Obama signals willingness to arm Libyan rebels

(CNN) -- On a day when opposition forces in Libya suffered battlefield losses, President Barack Obama made clear in interviews Tuesday with the three major U.S. television networks that he was open to arming the rebel fighters.

"I'm not ruling it out, but I'm also not ruling it in," Obama told NBC in one of the separate interviews he gave the day after a nationally televised speech on the Libya situation.

"I think it's fair to say that if we wanted to get weapons into Libya, we probably could," Obama told ABC. "We're looking at all our options at this point."

The president also signaled a willingness to negotiate a settlement to the conflict with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, but only based on the condition that Gadhafi would relinquish power as called for by the United States and its allies.

Asked about the chances of Gadhafi fleeing or losing vital support from his family and top aides, Obama said that he believes those close to the Libyan leader likely feel what he called a tightening noose.

"I think that Gadhafi's camp, people around him, are starting to recognize that their options are limited and their days are numbered, and so they are probably reaching out to a range of different people," Obama told CBS. "But that information may not have filtered to Gadhafi yet and I think it's too early for us to start having formal negotiations."

Gadhafi "knows exactly what he needs to do to stop the constant bombardment that he's under, and it may at some point shift to him to figuring out how to negotiate an exit, but I don't think we're at that point yet," Obama continued on CBS.

On ABC, the president said that "the first step is for Gadhafi to send a signal that he understands the Libyan people don't want him ruling anymore, that 40 years of tyranny is enough."

"Once he makes that decision, I think the international community will come together and make a determination as to what the most appropriate way of facilitating him stepping down will be," Obama said.

The interviews continued the determined tone of Obama's Monday night speech, which detailed the strategic and moral reasons for committing U.S. troops to the Libyan mission while also promising the U.S. role would be limited in time and scope.

Initially led by U.S. forces due to their "unique capabilities" for taking out Libya's anti-aircraft and communications stations to establish a no-fly zone, the mission shifts to NATO control this week so allied nations share the responsibility and costs, Obama said.

He pointed out to CBS that coalition airstrikes on Gadhafi forces threatening civilian populations "will continue for some time" despite the transfer in mission leadership.

"One of the questions that we want to answer is, do we start getting to a stage where Gadhafi's forces are sufficiently degraded, where it may not be necessary to arm opposition groups?" Obama said on CBS.

Sex video may strengthen Anwar, says WSJ

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The sex video implicating Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim could end up strengthening his position if he can convince Malaysians he is not the man in the recording, a leading US newspaper said today.

The internationally distributed Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said that if the opposition leader is successful in his denial, it will reinforce the belief that he is the victim of a political ploy and turn the tables on Umno, seen to be the perpetrators of the sex tape.

“If Anwar can convince Malaysians that he is not the man on the tape, this latest attack will only make him stronger, since it will bolster the belief at home and abroad that he is the victim of politically motivated persecution.

“That would spell bad news for the ruling United Malays National Organization (Umno), which says it has nothing to do with the sex tape,” it said in an opinion piece today.

It wrote that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) is currently vulnerable despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak steadying the ship since taking power in April 2009.

This is due to corruption scandals such as the potential RM12.5 billion cost overrun in the Port Klang Free Zone project that are occurring on its watch, the newspaper said.

Anwar’s PKR has alleged that Najib is involved in the video, a claim which gained credence when Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik — who had to resign in 1994 as Malacca chief minister after accusations of statutory rape — admitted to his involvement.

But Umno has been quick to distance itself from its former Youth chief, and Najib himself called for the public to focus on police investigations into the identity of the man in the video, not the allegations of his party’s involvement.

The WSJ added today that the timing of the tape is politically significant as snap elections are expected later in the year.

The Sarawak state elections, where the opposition hopes to make significant gains, will be held on April 16.

However, the newspaper said that public scepticism over “the ever-lengthening list of allegations against Anwar suggests they may no longer have the power they once did to ruin political careers.”

Alternative sources of information are developing, and as Malaysians become better informed, they are more independent-minded, it wrote.

The Permatang Pauh MP is currently facing a second sodomy charge, after having a previous conviction in 1998 overturned in 2004, and has also been repeatedly accused of sexual misconduct by, among others, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir, who sacked Anwar as deputy prime minister in 1998, had claimed in his recent autobiography that Anwar had propositioned at least four girls for sex in the 1990s.

But the WSJ said that the reversal of Anwar’s sodomy conviction due to inconsistent evidence and the assault he received in custody prior to the trial has resulted in his current sodomy trial being greeted sceptically by Malaysians

AG dodges ex-cop’s claim Rahim will beat sex tape rap

Gani refused to comment on the allegations. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The Attorney-General (AG) has sidestepped claims by a former senior police officer that Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik will escape prosecution for the sex video scandal, saying he has yet to see the investigation papers. Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail declined to comment further on former Kuala Lumpur CID director Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim’s remarks which came after police began investigating the sex video allegedly featuring Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a tryst with a prostitute.
“I haven’t even seen the papers,” Abdul Gani told The Malaysian Insider curtly yesterday. “How can you people publish like that?”
When pushed for a response, the country’s top prosecutor merely repeated his earlier statement that he had not seen the investigation papers.
“I haven’t even seen anything yet. That is my response,” Abdul Gani said.

Rahim has taken partial credit for orchestrating the sex tape. — file pic

Mat Zain said in an open letter to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Ismail Omar on Monday that he did not expect the former Malacca chief minister to be prosecuted due to the ultimate involvement of the AG. While confident that the police would investigate the case professionally and impartially, Mat Zain said he had scant faith in the AG’s ability to discharge his duties without favour, citing Abdul Gani’s alleged protection of Rahim from prosecution on graft charges in 1999.
“This investigation will later be handled by Abdul Gani as the Attorney-General. It is at this stage where it is expected that manipulation, fraud and forgery will occur,” he said.
Mat Zain claimed that Abdul Gani, a senior deputy public prosecutor at the time, together with then-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and then-Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah had “indemnified” Rahim from the charges in exchange for his resignation from all government and political posts.
This was despite a recommendation from the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) that Rahim be prosecuted for four counts of corruption — three under the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance and one for making a false statutory declaration, punishable under Section 193 of the Penal Code.
Mat Zain explained that the matter first reached his hands when Anwar had sent him a copy of the ACA report against Rahim along with a police report on August 20, 1999.
The report, he explained, was classified as “official secrets” and explained that the agency had compiled enough evidence to prove a prima facie case against Rahim.
“The ACA report was validated by the prosecution division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and signed by Abdul Gani who classified the document as ‘secret’,” he said.
“The documents were said to have been given to Anwar by the Attorney-General and/or Abdul Gani while Anwar was still the deputy prime minister.”
Anwar sacked in September 1998 on sodomy and abuse of power charges. He was convicted on both counts but was freed after appeal in 2004.
Mat Zain explained that the AG’s Chambers had wanted to classify the case under the Official Secrets Act 1972 while the police had suggested that the case be investigated under Section 2(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance on abuse of powers.
He added that an investigation against Rahim under the Emergency Ordinance would involve the recording of statements from Dr Mahathir, the late Mohtar, Abdul Gani and other prominent leaders.
“But on August 28, I received a letter from the AG’s Chambers addressed personally to me, specifically stating that the report Anwar lodged against Abdul Rahim would be investigated by (former IGP) Musa as Abdul Gani had supposedly lodged a report against Anwar for committing an offence under the Official Secrets Act,” said Mat Zain, referring to Anwar’s exposure of the ACA report.
“To be clearer, I can say that the report involving Abdul Rahim was hijacked by Musa Hassan from the hands of the CID,” he added.
Mat Zain, however, stressed that he had never seen the report purportedly lodged by Abdul Gani.
“And never before has the AG’s Chambers ever chosen its own investigating officer to investigate a police report,” he said.
Mat Zain, who was the investigating officer in the infamous 1998 “black-eye” case involving Anwar, has repeatedly accused Abdul Gani of being corrupt and having committed numerous offences to protect his position.
Among others, he has claimed that Abdul Gani falsified evidence in the probe against Anwar for his first sodomy trial, including the DNA evidence.
“Now, although Musa has retired, but Abdul Gani is still the AG. So when this sex video investigation reaches him, it can be expect what his stand will be, especially since this video is yet another clash between Abdul Rahim and Anwar,” he said.
Mat Zain stressed that he had no personal vendetta against Rahim but was concerned that the sex video case would see the former chief minister getting off scot-free, despite his admission to his involvement in the caper.
Rahim, along with businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, last week admitted they were behind the sex video allegedly featuring Anwar having sex with a prostitute.
Anwar has since denied he is the man in the tape and has gone on a nationwide campaign to convince voters of his innocence.
His daughter, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, had urged the authorities yesterday to act on Mat Zain’s disclosures by taking action against Abdul Gani and others said to be involved in covering the case against Rahim more than a decade ago.

