Kugan: Statements of nine people recorded

Datuk S.K. Devamany being escorted to into the the Sepang police headquarters to give his statement yesterday.

NST, Jan 26 2009

PUTRAJAYA: Police recorded the statements of nine people yesterday, following Tuesday night's incident where a group was alleged to have forced its way into the Serdang Hospital mortuary housing the body of A. Kugan who died while in police custody.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany arrived at the Sepang police headquarters at 4.15pm, followed shortly after by MIC Youth chief , T. Mohan.

In the morning, seven people, including a Makkal Osai reporter and editor as well as a Tamil Osai journalist, had their statements recorded.

The rest were two MIC members, Kapar member of parliament S. Manikavasa-gam and N. Surendran, who is the lawyer to Kugan's family.

Also present at the headquarters' compound was Teluk Intan MP M. Manoharan, who is acting as attorney to Manikavasagam and Surendran.
The other deputy minister, Senator T. Murugiah, who was also present at the mortuary, had his statement recorded on Friday at his office here.

Devamany said he was satisfied with the questioning, adding that he was also glad that he had carried out his duties.

Manikavasagam denied that he and the others who were at the mortuary had either broken into the area or trespassed.

"I have recorded evidence (video recording). It is all in there and I have promised to hand it over to the police.

"During the incident, the deceased's family called me to come over. I was the first MP and lawyer there," he said, adding that he was ready to be recalled by the police at any time.

Surendran said that based on the Serdang Hospital attendant's report, it clearly showed that the door to the mortuary was open when the estimated 50 people entered.

He claimed that the hospital made wild accusations when it said that the crowd had barged in.

Reports said the group forced its way into the mortuary and evicted the hospital staff before locking themselves in for two hours.
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Devastated: Kugan’s family grieving after seeing his body at the mortuary. pic: thestar.com

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makkalosai260109

Selangor police chief: Don’t turn Kugan funeral into a political protest

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — The Selangor police have warned those attending the funeral of A. Kugan, who died whilst in police custody, not to participate in any illegal gathering or carry banners and posters.

The funeral is scheduled on Wednesday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the funeral should not be politicised or turned into an illegal demonstration as it would disrupt public order and lead to chaos.

He believed that plans were underway by certain groups to turn the occasion into an illegal gathering to protest against alleged police brutally.

Khalid said the police learnt the funeral procession would be organised in such a manner that it would involve certain parts of the city before arriving at an undisclosed burial ground in Selangor.

"Cards and banners are also expected to be carried by members of the procession," he said in a statement here today.

The police chief advised the public not participate in the illegal gathering as the force was not against a normal funeral procession and respected the grieving family. — Bernama

‘Why did he end up dead in the lockup?’

By Neville Spykerman( The Malaysian Insider)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — The family of Kugan Ananthan, today, lashed out at police for hiding behind a wall of silence, over the death of the 22-year-old suspected car-thief.

Kugan’s uncle V.Raviroy said the police have yet to offer an explanation or apology over what had happened and have continued to keep the family in the dark.

The 42-year-old businessman said the family’s anguish started when Kugan disappeared on Jan 14.

“The police never informed us that he was arrested and we only heard about it from an anonymous caller,” Raviroy told The Malaysian Insider.

Even then, the police refused to disclose where he was being detained.

Raviroy claims that Kugan died at 11am on Jan 20 at the Taipan USJ police station but the family was only informed at 9pm by a group of plain-clothed detectives who came to their home in Kinrara, Puchong.

“All they said was that he had died and his body was at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

However when the family arrived at the mortuary at UMMC, they were told Kugan’s body was at the Serdang Hospital.

“Look what they have put us through,” he said.

Raviroy said whatever Kugan was accused of doing; he did not deserve to die.

“Kugan was only 22, he had his whole life ahead of him, why did he end up dead in the lockup,” he lamented

He said Kugan worked for an insurance claims company and did not have a police record.

Raviroy said the family had lost confidence in the police force, which did not want to allow them to have a second post-mortem.

He was especially critical of the Selangor police chief Datuk Khaild Abu Bakar who he claimed kept issuing statements to the Press but never once came to meet the family or offer an explanation.

“What we know so far about the case is what we read in the newspapers, neither Khalid nor his officers have come to see us.”

Raviroy said they will claim Kugan’s body on Wednesday and he will be cremated at the Puchong Batu 14 crematorium at 2pm.

Anwar: More crossovers soon

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — More Barisan Nasional lawmakers will cross over to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) soon following Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim’s defection, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim predicted today.

The opposition leader expressed confidence that there will be a slew of defections occurring fortnightly from February onwards.

“Now the Ox has come in, just be patient... we are working hard just like the ox,” Anwar said at a Chinese New Year party in Klang.

His confidence stemmed from the move by his old campus mate Nasaruddin, who is Bota assemblyman, on Sunday.

Effectively the Pakatan Rakyat majority in the state assembly grew from three to five.

The architect of Pakatan’s strong showing had been silent on the matter of defections since the failure of the Sept 16 federal government takeover plan.

Meanwhile according to Bernama, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin today asserted three more assemblymen, said to be from Umno, will join Pakatan.

If this comes true, then the Pakatan government in Perak which was surviving on a razor thin majority of three might increase it to 11 in a matter of weeks.-The Malaysian Insider

MIC defends both ministers linked to Serdang Hospital mortuary incident

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — The MIC will defend the two deputy ministers if the authorities find them to have broken the law in the incident where a crowd raided the mortuary of Serdang Hospital last Tuesday.

“We will hire as many lawyers to defend them if they are charged in court,” MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu said in a statement issued here today.

He was commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s statement yesterday that Datuk K Devamany and Senator T Murugiah, both deputy ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department, might likely face action if they were present at the mortuary when the crowd barged into the mortuary to examine the body of suspected car thief A Kugan who had died while in police custody.

The MIC president said it did not matter from which party the two deputy ministers hailed from as long as they were Indians “because the MIC represents the Indian community in Malaysia”.

While Devamany is a MIC member, Murugiah is from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Devamany was among nine people quizzed by the police yesterday over the incident. It was also reported that 11 policemen being investigated for allegedly causing hurt to Kugan would not be spared action if they were found to have abused their powers.

Kugan, 22, who was detained on Jan 15 at the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya on suspicion of being involved in the theft of luxury cars in Sungai Chua, Kajang, died while being questioned on Tuesday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said a post-mortem found that Kugan had died due to fluid in his lungs, but Kugan’s family sought a second post-mortem, insisting that Kugan had died of injuries.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said later that Kugan’s death had been classified as murder.

Samy Vellu also urged Syed Hamid to ensure that the police probe into Kugan’s death was transparent.

“The MIC will be monitoring the case but we are confident that the police will leave no stones unturned in their investigation,” he said. — Bernama

Kes Kugan: Keluarga 'lega' hasil awal bedah siasat kedua

Oleh G. MANIMARAN(The Star)

BAPA A. Kugen, Ananthan (dua dari kanan) bersama isterinya, N. Indra (tiga dari kanan) di bilik mayat Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya malam tadi. - foto The Star oleh MOHD SAHAR MISNI

[DIKEMAS KINI] PETALING JAYA: Keluarga suspek polis yang meninggal dunia ketika ditahan di lokap Balai Polis di Subang Jaya Selasa lalu, "gembira" dengan hasil awal bedah siasat kedua yang dijalankan di Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM) hari ini.

Keluarga dan pasukan peguam telah diberikan penjelasan oleh doktor yang membedah siasat mayat A. Kugan selama tujuh jam bermula pukul 2.30 petang tadi.

"Anggota keluarga, peguam dan saya gembira dengan hasil siasatan... kami okey, okey dengan penjelasan yang diberikan oleh pakar bedah siasat, Dr. Prasant," kata Ahli Parlimen Kapar, S. Manikavasagam ketika dihubungi lewat malam tadi.

"Setakat ini, saya hanya boleh mengatakan yang kami gembira dengan hasil bedah siasat awal ini," katanya lagi.

Tegasnya, beliau tidak boleh memberikan komen selanjutnya sehingga menunggu tindakan susulan yang akan diumumkan Rabu ini.

