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Verdict On Ahmad Sarbaini's Death Should Be Accidental - MACC
Pakatan may lose 9 MP seats if…
Elton John backs push for Malaysia, Commonwealth to repeal anti-gay laws
DAP causing a ‘Riot’ in Serian
Mr White, did you lie?
Al-Qaida merely a bump on the long road of Islam in Southeast Asia
Dr M says British advisers were rulers
Reform vote now as evidence mounts, says DAP leader
Najib mulls scrapping the ISA for polls momentum

Verdict On Ahmad Sarbaini's Death Should Be Accidental - MACC

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 10:31 PM PDT

(Bernama) -- Accidental death. That should be the verdict of the inquest into the death of Selangor Customs assistant director Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, said Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Representing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the inquest, he said there was not an iota of evidence to suggest the death was due to homicide.

Neither was there was third-party involvement, he said, as alleged by counsel for the family, Awtar Singh.

Pointing out to the DNA analysis, Muhammad Shafee said it indicated there was no third party involvement in Ahmad Sarbaini's death.

"The absence of DNA evidence connecting any MACC officer to the death, and the absence of defensive wounds on the deceased, clearly indicate that no MACC officer was criminally concerned with regard to the death.

"We, therefore, conclude that the verdict should be accidental death," he added.

In a 112-page written submission to coroner Aizatul Akmal Maharani, who heard the inquest, Muhammad Shafee said there was also not a shred of proof that Ahmad Sarbaini was physically abused or mistreated during the recording of his subsequent statement by MACC officers on April 4, or on the day of his death on April 6, this year.

He said there was ample evidence to show that Ahmad Sarbaini had, on his own volition, got out of the pantry window on the third floor of the MACC building.

These included the forensic pathology evidence that indicated the condition of the pantry did not suggest there was a struggle, as well as the evidence which indicated that all injuries sustained by the deceased was consistent with a fall from height, said Muhammad Shafee.

He said Ahmad Sarbaini died due to severe head injuries and positional asphyxia as concluded by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital's forensic pathologist Associate Professor Dr Faridah Mohd Noor and Dr Shahrom Abdul Wahid, via their reports and evidence during the inquest proceedings.

Muhammad Shafee said, Ahmad Sarbaini had died from a fall from the lower ledge of the third floor window of the pantry, adding that the customs official's body was found on the first floor of the MACC building, Wilayah Persekutuan, Jalan Cochrane.

"The evidence had placed the deceased outside that window and there is evidence tending to show that he had tried to jump to the roof situated on the right, but he was off-balance. He slipped and fell to his death," he said.

He said, the absence of marks indicating a struggle in the pantry and defensive wounds on the deceased showed he was not forced out of the third floor of the pantry window.

Muhammad Shafee also noted the MACC had no reason to be angry or frustrated with the fact that the deceased had intended to change his statement on April 6, this year.

"This is due to the fact the deceased would not have been able to change his statement as stated by MACC investigating officer Abdul Ghani Ali during the meeting that was chaired by MACC Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Fauzi Husin on that day (April 6).

"Awtar (Ahmad Sarbaini's family lawyer) and even Raja Petra Kamarudin (a blogger) via his blog, shared the same sentiment that the MACC was fuming mad when the deceased had intended to change or retract his statement," he said.

Muhammad Shafee said Abdul Ghani, in his statement, had said a letter of representation needed to be written to the MACC or himself, if someone wanted to change or retract his statement.

Meanwhile, Awtar in his 19-page written submission said, there was an element of foul play by the MACC, which caused Ahmad Sarbaini's death.

"Maybe, the MACC had no intention to cause the injuiry to the deceased or to kill him, but there is an element of negligence in this case which caused the death of Ahmad Sarbaini," he said.

He said the investigation into Ahmad Sarbaini's death was not fully equipped because there were many unanswered questions, including why the deceased fell out of the window.

He said the evidence presented clearly showed the deceased did not try to kill himself, or was murdered by someone or died by accident.

"There is no reason for the deceased to climb out of the window...as a visitor, he could leave the MACC building anytime," added Awtar.

The coroner will make a decision on Sept 26.

Today, both parties met Aizatul for further clarification on their submissions on Aug 25.

