Thursday, 20 March 2014
New case of sexual harassment in Egypt sparks outrage
In a video that has gone viral on social networks and has been covered by local media, Cairo University security guards escort a student wearing tight black pants and a long sleeved pink top after she hid in a toilet from dozens of male students who were sexually harassing her.
More than 99 percent of women in Egypt have been subjected to a form of harassment, according to a study carried out in 2013 by UN Women.
Women report that they are harassed regardless of whether they are dressed in conservative Islamic veils or Western-style clothing.
University dean Gaber Nassar said the student's outfit, which he described as "a bit unconventional," led to the harassment, quickly adding that he was not justifying the incident.
"This girl entered the university wearing an abaya (loose cloak) and then took it off in the faculty, and appeared with those clothes, that caused, in reality -- but this doesn't justify at all" the incident, Nassar said on private Egyptian channel ONTV.
He said university guards turn away students who show up at campus dressed inappropriately.
"The student's mistake does not justify what the (other) students did," he added.
Most of Cairo University's female students wear jeans and tops and avoid revealing clothes, and many wear the traditional Islamic headscarves, as do the majority of Egypt's women.
Nassar later wrote on Twitter that he was misunderstood and that he was not blaming the student for the incident.
"I assure that this is not true and I apologise for the misunderstanding and I repeat that those who (harassed the girl) will be severely punished," he wrote.
Fathi Farid, with an anti-sexual harassment group, said male students had verbally attacked the woman and attempted to undress her.
"The worst is that people always find justification for the harassment and blame it on the victim," said Farid, a founding member of the "I saw harassment" campaign that documents sexual harassment against women.
The incident sparked outrage on social networks and in the media.
Nassar "should be interrogated and expelled, investigations into the incident should start immediately", women's rights activist Mariam Kirollos wrote on her Twitter account.
Several popular talk-shows covered the incident.
"A girl is naked, does it mean someone should jump on her?" television host Amr Adib asked in disbelief, during his show on the privately-owned Orbit channel.
Accused Abdul Hannan, Murshed Miah, Rasad Miah and Mohammad Islam due in court after body of Harjit Chaggar found in shop in Luton, Chatham
by KentOnline reporter
Four men are due in court today accused over the death of a pensioner whose body was found in a Chatham shop.
The body of grandmother Harjit Chaggar was discovered in the basement of the Sani Globe store, in Luton Road, on September 14 last year. She went missing on September 2 after last being seen in the Luton Arches area at about 4pm that day.
Abdul Hannan, 44, Murshed Miah, 38, and 28-year-old Mohammad Islam have all denied murdering the 69-year-old retired machinist, of Hillside Road, Chatham.
Rasad Miah, of Otway Street, Chatham, has denied preventing the lawful burial or cremation of a corpse.
Hannan, of Aldon Close, Maidstone, Mushed Miah; of Wheeler Street, Maidstone; and Islam, of Windmill Road, Gillingham, have all been remanded in custody.
Rasad Miah, 27, was granted bail conditional on residence, reporting twice a week to police and not contacting prosecution witnesses.
Harjit Chaggar was found dead in a shop in Chatham
Four men are due in court today accused over the death of a pensioner whose body was found in a Chatham shop.
The body of grandmother Harjit Chaggar was discovered in the basement of the Sani Globe store, in Luton Road, on September 14 last year. She went missing on September 2 after last being seen in the Luton Arches area at about 4pm that day.
Abdul Hannan, 44, Murshed Miah, 38, and 28-year-old Mohammad Islam have all denied murdering the 69-year-old retired machinist, of Hillside Road, Chatham.
Rasad Miah, of Otway Street, Chatham, has denied preventing the lawful burial or cremation of a corpse.
A cordon outside Sani Globe food store in Luton Road
Rasad Miah, 27, was granted bail conditional on residence, reporting twice a week to police and not contacting prosecution witnesses.
I’m no racist, says Wan Junaidi over child rape issue
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic) has dismissed suggestions by his critics that he is a racist when he compared statistics of statutory rape between Malays and non-Malays.
"How can I be a racist when my wife is Chinese and I have many relatives who are non-Muslims/Malays," he said, when asked to clarify his remarks.
He said the Malays tend to lodge reports due to their religious and cultural sensitivities on statutory rape, even if was a consensual act.
