Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- After speaking to media, ‘Carpetman’ finds himself unwanted in his companies
- No plans yet to bring Musa Hasan into PKR
- Lawyer flays Deepak for land scam claim
- Umno chosen by God, says Reezal
- Hisham dismisses ex-IGP’s claims as distraction from Umno assembly
- ‘For Indians’ sake, let’s talk to Pakatan’
- Ex-IGP: 6P encourages human trafficking
- Sabah Umno has the most number of members
- 'Bala's U-turn foiled Anwar-Umno's Altantuya expose'
- Khairy: We’ll smash Opposition’s arguments
- 20 ‘gates’ to shut out Pakatan from Selangor
- Deepak to reveal more dirt from under the carpet
- Shahrizat slams news portals, says God is with Utusan
- Deepak says he paid Najib's family for land deal
- I am a winnable candidate in PRU 13 : Shahrizat
- Ex-IGP says ministers meddle with investigations
- Shahrizat: May 13 could repeat if Umno weak
- Anwar’s lawyer offers to help hair salon
- Debate with Anwar ‘a waste of time’
- Is ex-IGP Musa going Pakatan’s way?
- Shahrizat still harbours hope of contesting
- Malaysia ‘dog’ chant riles Singapore fans
- French Lawyers Seek Malaysian PM Najib to Testify in Sub Scandal
- Nik Aziz admits ‘oversight’ in gender policy on hair-cutting
- 'Carpetman' linked to Altantuya trial tells all to Harakahdaily
- Scorpene briefing: Elements of Altantuya case important
- PAS to protest against Elton
- Carpet dealer says Wanita Umno leader cheated him in land deal
- Mother gets custody of children in Muslim convert case
- ‘Don’t touch Upko seats’
- Scorpene inquiry stumbles upon money maze
- Sultan: Learn from 1988 judicial crisis
- Deepak: I regretted getting involved in Bala's SD
- MCA’s use of hudud may backfire
- Selangor’s Talam White Paper a ‘grey paper’
- Don: Economy shows signs of kleptocracy
- Puteri must wake up from deep slumber
- Rosmah Mansor defends controversial 'public morality' clause
| After speaking to media, ‘Carpetman’ finds himself unwanted in his companies Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:43 AM PST
(Harakah) - Deepak Jaikishan said he was pressured by his board to resign from 26 companies where he is a director following his interviews with alternative news portals, including Harakahdaily. "This morning I was asked by my board of directors to resign from all the 26 companies where I am a director because of the controversy involving Altantuya and private investigator Bala (Subramaniam)," he said during his press conference yesterday. Deepak said he was pressured as soon as he finished interview with various news portals. "Especially my interview with Harakah (daily), and I have been asked to resign from all 26 companies," he said. Deepak also claimed that his families members had also objected to him coming out in the open. However, he insisted on continuing his expose as he strongly believed that the controversy would not rest until Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered in 2006 using a C4-bomb, a weapon available only in the army's arsenal, received a just trial. "We all know Altantuya did not get the fair trial. This case cannot be silenced anymore," he added. Deepak was heavily involved in the saga of P Balasubramaniam, the private investigator who issued a damning statutory declaration implicating prime minister Najib Razak of an affair with murdered Altantuya only to retract it the next day. Two days ago, he had told various news portals about his relationship with Najib's family and explained that his involvement with Bala was unintentional as he only meant to help a drowning friend. "So I jumped into the pool to help a friend. I felt at that time, I was the only one (they) sought after for help. It's not that I helped directly. The lawyer was theirs, I just helped in coordinating," he said, who quickly replied "Najib's family" when asked whom he meant by 'theirs'. On another development, Deepak and his company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd were suing a UMNO wanita leader over a fraud transaction involving three plots of land in Bukit Raja, Selangor. It was learnt that the 233 acres of land worth RM72 million was sold by the government to the UMNO wanita leader, who then sold it to Astacanggih for RM120 million. However, the transaction did not materialise despite multiple payments being made. It was understood that the UMNO wanita leader had then sold off the plots of land to another company at the price tag of RM150 million.
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| No plans yet to bring Musa Hasan into PKR Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:03 PM PST PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says if there is an application from the former IGP, then it would be given special attention. Alyaa Azhar, FMT There are no plans to bring former IGP Musa Hassan into the PKR fold just yet. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that when someone 'important' decides to join the party, the application is given special attention. "Approval of applications is done on a monthly basis. When we have distinguished names of 'big people', of course we take note of it," he said. There has been some talk that Musa is leaning towards the opposition with his constant attacks on his former employers – the Barisan Nasional government. Yesterday Musa at a press conference accused Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein of interfering with police affairs. Musa is the patron of a new NGO called Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch). When asked if Anwar Ibrahim would be the stumbling block if Musa wants to join PKR, Saifuddin said the decision is made collectively. "When there are applications made by big names, the decision to approve them is made by the party leadership," he said. He explained that usually the supreme council members will come up with the decision. He further stated that it is definitely not done by an individual.