The submissions were made available to the media today.

Pakatan may lose 9 MP seats if…

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 05:32 PM PDT

An academic says that if there is a 30% swing in Indian votes, the opposition will lose nine seats. But Ong Kian Ming predicts only a 10% shift in votes.

(Free Malaysia Today) - Pakatan Rakyat may lose nine Parliament seats if there is a 30% swing in Indian votes for Barisan Nasional, according to academic Ong Kian Ming.

Among the seats listed by the USCI lecturer were Lembah Pantai, held by PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Sungai Siput, which is now in the hands of Parti Sosialis Malaysia's Dr Michael Jeyakumar.

The other seven seats were Kuala Langat, Merbok, Bruas, Kuala Selangor, Teluk Intan, Hulu Langat and Nibong Tebal.

However, Ong predicted that Indian votes would swing by only 10% in the next general election based on the 9% shift in support witnessed for BN during the Hulu Selangor by election.

He was speaking at a forum entitled "13th General Election – The battle to win the hearts and minds for the Indian vote" organised by the Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) here yesterday.

On the same note, Ong said the opposition was more secured in state seats. "Even with a 10% Indian vote swing, BN can't win these seats," he added.

Both sides have failed

He also pointed out that both sides of the political divide had failed to put forward the Indian agenda.

"There is weak leadership in MIC despite the change in leadership," he said in view of party president G Palanivel not being an elected leader.

Palanivel had been appointed acting president after S Samy Vellu stepped down earlier this year after leading the BN component party for three decades.

Ong also identified Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak as a factor impeding the implementation of an Indian agenda due to the latter's fear of Malay right-wing groups.

As for Pakatan, the academic told his audience of about 120 that the opposition coalition lacked a clear Indian leader.

"Within the multiracial DAP and PKR, Indian leaders must compete against other Indians on an unofficial quota," he said, adding that PAS and PKR were more concentrated on winning Malay votes.

Apart from Ong, Denison Jayasooria from the Institute of Ethnic Studies, UKM, also spoke during the first session of the day-long forum.

A total of six sessions were held on various aspects with regard to the Indian community. Among them were the role of the civil society and the federal government's assistance to the community.

Other speakers included former Suhakam commissioner N Siva Subramaniam, Selangor exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Subang MP R Sivarasa and Sungai Siput MP Jeyakumar.

Notably missing from the list of speakers were MIC representatives but two central working committee members KP Samy and S Manivasagum were present in their personal capacity.

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 05:22 PM PDT

(The Malaysian Insider) - A new international gay rights group wants Commonwealth countries including Malaysia to do away with what it calls "colonial anti-gay laws", and is now receiving support from politicians and celebrities to fight its cause.

The UK's Independent newspaper reported the leaders of all three main political parties in Britain as well as top UK music stars Elton John and George Micheal will throw their support behind the movement — called Kaleidoscope which is trying to combat homophobic discrimination in the Commonwealth.

It comes after campaigners grew increasingly concerned at how homosexual persecution is being actively encouraged by some Commonwealth states — particularly in Africa.

Currently, 38 of the 54 members of the Commonwealth criminalise homosexuality, with penalties in including 20 years imprisonment plus caning in Malaysia.

Gays and lesbians' rights are not recognised in Malaysia. The country retains a colonial-era penal code criminalising sodomy. Social attitudes towards the gay community are also shaped by Islam, the official religion in Malaysia.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life. 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.

In a diplomatic note to Washington DC that was leaked by whistleblower site Wikileaks through the Malaysia Today website, US Ambassador James R. Keith had said a recent Cabinet member and some of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's senior aides would have found themselves under investigation for homosexual "behaviour" if the government were on a morals campaign".

READ MORE HERE

DAP causing a ‘Riot’ in Serian

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 03:20 PM PDT

By Joseph Tawie, FMT

KUCHING: The centre set up by Sarawak DAP in Serian has not only set in motion its determination to wrest the parliamentary seat from the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) in the coming general election but also caused ripples among the Bidayuh community as well as in the Barisan Nasional camp.

Weekly education programmes are organised by the party to instil political awareness among the Bidayuh community, so that they know their rights as voters as well as their rights and privileges to development, scholarships, business opportunities and so on.

