Selected Malaysian News

Safety Of Indonesian Workers, Students Assured - Hishammuddin

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:50:00 +0000

The Home Ministry has assured the safety of 1.8 million Indonesian workers and students in the country following flare-ups over a misunderstanding on a Balinese dance in the republic.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the ministry would curtail any retaliation against the protests.

"Despite the provocations, pressure, humiliation and threats, we will ensure their (Indonesian workers and students) safety," he told reporters after attending the Umno Supreme Council meeting at the PWTC here Friday.

Members of a group calling itself Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera), who armed themselves with sharpened bamboo sticks, mounted a roadblock in Jalan Diponegoro, Jakarta on Tuesday to look for Malaysians to shoo them off the country.

The flare-ups emanated over the Pendet dance of Bali put up by a production house in Singapore for a Discovery Channel programme on Malaysia. Discovery Channel has since apologised for the mistake.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the Indonesian government to resolve the issue to ensure that bilateral ties between the republic and Malaysia would not be affected.

"I am saddened over the incident. It involved a small group of people with violence tendency. They want to go to war over a trivial issue. We don't do that here," he said after presenting Aidilfitri aid and the Perkim President Seri Cemerlang Award here today.

In Muar, Inspector-General of Police said Indonesian police chief Gen Bambang Hendarso Danuri told him that six individuals, who were involved in the "Sweeping Malaysians" incident had been arrested.

"He (Bambang) called me up and told me about the arrest," Musa told reporters after launching a road safety campaign in conjunction with the 20th Ops Sikap organised by the police and Telekom Malaysia at Dataran Tanjung Emas here today.

Musa said it was a small issue blown out of proportion by the Indonesian media and called on Malaysians not to be drawn into the controversy.

Source : Bernama

100 ex-Malaysians march to press for British citizenship

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:29:00 +0000

More than 100 Malaysian British Overseas Citizens (BOCs) staged a peace march yesterday as part of their campaign to lobby for British citizenship.

Most of them are from Penang and Malacca who had renounced their Malay-sian citizenship but now find themselves stateless as they are not entitled to British nationality.

They are part of over 500 BOCs in Bri-tain who are in a quandary after being misled into giving up their Malaysian passports as a route towards acquiring British citizenship.

Holding placards and banners declaring “Where is our home?” and “We are victims of limbo,” they marched from Westminster Abbey to the Home Office nearby at about 1pm, attracting attention from the lunch-time crowd.

A six-member delegation later presented a letter to Immigration Minister Phil Woolas’ private secretary Oliver Ferrari, seeking a meeting with the minister to look into the plight of the Malaysian BOCs.

Among those in the group were two BOCs identified only as Tracy and Edward, London Chinese Information and Advice Centre’s Malaysian chairman councillor Edmond Yeo, London Citizens’ co-ordinator Jessica Jones, Brentwood vicar-general Father John Armitage and St Bonaventure School’s head student Senyo Aidm.

“The BOCs have been poorly advised, causing them to live in destitution, fear and exploitation,” said Yeo, who was among the community leaders who turned up to give their support.

These former Malaysians acquired BOC status by virtue of being born in Penang and Malacca before 1983 following an amendment to the British Nationality Act, which created a residual BOC category.

Newlywed Lim, who is one of those affected, said he felt sad that he could not go for his honeymoon in Paris despite being married nine months ago.

“We’ve saved money for the trip but it’s still a dream as I am stranded in Britain,” said the 33-year-old Penangite.

Lim is facing an even worse predicament, as his BOC passport, along with his Malaysian driving licence and cut-up Malaysian passport, were seized by the Home Office two years ago.

He was then detained for overstaying, spending 18 days in four detention centres, including sleeping in Heathrow Airport.

“It’s been a living nightmare. I don’t know whether I’ll be arrested or thrown into a detention centre on my next visit,” said Lim, who gave up his Malaysian citizenship in 2006 to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain status in Britain.

Source : TheStar

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Action can be taken if Herald uses Allah

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:57:00 +0000

PUTRAJAYA: Action can be taken against non-Muslim publications, including The Herald, in 10 states if they are found to be using four words related to Islam, including “Allah”.

This is because the states – Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis and Selangor – have gazetted the ruling which is now part of the respective state enactments on Islamic matters.

A fatwa had been issued to prohibit non-Muslim publications from using the words “Allah”, “Kaabah”, “Solat” and “Baitullah” in their reading materials.

Religious Adviser to the Prime Minister Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin said the remaining four states – Penang, Federal Territory, Sabah and Sarawak – were in the process of gazetting the fatwa.

“There are already laws in place to take action against offenders; not just through the Home Ministry,” he said.

The Catholic Church has submitted an application for a judicial review over the use of the word Allah, seeking to quash the decision of the Internal Security Minister (now Home Minister) in a letter dated Feb 12, which imposed conditions on the publishing permit of The Herald, a Catholic weekly. Among the conditions was a prohibition on the use of the word Allah.

Abdullah also said a statement made by Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat over the use of the word by non-Muslims had confused the public.

“It is true that in the early days, the word Allah already existed but it was wrongly used and was taken in the wrong context,” he said, adding that people in that era claimed Allah had children, that angels were His daughters and Allah had associations with the many statues used for worshipping.

“That is why Allah directed Prophet Muhammad to clear the matter and declare that Allah is One, has no children, was not given birth to and cannot be associated and likened to other things, or objects, in this world.

“That is why the word Allah cannot be used by non-Muslims to describe their God,” he said.

Recently, the PAS spiritual adviser said non-Muslims were allowed to use the word “Allah” as there was a verse in the Quran which quoted the non-Muslims of Mecca calling their god “Allah”.

Source : TheStar

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Malaysian opposition politican hit by nude photo scandal

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:39:00 +0000

PETALING JAYA: Outspoken Malaysian assemblyman Elizabeth Wong has lodged a police report over nude pictures and videos of her that have been circulating via MMS.

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, Ms Wong, who is Selangor and Parti Keadilan Rakyat assemblyman, said that the distribution and publication of these photos and video was a malicious attack.

'This constitutes a gross outrage on my modesty, a gross invasion of my privacy, and in particular the sanctity of my personal life,' she said.

'I have received a lot of support from my supporters, friends, colleagues and members of my constituency. I wish to thank them for their concern, support and encouragement.

'My family members are standing behind me. I would like to appeal to the media to give me and my family members some breathing space in this trying time so that I can weather this huge challenge.'

