More still needs to be done to resolve unilateral conversion of minors

The G25 warmly welcomes the announcement by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak at the launch of the National Women’s Day celebrations on Aug 25, 2016, that the cabinet has agreed to amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce ) Act 1976 ( Act 164 ).

According to the prime minister, the proposed amendments are scheduled to be tabled by the Home Ministry at the next sitting of the Dewan Rakyat in October this year.

The prime minister said that Act 164 would be amended based on three core principles.

The first is that any issue relating to divorce where the marriage had been solemnised under civil law , must be settled in the civil court.

This is to ensure that ancillary matters such as child custody rights and child maintenance until higher education are protected and assured.

The second principle is universal justice, whereby the amendments to the Act will give both parties the opportunity to resolve civil marriage issues at the civil court.

The third principle is the resolution of conflicts between the civil court and the Shariah Court where one party converts to Islam.

The amendments aim to overcome legal loopholes and overlap in existing laws.

The G25 is hopeful that the amendments to Act 164 will put to an end the injustices suffered by non-Muslim wives in the numerous cases that have come before the civil court since the Shamala case in 2004, where the husband converts to Islam and, to compound matters, converts the infant children of the marriage without the consent of the wife.

The common factor in all these cases was that the unilateral conversion was done to spite the wife and deny her custody of the children.

The relevant provision of the federal constitution in respect to the religion of a minor is Article 12(4).

This provision states :-

12(4) For the purposes of Clause (3), the religion of a person under the age of eighteen years shall be decided by his parent or guardian.

However, the Federal Court decision in the case of Subashini in 2008, has compounded the problem for the mothers in such cases because it ruled that “parent” means either parent and not both parents.

The Bar Council and many legal experts are of the view that the Federal Court ruling in the above case is wrong.

Article 160 of the federal constitution explains the rules of interpretation .

The Eleventh Schedule under section 2 (94) and (95) state that words importing the masculine gender include females and words in the singular include plural and vice versa.

It is also to be noted that until 2002 , the Bahasa Malaysia version of the federal constitution, as published by the government printers, translated the word “parent” as “ibu bapa”.

However, in the 2002 edition, the word “parent” was translated as “ibu atau bapa”.
Clearly, for the word “ibu bapa “ to be changed to “ ibu atau bapa” would require an amendment to the Federal Constitution.

But from what could be ascertained, there has been no such amendment.

In light of the above, the G25 would urge the government to amend Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution in order to nullify the Federal Court decision in the Subashini case and make it very clear that the word “parent” in the above Article means both parents and not just a single parent.

In the meantime, we would also urge the government to rectify the mistake made by the government printers in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the federal constitution and restore the translation of “parent” to the original “ibu bapa”.

The G25 sincerely hopes that the government will at the same time address the controversial issue of unilateral conversion of minors by one parent without the consent of the other parent .

At present this is allowed under the existing Federal Territories Islamic Law Enactment and several other state Islamic law Enactments.

However, in April 2009 the Cabinet had decided that children of parents where one of them chooses to convert to Islam, must continue to be raised in the common religion at the time of the marriage.

Enforce cabinet decision on conversion

In this regard we urge the federal government and the relevant state governments to translate the above-mentioned cabinet decision into law by amending the Federal Territories Islamic Law Enactment 1993 and the relevant state Islamic law enactments by making it a requirement for both parents to consent to the conversion of their child /children.

This would be in line with the third core principle announced by the prime minister of resolving conflicts between civil and syariah courts where one party to a marriage converts to Islam, and will put into practice the government’s intention to overcome legal loopholes and overlap in existing laws.

Our objection to the idea of unilateral conversion of minors to Islam, is that, besides being unfair to non-Muslims, it entrenches inequalities in Malaysia and does so in the name of Islam.

It implies that a Muslim parent, even if newly converted, has more rights than a non-Muslim parent.

This is contrary to Article 8 of the federal constitution which guarantees that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.

This article further provides that there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the grounds only of religion, race, descent, place of birth or gender, in any law.

We note that in all the cases of unilateral conversion of children following the father’s conversion to Islam, the Islamic authorities had allowed the conversion apparently without inquiring into the background of the husband involved and without giving the wife the opportunity to be heard.

In this respect, we would urge the Islamic authorities to undertake the proper investigations in order to determine the real reason for the person wishing to convert.

This may prevent would-be converts from using conversion to escape his responsibilities to his family under civil law, thus abusing the right to convert and making a mockery of Islam.

We would further urge the Islamic authorities concerned to guide the convert on the path of righteousness and prevent him from denying the rights of his non-Muslim wife and that of their children.

Indeed, good and righteous conduct on the part of husbands and fathers towards their wives and children are enjoined in the Quran.

Finally, the G25 also welcomes the announcement by the prime minister of the setting-up of a task force to study the issue of sex crimes, especially rape, involving children.

This is timely given the reported rise in sexual crimes against children.

We hope that the task force will recommend the setting-up of a register of sex offenders and to make it an offence to be in possession of child pornographic materials.

G25 is a group of retired Malay top senior civil servants.

The white British ISIS child executioner: Horrific propaganda video appears to show blue-eyed boy with jihadi fighter name 'Abu Abdullah Al-Britani' shooting a prisoner in the head in Syria

A chilling new video from ISIS shows a British boy and four other children executing prisoners in cold blood in Syria.

The grotesque nine-minute video is believed to have been recorded recently in the ISIS capital of Raqqa, in Syria, and shows the organisation is becoming even more brutal as it retreats into its heartland.

The British boy (second from the right) is identified as Abu Abdullah al-Britani

The video shows five boys - believed to be from Britain, Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia and Uzbekistan, wielding handguns and wearing the desert camouflage.

One of the youngsters makes a blood-curdling shriek in Arabic and slaps one of the terrified captives on his shaved head before they raise their guns and kill the five men, thought to be Kurdish fighters who were captured during a battle.

The Sun reported the British boy was identified only as Abu Abdullah al-Britani. He is white, blue-eyed and aged around 12.

He and the other children copy five older jihadists who execute prisoners in orange jumpsuits and butcher them with knives.

The age of criminal responsibility in Britain is 10 so if the boy was captured and sent back to Britain to face justice he could be prosecuted for murder.

The British boy (second from right, in camouflage) shows all the signs of being brainwashed

Dozens of British jihadists are believed to be fighting for ISIS in Syria and Iraq under the nom de guerre al-Britani, which simply means British in Arabic.

Last year Assad Uzzaman, 25, from Portsmouth, was killed in Syria while using the name al-Britani.