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| Lawyer flays Deepak for land scam claim Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:17 PM PST
Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan (right) is represented by PKR leader Sivarasa Rasiah. Chua Sue-Ann, fz.com A senior lawyer flayed controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan today for apparently making up allegations of land fraud by a Wanita Umno leader that is now the subject of a court case. Deepak was the sole plaintiff witness and shareholder of Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, the private company that is suing Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd for rights to three parcels of land measuring 223 acres in Bukit Raja, Klang. Astacanggih claims that Awan Megah, a vehicle of Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Raja Abdullah, resold part of the land that was initally sold to Astacanggih. When cross-examined by Awan Megah's counsel Datuk Saseedharan Menon, Deepak said Awan Megah resold the land to Gunnyunip Sdn Bhd but the deal, which was masked as a joint venture, was "merely a facade of an actual sale where they took money and banking facilities". Saseedharan objected to Deepak's statement as hearsay. "No documents are given. It is hearsay. This is a creation of his own, a figment of his own mind!" an exasperated Saseedharan told the court. In describing the turn of events, Deepak claimed that Astacanggih had on May 16, 2007 entered into an agreement with Awan Megah to acquire government land that was awarded to Awan Megah. Awan Megah was awarded the land and RM28 million cash in exchange for developing a defence education centre called Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (Puspahanas) in Putrajaya. Deepak claimed Astacanggih paid Awan Megah RM13 million and procured a RM72.5 million land bond in favour of the government as the purchase consideration for the three pieces of land. But the deal fell through when Awan Megah failed to hand over the land rights. Deepak said he filed a police report and lodged a caveat on the land after he found out this year that Awan Megah had on July 9, 2007 sold one of the three land parcels to Guppyunip for a joint venture. Deepak also alleged that Astacanggih had to seek special permission from the then Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to transfer the land privatised to Awan Megah to a nominee company called Cebur Megah Sdn Bhd. According to Deepak, he had discussed the matter with Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor whom he claimed later arranged for him to meet Najib. Deepak further alleged that Najib had consented to the transfer of land to Cebur Megah and instructed the defence ministry deputy secretary-general to arrange the paperwork. During cross examination, Deepak however admitted that he did not know if the land in question had already been transfered to Awan Megah or Cebur Megah from the government. Deepak also claimed he was unaware of letters sent by Awan Megah's solicitors that the land could not be transferred due to objections from the Selangor state authorities on the subdivision of the land. Earlier during the hearing, High Court Judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof instructed Deepak to refrain from mentioning the political positions held by Raja Ropiaah as the details were not relevant but Deepak pleaded that it was relevant to show "political conspiracy". Zabariah also warned Deepak, who was represented by PKR leaders Sivarasa Rasiah and N Surendran, not to use the court process to embarrass certain parties. "I hope you don't go overboard. We don't want to put any inference that is not in the pleadings. "Once you say things you cannot just erase it, especially now I know the press are here," Zabariah said referring to the presence of reporters at the hearing. Aside from Deepak, defence called one witness to the stand, lawyer Nasir Zihni Yusoff, who is Awan Megah's solicitor. The court will hear submissions from both parties on Dec 4. Deepak earlier told fz.com that the 223-acre land is now worth about RM400 million with a gross development value of RM11 billion if developed in phases.
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| Umno chosen by God, says Reezal Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:13 PM PST
Hazlan Zakaria, Malaysiakini Umno is the party chosen by God to liberate the chosen land of Malaysia and to uplift the chosen race of the Malays, claimed Umno Youth information chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican. "Remember, we are mukhtarin, the chosen ones," he told the Umno general assembly while debating the president's address. He explained that God is the true authority over all governments and shall give power to those that He has chosen.