"They have no other solution, but to lodge police reports, even when they realise that consensual sex with a minor was a statutory sexual offence," he told reporters after opening the Asia Pacific non-governmental organisation conference on Human Trafficking in Kuala Lumpur today.
Wan Junaidi sparked a furore when he said, in reply to a question, that child rape was more common among Malays because non-Malays are less sensitive and under-report such cases.
He said the majority of Muslim parents were unable to accept the idea of sex before marriage .
"There are more reports involving Malays compared with other races because Muslims can't accept a child out of wedlock, pre-marital sex, and because these acts are wrong by Islamic law (zina)," Wan Junaidi said in Parliament during question time.
Wan Junaidi said statistics showed 80%, or 1,147 of the 1,424 of statutory rape cases reported last year, involved Malays.
Statutory rape covers girls aged below 16, regardless of whether it involved consensual sex and whether the accused was an adult or minor.
In comparison, he said, Chinese accounted for 4.3% (62 victims), Indians accounted for 2% (32), while other races accounted for about 13% (183).
He said this was consistent with the numbers for 2012, where out of the 1,243 underage rape victims, Malays accounted for 80%, Chinese 5%, Indians 3%, while other races accounted for 12%.
Wan Junaidi said statutory rape cases were mostly caused by access to pornographic material available easily on the Internet.
He said other reasons for underage rape included young people being influenced by friends as well as an urge to try having sex.
Wan Junaidi's remarks hit a raw nerve among netizens and civil society, who rebuked him for being insensitive.
Wan Junaidi said he had discussed with his officers the wide disparity in the number of child rape police reports before delivering the reply in Parliament but they did not give him a satisfactory answer.
"I want this to be studied and this includes getting professors to do research," he added.
Elaborating on his speech at the conference, he said his ministry was reevaluating the Human Trafficking Act 2007 to meet international standards.
He said this in response to the United States report on Human Trafficking which placed Malaysia on the Tier Two Watch list for the fourth consecutive year (2010-2013) and the possibility of being downgraded this year.
The 2013 report said that Malaysia did not fully comply with the minimum standards of elimination of human trafficking in terms of prosecution, protection accorded to victims and prevention.
Wan Junaidi said Malaysia had taken steps to provide shelter homes and also employment opportunities to victims until they were sent back home.
"They are not confined in shelter homes but are also given skills training," he added.
Wan Junaidi, however, said any amendment to the law must be done after careful study or there would be an influx of foreign nationals and this would be a strain on the country.
"We never had malaria and tuberculosis but these diseases have returned due to the high number of foreign workers," he said.
He said the government would intensify its effort to work with NGOs to create awareness among the public on the effects of human trafficking and also to provide support to victims. – March 19, 2014.
Palani backtracks on Vell Paari, gives him a post
After being issued a show-cause letter for allegedly criticising the president, Vell Paari has now been made the strategic director.
PETALING JAYA: Merely 10 days after issuing a show-cause letter to S Vell Paari over his alleged criticism against the party, MIC president G Palanivel makes a U-turn by re-appointing the former as the party’s strategic director bureau chief.
A Tamil daily owned by Vell Paari published an article today claiming that Palanivel has appointed the son of former party president S Samy Vellu to the said position.
The appointment was announced by MIC vice president M Saravanan during the party’s Federal Territory meeting yesterday.
When contacted, Vell Paari confirmed that he was offered the position. Nevertheless he did not reveal further details on the appointment.
“The party disciplinary committee has still not issued their official statement on my show-cause letter. Thus, I cannot reveal anything at this moment,” he said, adding that he has already replied to the letter.
On March 7, MIC disciplinary committee issued the show-cause letter to the former party strategic director for issuing statements against the party president in the media.
Disciplinary committee head KS Nijhar said Vell Paari would be given 14 days to reply to the show-cause letter.
The show cause letter was issued immediately after Vell Paari had issued a press statement against Palanivel, who is also the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, for failing to alert and update the public on the haze and the prolonged drought.
Vell Paari, who is also Kepong MIC division chief, had urged the minister to take into view the plight of Malaysians facing the haze problem.
The committee will also issue a similar show-cause letter to Shah Alam MIC branch chairman S Vaithialingam.
It is expected that the disciplinary committee will issue an official statement tomorrow.