The horrific video shows the boys, who are all aged around 12 or 13, executing prisoners with handguns

ISIS has been increasingly using child soldiers - known as the 'Cubs of the Caliphate' amid speculation it is running low on manpower as it retreats from positions in Syria and Iraq and falls back on its stronghold, around Raqqa.

The Quilliam Foundation reported this year that around 50 British children are 'growing up on jihad' and being groomed to become ISIS fighters.

Waytha wonders if Mahathir can ever redeem himself

The question that arises is whether Mahathir can be trusted to lead the “Save Malaysia” campaign.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has of late been portrayed as “the saviour” in the wake of a campaign to “Save Malaysia” from corrupt leaders.

However, the question that arises is whether Mahathir can be trusted to lead the “Save Malaysia” campaign.

He has promised institutional changes, noted Hindraf Makkal Sakthi Chairman P. Waythamoorthy in a statement.

The Hindraf chief, who was briefly in the Cabinet after GE13, charged that Mahathir suddenly seems enlightened. “He sees massive powers at the disposal of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.”

“He sees the need to curb those powers.”

Waytha wants to know what institutional changes Mahathir has in mind. The former Prime Minister has not specified what he intends to change and the reasons behind it other than vague statements raising hope, he pointed out.

Politics was more than what the eyes can see and the mind can perceive, he cautioned. Hence, there was debate on whether one should support Mahathir “blindly” in removing a dictator and replacing him perhaps with another dictator. “Politics is a strange and dangerous game,” warned Waytha.

For example, he claimed that Mahathir tried to entice Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi with the Prime Minister’s post if he joined him (Mahathir) in getting rid of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“This was just a week before the recent twin parliamentary by-elections in Perak and Selangor,” alleged Waytha. “Mahathir promised to return to Umno and support the party if Zahid joined him to oust Najib.”

Hindraf was taking the position that Mahathir had only himself to blame for the mess the country was in today.

Hindraf has also taken the view that Mahathir has to apologize to the people for his perceived failures.

It was taking the cue from an open apology by Mahathir for pushing through a law, two decades ago, that removed the Agong as the final approving authority before any Bill passed by Parliament becomes law.

Waytha argued there were many other “admissions” that Mahathir has to make.

The former Prime Minister was a “dictator” during his 22 years in office, charged Waytha. “He imprisoned his critics and opponents.”
The Hindraf chief went on to “list down a few of his (Mahathir’s) past mistakes which he has to own up”.

For starters, he alleged Mahathir squandered over RM100 billion of public money as a result of financial scandals “during his 22 years through cronyism and nepotism”.

Elsewhere, he pointed at interference by Mahathir in the judiciary including sackings, chipping away at the doctrine of separation of powers, the Prime Minister’s Department emerging as a hyper ministry, and as much power as possible being amassed in the person of the Prime Minister.

Mahathir, continued Waytha, virtually turned the civil service into an all Malay affair. “The civil service no longer reflected the demography of the nation.”

Woman’s decomposed body found in luggage

KLANG: The decomposed body of a woman, believed to be a local, was found in a wheeled luggage in Bandar Baru Klang on Thursday.

Klang Utara District Police chief ACP Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the luggage was found stuck at the Sungai Klang waste trap by a cleaner at about 1pm.

He said the luggage contained no identification of the body, which was suspected to have been disposed of elsewhere before being swept away to the waste trap.

""The dead woman, believed to be in her 30s, was found wearing a singlet and green skirt.

"She also had braces, fair-skinned and had long brown hair up to shoulder level," ACP Mohd Yusoff told reporters here Friday.

He said the results of the post-mortem in the Shah Alam Hospital showed no stabbed wounds or injuries.

He said it could not be ascertained if the victim was raped before being killed as the body had decomposed.

Any individuals with missing family members or have any information can contact the investigating officer ASP Ahmad Osman at 012-6794297. - Bernama

Dr M expected to attend ‘TangkapMO1' rally

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to make an appearance at the ‘TangkapMO1' rally at Dataran Merdeka tomorrow, according to former Umno man Khairuddin Abu Hassan.

"InsyaAllah (God willing), Tun Mahathir will attend the TangkapMO1 rally for a brief period in the afternoon.

"This decision was made to fulfil the request by the Persatuan Mahasiswa Melayu Malaysia, which insisted on Mahathir's presence at the event tomorrow," he told Malaysiakini.

There had been much speculation as to whether Mahathir, who is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's fiercest critic, would show up tomorrow.

Last August, the 91-year-old former premier, who was recently admitted for a chest infection, made a surprise appearance at the Bersih 4 gathering, which demanded Najib’s resignation.

Khairuddin added that he personally hoped all the people of Malaysia would attend en masse to give moral support to the rally tomorrow.

On the other hand, there has been no directive from the PAS leadership to its members to attend the 'TangkapMO1' rally.

PAS assistant secretary-general (1) Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil said he could not say whether the Islamic party has allowed its members to attend the rally.

"So far, there have been no instructions. I cannot respond to that question.

"We will just await further instructions from the secretary-general," he said at a press conference at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Meanwhile, Amanah Youth said in a statement today that it would mobilise its members to attend the gathering tomorrow.

The other youth wings of Pakatan Harapan will also be doing the same, said Amanah Youth national deputy chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin.

He said that they hoped the police, as an institution responsible for the peace and safety of the rakyat, would maintain the peace throughout the rally by preventing any provocation from any parties.

"At the same time, Amanah Youth hopes that the true reason behind this rally – to catch, investigate and deliver justice to Malaysian Official 1 – would be achieved by the rakyat," he said.

The organisers of the 'TangkapMO1' rally had released a FAQ (frequently asked questions today), with guidelines for the rally.

They advised people to gather at the meeting points, Sogo or Masjid Negara, at 2pm tomorrow.

At Masjid Negara, they will gather with political leaders while at Sogo, they will be gathering with NGO leaders.

"Don't ask where Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) will gather, that one we also don't know, maybe at Putrajaya," the organisers joked.
Once a healthy number of people have gathered, they will then march to Dataran Merdeka, while listening to speeches and watching performances from the youths.

Follow instructions

The organisers say the most important thing is to wait and follow the instructions of the rally commanders, who are students who will introduce themselves.

The clothing theme of the rally is black and white and people are advised to wear comfortable shoes.

Once at Dataran Merdeka, they will sing and shout their demands. There will also be a gimmick performance by the organisers' spokesperson Anis Syafiqah Mohd Yusof.

"There won't be any long-winded speeches," they said.

