Maid gets 20 years' jail for attempted murder of baby

Yuliana being led out of the court room in Kuantan

KUANTAN: An Indonesian maid was sentenced to a total of 20 years' jail by the Sessions Court here after
she pleaded guilty to attempting to murder and abusing a four-month-old baby boy last Friday.

A closed circuit television recording showed her throwing down the baby nine times.

Judge Mohd Azhar Othman, when handing down the sentence Tuesday on Yuliana (pix), 23, said the offence committed was very serious and had a huge impact not only on the victim's family, but also on society.

"Your action has resulted in society being afraid and not having a peace of mind when leaving their children with their maids.

"The court feels that the sentence is commensurate with the offence committed and be a lesson to you," he added.

Yuliana, from Sukarame in Acheh, had only just started work as a maid with the victim's family when she committed the offences.

Earlier, when a recording of her action was shown in the court, Yuliana, clad in an orange lock-up uniform, did not show any reaction or facial expression.

However, in mitigation, she said, "I'm afraid".

Yuliana, who has two children, was charged with throwing and hurling the baby, Mohamed Hareez Mohamed Zamri, nine times, an act which could cause death, at 7.45am on Feb 15 at 7 Lorong Bukit Setongkol 38, Jalan Bukit Setongkol here.

The charge was made under Section 307 (1) of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years upon conviction.

She was also charged under Section 31(1) (a) of the Child Act 2001 with abusing the child at the same place and time.

Yuliana was sentenced to 15 years' jail on the first count and five years on the second count.

However, Mohd Azhar ordered the jail sentences to be served concurrently from the date of her arrest.

Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Mohamed.

According to the facts of the case, at 7.45am on the day of the incident, Mohamed Hareez's parents were out having breakfast when they watched their son being thrown and hurled by the maid through a closed circuit camera recording on their handphone.

The boy's mother, Nina Suraya Sulaiman, 24, then called a neighbour for help and rushed home with her husband, who contacted the police.

The maid was arrested at 9.15am the same day. - Bernama

Launch of Institut Rakyat: Towards a New Malaysia

KEADILAN (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), Malaysia’s multi-ethnic reformist party is establishing a party- affiliated think tank, named Institut Rakyat. While affiliated to the party, Institut Rakyat is an independent policy institute – both in finance and in work – to complement and provide a balanced perspective to the party’s administrative wing.

The Institute is to offer independent advice or policy recommendations to the party, in line with a vision of a Malaysia that flourishes under sustainable economic growth and development matched with social, environmental, ethnic, and religious harmony.

It must be noted that the Institute is a culmination of the efforts of many in policy research, position papers and even speech writing done by countless volunteers, interns and party workers over the years. This latest initiative is aimed towards cementing a solid leadership base premised on concrete policies.

We are motivated by the need for policies that are guided by a comprehensive understanding of human development, social justice, fundamental rights and equal opportunity.

We initiated this endeavour in recognition of the necessity to:

Improve public confidence (especially the middle-class, business and diplomatic communities) in policy-making abilities of political parties.

Consolidate a shift in Malaysian politics from fear, threat & personality-cult to a focus on policy competition and debates.

Provide well-researched papers/briefings with options and implications for leaders to make political and policy choices.

Ensure an entity that provides for check and balance in the running of policies.

Malaysia is at a crossroads – facing mounting challenges across the political, social, to the economic spectrum. The lack of institutional independence, a failing justice system, socio economic policy that is lacking in the effort to eliminate hardcore and urban poverty, and a flawed policy direction which is exacerbating the major indices in the country today -press freedom, competitive ranking, to the ever increasing crime rate. Fundamental to addressing these is the need for serious public policy debate and discussion.

As such, we are pleased to announce the launch of a public policy think tank to meet these demands. The launch is themed “Towards a New Malaysia”, as we hope to present public policy alternatives for a better Malaysia, for its future generations to come. Its first policy paper on “Increasing Disposable Incomes” will also be presented.

The launch, slated to take place this Thursday, 21st February 2013, at 3pm at the Empire Hotel, Subang Jaya will feature Keynote Speaker Opposition Leader, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, followed by a special guest speaker.

Institut Rakyat envisions a Malaysia that flourishes under sustainable economic growth and development matched with social, environmental, ethnic and religious harmony. We subscribe to the philosophy that no Malaysian must be left behind on account of their ethnicity, region, political affiliation, gender, and religion.

INSTITUT RAKYAT

'Detention not constitutional'

The New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer, representing canteen assistant Muhammad Hilmi Hasim, yesterday filed an application against the warden of Jinjang Detention Centre and the Inspector-General of Police seeking for his release from detention.

Speaking to reporters after filing the habeas corpus application at the High Court registry, counsel Fadiah Nadwa Fikri said Hilmi's detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act was unconstitutional.

He showed reporters a supporting affidavit by Hilmi's adoptive mother, Rahamah Abdul Majid, in which she stated that her son was arrested along with canteen operator, Yazid Sufaat, at the Jalan Duta court complex at 12.30pm on Feb 7. She also said that another person, Halimah Hussein, was arrested on the same day in Kajang.

(Yazid, a former Internal Security Act detainee, was charged on Feb 8 at the Ampang magistrate's court with promoting an ideology intended to incite the people of Syria while Halimah was charged with abetting him.)

In her affidavit, Rahamah said Hilmi, 32, was not told the reason for his arrest and the reluctance by police to charge him meant they did not have any reason to believe that he was involved in any security offence.

Provision Of Islam In Federal Constitution Not In Vain - Former CJ

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution which states that Islam in the religion of the Federation is not a provision in vain, said former Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad.

He said with this provision, Malaysia is known to the world as an Islamic country.

"To the world, Malaysia is not only seen as an Islamic country but an exemplary Islamic country. Malaysia is also regarded as an example of a developed Islamic country of this era," he said.

Abdul Hamid said this when tabling his working paper titled 'Islam and Interpretation of the Constitution by Courts in Malaysia' at a a discourse organised by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) here today.

He said the Malaysian government had spent millions of ringgit for the development of Islamic banking, Islamic finance and takaful so much so the country was a leaders in these fields.

Abdul Hamid said the people could also carry out Islamic activities such as building universities, colleges, mosques and schools.

"Imagine if Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution is not there, could all this be done?" he said.

On secularism, Abdul Hamid, referring to the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Che Omar Che Soh against the Public Prosecutor in 1988, said in the judgement the word secular was mentioned three times.

"The first, secular institutions was mentioned when quoting a book by M.B.Hooker. Two other instances, secular law was used when referring to laws effective on the day of independence," he said.

Abdul Hamid said the word secular was used in the judgement not to describe the country, but to describe the institutions and laws.

"In my opinion, its use is not accurate and the word was used uncessarily. Because of group and political interests, it was quoted out of context to say that Malaysia is a secular country although the Federal Constitution never once used the word," he added.

Also referring to case judgement which was heard by five judges and written by former chief justice Tun Salleh Abas, Abdul Hamid said they also agreed with the judgement that Article 3(1) itself does not make all laws contridicting with the Syariah not valid and void.

He said civil lawyers often did not know that existing laws were compliant and similar to the Syariah, while syariah members did not know that Syariah principles were made into laws.

"I believe that if it was declared that Malaysia will fully implement Islamic law, more than 90 per cent of the existing laws would not change," he said.

During a question and answer session on the delegation of authority between the Civil Court and Syariah Court, Abdul Hamid suggested that should there be a syariah issue in the Civil Court whereby a Syariah Court judge should be present to sit with the Civil Court judge.

He also said the two courts can be combined and placed under the jurisdiction fo the Federal Court.

However, the former chief justice said this would not happen because it required amendments to the Federal Constitution and jurisdiction from the Syariah Court be transferred to the Federal government.

Assoc Prof Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz from the International Islamic University of Malaysia's (IIUM) Islamic Law Department, when tabling her working paper, said there was no proof that Malaysia had been a secular country.

"There are two forms of secularism, rigid or flexible. Both don't exist in this country," she said.

The three-and-a-half hour muzakarah explained the stand, interpretation and actual implication of Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, correcting the misperceptions and misinterpretations of judgement of the Che Omar case.

IKIM director Datuk Faiza Tamby Chik was the moderator of discourse.

-- BERNAMA

Sri Lanka govt denies killing Prabhakaran's son, slams TV channel

A British channel has come out with a documentary featuring the pictures of the alleged cold-blooded killing of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son, which was on Tuesday dismissed by Sri Lanka as "lies, half-truths and numerous forms of speculation".

The Channel 4 documentary titled 'No War Zone? The killing fields of Sri Lanka' is to be aired in Geneva at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March.


The pictures have once again raised questions over the conduct of Sri Lankan armed forces during the final stages of the operation against Tamil Tiger rebels and is another blow for the government in its attempts to head off a critical resolution at the UN Human Rights Council.

