Police to quiz Kit Siang for sedition, defamation

Kit Siang speaking at last Sunday’s ceramah in Penanti.

PENANG, May 30 — DAP leader Lim Kit Siang will be the latest politician questioned by police today for alleged sedition and criminal defamation, this time apparently against the prime minister at the start of the Penanti by-election campaign.

Lim said police officers came to a ceramah in Penanti last night where he was speaking to inform him that he will be questioned in connection with defamation and sedition related to Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his speech last Sunday.

"Apparently I'm wanted by police 4 sedition & criminal defamation of Najib + Malaysia," Lim posted in his Twitter account at about 1.30am.

"I told the police to come to my Penang house to question me. I don't know what it’s about as I gave three speeches that night," the Ipoh Timur MP told The Malaysian Insider.

He said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is his son, lawyers and reporters are expected to be there as well when the police turn up at 11.30am.

In one of his speeches last Sunday at a ceramah in Bukit Mertajam, the veteran politician said Najib was the primary target in the Penanti by-election as it was “a referendum on the credibility, integrity and legitimacy of Najib in his second month as Prime Minister”.

Kit Siang accused Najib of allowing the police to conduct an unprecedented raid on the DAP national head office in Petaling Jaya.

He said Najib's “1 Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” slogan has been shredded and discredited with the Perak political crisis, abuse of police power in curbing political dissent, unequal distribution of scholarships and the delayed release of the audit on the Port Klang Free Zone.

He has been campaigning strongly in the Penanti by-election despite Barisan Nasional's absence on the ballot paper. Polling day is tomorrow.

Kit Siang this morning noted the new government method to “fix” the opposition or dissent by using sedition and criminal defamation charges instead of the Internal Security Act (ISA) that provides for detention without trial.

His colleague, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh, is facing a sedition charge while rights activist Wong Chin Huat was held recently for alleged sedition.

Kit Siang and Karpal have previously been held under the ISA.

Controversial blogger and Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin has been slapped with criminal defamation and sedition charges apart from being previously held under the ISA for allegations linking Najib and his wife to the murder of Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu.

RPK, as he is popularly known, has skipped bail and is said to have left the country.

The Sedition Act is, however, perceived to be less oppressive than the ISA but yet drafted in such a way that it gives the government absolute power to make arrests on its political enemies.

According to section 4 (1) of the Sedition Act, a person is considered to have committed an offence under this law if he or she attempts to do, or make any preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do, any act which has or would, if done, have a seditious tendency.

It further read that any person is found to have committed an offence under this law if he or she utters any seditious words, prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes, or reproduces any seditious publications or imports any seditious publications.

Yet in all of this, there is no real and clear definitive guideline as to what constitutes sedition.

Dirty Trick Created By Gani and Musa

Read it the proper by understand it the reverse way. It plotted by Musa dan Gani. Why?. Just becouse it relate to DSAI kes. Datuk Mat Zain being trapped.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, the police officer who investigated Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s black-eye assault in 1998, today claimed a high-level plot using a bankruptcy notice to destroy his credibility ahead of several cases including the opposition leader’s sodomy case in July.

State news agency Bernama yesterday reported that Mat Zain was declared a bankrupt on April 21 for failing to settle a RM250,000 loan and was served with the notice on May 26. The news was carried by several Malaysian publications including The Malaysian Insider which subscribes to the Bernama service.

“I say with certainty that there are very powerful hidden hands that wanted it so. Their reasons are to destroy my credibility and/or to paralyze my capabilities and preventing me from giving evidence against Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan for fabricating evidence in the “black-eye” case of 1998 involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” said Mat Zain in a statement.

Mat Zain, who went on optional retirement in 2001 as the KL CID chief, said he believed the bankruptcy notice is related to his appeal to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory board to clear his name after the anti-graft agency cleared only Gani and Musa from charges of fabrication lodged by Anwar.

“I have reasons to believe that the prosecution team anticipated that Anwar will certainly raise at certain point of his trial the issue of fabrication of evidence in the black-eye case. My evidence would be vital at this stage. Their only option is to destroy my credibility.

“Though this publication may cause some inconvenience to me and my family, but I take it as a blessing and that it will only enhance my resolve to disclose the whole truth of the “black-eye” episode.

“Believe me, that this is not the only case the duo had their fingers in. There are others which are as sensational. The truth shall prevail,” Mat Zain said.

He claimed that he investigated the black-eye incident without fear or favour and had his statement recorded five times by the precursor to MACC, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) when Anwar lodged a report on July 1, 2008 that Gani, Musa, Mat Zain and Dr Abdul Rahman Yusof had falsified a medical report on the assault case.

But MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan announced on March 3 that a three-member independent panel led by the Solicitor-General had scrutinised the investigation papers and cleared Gani and Musa of criminal wrongdoing, prompting Mat Zain to later appeal the findings.

“However, I am justified to state that the Prime Minister was never told the true and entire facts of this issue. Should the truth be told, I believe the PM would have taken the appropriate actions,” Mat Zain said.

He disclosed that he has instructed his lawyers to look into the bankruptcy matter as he had never received any notice of a hearing related to a suit by businessman Yap Thoong Choan, 72, of Damansara Heights, filed on Aug 10, 2004, against Mat Zain at the Bandar Baru Bangi Sessions Court claiming the remaining RM250,000 of a loan which was not settled.