With all these activities going on, Michael Manyin, the state assemblyman for Tebedu and state minister as well as Martin Ben, state assemblyman for Kedup, have expressed concern.

The two constituencies (Tebedu and Kedup) form the Serian parliamentary constituency.

Peter Minos, who is deputy information chief of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), accused DAP of being too "ambitious and greedy" in eyeing Bidayuh parliamentary seats.

"The urbanites may love DAP but not the Bidayuhs who still need many basic things like treated water, electricity and roads from the BN government," he said.

Besides the Serian seat, DAP is also interested in contestesting other Bidayuh majority seats of Mambong and Mas Gading.

Riot feeling the heat

Five-term Serian MP Richard Riot, who is deputy minister of foreign affairs, is also feeling the heat coming from DAP that he has never missed any weekend to be with his constituents.

He has to counter and contain not only the increasing influence of DAP but also appease the growing discontentment of the community against his leadership.

His victory in the last election was mainly due to the strong support given by the Bidayuh community which comprises 23,540 voters. But now the community appears to be split, and this is his main concern.

And as far as the 3,200 Chinese voters in the constituency are concerned, their votes will go for DAP.

Many Bidayuhs question Riot's effectiveness as a MP as there has been no significant development in the Serian constituency over the past 21 years under his leadership and SUPP.

Some even suggest that the seat should be contested by PBB, arguing that the state seats of Tebedu and Kedup are now held by PBB representatives.

And there are Bidayuhs like Ik Pahon Joyik, president of the influential Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA), who want Riot to step down and give way to a much younger person.

They also want other Bidayuh MPs, James Dawos (Mambong) and Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading), to do the same.

"We want younger, effective, robust and vibrant MPs," Ik said.

'Don't blame him'

According to Riot, Prime Minster Najib Tun Razak knows how serious the problems affecting the community are, so he wants the former to defend the seat for a sixth term.

As in any Dayak area, native customary rights (NCR) land is a major issue.

Five hundred villagers from 10 villages in Riot's constituency took matters into their hands by burning seven heavy machinery, four lorries and five logging camps after their elected reps and the authorities did not help them.

When timber companies continued to encroach into their NCR land and communal forest, the villagers protested and lodged police reports and complaints to Riot and Manyin (state assemblyman for Tebedu).

The politicians however accused the villagers of being "anti-development" and claimed that they were instigated by the opposition.

READ MORE HERE.

Mr White, did you lie?

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 03:11 PM PDT

By Frankie D' Cruz, Malay Mail

IN a sea of whining mediocrity comes 'hard truths' — so pure you'd collapse if you snorted it.

More so, if it involved the core of our nation's history.

I am still wobbling in shock over the row that early Malaya was never colonised by the British. It questions our fight for independence.

It's a dispute we least need at the moment when the nation is attempting to glue together a multiethnic populace.

A quarrel we can do without unless the source for the uneasiness, the National Council of Professors, can factually substantiate its claims.

So far, its arguments have been shallow and I don't see the learned council presenting a case against colonisation by the British.

The remarks by the scholarly council claiming the British never colonised Malaya was not what history taught us.

The council says the British introduced a system of indirect rule in Malaya which in practical terms could be
translated as — they ran the country.

That would effectively mean we were colonised.

Professor Datuk Dr Zainal Kling, in representing the council, said in a statement recently that Malaya had never been colonised by the British prior to Merdeka and had only been a protectorate of the British Empire.

Zainal also disputed the notion Malaya had been under colonisation for 400 years and that although the British had then governed the country, it had remained sovereign under the Malay rulers.

Malaya, he said, was only under colonisation during the Malayan Union era between 1946 and 1948 and during the Japanese occupation.

Only three Malayan States were colonised, namely Singapore, Malacca and Penang. The rest were protected States, he said. If that was the case, I should have failed History at all levels of education. And the history of Malaysia, hardwired into my memory bank, has to be deleted.

But I am not about do that because history has it that the Pangkor Treaty of 1874 paved the way for the expansion of British influence in Malaya.

The British concluded treaties with some Malay States, installing "residents" who advised the Sultans and held power in everything except to do with Malay religion and customs.

