Astacanggih buy a chance to increase landbank, says Boustead

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 – Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB) has said Increasing its landbank is the reason to buy 80 per cent of Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, adding today it was purely commercial decision.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) officials have called the RM30 million paid for the Astacanggih stake and another RM130 million for 80.9371ha of Bukit Raja land in Selangor as a bailout for Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Seri Raja Ropiaah Abdullah.

Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan had dropped his suit against Raja Ropiaah over the land sale earlier, although he has lamented that the deal benefited the politician.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia today, BHB said economies of scale can be achieved by combining the land with the adjacent 283.28 ha. land held under Jendela Hikmat Sdn Bhd, which the Boustead Group and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) jointly hold a 60 per cent equity interest.

Based on its experience, BHB said it is confident the acquisition of the development land will be able to generate a return on development cost of 25 per cent from the RM160 million investment.

On Dec 27, 2012, BHB announced its wholly-owned subsidiary Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd was acquiring an 80 per cent stake in Astacanggih Sdn Bhd.

The acquisition formed part of the corporate exercise to acquire an 80 per cent interest in the 80.9371 ha. development land in Bukit Raja at a total price of RM160 million or RM18.37 per square feet.

In the filing, BHB and Bakti Wira Development had started negotiations with Awan Megah Sdn Bhd on their proposed sale of the Bukit Raja land on April 11, 2005.

BHB received an offer letter from the shareholders of Astacanggih on their proposed sale of Astacanggih on June 15, 2012.

However, the group was only able to conclude the final agreements in the third week of December 2012 after a prolonged negotiation with the respective parties.

In a media statement, LTAT said it did not play a role in the commercial decision made by BHB.

LTAT chairman Admiral ® Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor also reiterated it was to expand the company’s landbank.

“Astacanggih currently does not have any bank loan, and will make a loan to finance the acquisition and land development in Bukit Raja,” he said.

Mohd Anwar said LTAT will closely monitor all its investments including in Boustead to ensure they bring the best returns for LTAT’s contributors, who are Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) personnel.

“LTAT has full confidence that the land development project will be successful, like other Boustead land development projects, besides providing affordable houses for purchase by ATM personnel,” he added.

Musa: IGP, top brass avoided me

The ex-top cop defends his open criticism of the police force, saying that he had reached a dead end when trying to engage with the top brass and his successor the inspector general of police.

PETALING JAYA: Each time Musa Hassan approached his successor Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ismail Omar, the latter would “walk away” from him, making all communication between the two impossible, the ex-IGP said.

“I don’t have the chance to talk to [Ismail] because whenever we meet even in public, he just walks away from me,” said Musa in a recent interview with FMT.

“I don’t know [why]. Maybe they think I am no longer relevant,” he said.

Musa said this when asked if he had raised the issue of criminal elements and political interference in the police force with the IGP before announcing it to the public.

Musa had dropped the bombshell two months ago during a press conference with crime watchdog MyWatch, which coincided with the opening of the Umno general assembly.

His timing, as well as his new role as the patron of the NGO lead by PKR members, had led many to grill him on his motives.

While the question on most people’s lips is “why now?” (Musa’s reply: the timing was a coincidence), others have expressed disgust at what they perceive as efforts that could destroy the police force’s credibility.

Musa’s rival, former top cop Ramli Yusuff had slammed him for turning to the media instead of discussing the issues with Ismail in private.

“You don’t have to say these kind of things in the open. These are internal matters. Musa could have discussed it discreetly with Ismail, meet up with him, tell him nicely,” the former commercial crimes investigation department (CCID) chief had told FMT last month.

But Musa told FMT that not only did Ismail deliberately avoid him, but the top brass also refused to speak with him on the matter.

“I have spoken to some police officers. But of course they are lower rung, they can’t do anything about it. But the bosses, they refuse to talk to me,” claimed Musa.

When asked whether the current leadership of the police was open to discussing such issues head-on in a transparent manner, he said: “I don’t think so.”

“I see Ismail [as] only a ceremonial IGP. He would only attend ceremonies,” Musa remarked.

Encouraging transparency

He also dismissed claims by his detractors that his bombshells would destroy the credibility of the men in blue.

Instead, Musa said, open criticism of the police force would encourage transparency and enhance its credibility.

“I don’t think so, [that making claims publicly would erode confidence in the institution]. You have to be open about this…

“If you keep quiet and keep things this way… there will always be the perception of the public that you are not doing anything,” Musa pointed out.

“[Then] it would erode the credibility of the police and also the confidence of the people [towards the police].”

‘People still want me to be involved’

Ramli had also criticised Musa, now technically a civilian after having retired in 2010, for “disturbing” the police with his allegations.

“When you have retired, your days are over. You don’t disturb. Your successors have their own way of doing things. You are gone, so why do you want to disturb?” Ramli had said.

But Musa told FMT that he still received text messages and even visits from people asking for his help in matters related to crime.

He said that when people contacted him for advice or help, it meant that they still wanted him to be involved in crime-fighting.

“The question mark is why people still give information to me even though I am retired, when they can give it straight to the police officer?

“That’s why I feel sometimes that something is wrong here. Why should people trust me? They should trust the police because I am already retired,” stressed Musa.

He said that despite being a civilian, he could not bring himself to deny them help as they would come to his house asking for advice.

‘MyWatch under attack’


Meanwhile, MyWatch chairman R Sri Sanjeevan said that The Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch), and Musa, were being attacked from “certain people who want crime to happen or benefit from crime.”

When asked who he meant, he cryptically replied: “Can be kingpins. Can be kingpins who are benefiting from the crime. The people running the crime. The people who are associated with some cops and all these.”

He also said that the bad press, speculation and criticism aimed at MyWatch and its prolific patron would not deter the NGO.

“This is very much anticipated from day one. These are acts by certain people to divert our attention. They just want us to go out of track. All this is not going to stop us,” said Sanjeevan.

“We are very clear of our vision, we know where we are heading, we know our objective. They can always say we are politically motivated, they can always say there is someone behind us, but we are not.

“We have always made ourselves clear. Our objective is crime. We don’t feel safe. It is a national issue, it is a universal problem. So all of us must stay together to tackle this issue.”

Sanjeevan said that MyWatch aimed to be different from other NGOs.

He said MyWatch would not only assist in reducing crime and acting as a police watchdog, but are accountable to the people – something other NGOs were not doing, he claimed.

“We want this to be very different. Other NGOs are not accountable to the public, we want the public to know what we are doing, what we plan to do,” he said.

Pakatan to decide on ‘Allah’ issue next week

Anwar says the matter would be deliberated at the opposition pact's leadership council meeting scheduled for next Tuesday.

PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Rakyat leadership will be holding a meeting on Jan 8 to deliberate on use of the word “Allah” to represent God in Malay language Bibles, said PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim.

“We have will be holding our leadership council meeting next week and I believe the matter will be raised. We will discuss this,” said the former deputy prime minister.

Last month, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urged the government to allow Christians to use the word “Allah”, to address God in the Malay language Bibles.

However, his suggestion drew criticism from several Muslim-based NGOs which cautioned Lim not to provoke the Muslims.

Lim was also rebuked by his ally within Pakatan when PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that non-Muslims should abstain from using the word Allah in their holy books as reference to God.

Meeting with Bank Negara confirmed

Touching on the Global Financial Integrity report (GFI), Anwar said that Bank Negara had agreed to meet him to discuss the latest report by the financial watchdog on the illicit outflow of funds from Malaysia.

“We have proposed to meet on Jan 17, which they have tentatively agreed. They promised to get back to us,” said Anwar.

The US-based financial watchdog reported that Malaysia ranked number two in terms of illicit outflow of funds in 2010, ranking second to China.

The report indicated that Malaysia lost RM200 billion in that year alone. Between 2001 and 2010, Malaysia lost about RM871 billion in capital outflow.

Describing it as “alarming”, Anwar had since offered to meet Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz to offer solution to the matter.

No news from ROS


Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) has yet to reply to Pakatan’s request to formally register as a coalition to take on Barisan Nasional in the general election.

“Umno is accusing us of being disunited for not registering ourselves as a coalition but on the other hand, ROS is keeping quiet on our application,” said the Machang MP.

When asked if Pakatan would pressure the ROS on the matter, Saifuddin said, “We will follow our own call on good governance. We will just follow up using proper channels.”

Minimum wage hotlines launched

PSM says the government has gone back on its word by giving leeway to 600 firms.

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and the workers’ rights organisation Jerit have set up a system to monitor companies’ compliance with the Minimum Wage Act.

This followed last week’s announcement by the Human Resources Ministry that it had permitted 600 companies to restructure wages so that what were previously categorised as allowances were now incorporated into the basic pay.