A Tamil daily owned by Vell Paari published an article today claiming that Palanivel has appointed the son of former party president S Samy Vellu to the said position.
The appointment was announced by MIC vice president M Saravanan during the party’s Federal Territory meeting yesterday.
When contacted, Vell Paari confirmed that he was offered the position. Nevertheless he did not reveal further details on the appointment.
“The party disciplinary committee has still not issued their official statement on my show-cause letter. Thus, I cannot reveal anything at this moment,” he said, adding that he has already replied to the letter.
On March 7, MIC disciplinary committee issued the show-cause letter to the former party strategic director for issuing statements against the party president in the media.
Disciplinary committee head KS Nijhar said Vell Paari would be given 14 days to reply to the show-cause letter.
The show cause letter was issued immediately after Vell Paari had issued a press statement against Palanivel, who is also the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, for failing to alert and update the public on the haze and the prolonged drought.
Vell Paari, who is also Kepong MIC division chief, had urged the minister to take into view the plight of Malaysians facing the haze problem.
The committee will also issue a similar show-cause letter to Shah Alam MIC branch chairman S Vaithialingam.
It is expected that the disciplinary committee will issue an official statement tomorrow.
MH370 mystery: New data but no details
Malaysia today confirmed that it has some new radar data on the missing MH370.
SEPANG: Malaysia today confirmed that it has some new radar data on the missing MH370, said all passengers, pilots and crew of the missing Boeing 777-200ER remain innocent until proven otherwise.
Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein today confirmed that Malaysia had received “some radar data”, but the authorities were not at the liberty to release information from other countries.
“I appeal to all our partners to continue volunteering any and all information that could help with the investigation and the search for MH370.
“Regarding reports that the plane was sighted in the Maldives, I can confirm that the Malaysian chief of the defence force has contacted his counterpart in the Maldives, who has confirmed that these reports are not true,” he said at a daily press conference here today.
MH370 has been missing since March 8 on a flight from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing, China, carrying some 239 passengers and crew . The plane was last spotted by the civilian radar flying over the South China Sea, an hour after takeoff about 12.40am Saturday morning. The plane appeared in the military radar an hour later, in the western side of peninsula Malaysia heading towards the Andaman Sea.
Authorities have not ruled out possibility of a hijack as the plane had its internal transponders switched off after losing contact with the civilian aircraft radar.
On the police investigations into the passengers and crew of the jetliner, Hishammuddin, who is also Defence Minister, said the case has been classified under section 130C of the Penal Code.
“All passengers, crew and ground staff handling the aircraft are being investigated. We are sharing all information relevant to the case with all relevant international investigative agencies that require it. We have received passenger background checks from all countries apart from Ukraine and Russia, both of which had nationals on board.
“So far, no information of significance on any passengers has been found. Local and international expertise has been recruited to examine the pilot’s flight simulator (found at the pilot’s house). Some data had been deleted from the simulator and forensic work to retrieve this data is on-going.
“I would like to take this opportunity to state that the passengers, the pilots and the crew remain innocent until proven otherwise. For the sake of their families, I ask that we refrain from any unnecessary speculation that might make an already difficult time even harder,” he added.
High-level team to Beijing
On the search for the missing jet, he said the focus remain on narrowing the search corridor, by gathering satellite information, analysing radar data, increasing air and surface assets and increasing the number of technical experts.
“On the diplomatic front, all 26 countries involved in the search and rescue operation have verbally agreed to assist the operations, and Malaysia has written to all countries formally requesting co-operation.
“A number of assets which have already been committed are awaiting diplomatic clearance to begin operations. Once we receive formal clearance, we can then speed up the deployment of assets along the search corridors,” he said.
The minister also announced the formation of a high-level team that will travel to Beijing immediately.
“I would like to announce that in addition to the team that is already on the ground, Malaysia is currently assembling a high-level team that will immediately travel to Beijing. The team will give briefings and updates to the next of kin on the latest situation, and on search and rescue plans,” he said.
The team will include representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Malaysian Air Force, the Department of Civil Aviation, and Malaysia Airlines.
It will be led by Lieutenant General Ackbal Haji Abdul Samad (Air Operation Commander, Royal Malaysia Air Force), assisted by Ahmad Nizar Zolfakar (Director, Air Traffic Services, Department of Civil Aviation) and will include a senior 777 pilot.
Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein today confirmed that Malaysia had received “some radar data”, but the authorities were not at the liberty to release information from other countries.
“I appeal to all our partners to continue volunteering any and all information that could help with the investigation and the search for MH370.
“Regarding reports that the plane was sighted in the Maldives, I can confirm that the Malaysian chief of the defence force has contacted his counterpart in the Maldives, who has confirmed that these reports are not true,” he said at a daily press conference here today.
MH370 has been missing since March 8 on a flight from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing, China, carrying some 239 passengers and crew . The plane was last spotted by the civilian radar flying over the South China Sea, an hour after takeoff about 12.40am Saturday morning. The plane appeared in the military radar an hour later, in the western side of peninsula Malaysia heading towards the Andaman Sea.
Authorities have not ruled out possibility of a hijack as the plane had its internal transponders switched off after losing contact with the civilian aircraft radar.
On the police investigations into the passengers and crew of the jetliner, Hishammuddin, who is also Defence Minister, said the case has been classified under section 130C of the Penal Code.
“All passengers, crew and ground staff handling the aircraft are being investigated. We are sharing all information relevant to the case with all relevant international investigative agencies that require it. We have received passenger background checks from all countries apart from Ukraine and Russia, both of which had nationals on board.
“So far, no information of significance on any passengers has been found. Local and international expertise has been recruited to examine the pilot’s flight simulator (found at the pilot’s house). Some data had been deleted from the simulator and forensic work to retrieve this data is on-going.
“I would like to take this opportunity to state that the passengers, the pilots and the crew remain innocent until proven otherwise. For the sake of their families, I ask that we refrain from any unnecessary speculation that might make an already difficult time even harder,” he added.
High-level team to Beijing
On the search for the missing jet, he said the focus remain on narrowing the search corridor, by gathering satellite information, analysing radar data, increasing air and surface assets and increasing the number of technical experts.
“On the diplomatic front, all 26 countries involved in the search and rescue operation have verbally agreed to assist the operations, and Malaysia has written to all countries formally requesting co-operation.
“A number of assets which have already been committed are awaiting diplomatic clearance to begin operations. Once we receive formal clearance, we can then speed up the deployment of assets along the search corridors,” he said.
The minister also announced the formation of a high-level team that will travel to Beijing immediately.
“I would like to announce that in addition to the team that is already on the ground, Malaysia is currently assembling a high-level team that will immediately travel to Beijing. The team will give briefings and updates to the next of kin on the latest situation, and on search and rescue plans,” he said.
The team will include representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Malaysian Air Force, the Department of Civil Aviation, and Malaysia Airlines.
It will be led by Lieutenant General Ackbal Haji Abdul Samad (Air Operation Commander, Royal Malaysia Air Force), assisted by Ahmad Nizar Zolfakar (Director, Air Traffic Services, Department of Civil Aviation) and will include a senior 777 pilot.
Wan Junaidi’s shocking child rape remark
I think most of us were shocked to hear the reply in Parliament by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to the question of why the incidence of child rape is more common among Malays.
His outrageous unsubstantiated statement that Malays were more sensitive than non-Malays to the issue of statutory rape borders on the ridiculous. However, the sad fact is that it seems that even a serious crime such as sexual violence and child abuse is viewed or even judged through the lens of race. Even at the highest levels of government, mind-sets continue to be imprisoned by the straitjacket of racism.
No person at the Cabinet level, whose responsibility it is to look at issues which affect all Malaysians, should be making racist and sweeping statements which inevitably reflect the level of seriousness of which such issues are considered as well as the policies linked to it.
Rightly or wrongly, based on the Deputy Home Minister’s statement in Parliament, people would be justified in thinking that the government has a misplaced sense of understanding regarding sexual violence and child abuse.
What the Deputy Home Minister stated in his answer to the question in Parliament is a serious issue because this is not about his personal opinion, which would be sufficiently appalling and despicable enough. This is about the position of the government on a serious issue which affects women and girls in this country. His answers in the House, therefore becomes the position.
Therefore, I must ask, is the position of our government therefore that the incidence of child rape is more common among Malays, because Malays were more sensitive than non-Malays to the issue of statutory rape?