Jeffrey: Sabah has failed natives

Why is the Sabah government refusing to comply with the 1963 agreement in relation to native land rights?

KOTA KINABALU: The government of Chief Minister Musa Aman must explain why it has failed to act as the legal guardian of the native people it represents.

Seeking an explaination, United Borneo Front (UBF) chairman Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the government’s attitude was perplexing especially since it was agreed in 1963 that the natives must be given priority when deciding on the overall development of the state.

Jeffrey, a former PKR vice president, was commenting on the recurring issue of Native Customary Right (NCR) land affecting the natives in the state.

He said there was an urgent need for the state government to review all legislation pertaining to native customary rights (NCR).

“When land applications are given to big companies as opposed to native individuals genuinely seeking a livelihood in agriculture for meagre survival, the people are unable to comprehend the logic behind it.

“Natives must not be left behind and the government must resolve to follow the recommendation of our forefathers that native customary rights to occupy state lands are to be prioritised.

“A corporate body can represent a number of shareholders and directors who are not even remotely native. They apply for their own economic gain.

“The government should deliberate their decisions based on the premise that on Sept 16, 1963, they had assumed a de facto role of becoming the guardian of the native people of Sabah and Sarawak,” said Jeffrey in a statement.

Urgent solution needed

He expressed sympathy for the plight of natives in Kemabong who were jailed and fined in trying to defend their land rights as well as land applications going to corporate bodies in Kampung Luanti and Pitas, which were highlighted in the local newspapers recently.

“We need clearer legislation on NCR to avoid unnecessary confusion and court actions. The government should look into the compliance mechanism for the protection of Native Customary Rights.

“I hope the government think-tanks will find a solution for this issue as I am also aware that expanding families can cause land disputes and further expansion of lands if allocation was specifically given to individuals.

“We need more allocation, perhaps, for community titles for natives. It is not an easy issue but one we must resolve before the next general election.

“Looking at the Federal Constitution, our native rights are supposed to be protected by the monarchy, so this is a very important issue that must not be dismissed,” he stressed.

He noted that the recurring issue in the state is that natives, who are often already plagued with poverty, continue to risk their livelihoods and face tedious court actions to defend their rights to have access to land for their own subsistence to rear their own crops and livestock and to have access to timber to build their homes.

Ketika Umno mahu buku Interlok dibakar

Sentimen masyarakat India terhadap buku tersebut juga begitu.

Sentimen kemarahan yang ditunjukkan badan bukan kerajaan masyarakat India terhadap Interlok edisi murid sebenarnya tidak banyak berbeza dengan masyarakat Melayu dan Umno dalam tahun 1950an.

Pada tahun 1952, Setiausaha Agung Umno Zulkifli Hashim telah menyeru masyarakat Melayu agar membakar buku ensiklopedia bertajuk ‘Oxford Junior Encyclopaedia’ dalam satu majlis minum petang anjuran bersama Umno dan MCA.

Ucapan beliau ini dilaporkan oleh akhbar The Straits Times bertarikh 16 Disember 1952.

Alasannya, ensiklopedia 12 jilid tersebut menggambarkan Melayu sebagai masyarakat yang ketinggalan, biasa dengan pemerintahan autokratik kesultanan Melayu dan bangsa pemalas.

Jika Umno sendiri mahu membakar ensiklopedia tersebut, seruan kumpulan pendesak seperti Badan Bertindak Interlok Kebangsaan (Niat) agar Interlok edisi murid oleh Abdullah Hussain tidak digunakan wajar dipertimbangkan.

Mereka sama sekali tidak membakar Interlok, malah pindaan hanya akan mencacatkan kelangsungan cerita Interlok.

Setelah 106 pindaan dikemukakan, Niat masih belum berpuas hati. Hujah mereka, perkataan boleh bersilih ganti namun pengertian masih sama. Tambahan pula keretakan hubungan kaum jelas kelihatan ekoran kontroversi ini.

Perspektif politik

Kepimpinan negara juga perlu melihat isu ini dari perspektif politik. Apakah kerajaan Barisan Nasional mampu bertahan sekiranya tsunami politik kedua melanda.

Pilihanraya umum 2008 memperlihatkan 90% undi masyarakat India jatuh ke tangan Pakatan Rakyat.

Sekarang adakah BN di bawah pimpinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak boleh bertahan dengan kombinasi kontroversi Al- Kitab dan Interlok?

Perlu diingat di sini bahawa meskipun masyarakat India hanya mempunyai majoriti pengundi di Dewan Undangan Negeri Buntong, tetapi terdapat lebih 80 kerusi parlimen dan negeri di mana mereka menjadi faktor penentu kejayaan calon.

Di dalam BN sendiri, satu-satunya faktor yang menyebabkan masyarakat India mengembalikan sokongan adalah kerana faktor ‘Najib’.

Penulis sendiri pernah menghadiri satu majlis di mana Najib mengalu-alukan sumbangan masyarakat Malayalam. Pemimpin MIC sendiri tidak menerima sambutan mesra seperti yang diterima Najib.

Takkan kerana mempertahankan sebuah karya, BN sanggup kehilangan kuasa. Bak kata pepatah, menang sorak kampung tergadai.

PARAMESWARA'S SWORD - CURA SI MANJA KINI

by edward gibbons, donplaypuks® intrepid correspondent for history affairs

Cura Si Manja Kini

Royal Collar

 Bezoar of Dew

Kris Taming Sari

I recently stumbled upon the fact that there is in the possession of the Sultan of Perak and the Perak Royal Family some astounding relics of antiquity that in all probability have an extremely significant bearing on the question of Malaysian identity and history.

One such astonishing artifact is the sword Cura Si Manja Kini or Chora Samanda Kian mentioned in John Leyden's 1810 Malay Annals or Sejarah Melayu (published in 1821 by Sir Stamford Raffles). The same sword is said to have been used during the installation of Parmeswara as ruler of Melaka in 1400. 

But in fact, its origins go further back, possibly 200-400 years earlier than 1400. 

The sword was part of the regalia of a Indian/Hindu prince linked to the Chola Kings (Raja Cholan) from South India, i.e. Nila Utthaman/Sri Tri Buana/Sang Nila Utama (founder of Singapore) narrated in the Sejarah as having landed on Mt. Segantang Maha Meru in Palembang, Sumatra together with two other princes, Vichitram and Karna Pandita, and a probable Brahmin Priest, Bat'h, exact date unknown!

Now, Bat'h is a pretty unusual name for an Indian and perhaps it's a truncated form of Vadhyar (Tamil for priest), Vadh, which became Bat'h, in the same way Vichitram is spelt in the Sejarah as Bichitram. This is consistent with the fact that the Malay language generally does not have old words that commence with the letter 'V' and 'B' was substituted.