PSM secretary general S Arutchelvan today described that decision as tantamount to the government going back on its word.

He told a press conference that the monitoring system would be managed by PSM and Jerit. At its heart is a network of hotline numbers that disgruntled workers can call to lodge complaints, which will then be forwarded to the Human Resources Ministry. There are also complaint forms that workers can fill in without fear of their identities being revealed.

Arutchelvan said PSM and Jerit were distributing the complaint forms to workers in gazetted industrial areas.

He also announced that the two organisations would hold their Minimum Wage Awareness Week from Jan 20 to Jan 26 at various industrial zones nationwide, where they will distribute cards explaining workers’ rights under the minimum wage policy.

Jerit coordinator M Sivaranjani said more than 300 workers had approached Jerit and PSM since December with inquiries about minimum wage.

The Minimum Wage Act was gazetted in July 2012 and becomes effective this month. It fixes minimum wage at RM900 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM800 in Sabah and Sarawak.

Arutchelvan demanded that the government reveal the names of the 600 companies that have been exempted.

He suggested that the government provide subsidy assistance to companies claiming to have difficulties in giving minimum wage instead of allowing them to postpone its implementation.

He also suggested that the Human Resource Ministry announce a hotline number for workers to lodge complaints against companies breaking the minimum wage law.

Ibu bapa, murid buat demo bantah guru ditukar

Dua guru sekolah itu dipindahkan ke sekolah lain kerana dikatakan membuat aduan kepada pihak atasan berhubung kes guru besar yang mengeluarkan kata-kata lucah kepada pekerja am.

JEMPOL: Seramai 60 ibu bapa, penjaga dan murid mengadakan bantahan aman di depan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) Ladang Kelpin, Rompin, di Jempol Negeri Sembilan; pada hari pertama pembukaan sekolah sesi 2013 semalam.

Bantahan diadakan berikutan rasa tidak puas hati terhadap tindakan pihak bertanggungjawab menukar dua guru sekolah terbabit ke sekolah lain tanpa alasan munasabah.

Murid-murid yang turut mengadakan bantahan tidak mahu masuk ke dalam kelas selama sejam.

Ibu bapa mendakwa dua guru sekolah itu dipindahkan ke sekolah lain kerana dikatakan membuat aduan kepada pihak atasan berhubung kes guru besar yang mengeluarkan kata-kata lucah kepada dua pekerja am di sekolah tersebut.

Mereka juga mendakwa guru besar sekolah tersebut mengugut akan memberhentikan dua pekerja am tersebut jika memberitahu perkara tersebut kepada orang lain.

Kejadian didakwa berlaku pada 25 September 2012 apabila dua pekerja am sekolah berkenaan, K Poopathy,24, dan adik iparnya R Komathy,19, sedang membersihkan kawasan sekolah.

Komathy mendakwa guru besar itu menegur Poopathy dan berkata Poopathy nampak letih kerana bersama suaminya semalam dan guru besar itu memberitahu dia pandai mengurut dan kemudian mempelawanya masuk ke biliknya.

“Dia juga memanggil kami untuk melihat dua ekor anjing yang sedang mengawan di luar pagar sekolah. Kemudian mengugut kami supaya tidak memberitahu perkara itu kepada orang lain.

“Jika kami maklumkan juga, kami akan diberhentikan kerja selain guru besar tidak akan mendatangani slip gaji kami. Jadi kami takut dan mengadu pada guru sekolah terbabit,” kata Komathy.

Laporan polis

Sehubungan itu Komathy berkata beliau telah membuat laporan polis pada 27 September tahun lalu berhubung tingkah laku guru besar tersebut kerana bimbang akan keselamatan beliau dan Poopathy.

M Manivanan, 40, bapa kepada seorang murid, berkata beliau terkejut dengan pertukaran guru-guru terbabit yang disifatkan sebagai tindakan mengejut.

“Kami tidak mahu guru besar seperti ini yang mengeluarkan kata-kata tidak senonoh kepada orang lain. Sepatutnya guru besar ini yang harus dipindahkan ke sekolah lain,” katanya.

C Parvathy,46, nenek kepada seorang murid dari sekolah yang sama berkata beliau kecewa dengan pertukaran dua guru terbabit kerana mereka hanya mempertahankan maruah dua pekerja am wanita itu.

“Saya difahamkan dua guru ini memaklumkan insiden dan tingkah laku guru besar itu kepada pihak atasan,” kata Parvathy.
Suami kepada salah seorang guru yang ditukarkan sekolah berkata, isterinya hanya diberitahu mengenai pertukaran itu, seminggu sebelum musim persekolahan baru dibuka.

“Saya juga begitu kecewa apabila mendapat tahu berita berkenaan. Isteri saya hanya mempertahankan maruah dua pekerja am ini. Bagaimanapun saya mahu kes ini disiasat pihak atasan,” ujar beliau.

Sementara itu Exco Kerajaan Negeri, Datuk Shamsulkahar Mohd Deli yang menjaga portfolio Jawatankuasa Pelajaran dan Pengajian Tinggi Negeri, berkata beliau akan menyiasat insiden tersebut dengan pihak berkenaan.

Musa Hassan zips lips in latest scorcher on Altantuya murder

Amin Iskandar, The Malaysian Insider

Tan Sri Musa Hassan has refused to be drawn into the latest controversy over the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, following the publication of a book claiming the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has inside information.

The retired policeman reiterated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was uninvolved in the explosive case that had been linked to several politicians from the ruling Barsian Nasional (BN) and had resurfaced recently in the run-up to the 13th general election.

“I have nothing to comment,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted yesterday for a response on allegations he has knowledge of the events surrounding the death of the Mongolian translator, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences.

“I have said it many times: Najib is not involved with the murder of Altantuya. This is (Abdul) Razak Baginda’s work,” he said, referring to the PM’s former political advisor who once had an affair with the Mongolian.

“I had briefed Pak Lah that Najib was not involved in this case,” Musa said, referring to the then-PM, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

A 26-page book titled “The Black Rose ― Black Rose 1.0”, which describes the tangled web of high-profile personalities purportedly involved in the murder conspiracy, has been circulating on the Internet over the past few days.

Carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan, who is at the centre of the controversy surrounding P. Balasubramaniam’s conflicting sworn testimonies on the case, yesterday admitted to being the book’s author. He also said he will release a sequel.

Balasubramaniam, a former policeman-turned-private investigator who was at that time hired by Abdul Razak Baginda to keep an eye on Altantuya, is seen to be a key witness to the whole saga.

Deepak recently revealed his involvement in getting Balasubramaniam to make the second statutory declaration (SD), reversing an earlier statement linking Najib to Altantuya’s murder.

The Bar Council was chided on Tuesday for dragging its feet in investigating the identity of the mystery lawyer behind Balasubramaniam’s controversial second SD.

Lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu, who is acting for the former private detective, said that the Bar Council should speed up its inquiry on the high-profile case that had previously been linked to several high-ranking government officials and resurfaced recently in the run-up to the 13th general election.

The Bar Council has said it is investigating the possibility of misconduct in the drafting of Balasubramaniam’s second SD, which contradicts his previous sworn statement made just a day earlier over the death of the Mongolian translator.

A cloud of mystery has been hanging over the identity of the lawyer who had drawn up Balasubramaniam’s second SD, dated a day after his first on July 3, 2008, regarding the Altantuya murder case.

Last month, Musa accused politicians, including Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, of interfering with police work.

Malaysian Businessman Continues Attacks on Premier

Deepak at the ramparts

(Asia Sentinel) Prime Minister Najib, his wife and UMNO leaders remain silent in the face of charges

Disaffected Malaysian businessman Deepak Jaikishan is continuing to rain accusations of bribery, political favoritism, murder cover-up and other scandals against Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, his wife, family and top UMNO figures despite apparent attempts to shut him up by arranging for a quasi-government agency to buy his company.

He has now written - apparently at lightning speed - a book called "Black Rose" which is billed as a tell-all about his relationship with Rosmah Mansor, Najib's wife, and deals with allegations of the cover-up of details of the murder of the 28-year-old Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006. The book was to be issued today but he told local media that the publisher couldn't get it to him in time, so he would issue an e-book which so far hasn't appeared.

Deepak, who once said he was close enough to Rosmah to call her his "big sister," has continued to cause embarrassment to the prime minister and his wife, who so far have maintained an awkward silence in the face of his charges.

He has vowed to detail - or re-detail, since he has already made the information public to a flock of internet sites over recent weeks - RM3 million in payments to a private investigator, Perumal Balasubramaniam, in 2008 in an effort to shut up the investigator, who first made public sworn allegations that Najib himself had had an affair with the jet-setting beauty, who was killed by two of Nabob's personal bodyguards who were later convicted of murder in a trial regarded by many as designed to keep secret the names of those who had paid them to carry out the crime.

