Dr M's lawyers seek to quiz Najib on affidavit

Lawyers for Dr Mahathir Mohamad filed an application today for leave to question Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on alleged conflicting facts in Najib's affidavit.

At the same time, the lawyers sought a stay of Najib's application to strike out the RM2.64 billion suit filed by Mahathir, along with former Langkawi Umno member Anina Saadudin and former Batu Kawan Umno division vice-chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan, which is related to the 1MDB issue.

The application was filed at noon with the High Court registrar in Kuala Lumpur.

The grounds for today's application come as a result of Najib on April 19 filing an application to strike out the suit.

Among others, the lawyers alleged that Najib's affidavit contained conflicting and inconsistent statements.

The statements in dispute included:

• In the seventh and eighth paragraphs of the affidavit, Najib said he is filing the application to strike out in his capacity as prime minister, finance minister, chairperson of BN and Umno president and not as a civil servant or government officer.

However, the lawyers pointed out that in paragraph 25, Najib admitted he is a civil servant and pleaded that the tort of misfeasance in public office and breach of fiduciary duty was just an effort to remove him from public office.

In paragraph 24 of Najib's affidavit, he denied the allegations in the statement of claim that he had a role in dismissing Muhyiddin Yassin and Shafie Apdal from being membera of the cabinet and the fact that four of the Public Accounts Committee members have been appointed as minister and deputy minister in the cabinet reshuffle last July.

In the interest of justice and due process of the law, the three plaintiffs sought leave for Najib to be called to directly answer and be cross-examined over the unclear, non-precise and conflicting statements based on contemporary facts.

'Acted in bad faith'

Mahathir, Khairuddin and Anina had filed the RM2.64 billion suit in March claiming that Najib had allegedly breached his fiduciary duty and committed malfeasance in public office to derail ongoing investigations against the sitting prime minister.

All three of them are part of the Citizens' Declaration movement to remove Najib as prime minister.

In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs said that due to Najib's position as the “numero uno” of Malaysia, he controls, commands and instructs or insists on omissions within the powers of each and every government machinery.

This includes, among others, ministries, ministers, parliamentary office (including the Public Accounts Committee) and legal enforcement agencies such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

They further claimed that Najib had acted in bad faith to undermine, or cause to compromise various respective institutions involved in the probe of 1MDB scandals related to the remittance of RM2.6 billion and RM42 million or any other amount into the prime minister's personal bank accounts.

The three of them also filed a mareva injunction application to stop Najib from moving his assets and an application of discovery of the sitting prime minister's assets.

A new judge has been slated to hear the case and May 26 is fixed for the hearing of Najib's application for a stay of all proceedings, including hjis application not to file the defence and defence's striking-out application.

Controversial author Irshad Manji weds partner

Controversial Canadian author Irshad Manji has announced her marriage to her partner, Laura Albano.

In a Facebook posting yesterday, Irshad shared their photograph from the wedding ceremony held in Hawaii.

“Just married! Photo album coming. But for now... Thank you for all your congrats, mabrouks and good wishes. Laura and I have read every post. We're deeply grateful,” says the caption.

While many of the comments were wishing the couple a happy life ahead, there were also others who pointed out that same-sex marriage is forbidden in Islam.

In one of her official online newsletters last year, Irshad had shared that her then fiancee was a medical tattoo artist based at the UCLA Medical Centre nearby where they stayed.

At the time, Irshad also said that she had refrained from opening up about her relationship because she wanted to seek her mother’s blessing.

“Although my faithfully Muslim mother still cringes at the thought of what ‘other people’ will say about her daughter being formally married to a woman, Mumtaz is first and last a mom.

“Which means she wants only happiness for her children. And that’s precisely what I have with Laura – utter bliss,” she said.

Irshad’s visit to Malaysia in May 2012 to launch the translated copy of her book 'Allah, Liberty and Love' was met with an outcry by Muslim groups who condemned her perceived “liberal” stance on various issues, including same-sex marriage.

The Malay version of her book – 'Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta' – was slapped with a ban from the Home Ministry later the same month.

In September 2013, the High Court, however lifted the ban order and allow ZI Publications as its publisher to challenge the Home Ministry’s decision.

Is this the world's oldest new mother? Indian pensioner gives birth to her first baby at the age of SEVENTY (and the father is 79)

• Daljinder Kaur gave birth to a boy following two years of IVF treatment
• Hit out at critics who said she was too old, saying she now felt 'complete'
• Armaan was born weighing 4lb 4oz at National Fertility Centre in India
• World's oldest mother was Rajo Devi Lohan, 70, who was also from India

An Indian woman has given birth to her first child at the age of 70, it was revealed today.

Daljinder Kaur gave birth last month to a boy following two years of IVF treatment at a fertility clinic in the northern state of Haryana with her 79-year-old husband.

It is thought she is the oldest woman in the world to give birth - taking the mantle from Rajo Devi Lohan - who was also 70 when she gave birth to daughter Naveen following treatment at the same clinic.

Hitting out at critics, Mrs Kaur said she was not too old to become a first-time mother, adding her life was now complete with the arrival of their son, called Armaan.

Her husband, Mohinder Singh Gill, added they were not worried about the future as 'God will take care of everything'.
The baby was conceived using the couple's own egg and sperm, the news agency AFP reports.

He is now 'healthy and hearty' after weighing just 4.4lb (2kg) when he was born on April 19, said a statement released by the clinic, the National Fertility and Test Tube centre.

Mrs Kaur said the couple, who have been married for 46 years, had almost lost hope of ever having a child.

She claims they had even faced ridicule in a country where infertility is sometimes seen as a curse from God.

According to AFP, she said: 'God heard our prayers. My life feels complete now. I am looking after the baby all by myself, I feel so full of energy.

'My husband is also very caring and helps me as much as he can,' she told the news agency from the northern city of Amritsar, where the couple normally live.

'When we saw the (IVF) advert, we thought we should also give it a try as I badly wanted to have a baby of my own,' she said.

The couple first travelled to the clinic in 2013.

Doctors said she Mrs Kaur been infertile until now because her fallopian tubes were blocked, the Hindustan Times reports.

This problem had not been detected while she was menstruating.

After two failed cycles of IVF, she finally conceived in July last year.

She estimates she is 70-years-old - a common scenario in India where many people do not have birth certificates.

However in a statement, the clinic said she is 72.

Her husband, who owns a farm outside Amritsar, said he was unfazed about their age, saying God would watch over their child.

'People say what will happen to the child once we die.

'But I have full faith in God. God is omnipotent and omnipresent, he will take care of everything,' he told AFP.

Dr Anurag Bishnoi, who runs the fertility clinic, said he was initially sceptical about going ahead with in vitro fertilisation (IVF), but tests showed Mrs Kaur was able to carry the unborn baby.

'I first tried to avoid the case because she looked very frail. Then we made her undergo all the tests and once all the results were okay we went ahead,' the doctor told AFP.

This is the second case at the centre where a woman in her seventies has delivered successfully following IVF.
In 2006, 70-year-old Rajo Devi gave birth to a baby girl from the same centre, making her the world's oldest mother at the time.

