Deepak says he paid Najib's family for land deal

EXCLUSIVE Businessperson Deepak Jaikishan claimed that he paid the family of Najib Abdul Razak an undisclosed sum for the premier's intervention to allow him to come in as a party in a Defence Ministry project deal.

According to Deepak, he stitched a deal with a Selangor Umno leader's company where he would participate as a third party in the proposed project.

This began, Deepak explained, with a privatisation agreement in 2005 where the company was tasked to work on a Defence Ministry project in Putrajaya.

In exchange for the estimated RM100 million project, which the company was to build at its own cost, the company would be paid RM20 million by the government and would acquire 223.3 acres of government land in Klang.

However, Deepak said the politician did not have the credit-worthiness at that time to secure a land bond of RM72.5 million necessary for the project and had therefore approached him for help.

The deal, he added, would require him to secure the RM72.5 million land bond and top it up with RM23 million in cash payments to the company.

In return, Deepak said the politician's company was to give him ownership of the said property, which is a piece of prime land adjacent to the now booming Setia Alam township.

The names of the politician and the company involved have been withheld pending their reply to Malaysiakini's request for comments.

"She couldn't get the government to agree that the land bond be issued to a third party because under privatisation, the company that gets the privatisation (project), the land must remain under their name.

"So, I organised a meeting for her to meet (Najib), at that time our defence minister, to allow this land be transferred to a third party company," he said.

Deepak said the transfer was made possible after he "contributed heavily" to Najib's family.

Below is the excerpt of Malaysiakini’s interview with Deepak:

Malaysiakini: You mentioned earlier that there were bribes involved in this project?

Deepak: Okay, I think as far as the dealings with the politician were concerned, it was a business deal. But yes, as I mentioned - I wouldn't use that word that you used just now - but we had to contribute heavily to ensure that we get the approval from the defence minister at that time.

Contribute to whom?

A close family of his (Najib) lah. I will elaborate at later sessions.

Why the deal?

We couldn't procure the land to be given to a third party otherwise.

It happened around 2007?

Correct.

Can you disclose how much?

Not (at) this session.

Was a substantial amount of money involved?

Yes.

How big is the amount?

Maybe we go to the next question.

For clarity, this "contribution" is with regard to the meeting that you mentioned just now, set up between the politician and the then defence minister?

Correct.

The contribution is in terms of money and not material?

Financial.
Najib expressed 'no opposition'
Deepak noted that "a third-party scenario should not happen in normal circumstances", but was only made possible with Najib's help.

He claimed that he possessed the minutes of the meeting in which Najib expressed "no opposition" in approving the third-party land transfer.

The revelation comes following a land dispute in which Deepak's company had not received the promised land from the politician, despite, he said, having kept up his end of the bargain.

"He (Najib) is well aware (of this dispute) but I don't see any action coming out. I don't see him carrying the responsibility of solving this matter," he said.

Deepak has filed a legal suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court and a police report on the matter was lodged in July.
The carpet trader told Malaysiakini yesterday that he regretted helping a female friend in the case involving private eye P Balasubramaniam.

---

This interview was jointly conducted by Fathi Aris Omar, Wong Teck Chi and Nigel Aw.

French lawyer: Najib, Razak Baginda 'priority witnesses'

Pekerja Migran Di Nepal

Woman forced to remarry the husband who threw acid in her face after she divorced him for being unfaithful

• Nurbanu had divorced her husband of 18 years after discovering he had been unfaithful
• Eight days later the 36-year-old was at home in Bangladesh when her former spouse arrived and threw acid into her face
• He was jailed for a year but following his release Nurbanu is once again living with the man who left her blind and severely scarred

Survivor: Nurbanu´s husband threw acid in her face.

This woman's horrific scars serve as a cruel and permanent reminder of the moment her husband of 18 years flung acid into her face.

Nurbanu had divorced her unfaithful and violent spouse after catching him with another woman.

Eight days later, she was cooking at home in Bangladesh when he pulled up on a motorbike and doused her with acid, leaving her blind and disfigured.

The 36-year-old now has to endure living with her former spouse again after his mother forced her to sign an affidavit to have him released from prison following the attack.

Nurbanu's husband of 18 years went into hiding after mutilating his former wife, but was caught ten months later and jailed for a year, according to a report on The Huffington Post.

'His mother paid for his release on bail,' said Nurbanu, who is from Satkhira in south west Bangladesh.

'She made me sign an affidavit to have him released. She used my sons to convince me to marry him again.

'People would think a husband would take care of a blind wife. But this doesn't happen,' Nurbanu said.

She also said her spouse continues to beat and threaten her, adding: 'This is how my days go by.'

Nurbanu, who is unable to even prepare a meal for herself following her husband's devastating attack, is one of thousands of women to fall victim to acid violence in Bangladesh in recent years.

Financial disputes, rejected marriage proposals and marital rows are common motives behind the attacks in the country.

Monira Rahman, CEO of the Acid Survivors' Foundation (ASF) in Bangladesh, has worked with the victims of acid and petrol attacks in the country for the past 14 years.

In a blog for the Huffington Post, she said the majority of the girls and women she had worked with had suffered at the hands of men who viewed them as 'commodities', and 'believed they were justified in disfiguring them and violating their rights'.

Ms Rahman said the number of acid attacks in Bangladesh has fallen thanks to the efforts of the government, the charity, donors and international development organisations to address the problem, but added that there was much more work to do.

There were 111 acid attacks in Bangladesh in 2011, compared to 500 in 2002.

But Ms Rahman said 'gender-based' violence like acid attacks could only be completely eradicated when women in Bangladesh enjoy equal rights.

'Only by empowering women and ensuring equality we will have a society which has zero tolerance for violence against women,' she wrote.

The Bangladesh-based ASF has teamed up with the charity Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), which supports the foundation by training local medical professionals in treating burns, setting up counselling services, and by training women the organisation supports to produce garments that help reduce scarring, which they can then sell to help them earn a living.

According to the ASF, the survivors of acid attacks have very little chance of finding work. Unmarried women who are victims of acid violence are also unlikely to marry in the future, it says.

Along with the visible scars left by acid, attack victims endure psychological trauma and, in many cases, social isolation and ostracism.

Hishammuddin dodges Musa’s claim, says will respond later

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein declined today to respond to an accusation from Tan Sri Musa Hassan that he had allegedly interfered in police business during the latter’s term as Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

The Home Minister reasoned that he had yet to read Musa’s statement, which was made during a press conference earlier today, adding that he would only issue a response after verifying what the former top cop had said.

