German And Swiss Media In Frenzy Over Malaysia's "Imam Muda"

By Manik Mehta

FRANKFURT, July 15 (Bernama) -- The media in Germany and Switzerland have been widely reporting about a Malaysian reality television show called "Imam Muda" (Young Imam).

While in many Western countries, a television talent show is organised to select a star, Malaysia is hiring the next "star imam" through a talent search show, as many German and Swiss dailies have been reporting.

Details of the "Imam Muda" show have been widely reported by a number of dailies - from the Tagesspiegel, Merkur Online through n-tv.de, Bild.de, Sueddeutsche Zeitung to the Swiss daily Tagesanzeiger - and have kept the readers engrossed, as comments from readers to the news report suggest.

The "Imam Muda" talent show reported about eight young men who appeared on Malaysian television at prime time, attired in suits and the traditional caps.

Switzerland's "Tagesanzeiger", for example, describes the candidates as "superstars" on Malaysian television and reports that they seem to have become heart throbs of many young girls.

Unlike in other reality shows, where participants usually sing or dance, the candidates in the "Imam Muda" show recite verses from the Quran, have the necessary training in washing dead bodies for Islamic burial, and pledge to protect young Malaysians from sex and drugs.

The talent show casts young Islamic clerics, the paper goes on.

The weekly talent show is headed by Hasan Mahmud, a former imam himself. He is creating a pool of exemplary young imams and using their help to combat the "social and moral decadence".

The candidates, aged between 18 and 27, are selected according to personality criteria and their knowledge of religion. As in "American Idol" and other talent shows, candidates are phased out each week after they failed to qualify.

Many viewers and readers were surprised to know that for the duration of the show, the candidates are isolated and kept in the sleeping hall of a mosque - without any mobile phones, Internet, television and other modern gadgets - so that they "think for themselves" and do not have to rely on any outside help or prompting."

The winner of the contest can expect a pilgrimage to Mecca, financial assistance in pursuing studies at the Islamic university of Medina, and employment in a mosque," says a commentator in the German daily Tagesspiegel which is published from Berlin.

The German daily contends that all the casting participants can be sure of having the "admiration of young female admirers and potential mothers-in-law".

"For Muslims, the ideal sons-in-law are aspiring imams because they are educated and well-versed in Islam," the daily quoted Iselan Bazar of the cable channel Astro Oasis which airs the religious talent search.

Motion on Penan women rejected

The New Straits Times 

AN opposition motion calling for the setting up of a royal commission to look into allegations of sexual abuse of Penan women in Sarawak was rejected by the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

"I am very disappointed that the motion has been rejected. The speaker's response was that the issue is not a matter of urgency.

"It is a very serious issue and the women are being victimised, hence the importance of a royal commission," Zuraida Kamaruddin (Parti Keadilan Rakyat-Ampang), who tabled the motion, said at the Parliament lobby.

She said such a commission was important in view of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's visit to the Penan community in Ulu Baram in Miri division next week.

She questioned the effectiveness of the task force established in 2008 by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to examine the allegations as no action had been taken.

Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) said there should be a proper inquiry into the issue.

"This is easily the most important motion tabled at the session on the exploitation of Penan women, yet the speaker decided to reject it on the grounds that there is a task force dealing with it."

Wong Ho Leng (DAP-Sibu) said he was certain the allegations were true.

He said the Sarawak government had asked for proof.

"But it is not easy to provide proof on rape cases, hence the royal commission is essential to determine whether any, and to what extent, sexual exploitation had taken place in central Baram."

Last week, the Penan Support Group submitted a report to Parliament containing the testimony of an additional seven Penan women who claimed they had been raped or molested.

Bala and the larger French probe into DCN

Officers of the National Financial Investigation Division (DNIF) of France are responsible for probing into the conditions of sale of submarines to Malaysia, especially a related 114 million euro payment, a French website has revealed.
The DNIF is a divison of the Central Directorate of Judicial Police (DCPJ) based in Nanterre near Paris. This was the site where Bala was questioned on Monday.
The DCPJ is the national authority of the criminal division of the French police tasked with leading and coordinating the action of law enforcement forces (Police Nationale and Gendarmerie Nationale) against organised crime (either criminal or financial activities). In carrying out its investigations, the DCPJ works with other institutions such as the Customs and Revenue Service, according to Wikipedia.
The implications of the DCN investigation are serious: the bribery of foreign public officials is punishable in France since June 2000 with ten years’ imprisonment and a 150,000-euro fine, said the Liberation website.
Leaders of the weapons consortium are already covered by two financial investigations. Since February 2008, investigative judges Francoise Desset and Jean-Christophe Hullin have been looking into “bribery and corruption” involving DCN deals. Earlier this year, a preliminary investigation was opened into an attack in Karachi linked to the sale of Agosta submarines to Pakistan in 1994, reported Liberation.
Meanwhile, several officials have already been placed under investigation in the wider DCN affair involving deals with other countries, noted the respected French media group Le Monde with AFP on 29 June.

Jean-Marie Boivin, the representative of the Luxembourg company Eurolux, and whose name is cited in the case of the attack in Karachi in 2002, was placed under investigation Monday, June 28 by the judges Francoise Desset and Jean-Christophe Hullin in another investigation of the former Department of Naval Construction (DCN) for espionage and corruption….
Jean-Marie Boivin had already been summoned by the magistrates on June 16 but he did not attend the meeting. He was finally indicted on Monday.
Three people have been indicted in this case: Claude Thevenet, consultant and former member of the management of the Territorial Surveillance (DST cons-espionage), Gerard Philippe Menayas, a former executive of DCN, and Jean Peter Dentel, a tax auditor for the national division of tax investigations.
BOIVIN CITED IN SURVEY KARACHI
The name of Jean-Marie Boivin appears in the investigation into the attack in Karachi (Pakistan) in 2002. Commissions paid on the sale of submarines to Pakistan in 1994 were handled by a company called Heine, whose representative Mr. Boivin was created with the support of Nicolas Sarkozy when he was budget minister in 1994.
Fifteen people, including eleven employees of DCN working on the construction of submarines, died in the attack in May 2002: French antiterrorist judges suspect that it was in retaliation for the arrest of payment of these commissions to the Pakistani army.

Comprehensive report on rape of Penan women

Just wanted to highlight this very detailed and professionally done report on the rape of Penan women in Sarawak.
Word on the street is that Taib will run again in Sarawak. I can’t imagine the continued horrors the indigenous of East Malaysia will continue to suffer under BN rule.

A sperm bank only for beautiful people?

There are dozens of dating websites currently active in cyber space, but there is only one that only allows beautiful people to join.

Called, beautifulpeople.com, it’s the website where people need to apply to become members and where members can vote on the looks of new applicants.

So far, some 5.8 million people have been already been rejected.

The company raised eyebrows last year when it allowed members to vote people off the site who gained too much weight over the holidays, but its newest development may put that to shame.

The site is considering plans to become a sperm bank for fertility clinics around the world.

“Since going global in 2009, we’ve been receiving numerous requests from fertility clinics around the world looking secure our members donations,” managing director of beautifulpeople.com Greg Hodge said.

"If you're in the unfortunate position as a couple unable to conceive a child you're going to want to secure every advantage for that child and like it or not, attractiveness is an advantage in our day and age."

Hodge said his company doesn’t make any money off the fertility forum, but it is a way to attract new members.

Angela, who is one of the site’s 650,000 members, defended joining the site and paying an annual fee of $480 to be listed.

“I think being attractive as you grow older helps you so much in the long run with jobs, with life in general and I think it actually is helpful,” Angela said.

We want to know what you think.

Are designer babies the way of the future? If you were choosing the characteristics of your child, would you want attractiveness to be one of them? Do you agree with the website's plans to become a sperm bank for beautiful people?

Please leave your comments below and be sure to include where you're writing from.

PR parliament

UN complaint on no kindergardens in Malaysian’s 523 Tamil schools, higher education & Indian poverty.