One of the photos shows Balachandran Prabakaran sitting in a bunker, alive and unharmed in the custody of Sri Lankan troops.

Another picture which was taken a few hours later shows the boy's body lying on the ground, his chest pierced by bullets.

Sri Lankan Army dismissed the pictures featured in the documentary as "lies, half truths, rumours and numerous forms of speculation" on Tuesday.

Commenting on the pictures, military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said, "This is not the first time such unsubstantiated allegations are leveled against the Sri Lankan forces. Interestingly, these come up as we near UNHRC meeting and die down thereafter. No substantive evidence have been presented for us to launch an investigation" he said.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the parties who float such baseless allegations never want these to be investigated or solved. They want to keep them as mysteries in order to tarnish the country's good image as and when it suits their agendas."

Wanigasooriya stressed that if the Channel 4 was interested in having these investigated, it should cooperate with credible evidence and the Army will institute a probe.

The documentary aims to test India over its next move in the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka, Channel 4's documentary director Callum Macrae said.

India had voted against Sri Lanka at last year's resolution.

"The new evidence in the film is certain to increase pressure on the Indian government not only to support a resolution on Sri Lanka and accountability, but also to ensure that it is robustly worded, and that it outlines an effective plan for international action to end impunity in Sri Lanka," Macrae said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/SriLanka/Sri-Lanka-govt-denies-killing-Prabhakaran-s-son-slams-TV-channel/Article1-1013842.aspx

180213 Information Dept says hackers behind "Najib resigns" post

Relook Bumi quota, low-cost housing policies, Putrajaya told

Cho likened the blanket discount to the poor subsidising the rich. — File pic

PETALING JAYA, Feb 18 ― Housing developers want the government to review housing quotas and discounts allocated to Bumiputeras and the poor, after complaining today of their abuse.

This follows the build-up of unreleased Bumiputera units, which they said was as high as 56 per cent of unsold homes costing above RM500,000 in prime areas of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang.

“Our request to the administration is for an auto-release mechanism,” said Datuk Seri Micheal KC Yam, president of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA) here.

“The policy needs a review ... It doesn’t really matter which government wins (the general election).”

The association further suggested that lots reserved for Bumiputeras be made available to the general public if there is no demand after a period of time.

His view was echoed by REHDA deputy secretary-general Datuk Anthony Adam Cho, who said the Bumiputera discount favoured those buying more expensive properties, rather than those who are less affluent.

“The more expensive the unit, the more discount is given ... Why are the poor subsidising the rich?” Cho asked reporters.

Following the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP), Bumiputeras are automatically entitled to a seven per cent discount on houses or property, regardless of their financial standing.

Cho, who is a developer in Malacca, complained of the glut of low-cost housing in the state due to the quota imposed by authorities, which he said caused developers to move away to other profitable areas.

“We’re having a dialogue with the government; why don’t you convert the low-cost requirement to low-medium cost requirement?’ Cho suggested.

The developers also complained of the utility connection costs, saying they had to bear the cost of having their property supplied with water, electricity and telephone lines.

“Why are we still paying contributions to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) who is making much more profit than our public-listed companies?” asked Cho.

The Malaysian Insider understands that on top of that, developers are also now required to incur between RM4,000 and 6,000 per unit to install high speed broadband infrastructure in their projects, or risk their development application being rejected by the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

In the Property Industry Survey ran by REHDA for the second half of 2012, 47 per cent of respondents claimed that they have unreleased Bumiputera units, an increase from 39 per cent in the first half of 2012.

Thirty-two per cent of those have unreleased units with a market price between RM500,000 and RM1 million, while 24 per cent have units above RM1 million.

Another 87 per cent of those surveyed reported that their unsold units had some impact on their cash flow.

The real enemies of the state

By deporting Senator Nick Xenophon, the Malaysian authorities have given the impression that there is something to hide.
COMMENT

By S Vell Paari

When I arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Perth two days ago, the first SMS that I received upon switching on my mobile phone was that Australian senator Nick Xenophon had been detained at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and was awaiting deportation for allegedly being an “enemy of the state”.

The enemy of the state claim, to me, was bewildering.

Setting aside his scheduled meetings with Anwar Ibrahim and certain NGOs, wasn’t he and the delegation representing all the political parties in Australia scheduled to meet with the Election Commission and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz as well?

When a senior federal minister of Malaysia and the Election Commission could see fit to schedule a meeting with Senator Xenophon, where is this security treat?

Let’s be frank, Senator Xenophon is not an independent observer, he is aligned to Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat but have not our leaders like Xenophon been critical of foreign countries and their policies. Were this leaders considered a security threat and deported when they arrived in those countries?

Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his tenure as prime minister made various threats against the US and Australia, was he ever deported during any of his visits there? Even recently he made statements against the US and Hilary Clinton but when he went there to receive an award, he was not deported for being an enemy of the state.

It took three Bersih rallies before we realised that it is best to give an approval in the case of the Himpunan Rakyat, where everything proceeded peacefully and with praise for the police.

Similarly, we should have just allowed Senator Xenophon together with the delegation to carry out their visit, hold their meetings, state their views and return back to Australia, without drama.

By choosing to deport him, we have turned him into a hero. By deporting him, we have given the world an impression that we have something to hide.

Just two weeks ago we had a similar group from Europe who came to look into the government’s control over the mainstream media and their statement was not favorable to the government, which was aired by certain mainstream TV channels and online media.

The real security threat

What about George Soros? He visited Malaysia to launch his book. This man was accused of attempting to destroy the Malaysian economy and to bring Malaysia to its knees to beg IMF’s help. But was he deported as an enemy of state?

It is these sort of double standard approaches that brew disaster for Barisan Nasional.

For example, recently about a 100 rebel fighters from the Philippines landed in Sabah fully armed. And the Home Ministry is still figuring out how to deal with them. Is this not a major security treat? Were they deported?

I think it must have been Xenophon’s V-neck T Shirt which is the cause for the security threat.

The greatest security threat to Malaysia is Ibrahim Ali. All his racial rants are targeted to stir racial tension and violence. But no action has been taken.

Ibrahim fits the tag of being an “enemy of the state.”

We are dealing with a new generation of Malaysians who are well aware of their democratic and constitutional rights and are exercising it. So either we learn to engage Malaysians or be prepared to be disengaged by Malaysians from Putrajaya.

While we preach to the rest of the world about sensitivity, tolerance, freedom and democratic maturity, we must first learn to heed our own advice and show to the world and especially to the true citizen of Malaysia that our country does not only possess first world infrastructure but also first world mentality.

Let us not become our own enemies of the state.

S Vell Paari is MIC’s strategy director.

NGO wants Vell Paari for Teluk Kemang

The NGO believes that Vell Paari is the right man for the job as opposed to S Murugesan or S Sothinathan.

PETALING JAYA: A local Indian-based NGO wants Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to pick S Vell Paari, MIC’s strategy director and son of former president S Samy Vellu, as the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat.

Persatuan Belia Pemangkin Bangsa dan Negara Port Dickson chairman K Ravindran said instead of choosing between MIC secretary-general S Murugesan and former vice-president S Sothinathan, Teluk Kemang voters “would prefer” Vell Paari.

“Vell Paari is more vibrant and outspoken. He also has strong influence in getting things done. It is better for him to contest in Teluk Kemang instead of the other two,” he told FMT today.

Sothinathan became the Teluk Kemang MP following a by-election in 2000. He retained the seat in the 2004 general election but lost the constituency in the 2008 polls.

Murugesan on the other hand contested the Subang parliamentary constituency in 2008 and lost.

Ravindran said Vell Paari had a better chance of winning back the seat especially since PKR would contest the seat on the opposition front.

Incumbent PKR man Kamarul Baharin Abbas is expected to contest the seat for the second term at the forthcoming general election.

Sothinathan has been keeping a low profile since his defeat. Sources said he has been quietly serving the constituency.

“Since he lost in the general election he has been missing. But now out of nowhere he appears just before the election. We do not want these kind of people who have lost their respective seats, and also credibility,” he added.

On Murugesan, Ravindran said voters were not keen in having the MIC secretary-general as the Teluk Kemang member of parliament.

“Murugesan and his team, should concentrate in Subang which his original constituency instead of jumping to a safe seat,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vell Paari declined to contest the seat.

“First and foremost I thank those who want me to stand but I have made it clear in early 2011 that I have turned down the offer to run as a MP, for I believe being independent of this position will give me the freedom to voice and effect changes within MIC and BN.

“And to those who keep advising that I should join Pakatan Rakyat, I must say I am a BN member and will always remain as one.

“If there are issues within my house, it’s my duty to fix it and not burn my house down. I believe dissent is not disloyalty,” he said.

Pakatan 'still discussing' Hindraf blueprint

Pakatan Rakyat leaders are still working to translate Hindraf’s blueprint into “implementable policies and amendments to the law”.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua (left) said the coalition has not rejected the document, which it supports “in principle”.