“Times like this, until we get verification on what was actually said, again, I do not want to create a wrong perception of what actually happened,” he told a press conference after meeting with Kelab Umno’s overseas members on the sidelines of the Umno general assembly here.

“I want to hear what actually came out from Tan Sri Musa, his statement. Let me check before I reply to that,” the Umno vice-president (picture) said.

Musa dropped a bombshell at the press conference this afternoon when he named Hishammuddin as among the ministers and politicians whom he claimed would regularly interfere in police matters during his term as IGP.

The former top cop described his working relationship with Hishammuddin as cordial, but the Home Minister did not see eye-to-eye with him on the command of the police force.

“When I found out that instructions were given to junior officers and OCPDs (Officer in Charge of Police District) without my knowledge, then something is wrong.

“So, I highlighted to him Section 4(1) of the Police Act ... command and control of the police force is by the IGP, not a minister.

“I talked to him nicely, he didn’t like it ... that’s why (my tenure) was not extended,” Musa claimed.

Musa, who retired as IGP in September 2010, even suggested that the practice still continues today and added that his refusal to indulge those who tried to interfere had likely been the reason why his tenure had not been extended.

“There are certain misgivings from police officers who said that they received instructions not from (their police superiors) but from the Home Ministry.

“Even the ministry can issue instructions now ... Who is in control now?” Musa said today.

Musa also quoted Section 4(1) of the Police Act, which states that police orders must only come from the IGP, who will be liable for such instructions.

He said that command and control over the police force should rest entirely on the IGP, adding that no other individual should be accorded the same right for the sake of checks and balances in the system.

Musa also took aim at his successor, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, suggesting the latter was a yes-man who bowed to politicians’ influence.

‘Neutral’ ex-IGP holds press meet with PKR men

The former police chief holds a press conference with two NGO leaders, who are linked to the opposition, but insists that he is not taking sides.
FULL REPORT

PETALING JAYA: As the general election draws closer, strange things are beginning to unfold.

This afternoon, former inspector general of police Musa Hassan held a press conference here flanked by NGO leaders linked to the opposition.

This fueled speculations that the ex-top cop would be joining the Pakatan Rakyat coalition soon.

The press briefing was organised by a new NGO called the Malaysian Crime Watch Task or MyWatch, which is chaired by R Sri Sanjeevan. Also present was Power NGO chief S Gobi Krishnan, who acts as adviser of MyWatch.

Gobi Krishnan is also PKR’s national strategy and political bureau secretary. Sri Sanjeevan, on the other hand, is known to be a harsh critic of the police and PKR Negeri Sembilan Youth exco member.

The focus of the press conference was on the tackling of crime and Musa was announced as the patron of MyWatch today.

When asked on the possibility of joining politics, Musa firmly stated
that he would remain a “neutral”.

“I won’t join any political party,” he told a lengthy press conference at the Hilton hotel here.

“As I have said, I’m neutral. I’m not a politician, I work for the people, I care for the people. I don’t need to join a political party to work for the people,” he added.

Previously, speculation had been rife about Musa joining PAS though he repeatedly denied it.

Musa last month said he never supported or joined any side in politics since joining the police force, though he refused to say what he would
do if given the opportunity.

“I cannot speak about the future,” he was reported as saying.

Musa, along with Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, were accused of fabricating evidence against former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim during the Sodomy 1 trial in 1998.

The former top cop filed a lawsuit against Anwar in 2008 for accusing him of fabricating evidence but withdrew his suit last month, citing a “misunderstanding”.

The sudden withdrawal of the suit had spurred further talks of a deal with Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

Then, several sites, including PAS mouthpiece Harakah Daily, reported rumours that a former IGP would be joining the Islamist party then.

Several government pensioners had over the past months joined PAS ahead of the 13th general election.

Among them were former CID chief Fauzi Shaari, former Land and Cooperative Development Ministry secretary-general Nik Zain Nik Yusof and Ramli Buyong, the deputy vice-president of Felcra Berhad.

Buka semula kes bunuh Altantuya

Ini berikutan pengakuan Deepak Jaikishan bahawa beliau memujuk P Balasubramaniam untuk menukar akuan bersumpahnya.

PETALING JAYA: Sebuah NGO Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) mendesak agar kes pembunuhan wanita Mongolia Altantuya Shariibuu dibuka semula.

“Ini kerana akuan bersumpah kedua Inspektor Polis P Balasubramaniam telah dipengaruhi oleh keluarga (Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri) Najib Tun Razak,” kata pengasasnya Badrul Hisham Shaharin @ CheguBard.

Portal berita harakahdaily hari ini menyiarkan wawancara dengan usahawan permaidani Deepak Jaikishan yang mengakui membantu untuk memujuk penyiasat bebas P Balasubramaniam menukar akuan bersumpahnya.

Deepak Jaikishan mengakui bahawa tindakannya membantu Bala mengubah akaun bersumpah pertama dilakukan demi untuk menolong keluarga Najib.

Menurut CheguBard, pengakuan bersumpah Bala yang pertama mengaitkan penglibatan Najib dengan peristiwa pembunuhan Altantuya.

CheguBard berkata pihaknya melihat kes pembunuhan Altantuya menimbulkan pelbagai persoalan, apatah lagi ia berkait rapat dengan skandal pembelian kapal selam Scorpene yang disifatkan sebagai ‘bapa’ kepada semua kes jenayah di Malaysia.

“Skandal pembunuhan Altantuya dan skandal pembelian kapal selam Scorpene yang terkait ini harus dirungkai dan rakyat harus tahu.

“Demi memastikan rakyat celik dalam isu ini, pelbagai usaha dilakukan oleh SAMM termasuklah jelajah sesi taklimat penerangan di setiap negeri dan ceramah pencerahan,” terang beliau yang juga Ketua Cabang PKR Rembau.

Menurutnya, SAMM juga akan melancarkan buku bertajuk ‘Antara Dua Razak, Dua Scorpene dan Satu Mongolia’ pada Disember ini.

Beliau menyeru rakyat menolak kepimpinan Najib yang tercalit skandal Altantuya dan Scorpene.

“Hanya selepas kerajaan Umno-Barisan Nasional ditumbangkan barulah kebenaran akan terungkai kerana ketika itu tiada lagi imuniti undang-undang terhadap para pemimpin negara,” ujar beliau.

MIC: Probe vile postings about Rajagopal

Party lodges police report over two Facebook comments labelling national football coach a 'pariah' and 'keling'.

KUALA LUMPUR: Putera MIC today lodged a police report over derogatory words posted on Facebook about national football coach K Rajagopal.