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245
Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com Email:info@humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Date: 14/07/2010
Ban Ki-moon Secretary General of U.N,
United Nations Secretariat, First Avenue and East 42^nd street,
United Nations, New York, USA. Fax No:1-212-963-2155
Human Rights Council,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
8–14, avenue de la Paix Fax: +41 (0)22 917 90 11
CH–1211 Geneva 10 – Switzerland E-mail: CP@ohchr.org
Mr.Hans Olsen United Nations, Children’s Fund, (Unicef) UNICEF House, 3 United Nations,
New York, NY 10017, Fax No (212) 326-7037 USA. Email: landmines@unicef.org
Dear Sirs,
Re: 1) Rights of ethnic minority Indian children denied kindergarten in 523 Tamil schools and in higher education violated. Three children separated from their mother by government of Malaysia.
We refer to the above matter and respectfully wish to lodge a formal complaint.
We read in the Malaysian New Straits Times on 4/7/2010 at page 10 that Malaysia will withdraw three of it’s reservations on the Rights of the Child on 6/7/10.
We therefore urge the United Nations to investigate:-
1) Why all 523 ethnic minority Tamil (Indian) schools in Malaysia are being denied full financial aid by the government of Malaysia. Kindly refer to our official letter to Unicef & UN Sec Gen dated 18/6/2010. HRP Letter and appointment to Unicef & UN Sec Gen on Tamil school in cow shed like conditions.
2) More than 90% of these ethnic minority Tamil school pupils are denied kindergartens and pre school facilities by the government of Malaysia when the national average is almost to the direct contrary ie at is 87% attending pre schools. (The Star 15/3/10 at page N46). See our website posting dated 16/3/2010). Poverty keeps 90% of Tamil school children out of kindergartens
3) An estimated 2,237 top and high achieving ethnic minority O Levels Indian students have been denied government JPA, Mara, Petronas, GLC, 13 state Yayasan, Bank Negara, Khazanah etc Scholarships, University and Matriculation places. (Kindly refer to our letter to the Prime Minister of Malaysia dated 23/6/2010). Letter to P.M: 56 TOP SPM Indian students up to 13 As’ denied Scholarships, Matriculation and University Places.
4) A poor, powerless and politically voiceless ethnic minority Indian mother had been separated from her three children by the Welfare Minister. The three children ate pebbles because of hunger which we have not heard even happening in famine stricken Somalia. (Kindly refer to our letter to the Prime Minister and the Welfare Minister dated 3/7/10). Three Sand and pebble eating poor and hungry Indian children in Kedah “Imprisoned”.
Kindly constitute an investigation, take the appropriate action and fund a project to help alleviate this state of children’s affairs in Malaysia and revert to us at your earliest convenience.
Thank You.
Your Faithfully,
P.Uthayakumar Secretary General (pro tem)
CC : Mr. Vernor Munoz Villalobos Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education Office or the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais Wilson United Nations Office at Geneva 8-14 Ave de la Paix 1211 Fax +41 22 917 90 06 Geneva 10 Switzerland E-mail: sreducation@ohchr.org
Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty (ICHRP)
Rue Ferdinand-Hodler 17
CH-1207 Geneva Fax: +41 (0) 22 775 33 03
Switzerland Email: ichrp@ichrp.org
Mr. Olivier De Schutter Special Rapporteur on the right to food Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations Office at Geneva 8-14, avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva10, Switzerland Fax: + 41 22 917 9006
Ms. Gay McDougall
Independent Expert on minority issues
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland Fax: + 41 22 917 9006
Mr. Githu Muigai
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10 Fax: +41 22 917 9006
Switzerland Email: racism@ohchr.org

Pakistan bans Indian film with Bin Laden lookalike

Pakistani pop singer Ali Zafar attends a press conference for Indian Bollywood film ‘Tere Bin Laden’ in Mumbai on June 21, 2010. – AFP pic

ISLAMABAD, July 14 – Pakistani censors have banned an Indian comedy film featuring a lookalike of al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden, the film’s distributor said today. The ban had been anticipated on grounds that Islamist extremists could use it as a pretext for attacks.
“They have banned it in Pakistan,” Nadeem Mandviwall said. “We have moved an appeal against the board decision but there’s little chance we will get relief.”
Mandviwall had earlier said censors had found no fault with the film itself.
“It’s because they think somebody might do something. They’re not saying there’s something wrong in the film or the picture is against Osama bin Laden or maligning him,” he said.
Walwater Media’s production, “Tere Bin Laden” (“Without You, Bin Laden”), revolves around a television journalist whose sole ambition is to gain residency in the United States.
The journalist, played by Pakistani pop star Ali Zafar, films a video with the lookalike, which quickly goes viral online, and attempts to migrate to the United States.
“Our full board have watched the movie and the majority has decided it’s not suitable for exhibition,” Masood Elahi, vice chairman of the Censor Board of Pakistan (CBP), said before the ban was imposed. He gave no reasons for the ban.
The 57-member board is made up of members from the media and public representatives and religious clerics.
Mandviwali said a ban would prompt a variety of interest groups to seek similar bars on any film they found objectionable.
Plans had called for the movie, had it escaped a ban, to be shown with the amended title “Tere Bin,” (“Without You”), because of sensitivity surrounding the name of the al Qaeda chief.
Militants linked to al Qaeda are trying to topple the civilian democratic government in conservative, Muslim Pakistan and enforce harsh Taliban-style rule. They have killed thousands in bomb and suicide attacks on minorities, markets, mosques, security forces and western targets.
Al Qaeda and Taliban militants have taken refuge in Pakistan’s border regions after US-led forces ousted the radical Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. –Reuters

PKR grassroots call for Xavier's resignation

By B Nantha Kumar - Free Malaysia Today

SHAH ALAM: Unhappy PKR grassroot leaders in Selangor have called for the resignation of state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar.

They alleged that Jeyakumar had failed to assist the community beyond the typical and routine MIC-style allocation for temples and schools.

“He (Jeyakumar) is the sole Indian exco and should be creating and finding job opportunities for Indians in the state government and local councils and resolving our welfare issues.

“Instead he is thinking like an MIC man and still stuck on temples and schools,” said one PKR leader from Puchong.

"While temples and schools were important, the bigger and more impacting reality was rising unemployment among Indian youths and the community’s social wellbeing.

"We have lived in Malaysia for more than two centuries. The BN has been a cruel government and has never helped us to solve temples and schools problem.

“But we were still capable of building temples and schools by using our own money. Now it's time for Selangor to focus on the community’s welfare,” he added.

Serving the interests of few

The disgruntled leader went on to say that despite its two years in power in Selangor, the Pakatan administration had made no significant changes involving the Indian community.

"Just look around Selangor. There are hundreds of Indian estates and villages and a majority of the population here live in a deprived state.

"The situation had not changed a single bit,” he said, adding that it was almost impossible to meet with Jeyakumar as he's constantly 'protected' by his lieutenants, including his daughter-cum PA Sangeetha.

“As a PKR member I'm ashamed to say that it's not easy to meet Xavier Jayakumar. Every time we wish to meet him, there will be some people who are close to him who will prevent us.

“He spends more time serving the interest of few people than keeping the promises he made during the general election,” he said.

Meanwhile, it is understood that a memorandum, detailing the grassroots discontentment with Jeyakumar, has been sent to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The memorandum blamed PKR’s failure in Hulu Selangor to Jeyakumar’s inaction in dealing with perennial issues facing the Indian community. It called for Jeyakumar’s resignation.

Pakatan to halt party publications for a week

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: All Pakatan Rakyat component parties will halt publication of their respective newsletters until next week, pending a meeting with the Home Ministry. Pakatan leaders say their next course of action will depend on the outcome of their talks with Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

The decision was announced by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim after a Pakatan presidential council meeting today.

Anwar, the Permatang Pauh MP, said although the opposition bloc condemns the ministry's refusal to renew the permits of all three party organs — Suara Keadilan (PKR), Harakah (PAS) and The Rocket (DAP) — it will respect procedural requirements to rectify the problem.

"We hope we can hasten the meeting with the minister and that he gives due consideration and space (for us to explain) so that the government does not appear to be autocratic," he told a press conference in his office at Parliament House.

Suara Keadilan and the other organs have been at loggerheads with the Home Ministry recently, prompting accusations that there is a government crackdown on dissent.

"It is obvious that the content of the newsletters is effective (in its assault on the government)," said Anwar.

Hishammuddin evasive

Suara Keadilan was suspended over an article claiming that the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) had gone bankrupt. The ministry claimed that the report was false.