He said in his statement of claim that Mat Zain, 60, had taken a RM500,000 loan via an agreement signed by both parties on Feb 22, 2002, and it was agreed that the loan was to be settled on or before Aug 21, 2002.

Yap said that so far, Mat Zain had settled RM250,000 of the amount. A letter of demand for the remaining RM250,000, dated July 14, 2004, was sent to Mat Zain but he failed to pay up. The Shah Alam High Court on April 21 this year issued a bankruptcy notice on Mat Zain ordering him to pay the RM250,000 with interest and costs, bringing the total to RM288,824.92 .

How about a free shopping trip to Thailand on polling day?

PENANTI, May 27 – Some voters here may be spending polling day holidaying in either Langkawi, Haadyai or the Perlis shopping haven of Wang Kelian, near the Thai border.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Bilik Gerakan or operation centres report an organised effort to sign up voters for free bus trips to the various holiday destinations.

Suspicions are high that the bus trips are being organised by Umno to reduce voter turnout on polling day.

“They (Barisan Nasional) are afraid that their supporters will come out and vote even though they are not contesting. They would like to reduce the voter turn-out so that they can say voters do not approve of the by-election and are boycotting it,” says one PKR Penanti executive committee member.

He added that the trips are being advertised as school-holiday trips.

“If they can get 20 buses with each bus having 40 people, that is 800 people,” he said.

Penanti has a total of 15,421 voters of which 12,657 turned out in the last by-election in August last year.

Though victory for PKR is almost assured, the party still feels that that a high voter turnout is key to send a message that the party enjoys a high level of support.

Permatang Pauh Umno division chief Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid has denied being behind the bus trips.

“People have the right to go where they want,” he said when contacted by The Malaysian Insider.

Division secretary Rohaizat Othman said that the bus trips are being organised at the branch level and he is not involved.

According to some reports, the buses are to leave at 7.30am on May 31, which is polling day.

There are also unconfirmed reports that RM500 pocket money has been promised to would-be holidaymakers upon their boarding the bus.

Jalil said that he has not given any directives to Umno voters for polling day; whether to stay home, go outstation or support the independent candidates.

“It is up to them,” he said.

Asked to comment on the allegations by independent candidate Aminah Abdullah that PKR tried to bribe her to withdraw from the contest, he said: “She was one of them before. She knows what is going on in the party.”

Does he think her allegations will affect voter sentiment?

“A little bit. But the impact will not be great as people think such things are normal during by-elections.” - MalaysianInsider

Zambry: We’ll let the law take its course first

IPOH: The Barisan Nasional-led Perak state government will let the judicial process take its course before deciding on whether to have an emergency state assembly sitting. - Zambry, The real Zombie!!!

Commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s statement that an emergency sitting was an option to bring closure to the Perak dilemma, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said:

“Although there are provisions for it (but) as the judicial process is taking place now, lets allow that process to take its course.”

Speaking to reporters after attending a monthly gathering for civil servants at the State Secretariat building here Monday, Dr Zambry added that he would leave the matter open for the moment.

Asked whether he would use the option as suggested by the Prime Minister, Dr Zambry said:

“It is not a question of an option. It depends on what is decided by the court.”

On when the Assembly will convene, Dr Zambry said according to House rules, it would be another six months before the assembly reconvenes.

“As for the emergency sitting, as long as it is approved by the Ruler (we can do it),” he added.

On the planned hunger strike by Pakatan Rakyat on Tuesday to call for the dissolution of the Assembly, Dr Zambry said it showed that Pakatan would not let the state be peaceful.

“They will do whatever to show Perak is always not in peace (but) I believe in the end, the rakyat (people) will know who is the root cause of the state’s chaotic situation,” he added.

Dr Zambry also slammed Pakatan for practising double standards.

“When the court ruled in their favour, they said it’s the fairness of the judiciary system but when the Court of Appeals ruled against them, they painted a bad picture of the system,” he added.

Earlier in his speech, Dr Zambry reminded civil servants to serve the government of the day to the rakyat’s benefit.

“They should not lose focus from serving the people,” he said.

Aminah holds ‘key’ to PKR's downfall?

PENANTI, May 23 — Penanti by-election independent candidate Aminah Abdullah vowed she would unveil and tell people the truth about her former Parti KeAdilan Rakyat (PKR) soon so they would know that the party, which prides itself on justice, is not just at all.

The former Penang PKR Wanita chief, who will be contesting under the key symbol, said today one of her main objectives of contesting is to "return democracy to the people here" and what better way to do that than to expose the hypocrisy of the party.

She added that such an expose will be part of her campaign tactic.

"I want the people here to be free of any form of oppression in the name of democracy," she said in an apparent reference to her former party.

The Malay-majority Penanti seat falls under the parliamentary constituency of PKR fortress Permatang Pauh, helmed by party de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Penanti seat was vacated after PKR's Mohamad Fairuz Khairuddin resigned following alleged involvement in graft. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

Aminah, also known affectionately as Kak Min, is one of three independent candidates fighting for the vacant Penanti state seat.

Although lacking financial means,, nothing will stop her from doing what is right for the people, she said.

Despite this, Aminah has spent thousands of ringgit so far.

Asked how she would campaign given her financial shortcoming, the soft-spoken politician said she would “hire” the media to spread her campaign messages.

"I am hiring you all to spread my campaign messages," she told reporters smilingly after nomination was done.

Aminah and the other candidates will have more than a week to campaign. Polling will take place in nine days’ time.

