Thursday, 8 January 2015
Pictured: Two brothers who 'trained in Yemen as assassins' and a homeless teenager identified by police as suspects in Paris magazine massacre that left 12 dead
- Masked gunmen storm Paris headquarters with AK-47s shouting 'Allahu akbar!' and 'the Prophet has been avenged'
- Stalked building asking for people's names before killing the editor, three cartoonists and the deputy chief editor
- Editor Stephane Charbonnier had famously shrugged off threats, saying: 'I'd rather die standing than live kneeling'
- Horrific footage shows a police officer begging for his life before being shot in the head at point-blank range
- Cartoonist Corrine Rey told how she cowered with her young daughter as she watched two colleagues gunned down
- Killers fled in stolen car across eastern Paris after a 'mass shoot-out' with police officers and remain on the loose
- Militants believed to be from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula which was behind plane bomb plots in US and UK
- Three suspects said to be all French citizens - a homeless teenage man aged 18, and two brothers aged 32 and 34
- Newspaper had earlier posted a picture of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on its Twitter account
- Publication's offices were firebombed in 2011 for publishing satirical cartoon of Prophet Mohammed
- White House had previously criticised Charlie Hebdo in 2012 for publishing its religiously sensitive cartoons
 |
| Cherif Kouachi, 33 |
 |
| Said Kouachi, 34, |
Two brothers were tonight named as being among the three suspects involved in a deadly terrorist attack on an anti-Islamist newspaper in France.
Said Kouachi, 34, and Cherif Kouachi, 32, were identified along with Hamyd Mourad, 18, with all three from the Paris commuter town of Gennevilliers.
At least 100,000 people gathered across France tonight to back the Charlie Hebdo publication, as a huge manhunt was launched to find the attackers.
The suspected Al Qaeda militants massacred 12 people in Paris today - and among those slaughtered was a police officer as he begged for mercy.
Tonight, thousands of people went to Republique Square near the scene to honour the victims, holding signs reading 'Je suis Charlie' - 'I am Charlie'.
The three suspects were tonight said by Metronews to be all French citizens - a homeless teenage man, and two brothers in their thirties.
There were disputed claims that the three men had been arrested 100 miles away in Reims, following a report by Libération. This could not be verified.
Cherif Kouachi was convicted in 2008 of terrorism charges for helping funnel fighters to Iraq's insurgency and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Clad all in black with hoods and speaking French, the militants forced one of the cartoonists - at the office with her young daughter - to open the door.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2900259/Gunmen-kill-11-Charlie-Hebdo-attack.html
Danish mosque doubles down on Isis support
In a newly-aired documentary, leaders of the Grimhøj Mosque said that they want to see Isis win, that a Danish suicide bomber is a hero and that they do not believe in democracy.
The Aarhus mosque that made international headlines in September by declaring its support for the terrorist group Isis has now doubled down on its statements.
In a documentary from broadcaster DR that aired on Tuesday night, leaders of the Grimhøj Mosque said that they want to see an Islamic caliphate established, that they don’t believe in democracy and that a Danish convert who carried out a suicide bomb attack in Iraq is a hero.
“We want the Islamic State come out on top. We want an Islamic state in the world,” the mosque’s chairman, Oussama El-Saadi, said in the DR programme.
El-Saadi also said that he views Denmark’s participation in the US-led battle against Syria as a direct affront not only to his mosque but to all Muslims.
“The war is against Islam,” he said.
Another mosque leader also makes his disdain for democracy clear in the documentary.
“I can be integrated without being a fan of democracy. That’s my choice. You can certainly live here as a Muslim without going out and voting and participating things that don’t benefit the Muslims in Denmark,” Youssef Loubani, the chairman of the mosque’s board, said.
In the documentary, El-Saadi also lends his support to Victor Kristensen, a Danish man who converted to Islam and is suspected of having carried out a suicide bomb attack in Iraq that killed numerous people.
“I am expressing my right to free speech in order to give my opinion. And I think that if he did it for his beliefs and for Allah’s sake then he is a martyr and a hero,” El-Saadi said.
Grimhøj Mosque has long been accused of promoting an extremist interpretation of Islam. In July, a video emerged of Abu Bilal Ismail, an imam at the mosque, calling on God to “destroy the Zionist Jews”.
East Jutland Police also estimate that of the at least 110 individuals who have left Denmark to fight in Syria, around two dozen of them come from Grimhøj Mosque.
In the DR programme, the mosque leaders denied that its members were radicalized.
A clip from the documentary, in which Middle East expert Naser Khader confronts the leadership of Grimhøj Mosque, can be seen below.
In a documentary from broadcaster DR that aired on Tuesday night, leaders of the Grimhøj Mosque said that they want to see an Islamic caliphate established, that they don’t believe in democracy and that a Danish convert who carried out a suicide bomb attack in Iraq is a hero.
“We want the Islamic State come out on top. We want an Islamic state in the world,” the mosque’s chairman, Oussama El-Saadi, said in the DR programme.
El-Saadi also said that he views Denmark’s participation in the US-led battle against Syria as a direct affront not only to his mosque but to all Muslims.
“The war is against Islam,” he said.
Another mosque leader also makes his disdain for democracy clear in the documentary.
“I can be integrated without being a fan of democracy. That’s my choice. You can certainly live here as a Muslim without going out and voting and participating things that don’t benefit the Muslims in Denmark,” Youssef Loubani, the chairman of the mosque’s board, said.
In the documentary, El-Saadi also lends his support to Victor Kristensen, a Danish man who converted to Islam and is suspected of having carried out a suicide bomb attack in Iraq that killed numerous people.
“I am expressing my right to free speech in order to give my opinion. And I think that if he did it for his beliefs and for Allah’s sake then he is a martyr and a hero,” El-Saadi said.
Grimhøj Mosque has long been accused of promoting an extremist interpretation of Islam. In July, a video emerged of Abu Bilal Ismail, an imam at the mosque, calling on God to “destroy the Zionist Jews”.
East Jutland Police also estimate that of the at least 110 individuals who have left Denmark to fight in Syria, around two dozen of them come from Grimhøj Mosque.
In the DR programme, the mosque leaders denied that its members were radicalized.
A clip from the documentary, in which Middle East expert Naser Khader confronts the leadership of Grimhøj Mosque, can be seen below.
Why no action on Uitm anti-Christianity seminar after 8 months, ask complainants
Several people, including some from Sarawak, who lodged complaints against an anti-Christian seminar held in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in May last year have questioned police inaction and silence over the reports, suggesting that the authorities have swept the issue under the carpet.One of them, Christopher Johann Jabat, who is based in Kuching, asked if the case has been closed.
Expressing disappointment over police inaction on his complaint, the 30-year-old Iban administrative assistant said he was informed by police that they would open a file based on his report and call him up if there was any development.
"But I've not received any call from them. It is obvious that they are sweeping the matter under the carpet and that no follow-up has been done," said Jabat, who lodged the report at the Simpang Tiga police station in Kuching a few days after the seminar.
He added that it was now up to leaders such as Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem to raise the matter so that police would be prompted to do their job and investigate the reports made by Sarawakians against the seminar.
At the May 6 seminar, which featured speakers from Indonesia, the audience was told that undercover Christian priests had been sent to Malaysia under different guises, including working with Muslim children as football coaches, to proselytise and convert Muslims.
The seminar on the use of the word "Allah" and Christology also featured a talk on "10 reasons why Christians should become Muslims" and belittled the Bible by alleging that it contained "tales".
The seminar was jointly organised by the Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies, UiTM, Warisan Ibnu Aaby and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais), and supported by Utusan Malaysia, Kumpulan Karangkraf, TV Al-Hijrah, Zikay Group and Pantai Bharu Group of Companies.
Among those who lodged reports against the seminar was Melanau Muslim Abdul Halim Hamdian, who criticised the lack of police action, saying that his reason for making the report was to ensure such events did not make their way into Sarawak.
But Halim, who lodged his report at the Dalat police station, is not confident that much will come out of his complaint, saying that people should instead focus their energy on raising awareness on the need to accept each other's faith.
Suzie Kulleh, 41, from Kota Samarahan, who had lodged a report at the Simpang Tiga police station, also wanted to know the progress of investigations.
She added, however, that more people from the peninsula should have lodged reports as well given that the incident took place in Selangor.
"I am disappointed that there were not more (peninsular) Malaysians and Christian leaders who complained to the authorities against the seminar.
"And it is not only about Christianity, we must stand firm against any religion being discriminated against," she told The Malaysian Insider.
Copies of books published by Mais on the threat of Christianisation and alleged evangelism among Muslims in Malaysia were also distributed to more than 1,000 students present at the seminar.
The book entitled "Pendedahan Agenda Kristian" warned Muslims to watch out for "tricks" by Christians to sway them from their faith.
The book also claimed that the main reason there was apostasy among Muslims was because of Christianisation.
Another book, titled "Obligation to preserve the sanctity of the name Allah", explained why non-Muslims, in particular Christians, cannot be allowed to use the word “Allah”.
Meanwhile, lawyer Annou Xavier, who is acting for two people who lodged reports in Selangor against the seminar, said he would write to the police again to find out the status of the case.
Private college lecturer Perzeus James and author Uthaya Sankar Narayanan, who alleged the seminar had vilified Christianity, had lodged police reports in Shah Alam two days after the seminar.
They were subsequently called up by the police twice – a week after the lodged their reports to have their statements recorded and again in June, where they were quizzed about “what exactly they were unhappy about”.
When they did not hear from the police after that, the duo in September instructed Xavier to write to the Shah Alam police chief requesting for an update on the reports lodged. In the letter addressed to Assistant Commissioner Azisman Alias and Inspector Rohaini Baharom on September 11, Uthaya and Perzeus also asked whether their complaints were being investigated under the Penal Code or the Sedition Act.
It was later found that one of the speakers at the seminar, who claimed to be a former Catholic priest turned Muslim, had used a false identity.
Insan L.S. Mokoginta had told the seminar that he was a former Catholic priest who converted to Islam in 1976.
However, the Bishops Conference of Indonesia confirmed that Mokoginta’s identity was false. Its executive secretary Father Edy Purwanto said he had no information or data on Mokoginta.
The Malaysian Insider also contacted the Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Mohd Adnan Abdullah on the status of the investigations but was told that police would not reveal details of the investigation to the media.
"We will only inform the complainant not the media. It is our SOP (standard operating procedure)," said Adnan.
He, however, added that if the media wanted to know the status of the investigation, they could write in officially Azisman, who is the Shah Alam police chief.
"The report was lodged in Shah Alam and it was being investigated by the officer in Shah Alam police district headquarters. Please write in officially to the OCPD," he told The Malaysian Insider. – January 8, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/why-no-action-on-uitm-anti-christianity-seminar-after-8-months-ask-complain#sthash.1SVSoa9O.dpuf
Zahid 'broke convention', police report to be filed
Party vice-president Rafizi Ramli told Malaysiakini that a police report would also be lodged against the home minister and senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Rafizi claimed that Zahid's conduct "heightened suspicion that it (the letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation) is not above board."
"If it is a genuine and above-board clarification by the Malaysian authorities, it should have been done by the police and communicated through Wisma Putra's diplomatic channel.