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| Hisham dismisses ex-IGP’s claims as distraction from Umno assembly Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:05 PM PST
Mohd Farhan Darwis, The Malaysian Insider Tan Sri Musa Hassan's claim yesterday that the government interferes in police matters is merely an attempt to divert attention from the ongoing Umno general assembly, party vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today. Hishammuddin, who was named by the former Inspector-General of Police as among those who interferes in police investigations, added that the issue has already been discussed and explained in Parliament. "There are parties trying to divert (attention) with side issues... I hope the public will not be confused with their agenda. "It is an attempt to divert from issues here (Umno assembly)," he told a press conference at the Umno general assembly here. Musa dropped a bombshell at a press conference yesterday when he named Hishammuddin (picture) as among the ministers and politicians whom he claimed would regularly interfere in police matters during his term as IGP. The former top cop described his working relationship with Hishammuddin as cordial, but the home minister did not see eye-to-eye with him on the command of the police force. "When I found out that instructions were given to junior officers and OCPDs (Officer in Charge of Police Districts) without my knowledge, then something is wrong. "So I highlighted to him the section 4(1) of Police Act ... command and control of the police force is by the IGP, not a minister. "I talked to him nicely, he didn't like it ... that's why (my tenure) was not extended," Musa claimed. Musa, who retired as IGP in September 2010, even suggested that the practice still continues today, saying that his refusal to indulge those who tried to interfere was likely the reason why his contract was not renewed.
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| ‘For Indians’ sake, let’s talk to Pakatan’ Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:44 PM PST MIC leader S Vell Paari is proposing that the party holds unity talks with Indian opposition and NGO leaders in order to address the community's woes. B Nantha Kumar, FMT MIC, which is the largest Indian-based political party in the country, should initiate talks with Indian opposition and NGO leaders for the betterment of the community. This suggestion was put forth by MIC communication chief S Vell Paari during the party's recent Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting. He told FMT that MIC should aggressively pursue the idea of holding unity talks with Indian leaders whether from DAP or PKR and work towards a united approach to solving the community's woes. "If Umno can invite PAS for such talks on Malay unity, why not MIC? The unity talk would only strengthen the community and enable it to make certain demands that is good for the community. "A united front would be the way to go for Malaysian Indians. "Mistakes were made in the past but we must ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated. If not our children and granchildren would face the same predicaments," he added. Citing the Hindraf rally in 2007, Vell Paari said that the movement had invited MIC to a discussion then but the latter turned it down. "We refused Hindraf's invitation just to defend Umno's stand of banning Hindraf and declaring it an illegal movement. "But today, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is ready to talk with Hindraf to gain votes in the upcoming election. Thus, it is clear that the current situation is different," he said. "I am sure those in the opposition also want a better life for the community. So let's start by working together," he added. Vell Paari, who is the son of former MIC president S Samy Vellu, revealed that the CWC had not made a decision on his proposal. He also stressed that the unity talk proposal was his personal stand.
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| Ex-IGP: 6P encourages human trafficking Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:32 PM PST Musa Hassan also says former minster Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad cannot claim ignorance of the operations of the company in which he is a director. Teoh El Sen, FMT Former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan weighed in on the controversy surrounding the 6P amnesty programme, alleging that the way the government had conducted it was akin to human trafficking. "When you privatise 6P and foreign labour, and allow third parties to be making money out of it… this can regarded as human trafficking," Musa told FMT. Although more than 300 6P agents were appointed by the government, Musa said that it does not stop the outsourced companies, including unlicensed agents, from exploiting foreigners. "Why do you need a third party to do it for you? That is not really good. Because you already have the proper channels and agencies in charge of this. "Managing foreign workers is the job of the Immigration Department and Labour Department. You don't need to privatise it, which opens it up to manipulation," he said. Musa also said former Home Minister Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad cannot claim ignorance of the operations of SNT Universal Corporation Sdn Bhd, a 6P agent, being probed for abuses. "Being a director in the company, Radzi cannot say that he doesn't know what the company is doing. He should know," said Musa. Musa: Things must be done properly FMT, in a series of articles, exposed SNT Universal Corporation Sdn Bhd to be behind the exploitation of foreign workers, mainly Bangladeshis. The company has been accused of committing several offences, including cheating by falsely claiming to be able to register foreigners under the 6P programme and getting work permits for them, and setting up dozens of bogus employment agencies. Those working in the company were also accused of assaulting these foreigners, an episode of which was captured on CCTV recordings.
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| Sabah Umno has the most number of members Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:25 PM PST
(The Star) - Sabah Umno holds the record as having the highest membership in the country. Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Sabah had 505, 852 members, and Kampung Kinosop in Libaran Sabah had 1,837 members, the highest at branch level. Nationwide, Umno has 3,386 274 members. Umno has also changed its membership application procedure to enable members to apply directly to the party headquarters. "Applications would be returned to the respective division to be forwarded to the respective branch. "If in two months there is no action, the new membership application would be automatically accepted,'' he said at the Umno assembly at Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday that was attended by 2,718 delegates. Umno also welcomed 57 foreign delegates representing 24 parties from 21 countries. The delegates from Palestine were greeted with standing ovation. Tengku Adnan said the assembly also saw a large media presence with 1,782 crew from 102 local and foreign media organisations. Also present were former prime ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Others include MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek, Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel.