Police confirmed a report was lodged on Sunday night and they were investigating.

The pictures are believed to have been taken using a handphone, possibly before the general election last March. It is rumoured that they may have been taken and circulated by an ex-boyfriend.

Ms Wong won the Bukit Lanjan seat with a majority of over 5,000, the second largest majority won by a PKR state assembly candidate in Selangor.

She was later appointed a member of the Selangor state executive council, in charge of Tourism, Consumer Affairs and the Environment. She is also the information chief of the Women's wing of PKR and of her division Petaling Jaya Utara.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim urged the police to conduct a proper investigation into the matter.

He told reporters at the Parliament lobby in Kuala Lumpur that the Selangor state executive council would discuss the matter during its meeting on Wednesday.

'Someone is trying to frame her,' said Mr Khalid.

PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she would look into the matter and said she felt sad that it happened.

'There is a pattern of PKR assemblymen being attacked,' she said, alleging that the ruling coalition Barisan nasional has had its share of scandals too.

Selangor exco member and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said she had nightmares after learning about the incident.

'This is like invading a person's privacy and the incident took place at her home. The whole incident could be politically motivated,' said Ms Kok, adding that there must be someone purposely circulating the photos.

Mr Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) said the party would wait for Ms Wong to explain the situation to the Selangor mentri besar.

'We don't want to know if these are old or new nude pictures. She must explain to us, and if she is really guilty of having posed or was involved in the taking of these pictures, we will not hesitate to take action.

In Klang, Selangor opposition chief Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said that Malaysians were not ready to accept leaders afflicted with scandals Ms Wong should relinquish all her positions.

'Let the people decide and if they still want her they can vote her in again, or vote for someone else if they don't want her to represent them anymore,' said Dr Mohd Khir, who last week was detained and questioned by police for taking part in an illegal assembly.

Selangor opposition chief Dr Mohd Khir Toyo also said Ms Wong must quit all her positions. -- The Star/ANN

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Nizar 'marched out' of his office

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:39:00 +0000

Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who refused to resign as Perak menteri besar, was marched out of the state secretariat building here yesterday after he turned up to claim his old office.

He led his former exco members in a convoy of Toyota Camry cars to "show up for work as usual" and was allowed in by state Secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Hashim.

Nizar then made his way to his office, which had been cleared out since the Sultan of Perak ordered his resignation on Thursday, with his retinue and journalists in tow.

He maintained he would continue as menteri besar until he was ousted by a vote of no confidence in the state assembly.

"Until then, I am still the menteri besar of Perak, and if Barisan Nasional thinks they can come in with their own menteri besar, he will just have to share the office with me," he said.
When he sat down at the desk in his office to talk to reporters, Rahman came in and shouted at the press to leave.

Ipoh police chief Azisman Alias also told Nizar to stop the press conference and hold it outside the building.

When Nizar and the former executive councillors left the top floor, they were prevented from entering the other offices in the building by the police.

The offices of the exco members had also been emptied.

One of them, Nga Kor Ming, nearly caused a fist fight when he was barred from entering his office.

Checks revealed that Nizar's and the former exco members' key cards had been deactivated.

The police finally shooed the journalists from the building at 11am, and the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen followed a few minutes later.

The exco members all left in their official cars and said they would not hand them over.

Rahman said the eviction of Nizar and the others had been done in accordance with procedure and he was acting within his jurisdiction as state secretary to secure the state secretariat building.

"They were given letters to clear out on Thursday, and their aides have collected all their things.

"So don't say that their things are still in the office.

"In fact, the reason I let them in was out of the kindness of my heart.

"By right, they shouldn't even come here any more.

"The next time, the gates will not be open for them, and they will have to get passes, like any other ordinary visitor." Link to this Page

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Selangor tops list as dengue cases continue to rise

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:19:00 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of dengue cases in the country has continued to climb with 12 deaths from the 4,221 cases recorded since Jan 1.

“I hope everyone will cooperate with us to get the situation under control,” Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai told reporters after handing out ang pow to more than 100 Valley of Hope residents here yesterday.

Selangor remains the state with the highest number of cases at 2,223 with five deaths, compared to 751 cases and one death in the same period last year.

There were 409 cases with two deaths in Kuala Lumpur compared to 270 cases and no casualties in the same period last year.

There were 245 cases reported in Penang and 128 cases in Kedah, compared to 100 and 65 cases in the respective states during the same period last year.

Liow said chikungunya cases had also spiked, totalling 458 as of Friday with Selangor topping the list with 109 cases.

Perak had 96 cases and Kelantan 85.

On Monday, Liow declared war on dengue and called on everyone, including local councils and the public, to work together.

When asked what he thought was the cause for the sudden spike in the number of cases, he replied: “It could partly be due to the weather, but it’s also due to the lack of hygiene and sanitary measures.”

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21 detained for taking part in illegal assembly

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:18:00 +0000

Klang MP Charles Santiago, Kota Damansara assemblyman Dr Nasir Hasim and Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general S. Arutchelvan were among 21 people detained by the police for taking part in an illegal assembly in Dataran Merdeka here yesterday.

Dozens of people had gathered to hold a candlelight vigil for the Palestinian victims in Gaza but were told by the police to disperse.

The group called themselves the Anti-War Coalition, marched to Dataran Merdeka at 8.25pm.

Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Zulkarnain Abd Rahman said that police would investigate to verify if they had committed any offence during the gathering.

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Malaysian Muslims celebrate Maal Hijrah on solemn note

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:05:00 +0000

Muslims in the country ushered in the year 1430 of the Hijrah calendar today on a solemn note in the wake of the demise of Negeri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Ja’afar Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman and the Israeli air raids in Gaza which has claimed the lives of 300 Palestinians.

Negeri Sembilan did not hold the Ma’al Hijrah celebration today as the state has cancelled or postponed all government official functions scheduled for a week from last Saturday when Tuanku Ja’afar, the Yang Dipertuan Besar, passed away.

Israel has carried out air strikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip over the last three days.

The national-level Ma’al Hijrah celebration was held in Putrajaya and was attended by 2,500 people comprising employees from the government and private sectors and members of religious organisations.

The celebration, held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, was launched by the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, who is the Sultan of Kedah.
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Jerit campaigners warned of arrest

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:37:00 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR: The police will not hesitate to take action against members of the Marginalised People's Network (Jerit) who are planning to cycle to Parliament today to submit a memorandum.