"The fact that Zahid broke both conventions highlights the serious inappropriateness of his act and warrants investigation to be commenced against him," he said.
In particular, Rafizi stressed, it was important to determine how many such letters have been issued so far.A check by Malaysiakini with those familiar with such procedures also revealed that in cases of vouching for a citizen, the proper channel would be the Foreign Ministry.
As for the police report, Rafizi said it would also be a test for Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar.
“This is to see if the IGP will act independently to investigate the home minister (who oversees the police force) and an Umno lawyer when it is so clear that a possible ministerial misconduct had taken place,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rafizi also expressed concern over a Malaysiakini report yesterday that Zahid did not consult the police before sending the letter.
He said the minister should have engaged the police as they knew better about the case as opposed to “misrepresenting the country”.
Contacted later, Khalid said should PKR lodge the report, it would definitely be investigated.
“We investigate all reports, regardless of whom these are lodged against,” the police chief told Malaysiakini.
Previously, Shafee, who is representing Phua in Malaysia, said Zahid had penned the letter to correct a mistake regarding his client, who is facing court proceedings in the United States.
Shafee said that Phua was not a member of the transnational crime organisation 14K, as alleged, and added that the triad did not exist in Malaysia.
However, the IGP later said that while 14K did not exist in Malaysia, Malaysians abroad were known to be members of the triad.
Today, Shafee remained firm that there was an error and dismissed the Malaysiakini report stating that the police defended their findings on Phua.
Zahid, on the other hand, has remained tightlipped on the matter.
Sec-gen: MIC boss will strike at right time
He said Palanivel is monitoring the statements made by "power hungry" quarters in MIC and would not hesitate to do what is necessary to maintain the party's credibility.
"The president will strike when the time is right," he added in a statement today.
Since the Registrar of Societies (ROS) ordered MIC to hold a re-election, the president has come under constant attack, with detractors even accusing his wife of calling the shots.
However, Palanivel has dismissed the allegation.
Even his deputy, Dr S Subramaniam, is aligned to the opposing faction which is insisting on re-elections.
Subra: I'm working with Palanivel
However, Subramaniam today told reporters that he will be working with Palanivel to solve the party's woes.
"We met today at cabinet and we had a very good discussion on moving forward.
"I told him that we should combine all our resources together in trying to solve these problems," he said at a press conference after a blood donation drive in Kuala Lumpur.
When asked on Palanivel's decision to meet the RoS without him, Subramanian declined to comment on"Some things we discussed personally, and we'd rather keep it that way," he said.
Subramaniam (left) also denied allegations that Palanivel's wife runs the party, and said such things should be left out of politics.
On Monday, MIC vice-president M Saravanan said a re-election would be held with or without the president's consent.
Kumar added that there are some factions within the party who are bent on using the issue with ROS for their own political agenda.
72-hour deadline
He pointed out that he has given ROS 72 hours to meet him to straighten out certain stories or he will go to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) with some important elements.
“For the record, I have also requested an appointment with the director-general of ROS (Mohammad Razin Abdullah) last Monday to demystify certain stories that have still remained a mystery.
“ROS however, cancelled the meeting at the very last minute, claiming that the director-general is still on a holiday.“I have given them (ROS) 72 hours to meet with me. If not I will extend some key elements to the MACC,” Kumar (right) warned.
He added that he has some important information from a well-known politician regarding the investigation ROS is conducting against MIC.
“I will reveal the ‘truth’ when the time comes,” he stressed.
FRU caused permanent injury, High Court told
Aleyasak Hamid @ Hassan, from Kajang, Selangor said that he was an innocent bystander and had merely wanted to observe the Bersih rally when the incident on Nov 10, 2007 occurred.
He added that he was at the Kampung Baru mosque for afternoon prayers, and then he asked his aunt to send him to Dataran Merdeka, as he had never watched a big rally before.
"She dropped me at Kamdar Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. From there, I walked with the crowd towards Dataran Merdeka, and there I saw people reciting the doa and selawat. The situation was orderly, controlled and peaceful," he noted.
"Suddenly, I heard shouts of ‘run, run!’ and watched the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) approaching. Initially I sat at Dataran Merdeka, then after hearing the commotion I started to run, but fell near the big flower pots by the side of the road.
"Then the FRU officers surrounded me and kicked at my ribs. They stepped on my left knee and then I heard a ‘pop’ sound - I knew then that my knee was fractured," he told the court in answering to questions from his lawyer Latheefa Koya.
Aleyasak (left)
was testifying in his suit where he named the Kuala Lumpur police
chief, the Dang Wangi OCPD, the inspector-general of police and the
government as defendants.The plaintiff added that he could not run from the authorities following the fracture and he pleaded to the FRU to stop assaulting him.
Aleyasak said he shielded his face with his arm to prevent further assaults by the police.
“I pleaded to them to carry me to the police truck as they asked me to move there. However, my calls went unheeded and I walked to the truck in pain while the police continue to hurl verbal abuses at me. When I arrived at the truck, a policeman kicked my fractured knee and it hit the truck,” he said.
Surgery two days later
The plaintiff said surgery was performed on his leg at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) on Nov 12, and he had to undergo follow-up treatment at HKL and also at the Kajang Plaza Medical Centre till today.
Aleyasak said he lodged a police report over the incident, a day after the rally but till today no action has been taken.He said that as a result of the injury, he could not do his job at a pest control company as he no longer had the strength to climb high places and lift things.
“As a result of the injury, I had to do odd jobs to support my family and by selling nasi lemak, goreng pisang (banana fritters) and giving tuition. My pay is not stable and depends on my personal business,” he said, adding that he also find it difficult to find a permanent job as a result of the injury.
“I am saddened that I could not be a a good father to my child as I cannot run or do activities which require physical strength,” Aleyasak said about the extent of his injury.
He produced reciepts for his treatment at HKL and Kajang Plaza Medical Centre and also the for the purchase of his walking stick as evidence in the trial.
The hearing continues before Judicial Commissioner Azizul Azmi bin Adnan tomorrow with testimonies from the former HKL doctor who treated him and two police officers.
Make PM listen, NGO heads tell Mahathir
Three prominent Muslim NGO leaders met with
former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week with the hope that he would
pressure Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to act on their concerns.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) chairperson Dr Farouk Musa described the meeting held last Tuesday, as a private initiative.
Farouk clarified that the three leaders did not represent the G25 agenda, despite their respective organisations supporting the 'Eminent Malays'.
He
said the hudud issue was the main thrust of the meeting, which was also
attended by Sisters in Islam (SIS) founding member Zainah Anwar and
Movement for a Just World (Just) chairperson Chandra Muzaffar.
"It was not on the G25 agenda, it was a private initiative by the three of us.
"We wanted to voice out our concerns about what is happening in this country - the rise of the voices of extremists and all the Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) and Perkasa issues.
"They are doing whatever they think it right, and nobody is saying no to them," Farouk said.
When it was pointed out that Mahathir is the patron of Perkasa and considered by many to be part of the problem, Farouk explained that the former prime minister's voice "carries weight".
"Najib does not listen to anyone else. It's only Mahathir, who can say something that he would probably listen to," he added.
Mahathir stood up against hudud
Farouk elaborated that Mahathir has a major influence over the people, and had stood up against the Islamic agenda of PAS and hudud before this.
"What worries us is that even the government and ministers have been enticing PAS to table the hudud bill.
"As civil society leaders, we understand that the reason for them to entice PAS is to break up Pakatan Rakyat," he said.
Farouk said during Mahathir's (right) reign, he had "put a stop to it" when the hudud agenda became a prominent issue.
"So, we want Mahathir to advise Najib on the hudud agenda, which we think is going to break the country apart," he stressed.
Farouk also reiterated that the meeting was about hudud and its effects on the country.
"It was not about us representing G25 or anything like that. No, they would have to do their own work with the PM. This is our own private initiative," he added.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) chairperson Dr Farouk Musa described the meeting held last Tuesday, as a private initiative.
Farouk clarified that the three leaders did not represent the G25 agenda, despite their respective organisations supporting the 'Eminent Malays'.
He
said the hudud issue was the main thrust of the meeting, which was also
attended by Sisters in Islam (SIS) founding member Zainah Anwar and
Movement for a Just World (Just) chairperson Chandra Muzaffar."It was not on the G25 agenda, it was a private initiative by the three of us.
"We wanted to voice out our concerns about what is happening in this country - the rise of the voices of extremists and all the Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) and Perkasa issues.
"They are doing whatever they think it right, and nobody is saying no to them," Farouk said.
When it was pointed out that Mahathir is the patron of Perkasa and considered by many to be part of the problem, Farouk explained that the former prime minister's voice "carries weight".
"Najib does not listen to anyone else. It's only Mahathir, who can say something that he would probably listen to," he added.
Mahathir stood up against hudud
Farouk elaborated that Mahathir has a major influence over the people, and had stood up against the Islamic agenda of PAS and hudud before this.
"What worries us is that even the government and ministers have been enticing PAS to table the hudud bill.
"As civil society leaders, we understand that the reason for them to entice PAS is to break up Pakatan Rakyat," he said.Farouk said during Mahathir's (right) reign, he had "put a stop to it" when the hudud agenda became a prominent issue.
"So, we want Mahathir to advise Najib on the hudud agenda, which we think is going to break the country apart," he stressed.
Farouk also reiterated that the meeting was about hudud and its effects on the country.
"It was not about us representing G25 or anything like that. No, they would have to do their own work with the PM. This is our own private initiative," he added.
Death sentence of man who torched wife, daughter upheld
Victims made declarations which implicated ice seller before their death.
FMT
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here upheld the conviction and death sentence of an ice seller for killing his wife and daughter, about 10 years ago, by splashing kerosene and setting them ablaze.
A five-member panel chaired by Federal Court judge Suriyadi Halim Omar also upheld the High Court decision to sentence P Balan Subramaniam to 12 years’ jail for attempted murder of another daughter.
Suriyadi, who presided on the panel with justices Ahmad Maarop, Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha, Mohamed Apandi Ali and Abu Samah Nordin, dismissed Balan’s final appeal on his conviction, death sentence and jail sentence.
Balan, 62, was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Ipoh High Court for the murder of his 48-year-old wife, R Angeladevi.
The High Court had originally acquitted and discharged Balan on the charge of killing his daughter, Anuradha, 20, a college student, and attempted murder of his then 23-year-old daughter Malini (now 34 years old), a hospital assistant, without his defence being called.
However, on appeal to the Court of Appeal by the prosecution, the matter was subsequently remitted back to the High Court for Balan to enter his defence on the two charges.
At the end of the defence case, Balan was found guilty and sentenced to death for killing Anuradha and he was also found guilty and given a 12-year jail sentence for the attempted murder on Malini.
He lost his appeal to set aside his conviction and sentences at the Court of Appeal.
Balan was accused of committing the offence at his house in Jalan Anggerik, Desa Changkat, Batu Gajah in the Kinta District of Perak between 10pm and 11pm on October 11, 2004.
According to the facts of the case, a quarrel broke out on the day of the incident which led to the arson. Angeladevi and Anuradha had made declarations implicating Balan before their death.