“Whatever is in the blueprint will have to be consistent with our manifesto. Otherwise people will pick it out (the inconsistencies). How do we then show ourselves to be a credible alternative to the government?” Tian Chua said when contacted.

“So it takes time for us to make sure everything is consistent and proper. There is nothing sinister about the discussions taking longer than what Hindraf expects.”
Hindraf yesterday urged the opposition coalition to endorse its blueprint and form an electoral pact with it.

Otherwise, the movement warned, 25 of the coalition’s parliamentary seats would be in jeopardy as a result of Malaysian Indian support withdrawn.
Hindraf's claim not an issue
Asked whether this claim was credible, Tian Chua, who is the MP for Batu, dismissed it as secondary.

He said Pakatan was working with Hindraf not because it could deliver votes, but because Pakatan supported the issues raised in the Hindraf blueprint, such as the issues of stateless Malaysian Indians and the welfare of displaced plantation workers.

“Many other groups would also lay claim that ‘they can deliver this, they can deliver that’. We must first look at whether it is consistent with our principles.

“Some other groups may not contribute at all to any substantial seats, but we will still be working with them because we agree with them in principle.

“That why we have to first understand where Pakatan Rakyat stands in the issues of principles and election strategy. Otherwise, we will end up to be just a populist coalition that goes along with whoever tells us that they have seats to deliver to us," Tian Chua added.
Meanwhile, Hindraf’s national adviser N Ganesan (left) in a statement today called on Pakatan to convene a meeting by Friday to make a final decision on cooperation between the two groups.

“The discussions that Hindraf has been having with Pakatan over the last several months, which have been bogged down by inordinate delays and a lack of understanding, now need a fresh look.

“If Pakatan truly, and not just as a  matter of rhetoric, cares for the Malaysian Indian electorate, it should stop playing around with the issues embodied in the blueprint and start serious contemplation on whether it can support the demands in the document.

“To come clean is what I am saying – stop the manoeuvring,” Ganesan added.

PKR decries Ridhuan Tee's 'racist' article

PKR has lambasted an article by Universiti Pertahanan Nasional lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, which was published in a local daily today, labeling it as “racist” for questioning the Thaipusam festival.

The party’s human rights and legal bureau deputy chief S Jayathas (right) said Ridhuan’s criticism of the festival contravened Article 11 of the federal constitution ensuring religious freedom of all Malaysians.

“The statement portrays a deep racist connotation and can create unrest as well as chaos among followers of the peaceful religion,” Jayathas said in a statement.

“We never question when there is traffic (jam) during Friday (Muslim) prayers, because we respect the rights of religion.”

In the column, Kesabaran umat Islam ada had (There is limit to Muslim patience), which appeared in Sinar Harian, Ridhuan commented on congestion in the areas surrounding Batu Caves before and during the Hindu festival.

“Have we ever complained during Thaipusam celebration? A week before the festival, the entire area surrounding Batu Caves is congested. Vehicles have been parked wherever the owners please.

“A sea of people of a single colour gathers, as though there are no other colours in this country,” the controversial columnist wrote.

‘Islam agenda sacrificed for votes’

Ridhuan (left) also claimed that due to federal and state allocations received after the 2008 general election, “temples and idols” that were once grim-looking are now bigger, taller and more colourful.

“From what I see, we (Malay Muslims) have given up everything to garner sympathy and votes. This country has no identity anymore.

“The Islam and Malay agenda have since gone. I am confident that even if BN were to win in the 13th general election, the present situation will not change.
"We will continue to take care of others rather than ourselves.”

The author said all this when condemning BN component party MIC’s defence of the international Tamil film Vishwapooram, said to contain several elements deemed offensive to Muslims but which have since been edited out.

He went on to claim that Muslims in the country were being taken advantage of, whereas action are always taken against those who insulted the sensitivities of other religions in the country, citing the prosecution of those involved in the cow-head and church-burning incidents as examples of this.

As for the coming election, he further suggested that if an Indian candidate is needed to contest in a Malay-majority seat, then an Indian Muslim candidate should be fielded there.

Anwar disambut lebih meriah di majlis Dong Zong

“Blasphemy” – Morsi’s Egypt court shuts down belly dancing channel.

"Blasphemy" - Morsi's Egypt court shuts down belly dancing channel.(AO).Egyptian administrative court rules in two separate cases on Saturday to cut the broadcast of a channel and a programme amid the recent rise in media-related cases.

In the first case, the court orders that the popular Al-Tet belly dancing channel be taken off air for broadcasting on satellite without a license.

The court ruling also accused the channel of airing "provocative advertisements" for sexual products and for facilitating escort-like services.

In May, the owner of Al-Tet, Baleegh Hamdi was arrested on suspicions of facilitating prostitution through his channel, but was later released. Anyone involved in prostitution could face three years in jail under Egyptian law.

In the other case, the administrative court rejects an appeal on Saturday by Sheikh Abdullah Badr and Atef Abdel-Rashid, the owner Al-Hafez religious channel, against a ruling on 12 January that barred Badr's programme Fi Al-Mizan for 30 days.

Prominent actress Elham Shahin and TV anchor Hala Sarhan filed the original lawsuit, demanding the Al-Hafez channel be shut down for insulting Shahin on his programme."Elham Shahin is cursed and she will never enter heaven," Badr said on air.

Badr was slammed on 17 December with a year in jail and bail set at LE20,000 (roughly $3,000) by a misdemeanour court.Read the full story here.

Kohat warning: Militants rough up transgender guru, spark exodus

File photo of transgendered persons. PHOTO: REUTERS/ FILE

KOHAT: A senior member of the transgender community was tortured and threatened at the hands of militants in the southern Kohat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday.

A police official said that three unidentified attackers entered a market in the Tirah Adda area of the region and barged inside a balakhana (den), where five transgendered persons along with their ‘guru’ resided.

The attackers grabbed the guru, identified as Arif alias Arifa Jan, and beat him up and threatened to kill him if they failed to vacate the area.

The official added that after the incident all members of the transgender community residing in the area fled to an undisclosed location.

The owner of the market, Syed Jamal, said that since no one in the area was willing to provide shelter to the transgendered persons; therefore, he stepped in and accommodated them in his building.

He recalled that the assailants sent him a letter demanding that his tenants be thrown out within a week. Jamal claimed that the letter was dispatched by the TTP Darra Adam Khel chapter.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2013.

PKR banks on ex-deputy minister to win back Wangsa Maju

Datuk Tan Tee Kwong on a walkabout in Wangsa Maju. — Pictures by Choo Choo May

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — PKR is banking on a former deputy minister to take back the Wangsa Maju urban constituency needed to seize federal power in Election 2013.

Former Deputy Minister Land and Cooperative Development Datuk Dr Tan Tee Kwong had started reconnecting with the voters to increase his profile on the ground since incumbent Wangsa Maju representative Wee Choo Keong quit the party in 2010 and turned Independent though pledging support to the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal coalition.

In a recent Sunday walkabout, Dr Tan told The Malaysian Insider that he is now more comfortable and confident after meeting Wangsa Maju residents regularly.

"After two years, the walkabouts and contributions to the needy have started to show positive result," said the former Gerakan MP.

He also confessed that the hardest task is to convince the voters who question his loyalty to PKR, and to assure them that another party-hopping incident will not repeat itself.

"The first time I was here, almost everybody I met asked what assurance can I give them if I win," Dr Tan added.

Two high-ranking PKR leaders have also acknowledged that Dr Tan was given the responsibility to take care of the area's party branch after Wee left.

"(Dr Tan) was given the responsibility to restore the party's image and strengthen the election machinery," said PKR Secretary-General Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

"The possibility of him contesting (in Wangsa Maju) is there."

PKR Communications Director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad also echoed Saifuddin's view of Dr Tan's chances.

"A full decision is yet to be made, but that's it... maybe Tan will contest that seat," the Seri Setia assemblyman said.

Dr Tan's presence was lauded by Mohammad Hamdi Mohd Said, who was part of the election machinery's backbone which contributed to Wee's win back in 2008.

"Almost every week, (Dr Tan) would go to the ground to meet the residents," the Wangsa Maju PKR Youth Chief said.

"After Wee left, it became a bit chaotic, but since Tan took over, situation has changed.

"Tan is a true politician, and he is not shy to go to the ground, unlike Wee who did so rarely.

"His character is so different to the old candidate, because in 2008 we made a big mistake by putting a parachute candidate."

The P116 seat is seen as one of the hot seats in the coming election, after PKR managed to win it from MCA with a slim majority of 150 in 2008.

Former PKR candidate Wee defeated BN's Yew Teong Look with 19,637 votes compared to 19,487.

An urban seat like Wangsa Maju poses a close contest for any party, owing to the technological advances which provide instant information to residents.