Federal Territory Putera MIC deputy chairman S Visraaje called for swift action to be taken against the Facebook account holder, who is believed to be a police officer.

Speaking to reporters outside the Brickfields police station where he lodged a report, Visraaje said that he was shocked by the postings that were published on Nov 27.

He said there were two comments posted under the account name Fauzi Ismail. The remarks, in Malay, used derogatory terms like “pariah” and “keling” on Rajagopal.

The first one reads: “ini Paria Aa mesti banyak pusing cerita, satu treller alasan ini keling… kalau sayangkan pasukan Malaysia engkau berundurlah… shittt” (This pariah twists and turns stories, if he truly loves the Malaysian team, then step back… shit).”

The second: “Woi keling itak jawatan la ko… strategi estet mana ko pakai… ini bukan friendly la woi”(Keling, resign… which estate strategy did you use… this is not a friendly game).

Postings made by a police officer?

It is believed that Fauzi’s comments about Rajagopal came after defending champions Malaysia lost 3-0 to Singapore in the AFF Suzuki Cup.

“As a Malaysian, he (Fauzi) has all the right to comment on the national team. But, it should be with proper words,” said Visraaje.

Visraaje added that he found out that Fauzi is believed to be a police officer as his Facebook pictures show him in police uniform.

“If that is the case, we want the police department to suspend him immediately before they investigate the matter,” said Visraaje.

Also present at the police station together with Visraaje was Wilayah’s Putera MIC chairman S Yogendran.

Pariah refers to persons in the lowest rung of society in the Indian caste system while keling is used as a derogatory term generally considered offensive by the majority of Indians.

No Sri Lanka leaders at WIEF

Talk that former Sri Lanka president Chandrika Kumaratunga will replace Mahindra Rajapaksa at the World Islamic Economic Forum in Johor Baru is unfounded.

PETALING JAYA: Sri Lanka is not participating or sending anyone as speakers to the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) that is scheduled to be held next week in Johor Baru.

This was confirmed by the organisers WIEF Foundation secretariat and the Sri Lanka High Commission envoy today.

On the WIEF list of 63 dignitaries and speakers, which also includes Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and International Trade and Industries Minister Mustapa Mohamed, there was not a single Sri Lankan leader listed.

The list is available for public purview on its website.

An official from WIEF Foundation, who declined to be named, also confirmed that they did not extend an invitation to any Sri Lankan leader.

Widespread rumours of a Sri Lankan leader attending the WIEF had led to protests from the Indian community in Malaysia.

The Indians, especially from the ethnic Tamil community, have been critical against the Sri Lankan government following the deaths of 40,000 Tamil civilians during a 29-year civil war against the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam that ended in 2009.

Initially, various Indian groups protested against the rumoured arrival of Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Sri Lankan High Commission, however, confirmed on Sunday that Rajapaksa will not attend the international forum.

The issue did not die off altogether.

Objection letters

A flush of SMS messages this week noted that Sri Lanka’s former president, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who ruled from 1994 to 2005, would be attending the forum on behalf of the president.

The message stated: “War criminal Rajapaksa has cancelled his visit to Malaysia but he will be represented by ex-president, Chandrika Kumaratunga. What is the difference between Rajapaksa and Kumaratunga? The only difference is Rajapaksa killed more innocent Tamils.”

This morning, an NGO calling itself Tamilar Action Force, in response to the SMSes, sent objection letters to the WIEF secretariat.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan envoy, Deputy High Commissioner Major-General Lalit Daulagala told FMT that they were not aware of plans for Kumaratunga to attend the WIEF.

“It is not to our knowledge. Invitations are normally given to the head of state.

“Our president could not come and our prime minister (Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne) is ailing,” said Daulagala.

Prayer for Umno’s destruction ‘is Islamic’

Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad opined that the prayer was done because the federal government had allegedly deprived Kelantanese of billions in oil royalty money.

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS MP Dzulkefly Ahmad today defended his party’s decision to hold a prayer for Umno’s destruction two weeks ago, claiming Umno had inflicted cruelty on the Kelantanese.

“Umno had robbed Kelantanese of oil royalty money to the tune of RM10 billion since the contract (Petronas agreement) was signed.

“The federal government failed to respect the sanctity of a contract which is unIslamic,” said Dzulkefly during the debate on the Islamic Financial Services Bill 2012 at Parliament.

Earlier, Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman accused PAS of being unIslamic for praying for Umno’s destruction.

“You’re talking about being Syariah compliant on everything. Do you think the prayer against Umno was Syariah compliant?” he asked.

That was when Dzulkefly stood up and defended the prayer, and said that the hadith had indicated that evil-doers should fear the prayer of the oppressed as it was powerful.

This started a heated argument between both lawmakers, with Tajuddin saying that a Muslim must pray for forgiveness and repentance for their enemies, no matter how bad they are.

But Dzulkefly rebutted his claims, saying there were exceptions to the rule.

Tajuddin then reminded Dzulkefly that Umno was not cruel as it was the party that brought progress and independence to the country.

“Who fought for Merdeka? It’s because of the independence we fought for that we have a democracy and a parliament today.

“And you can sit here in the Parliament to debate because we are free country. If not, you will be in some village right now,” said Tajuddin.

At this juncture, Kuala Kedah MP Ahmad Kassim stood up and told Tajuddin,” You deviated from the topic at hand. You should reserve your speech for PWTC ( Umno general assembly) not the Dewan Rakyat.”

Deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee concurred with Ahmad and instructed both MPs to stick to the topic at hand.

On Nov 16, PAS held a mammoth gathering in Kota Baru, Kelantan, to pray for Umno’s destruction.

The event was attended by nearly 50,000 members and supporters.

Cerita sebenar Deepak Jaikishan kawan Rosmah

(Harakah) - Hasil desakan perwakilan Muktamar agar wartawan bertanya Datuk Seri Najib siapa dia, Deepak Jaikishan (gambar) dengan sukarela menghubungi Harakahdaily untuk menceritakan siapakah dia sebenarnya.
Deepak J Tekwani, pengarah kepada Carpet Corporation menghubungi Harakahdaily untuk memberikan cerita sebenar di sebalik hubungan beliau dengan keluarga Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Dalam pertemuan berdepan kira-kira setengah jam di sebuah hotel terkemuka itu, Deepak menceritakan apa sebenarnya hubungan beliau dengan keluarga Perdana Menteri khasnya Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, isteri Najib.

Ia bermula apabila Rosmah menjadi pelanggan kedai karpet beliau di Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. Selepas itu hubungan mereka baik dan Deepak diperkenalkan kepada Najib.