Anggota keluarga berkenaan diberikan penjelasan kira-kira 40 minit bermula pukul 10 malam tadi sebaik hasil bedah siasat berakhir.

Seramai lima anggota keluarga termasuk ibu bapa Kugan diberikan penjelasan oleh pakar bedah berkenaan. Turut hadir ialah tiga peguam keluarga itu, Gobind Singh, N. Surendran dan M. Manogaran.

Bagaimanapun Manikavasagam yang turut hadir dalam penjelasan itu memberitahu, pihaknya belum menerima laporan bertulis, yang dikeluarkan dalam waktu terdekat.

"Laporan bertulis akan diberikan dalam masa terdekat... ujian-ujian lanjut juga akan dijalankan ke atas sampel," katanya.

Katanya lagi, mayat Kugan akan diperoleh Rabu ini untuk upacara pengebumian.

"Untuk tindakan lanjut kami, saya berharap anda akan menunggu hingga Rabu ini," kata beliau lagi.

Terdahulu pada sidang media di Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya, Gobind yang juga Ahli Parlimen Puchong berkata: "Pakar bedah telah menjelaskan beberapa penemuan kepada kami tetapi kami tidak akan membuat kenyataan lanjut mengenainya sehingga Rabu ini."

"Kami juga dimaklumkan bahawa beberapa sampel akan dihantar ke Jabatan Kimia untuk siasatan lanjut," katanya.

Laporan Bernama awal pagi tadi menyebut, Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Senator T Murugiah berkata permohonan keluarga mangsa supaya diadakan bedah siasat kedua, berjaya dilakukan setelah kes itu dimajukan kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak semalam.

"Semalam keluarga Kugan menghubungi saya dengan mengatakan mereka berhadapan dengan kesulitan dalam permohonan bedah siasat kedua. Lalu saya hubungi Menteri Kesihatan Datuk Liow Tiong Lai dan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Datuk Seri Khalid Nordin untuk berbincang perkara ini.

"Kemudian saya hubungi TPM dan mendapat jaminan daripada beliau bahawa bedah siasat kali kedua akan dijalankan seperti kehendak keluarga Kugan," katanya kepada pemberita ketika ditemui di PPUM.

Dalam pada itu, Murugiah ketika dihubungi berkata, beliau telah menunjukkan gambar yang diambil di bilik mayat kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri di Putrajaya petang tadi.

"Timbalan Perdana Menteri menjanjikan akan mengambil tindakan dalam isu ini," katanya.

UNTUK SIARAN MEDIA: Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen Kelana Jaya pada 24 Januari

Ketua Polis Negeri Perlu Bercuti Sehingga Siasatan Selesai
Saya menyeru supaya Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar mengambil cuti tanpa gaji atas kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Peguam Negara yang mengklasifikasi kes kematian Kugan Ananthan dalam tahanan polis di Subang Jaya sebagai kes bunuh.
Bagi mengelakkan sebarang kecurigaan dari semua pihak bahawa polis akan mempengaruhi siasatan ini, maka Khalid diminta mengambil cuti sehingga siasatan terhadap kes ini selesai. Memandangkan kita masih belum melaksanakan Suruhanjaya Bebas Siatan Polis (IPCMC), siasatan polis terhadap anggota polis sudah tentu akan mengundang banyak spekulasi.
Di Subang Jaya, banyak laporan kes ragut dan pecah rumah dialami sehingga memberi ketakutan kepada penduduk. Alasan yang diberikan oleh pihak polis Subang Jaya ialah kekurangan anggota polis yang mengawal di kawasan sekeliling. Tetapi, insiden yang berlaku kepada pemuda 22 tahun pada 20 Januari lalu yang menunjukkan terdapat kesan-kesan jerut dan lebam yang teruk sehingga mati menunjukkan polis di Subang Jaya tidak melakukan tanggungjawab dengan sewajarnya, seolah-olah polis berkuasa dalam memberi hukuman. Sebelum gambar-gambar kecederaan selepas bedah siasat dibuat, Khalid mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa mangsa bunuh tersebut mati kerana kesesakan nafas dan mati selepas meminta segelas air.
Sungguhpun mangsa tersebut disoal-siasat atas mengesyaki terlibat dalam beberapa kes jenayah, pihak polis sepatutnya faham atas batas tugas mereka – bukannya mendera.
Pada 10 November 2008, Khalid juga pernah mengeluarkan kenyataan salah apabila mendakwa orang ramai yang berhimpun semasa menyambut ulangtahun pertama Perhimpunan Aman BERSIH yang diadakan di Laman MBPJ 9 November lalu tidak menyanyikan lagu Negaraku dan menafikan polis bertindak ganas dalam meleraikan perhimpunan tersebut. Saya percaya dakwaan terhadap 21 mereka di Mahkamah Sesyen Petaling Jaya 23 Januari lalu atas desakan beliau.
Saya juga menyeru agar pelaksanaan IPCMC disegerakan agar keadilan dapat diberikan kepada semua pihak.
Gwo-Burne Loh

HINDRAF - Why is there no arrest of the police murderers?

HINDRAF is questioning the integrity, accountability and transparency of the police force in cohort with the AG’s office in issuing statements just to create an atmosphere to subdue public outcry.

Most Malaysians are aware that murder is a non-bailable offence according to the Penal Code. The brutal murder took place on January 20, 2009 and it has been four days and all we hear are contradicting statements from the police force and the AG’s office as usual from their mouthpiece, the mainmedia spinmasters to downplay the whole incident. Kugan’s brutal murder was committed while he was in detention in the police station not elsewhere, why do the police force and AG’s office needs three (3) days before even classifying it as a murder or arresting the accused police murderers? Why those who committed this have not been arrested until today?

Why such double standard? Is it because he is a defenseless Malaysian Indian? Is this going to be another cover –up and hoodwinking process for the public to absorb? Why is there a preferential justice for the perpetrators, just because they were police officers? Enough is enough, the late Kugan is also a Malaysian and he deserves equal treatment in the cause of justice in parity with any other Malaysian for the atrocity perpetrated by the police murderers or anyone else under Article 8 of the Federal Constitution.

The police force and the AG’s office are government servants working for the interest of the public in administering the governance of the nation and not in a position where they have discretion in preference for the police murderers and use it as and how they wish to administer that is suitable to their position to suppress the due process of law against public interest.

The foul play by the UMNO led administration through their executives is totally unacceptable as this is a brutal murder that took place while the late Kugan was in custody. The implementation of IPMC is paramount to ensure accountability and transparency prevails for the society as human right abuses and violations prevails within our systems with the current lopsided administration in the interest of the public.

Thank you.
P.Waytha Moorthy
HINDRAF- Chairman

Adun Bota: Dato Nasarudin Hashim Menyertai PKR

Berikut adalah kenyataan Dato Nasarudin Hashim berhubung kemasukan beliau ke dalam PKR:

—KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA—

PETALING JAYA, 25HB JANUARI 2009

Assalamualaikum,

Setelah membuat pertimbangan terutamanya apabila melihat perkembangan suasana politik khasnya arah tuju sokongan rakyat selepas Pilihanraya Umum ke 12 pada bulan Mac 2008, serta keadaan-keadaan yang wujud dalam parti dan kepimpinan Umno, saya dengan ini mengambil keputusan untuk keluar dari Umno dan seterusnya menyertai PKR iaitu salah satu parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat.

Keputusan ini diambil setelah lama meneliti dan mempertimbangkan kepentingan rakyat seluruhnya khususnya buat para penyokong dan pengundi saya di kawasan Dewan Undangan Negeri Bota:-

1. Saya amat yakin dengan kepimpinan Parti Keadilan Rakyat yang mempunyai iltizam dan idealisme yang kuat untuk memperjuangkan hak-hak dan kepentingan rakyat yang terdiri dari pelbagai kaum di negara ini.
2. Saya yakin Parti Keadilan Rakyat akan tetap menjunjung dan menghormati hak-hak yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan khususnya dalam kedudukan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa rasmi kebangsaan, kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu dan kedudukan Islam sebagai agama Persekutuan.
3. Saya percaya Parti Keadilan Rakyat dan rakan-rakan dalam Pakatan Rakyat mampu untuk menjadi sebuah permuafakatan komponen parti-parti yang lebih baik demi kepentingan rakyat seluruhnya.
4. Untuk membolehkan saya menjadi ADUN yang lebih berkesan dan memberi khidmat terbaik kepada penduduk setempat memandangkan Pakatan Rakyat sudah pun menubuhkan kerajaan di Negeri Perak.