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| 'Bala's U-turn foiled Anwar-Umno's Altantuya expose' Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:15 PM PST
Nigel Aw, Malaysiakini The second statutory declaration (SD) of private investigator (PI) P Balasubramaniam was hastily drafted as part of an effort to thwart a planned confession on the Altantuya murder organised by politicians from both sides of the divide. Bala made his second SD immediately after withdrawing his earlier accusation linking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, businessperson Deepak Jaikishan claims.
However, he added, the personalities named in the first SD had moved in to prevent that from happening. And those who pushed the second SD were those wanting to ensure Najib becomes prime minister? A fallout with Najib's family However, Deepak said he did not know who was responsible.
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| Khairy: We’ll smash Opposition’s arguments Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:05 PM PST
(The Star) - UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has issued the movement's battle cry, promising to counter each of the Opposition's attacks against Barisan Nasional and the Government. "We will debate them in Parliament, we will smash their arguments in coffee shops, and we will expose their lies in cyberspace. "We will defeat these traitors of the nation. We will fight, we will attack, we will lay this wretched Pakatan Rakyat coalition into the ground," he said in his policy speech, drawing roars of approval from the delegates. In the speech titled "Between Two Futures", Khairy cautioned the people against believing Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had painted a rosy picture if Pakatan won, including its promises of reduced fuel prices, abolishment of tolls payment and cheaper cars. "The promises would cost more than RM200bil to fulfil in the first year alone," he said. "This is the crux of the matter. If they deliver on their populist promises, the nation will go bankrupt and drown in a sea of debt. Or it may well be their intention to fulfil the short-sighted wishes of their de facto leader to drive the country to the edge of ruin before being rescued by his band of friends at the IMF."  Unity is strength: Khairy (centre) and his deputy Datuk Razali Ibrahim (fourth from left) together with top Umno council members posing for photographs during the Umno Assembly 2012 at PWTC. Khairy said the track record of Pakatan in its four states was rife with unfulfilled promises. He cited the Selangor government's Child Heritage Fund which promised to issue fixed deposit certificates of RM100 for every Selangor-born child. Despite 61,000 applications, he claimed only 36% were approved. He noted how Universiti Selangor, which recorded RM5.97mil in profits in 2008, went into the red two years later. As for Kelantan, Khairy noted the failure of the state government's Ladang Rakyat project that was meant to assist the poor through dividends. He also trained his guns on Kedah, which he said made investments overseas without proper internal approval and which had seen cases of unqualified contractors appointed to undertake projects. "Such is the poor management of Pakatan, where lands are being confiscated, allocations are being sacrificed, the environment is disrespected and financial management severely compromised," he said.
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| 20 ‘gates’ to shut out Pakatan from Selangor Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:03 PM PST
(The Star) - A WANITA Umno delegate detailed 20 dalil (reasons) why Pakatan Rakyat should be ejected from Selangor. Selangor Wanita information chief Datin Paduka Mesrah Selamat listed down the various "gates" which broke in the state since Pakatan took over in 2008, including the Talam issue. "There is the Talam-gate scandal with questionable deals involving RM1bil when the state could not even repair the lifts at a district office. Then there is the manifesto-gate where Pakatan failed to fulfill election manifesto. (Also) water-gate, sand-gate, Unisel-gate and a sex-gate. "I have listed down 20 reasons why they (Pakatan) should be rejected and I urge the one million women voters in the state to rally behind Barisan Nasional and Umno to determine a better future for themselves." Another delegate vented her frustration at the Penang government and its Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, saying how "sad and difficult" it was to live in the state. "It's true that he (Lim) is a tokong, because the rest are scared of him," she said. "Under Barisan Nasional's 50-year rule, we took care of the people from when they were in their mother's womb till they were sent to the grave. But in less than five years of Pakatan's rule, they've made things difficult for the people," she said.