The Sejarah relates that it is this self-same sword that was used by the borrower (from Nila Utthaman/Sri Tri Buana/Sang Nila Utama) and champion warrior Peramas Cumambang to slay the serpent monster Saktimuna (Sakatimuna/Ichktimani) into 3 parts in Minangkabau, Sumatra. In the process the sword became etched with 190 notches which strange "clue" of Dan Brown and da Vinci Code proportions, no Indonesia or Malaysian historian or anyone else has ever deciphered!

The list of relics, other than Cura Si Manja Kini, dating anywhere from 600-1,000 years includes:

1. Royal Collar (15th century) said to have been presented by the Emperor of China
2. Dokong or Kerongsang Besar (Neck Pendent)
3. Cap Lalulintar (Royal Silver Seal) of Sultan Muhammad Shah (Melaka) and Kayu Gampit mentioned in Sejarah Melayu. (The Royal Lance, Limbuar appears to be missing)
4. Betel Boxes
5. Mestika Embun (Bezoar of Dew)
6. Kancing Halkah (Royal Collar Ornament)
7. Kris Taming Sari (originally said to belong to Hang Tuah).

For full details (available at the official website of the Perak State Government) Click here 

So, how did all these relics from Palembang and Melaka end up in the custody of the Perak Royalty?

After the fall of Melaka on 24th April 1511 to Portugal  led by Alphonso de Alburquerque, Melaka's last ruler, Sultan Mahmud Shah eventually made his way to Kampar in Sumatra where he died in 1528. One of the sultan's two sons, Muzzafar Shah journeyed to Perak where he was installed the first Sultan  in 1528. It was Sultan Muzzafar Shah who brought with him the artifacts which had been handed down to his father, Sultan Mahmud.

The inscriptions on Cura Sa Manjani Kini in Sanskrit are said to come from the the words "Churiga Si Mandakini" which means "the blade from Lake Mandakini of the Ganges (River) in India!! Refer to Sembangkuala's blog for more details. click here.

And what is the link between the Chiri of Perak, nobat players and Bat'h the Brahmin Priest cum charitra or cheritra teller in the Sejarah (pg. c4/23 - 25 John Leyden's Sejarah Melayu)? Click here and refer to the document below extracted from the Sejarah and a translation of it from page 175 of 'A History of Perak' by R.O.Winstedt and R.J.Wilkinson published by The Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS): :

 

In short, Bat'h had recited the lineage of the 3 Indian/Hindu princes who landed in the mountains of Palembang to Demang Lebar Daun, the aboriginal chief and his people in Sanskrit !! Astonishing, is it not? 

The Sejarah clearly states Parameswara was buried in Tanjung Tuan (Cape Rachado) near Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan (in Malaysia). It is Demang Lebar Daun and Nila Utthaman/Sri Tri Buana/Sang Nila Utama who are reputed to have actually been buried in Fort Canning, Singapore!!

There is therefore some serious error with the claim that Parameswara was buried in Fort Canning (Bukit Larangan) in Singapore. Click here for Keramat Iskandar, Singapore details. It absolutely makes no sense that Parameswara would be buried in Singapore when he originally fled from there in fear of his life, before founding Melaka!!). 

The time has come for the Singapore Government to initiate investigations to identify through modern scientific procedures such as carbon dating, DNA testing etc., exactly who is buried in Keramat Iskandar and Fort Canning.

Some of these artifacts and regalia must be at least a thousand years old and there is not a shadow of a doubt about their links to Parameswara and the Melaka Sultanate of the 15th and early 16th century, Indonesia and INDIA!

So, why haven't our Government and Department of Antiquities engaged an archaeologist and expert in Sanskrit and Indian languages/dialects and South East Asian history (and there must literally be hundred of them in India) as well as China counterparts to piece together what must surely be THE story of the century?

In particular, the Sanskrit inscriptions on Parameswara's sword need to be investigated in depth!

So, why the leaden footedness? Too busy "interloked" in controversies?

MCCBCHST – Utter horror and sheer disgust over scandalous sex video

By Reverend Dr. Thomas Philips | MCCBCHST President

It is with great disgust and disbelief that we Malaysians were regaled over the last few days with the graphic narration of the existence and viewing of a 21-minute sex video to a select few masterminded and acknowledged by a trio under the pseudonym ‘Datuk T’.

The Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism wishes to register its utter horror and sheer disgust at the despicable methodology devised by the unscrupulous and disgruntled trio. Their aim in publicly humiliating our elected Opposition Leader of Parliament offends the sensitivities
of decent people no matter to what race or religion they belong to.

This sad sordid episode, once again, brings the nation to prominence for the wrong reasons. Over the last few decades we have been treated to and numbed by numerous financial scandals, social scandals and political scandals committed by those supposedly dedicated to leading our citizens through ‘leadership by example’. This latest blue video clip to slander a fellow Malaysian, albeit a Muslim MP, is viewed by our members with great concern and revulsion. This particular exposure at this juncture of our developing history, now, has the rare honour of achieving the coveted “Mother of all Moral Scandals” perpetrated by titled personalities and so-called leaders.

Since the involvement of the 3, code named ‘Datuk T’, has surfaced, the Malaysian public are once again feted with disgusting material that begs the question, “Where is all this leading to?” in spite of the many seasonal national slogans that challenge us to greater heights of achievement and harmony.

It does not inspire the younger generation to trust in the political process nor to observe cultural, religious, social and moral norms. The violation of basic decency and privacy is abhorrent and despicable not only to the mature adult but more importantly to the vulnerable and impressionable young in our midst and communities.

Our Consultative Council that represents non-Muslims is disheartened and uncomfortable with the whole episode. It does not bode well for the future political and cultural landscape of this multi-cultural and multi-religious nation. The longer this issue drags on, the greater the damage to Malaysia’s image internationally. It does no good to the
oft heard and repeated phrase ‘Malaysia is a moderate Islamic Country’ in international discourses, corridors and cafeterias. No one is fooled anymore. Malaysia’s image is further tarnished by irresponsible and selfish leaders like those who acknowledged their shameless involvement.

We call on the Government to take swift and firm action against all those behind this scandal and begin determinedly to usher in a new era of self-respect, pride, trust and hope for the general well-being of all citizens of this rich land of beautiful people and plentiful resources.

We further urge the government to distance itself from all forms of deceit and cunning and bring the perpetrators of this latest mischief to face the full extent of the law.

Further, the Government should employ every means to quell the rising anger, disquiet and dismay over this uncalled for sordid and despicable attempt, by an unscrupulous few, to achieve their own personal disgusting agenda.

TBH inquiry: 'There could have been one or two blows'

The Sun
by Tan Yi Liang

KUALA LUMPUR (March 29, 2011): Teoh Beng Hock could have sustained one or two blows to the chest before his nine-storey fall on July 16, 2009.

This was the opinion of forensic medical science professor Dr Peter Vanezis today in his testimony at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh’s death.

“I cannot rule out the possibility that (if looked at) in isolation, that there could have been one or two blows which could have caused light bruising (at the chest). But it is not clear tramline bruising,” said Vanezis when replying to a question from Bar Council lawyer Christopher Leong.

He added if someone had performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Teoh, bruises could have formed as CPR can cause “a lot” of bruising to the chest if pushed hard.

CPR featured in a theory put forward by Leong.

“Teoh could have possibly been restrained. The neck lock could have injured the carotid artery or the vagus nerve and rendered him unconscious.

“The person or persons present did not know what happened and performed CPR. As they thought he was gone, they decided to throw him out the window. But somewhere during the fall, he revives,” said Leong.

The theory was dismissed by Vanezis who called the scenario “extremely unlikely” and a “great leap of faith”.

Vanezis said that the fractures to Teoh’s ribs identified in the post-mortem were “extremely unlikely” to have been caused by CPR and were most likely caused by transferred force.

He said the transferred force came from the fall, which he raised when questioned by conducting officer Amarjeet Singh.