Responding to questions whether the rally will be safe, the organisers said: "We have 200 safety volunteers on standby. The one who is not safe right now is MO1.”

They added that if participants are arrested, they should not panic but contact them (organisers) and a lawyer will be provided.

They advised the people not to get too friendly with police officers if they are arrested, saying that they only need to provide their name, IC number and address. They also advised the people to use their right to remain silent.

Everyone should bring some water for drinking and also some salt if they want.

"There are no laws stopping the people from keeping salt in their bags," they said.

Salt is said to be able to relieve irritation and pain from tear gas chemicals.

If anyone falls sick, they can contact the safety officers as there is a medical squad on standby.

"To fight MO1, we have to prepare everything," the organisers said.

Previously, the organisers had confirmed that the gathering would go on as planned despite inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar saying that police will not allow the rally to be held in Dataran Merdeka as the organisers did not get permission from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

The US Department of Justice had claimed that US$731 million made its way into the accounts of MO1, an unnamed civil servant who is related to Najib's stepson Riza Aziz.

Riza and a businessman Jho Low, who is said to be close to the prime minister’s family, were named in the court filings.

Critics claimed that MO1 is none other than Najib himself.

However, Najib has denied allegations of misusing public funds, saying such accusations were part of a plot to topple him.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali also cleared the prime minister of any wrongdoing.

Kula bids guarded welcome to Najib move

DAP Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran hailed the government’s move to have interfaith disputes besetting civil marriages resolved in a civil court as a “crucial dent to an otherwise relentless drift towards syariah law in the country”.

Counsel to kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi, perhaps the most poignant victim of the tug-of-war between civil and Islamic jurisdictions that has in recent years roiled race-cum-religious relations in Malaysia, Kulasegaran said:

“Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s disclosure that amendments to the Law Reform Act 1976 on marriage and divorce will be tabled in October’s sitting of Parliament is balm for battered hearts, especially in cases where estranged parents fight for the custody of children who have been converted to Islam by a converted spouse.”

He said the proposed admendments to enable child custody disputes in civilly-contracted marriages to be resolved in civil courts under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 was the “only logical nostrum for a troubled scenario, where the application of supremacist religious principles inevitably means civil ones are trolled”.

Kulasegaran cautioned that the PM's disclosure, on National Women’s Day yesterday, that balm was coming for the fraught issue of mothers left bereft of their surreptiously converted children by an abruptly converted father should not be taken as a fait accompli.

“The forces of religious reaction may yet intervene to derail matters - let’s hope they don't and if they do, they don’t succeed, because this has been a hopelessly protracted issue that cries out for the civil remedy now proposed by the government,” said the lawyer-legislator.

Kulasegaran has, since 2009, been counsel to Indira, whose three children were converted to Islam by her estranged husband after he himself converted to Islam.

Her struggle for the custody and her right to determine the religion of her children has become a cause celebre.

The pre-school teacher had applied to the civil courts for relief of her predicament but remedies she obtained on occasion turned out to be transient as syariah imperatives supervened to trump civil considerations.

“I hope we are about to witness a crucial dent to an otherwise relentless drift towards syariah law in this country,” observed Kulasegaran.

“Being neither an optimist nor a pessimist, I wait to see the fine print on the proposed amendments to the 1976 law before I can say for sure a stall has been dealt to the forces pushing for theocracy in this country,” he asserted.

Najib: Interfaith disputes in civil marriages to be resolved in civil court

The cabinet has agreed to table amendments to the law to ensure interfaith disputes involving civil marriages be resolved in civil court, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said today.

He said the amendment to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 will be tabled in the next parliamentary sitting in October.

“One issue that is controversial and has courted all sorts of reaction from society is the problem of conversion, especially when a divorce takes place and one spouse has converted to Islam,” said Najib at the National Women's Day celebration in Putrajaya today.

“Cases like this arise from time to time with voices demanding that we seek a way out.”

He said there were three underlying principles to the amendment, the first being that any issues related to divorce in civil marriages be resolved in civil court.

This would ensure that issues such as child custody and child support were handled fairly, he said.

The second principle is that it would allow couples a chance to resolve their marriage dispute, and let them carry on with their lives and even re-marry, in the case of non-Muslims, Najib said.

“Thirdly, the conflict between the civil and syariah court arises when one spouse converts to Islam. (This amendment) will resolve the lacuna which exists,” he said.

Najib said the Home Ministry will table the amendment bill in the Dewan Rakyat.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister Department Azalina Othman Said and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim.

At a press conference later, Rohani said Azalina, who is the de facto law minister, will be handling the amendments.

She said the cabinet did not discuss in detail how to resolve ongoing interfaith custody cases, but added that a task force will be set up to address the matter.

The cabinet had decided in 2009 that a child must be raised in the faith professed by both parents at the time of the marriage.

The decision was made following news that M Indira Ghandi’s estranged husband, K Patmanathan aka Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah, had converted their three children to Islam without her consent.

However, the Conference of Rulers later that year put the brakes on the issue and the proposed amendments were never tabled in Parliament.

Early this year, another cabinet committee was set up to resolve the outstanding issue of unilateral conversions.

Agong's cousin ticks off MP for dragging palace into 'MO1' matter

Langkawi MP Nawawi Ahmad should not have dragged the Agong and the palace into the Malaysian Official 1 matter, said the Majlis Kerabat Diraja Kedah.

The NGO. led by the ruler, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah's cousin, Syed Idrus Syed Baharom, said the institution should not be toyed with.

"Tuanku is the ruler of the country, he is not an administrator. Why was he even dragged into this?" Syed Idrus asked at a press conference in Alor Setar.

"This is a warning to all and we don't want to hear anything else like this," he is reported by Berita Harian as saying.

Nawawi had initially said that 'Malaysian Official 1' in the United States Department of Justice lawsuits cannot be the prime minister, arguing that that constitutionally, the PM answers to the Agong.

He said this in a Facebook comment, but later amended the post.

He then denied referring to the Agong and lodged a police report on this.

He also denied referring to 'Malaysian Official 1', instead arguing that he said 'Malaysian Official Number 1'.

Malaysian Official 1 in the US lawsuits is described as a high-ranking Malaysian government official, who received US$731 million, which originated from 1MDB, and is related to PM Najib Abdul Razak's stepson Riza Aziz.

US attorney-general Loretta Lynch said 'Malaysian Official 1' is not identified by name as the lawsuit as it is not required to meet the objective of seizing assets worth more than US$1 billion, believed bought using money stolen from 1MDB.