The fertility clinic also helped 66-year-old Bhateri Devi give birth to triplets - two daughters and a son - in 2010. One daughter died after a few weeks later

She nearly died from complications with the delivery but later claimed her daughter Naveen made her stronger and helped her live longer.

At the time of Naveen's birth, many questioned whether it was morally right for a pensioner to have children, while also suggesting it was detrimental to her own health.

Their doubts appeared to be justified when Rajo fell gravely ill, almost dying from post-birth complications related to her IVF treatment.

But after battling back, she has even outlived her doctor who guided her through the process, and puts it all down to having something to live for.

The centre also helped 66-year-old Bhateri Devi give birth to triplets in 2010.

She had two daughters and a son, but one of her girls died a few weeks later.

An Indian teen was raped by her father. Village elders had her whipped.

In a scene captured on a cellphone video, one of the men wags his finger angrily at her. He rages: This girl must be punished.

A villager ties her waist with rope, holding the other end, and lifts a tree branch into the air. She bows her head. The first lash comes, then another, then another. Ten in all. She lets out a wail.

Eventually the crowd starts murmuring, "Enough, enough," although nobody moves to stop the beating. Finally, the man throws down his stick. It's over.

She is 13 years old. Or maybe 15. Her family doesn't know for sure. She has never set foot in a school and has spent most of her life doing chores at home, occasionally begging for food and performing in her father's acrobatic show, for which she is given 20 rupees, about 30 cents.


Her crime? Being too scared to tell anyone her father raped her.

Misogyny tough to shake

India is a country of 1.2 billion people, with a growing economy, a young population and an energetic prime minister eager to sell the country on the world stage. A generation of women are taking stronger roles in the workforce, in colleges and online who aren't afraid to push against outdated misogyny - be it acid attacks, rape and sexual harassment, or the portrayal of women in movies and advertisements.

Yet patriarchal prejudices ingrained for centuries have been tough to shake loose despite a growing clamor for change - and continue to affect life from the village water pump to the judicial system and beyond.

Male-dominated village councils have existed in India for centuries to resolve disputes between neighbors and serve as enforcers of social mores in the country's stratified caste system. Although elected village bodies were established by the Indian government in 1992, unelected clan councils continue to operate with impunity throughout rural India, issuing their own edicts in the name of preserving harmony.

Five years after the Supreme Court said such councils should be illegal, the central government and some states are only beginning to pass or contemplate laws that would limit their behavior.

These councils often prevent or break up marriages and love affairs between couples from different castes, and they have instigated honor killings. Women typically receive the harshest punishments.

They also intervene in cases of sexual assault - mediating resolutions between two families, attempting to smooth over devastating wounds with a few hundred rupees and even in some cases forcing a victim to marry her rapist. Amid international outrage about the 2012 fatal gang rape of a Delhi student, laws were passed to make it easier for rape victims to file charges. But the road to the police station is still a long one.

"In rape cases, their role is underground and not officially or publicly acknowledged," said Jagmati Sangwan of the All India Democratic Women's Association, a longtime critic. "They will ask the family of the victim to go for a compromise, go for mediation, and that suppresses the interests of the victim."

Sube Singh Samain, a leader for an association of clan councils in the northern state of Haryana, said they serve a vital role in a county with an overburdened justice system and where legal cases can be costly. He said that village elders have banned the sale of meat, restricted mobile phone use by youth and even prohibited loud music at weddings. ("The music is so bad the cows and bulls fall over and run away," he said.) They also step in to smooth things between families, sometimes urging people to withdraw police complaints.

"We say, 'Let's not go to the courts; let's resolve it,' " he said. "We encourage them to go back to the police if a [complaint] has already been filed and say, 'I was not in a right state of mind; I want to take back my statement.' "

Some of the most brutal decrees have garnered international headlines.

In 2014, for example, a clan council in the state of West Bengal ordered the gang rape of a woman as punishment for having a relationship with a man outside her tribal community - with a leader allegedly urging the council to "go enjoy the girl and have fun," according to a police complaint.

In Maharashtra, representatives from an advocacy group called the Committee for Eradication of Blind Faith work with about 100 people a year who have been victimized by caste councils - called panchayats - most of them female.

Women are forced to retrieve a coin from a vat of boiling oil to prove their purity. One woman was forced to walk, scantily clad, through the forest while the panchayat members threw balls of dough straight off a fire at her back.

"You can't have a parallel judiciary that's completely unaccountable and gives arbitrary punishments - many of them barbaric," said Hamid Dabholkar, the head of the advocacy group. "That is what happened in this case where the girl was beaten when she herself was a victim."

Hard life takes darker turn

Before she died, Anusuya Chavan's existence had been as precarious as the tightrope she walked in her husband's acrobatic shows. For the most part, she was able to shelter her two younger daughters from their father's rages, but eventually her own drinking and battle with tuberculosis caught up with her. She died last year.

At the time, her teenaged daughter begged to go live with one of her older siblings, but the father, Shivram Yeshwant Chavan, told her no. He needed someone to cook, keep house and earn money for him.

Up until then, the girl's life had not been easy, but there were small comforts. She had no friends, but she liked turning handstands in the dirt with her sister, Laila, 7. Or buying a snack of spicy puffed rice or kulfi, a frozen dessert, with pocket change her father slipped her.

Then one night in January, her father came home from his job playing a steel drum in a wedding band, drunk on local hooch. She was sound asleep on the ground in their home, her sister curled up tight next to her. He got down on the ground, too, and put his hand over her mouth.

Victimized twice

In early March, a farmer and local labor activist named Sachin Tukaram Bhise was headed to a nearby village to find day laborers for his wheat and sugar cane farm when he heard a village council was to be called by members of the local Gopal community, near Mauje Jawalwadi. Shivram Chavan's sons did not know the whole story but feared the worst and had ostracized their father; he was ready to confess.

The Gopals are a largely illiterate, impoverished group who were once nomads making their living as cow herders and itinerant street performers. Many have since settled down to menial jobs in the fertile farming region in the shadow of the basalt crags of the Sahyadri mountain range.

As Bhise watched, villagers from around the area gathered in the main square of the village amid tin-roofed sheds. The teenager and her father were brought to kneel before the member council.

Chavan bowed his head and admitted what he had done, Bhise recalled, and said he was ready for whatever punishment the council would give him. Then the elders turned to the teenager and began to berate her.

"They said it was the girl's fault. That the father was drunk and he was not in his senses," Bhise said. "I got angered at the whole thing. How could a girl invite such an act? The 'panch' said, 'You're useless,' 'You're the culprit.' She was crying."

Bhise took out his cellphone camera and surreptitiously began to film as the council issued its verdict - a fine of about $67 and a whipping of 15 "sticks" for the father, five "sticks" for the girl. They would be whipped until each of the thin tree branches broke.

Bhise took his evidence to the police, who later arrested all seven members of the council, charging them with conspiracy, extortion and assault. The father was held on child abuse charges.

'They beat me very lightly'

"It did not hurt me because they beat me very lightly," the teenager said quietly about a month later.

She was curled up on a tarpaulin outside the place where she now lives with her brother and his family - a hut of pieces of fabric stretched over bamboo poles, secured by rocks. It sits on a ridge overlooking a sweeping mountain vista.