“That is a possibility. The transmitted force would move the spine and this would cause fractures due to the difference in movement between the chest and the spine," said Vanezis.

To further questions from Leong, Vanezis said that there was “no pattern of injury” to indicate stamping, and agreed with Leong that it is possible for one to get sternum fractures if someone sat on the chest.

Asked by RCI chairman Tan Sri James Foong, Vanezis replied: “Yes, you could sit on someone and cause fractures to the sternum and leave no bruising."

To another question from Leong, Vanezis said that the 4cm fracture on Teoh’s skull were consistent “with someone hitting a hard surface”.

“It is a linear fracture, which is different from a depressed fracture which one would get if one was hit on the head with an object such as a hammer,” said Vanezis.

He however did not discount the possibility that a cricket bat could cause a linear fracture but added that one “would have to hit really hard” to cause such a fracture.

Vanezis explained that a linear fracture is caused by “hitting a flat surface with force”.

To questions from Amarjeet, Vanezis said that Teoh was conscious when he landed on a fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam.

Teoh, an aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, had been called into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) Selangor branch on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, as a witness on July 15.

He was found dead the following day.

Vanezis cited the fact that Teoh landed on his feet as a sign that he was conscious during his fall.

“(Breaking of a fall) is an instinct even in a suicide. If a person is conscious and orientated when they’re falling, they try to land on their feet and put out their hands to break their fall,” he said.

“There was severe fragmented bone damage to the soles of the feet. You could quite clearly see the bone fractures had overlapped, indicating transmitted force from below upwards,” added Vanezis.

He said that Teoh would have landed where he did unless he took “a running jump” out of a window at the MACC office.

Vanezis said was impossible due to the level which the window could open, adding it was impossible to force someone out without leaving marks on the window.

“A person who is conscious and aware would leave some marks to small window as he would be struggling," said Vanezis

He added that he was told of a shoe mark found on the window frame.

Asked by Amarjeet about the bruising on Teoh’s neck, Vanezis said the bruising was most likely due to hyperextension of the neck when Teoh’s head was thrown back.

“The head may well have impacted at some point and moved the neck backward,” said Vanezis.

“Bearing that there had been this hyperextension to the neck, you would expect to find bruises in this area, bleeding from the muscles surrounding the spine as the neck had been stretched,” he added.

Vanezis explained why he ruled out strangulation when asked by Foong, saying that there was “no justification” for strangulation in his view.

“(There is) no evidence of fingernail scratches on the neck, no fracture to the larynx or hyoid bone, no deep bruising to the muscles around the larynx, no petichiae in the eyes,” said Vanezis.

He said however that he was unable to determine petichiae as Teoh’s eyes had “sunken and decomposed” by the time his body was exhumed for the second post-mortem.

The post-mortem, which was observed by both Vanezis and Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, was performed on Nov 22, 2009.

To a question from Foong, Vanezis said a neck hold was possible, and added to a question from Amarjeet that neck holds “could cause asphyxiation”.

“It can be done but you would see signs in the face and petichiae in the eyes,” said Vanezis, who spoke of neck holds which could cause rapid unconsciousness which would not leave petichiae.

One such hold, said Vanezis was a “carotid sleeper”. “It would cut blood flow to the brain, the person would collapse and you could then put handcuffs on them,” said Vanezis.

Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan MACC head Hishamuddin Hashim testified that warrants were not needed for MACC operations involving government bodies.

Hishamuddin, who was the deputy director of the Selangor MACC, said a circular had been issued to all government departments by the chief secretary. “It requires full cooperation from all civil servants," Hishamuddin, who said he considered Ean Yong to be a civil servant.

He said not all situations required the MACC to go to the public prosecutor for a warrant. "This is because we want to build rapport with the public." 

Sex video: No protection for 'Datuk T'

The Sun
by Husna Yusop

KUALA LUMPUR (March 29, 2011): Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has clarified that the three Datuks cannot be protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act in relation to the sex video allegedly implicating an opposition leader.

Replying to points raised by the MPs during the debate on the Supplementary Supply (2010) Bill 2011, he told the Dewan Rakyat he wished to correct his earlier statement that they can be given protection under the Act.

He said the three individuals cannot be protected under the Act because they have, through the press conference, revealed themselves to the public.

“I said before there is a possibility that they could get protection. It does not mean we will give them protection. But now, I would like to clarify that there is no such possibility.

“This is because once a person has exposed to the public that he was the one who gave the information, the Act can no longer be used,” he said.

On whether they can be given protection under the Witness Protection Act, he said that has yet to be determined as it was not known whether a charge would be made later against the person involved in the video.

When asked by Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) why he waited until the winding-up session in the House to make the clarification, Nazri said: “The statement was a mistake. I wanted to correct it. I chose to make the clarification in the House rather than at a press conference."

The issue was brought up by Gobind, Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) and Mohd Yusmadi Yusof (PKR-Balik Pulau) during the debate, questioning Nazri’s statement yesterday that the trio could be protected under the law.

Nazri said the matter is best left to the police which has set up a special team under the Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the video under the Penal Code pertaining to distribution of pornographic material.

Wee Choo Keong (Ind-Wangsa Maju) then asked whether the government would set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the issue related to the video.

To this, Nazri said a decision on that would be made once the police complete their investigation.

Asked by Gobind whether there was government interference in the police investigation as Nazri had corrected his earlier statement, Nazri said: “There is no interference by the executive. Our interest here is because there have been accusations by the opposition that BN is involved in the case. We want to clear our name." 

GTP Report: Positive But Government Ready To Face Opposition's Fact Twisting - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said positive feedback from the International Performance Review Committee on the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) was proof of the government's credibility in implementing what had been outlined.

He said the move to obtain confirmation from international experts before announcing the GTP Annual Report 2010 last Sunday, was also to prepare the government for fact twisting by the opposition, including by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang who said the GTP Report was merely rhetoric.

"We know the opposition will twist the facts, but what is important is for them to peruse and assess the annual report which touches on many matters. If they look carefully at one thing after another, they will know what are the achievements."

Muhyiddin was speaking to reporters after a gathering with youth, non-governmental organisation, federal village security and development committee and Rela leaders in Ampang, near here, in conjunction with his one-day visit to Selangor.

The International Performance Review Committee acknowledged that the GTP had achieved success that was beyond expectation after all the six National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) met the targets set.

The committee, comprising individuals from various backgrounds and with different expertise at the international level, also acknowledged that the GTP had spurred real transformation that could and would be experienced by the people in the future, while the government had achieved awesome targets in the first year of the GTP.

They also praised the existence of a monitoring and progress reviewing system at all levels of government including the prime ministerial level, gave positive feedback on the NKRAs in improving the performance of students and low-income households, and in combating corruption and reducing crime.

Muhyiddin said although the people had not fully felt the impact of the transformation carried out, the government had ways to assess its effectiveness.

"Our transformation efforts will not stop here but will continue, and we hope the impact will be felt even more next year."

He stressed that all the programmes drawn up by the government were based on facts and in the interest of the people; different from the opposition's manifesto through its Orange Book, which he said was more of a political gimmick.

"If the people are hoodwinked, they (opposition) may win (elections) but whether they can implement (the Orange Book manifesto), is another matter to them. To me, the Orange Book is not a good plan or approach, and can have adverse effects on the country," he said.

On his new responsibility of leading the GTP until 2012, the last year of its implementation, Muhyiddin said he would continue to monitor every level of the NKRAs to ensure the programme's success.

He said the government also targeted for the GTP's achievement to be better next year than this year's.

World powers discuss Libya's future

Global powers are meeting in London to discuss military action in Libya and to plan a post-Gaddafi future for the north African nation.

Opening the talks on Tuesday, David Cameron, the British prime minister, told the parties there were "better days ahead for Libya" as he said coalition forces would continue their no-fly zone over the country.

"Today I believe should be about a new beginning for Libya - a future in which the people of Libya can determine their own destiny, free from violence and oppression," he said.