Ketika itu, Najib adalah Menteri Petahanan.

Namun persahabatan mereka berakhir apabila Deepak diminta menolong keluarga Najib ekoran akuan bersumpah (SD) yang dibuat oleh penyiasat persendirian P Balasubramaniam.

Ia berakhir apabila Bala tidak berpuashati dan Deepak dipersalahkan oleh keluarga Najib.

"Cara dia bertindak bukan sebagai kawan yang menolong kawan, tetapi dia hantar 50 orang penguatkuasa datang ke ofis saya, rumah, dan kilang saya dengan niat memberi amaran untuk saya tidak mendedahkan perkara sebenar & menutup cerita sebenar SD," cerita Deepak kepada Harakahdaily.

Ikuti pendedahan siapa Deepak Jaikishan sebenarnya melalui temubual wartawan Harakahdaily dengan beliau.

Apa tujuan saudara mahu bertemu dengan Harakah (daily)?

Saya tertarik dengan pertanyaan Harakah (daily) minggu lepas, siapa saya (Deepak Jaikishan). Saya sebenarnya terlibat dalam perniagaan karpet dan perniagaan hartanah.

Saudara dikaitkan dengan Datuk Seri Najib. Sebenarnya bagaimana hubungan saudara dengan keluarga beliau?

Hubungan...saya memang kenal Datuk Seri dan Puan Seri. Saya sebagai pembekal karpet dan terlibat dalam perniagaan. Kalau ada peluang bisnes, kita mintak sokongan dari pihak beliau.

Sudah lama hubungan itu. Bagaimana saudara kenal dia?

Ia hanya bisnis karpaet. Mungkin 2004 atau 2005, Datin Seri (Rosmah) datang ke kedai kita di Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. Dia datang kedai beli karpet, so kita berkenalan dari situlah. Kamudian Datin Seri perkenalkan kepada suami dia. Masa itu dia (Najib) adalah Menteri
Pertahanan.

Bisnes apa yang saudara buat dengan dia?

Mungkin tidak sesuai saya dedahkan hari inilah. Mungkin sessi lain. Sebab saya hanya mahu jawab apa yang saudara tanya dalam akhbar saudara. Apa hubungan saya dengan mereka. Bisnis saja, tidak ada yang bukan-bukan. Ia hanya bisnis sahaja. Dia isteri orang, tidak ada yang bukan-bukan, tidak baik. Ia benar-benar bisnes sahaja.

Ada laporan dalam Malaysiakini yang saudara berkata, ia hubungan kakak adik sahaja, tanpa lain-lain?

Ya boleh dikatakan begitu.

Pada pandangan saudara, kenapa saudara dipopularkan sangat?

Saya pun rasa. Dulu tidak ada macam itu. Mungkin kesalahan saya bila saya tolong dalam kes Bala (P Balasubramaniam). Semasa kita dengan tidak sengaja terlibat dalam kes Bala untuk menolong keluarga Perdana Menteri. Masa itulah nama kita naik.Sememangnya kita tidak suka, kita suka low profile.

Sebelum ini tidak ada apa-apalah?

Takda, kita senyap-senyap buat bisnes kita. Di Malaysia, kalau kita high profile bukan senang kita nak buat bisnes.

Macamana pulak saudara terlibat dalam kes Bala. Ia menjadi persoalan kepada orang ramai?

Ini kes mahu tolong kawan. Pada kita dia kawan yang setialah. Jadi kita tolong. Contohnyalah, saya dengan saudara dekat kolam renang. Saya tidak tahu berenang. Tetapi saya lihat saudara jatuh ke dalam kolam dan tenggelam. Jadi saya pun masuk dalam kolam untuk menolong saudara. Jadi saya rasa pada masa itu, kita saja yang ada dan kita diminta menolong. Kita bukan terlibat secara langsung. Lawyer pun lawyer dia (keluarga PM), kita saja tolong koordinat. Reporter pun dia yang panggil. Kita fikir ketika itu ada kawan yang terdesak minta pertolongan. Dia pun dah ada hubungan baik dengan kita.  Kita tak anggap perkara ini akan menyusahkan kita dan melibatkan kita secara langsung dalam kes Altantuya inilah.

Maksuk Encik Deepak, saudara baik dengan Bala ke, saudara tolong Bala ke atau...
Saya tolong keluarga Datuk Seri Najib.

Saudara memang kenal Bala?

Saya tidak kenal secara langsung, ada kenalan melalui komuniti yang sama, perkara ini terjadi. Saya dipanggil waktu tengah malam, "You boleh tak selesaikan masalah ini...its a big problem". Saya pun ada seorang saudara yang kenal dia (Bala), seorang anggota polis juga. "Tanya dia boleh tak you uruskan orang ini, minta dia jumpa wakil keluarga Datuk Seri." Dia setujulah. Kita perkenalkan dia. Kita bukan terlibat dengan apa-apa proses lain, kita tidak terlibat.

Jadi selepas itulah nama saudara menjadi popular?

Ya ini memang kesalahan kitalah. Kalau perkara ini terjadi sekali lagi, saya tidak boleh berenang, saya tengok saudara tenggelam, saya akan biarkan tenggelamlah. Saya tak boleh nak tolonglah sebab manusia tidak mengenang budi.

Adakah selepas itu hubungan dengan Bala bermasalah?

Sebenarnya dia (Bala) bukan marah dengan kita. Dia marah orang yang telah janji dengan dia. Bukan saya.

Apa berlaku kepada hubungan saudara dengan Datuk Seri selepas itu?

Saya rasa selepas semua inilah, apabila ia sudah terdedah, kita telah dianggap bersalah kerana tidak dapat memuaskan semua kehendak Bala. Sebenarnya bukan kita yang terlibat dalam masalah ini, bukan kita yang terlibat dalam kes Altantuya. Kita pada malam itu menolong saja tetapi dipersalahkan kerana tidak dapat memenuhi kemahuan-kemahuan Bala. Bala ini bekas Pi. Seminggu cerita itu, seminggu lagi cerita ini. Kita tidak mahu terlibat dengan semua itu. Kita orang bisnes tidak mahu terlibat dengan dunia James Bond inilah.

Apa berlaku selepas itu. Saudara dilihat senyap sedikit selepas itu?