As she spoke, the girl began to cry, tears slipping easily from her eyes. She touched the feet of a Marathi-speaking visitor, a gesture of respect, and says she has only herself to blame.

"I asked them to beat me because I was at fault," she said. "The fault was I did not tell anyone about this at home. I told them my father just held my hand. That was my mistake."

Her sister-in-law, Jaya, who was sitting with her on the tarpaulin, agreed that she had been wrong.

"If she had told them, the brothers would have beaten the father. There would have been no panchayat and the matter would have been resolved at home," she said. "If the brothers hadn't beaten him, then the sisters-in-law would have."

Now, the woman said, the young girl just wants to close the case and put it behind her. Since the attack, she has been interviewed by a female police officer, given a medical examination and a small amount of money from the state's victims' fund.

Last month, the state government of Maharashtra approved a measure that prohibits the gathering of village councils to impose a "social boycott," one of the most common - and devastating - punishments. It effectively banishes an individual or family, cutting them off from communal water pumps, stores or the local temple.

Some in the Indian government have called for other states to follow suit, and the government has tightened its laws to prohibit social boycott in some cases.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that he had pushed through the bill because of a rising number of disturbing cases of caste panchayats acting improperly.

"We cannot allow atrocities against any individual or groups," he said. "We will not allow parallel institutions of justice by non-state actors, and we cannot compromise on the dignity and rights of individuals."

And in April, the Gopal community decided to disband the panchayat system and take criminal matters directly to the police from now on, community leader Dilip Dinkar Jadhav said.

Marry the rapist?

For a while it seemed that the members of the panchayat, or at least the man who administered the beating, did not want to be found. A trip to his village - a few families living on a narrow dirt lane near a small yellow Hindu temple - turned up nothing.

"We don't know him," one of the neighbors said.

But after a flurry of telephone calls, Arun Jadhav agreed to meet. He appeared with Dilip Jadhav at a roadside restaurant on the area's busy National Highway 4, studded with expensive auto dealerships that cater to the area's prosperous farmers and white-collar workers. Arun Jadhav, 45, an illiterate trumpet player, was reserved, a Nike ball cap pulled low over his eyes. Dilip Jadhav, 45, a wedding-band manager with a gold-tone watch and a neat checked shirt, had an air of a man used to sorting problems.

Arun Jadhav, who is not directly related to Dilip Jadhav, said he had been called to the village that day to attend a memorial service for the teenager's mother that evolved into the panchayat meeting.

"Somebody asked me to take responsibility for hitting these people and that's what I did. I had tea and then I left," he said.

Both men agreed that the teenager deserved the beating because she hid the truth about the assault.

Dilip Jadhav said it has fallen upon him to secure a future for the young girl, which will be difficult.

"If something like that happened to my daughter, then we would get her married off to the rapist," he said. "We don't go to the police station. If they take the kids to the police station everybody knows about her and she is a bigger liability. It's better if she gets married to him."

He thinks he has found a match for the teenager, though - a young widower of 20, maybe 21, also a musician, whose wife recently died. Within six months she'll be married.

Old Johore money was in Tamil language too

Zaid: Restore ‘some powers’ to Rulers, opposition too weak as check-and-balance

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim supported today the restoration of “some powers” to the country’s constitutional monarchy as a measure to check the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

He suggested the move was needed as the Pakatan Harapan opposition bloc had proven to be “weak” in going up against the BN, which won a bigger mandate in the recently-ended Sarawak election.

“We do not have a strong opposition to provide check-and-balance to the ruling politicians. Some powers should be restored to the Rulers in order to help curb politicians from not being accountable.

“In that way, we would at least see some sharing of power between the politicians and Rulers” he told Malay Mail Online today.

Zaid who was minister in charge of law during the Abdullah administration was weighing in on a call by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor last week, for an amendment to the Federal Constitution to restore the powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Rulers to examine and approve Bills.

The former Umno politician said he had previously backed the Mahathir administration’s move to curb the power of the Malay Rulers, but emphasised that the situation now had changed.

“I supported Dr Mahathir back in 1994 as the Rulers should be held accountable for their actions, which they were not. Hence, removing powers like personal immunity was appropriate,” he said, referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was instrumental in cutting down the power of the monarchs.

“However 20 years down the road, the political leaders are also not accountable for their actions. Some of their actions are worse than the Rulers’ back then. A check and balance is needed,” Zaid said.

He did not specify which powers should be restored, but said Malaysians should not be worried that the Rulers would have too much power in their hands.

Last Saturday, state news agency Bernama reported Sultan Ibrahim as saying that the monarchy should have their powers back instead of serving to only rubber-stamp Bills passed in either Parliament or the state legislative assemblies.

Poison-laced underwear rots man's genitals

A MAN in Hangzhou, China, was shocked to find that his genitals were putrefying because he was wearing underwear that had been soaked in poison, reported Kwong Wah Yit Poh.

The man, known only as Zhang, in his 50s, had quarrelled with his wife recently.

Investigation by the police showed that his wife then soaked his underwear in poison and dried it in the sun before handing it over to him to wear during their daughter's wedding.

Zhang only realised something was wrong when his genitals started to putrefy and he suffered breathing difficulties after a few days.

When he sought treatment at a hospital, he was told that he had been poisoned.

Zhang was discharged from the hospital after being warded for three weeks, including a two-week stay in the intensive care unit.

His wife was detained by the police for further investigation.

Malaysians face death in Thailand over drugs

BANGKOK: Twenty-one Malaysians arrested in Thailand recently on suspicion of being “drug mules” could face the death penalty upon conviction under the country’s Narcotics Act for possession and sale of Category 1 Substances.

According to a Thai police officer, investigations are under progress and between 60% and 70% completed.

“The suspects can face the death penalty following the large seizure of methamphetamine (‘ice’) and heroin. The police have obtained strong evidence against them.

“However, despite the possibility of facing the maximum sentence under the stipulated charge, Thai courts seldom hand down the death penalty and prefer the long-term jail sentence, instead,” he said by phone yesterday.

On March 23 and 24, the Malaysians, in two groups of 15 and six men, were arrested by Thai Railway Police at four different train stations and in a passenger van.

Seized from them were 226kg of methamphetamine and 8kg of heroin found in backpacks. The train they were travelling in was enroute to Butterworth from Bangkok.

Thai police have described the drug haul as one of the largest confiscated in recent times, which could fetch about RM400mil in Europe.

The Thai police officer also said that based on information obtained, there was a link between the Malaysian suspects and a major drug trafficker whose nationality he declined to mention.

In an interview previously, Police Col Puttidej Bunkrapue from the Thai Railway Police said investigations revealed the drug smuggling attempt by the 21 Malaysian suspects was masterminded by three men. — Bernama

Sacred bulls predict rainfall for parched Thailand

During the ceremony, the creatures -- who must adhere to a strict list of physical attributes and boast a "polite temperament" -- are offered bowls containing various foods.

BANGKOK: Thailand’s drought-stricken farmers got a rare bit of good news Monday, when a pair of sacred bulls predicted that the heavens would finally open during the upcoming rainy season.

The bovine prophecy came during the kingdom’s much-watched annual royal ploughing ceremony, an ancient rite officially marking the start of the main rice cultivation season.