"But the reason for being here today is that the Libyan people cannot reach that future on their own."

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, told the conference that coalition military strikes would continue until Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, fully complies with UN demands to end violence against civilians.

She said the international community would work to boost pressure on and isolate his government to "make clear to Gaddafi that he must go."

Foreign ministers from 35 countries, including seven Arab states, are meeting in the British capital, along with secretary-generals of the UN, NATO and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

They have so far agreed to set up a contact group to coordinate all international action on Libya. The British Foreign Office says the first meeting of the group will be held in Qatar, though it is unclear when this would be.

Participating countries will take on a rotating chairmanship of the group.

It comes after Clinton and William Hague, the British foreign minister, held talks with a leading member of Libya's rebel council, which has pledged to hold free elections if it prevailed.

Reports have also suggested that the US, Britain and France have sent special envoys to the rebel-held city of Beghazi, but these have not been officially confirmed.

Exile plans

Cameron said the international community would need to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid while also helping to plan for the future once the conflict is over.

"When the fighting is over, we will need to put right the damage that Gaddafi has inflicted - repairing the hospitals ruined by shells, rebuilding the homes demolished by Gaddafi's tank rounds, and restoring the mosques and minarets smashed by his barbarity," he said.

Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN has said that the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, had not ruled out arming Libya's rebels in a bid to end Gaddafi's rule.

Tim Friend, Al Jazeera's correspondent in London, said suggestions such as these illustrated the questions leaders were having to grapple with.

"The question is how far do you go? If Gaddafi's forces are fighting back do you then step up the response, and if so how far do you take it?

"These are matters of degrees and they're very tricky questions. There are many different perspectives on it," he said.

Speaking before the conference began, Franco Frattini, Italy's foreign minister, said several nations planned to table a joint deal aimed at swiftly ending the conflict in Libya including setting out proposals for a ceasefire, exile for Gaddafi and a framework for talks on Libya's future.

But Hague said international powers were "not in control" of where Gaddafi might go if he went into exile.

"I'm not going to choose Colonel Gaddafi's retirement home," he told BBC radio. "Where he goes, if he goes, is up to him and the people of Libya to determine and we will not necessarily be in control of that."

Turkey, which has offered to attempt to mediate between the two sides, has also said the talks would gauge international support for scenarios under which Gaddafi could quit, including whether he could appoint another person in his place.

'Barbaric offensive'

Gaddafi called on foreign powers to end their "barbaric offensive" against Libya, in a letter addressed to the London conference, and likened the NATO-led air strikes to military campaigns launched by Adolf Hitler during World War II.

A spokesperson for the British foreign office said it would not dignify the letter with any further comment.

Khaled Kaim, Libya's deputy foreign minister, also told a news conference in Tripoli on Monday that foreign leaders had no right to attempt to impose a new political system on the country.

"Libya is an independent country with full sovereignty," he said.

"The Libyan people are the only ones that have the right decide the country's future, and planning division of Libya or imposing a foreign political system is not accepted."

"We call upon Obama and the Western leaders to be peacemakers not warmongers, and not to push Libyans towards a civil war and more death and destruction,'' he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Clinton and Hague, met Mahmoud Jibril, a leading member of the Libyan opposition in London.

The meeting is another sign that the US administration is looking to expand ties with rebel leaders, but an official stressed it did not constitute formal recognition of the opposition.

Hague said the Libyan transitional council was an "important and legitimate political interlocutor" but that Britain was committed to strengthening ties with a "wide range of members of the Libyan opposition".

Libya's rebel National Council has promised to build a free, democratic nation if it prevailed, in an eight-point statement.

It also said it would draft a national constitution allowing the formation of political parties and trades unions.

Ahmed Khalifa, a spokesman for the rebel movement, told a news conference in Benghazi he expected the London conference to create more pressure for Gaddafi to leave.

"The national council rejects any negotiations with Gaddafi or his family ... No one at this [London] conference is defending Gaddafi, he has lost his legitimacy," he said.

Source: Agencies

Act against killer cops, urges family of victim

Nurul Izzah presses for probe on Dr M, A-G for power abuse

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — As pressure piles on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over his alleged sex video scandal, his daughter pushed today for the police to investigate two of the country’s most powerful men for corruption.

“I urge PDRM to investigate the four police reports lodged by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim between July 9, 1999 and August 20, 1999, concerning the abuse of power by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as mentioned in an open letter by Datuk Mat Zain [Ibrahim] to the Police Inspector-General yesterday,” Nurul Izzah Anwar (picture) said in a statement today.

The PKR vice-president was referring to the former Kuala Lumpur CID chief who had disclosed a series of allegations implicating Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister from 1981 to 2003, and Abdul Gani, the government’s top prosecutor, in a heady web involving Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, one third of the “Datuk T” trio behind the sex video.

Mat Zain had weighed in on the current controversy and said Abdul Rahim was unlikely to be charged for his role in the video due to Abdul Gani’s influential position today as the A-G.

The former cop accused Abdul Gani of having once hijacked an investigation against Anwar back in 1999 in order to conceal his role in “indemnifying” the former Malacca chief minister from being prosecuted for corruption.

Mat Zain said that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) back then had recommended that Abdul Rahim be prosecuted for four counts of corruption — three under the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance and one for making a false statutory declaration, punishable under section 193 of the Penal Code.

Anwar had filed a police complaint against Dr Mahathir, then Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah and Abdul Gani, who was then a senior deputy public prosecutor and who had “indemnified” Abdul Rahim from prosecution in exchange for his resignation from all government and political posts.

In his open letter to IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar, Mat Zain said he expected the police to handle the ongoing investigations on the sex video case in a professional manner, but expressed concern that Abdul Gani’s participation would eventually see Abdul Rahim walking away a free man again.

“I am fully confident that the police are able to carry out their responsibilities in a professional and impartial manner and will not be influenced by outside pressures.

“However, this investigation will later be handled by Abdul Gani as the Attorney-General. It is at this stage where it is expected that manipulation, fraud and forgery will occur, particularly when one is aware of how Abdul Gani and (former IGP) Musa (Hassan) handled the other cases involving Anwar and Abdul Rahim,” he told the IGP in his letter.

Mat Zain was the investigating officer in the infamous 1998 “black-eye” case involving Anwar.

He has repeatedly accused Abdul Gani of being corrupt and having committed numerous offences to protect his position.

Among others, he has claimed that Abdul Gani had falsified evidence in the probe against Anwar for his first sodomy trial, including the DNA evidence.

“Now, although Musa has retired, but Abdul Gani is still the A-G. So when this sex video investigation reaches him, it can be expected what his stand will be, especially since this video is yet another clash between Abdul Rahim and Anwar,” he said.

Mat Zain stressed that he had no personal vendetta against Abdul Rahim but was concerned that the sex video case would see the former chief minister getting off scot-free despite his admission to his involvement in the caper.

Abdul Rahim, along with businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, had last week admitted to being behind the sex video allegedly featuring Anwar having sex with a foreign prostitute.

Anwar has since denied being the man in the tape and has gone on a nationwide campaign to convince voters of his innocence.

BN eyes nine seats in Selangor

The BN has come up with strategies to wrest back Selangor from the opposition in the coming general election, says Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) has identified nine state seats in Selangor which it aims to wrest back from the opposition pact in the coming general election, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He did not name the seats but said that although the BN might face a strong opposition in these areas, it was not impossible to win them if there were hard work and cooperation among BN component parties.

“The BN needs at least 30 seats for us to wrest back Selangor; now we are short of nine seats.

“We have come up with strategies to win back the nine seats. This is the BN’s objectives at the federal and state levels. It will be an intense battle because we are sure the opposition won’t give in easily,” he told reporters after visiting Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Tasik Ampang here.

He also called on BN component parties in Selangor to work hard from now on to ensure victory for the coalition.