Kita pun mahu cerita ini senyap tetapi tidak begitu. Saudara juga terlibat bangkitkan lagi cerita ini. Saya rasa kes ini tidak akan senyap sehingga kes Altantuya selesai dengan adil. Bagi saya, dunia ini dikuasai oleh Tuhan Yang Maha Esa. Saya rasa selagi kes ini tidak selesai, perkara ini tidak akan terhenti. Kita tidak bersalah, tangan kita bersih. Kita tidak mahu dikaitkan dengan benda yang libatkan kes-kes yang sebegini kejam, Kita nak bercakap benar dengan semua orang. Memang satu masa dulu kita telah menolong kawan tetapi kita tidak bersalah. Kita tak terlibat dan tidak ada motif untuk melibatkan diri.

Selepas apa yang berlaku dengan Bala, adakah masih baik dengan keluarga Datuk Seri?

Sebenarnya, selepas perkara ini berlaku, mereka telah mengambil tindakan cuba mensenyapkan saya. Cara dia bertindak bukan sebagai kawan yang telah menolong kawan, tetapi hadiah yang dihantar adalah hantar 50 orang penguatkuasa kerajaan datang melawat, masa kes Bala terdedahlah. Jadi kita pun tahulah pada ketika itu, Najib is sitting Prime Minister. Dihantar pula 50 orang penguatkuasa datang dan angkut lima enam lori.

Jadi apa tindakan saudara?

Kita tunjuklah ketidakpuasan hati kita, perniagaan kita terjejas. Kalau you anggap saya sebagai kawan, you besar atau kecil, kawan tetap kawan, kita mesti tolong. Kalau tidak boleh tolong, jangan susahkan. Jangan makan kawan. Jadi tindakan yang dibuat untuk kawal situasi dengan hantar 50 penguatkuasa untuk menyeyapkan kita, supaya kita senyap, jangan cakap. Kita tahulah, ini bukan kawan. Kalau macam ini, baik hari itu bagi dia tenggelam.

Apa tindakan selepas itu?

Kita duduk diam-diam. Yang hangus tidak boleh diganti. Jadi sekarang saja nak bersihkan nama saya. Kita pun tak libat bisnes dengan mereka lagi. Dah dua tahun tidak libat lagi bisnis dengan dia tetapi masih cerita ini keluar. Bagi saya cerita ini tidak akan selesai sehingga Altantuya dibicarakan dengan adil dan mendapat hak dia. Kita tidak mahu dilibatkan. Sangat jelas  penglibatan kita pada malam itu hanya tolong kawan dan SD itu sendiri dibuat oleh peguam mereka.

Cracks Open in Malaysia's Murder-Sub Scandal

A key figure says he helped PM's wife get a witness out of town
A key figure involved in the cover-up of the spectacular 2006 murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu appears to have gone off the reservation, giving interviews to opposition media hinting at the involvement of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, in the conspiracy.

Deepak Jaikishan, a Kuala Lumpur-based carpet dealer who reportedly was Mansor’s business partner in the past, allegedly promised RM5 million to get out of the country to a private detective who charged that Najib had been Altantuya’s former lover, after the detective filed a sworn declaration describing his knowledge of the affair between the two and giving excruciating details of sexual practices, among other specifics.

The detective, Perumal Balasubramaniam, was terrorized after being dragooned into a Kuala Lumpur police station and told his family was in danger. He immediately decamped for Chennai, India after being promised the money to recant his declaration. He has remained outside of Malaysia, issuing periodic statements giving additional details of the affairs as well as alleged attempts by Najib’s forces to cajole him into coming back and blame Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim for the whole thing.

Altantuya, named in French police documents as a translator, was murdered in October 2006 by two members of an elite police unit operating under Najib’s jurisdiction. The two were later convicted and sentenced to death for the crime. Abdul Razak Baginda, one of Najib’s closest associates and according to French prosecuting magistrates’ documents the alleged conduit for a €114 million bribe to the United Malays National Organization for the purchase of submarines from the French defense contractor DCN and its subsidiaries, was acquitted of the crime.

Razak Baginda had been Altantuya’s lover, supposedly after Najib had given her up, according to Balasubramaniam’s sworn declaration. Immediately on being cleared without having to put on a defense, Razak Baginda fled to the UK with his wife, where he has remained ever since.

Attempts to reach Jaikishan by Asia Sentinel have been unsuccessful. He first contacted Harakan Daily, the Malay-language newspaper operated by Parti Islam se-Malaysia, the Islamic opposition leg of the three-party Pakatan Rakyat headed by Anwar, and later gave an interview to Malaysiakini, the Kuala Lumpur-based independent online news website, describing additional details. Additional interviews have also been carried by the Malaysia Chronicle, another opposition website.

In the interviews, Jaikishan acknowledged that Najib and Rosmah had asked for his help in dealing with Balasubramaniam. In a translated interview, he told Harakan Daily that “Maybe my mistake was helping in the case of Bala, getting involved in Bala’s case to help the family of the prime minister. That was when I became famous. I don’t like it. I’d like to be low profile.”

In the Harakan interview, Jaikishan compared his involvement in Balasubramaniam’s case to rescuing a drowning friend. “So I jumped into the pool to help a friend,” he said. I felt at that time, I was the only one (they) sought for help.” He quickly responded: “Najib’s family” when asked whom he meant by ‘theirs.’

Jaikisan’s motives are unclear, sources in Kuala Lumpur told Asia Sentinel. One of the articles made a veiled reference to a belief that he hadn’t been given proper thanks for his efforts. One well-wired businessman in Kuala Lumpur said Jaikishan was known to have become close to Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister and a putative rival for the premiership should Najib stumble.

“It’s an UMNO play”, the source said. “Deepak claims he is now very close to Muhyiddin. The timing of his solicited interviews – he called the news portals and offered himself – on the eve of the UMNO assembly suggests he wanted to embarrass Najib and Rosmah.”

Another lawyer close to the Mahathir wing of UMNO said that was nonsense, and that there was no trouble between the two. He pointed to the fact that the interviews had all been given to anti-government media as an indication that he was acting for Anwar’s coalition.

In any case, the repeated interviews, including one in which Jaikishan accused the head of the women’ wing of the party of having been involved in a massive land scam that benefited Najib and his family, are significantly damaging to the prime minister, who has been fighting rumors of involvement in the Altantuya affair for the entire six years since the 28-year-old woman was murdered and her body was blown up with C4 military explosives.

Yesterday in Singapore, Apoline Cagnat, a lawyer with the French human rights law firm headed by William Bourdon, said Najib and Abdul Razak Baginda are “priority witnesses” in the investigation into bribes and kickbacks totaling about €150 million in the sale of Scorpene submarines to the Malaysian Ministry of Defense -- the initial €114 million routed through Razak Baginda’s wholly-owned company Perimekar Sdn. Bhd and a second €39 million routed through a Hong Kong-based paper company called Terasasi HK Ltd. which had no known business affairs and which was wholly owned by Razak Baginda and his father .

