Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today. He was 56.

Jobs had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August.

Jobs had undergone a liver transplant in April 2009 during an earlier planned six-month leave of absence. He returned to work for a year and a half before his health forced him to take more time off. He told his employees in August, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”

One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 (April 1, 1976) years he was involved in the technology industry.

Personal computing was invented with the launch of the Apple II in 1977. Legal digital music recordings were brought into the mainstream with the iPod and iTunes in the early 2000s, and mobile phones were never the same after the 2007 debut of the iPhone. Jobs played an instrumental role in the development of all three, and managed to find time to transform the art of computer-generated movie-making on the side.

The invention of the iPad in 2010, a touch-screen tablet computer his competitors flocked to reproduce, was the capstone of his career as a technologist. A conceptual hybrid of a touch-screen iPod and a slate computer, the 10-inch mobile device was Jobs’ vision for a more personal computing device.

Jobs was considered brilliant yet brash. He valued elegance in design yet was almost never seen in public wearing anything but a black mock turtleneck, blue jeans, and a few days worth of stubble. A master salesman who considered himself an artist at heart, Jobs inspired both reverence and fear in those who worked for him and against him, and was adored by an army of loyal Apple customers who almost saw him as superhuman.

Jobs was born in San Francisco in 1955 to young parents who gave him up for adoption. Paul and Clara Jobs gave him his name, and moved out of the city in 1960 to the Santa Clara Valley, later to be known as Silicon Valley. Jobs grew up in Mountain View and Cupertino, where Apple’s headquarters is located.

He attended Reed College in Oregon for a year but dropped out, although he sat in on some classes that interested him, such as calligraphy. After a brief stint at Atari working on video games, he spent time backpacking around India, furthering teenage experiments with psychedelic drugs and developing an interest in Buddhism, all of which would shape his work at Apple.

Back in California, Jobs’ friend Steve Wozniak was learning the skills that would change both their lives. When Jobs discovered that Wozniak had been assembling relatively (for the time) small computers, he struck a partnership, and Apple Computer was founded in 1976 in the usual Silicon Valley fashion: setting up shop in the garage of one of the founder’s parents.

Wozniak handled the technical end, creating the Apple I, while Jobs ran sales and distribution. The company sold a few hundred Apple Is, but found much greater success with the Apple II, which put the company on the map and is largely credited as having proven that regular people wanted computers.

It also made Jobs and Wozniak rich. Apple went public in 1980, and Jobs was well on his way to becoming one of the first tech industry celebrities, earning a reputation for brilliance, arrogance, and the sheer force of his will and persuasion, often jokingly referred to as his “reality-distortion field.”

The debut of the Macintosh in 1984 left no doubt that Apple was a serious player in the computer industry, but Jobs only had a little more than a year left at the company he founded when the Mac was released in January 1984.

By 1985 Apple CEO John Sculley–who Jobs had convinced to leave Pepsi in 1983 and run Apple with the legendary line, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”–had developed his own ideas for the future of the company, and they differed from Jobs’. He removed Jobs from his position leading the Macintosh team, and Apple’s board backed Sculley.

Jobs resigned from the company, later telling an audience of Stanford University graduates “what had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.” He would get the last laugh.

He went on to found NeXT, which set about making the next computer in Jobs’ eyes. NeXT was never the commercial success that Apple was, but during those years, Jobs found three things that would help him architect his return.

The first was Pixar. Jobs snapped up the graphic-arts division of Lucasfilm in 1986, which would go on to produce “Toy Story” in 1995 and set the standard for computer-graphics films. After making a fortune from Pixar’s IPO in 1995, Jobs eventually sold the company to Disney in 2006.

The second was object-oriented software development. NeXT chose this development model for its software operating systems, and it proved to be more advanced and more nimble than the operating system developments Apple was working on without Jobs.

The third was Laurene Powell, a Stanford MBA student who attended a talk on entrepreneurialism given by Jobs in 1989 at the university. The two wed in 1991 and eventually had three children; Reed, born in 1991, Erin, born in 1995, and Eve, born in 1998. Jobs has another daughter, Lisa, who was born 1978, but Jobs refused to acknowledge he was her father for the first few years of her life, eventually reconciling with Lisa and her mother, his high-school girlfriend Chris-Ann Brennan.

Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, having convinced then-CEO Gil Amelio to adopt NeXTStep as the future of Apple’s operating system development. Apple was in a shambles at the time, losing money, market share, and key employees.

By 1997, Jobs was once again in charge of Apple. He immediately brought buzz back to the company, which pared down and reacquired a penchant for showstoppers, such as the 1998 introduction of the iMac; perhaps the first “Stevenote.” His presentation skills at events such as Macworld would become legendary examples of howmanship and star power in the tech industry.

Jobs also set the company on the path to becoming a consumer-electronics powerhouse, creating and improving products such as the iPod, iTunes, and later, the iPhone and iPad. Apple is the most valuable publicly-traded company in the world, surpassing ExxonMobil?’s market capitalization in August.

He did so in his own fashion, imposing his ideas and beliefs on his employees and their products in ways that left many a career in tatters. Jobs enforced a culture of secrecy at Apple and was an extremely demanding leader, terrorizing Apple employees when he returned to the company in the late 1990s with summary firings if he
didn’t like the answers they gave when questioned.

Jobs was an intensely private person. That quality put him and Apple at odds with government regulators and stockholders who demanded to know details about his ongoing health problems and his prognosis as the leader and alter ego of his company. It spurred a 2009 SEC probe into whether Apple’s board had made misleading statements about his health.

In the years before he fell ill in 2008, Jobs seemed to soften a bit, perhaps due to his bout with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2004.

In 2005, his remarks to Stanford graduates included this line:
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.”

Later, in 2007, he appeared onstage at the D: All Things Digital conference for a lengthy interview with bitter rival Bill Gates, exchanging mutual praise and prophetically quoting the Beatles: “You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.”

Jobs leaves behind his wife, four children, two sisters, and 49,000 Apple employees.

Source : CNET

Technorati Tags: apple, apple computer, ipad, iphone, ipod, steve jobs

International news broadcaster CNBC has confirmed cancelling its flagship show World Business as allegations of impropriety surface linking the programme to FBC Media, a British firm apparently paid millions of ringgit by Putrajaya and Sarawak to shine their images globally.

The satellite news channel said it has also started investigating FBC Media’s business practices, in what is seen as a bid to remove itself from being tainted by any possible scandal that could smear it like the phone-hacking allegations that ended the 168-year-old News of The World last month.

“In response to your question below, you are correct in that we have withdrawn World Business in the light of serious questions raised last week and we have initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices,” Charlotte Westgate, CNBC’s vice-president of marketing and communications, told The Malaysian Insider in an email last night.

The news of CNBC’s popular business news programme, under the eye of its managing editor John Defterios, being dumped was first reported yesterday by Sarawak Report.

In the story “CNBC Dumps FBC Media!”, the London-based whistleblower said the decision came on the heels of its earlier expose disclosing how Malaysia’s powerful ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians have been paying FBC Media millions of ringgit a year out of public coffers “to buy them positive publicity on the show”.

The Sarawak Report listed the ruling coalition politicians as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud.

“Allowing slots to be purchased in this way, deceiving millions of viewers who thought they were watching impartial programming, is a serious breach of broadcasting laws, for which broadcasters such as CNBC’s parent company, the American broadcasting giant NBC, would be held ultimately responsible,” Sarawak Report said.

CNBC’s Westgate, however, declined further comment on the case for the time being.

FBC Media is also said to have dealings with British national broadcaster BBC and US-based CNN.

The Malaysian Insider tried to contact both FBC and CNN to clarify Sarawak Report’s potentially damaging allegations, but have received no response at the time this report is published.

Award-winning journalist Defterios, who recently interviewed Najib in London for CNN, had been criticised for lobbing softball questions compared to the hard-nosed probing befitting a 25-year veteran of his standing in financial news global affairs, raising questions over a possible conflict of interest.

A full transcript of the interview as released by CNN on July 14, just days after the controversial July 9 public rally for clean and fair elections organised by Bersih 2.0, showed Defterios failing to press his interviewee for details over the BN government’s response even as videos depicted policemen cracking down on marchers.