Police raid DAP HQ, seize PC, DVDs

PETALING JAYA, May 23 — Police raided the DAP national headquarters for the first time ever this evening, carting away a computer and 19 digital video discs (DVDs).

The search and seizure, made without a warrant, was in relation to leaflets found when arrests were made during a candle-light vigil two nights ago in Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur, calling for fresh polls in Perak.

It is the latest in a series of crackdowns on Pakatan Rakyat (PR) attempts to gain public support on the Perak crisis which includes repeated arrests and banning of videos of the chaotic May 7 Perak assembly sitting where Speaker V. Sivakumar was dumped.

"First time in the 42-year history of DAP, police raiding our HQ," DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang posted in his Twitter account.

Three unmarked cars arrived at the headquarters and 11 plainclothes officers entered the building on the quiet Jalan 20/9 residential area in Petaling Jaya at 6.25pm.

They had brought Ooi Leng Hang, a party worker and one of the detainees from that night, who gave them the password to unlock the digital lock on the front door.

The handcuffed Ooi, who is DAP Socialist Youth political education chief, then led the police to his workstation, where police began to detail the items on his desk to be taken away.

They include his computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, earphones, external hard drives and DVDs including those related to the May 7 assembly and one labelled "Photos of Port Dickson Camp."

Treasurer Fong Kui Lun and vice-chairman Tan Kok Wai were the first DAP lawmakers to arrive at about 6.50pm followed by lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Lim Lip Eng.

Gobind had asked the officer in charge if he had a warrant and what provision they were conducting the search under.

ASP Kamal Khan Mohd Sharif said he did not have a warrant and had to call his superior, a DSP Goh, before telling Gobind that the raid was done under Section 11 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Gobind, DAP's legal affairs chief, allowed Ooi to sign a form detailing the list of items taken but later told reporters that the Act still requires a search warrant.

"He did not even know which provision. This shows that the police do not know what they are doing," the Puchong MP said, adding that he would lodge a report against the "trespass" and also write to the Selangor police chief on the matter.

National organising secretary Teresa Kok called the raid another "scare tactic" after several arrests made at vigils to quash dissent against what is perceived an undemocratic takeover of the Silver State.

"They arrested people just for wearing black and holding candles," the Selangor senior executive councillor said.

DAP Socialist Youth national secretary Loh Chee Heng condemned the raid, calling it "the latest despicable act by the police in their ongoing crackdown on the nation’s democracy."

"The police’s possible ludicrous move to charge Ooi, DAPSY deputy chairperson Jenice Lee and the other 14 DAPSY members and supporters under the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act is extremely regrettable," Loh said, demanding the immediate unconditional release of those who were arrested at Thursday night’s vigil.

The police left the DAP headquarters after about an hour.

BN acted within the law, says Najib

Note: When you read this statement, understand it the opposite way..!!! Its lies
SINGAPORE, May 22 - Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Court of Appeal ruling in Putrajaya today declaring Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the rightful menteri besar of Perak proved that the Barisan Nasional (BN) had acted within the law in the matter.

Expressing satisfaction and gratitude, Najib said the court decision also showed that the Sultan of Perak had also acted in accordance with the provisions of the Perak state constitution.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, disclosed this to Malaysian journalists when asked for his comments at a news conference held at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Singapore.

The Court of Appeal found that the High Court had wrongly ruled on May 11 that Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was the rightful menteri besar of Perak, and set aside the decision.

Najib said: "The present government of Perak is legally the rightful one and can continue to exist, continue to administer Perak, and continue to serve the people of Perak."
Najib said that with the court's decision in BN's favour, the Perak government would implement its responsibility with commitment to enhance the people's trust in the coalition.

He said the court ruling also emphasised that the authority to dissolve the state legislative assembly rested with the Sultan of Perak and that it was left to the ruler to make a decision.

On the by-election to be held in Manik Urai, Kelantan, following the death today of PAS state assemblyman Ismail Yaacob, 60, the prime minister said the BN would definitely contest the by-election.

Najib said this when asked to comment on Pakatan election director Datuk Mustafa Ali's statement that he hoped that BN would skip the Manik Urai by-election just as it had decided in the case of the Penanti state by-election in Penang set for May 31.

Najib said that as he had explained it was a question of principle, and that should any electoral seat fall vacant as provided for in the constitution, such as the death of the incumbent, the BN would adhere to the

"However, if any seat falls vacant owing to political games, then we will not dance to their (opposition's) tune," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who was in the Malaysian delegation to Singapore, said Kelantan Umno would hold a meeting tomorrow night to discuss preparations for the by-election.

Mustapa, who extended his condolences to the family of the late Ismail, said the question of the BN candidate would be determined later.

Before the news conference, Najib paid a courtesy call on Singapore President S.R. Nathan at the Istana.

Then, former Singapore prime minister Goh Chok Tong called on Najib at his hotel.
Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and the Malaysian delegation will be guests at a banquet at the Istana, and would return to Kuala Lumpur later tonight. - Bernama

Zombie Rightful Menteri Besar

PUTRAJAYA, May 22 -- A three-man bench of the Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision, today declared Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the rightful menteri besar of Perak.

The court held that the order made by the High Court on May 11, in declaring Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as the legitimate menteri besar, was wrong and set aside that decision.

"The learned High Court judge had failed to properly and adequately appreciate the entire evidence before him, and that rendered the decision as wrong," said Justice Datuk Md Raus Shariff, who sat with Justices Datuk Zainun Ali and Datuk Ahmad Maarop.