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| Deepak to reveal more dirt from under the carpet Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:36 PM PST Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan, however, wants protection for himself as he would be talking about the 'prime minister and his family'. Teoh El Sen, FMT Businessman Deepak Jaikishan, who said he "can't get the ghost of Altantuya out of me", yesterday promised to reveal more details on the behind-the-scenes dealings surrounding the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu. But said that he required protection for himself first as he would be talking about the "prime minister and his family". In a press conference he called yesterday, Deepak, a well-connected carpet dealer, said he is appearing now to clear his conscience as "the ghost of Altantuya continues to haunt" him. He said that he had suffered in his business and mentally after he got himself involved with arranging for the second Statutory Declaration (SD) for private investigator P Balasubramaniam on the behest of a "female friend". The second SD reversed an earlier one which had directly linked prime minister Najib Tun Razak to the Altantuya murder. "I can't get the ghost of Altantuya out of me. It is bothering me. I want to come clean, I want to apologise to her that I was trying to conceal the fact that I was involved in facilitating the second SD," he said. "I want justice for her. I want the people responsible to be incriminated, given appropriate sentences. Whoever actually killed her and instructed it, they must take the responsibility." When asked if he had direct knowledge of who instructed the killing, Deepak said he did not. However, he revealed more details surrounding the reason why he was roped in to help facilitate a second SD in such a hurry. "Everybody knew there was a second SD, but why was there this urgency for it to be done the next day, and not the next week?" "The SD was not just about the opposition. There was a concentrated effort of two factions here. You had Bala sitting down with Anwar and you had another faction who didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power. They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this. Both had the power to do this," he said, adding that the other side came from Umno itself. He said that the side that wanted to push for the second SD and overturn the original SD was the one that protected or ensured that Najib became prime minister. "I got involved in the second SD to protect the interest of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?" he said. Deepak said that if the police were serious about solving the case, they would be able to. "They have all the evidence already, it's whether they want to or not." He said the faction supporting Najib was not so much worried about the contents of the first SD, but the subsequent repercussions. "[As a result of the first SD], there were people involved in the actual act… one of these persons was going to come out and admit that he was involved [in the Altantuya incident] and who had instructed him. They [faction supporting Najib] were worried of this repercussion, because they knew this was the next stage," he said. In July 2008, Balasubramaniam had gone public with the first SD but withdrew it at another press conference the following day. Balasubramaniam then produced a second SD, claiming that he had made the first one under duress and fled the country the next day. 'We have been intimidated' Balasubramaniam re-emerged on Nov 12, 2009, in the form of a five-part YouTube video interview – believed to be shot in India – retracting his second SD and claiming that he had only made it after being offered RM5 million by Deepak. Deepak, who only addressed the controversy on April 6, 2011 after whistleblower Raja Petra Kamarudin revived the matter, then described Balasubramaniam as his mere clubbing mate. In the press briefing yesterday, Deepak said that subsequent to his involvement in 2008, he has been pressured by the "powers that be" to be silent. "[During 2010 and 2011], I have been raided by various agencies sent by the government to silence me not once but many times. They have taken documents from us. We have been intimidated and kept silent all this while," he said. "This was the first time I saw the magnitude of the government machinery coming down on me. I had government officers everywhere – in my bedroom, my office, my factory, my secretary's office, my father's room, everywhere." Deepak said that he also lost a lot of business deals with the government. "Other things have happened. There has been a lot of withdrawal and cancellation of contracts and concessions given to us. We had a 20-year contract to build 16 1Malaysia Mara hostels overseas worth RM2 billion. It was suspended," he said. He said that he may now take legal action against the government, including the prime minister himself, for terminating the various contracts.
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| Shahrizat slams news portals, says God is with Utusan Posted: 27 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST The Wanita Umno chief goes on a tirade against 'unfair' news portals, but sings praises for Utusan over its sincerity. Anisah Shukry, FMT Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today that Malaysian news portals give "unfair and irresponsible coverage" of Barisan Nasional, whereas God is with Malay daily Utusan due to its "sincerity". "There are pros and cons to social media, but the cons is that it has no limits. They speak without responsibility, especially news portals," said the Wanita Umno chief in her winding-up speech at the Umno general assembly today. "I don't need to elaborate on that. [The news portals] use the word 'Malaysian' in their name, am I right? What is this… if you use the word 'Malaysia', then you must write with pride, honour and dignity!" she cried. She was likely referring to news portals such as Free Malaysia Today, MalaysiaKini and The Malaysian Insider, which have often been accused of being "pro-opposition" due to their critical stance towards the ruling government. Shahrizat today claimed that a common "trick" used by news portals was to write provocative headlines that lead people into trouble. "How can it be like that? You want to fight for democracy, am I right? Come on… even in the media, pro-opposition news portals, you have to be fair to everyone. "If you have pride in your profession, do it." On the other hand, she said she "saluted" Umno-owned Utusan and its board member Abdul Aziz Ishak for its "sincerity in championing religion, the nation, the country and the people". "I notice that Utusan has always been targeted ceaselessly. Why does this happen? The opposition keep suing them, people do all sorts of things to Utusan… "But Utusan remains steady because it is sincere in championing religion, the nation, the country and the people. I salute Utusan," said Shahrizat, without a trace of irony in her voice. "Do not be afraid. Why? Because, ultimately, God is with Utusan." She reminded the people in the hall that while "the pen is mightier than the sword", there was a Malay saying that roughly translates to "a knife can eat its owner". "Remember that. Do not target Utusan so much. Because Utusan has its own soul," declared Shahrizat.