It is highly unlikely, however, that the French authorities probing the scandal would be able to persuade the head of a sovereign state, especially one who is suspected of helping to facilitate the transfer of kickbacks to UMNO to testify. It is also difficult to imagine what they would be willing to add to the dialogue about the case if indeed they were called to testify.

However, both the French investigation and the Jaikishan comments spell continuing trouble for Najib on the domestic political front, and within his political party. The ruling national coalition has been seeking the appropriate time to hold national elections for more than a year but has continued to put them off for a variety of reasons including a long string of scandals over cost overruns on a big port modernization at Port Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur, as well as the so-called Cattlegate scandal in which the family of the minister for women’s affairs allegedly looted a cattle-slaughtering scheme of tens of millions of ringgit for their personal use.

Perpaduan Umno, Muhyidin, Deepak dan Rosmah

Umno mengadakan Perhimpunan Agung mereka mulai semalam hingga 1 Disember ini. Tema himpunan ini dipercayai menjurus kepada kesatuan dan perpaduan dalam Umno dalam menghadapi pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Bagi memperkemaskan agenda perpaduan ini, Umno menubuhkan satu pasukan khas untuk mendisiplinkan ahli-ahli dan pimpinannya, dari membuat tindakan mensabotaj Umno dari dalam.

Persoalannya, kenapa agenda ini terpaksa dicanangkan Umno menjelang pilihan raya umum ke 13 ini? Ramai yang berkata, ia berkait rapat dengan kebimbangan besar Umno sekarang dalam isu ini.

Dimaklumkan juga bahawa, antara punca presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Najib Razak gagal membubarkan Parlimen walaupun beberapa percubaan dibuat, adalah kerana isu perpaduan ini. Sampai sekarang, Umno belum berjaya mencapai kata putus tentang senarai calon-calonnya.

Pun begitu, mahu tidak mahu, pilihan raya perlu diadakan juga selewat-lewatnya Mac tahun depan walaupun Najib boleh membuatnya selepas tarikh itu apabila Parlimen terbubar dengan sendiri.

Jika begitu, Perhimpunan Agung ini adalah perhimpunan terakhir menjelang pilihan raya umum akan datang. Dua minggu lalu PAS membuat muktamarnya di Kota Bharu iaitu dari 14 hingga 18 November.

Sebenarnya, apakah masalah perpaduan yang berlaku dalam Umno ini? Ianya tidak lain dan tidak bukan rasa tidak puashati yang membuak-buak di kalangan pimpinan Umno terhadap Datuk Seri Najib selaku presiden yang dilihat terlalu bergantung kepada isterinya.

"Bayangkan, Rosmah boleh menyertai mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi Umno," kata seorang pemimpin Umno.

Apabila ditanya, betulkah maklumat ini, dia berkata "Tanyalah kepada mana-mana ahli MT, mereka akan sahkan. Beberapa mesyuarat MT turut disertai Rosmah."

Selain faktor itu, faktor tidak berpuashati dengan pendekatan Najib juga menyebabkan timbalannya, Tan Sri Muhyidin Yasin dikatakan mahu mengambil kesempatan untuk menggantikan beliau.

Menurut sumber media, Muhyidin telah berjaya meletakkan orang-orangnya di kebanyakan media milik Umno iaitu kumpulan Utusan dan kumpulan Media Prima.

(Muka depan Utusan hari ini)


"Di NST, hanya Datuk Jalil Hamid (Editor Pengurusan Kumpulan) sahaja orang Najib. Di bawah beliau semuanya orang Muhyidin," kata seorang rakan media.

Sebab itulah, berita-berita Muhyidin berjaya berada di tempat yang utama dalam media-media milik Umno ini.

Menurut sumber itu, Muhyidin berdiri di atas penyokong-penyokong Tun Dr Mahathir yang berlambak di dalam Umno.

Hatta, SMS beredar sekarang, Setiausaha Agung Umno, Tengku Adnan Mansor juga sudah beranggapan ini adalah sessi terakhir untuk Najib sebagai Presiden.

Jika Najib gagal capai keputusan 2/3 dalam pilihan raya umum ini, dia dianggap gagal sebagaimana Pak Lah dianggap gagal. Apatah lagi kalau kerajaan BN jatuh ke tangan Pakatan Rakyat dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Itu senario yang berlaku di dalam Umno menjelang perhimpunan mereka hujung bulan ini. Apa pula tindakan PAS? Inilah isu yang perlu di perhatikan.

Ketika perpecahan dalam Umno ekoran pertembungan Dr Mahathir dengan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah 1987 dahulu, kepimpinan Allahyarham Datuk Fadzil Mohd Nor telah membuka pintu PAS seluas-luasnya untuk disertai oleh pemberontak dalam Umno ini.

Begitu juga apabila Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dipecat dari Umno. Ustaz Fadzil telah bertemu sendiri dengan Anwar pada hari beliau dipecat di rumahnya dekat Bukit Damansara.

Hasil kedua-dua tindakan itu Kelantan kekal bersama PAS sehingga kini di samping kemenangan besar PAS pada pilihan raya 1999 dan 2008.

Meluat

Pertembungan yang berlaku dalam Umno sekarang agak berbeza dari segi bantuknya. Ia belum lagi melibatkan pemimpin besar tetapi peringkat akar umbi dalam Umno.

Mereka mula meluat dengan salah laku dan salah guna kuasa dalam parti itu yang melibatkan segala projek kerajaan.

Sekurang-kurangnya tiga bekas pemimpin Umno yang menyertai PAS dan PKR (Datuk Tamrin Ghafar, Datuk Yahya Lampong dan Datuk Kadir Sheikh Fadzil) meletakkan semua kesalahannya kepada Dr Mahathir.

Bagi mereka, Mahathir telah mengubah segala perkara yang selama ini menyatukan orang Melayu di dalam Umno. Beliau dikaitkan dengan kepentingan kroni dan sebagainya.

Ketika media menyerang tingkah laku beliau dalam Petronas dan tender untuk anak-anaknya, secara terbuka tetapi sinis Mahthir beliau menyerang musuh tegar beliau dalam Umno yang bernama Khairy Jamaludin Abu Bakar.

Hinggakan ada berita yang mengatakan, Khairy sudah menandatangani watikah perlantikan beliau sebagai timbalan menteri baru-baru ini namun nama beliau sampai sudah tidak diumumkan oleh perdana menteri Najib, dikaitkan dengan Mahathir.