Wangsa Maju is a Malay-majority constituency with 35,258 of them (53.28 per cent), followed by Chinese at 24,000 (36.27 per cent) and Indian at 5,741 (8.68 per cent).

Most of the voters (45.68 per cent) are between 30 and 49 years old at 30,230, followed by pensioners between 50 and 69 at 31.66 per cent (20,953).

Majority of the dwellings in the area consists of apartments, low cost flats and condominium units.

MIC man calls on Hindraf to woo BN

Since Pakatan does not appreciate the efforts of Hindra, KP Samy says the movement should turn to BN instead.

PETALING JAYA: Days after Hindraf announced that its courtship with Pakatan Rakyat has soured, a former Hindraf activist wants the movement to woo MIC and Barisan Nasional.

Ex-Hindraf activist KP Samy wanted the movement to reveal Pakatan Rakyat’s shortcomings to the Indian community.

“Hindraf should agree that MIC is the sole Indian representative. They should work with MIC to strengthen the community.

“Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been doing his level best for the past four years,” said the MIC central working committee member.

He also said Hindraf’s efforts to build a working relationship with Pakatan was not appreciated by the federal opposition alliance that helms four state governments.

“Hindraf should go back to the Indian community and reveal Pakatan’s insincerity. A large number of Hindraf supporters have left Pakatan,” he told FMT.

Samy said that Hindraf’s contribution that led to Pakatan’s victory was neither valued nor recognised.

He added that Pakatan should have honoured the five Hindraf leaders held under ISA and provided financial backing for the hundreds of Hindraf supporters who were detained.

Instead, he said Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar only announced financial assistance for Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga when the federal government initiated a suit against Bersih.

Samy also requested Hindraf to consider the Indian equity factor. “Only one race – the Chinese – have maximised their equity in Selangor. The Indians remain the same,” he added.

He added that in terms of positions within the government, Pakatan had only fulfilled its pledge by giving the Penang Deputy Chief Minister 2 post to P Ramasamy but in Selangor that was not the case.

“Jayakumar’s exco post is the eighth in the list. All the important exco positions are held by Chinese representatives from the DAP and PKR,” he said, citing Teresa Kok and Elizabeth Wong as examples.

Meanwhile, Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy still hoped that Pakatan would continue courting Hindraf.

“Hindraf has made clear from the outset that it supports Pakatan and wishes to work closely with Pakatan to achieve its objectives of addressing the 56-year marginalisation of the Indian community in this country,” he said in a press statement.

He also emphasised on Hindraf’s vital role in swaying Indian votes for Pakatan.

“Pakatan leaders have to realise that it was Hindraf that broke the 80% ‘fixed deposit’ which MIC boasted it always had and delivered that to the opposition including PAS in the last general election. The climate of the 2008 election was different,” he said.

He admitted that the Najib administration was on the right path to regain the Indian votes.

“The Najib administration has done tremendous work on the ground and if they are successful in gaining 55% of the total Indian voters, Pakatan is likely to face risk in 25 Parliament seats. Kedah would be a sure fall and Selangor would be at great risk.

“We at Hindraf believe we could prevent this,” said Waythamoorthy, who added that Hindraf would be able to sway 50 percent of the undecided Indian voters in favour of Pakatan.

He also said that Pakatan must endorse the Hindraf blueprint which aims to completely resolve the Indian community’s issues.

ABU-Hindraf collaboration over, it would seem

As reported in Malaysiakini today, Hindraf’s Waythamoorthy has taken umbrage and, in my view, rightly so, to the public disclosure of what must surely have been private and confidential discussions between both Hindraf and Pakatan Rakyat leaders on both the matter of the indorsement of the latter’s blue print as well as the possibility of both working together in the coming GE.

I will avoid doing the same here.

I have been desperately trying to meet with Waytha to have a face – to – face discussion on several pressing issues, not least being Hindraf giving due consideration to meeting with Najib, a position patently at odds with the stated stance of ABU that we will not negotiate with robbers and thieves.
Yesterday, admittedly frustrated that no meeting appeared to be in sight and the GE looming, I sent Waytha the following sms :

“Is hindraf still with abu? Will you join us on the ground to deliver killer blows to umno/bn? I really need to know where you stand on this”

I do not propose to make disclosure here of the sms sent in response or the sms’ that were exchanged and leave it to Waytha to decide if he wishes to disclose the same. I have no objections whatsoever if he chooses to do so.

His immediate response to the sms above and my second sms to ask if I should assume that Hindraf regards itself as out of ABU left me with the distinct impression that such was the case.

If I have erred, no doubt Waytha will set me straight.

Until that happens, ABU will carry on the fight to bury UMNO/BN, with or without Hindraf by our side.

Senator Tak Boleh Masuk, Jenayah Curi 900 Juta Di Filipina Bagi Protection Di Sabah

RoS confirms it received DAP’s report; apologises for confusion

The Star

PETALING JAYA: The Registrar of Societies (RoS) confirmed Sunday that it had received the DAP’s Dec 15 Central Executive Committee’s polls report on Feb 8, ahead of the Feb 15 deadline it had set for the party.

“Here I would like to clarify that my previous statement was based on information that was not updated and this has led to confusion,” Registrar Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said in a statement late Sunday.

“RoS apologises to all parties concerned over this mistake,” he said.

The investigations into DAP’s CEC polls was ongoing and would be finalised as soon as possible, he said.

On Saturday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein was reported as saying that he was told that DAP had failed to submit the report on time and, therefore, RoS would begin its investigations.

'Pakatan may lose 25 MPs without Hindraf's support'

(Malaysiakini) Pakatan Rakyat may risk losing 25 parliamentary seats in the next general election if it does not receive support from Hindraf, the movement's chief P Waythamoorthy says.

This comes in light of the Indian community warming up to the BN under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration.

However, Hindraf can help swing them back in favour of Pakatan if the opposition coalition forms an electoral pact with the movement, Waythamoorthy (left) said in a statement today.

"The Indian community is not at war with the government as we were in 2007-2008.

"Najib's administration has done tremendous work on the ground and if they are successful in gaining 55 percent of the total Indian voters, Pakatan is likely to face risks in 25 Parliament seats," he said.
Furthermore, Waythamoorthy said, Kedah would be "sure to fall" and Selangor would be at great risk of being recaptured by the BN.

"We at Hindraf believe we can prevent this. Our almost 2,000 cadres are prepared to go on the ground - they are unpaid volunteers. They will do the magic."
He said a partnership between Hindraf and Pakatan could ensure that at least half of the undecided Indian votes would go to the opposition coalition.

‘Hindraf bluprint the main priority’

It was reported on Feb 14 that Pakatan's discussions with Hindraf for cooperation had come to a stalemate after Hindraf had demanded to contest in seven parliamentary and 10 state seats.

Waythamoorthy later clarified that Hindraf had proposed to contest in all the MIC-held seats and had no desire for any seat held by an incumbent from Pakatan.

He had said that the main priority for Hindraf was still for Pakatan to endorse its blueprint to help the Indian poor.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has been coy about endorsing the blueprint and has instead stated that the principles of the blueprint were already embodied in Pakatan's Buku Jingga manifesto.

However, Waythamoorthy maintained that Hindraf's blueprint was more specific and the Indian community would not accept the vague promises that have been the norm in previous general elections.

"Hindraf has been questioned by the Indian community at all our road shows on the reason for Pakatan’s reluctance to endorse our blueprint.

"We have no concrete answer that is to their dissatisfaction to give them," he said.

Waythamoorthy urged the Pakatan leaders to gauge the sentiments on the ground instead of relying on hardcore party supporters to feed them with information.

Pakatan denies Ku Li will be its PM candidate

Pakatan Rakyat today denied rumours that Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will become its candidate for prime minister if it captures federal power in the next general election.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim described the rumours as the work of Umno-owned media.

“I have never heard anything about this. I don’t know if Kit Siang has heard anything about it.

“I think this is the work of Umno newspapers,” he told journalists during the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) Chinese New Year open house today.

Adding on, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang concurred with Anwar, stating: "I think these are all rumours.".

It was reported yesterday that independent Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim had claimed that DAP and PAS had agreed for Tengku Razaleigh, more popularly known as Ku Li, to become its prime minister candidate as he was supposedly a better choice.

Pakatan Rakyat, particularly PKR and DAP, has in the past constantly touted Anwar as its prime minister candidate.

However, voices particularly from the conservative segments of PAS had urged that their president Abdul Hadi Awang be made prime minister if Pakatan Rakyat takes over Putrajaya.

There had also been rumours that PAS favours Ku Li as an alternative to Anwar for prime minister.

Ku Li, an Umno veteran and maverick, was in 2010 rumoured to be among those preparing to defect to Pakatan Rakyat.

Even though Ku Li has been critical of his own party, he had denied the claims of defection, describing it as a “tall tale”.