City deputy police chief Datuk Abu Samah Mat said police would arrest those who proceeded despite the warning.

"It is fine by us if they want to submit the memorandum in other ways, but to cycle to Parliament in a large group is considered an illegal gathering. They do not have a permit to do so," he said yesterday.

Jerit has two groups of cyclists travelling from the north and south of the peninsula, a journey which will end with them handing over the memorandum in Parliament.

Listed in the memorandum are appeals for low-income workers to be protected in times of crisis, the abolition of laws like the Internal Security Act, adequate housing, price controls, a halt to privatising basic amenities and for local council elections to be restored.
Abu Samah also warned against the use of minors in the cycling campaign.

He was speaking after the launch of the Occupational Safety and Health Campaign in collaboration with Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad at KL Sentral.

Suaram secratariat member and Jerit's cycling campaign coordinator, S. Arutchelvam, said parents of the Jerit cyclists were considering suing Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar for detaining their children overnight at the Rawang police station.

M. Sugumaran, the father of Jerit campaign cyclist S. Phivyakumar, 15, said he was unhappy over how his son and the other cyclists were treated by police.

"I was not allowed to see my son. The children were detained from 7pm until 1pm the next day, most of the time in a dark room.

"The children should have been taken away by Welfare Department officials. The police were very harsh with the children, scolding them and calling them syaitan (devil)."

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Pirates hit cargo ship near Pulau Tioman

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:30:00 +0000

A group of 10 pirates forced a cargo ship to a halt and robbed the crew of cash, valuables and handphones near Pulau Tioman on Monday.

The 9pm incident saw the pirates in two speedboats chasing the ship that was heading from Thailand to Singapore with a consignment of coal.

They then boarded the ship before herding the crew together and ordering them to keep quiet.

The crew had no choice but to follow the instructions of the pirates who were armed with parang and knives.

As five pirates kept guard over the crew, the others ransacked the ship.
It is not known how long the crew were kept captive but they later lodged a report at the Kemaman district police station.

The report was then referred to the Rompin District police station for further investigations.

Meanwhile, Rompin OCPD, DSP Johari Yahya, when contacted yesterday, confirmed the report.

He added that the crew claimed that they had lost about 16 million Rupiah (about RM5,000) in cash and valuables.

Johari said the Marine Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforce ment Agency had been informed about the incident.

He said police were investigations the incident as gang robbery and voluntarily causing hurt in a robbery.

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Court dismisses prosecution's application to amend sedition charge against RPK

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:42:00 +0000

The Sessions Court here today rejected an application by the prosecution to amend the sedition charge against Malaysia-Today.net news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin.

The prosecution had applied to include the website address and title of the allegedly seditious article, "Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell", which was not present in the original article appended with the sedition charge.

In dismissing the amendment, Judge Rozina Ayob agreed with the defence that an an amendment to the charge would be contrary to Section 158 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and that it was prejudicial to the accused to amend it at such a late stage.

"The charge is a substitution. We have gone through it, and there are sections where even words are changed," said defence counsel Gobind Singh Deo.

"The question that comes to mind is this. Is this the original, or is this another document that has been typed up by the police officer?" asked Gobind who submitted that the amendment was a sign that the prosecution "has no case".

"It is our submission that the prosecution realises that they have no chance. They should withdraw the charge and admit that it is baseless," said Gobind.

Raja Petra is charged with committing sedition through the article posted on Malaysia-Today.net at his house on Jalan BRP 5/5, Bukit Rahman Putra in Sungai Buloh on April 25 this year.

The charge carries a penalty of up to RM5,000 fine or up to three years jail or both upon conviction.

DPP Ishak Mohd Yusoff however refuted the severity of the amendments, claiming the the prosecution had just added two elements which had been objected to by the defence during the last trial sessions in October.

"It is an editorial, but it forms part of the ingredients of the charge, so that the accused understands the charge against him. We are adding two ingredients to make it clearer," said Ishak.

The court then moved on to hear testimony from two witnesses, -- senior digital forensic analyst S.Sivanathan and ASP Wa'ie Isqual Kria Abdullah.

Sivanathan, who was questioned on a forensic investigation report of the computers seized from Raja Petra by the police, told the court there were several elements found in the forensic log which indicated that someone had used the computers, a Dell desktop and an Asus laptop to access Malaysia-Today.net with "administrator privileges".

Asked to clarify what "administrator privileges" were, Sivanathan said that such privileges allow a user to maintain the website.

He said however that while some people may log in with administrator rights, it was possible to create usernames and passwords with lesser privileges.

He said while there was evidence in the log indicating that files had been uploaded to Malaysia-Today from the computers, he was unable to determine the type of file uploaded to the news portal.

Meanwhile, Wa’ie, who was called to testify on the forensic log made by him for the investigating officer, DSP Mahfuz Abdul Majid, said that while he prepared the logs from his forensic analysis of both the laptop and the desktop, he did not look beyond Mahfuz’s request to find evidence pertaining to the investigation on Raja Petra.

Hearing continues tomorrow.

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Azmi refutes Opposition claim on Eurocopter probe

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:58:00 +0000

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid has refuted the opposition claim that it did not investigate the purchase of 12 Eurocopter Cougar EC275 helicopters for RM1.604 billion.

Azmi (BN-Padang Besar) told Dewan Rakyat the report on the chopper purchase had not been given to the MPs as it was still being prepared by the Parliament secretariat.

“It is our aim to present the report as soon as possible. Typing them out will take some time,” he told Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) when debating the Supply Bill 2009 at committee stage here today.

Lim claimed that PAC did not investigate the chopper purchase and wanted to know why PAC did not provide MPs with copies of the report.

Azmi said PAC should not engage in debate with the opposition member as it had investigated according to procedure and scrutinised to find weaknesses in the purchase.
“I don’t want to debate with Ipoh Timur (Lim). We will conduct our duty to the best of our ability. I am not here to defend the government but on behalf of PAC because its name had been smeared by Ipoh Timur.” He added PAC decided to investigate the Eurocopter chopper purchase one week before Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak proposed it investigate the matter and not on a Cabinet directive.

Azmi also denied Lim’s claim that he had conspired with Najib adding they had yet to meet after the PAC meeting on the Eurocopter purchase on Monday.

The PAC meeting on Monday decided that the purchase of 12 choppers from Eurocopter for RM1.604 billion was done according to procedure.