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| Deepak says he paid Najib's family for land deal Posted: 27 Nov 2012 05:41 PM PST
Deepak said the transfer was made possible after he "contributed heavily" to Najib's family. Nigel Aw, Malaysiakini Businessperson Deepak Jaikishan claimed that he paid the family of Najib Abdul Razak an undisclosed sum for the premier's intervention to allow him to come in as a party in a Defence Ministry project deal. According to Deepak, he stitched a deal with a Selangor Umno leader's company where he would participate as a third party in the proposed project. Najib expressed 'no opposition' Deepak noted that "a third-party scenario should not happen in normal circumstances", but was only made possible with Najib's help. The carpet trader had yesterday told Malaysiakini that he regretted helping a female friend in the case involving private eye P Balasubramaniam.
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| I am a winnable candidate in PRU 13 : Shahrizat Posted: 27 Nov 2012 04:39 PM PST
(The Kuala Lumpur Post) - Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who was forced to quit as a minister following the NFC scandal, is still harbouring hope of being fielded as a candidate in the next general election. Despite the prospects appearing bleak, she downplayed the uncertainty of her political future, saying that she was only focusing on delivering the votes for Umno, FMT reports. Observers believe that the RM250 million scandal had raised doubts if the former minister would be picked to run in the polls while her future as Wanita chief was also said to be under threat. Shahrizat, however, said it was ultimately up to Umno president and prime minister Najib Tun Razak to decide on her candidacy. "I don't see why I shouldn't offer myself as a candidate (but) what is important is that I am focusing on delivering the votes to Umno. "And only, maybe, by doing this the president will see my importance," she told reporters after opening the wing's annual general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here. In her speech earlier, Shahrizat said Wanita vowed to be the backbone of the party's election machinery as Umno was set to face a strong opposition in what would be its toughest election to date. But even Umno insiders claimed that support for her in Wanita was withering after some, including her influential predecessor Rafidah Aziz, described her as a liability to the wing. Divided Wanita Shahrizat was forced to step down as minister after her family members were accused of swindling taxpayers' money meant for a national cattle breeding project but she had so far maintained that she had no direct link to the issue. Najib was forced to intervene and contain the split when what was seen as a move to unseat her became stronger at the height of the scandal. The issue was subsequently declared "resolved" after a closed-door meeting was held between Najib and the wing with Shahrizat's critics coming out saying they would give their full support to their chief. In her speech today, Shahrizat, who was defeated by PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah for the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in 2008, again called for unity among the party grassroots. She also echoed this year's prevailing sentiment of unity as Umno would face a strong opposition in the upcoming polls. Najib had said that only a united Umno could prevail against its opponent in a signal that the division within the party was real and the prospect of sabotages, blamed for the party's dismal performance in the last polls, could ruin its chances again. Barisan Nasional lost five states and its customary parliamentary two-thirds majority in the 12th national polls.
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| Ex-IGP says ministers meddle with investigations Posted: 27 Nov 2012 04:19 PM PST  Musa suggested that his professed refusal to pander to politicians had cost him his job. Tan Sri Musa Hassan today accused Cabinet ministers and politicians of regularly trying to interfere with police investigations and arrests when he was serving as Inspector-General of Police ― a practice that continues even now. Musa, who retired as IGP in September 2010, did not name the politicians but suggested at a press conference today that his refusal to indulge them had resulted in the government's decision not to renew his contract. He also took aim at his successor, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, suggesting the latter was a yes-man who is bowing to politicians' influence. "There are certain misgivings from police officers who said that they received instructions not from (their police superiors) but from the Home Ministry. "Even the ministry can issue instructions now ... Who is in control now?" Musa asked at a press conference here. Musa then quoted Section 4(1) of the Police Act, which states that police orders must only come from the IGP, who will be liable for such instructions.