Below is an extract of the transcript:

Defterios: We have seen a bursting movement in Malaysia this last week, and some 20,000 protesters under the umbrella of electoral reforms. But what is really behind this? This is a generational gap? I mean, why such a high level of protest?

Najib: Well, John, it is basically politics. Because there is democracy in Malaysia. And we are committed towards electoral reform. And it will come up to see that we are all for fair and clean elections. And as you know, the last general election, you know, the ruling party lost five states. And we were deprived of two-thirds majority.

Defterios: So five of 13 states overall.

Najib: Five of 13 states and not a fair, clean election. We wouldn’t have lost five states. But we are committed to making better.

Defterios: Some would say you had (made) 1,600 arrests of some 20,000 protesters. Are you satisfied with the security response to that particular round of protests, yourself?

Najib: It was quite mild, you know, because although they were taken in, they were released after eight hours and they were treated very well. There was no undue use of force. And, you know, the demonstrators were dispersed using minimum force.

The former CNN anchor and correspondent was listed on the FBC Media’s website as president and board director of FBC Group Limited since 2000, group vice-president for content and media services of FactBased Communications S.R.L besides overseeing its factual programming.

His ties to the British-based media firm have yet to be made clear as the FBC website appears to have been stripped down to a mere one-page fact sheet about the company after the Sarawak Report expose earlier this week.

The full information appears to still be available on the Sarawak Report website.

Putrajaya and the Sarawak administration under Taib Mahmud was yesterday questioned by opposition PKR to come clean on the allegation they had paid FBC Media RM15 million a year from public coffers to produce programmes biased towards the BN coalition at federal and state levels on international media.

The Sarawak Report, in a story published two days ago, claimed insider sources revealed Najib “suggested” to Taib that he hire FBC Media to bolster his seemingly flagging popularity after the Sarawak chief minister appeared to suffer a publicity crisis due to allegations of extensive corruption.

Both have not denied the report since it was published by the whistleblower website. FBC Media’s dealings with the Malaysian government came to light after supplementary supply Bills showed vast payments made for a “Global Strategic Communications Campaign”.

The records showed that between 2008 and 2009, RM57.7 million was paid by the Prime Minister’s office to FBC Media for the campaign.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: CNBC, FBC Media, Najib Razak, Taib Mahmud, World Business

12.20pm: Pudu Plaza – At Jalan Landak, Pudu, some 200 people have started to gather, preparing for the rally. Police are scattered about, searching the protestors’ bags but take no further action. A small quarrel breaks out between protestors and Pudu security personnel when latter try to chase them away. Some foodstalls and restaurants are still open, and a durian stall is seen offering protestors a taste of its wares.

DAP leaders who have shown up include Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, Bukit Bendera MP Liew Ching Tong, Segambut MP Lim Lip Éng, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah, Lukut Adun Ean Yong Tin Sin, Pasir Pinjir Adun Thomas Soo, Bahau Adun Teo Kok Seong.

12.45pm: Dataran Merdeka – Police have fired tear gas at a group of protestors heading towards the area. The cannisters land near the Bar Council building. This group is believed to started from the former KTM headquarters nearby. The crowd is estimated to be 1,000.

12.50pm: About 3,000 to 4,000 people are marching from Petaling Street in downtown Kuala Lumpur to Stadium Negara. They are chanting “Bersih, Bersih, Pilihanraya” and “Hidup, Hidup, Rakyat”.

Six middle-aged protestors began a rendition of Negaraku, immediately receiving strong response from the crowd which sings along. Dr Wong Fort Pin, one of the six singers, said they are celebrating peace. ”We are walking for a better Malaysia,” he said.

12.51pm: Hilton Hotel – PKR leaders Nurul Izzah Anwar, Syed Husin Ali, Lateefah Koya arrive at Anwar Ibrahim’s hotel room. Local and foreign media are at the lobby.

12.55pm: Pudu Plaza – DAP leader Teresa Kok is defying her ban and leading protesters to start the walk towards Merdeka Stadium. The crowd is shouting, “Bersih, bersih,” “Hidup rakyat” , “Rakyat sudah bangun,” and “Daulat Tuanku.”

The have at press time reached Shaw Parade, with no sign yet of police interference. The crowd soon swells to two thousand, with the DAP-led march cleverly sticking to tourist spots at Sungei Wang and Low Yat Plaza past Federal Hotel to foil the police. They are also sending out motorcycle recces to keep them informed of police presence ahead.

1pm: Masjid Jamek – The crowd here has grown to about 1,000 people and is beginning to march. Earlier, a student was hit by a tear gas cannister. He refused to have his photograph taken due to his status.

1pm: Pudu-Bukit Bintang – At Jln Puduraya, the DAP-led march of up to 2,000 people reach the city centre, converging with the PKR-led team. The crowd cheers in delight, and chant, “Bersih” and other slogans. They now gather at the Jln Tun Perak and Jln Pudu junction.

1.10pm: Masjid Negara – The mosque is mostly empty. Some are complaining that the toilets are locked.

1.14pm: A fake Twitter account @bersihrally have appeared, apparently created only at 9.42 this morning.

Claiming to provide “live coverage of the Bersih 2.0 rally, with multiple small groups of volunteers in the field reporting” it has since provided false accounts of the goings-on at the current Bersih 2.0 rally. Among some of the allegations are looting in Pasar Seni, clashes with the police at KLCC as well as shots being fired in Bangsar. After being ‘outed’ by other Twitter users, @bersihrally finally posted a message: “Took you guys long enough to figure it out. I’ve done my job. Thanks for playing.”

1.15pm: Official police figures – 514 arrested. 478 males, 36 females.

1.20pm: Masjid Jamek – There is a standoff here. The growing crowd continues chanting while the police await reinforcements.

1.21am: Top Bersih leaders Ambiga Sreenevasan, Haris Ibrahim, Wong Chin Huat and A Samad Said are in Hilton Hotel. They are with politicians William Leong, Kamaruddin Jaafar, Zaid Kamaruddin, Syed Azman Syed Nawawi and Tian Chua. They join Anwar Ibrahim who is in the hotel.

It is confirmed that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has been arrested and taken to Pulapol (Police Training Centre).  Later today, at 5.30pm, PKR sources clarified that Azmin was not arrested.

Earlier, PAS vice-presidents Mahfuz Omar and Salahuddin Ayub were also nabbed.

1.22pm: Petaling Street – The group of a few thousand which is marching to Stadium Negara turn back to Jalan Tan Cheng Lock after encountering a roadblock. A large group of Sarawakians are chanting ‘Hidup Sarawak’, receive applause from the rest.

1.30pm: Malaysia Hotel – About 500 Umno Youth members have gathered at Jalan Bukit Bintang. All are wearing red T-shirts with the word ‘Patriot’. These T-shirts are also being handed the public, including tourists. The Umno Youth rally is aided with a pickup truck. Speakers would give speeches from the back of the truck and throw down T-shirts.

Among those present are Umno Youth leaders Arman Azhar Abu Hanifah, Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Ahmad Zaki Zahid but there is no sign of the movement’s leader Khairy Jamaluddin. His officers insist he will show up later. The group is currently stationary and chanting “Hancur Bersih” (destroy Bersih) and “Who are we? Patriot!”. They narrowly miss a Bersih 2.0 procession by about five minutes.

1.30pm: Pudu-Bukit Bintang – The authorities fire tear gas at Jln Tun Perak, forcing the crowd to retreat once, then the angry crowd shouts, “Masuk” (go in) and starts moving toward Jln Tun Perak .

1.33pm: Jalan Tun Perak – PAS leader Dr Hatta Ramli with a loudspeaker tells the crowd of at least 4,000 that party vice-president Mahfuz Omar and about 300 others have been arrested.

“The rakyat’s struggle requires sacrifices… Those under 40 here have never seen real democracy in this country,” he said. The crowd reply with “Allahuakbar”. There are traffic marshals from Bersih also directing the crowd to make way for vehicles passing through.

1.35pm: Press statement by IPK KL.