DATO NASARUDIN BIN HASHIM

ADUN BOTA NEGERI PERAK

Continue reading ‘Adun Bota: Dato Nasarudin Hashim Menyertai PKR’

Assemblyman's Party Hopping: Perak Umno To Meet Najib Tomorrow

IPOH, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- The Perak Umno Liaison Committee will meet party deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tomorrow evening to discuss the issue of Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim having joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) today.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said Najib was expected to issue a statement after the meeting scheduled to be held in the federal capital.

"I am also asking Datuk Nasaruddin to meet the Umno president (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) as there is nothing that cannot be resolved. If he is free, he can also meet Najib tomorrow," he told reporters after chairing an emergency meeting of Perak Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen, here, Sunday night.

Tajol Rosli also hoped that Nasaruddin would think deeply over his action and return to Umno.

On rumours that a number of BN assemblymen would be joining Pakatan Rakyat, he refuted them, saying they were mere speculation.

Asked whether Nasaruddin had before this voiced out any problems to him, he said Nasaruddin had never done so.

"Perhaps problems could have cropped up since the divisional elections last October where Nasaruddin contested the Bota Umno division chief post against the incumbent Datuk Mohd Zaim Abu Hassan and lost," he said.

Tajol Rosli also said that Nasaruddin had so far not contacted him and his phone calls to him (Nasaruddin) went unanswered, although some Umno members were in contact with him.

"Perhaps he feels embarrassed to speak to me after what happened, but I hope he will reconsider the decision (of joining Pakatan Rakyat) he made today," he added.

Twenty of the 28 Perak BN assemblymen attended the emergency meeting which ended at 11pm, while the rest other than Nasaruddin, were out of the state at the time.

-- BERNAMA

Sri Lanka rebels 'lose last town' (Al Jazeera)

Sri Lankan troops have made significant advances in the north and east in recent months [Gallo/Getty] Sri Lankan troops have seized the last town held by separatist Tamil Tiger fighters, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, the army chief, says. "We have completely captured Mullaittivu," he said in a televised address to the nation on Sunday. He said the Tamil Tigers now controlled an area of just 300sq km in the northeast of the island. "The end of terrorism is near and we will definitely win. The Tiger garrison of Mullaittivu was destroyed today," Fonseka said. It was not possible to independently verify the government's claims, as journalists are banned from the war zone. The announcement came after the government said earlier in the day that the army had entered the town and hoped to secure it "in hours". Heavy rebel resistance was reported as small groups of special forces entered Mullaittivu backed by 50,000 soldiers and helicopter gunships. End of war? The military has made dramatic gains in recent months, pushing the Tamil Tigers, who are fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east of the island, back to a small area in the east of the country. Earlier this month, the Sri Lankan military captured the town of Kilinochchi, the Tamil Tigers' de facto capital in the north of the island. The Tamil Tigers have not commented on the government's claims. In the capital Colombo, some Sri Lankans responded to the news that the 25-year civil war could be over by honking their car horns and lighting firecrackers. But Tony Birtley, Al Jazeera's correspondent reporting from Colombo, said the fall of Mullaittivu might not halt the country's long-running conflict. "The LTTE are still strong, they still have a lot of backing and maybe we haven't seen the end of the Tamil Tigers yet. The country is practically down on its knees, not only because of the cost of executing this war, but because of the loss of revenue from tourism which was a major earner for Sri Lanka. "But the issues that have caused this war 25 years ago have not been resolved and some of the critics of the government say there is a need for a political solution. That seems to be put on the side and at the moment, it seems to be military solution." Dam destroyed Birtley said earlier that the rebels could flee to the jungles and carry on fighting. The rebels took control of Mullaittivu in 1996 when they overran a military camp there, killing nearly 1,000 soldiers. On Sunday, the military said that the retreating rebels had flooded two villages after destroying a reservoir in an attempt to stall advancing government troops. "As the conflict lines get closer these people are becoming more and more exposed to intense fighting and are increasingly caught in the crossfire" James Elder, spokesman for the UN in Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger fighters used explosives to destroy the walls of Kalmadukulam reservoir on Saturday, as government troops advanced on Visuamdu, in Mullaittivu district, a statement said. Details of the welfare of villagers and the damage caused by flooding from the dam were not immediately available. Soldiers also clashed with fighters in Chundikulam village in the same district and hours later recovered the bodies of two Tamil Tiger fighters, according to the statement. As fighting has intensified, aid groups and diplomats have expressed fears for the safety of hundreds of thousands of civilians reportedly trapped in Tiger-held territory around Mullaittivu. "As the conflict lines get closer these people are becoming more and more exposed to intense fighting and are increasingly caught in the crossfire," James Elder, a spokesman for the UN in Sri Lanka, told Al Jazeera. Civilian deaths "We are calling on the LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] to meet their international responsibilities and guarantee that the civilian population can move freely and get away from this conflict zone," he said. The rebel-affiliated TamilNet website said that five civilians were killed on Friday and 83 wounded when the army fired artillery shells into a government-declared "safe zone" for displaced families. A doctor in the area confirmed on Saturday that five civilians were killed in shelling. The military denied firing into the civilian settlements and launching attacks on the "safe zone", accusing the Tigers of carrying out the assaults themselves to keep civilians out of the area. Human rights organisations have accused the rebels of using the civilians as human shields to block the government offensive.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Sri Lankan soldiers have seized a key rebel stronghold after launching a surprise attack early Sunday morning, the head of Sri Lanka's army announced.

Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka says a key Tamil town has been taken in a national TV broadcast Sunday.

Troops crossed a lagoon and entered the town of Mullaittivu before encountering heavy resistance from Tamil fighters, according to the government-run news agency.

"Our troops fought their way through a 40 km (25 mile) thick jungle track," Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said in a televised address on Sunday.

"This is the long awaited victory and I am happy to say that our heroic forces today captured the Mullaittivu town after 12 years," the Sri Lanka Army chief said.

There is no confirmation from the rebels that the strategic garrison has been overtaken.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -- commonly known as the Tamil Tigers -- have fought for an independent homeland for the country's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983. The civil war has left more than 70,000 people dead.

The rebels gained control over Mullaittivu in 1996 and established a military garrison there, according to the government.

In recent days, the military has made significant progress in its campaign to recapture rebel strongholds.

Earlier this month, troops regained control of the northern town of Elephant Pass, the point at which mainland Sri Lanka links to the northern Jaffna peninsula.

It had been in rebel hands for more than nine years.

The re-capture enabled the government to use a highway linking the mainland to the peninsula to move troops and supplies. Previously, it was done by air and sea.

"The area that the LTTE has dominated has shrank phenomenally," Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, C.R Jayasinghe, told CNN. "They lost... about 90 percent of what they had."

Despite major government gains, critics point to ongoing civilian casualties resultant from the conflict.

"This is an important strategic success for the army, but literally tens of thousands of people, children, are in the line of fire," United Nations spokesman James Elder said in a phone conversation Sunday.

"Some Sri Lankan U.N. staff are trapped there," he added. "Convoys are going to the area, delivering emergency supplies, but these are not sufficient for the number of people in need."

Sri Lankan authorities are barring journalists and humanitarian aid workers from areas where heavy fighting is taking place.

Amnesty International spokesman Shuransu Mishra estimated that "over a quarter of a million of the population, mostly Tamils, are trapped between the two sides."

The organization says greater access and protection for aid workers and journalists are needed as news agencies struggle to report an accurate picture of the conflict.

"The Sri Lankan authorities are doing little to ensure the safety of the country's media, or to prosecute those responsible for murdering or attacking them," Amnesty International spokeswoman Yolanda Foster said in a written statement on Friday.

"They (Sri Lankan authorities) are also directly responsible for subjecting journalists to harassment and interrogation," she said.