During the ceremony, the creatures — who must adhere to a strict list of physical attributes and boast a “polite temperament” — are offered bowls containing various foods.

At Monday’s ceremony, presided over by Thailand’s Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, the two animals chose rice seeds, sesame, hay, water and liquor — a combination the country’s livestock department said meant sufficient water, bountiful crops and better foreign trade for the year ahead.

The bulls made a similarly positive prediction last year, but their forecast did not bear fruit.
Instead, like much of the greater Mekong region this year, Thailand has been hit hard by one of the worst droughts in decades.

Unable to plant their crop, rice farmers have lurched deeper into debt.

Thousands of villages in the north east have had to have water trucked to them as the river beds, reservoirs and waterfalls run dry.

Rains usually arrive from May onwards, peaking in August and September.

Thailand’s military junta, which has embarked on a particularly harsh period of repression in recent weeks, will also be hoping the rains come.

The country’s languishing economy remains the army’s weak point, with falling exports and the generals struggling to kickstart growth.

Rice farmers, most of whom are in the north and northeast, broadly support the Shinawatra political family.

They have led two administrations toppled by the military in the last decade and are loathed by the kingdom’s royalist elite.

-AFP

Dr M admits the opposition has valuable role to play

A big crowd turned up at the Straits Quay Convention Centre in Penang to witness former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng share the same stage today.

The event "Quo Vadis Malaysia?" was organised by the Penang Institute as part of the Citizens' Declarations nationwide roadshow.

Penang executive councillor Dr Afif Bahardin, who moderated the event, claimed this was the biggest crowd to attend an event related to the Citizens' Declaration.

Mahathir himself was rather pleased to see the sizeable audience although it was quite expected as Penang is ruled by the opposition.

During his speech, Mahathir finally admitted that the opposition has a role to play in a democracy.
This is the man who had his opponents jailed under the Internal Security Act during his tenure as prime minister from 1987 to 2003.

He said the opposition never agreed with him but that was not a problem.

He added that his opponents were at times too personal that they refused to sit on the same table with the government.

He said it was okay for the opposition to disagree with him, although he was not very much liked by DAP senior leader Lim Kit Siang, and his son Guan Eng.

"I needed them to tell me if I was doing things right or else I would think that I am doing everything right," Mahathir said.

"They are like a mirror, sometimes you need a mirror to tell you how ugly you are," Mahathir added.

"But I would like to assure them that I do listen to them, and if what they said was good, I'd plagiarise it as my own," he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

"Having the opposition is a good thing but of course I need to have a two-thirds majority," he added.

However, Mahathir said he did not have the money to buy the two-thirds majority.

He said even his last drawn salary after his 22 years tenure at RM20,000, was not enough to buy votes.

Mahathir then went on to explain the controversy around the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion in Prime Minister Najib Razak's private bank accounts.

He said now only the people's voices can save Malaysia by ousting Najib which is why there was a need for the Citizens' Declaration.

"When citizens speak, the rulers will listen. The more people sign this declaration and give their ID numbers, the safer you are," Mahathir said.

"There is safety in numbers, there are big prisons in Malaysia but they cannot imprison 10 million people," he added.

Mahathir assured the crowd that only his head will be on the chopping board, not the people's.

Skepticism regarding Citizens' Declaration

Meanwhile, Guan Eng said he is aware that many are sceptical if not cynical about the Citizens' Declaration.

"Because there is too little talk on what is next after Najib," he said.

"They want to know more about what is in store for the future and not just about ousting Najib.

"This is where Mahathir has provided the answer, in the Citizens Declaration."

Lim said no PM in history, including Mahathir, had permitted Malaysia to descend to such unimaginable depths.

This he said included the 1MDB RM50 billion scandal that caused the sharpest depreciation of the ringgit and the implementation of the goods and services tax, which had caused price hikes, and not price drops, as claimed by then deputy finance minister Ahmad Maslan.

"Which is why we are asking Quo Vadis (Where are you going) Malaysia? Kalau bukan kita, siapa lagi? Kalau bukan sekarang, bila lagi?" Guan Eng asked (If not us, who else? If not now, then when?).

"We should not be blamed for working together to stop the country from bleeding," he declared.

Detainee hangs himself in Sungai Siput police station

A male detainee was found dead and hanging in a lockup at the Sungai Siput police headquarters yesterday.

Perak deputy police chief Hasnan Hassan said the 39-year-old detainee was found at about 12.10pm while a police officer was carrying out routine patrol at the lockup.

"The detainee was found hanging using the T-shirt supplied to him and an inquiry had been carried out by the coroner from the Sungai Siput Magistrate's Court.

"Based on the autopsy report, the detainee's death was caused by a neck compression due to hanging while no other injury was found," he said in a statement last night.

According to Hasnan, during the incident the detainee, who was arrested on May 2 for a drug offence, was alone in the lockup.

He added that the deceased was remanded from Tuesday until May 16 and had four previous criminal records involving drugs.

- Bernama

Tell me what you think of these photos??

By Siti Kassim


Tell me what you think of these photos?? I am extremely disturbed by these...
Apparently these photos were on Instagram posted by a teacher from a kindergarten in Kota Damansara!! It's called Tadika Bistari. The teacher and the kids are holding weapons! Maybe plastic but a kindergarden? In a pre-school? WTF is she teaching??
They are from this school called KUDQI (Kolej University Darul Quran Islamiyah). I was told its a branch of Jemaah Islamiyah! Their headquarters is in Terengganu.
What kind of Islam do you think they are teaching the kids you think? I hope the authorities will look into this....

https://www.facebook.com/sitikasim/posts/10209556188004359?pnref=story

WATCH: ISIS in Philippines Beheads Canadian John Ridsdel

By Sam Prince

In a new video purportedly released by Islamic State affiliate Abu Sayyaf, Canadian hostage John Ridsdel is beheaded after Canada’s refusal to pay the terrorists his ransom. The brutal video was released on ISIS terrorist channels on May 3 under the title “Abu Sayyaf Hostage BEHEADED Pt.1.” News of his death first broke in late April.

Ridsdel appeared in a ransom video released in November 2015 by Abu Sayyaf, the second time he was forced on camera following his kidnapping in September. He appeared along with Robert Hall, also of Canada, and Kjartan Sekkingstad of Norway. A third woman in the video, who appeared Filipino, did not speak. It was unclear if she was a hostage, too. Watch that video here.

In March, Abu Sayyaf set a one-month deadline in another video threat, then released a final 10-day warning in mid April, setting April 25 as the last date to receive a ransom payment before a hostage would be killed. Ridsdel’s death was reported on April 25.

Abu Sayyaf means “father of the swordsmith” in Arabic. According to The International Business Times, senior Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and other masked men pledged their allegiance to ISIS in a summer of 2014 video.

In the latest video, ISIS crudely beheads Ridsdel. Watch the video above. Viewer discretion is advised.

Lawyer outraged at pix of gun-toting kids in army fatigues

Siti Kasim shares the photograph taken at a kindergarten in Kota Damansara and asks if pre-schoolers are being brainwashed to become militants in the name of jihad.

PETALING JAYA: Are kindergarten-going children being brainwashed to become militants in the name of jihad?