Najib has denied using public funds for personal use, while attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali has cleared Najib of wrongdoing.

Nawawi is being probed by police over this Facebook comment.

Later today, Nawawi continued to defend his statement on Facebook, producing a series of slides which he said explained how he was "slandered"

Dr M: Najib untouched as Zeti, Gani, Abu Kassim betrayed

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad today claimed the three top officials accused of conspiring to topple Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak were "betrayed".

He said Najib would have faced action if the alleged betrayal did not occur.

"Zeti is upright, so is Abu Kassim and also Gani Patail...but they were betrayed by one among them.

"Otherwise Najib would face action by now," Mahathir told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mahathir, however, refused to elaborate, or clarify on whether he meant the alleged turncoat was one of the three.

"Well, these are rumours...I cannot have them suing me because I don't have the kind of money that Najib has."

'I'm not part of conspiracy'

He was referring to former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Abu Kassim Mohamad and former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail.

Umno Youth vice chief Khairul Azwan Harun last month lodged a police report accusing the trio of conspiring to topple Najib, but police closed the case after determining that the report was based on hearsay.

A defiant Azwan, however, has repeatedly insisted that his police report served its purpose and was a “success”.

Gani denied the claim, while Zeti and Abu Kassim kept mum citing legal advise to do so. Top Umno leaders distanced themselves from the police report.

Khairul Azwan yesterday again defended the police report by claiming Mahathir had plans to hold a press conference for the international media in Jakarta on July 26, with intentions to attack Najib.

Speaking at the opening of the Teluk Kemang Umno wings divisional meetings in Port Dickson, Khairul Azwan also accused Mahathir of being part of the alleged conspriracy.

"There is no truth at all. I wish I can do that," said Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia pro-tem committee chairperson.

Also present at the press conference were Bersatu pro-tem committee president Muhyiddin Yassin, vice-president Mukhriz Mahathir and other committee members.

How Jho Low Used 1MDB Cash To Fund Rosmah's Diamond Shopping Sprees (Sarawak Report)

Last month’s filing by the US Department of Justice confirmed the money trail, which had long been suggested by Sarawak Report, linking Jho Low’s mysterious role in funding the ‘First Lady’s’ obsessive diamond shopping with money he stole from 1MDB.

More recently designer Natasha Mirpuri has taken on the role as ‘buyer’ for Rosmah’s jewellery purchases, however before her it was Jho Low.

Our research in Hong Kong, a favourite jewellery haunt of Rosmah Mansor’s, revealed that by 2009 most of the money to settle Rosmah’s bills was coming via Jho Low.

Insiders from the industry explained to SR that the original ‘link man’ between traders and Rosmah was the former Malaysian carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan, something that has been extensively exposed and admitted to by Deepak also.

However, in 2009, after Najib became Prime Minister and set about putting together 1MDB, it was Jho Low who started organising such payments, traders say.

He was the man to go to and emails seen by Sarawak Report confirm that he utilised his relationship managers at Coutts Bank Singapore for the purpose, including Yak Yew Chee, who moved on to manage the corrupt 1MDB/Jho Low accounts currently being investigated at the now closed Singapore branch of BSI Bank.

Sarawak Report earlier revealed how Jho Low’s company Batumba Investments Limited Hong Kong, which was a subsidiary of his then main business Wynton Capital, paid millions of dollars to a subsidiary of the New York jeweller Louis Glick called Rose Trading in Hong Kong to pay for Rosmah’s diamonds.

A related email from Jho Low ran ““Hi….please confirm receiving 1 million in total.. Datin is coming to Hong Kong. Do you want to show her more goods?”.

The transfers were run through Coutts as emails seen by Sarawak Report confirm:

Fwd Payment advice to Rose Trading USD1,000,000
From: Lee Julia (RBS Coutts, SG)
To: jho.low@gmail.com

Dear Mr Low,

Thanks
Julia Lee (attachment)

Speaking to traders again last week Sarawak Report has confirmed that in late 2009 the series of purchases from Rose Trading had amounted to no less than $3 million. They added that another $1.7 million was paid to another Hong Kong jewellery outlet called Firestone.

DOJ confirm the 1MDB link
However, it was the DOJ filing last month which tied these purchases directly to money taken from 1MDB via the theft by Jho Low’s company Good Star Limited from the original ‘joint venture’ with the company PetroSaudi.

Amongst a bacchanal of expenditures towards Jho Low’s gambling and partying was listed that telling payment to Rose Trading:

“between October 2009 and October 2010, misappropriated 1MDB funds sent from the Good Star Account into the Shearman IOLA Account were transferred as follows: (i) approximately $12,000,000 in wires to Caesars Palace, a Las Vegas casino; (ii) approximately $13,400,000 in wires to the Las Vegas Sands Corp., the owner of the Venetian Las Vegas, another casino; (iii) a wire for approximately $11,000,000 to “Eric” TAN Kim Loong, an associate of LOW; (iv) approximately $4,000,000 in wires to Jet Logic Ltd., a luxury jet rental service; (v) a wire for approximately $3,500,000 to LOW’s sister; (vi) a wire for approximately $3,080,000 to Rose Trading, a Hong Kong jeweler; (vii) approximately $2,698,000 in wires to Yachtzoo, a luxury yacht rental service; (viii) approximately $2,288,000 in wires to Argent Design Ltd., a United Kingdom-based interior designer; (ix) a wire for approximately $670,000 to Excel Air, a jet rental company; (x) approximately $460,000 in wires to Skyline Private Air, an aircraft rental company; and (xi) a wire for approximately $155,000 to Billiyon Air, a jet rental company. [Section 108 DOJ Report]

From this information we can now join up how the 1MDB ‘investment’ went from Good Star Limited, first to Low’s US lawyer’s client account at Shearman, then eventually to Batumba Investments Limited and then on to Rose Trading.

“He should remember it’s my money too!”

The confirmation that Rosmah’s diamonds were bought using 1MDB cash, follows hard on the heels of our earlier story that she paid for millions of ringgit of beauty treatments also from public money stolen from the 1MDB subsidiary SRC International, which had been funded from a loan from the public pension fund KWAP.

At the time stories about Jho Low’s gargantuan spending were hitting the news in the US and Malaysia. One confidante of the time has related that Rosmah had exploded on reading some of the coverage:

“He should remember its my money also!”

the First Lady angrily exclaimed. At the time her listeners were not certain as to what she had meant. But, now everyone knows!

$600 million yacht for sale – discounts likely

Major re-fit before sale in Hong Kong?