Thus far, 540 people have been arrested (479 male, 58 women, three juvenile) have been arrested for further investigation. Among the arrested, 11 were wearing yellow Bersih T-shirt and one was wearing a red Patriot T-shirt.

Meanwhile, three individuals believed to be leaders or organisers of the rally were also arrested. They are PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, and party veeps Salahuddin Ayub, Mahfuz Omar.

1.36pm: KL Hilton – Bersih leaders hold a press conference and say they will march to Stadium Merdeka and will not give in to intimidation.

National laureate A Samad Said is also there. S Ambiga says, “the cause of Bersih has been achieved, even before we have taken the first step.”

She said the authorities use of force was useless against the people’s will. “No matter what right will always prevail.” Slamming the mass arrests, Ambiga said their original goals of rallying for electoral reform has grown into something bigger as it has stirred emotions among “right thinking rakyat”.

“First, it has stirred a sense of outrage against the exhibition of raw power by our government, that seems to be living in a time warp. “Secondly, it has stirred in us (the desire) to bring back a sense of balance and decency into our government,” she said. Thirdly, she said the rakyat are beginning to feel empowered to make change, despite police “intimidation”. “You cannot quell the voices,” she said.

1.38pm: LRT Masjid Jamek – A police officer with loudhailer announced: “Perhimpunan hari in tak ada kebenaran jadi diminta semua bersurai serta merta atau kami suraikan dengan kekerasan.” The officer also gave three minutes for the crowd to disperse. This was met with “takbir” and jeers from the crowd, numbering about more than 500 people.

1.40pm: Menara Maybank – Water cannons unleashed on more than 1,000 protestors.

1.43pm: Masjid Jamek – A group of about 10 general duty police officers with gas masks chased after the protesters who ran helter skelter into Masjid India area.

1.44pm: Menara Maybank – Water cannon truck fires at the crowd a second time, this time with chemical laced irritants mixed with blue dye.

Instead of dispersing, the crowd charged forward. Some were seen hitting the water cannon truck with their bare fist. This was met with another round of tear gas. The tear gas managed to disperse the crowd slowly.

1.52pm: Masjid Jamek – There are at least four police trucks stationed at Masjid Jamek LRT station. Crowd has been dispersed by the police tear gas for now, but it is expected they will be regrouped later.

1.55pm: It begins raining in Kuala Lumpur.

1.57pm: Malaysia Hotel – Khairy Jamaluddin appears at the Umno Youth rally and gives out a short speech. He said that Bersih 2.0 cannot be supported because it is infiltrated by opposition parties.

He then leads the crowd in a march towards Stadium Merdeka. They will likely bump into a section of the Bersih 2.0 crowd at the Jalan Bukit Bintang – Jalan Pudu intersection.

1.59pm: Puduraya – Police fired tear gas on an estimated 10,000-strong crowd, which converges in Puduraya, in front of Menara Maybank. Part of the crowd came in from Masjid Jamek while others are from Petaling Street

Police had to resort to using tear gas after the water cannon failed to stop their advance. People in the crowd appear to be recovering from the tear gas and are coming back together to continue with their march.

2pm: Hilton Hotel – It is still raining cats and dogs outside the hotel and the atmosphere inside is tense as Pakatan leaders prepare to march out into the streets.

Despite the tension, they seem energetic and vowed to carry with their march to Stadium Merdeka once they get past the police barricade already set up outside the hotel waiting for them to emerge. The Pakatan leaders are surrounded by a gaggle of reporters as they slowly make their way out towards the confrontation with authorities.

2.10pm: Puduraya – The police are increasingly harsh towards protestors.

They move in to detain dozens of protesters, with officers going in groups of five to six to detain individual protesters. Some are dragged on the road. One protester was bleeding from the head.

Incidences of police brutality were seen, with officers allegedly punching and shoving detainees. They were also allegedly seen manhandling female detainees. Some protesters jumped off a six-foot high ledge to evade capture in possibly one of the most dangerous situations of the day so far.

2.15pm: Puduraya – At Jalan Pudu, the Bersih group moves on towards the Maybank building, passing nearby the junction of Jalan Bukit Bintang, where the Umno Youth Patriot group is holding station.

It appears that both sides are coordinating despite their differences, to ensure members refrain from clashing. However some Umno Youth members persist in pressing forward, baying for blood.

With them are Umno Youth’s Megat Firdouz, Reezal Merican and Arman Azha Abu Hanifah, all banned from the city.

2.15pm: Bukit Bintang – Umno Youth’s ‘Patriot’ procession has stalled momentarily.

According to sources within Umno Youth, the group is waiting for ‘further clearance’ when their desired route to Stadium Merdeka has been blocked by the police. The group are also waiting for smaller pockets of Umno Youth supporters to march from Kampung Attap and PWTC. Umno Youth leader Arman Azha is also seen trying to control the crowd from inching ahead.

It has started drizzling.

2.15pm: KL Sentral – Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih leaders are marching towards from the Hilton Hotel towards KL Sentral shouting “Bersih! Bersih!” but are stopped by the police.

People from inside the station are chanting with the leaders as well. PKR vice-president Tian Chua managed to find a weak spot in the police barricade and led the entire delegation through. The top leaders are expected to march towards Stadium Merdeka.

“The outrageous arrest and mass detentions is most unwarranted especially after the wise advice from the Agong. Bersih has become more than a struggle for electoral reforms but is now for clean politics and governance,” said Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim.

2.18pm: Pudu-Bukit Bintang – As the drizzle starts, the crowds raise their hands and cheer again, and retreat towards Bukit Bintang.

Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy’s political secretary Satees Muniandy reports, “I’m at Jln Pudu. Rain is God’s blessing. The crowd is building up especially under the bridge. Thousands are not leaving despite water cannons, tear gas.”

2.25pm: Brickfields – The Pakatan Rakyat and Bersih 2.0 crowd has managed to emerge from KL Sentral and attempted to enter Jalan Tun Sambanthan where they are met by almost 1,000 supporters.

Bersih 2.0 chief Ambiga Sreenevasan, Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Lim Kit Siang and other personalities are spotted among the crowd. While proceeding towards the city centre, they were pelted with tear gas canisters and chaos ensued. A number of top leaders have been arrested.

2.30pm: Human Rights Watch’s Asia division deputy director Phil Robertson says, “This is a maelstrom of the Malaysian authorities’ own making.

“The failure of the top levels of the Malaysian government to engage in good faith dialogue with citizens demanding basic electoral reforms is the heart of the matter,” he says in a statement, blasting continuing police action against the rallyers.

2.30pm: Puduraya – The 10,000-strong crowd led by PAS leader Dr Hatta Ramli and PKR leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin has regrouped and move towards Kotaraya from Jalan Pudu.

However, the police stationed at the Puduraya junction fire yet another round of tear gas to disperse the crowd. They are unable to retreat to Petaling Street as the road in front of Kota Raya complex has been cordoned off.

Half of them retreated back to Jalan Pudu while others are forced to disperse into the back lanes behind Ancasa Hotel and Puduraya while the police pick on the dispersed groups, making arrests. Several protesters distribute Malaysian flags to others. But those carrying flags become easy targets for the cops and are swooped up.

In the ensuing melee, two TV Selangor reporters are mistakenly arrested despite wearing the press tags. However the duo, Abdul Muin Basuri (right) and Norfarahidayu Baharudin are immediately released after other reporters identity them.

About six are arrested in front of Angkasa Hotel. The rain pounds down on the rally and protestors run helter skelter for shelter. Even the FRU get out of the rain.

The scattered protesters move towards the stadium in small groups of two or three following SMSes from Pakatan leaders asking them to gather there.

2.35pm: Bukit Bintang – The Umno Youth group have stopped in front of Royale Bintang Hotel where they are walking towards another Bersih group at the Jalan Pudu-Bukit Bintang intersection.

2.35pm: Puduraya – As the Bersih group retreats towards Jalan Pudu, the police steadily move in before firing rounds of tear gas into the crowd. The protestors hurl the canisters back into the police.

Some police officers, who were earlier seen punching protestors, are spotted with bruised eyes and coughing.