Deepak

(Muhyidin kelihatan bakal memimpin Umno...di mana Najib.. foto TMI)
Pemberontakan sedang berlaku dalam Umno. Masing-masing tidak berpuashati dan menganggap Umno sudah busuk hingga ke ususnya. Umno sudah tidak boleh diperbaiki lagi. Siapa saja bakal pemimpin Umno akan hadapi masalah ini hatta Muhyidin sekalipun.

Namun, Muhyidin yakin dia mempunyai pendekatan yang betul untuk hadapi musuh utama Umno iaitu PAS. Ucapan Muhyidin di perhimpunan sayap Umno semalam memberikan indikasi pendekatan yang bakal digunakan Muhyidin. Jelas, PAS adalah sasaran Muhyidin. Ini kerana Muhyidin tahu PAS lah bakal merebut pengundi Melayu yang kini menjulang Umno di puncak kuasa.

Muhyidin kelihatan jelas dengan sasarannya. Ketika Muhyidin berucap menetapkan halatuju yang ditawarkan beliau kepada Umno, semua media alternatif termasuk Harakahdaily menyiarkan temubual khas mereka dengan Deepak Jaikishan, rakan baik isteri Najib, Rosmah Mansor sebelum ini.

(Laporan dari 3 media mengenai kenyataan Deepak semalam)

Deepak menjelaskan, beliau sangat rapat dengan Rosmah dan pernah mendapat peluang perniagaan bernilai hingga bilion ringgit hasil hubungan tersebut.

Namun kerana salah faham dalam projek besar untuk menyelamatkan Najib selepas keluarnya Kenyataan Bersumpah (SD) P Balasubramaniam, Deepak diketepikan.

Bukan sahaja diketepi bahkan disusahkan apabila lebih 50 penguatkuasa undang-undang negara dihantar ke rumah, pejabat dan kilang milik Deepak.

Deepak memang mengaku dia dihubungi di tengah malam agar membantu Najib menghadapi SD Bala itu yang mendakwa Najib ada kaitan dengan kematian Altantuya Shariibuu.

Deepak berjaya membantu Najib apabila Bala bersetuju membuat satu SD lain keesokannya dan sekaligus menarik balik SD yang pertama. Bala membuat U - Turn, dari Najib bersalah kepada Najib tidak bersalah.

Namun, kerana tidak berpuashati dengan janjinya, Bala sekali lagi membuat U-Turn dan mendedahkan kenapa beliau berbuat demikian.

Lalu Deepak dipersalahkan dan 50 penguatkuasa dihantar ke rumah, pejabat dan kilang beliau. Hasilnya semua dokumen perniagaan yang berkaitan dengan keluarga PM diambil oleh penguatkuasa itu dan tidak dipulangkan sehingga sekarang.

Lalu timbul persoalan, kenapa pendedahan ini dibuat ketika Muhyidin mengajak Umno mengambil pendekatan baru dalam menghadapi Pakatan Rakyat.

Kenapa ia timbul menjelang perhimpunan agung Umno yang terakhir sebelum pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Pembaca lebih cerdik untuk menyambung analisa ini.

UMNO General Assembly re-enacting last year’s “drama”: Who lied – Najib/Muhyiddin, Chua Soi Lek or all three?

The 66th UMNO General Assembly is in full-swing but it is only a re-enactment of last year’s 65th UMNO General Assembly “drama”.

At the end of the 65th UMNO General Assembly last December, I posed the question: “Who lied – Najib/Muhyiddin or Chua Soi Lek? Or all three?”

Although the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will only be delivering his UMNO Presidential address tomorrow and his winding-up speech on Friday, one does not have to be prescient to know it will be equally valid and pertinent to pose this same question at the end of the 66th UMNO General Assembly.

The Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO Deputy President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, has already started the ball rolling for the re-enactment of this “drama” last year of whether “Who lied – Najib/Muhyiddin or Chua Soi Lek? Or all three?”

Last night at the opening of the UMNO Youth, Wanita and Puteri Assemblies, Muhyiddin dismissed PAS’ Islamic State goal as “a daydream”.

But this is the very exact opposite of what the MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek is warning the Malaysian Chinese and non-Muslims up and down the country of “a point of no return” for the PAS agenda of an Islamic state if Pakatan Rakyat wins Putrajaya in the 13th general election!

This is a vindication of my thesis that one important difference between the Pakatan Rakyat and the Barisan Nasional is that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition practises the politics of “Unite and Rule” as distinct from the traditional but divisive and destructive politics of “Divide and Rule” of UMNO/BN, polarising instead of uniting Malaysians along racial and religious lines.

Through the politics of lies, falsehoods and fear, UMNO/Barisan Nasional parties spread different and conflicting messages among different racial and religious groups, sowing the seeds of suspicion, distrust and even hatred, which is totally against the task of Malaysian nation-building.

Muhyiddin has proved himself to be a quite a political chameleon in the past 48 hours – invoking the image of a moderate on Tuesday night when closing the International Forum 2012 on war and conflict in conjunction with Umno’s 66th General Assembly, exhorting the virtues of “moderation and fairness to all”, but donning the garb of a racialist 24 hours later when opening the UMNO Youth, Wanita and Puteri Assemblies.

Malaysians find Muhyiddin “a bit rich” when he launched an attack on the Pakatan Rakyat parties, labelling DAP for instance as “racists” and “chauvinists” when DAP leaders publicly declared their full support of the 1Malaysia concept of Malaysians regarding themselves as Malaysian first and their race, religion, geography and socio-economic status second while the country will not forget Muhyiddin’s defiant declaration of being “Malay first, Malaysian second”!

However, I must admit that up to now, Muhyiddin has yet to outdo his mischief and venom at last year’s UMNO General Assembly where he made history as the only Deputy Prime Minister in the world caught telling a bare-faced lie while playing the race card when he falsely accused the DAP of being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers, even telling the lie that the DAP’s agenda is to establish a Republic in Malaysia.

There was completely silence from Muhyiddin when I challenged him to substantiate his allegation that the DAP wanted to abolish the constitutional monarchy and establish a Republic.

But the day is still young for the 66th UMNO General Assemblies and we have still to see who are the UMNO leaders who will stand out this time in making the DAP a “whipping boy” with all sorts of groundless and even seditious allegations and lies against the DAP – that the DAP is anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Malay Rulers and “agents of Christianisation” to bring about a “Christian Malaysia”.

Najib has often said that UMNO must change or UMNO will be changed.