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong press have taken up Sarawak Report’s information that the yacht Equanimity is in the port and on offer for sale.

The South China Morning Post confirms that the boat has had a major re-fit in their docks and that a local agent has been engaged with a view to an apparent sale.

All parties say they have been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements, but have indicated that the ‘mystery owner’ of the yacht is eager for a quick sale.

Although Jho Low has treated the yacht as his own ever since he acquired it in 2013, hosting a massive party to celebrate his own birthday back in November together with a fundraiser for the UN foundation, Sarawak Report asks if perhaps the actual ownership of the boat is also a little more complex than might first appear?

That the money came from funds stolen from Malaysia can be of little doubt however and the boat ought by rights to be seized and sold by investigators in Hong Kong, who have stated that they are working together with the DOJ and other global agencies who have been working to retrieve 1MDB’s stolen assets on behalf of the Malaysian people.

It’s a job that Malaysia’s own government has been notably failing to undertake itself.

1MDB cash used to build nightclub empire?

A British Virgin Island document may be the link between a Las Vegas nightclub and 1MDB, whistleblower website Sarawak Report claimed.

The document, published by offshore financial centre watchdog website Offshore Alerts, could link the Hakkasan nightclub and restaurant chain to Khadem al-Qubaisi.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that Khadem received US$473 million of funds originating from 1MDB, via a bank account in Luxembourg bank Edmond de Rothschild under the name 'Vasco Trust'.

The bank's CEO Marc Ambroisien had come under fire for clearing the transaction and left the bank in April 2015.

However, according to the November 2015 BVI document, published by Sarawak Report, Ambroisien maintained ties with Khadem.

The document, signed by Ambroisien, showed that he is the director of one Tasameem Strategic Fund, formerly known as Vasco Strategic Fund.

Tasameem Real Estate Company is one of the shareholders of Hakkasan, according to a filing with UK regulators, Sarawak Report said in an emailed statement.

This also indicates that Khadem still has a stake in Hakkasan, despite purportedly relinquishing ties by resigning as chairperson in April, Sarawak Report said.

"Plainly, Vasco and Tasameem remain linked to the same sources of income," Sarawak Report said.

"Sarawak Report believes therefore that the global investigators who are examining Mr Quabaisi’s

(Khadem) financial affairs ought soon to be turning their interest to Hakkasan’s billion dollar business."

Khadem bought the Hakkasan brand for GBP69 million in 2009, and expanded into the Las Vegas nightclub scene in 2013, it said.

Hakkasan also has restaurants in 12 locations worldwide, including in Jakarta, Doha, Dubai, Mumbai, New York, San Fransisco and Miami.

Malaysiakini cannot independently verify these claims and has contacted Hakkasan for comment.

Khadem was among four named in the DOJ's lawsuit to seize more than US$1 billion worth of assets allegedly bought using funds stolen from 1MDB.

The other three are fellow Abu Dhabi businessman Mohammed Badawy al-Husseiny, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson and Hollywood producer Riza Aziz, and businessman Jho Low.

The Malaysian government has accused Sarawak Report’s London-based editor Claire Rewcastle-Brown of being part of a conspiracy to topple the prime minister, an allegation which she denies.

Najib has repeatedly denied abusing public funds for personal gain and attorney-general Mohamad Apandi Ali had cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Ghani declined to comment on the latest claims by Sarawak Report.

"I can't comment on anything from the Sarawak Report because it's not the kind of authoritative publication I can rely on," he said at the sidelines of a property forum.

IGP's brother owns shooting academy, MACC report lodged

MyWatch chairperson R Sri Sanjeevan today lodged a report alleging conflict of interest involving a shooting academy belonging to inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar's brother.

According to the Companies Commission of Malaysia documents, the IGP's brother, Abdullah Abu Bakar, is a director in Unggul Shooting Academy.

The firm was incorporated in November 2013, six months after Khalid was appointed IGP.

"Was the licence approved by the IGP and was there any government contracts awarded and were all the requirements met?" he asked, after lodging the report at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya.

Sanjeeven also urged the MACC to probe if there were any connections between Unggul Shooting Academy and the arms and ammunition supply firm Nilai Arms & Ammunitions Sdn Bhd owned by Khalid's daughter.

When contacted, Khalid declined to comment.

"Let the MACC investigate the allegation. I do not wish to make any more comments," he said.

Sanjeevan said there has been a spike in gun violence since Khalid took over.

"I was a victim, too. I was in a coma for 35 days. I understand the suffering and pain victims' families have to go through," he said.

Sanjeevan was shot point-blank by unknown assailants three years ago. No one has been charged for the crime.

Asked if he is lodging the report to retaliate against his multiple arrests and charges, he said he has been exposing wrongdoings involving the police force since 2012.

He also claimed to have a video clip showing police corruption which he will show "for the attention of 31 million Malaysians... to open their eyes to the state of the police force".

He also said he had evidence that "a senior policeman (is) involved in a sex scandal".

"If the home minister is willing to meet me, I will give the evidence (on the sex scandal) directly. If a cop is involved, how can I give the evidence to the cops? I don't trust them," he said.

The 32-year-old anti-crime activist was released on bail yesterday after he was slapped with a third charge of extortion.

On Aug 12, he pleaded not guilty to an extortion charge in Temerloh, Pahang.

He also claimed trial to two charges of employing illegal foreign workers and extortion on July 19.

"I'm glad they charged me in open court. At least it's an open forum where I can bring out the truth. Truth will prevail," he said.

Police report lodged against Umno MP over 'MO1 is Agong' remarks

Former Langkawi Wanita Umno member Anina Saadudin has filed a police report against Umno lawmaker Nawawi Ahmad, who had surmised that Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) is none other than the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Lodging the report at the Langkawi district police headquarters, Anina expressed hope that the police would investigate the matter.

“This is to ensure that the royal institution, which is a constitutional institution, continues to be respected by the people,” she said in a Facebook post today.

In a Facebook comment, which was edited four hours later, Nawawi said based on the Federal Constitution, it is the Agong who is responsible for the government.

“According to the Federal Constitution, Malaysia's government was formed with three separate and independent entities, the judiciary headed by the chief justice, the legislative led by the parliament speaker, and the executive directed by the prime minister.

“All three entities are responsible to the Agong. Hence, according to the constitution, MO1 is the Agong,” said the Langkawi MP.

In the edited version, the last line in the comment was replaced with the sentence, “Hence, according to the constitution (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) is not MO1, as he is either M02, M03, or MO4."

In his comments later, Nawawi said that he was not talking about MO1 in the context of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit, but rather in terms of the constitution.