Balan was represented by lawyers K Kumaraendran and Dev Kumaraendran while deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah appeared for the prosecution.
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here upheld the conviction and death sentence of an ice seller for killing his wife and daughter, about 10 years ago, by splashing kerosene and setting them ablaze.
A five-member panel chaired by Federal Court judge Suriyadi Halim Omar also upheld the High Court decision to sentence P Balan Subramaniam to 12 years’ jail for attempted murder of another daughter.
Suriyadi, who presided on the panel with justices Ahmad Maarop, Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha, Mohamed Apandi Ali and Abu Samah Nordin, dismissed Balan’s final appeal on his conviction, death sentence and jail sentence.
Balan, 62, was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Ipoh High Court for the murder of his 48-year-old wife, R Angeladevi.
The High Court had originally acquitted and discharged Balan on the charge of killing his daughter, Anuradha, 20, a college student, and attempted murder of his then 23-year-old daughter Malini (now 34 years old), a hospital assistant, without his defence being called.
However, on appeal to the Court of Appeal by the prosecution, the matter was subsequently remitted back to the High Court for Balan to enter his defence on the two charges.
At the end of the defence case, Balan was found guilty and sentenced to death for killing Anuradha and he was also found guilty and given a 12-year jail sentence for the attempted murder on Malini.
He lost his appeal to set aside his conviction and sentences at the Court of Appeal.
Balan was accused of committing the offence at his house in Jalan Anggerik, Desa Changkat, Batu Gajah in the Kinta District of Perak between 10pm and 11pm on October 11, 2004.
According to the facts of the case, a quarrel broke out on the day of the incident which led to the arson. Angeladevi and Anuradha had made declarations implicating Balan before their death.
Balan was represented by lawyers K Kumaraendran and Dev Kumaraendran while deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah appeared for the prosecution.
So it was golfing and shopping in Thailand after all
Looks like the speculation surrounding the whereabouts of our PM and his wife are true - the couple was in Thailand on a private trip.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bangkok Post has put to rest the endless speculation surrounding our prime minister and his wife by reporting that the couple was indeed in Thailand recently on a private New Year’s vacation and to meet with General Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Quoting a source close to General Prayut, the paper said on Tuesday that Najib Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor made the trip to Thailand on January 2, where they shopped, played golf and stayed the night at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok.
The source also said the trip was kept under wraps on account of etiquette as it was of a private nature.
The paper also disclosed that Najib lunched with Prayut at the general’s residence in Kesakomol where the two discussed a variety of issues including that of dual citizens and border crossings by Malaysian vans into Thailand.
“The Malaysian prime minister had to tweet that he had lunch with Gen Prayut to thank Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood-hit Malaysian victims and to exchange views on flood solving and restoration.
“This is seen as trying to avoid criticism about his trip. Thailand did not disclose news about his visit for etiquette reasons as he went to holiday here” added the source.
Najib and Rosmah have been under intense scrutiny and criticism in light of the devastating floods in Malaysia as neither was present to help deal with the national crisis until much later.
Najib was also accused of sneaking off to play golf with US President Barack Obama until a Washington Post photograph of him and Obama on the greens forced Najib to explain it away as merely “golfing diplomacy”.
Cutting short his Hawaii trip all the same, criticism reached new heights when the focus turned to Rosmah instead, with many questioning her absence in the country and that of the government jet.
Photos of a woman resembling Rosmah shopping in upmarket Bangkok Central Chidlom Mall later surfaced online, with many stating their disbelief that the first lady was not by her husband’s side delivering aid or meeting with flood victims back home.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bangkok Post has put to rest the endless speculation surrounding our prime minister and his wife by reporting that the couple was indeed in Thailand recently on a private New Year’s vacation and to meet with General Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Quoting a source close to General Prayut, the paper said on Tuesday that Najib Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor made the trip to Thailand on January 2, where they shopped, played golf and stayed the night at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok.
The source also said the trip was kept under wraps on account of etiquette as it was of a private nature.
The paper also disclosed that Najib lunched with Prayut at the general’s residence in Kesakomol where the two discussed a variety of issues including that of dual citizens and border crossings by Malaysian vans into Thailand.
“The Malaysian prime minister had to tweet that he had lunch with Gen Prayut to thank Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood-hit Malaysian victims and to exchange views on flood solving and restoration.
“This is seen as trying to avoid criticism about his trip. Thailand did not disclose news about his visit for etiquette reasons as he went to holiday here” added the source.
Najib and Rosmah have been under intense scrutiny and criticism in light of the devastating floods in Malaysia as neither was present to help deal with the national crisis until much later.
Najib was also accused of sneaking off to play golf with US President Barack Obama until a Washington Post photograph of him and Obama on the greens forced Najib to explain it away as merely “golfing diplomacy”.
Cutting short his Hawaii trip all the same, criticism reached new heights when the focus turned to Rosmah instead, with many questioning her absence in the country and that of the government jet.
Photos of a woman resembling Rosmah shopping in upmarket Bangkok Central Chidlom Mall later surfaced online, with many stating their disbelief that the first lady was not by her husband’s side delivering aid or meeting with flood victims back home.
Decision on appeal in Altantuya case on January 13
The prosecution is appealing against the August 23, 2013 decision of the Court of Appeal in acquitting the two policemen of murder.
FMT
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has set January 13 to deliver its decision in the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal of two former special action unit (UTK) personnel on a charge of murdering Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Federal Court corporate communications and international relations head Mohd Aizuddin Zolkeply confirmed that the decision date had been fixed for January 13.
The decision would be delivered by a five-member panel led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria who heard the appeal for three days from June 23 last year and reserved their decision.
Presiding with him were Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judges Abdull Hamid Embong, Suriyadi Halim Omar and Ahmad Maarop.
When contacted, lawyer Hazman Ahmad, who is representing chief inspector Azilah Hadri said his legal firm received a notice from the Federal Court registry yesterday, notifying the date for the decision.
Counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamarudin representing corporal Sirul Azhar Umar and deputy public prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah also confirmed the date.
Tun Abdul Majid is also deputy solicitor-general I (Litigation) in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
The prosecution is appealing against the August 23, 2013 decision of the Court of Appeal in acquitting the two policemen.
The Court of Appeal had allowed the policemen’s appeal to set aside the 2009 Shah Alam High Court’s decision in finding them guilty for the woman’s murder and the sentence to death.
Former political analysts Abdul Razak Baginda, who was charged with abetting Azilah and Sirul Azhar, was acquitted by the High Court on October 31, 2008 after it (the high court) held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
The prosecution did not appeal against his acquittal.
– BERNAMA
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has set January 13 to deliver its decision in the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal of two former special action unit (UTK) personnel on a charge of murdering Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Federal Court corporate communications and international relations head Mohd Aizuddin Zolkeply confirmed that the decision date had been fixed for January 13.
The decision would be delivered by a five-member panel led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria who heard the appeal for three days from June 23 last year and reserved their decision.
Presiding with him were Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judges Abdull Hamid Embong, Suriyadi Halim Omar and Ahmad Maarop.
When contacted, lawyer Hazman Ahmad, who is representing chief inspector Azilah Hadri said his legal firm received a notice from the Federal Court registry yesterday, notifying the date for the decision.
Counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamarudin representing corporal Sirul Azhar Umar and deputy public prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah also confirmed the date.
Tun Abdul Majid is also deputy solicitor-general I (Litigation) in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
The prosecution is appealing against the August 23, 2013 decision of the Court of Appeal in acquitting the two policemen.
The Court of Appeal had allowed the policemen’s appeal to set aside the 2009 Shah Alam High Court’s decision in finding them guilty for the woman’s murder and the sentence to death.
Former political analysts Abdul Razak Baginda, who was charged with abetting Azilah and Sirul Azhar, was acquitted by the High Court on October 31, 2008 after it (the high court) held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
The prosecution did not appeal against his acquittal.
– BERNAMA
Controversial Malaysia Fund Misses Payment
Struggling state investment vehicle spells bad news for PM
Asia Sentinel
The failure of Malaysia’s ill-starred state run investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd to meet a RMB 2 billion (US$563 million) repayment to domestic banks spells bad news for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, the chief advisor to and ostensible brains behind the fund.
Reuters reported on Jan. 6 that 1MDB, as the fund is known, had missed a Dec. 31 payment and is exploring ways to settle with lenders, primarily RHB and Maybank, two of the country’s biggest banks, by the end of January. It is the second time 1MDB has missed a payment. It previously asked Bank Negara, the country’s central bank, for a three-month extension on its loan obligations.
The performance of the fund, which has borrowings of RM42.2 billion, has become intricately bound up with the attempt to bring down Najib that is being waged by forces allied with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In recent days the campaign to force out the prime minister has sprung into the open, partly over the fact that he was invited to play golf in Hawaii with President Barack Obama at a time when the east coast of the country was inundated with some of the worst floods in decades.
“It is a watershed and an ominous one when the rakyat (the people), through the blogs, the independent news portal and the social media outlets, discovered that the PM was golfing in Hawaii while a quarter million people were flooded out of their homes,” wrote A. Kadir Jasin, the former editor of the Straits Times and Mahathir’s chief spear carrier, on his blog. “They asked, ‘does the PM care?’”
When Najib belatedly rushed home to visit the flooded area, he caught an infection from e.coli bacteria in the polluted waters, opening him to ridicule from his critics. He also left behind in the United States Perdana 2, the luxurious government-owned Airbus ACJ320 executive jet. Blogs, especially those aligned with Mahathir, erupted in criticism, saying the plane had been left behind to make stops in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, London, Dubai and back to South East Asia, carrying the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, whose taste for extravagant shopping and overseas travel have made her a lightning rod for criticism.
Muhyiddin Yassin, the current deputy prime minister, has in recent weeks stepped up his oblique criticism of the way the government is run, saying the ruling Barisan Nasional could lose the next election, due in 2018, if changes are not made. Criticism has been growing among the rank and file as well, with one UMNO member filing a complaint with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in December over the operation of 1MDB before he was told to knock it off.
The disastrous performance of the fund has been complicated by the circumstances of its 2009 inception. It was proposed to Najib by Jho Low Taek, then a 27-year-old investment advisor with a lot of Middle Eastern friends and a reputation as a playboy who made the papers of New York tabloids, partying with the likes of Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton as well as the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Arul Kanda Kandasamy, formerly executive vice-president, head of Investment Banking Group and head of Corporate Finance for the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, was brought in last week to take over from former COO Mohamad Hazem Abdul Raman, who quit suddenly. Kandasamy told reporters he is confident the problems the fund faces can be overcome.
“I genuinely believe that the majority of the allegations that have been directed at the company have more to do with a misunderstanding of the business, or are raised for purposes that aren’t necessarily business related, as compared to any real issues that exist within 1MDB,” he said
Nonetheless, 1MDB has been struggling vainly for months to get away a US$3 billion IPO of its power assets, which critics contend were purchased at vastly inflated prices in an attempt to generate cash flow after much of its initial funding disappeared into a middle eastern oil exploration company called PetroSaudi.
Instead of repaying the RMB7 billion loan, PetroSaudi converted the money into an 11 year loan, to be repaid at 8.5 percent annual interest. The money was invested through the Cayman Islands, a notoriously unregulated banking haven. To criticism, 1MB replied that the fund is regulated by authorities in the Caymans, Switzerland and Hong Kong, which critics said means almost no regulation at all.