Will the speeches of UMNO leaders and delegates at the 66th UMNO General Assembly show that UMNO is incapable of change on its own and that it must be changed by the voters by giving UMNO an opportunity to play the role of a loyal and responsible Opposition in the Federal Parliament after the 13GE?

The Hair-Raising Truth About the MCA

By Martin Jalleh

Aff Suzuki Cup Mission Is Not Over Yet - Rajagobal

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- National head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal reiterated that the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 mission has not ended despite the emphatic 4-1 win over Laos Wednesday night.

Rajagobal, 56, said the win was the best tonic for his squad before the crucial Group B match against arch-rival Indonesia at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

"The boys performed well and they deserved to win. Actually we had many chances to score but at the end of the first half, we made sloppy mistakes and allowed Laos to equalise.

"I want the players to forget this victory and focus on the match against Indonesia because I feel the game against them (Indonesia) will not be an easy one," he told reporters after the match against Laos, here tonight.

Malaysia's four goals were scored by Safiq Rahim (15th min), Mohd Safee Mohd Sali (67th min), Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor (75th min) and Mohd Khyrill Muhymeen Zambri (79th min).

UMNO: Najib Observes General Assemblies Of Three Umno Wings

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, spent about 45 minutes to observe for themselves the debates at the general assemblies of the Umno Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings Wednesday.

Shortly after arrival at 11.30am, Najib and his wife dropped by at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) where about 1,000 Wanita Umno delegates were intently listening to the debate by Pasir Mas Wanita Umno division head, Rita Sarbanon Ismail.

Taking advantage of the presence of Najib, who is also Umno president, Rita, as the first debater, informed the audience of the commitment of the 230,000 members of the Wanita machinery in ensuring victory for Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election, which was greeted by loud applause from the delegates.

Ten minutes later, Najib and Rosmah proceeded to Dewan Tun Dr Ismail, the venue for the Umno Youth assembly, where the delegates were listening to the speech of their leader, Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the party president for the efforts made for the young generation and hoped that the momentum would build up to gain bigger support for Umno from the young generation.

Najib also spent time with former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was present, before entering the Dewan Tun Hussein Onn where the Puteri Umno delegates were having their general assembly.

Later, Najib and Rosmah visited the stalls on Level 3 before leaving the PWTC.

Najib is scheduled to chair a special meeting of the Umno supreme council tonight.

Death in custody – G Veerasamy (Pandan Indah police station lock-up, 28 Nov 2003)

On 28 Nov 2003, over nine years ago, 52-year old security guard G Veerasamy died in police custody at the Pandan Indah police station.  

According to his son, V Suresh, his father had been healthy when he had last seen him at the same police station on 24 Nov 2003, the day of his arrest.  V Suresh was informed that his father had died from stomach pains, but when identifying his father’s body at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, he reportedly saw injury marks on his father’s face.  

An inquest into G Veerasamy’s death started on 13 Jul 2004 at the Ampang Magistrates Court.  According to a news report, a doctor from Kuala Lumpur Hospital testified that when G Veerasamy had been brought to her for treatment on the day of his arrest, he had a fractured nasal bone, laceration of the nose and bruises on his back.  Based on those wounds, the doctor believed he had been assaulted.  No further details on the progress or outcome of the inquest were available at the time of writing.

Every death in custody must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. G Veerasamy’s death must not be relegated to a mere statistic.

Based on the statistics disclosed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 156 persons died in police custody between 2000 until February 2011.

We express our heartfelt condolences to G Veerasamy’s family and friends on the recent anniversary of his death.

Ex-IGP accuses Hisham of meddling with PDRM

(Malaysiakini) Former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan claimed today the police force under him faced interference from Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

At a press conference in Petaling Jaya, Musa said Hishammuddin had once given instructions directly to junior police officers and a district police chief without his knowledge.

“So, I highlighted to him (Hishammuddin) Section 4 (1) of the Police Act (1967, which says) that the command and control of the police is by the IGP and not the minister.

“Of course, I cannot be rude to him as (he is) a minister. I talked to him nicely. He didn’t like it,” said Musa.

He was responding to a question from the media on whether he had faced hindrance from Hishammuddin during his time as the country’s top cop. Musa retired in September 2010.

The press conference was called by Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch), with which Musa serves as patron.

Asked again if Hishammuddin reacted negatively to the exchange, Musa replied: “I think so. That is why (my contract) was not extended.”

No grudge

However, Musa was quick to add that this was not a case of “sour grapes” and neither was he raising the issue now because of a grudge he had with the home minister.

“I am very happy with my retirement. You can get others to do it (run the police force), but do it properly. Take care of the security of this country, the people and society. That is the most important thing,” he said.

Nevertheless, he pointed out that a certain minister, alluding to Hishammuddin, still appeared to be by-passing the IGP and issuing instructions directly to police officers, and he based this on news reports quoting the said minister.
“You read the papers, sometimes you hear: ‘I have directed police to do this’, ‘I have directed the police to do that’. I think you know (laughs),” he said.

Additionally, Musa said other politicians and “top people” have also tried to interfere in the arrest of certain criminals.

“I can give an example. Whenever I arrest some crooks who are involved in illegal activities, there would be phone calls for me to release them. From top people, you know,” he said, adding  that it happened quite often.

Unlawful instructions

When asked how he handled such incidents, Musa said that he would not execute the instruction if it was unlawful.

“I just tell them ‘I cannot take action because it is against the law’. Okay? I can only take lawful orders as an IGP, under Section 20 (2) of the Police Act (1967), the police must only take lawful orders.

“You have to inform back to your superiors that it is an unlawful order. ‘Very sorry, no action will be taken’. If he still insists (I’ll say) ‘Can you please give it to me in black and white, because I won’t be responsible after that’,” he said.

Musa said that this applied even if the instruction came from the prime minister.

However, he said that his insistence on a written instructions usually dissuades his immediate superiors - the home minister and his deputy.

“When I say black and white, normally they stop,” he said.
Altantuya case: No interference
To another question, Musa said there was no political interference during investigations on the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.
"There were no intereference, or else I won’t be investigating my own people and Razak Baginda," he said.
Abdul Razak Baginda, known for his close ties with then deputy premier Najib Abdul Razak, was acquitted in 2008 of abetting two police personnel in Altantuya's murder.
The two police personnel - Sirul Azha Umar and Azilah Hadri - were convicted of murder in 2009 and sentenced to hang. Their hearing at the Court of Appeal has been postponed twice.
At the time, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was both prime minister and home minister.
On the sidelines of the Umno general assembly, Hishammuddin was approached by reporters on Musa’s revelations, but he declined comment.

“I don’t know... Let me check... I do not want people to have any wrong perception,” he said.