Sri Lankan journalist shot in his home overnight

Sri Lankan journalist Faraz Shauketally, 54, is rushed to hospital in Colombo after being shot in his home.

(CNN) -- A few days ago, strangers appeared at the door of a Sri Lankan investigative journalist when he wasn't home, asking questions about him.

Just before midnight Friday, three men stormed Faraz Shaukatally's house as he slept, police said.

One of them shot him.

Journalists face heavy intimidation in Sri Lanka, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, which has called the island nation a "highly restrictive and dangerous nation for the press."

Shaukatally survived the attack, which left him with a bullet lodged under the neck and questions about who may have wanted him dead.

Police have not apprehended the gunmen or established a motive, but the editor of his paper thinks he was shot over his critical articles.

"He has been writing a number of investigative stories in the past weeks," said Shakuntala Perera, who heads the Sunday Leader in the capital of Colombo. "Our journalists have been under constant threat."

Though the last journalist killings were four years ago, 25 members of the press have been murdered in Sri Lanka since 1999, according to CPJ.

Nine of the murders in the past decade remain unsolved. More than 63% of journalists killed in the country covered politics as a part of their work.

In the past five years, 20 journalists have fled the country, CPJ has said.

Last year, the government blocked a freedom of information bill citing national security, further denying journalists and citizens access to documents.

Perera's predecessor, Frederica Jansz, went into exile after a businessman with close government ties bought the paper last year.

In recent weeks, the Leader ran articles critical of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Perera admitted that she does not know whether Shaukatally was attacked specifically for any of his work.

He underwent surgery Saturday to remove the bullet.

Insiden mahasiswa dikepung samseng Umno Pekan

Two women murdered on Valentine's Day

TODAY'S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL

Two women were killed on Valentine's Day in different parts of the country.

A woman was shot to death by her ex-husband on Thursday in the northern province of Samsun. The incident took place when Gürsel B. came across his ex-wife on the street. Gürsel B. reportedly shot Yasemin Kadı several times before running away. Witnesses who saw the incident immediately called the police. The seriously injured Kadı was taken to a nearby hospital, where she subsequently died. Police have launched an investigation to find Gürsel B.

Another incident took place in the southern province of Hatay. A woman was killed by a man after rejecting his proposal of marriage. Mehmet Topbaş proposed to his relative Serpil Topbaş, who had divorced her husband a year ago. When he was rejected by Serpil, he became agitated and made death threats against her. When she repeated her unwillingness to marry him, Mehmet stabbed Serpil, who died at the scene. He later called the police, admitting that he had stabbed a woman and wanted to turn himself in. The police later arrested the man after interrogating him at the police station.

Anti-Islamist blogger killed in Bangladesh violence

Dhaka: A Bangladeshi blogger who had been critical of the Islamist groups has been killed, prompting the protesters here to continue their round the clock sit-in vigil demanding death penalties for 1971 war criminals

Rajib Haidar, 30, an architect and Shahbagh protest activist, was stabbed to death near his house at Pallabi in the capital last night.

"We have launched a massive manhunt for killers of Rajib Haidar... The detective branch and the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) separately took fingerprints to track down the assailants," a police spokesman said.

The protestors at Shahbagh accused fundamentalist Jamaat- e-Islami (JI) of killing Haidar with lethal weapons last evening while he was returning home.

The killing prompted the protesters to go back to their 24-hour movement instead of seven-hour programme which they had declared hours before the death.

Haidar's death came hours after violence at southeastern Cox's Bazar district that left three people dead. The violence broke out after JI activists turned violent following Friday prayers to protest their top leaders' trial for war crimes.

JI and their student affiliate Islamic Chhatra Shibir were trying to wage counter protest attacking or torching vehicles and attacking policemen apparently under a hit and run strategy to halt their stalwarts' ongoing trial.

The violence saw deaths of at least 14 people including Haidar, who apparently came under wraths of the Islamists for his internet blog campaign demanding ban on the JI politics and boycott of the health, banking and other services as part of the youngsters "non-political and non-partisan" movement.

"We announce from here, we will not go back home until the war criminals are hanged, his (Haidar's) assailants are exposed to justice and politics of Jamaat and Shibir is banned," said a leading organiser of the Shahbagh protest.

Meanwhile, JI has called a nationwide general strike on Monday and enforced a localised one in Cox’s Bazar today to protest deaths of three of the party's activists yesterday.

PTI

Najib to face-off Anwar?

The stage is set for an exciting encounter between two sworn political foes.

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim may come face to face with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak at a Chinese New Year open house in Kajang tomorrow — and deliver highly charged political speeches.

The event is organised by Dong Zong, a Chinese education pressure group.

Anwar today said he would not avoid meeting Najib if both were to share the same stage at the gathering.

Both Najib and Anwar have agreed to attend the event.

Said Anwar: “What’s the problem [meeting him]? My battle is not personal, I’m not going to fight with him,” he said when asked by reporters whether he would meet Najib.

He was attending a Chinese New Year function at the Batu constituency here.

The encounter will whip up a frenzy of interest as the two top leaders have never met outside of Parliament since 2008.

According to media reports, Najib has informed Dong Zong about his attendance on Thursday. Yesterday, Anwar confirmed he would also be attending.

The open house is scheduled to begin at 10am at the Dong Zong headquarters in the premises of the New Era College.

Both Anwar and Najib are expected to deliver highly politically-charged speeches, should they appeared at the occasion at the same time.

Anwar said he will not be worried if Najib were to announce that the government will recognise the Chinese independent schools’ Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) at the function tomorrow.

He said Pakatan has already pledged to recognise the UEC three years ago.

“Recognising UEC is a common policy approved by the three parties in Pakatan three years ago. Najib will only now be responding to it, a month before the general election, and that is the big difference,” he said.

However, he added that the recognition of Chinese independent schools and UEC comes with the condition that the students must be able to master Bahasa Malaysia.

“We say we will continue to fully support all schools including the Chinese and Tamil schools,” he said.

On a separate matter, Anwar dismissed the controversy about him donning the Huguan Siou headgear and sash at a function in Sabah recently.

The accessories are reserved for the paramount leader of the KadazanDusunMurut (KDM) community.

The PKR de facto leader said he was only presented the headgear and sash by a local priest without being bestowed the Huguan Siou title.

“No, there was no announcement made, nothing was mentioned (about the title). My only concern at that time was whether there was a cross on the drape, because it would be used by Umno to attack me,” he said.

The incident has caused a stir with many Sabah-based leaders criticising Anwar as not being fit to wear the accessories because he was not an ethnic Kadazan.

Tindakan Najib memudaratkan keselamatan rakyat

Bekas pengarah Jabatan Siastan Jenayah, Polis, Kuala Lumpur berkata pakar patologi Thailand Dr Pronthip Rojanasunand sepatutnya dibenarkan membuat bedah siasat di negara ini.
COMMENT

Oleh: Mat Zain bin Ibrahim

Sehingga keakhir tahun 1998 nilai kesahan dan kebolehpercayaan laporan-laporan Pakar Patologi (Pathologist ) tidak banyak dipersoalkan. Malahan kebanyakkan pendapat dan penemuan pakar-pakar berkenaan diterima bulat-bulat sebagai kata pemutus.

Namun begitu keadaannya berbeza sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini dimana kedapatan kewibaan dan tahap profesionalisme pakar-pakar tempatan bidang ini, bukan sahaja diragui dan dipersoalkan malahan dikecam begitu hebat apabila telah terbongkar perbuatan manipulasi dan pemalsuan yang berlaku secara terancang dalam penyediaan laporan-laporan forensik dalam kes-kes berprofil tinggi yang tertentu.

Fenomena ini lebih terserlah lagi dalam kes-kes penyiasatan melibatkan kematian Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan Ananthan (Kugan), Aminurrasyid Amza, Ahmad Sarbani dan terkini dalam kes kematian C.Sugumaran pula.

Menambah burukkan lagi keadaan, ialah apabila Malaysian Medical Council sendiri telah mendapati seorang Pakar Patologi dari Hospital Serdang, Dr.Abdul Karim Tajuddin bersalah melakukan salahlaku professional kerana memalsukan penemuan laporan post-moterm dalam kes melibatkan Kugan.

Namun begitu Peguam Negara tidak memulakan sebarang pendakwaan terhadap Pathologist terlibat walaupun kesalahan tersebut adalah perbuatan memalsukan keterangan.

Punca ketidakyakinan rakyat.

Perbuatan memalsukan dan/atau memanipulasikan laporan forensik terdedah dengan jelas dalam penyiasatan insiden mata-lebam 1998.