It was Jho Low, as he is known, who steered the RMB7 billion loan to PetroSaudi. According to records in London, he also used a letter from the fund to back a failed bid to take over three prestigious London hotels and there is considerable suspicion that he also used the fund’s credit standing to help guarantee funding for the production of The Wolf of Wall Street, a phenomenally successful movie co-produced by Reza Aziz, Rosmah’s son.
In recent months, the government, in an attempt to build up 1MDB so that its power assets can be listed, has strong-armed at least three no-bid contracts to build coal-fired and solar power plants to supplement the fund’s assets. One of those power plants, in Port Dickson near Malacca, was awarded to 1MDB despite a lower bid from a joint venture of YTL International Bhd and SIPP, partly owned by the Sultan of Johor, who is said to have been enraged by the snub and is demanding privately that SIPP be given its own no-bid contract for another plant. The government has also given another plant a 10-year extension to its production agreement, which was supposed to end in 2016 but has been extended to 2026.
Powertek, 1MDB’s fund’s wholly owned subsidiary, also has operations in five emerging markets in addition to Malaysia. They are Egypt, Bangladesh, the United Arab Republic, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
"1MDB has invested the proceeds with regulated and licensed international fund managers, the fund said in a prepared statement early last year. “These fund managers adopt an absolute return strategy of which the primary investment objective is to achieve long-term capital appreciation and/or steady income through investments in listed and/or unlisted companies.”
The opposition has been cudgeling Najib for months on the fund, which appears to be in growing jeopardy to the point where major defaults could send a serious shock through the domestic banking system. The fund has twice missed deadlines for filing its annual reports and its auditors have quit twice. But when Mahathir unlimbered his criticism, the allegations picked up serious steam. In particular, they have been percolating through the UMNO rank and file, probably Najib’s most dangerous trouble spot, given that the opposition is regarded as disorganized an toothless.
One ominous harbinger, according to well-informed sources in Kuala Lumpur, is that Khairy Jamaluddin, the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is said to have moved into Mahathir’s camp. Khairy abandoned the Badawi wing of the party after Mahathir and Muhyiddin pushed Badawi aside and joined Mahathir’s van.
The failure of Malaysia’s ill-starred state run investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd to meet a RMB 2 billion (US$563 million) repayment to domestic banks spells bad news for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, the chief advisor to and ostensible brains behind the fund.
Reuters reported on Jan. 6 that 1MDB, as the fund is known, had missed a Dec. 31 payment and is exploring ways to settle with lenders, primarily RHB and Maybank, two of the country’s biggest banks, by the end of January. It is the second time 1MDB has missed a payment. It previously asked Bank Negara, the country’s central bank, for a three-month extension on its loan obligations.
The performance of the fund, which has borrowings of RM42.2 billion, has become intricately bound up with the attempt to bring down Najib that is being waged by forces allied with former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In recent days the campaign to force out the prime minister has sprung into the open, partly over the fact that he was invited to play golf in Hawaii with President Barack Obama at a time when the east coast of the country was inundated with some of the worst floods in decades.
“It is a watershed and an ominous one when the rakyat (the people), through the blogs, the independent news portal and the social media outlets, discovered that the PM was golfing in Hawaii while a quarter million people were flooded out of their homes,” wrote A. Kadir Jasin, the former editor of the Straits Times and Mahathir’s chief spear carrier, on his blog. “They asked, ‘does the PM care?’”
When Najib belatedly rushed home to visit the flooded area, he caught an infection from e.coli bacteria in the polluted waters, opening him to ridicule from his critics. He also left behind in the United States Perdana 2, the luxurious government-owned Airbus ACJ320 executive jet. Blogs, especially those aligned with Mahathir, erupted in criticism, saying the plane had been left behind to make stops in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, London, Dubai and back to South East Asia, carrying the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, whose taste for extravagant shopping and overseas travel have made her a lightning rod for criticism.
Muhyiddin Yassin, the current deputy prime minister, has in recent weeks stepped up his oblique criticism of the way the government is run, saying the ruling Barisan Nasional could lose the next election, due in 2018, if changes are not made. Criticism has been growing among the rank and file as well, with one UMNO member filing a complaint with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in December over the operation of 1MDB before he was told to knock it off.
The disastrous performance of the fund has been complicated by the circumstances of its 2009 inception. It was proposed to Najib by Jho Low Taek, then a 27-year-old investment advisor with a lot of Middle Eastern friends and a reputation as a playboy who made the papers of New York tabloids, partying with the likes of Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton as well as the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Arul Kanda Kandasamy, formerly executive vice-president, head of Investment Banking Group and head of Corporate Finance for the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, was brought in last week to take over from former COO Mohamad Hazem Abdul Raman, who quit suddenly. Kandasamy told reporters he is confident the problems the fund faces can be overcome.
“I genuinely believe that the majority of the allegations that have been directed at the company have more to do with a misunderstanding of the business, or are raised for purposes that aren’t necessarily business related, as compared to any real issues that exist within 1MDB,” he said
Nonetheless, 1MDB has been struggling vainly for months to get away a US$3 billion IPO of its power assets, which critics contend were purchased at vastly inflated prices in an attempt to generate cash flow after much of its initial funding disappeared into a middle eastern oil exploration company called PetroSaudi.
Instead of repaying the RMB7 billion loan, PetroSaudi converted the money into an 11 year loan, to be repaid at 8.5 percent annual interest. The money was invested through the Cayman Islands, a notoriously unregulated banking haven. To criticism, 1MB replied that the fund is regulated by authorities in the Caymans, Switzerland and Hong Kong, which critics said means almost no regulation at all.
It was Jho Low, as he is known, who steered the RMB7 billion loan to PetroSaudi. According to records in London, he also used a letter from the fund to back a failed bid to take over three prestigious London hotels and there is considerable suspicion that he also used the fund’s credit standing to help guarantee funding for the production of The Wolf of Wall Street, a phenomenally successful movie co-produced by Reza Aziz, Rosmah’s son.
In recent months, the government, in an attempt to build up 1MDB so that its power assets can be listed, has strong-armed at least three no-bid contracts to build coal-fired and solar power plants to supplement the fund’s assets. One of those power plants, in Port Dickson near Malacca, was awarded to 1MDB despite a lower bid from a joint venture of YTL International Bhd and SIPP, partly owned by the Sultan of Johor, who is said to have been enraged by the snub and is demanding privately that SIPP be given its own no-bid contract for another plant. The government has also given another plant a 10-year extension to its production agreement, which was supposed to end in 2016 but has been extended to 2026.
Powertek, 1MDB’s fund’s wholly owned subsidiary, also has operations in five emerging markets in addition to Malaysia. They are Egypt, Bangladesh, the United Arab Republic, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
"1MDB has invested the proceeds with regulated and licensed international fund managers, the fund said in a prepared statement early last year. “These fund managers adopt an absolute return strategy of which the primary investment objective is to achieve long-term capital appreciation and/or steady income through investments in listed and/or unlisted companies.”
The opposition has been cudgeling Najib for months on the fund, which appears to be in growing jeopardy to the point where major defaults could send a serious shock through the domestic banking system. The fund has twice missed deadlines for filing its annual reports and its auditors have quit twice. But when Mahathir unlimbered his criticism, the allegations picked up serious steam. In particular, they have been percolating through the UMNO rank and file, probably Najib’s most dangerous trouble spot, given that the opposition is regarded as disorganized an toothless.
One ominous harbinger, according to well-informed sources in Kuala Lumpur, is that Khairy Jamaluddin, the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is said to have moved into Mahathir’s camp. Khairy abandoned the Badawi wing of the party after Mahathir and Muhyiddin pushed Badawi aside and joined Mahathir’s van.
If Najib can succumb to E.coli, flood victims surely at risk, says Dyana Sofya
_840_559_100.jpg)
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak contracted E.coli food poisoning spending just a few days in flooded areas, signalling just how easily an epidemic could break out from the flooding disaster, DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud said today.
The political secretary to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang pointed out that victims of one of the worst floods to hit Malaysia in decades have spent weeks in high-risk conditions — with little sanitation and limited access to clean water and medicine.
"The water may have subsided and those who still have homes may have returned to them, but there is now an urgent need to take steps to prevent an epidemic from breaking out,” Dyana Sofya said in a statement.
“It is almost a certainty that thousands of victims, both adults, children and elderly alike, are currently exposed to contaminated floodwater and have not been eating nutritional food. With their morale and immune system at their worst, they are certainly at risk,” she added.
Dyana Sofya said both federal and state governments need to come up with a transparent and inclusive plan to manage the post-flood situation now that waters have subsided and people have begun returning home after major floods struck the east coast last month.
The Prime Minister's Office announced yesterday that Najib was fighting an E.coli infection, believed to be food poisoning, after visiting flood-affected areas.
E.coli or the Escherichia coli (E.coli) is a bacteria that is widely found in the human intestine. Certain strains can cause mild to severe food poisoning symptoms. Infection can happen if water or food contaminated by human or animal feces is consumed.
Najib made several trips to areas devastated by the floods on December 27, including Kelantan, which is among the states worst hit in the disaster that saw almost 250,000 people evacuated from their homes at one point.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/if-najib-can-succumb-to-e.coli-flood-victims-surely-at-risk-says-dyana-sofy#sthash.ewCnmKXp.dpuf
Court orders man’s body exhumed to probe death 4 years ago
Crossing the first hurdle in what is expected to be a painful experience ahead, the mother of a doctor who died under mysterious circumstances in Langkawi four years ago today obtained a High Court order to exhume his body for the purpose of another post-mortem.
The Alor Setar High Court also granted Santaamal Philip's application for an inquest to determine how Dr Sebastian Joseph, who was a medical officer at the Kuah government clinic in Langkawi, died.
DPP Mohamad Rizal Fadzil and the family's lawyer also came to a compromise that the post-mortem will be jointly handled by the family’s choice of Australian pathologist Dr Richard Byron Collins and local pathologists.
The family will also bear all costs related to the exhumation and post-mortem.
Santaamal's lawyer M.Visvanathan told The Malaysian Insider that he expected the exhumation of Dr Sebastian's remains from a cemetery in Shah Alam to take place this month, after he extracts the relevant orders from the court next week.
He said the next step would be to liaise with the Attorney-Genral’s Chambers, the police and Dr Collins on the scheduling of the exhumation.
"We want Dr Collins to be here when the exhumation takes place, so I am hoping we can do this by the end of this month," Visvanathan said.
Visvanathan said that while the family is relieved that they are finally on track to finding out what happened to the 30-year-old medical officer, it is not going to be an easy journey for them.
Dr Sebastian was found dead in his government quarters in Padang Matsirat on November 17, 2010.
He was said to be in a kneeling position with his hands clenched.
In her application to the court in November last year, Santaamal said the post-mortem on Dr Sebastian was conducted at Langkawi Hospital by Dr Muhamad Arif Mohamad Rasat but the report stated the cause of death as "unascertained".
She said that the doctor who conducted the post-mortem was not a pathologist but only a general practitioner.