Another sad fact is that the Deputy Home Minister’s statement seems to focus on the issue of reporting. He appears to reject a fundamental problem: the reality that there is a high incidence of rape and sexual violence occurring to children in Malaysia, irrespective of their ethnicity.
Royal Malaysian Police statistics indicate that 10 women and girls are sexually assaulted each day. Fifty per cent of all such cases, which includes rape, involve children below the age of 16. Bear in mind that these numbers do not include cases where the rape survivor was married off to the rapist, changing the status of the crime from haram to halal.
Like a true politician born and bred in divisive racial politics, the Deputy Home Minister decided instead to take the defensive approach as if the question was a criticism of the Malay community, and respond to the effect that the children of other races are raped too but that they are more accepting or tolerant about it and therefore don’t report. What rubbish.
For the benefit of Yang Berhomat Timbalan Mentri, allow me to repeat this sobering statistic: 50 per cent of sexual violence in Malaysia occurs to girls below the age of 16. Don’t believe me? Go and visit PDRM’s Sexual Crimes Unit.
Perhaps he needs to spend some time with some of the urban poor families living in Malaysia’s cities. Many of them live in low cost and high density apartments and in conditions which would be terrifying and vulnerable for any child. READ MORE HERE
Hishammuddin should not have dishonoured Parliament by causing a parliamentary crack on the MH370 crisis when he should have presented a united national front in world’s largest-ever multi-national air-sea SAR
By Lim Kit Siang,
The Acting Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should not have dishonoured Parliament by causing a parliamentary crack on the MH370 crisis when he should have presented a united national front in the world’s largest-ever 26-nation multi-national air-sea search-and-rescue (SAR) operation for the missing Malaysian Airlines aircraft with 239 passengers and crew on board.
Over a hundred ships, helicopters and aircrafts as well as radar systems from 26 nations are involved in a SAR mission scouring two vast tracts of territories totaling 2.24 million sq nautical miles (about 7.68 million square kilometres) stretching from the southern Indian Ocean to Kazakhstan in the north to find the missing MH370 Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
The world’s largest-ever multi-national air-sea SAR, entering the 12th day after over 250 hours without any clue on the whereabouts of the aircraft or what happened on March 8, is in a race against time as there are only 18 days left for the search teams to locate the aircraft’s black box, the most important piece of aviation technology, as it will only transmit a signal for 30 days.
When Malaysia expects unprecedented international unity in the world’s largest-ever multi-national SAR operation, Malaysians and in particular the Malaysian Parliament must demonstrate unprecedented national unity in support of the SAR mission for the missing aircraft and not to present any parliamentary crack, division or disunity to the world on this issue.
Unfortunately, this is what Hishammuddin did when he held a “For Barisan Nasional MPs” briefing on the missing MH370 at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral BallRoom last night – completely unmindful of the undesirable, unfortunate and untrue message he is beaming to the world that the Malaysian Parliament is divided into two camps on the MH370 SAR mission!
It is not that Hishammuddin had not been forewarned beforehand that he should not be partisan and give a “For BN MPs only” briefing, when he should be giving a briefing – in fact regular briefings – to all Malaysian MPs!
Hishammuddin himself knows that what he had done was both wrong and improper which is why he had come out with the lame excuse that Pakatan Rakyat MPs had not asked for a briefing – when he should know that both BN and PR MPs have spoken up about their concerns for the fate of the 239 passengers and crew onboard MH370.
In fact, Pakatan Rakyat through PAS MP for Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar had even sought to have an urgent parliamentary debate on the MH370 crisis last week under Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 18(1) but this was not allowed.
Invitations for the MH370 “For BN MPs only” briefing at the Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Ballroom was sent out in the name of the Acting Transport Minister, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein – raising the question whether this was a BNBBC event or an official Transport Ministry function.
What are the costs of the event at the post hotel, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Ballroom, and was it borne by the taxpayers through the Transport Ministry or by the BNBBC?
Why wasn’t the briefing, even “For BN MPs only” held in Parliament House, which would not have incurred the exorbitant costs of holding it in a post hotel like Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Ballroom – which must have “cost a bomb”?
BN Beluran MP and Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee is quoted as saying that Hishammuddin said nothing extra at the briefing as “Everything said at the daily briefings was repeated last night. There was nothing new or special instructions given.”
Hishammuddin admitted as much after the Aloft “briefing” saying that he had only updated the BNBBC on the timeline of the events and had not shared confidential information beyond what the investigation team could divulge.