He said a two week observation of the technical and financial stage found that the purchase was done according to procedure accepted and practised at international level.

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Avoid biscuits without labels - Health Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:55:00 +0000

Biscuit lovers are advised not to buy loose biscuits from night markets, farmers’ markets and shops.

The Health Ministry’s Food Safety and Quality Division director Noraini Mohd Othman said this was to avoid buying biscuits that contained melamine exceeding the permissible level.

She said consumers must also be more alert to avoid food that could jeopardise their health and their family’s.

“We can only educate consumers, but they make the decisions when purchasing goods. Read the labels before buying.

“Don’t only think that loose biscuits are cheaper, but think of the effects the tainted biscuits have when we consume them,” said Noraini in a statement faxed to Bernama, here on Tuesday.

Noraini also advised retailers to be more responsible and to often check the ministry’s website to avoid selling food products tainted with melamine.

“If there is a food product that does not contain the permissible level of melamine, we hope they will remove it from the shelves or contact the District Health Office or State Health Department for more information.

“We also urge consumers to go through the list of products not approved by the ministry to avoid buying unsafe products,” she said.

The division today certified four products from China and four more biscuits from Malaysia to be safe for consumption.

The products from China are Hapi brand Strawberry Sandwich Biscuits, Jiahui brand Pizza Biscuits (Red Packet) and CHong brand Soda Biscuits (Green Packet) as well as Hichime brand fruit milk chew candy.

The four local products are Biskut Marie Kecil, Biskut Rokok S, Biskut Rokok L2 and Biskut Milk Fat Short Cake, all produced by Khian Guan. - Bernama

Residents clash with police

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:57:00 +0000

JOHOR BARU: Emotions ran high among 300 residents and activists when they clashed with the police after houses in a squatter colony in Kampung Baru Plentong Tengah were demolished.

A scuffle broke out at 10.25am on Thursday when the villagers did not disperse. Instead, some of them started throwing stones at the policemen.

A total of 27 people including two women were arrested after the incident. A group of residents was dragged into a Black Maria and several people fainted. They were brought into waiting ambulances.

The crowd had gathered at the road leading to the village from 8am to protest against the demolition of the houses where they had lived for more than 20 years.

Some 500 policemen including Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel were on standby.

A total of 310 households were affected when Bukit Lenang Development Sdn Bhd obtained a court order requesting the residents to vacate the land.

They had been asked to leave their homes by Aug 14 but the developer had extended the deadline to Thursday.

However, according to the residents’ lawyer Hassan Abdul Karim, 291 households had appealed against the court order, asking the developer to wait until all the amenities in Bukit Dagang, where they will move to, were ready.

Hassan said a decision on the matter would be made by a magistrate’s court on Oct 29. Resident Norhasdi Hassan, 24, said it was a “terrible experience” to see his father and one of his brothers being dragged into the Black Maria.

“I was horrified because I did not expect this to happen. My father fell and I was kicked on my left thigh. When I bent down to help my father to get up, I was hit on the back,” he claimed.

His 46-year-old mother Noresah Omar said it would be difficult to leave their home until they were provided with a proper house with basic facilities at Bukit Dagang.

Suaram member Nyam Kee Han, 35, who was among those arrested, said he went there to give his support to the villagers.

Three lawyers from the Johor Bar Council were also denied entry into the police station. Seri Alam OCPD Supt Roslan Zainuddin said all 27, aged between 18 and 61, were arrested for obstructing policemen.

“They are the residents of the village while some are activists,” he said, adding that 23 houses were demolished.

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Malaysian blogger pleads not guilty to sedition charges

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:33:00 +0000

A popular Malaysian blogger yesterday pleaded not guilty to sedition over an article he wrote that linked the deputy prime minister and his wife to the murder of a Mongolian woman. Raja Petra Kamaruddin, founder of the popular Malaysia Today site that frequently airs criticism of government leaders, has also been held in detention since August under tough internal security laws.

Najib, who is expected to replace Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the country’s next leader, has denied any involvement in the 2006 murder of 28-year-old Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Najib’s close friend, Abdul Razak Baginda, is on trial for abetting the murder, and two police officers from a unit that guards the prime minister and his deputy have been charged with the killing.

Raja Petra, 58, pleaded not guilty to the sedition charge lodged over an article published in April entitled “Let’s Send the Altantuya Murderers to Hell.”

“I claim trial,” a tired-looking Raja Petra told the court.

Lawyers said that Malaysia’s Sedition Act, a relic from British colonial times, has historically been used to prevent uprising against the leadership, as well as disharmony among the people.

Raja Petra’s wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, said he would not be cowed into silence, and urged the government to abandon its use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for detention without trial.

“He is not giving up. He is not a threat to security. If he has done wrong, charge him in court. Do not detain him under the ISA,” she told reporters.

“What’s wrong in exposing leaders who indulge in corruption? Are we supposed to remain silent?” she said.

About three dozen supporters gathered outside the court, wearing T-shirts with slogans such as “I am with RPK,” “Free RPK,” and “No to ISA.”

The ISA, which human rights groups have pushed to have abolished, allows for renewable two-year periods of detention without trial and is normally used against terrorism suspects.

If convicted of sedition, Raja Petra faces a three-year jail term.

The hearing will continue at least until the end of the week and the court will then decide whether the case goes to trail

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MELAMINE-LACED MILK - Ministry to release test results this afternoon

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:55:00 +0000

PUTRAJAYA: Household names of milk-products, including M&M's chocolates, Snickers chocolate bars and the White Rabbit creamy candy, which were among the 53 items tested for melamine contamination yesterday, will know their fate when the test results are released by the Health Ministry at 4pm today.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry has took samples of 53 milk-related products produced in China for testing.

The items, including chocolate, candy, yogurt and biscuits, have been sent to the Chemistry Department for tests on suspicion that they may contain milk tainted by the banned substance, melamine.

The ministry will also start seizing products off shelves if the test results show that they contain dangerous amounts of the substance.

"But, this is no cause for alarm at the moment. We are doing our best to check everything and we hope to get cooperation from the manufacturers, importers and retailers," Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday.
He also said other food products imported from China and suspected of containing melamine had been placed on Level 5 of the six-level Food Safety Information System of Malaysia, which requires that products be detained pending results of sample analysis.

Milk-related products from China have been placed at the Level 6 alert since Sept 13, which means an automatic rejection.