In a previous interview, Santaamal had said that a month before her son's death, she had visited him to help him furnish his five-bedroom quarters, and said he had shared some “troubling” information of what was going on at his workplace.
Declining to elaborate, Santaamal only said it had to do with how many of the patients at the health clinic were prescribed Panadol for all sorts of ailments.
Dr Sebastian had also told his mother that various types of medication prescribed by him were not available in the clinic pharmacy, and that he wanted to report the matter to his superior. – January 7, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/court-orders-mans-body-exhumed-to-probe-death-4-years-ago#sthash.mq74J4OW.dpuf
The Alor Setar High Court also granted Santaamal Philip's application for an inquest to determine how Dr Sebastian Joseph, who was a medical officer at the Kuah government clinic in Langkawi, died.
DPP Mohamad Rizal Fadzil and the family's lawyer also came to a compromise that the post-mortem will be jointly handled by the family’s choice of Australian pathologist Dr Richard Byron Collins and local pathologists.
The family will also bear all costs related to the exhumation and post-mortem.
Santaamal's lawyer M.Visvanathan told The Malaysian Insider that he expected the exhumation of Dr Sebastian's remains from a cemetery in Shah Alam to take place this month, after he extracts the relevant orders from the court next week.
He said the next step would be to liaise with the Attorney-Genral’s Chambers, the police and Dr Collins on the scheduling of the exhumation.
"We want Dr Collins to be here when the exhumation takes place, so I am hoping we can do this by the end of this month," Visvanathan said.
Visvanathan said that while the family is relieved that they are finally on track to finding out what happened to the 30-year-old medical officer, it is not going to be an easy journey for them.
Dr Sebastian was found dead in his government quarters in Padang Matsirat on November 17, 2010.
He was said to be in a kneeling position with his hands clenched.
In her application to the court in November last year, Santaamal said the post-mortem on Dr Sebastian was conducted at Langkawi Hospital by Dr Muhamad Arif Mohamad Rasat but the report stated the cause of death as "unascertained".
She said that the doctor who conducted the post-mortem was not a pathologist but only a general practitioner.
In a previous interview, Santaamal had said that a month before her son's death, she had visited him to help him furnish his five-bedroom quarters, and said he had shared some “troubling” information of what was going on at his workplace.
Declining to elaborate, Santaamal only said it had to do with how many of the patients at the health clinic were prescribed Panadol for all sorts of ailments.
Dr Sebastian had also told his mother that various types of medication prescribed by him were not available in the clinic pharmacy, and that he wanted to report the matter to his superior. – January 7, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/court-orders-mans-body-exhumed-to-probe-death-4-years-ago#sthash.mq74J4OW.dpuf
Wednesday, 7 January 2015
Bosnian imam attacked seven times over call to stay out of Syria
TRNOVI, Bosnia-Herzegovina: The long-bearded man burst into the mosque’s yard and pinned Selvedin Beganovic to the ground. Shouting “Now I will slaughter you!” he plunged a knife three times into the imam’s chest and fled.
It was no random attack: Beganovic has suffered seven assaults blamed on Muslim extremists in the past year – with three just last month.
The apparent reason for the jihadi wrath? Beganovic uses his pulpit to tell the faithful in predominantly Muslim Bosnia they have no business fighting in Syria or Iraq. And he vows to keep preaching the message no matter how many times extremists try to silence him.
“That is not our war,” the imam told the Associated Press in his small northwestern town. “Our jihad in Bosnia is the fight against unemployment. The care for our parents who have small pensions. The care for the socially jeopardized.”
Some 150 Bosnians have joined Islamist militants in Syria or Iraq, officials estimate, with many fighting for the jihadi group ISIS. All are apparently members of a small community that follows an ultraconservative interpretation of Islam. Last month, a court in Bosnia charged a man believed to be the spiritual leader of the group with recruiting Bosnians to fight with Islamist militants in Syria and organizing a terrorist group.
Beganovic, who preaches every week to a full mosque, tells his followers that groups like ISIS are spreading a “perverted” version of Islam. “When did [the Prophet] Mohammad ever behead anyone? When did he take a knife and slaughter an innocent journalist?”
Of Islam’s 99 names for God – including The Mighty and The Avenger – the ones Beganovic likes most are The Exceedingly Merciful and The Exceedingly Gracious.
“That is what we teach our children here,” he said.
Dragan Lukac, the director of federal police, blamed fighters returning from Syria’s front lines for the attacks against Beganovic, which include severe beatings and knife slashes to the face, shoulders and hands. Investigators are still hunting for the attacker in last week’s knife assault.
“Every person who comes back from that front line is a danger,” Lukac said. “These people are able to perform attacks on citizens, on property, on state institutions.”
Militant Islam was all but unknown to Bosnia’s mostly secular Muslim population until the 1990s Balkans wars when Arab mercenaries turned up to help the outgunned Bosnian Muslims fend off Serb attacks. These fighters, many of whom settled in Bosnia, embraced a radical version of Islam that Bosnia’s official Muslim community opposes.
The community’s leader, Husein Kavazovic, has repeatedly warned Bosnians not to fall for extremist rhetoric aimed at pulling them into the fight in Syria.
“Our job is to keep repeating, to keep warning that this is evil and cannot be justified,” he said.
That’s exactly what Beganovic has been doing – at the risk of his life.
“These are dangerous people,” he said. “Their place is in a mental institution.”
- See more at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Jan-06/283169-bosnian-imam-attacked-seven-times-over-call-to-stay-out-of-syria.ashx#sthash.skcnVG5V.dpuf
Najib on private trip to Thailand, says report
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was in Thailand on a private trip to meet his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and also to rest during the New Year's holiday, Bangkok Post reported today.Quoting sources, it stated that Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor made a visit to Thailand on January 2.
The report coincided with the presence of the government jet in the Thai capital where the Airbus A319 had been tracked flying from Dubai to Bangkok early that morning.
"They went shopping, played golf and stayed overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok," the report added.
During the visit, Najib also met with Prayut and held informal talks for 90 minutes at the Thai PM's residence.
Among the topics discussed, according to Bangkok Post, included Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.
The report added that since it was a private trip, the news of his visit was not highlighted as per standard protocol and for "etiquette" reasons.
"The Malaysian PM had to tweet that he had lunch with Prayut, thanking Thailand for donating 500 tonnes of rice to help flood victims in Malaysia to avoid criticism," the source told Bangkok Post.
Many Malaysians had criticised Najib after photographs of him playing golf with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii went viral.
The issue, however, became worse when the prime minister did not return to Malaysia on the government jet but instead flew home on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) passenger aircraft, fuelling further speculation as to the whereabouts of the government jet and those on board.
It was reported yesterday that the Airbus A319, bearing tail number 9M-NAA, was parked at Subang Airport, after landing safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) the night before.
Prior to that, the plane was reported to have been in three different cities in the United States, followed by stops in London, Dubai and finally, Bangkok.
The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement to veteran journalist Datuk A.Kadir Jasin, said Najib had not been able to to use the official jet to return to Malaysia on December 27 as it had "technical issues".
Najib had also defended his golf game with Obama, calling it “golf diplomacy” which had been practised by Malaysian leaders in the past, including his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak.
He said the invitation by Obama “was difficult to decline” as it was planned based on other schedules. – January 6, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-on-private-trip-to-thailand-says-report#sthash.MMn45CWH.dpuf
Moderate Muslim groups meet Dr M to discuss G25 open letter
In a bid to get Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to meet with moderate Muslims, three civil society leaders met privately with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week to discuss their concerns about the lack of national leadership and Putrajaya's inaction against worsening religious and racial rhetoric.The groups – Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and Movement for a Just World (JUST) – sought out Dr Mahathir in the hopes of getting Najib to meet with the group of 25 prominent Malays, now dubbed the G25, who signed an open letter appealing for rational discourse on Islam.
The meeting with the former prime minister came about last Tuesday after Najib snubbed the G25's requests for a meeting with him.
The three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are among 93 other groups that have expressed support for the G25, which have urged Najib to address religious and racial tension and exercise his leadership in guiding Malaysia back to moderation.
JUST chairman Dr Chandra Muzaffar and SIS founding member Zainah Anwar, when contacted by The Malaysian Insider, confirmed that there was a meeting but refused to divulge details, stressing that it was held in private.
IRF chairman Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa told The Malaysian Insider that the meeting with Dr Mahathir was to discuss the current situation in the country.
"He (Dr Mahathir) wanted to have a look at their (G25) statement and their stand first.
"We arranged for the meeting to allay our worries about the current situation in the country and Tun M agreed. In fact, he was also not happy with what is happening now," Dr Ahmad Farouk said.
The request by the G25 to meet Najib was thwarted after the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) claimed that the 25, who are retired leading civil servants, had to meet them first if they wanted to meet Najib.
MPM claimed that the Prime Minister's Office has appointed it as an intermediary to meet the G25 and that they would plan a closed-door meeting, but this was refuted by G25 spokesperson Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin.
MPM is a caucus of more than 200 Malay NGOs. This ethnic group is the largest in Malaysia and in recent times, conservatives from within have grown more vocal about communal rights and privileges under the government's affirmative action policies for Malays and Bumiputeras, leading to polarising and inflammatory rhetoric in public.
Dr Ahmad Farouk, who is also the former deputy chair of Bersih 2.0, said that Najib's refusal to meet with the G25 did not make sense, as even United States President Barack Obama himself had met with NGO during a visit here.
"No point in us talking to MPM or the likes of them, we have to meet Najib and tell him clearly.
"In fact, when I was still with Bersih, we wrote to Najib to request a meeting but he never replied. This shows that he doesn't care about the country."
He compared Obama's readiness to meet with representatives from 10 NGOs in April last year when he made a trip to Malaysia as part of his Asia tour, with Najib's refusal to meet the G25.
"Najib should be pressured. When Obama came to Malaysia, he met with representatives from 10 NGOs.
"If Obama was willing to meet us then, Najib should have learnt from there. Look at how Obama treats civil society," the IRF head said.
Dr Ahmad Farouk also suggested that the G25 meet with Dr Mahathir to discuss the issues they had raised in their open letter.
"They (G25) can take the initiative to meet Dr Mahathir. From there, it can be a stepping stone to meeting Najib."
The open letter decried the "lack of clarity and understanding" of Islam's place within Malaysia's constitutional democracy, as well as a "serious breakdown of federal-state division of powers, both in the areas of civil and criminal jurisdictions".
They also called on Najib to establish an inclusive consultative committee and called for dialogue on Islamic laws.
Signatories of the letter were former high-ranking civil servants, including directors-general, secretaries-general, ambassadors and prominent individuals.
Since it was published on December 8, public support for the content of letter and for its 25 signatories has been strong, with many writing to media organisations expressing their thanks and solidarity with the signatories, while an online petition called #iam26 has drawn thousands of signatures.
Last week, Noor Farida said G25 had grown in number, with 10 more Malays, many of whom were former but influential members of the government service, adding their names to the group. – January 7, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/moderate-muslim-groups-meet-dr-m-to-discuss-g25-open-letter#sthash.PxGXkyBX.dpuf
'Shocked' Dr Subra jabs party boss
Breaking his silence, Dr S Subramaniam expressed "shock" over Palanivel’s decision to act on his own in meeting the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the party's re-election order.