Both Harakah and The Rocket were given show-cause letters after the two continued with their publications despite their expired permits.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said it is Hishammuddin's top priority to dispel the presumption that the refusal to renew the permits is a form of a clampdown on dissent.

But, like Anwar, Lim said they will meet all procedural requirements by responding to the show-cause letters to resolve the conflict.

Meanwhile, PKR information chief Latheefa Koya claimed that PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution and chief strategist Chua Tian Chang had earlier met with Hishammuddin in Parliament.

"But he was evasive, so let's see how we can try and have a meeting with him sometime next week," she said.

Interview of Mr. Balasubramanian a/l Perumal By French Police/French Lawyer

The French investigator appeared to be very familiar with the events in Malaysia relating to the Altantunya murder. The interview however centered on the scorpene submarine deal and the alleged commission paid in connection with that.
Police Interview
Date of interview: 12.7.2010
Time of interview: 2 pm. Interview took 3 hours.
Place of interview: Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciare DNIF, Nanterre, Paris
Interviewed by Mr. M. Ryckewaert assisted by English interpreter and another lady officer. Interview conducted in French through English interpreter.
Observation: The French investigator appeared to be very familiar with the events in Malaysia relating to the Altantunya murder. The interview however centered on the scorpene submarine deal and the alleged commission paid in connection with that.
The following were the areas covered in the interview.
1.            My background [including date and place of birth] and my occupation ranging from time I was with Malaysian police to time when I became a private investigator in 1998.
2.            The validity of my PI license.
3.            The whole story as to how I was recruited to do a job for Razak Baginda and my interview before the job done by Mr. Dhirren Norendra, a lawyer practicing in Kuala Lumpur. I was questioned about the scope of my assignment, the target and objectives of my assignment.
4.            The background to the Altantunya murder. I briefed them of the events 4eading up to and after the murder and also told them to read my first SD and the Singapore interview. Also the identity of the two police officers convicted of the murder, who they worked for as well as the identity of the various other people identified as being about when Altantunya disappeared and their link to Baginda and/or the PM.
5 .            Razak  Baginda’s relationship with our present PM, the information and events narrated to me by Baginda including the sms sent by the PM to Baginda at the point of his arrest for the murder of  Altantunya.
6.            The Malaysian company, Perimekar, its ownership, and link to Baginda and his wife. Also nature of business undertaken by Perimeker. I told them of the presence of army equipment in Baginda’s office. Information concerning Razak Baginda and his present whereabouts.
7.            Financial payments by Razak Baginda to Altantuya including the three US$5K payments by Baginda to Altantunya including a penalty of US$1K because late banking in. Also the purchase by Razak Baginda of an apartment in Mongolia for Altantunya. Also the background to US$500K payment demanded by Altantunya, its background, how it arose, its link to the Scorpene submarine deal, Altanunya’s involvement in the negotiations and admission and confirmation by Baginda that he should have paid Altantunya the money.
8.            How Rosmah Mansor teamed up with Deepak to exile me from Malaysia, the
threats to my family after I signed the first SD as well as the involvement of the PM’s brother in the events that led to the 2nd SD and my being smuggled out of Malaysia and asked to stay away till Najib became PM.
9.            I was asked to retrace the events in Rawang coffee house where Deepak, Dinesh  and ASP Suresh were present.
10.            The length and time I have in exile.
11.            Details concerning Altantunya’s cousin. Ammy, who had knowledge of the Paris
dinner where the PM and Razak Baginda were present with Altantunya.
12.            The identity of French individuals involved in the Scorpene deal.
13.            My knowledge of any payments by the French to Perimekar and information given to me by Altantunya that her US$500K was because of the successful deal concerning the Scorpene submarine transaction.
14.            The identity, background and involvement of two Malaysians identified as Major Rahim and Abdul Rahim bin Saad.
15.            Altantuya’s family background.
16.            My links with Suaram, if any.
17.            The need for justice to be served for the Altantunya murder and the truth to be told concerning the Scorpene deal.
I signed the statement that the French officer recorded.
Meeting with the French Lawyer
I also met with Mr. Joseph Breham, a French lawyer acting for Suaram, on 13.7.2010 at 10 a.m. at his office at Cabinet Bourdon-Voituriez-Burget, 156 Rue e Rivoli, Paris.

Polis Perancis sebut Najib-Rosmah ketika soal Bala

Chen Shaua Fui,, Merdeka Review 

"Najib" dan "Rosmah Mansor" antara nama yang disebut oleh polis Perancis, dalam masa lebih daripada tiga jam ketika mengambil keterangan daripada penyiasat persendirian, Balasubramaniam a/l Perumal.  Malah, nama-nama seperti Abdul Razak Baginda, Deepak Dinesh, ASP Suresh dan beberapa nama baru yang belum dikenalpasti turut disebut sepanjang proses ini, menurut sumber maklumat.

Balasubramaniam  ialah saksi penting dalam perbicaraan kes pembunuhan Altantuya Shaariibuu, tiba di Direction Centrale de la Police (DNIF), Nanterre Prefecture pada pada jam 2.30 petang (waktu Perancis) Isnin lalu, ditemani peguamnya, Manjeet Singh Dhillon.

Menurut sumber maklumat, polis Perancis sendiri mengungkit nama Perdana Menteri Najib Razak (gambar kiri, kanan) dan isteri beliau, Rosmah Mansor (gambar kiri, kiri) ketika mengambil keterangan Balasubramaniam.  Malah, nama tertuduh ketiga dalam perbicaraan kes pembunuhan Altantuya Shaariibuu, Abdul Razak Baginda; dan Deepak Dinesh (peniaga permaidani yang dituduh mengatur perjalanan Bala ketika melarikan diri) juga disebut sepanjang keterangan Bala diambil.

Dalam satu laporan eksklusif MerdekaReview pada 10 Julai 2010, Balasubramaniam (gambar kanan) yang melarikan diri ke London telah menerima panggilan rasmi daripada polis Perancis untuk memberi keterangan berhubung kes pengambilan komisen dalam urus-niaga pembelian kapal selam oleh Malaysia daripada Perancis.

Selain itu, sumber maklumat juga memberitahu MerdekaReview, Balasubramaniam telah bertemu dengan peguam SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia) di Perancis, Joseph Breham untuk dua jam, semalam.  Beliau kini sedang merangka satu kenyataan untuk diedarkan pada hari esok, kata sumber maklumat itu.

PM, Rosmah, Baginda, Deepak mentioned in Bala's French probe

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

FINAL UPDATE WITH MALAYSIA-TODAY INTERVIEW INCLUDED Malaysian private investigator P Balasubramaniam spent three hours huddled with the French police on Monday and during the long question-and-answer session, the names Najib, Rosmah, Baginda, ASP Suresh, Deepak and Dinesh cropped up several times.

“There were also some new names that Bala mentioned. I am not sure if he will reveal those when he issues a statement to the press. But because of the huge public interest, most likely his lawyers will issue the statement later tonight or tomorrow,” a source close to the investigation told Malaysia Chronicle.

The names mentioned refer to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor, their friend Razak Baginda, police officer ASP Suresh, businessman Deepak Jaikishan and his brother Dinesh.

The Malaysian leader has been accused of taking a kickback worth 114 million euros or RM570 million from French defense giant DCNS over the purchase of two Scorpene submarines he sanctioned when he was defense minister in 2002.

Najib has denied the allegations but he did benefit a company controlled by Baginda with a co-ordination and support services contract worth RM570 million.

ASP Suresh is a police officer whom Bala has known for a long time, while Deepak is a friend of Rosmah’s. When he emerged after more than a year in hiding in late 2009, Bala had said ASP Suresh and Deepak were the ones who introduced him to Najib’s brother Nazim Razak.

The meeting took place hours after Bala had made a sensational statutory declaration that incriminated Najib, Rosmah, Baginda in the submarines deal as well as in the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was trying to blackmail Baginda for her US$500,000 share of commission.

“The French police wanted to know what happened to Bala after he disappeared. They wanted to know why he ran off and who asked him to leave Malaysia. They wanted to see documentary proof of the payments he said he received from Deepak,” said the source.

RM5 million to leave Malaysia

Indeed, Bala had revealed in November 2009 that Nazim had met him at a Volkswagon showroom in The Curve shopping mall in Selangor state on July 3, 2008. Nazim’s pregnant wife was also present, he had recounted.