Although the scandal has all the trappings of a B movie, there are questions whether it has percolated into the ethnic Malay heartland that provides the political support that keeps Najib and the United Malays National Organization in power. That could be changing. Political analysts in Malaysia tell Asia Sentinel that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and his Parti Keadilan Rakyat have considerably polished their campaign tactics, making sophisticated videotapes and other materials that they are using effectively in ceramahs, or talks given in lieu of political rallies, which are largely banned in Malaysia.

Malaysians still get most of their news from the mainstream newspapers, the New Straits Times and The Star, which are owned by the major political parties, as are the main television broadcast stations. They haven't breathed a word of the scandal. However, internet penetration in Malaysia is one of the highest in the region, with more than 62 percent of the population having access.

There have been growing reports that former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, the current deputy prime minister, are behind Deepak's revelations, although a lawyer close to the Mahathir wing of UMNO sarcastically denied it.

"The people within UMNO who are pushing this say that by getting Rosmah and Najib out of the way, the party will be able to boost its support among the Malays, both rural and urban who are simply disgusted with (the antics of Najib and his wife.) That perhaps may answer the strong air cover Deepak is getting with his rantings and also the coverage (former Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan) is getting for his attacks," a seasoned political source told Asia Sentinel.

"But the question is whether UMNO can afford a palace coup? Najib does have support within the party and his allies won't want him to throw in the towel without a fight. In any case, Najib's silence over the allegations has hurt him considerably and many in UMNO smell blood. Even if they let him lead the elections, he is probably finished after that."

Deepak's latest revelation was that he had paid RM13 million (US$4.28 million) for 19 pieces of custom-made jewelry from Hong Kong firms as part of alleged kickbacks to facilitate a land deal that later collapsed when a politically wired leader of the women's wing of UMNO refused to part with land steered to her from Malaysia's defense ministry. The woman, Rajah Ropiaah Rajah Abdullah, is well wired into the UMNO power structure. A six-year veteran of political ladder-climbing, she is an executive council member with the UMNO women's wing and the women's wing head in Selangor state.

In that regard, the scandal resembles far too many on the part of UMNO and makes a mockery of Najib's vow, at the start of his premiership in 2009 that corruption must stop and that "The perception of UMNO as a party to make a living from must be thrown far far away… must be discarded." In that regard, the land scandal calls up unpleasant associations with what has become known as Cattlegate, in which the family Shahrizat Aziz, the current national head of the women's wing, was charged with misspending millions of dollars for flats, cars, trips and other items from a RM250 million soft loan to develop a national cattle feeding scheme.

Deepak testified earlier in court that he had entered into a venture with Rajah Ropiaah's company, Awan Mega (M) Sdn. Bhd to build a National Defense Research Center in the country's administrative capital of Putrajaya. The ministry was to pay Rajah Ropiaah's company RM27 million (US8.9 million) to build the center. The center would occupy a portion of the land and Awan Mega would be ceded roughly 90 hectares worth RM72.5 million for free for development.

Awan Mega wasn't able to obtain a bond for the building's construction and asked Deepak for help, he testified. Thus, his Asta Canggih Sdn Bhd stood for a RM72.5 million land bond on behalf of Rajah Ropiaah's company, he alleged. He was to pay RM23 million in exchange for 89 ha. However, once the bond was put up, Deepak alleged, was ignored from that point forward.

After his barrage of charges, Boustead Holding Bhd., the investment vehicle of the military retirement fund, known as LTAT, stepped in, as what looked like an effort to shut him up, to buy Asta Canggih from him for RM30 million. That didn't help. Deepak said the sale of his company was forced on him and only covered the money he had spent on the land deal and that he had been cut out of the development project. He did abruptly withdraw his lawsuit against Rajah Ropiaah and her company over the land deal although he went on to charge that the latest deal meant the defense ministry, through Boustead, was buying back land from Rajah Ropiaah that they had given her.

"The losers are the Defense Ministry and army officers who get cheated by UMNO and cheated again by having to buy back the military land at double the price they gave it away for," he told the independent website Malaysiakini.

Mengecam Penghinaan Terhadap Rasulullah SAW

Saya mengecam sekeras-kerasnya penghinaan terbaru terhadap Nabi Muhammad dengan melakar kisah kehidupannya dalam sebuah majalah satira yang diterbitkan di Perancis baru-baru ini. Karya tersebut, yang bertujuan untuk menimbulkan provokasi umat Islam serta cuba untuk membangkitkan kekacauan sewajarnya ditarik semula dan dikutuk sekeras-kerasnya oleh pemimpin-pemimpin dunia.

Allah SWT melarang sama sekali menggambarkan Nabi Muhammad SAW dalam apa jua cara, melainkan seperti yang telah digambarkan dalam Al Quran. Sewajarnya diletakkan suatu batas yang membedakan di antara penghinaan dan penyelewengan agama dengan kebebasan bersuara dan hak untuk berkarya.

Perancis perlu bertanggungjawab dengan bertindak terhadap mereka yang sengaja mencetuskan provokasi ini dengan kadar segera. Hak kebebasan berkarya bukan alasan untuk disalahguna oleh pihak-pihak tertentu yang berkepentingan.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Out with the old, in with the new

Mariam Mokhtar

Puppet shows, ‘Punch and Judy’ politics, farcical presentations, tragicomedies, drama queens, flip-flops, U-turns, dress rehearsals and of course, pornographic productions can be used to sum up current Malaysian politics.

It is amazing what the subconscious reveals. When MCA keeps asking if Hadi Awang or Anwar Ibrahim would make the better prime minister, you know what the ruling coalition are thinking - that BN is doomed.

Why would one of the main component parties in BN talk about opposition candidates for the post of prime minister? If they thought they stood any chance of winning GE13, they would be discussing which BN candidate should lead the country, rather than which opposition politician would make the best PM.

In November 2011, the Umno information chief, Ahmad Maslan, talked about a hung parliament: “If there is a hung Parliament scenario like Australia, let’s say 112 government seats to 110 opposition seats, it is the worst thing that could happen.”

This showed that Umno had no confidence of victory at the polls.

Ahmad Maslan warned the Malays of the DAP’s Christian zeal: “The Malay language will be lost, say goodbye to the Malay Sultans, the opposition DAP do not even respect the royal institution ... they have never accepted royal titles even though they have been offered them.”

Last week, it was alleged that the MCA president Chua Soi Lek also talked about a hung parliament, when asked to comment about a rival in his party.

An online newspaper had reported that the blogger, Syed Akbar Ali had written: “Revisiting the issue of factionalism and lack of support, he spoke bluntly about the Ong Tee Keat faction trying to sabotage him in Melaka. Dr Chua feels that if there is a hung Parliament after the general elections, Ong Tee Keat may just pack his bags and leave. Like Chua Jui Ming.”

One year after Umno raised fears of a hung parliament, MCA has voiced the same anxieties.

There are other indications of the lack of confidence in BN.

The sporadic acts of violence against the opposition are acts of desperation by a defeated Umno which has acknowledged defeat before the election has been held.

In the past, the usual spokesperson in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s cabinet would be quick to come to his defense, whenever someone makes serious allegations about him. This time, they are quiet. Has Najib issued a gagging order?

Despite revelations by the carpet seller, Deepak Jaikishan about Rosmah Mansor and Nazim Razak, interfering in the investigations into the death of the Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, both the police and the attorney-general’s offices have taken no action.

Deepak also claimed to be the victim of a business deal, involving a Defence Ministry project, which had gone foul. One would have expected the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate these allegations, but they, like the police and the attorney-general’s chambers, are quiet.

When the former inspector-general of police (IGP) Musa Hassan complained of interference in the police force, by the Home Minister and other senior politicians, there was no response from Najib.

Many allege that former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad are behind these revelations. Why would he support moves that would give an advantage to Anwar Ibrahim, his arch-enemy? Mahathir has been strangely silent about Deepak and Musa’s claims. Why would he give the opposition a chance to take over Putrajaya, undo his legacy and end his dynasty?

Najib is gradually being undone by his greed and vanity. If only he had paid Altantuya her meagre commission, then none of this mess would haunt him. If only he had paid Deepak his monies from the corrupt land deal. If only he had paid Musa Hassan his dues which most former IGPs received in the past.

Luxury goods up for grabs?

Last week, the Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali arranged for the auction of thousands of luxury goods owned by Tunisia’s deposed dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family. People have been queuing-up to have a brief glimpse of the dictator and his wife’s ostentatious life. There were fast-cars, jewellery, works of art, shoes, handbags and other accessories.