2.40pm: Bukit Bintang – Umno Youth’s rally stands off with the FRU with neither side budging. Three are arrested after a scuffle ensues as protestors try to break past the FRU and tear gas is fired.

2.41pm: PDRM Facebook: As of 2pm, 644 arrested – 597 males and 47 females.

2.43pm: Jalan Hang Jebat – In a lighthearted moment at Jln Hang Jebat, members of the procession to the stadium stops to buy ice cream from a hawker, who is doing brisk business.

They are mostly from the 10,000-strong crowd in front of Puduraya earlier.

2.43pm: KL Sentral – Pandemonium breaks out at KL Sentral as police fire tear gas in a closed environment as Bersih 2.0 and opposition leaders attempted to exit the station via Brickfields.

The tear gas forced protesters back into the station, which has been locked down. Journalists outside KL Sentral were barred from entering the station, making it difficult to verify the status of the situation.

It was, however, confirmed that a group of Pakatan leaders and individuals were arrested in the chaos, including Batu MP Tian Chua, Kuala Selangor MP Dzukefly Ahmad, artist Wong Hoy Cheong, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s son and three other supporters.

2.45pm: Puduraya – The police curiously arrest about 10 individuals out of a large group who have dispersed into the Tung Shin hospital.

Meanwhile, a man (right) who appears to have fractured his leg during the earlier melee is being attended to by volunteer doctors. He was lying unattended on the road with his wrists bound by police, before the medical volunteers spotted him.

“The police held me, grabbed my head, bound my wrists and kicked me. There were several of them,” said the man, visibly in pain.

2.45pm: KL Sentral – Anwar Ibrahim tweets that he has suffered a minor injury and that his daughter Nurul Hana has been arrested during the melee.

Bersih 2.0 chief Ambiga Sreenevasan confirms that she has been arrested, so too PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

2.48pm: Puduraya – The crowd disperses into Tung Shin Hospital and a nearby Chinese school. Police are firing tear gas into the hospital, attempting to disperse the protestors.

There is abrief respite as Subang MP R Sivarasa tries to negotiate with the police to allow protestors to to Jalan Sultan.

2.50pm: KL Sentral – PKR vice-president N Surendran told Malaysiakini Anwar is bleeding from the head and injured in one of his knees.

2.52pm: Jalan Hang Jebat – Some 3,000 Bersih supporters are gathered here attempting to move over to Stadium Merdeka nearby.

They meet a blockade with barbed wire. The crowd, growing by the minute, groups in front of the cops and chant at them.

Led by PAS election director Hatta Ramli and PKR Johor chief Chua Jui Meng, the crowd calls on the police to remove the barricades to no avail. The two leaders give a short speech each telling the crowd they have accomplished their mission in arriving at the stadium, despite being unable to enter.

They thank the police and tell the crowd to return to Central Market.

2.55pm: Bukit Bintang – There’s a standstill between the Umno Youth’s Patriot rally and the FRU with neither side budging.

About three arrests were made when Umno Youth tried to break through the FRU line, breaking out into a scuffle before a tear gas canister was fired.

2.57pm: Bukit Bintang – Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has been arrested when he was found to be resting and clearing his eyes from the tear gas fired, at a shack just 100m from the FRU line.

Water cannons and tear gas have also been aimed at the remaining Umno Youth supporters, pushing them back 50m from their original location. The group has thinned out to about 200.

He wrote on Twitter later that he is being held at the Police Training Academy at Jalan Padang Tembak. He said that one of his exco members was injured by a tear gas cannister. ”Have been taken Pulapol. FRU tear gas straight at them. Exco Zaki Zahid hurt,” he wrote.

3.10pm: PDRM Facebook – The total number of people arrested as of 2.30pm has reached 672.

3.15pm: Puduraya – Police have agreed to give safe passage to the thousands of protesters assembled at Pudu up till Jalan Sultan on condition that they only use half of the road and march peacefully.
The accord was reached after Pakatan parliamentarians R Sivarasa and Ngeh Khoo Ham negotiated with the police, who also decided to allow the crowd to chant as they march.

3.20pm: Puduraya – The crowd has begun to head from Pudu to Jalan Sultan, thanking the police for allowing them safe passage. The 2,000-strong crowd also began singing Negaraku as they marched.

3.22pm: Bukit Bintang – The 200 Umno Youth supporters at Jalan Bukit Bintang in front of Federal Hotel begin to disperse after negotiation with the police.

Claiming moral victory despite only being able to proceed 200m along Jalan Bukit Bintang – still far from their Stadium Merdeka destination – Umno Youth exco Megat Zulkarnain Omardin said that their message have been conveyed. ”We have come and we fulfilled our purpose,” he told the crowd before another individual led a prayer.

Later, Umno Youth Petaling Jaya Utara chief Arman Azha told Malaysiakini that exco Lokman Noor Adam as well as 20 of their members had been arrested. Movement head Khairy Jamaluddin, who was also arrested, later tweeted that he had been taken to Pulapol while exco Ahmad Zaki Zahid was injured.

“Have been taken to Pulapol. FRU tear gas straight at us. Exco @zakizahid hurt,” he wrote.

3.37pm: Pasar Seni – The triumphant group from Jalan Hang Jebat marched down Jalan Sultan towards Central Market, but were attacked by polie tear gas near the Pasar Seni LRT Station. This forced them to retreat down Jalan Sultan.

3.38pm: Pudu – The 2,000-strong crowd at Pudu has now been denied safe passage to Jalan Sultan, and riot police have fired both water cannons and tear gas at the protesters assembled in front of the Tung Shin hospital. The crowd is now sandwiched between two FRU blockades.

The police started spraying the crowd after negotiations broke down between police and Pakatan MPs R Sivarasa and Ngeh Khoo Ham, following confusion over what the crowd is required to do. It was learnt that the crowd was told to only use one side of the road and march peacefully, while it was understood that the police had wanted them to disperse into smaller groups before they would be allowed to move on.

It is believed that Sivarasa has been detained, though it is not known where he has been taken to.

3.39pm: Pasar Seni – The police fired more than 10 volleys of tear gas at the crowd led by Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Wong Chin Huat (right) without warning as he was trying to deliver a speech before dispersing.

The volley came while the crowd was singing the national anthem. Most of the people are now seeking shelter under the Pasar Seni LRT station as Wong again lead them in singing Negaraku.

3.40pm: Titiwangsa Lake Gardens – About 20 Perkasa members are seen at a restaurant in Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, following the goings-on of the Bersih 2.0 rally on a television screen. However, the group’s president Ibrahim Ali and his deputy were nowhere to be seen. Ten police officers were seen keeping order at the main door of the recreation park.

Meanwhile, a sad fate befell a bride and groom on their wedding day today as their convoy was not allowed through police cordons, forcing them to walk to the site of the wedding celebrations two kilometres away.

3.49pm: Pudu – The group of Bersih 2.0 supporters caught in a pincer between two police cordons in Tung Shin Hospital have now dispersed after police rushed in to arrest dozens.

Most fled through back roads and alleys in small groups to escape while a hardcore few holed up in the upper parking lot of the hospital. The police subsequently fired tear gas cat them and the last remaining holdouts were either arrested or left voluntarily. At least 50 were arrested as police broke up the Tung Shin Hospital crowd.

3.50pm: Istana Negara – A small group of Bersih 2.0 steering committee members are marching towards the palace from Midah Hotel. They are awaiting clearance from the palace to submit Bersih 2.0′s petition.

3.55pm: Pasar Seni – Bersih leader Wong Chin Huat, after reading out the eight demands of Bersih 2.0, calls on the crowd to disperse.

The crowd begins to disperse peacefully with many of them still chanting ‘Reformasi’ and ‘Bersih’ under the Pasar Seni LRT station. This earns them another round round of tear gas.

3.50pm: KL Hilton – At an impromptu press conference, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, N Surendran and PAS deputy secretary general Syed Azman condemn the police brutality that they allege has caused injury to several Pakatan leaders.