Both Mohammad Nizar and Zambry were not present in court today.

Justice Md Raus, in his oral judgment, also held that the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, was right in appointing Zambry as the new menteri besar, under Article 16(2) of the Perak Constitution, after being satisfied that Zambry had the command of the majority of the state legislative assembly.

"We hold the view that the granting or the withholding of the request for the dissolution of the state legislative assembly is the royal prerogative.

"On the facts of this case, the request for the dissolution of the state legislative assembly was made under Article 16(6) of the Perak Constitution and not under Article 36 of the constitution," said Justice Md Raus in allowing Zambry's appeal against the High Court decision.

Justice Md Raus further held that the Sultan of Perak was right in making enquiry to satisfy himself that the respondent (Mohammad Nizar) had ceased to command the majority confidence.

The fact that Mohammad Nizar had ceased to command the majority confidence could be obtained or established alternatively, he said.

"There is no mandatory or expressed requirement in the Perak Constitution that provides that there must be a motion of no-confidence to be tabled against the respondent before deciding that he had ceased to command the majority confidence of the state legislative assembly," he said.

Teratai rep Jenice Lee among 16 remanded for candle-light vigil

KUALA LUMPUR: Sixteen people, including Teratai state assemblyman Jenice Lee, who were detained by police for holding a candlelight vigil in Pandan Indah Thursday night, were remanded on Friday for two days

The vigil, which began at 8.45pm last night, was said to be a protest against the political fiasco in Perak and was held outside Lee’s service centre.

Ampang Jaya CID chief DSP Goh Lee Fook said the group had refused to disperse despite several requests by police.

He said the group who cut a cake during the half-hour long illegal gathering, also obstructed traffic.

“We took down their personal particulars and recorded statements on the gathering as no permit was issued,” he added.

The 16, including DAP leader Lim Kit Siang’s assistant Lim Swee Kuan, were remanded.

The group claimed that the cake was brought to celebrate Lim’s birthday.

Umno denies sponsoring any independent in Penanti

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has not sponsored any independent candidate in the Penanti by-election as alleged by certain quarters, said party information chief Ahmad Maslan.

Ahmad, who is also the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said Barisan Nasional decided not to contest in the by-election in order to concentrate on reviving the country’s economy.

“We also do not want to fall into the trap set by the Opposition to force us into a by-election to improve our image.

“Why should Barisan waste energy and money to improve its image,” he told a press conference at Menara Dato’ Onn here yesterday.

Former Penang PKR Wanita head Aminah Abdullah, 56, had announced her intention to contest the state seat in Penang slated for May 31.

Two others who would also be contesting are Pakatan’s Dr Mansor Othman, 56, and independent Mohd Saberi Othman, 49 who is a used-car salesman.

Ahmad added that the Barisan would not contest in by-elections which it perceived as “unreasonable” or if it was forced upon due to resignations orchestrated by the Opposition.

Asked if the Barisan would stay out of by-elections in Perak where the coalition has a slim majority, Ahmad said the coalition would decide on this after the state’s leadership crisis was resolved.

Ahmad said Umno would activate its machinery at branch and divisional levels when there was a need for it to contest in an election.

Asked on the candidate for the Barisan information chief, Ahmad said the Umno information chief would automatically assume the post, adding that it was up to the the supreme council to decide.

Court orders Tian Chua to enter defence for biting cop (Update)

KUALA LUMPUR: Batu MP Tian Chua @ Chua Tian Chang, 46, was ordered Monday to enter his defence for biting Constable Rosyaidi Anuar who was carrying out his duties in Jalan Parlimen on Dec 11, 2007

Magistrate Mohd Faizi Che Abu said he believed the evidence given by Constable Rosyaidi.

“The credibility of Constable Rosyaidi is not to be questioned. He has no reason to punish the accused other than to get away from being bitten.”

The magistrate also said that his behaviour that did not show a criminal mind as he had “immediately reported the matter to his superior.”

Besides that, the magistrate said that the testimony from Dr Norlizawati Ahmad confirmed that the policeman’s injuries were consistent with bite marks.

The PKR information chief,46, is charged with hurting Constable Rosyaidi Anuar at about 10.45am on Dec 11, 2007, while the latter was performing his duties at the entrance to Parliament House.

He is charged under Section 332 of the Penal Code which provides for up to three years jail or fine or both, if convicted.

Ahmad Said to remain as Terengganu MB

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu state government will continue to be helmed by Datuk Ahmad Said as the menteri besar, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president, said a change of menteri besar was never raised or discussed.

“Who said (there will be a change in the menteri besar)? So far, I have not heard of anything like that,” he said when asked to comment on talks that there would be a change of menteri besar in the state soon.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, spoke to reporters after launching the national level Teacher’s Day celebration at the Islamic Civilisation Park in Pulau Wan Man Saturday.

There had been talks that several Terengganu Barisan Nasional assemblymen had voiced their dissatisfaction with Ahmad and wanted him to be replaced.

It was speculated that Barisan assemblymen would table a no-confidence vote against Ahmad in the state assembly in April but this did not happen.

However, 10 Barisan assemblymen stayed away from the assembly session on the second day sitting after three of them claimed to have received threats via SMS.

Muhyiddin said he hoped that with his clarification, the political situation in Terengganu would improve because it was more important for Umno and the Barisan to be strong in the state to face the next general election.