At least 14 journalists have been killed since the start of 2006, according to the statement.

Others have been driven from the country by death threats, or in fear of detention and torture by government authorities, it said.

Post mortem update (By Haris Ibrahim)

Update at 10.45pm

Got the following sms at 9.57pm but could not write about it earlier as I was still at the Civic Centre, PJ for the anti-ISA vigil.

Post mortem done. Family members and YB Manickavasagam in meeting with pathologist.

This next sms came in at 10,06pm

YB Gobind just went in with Kugan’s mother and grandmother.

sms that came in at 10.17pm

Lawyer Surendran just went in.

Am told that the pathologist will now have to write up his report, whereafter the same will be released to the hospital administration before it can be released to the family of Kugan.

Assuming that there is no controversy with regard to the much awaited second autopsy, I am informed that the funeral will in all likelihood be on Tuesday, 27th January, 2009.

I will try to keep you all informed of the details of the funeral and would urge all of you to make time to join me in paying our last respects to this anak Bangsa Malaysia who has passed on in the most tragic of circumstances, and to share in the grief of his family.

________________________________________

Update at 1.13pm :

Got the following sms at 12.40pm : Pathologist just informed family the hospital administration, after a meeting, ruled out any observers including lawyers. Family has no objection. Started.

I just spoke to the informant. He clarified that the sms was sent about 15 minutes or so after the family had met the pathologist and informed as detailed in the sms.

The post-mortem, that was scheduled to begin at 9am, was delayed to enable an x-ray to be done of the body.

After those intending to view the autopsy from the viewing gallery had, as required, surrendered their handphones, the family was summoned in to meet with the pathologist who informed them that he had received word that the hospital administration had, after a meeting this morning, decided and directed that no observers of the post-mortem would be allowed. This included family members of the deceased.

So as not to delay the procedure any further, the family have relented.

The informant understands that the post-mortem has begun.

_________________________________________________

Got the following sms a short while ago:

I am sitting in on Kugan’s 2nd post-mortem. My mobile is off. Will contact u after it is over

The news reports suggest that this will take anything between 8-12 hours.

Will keep you updated as and when I receive any info.

Slumdog Millionaire's Success

2nd Autopsy Granted : Follow Kugan’s Death Body

Possible Conspiracy Involving Police Officers and Car Thef Syndicate may be cause of Kugan death in custody. The Act of covering up and diverting Public attention further reinforce our believe on possible consipracy involving influential people.

The silence of Inspector General of Police on call to form up Independent Investigation Team too add doubt. Today Selangor Police chief says Kugan’s death due to Fluid in Lung however he didn’t explain wound , cut and blood stain found on Kugan’s death body.

In order to further find truth his father made a daring decision to defer his son’s cremation. Follow us for the last happening :

1. Kugan’s Death Body Now at UMMC . Doctor says the autopsy report to be ready within next 7 hours.

2. Submission of Memorandum Calling Selangor Police Chief to Resign with Hundreds of Concern Public Members and NGO’s expected around 3 pm Friday 23rd January 2009.

3. YB S Manikavasagam reported on his way to BukitAman. Details Below provided by Police Watch Malaysia:

” A Memorandum of Protest to Inspector General Of Police was hand over regarding the death of Kugan Ananthan in police custody. In the memo stated that there is photograph of the body of police brutality victim Kugan Ananthan has shock Malaysia. There is clear evidence from the horrific marks on the body that the victim was severely and mercilessly beaten while in police custody. Instead of taking immediate action on those police officers involved, the police have commenced a ridiculous investigation on whether family members and relatives had tampered with the body. This dishonest and transparent attempt by police to divert attention from real issue. The real issue is how Kugan receive those serious injuries his body while in police custody.

Now the police have also refused a request by the family for a second post motem examination. If the police have nothing to hide, why refuse a second post mortem?

We demand that those police officers involved be sacked and charged for murder. That the Selangor CPO Datuk Khalid Bakar be sacked from his position for trying to deceive the public that the victim died of breathing difficulties. The the IGP immediately agree to the request of the family of the victim for a second post mortem examination and that there be immediate and comprehensive REFORM of the Malaysian Police force in order to prevent such incidents from recurring.”

4. Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has asked police to classify the death of suspected car thief A. Kugan as murder for investigation purposes. Details at A-G asks police to classify case as murder

5. Police called YB S Manikavasagam to record his statement on report issued over Possible Evidence Tempering at Serdang Hospital . Details at Police Called Manikavasagam for Statement

6. Kugan Murder: 11 police personnel assigned to desk duty. Police have, with immediate effect, removed 11 constables and lance corporals from the Subang Taipan police station where the case of A. Kugan, a detainee, who died in their custody, was reclassified as murder yesterday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the policemen were currently at the contingent headquarters here doing desk duties.

“They are here to speed up the investigation. We expect to complete the investigations within three days.

7. After few merry go round, police final grant permission for second autopsy. The police have finally relented to appeals from the family of Kugan Ananthan to have a second post-mortem to determine his cause of death.

The family of the 22-year-old suspected car thief is disputing the initial official findings which indicate he died due to water in his lungs after five days in police custody.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is assisting the family, said the second post-mortem will be done tomorrow at 9am at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

“The procedure is expected to take between eight and nine hours because the family has requested for a detailed examination of the body.”

However, he said getting police authorisation for the second post-mortem was an uphill battle despite assurance from Bukit Aman yesterday that the police would authorise it.

Details available at Kugan’s family wins battle for second post-mortem

more to follow

latest update 0025, 250109

Kugan’s death :Anwar Calls for Royal Inquiry Commission

Opposition Leader Dato Seri’ Anwar Ibrahim today called Government to setup Royal Inquiry Commision to investigate continuing death of detaineed under Police Custody. Since, year 2000 we had recorded 80 cases of death with A Kugan’s death the latest .

Anwar Ibrahim whom contacted late Kugan’s father Mr Ananthan this morning assured that Keadilan will pursue this matter on next parliament siting until Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar assured that such incident will not repeat in future.

Anwar also said this is not an INDIAN issue, it’s Malaysian Citizen that been murdered brutality . Action must be taken irregardless whom they might be. Instead taking action against culprits entire police force and government trying to divert attentions to towards mortuary break in.

I arrived Serdang Hospital after family members arrived. After getting information from Emergency Wad we called the person Hospital assistant in charge of mortuary to open up for family member see the body. It’s the hospital Assistant whom open up the door and allowed those present to view the body. There never been any BREAK IN as claimed by Police and Home Minister today.

• ARREST THE CULPRITS FIRST
• REMOVE SELANGOR POLICE CHIEF IMMEDIATELY

If the murdered was public, by now have of this life could had gone to HELL by police torture . However, since those involved are Police personnels, they was relieved from usual duty and given much lighter duties. All involved will be enjoying their work at Police HQ as they cann’t even take proper report.

Police still trying cover UP the entire Death. Until unless we remove SELANGOR POLICE CHIEF , we cann’t anticipate Justice to be seen. I had made Police Report calling the removal of Selangor Police Chief.

What trespass? Kapar MP offers police recording of mortuary incident

By Neville Spykerman, The Malaysian Insider

S Manikavasagam has offered police a recording on what transpired at the Serdang Hospital on Tuesday, when a mob allegedly barged in and tampered with the body of Kugan Ananthan.

The Kapar Member of Parliament who was summoned to provide a statement on the incident, together with lawyer N Surendran to Sepang police today, said the police were welcomed to have a copy.

“What trespass? The recording will show that the attendant at the mortuary opened the doors for the family who went in first.”

Manikavasagam said the group did not barge or break into the mortuary as claimed by authorities.

“We have the proof to dispute the Government version of what transpired during the incident and we want police to charge a doctor at the hospital who made a false report over the incident.”

The duo were questioned separately today for about 35 minutes by investigating officers.

Tuesday’s incident came in the wake of Kugan’s death while in police custody.

The alleged 22-year-old car thief was arrested five days earlier and recordings of his scarred and bruised body had been widely spread over the internet.

Anwar says Kugan’s death not a racial issue

By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the death of suspected car thief Kugan Ananthan in police custody should not be turned into a racial issue.