That’s the question lawyer and activist Siti Kasim asked in her latest Facebook posting where she shared a photograph showing kids, purportedly from a kindergarten in Kota Damansara, standing with their teacher while holding toy guns and dressed in military fatigues.

The photo was apparently posted by the teacher in her Instagram account.

Outraged at the implication, Siti asked: “Tell me what you think of these photos. I am extremely disturbed by these.

“The teacher and the kids are holding weapons! Maybe plastic but a kindergarten? In a pre-school? (expletives) is she teaching?”

According to Siti, the teacher is from the Darul Quran Islamiyah College University (KUDQI) based in Terengganu, which she claimed was a branch of Jemaah Islamiyah.

“What kind of Islam do you think they are teaching the kids, you think? I hope the authorities will look into this,” she said.

Netizens also expressed horror at the post, and called on the authorities to check on the kind of curriculum the kindergarten used for its students.

At the time of writing, the post had been shared close to 300 times and “liked” by more than 360 people.

The outspoken lawyer is currently under probe for criminal intimidation and for allegedly obstructing a public servant from carrying out his duties, when she stood up for members of the transgender community during a raid by religious authorities recently.

First Muslim Miss USA converts to Christianity

The woman who was believed to be the first Muslim to win the title when she was crowned Miss USA in 2010 has converted to Christianity.

By Ruth Gledhill

Rima Fakih gave her life to Christ last month in the run-up to her marriage in Lebanon next week to Wassim Salibi, a wealthy music producer who is a Maronite Christian. Canadian singer The Weeknd, who is managed by Salibi, will perform at the wedding.

Fakih recently tweeted a verse from Philippians:

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me pic.twitter.com/RSTZ9IJD3Z

— Rima Fakih (@RimaFakih) March 30, 2016

Fakih's faith was Shia Muslim but she attended a Catholic school.

In a Huffington Post interview in 2010 she said: "We're more of a spiritual family. Religion really doesn't define me or my family. My family's been very liberal, and we appreciate all different kinds of religions."

She added: "My brother-in-law is Christian, and he (and my sister) baptised their two sons. I have an uncle who converted to Christianity, and he's a priest now."

She said: "We'd go to church on Easter. We always had a Christmas tree and every year we go the Radio City Christmas Show, and watch Miracle on 34th Street. But we celebrate some of the Islamic holidays as well."

According to Albawaba, It was only when she went to university in the US that Fakih connected with her Muslim roots: "When I went to the University of Michigan, because there's more of a Muslim community, my dad wanted me to learn more about Islam," she said. "I didn't know much about Ramadan and other holidays, and my dad wanted me to take that opportunity and learn."

On social media, most responses have been supportive of her conversion.

After she won the top beauty pageant, Fakih was quoted as saying: "I'd like to say I'm American first, and I am an Arab-American, I am Lebanese-American, and I am Muslim-American." Some Muslim scholars at the time criticised her for entering the competition in the first place.

No more police escorts for Dr M

KOTA KINABALU: Police will now accord Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad traffic police escorts only upon request for official functions.

"We will consider traffic police escorts for Tun Mahathir on a case-by-case basis,’’ Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said.

Khalid said he decided to withdraw the police outriders privilege for the former prime minister because he was attending functions that were "anti-government or illegal" such as the Bersih and anti-GST rallies.

"It is my decision to withdraw the outriders as he (Dr Mahathir) was attending illegal functions. It does not make sense as law enforcers to escort someone to an anti-government or an illegal rally.

"But, I did not withdraw his personal bodyguard who is a policeman from the UTK (Unit Tindakan Khas) for his personal safety," Khalid told reporters after presenting medals to 200 policemen who served during Ops Daulat to put down the Sulu intrusion at Lahad Datu in 2013.

"Why should we provide traffic police escort to a person who is going to functions which are against the law,’’ he said.

Khalid said Dr Mahathir could write to him for outriders for all official government functions .

"I hope Tun Mahathir understand our position on the matter,’’ he added.

Khalid warned others not to provide escort services to the former premier as they were not trained and would be endangering their own lives and those of other road users.

"I know some people are saying they want to provide traffic escort services. We will take action against such people who want to become outriders,’’ he said adding that there were sufficient laws, including the Road Transport Act, that can be used against them.

He said motorists need not follow the "orders" of the private escorts who were usually riding the big bikes.

IGP: Manhunt on, Indira’s ex-spouse likely still in Malaysia

KOTA KINABALU, May 4 ― The police are still searching for M. Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband and believe that Muhammad Riduan Abdullah remains in Malaysia, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

The IGP said that he had instructed officers to locate and to arrest the Muslim convert for contempt of court in the interfaith child custody case the same day he received orders from the Federal Court to do so.

“We have taken all necessary measures to ensure that he is picked up. We have tried to locate him from the day the court order was issued.

“There is no information to show that he has left the country. But we are still checking on that,” said Khalid at a press conference here after presenting some 200 general operations force members with medals for their service during Ops Daulat.

Last Friday, the Federal Court ordered the IGP to arrest Muhammad Riduan for contempt of court, over his refusal to hand custody of their youngest child ― Prasana Diksa to her in the high-profile child conversion case.

The Federal Court also upheld the initial mandamus order issued by the Ipoh High Court to Khalid, ordering the court to monitor the procedures to track and to arrest Muhammad Riduan.

The court ruled that the committal order against Muhammad Riduan was justified as he has repeatedly failed to produce the couple’s child — Prasana Diksa, now aged eight — in court.

The Ipoh High Court in 2010 had granted Indira full custody of all three children.

Indira told Malay Mail Online recently that she was depending on the police to locate her ex-husband and daughter, saying she could not afford a private investigator to find the two.

Al-Ḥajar al-Aswad (Black Stone)

MIC offers RM5,000 reward to find Indira’s ex-husband

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 ― MIC is offering a RM5,000 reward to anyone who can locate Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, the former husband of M. Indira Gandhi who has absconded with their youngest child whom he unilaterally converted to Islam.

National MIC information committee member Subash Chandra Bose said his party was keen to help the police in their manhunt for the Hindu-turned-Muslim father of three, wanted for contempt of court.

“He is a fugitive of the law and he must be caught. We want to help the police in whatever way we can and we want to rope in our fellow Malaysians in this too,” he told Malay Mail Online this evening when contacted.

Subash who is also Selangor MIC Youth information chief said he wanted to help see justice done for Indira who has been separated from daughter Prasana Diksa the last seven years.

“If Riduan is law abiding, he would have come out of hiding himself. But it has been few days since the Federal Court verdict, and he is still in hiding somewhere. He is outrightly challenging the law.

“So, we are offering this reward to whoever who can track down Riduan and alert us or the police,” he added.

Last Friday, the Federal Court ordered the police to arrest Muhammad Riduan for contempt of court over his refusal to hand custody of Prasana to Indira in the high-profile child conversion case.

Earlier today, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar announced the hunt for Muhammad Riduan, believed to still be in the country, started the same day he received the court order.

Indira was forced to separate from her younger daughter when Prasana was only 11 months old.

She was given full custody of all three children by the civil High Court, but her ex-husband was awarded custody by the Perak Shariah Court, triggering a bitter custody battle that drew national attention.