Liow confirmed that there were no dairy products (milk or milk powder) from China sold in Malaysia since last year.

"To sell milk here, you would need a special licence from the Veterinary Services Department. The department has said that none had been given to Chinese companies since last year."

Liow said it was normal for food items to contain a small amount of melamine as a result of using plastic wrappers. A directive from the European Commission said up to 30 parts per million (ppm) of the substance was still safe.

Powdered milk produced by China's largest dairy producer, Sanlu Group, was found to have a melamine content of up to 2,563ppm.

Liow urged doctors who come across kidney disorders suspected to be caused by tainted milk products to report the cases to the ministry.
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Anwar remains optimistic about Sept 16

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:00:00 +0000

“Next trip, Taipei!” This was what Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim jokingly said when he arrived at the Sessions Court here for his sodomy case hearing.

He was apparently referring to the 41 Barisan Nasional MPs who left for Taipei recently for a study tour.

Many had speculated that the trip was planned to derail the Pakatan Rakyat adviser’s plan to topple the Government on Sept 16 by getting Barisan MPs to jump ship, although many quarters have denied this. Most of them will return on Sept 17.

On whether the Pakatan Rakyat’s goal to usher in a new government on Sept 16 is on track, Anwar said: “Very much so. We will comment on that issue in the next one or two days.” Immediately after that, he added “Next trip, Taipei!”

Later, after the case was postponed to Sept 24 for both sides to present their cases on whether to transfer the case to the High Court, Anwar said the Datuk Ahmad Ismail issue was an incitement by Umno leaders.

“To deflect attention from abuse of power, corruption, mismanagement of the economy and the impending and imminent change (of government) in this country,” he said after stepping out of the lift from the fourth floor of the court complex.

He said the Ahmad issue was a wrong and unjust one to use on innocent Malays, bumiputras, Chinese and Indians.

In Kuala Terengganu, state PAS commissioner Datuk Mustafa Ali said the Sept 16 plan may just not materialise for now, based on technical and political aspects.

Anwar, he said, may have to wait for a while for his ambitious plan to take over the Federal Government.

Mustafa, who spoke as political analyst and not as his capacity of a leader in the party, said the two reasons that he saw would delay the process was technical where a change in the Government could not take place without the vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister or his resignation.

“Parliament has adjourned for the fasting month and, as such, no confidence vote can be tabled. Besides, the Prime Minister has continuously said he would not relinquish his post,” he said.

From the political aspect, Mustafa noted that defection of Barisan MPs had never happened.

Mustafa said PKR had also not officially consulted PAS on the proposed takeover of the Government.

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Banks to ease financial burden of customers

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:32:00 +0000

PETALING JAYA: Finance companies are resorting to restructuring car loan repayments to help ease the burden of customers with heavy financial commitments.

At least three major banks will announce their hire-purchase loan restructuring plans soon.

A senior manager of a prominent local bank with a substantial volume of hire-purchase customers said that given the current economic scenario, where prices of fuel and food had increased, many customers would be burdened by the high repayment plans that they had signed previously.

Finance companies could not rule out that some customers might find it difficult to service their monthly instalments, he said.

“We expect that for next year there will be more repossession orders given, but it won’t be a drastic increase,” he said, adding that his company issued a monthly average of 2,500 repossession orders.

Most banks and finance companies will try to assist any customer whom they feel could fail to meet their monthly instalments.

The move is expected to bring cheer to thousands of hire-purchase customers, especially those paying high monthly instalments for their car loans.

A Perodua Kelisa owner, Jen Neoh, 29, welcomes an option to restructure her car loan, as it would ease her financial burden.

“I think it’s better to be in debt with a bank, rather than borrowing from friends, family or even loan sharks,” she said.

Neoh, who now pays almost RM400 for her monthly instalments, said she would be comfortable paying about RM200 instead.

A public relations manager in a large bank here said her bank was now very selective with new approvals for hire-purchase loans.

“And we have also started calling customers to help restructure their hire-purchase agreements to help them make ends meet,” she said.

Loan restructuring is commonly done by extending the account holder’s repayment period to lower the monthly instalment that needs to be paid.

“Many factors affect how much the refinancing would affect the new monthly repayment amount,” said a head of retail collection in Kuala Lumpur.

He said they included how much loan was taken in the first place and the customer’s financial status.

“But if they can’t pay, reduction is not a solution. They can always surrender their cars. But we will try to help them so that they won’t have to,” he said.

Federation of Consumer Associations adviser Datuk Hamdan Adnan said Bank Negara must step in and help consumers who have been threatened with having their vehicles repossessed.

“Banks always claim they are customer-friendly. But in reality, they exploit some customers,” he said.

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No one seems to be telling the truth..." - Altantuya murder trial

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:14:00 +0000

"No one seems to be telling the truth, everyone seems to be lying and contradicting each other."

This was the blanket outburst from defence counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin for second accused Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, as the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial was thrown into a pool of contradictions today. His statement was in obvious reference to the testimonies of Chief Insp Koh Fei Cheow and ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin.

To this, DPP Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah retorted: "Be fair, Kamarul! If all the witnesses are liars, then the accused are liars too."

He was obviously referring to first accused Chief Insp Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar who had testified too during the trial.

Kamarul then responded saying: "If that’s the case, then there is nothing to stand on."

Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin then told Tun Abdul Majid: "You have your turn later."

Kamaral’s key point during Friday's submission for a trial-within-a-trial to determine if a disclosure by Sirul Azhar should be adduced as evidence revolved around the question of whether the latter had uttered the words: "I’ve kept the items in my jacket" and "these are the items".

According to the police, Sirul Azhar had said this as he removed a black jacket from a closet in his room at his apartment in Gugusan Semarak, Kota Damasara.

Police said a pair of earrings, a ring and a Larmes watch belonging to Altantuya were found in the jacket.

Kamarul said when a careful look at the police report filed by Zulkarnain showed that it it did not describe the items of jewellery as having been found in the jacket.

"The inference is obvious, when the report was filled up, the police had not decided where the items should be said to have been found," he said.

Kamarul also brought up the circumstances in which second accused Sirul Azhar was made to pose with the black jacket from his cupboard containing the pair of earrings, a ring and a Larmes watch, and the sequence of events and contradictory statements that shows that the latter was probably made to pose with the items.