For years, Malaysians have heard stories about multi-million ringgit rings, expensive handbags, fast-cars and other dizzying displays of an opulent lifestyle by our politicians, their spouses, and their children. When the time comes, will Malaysia’s new prime minister arrange an auction of goods, like the Tunisians have done?

So what would you look for if the opposition were to win and there was an auction of luxury goods formerly owned by BN politicians and their cronies?

Would it be Rosmah Mansor’s handbags and rings? Her badminton racquets? Her lycra tracksuit? Her clothes?

Or would it be Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s grand piano which allegedly belonged to Liberace? Or Taib’s selection of Rolls-Royces, gems or yachts? Or would you be interested in his son, Sulaiman’s fast cars?

Would you include the items which were ‘lent’ by their cronies, such as the Hummer 2 SUV lent by Michael Chia to the de facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz’s son, Nedim? What about Nedim’s luxury watch which would cost more than the average Malaysian could earn in several lifetimes?

The one item that I would love to see is Mahathir’s little red book, which is alleged to hold the dirty secrets and alleged crimes of his cronies, his corrupt politicians and the other people who were easily bought. Allegedly, he positively encouraged corruption and wrongdoing so he would be able to hold them to ransom at a later date.

The book should make interesting reading, but judging by the number of scandals that have rocked Malaysia over the past 30 years, it would not be a book that one could read in an evening.

Happy New Year to everyone.

---

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak', this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

Press Release: End Deaths in Police Custody Now!

The Malaysian Bar is once again appalled and deeply troubled that yet another person has died in police custody. 32-year old K Nagarajan was found dead on 24 Dec 2012, before his scheduled court appearance, after having spent three nights in the Dang Wangi police station lock-up. According to the police, he died from a fall, but his family reportedly found inexplicable injuries on his body.

It is shocking that individuals continue to die in such highly suspicious circumstances while under the care of the police, which raises very alarming questions about the treatment of detainees in police custody and the methods of interrogation used.

The duty of the police is set out in very clear terms in the leading judgment of Lord Bingham of Cornhill in Amin, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2003] 4 All ER 1264, where Lord Bingham said:

. . . a state must not unlawfully take life and must take appropriate legislative and administrative steps to protect it. But the duty does not end there. The state owes a particular duty to those involuntarily in its custody. . . . Such persons must be protected against violence or abuse at the hands of state agents. They must be protected against self-harm. . . . Reasonable care must be taken to safeguard their lives and persons against the risk of foreseeable harm.


Death in custody, especially under dubious conditions, is among the worst crimes one can imagine in a civilised society under the rule of law. The burden of proving that such a death did not occur by foul means must surely fall squarely on the law enforcement agency in question. The reasons are plain: the victim was being held in isolation and was wholly within the control of the detaining authority; rarely are there independent witnesses to such a crime, as the witnesses are generally interested parties or persons under enquiry; and the police adhere to a strict chain of command code and are bound by a “blue wall of silence”.

Based on the statistics disclosed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 156 persons died in police custody between 2000 and February 2011, and this was reportedly at least the sixth incident of custodial death at the hands of the police in 2012. Such tragedies underscore the dire need for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (“IPCMC”), to function as an independent, external oversight body to investigate complaints about police personnel and to make the police accountable for their conduct. K Nagarajan’s death is inexcusable, and is another incident demonstrating that the police are unable to police themselves.

The Malaysian Bar calls for an immediate inquest into the incident, which is a matter of utmost public interest and warrants the highest level of priority. Although Chapter XXXII of the Criminal Procedure Code requires that all custodial deaths be investigated by way of inquest, no inquest is held in most instances. Every death in custody must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. K Nagarajan’s death must not be relegated to a mere statistic.

The Malaysian Bar also calls on the authorities to urgently implement structural reform, where inquests are concerned. Recent enquiries into deaths of persons that occur whilst in the custody of, or in or around the premises of, law enforcement agencies, have resulted in “open” verdicts.

The Malaysian Bar thus urges the Government to introduce a Coroners’ Act, and establish a Coroners’ Court with the following features:


(1) A clearly-stated aim, which will focus on identifying the deceased and ascertaining how, when and where the person died;

(2) The creation of an official position of a State Coroner, and Coroners. These are appointed by the Prime Minister upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice. The State Coroner must be a Sessions Court Judge, ie a more senior position than that of a Magistrate, who currently conducts the inquests;

(3) The Coroner would be responsible for supervising investigations by the police, ensuring that all relevant evidence is gathered, presiding over enquiries, and making findings; and

(4) The specific use of pathologists and forensic pathologists. Only pathologists, or medical practitioners supervised by pathologists, may conduct post-mortems.


It is also disquieting that, in the case of K Nagarajan’s arrest, the protocol prescribed under the Yayasan Bantuan Guaman Kebangsaan (“YBGK”) scheme does not appear to have been complied with. The guidelines for enforcement officers provide that as soon as an arrest has been made, and before the suspect is questioned, the officer must inform the suspect’s family (or friend) regarding the arrest, and must also provide details regarding the arrest and the suspect to YBGK. However, K Nagarajan’s family has reportedly stated that they were not informed about the arrest, and YBGK did not receive any notification.

K Nagarajan’s tragic fate is the latest in a deplorable string of deaths occurring in the context of investigations carried out by law enforcement agencies. It must be the last. The Malaysian Government must act now.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to K Nagarajan’s family and friends.

Lim Chee Wee
President
Malaysian Bar

Income Limit Eligibility For My First Home Scheme Increases To RM5,000

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- The income limit of individual borrowers for My First Home Scheme (SRP) will be increased from RM3,000 to RM5,000 per month effective January 2013.

This enhancement was one of the SRP's eligibility criteria slated for improvement under 2013 Budget announcement last year, Cagamas SRP Bhd said in a statement.

For joint borrowers, it said the income limit has been increased up to RM10,000 per month, subject to the individual borrower's income not exceeding RM5,000 per month.

"In addition, the requirement for a savings record equivalent to three months installment and minimum employment of six months will be abolish," Cagamas SRP said.

It said the scheme allows homebuyers to obtain 100 per cent financing from participating banks, enabling them to own a home without having the need to pay a 10 per cent down payment.

"Cagamas SRP will guarantee the initial 10 per cent of the loan under the scheme," it added.

Cagamas was mandated in 2011 to play an active role of helping young, working Malaysians in the private sector to own their first homes under the SRP.

Answer RM13mil Jewel-gate claim, Rosmah told

Muslims Burn About 1,200 cars on New Year’s Eve in France

Notice the Arabic Graffiti painted on one of the burned cars.

Act Now!

Interior Minister Manuel Valls said Tuesday that 1,193 vehicles were burned overnight around the country.  Clashes between police and offenders in the New Year’s Eve took place in the Muslim majority districts in the city of Strasbourg and Mulhouse.  About seven police officers were attacked New Years eve night.

Around 1,200 cars were burned by rioting Muslims on the New Year’s Eve in France, where the mass burning cars in the national holidays are kind of tradition among Muslim residents of the disadvantaged suburbs of immigrants.

In recent years, the celebration of the New Year and the Bastille Day (July 14) in France is often marked by mass burning cars as well. On the night of January 1, 2010, there were 1,137 thousand cars burned on the night of January 1, 2009 – 1,147 thousand were burned.

In the summer of 2010, the Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux made the decision to stop the practice of  counting  the demonstrators, as they claimed it only encourages the Muslim youths to commit such crimes .  The current Minister of the Interior said that “the French people should know the truth.”
The American media has mostly not reported on these incidents, and when they do rarely mention their background or religion.

Egypt’s nude protester Alia al-Mahdy to be stripped of citizenship?

Mahdy, who had previously posed naked on the internet in protest of Islamist rule in Egypt, said that she does not regret what she did. (Courtesy: Mahdy)

By Al Arabiya

An Egyptian activist filed a complaint to the general prosecutor calling for the citizenship strip of Egypt’s controversial Alia al-Mahdy, commonly known as the “nude poser,” for protesting naked against the country’s newly-adopted constitution.

The plaintiff, Mahmoud Abdel Rahman, accused Mahdy, who protested naked in front of the Egyptian embassy in Sweden, of tarnishing the image of Egypt and deriding religion. Abdel Rahman also called for placing Mahdy on a watch list so she can be arrested when entering Egypt.

In his charges, Abdel Rahman stated that Mahdy “wrote on her naked body statements condemning the constitution with the help of two female activists from FEMEN, an international women’s rights organization.”

He added that Mahdy then headed to the Egyptian embassy in the Swedish capital Stockholm and the three of them stood there stark naked.