He said such information BN backbenchers received had also been released to the public.
If Hishammuddin had not revealed anything new at the “For BN MPs only” briefing, and only recycled information which had already been made public, what is the use of such a briefing for BN MPs?
If the Aloft “dinner briefing” is basically only a social event, why should the Department of Civil Aviations director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and top generals from the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces be dragged to attend such social functions of BNBBC when their time should be very precious and critical in the 11th day of the world’s largest-ever multi-national air-sea SAR mission to locate MH370 and to save the 239 passengers and crew onboard?
In giving a briefing on MH370 crisis which is confined only to BN MPs only, and which is only a rehash what had already been announced at the MH370 crisis daily media conferences without anything new or extra, and tying down important officials from the DAC, Armed Forces and MAS in the SAR operation in the BNBBC social dinner, Hishammuddin has got his priorities all wrong.
I for one would not want to attend any briefing by Hishammuddin which is a rehash of what he and others had already publicly announced.
Hishammuddin should provide the government leadership in Parliament to enable all MPs, whether BN or PR, to play their role not only in giving full support to the SAR mission, but even more important, to subsequently conduct full investigations into the MH 370 tragedy so as to provide answers to the multitude of queries arising from numerous controversies and confusions surrounding the MH 370 crisis.
In my speech in Parliament last Thursday, I had suggested the immediate formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Disasters to give full support to MH 370 “search and rescue” operation and to hold itself in readiness to conduct investigations after SAR ops to address all queries on the MH 370 tragedy.
Is Hishammuddin prepared to provide government leadership in Parliament and support the establishment of such a Parliamentary Select Committee, including supporting an amendment to the Motion of Thanks on the Royal Address currently being debated in the House for the establishment of such a Parliamentary Select Committee?
(Media Statement in Parliament on Wednesday, 19th March 2014)
The Acting Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should not have dishonoured Parliament by causing a parliamentary crack on the MH370 crisis when he should have presented a united national front in the world’s largest-ever 26-nation multi-national air-sea search-and-rescue (SAR) operation for the missing Malaysian Airlines aircraft with 239 passengers and crew on board.
Over a hundred ships, helicopters and aircrafts as well as radar systems from 26 nations are involved in a SAR mission scouring two vast tracts of territories totaling 2.24 million sq nautical miles (about 7.68 million square kilometres) stretching from the southern Indian Ocean to Kazakhstan in the north to find the missing MH370 Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
The world’s largest-ever multi-national air-sea SAR, entering the 12th day after over 250 hours without any clue on the whereabouts of the aircraft or what happened on March 8, is in a race against time as there are only 18 days left for the search teams to locate the aircraft’s black box, the most important piece of aviation technology, as it will only transmit a signal for 30 days.
When Malaysia expects unprecedented international unity in the world’s largest-ever multi-national SAR operation, Malaysians and in particular the Malaysian Parliament must demonstrate unprecedented national unity in support of the SAR mission for the missing aircraft and not to present any parliamentary crack, division or disunity to the world on this issue.
Unfortunately, this is what Hishammuddin did when he held a “For Barisan Nasional MPs” briefing on the missing MH370 at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral BallRoom last night – completely unmindful of the undesirable, unfortunate and untrue message he is beaming to the world that the Malaysian Parliament is divided into two camps on the MH370 SAR mission!
It is not that Hishammuddin had not been forewarned beforehand that he should not be partisan and give a “For BN MPs only” briefing, when he should be giving a briefing – in fact regular briefings – to all Malaysian MPs!
Hishammuddin himself knows that what he had done was both wrong and improper which is why he had come out with the lame excuse that Pakatan Rakyat MPs had not asked for a briefing – when he should know that both BN and PR MPs have spoken up about their concerns for the fate of the 239 passengers and crew onboard MH370.
In fact, Pakatan Rakyat through PAS MP for Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar had even sought to have an urgent parliamentary debate on the MH370 crisis last week under Dewan Rakyat Standing Order 18(1) but this was not allowed.
Invitations for the MH370 “For BN MPs only” briefing at the Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Ballroom was sent out in the name of the Acting Transport Minister, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein – raising the question whether this was a BNBBC event or an official Transport Ministry function.