On his visit to the state, Muhyiddin said it was to meet the people, help them solve problems and gauge their acceptance of the BN and its leadership.

“This allows us to see for ourselves the current situation at the grassroots level. By doing this, we are confident that we will be able to get more support from the people and recover lost ground,” he said.

He added that based on the response throughout his visit today, he could see that the people of Selangor were beginning to adopt a positive attitude towards the BN.

“It maybe because they now understand the prime minister’s ideas and approach in relation to the 1Malaysia concept,” he said.

- Bernama

Karpal: It’s elementary but beyond Nazri’s comprehension

The Witness Protection Act cannot apply to criminals but only to protect witnesses, says the veteran lawyer.

PETALING JAYA: Senior lawyer and DAP chairman Karpal Singh today said the authorities should not give special treatment to the Datuk T trio who had exposed a sex video involving a man resembling Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

He said that the trio – former Malacca chief minister Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik, businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and Perkasa treasurer Shuib Lazim – should be arrested immediately for their alleged role in making the sex video public.

Karpal was especially peeved with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz who had suggested yesterday that the trio will be protected under the Witness Protection Act and Whistleblower Act should the authorities feel they have a case.

“Nazri’s ill-advised comment that the messenger should not be shot clearly reflects the low level of the law this minister has encompassed during his time at law school. He needs a refresher course in law,” said Karpal in a statement.

He pointed out that the trio, having had publicly admitted of being responsible for keeping and screening the sex video to journalists last week, had in fact committed offences under Section 5 of the Film Censorship Act 2002 and Section 292 of the Penal Code.

These sections refer to having possession and displaying obscene material, and punishable by a maximum jail sentence of five years and/or a fine of RM50,000 under the Film Censorship Act and a maximum jail term of three years and a fine under the Penal Code.

“These are no petty offences. They are serious offences (which) were committed directly under the noses of the police in Bukit Aman which is only a stone’s throw away from Carcosa Seri Negara where the video clip was shown,” he said.

He said that the trio has defied the law and were still at large.

“I find it difficult to understand why they are being given special treatment by the authorities… the Witness Protection Act cannot apply to criminals, it only applies to witnesses,” he said.

“This is elementary but beyond the comprehension of Nazri, which is expected. He is the de facto law minister and much more is expected of him in that capacity,” added Karpal.

Anwar had denied being in the video and had lodged a police report.

Sex video: ‘It was not at our place’

Bewildered by the undue attention it's been receiving, the management of a hotel apartment in Jalan Ampang, clears the air.

PETALING JAYA: The management of a hotel apartment in Ampang Hilir, where the sex video implicating Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was said to have been recorded, is bewildered by all the attention it has been receiving.

This was especially since they claim to have
no connection whatsoever with the sex clip.

“No, we are not the venue that everybody is talking about,” Lanson Place Ambassador Row Residences marketing communications manager Diana Ahmad told FMT today.

Lanson Place is a four-star service apartment located near several embassies in Ampang Hilir. It has a 19-floor building and four other blocks of condominiums.

“We were taken by surprise when the media camped outside our building for a good part of the day, some as late as 2am hoping for some sort development I presume,” said Diana.

She said the confusion may have been caused by a routine meeting with the police over security issues that coincidentally occurred when news about the sex video was still “hot”.

“We had about six officers from Kuala Lumpur police headquarters in a briefing with us on Tuesday. But it was about the security of our residents.

“We’ve had a several snatch thefts outside our compound lately,” said Diana, adding that the management has been asking police for a beatbase and increased patrols for awhile now.

“It was just an unofficial call from the police, but we were told that there were reporters from the Chinese papers who trailed the police all the way to our location.

“There was never a forensics team coming over at all. So, it’s probably some other hotel,” she added.
Diana also said that even their smallest room had a living room and kitchen attached.

It was reported that the black-and-white footage of the sex clip showed a small, sparsely furnished room with only an attached bathroom.

It was reported in several mainstream dailies that police had visited the “crime scene”, believed to be the said hotel apartment in Ampang Hilir, after interviewing ‘Datuk T’, the three people said to be behind exposing the video clip last week.

Police from the serious crime division were also seen in of the vicinity of the apartment block during their visit last week.

Arman quits as Perkasa youth chief

Despite being an Umno member, he offers himself to any political party that would champion Malay interests.

KUALA LUMPUR: Perkasa Youth Chief Arman Azha Abu Hanifah has resigned from his post with immediate effect.

Speaking to reporters in a restaurant here, he announced an intention to join any political party that would accept him and would “uphold and fight for the rights of the Malays”.

He said he remained a life member of Perkasa.
He admitted to being an Umno member, but said had no problem about joining another political party.

He said he could fight for the realisation of his ideals only through a political party, but added that he had no plans to seek public office.

Arman seemed unhappy about Umno’s reluctance to follow through with Perkasa’s recommendations.
“Our voice is heard, but implementation (is lacking),” he said.

He denied that he was quitting over differences with Perkasa boss Ibrahim Ali or with any other leader of the organisation.

“He is like my father, and has always been my mentor,” he said of Ibrahim. “I respect him because he takes care of me like a son.”

He said he had thought about quitting for some months.
He said his deputy, Irwan Fahmi, was capable of leading Perkasa’ youth wing.

Leadership reshuffle

Earlier today, Ibrahim told FMT Perkasa was reshuffling its leadership at both central and state levels.
He said the exercise would be carried out at a supreme council meeting “later this month” and was aimed at strengthening the right-wing Malays group’s organisational structure.

“Perkasa will always remain an NGO, which means many sacrifices will be required of its leaders in terms of time and money,” he said. “This voluntary service will also be beset with many challenges and obstacles.”
He called on members willing to commit to the “struggle of the Malay-Muslims” to volunteer to be part of Perkasa’s leadership.

“At this point there are leaders who are holding both central and state posts,” Ibrahim he said. “Some are unable to cope with this dual role while others have their personal priorities.”

The latter remark could be linked to Arman’s decision to resign because of internal conflicts.

Anwar Ibrahim’s Wife and Anwar’s Latest Alleged Sex Scandal

In the world of Anwar Ibrahim, any allegation against him, even by those closest to him, is always a smear, and he is always the victim. Of course, all too often, the shadowy figures behind those smears are Jews.

Christopher Badeaux, Red State

It is a staple of American politics, when American politicians can be bothered to notice Malaysia, to sing the praises of Anwar Ibrahim, the more-or-less permanent opposition leader of that state. It is to the Obama Administration’s rare credit that it has started to distance itself from Anwar, recognizing that Malaysia’s government has made serious strides in the last several years, and that Ibrahim’s unsavory past and ties do not make him a good partner in the region.

The Administration is so very bad at so much foreign policy, that we should actually take the opportunity to praise them when they do something right.

Anwar faces a crisis of his own making, distracting from his latest, quixotic attempt to move from opposition leader into government. In what was initially portrayed as a replay of his famous turn-of-the-millennium sodomy trial, he once again faces a sex scandal and trial. This time, however, there is video. And more importantly, there is the matter of the dynasty he is trying to create.

Here in the U.S., we are well-used to the scene of the politician’s fall from grace via video and photograph, with infidelities real and imagined making their grainy way onto the evening news.

Sometimes the “evidence” is a set-up, and sometimes it is not. But the pattern is usually the same: First the politician and his wife go through a period of denial, then the politician’s wife goes on national TV and (as we saw with Eliot Spitzer, all too literally) stands by her man, defends him, and forgives him for his alleged sin. This is even truer when the wife has political experience or political ambitions, as was the case with Hillary Clinton or (at first) Elizabeth Edwards, to cite two of our better-known, recent political sex scandals. It was even true in the case of former Senator Larry Craig, whose wife defended him when he was arrested for allegedly trying to have gay sex in a public restroom at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

But in Malaysia, Dr. Wan Azizah, Anwar’s wife, has been strangely silent, refusing even to comment on the possibility that a new video tape purporting to show her husband having sex with a female prostitute is genuine. Instead, over the weekend Anwar claimed that his wife, who is not coincidentally the President of his PKR Party, “is not interested in watching the video concerned.”