“By standing there naked, she tarnished the image of Egypt and derided religion,” Abdel Rahman wrote in his complaint.

Abdel Rahman also provided the prosecutor with a CD containing a video of the protest.

Mahdy has said she has been receiving death threats since reports of her naked protests spread in Egypt.

“If I go back to Egypt, I will be put in jail and I might be killed if the current regime remains in power,” she told the Egyptian daily independent al-Watan.

Mahdy slammed Egyptian liberals who accused her of undermining their cause and giving Islamists a pretext to lash out at powers that struggle against the establishment of an Islamist-backed constitution.

“They have double standards. They claim they believe in freedom, but they never practice what they preach.”

Regarding the reason for her controversial protest, Mahdy said the new constitution encourages discrimination against women and will pave the way for stripping them of more rights.

Despite fears of arrest and assassination, Mahdy, who was granted political asylum in Sweden, wished to return to Egypt.

“I would like to continue my struggle for freedom from Egypt, but right now I will do so from abroad.”

Mahdy said she plans to write a book about her life and the lives of girls who faced a similar fate.

“I will also launch a project that helps women who are subjected to domestic violence and girls who wish to gain their independence from their families.”

Mahdy, who had previously posed naked on the internet in protest of
Islamist rule in Egypt, said that she does not regret what she did.

“It is not unlikely that I will protest naked again,” she added.

Answer RM13mil Jewel-gate claim, Rosmah told

PKR has demanded that Rosmah Mansor responds to claims by carpet trader Deepak Jaikishin that he had paid RM13 million to purchase jewellery for her in 2008 and 2009.

Deepak (right) is said to have claimed that the purchase of 19 pieces of custom-made jewellery from two firms in Hong Kong is part of alleged kickbacks to grease a land deal.

"It is of public interest that both Rosmah and Deepak come clean," PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli told a press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

To back the allegation, Rafizi furnished documents that the party had obtained through intermediaries from Deepak.

He also pointed out that one document names Rosmah.

When contacted, an aide to Rosmah said he would have to check on the claim.
Malaysiakini has also contacted the jewellers involved and is awaiting their response.
'Probe warranted'

Based on preliminary checks, Rafizi said he believes the email communiques, invoices, account summaries and fund-transfer documents to be genuine.

The onus, he said is now on Deepak to furnish the authorities with original copies of the documents and other proof, so that an investigation can be carried out.

Deepak had told Malaysiakini earlier that he would lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) later today.

Based on the documents, his companies, Carpet Raya Sdn Bhd and Carpet Plus Sdn Bhd, had paid for the jewellery.

"These are serious allegations," Rafizi said, noting that the documents and Deepak's claims warrant a probe.

Anticipating the possibility of a formal denial, Rafizi said it was not logical that the items were for Deepak’s use as “I have not seen (him) wearing rings and necklaces”.

PKR treasurer William Leong, who was present, urged the MACC to investigate the claim "without fear or favour" and prove that it is truly independent.

Failure to do so would show that it only investigates safe targets who have no political connections, he said.

He added that even without a report being lodged, the anti-graft body is empowered by its parent legislation to call in Deepak and compel him to furnish them with proof of his allegation.

Deepak denies giving Rafizi the 'diamond papers'

Businessperson Deepak Jaikishan has denied knowledge of PKR directorof strategy Rafizi Ramli’s allegations earlier today that he had purchased custom jewellery for the prime minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor.

“I put it on record - I have never given it (the documents) to him. I have not given it to an intermediary to give it to him. That much I can promise you,” he told a press conference today.

The carpet trader also denied having ever seen the documents disclosed by Rafizi today, nor that he has any contact with him.

However, he declined to comment if Rafizi's (right) allegations were factual, citing legal advice.

He said his lawyers would take “a day or two” to reply to Rafizi before continuing with his own exposés, and blamed Rafizi for derailing his plans to launch his book today.
“We want to see all the documents that he is talking about. We do not know what the documents are because he has (only) put one document there, and we want to see everything,” he said.

Responding to Rafizi’s challenge to explain the allegations, Deepak instead urged Rafizi’s party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to disclose the source and authenticity of the documents, and the latter’s intention of exposing them without his permission.

“The opposition leader should come forward. If he is really prime minister-material, he must have the courage. Don’t stand behind proxies (Rafizi), come forward.

“We will discuss this face-to-face, with or without the media,” he said.

No support from politicians

In addition, he expressed disappointment at politicians across the political divide for failing to support him, especially Anwar (left) for denying meeting him.

He claims that he had met with many senior government and opposition politicians, but all left him to fend for himself in his exposés.

“Everyone wants me to come forward and expose, but they hide behind other people. If you want to expose the truth, you must come forward... I have met them and they supported me.

“Today when the temperature has gone up to 200 degrees, everyone says, ‘Oh, there is 200 degrees heat, and a 350kph typhoon coming towards Deepak, stay away,’” he said, adding that he now has to rely on sleeping pills to fall asleep.

He said he was able to obtain legal representation for a hearing on Nov 29 because of the support, but is now alone again.

During the hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, he was represented by PKR leaders N Surendran and R Sivarasa.

“I need some form of assurance. I need some form of consistency in which things are managed and exposed. Like today’s exposé by Rafizi, I honestly don’t know what he is talking about,” he said, while stressing that he is not interested in political mudslinging.

Police to ask for inquest into Nagarajan's death

The Cheras police will ask for an inquest into the death of odd-job worker K Nagarajan while in police custody on Dec 24.

“After getting the (autopsy) report from the hospital, we will refer it to the deputy public prosecutor to seek the inquest,” said Cheras police district chief ACP Mohan Singh.

He told Malaysiakini that the police are still waiting for the report from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre.

“We cannot speculate about the cause of his death. We have referred to the hospital to conduct an autopsy to determine his cause of death.

“We are waiting for the report. Physically, there is no element of criminality,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated as one of 'sudden death'.
Nagarajan (left), 32, been detained on Dec 21 on suspicion of drug-related offences and was held at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters lockup. He was found dead three days later.

His family had expressed disbelief of police claims that Nagarajan had died of a fall.

Puchong MP Gobind Deo Singh has asked Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to show the CCTV footage of the lockup.

Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee has urged the government to establish a Coroner’s Court in the wake of several deaths in custody.

Bar: Set up Coroner's Court on Nagarajan's death

The Malaysian Bar is urging the government to establish a Coroner’s Court, following the death of odd-job worker K Nagarajan while in police custody.

“Recent enquiries into deaths of persons that occur whilst in the custody of, or in or around the premises of, law enforcement agencies, have resulted in ‘open’ verdicts,” lamented Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee (left).

Therefore, he said a Coroners’ Act needs to be introduced, which would establish the position of a state coroner and coroners. Both would be appointed by the prime minister on the chief justice’s recommendation.

“The coroner would be responsible for supervising investigations by the police, ensuring that all relevant evidence is gathered, presiding over enquiries, and making findings,” he said in a statement today.

As for the state coroner, Lim said the position needs to be filled by a Sessions Court judge, who is more senior than the magistrates currently conducting inquests.

He added that the Act would also need a clearly stated aim about identifying the deceased and the circumstances of his death, as well as prescribing that only pathologists or medical pracitioners working under their supervision may conduct post-mortems.

“Although Chapter XXXII of the Criminal Procedure Code requires that all custodial deaths be investigated by way of inquest, no inquest is held in most instances.

“Every death in custody must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. Nagarajan’s death must not be relegated to a mere statistic,” Lim said.

Nagarajan was held for on suspicion of a drug-related offence on Dec 21 at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, but was found dead in the lockup three days later.

Police had claimed that he had died of a fall, but family members who had found gashes and bruises on Nagarajan’s body have disputed this.

Lim also expressed concern that the police had not informed Nagarajan’s next-of-kin and the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) about his arrest.

He said this is part of the protocol prescribed by the YBGK scheme.

Deepak says poorer from LTAT land deal, Ropiaah made more

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — Senator Raja Datuk Ropiaah Abdullah got the lion’s share of the LTAT land deal through her company Awan Megah Sdn Bhd, which was contracted to build a defence facility, carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan said today.

A unit of Boustead Holdings Bhd, owned by investment fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), bought an 80 per cent stake in Deepak’s company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd for RM30 million as well as a RM130 million piece of land from Awan Megah last week.

It is not known what happened to the facility that was to be built by Raja Ropiaah’s company in exchange for the land.

“I think it’s unfair, it’s my land. I paid for it, I get pittance and she gets the lion’s share,” Deepak told a press conference here today.

“She got the appreciation (value) but I got nothing. I only got what I put in,” he said.

Deepak also noted that PKR’s plan to stop the deal by asking the Selangor government to sit on the land title transfer is ironic.

