Indonesian worker gets 30 years in jail for rape

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court has sentenced an Indonesian construction worker to a total of 30 years in jail and ordered him to be given 20 strokes of the rotan for the rape of an 11-year-old girl and carnal intercourse with her against the order of nature.

Judge Datin Kunasundary Marimuthu passed the sentence on Shamsul Ariffin Muhamad, 22, after the accused changed his plea to guilty at the trial here Monday.

She imposed a 20-year jail sentence and 12 strokes of the cane for rape, and a 10-year jail sentence and eight strokes of the cane for carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

She ordered the jail terms to run concurrently from March 7 this year.

The offences were committed at the women's changing room of a condominium swimming pool here at about 4.30pm on March 6 this year.

“The offences were committed with cruel intention. Your action was to satisfy your inner animalistic passion and, due to your inhumane behaviour, your sentence cannot be discounted,” Kunasundary said before sentencing.

"The accused must be isolated from the public, and for the sake of justice for the family and the victim, you will be locked away for a long time," she added.

In mitigation, Shamsul Ariffin, who was unrepresented, said he was remorseful and had repented for the offence, adding that he was also taking care of his parents in Indonesia.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Liyana Zawani Mohd Radzi asked for a heavy sentence, saying the offence was a higher degree of rape, and that the sentence should serve as a lesson to the accused and the public.

The victim's mother told the court that her daughter was embarrassed and had lost much weight due to stress from the incident. - Bernama

Girl, 12, missing after outing with online pal

PASIR GUDANG: A mother is having sleepless nights for the past two days since her 12-year-old daughter failed to return home after an outing with a boy she met online.

Pet groomer Lee Yih Loon, 37, said her daughter Chang Xing Hui had told her that she would have an early birthday celebration with her friends at a shopping complex in Johor Baru.

She said Chang told her that one of her friend’s mother would drive her to the shopping complex.

She also called her daughter while she was on her way to the party to make sure everything was all right.

“I was surprised to hear men’s voices while talking to her and this was when I sensed something was wrong,” Lee said during a press conference organised by Permas Selatan MCA division chairman Shium Chan Teck here Monday.

She immediately asked Chang to return home but the girl refused, and Lee has been unable to reach her daughter after the last phone conversation between them at around 4.10pm.

“I’m worried for her safety and I suspect that she befriended a 15-year-old boy known only as Yi on Facebook,” said Lee.

Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Sulaiman Salleh said it is being treated as a missing persons case.

Lawyer: There is a US conspiracy to cheat 1MDB

PETALING JAYA: An American conspiracy exists to defraud 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), said Australian lawyer Quintin Rozario (pic).

“There is a conspiracy to defraud 1MDB,” the Malaysia-born lawyer said at a press conference arranged by the non-governmental organisation Perspek here Monday.

Rozario questioned why US Attorney-General Loretta Lynch attacked certain individuals in her July press conference.

“She could have focused more on the property seizure rather attack certain individuals. Loretta Lynch has acted like a big bully. It’s clear bullying by the US on a small sovereign nation like Malaysia,” he said.

He added that Lynch only implied that someone is guilty without any evidence or any authoritative decision by a court or tribunal.

Rozario added that Lynch should have put forward to the media the evidence supporting the US civil suits to seize US1bil (RM4bil) in assets tied to 1MDB.

“The US has practised double standards by only pushing their homeland initiative against those who they deem soft targets like Malaysia. The US does not recognise initiatives of other nations like China,” said Rozario.

MACC arrests gov't officers with Datuk Seri, Datuk titles for graft

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested three government officials, two with the honorific title Datuk Seri and another with Datuk, for corruption.

In a media statement, the commission said it has also frozen their bank accounts totalling RM13 million.

The trio, who are in their 50s, were apprehended in simultaneous operations in Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Kelantan between noon and 2pm this afternoon.

According to MACC, one of the suspects serves with a government department whereas the other two were attached to a local council and government-linked firm respectively.

The commission also seized a luxury condominium, including a penthouse, a bungalow as well as a Maserati, BMW and Audi cars.

The houses and cars, MACC said, were believed to have been procured through graft and money laundering.

"In the raid, MACC also found cash amounting to about RM400,000, including foreign currencies, as well as semi-luxury watches," it added.

The three are being investigated under Section 17 (a) and 23 of the MACC Act 2009 as well as 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

Under the MACC Act, upon conviction, a person can face up to 20 years in prison and RM10,000 fine or five times the amount of bribe, whichever is higher.

As for the Anti-Money Laundering Act, those convicted can be imprisoned not more than 15 years and fined not lest than fives times the amount of the proceeds from illegal activities or RM5 million, whichever is higher.

"Investigations are still being carried out and the three are expected to be remanded at the Magistrate’s Court tomorrow," said the commission.

Huge sums of money found stashed in ceiling of PWD director's house

In one of the raids conducted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) leading to the arrest of two Datuk Seri and a Datuk today, they found stash of money hidden all over the house including in the ceiling.

The bulk of the money, said to be some of the RM400,000 recovered, was packed carefully in RM50 and RM100 notes and hidden in the ceiling, as officers from the graft commission inspected the house.

Sources from the MACC told Malaysiakini the money was retrieved from a state Public Works Department director with the title of a 'Datuk'.

As for the luxury cars, the sources said that they were parked at the homes of the suspect's relatives. It was reported that the MACC seized a Maserati, BMW and Audi cars in the raid.

It is learnt that the 'Datuk Seri' is attached to a local council, while the other is with the state Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

They are among the three who were picked up by the MACC, and investigated under Section 17 (a) and 23 of the MACC Act 2009 as well as 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).

Sources revealed that one of the Datuk Seri will be remanded in Putrajaya, while the remaining two will be remanded in Malacca and Kelantan respectively tomorrow.

MACC director of investigations Azam Baki had in a statement announced the arrest of the three senior government officials.

This comes in the wake of a warning by the new MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad to clean up the civil service of corrupt practices.

The trio, who are in their 50s, were apprehended in simultaneous operations in Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Kelantan between noon and 2pm this afternoon.

The commission also seized a luxury condominium, including a penthouse and a bungalow.

The houses and cars, MACC said, were believed to have been procured through graft and money laundering.

If convicted under the MACC Act, a person can face up to 20 years in jail and a minimum RM10,000 fine or five times the amount of bribe, whichever is higher.

Those convicted under AMLA can face a jail term of not more than 15 years and fined not less than five times the amount of proceeds from the illegal activities.