Dalam kes ini, Gani Patail kini Peguam Negara, dengan kerjasama rapat oleh Musa Hassan,kini seorang mantan KPN telah memujuk dan/atau menghasut dan/atau memaksa seorang Perunding Pathologist dari HKL, Dr.Abdul Rahman Yusof untuk menyediakan laporan-laporan pakar yang palsu untuk mengesahkan bahawa kecederaan yang dialami oleh Anwar Ibrahim ketika dalam tahanan polis adalah akibat dicederakan sendiri (self-inflicted injuries).

Gani Patail dan Musa Hassan sanggup melakukan tindakan tersebut dipercayai untuk menyeragamkan dengan pengumuman yang dibuat 3 minggu sebelum itu oleh Perdana Menteri ketika itu, Tun Mahathir ,bahawa Anwar telah mencederakan diri sendiri.

Begitu juga dengan pemalsuan keterangan DNA diatas tilam masyhur oleh Musa dan Gani yang dipercayai dilakukan setelah sebulan sebelum itu Tun Mahathir mengumumkan bahawa pemecatan Anwar dari semua jawatan Kerajaan dan Politik, diatas sebab kelakuan tidak bermoral dan penglibatan beliau dalam aktibiti homoseksual.

Pemalsuan yang mereka lakukan ini adalah sebegitu jelas sehinggakan Hakim mendiang Datuk Augustine Paul yang dikatakan memihak kepada pihak pendakwaan pun, tidak berani untuk menerimanya sebagai keterangan sahih dan benar, lalu mengeluarkannya daripada rekod prosiding.

Bukan sahaja mereka-meraka yang melakukan pemalsuan ini diberi perlindungan oleh Kerajaan, malahan Gani Patail dan Musa Hassan masing-masing dijadikan Peguam Negara dan Ketua Polis Negara kemudiannya, diikuti dengan anugerah Darjah-Darjah Kebesaran dan rezeki yang melimpah ruah.

Mungkin akibat melihat faedah dan ganjaran yang diterima oleh mereka berdua inilah, yang mendorong satu atau dua orang lagi Pathologist yang lemah semangat untuk mengikuti jejak langkah mereka yang tidak bertanggung jawab itu.

Akibatnya kesemua laporan forensik oleh Pathologist tempatan dipertikaikan kesahan dan kebolehpercayaannya khususnya dalam kes-kes kematian ketika dalam tahanan polis.

Walhalnya Negara kita sendiri mempunyai pakar Pathologist yang bukan sahaja setaraf, malahan lebih baik lagi daripada Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand dari Thailand itu.

Dakwaan penglibatan YAB Perdana Menteri.

Kini tahap ketidakpercayaan kepada laporan forensik oleh pakar patologi tempatan dibawa pula ketahap antarabangsa apabila, terdapat dakwaan terbuka yang mengaitkan PM Najib sebagai telah memberi tekanan kepada Perdana Menteri Thailand untuk menghalang Dr.Pornthip Rojanasunand untuk datang kesini bagi membuat pemeriksaan kedua keatas mayat Sugumaran sepertimana yang beliau lakukan dalam kes Teoh Beng Hock.

Peguam-peguam keluarga mendiang Sugumaran tidak akan membuat dakwaan terbuka yang serius sedemikian itu terhadap seorang PM, sekiranya mereka tidak mempunyai bukti yang kukuh.

Kini Dr.Pornthip sendiri telah membuat kenyataan terbuka menerusi media elektronik.Sungguhpun maklumat yang didedahkan adalah terhad,namun ianya sudah cukup untuk membuktikan bahawa memang benar terdapat sesuatu perundingan antara pemimpin kedua-dua Malaysia dan Thailand , supaya Dr.Pornthip dihalang daripada melakukan pemeriksaan kedua, keatas mayat Sugumaran walaupun beliau telah mempersetujuinya sebelum itu.

Apa yang rakyat tidak mungkin akan tahu ialah permainan dan persetujuan dibelakang tabir, diantara kedua pemimpin tersebut.Kita berharap PM Najib telah dinasihatkan oleh Jabatan Peguam Negara akan implikasi tindakan beliau itu jika terbukti benar.

Perkara yang dilakukan bukan “perundingan politik” tetapi adalah suatu konspirasi jenayah untuk menyorokkan keterangan yang benar didedahkan didalam suatu prosiding kehakiman membabitkan kematian.

“It’s all fairy tales”

Dakwaan yang dilontarkan oleh peguam N.Surendran yang mewakili keluarga mendiang Sugumaran adalah sesuatu yang sangat serious yang bukan sahaja membabitkan maruah dan kredibiliti Perdana Menteri Malaysia tetapi membabitkan juga Perdana Menteri Thailand.

Jawapan “It’s all fairy tales” yang keluar dari mulut Najib sendiri adalah satu jawapan yang lemah dan tidak bermaya yang tidak sepatutnya datang dari seorang Perdana Menteri yang bertanggung jawab.Beliau sepatutnya lebih tegas dan melakukan sesuatu jika dakwaan itu tidak benar.

Kita percaya rakyat dan pemimpim-pemimpin Kabinet Thailand mempunyai pendirian mereka tersendiri khasnya apabila Perdana Menteri wanita mereka yang pertama, dikaitkan dengan konspirasi jenayah di-Negara kita.

Begitu juga dengan reaksi apabila terdapat beberapa Peguam Perancis mendedahkan yang Najib sendiri terlibat dalam scandal pembelian Scorpene .Beberapa ramai puak pengampu di-Negara ini yang kononya tersangat marah dan tersinggung dengan pendedahan tersebut.

Malahan terdapat seorang Menteri Kanan yang kononya sanggup mempertahankan Najib sehingga titisan darah yang terakhir dalam perkara ini.Terdapat juga Menteri dan pemimpin-peminpin kerajaan yang lain yang mengambil tindakan “tidak dapat tanduk,telinga dipulas” seperti yang berlaku kepada NGO Suaram.

Kita harus terima hakikat bahawa di-Thailand juga mempunyai pemimpin-pemimpin dan puak yang serupa yang akan menunggu masa untuk bertindak balas dengan cara tidak dapat tanduk telinga dipulas juga.Lebih lagi rakyat Thailand yang sangat sensitif jika Raja atau pemimpin tertinggi mereka dihina atau dituduh yang bukan-bukan.

Yang menjadi mangsanya kelak ialah rakyat jelata khasnya yang berada dipersempadanan kedua Negara.Saya faham sensitibiti mereka, kerana pernah bertugas selama 6 tahun di-Changloon dan Padang Besar ,ketika pagar dan tembok sempadan mula dibina sehingga selesai.

Apa yang boleh kita lihat dihadapan mata dan kepala kita sekarang ini pula, ialah masaalah lebih kurang 100 orang penceroboh dari kepulauan Filipina yang dikatakan bersenjata yang menyusup masuk ke-Lahad Datu,Sabah.

Jika Kerajaan mengharapkan kerjasama yang jujur daripada Kerajaan Filipina untuk mengusir penceroboh-penceroboh ini ke-Negara asal mereka, maka kita patut melupakan harapan itu.

Jika Kerajaan Najib boleh menipu dan mempermainkan Kerajaan Filipina disaat-saat akhir berkaitan dengan penyerahan Manuel Amalilio, seorang penjenayah yang dikehendakki kerana menipu lebih kurang 15,000 pelabur rakyat Filipina pelaburan berjumlah P12 Billion, maka mereka juga menantikan peluang untuk bertindak balas secara tidak dapat tanduk telinga dipulas juga.

Kerana ingin menyelamatkan seorang penjenayah yang sangat dikehendakki oleh Filipina,yang kebetulannya mempunyai pertalian persaudara dengan Musa Aman,Ketua Menteri Sabah,Anifah Aman, Menteri Luar yang berkaitan dengan Gani Patail,Peguam Negara juga,Kerajaan Najib telah meletakkan rakyat Malaysia yang tidak berdosa yang sedang berada atau bekerja di-Filipina dalam risiko untuk diapa-apakan oleh mana-mana satu daripada 15,000 orang atau sanak saudara mereka, yang menjadi mangsa penipuan oleh Amalilio.

Kita tidak boleh hairan jika pasukan keselamatan Filipina akan membiarkan sahaja lebih ramai penceroboh-penceroboh dari kumpulan yang sama, masuk ke-Lahad Datu setelah mereka diaibkan oleh Polis kita yang “merampas” Amalilio dari genggaman mereka, sejurus sebelum menaiki kapal terbang ke-Filipina.

Akhirnya kita akan terpaksa menyerahkan sebahagian dari tanah Sabah kepada penceroboh-penceroboh itu sepertimana kita terpaksa menyerahkan Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca) kepada Singapura.

Kejadian penahanan seorang Senator Australia,Nick Xenophon di-Lapangan Terbang LCCT dan menghalang beliau dari memasukki Negara ini awal pagi tadi,jelas membuktikan Najib dan Kerajaannya menyimpan dendam terhadap Xenophon, kerana telah mengeluarkan kenyataan yang mengkritik Kerajaan BN tahun lalu.