“We must not take it as a racial issue. Just because an Indian is involved does not make it any less important,” said Anwar at a press conference here.

“As a Malay I don’t think it is wise to defend the crime and abuse of the BN led government. We must defend the rights of all Malaysians,” he added.

Anwar said that Pakatan Rakyat MPs would “not be silent” until the Home Minister assures Malaysians that this incident does not recur.

The Permatang Pauh MP also urged the government to form a royal commission of enquiry to uphold the integrity of the police force.

“I call on the government to form a royal commission to investigate the continuous crime of a small number of the police personnel, who are protected by higher ups to restore the image and credibility of the police and to protect the good name, of the majority of the police who have been serving well,” said Anwar.

Kugan, 22, died on Jan 20 at the USJ 8 police station, five days after he was detained while being interrogated by the police.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar reportedly said that Kugan collapsed after he asked for a glass of water when questioned by a police officer.

A post-mortem report later indicated that the suspect had died due to fluid in his lungs.

Kugan’s family members who were unsatisfied with the police’s explanation stormed the Serdang Hospital mortuary and took pictures of his body to prove their claim of torture by the police.

The family had also requested for a second post-mortem and the request had been granted by the authorities.

Rakyat perlu segera tamatkan riwayat Umno

(Hrkh) - Rakyat perlu menamatkan segera riwayat Umno kerana parti itu telah menyebabkan tanah, bahasa, pendidikan, politik, sosial dan ekonomi orang Melayu semuanya sudah hampir tergadai.

Ketua Penerangan PAS Pusat Dato' Mahfuz Omar berkata hakikat sejarah perlu direnungkan sebagai iktibar terhadap kegelojohan dan kerakusan pemimpin Umno dalam menggadai kepentingan orang Melayu selama ini.

"Dulu kita pernah digemparkan oleh tindakan salah seorang calon Timbalan Presiden Umno yang dikatakan menggadai tanah-tanah orang Melayu kepada bangsa asing termasuk bukan rakyat negara ini di Johor.

"Kalau tanah di Johor boleh sahaja dijual kepada warga Singapura dan Hong Kong, mengapa tanah di Ipoh tidak boleh diberi hak milik kepada warga sendiri? Adakah orang-orang Cina di kampung-kampung baru di Perak tidak memberikan 'habuan' kepada pemimpin Umno untuk hak milik tanah itu, maka mereka tidak berpuas hati," katanya mengulas isu kritikan Umno terhadap pemberian tanah Kerajaan Perak kepada penduduknya.

Katanya ini membuktikan bahawa isu-isu hak dan ketuanan ini sengaja dibangkitkan untuk kepentingan politik dan mengisi poket sahaja, bukannya untuk kepentingan bangsa dan negara.

"Lupakah Umno bahawa 139,409 hektar tanah rezab melayu di negeri-negeri tersebut telah dibatalkan oleh kerajaan BN dahulu dan hanya 77,208 hektar sahaja yang diganti semula.

"Masih terdapat baki 62,201 hektar yang perlu diganti oleh kerajaan BN dan ini menunjukkan kerajaan BN gagal untuk mempertahankan tanah rezab melayu sebagai benteng akhir kekuatan politik melayu.

"Sekarang ini pun, Umno sedang berusaha untuk menghalau orang-orang Melayu di Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur supaya mereka dapat menjadikannya Bukit Bintang kedua," katanya dalam blog peribadinya.

Dalam blognya itu di bawah tajuk 'Melayu Kehilangan Tanah keranamu Umno', beliau membahas secara terperinci tentang sejarah yang membongkarkan tindakan Umno sendiri yang menggadaikan hak keistimewaan orang melayu yang kononnya sentiasa dijulang dan menjadi slogan mereka selama ini.

MCA, MIC and Gerakan call for thorough probe into Kugan’s death

(The Star) - Three Barisan Na­­sional component parties have called for more in-depth investigations into the death of detainee A. Kugan (pic) while under police custody, and pressed for swift action for greater transparency and accountability on the part of the Govern­ment.

The MCA wants an independent autopsy to be carried out to determine Kugan’s cause of death while the MIC wants an independent committee to investigate the death.

Gerakan meanwhile called on the Government to review the interrogation procedures of enforcement agencies.

MCA central committee member Wong Nai Chee, lauding Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail’s decision to classify Kugan’s death as murder, urged police to conduct a thorough investigation.

“The MCA is aghast over the extent of the injuries on the body of Kugan, who collapsed and died while in police custody.

“We call upon Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and the Inspector-General of Police to carry out a thorough probe into the detainee’s death,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Kugan died in the Taipan police station in USJ, Subang Jaya, after being arrested on Wednesday for suspicion of being involved in a car theft syndicate.

Wong, who is also the party’s Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Legislation Research Bureau head, added that “if it is found that negligence or assault on the part of the authorities led to the Kugan’s death, immediate and appropriate action must be taken against the culprits.”

MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel, who called for an independent committee of eminent persons to investigate the death, said transparent action by the Govern­ment would bring back public confidence in the police.

“The committee should be em­­powered to look into lockup procedures and closed-circuit camera recordings,” he said.

In calling for a review of interrogation procedures, Gerakan deputy president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said this was to ensure that the use of excessive force was not allowed or condoned.

Death and injury while under police detention were issues that must be tackled by the Government immediately, he said in a statement.

Murugiah seeks apology from police over mortuary incident

(The Star) - Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah will seek an apo­logy from police for insinuating that he was part of the group that barged into a hospital mortuary to check on the body of a suspected car thief.

Murugiah said he would send a letter to Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok explaining what transpired and that Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar should apologise to him.

He said he would also contact his lawyers to see if there were enough grounds for him to file a suit against Khalid.

He said DCP Khalid’s statement to the press – that police would record statements from him and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany over the incident at the mortuary – had many people thinking that he was also involved.

He said he arrived about an hour after the small crowd had entered the coldroom where the body of A. Kugan was kept, while Devamany arrived 15 minutes later, adding that their role was to calm the group so no untoward incident took place,

“I am upset with the wrong picture that people got following the police chief’s statement.

“Even my mother called me to find out what happened because she thought I was going to be arrested,” he told reporters after attending a Ponggal celebration organised by the Putrajaya-Cyber­jaya Malindian Asso­ciation.

Last Tuesday night, 50 people comprising family and friends of Kugan, 23, who died in police custody, barged into the mortuary.

DCP Khalid had said that police would record both the deputy ministers’ statements and also of those present at the scene because Kugan’s remains had allegedly been tampered with.

Murugiah said his presence at the hospital that night was to talk to Kugan’s family, friends, hospital staff and police to settle the matter amicably.

He said he would also speak to Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to request that no action be taken against Kugan’s family over the incident as they had reacted out of grief when they were not allowed to see his body.

Murugiah said that he would seek a dialogue with the Prime Minister to outline the actual role of the Public Complaints Bureau that he oversees.

Time for Pakatan Rakyat to deliver

PKR is having a Chinese New Year gathering at the Hokkien Association in Kelang from 1.00pm to 3.00pm tomorrow (Monday). I will be going there wearing my Anti-ISA T-shirt. I invite the rest of you to join me and do the same.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

PAS to protest against Rihanna concert said The Star today (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/25/nation/3116247&sec=nation).

I know many of you are going to get your knickers all twisted about this. After all, you are upholders of freedom of thought, expression, assembly, association, and so on. So why is PAS, you are going to ask, not respectful towards these freedoms?

Okay, you may not agree with PAS demonstrating its opposition to ‘sexy’ concerts. I too share your view. I think this is so, so petty when we have bigger fishes to fry. It’s not like we already have a perfect society. There is much to do and many more important issues that need resolving. We really must get our priorities right here.

Nevertheless, I will not take PAS to task on their opposition to ‘sexy’ concerts. It is definitely their right to oppose anything they want to oppose. Freedom of thought, expression, assembly, association, etc., is as much the right of PAS as it is ours. So they have every right to oppose ‘sexy’ concerts -- as it is our right to disagree with their opposition to it. That is what a civil society is all about: agreeing to disagree. If we can respect PAS’s right to oppose anything they view as ‘decadent’ and ‘immoral’, then we can demand that PAS also respect our views, although they need not agree with them. If we don’t respect PAS’s views then we certainly can’t demand the same from them.