“If they had issued the land title then, I would’ve sold the land already by now,” he said.

Last Saturday, Rafizi alleged that a Boustead unit acquisition of Deepak’s company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd was an attempt to silence the businessman.

“This is worse than a bailout ... this is outright bribery to practically pay off and silence (Deepak),” Rafizi had told a press conference.

The PKR strategy director also accused Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of abusing his power by spending public money through government investment fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), which owns Boustead, to acquire the loss-making property development company.

The politician added that if the recent allegations made by Deepak over the murder of Mongolian model Altantuyaa Shaariibuu had not been considered serious, it was unlikely that LTAT would have proceeded with the buyout.

Deepak recently also exposed an alleged deal between Awan Megah Sdn Bhd, the company owned by Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah, and the federal government for a parcel of land involved in the acquisition by Boustead.

On Sunday, the Selangor government announced that it would scrutinise and possibly stop Putrajaya’s plans to purchase Awan Megah’s piece of land.

In a statement, Selangor Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s political secretary Faekah Husin said the state has ordered the Selangor Land and Mines Department to examine the deal for any possible breach of legal procedures.

“We will not hesitate to stop them, be it a title transfer or pending transaction.

“The state government view these transactions seriously as it involves public money from the retirement fund of servicemen,” she said in the statement.

Ex-IGP thinks his exposé will bear fruit

MyWatch patron Musa Hassan is optimistic that the police force will eventually improve.
VIDEO INSIDE

PETALING JAYA: Former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan has come under attack from several quarters for his recent revelations about corruption in the force, political interference in its work, and criminal elements infiltrating it at the highest levels.

The government has ignored his allegations, and his successor, Ismail Omar, has dismissed his claims as “unimportant”.

However, the patron of anti-crime watchdog MyWatch said he remained optimistic that his exposes, which he claimed were aimed at improving the police force, would bear fruit.

“You shouldn’t be downhearted when people don’t want to listen,” he told FMT in an exclusive interview. “We still have to tell the truth.”

Musa spoke well of Ismail’s deputy, Khalid Abu Bakar, calling him a “capable leader”. But he dismissed a suggestion that he was ganging up with Khalid to overthrow Ismail.

When asked whether there had been attempts by the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak or Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to meet him, Musa said no political leaders had met him.

In a new year message to Malaysians, Musa said: “I hope this country will prosper, and there won’t be any political problems. I hope the police will improve themselves. People are now more aware of integrity. That’s a good sign. All agencies should be of high integrity, and avoid themselves from being corrupted, that’s the wishes of the people, and that’s my wish also.”

MyWatch chairman R Sri Sanjeevan, who was with Musa during the interview, said the organisation’s objective was to make Malaysia crime-free society, adding that this required good leadership in the police force.

Excerpts from the interview

The IGP reportedly said that what you said was not important. Don’t you feel like all your criticisms and efforts are falling on deaf ears?

Sanjeevan: No, no, no. We will keep on trying

Musa: We shouldn’t be downhearted when people don’t want to listen to us. We still have to tell the truth.

Sanjeevan: Changes don’t happen overnight.

Previously, you were saying that Ismail Omar should be tougher, he shouldn’t be a yes man and perhaps he should be standing up against this political interference that you have mentioned. What do you think of his leadership? Do you think that he should resign?

Musa: That is not for me to say. That is up to the minister, you know, because he calls the shots on whether a person continues or not.

Another thing is that I see Ismail [as] only a ceremonial IGP. He would only attend ceremonies. When there is real problem, he won’t be there. He would get his deputy to do it.

He should be involved as an IGP. If there is any problem happening on the ground, he should be there.

But Ismail Omar has been going down on the ground with high profile policing, together with top ranking people. Don’t you think that is very good?

Musa: Well you can go high profile policing. No doubt that is very good, but you only go at one time. What’s the follow up after that? It needs follow up. You don’t just go where people prepare for you to meet the public, meet them, shake hands with them. And then you go back. So what’s the follow up?

Was it different during your time? You stayed back?

Musa: Yes we stayed back. We had discussions with them, and then we had follow up. I gave my phone number, where they can call me.

On reports about Ismail Omar’s comments that these issues are unimportant…

Musa: How can he say that? As an IGP, if you say that the comment by the public are unimportant, there is something wrong. It means you did not take cognisance of the importance of what the public is saying.

So you are saying there is a lack of engagement even though they seem to be quite aggressive with the PR campaign.

Musa: PR campaign is different. But the actual engagement is important. How do you have dialogues with the people? I myself had dialogues in the districts … so I have first hand information from the people on the ground.

Doesn’t Ismail Omar do that?

Musa: That I don’t know. I’ve done my part when I was in service. Now he has to do his part.

Do you think that Tan Sri Khalid is a better person to lead the PDRM?

Musa: Tan Sri Khalid is a person who can make decisions. I think he can lead the police force.

Do you think Khalid should replace Ismail Omar? Or do you see other officers taking up that post?

Musa: I can’t say that. That’s up to the minister again. Of course, it is not me who put people there. It is up to the political masters.

OK, but you are saying Khalid is a capable person?

Musa: Yes he is a capable person.

More capable [than Ismail]?

Musa: No, but the way he speaks to the press—that’s how people want to see a leader. Talking, giving advice and all that.

Some have said he is more hands on.

Musa: Yeah, he should be hands on.

And Ismail Omar? Is he hands off?

Musa: I don’t know. You have to ask him.

Given what you have said about Tan Sri Khalid, I’m sure the public will speculate—is Musa Hassan coming up with MyWatch because he is ganging up with Khalid to overthrow Ismail?

Musa: No, no, no. I won’t be controlling the police. I won’t be influencing them. I will only assist in information so that the public would have more confidence. That’s why I don’t attend police functions.

Talking about influencing the police, a lot of your exposes so far have been about political interference, criminal elements infiltrating the force.

Musa: There are people close to people in power, who can influence certain police officers. They just go to certain police officers saying, “Oh, my boss wants this to be done.” That’s no good.

You are talking about politicians, or…

Musa: Anybody. Not only politicians [or] those who have influence. It can even come from the middleman of kingpins.

And you are saying this from information or this is just your guesswork, or…

Musa: Not information, through experience.

During your time, you’ve maintained, you’ve always turned down these interferences. Because people are saying, “What did you do during your time?”

Musa: Yes, I’ve turned them down. I’ve turned them down.

Can you tell us more? Now you’re giving us some teasers, some anecdotes, but where are we bringing this information to? What is your next plan of action? What is your end game? Are you planning to bring this up to court? What are the plans of MyWatch?

Musa: As I’ve said before, we will work together with the police, to take action, so that whoever is influencing the police won’t have any deals with the police.

You are still so very positive, but it seems that it’s very silent on the other end. The IGP, the PM, home minister. They have not actually addressed all these issues.

Musa: The members of the public have the right to know what happened to information they have given.

You have told people that this is happening, but there seems to be still silence from the government.

Musa: I don’t know why they are still silent

Sanjeevan: It used to be two people voicing out. Now we have a lot of Malaysians voicing. In time to come, police will respond to us.

You believe that?

Sanjeevan: Yes, I strongly believe that.

Tan Sri, have you ever tried to meet with Ismail Omar and talk about these issues that you are raising now?

Musa: Well, I don’t have the chance to talk to him because whenever we meet, even in public, he just walks away from me.

Why do you think that is so?

Musa: I don’t know. Maybe they think I am no longer relevant.

Greed? Muthu was talking about himself, says MIC

T Rajagopalu and VS Mogan defend their party MIC against a defector’s allegations.

SEREMBAN: Negeri Sembilan MIC officials have reacted angrily to defector M Muthu Palaniappan’s recent accusations against the party and its leaders, saying he was talking only about himself in his statements about greed for power and wealth.

Negeri Sembilan MIC chief T Rajagopalu and his predecessor VS Mogan, who is the party’s only assemblyman in the state, made their counter accusations in a special interview with FMT.

Rajagopalu and Mogan have alternated as state MIC chairman since July 2010, when the latter replaced the former, who had served in that capacity since September the previous year. Rajagopalu took back the chair in September 2011 following leadership changes at the national level.

Rajagopalu won the Jeram Padang state seat in 1999 and the Port Dickson state seat in 2004. He served as state executive councilor for two terms.

Mogan is a first-term state exco member. He is also national information chief for MIC.

FMT’s interview with the two was conducted following a similar interview with Muthu, who is now a PKR member.

FMT: Former Negeri Sembilan MIC chief Muthu Palaniappan said current MIC leaders work only to enrich themselves. Do you have a comment on this?

Rajagopalu: We have had many state MIC chiefs before and since Muthu. I can tell you that none of us, including me and Mogan, have worked for personal gain.