Jika Najib dan Kabinetnya boleh menyimpan dendam terhadap seorang Senator Australia,maka begitu juga Kabinet dan rakyat Thailand boleh menyimpan dendam terhadap rakyat Malaysia kerana mengaitkan Perdana Menteri mereka dengan salahlaku jenayah, manakala Kabinet dan rakyat Filipina pula menyimpan dendam terhadap kita akibat ditipu disaat akhir dalam kes penyerahan Amalilio.

Mungkin kepada PM Najib peristiwa yang berlaku ini dan kemungkinan sejarah akan berulang hanyalah fairy tales semata-mata.Itu hak beliau.Rakyat pula mempunyai hak untuk mengetahui perkara sebenar.

Kebolehpercayaan penafian Najib.

Berdasarkan kepada dolak-dalik Najib dalam memberikan jawapan kepada beberapa perkara penting sebelum ini dan memandangkan bahawa beliau sendiri boleh keliru atau tersilap dengan nama beliau sendiri, sama ada terdapat perkataan Muhammad atau tidak,maka jawapan beliau dalam perkara Dr.Pornthip Rojanasunand itu amat meragukan,mengelirukan dan tidak ada nilai kebolehpercayaan.

Ministerial Statement.

Memandangkan tindakan dan jawapan Najib dalam perkara-perkara yang dinyatakan diatas,boleh menimbulkan kegusaran dan perasaan bimbang dan cemas dikalangan rakyat jelata, khasnya mereka yang mempunyai keluarga atau sanak saudara dan sahabat handai yang bersempadan atau didalam Negeri Thailand,Filipina dan Australia maka PM Najib sewajarnya mengeluarkan satu Kenyataan Menteri (Ministerial Statement) bagi menjelaskan tindakan yang beliau telah ambil berkaitan perkara Dr.Pornthip Rojasunand,Manuel Amalilio dan terbaru terhadap Senator Nick Xenophon.

Jika Kerajaan boleh mengeluarkan Ministerial Statement menerusi Parlimen pada bulan Disember 2010 sebagai membela Gani Patail dan Musa Hassan daripada dakwaan salahlaku jenayah mereka berdua,maka rakyat mengharapkan penjelasan yang terperinci juga, dalam perkara yang boleh mendatangkan kemudharatan kepada kehidupan dan keharmonian rakyat sendiri.

Nota: Datuk Mat Zain bin Ibrahim adalah bekas pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah, Kuala Lumpur. Kandungan diatas adalah surat terbuka beliau kepada Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Ismail Hj.Omar.

Najib’s denial is a lie

PKR vice-president N Surendran and activist Latheefa Koya maintain their claim that the prime minister did stop Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand from coming here.

PETALING JAYA: PKR vice-president N Surendran and activist Latheefa Koya have reiterated that letters between the Thai Justice Ministry and renowned pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand proves that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak lied when he told the media that the Malaysian government did not stop Pornthip from conducting a post-mortem here.

The two lawyers who are representing the family of the late Sugumar, the 40-year-old security guard who was handcuffed and allegedly beaten to death by the police, said the government had prevented Pornthip from performing a second autopsy on Sugumar, who is yet to be buried although he died some two weeks ago.

“Pornthip had said that Thailand’s Ministry of Justice had informed her that there was communication from the Malaysian government on their displeasure against her, especially in her role in the earlier case of Teoh Beng Hock.

“In diplomatic language, this is a clear message from the Malaysian government that Pornthip is not welcome in Malaysia for purposes of the second autopsy on Sugumar,” they said in a press statement in response to Najib’s denial.

Yesterday, Najib refuted allegations that he prevented Pornthip, who is also a director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science at the Ministry of Justice, Bangkok, Thailand, from conducting a second post-mortem on Sugumar.

“It is not true… these are all fairy tales. Don’t listen to it. Not at all,” Najib was quoted as saying.

Sugumar was detained and allegedly beaten to death by four police personnel and a group of mob in Hulu Langat on Jan 21. The following day, a post-mortem conducted in Serdang Hospital concluded that Sugumar died of a heart attack.

The findings were disputed by the family who wants a second post-mortem. Surendran has been requesting for the second post-mortem to be conducted by Pornthip.

Surendran and Latheefa also claimed that there is a letter from the Thai Justice Ministry to Pornthip that clearly stated that the Malaysian government was against her conducting a second post-mortem on Sugumar.

“Najib’s denial is further contradicted by the existence of a letter from the Thai Ministry of Justice to Pornthip stating in effect that the Malaysian government was against her conducting the second autopsy. That letter was dated Feb 14 and was a follow-up to communications on this subject between the Malaysian and the Thai governments.

Surendran and Latheefa urged Najib to “immediately lift all diplomatic and administrative obstacles against the pathologist”.

Gazette temple land, Jeyakumar told

A temple committee in Klang wants the state government to gazette a land promised for the construction of a multi-purpose hall before dissolving the State Legislative Assembly.

KLANG: The Sri Raja Rajeswari temple committee wants Selangor executive councilor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar to keep his promise to gazette a land for construction of a multi-purpose hall at Taman Sentosa, Klang.

In making this call, the temple committee member V Thiagarajen gave the state government one week to gazette the 1.13 acre land for the use of the temple.

Speaking to FMT, Thiagarajen, better known as VT Rajen, said the state government must gazette the land before the Selangor State Legislative Assembly is dissolved to pave way for the state polls.

“We give him one week to solve this matter. If he fails to do so, then we will build a barrier around the promised land,” said Rajen, who is also Taman Mujur MIC branch chairman.

He said Jeyakumar had officiated at a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the multi-purpose hall on the land, located behind the temple complex, on June 17, 2012.

“Since then the temple committee met Xavier various times to get the state government’s nod. But, every time he gave lame excuses on the land issue,” said Rajen.

He said the temple committee fears that it would lose the land if the state government fails to approve the land before the general election.

“With the election around the corner, the state government has only about two weeks to approve and endorse the approval in its executive council meeting. This is near impossible. Everything must be completed in two weeks,” he added.

Jeyakumar, when contacted, denied the allegation saying that the state was in the process of gazetting the land.

“The state government is engaging all temples. If it is complicated, it takes time,” he told FMT.

He said if it was a “straight forward” case, then the state government would have no problem in awarding the land to the temple.

“Be patient. We are working on degazetting the land from its vacant land status and we will gazette another land as vacant to replace this,” added Jeyakumar.

Mahathir enters fray as Malaysia braces for poll

Lured into politics … South Korean singer Psy performs at an event in Penang organised by Malaysia's ruling party. Photo: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysia approaches its tightest election in half a century, the opposition activist Ambiga Sreenevasan has shrugged off calls for her to be stripped of her Malaysian citizenship.

''This will be the dirtiest election ever because it is the most closely fought … Cheating and fraud could be the deciding factor,'' Ms Ambiga, who heads Bersih, a group campaigning for free and fair polling, said.

This will be the dirtiest election ever because it is the most closely fought.

''There are many discrepancies appearing on electoral rolls, particularly with the sudden registering of foreigners, many of whom appear to be migrant workers.

''The mainstream media is far from free and fair … [The ruling parties] are doing everything they can to stay in power.''
Advertisement

Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister who ruled for 22 years, last week called for Ms Ambiga to be stripped of her citizenship.

Ms Ambiga said she and her family had lived in Malaysia for generations and she would leave it to others to

"Cheating and fraud could be the deciding factor" ... opposition activist Ambiga Sreenevasan. Photo: AFP

judge whether Dr Mahathir - who broke a promise to stay out of politics when he left office in 2002 - was playing race politics in a country where ethnic Malays made up about 65 per cent of the population of 28 million. Ethnic Chinese account for another 25 per cent and ethnic Indians 8 per cent.

Opinion polls show the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition has lost much of the support of the Chinese, who have been alienated by corruption and policies favouring ethnic Malays, leaving the coalition heavily reliant on Malay votes to stay in power.

Ms Ambiga said voters had become empowered through the internet and social media and were no longer prepared to accept corruption.

''There is also for the first time a strong opposition which has brought out the scandals … I can sense the momentum is picking up,'' said Ms Ambiga, whose organisation has brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets to rally for free elections.

With only a few weeks remaining before the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, must call an election, religious tensions are also flaring over a call by an independent Muslim MP for the mass burning of Bibles which use the word ''Allah'' to refer to God.

Lim Guan Eng, the chief minister of the opposition-ruled island of Penang, put police on alert after a note was found at a church promising a Bible-burning ''festival'' this weekend. ''Let's teach 'em a lesson,'' the note read.

Financial markets are jittery over the political uncertainty in a country where the BN has never lost an election since independence from Britain in 1957.

At the last election in 2008, the BN lost its two-thirds majority as well as five out of 12 contested state governments.