So carry on opposing, PAS. I have no problems with that. What I want is only for you to set your priorities. Concerts are not the end of the world. It is far from the ‘Big One’. There are many other issues that also need addressing and ‘sexy’ concerts are way at the bottom of the priority list.

What I want PAS to address is the issue of the Internal Security Act. Read the following to recap on what I am talking about:

5 state govts back call to free ISA detainees, Guan Eng tells Makkal Sakthi crowd

http://anilnetto.com/civil-society/5-state-govts-back-call-for-isa-detainees-release-guan-eng-tells-makkal-sakthi-crowd/

Marina Lee receives a standing ovation

http://anilnetto.com/civil-society/marina-gets-a-standing-ovation/

Tomorrow, I shall be speaking to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to ask him to coordinate a five-state Anti-ISA Campaign. I want to see the five Pakatan Rakyat state governments putting their money where their mouths are. About 200 people have religiously participated in Anti-ISA Candlelight Vigils every Sunday since I was detained on 12 September 2008. Even when I was released on 7 November 2008 the vigils continued and a few days ago 21 people were charged for the crime of ‘illegal assembly’. These 21 were detained at the 9 November 2008 Candlelight Vigil, two days after I was released.

Incidentally, the bail for each of the 21 was RM1,500 and ten of them did not have the money to post bail. So I arranged to pay for their bail. The RM15,000 came from the money that was collected when I was sent to the Sungai Buloh Prison for three days in 2008. My own bail on the four charges that I face comes to RM7,000; so, thus far, we have spent RM22,000. We still have a balance of RM26,000, which will be used for future cases in the event there are further arrests.

Anyway, I am of the opinion we have achieved the objective of those Candlelight Vigils and maybe we need a change of strategy to get our message through to more people. After all, if we just hold the vigils in a dark car park in front of the PJ Civic Centre, only the 200 or so participants will be informed about the issue. What about the rest of the 26 million Malaysians? They too need to be exposed to the issue and the Candlelight Vigils are not achieving this.

What I want is for the five Pakatan Rakyat state governments to also join the Anti-ISA Campaign. They can do this by erecting a few signboards along the state roads just like how they do in Perak and Kelantan (like the ones that say’ Sembahyanglah sebelum kamu disembahyangkan’).

The signboards can read: ISA bertentangan dengan Islam, Islam opposes the ISA, Say NO to ISA, etc.). This will be the five state governments’ contribution to the Anti-ISA Campaign and in this way more Malaysians will get the message than what 200 people in a Candlelight Vigil can achieve.

PKR is having a Chinese New Year gathering at the Hokkien Association in Kelang from 1.00pm to 3.00pm tomorrow (Monday). I will be going there wearing my Anti-ISA T-shirt. I invite the rest of you to join me and do the same. We shall then ‘corner’ Anwar and get him to commit the five state governments to this second-level Anti-ISA Campaign. If they refuse then we will know that Pakatan Rakyat is merely paying lip service to the issue. We want them to put their money where their mouth is. There are no two ways about this.

Join me tomorrow and let’s hear what Anwar has to say about this matter. And it had better be what we want to hear. And after PAS has done with the ‘anti-sexy concert’ demonstration, maybe they can then start pressuring the five Pakatan Rakyat state governments, which they are also a part of, to do more for the Anti-ISA Campaign other than just talk.

Majlis Perayaan Tahun Baru Cina KeADILan (26 Jan)

Umno Perak assemblyman defects to PKR

By Shannon Teoh(Themalaysianinsider)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 – Datuk Nasarudin Hashim, Umno Perak’s assemblyman for Bota, has quit the party with immediate effect and crossed over to PKR, citing the interests of his constituents.

The former civil servant said that he had only made his decision today and would be tendering his resignation to Umno tomorrow.

Coming on the back of Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) victory in the Jan 17 Kuala Terengganu by-election, this will be an additional fillip to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s long standing plans to take over federal government.

“The decision of Datuk Nasarudin is critical, reflecting the sentiment of his voters, primarily the Malays in his constituency,” Anwar told a press conference at the party headquarters today.

The PKR de facto leader said that this reflected the demand of the pulic and saw it “as the beginning of a new wave,” when quizzed over the significance of the move.

This may not signal the mass defection that Anwar had promised but failed to deliver last Sept 16 in a bid to topple the five-decade old Barisan Nasional (BN) regime.

But coupled with the Kuala Terengganu win, it rejuvenates the momentum that has ebbed and flowed since the opposition’s huge gains in the 12th general elections last March.

This now adds to PR’s majority in Perak which stood at three seats last year and was the subject of an attempt to lure defectors by Umno Perak.

Losing an elected representative just two months before assuming leadership of Umno, BN and the federal government will be a blow to the notion that prime minister-elect Datuk Seri Najib Razak is the man to steady the ship come March.

Najib has however, persistently dismissed talk that the Kuala Terengganu by-election was a referendum on his impending premiership, stating that in the big picture, the loss of one parliamentary seat does not change much.

But it indicates, as Nasarudin told reporters today, that there are issues in “the direction of the public’s support” and “the situation that exists now in Umno and its leadership,” which were the reasons for his defection.

“This decision has been taken after a long study and consideration of the public’s interest in general, especially my supporters and voters in the state assembly area of Bota,” the former Parit MP and Umno division chief said.

His decision will also be a boost to PR’s desire to gain crucial ground among the Malay electorate, who have been unsure of the PKR-led coalition’s commitment to the special position held by Malays according to the Federal Constitution.

“I am confident that PKR will uphold and respect the rights that are enshrined in the Federal Constitution especially the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the official language, the sovereignty of the Malay rulers and the position of Islam as the official religion,” Nasarudin said, who was formerly chairman of Felcra Berhad.

Syed Hamid threatens action against two deputy ministers

JOHOR BARU, Jan 25 – Two deputy ministers are likely to face action if they are found to have broken the law in accompanying the crowd that raided the mortuary of Serdang Hospital in Selangor on Tuesday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said.

Datuk K. Devamany and Senator T. Murugiah, both deputy ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department, were present at the morgue when the crowd entered the premises to examine the body of suspected car thief A. Kugan who had died while in police custody.

“No minister or member of the administration is above the law and if you have committed an offence then you have to face the consequences,” Syed Hamid told reporters before attending a public forum on the Internal Security Act (ISA) here last night.

He also said that the 11 policemen being investigated for allegedly causing hurt to Kugan would not be spared action if they were found to have abused their powers.

Kugan, 22, who was detained on Jan 15 at the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya on suspicion of being involved in the theft of luxury cars in Sungai Chua, Kajang, died while being questioned on Tuesday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said a post-mortem examination found that Kugan had died “due to fluid in his lungs” but Kugan’s family sought a second autopsy, insisting that Kugan had died of injuries.

The second examination is now under way the the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

In response to Khalid’s remarks, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said that Kugan’s death had been classified as murder.

On the forum, organised by a non-governmental organisation called The Patriot in collaboration with the Home Ministry, Syed Hamid said the ministry was ready to hold similar forums throughout the country to enhance the public’s understanding of the ISA.

He said such forums were an important platform for the government to get input on the ISA from the people. – Bernama

Muthu To Appeal Expulsion

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- MIC presidential aspirant Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan, who was expelled from the party by the MIC Disciplinary Committee, will appeal against the decision to the party's all powerful Central Working Committee (CWC).

He also said generally the majority of MIC grassroots leaders had contacted him over the last 24-hours to say that they were dissatisfied with the decision taken by the Disciplinary Committee and that if MIC was not going to mend its ways, then the party was headed for doom, taking into account the decline in the Indian community's support for the MIC as demonstrated at the March 8, 2008 general election.

Yesterday, the the 68-year-old former MIC vice-president announced that he had received his expulsion letter signed by MIC Disciplinary Committee chairman Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo, following the committee's hearing against Muthupalaniappan on Tuesday.

Muthupalaniappan was earlier given a show cause notice by the committee for issuing media statements deemed to be against the interests of the party.