MO1, according to the DOJ, is a high-ranking public officer who it claimed received US$731 million of siphoned 1MDB funds. The DOJ also said that MO1 is a relative of Najib's stepson Riza Aziz.

Malaysiakini has contacted Nawawi to get an explanation as to why he edited the comment.

Zaid files suit for return of 1MDB monies

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Cabinet member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (pic) is suing the Prime Minister, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and two others in a representative action for return of monies.

Zaid said he is bringing the civil action on behalf of Malaysian citizens and taxpayers.

In the statement of claim made available to the media Wednesday, Zaid named Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, 1MDB, the Government and Najib's stepson Riza Shariz Abdul Aziz as defendants.

He is seeking an order for Najib to pay back RM42mil to the Government over alleged breach of his duty as trustee when the sum was paid into his personal bank account.

Among others, Zaid is seeking an order that Najib pay US$731mil (RM2.9bil) to 1MDB by way of restitution, claiming that the Prime Minister received the amount belonging to 1MDB in his personal bank account.

He said the Government, as sole shareholder of 1MDB, is entitled to disbursement of the sum in its favour.

Zaid is also applying for an order that Riza pay 1MDB all alleged sums received by him, whether directly or indirectly, from 1MDB monies.

He also wants an order that Riza transfer to 1MDB all property, wheresoever situated, acquired by him or his nominees or agents.

Zaid's lawyer Americk Sidhu confirmed that the suit was filed at the High Court registry Tuesday.

Case management before a deputy registrar has been set for Sept 21.

Body of bound man found in shallow water

SUBANG JAYA: A passer-by made a gruesome discovery when he discovered the body of a man, whose hands, legs and neck were bound, in shallow water in Putra Heights here.

Subang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohammad Azlin Sadari said the body of the victim, whose identity has yet to be ascertained, was discovered face-up at about 2.30pm Wednesday.

"We were told that there was a body in shallow water in Kampung Sungai Baru, Putra Heights, here.

"A forensics team was sent to investigate," he said.

"We are waiting for the forensics team to give us more information," ACP Mohammad Azlin added.

Bronze medallist posts sarcastic ‘thank you’ to Terengganu MB

PETALING JAYA: Track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang took a jab at Terengganu Mentri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman on social media.

In his Facebook comment thanking the Mentri Besar "for not helping", Azizul said the state government did not give him a helping hand during his training and ignored his request for a bicycle.

Azizul posted on Facebook his feelings of gratitude to a number of people for supporting his cycling career, including his parents, his wife, his two daughters and his Australian coach.

However, the portion of his thank-you note aimed at the Mentri Besar was dripping with sarcasm as Azizul thanked him for doing little to help him and his fellow Olympic cyclist Fatehah Mustapa in their preparations for the Olympic Games.

“To Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif, Fatehah and I still wish to express our thanks even though you did not help Fatehah and I, two Terengganu natives, who are competing at the world and Olympic levels.

“Thank you for not purchasing a ‘RoadBike’ for us to use in our preparations for the Olympic Games even though we had sent a proposal about a year before the Rio Olympics.

“Thank you for not providing feedback and for keeping silent while my manager contacted you.

“For your information, Fatehah and I are world-class and Olympic level athletes who you have always overlooked,” said Azizul.

The 28-year-old, commonly referred to as the ‘Pocket Rocket Man’ by his peers, took the bronze medal at the keirin event at the Rio Olympics.

He added that perhaps they were overlooked because they trained overseas.

Azizul said he hoped his remarks would be taken in a positive light and would be an ‘eye opener’ for all those who should have played a part in supporting the Olympic athletes.

“Regardless of what happens, we are still proud to be to born and bred in Terengganu,” he said.

Ahmad Razif on Wednesday announced that Azizul would receive a hero’s welcome when he arrives home and that his name will be carved as Terengganu’s most successful sportsman at the state museum.

The Mentri Besar added that the cyclist would be receiving other incentives though he did not reveal what exactly they were.

Court rejects appeal by trio who want to leave Islam

The Court of Appeal in Kuching, Sarawak, today dismissed an appeal by three people from the state who want to leave Islam.

The three are Jenny Peter @ Nur Muzdhalifah Abdullah, Tiong Choo Ting @ Mohd Syafiq Abdullah and Salina Jau Abdullah. All of them were represented by state PKR chief Baru Bian.

They named the director of the Sarawak Islamic Department, Sarawak Islamic Council and the National Registration Department (NRD) as the respondents.

All three of them want to compel the Sarawak Islamic Department, and the council to issue letters of release (surat murtad) to the applicants to be released from the religion of Islam.

They also sought to compel the director-general of the NRD to change the Muslim names of the applicants to their original names.

The three-member bench led by Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ruled that the question on whether they could leave Islam, should be brought to the Syariah Court.

The other judges were Justice Badariah Sahamid and Justice Kamardin Hashim.

Their fate is different from that of Rooney Rebit – the High Court in Kuching on March 24 granted his judicial review and ruled that he had a constitutional right to choose his faith. The decision was made just before the Sarawak state elections.

The High Court had then disagreed with the NRD's insistence that Rooney @ Azmi Mohamad Azam required a release letter from the Syariah Court to change his religion.

In Rooney's case, even Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had stepped in and assured Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem that the NRD would drop its appeal against the Bidayuh man.

Setback to freedom of religion

Lawyer Baru described the decisions in the trio's case as a setback for freedom of religion in Sarawak.

He said the applicants were originally non-Muslims who had left Islam after a divorce or death of a spouse.

“All three had sworn in their statutory declarations that they are no longer practising the Islamic faith,” said Baru in a statement today.

“The main issue before the High Court and the Court of Appeal was whether the Syariah Court or the Civil Court has jurisdiction in such cases.

“Our argument is that since the applicants are no longer Muslims, as sworn in their statutory declarations, the Syariah Court has no jurisdiction over them.”

But the High Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled that the question of whether the applicants are now ‘murtad’ (apostates) should be decided by the Syariah Court, according to Baru.

They had cited the Federal Court's decision in the Lina Joy case and the interpretation of Article 121A of the Federal Constitution.

Lina Joy had mounted a legal challenge against the NRD to change her religious status from 'Muslim' to 'Christian', but after much controversy, the Federal Court ruled against her in 2007.

Baru said that they relied on the dissenting judgment by the chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Richard Malanjum, in the Lina Joy case.

He had argued that the three are no longer practising Islam and the statutory declaration and documentary evidence of their baptisms are sufficient.