Muslim lawyers: Govt must explain flip-flop in Roneey’s case

Muslim Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PPMM) president says government has the right to decide on withdrawal of appeal by NRD but this has to be done fairly.

Putrajaya must explain the flip-flop in appealing the High Court’s decision on the Roneey Rebit religious conversion case, says Muslim Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PPMM) president Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar.

In commenting on claims that Prime Minister Najib Razak and Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem had meddled in the National Registration Department’s (NRD) appeal in the case, Zainul said the government had the right to decide to withdraw the appeal.

However, he said this had to be done fairly and justice must not only be done but seen to be done.

“If it is done for ‘election’ benefit, the perception is that justice is not done,” he told FMT.

He opined that the government should not have appealed in the first place and the withdrawal of appeal now signifies a change in policy.

This, he said, was something the government needed to clear the air on.

Zainul said because the issue arose during election campaigning, some quarters felt it was a case of meddling in the court process.

“Every litigant has his right to continue or discontinue a legal process, but it seems that it was done for reasons which are very apparent, namely the election campaign,” he said, noting it was very much contrary to previous decisions made by the government on similar cases.

A Sarawakian lawyer, who declined to be named, also said Najib and Adenan had not meddled in the matter.

“The NRD comes under the executive and the executive has the right to advise the department, so it cannot be considered as meddling,
“The executive would only be meddling if the case was in the midst of hearing,” said the lawyer.

Yesterday, NRD Director-General Sulaiman Keling said the department, after careful study, would apply to withdraw its appeal against the court decision allowing Roneey to renounce Islam and return to Christianity.

In response, Malay rights groups Perkasa and Isma, as well as Amanah lawmaker Mujahid Rawa, had decried the executive’s meddling in the issue and said due legal process should be allowed to continue.

Court prolongs mystery over PI Bala's five-year exile

Just what led to the late private investigator P Balasubramaniam and his family to go on exile for five years, will take a bit longer to be known.

The Federal Court today granted carpet businessman Deepak Jaikishian a stay in the suit of Balasubramaniam's widow A Santamil Selvi and her three children against him, at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

Deepak was allowed leave to challenge the reinstatement of Santamil's suit against him, which is for conspiracy to place her and her family under exile.

Balasubramaniam, also known as PI Bala, first shot to prominence after he appeared at a press conference on July 3, 2008, linking then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in a statutory declaration (SD).

However, Balasubramaniam abruptly disclaimed the SD on the next day with a second SD, and subsequently left the country together with his family.

Today, the three-member bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin which allowed the stay, also allowed leave for three questions of law proposed by Deepak's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to be heard on appeal, after the appellate court reinstated the suit and ordered a hearing at the KL High Court.

"We are unanimous in our decision to grant all three questions proposed. We will fix an early hearing date for this appeal."

Shafee gave an undertaking that he will file the appeal papers next week.

On Dec 18 last year, the Court of Appeal bench allowed Santamil Selvi's suit to be reinstated against Deepak and ordered for a full hearing of the matter.

Deepak was earlier scheduled to file his defence by May 19.

The other two judges in the panel are Justices Ahmad Ma'arop and Azahar Mohamed.

Lawyers Gopal Sri Ram (photo) and Americk Sidhu, who are acting for for Santamil, then informed the panel that they are seeking for their leave application on a question of law following a consent judgment allowed by the Court of Appeal be heard later pending the outcome of Deepak's appeal.

To this, Justice Zulkefli allowed the leave application by Santamil be deferred.

Three questions of law posed

The questions of law posed by Shafee to be decided by the apex court are:

1. whether as a matter of procedural law an objection to a notice of appeal being defective and/or bad in law can be undertaken by way of a mere preliminary objection.
2. whether the filing of a single notice of appeal in respect of eight separate distinct interlocutory applications is in compliance with the procedural rules as set out in the Rules of the Court of Appeal 1995;
3. whether as a matter of law a claim of conspiracy to injure can be maintained and/or is valid when the claims against all other alleged co-conspirators has been dismissed and/or struck out inter alia on the basis that there were no reasonable cause of action raised by the plaintiffs. Sri Ram, a former federal court judge, told the court earlier that he is conceding the second question posed.

It was previously reported on June 2014, that Santamil and her children had filed close to a RM2 million suit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor along with seven others, including Deepak following the family's exile for five years after Balasubramaniam made the first statutory declaration.

Also named in the suit were Najib's younger brothers Ahmad Johari (lawyer) and Nazim, along with senior lawyer Cecil Abraham, his son Sunil Abraham, lawyer M Arunampalam (the lawyer who appeared for PI Bala in the second SD) and commissioner of oaths Zainal Abidin Muhayat.

She and the children filed the suit following Balasubramaniam and their five-year exile as a result of the SD saga in July 2008, where the former private investigator had firstly claimed that Najib knew and had a relationship with Mongolian lass Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered in a forest in Puncak Alam on Oct 19, 2006.

Suit struck out

Her suit against Najib, Rosmah, and the others excluding Deepak had been struck out by the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court.

Despite this, Santamil's suit against Deepak still stood as the businessman had earlier on Oct 2, last year, recorded the consent order, after he conceded on allowing the hearing of the suit against him.

Deepak however withdrew what he conceded, resulting in a hearing and a decision by the Court of Appeal to reinstate the suit and order the matter to go on trial.

In his submission on the questions of law today, Shafee asked how the court hearing can continue when the evidence that Santamil likely to relate may be hearsay as PI Bala had already passed away.

Sri Ram however submitted that the court should not allow the other two questions as "what Shafee wants us to do is pre-judge the issue that the suit should be dismissed and struck out because there is no reasonable cause of action by the plaintiffs".



Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/340255

RAPAT kecewa IGP ambil remeh kes pecah kuil di Ipoh

Apex court to decide if IGP must reunite mum with daughter after 8yrs

M Indira Gandhi's daughter was 11-months-old when her ex-husband, who converted to Islam, took the child. The teacher has not seen her for eight years.

Eight months have also passed since she turned to the courts to compel inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar to look for her daughter as she and her ex-husband K Pathmanathan, who now uses the name Mohd Ridhwan Abdullah were embroiled in a custody battle over their three children.

Tomorrow, the Federal Court will deliver its verdict on whether the top cop has to abide by the order of the High Court.

On Sept 12, 2014, the Ipoh High Court issued a mandamus order compelling Khalid to find and arrest Ridhwan and return their youngest daughter to Indira.

Three months later, the Court of Appeal in a majority 2-1 decision overturned the High Court order as Justices Abdul Aziz Abd Rahman and Ahmadi Asnawi allowed the police chief's appeal while Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat dissented.

Following this, Indira, who is represented by Aston Paiva and DAP lawmaker M Kulasegaran, took her case to the Federal Court.

Paiva had argued that Ridhwan only possesses a custody order from the Syariah Court, and not from the civil courts.

Furthermore, he said Ridhwan had failed to appear in court for the past six or seven years.

However, senior federal counsel Suzana Atan told the apex court that the matter is a private dispute and should not involve the police and government.

The judiciary's number two, Court of Appeal president Justice Md Raus Sharif, is leading the five-member bench.