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| Shahrizat: May 13 could repeat if Umno weak Posted: 27 Nov 2012 04:16 PM PST
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider The spectre of May 13 was raised once again today at the opening of the Wanita Umno general assembly here, as the wing's leader Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil used the bloody racial clash to encourage delegates to work harder for Umno's victory. The politician warned told nearly 1,000 delegates at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here that a weak Umno would spread uneasiness among the Malay community and possibly invite the same racial conflict that caused the bloodshed during the 1969 tragedy. "Do we want to such a terrible situation repeated in our country? Of course we do not," she said according to the text copy of her opening address to those gathered at Dewan Merdeka here. Shahrizat said Umno must overcome five key challenges to strengthen itself ahead of the coming polls, including fighting off its foes in PAS, attracting more young voters and ensuring that the Malays continue to hold political power. "If we no longer have power, then the country's political stability will be affected. "I fear that this could lead to a racial tension that could invite the same tragedy of May 13, 1969," she said. Shahrizat's words today, although not verbally delivered to Wanita Umno delegates here, appear to contradict the message of moderation that the party leadership has been preaching prior to the assembly, Umno's final milestone before national polls are called. But despite this, the Wanita Umno chief, who is still embroiled in the year-long controversy over her alleged link to the multimillion ringgit National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal, dedicated many parts of her speech to warning Malaysians and party members against allowing the federal opposition to take Umno's seat in government. She likened the situation to a disease, saying that it could spread and become dangerous if left to fester. This will result in a "frightening" outcome where Umno becomes a party deemed as no longer relevant in the country. "These effects are very frightening, particularly if we are no longer strong. Therefore, we must suitable steps to overcome this," she said. Among others, Shahrizat said the Malay economy must be strengthened, reiterating Wanita Umno's request that the government ensure the community controls at least 50 per cent of equity. She added that the government has also made effort to ensure that it takes care of the people's livelihoods by people-centric initiatives such as the RM500 cash handouts under the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M) to lower income households. On Wanita Umno, Shahrizat offered the wing's commitment to ensure that the party's election machinery is in place across the country. She pointed out that the wing forms the backbone of the ruling party and plays a crucial role in ensuring that the party's messages reach its targets on the ground. Shahrizat later urged delegates to rise to their feet and pledge their allegiance to Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
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| Anwar’s lawyer offers to help hair salon Posted: 27 Nov 2012 04:06 PM PST Sankara Nair believes the by-law is unconstitutional and is willing to challenge it. Alyaa Azhar, FMT A lawyer who was involved in Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trials is now offering himself to challenge the Kota Baru Municipal Council's by-law, which prohibits a female to cut a man's hair and vice-versa. Sankara Nair said he was willing to take up the case as "I believe the by-law is clearly unconstitutional". Last week, E-Life Salon, a hair dressing salon based in Kota Baru, was issued a fine by the Kota Baru Municipal Council when one of its female hairdressers "was caught cutting" the hair of a male client. Actions of the municipal council have come under fire from several quarters including non-governmental organisations and the MCA. MCA has long argued that hudud imposed by the PAS-led Kelantan government would affect non-Muslims. "The Kota Baru Municipal Council's by-law is clearly unconstitutional because it takes away the freedom of non-Muslims. I am willing to pursue this case pro bono," he told FMT. "The issue is abominable and PAS should keep to its words; it should not impose such rulings on non-Muslims," he said. He hoped the owner of the hair salon involved would contact him as he is willing to work with the owner to challenge the by-law. Sankara shot to prominence by being one of the leading spokesmen during the two sodomy trials Anwar faced. The first was in 1999 while the second was early this year.
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| Debate with Anwar ‘a waste of time’ Posted: 27 Nov 2012 03:44 PM PST MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and MIC secretary-general S Murugesan say there is no need for a debate between the prime minister and opposition leader. RK Anand, FMT Barisan Nasional leaders have dismissed the need for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to engage in a debate with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. Advising the premier not to waste time on this matter, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek urged Najib to focus on the economic growth of the nation instead. "There is no need for the prime minister to debate with Anwar. His policies such as the Government Transformation Programme and Economic Transformation Programme are clear. "These initiatives have been implemented and are bearing fruits. It is Anwar who remains untested," he told FMT. Accusing the opposition of stirring and spinning an old issue, Chua said these debates do not result in constructive solutions. The MCA leader also dismissed the comparison drawn with the US presidential debates given that Najib was fond of talking about US President Barack Obama. "Ours is not a presidential election like in the US… it is a party election and the candidate stands on behalf of the party," he said. Chua also rubbished claims that Najib was afraid to debate with Anwar. "There is no question of fear. These debates are just unnecessary. I debated with [DAP secretary-general] Lim Guan Eng twice but what did we achieve? I just wasted my time," he said. On Monday, Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga had urged Najib to debate with Anwar in order to allow voters to determine which political coalition was best qualified to govern the nation. She said Bersih would initiate a public petition to pressure the prime minister, who had declined to debate with Anwar stating, among others, that it was not part of the Malaysian culture, to accept the According to Ambiga, a debate between the top two leaders was vital since the coming general election was being described as the most important in the nation's history. Contradictions in Pakatan Rakyat Yesterday, Guan Eng and Anwar's daughter, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah, criticised Najib for dodging the debate.