“I hope all Umno leaders, including the elected representatives and divisional chairmen, would adopt new approaches to foster greater understanding among themselves.

“The people have given their mandate. We have to focus on developing Terengganu because the state abounds with resources. It garners much revenue and has oil,” he said. -- Bernama

Bar Council wants Home Minister, IGP to resign

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Bar Council has called for the Home Minister and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to resign over the alleged unlawful detention of five Legal Aid Centre (LAC) lawyers.

At the same time, the Council would also be filing a civil suit against the Government, IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and OCPD Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid, said Bar president Ragunath Kesavan.

“There are two aspects to the suit: It’s for unlawful arrest and detention (of the LAC lawyers).

“Secondly, it is for the public interest issue of police excess under Section 28A(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC),” he told reporters after the Bar’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on the matter Friday.

The Bar passed a resolution containing 11 motions to condemn police action in denying the LAC lawyers access to 15 detainees who were arrested for participating in a candlelight vigil on May 7.

The five LAC lawyers were also detained by police when they arrived at the Brickfields police station intending to act as counsel for the 15 during the same evening.

The candlelight vigil had been organised in support of Bersih activist Wong Chin Huat who urged the public to wear black to protest the ongoing Perak political crisis.

Ragunath said it was necessary for a lawyer to be present when a person was arrested or being questioned by police so that accountability in the criminal justice system was maintained.

“If a lawyer is present, it promotes accountability so that lawyers can correct any police excess on the spot,” he said.

Ragunath said the call for the resignations was due to the five being wrongfully accused by the authorities of participating in an illegal assembly and for not allowing them access to the other detainees to act as their legal representatives.

“The lawyers were accused of asking for preferential treatment. It was publicly said that we were not above the law, implying that we had broken the law in front of the police station, which is not true,” he said.

He added that the Bar would be seeking a meeting the Prime Minister to present a memorandum on the Bar’s resolution on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Advocates Association of Sarawak also condemned the detention and interrogation of the LAC lawyers.

Its president Frank Tang King Hung pointed out that detained persons had the right to access to legal counsel under Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution and Sections 28A(2) to (7) of the CPC.

“The police action makes an absolute mockery of the constitutional right to legal representation and is a gross abuse of power,” he said in a statement in support of the Bar’s EGM Friday.

June 30 decision on Kasitah’s corruption case

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set June 30 for the decision in the corruption case involving former Land and Cooperative Development Minister Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam.

Justice Suraya Othman set the date after the prosecution and defence completed their submissions Friday.

A total of 31 prosecution witnesses had testified, including former Sabah Resource Development and Enterprise Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and former Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd chief operating officer Tan Sri Munir Majid.

Kasitah, 60, also the former chairman of the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB), was charged on Feb 12, 2004 for having used his position as SLDB chairman for financial gain by taking part in the decision to approve the sale of 16.8 million Sapi Plantations shares held by the board to Briskmark Enterprise Sdn Bhd.

He is also alleged to have deceived SLDB by omitting to disclose an offer by PPB Oil Palm Sdn Bhd to allocate five shares of the company for each share of Sapi Plantations in the proposed public listing. Earlier, Kasitah's counsel Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, in his submission in reply, had contended that Kasitah was not aware that the source of the RM11.5 million he received into his account to settle the loan with DCB Bank (now known as RHB Bank) in 1997 was from the sale of PPB Oil Palm shares.

"Kasitah is not disputing that money was deposited into his account but his main contention was that the money actually was the sale proceeds of his Intra Oil Sdn Bhd shares (IOs)," stressed Shafee.

He pointed out that if Kasitah had received and sold the 3.36 million PPB Oil Palm shares allegedly allocated to him by Briskmark's director Datuk Wasli Mohd Said, the onus was on the prosecution to prove that Kasitah had received payments for both the PPB Oil Palm and IOS shares.

"The entire machinery of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) had investigated him in 2002. If there were two such payments, then they would have been able to trace them in Kasitah's accounts," added Shafee.

He pointed out that Kasitah had never seen the cheque or the cash from the sale proceeds of his IOS shares since all the transactions were carried out by Vincent Chia, a former partner of the accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

Shafee submitted that Chia was an accomplice in this case and in fact he was the principal offender by acting for SLDB and Briskmark.

"It was a massive conflict of interest on the part of a chartered accountant like Chia who had acted for both seller and buyer, where in this case the prosecution had heavily relied on him to convict Kasitah," argued Shafee.

He said both Chia and Wasli were not inspiring or credible witnesses, where the prosecution also had failed to deal with the issue of collaboration in proving the case against Kasitah.

Shafee concluded by saying that the prosecution's case against his client was “full of conjecture and suspicion” rather than purely based on clear evidence. Deputy Public Prosecutor Hanafiah Zakaria appeared for the prosecution. - Bernama

Soi Lek Backs Fresh Polls In Perak

By Lee Wei Lian

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has joined several of his Barisan Nasional (BN) colleagues in calling for a fresh state election to resolve the political quagmire in Perak.

“Personally, I feel that a fresh state election will be the best way to resolve this stalemate, Let the rakyat decide and once and for all, we resolve this problem, which is not doing anybody any good,” said Dr Chua in an entry on his blog on Tuesday.

The former health minister also says that appealing the High Court ruling declaring Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as the rightful mentri besar could be a long drawn-out affair.

Other BN leaders that have called for fresh polls to resolve the stalemate include Penang Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, Umno MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Dr Hsu Dar Ren, a central committee member of Gerakan.

While Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not called for the state assembly to be dissolved, he nevertheless appears to have distanced himself from what could be a political liability as perception mounts that BN is attempting to thwart the will of the people and cling to power.

He said on Tuesday said that he will leave it to BN’s Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir to decide what to do.

Teng stressed yesterday that by giving back the people “who obviously want a say in the matter” the power of choosing their government, BN can once again show that it upholds the principle of democracy and that it has the best interest of the people at heart.

Tengku Razaleigh this week reiterated his stand that according to the Constitution, a change of government can only be brought about by democratic means — either through the ballot box or through a formal vote of confidence in the elected legislative assembly and not through the court system.

Teng, however, was criticised by his Umno colleagues for his remarks.

“In this situation, he should instead encourage and support BN,” Kubu Gajah assemblyman Datuk Seri Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar told Bernama.

“Doesn’t Teng know that BN has the majority voice in Perak? Doesn’t he know that the crisis in Perak is due to Pakatan Rakyat’s refusal to accept the fact that they have lost the majority?”

No end is in sight for the Perak political crisis, now in its fourth month.

On Monday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court had declared Nizar as the rightful mentri besar, saying he could only be removed via a vote of no confidence and ordered Zambry to vacate the mentri besar’s office, which he did.

Zambry, however, managed to obtain a stay of the declaration the very next day and reported back to work yesterday.

Nizar, who is seeking permission from the Sultan of Perak to dissolve the assembly, is now applying to set aside the stay, in a hearing scheduled for next Monday.

Anwar: We are ready to meet

From Malaysiakini
Rahmah Ghazali
Pakatan Rakyat is willing to meet Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to resolve the on-going political crisis in Perak but will not budge from its call for a snap state election.

“We are ready to meet him. We will give him our views and we will listen to what he has to say,” said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim after chairing a Pakatan meeting at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He however said that Pakatan was very clear in what it believes is the ultimate solution - the dissolution of the state assembly to pave way for a state election so that the people can decide who they want as their government.

Najib has so far ruled out the prospect of calling for a state election.

“What is the point of having the discussion if there’s no mutual agreement because Najib has ruled out of having snap elections while Pakatan wants otherwise,” added Anwar.

Nevertheless, he said that Pakatan was ready to meet Najib for the sake of strengthening democracy in Perak.

Earlier today, Najib said he was ready to hold talks with Pakatan to find a solution to the Perak political impasse.

However, the premier had imposed some conditions - that the talks should not have any pre-conditions and be open to explore all possible solutions.

He also dismissed talks that BN was afraid to face a state election for fear of losing to Pakatan.

More photos of Eli on net

When asked about the new pictures, Ms Wong said: 'I don't know and I don't care. I leave it to my lawyers and the police to take care of it. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR - SEVERAL new compromising pictures of Malaysian opposition politician Elizabeth Wong are reported to have surfaced in the Internet.

The latest pictures are said to be close-up shots of a woman's private parts and were published along with the older set of pictures of Ms Wong sleeping.

When asked about the new pictures, Ms Wong said: 'I don't know and I don't care. I leave it to my lawyers and the police to take care of it.

'I already feel that I have been violated and victimised enough by unscrupulous parties. It's like I'm getting raped every day.'

City deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm I Datuk Abdul Samah Mat said police were not aware of the new pictures and would not pursue the matter until a fresh police report is lodged.

Ms Wong had gone on leave in February after revealing pictures of her found their way to the media earlier that month.

She offered to resign as exco member and assemblyman but the state government turned it down. - THE STAR/ANN

Anti-corruption chief is detained

Mr Azhar, 56, was declared a suspect after several hours of questioning

Indonesian police have detained the country's top anti-corruption official as a suspect in the murder of a prominent business executive.

Antasari Azhar was questioned on Monday as a witness, but police told reporters that based on strong evidence he would now be interrogated as a suspect.

Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, a former director of a state-owned business, was killed in a drive-by shooting in March.

Analysts say the scandal is a huge blow to the Corruption Eradication Agency.

The independent agency, known as the KPK, was set up in 2003 to lead a huge push by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in tackling corruption.

Mr Antasari has spearheaded the crackdown, including a series of investigations into government officials and institutions.

Legal process

Mr Antasari, 56, was declared a suspect after several hours of questioning at a Jakarta police station on Monday. Police said that Mr Antasari was among nine suspects in detention.

"Today he was interviewed as a witness and after the end of that interrogation, based on strong evidence, he will be interrogated in this investigation as a suspect," said Jakarta's police chief Wahyono, who goes by one name.

Speaking on Sunday, Mr Antasari said he could not comment on why he had been implicated in the case but said he would "respect the legal process".

He said he was taking leave of absence to deal with the allegations.

Despite recent gains, Indonesia has one of the worst corruption ratings in the world, according to Transparency International.

RM245m FOR SMC

KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government will buy over Sabah Medical Centre for RM245 million, as an immediate measure to solve the acute shortage of hospital beds following the closure of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital tower block.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the agreed sum with some additional allocation would be spent to upgrade the amenities at the facility to provide better medical services to the public.

Najib also said he wanted the purchase of SMC to be done as soon as possible so that the people in Sabah can continue to receive proper medical and health services speedily.

“We have approved the purchase of SMC through the Ministry of Health at a very reasonable price of about RM245 million. And we will also give some additional allocation for improvement (of the facility),” said Najib, speaking at the meet-the-people event at Padang Merdeka here yesterday.