They say besides PKR de facto chief Anwar Ibrahim, who has been sent to Pantai Hospital, PAS Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and Bersih 2.0 leaders Maria Chin Abdullah and national laureate A Samad Said have also sustained injuries.

4pm: Istana Negara – The Bersih 2.0 delegation of about 20 people led by national laureate A Samad Said was stopped by police about 200m away from the palace gates.

Negotiations with the police failed and the group agreed to disperse. However, Samad said he needed to rest and the group left him alone with the police before leaving the area.

4.01pm: PDRM Facebook – Among the top leaders arrested are:

Mahfuz Omar – KL Sentral
Salahuddin Ayub – KL Sentral
Mohamad Sabu – Jalan Mahameru
Fauziah Salleh – KL Sentral
Tian Chua – KL Sentral
S Ambiga – KL Sentral
Hadi Awang – KL Sentral
Azeez Rahim – Jalan Bukit Bintang

4.10pm: Light Rail Train (LRT) stations still closed, according to RapidKL – Pasar Seni, KL Sentral, Masjid Jamek and Dang Wangi.

4.21pm: After almost four hours of cat-and-mouse confrontation with the police in downtown Kuala Lumpur, most of the protesters have dispersed.

The Bersih committee is to call press conference at 4.45pm at Midah Hotel.

4.40pm: Pudu – Suhakam commissioner Muhammad Sha’ani B Abdullah condemns the authorities for their harsh handling of the protesters.

The police force has not only disrespected the people’s right of assembly but also compromised the safety and health of the public by firing tear gas into the Tung Shin hospital compound. When asked how the people should respond to such violations, he said Malaysians should choose representatives who can protect their rights.

4.50pm: Fadiah Nadwa Fikri of Lawyers for Liberty says that the police have invoked section 28A(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code – denial of access to lawyers – at Pulapol (Police Training Centre), where she says 1,000 people are being detained.

According to her, this is a violation of Article 5 of constitution.

5.34pm: PDRM Facebook – As of 3.30pm, a total of 924 people have been arrested.

6.30pm: Police say 1,401 protesters were arrested during the day-long operation, including 13 children. The authorities estimate the crowd turn out between 5,000 to 6,000.

6.45pm: IPK KL – Ambiga Sreenevasan has been released from detention. KL CID chief Ku Chin Wa said that the police would decide whether to take action against her after investigations are concluded.

Photo Gallery and Videos

Previous : Chronology Of Bersih 9 July Morning

Source : MalaysiaKini

Technorati Tags: 9 july, bersih, bersih 2, bersih chronology, bersih event, bersih live report

7.50am: Masjid Jamek – There is heavy police presence in the vicinity of the mosque. The road fronting the mosque has been sealed off.

7.45am: Masjid Negara – A dozen FRU jeeps and a water cannon truck are stationed at the Jalan Keretapi roundabout opposite the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court complex. No roadblocks are visible, but there are many police personnel in the area.

8am: Jalan Bukit Bintang – The streets of the tourist trap areas in Bukit Bintang are still empty, save for a few cars and a jaywalker. Unlike the other known assembly points for protesters, there is minimal police presence. Umno Youth is expected to rally here at 1.30pm.

8.10am: Tune Hotel – The Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman interchange are being manned by about 100 police personnel who are inspecting all vehicles entering the area. Tourist appear to be having trouble finding taxis.

8.25am: Sogo – The Sogo shopping complex on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman now looks like a police base. More than 10 police trucks and 100 police personnel are spotted. There is another roadblock here, and every vehicle is being inspected.

8.30am: Kampung Baru – Nine Bersih 2.0 supporters are nabbed and packed into one of the two police trucks parked near the Kampung Baru mosque. The road to the mosque has been cordoned off.

8.40am: Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman – Bar Council’s monitoring team hits the streets donning black suits and a “Observer” tags on their jackets. ”We will monitor the rally and take photographs if necessary. There are about 100 observers from the Bar Council. Some of them are also providing legal aid,” said HR Dipendra, who leads a team of 15 observers.

8.45am: PAS headquarters – No uniformed police personnel or police vehicles are being stationed here, but a group of unidentified men has set up a video camera opposite the building. PAS’ top leaders are believed to be holed up here.

8.50am: Dataran Merdeka – Police have cordoned off Dataran Merdeka. More than six FRU trucks, including a water cannon truck is being parked here. Along Jalan Tun Perak, near the Masjid Jamek station, more than a dozen FRU trucks and a water cannon truck were spotted.

The area is a favourite haunt of anti-government protestors in the past. An estimated 300 FRU and other police personnel are stationed in the vicinity. ”Nobody can enter this area,” said a uniformed policeman when the reporter tried to enter the area surrounding Dataran Merdeka.

9.00am: Stadium Merdeka – The route to the stadium from Jalan Maharajalela is being blocked with a barbwire barricade. Journalists who wish to enter the area must register with the police.

9.05am: KL Sentral – Police are inspecting the bags of a group of PAS supporters from Kelantan.

9.15am: DBKL – About 60 police personnel and ten police trucks spotted at the T-junction in front of City Hall.

9.25am: Kampung Baru – Another 18 males have been brought to the police truck, joining the nine detained earlier. The truck is parked in front of the Kampung Baru mosque wich was locked up by the mosque committee about ten minutes ago.

9.35am: IPK KL (state police headquarters) – As of 9am, 21 people had been arrested, according to spokesperson ACP Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf. Unofficially, an officer at KL IPK says the number of people arrested has exceeded 100.

9.30am: Maju Junction – Four men are being whisked away by the police after police found yellow shirts in one of their bags.

9.35am: Masjid Jamek – Seven people have been detained. It is unsure why. Reporters are now allowed to get near the truck where they are held. ”You cannot be here. Please speak to my officer if you want to enter this area,” said a police personnel.

9.40am: Istana Negara – A water cannon truck and riot police were spotted at the area. It seems that this strectch of Jalan Mahameru is completely off limits to vehicles.

9.40am: Bukit Bintang – Near Lot 10 shopping belt, it’s holiday as usual for tourists who have started to pour onto the streets and into the malls. The Umno Youth anti-Bersih rally is expected to start from Bukit Bintang Plaza at noon, before marching to Stadium Merdeka about 2km away. Some clashes are expected to take place with Bersih 2.0 supporters who are also marching to the stadium.

However, not a single Umno protester is in sight at the moment. About 50 members of the press have also converged in front of the iconic McDonald’s at the Jalan Sultan Ismail – Jalan Bukit Bintang junction. While there are no roadblocks nearby, a handful of plainclothes policemen are seen loitering about holding their walkie talkies tight.

9.45am: Masjid Negara – At least 1,000 Bersih 2.0 have gathered near the former KTM headquarters and are chanting slogans.

9.50am: Masjid Negara – An elderly man approaching the national mosque with the intention of praying has been turned away by the authorities. The number of Bersih 2.0 supporters at the old railway station is growing.

9.55am: Petaling Street – A diminutive retiree, who only wants to be known as Anne, says freedom is precious. ”I am old, but I am walking (with Bersih) because they are taking away my freedom, I can’t even wear a yellow shirt now,” she said when met. ”When I was young I didn’t do anything. I was in the education service and I had to stomach (misgovernance) like sheep because it was my bread and butter,” she said.

The feisty woman, who had her details taken down by police this morning for wearing a bright yellow shirt, was part of the Bersih rally in 2007. She is walking alone today, “because it’s easier to work alone”. Asked of her children’s reaction to her decision, Anne, who chided a reporter for asking her age, said her children told her to “have a nice walk”.

Petaling Street is under a kilometre from the Bersih’s final destination Stadium Merdeka. Police have cordoned off part of the road as well as adjoining Jalan Tan Cheng Lock.

9.55am: Masjid Jamek – More passengers are streaming out of the LRT station. The police are not checking their personal effects but are keeping close watch. Outside of the Masjid Jamek LRT station, the area along Jalan Tun Perak and Jalan Pudu is crawling with police officers. Some are guarding the entrance of Masjid Jamek. This spot was one of the major flashpoints during the first Bersih rally in 2007.