What are the costs of the event at the post hotel, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Ballroom, and was it borne by the taxpayers through the Transport Ministry or by the BNBBC?
Why wasn’t the briefing, even “For BN MPs only” held in Parliament House, which would not have incurred the exorbitant costs of holding it in a post hotel like Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Ballroom – which must have “cost a bomb”?
BN Beluran MP and Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee is quoted as saying that Hishammuddin said nothing extra at the briefing as “Everything said at the daily briefings was repeated last night. There was nothing new or special instructions given.”
Hishammuddin admitted as much after the Aloft “briefing” saying that he had only updated the BNBBC on the timeline of the events and had not shared confidential information beyond what the investigation team could divulge.
He said such information BN backbenchers received had also been released to the public.
If Hishammuddin had not revealed anything new at the “For BN MPs only” briefing, and only recycled information which had already been made public, what is the use of such a briefing for BN MPs?
If the Aloft “dinner briefing” is basically only a social event, why should the Department of Civil Aviations director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and top generals from the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces be dragged to attend such social functions of BNBBC when their time should be very precious and critical in the 11th day of the world’s largest-ever multi-national air-sea SAR mission to locate MH370 and to save the 239 passengers and crew onboard?
In giving a briefing on MH370 crisis which is confined only to BN MPs only, and which is only a rehash what had already been announced at the MH370 crisis daily media conferences without anything new or extra, and tying down important officials from the DAC, Armed Forces and MAS in the SAR operation in the BNBBC social dinner, Hishammuddin has got his priorities all wrong.
I for one would not want to attend any briefing by Hishammuddin which is a rehash of what he and others had already publicly announced.
Hishammuddin should provide the government leadership in Parliament to enable all MPs, whether BN or PR, to play their role not only in giving full support to the SAR mission, but even more important, to subsequently conduct full investigations into the MH 370 tragedy so as to provide answers to the multitude of queries arising from numerous controversies and confusions surrounding the MH 370 crisis.
In my speech in Parliament last Thursday, I had suggested the immediate formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Disasters to give full support to MH 370 “search and rescue” operation and to hold itself in readiness to conduct investigations after SAR ops to address all queries on the MH 370 tragedy.
Is Hishammuddin prepared to provide government leadership in Parliament and support the establishment of such a Parliamentary Select Committee, including supporting an amendment to the Motion of Thanks on the Royal Address currently being debated in the House for the establishment of such a Parliamentary Select Committee?
(Media Statement in Parliament on Wednesday, 19th March 2014)
Underage rape cases drop to 1,424 in 2013
The New Straits Times
KUALA
LUMPUR: The number of statutory rape cases has declined from 1,550
cases in 2012 to 1,424 cases last year Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan
Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said at Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He
said although the number of cases had declined, the trend was still
worrying. Wan Junaidi was responding to a question by Che Mohamad
Zulkifly Jusoh (BN-Setiu), who had asked the ministry to state the
number of underage rape cases nationwide and the government's measures
to stop them.
He
said the government had added a special division in the Criminal
Investigation Department to research combating crimes related to sexual
and child abuse.
"One-stop crisis centres have been established in hospitals to help victims and handle them in a more professional manner.
"Counselling
services are given in police stations to help victims who are
traumatised. Reports are also taken in a special room so that victims do
not have to testify in public."
He said children under the age of 16 could now testify on video at the Child Interview Centre.
"This is to protect the children from being threatened by suspects."
MH370: Najib Holds Discussion With Ministers, Senior Officials Wednesday
KUALA
LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
on Wednesday held discussion with ministers and relevant senior
officials on the search area pertaining to the missing Malaysia Airlines
(MAS) Flight MH370."Discussing the search for MH370 with (Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri) Hishammuddin Hussein and (Foreign Minister Datuk Seri) Anifah Aman this morning.
"Also present to give clarification in our search area - which has expanded to 2.24 million square miles - were chief of armed forces, air force, police, DCA (Department of Civil Aviation) and MAS," Najib said in his latest Facebook posting.
The discussion was held at his office in Parliament House.
In his Facebook, Najib also shared a picture during the discussion which included him with Hishammuddin, Anifah, armed forces chief Gen Tan Sri Zulkifli Mohd Zin and air force chief Gen Tan Sri Rodzali Daud.
The mission to search for the aircraft carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members has entered its 12th day, since it went missing on March 8.
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