Najib said constructing a new hospital would take time and therefore taking over an already completed and equipped facility was a better option as an immediate solution to the acute shortage of hospital beds in the city.

“For a new hospital, it takes a long time, and we want it immediately. This matter will be handled effectively,” he said during the event attended by roughly 10,000 people.

Also present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman, cabinet ministers, elected representatives and community leaders.

The Prime Minister, who is in Sabah on his first official visit since assuming the prime minister’s post last month, also pledged to continue the former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah

Ahmad Badawi’s commitment to give special attention to Sabah to help it boost its development programmes and be at par with the other states in country.

In this regard, he said he would see into it that his predecessor’s promise to give Sabah additional RM1 billion would be fully delivered.

“I will continue Pak Lah’s commitment to give the additional RM1 billion to Sabah. So far, RM500 million has been channeled to the related State agencies and the remaining RM500 million will be given,” he said.

He added the federal government would also continue to forge a closer partnership with the state government to ensure a more intensified and effective development in the State.

“This is our aspiration… that the Barisan government will continue to work together with the state government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman and his Cabinet members. We will work as a team and the federal government will continue to help the state government to develop Sabah,” he said.

Later at a press conference, Najib reiterated the government’s decision on the hospital issue.

“As what I had mentioned this morning, the health service problem here (at Queen Elizabeth Hospital), the cabinet had decided to take over the Sabah Medical Centre based on the agreed cost of RM245 million.

“We hope to materialise this very soon to provide a better health service to the public without waiting for a new building to be built as it will take a long time to realise. This is an example how we handle issues relating to the people’s welfare – they are our priorities,” Najib said. - Sabah Times

Dr M: Ruler cannot remove head of govt

PUTRAJAYA: The state’s ruler cannot remove the head of government in Perak if provisions under the state constitution are the same as those under the Federal Constitution, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the Federal Constitution stated clearly that the monarch could only decide on whether or not to appoint an individual as the prime minister but did not have the power to remove the premier.

The prime minister can only be removed through a vote of no confidence in Parliament.

“I think the provisions in the Federal Constitution should apply to Perak but I do not know (the Perak state constitution) and if Perak is different then I stand corrected,” he told a press conference after delivering his keynote address on The Role of the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and Constitutional Monarchy at the ninth Perdana Discourse Series here Wednesday.

Asked if he thought there had been any abuse of the system in the removal of former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, he said the matter had been referred to the courts, and the courts should be allowed to decide.

Dr Mahathir said he also felt that Barisan Nasional had rushed into taking over the Perak state government when it should have taken the time to consider the decision properly before acting.

“They may have been doing the right thing but it was still a little bit hasty and when we are in too much of a hurry we always make mistakes. In any situation, always give yourself time to think,” he said.

On whether fresh elections should be held to allow the people to decide on the government in Perak, he said, it was not a matter for him to decide and people would have the chance to make the decision whenever elections were held.

“They (voters) can also sell their votes for only RM200 but they should remember that they are betraying their country and the future of their children and grandchildren,” he said.

On whether some civil servants had also overstepped their bounds when making decisions related to the state government, he said he was not sure if it were the civil servants or the legislative body that made the decisions.

The civil servants, he said, could have been just executing orders given to them.

However, Dr Mahathir also hit out at blogs that attacked the Sultan of Perak. He said that had been no abuse of power.

It was the former premier who clipped the powers of the royals during his tenure, with amendments to the Constitution that removed their immunity to being sued in their personal capacity.

“Having made the law, it is easy for people to blame the chap who made the law (allowing rulers to be sued), but the law was not made to sue the Sultan politically,” he said.

Data sold for 10 cents in M'sia

KUALA LUMPUR - FOR a mere 10 cents, your personal data are being sold to unauthorised bodies. A list of 1,000 entries containing names, handphone numbers, type of credit card owned and issuing banks, and place of work costs only RM100 (S$41.62).
If you regularly receive unsolicited sales calls, messages or e-mails, then in all likelihood, your data have been collected and sold to third parties.

With such baseline information in the hands of the unscrupulous, more particulars could easily be gathered and your identity stolen - for transactions and the purchase of goods or services without your knowledge.

list obtained by Sunday Star linked individuals to credit cards although banks regard the leaking of information as a very serious offence.

Those caught for this offence could be subjected to punishment under Section 97 of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act.

Association of Banks in Malaysia executive director Chuah Mei Lin said that member banks treated customer information with the greatest of confidentiality and would not sell or use information indiscriminately outside the confines of the banker-customer relationship.

The fact is any database is vulnerable - from loyalty cards and telecommunications companies to housing developers to members-only clubs - and there will be a demand for it as it represents a list of potential customers.

An entry from a database of an exclusive club comprising Datuks and Tan Sris, for example, could fetch RM3 each and resold for RM4.

National Consumer Complaints Centre chief executive Muhammad Shaani Abdullah said this was a dangerous development.

'What are the authorities doing about this? If someone makes a higher offer, what is there to prevent other vital information such as credit card numbers from being obtained?' he said.

Currently, telecommunications companies are not allowed to give out personal data of their clients to any third party under the General Code of Practice for the Commission and Multimedia Industry Malaysia and provisions of Communications and Multimedia Act. -- THE STAR/ANN

Perak MB assures safety for May 7 sitting

PASIR SALAK: The safety of all 59 Perak assemblymen when they attend the State Assembly sitting next Thursday is assured, said Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said the authorities were taking all necessary measures to faclitate the assemblymen's attendance of the sitting and would take action against anyone or group trying to resort to illegal action like holding unlawful gatherings to prevent it.