According to Bala, Nazim offered him RM5 million to reverse his statutory declaration, leave Malaysia immediately and to keep silent on the case. Bala also said Rosmah was very pleased that he had agreed to retract the statutory declaration and wanted to have breakfast with him.

So far, Bala says he has received RM750,000 and has also kept several bank-in slips showing transfers of around RM50,000 each time.

A former Special Branch detective, Bala's life has been turned upside down by the Altantuya murder and Scropene graft case. Last week, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission swerved at the 11th hour from recording his statement even though they had agreed to do so at a London venue, where Bala had promised to do his best to help in investigations.

Despite the MACC's suspicious behavior, Bala proceeded to Paris, where he was interviewed by the French police at the Direction Centrale de la Police in Nanterre Prefecture. The French authorities are probing possible corruption by DCNS and certain of their own politicians. Naval arms-maker DCNS has a notorious record of bribing its way into huge deals.

Malaysian civil rights group SUARAM also gave impetus to the French probe when it lodged a complaint in Paris on behalf of Malaysian taxpayers earlier this year. SUARAM director Cynthia Gabriel has said they were forced into action after Najib refused to initiate any probe into the widespread allegations of corruption.

The Nazim factor

So far, the two submarines have set back national coffers by RM6.7 billion and although Najib insists the RM570 million contract he granted to Baginda was not a form of commission, Baginda's firm - Perimekar - has no previous record of any knowledge of submarines technology.

Intertwined into the submarines acquisition is the gruesome murder of the beautiful 28-year old Altantuya, who was shot in the head and her body blown up with C4 explosives to prevent identification. Two former bodyguards of Najib's and Rosmah's have been sentenced to hang for the murder but speculation remains rife that there were masterminds involved and they are still at large.

But it was the latest revelation of the involvement of Nazim, Najib's younger architect brother, that forced the Malaysian authorities into a fresh show of action after submerging the case following Bala's 'disappearance'.

Challenged in Parliament to take action, the MACC vowed to get to the bottom of the complex case and sought an interview with Bala. But the commission - which falls under the direct purview of the Prime Minister - startled the nation and other foreign observers when it backed off at the last minute.

"It really speaks badly about law and order in Malaysia. If the national anti-graft commission can withdraw from such an important and high-profile case, surely they must have received instructions from the highest authority, and sadly, all the indicators point to Najib himself," Tian told Malaysia Chronicle.

Malaysia Chronicle appends below Part 5 of an interview Bala gave to Malaysia Today in November 2009:

PI Bala Part 5: ” I was told Rosmah was happy with my retraction”

In the fifth and final part of the mystery interview with private eye P Balasubramaniam published in Malaysia Today, he tells that prime minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor was “very happy” with him for retracting his first statutory declaration which implicated her and Najib Razak in Altantuya’s murder.

He added that Rosmah had wanted to have breakfast with him. Balasubramaniam, a central figure in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case, also revealed that he had met Najib’s younger brother Nazim the night before signing the second declaration which exonerated Najib and Rosmah.

He added that he was only paid RM750,000 of the promised RM5 million for the retraction.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

How long had you known ASP Suresh before this incident?

I have known him for about 10 years. I met him when he was a senior investigation officer at the IPK Kuala Lumpur. I was a private investigator then.

ASP Suresh used to ask me to assist him in obtaining fast traces and details on mobile phones as I had contacts in the phone companies and was able to get the information required faster than the police who had to go through official channels.

At one stage, I was working for ASP Suresh as a bouncer at his pub in Jalan Imbi. He had been suspended from his duties as a police officer sometime in 2006 as he was being investigated for corruption by the ACA.

Had you met Deepak before this incident?

No. But I had done some PI work for his brother Dinesh in the past. I knew Deepak was Dinesh’s brother.

You have said that you met a Malay VIP Datuk outside the Volkswagen showroom at The Curve on the night of July 3rd 2008. Who was this gentleman?

He was Datuk Nazim Razak, the younger brother of Najib. He was there with his pregnant wife. Although I did not speak to her, I recognised her as being a TV personality. I think she was the host on the ‘Nona’ programme. Deepak was the one who brought them there to meet me. That is why ASP Suresh did not want us to meet in a place where there would have been a CCTV camera.

When you were in the Hilton Hotel at KL Sentral with Deepak, Dinesh and ASP Suresh and after you had signed the second statutory declaration, was there anything said to you which you consider to be significant?

Yes, there were two things which Deepak told me. He informed me that Rosmah was very happy with me for retracting my first statutory declaration and wanted to have breakfast with me.

When I enquired from Deepak how long I was expected to leave the country for, he informed me it would be until Najib became the next prime minister and that I could return after that.

When did you contact your lawyer Americk Sidhu?

I called him in the middle of July 2009. I was still in India then. I wanted to arrange a meeting with him to inform him what had happened to me and to apologize for all the trouble I had caused. Americk was in the UK when I called him so we arranged to meet in Kuala Lumpur when he returned at the beginning of August.

Did you meet him?

Yes. We met in early August. At the meeting were two other senior lawyers whom Americk had arranged to be present. I told them everything that had happened to me from the time I left Americk’s office in the evening of the July 3, 2008.

Did you realise that this meeting had been secretly videoed?

I did not realise I was being filmed. I was, however, subsequently informed that a recording had been made and this video is safekeeping. I understand this was done to protect me in the event something untoward happened to me again.

How did you manage to survive financially all the time you were away?

Deepak arranged intermittent payments to be made to me. Some payments were made to my wife directly into her account with the EON Bank in KL.

Other payments were made to ASP Suresh who then arranged payment to me directly or through a friend of mine in Malaysia. I have copies of some of the cheques issued by Deepak Jaikishan and from his company, Carpet Raya Sdn Bhd.

I also have copies of my wife’s bank statements showing the deposits which were made. I also have copies of my HSBC account in Chennai.

How much money did you receive from Deepak from the time you left Malaysia in July 2008 till now?

All together, approximately RM750,000.

Do you have any money left?

Yes, I have invested approximately RM250,000 for my future as I am not sure what will happen to me. I also spent some money on renovations to my house in Rawang as my wife and youngest child were there. These renovations were in respect of the security of my home only.

The rest of the money was spent on renting accommodation in Chennai, paying for my children’s schooling and for daily expenses.

Didn’t Deepak promise you RM5 million?

The negotiations were all conducted by ASP Suresh at the Bak Kut Teh stall in Rawang on the night of the July 3, 2008. I was not involved in these negotiations as I was not concerned about money but the safety of my family.

I have subsequently come to realise that ASP Suresh had a vested interest in all this as I know he has received about the same amount of money from Deepak as I have. His job was to keep me under control. This is why he is annoyed with me for not following his instructions because his income from Deepak would be affected.

Why did you wait so long before revealing all this?

When I was at the Hilton Hotel at KL Sentral, I had asked Deepak how long I would have to stay out of the country. He told me it would have to be until Najib became the prime minister. I could not return to Malaysia before February 2009 as one Kumar had my passport in his possession in India for five months.

I only got my passport back after I complained to Deepak when he visited me in India with ASP Suresh. Deepak called his brother Rajesh to find out what had happened to my passport and within two days Kumar asked me to pick it up from him. I was at this time in India illegally as my visa had expired on September 5, 2008.

In order to get my visa extended I had to seek assistance from my wife’s uncle who is a state exco member in Tamil Nadu who managed to get it extended for one year. Only after this was I able to travel back to Malaysia.

What happened when you arrived back in Malaysia in February 2009?

When I landed in KL, I called Dinesh to inform him I was back in Malaysia. I was summoned to Deepak’s office in Sungai Besi at 11.45 pm the same night and was told in no uncertain terms to leave the country immediately, but I stayed a little longer as I wanted to be with my children and my wife. They didn’t know I had not left immediately.

Why did you come back to Malaysia in April 2009?

Just to see my wife and children. This time I did not tell anyone I was back and so I was not harassed.

Why have you now decided to reveal everything?

Because I want to stop all harassments and so that I can return to my normal life.

Were the contents of your first statutory declaration true?

Yes.

Were you forced to sign the first statutory declaration under duress?

Absolutely not.