“We also argued that the Syariah Court Ordinance 2001 of Sarawak is silent on the issue of jurisdiction over apostasy or ‘murtad’ matters," he said.

“The Syariah Court itself submitted that since the Syariah Court ordinance 2001 is silent on jurisdiction, then the civil High Court should exercise its inherent jurisdiction and its powers under the Courts of Judicature Act to allow the applications."

The Ba'kelalan assemblyperson said that they had initially asked for an adjournment in today's appeal as there is a similar case at the Federal Court, namely Syarifah Nooraffyzza Wan Hossen vs the director of Sarawak Islamic Department and three others.

However, Baru said the appellate court decided to hear the cases as no dates had been fixed for Sharifah's case.

“As a result of today's proceeding, the three must now appeal to the Federal Court for the Lina Joy case to be revisited. We hope leave (permission) will be granted to have this case fully ventilated at the apex court,” he said.

To questions whether the cases are different from Rooney's, Baru said the Rooney case was politically resolved but the facts are also distinguishable from the three cases.

Umno lawmaker adds royal twist to 'MO1' saga

An Umno lawmaker Nawawi Ahmad added a royal twist to the saga surrounding Malaysian Official 1, who was mentioned in the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) civil suits related to alleged abuse of 1MDB funds.

In a Facebook posting, which was edited four hours later, the Langkawi MP said based on the Federal Constitution, it is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who is responsible for the government.

"According to the Federal Constitution, Malaysia's government was formed with three separate and independent entities, the judiciary headed by the chief justice, the legislative led by the parliament speaker, and the executive directed by the prime minister.

"All three entities are responsible to the Agong.

"Hence, according to the constitution, MO1 is the Agong," he explained.

In the edited version, the last line in the posting was replaced with the sentence, "Hence, according to the constitution (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) is not MO1, as he is either M02, M03, or MO4."

In his comments later, Nawawi said that he was not talking about MO1 in the context of the DOJ lawsuit, but rather in terms of the constitution.

Malaysiakini has contacted Nawawi to get an explanation as to why he edited the comment.

MO1, according to the DOJ, is a high-ranking public officer whom it claimed received US$731 million of siphoned 1MDB funds.

The DOJ also said that MO1 is a relative of Najib's stepson Riza Aziz.

Umno supreme council member Abdul Rahman Dahlan has said that only an idiot would not know who MO1 is, while the opposition has pointed the finger at Najib.

Najib, however, has denied allegations of misusing public funds, and claims such accusations are part of a plot to topple him.

Nawawi's remarks have caused a stir, with former Langkawi Wanita Umno member Anina Saadudin saying it was an insult to the Agong, who is currently Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.

"MO1 is a criminal, don't link him to our ruler... Nawawi has insulted the Kedah royal institution.

"I urge him to apologise to His Majesty and the rakyat. If he doesn't, the public can apply pressure so that all the titles bestowed upon him by the Kedah royalty is retracted," she said in a statement.

Dr M vows new party will restore democracy, rule of law

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad vowed that his new political party will restore democracy and rule of law which has been denied and abused by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The pro tem chairperson of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) said this when he explained the need for a new party in his latest blog posting today.

Mahathir said he was surprised that people have been asking why Bersatu was formed.

He said the new party can revive the country's glory of the past.

Mahathir, who led the country for 22 years, said he had studied the fate of parties which won independence in other countries.

“Most of them have disappeared. They have lost to new parties formed after independence because invariably they forgot the purpose for which the parties were formed, and abused the power accorded to them for personal gains.

“Umno had lasted much longer. But under Najib it forgot completely the purpose for which it was formed. Najib has brought shame to this once admired country. The whole world looks down upon Najib for being the worst finance minister of Malaysia and for all kinds of wrongdoings perpetrated by him,” he said.

The former premier said that only a new party can revive the country's glory.

While the sophisticated and highly educated urban people may believe that racial politics is not in keeping with the times, Mahathir thinks the situation on the ground is different.

“For the rural people who are largely poor, race is not only important but they believe is essential for their well-being. Umno’s popularity is because it is a racial party.

“If the new party is to compete with Umno, it must give the people in the rural constituencies and the unsophisticated urban constituencies the kind of comfort associated with Umno’s kind of racism,” he said.

Indonesian worker gets 30 years in jail for rape

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Girl, 12, missing after outing with online pal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lawyer: There is a US conspiracy to cheat 1MDB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 1MDB atomic bomb hit everyone, Kit Siang tells Umno leader

MP SPEAKS It is not just Umno but the whole Malaysian nation which had been hit by the 1MDB scandal like being blasted by an “atomic bomb”, with the crowning ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy”

I do not know whether the police will open an investigation paper under Section 506 of the Penal Code against the Shah Alam Umno chief Zahari Shaari, who lamented this morning that the 1MDB scandal had hit Umno like an “atomic bomb”.

This was what the police did the last time an “atomic bomb” reference made news two months ago during the Kuala Kangsar by-election, when the PKR secretary-general and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said that if the Amanah candidate, nuclear physicist Ahmad Termizi Ramli, was elected in the by-election, Termizi would be asked to hurl an “atomic bomb” at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Parliament.

Police reports were lodged against Rafizi and even an Umno minister admonished Rafizi for joking about an “atomic bomb”, although eventually nothing came out of the hullabaloo over Rafizi’s “atomic bomb” joke.

But Rafizi was joking while Zahari was deadly serious in comparing the after-effects of the 1MDB scandal to that of a mushrooming “atomic bomb” explosion.

I find some solace that there are people in Umno, even at the divisional level, who have not yet become mere robots as a result of the “Cash is King” politics and have not succumbed fully to the “mind control” of the Umno strategists, but are still capable of exercising clarity and independence of thought.

In fact, during the brouhaha over Rafizi’s “atomic bomb” joke at the Kuala Kangsar by-election, I had identified the 1MDB global scandal as one of the five issues of “atomic bomb proportion” afflicting Malaysia under Najib’s premiership.

It is not just Umno but the whole Malaysian nation which had been hit by the 1MDB scandal like being blasted by an atomic bomb, with the crowning ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a “global kleptocracy” as a result the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuits to forfeit over US$1 billion assets in the US, UK and Switzerland as a result of US$3.5 billion criminal embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of 1MDB funds.

But the catastrophic after-effects of the 1MDB scandal have not ended with the DOJ action as evident from a greater and further loss of national and international confidence in Malaysian governance, when there was no official proactive response to the DOJ complaint despite the mass of details about the criminal conduct and grand larceny of 1MDB-linked funds involving the highest authority in Malaysia, euphemistically referred to as “Malaysian Official 1”.