These were statements pertaining to the disclosure of the items from ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin, Chief Insp Koh Fei Cheow and Cpl Chiam Swee Guan:

Zulkarnain: Sirul took out the jacket from the closet himself and then said "Saya simpan barang kemas di dalam jacket" (I kept the jewellery in the jacket).

Koh: Zulkarnain took out the black jacket (from the closet) and placed it on the bed.

Chiam: Sirul Azhar opened the closet and took out a black jacket saying "barang kemas saya simpan dalam jacket" (The jewellery, I’ve kept in the jacket.)

On the picture Sirul Azhar was allegedly made to pose for:

Zulkarnain: Photographer L/Cpl Kamarolzaman captured a shot of this (Sirul taking out the jacket from the closet).

Koh: Only Zulkarnain, Cpl Chiam Swee Guan and I entered the room with Sirul Azhar. (Kamarolzaman not included).

Chiam: As soon as we entered the house, Sirul Azhar headed to the closet, opened the door and removed a black jacket and said "the jewellery, I’ve kept in the jacket".

"This proves clearly that the occasion which Zulkarnain alleged Sirul Azhar made the statement was not even there," said Kamarul asking: "Was the statement ever made? There is more than a reasonable doubt," he said.

Kamarul said according to Chiam, the act of Sirul Azhar walking to and removing the jacket from the closet was a continuous act and that the picture of him pointing to the items did not happen at all. "This proves that the picture was posed and fabricated for the benefit of the police."

Kamarolzaman told the court that the picture of the room door was taken 10 to 15 minutes after he had been in the house. He said Zulkarnain came out (of Sirul Azhar’s room) and ordered him to take pictures after the items were found.

"After this, ASP Zul (Zulkarnain) ordered me to take a picture of Sirul Azhar pointing at the jacket in the cupboard. I only snapped his picture once. After that, I was ordered to take a picture of him pointing to the jewellery which was placed on a black jacket on a bed in the same room," Kamarolzaman said.

"This means that the pictures were taken after the disclosure and we argue that whatever statement made after the discovery of any item is no longer admissible under Section 27 of the Evidence Act," Kamarul said.

Kamarolzaman confirmed during cross examination that he was not in the room during the examination and only entered later, said Kamarul.

"Zulkarnain cannot speak for the cameraman, the cameraman spoke for himself and Zulkarnain cannot contradict that," he said.

"We have always contended that the photos had been orchestrated to create evidence," he added.

Hearing continues on Monday.

Policeman collapses in court, later dies

SHAH ALAMP (July 25, 2008): A policeman who brought an accused to the Shah Alam court for the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial this morning collapsed in the witness room. He died at the National Heart Institute later in the afternoon.

L/Cpl Othman Abd Rahman, 47 apparently had difficulty breathing after climbing the spiral staircase two floors up to the court room.

After delivering the accused to court, he sat in the witness room. His colleagues sensed that he was in physical trauma and attended to him.

Othman collapsed and there was a frenzy in and outside the court as those inside tried to revive him and those outside tried to arrange for transport to get him to hospital. His colleague, L/Cpl Abu Bakar Hussin, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.

Abu Bakar managed to revive Othman, who had at one point stopped breathing.

Othman's colleagues then carried him on a court bench to a police van in front of the courthouse which rushed him to hospital. The ambulance only arrived 15 minutes later.

Othman died at the NHI at 1.15pm.

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Anwar: I just want to move on

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said when he takes over as prime minister of the country, all he wants to do is to forgive and forget the past, and to move on and be an effective leader of the country.

There will not be any witch-hunting as he had already indicated to those who had a hand in his downfall 10 years ago - from a high position in the government to the lowest position as a prisoner - that they would not be victimised.

“I am a human being, I have a family, I have six children, I have suffered, I am tired of all the intrigues, I want to forgive and I want to move on,” he told theSun in an interview in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) headquarters today.

Anwar said it was unfortunate that the sodomy allegation had emerged just as he was on the threshold of taking over power in the country, just as it had happened when he was deputy prime minister.

Those who are behind this allegation and who are conspiring to prevent him from taking over the leadership of the country are aware of the number of MPs who are crossing over and the ministers he is talking with and so they had to act.

The PKR de facto leader alleged that IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail were behind what happened to him 10 years ago and he saw a similar pattern in the new allegation.

“I told everyone after I was freed that I wanted to be left alone and I wanted all this nonsense to stop, but it was unfortunate that they continued unabated and with impunity, and I find this very shocking,” he said.

He said he has received messages from his friends the world over, including former Philippines President Cory Aquino, expressing shock over this new allegation.

Anwar deplored the various statements made about him by several Umno ministers, one of whom accused him of being an American agent.

“They portray themselves to be good Muslims yet they live with these lies and corruption. How can they in all honesty do these things, and still call themselves good Muslims,” he said.

Anwar alleged that the conspiracy against him involves people in high places in the government and named Musa, Gani and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah.

He said he had evidence to show that Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the man he was alleged to have sodomised, was planted by these people as one of the volunteers working for him before the March 8 general election.

“I have also evidence of his direct communications with Musa while he was serving me. And I now know that it was through him that the conspirators knew about the four MPs and the announcement I was to make on Tuesday about my candidature in an upcoming by-election,” he said.

Anwar does not believe that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was involved in this conspiracy but his inaction to prevent it from being carried out reflected badly on him.

Others in his family are not sure about the prime minister anymore.

When his wife Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah came back from their meeting with Abdullah on Tuesday, they said they were touched by his expressions of concern and assurances.

But then, they were completely surprised by his statement expressing full confidence in the police force under Musa and in Gani Patail, which they found to be conflicting with what he had told them earlier.

These are some excerpts of the interview:

Q: For them to resort to this allegation it means they think you are very much on the threshold of assuming power, that you have the numbers. They were desperate and therefore they had to take desperate measures. Is that how you see it?
A: Yes. Although public statements they did not say so. I mean, what do you expect them to say? They know. The police monitors very closely. They know who I met, the ministers I met, the MPs I met and what was said.

Q:Why do you feel that there are attempts to assassinate you all of a sudden?
A: I said that because I was cautioned by a number of people. And I have actually made reference to that some time ago as we came closer to the general election. I had been forewarned a number of times to the extent that some people even gave me their bullet-proof vest but I never wore them. More so after March 8, because there’s a lot at stake. So that’s it.

Q: Did you have any sense or an inkling that this trouble was brewing before the allegation came up?
A: Yes, I was told that something along what happened was cooking. In fact, it was told to me five days before the allegation was made. I told my staff, including volunteers, including Saiful. And I am aware that he communicated to Musa.