Were you forced to sign the second statutory declaration under duress?

Yes, because I was fearful for the safety of my family and I did not read the contents of the second statutory declaration before I was asked to sign it.

Umno rules because of the non-Malays

Umno may be a Malay party. But it is not the Malays who give Umno that power to rule. It is the ‘pendatang’ Chinese and Indians and second-class citizens from East Malaysia who have been colonised by Umno. They keep Umno in power. And they allow Umno to insult them on top of that.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak says that Umno does not need PAS and that it is strong enough to survive without PAS. There are some in Umno who also belittle MCA, MIC, Gerakan, etc., and suggest that Umno is better off without these non-Malay parties -- especially when the non-Malays are ‘so demanding’.

Well, let the facts speak for themselves. Umno, on its own, is dead meat. Umno needs PAS because it realises that it rules this country at the pleasure of the non-Malays. Without the non-Malays Umno is dead. So how can Umno claim to represent the Malays when the Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia are giving it that power to rule?

Umno needs PAS because it wants to be able to legitimately claim that it is a Malay party. Currently it has no legitimate right to that claim. It is not the Malays but the non-Malays who have given Umno the power to rule.

In the last General Election, Umno won only 29.33% of the votes and 35.6% of the seats in Parliament. Only when you add the votes of the other 13 parties in the ruling coalition would Barisan Nasional win 50.27% of the votes and 63.1% of the seats.

And that is after taking into consideration the gerrymandering and postal votes, mind you. Without all this fraud and election rigging Barisan Nasional would have been kicked out and today the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, would be running the federal government.

So, no, Umno is not strong enough, as what Prime Minister Najib claims. On its own -- without the Chinese, Indians and natives of Sabah and Sarawak -- Umno would have been buried back in March 2008. And that is why it is still, until today, talking about courting PAS.

Umno knows, unless it can get married to PAS, it’s future will always depend on non-Malay support. And Umno hates that. But most Malays do not realise this and thus far Umno is safe. But once the Malays wake up and realise that it is the non-Malays who are keeping Umno in power that would be fatal for Umno.

Umno may be a Malay party. But it is not the Malays who give Umno that power to rule. It is the ‘pendatang’ Chinese and Indians and second-class citizens from East Malaysia who have been colonised by Umno. They keep Umno in power. And they allow Umno to insult them on top of that.

Bodoh punya Cina, India dan orang Sabah dan Sarawak. At least prostitutes get paid for getting screwed. You get screwed and you pay for it. You are worse than prostitutes. I have no sympathy for these types of Malaysians. And these are the people who complain the most. Stupid!

Let me say that again. Without the Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia, Umno is dead. You keep Umno in power. And you get insulted on top of that. You deserve what Umno dishes out to you. And Najib has the gall to say that Umno is strong enough and does not need PAS. And do you know that there are some leaders in PAS who feel that they should go to bed with Umno? Yes, not only are the Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia bodoh. Melayu pun ada yang bodoh.

16th July : Remembering those who died in custody

1,805 lives perished in our remand cells, prisons and detention centres between 2003 and 16th July, last year. Who are they?
View the ‘Tribute To The Custodial Death Victims Since 2003 ‘ powerpoint presentation that was screened at the Teoh Beng Hock memorial at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last year, to get an idea of how little we know of those lives lost at the hands of those in authority.
Custodial Death Presentation
This Friday, 16th July, at 8am, the family of the late Beng hock will conduct prayers outside Plaza Masalam, in Shah Alam, in memory of Beng Hock.
I view this as a private matter for family members and will not be intruding upon their privacy.
At 8pm on the same day, DAP Youth are organising a memorial for Beng Hock at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last year. I may head out there later.
This Friday, at 7pm,  Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia gathers to lay flowers by the river next to the Bar Council building in memory of those lives that were lost whilst in the custody of the very authorities who are supposed to protect us all. Details can be got HERE.
See you all this Friday outside the Bar Council building.

The last day of the inquest into the death of Guna

Guna’s inquest has stood out from the many others for one reason. In most death in custody inquests that we hear of, the usual witnesses to testify would be the police officers in attendance at the place of detention who  will give evidence of the circumstances leading up to death, a pathologist who will share his post-mortem finding as to probable cause of death and, sometimes, the next-of-kin who took delivery of the body, on the state of the same, that is, any visible bruises or wounds.
In Guna’s case, three individuals who were arrested together with him and were at the Sentul police station were able to give evidence of the events and circumstances leading up to Guna’s last moments before he died.
Those three individuals, Suresh Suppiah, Ravi Subramaniam, and Selvach Santhiran Krishnan were subpoenaed by counsel holding watching brief for the family of the deceased, to give their evidence in the inquest.
They had all previously each sworn out statutory declarations detailing what each had seen and heard on the evening of 16th July, 2009, at the time of their arrest together with Guna, and later at the Sentul police station.
Suresh and Ravi had previously attended court and rendered their testimony.
Yesterday, it was Selvach’s turn.
The proceedings were in Bahasa Malaysia. I produce below the English translation of Selvach’s evidence.
_________________________________________________
Visva : Awak kenal Gunaegaran?
Selvach : Saya kenal
Visva : Apa nama samarannya?
Selvach : Nama samarannya ‘Brake’
Visva : If shown a photograph of Gunasegaran, you would be able to recognise him?
Selvach : I can
Visva then requests the court that a photo of the deceased Guna, previously tendered in court and already marked as a court exhibit, be shown to Selvach so that he may confirm that this is the ‘Gunasegaran’ that he is referring to. The photo is shown to Selvach.
Visva : Who is the individual in the photo?
Selvach : Gunasegaran
Visva : Gunasegaran who is also known as ‘Brake’?
Selva : Yes
Visva : Can you remember the events of 16th July, 2009, approximately at 5.30pm, in the area of a toddy shop in Sentul?
Selvach : I can remember.
Visva : With whom were you with that evening?
Selvach : With friends
Visva : What happened?
Selvach : I went to urinate. The police then came and arrested me.
Visva : That evening, who were detained by the police, together with you?
Selvach : 5 of us. I, Guna, Suresh, Ravi and a Malay man whom I do not know.
Visva : Were you with Guna when he was arrested?
Selvach : I was with him
Visva : What was the process by which Guna was arrested?
Selvach : I watched Guna’s arrest from a distance. He was beaten and kicked, then handcuffed and placed in the police vehicle.
Visva : Were the arresting officers in uniform?
Selvach : No.
Visva : How many officers were there in the arresting team?
Selvach : 6 officers
Visva : What was Guna’s condition?
Selvach : Quite bad.
Visva : you and the others were placed in the same police van?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : Where we you all taken to?
Selvach : Sentul police station.
Visva : what happened at the Sentul police station?
Selvach : The police ordered us to give urine samples. I gave a sample. After that one of the police officers asked Guna for his urine sample but Guna could not. Then one of the police officers kicked Guna.
In front of me, the police officer kicked Guna in the chest.
Visva : At the Sentul police station, who was the first one to be asked to provide a urine sample?
Selvach : I was the first.
Visva : Who was the last?
Selvach : I am not sure.
Visva : You said earlier that, at the toddy shop, you saw a police officer kick and beat Guna. Can you still recognise this police officer?
Selvach : Yes.
Visva : You said you saw a police officer kick Guna in the chest. Can you still recognise him?
Selvach : Were these two different police officers o one an the same person?
Selvach : The same police officer.
Visva then requests that the police officers who were in the raiding and arresting team on 16th July, 2009 at the Sentul toddy shop be produced into court to enable Selvach to identify the alleged assailant.
5 police officers, all in civilian attire, neck tie and all, are lined up in court.
Visva asks Selvach to look in the direction of the assembled police officers.
Selvach looks in their direction.
Visva : Do you know these people?
Selvach : Yes.
Visva : Who are they?
Selvach : They are police officers from the Sentul Narcotics.
Visva : They were the officers involved in the arrest?
Selvach : Yes.
Visva : Look at the 5. You said one of them kicked and beat Guna. Look at them and tell us who is the one.
Selvach looks at the 5 officers and and indicates that the officer,  second from the left as viewed by Selvach, is the officer who assaulted Guna at the toddy shop and then later, at the Sentul police station, kicked Guna in the chest.
The officer is asked to identify himself.
He identifies himself as Lance Corporal Mohd Faisal.
The 5 officers are released.
Visva : What was the officer whom you just identified wearing at the time of arrest and beating of Guna?
Selvach : Green T-shirt and jeans.
Visva : You made a statutory declaration. Can you identify this as your statutory declaration?
Selvach is shown a statutory declaration which had previously been produced in court and marked for identification.
Selvach : Yes, this is my signature.
Visva asks that the statutory declaration be now marked as a court exhibit.
Visva : You are sure your evidence is correct and accurate?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : No further questions.
The Assistant Public Prosecutor now begins cross-examination.
APP : The kicking incident as you allege took place before or after you were released?
Selvach : After. I went back to get my I.C.
APP : How many police officers were around Guna then?
Selvach : None
APP : Guna was just lying on the floor?
Selvach : Yes
APP : Were the police not administering first aid and sprinkling water on Guna?
Selvach : When I was watching, no.
How long you observed Guna in front of the lock-up?
Selvach : About 15 minutes.
APP : Who dealt with you when returning your I.C?
Selvach : I do not remember the officer’s name
APP : Which part of the police station did you have to go to get your I.C. back?
Selvach : First Floor
APP : Same palce as where the lock- up is located?
Selvach : Yes
APP requests that Selvach be shown a photograph of the lock-up area and to indicate where he was relation to the loch-up area.
Selvach points out his position. I am unable to make out the precise location as pointed out by Selvach.
APP : Show where Guna was lying and where you were?
Selvach : Guna was lying in the lock-up area and I was on the outside.
APP : You were on the outside. Guna was on the inside. You could not have seen?
Selvach : I was outside near the door. I could see form there.
APP : You were outside. Yuo could not have seen the police officers around?
Selvach : Yes
APP : You were on the outside. You could not have seen Guna move?
Selvach : I would have been able to see Guna move.
APP : Take this court room. Say you are standing there ( points to a side door ). What would be the distance from there to the lock-up area?
Selvach indicates a point in the court room from that door which, to me, could not be more than 10 – 15 feet.
APP : After you were released and heard about the death of Guna, you met with Suresh and Ravi?
Selvach : I did not meet them.
APP : You met the family of Guna?
Selvach : No.
APP : You met the family of Guna and heard from them about how he died?
Selvach : No.
APP : If you saw him being beaten, why did you not make a police report?
Selvach : I am not the person involved in this matter.
APP : You made no report because you had only heard of this?
Selvach : I saw what happened
APP : Why did you make your statutory declaration? Who as you to do it?
Selvach : The lawyer
APP : Did you make it voluntarily?
Selvach : Yes
APP : No further questions.
Visva now re-examines Selvach.
Visva : Did you make your statutory declaration voluntarily?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : Are the contents true?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : You saw with your own eyes Guna being beaten?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : You identified the officer who beat Guna. Are you sure of his identity?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : you were asked many times about the distance between you and Guna at the Sentul police station. How far were you?
Selvach : Quite near
Visva : Was there anything impeding your vision?
Selvach : No
Visva : You are sure Guna did not move or say anything?
Selvach : I am sure
Visva : Is your evidence the truth?
Selvach : Yes
Visva : Why did you noe make a police report?
Selvach : i only knew Guna had died 3 days later.
___________________________________________
Selvach’s testimony was consistent with that of Suresh and Ravi, given earlier.
The eye witness testimony of these three individuals violently contradicts the evidence of the police officers, and that of two pathologists.
Counsels will submit before the court on 10th August, 2010.
Mahkamah Majistret Jenayah No.7,
Level 2,
Kuala Lumpur Court Complex,
Jalan Duta.
Please make time to come to court and show solidarity with this effort to get at the truth of why our sons are dying in detention.
Come and listen to what I am sure will be some explosive submissions from counsel Visva.