Anwar, who has become a past master at playing the victim card to deflect attention to his own sins, claimed it was all a set-up, a smear campaign. This is old hat for him. He made the same claim when B’nai B’rith International wrote to Congress and the Obama Administration last year asking that the government cut all ties with Anwar because of his history of anti-Semitic remarks. He claimed it was a a smear when he refused to allow his own DNA to be tested in order to back up his claims of innocence in his current sodomy trial. Anwar also claimed it was a smear last year when Zaid Ibrahim, a respected lawyer, resigned from the opposition PKR party and accused Anwar and his wife and daughter of running a feudal dynasty and rigging internal elections. Zaid’s main charge was that Anwar was more interested in his personal power than in real and substantive policies.

In the world of Anwar Ibrahim, any allegation against him, even by those closest to him, is always a smear, and he is always the victim. Of course, all too often, the shadowy figures behind those smears are Jews.

Yet the more interesting issue here is not that Anwar, when accused of wrongdoing, invariably goes on the offensive and tries to portray himself like a martyr, stretching the imagination to compare himself to real martyrs like Nelson Mandela or Aung San Suu Kyi, or the democratically-elected government of Malaysia as the equivalent of Mubarak’s Egypt. It is to Hillary Clinton’s credit that her State Department has begun to back away from him and his ravings.

No, the really interesting question is why his wife has not come out more vociferously to stand by her man, and has instead simply echoed others in the PKR party, of which she is president, in making the predictable claim that it is all a put-up job.

In fact, rather than visibly and substantively respond to the allegations against Ibrahim, her most recent public statement is to say that she does not regret marrying Anwar, and, perhaps somewhat tellingly, that when he proposed marriage, she had dreams about seeing his face on election posters.

“I have never regretted. Before Anwar, I accepted another proposal. But when Anwar asked me to be his wife, I dreamt of lots of posters that looked like election posters,” Wan recently said. “All these posters were of Anwar. For me, that was a sign from God so I picked Anwar.”

Election posters. A proposal for marriage elicits dreams of election posters.

“All these posters were of Anwar,” Wan said. “For me, that was a sign from God, so I picked Anwar.”

In the States, we generally assume that in a marriage with a politically ambitious wife and her husband, the public face, in the middle of a sex scandal, the husband is going to get all but literally castrated in private, followed by a stand-by-her-man routine for the cameras. Silence is usually a tacit admission that the straying was too awful to be masked.

We usually don’t end up with a confession of pre-marital dreams of election posters.

And that may take us to the ultimate explanation of why Anwar’s wife — who is after all the President of PKR, and let’s face it, the most likely successor to Anwar should he eventually step down or step away from his political career — is being so careful. It may be that she intends that her own face, or that of her daughter Nurul Izzah, is the next one that could appear on election posters. If Anwar is persona non grata with the Administration, perhaps a different face (one not on imaginary election posters, but the real things) would be a better one for the American political establishment.

In her previous career as Apologist-in-Chief to the Adulterer-in-Chief, Hillary Clinton came out and dealt directly with Monica Lewinsky. (Of course, she did so by accusing a shadowy cabal of enemies of setting the whole thing up, but really, that was her way back then. Not now. Certainly.) But Wan Azizah is perhaps as adamant as she is, because even the slightest admission of suspicion on her part would cause the whole edifice of Anwar’s opposition PKR Party and, therefore, the whole Anwar Family Dynasty, to crumble.

The State Department would do well to remember that Anwar has not only denied that he is the man in the now-famous sex video, but also the allegations that his wife and daughter were turning their backs on him.

In this, he is probably right. Neither Wan Azizah nor Nurul Izzah can afford to turn their backs on Anwar, whatever happens. They are all in this together, and should remain so in the minds of the foreign policy professionals charged with maintaining our relations with this rare, functional Muslim democracy.

Wow! Only 108 left?

By Jayanath Appudurai
According to the Government Transformation Programme [GTP] Annual Report released on 27 March 2011, there are only “108 extreme poor households” left. The GTP within a span of 12 months transformed the lives of 44,535 extreme poor households. {See Chart}

To say the least, this is a stupendous achievement! An intractable problem that the nation has been grappling with for more than 40 years has ostensibly been solved in 1 year!
Should not the Government be lauded for this?
Guess, it all depends on how ‘extreme poor’ is defined?
The GTP’s definition is as shown below:

Simply put, a given household (average 4.5 persons) with a monthly income of RM 441 [Peninsular]; RM 541 [Sabah] and RM521 [Sarawak] will NOT be classified as “Extreme Poor”!
Guess if you use a very, very low benchmark to measure poverty [or for that matter anything], success can be acclaimed overnight!
Voila!! – there you have it – “Blue Ocean” strategic thinking at its best!
Now, you can decide to send “congratulatory” messages to Putrajaya…….or something else!

The “mother of all moral scandals” perpetrated by titled politicians and so-called leaders

By Lim Kit Siang,

On Sunday, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak claimed success in its first annual report of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) particularly in the six pillars or National Key Result Areas (NKRAs).

All these NKRAs whether in fighting corruption or reducing crime can be challenged but one NKRA which the Najib administration has indisputably achieved is the plunge of Malaysian politics to the lowest and dirtiest gutter level in the nation’s history.

The lowest and dirtiest gutter politics was reached in the shameful and despicable Carcosa Sri Negara sex videotape screening scandal which has been condemned by all right-thinking Malaysians.

The Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has described it as the “mother of all moral scandals” perpetrated by titled personalities and so-called leaders.

The MCCBCHST statement said:

“Their aim in publicly humiliating the Opposition Leader of Parliament offends the sensitivities of decent people, no matter to what race or religion they belong.”

It said:

“Since the involvement of the trio has surfaced, the Malaysian public is once again feted with disgusting material that begs the question, ‘where is all this leading to?’ in spite of the many seasonal national slogans that challenge us to greater heights of achievement and harmony.”

MCCBCHST declared that the Carcosa scandal does not inspire the younger generation to trust in the political process or to observe cultural, religious, social and moral norms.

The council called on the government to take swift and firm action against all those behind the scandal.

It said;

“We further urge the government to distance itself from all forms of deceit and cunning and bring the perpetrators of this latest mischief to face the full extent of the law.

“Furthermore, the government should employ every means to quell the rising anger, disquiet and dismay over this uncalled-for sordid and despicable attempt, by an unscrupulous few, to achieve their own personal disgusting agenda.”

I fully agree with Dr. Paul Tan Che Ing, the Catholic Bishop of the Melaka-Johore diocese and who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference, who has issued a very stern warning about the far-reaching implications of the Sri Carcosa scandal.

He said;

“If the authorities do not take action against those responsible when laws are flagrantly flouted, then we are engendering a situation where fair is foul and foul is fair.

“This is a dangerous pass, one in which people, especially the young, will think that there is one set of rules for a privileged few and another set of rules for the rest.”

I am therefore utterly shocked that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, has come to the defence of the criminals when he said that the “Datuk T” trio responsible for the shameful and despicable Carcosa scandal can be protected under the Witness Protection Act and Whistleblower Act.

Even before the police have taken action against the “Datuk T” trio under various laws of the country, the Barisan Nasional government has come to their defence and even granting them immunity and impunity for their crimes!

Under these circumstances, who can have confidence that current investigations into the Carcosa Sri Negara scandal will be fair, professional and in the full national interests.

Even top police officials do not have such confidence.

Yesterday, Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim wrote an open letter to the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar expressing his total lack of confidence that justice will be done in the Carcosa Sri Negara sex videotape screening scandal.