At the hearing, the veteran MIC leader alleged that he was denied applications to bring witnesses to argue his case and for a new date to be set for the hearing.

He had also wanted Vadiveloo not to hear the case, saying that the latter should not decide on the matter as he was one of the witnesses to the charge, but this too was rejected.

Muthupalaniappan today revealed that his expulsion letter was dated Wednesday when his hearing was only on Tuesday.

"Vadiveloo had said the committee would decide the matter in a few days after the hearing. But just the very next day they had signed the expulsion letter. This only goes to show that they all along wanted to just expel me. The hearing was a mere eyewash to satisfy the procedures.

"The committee is under instructions from (MIC president Datuk Seri) Samy Vellu. He is running scared that I would challenge him and win. If that was not the case, why then take action for something that I have not done. I too did not receive a fair and just hearing," he added.

Muthupalaniappan said he would file an appeal against the decision although he knew that the MIC CWC would certainly uphold the Disciplinary Committee decision. The party constitution requires Muthupalaniappan to file an appeal with the CWC within 14-days from the date of the expulsion letter.

"This is because the CWC is made-up of yes-men of Samy Vellu. They can say a lot of things outside but when they face Samy Vellu, they all just nod their head. And this will be the downfall of the party...there is no check and balance. What Samy Vellu says is taken as god's words," he alleged.

The veteran MIC leader also said many of his supporters from branches and divisions were now thinking of quitting the party to join the Opposition as they felt that the Barisan Nasional (BN) condoned the "dictatorial rule" in the MIC.

"I will also be going on a whirlwind tour of the country to explain to members and my supporters on my stand and what had transpired so far. I do not want them to switch to the Opposition as this would be detrimental to the BN.

"We have been with the ruling government for such a long time and the coalition is not to be faulted for the follies of the MIC. I have to convince them but I can't offer them an alternative. It is about time the BN did something about the MIC leadership," added Muthupalaniappan.

He said the decision to expel him would also make it harder for the Malaysian Indian community to return to the BN through MIC especially at a time when the ruling coalition needed the support of Indians.

"One of the main reasons Indians left the BN in the last general election was because of the way the MIC was being run. It had become an exclusive party. It should in actual fact embrace all, even if the person is a critic but this is not the case. A small criticism is not tolerated and is dealt with an expulsion...how long can a party run like this survive," he noted.

Muthupalaniappan announced his intention to contest the party top post in November last year. Samy Vellu, who has been at helm of the MIC since 1979, too had said that he would defend his position for the 11th consecutive term, at the presidential election expected to be held in April or May this year.

Since then, Muthupalaniappan had been issuing press statements commenting about his candidacy and the weaknesses in the MIC, which claims to have some 600,000 members.

Samy Vellu on the other hand has come under intense pressure from the community to resign and give way to younger leaders to lead the MIC, formed some 62-years ago.

The MIC supremo was reported by Tamil newspapers as saying that he would handover the top post to his deputy, whoever it might be, after election of other top MIC office bearers at the party general assembly expected in Sept, 2009.

-- BERNAMA

Deputy Ministers Likely To Face Action - Syed Hamid

JOHOR BAHARU, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Two deputy ministers are likely to face action if they are found to have broken the law in the incident where a crowd raided the mortuary of Serdang Hospital in Selangor on Tuesday, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

Datuk K. Devamany and Senator T. Murugiah, both deputy ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, were present at the mortuary when the crowd entered the premises to examine the body of suspected car thief A. Kugan who had died while in police custody.

"No minister or member of the administration is above the law and if you have committed an offence then you have to face the consequences," Syed Hamid told reporters before attending a public forum on the Internal Security Act (ISA) here last night.

He also said that the 11 policemen being investigated for allegedly causing hurt to Kugan would not be spared action if they were found to have abused their powers.

Kugan, 22, who was detained on Jan 15 at the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya on suspicion of being involved in the theft of luxury cars in Sungai Chua, Kajang, died while being questioned on Tuesday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said a post-mortem found that Kugan had died due to fluid in his lungs but Kugan's family sought a second post-mortem, insisting that Kugan had died of injuries.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said later that Kugan's death had been classified as murder.

On the forum, organised by a non-governmental organisation called The Patriot in collaboration with the Home Ministry, Syed Hamid said the ministry was ready to hold similar forums throughout the country to enhance the public's understanding of the ISA.

He said such forums were an important platform for the government to get input on the ISA from the people.

-- BERNAMA

Gong Xi Fatt Choy

National Express Malaysia wishes all Chinese readers Happy New Year (Gong Xi Fatt Choy)

Malaysia bans foreign labourers

The ban will not affect foreign labourers in the construction and plantation sectors [EPA] (Al Jazeera) The Malaysian government has announced a ban on the hiring of foreign labour in the key manufacturing and services sectors amid a deepening global economic crisis. Companies have also been ordered to lay off foreign employees first if they are forced to cut down on their workforce, an unnamed ministry official was quoted as saying, confirming Wednesday's cabinet decision approving the ban. The freeze on foreign recruitment which will run indefinitely covers factories, stores and restaurants which currently employ an estimated 2.1 million legal foreign workers. The ban is part of a raft of measures introduced by the human resources ministry which it says are intended to protect Malaysians from the threat of mass unemployment. Late on Wednesday S Subramaniam, the Malaysian human resources minister, was quoted in the local media as announcing that Malaysia "can put a stop to hiring" foreign workers if they are not needed. Foreigners working in the manufacturing and services sectors can continue until their contracts expire or until they are laid off, but fresh recruitment of foreigners will not be approved, the minister said. "We want to make sure that all locals who have been [laid off] can get a new job," he added. But those in the plantation and construction sectors – jobs which Malaysians traditionally shun became of low salaries and arduous work - will not be affected, the official said. Skilled foreign labour needed mostly in the manufacturing of electronic and electrical goods, textiles and furniture may also be exempted. Job cuts According to the government more than 10,000 Malaysians have lost their jobs because of the slowdown in the country's export-dependent economy, while another 45,000 are predicted to be out of work by the end of the year. About 3,000 foreigners suffered from job cuts during the same period. Eka Suripto, an Indonesian diplomat in Kuala Lumpur, said his country expects one-third of its 300,000 nationals working in Malaysia's manufacturing industry to lose their jobs this year. Adding to the number of legal foreign workers are an estimated one million undocumented migrants employed mainly at plantations, construction sites and restaurants, most of them from poorer Asian nations such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Authorities have forecast that the Malaysian economy will expand by 3.5 per cent in 2009, but some economists have warned that growth could fall below 2 per cent. Malaysia's government has struggled to assure the public that the country will not slip into recession.

Muhyiddin: BN must act fast to arrest decline in support

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The Barisan Nasional should take drastic action to arrest the decline in support. And, the ruling coalition of 13 political parties should do this fast, Umno deputy president aspirant Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

"We are not concerted in our efforts. Because we are late in instituting changes, many think that Umno will not change. If we take too long a time to change, the people will not wait for us.

"The pre-March 2008 (the last general election where the BN lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament) situation still has not changed.

"We must be more effective and do extraordinary things in extraordinary times," he said at the prize-giving ceremony of the Tan Sri Muhyiddin charity golf tournament here.

Muhyiddin, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, said it was not only Umno — the backbone of the BN — that needed to change, but also all other component parties.

"The longer we wait to initiate changes, the longer we change, the situation gets worse. The people are not going to wait for us. We also have to look at the BN component parties, be it MCA, Gerakan, MIC or other component parties.

"We need drastic changes and Umno must take the lead in this. We are fearful of the situation. There are many programmes that must be implemented and grassroots leaders must work with the leaders at the top to institute these changes," he said.

On the economy, the minister said Malaysia was in a far better situation in facing the global economic crisis than many other nations.

Muhyiddin, who accompanied Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his just-concluded visit to Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, said although the nation was not in recession, the global economic situation was not getting any better.

"There are some sub-sectors which have already reported a downturn in exports. Electronics and electrical industries have already been hit. The first economic stimulus package is just a start.

"Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Finance Minister, has announced that there is a possibility of a second stimulus package. Malaysians must remain resilient. Although we are not in recession, we must take steps to cushion the impact of the crisis," he added. — Bernama

Kugan’s family wins battle for second post-mortem

By Neville Spykerman( The Malaysian insider)

PETALING JAYA, Jan 24 — The police have finally relented to appeals from the family of Kugan Ananthan to have a second post-mortem to determine his cause of death.

The family of the 22-year-old suspected car thief is disputing the initial official findings which indicate he died due to water in his lungs after five days in police custody.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is assisting the family, said the second post-mortem will be done tomorrow at 9am at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

"The procedure is expected to take between eight and nine hours because the family has requested for a detailed examination of the body."

However, he said getting police authorisation for the second post-mortem was an uphill battle despite assurance from Bukit Aman yesterday that the police would authorise it.

Gobind, who is also Puchong MP, said police at the Subang Jaya district headquarters today initially refused to give the green light, saying that they did not receive any instructions from Bukit Aman.

"I had to accompany the family to the police station at 3pm and had to liaise between the officer in Bukit Aman and the Subang Jaya police chief to resolve the issue."

Despite this, the police still insisted they get an official letter from UMMC and they were forced to go to the hospital at 5pm.

Gobind said the issue was finally resolved at about 8.30pm after a UMMC public relations officer spoke to the Subang Jaya police chief over the phone to get his green light.

"The whole situation was ridiculous and the police should not have put the grieving family through the ordeal."

Subang Jaya police chief ACP Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar declined to comment when called by The Malaysian Insider today.

MIC sacks Muthu, ex-veep calls action an 'eyewash'

By : Dharshini Balan
NST, Former MIC vice-president Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan's plan to challenge Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for the party presidency was dashed after he was summarily expelled from the party today.

Reacting to the expulsion, Muthupalaniappan, 68, described the action as an “eyewash and a preemptive action” to stop him from contesting.

"He (Samy Vellu) has taken such undemocratic dictatorial preemptive measures as he fears enduring the same fate of his last parliamentary election in Sungai Siput,” he said when contacted.

"I am saddened by such great injustice to the party and the Indian community but I believe no right thinking person will accept him (Samy Vellu) as the president of MIC although he claims to be a popular leader in the community,"

Muthupalaniappan was charged with tarnishing the party's image in several press statements that allegedly disparaged the leadership and administration of the MIC.
He received a letter from the party's Disciplinary Committee chairman, Tan Sri G. Vadivello, on Jan 21 stating his expulsion from the party with immediate effect.

Muthupalaniappan claimed he was not given the “due chance” to produce witnesses to prove that the statements he I made were lawful and truthful.

"All my applications were only overruled by the disciplinary panel members," he said.

Muthupalaniappan, who has two weeks appeal against the expulsion, said despite the bad news, he felt it was the right time to leave the party.

"If I continue to be a member, I will be branded as a traitor to the community, Barisan Nasional and the nation as a whole,” he said.

Muthu said he wanted to bring changes in MIC but claimed that Samy Vellu, who has led since 1979, needed the presidency as a “shield.”

"Samy Vellu may remove me from the party but he cannot remove me from serving the Indian community and the nation,” he said.
***********
expels Samy Vellu’s challenger

Muthupalaniappan gesticulating outside the MIC headquarters on Jan 19 after attending a disciplinary committee hearing. On his left is lawyer Datuk M.S. Murthi

By Baradan Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The MIC has summarily expelled former vice-president Datuk M. Muthupalaniappan, who was planning to challenge Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for the party presidency.

The expulsion means Samy Vellu, who has been leading the party since 1979, will effectively be re-elected MIC president for an 11th term in March.

However, the expulsion ironically clears the way for Muthupalaniappan to join PKR and take thousands of his MIC supporters into the opposition party at a time when the MIC can ill-afford it.

His supporters have been pushing him to cross over ever since the March 8 general election but Muthupalaniappan had resisted the move, telling his supporters the MIC can "rebrand itself."

He refused to comment on his plans but said he was deeply saddened by the summary expulsion.

"I am shocked and saddened," Muthupalaniappan told The Malaysian Insider when contacted today. "This is a farce, a great injustice to the MIC and the Indian community.

"This script (my expulsion) was written by Samy Vellu and executed by Vadiveloo (MIC disciplinary committee chairman Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo). He wanted me removed and I was removed," Muthupalaniappan said.

"I am consulting my lawyers now and will issue a detailed statement later," he said.

A letter signed by Vadiveloo and dated Jan 21 brought the bad news to Muthupalaniappan, a veteran MIC man who had always said "I will live or die with the MIC."

Samy Vellu's term as president expires on May 25 and the party has to issue notices for an election three months before that.

Muthupalaniappan was charged with tarnishing the party's image in several press statements that allegedly disparaged Samy Vellu, damaged the party and brought disrepute.

The disciplinary committee met on Jan 19 and rejected all objections by Muthupalaniappan, a veteran MIC leader having been Negri Sembilan MIC chief since 1985 and also vice-president, and proceeded to question him on his press statements.

He had asked for a three-day extension to bring 15 witnesses, urged Vadiveloo, who is accused of being an interested party, to recuse himself and admit two of his lawyers to act for him during the hearing.

His request was rejected and the inquiry ended in about 30 minutes.

Most MIC insiders had expected Muthupalaniappan to be suspended for a month or two until the presidential election and Samy Vellu safely in the president's seat but not an outright expulsion.

He has a right of appeal and Muthupalaniappan said today he will appeal but insiders said he is likely instead to join PKR and take thousands of MIC members into the opposition.

"He is wildly popular and his expulsion does a great deal of damage to the MIC and the Indian community," said K.P. Samy, a Klang MIC leader who is close to former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam.

Muthupalaniappan has two weeks to appeal the expulsion but he is unlikely to be reinstated anytime soon, party officials said, citing recent statements by him as reasons.

"He singled out Samy Vellu in his attacks and the president has decided not to forgive him," the insiders said.

Ironically Muthupalaniappan was instrumental in the rise of Samy Vellu over his rival Subramaniam in the 1980s and was a staunch Samy Vellu man, acquiescing in the expulsion of MIC members in the early years.

Govt audit reveals serious AP irregularities

(Anil Netto)The government is introducing new rules to plug serious abuses in the Approved Permit allocations for car imports.

I guess most of us will not be surprised by the scam that has been going on in the AP system. It’s all very muhibah, don’t you think? But not the best example of Malay-Chinese cooperation, unfortunately.

This excerpt from a Singapore Straits Times report:

The rules came about after a yet-to-be published government audit exposed serious irregularities.

The audit looked into the business practices of a small clique of well-connected Malay businessmen who received their AP allocations each year.

The audit revealed that a large number of the businessmen were hawking their import permits to mainly ethnic Chinese car dealers who dominate the country’s luxury vehicle dealerships, documents reviewed by The Straits Times show.

The government audit also revealed that many of the companies involved in the AP business were poorly managed, lacked adequate funding and in some extreme cases even forged government documents when importing luxury cars.

It was not clear whether action will be taken against them.

Unity, Cooperation Important To Face Current Challenges, Says PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- The various races in the country must continue to keep united and cooperate with each other in facing current challenges, especially with the whole world experiencing an economic downturn, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said Malaysians had faced various economic challenges before but with fortitude and close cooperation among the races, had managed to overcome them.

"I also believe new opportunities can be explored if we can use our existing strengths in a creative and innovative manner," he said in his Chinese New Year message here today.

He said in this context, unity among the various communities was very important because development and economic progress cannot be achieved if the country was in a state of chaos.

"The political stability we are enjoying would not be possible without the efforts and cooperation among all Malaysians.

"The fact is, we get to live in peace and prosperity because we practice consensus and power sharing among Malaysians, irrespective or race or religion," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that although Malaysia was not experiencing an economic crisis like several other countries, nevertheless the government hoped the people would give solid backing to steps being taken to stimulate and strengthen the national economy.

He said several initiatives to stimulate the economy had been announced since last year and were being implemented to preserve the nation's economic strength and protect the interests of the people.

"This country belongs to all of us. As such, let us all do our part in our own way so that our beloved country continues to develop and bring progress for all Malaysians.

"In facing the situation now, diligence and dedication to work besides prudent spending can help us tide through it," he said.

-- BERNAMA