10am: Masjid Jamek – Police are seen randomly checking the people’s bags in the Masjid Jamek LRT station vicinity. ”They asked me to open my bag and asked me where I came from,” says a middle-aged Malay man stopped by the police for a check. However ,the cops did not find anything suspicious in his bag and let him go.

Masjid Negara – At the old railway station at Jln Sultan Hishamuddin, a 70- year-old man wearing a Pakatan Rakyat vest and serban was arrested along with two helpers when he insisted on going to the national mosque for prayers. The three of them are led off in a police jeep.

Masjid Kg Baru – The surroundings of Jalan Abdullah, Jalan Raja Alang and the masjid are calm with light traffic. No Bersih supporters or leaders are in sight. The police seem to have the area under control.

10.05am: Masjid Negara – The crowd in the area is rapidly growing. There are now more than 1,000 people, facing off with about 400 police personnel. No one is allowed inside the national mosque except the police. About 10 police trucks are parked nearby.

10.10am: Sogo – As a steady stream of shoppers enter the mall oblivious to the heavy police presence, one man is seen being whisked away in a police truck. Sogo appears to be the only mall open for business in the vicinity.

10.21am: KLCC – Bersih tweets that there is a police clash with supporters. “Gas canisters used,” it says. Malaysiakini is trying to verify the report.

10.23am: IPK KL – PDRM reports that as at 9am their ‘Operasi Polis Perhimpunan 9 Julai 2011′ has seen 21 arrests – 20 Malays and one Chinese.

10.25am: Masjid Jamek – There are more arrests around Masjid Jamek LRT station. The police truck parked beside the Masjid Jamek mosque has at least 16 people in it.

Earlier, a man in white shirt was arrested after police stopped and checked his bag. Some fund-raising documents were found but they were not related to Bersih 2.0. The man said that he was raising money at a PAS ceramah. Soon after, the police nab another four young women clad in tudung as well as three men. None of them was wearing yellow.

10:35am: Stadium Merdeka – Police have set up barbed wire barricades at the two ends of Jalan Stadium, keeping both pedestrians and vehicles out. However, some 20 press personnel are camped out in front of the stadium.

10.35am: Masjid Jamek – Two women in red and pink respectively have been nabbed by the police and found several strips of red cloth on them. One of them read a newspaper as she was lead away by a female cop. Another man who was carrying a green T-shirt with Jawi script printed on it has been arrested. The Masjid Jamek mosque, which protestors used as a shelter during the 2007 Bersih rally has been locked up.

10.43am: Sogo – Another three men, carrying backpacks, are picked up from around the area. One, a heavily built man with a long goatee, appears to be wearing a Bernama press tag. Approached later, the Bernama reporter said he was let off once the police were satisfied with his explanation. He said he was questioned because he was holding a walkie-talkie. The other two however was brought up a truck.

10.45am: Kampung Baru – Yet another group of people are being detained, including one male who was in possession of a Bersih T-shirt. He was not placed with the other detainees and brought elsewhere for questioning.

10.55am: Stadium Merdeka – Police have closed off the Maharajalela and Hang Tuah monorail stations, which is the closest to the stadium.

10.56am: KTM railway station – About 100 police are manning the entrance leading to the national mosque. Some Pakatan Rakyat supporters are being asked the reason for their presence there.

10.58am: Brickfields – PAS Gombak Youth chief Syarhan Humaizy is taken by several plainclothes police officers at a restaurant near YMCA in Brickfields. They and several other PAS supporters were picked by cops who were checking restaurants and questioning suspected protesters. The rest of the Syarhan entourage escaped the dragnet and are moving towards Stadium Merdeka via Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

11am: IPK KL - A Bukit Aman source said that more than 100 people have been arrested this morning so far.

11.04am: Hang Tuah LRT station is now closed for “security reasons”.

11.10am: KLCC – No evidence to claims that tear gas was used at protestors here. Weekend shoppers are seen going about their business as usual.

11.12am: Sogo – Police trucks are filling up fast. Another three men are being processed after they were detained around Masjid India. One of the men, from Alor Setar, says that police searched his bag and found yellow T-shirt. ”Put in my photo, splash it a bit (Bubuh gambar saya, biar besar sikit),” he grins before being told told to get into the truck.

11.25am: According to sources, Pakatan Rakyat leaders are moving into the city centre.

11.30am: Royal Malaysian Police Facebook page says that as of 11am, 236 people have been arrested – 228 men, eight women.

11.35am: Tension rising at the old KTM station. The police are trying to disperse the crowd gathered on platforms inside the building. The crowd is chanting “God is great” and remain in defiance of the police. At least six people have been arrested within the vicinity since morning.

11.34am: Masjid Jamek – A young man who has a yellow Bersih 2.0 T-shirt in his bag arrested in front of the McDonald restaurant.

From 10.50am until now, the total number of those arrested in this area is close to 40. They are carted away in a police truck as well as a police van. Anticipating more arrests, the police call in another truck to serve as their temporary remand room.

The heavy-guarded Masjid Jamek LRT station is still operating and commuters are still streaming into the area.

The number of journalists, both local and foreign, have risen to 50.

11.44am: The biggest crowd is in both the vicinity of Masjid Jamek and Masjid Negara. However, the gates into Masjid Jamek are locked while police are not allowing anyone near Masjid Negara, confining most of the people in the old KTM station.

11.47am: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin sends a tweet saying that his Patriot group will be gathering in Jalan Bukit Bintang at 1pm. “Pahang Umno Youth chief Abu Jimi has been arrested by the police in Putra bus station.”

11.50am: Azmin Ali sends tweet – Saya sudah berjaya tiba di ‘forbidden city of KL’ (I have successfully entered the forbidden city of KL). PKR deputy president Azmin is one of the 91 individuals banned by a court order from the protest area.

11.45am: Sogo – A woman is seen pleading with the police to release her husband who was picked up as they were shopping at Haniffa Textile. ”The police asked me to take a taxi, but there are no taxis here,” said the franctic woman as the police truck with her husband inside pulled away.

11.55am: Old KTM station – Many people are still loitering on the middle platform of the train station. Those asked to leave are seen exiting over a pedestrian bridge near the Syariah Court. More than a dozen have been arrested in this area. The police are very rough in handling suspects. One is grabbed by the neck. The second police truck filled with those arrested leaves for the police station.

A team of Light Strike Force is lining up, preparing to move into the KTM station to disperse the crowd.

11.58am: Petaling Street – About 50 people are gathered in smaller clusters along the market street, believed to be protestors. However, none clad in yellow.

12.01pm: Old KTM headquarters – A public service announcement said that Komuter trains are facing delays because the authorities are conducting checks on passengers.

12.10pm: Masjid Jamek – MPSJ councillor Michael Tamil and Mohd Hafifudin, who is chairperson of Bumiputera Hawkers Association Masjid India, are monitoring the Masjid India market area.

“I’m here to see how much are the losses of the hawkers because of people not coming in,” said an annoyed Hafifudin.

“If the hawkers suffer due to road closure, who should they claim their losses from? They should claim from the government,” he told Malaysiakini when met at Bazaar Jalan Melayu.

Almost all the stalls and shops here are closed.
The same announcement also urged those without tickets to leave the area.

12.15pm: PAS headquarters on Jalan Raja Laut appears very quiet with only about 50 people outside, including former PAS information chief Misbahul Munir. Four police patrol cars are parked 50 meters away, with about 15 police officers. A group of Special Branch men are mingling with the crowd, some watching from afar.

12.17pm: According to the police Facebook page, they are dispelling Bersih 2.0′s Twitter claims that there was a clash between protestors and the police at KLCC and that tear gas was used.

12:20pm: IPK KL – A total of 338 people have been arrested – 321 males and 17 females. They were picked up around Dataran DBKL, Istana Negara, Pasar Seni, Kampung Baru and Masjid Jamek.

12.21pm: Former KTM headquarters – Police have locked up toilets in the building.

12.23pm: Masjid Jamek – Although hardly any shop is open, many people are loitering around the back lanes of Little India, waiting for the time to act. The police continue to comb the back lanes, checking the bags foe signs of potential protesters. ”They asked us to open our bag, suspecting there is bomb inside,” said an angry middle-aged Malay woman from Klang after hers was inspected by four uniformed police officers.