How the govt undermines Suhakam

Ezam (Public domain | Wiki commons)

By Deborah Loh | The Nut Graph,


WE know that Senator Ezam Mohd Nor was diverting from the real issue when he commented on the story about foreign workers at the new Istana Negara construction site allegedly not being paid their wages. By some stretch of the imagination, he turned what was really a human rights issue and possible labour law violation into a case of undermining the monarchy. In that light, Ezam may just be joining the bandwagon of fear-mongers in claiming that Malay Malaysian power and institutions are under threat.
Ezam is not worth responding to. His switching of political alliances and his repeated unfulfilled promises of political exposés speak for his credibility.
What is more important than Ezam’s rhetoric is that once again, an authority tasked with protecting people, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), is disregarded.
Subjected to bureaucracy
On 5 July 2010, two Suhakam commissioners and two officers attempted to check the workers’ living conditions following reports that there were also children living in cramped and dirty conditions at the construction site. But security guards denied Suhakam entry, saying they had to obtain permission from the building contractor.
Commissioner Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah was quoted as saying that Suhakam had called and written to inform the contractor, Maya Maju Sdn Bhd, of their planned visit. There was no reply, and Suhakam went ahead. As Muhammad Sha’ani also said, Suhakam is “mandated and duty-bound to make sure no human rights abuses are taking place”.
What if Maya Maju were never to respond to Suhakam’s request? What if every other case of alleged or suspected human rights abuse could only be opened to inspection after Suhakam writes, waits and obtains permission? How would the commission be expected to conduct its work?
As if that wasn’t enough, the Works Ministry then told Suhakam to make “an official request” to the Public Works Department. The commission has done this and is still waiting for a response. Given government bureaucracy, when would that response be forthcoming? And in the meantime, what could be happening behind the palace gates?

Palace gates (Public domain | Wiki commons)

At the same time, what’s stopping the works minister from quickly facilitating Suhakam’s investigation since the matter falls under the ministry’s jurisdiction?
Suhakam should not be made to go through the hassle of putting in written applications just so it can discharge its duties. The commission does not comprise “ordinary” members of the public, but individuals of high standing entrusted to hold the country accountable on human rights. Even “ordinary” citizens’ complaints about dealing with the civil service are attended to, thanks to government measures such as online services. Why, then, couldn’t the government attend to Suhakam’s request more efficiently? What more when the commissioners are appointed by the government?
Suhakam who?
Suhakam’s powers, by law, mandate it to study and verify infringements of human rights, and to act on its own to inquire into alleged violations. It need not wait for formal reports to be lodged. It needs this freedom to conduct probes independently, and not on the goodwill or permission of others, to fulfill its roles. One of which is to advise, assist and recommend to the government the laws and international treaties, procedures and necessary measures required to uphold fundamental liberties.
So when both a private (the building contractor) and public (the Works Ministry) entity show disregard for Suhakam by denying it entry to a site where violations are potentially occurring, or by stalling its work with red tape, what kind of message is sent?
The message is that Suhakam carries little or no weight. That it lacks authority.
But this isn’t the first time Suhakam isn’t taken seriously. The government regularly reinforces the underlying message that Suhakam needn’t be listened to. It does so whenever Suhakam annual reports are not tabled in Parliament. And when motions to debate these reports are rejected. It does so again when it sidelines Suhakam’s recommendation, since 2003, to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for indefinite detention without trial. The commission wants the ISA replaced with a law that includes trial in open court. But the government is only offering a review of the ISA, drafts of which are kept from the public.
Suhakam has also reported its findings and recommended ways to prevent deaths in custody, allow freedom of assembly, and ensure proper treatment of migrants and refugees, among others. Yet to what extent has the situation in any of these areas improved?
And when the commission tried to obtain a copy of the police shooting guidelines following cases like Norizan Salleh’s and Aminulrasyid Amzah’s, it was again rebuffed. Additionally, new commissioners for the 2010-2013 term were only named 45 days after the previous term expired on 23 April 2010.
Eye wash

(Wiki commons)

The government might have avoided an international downgrade of Suhakam by amending the law on the selection of commissioners. But even this doesn’t do much to mend public perception that Suhakam remains ineffective.
Keeping it alive year after year, since its inception in 2000, is but a window-dressing exercise so long as the government doesn’t take Suhakam seriously or give it the true independence it needs.
The blame here is not on Suhakam, which is not blind to its own weakness as summarised in its 2009 report for the Universal Periodic Review. Rather, this is an indictment of the government’s hypocrisy in paying lip-service to human rights while curbing the freedom of its own human rights commission and disregarding its views. It is the government’s disempowering of Suhakam that drives the public’s negative perception of the commission.
If Ezam can somehow equate suspected abuse of foreign workers with an attack on the monarchy, then allow me, too, some fanciful thinking. What if, to protest the government’s hypocrisy towards Suhakam, the commissioners themselves resigned en masse? What a powerful message this would send to international monitoring groups. It could be one way to get the government to reform Suhakam and take it seriously.