Whether you call it a true colony or protectorates, the fact remains we were ruled by the British.

Stubbornly pushing for unnecessary change in history will drive us to a national identity disaster.

Therefore, it would be illadvised to pursue the plan by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin for the history syllabus for schools to be revised following supposed new findings of the nation's past. Such an exercise would be flawed.

Just ask the British. See if Britain agrees that the British Empire never covered the whole of Malaya.

Imagine a nation where the elders and the younger generation have different takes about the British in Malaya and our fight for independence.

Clearly, the stand by the council of professors has far-reaching social and academic implications that can affect national unity and raise questions about celebrating Merdeka every Aug 31 since 1957.

Foot-in-mouth, evidently, kicks both ways. Changing the historical course of a nation arbitrarily creates uncertainty among its people who have long held in high esteem the efforts of freedom fighters to free our nation from white rule.

Malaysia must not be seen as willing to blur its identity. Malaysians must refrain from shredding legacy at every turn.

Maybe, just maybe, Mr White, the Brit, took us all for a ride!

Al-Qaida merely a bump on the long road of Islam in Southeast Asia

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 02:54 PM PDT

By Jonathan Manthorpe, Vancouver Sun

Malaysia has seen a steady increase in Islamic conservatism that started with the overthrow of the shah in Iran in 1979 and the establishment of an Islamic republic.

But this movement accelerated in the 1990s in part because the Malaysian government allowed and sometimes encouraged male students to attend the radical Wahhabist religious schools, madrassas, in Pakistan which are funded by Saudi Arabia and which have produced not only the Taliban, but many of the terrorist recruits in Southeast Asia.

In Southeast Asia the era of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida has been a blip in a long history of often tense and sometimes violent relations between Muslims and their neighbours.

But there is no monolithic, region-wide picture of Islam in the region.

The cultural, political and economic implications vary widely from country to country.

And despite the tensions that have grated for, in some cases, a hundred years or more, they are in general a manageable fact of life.

The region contains the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, where 86 per cent of the 245 million people are followers of Islam.

Although Indonesia has been the scene of some of the worst al-Qaida-related terrorist attacks in the region in the last decade, the people in general follow moderate brands of Islam.

Those attacks were mounted by the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyyah (JI), which had staged bombings of the Jakarta Stock Exchange and of Christian churches in Java, Sumatra and Riau well before the 2001 attacks by al-Qaida on New York and Washington.

JI's most serious terrorist action in the last decade was the October 2002 bomb attacks on tourist bars on the resort island of Bali which killed 202 people.

The Bali outrage was followed by attacks on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and on the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton business and tourist hotels.

But Indonesian security forces have been very successful in decapitating JI in a campaign which is thought to have seen about 700 alleged terrorists killed or detained.

There is an irony, however, that the coming of democracy in the late 1990s has produced in Indonesia a generation of politicians who proclaim a slightly more puritanical style of Islam than in the past for fear of being labelled irreligious.

There is similar pressure on politicians in neighbouring Malaysia where the 28 million Muslims are mostly ethnic Malays and make up just over half the population.

Malaysia has seen a steady increase in Islamic conservatism that started with the overthrow of the shah in Iran in 1979 and the establishment of an Islamic republic.

These radical influences have had a profound effect on politics with the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) becoming a force to be reckoned with, especially in some of the more conservative provinces.

Even so, the PAS is a pragmatic Islamic party and is part of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition with an avowedly secular party and a largely Christian ethnic Chinese party.

Some politicians in predominantly Buddhist neighbouring Thailand see the shift to Islamic conservatism in Malaysia having a direct influence on the long-running independence insurgency in Thailand's three southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

These three provinces, populated by predominantly Muslim ethnic Malays, were formally annexed by Thailand as part of a 1909 treaty with the British colonial rulers in what was then Malaya.

There have been movements for independence or autonomy ever since, mostly driven by the well-documented treating of the people of the three provinces as second-class citizens by the Bangkok authorities.

But the is no doubt the violence has increased dramatically following al-Qaida's 2001 assault on the United States.