“Why can’t we just sit here? This is our human right,” said another woman who is also from Klang.

12.30pm: KL Sentral – Pakatan Rakyat leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Anthony Loke and Saifuddin Nasution are at Hilton Hotel, located in the building. They are expected to hold a press conference soon. All of them are on the list of 91 individuals forbidden to enter Kuala Lumpur.

12.31pm: KL Sentral – PAS vice-presidents Mahfuz Omar and Salahuddin Ayub have been detained.

12.32pm: Masjid Jamek – MPSJ councillor Michael Tamil and Mohd Hafifudin, who is chairperson of Bumiputera Hawkers Association Masjid India, are monitoring the Masjid India market area. ”I’m here to see how much are the losses of the hawkers because of people not coming in,” said an annoyed Hafifudin. ”If the hawkers suffer due to road closure, who should they claim their losses from? They should claim from the government,” he told Malaysiakini when met at Bazaar Jalan Melayu. Almost all the stalls and shops here are closed.

12.34pm: About 1,000 people are moving from the old KTM station towards Dataran Merdeka. They are warned by the Federal Reserve Unit to disperse.

12.40pm: Official police update: As of 12 noon, 441 people have been arrested – 421 males and 20 females.

12.42pm: Old KTM station – Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam said they are concerned about the mass arrests. ”Police said they will be detained at Pulapol (Police Training Centre). We are monitoring the arrests and express our concern,” he said. Nayagam, however, does not want to comment whether the police were rough in their actions against the suspects.

Next : Chronology Of Bersih 9 July Afternoon

Source : MalaysiaKini

Technorati Tags: 9 july, bersih, bersih 2, bersih chronology, bersih event, bersih live report

A group of 86 top scorers who failed to secure Public Service Department (PSD) overseas scholarships will be offered places in local private institutions of higher learning (IPTS).

This was decided by the Cabinet meeting Wednesday, according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

He said the move would cost RM21.6 million compared to RM52.1 million if they were offered overseas scholarships.

“We’ve decided on the first option, which is sending them to local IPTS where they can pursue studies in fields of their choice,” he told reporters here.

He said the students, comprising three Malays, 71 Chinese, 11 Indians and one Bumiputera student from Sarawak, would be placed at several IPTS like International Medical University, Monash University Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Petronas and Malaysian Multimedia University.

Mohamed Nazri said they could apply for scholarships for matriculation courses in fields such as medicine, engineering and others.

The minister further said appeals for students offered scholarships for diploma courses to switch to matriculation courses were also approved.

He disclosed that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was prepared to provide at least 500 scholarships for students who obtained 8A+ and below to study at local institutions of higher learning.

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had asked me to chair a meeting of ministers representing (Barisan Nasional) component parties to prepare a list of affected students on Monday,” he said.

Mohamed Nazri said the Cabinet had also agreed to review the awarding of PSD scholarships for 2012 in view of the rising number of top scorers each year.

“A new policy will likely be announced after discussions among Cabinet ministers this year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Nazri said the Attorney-General’s office had been asked to take legal action against PSD scholars who failed to return to the country.

“We’ve already spent the money (to support their studies), but because they don’t come back, we have to sue them.

“The Attorney-General’s office has been ordered to sue for the return of the money. But that’s not what we want, we want them to come back,” he added.

Source : BERNAMA

Technorati Tags: engineering, jabatan perkhidmatan awam, jpa, matriculation, medicine, psd scholarship, scholarship

There is a prima facie case in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy charge as the accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is a credible witness, trial judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah has ruled.

The High Court judge, in his decision today, quashed the defence team’s arguments in attacking Saiful’s credibility as the case’s star witness.

They had charged that Saiful had lied in open court, and charged that there were many loopholes in his testimony.

Mohd Zabidin had also decided that there was nothing “inconsistent” with the clinical findings by the doctors from Hospital Kuala Lumput (HKL) as well as government chemists who had taken DNA samples from Saiful and Anwar.

This is despite the defence’s repeated claims of possible contamination and degradation of material evidence by investigating officer ASP Jude Pereira.

“I found PW1 to be a credible witness, his evidence reliable.

“It was not surprising the defence had tried to paint a picture of PW1 as someone who had zero credibility… with greatest respect, I find this irrelevant,” said the judge.

Mohd Zabidin said that even though Saiful did not lodge a police report immediately after the alleged sodomy took place, or did not “resist” the alleged act, it did not mean he (Saiful) had lied under oath.

“It is not tenable to use PW1’s failure to escape as reason to not believe his testimony,” he said, while at the same time pointing out that Saiful had been accorded preferential treatment by Anwar when he was working for the PKR leader.

The judge also said that since there had been no dispute that Anwar had directed Saiful to go to the Desa Damansara condominium, there was undeniable proof that both of them were there during the time of the alleged act.

“There is no dispute that accused had invited PW1(Saiful) to go to the condo… PW1 and accused at the condo proves proximity of time.

“I find it is hard to accept defence’s submission, speculation that Saiful did not go to the fifth floor… based on evidence. I find accused and complainant at crime scene, opportunity for crime to take place,” said Mohd Zabidin when reading out his written judgment today.

He had also quashed the defence’s concerns with regards to the credibility of HKL doctors and government chemists involved in the case.

“All three doctors testified positively, conclude there was penile penetration,” said the trial judge.

Defence lawyer Sankara Nair argued against accepting the DNA samples in the trial as the samples were kept by Pereira for 97 hours before being given to the chemist.

The prosecution team, led by Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, argued that the DNA samples taken from three items in a cell where Anwar spent the night on July 16, 2008 matched with the “Male Y” DNA profile.

Yusof had also said Anwar was the sole detainee in the lockup at the time when the items — a “Good Morning” towel, toothbrush and mineral water bottle — were retrieved.

Chemist Dr Nor Aidora Saedon and Supt Amidon Anan were called earlier in April to identify the items to be marked as exhibits.

Government scientist Dr Seah Lay Hong testified last March that she had found two unknown male DNA profiles from samples retrieved from around Saiful’s anus, one of which she had earlier called “Male Y”.

“Chemist’s evidence shows swabs taken from PW1… these swabs confirmed presence of semen,” said Mohd Zabidin.

He also said that the DNA evidence taken from Anwar’s lockup on July 16, 2008 could be used as evidence as the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader was the last “occupant” in the holding cell before the three items — “Good Morning” towel, mineral water bottle and toothbrush — were retrieved for DNA sampling.

“There is no reason for this court not to accept evidence in this case… I find degradation, even if there is, to be insufficient,” ruled the judge.

The trial will resume from June 6-30 where Anwar will be defending his case.

Anwar, the 63-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life.

He has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

The trial began 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.

He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He led the loose pact of PKR, the DAP and PAS to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

Source : The MalaysianInsider

Technorati Tags: anwar, anwar ibrahim, enter defence, high court, saiful, saiful bukhari, sodomy case

The “Male Y” DNA profile found in samples from Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s anus belongs to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the High Court here heard today.

Lead prosecutor Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden said the DNA samples taken from three items in a cell where Anwar spent the night in on July 16, 2008 matched with the “Male Y” DNA profile.

“It confirms the unknown contributor Male Y is Datuk Seri Anwar. This shows there is a prima facie case,” he said in his submissions on whether Anwar should be called to enter his defence in the Sodomy II trial

Yusof also said Anwar was the sole detainee in the lockup at the time when the items — a “good morning” towel, toothbrush and mineral water bottle — were retrieved.

Chemist Dr Nor Aidora Saedon and Supt Amidon Anan were called earlier this month to identify the items to be marked as exhibits.

Government scientist Dr Seah Lay Hong testified last month that she had found two unknown male DNA profiles from samples retrieved from around Saiful’s anus, one of which she had earlier called “Male Y”.

Anwar had refused to provide DNA samples in his first sodomy trial in 1998 for fear they could be manipulated.

Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim also claimed last January that DNA evidence was fabricated in Anwar’s first sodomy trial.

The DNA Identification Act 2008 was passed to compel suspects to provide DNA samples, despite protests from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers.

