,” he added.

Surendran said that there is a place for everyone in PKR, in the efforts to clean up this country. “We need to end corruption, we also need to clean up the administration,” he added.

With regard to Padang Serai, Surendran said that he had been working on the ground there for sometime.

“I was assigned to contest in Padang Serai by the party leadership which, of course, I immediately accepted.

“I started working in Padang Serai sometime back to send Pakatan’s message down to the people, to explain the changes that we wish to bring,” he added.

No separate list of Indian candidates

Surendran revealed that among the many problems in Padang Serai, it was the poverty rate that alarmed him.

“There’s a lot of problems in Padang Serai, there are many poor people and there’s definitely a lot of work to be done because the poverty rate there is quite shocking. The federal government has not done enough to tackle poverty,” he added.

Asked whether there is a separate list of PKR Indian candidates, he replied that there is none.

“There is no separate list of PKR Indian candidates in the general election. Candidates are being chosen on the basis of requirements of the constituencies, capability, capacity, track record and potential contribution to a new Pakatan government.

“The primary consideration would be the ability of the candidate to bring change to this country and to serve the people of this country,” he added.

Surendran stressed that for a clean and corrupt-free nation, candidates must have the ideas and initiatives to put Malaysia on the right path.

Last week, Gobalakrishnan told FMT said that he will defend his seat as an independent candidate with BN’s support, adding that he had urged BN not to contest against him.

“I definitely stand a better chance than an MCA (BN) candidate,” he told FMT. “Nobody has shown more interest in the wellbeing of the people there than I have.”

Gobalakrishnan quit PKR in early 2011 after receiving a show-cause letter over his attacks against the party leadership.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/28/padang-serai-surendrans-election-debut/#sthash.IpL7WZK8.dpuf

PI Bala: A lot of hot air but no 'bomb'

(Yahoo News) - “Bala! Bala!” The crowd cheered as private investigator P Balasubramaniam walked with his hands raised into a packed hall at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH). And thus the night began with an air of anticipation – that something "big" will be revealed.

Hundreds of people poured into the hall last night while others watched on a screen provided outside despite the rain yesterday evening.

Close to 1,000 people from all walks of life -- from a young man with skinny jeans and eyeliner to elderly grandfather wearing a kopiah -- anxiously waited for the main event.

The night began like a concert with opening acts to warm up the audience. Controversial political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque or Zunar and Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel took to the stage to fire up the crowd and set the backdrop for Bala’s "revelations".

After more than an hour, Bala finally took the stage and sat with Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who was the moderator.

Bala, who had just returned home on Sunday, Feb 24, after being in hiding since 2008, was now centre stage, looking visibly nervous. He started his two-hour-long "talk" by recounting how he met Abdul Razak Baginda to the day he issued his second statutory declaration (SD).

Bala, the key witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial, had linked the then deputy prime minister Najib Razak to the murder in his first SD. However, he retracted the passage regarding Najib in the second SD the next day. - See more at: http://fz.com/content/pi-bala-back-arrives-klia-heros-welcome

Bala was the key witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial, and he had linked the then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the murder in his first SD. However, he retracted the passage regarding Najib in a second SD the next day.

Bala stumbled on his words, constantly referring to PowerPoint slides to help remember the events, and it went on for so long that he even took a toilet break. “I am very sorry. I haven’t been in the country for so many years so I hope you will have patience with me,” he apologised to the crowd.

Although Bala repeated and revealed nothing new, the audience were at the edge of their seats, glued to his words. The crowd cheered and jeered every time Bala mentioned the names of the prime minister and his wife.

Bala also gave his version of what happened when he met businessman Deepak Jaikishan after he issued his first SD.

“We went to one Chinese shop in Rawang and he (Deepak) was asking what do you get by doing that SD one? Then suddenly I received a call from my wife that she getting harassed by two Malay men outside the house... He (Deepak) said 'don’t worry. If you can prepare this SD then everything will be solved'.

Bala also claimed that he had allegedly met Datuk Nazim Razak at The Curve and that Nazim had threatened Bala's family because of the first SD.

Badrul later promised that last night was the first of many public forums that SAMM planned to organise with Bala nationwide, promising to drop more “bombs” in Kelantan, Johor and Sabah.

Bala declined to speak to reporters.

Opposition Pact's Manifesto Is Like An Old Newspaper, Says Mohd Zin

SHAH ALAM, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- The manifestos of the opposition pact comprising PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP are like the old newspapers because they are merely repeating the pledges that have yet to be fulfilled, said Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed.

He said the pledges were promises that had never been fulfilled such as the free education although the opposition pact had been in power for almost five years in Selangor.

"Looking at the manifesto in Selangor alone, I feel they have only realised about 15 per cent of all the sweet promises made. In fact, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had boldly said that the manifesto is not a pledge," he said at a media conference, here Thursday.

Mohd Zin said the manifesto of the oppositiion pact announced recently clearly involved high costs and it was doubtful whether they could afford to implement them.

He said that on the whole, the manifesto made by the opposition pact was merely an election pledge to fish for votes.

He said that among the pledges made by the opposition pact such as the purported intention to eliminate monopoly by creating the Anti-Monopoly Commission, actually should be implemented in Selangor first especially in the sand mining industry.

"The sand mining industry worth billions of ringgit is monopolised only by one company, namely, Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd. Shouldn't the sand mining tender be opened so that that the revenue derived would be more transparent and could generate the state's economy?" he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Zin said he was prepared to debate with anyone on the BN and Pakatan Rakyat manifestos in Selangor.