Well over 4,000 people have been killed by terrorist attacks on government officials, often school teachers shot by passing motorcyclists, and equally harsh reprisals by the security forces.

After much optimistic talk a couple of years ago, the government now concedes violence is increasing and there is no end in sight.

The Muslim independence insurgency in the southern Philippines, especially on the island of Mindanao, is even older, going back to the Spanish-American War of 1898.

It too has been influenced by the events of 9/11 and taken on a harsher tone. Abu Sayyaf, a group linked to al-Qaida and Indonesia's JI, was founded in the 1990s and has engaged in more purely terrorist attacks than the established voice of local people, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

But, unlike in Thailand, there are real signs of a settlement in the Philippines and the terrorist groups are clearly withering.

Dr M says British advisers were rulers

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 02:48 PM PDT

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

SERDANG, Sept 12 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad conceded today that Malaysia was never colonised by the British but insisted that their advisers acted as if they were the rulers instead of the Malay Sultans.

The 85-year-old former prime minister said that the British "acted as if we were colonised" in response to the claim by the National Professors' Council (MPN) that Malaya, the precursor to Malaysia, was never colonised by Britain and had merely been a protectorate.

"The Sultans decided to invite the British to come and advise them on how to administer the country. We were not conquered in that sense. But the fact remains that when the British were here, they operated as if we were colonised.

"In other words, the British did not advice, they gave orders. The English language is such that the adviser rules and the rulers advise," he told reporters after the launch of the Perdana University here.

MORE TO COME HERE.

Reform vote now as evidence mounts, says DAP leader

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 02:44 PM PDT

By Lisa J Ariffin, The Malaysian Insider

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 12 — A DAP leader has asked for immediate electoral reforms as evidence of postal voter irregularities and discrepancies according to him are piling up.

Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) chairman Anthony Loke Siew Fook claimed today the problem is nationwide.

"The discrepancies mentioned of spouses registered as postal voters using male IC numbers are not only in Rasah, but I believe all over the country. They happen everywhere," the Rasah MP.

He spoke to reporters after submitting the evidence to Election Commission (SPR)chairman, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Abdul Aziz bin Mohd Yusof at SPR headquarters this morning.

"We want to question SPR why such things happen. Before SPR justifies any registered voter they must first cross-check with JPN if the IC number is valid or not. This clearly shows it's wrong," he added.

Loke gave another instance of a woman officer in the army whose registered postal voter spouse was also a female.

"This means there's a lesbian couple in the army," he commented, prompting laughter from the reporters.

Loke believes the 100 names submitted today was only the tip of the iceberg and there are many cases as such in other constituencies.

"In Lobak within the Seremban parliament, there is one address that has 25 names (of registered voters).

This shows there are systematic ways of planting voters by irresponsible parties," he said.

"I am disappointed the current SPR allows this to happen," the MP added.

Loke also questioned the need of postal votes.

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 12:16 PM PDT

By Jahabar Sadiq, The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak could dismantle the Internal Security Act (ISA) as early as this week as he seeks to get some new momentum ahead of a general election expected within a year.

Najib came to power in April 2009 with the promise of reviewing the security law but the prime minister, whose reform credentials are seriously in question after flip flops, is considering going all the way and abolish the law that allows detention without trial.

The Malaysian Insider understands there has been some push back from the Home Ministry and right-wing elements within Umno but given that Najib needs to win back middle Malaysia, his advisers think that he needs to make a drastic move.

"His choice is limited and the ISA is a low-hanging fruit to harvest," a government source told The Malaysian Insider.

"There is resistance to the idea but the PM is convinced that the law is unnecessary as there are other laws to deal with security," he said, referring to the Emergency Ordinance (EO) used recently to detain six Bersih 2.0 activists seeking free and fair elections.

The six have been released but face other charges in court related to the Bersih rally that was held on July 9. The Najib administration's handling of the rally has been widely criticised although the police have been singled out as being at fault.

"Najib wants to reclaim the centre after taking over the right fringe," another source said.

The prime minister has been accused of pandering to the right but he has taken great pains to display his image as a reformer especially in economic matters under the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN). But the ISA review has also been a cornerstone of his return to power.

READ MORE HERE.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Isnin, 12 September 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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