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PM announces new measures to help people cope with rising prices

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:33:00 +0000

On the eve of the Dewan Rakyat’s second meeting that is expected to see heated verbal battles on the drastic fuel price rise, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday announced several short- and long-term measures to help the people deal with rising prices.

The steps after a briefing on subsidy restructuring for Barisan Nasional MPs at Angkasapuri are:

» The distribution of permits for small trade and businesses to low-income earners, including civil servants who secure permission to do so.

"For those who earn a little and want to increase their income, the government will issue permits to allow petty trading and small businesses at pasar tani (agriculture market) or pasar malam or in residential areas that have space to cater to this," said Abdullah.

Asked if it would also apply to those working in the civil service, he said: "Upon approval from my office and only if they will not neglect their work and shirk from their duties and responsibilities."

» the RM625 fuel rebate extended to owners of private vehicles above the three-litre engine capacity from Sabah and Sarawak.

"When I visited Sabah recently, I was informed people needed four-wheel drives to get around and because this is a necessity, they are eligible for this rebate," he said. Now, only owners of private vehicles of 2,000cc and below and pick-ups and four-wheel drives of 2,500cc and below are eligible for the rebate which is being disbursed through post-offices.

» small and medium entrepreneurs will receive incentives decided by the Anti-Inflation Committee However, Abdullah said some measures needed fine-tuning by the Finance Ministry and the Treasury as they involved taxation. "It will be implemented and announced in the shortest time," he said.

» Government is looking into achieving energy efficiency to become an attractive destination for investors, and the possibilities of varying energy utilisation, including harnessing solar, wind and bio-fuel.

"We are also looking into the possibilities of using nuclear power but that needs to be looked into because it is not easy to dispose of (the waste)," he said.

Abdullah said the government, through Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, would table a motion today on price increase for fuel and other goods, and measures to tackle it.

He expressed hope that there would be thorough discussion and lengthy debates arising from the motion that would be tabled immediately after Question Time today.

He further expressed hope that BN MPs would support the motion – including the two from the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

"My hope? Well, that they will not oppose it. This is already (a matter of) party discipline," he said to a question of what he expects the representatives of SAPP, which has declared no confidence in him, would do.

Abdullah explained that the session he held with the BN ministers, MPs and senators covered the issue and allowed them an opportunity to pose questions. "Some voiced their views and some gave advice. This is all good and meaningful and I hope in the debate, the MPs will carry out their duties and responsibilities well," he said.

He added that the government would not run from its responsibilities "as this is a major issue for the country and the people".

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'Help fight price increases'

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:17:00 +0000

Against a backdrop of public frustration and anger over the new subsidy plan, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad June 5 galvanised public support to help the government stem irrational price increases.

Admitting that the government is expecting a chain reaction to the new petrol price of RM2.70 a litre and RM2.58 for diesel, Shahrir told theSun his ministry is now monitoring price movements on the ground, so that drastic price hikes can be audited.

"Enforcement officers will be making inspection and I hope the public and the media will also highlight drastic increases. We can do, and will do an audit, for any business.

"We can ask the trader to do a list of his costs and if the trader’s new prices are not justified, we will advise him or her to adjust it," he said.

Shahrir said by right, there should be no increase at all because "first of all, in terms of transportation of goods, we are still maintaining fleet card system subsidies for all heavy vehicle classes registered with us including lorries and buses".

He said there are 99,375 lorries registered with the ministry.

However, when told a packet of nasi lemak has gone up by up to 30sen, Shahrir said: "There will be people raising their prices because they had to manage with, say, the increase in rice prices, and they will take advantage of the new fuel price as an excuse for the increase. However, they should not use petrol as the reason and they should be more truthful about why they had to raise their prices."

He said another reason why prices should be maintained is that the price for liquefied petroleum gas has not gone up.

The new subsidy plan, he said, provided for people to think and plan carefully on how to spend on petrol.

Resources are never infinite, he reminded, adding that this was one of the reasons the consumer associations had agreed to the new subsidy structure.

"They knew it was a depleting resource, there was over-utilisation and the subsidy then was not based on usage so there was no limit on the subsidies you can use.

"The new subsidy structure means that it is restricted to Malaysian-owned cars. The RM625 rebate provides for 801 litres of subsidised petrol a year which is a quota you enjoy at the old price and on top of it, there is still a government subsidy on petrol -- 30 sen off the market price," Shahrir said.

Here are Shahrir's answers to other questions on the subsidy plan:

Q: How will the new subsidy structure effect a typical average family in terms of expenditure?

Shahrir: There should not be changes in terms of (fares of) school buses because we are maintaining the diesel quota system. But there will be fewer trips to the malls or family outings on weekends and fewer holidays. We are hoping that it will not have an effect on food but that would depend on the family’s taste. It simply means that there will have to be changes in lifestyles. There should be a reduction of things that you used to do without thinking. The families will have to start to plan trips carefully, think about it and learn how to budget. That is part of being a citizen.

Q: What happens if there is a drastic increase in prices of products, including food, and within the transportation industry?

Shahrir: The government allocates three billion litres of diesel as quota to the transportation industry, encompassing consumers, goods and commercial vehicles. These categories comprise cargo lorries, and buses including school buses and express buses. Only 1.037 billion litres were used last year. If there is an increase, then the media and public should question them. Ask them why they are increasing their price because if they are registered with us, their prices have not been increased. They are still paying diesel at RM1.43 – same as before. However, if these operators say that their quota is not enough, you can tell them to approach the ministry and ask for more. We are willing to listen to them and their justifications.

Q: Is the subsidy plan a permanent one?

Shahri: We will have to keep updating and upgrading it. Some people will say they will buy two cars because they get more benefits (from the cash hand-out of RM625) so in that way, there will always be people trying to cheat the system. I think it is impossible to solve all the problems at one go but we will have to take a view of upgrading and updating it all the time. There will be small improvements as we go along and obtain better efficiency. We will iron this out bit by bit.

Q: How will the mechanism for the rebate or cash handouts work for vehicle owners? Will this mean they will have to produce their grants to get it and does this mean that the handouts are available for one year only (ending March 31, 2009)?