Fitnah Jahat Kerana Pimpinan UMNO-BN Terdesak

—KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA—
14 Julai 2010, Parlimen Malaysia

Pimpinan Umno, melalui lidah rasminya Utusan Malaysia telah memintal fitnah jahat demi menggambarkan saya sebagai seorang yang terdesak dan sanggup menjadi talibarut CIA. Laporan akhbar bertarikh 11hb Julai 2010 telah memuatkan laporan yang bertajuk “Penulis Blog AS Dedah Anwar Alat CIA” dan juga memintal pembohongan kononnya saya membuat bayaran kepada Cable News Network(CNN) untuk muncul di ruangan Connect The World. Dengan hanya berasaskan tulisan blog Elaine Supkis (kononnya blog terkenal) dan kenyataan seseorang yang bernama Joshua Trevino, Utusan Malaysia milik Umno, tanpa berpandukan etika kewartawanan memulakan satu kempen yang berakarkan kebencian.

Walaubagaimanapun pada 13hb Julai 2010, Cable News Network (CNN) telah menafikan bahawa saya membuat sebarang bayaran kepada organisasi media tersebut untuk muncul di ruangan Connect The World. Penafian ini sekaligus membuktikan tuduhan yang dilemparkan pimpinan Umno-Bn terhadap saya melalui akhbar Utusan Malaysia merupakan satu fitnah yang jahat dan dangkal. Malahan organisasi CNN yang berpengkalan di Hong Kong berpandangan adalah janggal mengapa tiada usaha dari pihak Utusan untuk mendapatkan kepastian dari pihak mereka. Tindakan Utusan merupakan satu kecurangan yang nyata dari amalan kewartawanan yang bermaruah dan bebas.

Kita sedar fitnah ini direkayasa khusus untuk merosakkan reputasi saya sebagai Ketua Pembangkang serta bercita-cita menggugat keutuhan muafakat Pakatan Rakyat. Pastinya cita-cita jahat mereka hanya akan tinggal sebagai satu angan-angan kosong semata. Serangan fitnah bertali arus yang ditujukan kepada saya ini bukanlah suatu yang baru. Sebelum ini saya telah dituduh sebagai agen Cina, agen India, agen Kadazan, agen Iban dan kini, mengulangi skrip lama yang usianya menjangkau satu dekad, pembohongan kononnya saya tali barut CIA kembali didendangkan.

Ternyata ianya tidak mengejutkan. Apa yang mengejutkan ialah kegagalan pimpinan Umno-Bn untuk menyedari bahawa rakyat sudahpun mual dengan fitnah sebegini. Apatah lagi sepanjang pentadbiran Dato’ Sri Najib, rakyat disajikan dengan khabar yang muluk muluk kononnya Umno-Bn berhasrat mahu melaksanakan perubahan. Namun semua itu tidak mungkin berlaku di bawah pemerintahan Umno-Bn. Setiap kali pimpinan Umno-Bn terdesak mereka akan menggunakan taktik kekerasan seperti melumpuhkan kebebasan media serta memintal fitnah jahat terhadap lawan yang berupaya menewaskan mereka. Kita memberi amaran kepada pimpinan Umno-Bn untuk bersedia dihukum pada Pilihanraya Umum yang akan datang. Rakyat akan membuat pilihan tepat demi memilih permuafakatan Pakatan Rakyat untuk memimpin Perubahan.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Every Cabinet Minister and Barisan Nasional component party should take a stand – whether in support of Muhyiddin or Nazri on Perkasa and formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan Perkasas

By Lim Kit Siang,

Two diametrically opposite stand on the recrudescence of racist posturings and outpourings in Malaysia 53 years after Merdeka, 47 years after formation of Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak and 15 months after Prime Minister’s Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s proclamation of 1Malaysia policy.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz rightly smacked down the ridiculous idea of the MCA Vice President Datuk Lim Siang Chai for a Chinese version of Perkasa to counter Perkasa.

I fully agree with Nazri when he described Siang Chai’s suggestion was “ridiculous” as it would only cause racial tension among the Malays and Chinese at a time when the government should be defusing it.

It is utterly shocking that a Deputy Minister of the Najib administration which advocated a 1Malaysia policy could envisage and even publicly propose the formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban and Kadazan Perkasa to counter the extremist racist posturings and outpourings of Perkasa, as it is a great disservice to five decades of Malaysian nation-building and a total repudiation of Najb’s 1Malaysia policy to create a vibrant, productive and competitive nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic group second.

But what is even more shocking is that the MCA Deputy Minister’s ridiculous suggestion of a plethora of ethnically-based Perkasas has the blessings of the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who came to Siang Chai’s defence.

In doing so, Muhyiddin has confirmed that he is the foremost opponent of 1Malaysia in Cabinet and government – as he had previously declared publicly that he is a Malay first and a Malaysian second!

The question is whether Muhyiddin will have the upper hand if every Cabinet Minister has to take a stand whether to support Muhyiddin or Nazri on the question of the spawning of ethnic Perkasas in the country.

Every Cabinet Minister and Barisan Nasional component party should take a stand – on support for Muhyiddin or Nazri on the issue of Perkasa and formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan Perkasas in particular and the 1Malaysia policy in general.

Policeman who kicked detainee 'identified' at inquest

The Sun 
by S.Tamarai Chelvi

KUALA LUMPUR (July 13, 2010): A police detainee identified at a coroner's inquest today, a policeman whom he claimed had kicked fellow detainee R. Gunasegaran on his chest at Sentul police station last year.

S. Selvach, who had also been detained together with Gunasegaran on July 16, 2009 at Jalan Sentul with three others, said the plainclothed policeman had earlier hit Gunasegaran with a piece of wood, causing him to fall on to the ground.

Selvach said at Sentul police station, he gave his urine in a bottle for a urine test, but Gunasegaran could not provide urine for tests.

"One of the policeman kicked him on his chest," said Selvach, to questions by Gunasegaran's family lawyer, M. Visvanathan.

Asked if he can recognise the policeman who had kicked Gunasegaran on his chest, Selvach said: "Yes, I can still remember."

Visvanathan then asked for the police officers involved in the case to be present in the court for identification and five policemen entered the court room.

Selvach identified all five as policemen from the anti-narcotics branch at Sentul police station who had been involved in the arrests on July 16 last year.

Asked to identify the one who had allegedly kicked Gunasegaran, Selvach pointed at a policeman, who then identified himself to the court as Lance Corporal Mohd Faizal.

Earlier, asked to describe Gunasegaran's condition on being kicked, Selvach said it "was bad."

He said Gunasegaran had fainted after that and he (Selvach) was not sure then whether Gunasegaran was dead or alive.

Q: Was his body moving?

A: No

Q: Was he talking?

A: No

To questions by DPP Shashitah Mohamad Hanifa, Selvach said he saw Gunasegaran lying at the lock-up area when he came back later to take his identity card after he was released.

To a suggestion that he could not have seen Gunasegaran, who was in the lock up area while he was outside, Selvach disagreed.

Selvach also disagreed to another suggestion by DPP Shahshitah that he had met with the accused's family and other friends, and only knew about the incident based on what they had told him.

Earlier, Sentul district police chief ACP Zakaria Pagan who testified in the inquest, agreed with Visvanathan that although it was a requirement of law that a report be lodged on a death, until today, there was no police report lodged on Gunasegaran's death.

Hearing before Coroner Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin continues on Aug 10. -- theSun

Polis batal hasrat 'geledah' Ibupejabat KEADILAN

Polis batal 'periksa' pejabat PKR

Abdul Rahim Sabri
Polis membatalkan hasrat memeriksa ruang kerja seorang ahli majlis pimpinan pusat PKR Badrul Hisham Shaharin di ibu pejabat parti itu di Petaling Jaya awal petang ini.