In fending off the defence’s attacks on Saiful’s credibility as a material witness in the trial, Yusof said today the former Anwar aide was a “sincere, firm, steadfast and credible” witness.

He said that Saiful’s testimony provided a complete chronology of events during the afternoon of June 26, 2008.

Anwar’s lawyers had argued that Saiful’s failure to escape from the scene suggested he was lying about the act being non-consensual or having taken place.

“The failure of Saiful to run away from location of sodomy did not mean offence did not take place.

“His evidence has proven charge against accused.

“Saiful went there for a purpose which was not disputed by defence,” said Yusof in reference to Saiful’s testimony that he went there to pass some documents to Anwar.

He said the signs were apparent that Saiful was a victim of a sexual crime, especially since he was given “preferential treatment” by Anwar.

“It is safe for court to act on evidence alone. The complainant has ‘no axe to grind’ with the accused,” said Yusof.

He also said that based on the testimony given by Saiful, the use of the KY Jelly lubricant during the alleged sodomy was “vividly narrated.”

Yusof stressed the lack of injuries to Saiful’s anus was consistent with of the use of lubricant and because no “undue force” had been applied by Anwar.

The trial will resumes tomorrow morning with Yusof continuing his submissions.

Anwar, the 63-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life.

He has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

The trial began 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.

He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He led the loose pact of PKR, DAP and PAS to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: anwar ibrahim, dna, male y, saiful bukhari, sodomy

Robert Kuok, the sugar king who owns a string of five-star hotels in the region, retained his position as the richest individual in Malaysia with assets worth a staggering RM50.04 billion. with telecommunications tycoon T. Ananda Krishnan, who is worth RM45.78 billion, coming in a close second.

In third place is Public Bank chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow, who moved up one notch with a fortune of RM12.77 billion, said the Malaysian Business magazine based on a survey of the 40 richest individuals in the country.

As in previous years, the wealth of the country’s top 40 individuals was assessed based on the value of their stakes in listed companies.

The survey also revealed Malaysia’s 40 richest individuals were collectively worth RM206.27 billion as at Jan 21, up 30 per cent compared with RM156.7 billion last year, boosted by the bullish stock market and an expanding economy.

“The overall increase is in tandem with the 20 per cent rise in the FBM KLCI benchmark,” it said.

The magazine said Ananda Krishnan’s wealth soared close to 70 per cent following Maxis’ higher valuations and his move to take private three of his listed companies.

In fourth place was IOI Corporation Bhd’s Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng who is worth RM12.74 billion, followed by Genting Group’s Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay who was unchanged at number five and valued at RM10.89 billion.

Hong Leong Group’s Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan took sixth spot with a fortune of RM10.75 billion, while ranking seventh was Bumiputera entrepreneur Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary of the Albukhary Foundation, who was valued at RM8.84 billion.

Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong‘s widow, Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua, returned to the eighth spot with a fortune estimated at RM7.43 billion while Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King of Rimbunan Hijau Group was unchanged at ninth with a fortune of RM4.77 billion.

Singapore-domiciled tycoon, Ong Bee Seng, claimed the 10th spot, with assets worth RM3.98 billion, followed by AmBank Group chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim with RM3.93 billion.

Berjaya Group’s Tan Sri Vincent Tan took the 12th spot with assets worth RM2.43 billion.

Other individuals who are in the top 20 richest man circle in the country are Datuk Lee Yeow Chor and Lee Yeow Seng of IOI Group, Datuk Seri Lee Oi Hian and Datuk Lee Hau Hian of Batu Kawan, Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay of YTL Group, Tan Sri Lau Cho Kun of Hap Seng Consolidated, Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir of Kencana Petroleum and Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah of Sunway Group.

There were three newcomers to the list, with two making a first-time entry, who were Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum of Mah Sing Group Bhd, Datuk Seri Stanley Thai of Supermax Corporation Bhd and Datuk Tan Heng Chew of Tan Chong Holdings Bhd.

The full list of the 40 tycoons and details of their wealth appears in the magazine’s Feb 16th issue which also presents a list of the 10 richest tycoons on the ACE market.

Source :  BERNAMA

For full list please refer Senarai 40 Orang Terkaya Malaysia 2011

Technorati Tags: billionaire, fortune, malaysia, malaysian, millionaire, richest, wealth

The price of fuel and sugar will go up from midnight tonight as part of the Najib administration’s ongoing drive to reduce subsidies, but it is fraught with political risks as he mulls early elections next year.

The price of RON95 will increase by five sen to RM1.90 per litre, diesel by five sen per litre to RM1.80 and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by five sen to RM1.90 per kg. Sugar will also cost 20 sen more at RM2.10 per kg.

Through these price hikes, the government expects to save subsidy payments of RM621.9 million on RON95, RM213.2 million on diesel, RM63.5 million on LPG and RM283.5 million on sugar a year, or a total of RM1.18 billion annually.

RON97 will remain on a managed float based on market prices.

This is the second wave of subsidy cuts following the first round of hikes on July 16, when prices went up by five sen per litre for petrol and diesel, 10 sen per kg for LPG and 20 sen per kg for sugar.

Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala said today subsidy rationalisation was needed to bring down government expenditure.

“We are… doing this to make sure that our deficit is reduced. We are a responsible government. We will make sure that we will live within our means,” he said at a media briefing on the latest subsidy cuts.

Also present was Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“One of the measures to reduce cost is to rationalise our subsidies because Malaysia’s total subsidies are higher than many other countries. Our subsidies are also not targeted at the poor. There’s quite a lot of leakages and abuses.”

The savings will be used to fund rural development, education, urban transport and other areas under the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), he added.

Idris stressed, however, that prices for fuel and sugar in Malaysia will remain one of the lowest in the region even after the subsidy cuts take place.

“Even after we have put this five-sen increase… our selling price for RON95, and also LPG and diesel and sugar, is still lower than Indonesia, lower than Singapore and lower than Thailand,” he said.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was heartened by fair public reception to the last round of subsidy cuts, which he attributed to the government’s success in keeping inflation under three per cent.

“The CPI (consumer price index) increase was very, very small and that is why, when we did this, it was well taken by the public and the public didn’t really feel financially disadvantaged,” he said.

“We are controlling inflation in this country despite the first wave of increases. Because it’s very small increase, we are still able to contain everything so that does not put any burden onto the people.”

Idris said the government would take into account public feedback and the strength of the economy before deciding on when to make further moves to cut subsidies.

He added that renegotiation of independent power producers’ (IPPs) contracts was ongoing but declined to comment on the status.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: diesel, gas, liquefied petroleum gas, oil, petrol, price hike, ron95, subsidy, sugar

A sophisticated Malaysian cyber bandit hacked into the US Federal Reserve’s computers and also stole nearly half a million credit and debit card numbers, US prosecutors in New York said.

Lin Mun Poo, a Malaysian resident and citizen, was arrested on October 21 soon after entering the United States and was indicted by grand jury Thursday, the US attorney’s office in Brooklyn said.

He allegedly hacked into the Cleveland, Ohio branch of the Fed, the US central bank, and in separate attacks also stole more than 400,000 card numbers, as well as breaching the defenses of numerous other systems.

Poo, who is being held in pre-trial detention, “made a career of compromising computer servers belonging to financial institutions, defense contractors, and major corporations, among others, and selling or trading the information,” the US attorney’s office said.

The US Secret Service arrested the 32-year-old a few hours after he flew to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

“Secret Service agents seized his heavily encrypted laptop computer, which contained a massive quantity of financial account data and personal identifying information that he had allegedly obtained by hacking,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Brian Parr, the head of the Secret Service’s New York office, said cyber crimes “not only affect our nation’s financial infrastructure, but are also an ongoing threat to our national security.”

Among the other alleged hacking by Poo, the Secret Service said he entered a Pentagon contractor’s system “potentially compromising highly sensitive military logistics information.”

Earlier this week, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned that cyber attacks pose a “huge” threat.

Source : AFP

Technorati Tags: Computers, credit cards, cyber bandit, debit cards, lim mun poo, Malaysian Hacked, US Federal Reserve