We never took any piece of land. Muthu worked under Menteri Besar Mohd Isa Samad. Ask Isa how much land was given to Muthu through cooperative and individual companies.

He also owned a block of shop lots in Jalan Rasah near Seremban General Hospital. He was the one who enriched himself, not any of us.

No state MIC chairman has accumulated as much wealth as Muthu. Muthu is a millionaire.

Muthu said MIC will be finished off in the coming general election, especially in Negeri Sembilan.

Rajagopalu: Muthu talked without facts. I can give you the facts.

I was the MIC election director for the 2009 Bagan Pinang by-election.

In the 12th GE, Barisan Nasional candidates lost at all Indian-majority polling stations in Bagan Pinang, which are Siliau Estate, Atherton Estate, Bradwall Estate and Sua Betong Estate.

However, during the 2009 Bagan Pinang by-election, BN won at all these polling stations. We brought back all the Indians votes, and yet Muthu says Indians won’t vote for MIC or other BN candidates. He talks blindly.

Since Najib Tun Razak became prime minister, he has been helping Indians a lot, especially when it comes to the education and business needs of the community. For 2012 alone, he has allocated RM12 million for Tamil schools in Negeri Sembilan. Actually, I requested this fund last year.

For next year, I have already requested RM16 million for Tamil schools in the state and I’m confident Najib will approve it.

Under the Tekun loan scheme, a total of 68 Indian individuals involved in small and medium size businesses have benefited this year, with loans given out to them totaling RM800,000. Negeri Sembilan MIC helped them get this loan.

The government allocated RM30 million last year and RM80 million this year for Indian businesses under the Tekun scheme.

Through Amanah Ikhtiar, we have also helped Indian ladies doing small businesses. We helped only 20 of them two years ago, but now we have already helped 140, all in Negeri Sembilan. And the numbers is increasing. Many of them have been approaching MIC on a weekly basis to get the loans.

We open our special welfare counter at the state MIC headquarters every Sunday. Once a month, welfare officers will come down here to interview the applicants.

With all these, do you think Indians will not support us?

What’s Muthu talking about? His claims and allegations are all wrong. We will win all the seats in Negeri Sembilan that we are contesting—one parliament seat and two state seats.

One of the things Muthu said was that MIC leaders had made millions of empty promises.

Rajagopalu: He is a frustrated leader. He is greedy for position. When you jump from one party to another,

no one has any respect for you.

Muthu is no longer qualified to talk about MIC. If you’re not in MIC, you have no right to talk about our party. We know how to take care of our party.

Anyway, I can tell more about what we are doing in Negeri Sembilan.

Three new Tamil schools are coming up very soon.

The Bukit Bertam Tamil School from Linggi will be relocated to Bandar Seri Sendayan on a 6-acre land, even though it currently has only four students.

Next we are going to relocate Perhentian Tinggi Tamil School to Taman Thivy Jaya at Rasah Jaya on four acres. This school currently also has only four students. The land belongs to Koperasi Pekerja Jaya, whose chairman is former MIC president S Samy Vellu. Samy donated this piece of land for the new building.

Another school that will be relocated will be the Ladang Sungai Sebaling Tamil School. It will move from Jeram Padang to Taman Desa Puteri in Bahau on a six-acre land.

Each of these schools will be constructed at a cost of RM2.5 million.

The new Labu Tamil School building has been completed. It cost RM1.9 million. Recently the government allocated RM268, 000 for the school to buy the necessary furniture. The new school building will be inaugurated on the 22nd of January, 2013.

Furthermore, at national level, MIC has managed to get millions in funds for temples throughout the country from the federal government.

Starting 2013, the government will allocate 500 places in government polytechnic colleges for Indian students who score only three credits in SPM. After they have received their diplomas, these students will be put on a fast track system, where they can further their studies for bachelor’s and master’s degrees at local universities. The government has assured places for them.

Recently, (MIC President) Palanivel announced that 1, 500 places have been allocated for Indians students in matriculation colleges.

These are not empty promises as Muthu claims, but the real thing. Maybe he is blind.

Mogan: Since he has already left MIC, why does he want to talk about MIC anymore? He should be talking about his new party instead of being a busybody.

We managed to get Najib to approve RM1 million for the construction of the Port Dickson crematorium and RM625, 000 to construct another crematorium in Jempol. We also have requested funds for a crematorium in Tampin, which I believe the government will approve without any problem.

MIC, through the government, is doing all these things for Indians in Negeri Sembilan. So I don’t see any reason why they will not support MIC.

Muthu alleged that MIC has not done anything about the low recruitment of Indians into the civil service.

Rajagopalu: When he was MIC vice president, what did he do?

Our prime minister has directed the civil service to increase the intake of Indians. There is an all out campaign by the civil service commission to encourage Indian participation in government jobs.

Mogan: Recently, the National Registration Department hired 107 Indians as temporary workers.

PKR says 49,000 stateless children denied proper schooling

The opposition party alleges that these children do not have proper papers to prove that they are Malaysian citizens.

PETALING JAYA: The schooling year for 2013 starts today and yet 49,000 Malaysian children cannot attend school because they lack proper papers which certify them as Malaysian, PKR vice- president N Surendran claimed today.

These children are deemed to be stateless due to the government denying them birth certificates and MyKads.

Surendran said this number is based on census data and population statistics, adding that his claim did not include figures in Sabah and Sarawak, which could be even higher.

He said the National Registration Department’s (NRD) statistics showed that in Sabah, there are about 50,000 eligible persons lacking proper documentation.

“It is shocking and inexcusable that children are being denied schooling in Malaysia. The Barisan Nasional government is aware of the problem but has failed to resolve it,” he said in a press statement.

He cited two orphans, Hari (12) and Haran (14), who have never been to school because the NRD has refused to issue them with MyKads.

“Until today, their homeless shelter continues to make attempts to enrol them in school,” he added.

Surendran highlighted two more cases in Perak and Johor involving nine-year-old Sri Darchatinni and 10-year-old Logeswaran Sarathrajan, who have been turned down repeatedly by the schools because they are officially not Malaysian citizens.

He is appalled at the actions of the government and saddened by the plea of concerned parents which seem to always fall on deaf ears.

“Although these children are Malaysians born here, they are forced to register as foreigners and have to pay additional fees,” he said, referring to stateless children who are allowed to enrol in school by kind school administrators.

He added that they face problems registering for exams and are not able to attend university.

Surendran cited the controversial case of 17-year-old, B Reshina, who remains without proper documentation despite a public campaign on her behalf last year.

“These children are citizens by operation of law by virtue of Article 14 of the Federal Constitution. It forbids any child from being rendered stateless in Malaysia,” he said.

He called upon Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the government to resolve this issue quickly without having more children to suffer.

Palanivel has nothing to fear

The MIC president is not a ‘tin kosong’ and his actions speak louder than his words, says a state MIC leader.
COMMENT

By P Gunaseelan

MIC SS2 Tengah Branch chairman S Padnmanagan once again has come out with baseless and wild accusations that the Public Complains Bureau under G Palanivel’s leadership in the Prime Minister’s Department has been idle.

He has also claimed that the department was active under the ex-deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T Murugiah. He went on to state that Palanivel has to learn from Murugiah on how to run the bureau.

Padnmanagan’s allegations are utter rubbish and his accusations are just to satisfy his personal vendetta against the MIC president. He should get his facts properly before he wants to discredit Palanivel.

Public Complains Bureau under Palanivel has performed above expectations. The bureau received a total of 13,356 complaints from January 2011 to December 2011 and out of this 13,045 complaints were resolved and 311 are still in action.

It received a total of 11,784 complaints for the period from January 2012 to November 2012 and 10,615 complaints were resolved while 1,169 are still in action.

Working with the NGO

Padnmanagan’s allegation that Palanivel does not have proper discussions and relationship with NGOs is also utter rubbish as the MIC leader conducts frequent dialogues and closed-door meetings with various NGOs.

Palanivel is very concerned of the development of the NGOs in carrying out their activities and he personally took special initiatives to speak to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to obtain funds for the NGOs.

Ever since he took over the MIC leadership, he has provided RM13,076,300 for 649 NGOs directly from the prime minister.

Both the above facts and figures clearly indicate that Padnmanagan is initiating a losing battle to discredit Palanivel.

Payment to Indian contractors

On Padnmanagan’s accusations that Indian contractors were not paid on time, I think it is best that he forward these queries to the Education Ministry and the Finance Ministry as they are the parties who handle the fund.

These ministries have to go through standard procedures before they could release payments to the contractors.

They have to be accountable that payments released are in accordance to job done.