Badrul (bawah) - yang hadir menunggu di situ sejak jam 1 tengah hari - berkata, kira-kira jam 3 petang tadi, beliau dimaklumkan mengenai pembatalan itu melalui SMS daripada seorang pegawai ibu pejabat polis daerah (IPD) Seremban.

Katanya, setelah menelefon kembali, polis memaklumkan bahawa mereka telah sampai ke lokasi itu tetapi terpaksa pulang tanpa membuat sebarang pemeriksaan kerana "mempunyai tugas lain yang lebih penting".

"Pegawai polis kata mereka sudah sampai dan hantar SMS. Kemudian saya hubunginya semula dan pegawai itu berkata bahawa beliau mendapat arahan untuk tugas lebih penting dan berpatah balik ke Negeri Sembilan," katanya.

Menurut ketua cabang PKR Rembau itu, beliau dimaklumkan, masa dan tarikh bagi pemeriksaan lanjut mereka akan diuruskan kemudian oleh pegawai penyiasat kesnya.

Jumaat lalu, Badrul ditahan polis di Seremban antaranya ekoran tulisannya dalam blog yang didakwa menghasut. Rumahnya di Bukit Chedang juga digeledah polis tetapi tiada apa-apa barang diambil.

Setelah tiga jam ditahan dan dirakamkan kenyataannya, Badrul dibebaskan setelah dilaporkan memberikan kerjasama yang baik kepada pihak polis.

Polis dakwa Badrul tak angkat telefon

Tindakan polis hari ini dipercayai ekoran kenyataan Badrul dalam blog bahawa beliau tidak mempunyai komputer peribadi, sebaliknya menumpang di pejabat lain, termasuk di ibu pejabat PKR bagi menghasilkan sesuatu artikel.

Bercakap kepada pemberita, Badrul beranggapan, kehadiran wartawan mungkin menyebabkan pihak berkuasa membatalkan hasrat itu buat masa ini.

Sebelum itu, pada jam 2.45 petang tadi, Malaysiakini mendapati dua buah kereta polis bertulis "pegawai penyiasat PDRM" - dengan lima anggota - berhenti dan berlegar-legar di hadapan pejabat PKR.

Bagaimanapun, tidak pasti kumpulan tersebut yang terlibat 'memeriksa' ruang kerja Badrul di pejabat parti tersebut.

Turut menemani Badrul adalah timbalan presidennya Dr Syed Husin Ali.

Sementara itu, Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Negeri Sembilan ACP Zaki Masroh mengesahkan mereka ke pejabat PKR bagi mengambil laptop yang digunakan oleh Badrul.

Katanya, perkara tersebut penting bagi melengkapkan siasatan kes tersebut.

Bagaimanapun, Zaki berkata mereka membatalkannya kerana panggilan daripada pegawainya tidak dijawab oleh Badrul.

"Itu sahaja, sebab itu kita kena berjumpa dengan dengan che'GuBard (Badrul). Nak masuk rumah orang kena beri salam dulu," katanya ketika dihubungi Malaysiakini.

baca juga laporan dari TMI dengan klik sini

Leaky sub is more impt than who leaked info!

It’s so fun/ny to watch politicians trying to spin the most incredulous stuff to distract and cover things up:

It is an act of sabotage. This was the reaction of Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday to the leaked information that led to unfavourable press reports about the country’s first submarine, the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman.
“The person or persons who leaked the information on the submarine’s defects may have intentionally done it to sabotage and undermine the competency of the country’s defence system,” he said, adding that he suspects the culprit or culprits could be involved in the maintenance work of the submarine.
He said leaking information pertaining to the defence system was “very serious” and accused those involved of being traitors.

Always trying to blame the messenger and ignore the message.
The submarine that cost Malaysia an arm and a leg doesn’t even dive.
The only real threat to national security this is is the amount of our money stolen by corrupt leaders in this corrupt deal.
Everything stinks about this submarine purchase – from Altantuya all the way to the French investigations.
Zahid should stop idiotically blaming ‘leaks’ of information, and concentrate more about the leaks in the damned sub itself.
(today the Selangor government tabled the Freedom of Information enactment, observe the difference)
Oh, and what’s this about ‘those involved in the maintenance work’?
Wouldn’t that be Razak Baginda’s Ombak Laut, Perimekar, etc?
Jawablah, Najib.

Get rid of Chinese NGOs as well, says Perkasa boss

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Perkasa boss Ibrahim Ali today challenged the government to eliminate Chinese NGOs such as education group Dong Jiao Zhong if it feels that the Malay right-wing group which he leads should be eradicated.

He was responding to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz who said yesterday that it was best to "get rid of" groups like Perkasa, which are stumbling blocks to the 1Malaysia agenda.

"When Nazri said Umno does not support Perkasa, fine, we accept it. But when he said it is best to get rid of Perkasa, that is uncalled for.

“Why not get rid of other ethnic-based NGOs like Dong (Jiao) Zhong and others?" Ibrahim told reporters at Parliament House.

Nazri had made the remark when he shot down the proposal by MCA vice-president Donald Lim to set up a Chinese version of Perkasa to counter Ibrahim's movement.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had a different take, saying that everyone was entitled to form their own Perkasa.

'Utterly shocking'

This drew flak from DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, who described Muhyiddin's statement as “utterly shocking” and accused the number two of blatant disrespect for his boss.

"It is utterly shocking that a deputy prime minister of the Najib administration which advocated the 1Malaysia policy could envisage and even publicly propose the formation of Chinese, Indian, Iban and Kadazan Perkasa to counter the racist posturings and outpourings of Perkasa,” he said.

However, Ibrahim claimed that Chinese chauvinist groups are attempting to paint Perkasa as a racist outfit, a charge which he vehemently denies.

"DAP is trying hard to exploit this notion... where the distorted portrayal of a great organisation like Perkasa has given the wrong impression to the public

"DAP is trying to manipulate the issue by harping on the statement made by the deputy prime minister, as if he is supporting Perkasa...,” he added.

Ibrahim, who is also the independent MP for Pasir Mas, stressed that Perkasa's struggle is to uphold the Federal Constitution and Najib's 1Malaysia.

DAP, he said, is making a “rude and perverted” demand for racial equality.

Indian awakes from a coma while family weer preparing for funeral

In India, a 27-year-old man awakens from a coma while his family were making preparations for his funeral. That the paper Uthaya Surian said .

Sivakumar had only months ago, a brain trauma after an accident with his rickshaw. Without a doctor to consult, was the man to buy drugs. Shortly after he had taken, he fell into a deep coma.

Final hours beaten
So deep that his family thought the last hour of Sivakumar was beaten. That was the diagnosis of the doctor. Everything was therefore prepared for the funeral of the man.

Hand
The son of Sivakumar, however, saw the hand of his father's move. The doctor was called in. To everyone's relief, which could establish that the rickshaw driver was out of his coma.

'No new Penan rape cases'

By Rahmah Ghazali - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has today denied that there are new rape cases involving Penan women, as revealed in a report by Penan Support Group (PSG) last week. Its deputy minister Heng Seai Kei said this was based on a dialogue conducted between minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and the village heads yesterday and also on police record.

PSG last week released a report “A Wider Context of Sexual Exploitation of Penan Women and Girls in Middle and Ulu Baram, Sarawak, Malaysia”, which was presented to Parliament.

The report revealed that there were at least seven new rape cases, which indicates the exploitation of the indigenous community was more widespread than was previously thought.

However, Heng said that no official complaints have been made on the alleged incidents.

“Although the report was released by the PSG, the village head has denied there were any new rape cases. The police, too, have not received any official complaints,” he added.

Despite all this, Heng said the ministry will not treat the matter lightly.

“We are still concerned... Protecting women and children is important. If it really happened, we must take steps to ensure it will not recur,” she said.

Government assistance

Heng, however, was displeased with the public and the opposition for “accusing” the government of doing nothing to tackle the issue.

“We are very disappointed because the prime minister (Najib Tun Razak) has announced that he will visit Baram. Shahrizat has also gone there yesterday to have a closer look at the situation,” she said.

Besides, she said the government has made every effort to help the victims.

“The ministry has gone there to teach them to defend themselves from sexual harassment... ”

“Also, the Home Ministry has registered the births of the children so that they can attend schools. We have also allocated a site for 12,000 Penan people to resettle,” she said.