This is on top of the latest developments over the class action suit by ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's former political secretary, Matthias Chang and former PAS leader Husam Musa in the United States against individuals linked to 1MDB.

Against such a backdrop, three recent developments have made it clear that the storms from the “atomic bomb” explosion of the 1MDB scandal will not recede but will continue to haunt and hound Malaysia in the coming months and even years.

Firstly, the refusal of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to re-open investigations into 1MDB;

Secondly, the announcement by the Bank Negara governor Muhammad Ibrahim that there would be no re-opening of investigations against 1MDB despite the damning 136-page DOJ complaint; and

Thirdly, the statement by the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad that his main focus is to ensure a civil service which is clean of corruption, misappropriation and power abuse, completely avoiding what should be the greatest challenge of MACC - to purge and save Malaysia from the international ignominy of a global kleptocracy.

The time has come for every Malaysian to know the meaning of kleptocracy - defined as a rule by a thief or thieves.

Is this Malaysia’s new national destiny - to become a global kleptocracy?

LIM KIT SIANG is the MP for Gelang Patah and DAP parliamentary leader.

Governor: Federal and state govt must work closer to benefit Penangites

Proud moment: Sundarajoo with his wife Datin K. Mahalakshmi showing the DMPN award he received

GEORGE TOWN: Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas wants the relationship between the Federal and state government to be closer and better.

The governor wants it to be good to advance Penangites.

“We have to work towards strengthening peace and harmony, and solve problems as one big family.

“Peace is the catalyst for continuous progress and development of the state, and it is our duty as government and the people to preserve and protect it,” he said in his speech during the first day of the investiture ceremony to mark his 78th birthday at Dewan Sri Pinang yesterday.

He congratulated the state for its effort to raise the standard of living for its people.

“I was told that since 2009, the state allocated more than RM400mil or 12% from its annual budget for welfare purposes and to aid the needy.

“The state also played its role in preserving the environment.

“About 271,000 new trees have been planted since 2008,” he added.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Penang recorded the lowest unemployment rate in Malaysia, which is 1.5%.

“Recently, there were worries and fear following the closing of factories in the state.

“The phenomena happened due to the restructuring of the electronics industry.

“There is still a strong demand to open new factories in the state,” Lim said.

Separately, investPenang director Datuk Seri Lee Kah Choon, who was honoured with the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN) that carries the title Datuk Seri, expressed gratitude to the state for the recognition.

“Penang has become a better place to work, live, play and invest.

“Penang Development Corporat-ion (PDC), Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) and investPenang have strived hard to make Penang a better place,” Lee, who is the director for PDC and PHC, said.

He also thanked his family and friends for their endless support.

Prominent corporate figure Eco World Development Group Bhd chief operating officer Datuk Sundarajoo Somu was delighted to be conferred the Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negeri (DMPN), which carries the title Datuk.

“I have been working with the state government in various bodies such as the Penang Hindu Endowment Board and the Penang Green Council.

“Eco World Foundation has adopted about 3,000 children, and we help them until they complete their tertiary education,” he said.

The Star stringer M. Sivanantha Sharma, who was awarded the Pingat Kelakuan Terpuji (PKT), said he was honoured to receive the award.

He thanked the state government for recognising his contribution to the community.

One hundred and sixty-eight out of 1,223 recipients received their state awards on the first day of the investiture ceremony.

Woman claims son sodomised, wants justice for him

KOTA BARU: A mother of a five-year-old boy, who was allegedly sodomised by an elderly relative, wants justice for her son.

The 29-year-old woman from Peringat here claimed that despite her son singling the suspect out in an identification parade, the case had yet to be concluded.

“My son is never the same after the incident,” she said at her home on Sunday.

The woman said the alleged incident took place on July 20. She said her son came home crying and complained of pain in his anus.

"I then asked him what had taken place and he told me that an elderly relative had an unnatural act with him in some bushes nearby.

"I was extremely shocked and brought him to the Universiti Sains Malaysia hospital in Kubang Kerian for a checkup.

"After an examination, the doctor confirmed there was penetration in my son's anus," she said.

She added the hospital authorities reported the matter to the Welfare Department and the police.

She said her son had identified the suspect in an identification parade after she lodged a police report on July 21.

"I had been anxiously waiting for the case to be closed and for authorities to bring the person to justice although I had received threats from his family members to settle the matter.

"However, the Welfare Department officials told me not to keep the matter a secret and should see this case out," she said.

District police chief Assistant Comm of Police Baharom Abu, when contacted via text message, said the case was still being investigated and that the police had arrested the 62-year-old suspect.

He was remanded for three days.

ACP Baharom said the suspect was allowed police bail owing to his age and physical condition.

He said police were waiting for the full medical report from the hospital before handing the case to the state Deputy Public Prosecutor for follow-up.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 377 of the Penal Code for unnatural carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

It is learnt that the suspect is in Kuala Lumpur.

'Don't claim foreign intervention when you spend stolen money in the US'

By Malaysiakini


Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has blasted attempts to paint the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) move to seize assets acquired using stolen 1MDB funds as foreign intervention in the Malaysia, pointing out the action was due to the perpetrators breaking US law.

"Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his henchmen are thinking of ways to twist the facts to mislead Malaysians. This time, the DOJ is being accused of interfering in Malaysian affairs.

"Why would the US, that appreciates Najib's policies and the friendship between Najib and US president Barack Obama, want to oust Najib?

"They need him to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. If they wanted to oust him, there are many ways, as can be seen in the Middle East.

"The truth is US laws was violated by Najib's family, friends and Malaysian Official 1," he said in a blog posting today.

Mahathir said money laundering is a crime in most countries and similar action is usually taken against those who spend money that was stolen or from drug trafficking in other countries.

"The billions spent by (Najib's step-son) Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz and Jho Low went through US banks, and were used to acquire real estate and artworks in the US, pay gambling debts and for the film production of the obscene (movie) ‘Wolf of Wall Street’.

"The country (US) has the right to take legal action in accordance with its own law, just as Malaysia has the right to take legal action on any foreigner who commit crimes in Malaysia.

"The crimes of foreigners is not exempted from the laws of any country," he said.

Mahathir said after the DOJ's civil action to seize the assets, criminal action was likely to follow.

He added that while these crimes may be covered up in Malaysia, it would not happen overseas.

"If this revelation is influencing the people's opinion toward Najib's government, it is Najib's own fault.

"Why try to spend illegal money in the US?" he said.