The verdict, however, might only be delivered by four judges since Justice Abdull Hamid Embong retired from the Federal Court early this year.

Meanwhile, Indira is also challenging the unilateral conversion of her three children by her former husband and the matter is fixed for leave to appeal on May 19.

Eight questions of law have been posed for this purpose and although the questions are not known, they are expected to be on the issues of:

- Malaysia's position in international convention like the United Nations convention on the rights of a child, of which Malaysia is a signatory
- Jurisdiction between the civil and syariah courts and
- Whether children born out of a marriage from civil law must comply with the Administration of the Religion of Islam enactment of the respective states.

IGP: Sub judice to discuss Dharmendran, EAIC should've rejected complaint

Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said that the ongoing murder trial of four cops for the death of N Dharmendran in police custody makes it sub judice for the Enforcement Agencies Integrity Commission (EAIC) to discuss the case.

"(EAIC chairperson) Yaacob Md Sam knows very well that the case against four police officers accused in the murder of the victim will resume trial from May 25 to 27 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court when they will be called to enter their defence.

"Since the case is still ongoing, it should not be discussed outside of the court as it can cause prejudice and is sub judice to the case," said the IGP in a statement.

He argued that by law, the body should have rejected the initial complaint over the Dharmendran case as it involved an ongoing court case, as noted in Section 26 (4) (f) of the Enforcement Agencies Integrity Commission Act 2009.

"Indeed at the early stage, the complaints committee should be aware that all complaints as well as its findings related to proceedings ongoing in any courts of law, including appeals, must be reported to the commission along with the reasoning behind the findings with the recommendation to reject the complaint," said the IGP, citing the section.

He also lamented that the EAIC report made it seem like the police has failed to take action against those deemed responsible for Dharmendran's death while in custody.

'Last ditch' interrogation method

Khalid argued that from an early stage, a thorough, detailed, and transparent investigation was undertaken concerning the custodial death.

He said based on the investigation, the attorney-general had ordered the prosecution of the four police officers on Jun 2013 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which may lead to the death penalty if they are found to be guilty.

"Clearly, the police never protected any of its officers or men who are involved in any criminal act," stressed Khalid.

The EAIC today released its report on the outcome of the public hearing into the death of Dharmendran, who died while in police custody, in response to a complaint over the matter.

The commission had recommended further charges for other cops whom they deemed had made false statements to cover up the circumstances behind Dharmendran's death.

It also debunked explanations by police personnel that the victim's ears were stapled after his death, noting the coroner's report that it was done ante-mortem and may have been part of a "last-ditch" interrogation method that led to Dharmendran's death.

Dharmendran was detained on May 11, 2013, and died 10 days later while in police custody at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters (IPKKL).

Four police officers from the IPKKL were arrested and charged with causing his death.

On Dec 12, 2014, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur freed the four police personnel from the charge after concluding there was no prima facie case against them.

However, the Court of Appeal ordered the four police officers to enter their defence in the case.

Cops' explanations for detainee's stapled ears debunked

The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) has debunked explanations by police personnel that the ears of N Dharmendran, who died while in custody, were stapled after his death.

Citing the public hearings which were conducted following Dharmendran’s death, EAIC chairperson Yaacob Md Sam said two police officers had given their theories how the staples were found in Dharmendran’s ears.

One had theorised that the staples were accidentally clipped while the deceased’s body was being wrapped before it was transported to the hospital, while another officer’s theory was that the ears were stapled when the body was at the mortuary.

“(The theories were) totally illogical, unreasonable explanations,” said Yaacob in a press conference after presenting the report on the outcome of the public hearings today.

Yaacob said evidence from the pathologist had confirmed that there was blood after the staples were removed.

“This shows that his ears were stapled when he was alive. It rules out that the staples were made after his death or at the mortuary.”

The pathologist had also confirmed that the ears were stapled not more than three days prior to the post-mortem.

Hypovolemic shock Yaacob added that if it was indeed true that Dharmendran's ears were stapled, there would have been plastic fragments on them.

“I'm not saying that the staples caused his death, but they were injuries suffered by him.

“The combination of those injuries, including the 52 bruises caused by blunt force object, had caused acute massive loss of blood into the tissues, causing hypovolemic shock.”

The EAIC chief also rued the lack of blood sampling for DNA analysis.

Two staplers from the D9 unit’s office at the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters were seized but the lack of blood samples ruled out DNA comparison analysis to ascertain the identity of “Male 1”.

“If blood samples were taken from any of the personnel who had access to Dharmendan, they could have been compared with the blood on the staples. This would have given better evidence,” said Yaacob.

Dharmendran was detained on May 11, 2013, and died 10 days later while in police custody at the IPKKL.

Four police officers from the IPKKL were arrested and charged with causing the death.

On Dec 12, 2014, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur freed the four police personnel from the charge after concluding that there was no prima facie case against them.

The Court of Appeal, however, has ordered the four police officers to enter their defence in the case.

Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/339536#ixzz476JNmTml

EAIC wants charges on cops who lied to cover up detainee’s death

The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) wants the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to consider filing criminal charges against police personnel who were found to have fabricated false information in the lock-up diary involving death-in-custody victim N Dharmendran.

EAIC chairperson Yaacob Md Sam said this while presenting the report on the outcome of the public hearing into the death of Dharmendran, who died while in police custody on May 21, 2013.

The commission found that the last six entries in the D9 IPK Kuala Lumpur lock-up diary, written by the two lock-up sentries, to be false.

Some of the entries were written in an unusual manner by one of the sentries as they were written only two or three days after the death of the deceased, as opposed to while he was on duty.

The commission also found that entries 3150 to 3153 were jointly made up by senior officers of the police, comprising the deputy head of the criminal investigation of the Intelligence and Operations Department, the officer in-charge of D9 IPK Kuala Lumpur, the deputy officer in-charge of D9 IPK Kuala Lumpur and an officer of the D9 IPK Kuala Lumpur.

The commission also found that the above-mentioned police personnel had also instructed the two lock-up sentries to write false entries into the lock-up diary on the night Dharmendran died.

The commission also affirmed that Dharmendran’s death was a result of the use of physical force by the police.

EAIC said the use of physical force that had caused injuries and his subsequent death had violated the Inspector-General of Police’s Standing Order (IGSO) which prohibits the use of physical force against detainees during interrogations.

Apart from the 52 bruises found on the deceased, the post-mortem conducted had also confirmed that the two staples found embedded on the deceased’s ears were stapled while he was alive.

Don’t speculate on temple vandalism incident, says IGP

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar has advised all quarters not to speculate on the incident where a Hindu temple was vandalised in Ipoh.

By Malaysiakini

This is after certain groups cast doubts on the official version that the suspect, a medical doctor, was suffering from a psychological condition.

“Our investigations have shown that the suspect was mentally unstable. There are medical records relating to this.

“The police have no reason to conceal information regarding this matter. It was an isolated incident involving a person who is ill,” Khalid told Malaysiakini.

The police chief also ruled out that the suspect was linked to any terrorist organisations, explaining that he acted on his own.

On the same note, he warned that those who spread rumours regarding this incident would face action.

“This incident involves a place of worship, irresponsible statements can cause unrest and lead to undesirable consequences. We would not hesitate to act,” he said.