Mat Zain was the investigating officer in the notorious Anwar Ibrahim “black-eye” scandal but who was not allowed to complete his investigations because of interference from disclosing that it was the then Inspector-General of Police who was responsible for the assault until a Royal Commission of Inquiry was instituted several months later.

In his Open Letter to the IGP yesterday on the Carcosa sex videotape scandal, Mat Zain wrote:

“Saya yakin sepenuhnya bahawa PDRM mampu menjalankan tanggung jawabnya menjalankan siasatan tersebut secara professional dan berkecuali dan tidak terpengaruh dengan tekanan mana-mana pihak sekalipun, lebih-lebih lagi dibawah pimpinan Tan Sri ketika ini.

“Namun begitu kertas siasatan ini kelak akan diteliti dan diputuskan olih Gani Patail,Peguam Negara.Diperingkat inilah dijangka akan berlaku,putar belit,manipulasi,penipuan dan pemalsuan apabila sedar akan caramana Gani Patail dan Musa Hassan menangani penyiasatan kes-kes jenayah apabila melibatkan Anwar Ibrahim(Anwar) dan Rahim Thambi Chik (Rahim) dimasa lampau.’

As the Director of Criminal Investigations Division, Kuala Lumpur at the time, Mat Zain had been entrusted with investigations into four police reports lodged by Anwar Ibrahim from Sungei Buloh Prisons, one of which involved corruption of Rahim Thamby Cik as Malacca Chief Minister.

Mat Zain wrote:

“7. Mengenai kes rasuah terhadap Rahim pula,BPR dan Jabatan Peguam Negara mengesahkan dalam laporan mereka bahawa terdapat keterangan yang mencukupi untuk membuktikan kes “prima facie” terhadap beliau.Malahan Jabatan Peguam Negara telah menyediakan empat (4)pertuduhan kesemuanya. Iaitu;3(tiga) pertuduhan dibawah Emergency(Essential Powers)Ordinance No:22 of 1970 dan satu pertuduhan kerana membuat Statutory Declaration (SD) palsu dibawah Sek.199 yang boleh dihukum dibawah Seksyen 193 Kanun Keseksaan.

“7.1. Bagaimanapun Rahim tidak dituduh langsung,setelah Peguam Negara “indemnify” segala kesalahan jenayahnya setelah Rahim dipercayai bersetuju untuk melepaskan jawatan dalam Kerajaan,Badan-Badan Berkanun dan Parti Politik.Ini adalah apa yang terdapat didalam laporan yang disediakan oleh Jabatan Peguam Negara sendiri.

“7.2. Tidak ada sebutan mengenai cara pelupusan harta berjumlah hampir RM40 juta yang Rahim perolehi secara rasuah itu..Tiada maklumat mengenai persetujuan yang dicapai oleh Rahim dan Peguam Negara berkaitan harta yang diperolehi sedemikian itu dalam bentuk:RM 5,439,796.40 sen dalam kawalan peribadi Rahim sendiri,RM14,487,420.50 sen simpanan tunai dalam beberapa buah bank dan RM19,855,555.70 sen harta Syarikat-Syarikat.

“7.3. Persoalan yang tidak kurang pentingnya ialah adakah Peguam Negara mempunyai kuasa untuk “indemnify” kesalahan jenayah mana-mana orang berdasarkan pertimbangan Politik?. Adakah Peguam Negara berhak melepaskan wang Rakyat RM 40 juta sebegitu mudah untuk Rahim menikmatinya tanpa sebarang tindakan.Adakah ini sesuatu yang adil kepada Rakyat sedangkan Peguam Negara yang telah mengesahkan bahawa Rahim memperolehi harta sedemikian banyak menerusi salahguna kuasa dan rasuah.Apa yang jelas dalam kes Rahim ini, Peguam Negara juga telah menyalahgunakan kuasanya.”

I hope that the many pertinent questions raised by Mat Zain in his Open Letter, particularly with regard to the Attorney-General as well as Rahim Thamby Cik, could be answered in Parliament.

[Speech by on the 2010 Second Supplementary Estimates on Tuesday, 29th March 2011]

A ‘Misfit’ To Use Laws To Protect Datuk T Trio

From Malaysiakini

Is it wise to use the Whistleblower Protection Act and the Witness Protection Act to protect the ‘Datuk T’ trio who released a sex video involving a man said to resemble an opposition leader?

This is what will be done if the authorities feel they have a case, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (left) had told reporters in the lobby of Parliament House yesterday.

The ‘Datuk T’ trio are businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, former Malacca Chief Minister Rahim Tamby Chik and Perkasa treasurer Shuib Lazim.

Malaysiakini called several top criminal lawyers for their opinion on whether the position taken by the de facto law minister would be proper use of the two laws.

Lawyer Baljit Singh Sidhu (right), who authored the book ‘Criminal Litigation Process’, said it would be “a misfit” to protect the three under both laws.

“Such provisions are used to protect a person who informs (the authorities) about a crime. However, there are questions about the agenda of the three, whether there is malice involved (in revealing the sex video),” he said.

“The other question is whether they truly want protection. The way they presented themselves in showing the tape is as if they do not need any protection. One of them is a former chief minister and they appeared rather gung ho in showing it.”
He said the act of showing the video to the public is in itself an offence.

Whistleblower law cannot include ‘dirty politics’

Another lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, asked whether what the trio disclosed was a criminal act that requires protection, such as affecting the security of the nation, a major corruption scandal or a scandal involving a huge corporation.

“It is merely about two consenting adults having sex. It is not illegal from a legal perspective but (is) a question of morality. However, it may have problems under Syariah law,” he noted.

“Whistleblower or witness protection laws should be used on a person who leaks information about an organisation or crime committed by someone. The whistleblower law is aimed at protecting the informant of a crime committed, and is not about an immoral act,” Amer (left) said.

Furthermore, he said, this law should not be stretched to cover “dirty politics”.

“If you have information on a crime being committed, you should approach the authorities. You do not go out in public to call the press. You go to the police station and then you seek protection. They did not go to the police first and instead they screened the video.”

‘They revealed their identities’

Johor-based lawyer, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, said that, in the first place the ‘Datuk T’ trio had revealed their identities voluntarily.

“Since they have not complained about concerns over their safety and they have exhibited the video with great fanfare, they must be responsible for their actions,” said Teh, a former Johor Bar committee chairperson.

“What they have done doesn’t make sense (to require witness protection). They were proud to show the video and it is illogical now for them to ask for protection or for the authorities to (provide it to them).”

Baljit reiterated that despite what was being said, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is accused of being the person in the sex video, should be answerable.

“He should tell the truth and the authorities themselves should work so that the truth of the whole affair is determined,” he said.

The video was shown to selected members of the press at the posh Carcosa Seri Negara hotel on March 21. The man in the footage – recorded on Feb 21 – was said to closely resemble Anwar.

Anwar has denied any involvement.

The ‘Datuk T’ trio of Eskay, Rahim and Shuib revealed their identities two days later, on March 23.

Both Eskay and Rahim had their statements recorded by police last Thursday night while Shuib, who was picked up in Sungai Petani, had his statement taken at Bukit Aman the next day.

Sarawak election campaign: Here's how it should be done

Look, no splashing of money during election campaigns.
Now, why can’t the Malaysian Election Commission ensure the Sarawak campaign will be like this?
This is from the Times of India:

Chief Electoral Officer bans fund allocation from MLAs, MPs
PTI, Mar 5, 2011, 08.38pm IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the code of conduct coming into force in Kerala following announcement of the assembly polls on April 13, the Chief Electoral Officer has banned allocation of funds for developmental work from MPs and MLAs.
Work on projects for which funds had been already sanctioned but are yet to begin should not be started, an official release by the Chief Electoral Officer said.
However, it said work on projects that have already started could continue.
The parties in power, both in state and Centre, should take care that there should not be any complaint about them misusing their official positions, the release said.
The Chief Electoral Officer also issued guidelines to be followed by the political parties while engaging in the election campaign.