"I was shocked by the revelation that the president had met with the director-general of ROS alongside Senator V Subramaniam (popularly known as Barat Maniam) and passed a letter on behalf of the MIC on Dec 24," he said.
In the Dec 18 emergency meet, the party agreed that Subramaniam must accompany Palanivel to meet ROS.Palanivel, however, had acted on his own in communicating with ROS thereafter, including writing to the ROS on Jan 2 appealing for an extension to conduct re-elections.
Subramaniam also said that Palanivel had not responded to his requests for a meeting for weeks now.
"It was decided that the president and myself would go to the ROS with those decisions (made at the meeting), as a way forward to resolve the issues," he said.
"Since that day I had sent numerous text messages to the president requesting him to set up the committee (to look into ROS issue), and initiate discussions. I had requested to meet him," he added.
The health minister said that he did not "have answers" to the questions being posed to him by party members regarding Palanivel's actions.
"Frankly I don't have answers to the questions being directed at me. Only the president knows the answers," he said in a statement.
Subramaniam hoped that "good sense" would prevail and consultations would still occur in the future.
Meanwhile, in a joint statement, two MIC senators and a former MIC Youth chief also expressed "shock" at Palanivel still being in "denial mode" about accepting the outcome of the ROS investigations.
"But rather he is claiming the losers as minorities who are dissatisfied in a democratically held election causing the party to be in this situation with ROS," said the statement issued by senators Jaspal Singh and S Vigneswaran as well as former Youth chief T Mohan.
Zaid: No court higher than the civil court
According to former de facto law minister Zaid
Ibrahim, a judge at a civil court should not say that a remedy cannot be
found here at a High Court.
Zaid, who was present at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to hear the verdict in the Kassim Ahmad matter, said he had been brought up to recognise that there is only one court system in Malaysia - namely, the civil court.
Describing the whole country's law situation as being in disarray, Zaid noted that he was not surprised with today's decision.
"The Syariah Court is considered the subordinate court, which is inferior. A judge at a civil court should never say that the remedy is not here (at the High Court), as there is no such thing," he added.
"If
you want to dismiss (an application) based on the facts, it is all
right. If you want to dismiss it based on the law, make sure it is the
right law.
"But in this country, there is no court higher than the civil court. There is no remedy that one could get anywhere else except the civil court," Zaid stressed.
Throughout the verdict, Justice Asmabi Mohamad did not rule on the possible constitutional violations raised by Kassim's (right) lawyer, following the Federal Territory Islamic Department’s act of arresting him outside their jurisdiction at his home in Kulim, Kedah.
In dismissing the 82-year-old’s judicial review, Justice Asmabi ruled that Kassim should seek remedy at the Syariah Court.
However, Zaid pointed out that constitutional issues should be decided by the civil courts and not the Syariah Court.
This is because civil courts are empowered to interpret on constitutional issues.
Zaid, who was present at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to hear the verdict in the Kassim Ahmad matter, said he had been brought up to recognise that there is only one court system in Malaysia - namely, the civil court.
Describing the whole country's law situation as being in disarray, Zaid noted that he was not surprised with today's decision.
"The Syariah Court is considered the subordinate court, which is inferior. A judge at a civil court should never say that the remedy is not here (at the High Court), as there is no such thing," he added.
"If
you want to dismiss (an application) based on the facts, it is all
right. If you want to dismiss it based on the law, make sure it is the
right law."But in this country, there is no court higher than the civil court. There is no remedy that one could get anywhere else except the civil court," Zaid stressed.
Throughout the verdict, Justice Asmabi Mohamad did not rule on the possible constitutional violations raised by Kassim's (right) lawyer, following the Federal Territory Islamic Department’s act of arresting him outside their jurisdiction at his home in Kulim, Kedah.
In dismissing the 82-year-old’s judicial review, Justice Asmabi ruled that Kassim should seek remedy at the Syariah Court.
However, Zaid pointed out that constitutional issues should be decided by the civil courts and not the Syariah Court.
This is because civil courts are empowered to interpret on constitutional issues.
Court orders Muslim convert to produce son - Malaysiakini
The Federal Court today ordered Muslim convert
Izwan Abdullah to produce his son in court, failing which it would not
allow the hearing of his application for a stay of the recovery order
that is due to be heard on Jan 14.
The order was made by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, who chaired a five-member bench, following a preliminary objection made by S Deepa's lawyers.
“The court will give the applicant one more chance, on condition the child must be brought to court on the next date,” Justice Zulkefli said, adding that failure to do so would risk Izwan facing action for contempt of court.
Deepa's lawyers, led by Aston Paiva (left), objected to the stay application to be heard on grounds Izwan was in contempt of court for snatching
the child from his mother's home in Jempol two days after the Seremban
High Court order granting her custody of their two children.
The other judges sitting with Justice Zulkefli were the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judges Suriyadi Halim Omar, Abdull Hamid Embong and Md Apandi Ali.
Besides Aston, Fahri Azzat and Joanne Leong appeared for Deepa. Leong, when contacted, informed Malaysiakini of today’s Federal Court decision.
Leong said if Izwan @ N Viran failed to produce the son, he would risk facing contempt and may not be able to proceed with his appeal.
The High Court in Seremban on April 7 last year granted custody of the couple's six-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter to Deepa (right).
Izwan took the child away on April 9, two days after the Seremban High Court order, resulting in Deepa suffering injuries when she tried to stop her former husband from escaping with the child in a car.
Boy's grandmother also pleads for return
The Court of Appeal last month unanimously dismissed Izwan's appeal against the Seremban High Court order granting custody of their two children to Deepa.
A recovery order for the boy was made following Izwan's taking away the underaged boy by force.
A three-member bench of the Court of Appeal granted a three-week stay of execution on the order for the recovery of the child, resulting in the appeal being heard by the Federal Court today.
Inter-faith custody battles in the country have been a thorn, as there were many cases, such as that of R Subashini and Dr M Jeyaganesh, brought before the civil High Court and Syariah High Court.
Besides the S Deepa vs Izwan case, there is an on-going case of kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi (right) vs Mohamad Ridhuan Abdullah, Indira's former husband.
Deepa and Viran were married in 2003. He converted to Islam and as Irwan obtained custody of both their children from the Syariah High Court in Seremban on Sept 19 2013.
The children were converted to Islam in April 2013, without their mother’s knowledge.
A day after the Court of Appeal decision, Deepa's mother, Siti Aishah Abdullah, pleaded to her former son-in-law to return her grandson.
Siti Aishah said the court (of Appeal) had made a decision and she hoped Izwan would abide by it.
Lawyer Hanif Khatri Abdullah appeared for Izwan in today's proceedings.
WAO welcomes court's decision
The Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) welcomed the Federal Court’s order that Izwan to bring his six-year-old son to court.
WAO further adds that the apex court’s decision also agreed that Izwan would be in contempt if he did not comply with the custody order issued by the Seremban High Court.
"Izwan cannot appear in court until he purges his contempt. The Federal Court ordered Izwan to comply with the custody order by bringing his son to court by Jan 14.
"The decision is yet another affirmation - this time by the highest court in the land - of Deepa's rights as a mother to be with her children whom she had lawfully obtained custody," the NGO said in a statement.
WAO warned that the court's decision would be meaningless unless Izwan complied with it and urged him to respect the rule of law and return their six-year-old son to the mother.
The order was made by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, who chaired a five-member bench, following a preliminary objection made by S Deepa's lawyers.
“The court will give the applicant one more chance, on condition the child must be brought to court on the next date,” Justice Zulkefli said, adding that failure to do so would risk Izwan facing action for contempt of court.
Deepa's lawyers, led by Aston Paiva (left), objected to the stay application to be heard on grounds Izwan was in contempt of court for snatching
the child from his mother's home in Jempol two days after the Seremban
High Court order granting her custody of their two children.The other judges sitting with Justice Zulkefli were the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judges Suriyadi Halim Omar, Abdull Hamid Embong and Md Apandi Ali.
Besides Aston, Fahri Azzat and Joanne Leong appeared for Deepa. Leong, when contacted, informed Malaysiakini of today’s Federal Court decision.Leong said if Izwan @ N Viran failed to produce the son, he would risk facing contempt and may not be able to proceed with his appeal.
The High Court in Seremban on April 7 last year granted custody of the couple's six-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter to Deepa (right).
Izwan took the child away on April 9, two days after the Seremban High Court order, resulting in Deepa suffering injuries when she tried to stop her former husband from escaping with the child in a car.
Boy's grandmother also pleads for return
The Court of Appeal last month unanimously dismissed Izwan's appeal against the Seremban High Court order granting custody of their two children to Deepa.
A recovery order for the boy was made following Izwan's taking away the underaged boy by force.
A three-member bench of the Court of Appeal granted a three-week stay of execution on the order for the recovery of the child, resulting in the appeal being heard by the Federal Court today.
Inter-faith custody battles in the country have been a thorn, as there were many cases, such as that of R Subashini and Dr M Jeyaganesh, brought before the civil High Court and Syariah High Court.
Besides the S Deepa vs Izwan case, there is an on-going case of kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi (right) vs Mohamad Ridhuan Abdullah, Indira's former husband. Deepa and Viran were married in 2003. He converted to Islam and as Irwan obtained custody of both their children from the Syariah High Court in Seremban on Sept 19 2013.
The children were converted to Islam in April 2013, without their mother’s knowledge.
A day after the Court of Appeal decision, Deepa's mother, Siti Aishah Abdullah, pleaded to her former son-in-law to return her grandson.
Siti Aishah said the court (of Appeal) had made a decision and she hoped Izwan would abide by it.
Lawyer Hanif Khatri Abdullah appeared for Izwan in today's proceedings.
WAO welcomes court's decision
The Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) welcomed the Federal Court’s order that Izwan to bring his six-year-old son to court.
WAO further adds that the apex court’s decision also agreed that Izwan would be in contempt if he did not comply with the custody order issued by the Seremban High Court.
"Izwan cannot appear in court until he purges his contempt. The Federal Court ordered Izwan to comply with the custody order by bringing his son to court by Jan 14.
"The decision is yet another affirmation - this time by the highest court in the land - of Deepa's rights as a mother to be with her children whom she had lawfully obtained custody," the NGO said in a statement.
WAO warned that the court's decision would be meaningless unless Izwan complied with it and urged him to respect the rule of law and return their six-year-old son to the mother.
AirAsia flight to Chennai diverted due to thick fog
Flights affected were those scheduled to land or take off from 6am to 8am today.
FMT
NEW DELHI: An AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai in Tamil Nadu was among few other flights delayed and diverted to nearby cities due to thick fog engulfing the airport in the South Indian city today.
A check on flight data revealed that AK11, which was scheduled to land in Chennai at 7.25am local time, was diverted to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The aircraft carrying 168 passengers later arrived safely at 11.15am local time when visibility got better.
“The rare fog condition created some chaos in Chennai airport for the past few days. AirAsia was not the only flight that was affected.
“Flights which were delayed or diverted were those scheduled to land or take off from 6am to 8am today,” said an official based in Chennai airport.