Earlier today, MIC urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation to enable appropriate action to be taken against the suspect.

“We hope that the fact he has been sent to Hospital Bahagia Tanjong Rambutan (which specialises in treating mental disorders) will not prevent the authorities from investigating the case thoroughly and in taking all appropriate actions that need to be taken.

“It has to be noted that despite his mental impairment, the subject in question targeted a Hindu temple specifically,” said party information chief VS Mogan in a statement.

Meanwhile, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II visited the affected temple and met with the people in the area this afternoon.

“They are questioning why the police has quickly drawn a conclusion that the person who did the act was mentally unstable. People are asking if he is a member of an extremist group.

“We understand that police are concerned that the matter do not go out of hand but the public need to know the truth. The police cannot control things if the public are not informed of the truth,” he said in a statement.

Also casting aspersions on the police’s version was the Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas), which questioned how an individual with a mental condition was allowed to roam free when he is a threat to others.

The suspect had reportedly run amok on Sunday and broke into the temple along Jalan Hospital, where he destroyed several statutes.

The individual later crashed his car into a bus stop not far from the temple while trying to escape and was subsequently arrested.

Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/339307

Dr M implores M'sians to pull off a Malayan Union-style revolt

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today issued a public appeal for the rakyat to support the Citizens' Declaration in the hope of triggering a Malayan Union-style revolt.

By Malaysiakini

"I appeal to the rakyat, regardless of race or party, to sign the Citizens' Declaration to save our country Malaysia.

"The more people supporting the Citizens' Declaration, the likelier it is for the goal of ending Najib Abdul Razak's position as prime minister to be achieved," he said in a blog posting this evening.

Mahathir reiterated that the Citizens' Declaration, which called for Najib's resignation and institutional reforms, is to ultimately lobby the conference of rulers to intervene just as the Malays had done in 1946.

"Only the rakyat who love the country can act. Indeed, there is no provision in the federal constitution for the rakyat to act (to remove Najib).

"But based on the historical struggle against the Malayan Union, the rakyat's demand for the Malay rulers to reject the Malayan Union succeeded.

"We can believe that the rakyat's demands this time will get similar treatment," he said.

The widespread protest against Malayan Union prompted the Malay rulers to boycott the declaration of the new union and also led to the eventual formation of Umno in 1946.

The British colonial masters eventually gave in to pressure and replaced the Malayan Union with the Federation of Malaya in 1948.

Mahathir, who was among the first 45 eminent persons to sign the Citizens' Declaration, reiterated that he did so as all avenues for redress had been blocked by Najib.

"What is clear, there is no more hope or opportunity for Umno members to change the leadership or put to stop to Najib's wrongdoing.

"Newspapers and television are not allowed to report about Najib's wrongdoing," he said.

Instead, Mahathir said the rakyat was fed with "false news" denying all allegations about abuse of power in scandals relating to 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion in Najib's personal bank accounts.

Najib's alleged lavish lifestyle

Mahathir also cited declining government finances as well as the lost of billions and Najib's alleged lavish lifestyle as among other news being blacked out by the media.

Najib had claimed the billions in his personal bank accounts was a political donation from Saudi Arabia and denied it had anything to do with 1MDB.

He also denied taking public funds for personal gain while attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali accepted this explanation in clearing Najib of wrongdoing.

Mahathir also lamented Umno's inability to put a stop to Najib.

"Umno MPs keep silent and approve any legislations presented to them.

"A vote of no-confidence cannot be initiated because Umno MPs lack courage and will not give support despite knowing about the scandals," he said.

Mahathir lamented that Umno members do no appear to care about the country's problem.

As such, he said, it was up to Malaysians who love the country to take action.

Please sign the online Citizens' Declaration :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vuIKdnzoDln2d5_v07kz1vgUZByV4EILmecK7NjYh54/viewform?c=0&w=1

Mother grills gov’t, claims son overlooked for head prefect

Dissatisfied with the reasons given by a head prefect selection committee, a mother to an 11-year-old boy has lodged a complaint with the Education Ministry.

Kalaichelvi Nadarajan has lodged a complaint with the ministry after her son was not chosen as head prefect on Feb 4 by the Sri KDU Primary School’s selection committee.

She claimed the reasons given on why the other candidate was better suited as head prefect for the private school were vague, but her assertion is being refuted by the school.

“My son worked hard, maintained above-average performances (in academic and co-curricular programmes) and was even offered the top position in the prefectorial board last year.

“And yet, this year, nobody could tell me why the other student was chosen (as head prefect) over my son,” Kalaichelvi said.

AK Chan, the chief operating officer (COO) and academic director of Sri KDU schools, in a statement to Malaysiakini on Thursday, defended the committee’s selection procedure.

“In the assessment of the committee in Sri KDU Primary School, (the student who was selected as head prefect) was the more suitable candidate for the post, based on the outcomes of the entire selection processes.

“(The selection was also based on the) committee’s observation of this student’s maturity, patience, commitment, and diligence in the execution of his duties in the past year, as well as the respect he garnered from the rest of the prefectorial body,” Chan clarified.

Rated on ‘overall performance’

According to Kalaichelvi, she, her husband, and a family friend had also attended a meeting with the school principal and disciplinary committee to discuss the criteria for the head prefect and deputy head prefect posts.

“They started the meeting by saying the criteria for the head prefect and deputy head prefect selection was ‘overall performance’.

“But the principal and school board were unable to identify and elaborate on the criterion where the other student had excelled over our son,” Kalaichelvi added, when contacted by Malaysiakini last week.

“I could not even give my son a proper explanation regarding the (head prefect selection) outcome,” she added, expressing how devastated her son was upon learning of the school’s explanation.

Then, the mother of two decided to continue pursuing the issue, hoping for clear, definitive answers to her queries.

She wrote a plethora of emails, first to the school board, and later - when she claimed there were no satisfactory responses from them - to the senior management of Paramount Corporation Berhad, the holding company for Sri KDU Primary School, which is a privately run smart school.

Unable to make inroads with her email queries, a frustrated Kalaichelvi then lodged a complaint with the Education Ministry on Thursday.

Interview process

When asked about the steps taken to select the best candidate, Chan explained these 11-year-olds have to go through two sets of interviews.

All Primary Five prefects are eligible to apply for the head prefect post, she said.

“Candidates are subjected to two interviews. The objective of the first interview, conducted by the discipline committee, is to assess the strength of candidates and suitability for the post.

Suitable candidates are then recommended for the second interview, conducted by the discipline committee with the principal and deputy principal, for further screening and to prove the candidates’ potential through (their) presentation of a project and (their responses in) a question and answer session,” Chan explained.

Asked if the ethnicity of a student is considered a factor in the appointment of Sri KDU Primary School head prefects, the COO and academic director answered “no”.

“Ethnicity is never a factor in the appointment of Sri KDU head prefects.

“For the record, in the last 10 years, the primary school head prefect position was held by one Malay, four Chinese and five Indians,” Chan replied.

When contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday, the Education Ministry’s corporate communications representative, Nurhairi Mohd Noor, confirmed that it had received Kalaichelvi’s complaint.

“The Education Ministry is currently investigating the matter,” he said.

Read more: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/338968