Mr Najib, who became Prime Minister in 2009, has abolished repressive national security laws and hopes Malaysia's strong economic performance and handouts to poorer Malaysians will shore up his support.

In a bid to placate Malay voters, he has also softened an earlier pledge to replace a 40-year-old affirmative action policy that favours Malays with a ''new economic model''.

In one poll released in January, Mr Najib was only one percentage point ahead of the charismatic Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister who heads the multi-ethnic opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat (People's Pact).

An opposition rally drew close to 100,000 people in Kuala Lumpur on January 12, one of the country's largest-ever shows of political strength.

More than 3 million new voters have registered since the last election, deepening uncertainty about the result.

Analysts say many of them are young voters who are likely to be more open to change.

Seeking to appeal to these younger voters, Mr Najib's party lured the South Korean pop star Psy with a huge fee to perform at a Chinese New Year party in Penang on Monday.

Mr Najib promised to build 20,000 new houses and a new monorail system for the island before appearing on stage.

''Are you ready for Psy?'' he yelled to the fans, who yelled back, ''Yes''. But when Mr Najib then yelled ''Are you ready for the BN?'' many yelled, ''No''.

Ms Ambiga said her organisation is mobilising squads of citizen observers to fan out across the country to observe the election, which must be held before the end of June.

Requests to admit observers representing the United Nations or Western countries have been denied, although some local non-governmental organisations will be invited to polling stations, with restricted access.

''People have decided to take it upon themselves to observe the elections,'' Ms Ambiga said, adding she believes the election is too close to call.

''Malaysians have a habit of surprising - watch this space.''

54-Day Countdown to 13 GE – Najib should announce three ang pows at Dong Zong CNY Open House tomorrow: full recognition of UEC, approval for four Chinese Independent Secondary Schools and review of National Education Blueprint

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should announce three ang pows at the Dong Zong Chinese New Year Open House tomorrow, namely:

* Full government recognition of Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) as one of the academic qualifications for entry into national higher learning institutions, public services and teaching academies;

* Government approval for four Chinese independent secondary schools in Petaling Jaya, Puchong, Segamat and Johore Baru;

* Review of the National Education Blueprint to give full recognition of mother-tongue education in the mainstream of the national education system, including:

1. Increase in the number of Chinese and Tamil primary schools dependent on the needs of parents to send their children to Chinese and Tamil primary schools in order to ensure the right of students to receive mother-tongue education; and

2. Fair and just capital allocations for development expenditures of Chinese and Tamil primary schools and the provision of adequate trained teachers; and

3. Assist Malaysian independent Chinese secondary schools in financing, teacher-training, curricula design, amenities, etc and to allow them to relocate, set up branches and put up new premises.

DAP and Pakatan Rakyat are committed to the full recognition of UEC and if Najib fails to make such an announcement tomorrow, then it will be one of the priority policy announcements of a new Pakatan Rakyat government in Putrajaya after the 13GE.

It will be a great disappointment and just not good enough if the Prime Minister comes to the Dong Zong CNY Open House with promises of recognition or agreement in principle to recognize the UEC, when the UEC is recognised world-wide as of high academic standards for all educational and employment purposes.

Malaysians will be very wary of such announcements after the infamous Su Qiu fiasco three general elections ago, where the Cabinet agreed “in principle” before the 1999 general election to the 83-point Su Qui Appeals, but which was disowned by the then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mahathir Mohamad, who after the general elections accused the Su Qiu supporters of wanting to cause racial disunity and “not much different from the communists or Al-Maunah”.

A racial confrontation was engineered after the 1999 General Elections when Mahathir alleged that the Cabinet was forced to accept Su Qui “in principle” and that UMNO/BN were “threatened then as elections were just round the corner”.

Mahathir said: “That’s why they came up with the memorandum, as a threat to the Barisan Nasional, and that if we didn’t entertain their request they would tell the Chinese not to support us. This was deliberate and the timing was well-planned. What could we do then?”

In the confrontation, the Suqiu or Malaysian Chinese Organisations Election Appeals Committee were pressured to withdraw seven of the Suqiu Appeals.

In fact, in his appearance at the Dong Zong CNY Open House tomorrow, Najib should apologise for the hypocrisy and insincerity of the Barisan Nasional Cabinet agreement “in principle” of the 83-point Suqiu Appeals on Sept. 22, 1999, but which UMNO and all the Barisan Nasional component parties, including MCA, Gerakan and SUPP reneged after the 1999 general elections.

What assurance can Najib give that there would be repetition of the Su Qiu fiascos in future?

(Lim Kit Siang speech at the Perak Pakatan Rakyat Open House in Ipoh on Saturday, 16th February 2013 at 11 am)

Press Release: Absurd Detention and Deportation of Australian Senator

The Malaysian Bar is astounded at the absurdity of the Malaysian authorities in detaining Australian Senator Nick Xenophon upon his arrival on Malaysian soil this morning.  He is currently in custody, having been reportedly refused entry into the country, and will be deported.

Such shameful action on the part of the authorities shows the sizeable gulf between the aspirational statements of the Prime Minister that Malaysia is a modern democracy, and the irrational actions of the people around him.

During the Senator’s visit to Malaysia, he was scheduled to meet representatives of the Government, the Opposition, civil society groups, as well as leaders of the Malaysian Bar.

The authorities are apparently relying on section 8(3) of the Immigration Act, which stipulates the classes of prohibited immigrants, as the legal basis for detention.  However, in the public mind the most natural inference is that the Malaysian Government opposes, and is fearful of, the Senator's views and comments, as he has been outspoken and critical of the Government regarding issues of democracy and human rights.¹

Criticism of policy and governance must be respected and received without reprisal, even if they contain inconvenient and uncomfortable truths.  Any other reaction would be a sign of insecurity, and would disrespect the rule of law.

The Malaysian Bar reminds the Prime Minister that action must follow aspiration.  In this instance, the authorities owe an unreserved apology to Senator Nick Xenophon and must promise such an incident will not happen again, to him or any other visitor, merely on the basis of their views.

The Malaysian Bar also calls on the Government to allow the Senator entry into the country, and to assure his colleagues that they will be permitted entry as well.

Lim Chee Wee

President

Malaysian Bar

Mahathir has 'no intention' of contesting against Anwar

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has refused to entertain the challenge thrown at him to go against his once deputy, now Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, in the coming polls.

“I am retired (from politics), I do not have any intention to return but I am actively helping to campaign for those who once helped me to become prime minister,” he said during a press conference last night.

He was responding to the challenge put forth by former West Malaysia Malay Teachers' Union president Nordin Mahmood (left) yesterday, who felt the former premier has long wronged Anwar in many ways, and the latter must be defended.
He accused Mahathir of escalating the intensity of his attacks against the former deputy prime minister, despite bowing out of politics.
Nordin said the combat between the two would also serve to test Anwar’s strength and popularity in taking over the country’s helm.
He further suggested they fight it out in Anwar’s stronghold of Permatang Pauh in Penang, as a loss for Mahathir there would be less humbling for him.
'Coming down from the sky' to help.

According to Mahathir, however, his campaign plan now is to show appreciation for the deeds of those who aided him when he was actively politicking, to the point that he became PM.

“This is returning the deed... nowadays, people don’t often repay deeds but I still appreciate them.

“Once, they supported me, I reached the sky. Now, I come down from the sky and support them-lah,” he jested.

Mahathir had earlier officiated  at a dinner organised by Malaysia Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Ikhlas), where he urged the audience to be more prudent when managing their business cash flow.

“Malay entrepreneurs are not skilled at managing cash. When they have money, they want to spend it.

“This causes us to be lacking money for our businesses,” he said later.

Also attending the dinner were his wife, Dr Siti Hasmah and Ikhlas president Ridzuan Abdullah (above, right in photo).

Elections closes in has MIC secured the right candidate for Sg Siput seat?

Datuk Seri G. Palanivel and his team in MIC are working really hard, to reverse the outcome of the 2008 election but the burning question is ‘Do they have a winnable candidate?’ Do they have a suitable candidate who shares the same spirit of the Leaders in MIC?

Lets look at Sg Siput – MIC needs a candidate who possesses the qualities of Datuk Seri Utama S. Samy Vellu.

Samy Vellu had done a fantastic job while being the MP of his constituency Sg Siput. He has helped eradicate social illnesses, and also the level of poverty among the community.

With the run up to the elections closes in has MIC secured the right candidate for Sg Siput seat? The candidate who is slated to contest is what locals would describe as ‘Parachuted candidate’ into MIC in the early 90s. He does not have the support of the grassroot leaders.He is also described as arrogant, selfish, and has not done much for his current constituency and the Indian community. Rumors says that he has also made his immediate relatives and family members rich in many ways than one.

According to the people here they would definitely prefer Datuk Seri Utama S. Samy Vellu to contest in Sg Siput.

With that being said, has MIC made a wise choice by fielding this candidate here? We will just have to wait and see.