Thick fog condition is a common problem often faced by northern Indian airports during winter season, but not in southern Indian cities.
Asked why it was diverted to Colombo, the official said every airport would have some space to absorb flight diversion and it was often the closest and the available ones that would be chosen.
“It’s a common practice in the aviation industry,” he told Bernama.
A Times of India report yesterday said the visibility started to dip about midnight on Saturday to as low as 50 metres and since then, several flights scheduled in and out of Chennai were affected.
It quoted an unnamed official from the Meteorological Office as saying that the fog was rare in Chennai but condensation of water due to a combination of northerly winds and high moisture levels of air affected visibility for about five days in a year in the first two weeks of January.
Hence, similar conditions were likely to prevail for a few more days, he was quoted as saying in the report.
– BERNAMA
FMT
NEW DELHI: An AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai in Tamil Nadu was among few other flights delayed and diverted to nearby cities due to thick fog engulfing the airport in the South Indian city today.
A check on flight data revealed that AK11, which was scheduled to land in Chennai at 7.25am local time, was diverted to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The aircraft carrying 168 passengers later arrived safely at 11.15am local time when visibility got better.
“The rare fog condition created some chaos in Chennai airport for the past few days. AirAsia was not the only flight that was affected.
“Flights which were delayed or diverted were those scheduled to land or take off from 6am to 8am today,” said an official based in Chennai airport.
Thick fog condition is a common problem often faced by northern Indian airports during winter season, but not in southern Indian cities.
Asked why it was diverted to Colombo, the official said every airport would have some space to absorb flight diversion and it was often the closest and the available ones that would be chosen.
“It’s a common practice in the aviation industry,” he told Bernama.
A Times of India report yesterday said the visibility started to dip about midnight on Saturday to as low as 50 metres and since then, several flights scheduled in and out of Chennai were affected.
It quoted an unnamed official from the Meteorological Office as saying that the fog was rare in Chennai but condensation of water due to a combination of northerly winds and high moisture levels of air affected visibility for about five days in a year in the first two weeks of January.
Hence, similar conditions were likely to prevail for a few more days, he was quoted as saying in the report.
– BERNAMA
Lim embarrassed by Zahid’s ‘atrocious’ English
Penang chief minister says the standard of English in Home Minister’s letter to the FBI is “embarrassing” to all Malaysians.
FMT
PETALING JAYA: The topic on most people’s lips these days is the questionable letter sent by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), requesting the release of gambling suspect Paul Phua.
However while jumping on the bandwagon and criticising Zahid for the negative implications the letter was having on the Malaysian government, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng took it a step further and zoomed in on the home minister’s “atrocious” English that he said even caused him to doubt the authenticity of the letter.
Speaking to reporters today, Lim said, “The letter’s language is not conforming to international standards,” and added, “I mean what I want to say is that this shouldn’t be the standard of correspondence coming from the Ministry of Home Affairs”.
“Standards expected by the government of Malaysia to the US government should be better.”
While questioning the “veracity” of the letter, Lim was more concerned about the bad command of English and asked, “… can’t he get a better person to draft letters?
“It is a bit embarrassing the standards that is demonstrated. The language used is atrocious, especially for the government of Malaysia.”
Commenting that the even the date appearing in the letter was written in Malay, not English, Lim said he doubted if the correspondence was genuinely from Zahid’s ministry.
“He (Zahid) must come out and clarify if the letter is genuine and if it is, he should explain himself.”
On a more serious note, Lim asked why the Malaysian government was so intent on securing the release of a suspected gambling kingpin.
He asked, “If the letter is genuine, a lot of people want to know is this the kind of people our Home Minister is associated with?
“Is this the company our ministers keep? With gamblers and kingpins? And he is supposed to be one of the candidates for Deputy Prime Minister?
“This affects the image of the Malaysian government. He should explain. I hope there will be no cover up.”
Home Minister Ahmad Zahid had reportedly sent a letter requesting the FBI to withdraw the case of Phua, who is currently facing charges in Las Vegas for illegal gambling.
Ahmad Zahid reportedly addressed the letter to FBI deputy director Mark F Giuliano, claiming that Phua, who was arrested in Las Vegas in July, was neither a member nor associated with the 14K triad in Malaysia.
Phua’s counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the letter from the home ministry was released in answer to a request from Phua’s legal firm, Chesnoff & Schonfeld, to share any information directly with the American authorities.
* FULL TEXT OF AHMAD ZAHID’S LETTER
PETALING JAYA: The topic on most people’s lips these days is the questionable letter sent by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), requesting the release of gambling suspect Paul Phua.
However while jumping on the bandwagon and criticising Zahid for the negative implications the letter was having on the Malaysian government, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng took it a step further and zoomed in on the home minister’s “atrocious” English that he said even caused him to doubt the authenticity of the letter.
Speaking to reporters today, Lim said, “The letter’s language is not conforming to international standards,” and added, “I mean what I want to say is that this shouldn’t be the standard of correspondence coming from the Ministry of Home Affairs”.
“Standards expected by the government of Malaysia to the US government should be better.”
While questioning the “veracity” of the letter, Lim was more concerned about the bad command of English and asked, “… can’t he get a better person to draft letters?
“It is a bit embarrassing the standards that is demonstrated. The language used is atrocious, especially for the government of Malaysia.”
Commenting that the even the date appearing in the letter was written in Malay, not English, Lim said he doubted if the correspondence was genuinely from Zahid’s ministry.
“He (Zahid) must come out and clarify if the letter is genuine and if it is, he should explain himself.”
On a more serious note, Lim asked why the Malaysian government was so intent on securing the release of a suspected gambling kingpin.
He asked, “If the letter is genuine, a lot of people want to know is this the kind of people our Home Minister is associated with?
“Is this the company our ministers keep? With gamblers and kingpins? And he is supposed to be one of the candidates for Deputy Prime Minister?
“This affects the image of the Malaysian government. He should explain. I hope there will be no cover up.”
Home Minister Ahmad Zahid had reportedly sent a letter requesting the FBI to withdraw the case of Phua, who is currently facing charges in Las Vegas for illegal gambling.
Ahmad Zahid reportedly addressed the letter to FBI deputy director Mark F Giuliano, claiming that Phua, who was arrested in Las Vegas in July, was neither a member nor associated with the 14K triad in Malaysia.
Phua’s counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the letter from the home ministry was released in answer to a request from Phua’s legal firm, Chesnoff & Schonfeld, to share any information directly with the American authorities.
* FULL TEXT OF AHMAD ZAHID’S LETTER
Gobind urges Najib to explain Zahid’s FBI letter
The Home Minister has chosen to play deaf, dumb and blind on the matter.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo has called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain the letter that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wrote to the FBI on an alleged felon, Paul Phua, since the Home Minister has chosen to play deaf, dumb and blind on the matter.
The IGP, added Gobind, has also chosen to avoid making comments on the matter “not because he was scared of Zahid but because there’s a court case going on”.
“Zahid wrote the letter in his official capacity as Minister of Home Affairs. So, the Prime Minister must now be accountable and take full responsibility for the actions of his minister as head of government,” said Gobind in a statement which avoided mentioning the bad English in Zahid’s letter.
“He cannot and must not run away. He must explain the circumstances under which the letter was written.”
The MP said he wanted to know in full the basis on which the Home Ministry issued the said letter.
“He must also explain if the advice of the Attorney-General was sought before the said letter was issued as it involved an ongoing criminal prosecution in the US and spoke of ‘international relations’ between Malaysia and US ‘especially in the exchange of information’,” said Gobind.
Further, continued Gobind, it was reported that the letter was allegedly written to correct a mistake the police had made in an earlier report they gave the FBI about Paul Phua and that he (Phua) was in fact assisting Malaysia on matters concerning national security.
“The Prime Minister must respond to this and put the record straight,” said Gobind. “This is not just a matter of public importance locally but one which has generated international attention.”
“It is shameful to find that Malaysia seems to have contradictory, if not odd, positions taken by the police, the Home Ministry and its government over the matter and it makes it even worse to find the Prime Minister silent in the light of this all.”
This reflects poorly on our country, he warned. “He is duty bound to speak up.”
If the Prime Minister does not as of now yet have the requisite information to respond, said Gobind in holding out an olive branch, “he should say so and immediately direct a full, open and transparent inquiry into the matter so that all doubts surrounding the matter can be resolved”.
KUALA LUMPUR: Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo has called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain the letter that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wrote to the FBI on an alleged felon, Paul Phua, since the Home Minister has chosen to play deaf, dumb and blind on the matter.
The IGP, added Gobind, has also chosen to avoid making comments on the matter “not because he was scared of Zahid but because there’s a court case going on”.
“Zahid wrote the letter in his official capacity as Minister of Home Affairs. So, the Prime Minister must now be accountable and take full responsibility for the actions of his minister as head of government,” said Gobind in a statement which avoided mentioning the bad English in Zahid’s letter.
“He cannot and must not run away. He must explain the circumstances under which the letter was written.”
The MP said he wanted to know in full the basis on which the Home Ministry issued the said letter.
“He must also explain if the advice of the Attorney-General was sought before the said letter was issued as it involved an ongoing criminal prosecution in the US and spoke of ‘international relations’ between Malaysia and US ‘especially in the exchange of information’,” said Gobind.
Further, continued Gobind, it was reported that the letter was allegedly written to correct a mistake the police had made in an earlier report they gave the FBI about Paul Phua and that he (Phua) was in fact assisting Malaysia on matters concerning national security.
“The Prime Minister must respond to this and put the record straight,” said Gobind. “This is not just a matter of public importance locally but one which has generated international attention.”
“It is shameful to find that Malaysia seems to have contradictory, if not odd, positions taken by the police, the Home Ministry and its government over the matter and it makes it even worse to find the Prime Minister silent in the light of this all.”
This reflects poorly on our country, he warned. “He is duty bound to speak up.”
If the Prime Minister does not as of now yet have the requisite information to respond, said Gobind in holding out an olive branch, “he should say so and immediately direct a full, open and transparent inquiry into the matter so that all doubts surrounding the matter can be resolved”.
MIC leaders warn Palanivel to accept reality and move on!
“Whoever caused election irregularities has brought the party to this stage. The President must address this issue.”
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Three MIC leaders have issued a joint statement in which they allege that the irregularities during the recent party elections had affected the outcome and therefore the results, and if accepted, would be a violation of the party Constitution and the Societies Act 1966.
They urged MIC President G. Palanivel to be seen as doing the right thing or risk being held party to illegalities and thereby bringing the party into public disrepute and contempt.
The thrust of their complaints in the media is that Palanivel cannot claim prerogative and discretionary powers in the matter. “”He would in fact stand accused of abusing his powers and condoning matters which involve conflict of interest,” said the trio in their statement. “We are shocked that the President is in a state of denial, unwilling to accept the ROS finding that numerous irregularities had been found in the way the MIC elections were conducted in 2013.”
“He can’t blame those who complain as sore losers and a minority dissatisfied with a democratically held election and putting the party in a delicate situation with the ROS.”
“I contested for the VP position in the 2013 election. In the original count I was declared as one of the winners. Subsequently I was called back for a recount. I lost. I asked for another recount. because the ballots in the recount had increased by a substantial number . However the election committee ignored my request and protest,” said Senator Jaspal Singh.