At the same time the contractors should ensure that all the paperworks are in order to avoid any delays in payments. They should keep regular contacts with the relevant ministries to speed up the payments.

All the accusations made by Padnmanagan only proves that there is a desperate move to discredit Palanivel.

The MIC president is not a ‘tin kosong’ and his actions speak louder than his words. He is a religious and a no-nonsense person and his track record is clean.

There is no reason for him to fear anyone.

The writer is the President of Malaysian Public Service Association and the Welfare Chief of Wilayah MIC.

Kaum Cina hanya berminat dengan jawatan atasan, kata pengerusi SPA

PUTRAJAYA, 2 Jan — Salah satu faktor masyarakat Cina tidak berminat untuk memohon jawatan dalam perkhidmatan awam adalah kerana mereka lebih cenderung memilih jawatan atasan berbanding sektor perkeranian, kata pengerusi Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam Tan Sri Mahmood Adam dalam satu sidang media di Putrajaya hari ini.

Mahmood membentangkan laporan SPA bagi tahun 2012 merangkumi jumlah permohonan, perlantikkan dan tindakan tatatertib ke atas penjawat awam.

Sepanjang tahun 2012, hanya sebanyak 2,630 orang daripada masyarakat Cina dilantik mengisi kekosongan jawatan dalam perkhidmatan awam daripada jumlah keseluruhan 47,335 orang yang dilantik.

“Banyak faktor, sebagai contoh masyarakat Cina mereka lebih berminat dalam kumpulan atasan.

“Jika kita lihat jumlah pemilihan tadi iaitu kumpulan A yang terdiri daripada siswazah universiti, masyarakat Cina lebih fokus kepada bahagian itu kerana mereka mahu perlantikkan dengan cepat,” kata beliau selepas ditanya wartawan.

Walaupun terdapat peningkatan 11 peratus kaum Cina yang dilantik ke perkhidmatan awam jika dibandingkan pada tahun 2011, Mahmood berpendapat ia masih rendah dan pelbagai kempen perlu digiatkan bagi menarik mereka menyertai perkhidmatan awam.

“Sebagai contoh ialah kaum Cina tidak berminat di bahagian perkeranian.

“Jadi kita kena beritahu mereka kerana kerani juga memiliki gaji yang tinggi. Purata gaji kerani adalah antara RM1,700-1,800 yang bagi saya adalah satu angka yang besar,” terang beliau lagi.

Menurut Mahmood lagi, kumpulan Bumiputera masih lagi mencatatkan jumlah tertinggi dilantik mengisi kekosongan jawatan perkhidmatan awam pada tahun lepas dengan sejumlah 33, 427, peningkatan sebanyak 59 peratus (20, 976) daripada jumlah tahun 2011.

Manakala kaum India yang dilantik adalah sebanyak 2, 354 dan lain-lain kaum (Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak) sebanyak 8, 924.

Selain itu, SPA juga mencatatkan sebanyak 132 kes tindakan tatatertib manakala 563 kes rayuan tatatertib dicatatkan pada tahun 2012.

Pada Disember lepas, Senator Dr Ariffin SM Omar mengkritik Putrajaya kerana mengambil terlalu ramai Bumiputera berkhidmat dalam perkhidmatan awam dan mencadangkan supaya bilangan penjawat awam daripada pelbagai kaum ditambah.

Senator DAP tersebut turut memberitahu bahawa sikap kerajaan yang mengawal dan menguasai perkhidmatan awam adalah punca kepada berlakunya banyak rasuah dan penyelewengan dalam sektor perkhidmatan tersebut.

“Yang ditimpa rasuah ialah kerajaan bukan perkhidmatan awam yang terpaksa mengikut arahan kerajaan,” kata beliau.

Beliau turut menegaskan bahawa monopoli oleh sesuatu kaum dalam perkhidmatan awam bukan suatu corak pentadbiran yang baik tetapi hanya akan menimbulkan pelbagai permasalahan, di samping menyatakan cadangan lebih banyak pengambilan kaum lain dalam sektor tersebut boleh mengelak daripada gejala rasuah dan salah laku.

DSAI in East Malaysia

99-Day Countdown to 13GE – Make Corruption one of the top election issues for first time in 13GE

Yesterday, I suggested that the 100-Day Countdown to the 13th General Elections be computed from New Year’s Day and that all Malaysians take part in the daily countdown to the 13GE because of the historic significance and possibilities of this event.

On the 99-day Countdown to the 13th General Elections, I call on the 13.1 million electorate to make corruption one of the top election issues for the first time in 13 general elections in the past 53 years.

Last Saturday, Bernama carried the following report:

All BN candidates for the 13th general election have been found to be free of corruption and other crimes, BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today.

He said the candidates for the 222 parliamentary and 505 state seats had undergone screening by the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Department of Insolvency to ensure that they were “clean” and did not have any problems.

Tengku Adnan spoke to reporters after presenting school aid and People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) uniforms at a gathering of the people here where a durian feast was also held.

He also said that the background of the candidates was subjected to scrutiny to ensure that they were the people’s choice.

“We want the candidates to be whom the people want, not whom the party or individuals in the party want. We want candidates whom the people feel they can represent them,” he said.

This Bernama report which provoked widespread public scorn and contempt has provided proof, if proof is still needed, that the UMNO/Barisan Nasional is incapable of being serious or being trusted in any campaign against corruption.

Malaysians should not forget the 2004 general elections when the Barisan Nasional took out full-page advertisements confessing that the government was “corrupt and rotten to the core …with no aspect of life untainted by corruption” and urging the Malaysian electorate to give Pak Lah the mandate to be a “modern-day Justice Bao” in an “all-out war against corruption”.

Abdullah did not become a “modern day Justice Bao”. Instead, Malaysia sank further every year in the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI), falling from No. 37 in 2003 when Tun Mahathir stepped down as Prime Minister to No. 47 when Abdullah was forced out of Seri Perdana, to the four worst TI CPI rankings ever recorded for Malaysia all under Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s premiership from 2009 – 2012 (i.e. No. 56 for 2009 and 2010, No. 60 for 2011 and No. 54 for 2012).

Can Najib credibly claim that he could succeed where Abdullah had failed – to become a “modern-day Justice Bao” to conduct an all-out war against corruption and uproot a system “corrupt and rotten to the core …with no aspect of life untainted by corruption” as far back as two general elections ago in 2004?

Tengku Adnan’s statement as reported by Bernama last Saturday is testimony that the UMNO/Barisan Nasional have turned the serious issue of corruption in Malaysia into a mockery and a farce.

How could all the 222 BN parliamentary and 505 State Assembly candidates for the 13GE be screened and cleared of any corruption or other crimes by the MACC, the police and the Department of Insolvency when it is public knowledge that the BN and its member parties haver not yet finalised their 222 parliamentary and 505 State Assembly candidates?

What Tengku Adnan probably meant is that all the 222 BN parliamentary and 505 State Assembly candidates for the 13GE would be found to be free of corruption and other crimes as the MACC and the police would be required to issue “a blank cheque” of clearance for all of them.

This is final proof why the issue of corruption should become a top election issue in the 13GE as there can be no serious war against corruption so long as Putrajaya is run by UMNO/BN – as only a change of system with a Pakatan Rakyat government in Putrajaya can begin the long, arduous but necessary clean-up of the government and country.

Second RM100 School Aid To Start Jan 15

NILAI, Jan 2 (Bernama) -- The second RM100 school aid will be paid out starting Jan 15, said Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

He said the Ministry had issued a circular on the matter reminding the school authorities to not make any deductions for any Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) or other payments.

"The RM100 must be distributed to the students' parents. It's up to them if they want to use the money to pay PTA fees. The school has no right to deduct the money," he told reporters here Wednesday.

Mohd Puad had earlier visited Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Batang Benar, SK Sendayang and Tunku Kurshiah College (TKC) near here in conjunction with the first day of school for the 2013 session today.

Apart from the five million students in government schools the RM100 would also be distributed to students in government-aided, private, and religious schools.

The aid was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Finance Minister, in the 2013 Budget for all primary and secondary students, following the first RM100 which was provided in 2012.

Meanwhile, Mohd Puad said 428,493 pupils attended Standard One in government schools nationwide this year and 15 new primary and secondary schools were opened this year.

On a separate development, he said SK Batang Benar was facing a shortage of classrooms due to an increase in Year One pupils, and the ministry would build six temporary cabin-classrooms to resolve the problem.

He said it was a short term solution and was expected to be completed in three weeks.

As for TKC which had moved to its new premises in Bandar Enstek, Mohd Puad said the ministry was willing consider its request to retain the old building in Jalan Tuanku Kurshiah, Seremban as a full boarding school for girls.

He said the matter was pending the decision by Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.