He told this to reporters after attending a thanksgiving function organised by Pasir Salak Umno in Kampung Gajah here on Saturday.

Zambry also urged all quarters to respect the parliamentary democracy practised in the country and the laws of the nation. - Bernama

Former PM calls for industrial harmony to weather any crisis

PORT DICKSON: Trade unions and employers have been told to always give priority to the spirit of muafakat (cooperation) if they wished to see industrial harmony prevail in the country.

Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said they would be able to weather any crisis if they believed in the spirit of “give and take” and respect for one another.

“Being confrontational does not benefit anyone. And if you are prepared to sit down and discuss issues, then I don’t see why the good industrial ties we have in this country would not prevail,” he said at an appreciation dinner organised by the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE).

Also present at the event to mark Labour Day was Abdullah’s wife, Tun Jeanne Abdullah.

Abdullah said both worker groups and employers should be responsible and make collective decisions if they wished to prosper.

“Workers and employers need one another. “If our workers are a happy lot, productivity would be good...likewise, workers need to give their best to be rewarded by their bosses,” he said.

Citing an example, Abdullah said NUBE was a well managed union which looked into the welfare of the 30,000 bank employees.

Abdullah, who was instrumental in resolving the collective agreement (CA) dispute between NUBE and the Malaysian Commercial Banks Association (MCBA) last year, said a two-year impasse was eventually solved because both parties had acted responsibly.

“Unions can make demands when the situation permits. But they should be reasonable and not make demands that their employers cannot fulfil particularly during crises,” he said.

Abdullah expressed hope that all parties would continue to give importance to human capital development as only then could the nation be propelled to greater heights.

“You must have this desire in you to be successful...I hope the all of you would remember this,” he said.

On a lighter note, Abdullah said he always made it a point to attend Labour Day event when he was in office.

“Initially I thought that I would not be able to attend one this year as I was no longer PM. But when I received Nube’s invite, I told Jeanne that we must make it a point to attend,” he said to a loud applause.

NUBE president S.Sivabalan in his speech thanked Abdullah for his role in solving the CA dispute with banks.

He also expressed hope that the government would get NUBE’s views on the liberalisation of the financial sector as this would have an impact on bank workers.

Sivabalan also proposed the setting up of a Sectoral Social dialogue and tripartite mechanism involving Bank Negara, the Association of Banks and the Federation of Trade Unions of Employees in Banking and Financial Institutions.

“Its purpose is to to ensure that workers welfare is enhanced, productivity gains are relaised and the highest quality of banking and financial service is rendered,” he added.

Registration of more Indonesians underway

Indonesian workers and their dependants undergoing a registration process.

KENINGAU: Some 1,600 Indonesian workers and their dependants in the district were registered to pave way for them to obtain their passports.

The exercise held at Dewan Arked tamu ground on Sunday was carried out by the Indonesian consulate with the assistance of Juta Teguh employment agency.

According to the agency managing director Abdul Ghani Abdul Jamal, they hoped to register another 2,000 workers and their dependants.

“In two weeks’ time, we will have another registration exercise,” he said and urged employers to allow their Indonesian workers to go for the exercise.

Among the companies whose workers were registered were Focus Lumber, Veracity Corporation and Goodstead and more than 100 self-employed individuals hiring maids and farmhands.

Acting consul-general for Kota Kinabalu, Rudhito Widagdo and his assistant, Umbara Setiawan were present to monitor the exercise. Ghani said a similar activity will be conducted in the East Coast.

Employers requiring more details on the exercise may call 087334454.

PKR candidate not the most popular

KEPALA BATAS, 30 April 2009: PAS's intention to field a candidate in the by-election for the Penanti state constituency on 31 May shows that the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is not the most popular party in the area, said former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah said although the Penanti state constituency, located in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency, was a PKR stronghold, it was obvious that there were voters who wanted the constituency to be represented by PAS.

"What is voiced by the Permatang Pauh PAS is the voice of the grassroots, and I believe that there are local residents who are inclined to choose a candidate representing a particular party," he said here today.

He was commenting on the plan by PAS to field a candidate in the by-election for Penanti although PKR had announced its candidate.

On Tuesday, PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced the Penang PKR deputy liaison chairperson, Mansor Othman, 56, as the party's candidate for the by-election for the Penanti state seat.

The seat fell vacant following the resignation of the incumbent assemblyperson and former Penang Deputy Chief Minister (DCM)1, Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin.

Abdullah said the move by PAS to field its candidate also demonstrated that there was no consensus among the ruling coalition in Penang.

Yesterday, Penang PAS Youth head Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin said the party would go ahead with the plan to field its own candidate in the by-election for Penanti.

The Penanti state constituency has 15,384 registered voters comprising 72.68% Malay Malaysians, 24.22% Chinese Malaysians, 2.39% Indian Malaysians, and 0.71% others.

Drama

In KUALA LUMPUR, Jerlun Member of Parliament Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir said the dispute over a suitable candidate to contest in the Penanti by-election was merely a drama staged by the opposition.

He said such disputes usually occurred every time there was a by-election.

"In the initial stage, there will be news like this, as though there is a dispute among themselves. But eventually, before nomination day, there will be a consensus among them as though they [were] united on this matter.

"I think it's all a drama," he said. — Bernama