Senator S. Vignewaran added that they appealed in writing to the Secretary- General for an independent committee to conduct a full inquiry.
“Our request and appeal was rejected by the CWC without any reason,” he said. “How can the very CWC whose standing is being questioned be asked to decide on our appeal?”
“There were numerous issues with the MIC election. Dead or bankrupt people voted, defunct branches took part, members were added at the 11th hour, and new branches were formed in an election year, and the number of delegates and others did not tally.”
T. Mohan pointed out that the ROS informed MIC that it found that the election held in November 2013 for the post of 3 Vice- Presidents and 23 CWC members was not valid. “ROS was also unable to accept the election of office bearers at a number of divisions and branches.”
“Palanivel was the returning officer for the November 2013 election. Instead of establishing a panel to investigate what caused the discrepancies in the election, he chose to blame us as a dissatisfied minority which brought in the ROS,” he said.
The trio demanded free, fair and transparent elections.
“The ROS has confirmed with clarity that the MIC election was tainted with irregularities,” they said. “Whoever caused election irregularities has brought the party to this stage. The President must address this issue.”
KUALA LUMPUR: Three MIC leaders have issued a joint statement in which they allege that the irregularities during the recent party elections had affected the outcome and therefore the results, and if accepted, would be a violation of the party Constitution and the Societies Act 1966.
They urged MIC President G. Palanivel to be seen as doing the right thing or risk being held party to illegalities and thereby bringing the party into public disrepute and contempt.
The thrust of their complaints in the media is that Palanivel cannot claim prerogative and discretionary powers in the matter. “”He would in fact stand accused of abusing his powers and condoning matters which involve conflict of interest,” said the trio in their statement. “We are shocked that the President is in a state of denial, unwilling to accept the ROS finding that numerous irregularities had been found in the way the MIC elections were conducted in 2013.”
“He can’t blame those who complain as sore losers and a minority dissatisfied with a democratically held election and putting the party in a delicate situation with the ROS.”
“I contested for the VP position in the 2013 election. In the original count I was declared as one of the winners. Subsequently I was called back for a recount. I lost. I asked for another recount. because the ballots in the recount had increased by a substantial number . However the election committee ignored my request and protest,” said Senator Jaspal Singh.
Senator S. Vignewaran added that they appealed in writing to the Secretary- General for an independent committee to conduct a full inquiry.
“Our request and appeal was rejected by the CWC without any reason,” he said. “How can the very CWC whose standing is being questioned be asked to decide on our appeal?”
“There were numerous issues with the MIC election. Dead or bankrupt people voted, defunct branches took part, members were added at the 11th hour, and new branches were formed in an election year, and the number of delegates and others did not tally.”
T. Mohan pointed out that the ROS informed MIC that it found that the election held in November 2013 for the post of 3 Vice- Presidents and 23 CWC members was not valid. “ROS was also unable to accept the election of office bearers at a number of divisions and branches.”
“Palanivel was the returning officer for the November 2013 election. Instead of establishing a panel to investigate what caused the discrepancies in the election, he chose to blame us as a dissatisfied minority which brought in the ROS,” he said.
The trio demanded free, fair and transparent elections.
“The ROS has confirmed with clarity that the MIC election was tainted with irregularities,” they said. “Whoever caused election irregularities has brought the party to this stage. The President must address this issue.”
Calls for strict audit that government had spent RM800 million on flood victims as Kelantan entitled to ask where the money had gone as it should get RM500 – RM600 million as the worst flood-stricken state
By Lim Kit Siang Blog Today, accompanied by the former Bersih co-chairman and patron of Negara-Ku, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, DAP MPs Anthony Loke (Seremban), Liew Chin Tong (Kluang), DAP State Assembly members Lee Chin Chen (Ketari- Pahang), Wong May Ing (Pantai Remis) and DAP and social activists in four FWDs, with a container of essential supplies for Manek Urai, I made my third flood victims relief mission to Kelantan.
We left Kuala Lumpur at 5 am, first stop at Bentong for breakfast, arriving in Gua Musang before 10 am, where we were given a briefing by DAP and PAS Gua Musang leaders on the floods devastation in Gua Musang beginning on Winter Solstice (Dongzhi festival) on Dec. 22, 2014.
Gua Musang, which literally means “Cave of the Civet”, is the largest of the 10 districts in Kelantan and Gua Musang town had never experienced serious flooding before.
It therefore took the people in Gua Musang by complete surprise when Gua Musang, together with Kuala Krai (another district which had never suffered serious flooding before) became the two worst flood-stricken areas in the December 2014 floods catastrophe.
When we visited Gua Musang town, the people were busy valiantly trying to clean up their houses, shops and inns – a puny effort compared to the enormous ravages caused by the floods.
It was two weeks since Gua Musang had been stricken by the unprecedented floods catastrophe, with water as high as 10 to 12 ft, submerging the whole town but Gua Musang still looked forlorn and desolate.
From the slow pace of recovery that I saw in Gua Musang, the Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakob may be right when he said that Kelantan will need at least six months to fully recover from the devastation of the worst floods that hit the state in the past few weeks.
But six months to recover from the devastation of the floods catastrophe is too long and will impose great problems and grave burdens on the flood victims in Kelantan.
This is why there must be a total change of mindset of the Federal, state and local authorities to ensure that this recovery period is slashed from “at least six months” to two months, and why a declaration of state of emergency to centralize and mobilise all available resources to help the floods victims in Gua Musang and other parts of Kelantan to start life anew after the devastation of the floods is urgent and imperative.
During the worst of the floods catastrophe, an emergency is needed to save lives. In the post-flood scenario, an emergency is needed to restore living and ensure livelihood – to help the flood victims rebuild life and business anew in the shortest possible time.
From Gua Musang, we left for Manek Urai where the container of essential supplies was down-loaded at the PAS Manek Urai Relief Centre, and we met up with the PAS MP for Kuala Krai, Dr. Mohd Hatta Ramli, PAS Vice President and Kelantan State Assemblyman for Salor Datuk Husam Musa and former Kelantan Assembly Speaker and Kota Bharu MP, Dato’ Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah.
It is Ground Zero in Manek Urai, where the devastation of the floods catastrophe was most bleak and desolate as if there had been a tsunami or the aftermath of a war zone.
We visited Kg Manjor, where only 15 out of 220 houses survived the floods catastrophe, and a living testimony of the power and might of Mother Nature when it expressed its fury at the despoliation of the environment.
Everywhere we saw houses destroyed after being flung about like toys by angry floods, with a chair left on a roof as evidence of the height of the waters, and vehicles thrown around, some atop another vehicle while others somersaulted.
The villagers of Kg Manjor were lucky to be able to flee to higher ground, where they spent five nights and days until the floods subsided – without water, food, power or contact for the first two days!
There were other Ground Zero devastating damages from the floods catastrophe, like Manek Urai Lama, Kg Karangan, Kg Laloh, Kg Dabong, Kg Kemubu.
I am not aware that any Cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, had visited any of these Ground Zero zones of the floods catastrophe in Kuala Krai.
My visit to Ground Zero zones has reinforced my view that an emergency must be declared to help the flood-stricken victims to rebuild and start life anew, that the 150,000 in the armed forces should be mobilized to help a million flood victims to start life anew, not only to provide security and prevent the outbreak of diseases post-floods, but to help restore essential utilities like safe water and electricity, erect temporary shelter for the flood victims and to allow them to start life anew in shortest possible time.
I am shocked that the Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan announced yesterday that the government had so far spent about RM800 million through the National Security Council to help victims in states affected by floods in the provision of food supply, logistics and cleaning houses of victims.
As Kelantan is the worst flood-stricken state in the floods catastrophe, the bulk of the expenditure, say RM 500 million – RM600 million, should have been spent in the state.
But where has this vast sum of money gone to as no one in Kelantan would feel that the Federal Government had spent RM500 million to RM600 million in Kelantan in the past two weeks of the floods catastrophe to help flood victims.
I have visited Kota Bharu three times, been in Kuala Krai twice, even in the Ground Zero zones of Manek Urai as well as Gua Musang, and I definitely do not feel or sense that RM500 million to RM600 million had been spent in Kelantan in relief efforts for the flood victims.
Let Maslan reveal out of this RM800 million, how much had been spent in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak – so far the worst flood-hit states.
There should be strict audit of the so-called RM800 million already spent to help flood victims, and the other expenditures still to be made, to ensure that there is no hanky-panky whatsoever.
No money should be spared to help the flood victims, but not a sen should be wasted.
All government expenditures spent in the floods catastrophe must directly benefit the flood victims and not the “floods” barons, entrepreneurs or cronies.
For a start, let the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin announce that every student affected by the floods catastrophe will be provided free two sets of school uniforms, text books, exercise books, and all other necessary school supplies, which will be evidence of such expenditures directly benefitting the flood victims and not some chimerical figure of RM800 million said to be spent on flood victims but without them being the direct beneficiaries.
There should be no rigid requirement for student to wear school uniform at least for the first month of school for the flood-stricken areas, until every student have been supplied with two sets of free school uniforms.
On Sunday night, I sent an email to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on my five-point action plan on the floods catastrophe which have caused 23 dead, evacuation of a quarter of million people, with a million people adversely affected by the floods, and losses running into billions of ringgit.
I also asked for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister before the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, as Malaysians expect the Cabinet to make important decisions on the floods catastrophe especially with Ministers on vacation abroad and the Cabinet had not met for 20 days – including during the worst periods of the December 2014 floods catastrophe.
As the Prime Minister is suffering from E Coli after floods visits, I am not pressing for a meeting with Najib before the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
I wish him speedy recovery to be able to chair the Cabinet meeting tomorrow to ensure that the Ministers can take collective decisions on the five-point action plan which I had outlined to him in my email, namely:
(1) the declaration of a state of emergency for the flood-stricken states;
(2) the formation of a BN-PR Joint Action Council on Floods Catastrophe;
(3) Convening of a Special Parliament this month on the Floods Catastrophe which can also discuss the deferment of the implementation of GST so as not to add further burdens on the flood victims;
(4) Doubling of the RM500 million allocation for relief of flood victims to RM1 billion to enable every flood victim whose livelihood/business had been wiped out by the floods catastrophe to apply for interest free loans, ranging from RM1,000 to RM250,l000 to start life and business anew, and
(5) Establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the weaknesses and failures of the Floods Disaster Preparations Plans to provide relief and help to the flood victims of the current floods catastrophe.
I hope the Cabinet tomorrow will have good news for the million flood victims, especially those in the worst-hit areas like Gua Musang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan and Temerloh and Mentakab in Pahang.
In fact, it would be a good idea if the Cabinet tomrrow makes it compulsory for every Minister, including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, to visit Ground Zero areas in Manek Urai, in particular “devastation” areas like Kg Manjor and Kg Maneki Urai Lama, for such visits will make Ministers not only more knowledgeable but more humble and committed to ensure that mega flood relief expenditures directly benefit the flood victims and not the “flood” barons, entrepreneurs cronies.
(Media Conference Statement at Pengkalan Chepa Airport, Kota Bharu on Tuesday, January 6, 2014 at 5 pm)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)