Shahrir: Yes, it is for one year. I suppose that is how you would claim (the money). My only concern is whether the post offices are geared for it because there are 6.5 million car owners to claim over the year – immediately from July 1. You have to cater to 6.5 million car owners in over 10 months which will be about a million a month. I don’t know if they have the capacity to handle it.

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Quake rescuers carry Olympic torch in Shanghai relay

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:50:00 +0000

PETALING JAYA: Failure to show ownership over Pulau Batu Puteh, maps that indicated Singapore's sovereignty over the island, and a reply from a Johor state official saying that the state did not have sovereignty over the island were some of the reasons why Malaysia lost its case.

International Court of Justice case acting president Judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh, when delivering the court's decision in The Hague yesterday, said Johor initially had sovereignty over the island.

However, Johor and subsequently Malaysia lost its ownership to Singapore because of those reasons. The Court recalls their (United Kingdom and Singapore) investigation of marine accidents, their control over visits, Singapore’s installation of naval communication equipment and its reclamation plans, all of which include acts à titre de souverain (acts consistent with sovereignty), the bulk of them after 1953,” said Awn Shawkat.

He said Malaysia did not respond to Singapore’s conduct on the island, including the flying of its ensign, except for the republic’s installation of naval communication equipment.

“Further, the Johor authorities and their successors took no action at all on Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh from June 1850 for the whole of the following century or more,” he said.

He also pointed out that Malaysia needed Singapore’s permission before any official visits to the island especially in the 1970s could be made.

As for the Malaysian maps between 1962 and 1975 – which depicted that Pulau Batu Puteh belonged to Singapore, Awn Shawkat said Malaysia's assertion that the map had a disclaimer and did not create ownership of territory could not be accepted.

“The map still stands as a statement of geographical fact, especially when the State adversely affected has itself produced and disseminated it, even against its own interest,” he said.

He said the maps' assertions were consistent to the position of the acting state secretary of Johor in 1953 who said Johor did not claim ownership of Pulau Batu Puteh.

“That statement has major significance. The Court concludes, especially by reference to the conduct of Singapore and its predecessors as à titre de souverain, taken together with the conduct of Malaysia and its predecessors including their failure to respond to the conduct of Singapore and its predecessors, that by 1980 sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh had passed to Singapore,” he said.

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Royal Commission of Inquiry report: Dr M and 5 others to face probe

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:38:00 +0000

The Cabinet has agreed that investigations be made on all allegations levelled against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and five others identified in the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on the V.K. Lingam video clip.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim said the five others are lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, and former chief justices Tun Eusoff Chin and Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail could not be contacted on whether he would order for the probe immediately.

Zaid said the six would be investigated on offences under the Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act and the Penal Code, which included obstruction of justice.

“All the recommendations in the report are advisory in nature so we have to have another investigation,” he said, adding that the Government had taken note of recommendations on judicial reforms and the establishment of a commission on appointment of judges.

“The Government is in the process of finalising the relevant laws to set up this commission and it will be made known soon,” he said, adding that Government also proposed to include the recognition of “judicial power” as proposed by the Commission.

He said these moves were vital to help restore the people’s confidence in the judiciary.

The Cabinet, he said, had urged the public including the media to allow uninterrupted investigations without undue pressure and prejudice against any individual identified in the report.

“It must be reiterated that in our legal system, an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” he told reporters at the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) of the Prime Minister’s Department here Friday.

The Royal Commission was formed to verify the authenticity of the videotape purportedly showing Lingam on the phone brokering judicial appointments with a senior judge. Twenty-one witnesses testified in the 17-day inquiry starting on Jan 14.

The Royal Commission members are former chief judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor who acted as chairman, former appeals court judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar, former Sabah and Sarawak chief judge Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong, former solicitor-general Puan Sri Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh and historian Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

Zaid also said that the Cabinet agreed for the contents of the report to be released and sold to the public.

The report, which comes in four volumes comprising 186 pages, will cost RM541.60; of which the main report cost RM161.40 while the notes of proceedings, statutory declaration and lists of exhibits are priced at RM123.30, RM120, and RM136.90 respectively.

The public can buy the report at the BHEUU office from Tuesday afternoon.

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Blogger Raja Petra taken to prison

noreply@blogger.com (lyiana) — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:40:00 +0000

PETALING JAYA: The editor of news portal Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin, claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to publishing a seditious article in its website on April 25 while businessman Syed Akbar Ali claimed trial to posting a seditious comment.

Raja Petra, 58, became the first blogger to be charged under the Sedition Act, making it a test case.

He is accused of publishing the article “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell” in the website www.malaysia-today.net. The article is alleged to have contained nine paragraphs of seditious words.

He is said to have committed the offence at his house in Jalan BRP 5/5 in Bukit Rahman Putra in Sungai Buloh that day.

When the interpreter read out to him the alleged seditious words, Judge Nurmala Salim interjected by asking her to pronounce the exact words as highlighted in the six pages of Appendix A.

The interpreter took 11 minutes to read out the allegedly seditious words to him.

Upon hearing the details of his charge from the interpreter at noon, Raja Petra, who clasped his hands behind his back, claimed trial.

Clad in a short-sleeved yellow shirt and blue jeans, Raja Petra was composed throughout the court proceedings.

If convicted, he can be fined a maximum of RM5,000 or jailed up to three years or both under Section 4(1)(c) of the Act.

At this juncture, lead counsel K. Balaguru raised a preliminary objection saying that the charge did not state the time of the alleged offence.

He said the prosecution should have classified which category of the Act that his client had allegedly infringed.

At that point, the court was adjourned for 10 minutes after Balaguru informed the judge that veteran lawyer Karpal Singh would also appear for his client.

When the court resumed, Balaguru withdrew his preliminary objection.

Queried on prosecution witnesses, Nordin said he would be calling 15 witnesses and would prefer a week for the trial.

Nurmala set five days from Oct 6 for trial. Raja Petra declined to post bail and was taken to Sg Buloh prison later.

In Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Duta Sessions Court, Syed Akbar Ali, 48, pleaded not guilty to posting the comment on Arabs and Islam with Raja Petra’s article titled “Malaysia’s organised crime syndicate: all roads lead to Putrajaya” on June 5 last year.

The former banker looked calm when the charge was read out to him.

The offence was allegedly committed at 2.59pm at Zeenath Begum Jewellers Sdn Bhd in Jalan Masjid India.

Judge S.M. Komathy Suppiah granted bail at RM3,000 and fixed June 10 for submissions on the charge.

He posted bail.

The Star