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| Is ex-IGP Musa going Pakatan’s way? Posted: 27 Nov 2012 03:41 PM PST The former police chief holds a press conference with two NGO leaders, who are closely linked to the opposition. Teoh El Sen, FMT As the general election draws closer, strange things are beginning to unfold. This afternoon, former inspector general of police Musa Hassan held a press conference here flanked by NGO leaders closely linked to the opposition. This has fuelled speculations that the ex-top cop would be joining the Pakatan Rakyat coalition soon. The press briefing was organised by a new NGO called the Malaysian Crime Watch Task or MyWatch, which is chaired by R Sri Sanjeevan. Also present was POWER NGO chief S Gobi Krishnan, who acts as adviser of MyWatch. Gobi Krishnan is also PKR's national strategy and political bureau secretary. Sri Sanjeevan has been known to be a harsh critic of the police and a KITA leader in Negeri Sembilan. The focus of the press conference was on the tackling of crime and Musa was announced as a patron of MyWatch today.
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| Shahrizat still harbours hope of contesting Posted: 27 Nov 2012 03:37 PM PST The Wanita Umno chief says the prime minister will decide on her candidacy and adds that her primary focus now is to deliver the votes for Umno. Syed Jaymal Zahiid, FMT Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who was forced to quit as a minister following the NFC scandal, is still harbouring hope of being fielded as a candidate in the next general election. Despite the prospects appearing bleak, she downplayed the uncertainty of her political future, saying that she was only focusing on delivering the votes for Umno. Observers believe that the RM250 million scandal had raised doubts if the former minister would be picked to run in the polls while her future as Wanita chief was also said to be under threat. Shahrizat, however, said it was ultimately up to Umno president and prime minister Najib Tun Razak to decide on her candidacy. "I don't see why I shouldn't offer myself as a candidate (but) what is important is that I am focusing on delivering the votes to Umno. "And only, maybe, by doing this the president will see my importance," she told reporters after opening the wing's annual general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here. In her speech earlier, Shahrizat said Wanita vowed to be the backbone of the party's election machinery as Umno was set to face a strong opposition in what would be its toughest election to date. But even Umno insiders claimed that support for her in Wanita was withering after some, including her influential predecessor Rafidah Aziz, described her as a liability to the wing. Divided Wanita Shahrizat was forced to step down as minister after her family members were accused of swindling taxpayers' money meant for a national cattle breeding project but she had so far maintained that she had no direct link to the issue.
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| Malaysia ‘dog’ chant riles Singapore fans Posted: 27 Nov 2012 03:33 PM PST (AFP) - SINGAPORE: Singapore fans have been left feeling angry and hurt after being labelled "dogs" by Malaysian spectators during their weekend AFF Suzuki Cup win, a report said on Wednesday. Video posted on YouTube shows thousands of Malaysian fans chanting "Singapore itu anjing" (Singapore are dogs) during Sunday's group game in Kuala Lumpur, when Singapore beat the defending Southeast Asian champions 3-0. Singapore's New Paper, describing the chant as "vile", said footage of the incident had been viewed nearly 200,000 times online. "Frankly, we are angry and hurt. But we were the minority… there were just about 1,000 of us there," one fan told the newspaper. Another said: "You had more than half the stadium calling us dogs. How else would we feel? "The chants started even before the Singapore team went onto the pitch to warm up." Tensions are often high at matches between the Asian neighbours, whose regional teams play each other in the Malaysian Cup. "They can't even beat 'dogs' in soccer, so what does that make them?" commented one Facebook user, according to the New Paper.
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| French Lawyers Seek Malaysian PM Najib to Testify in Sub Scandal Posted: 27 Nov 2012 12:16 PM PST Highly doubtful that is going to happen, though (Asia Sentinel) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his onetime close friend Abdul Razak Baginda are the "priority witnesses" in an investigation into bribes and kickbacks amounting to about €150 million in the sale of Scorpene submarines to the Malaysian Ministry of Defense, French lawyer Apoline Cagnat told a press conference in Singapore today. Cagnat is a member of the Paris-based firm headed by William Bourdon, which has been retained by the Malaysian human rights NGO Suaram in a probe by the French judiciary. Cagnat told a briefing for Malaysian parliamentarians in Singapore that, of the seven witnesses submitted by Suaram and accepted by the French judiciary, Najib and Razak are the most important. It is highly unlikely, however, that the French authorities probing the scandal would be able to persuade the head of a sovereign state, especially one who is suspected of helping to facilitate the transfer of kickbacks to the United Malays National Organization, the biggest party in the ruling national coalition, to testify. It is also difficult to imagine what they would be willing to add to the dialogue about the case if indeed they were called to testify. And, although threats of subpoenas have been made in the past, there was no indication in Cagnat's comments that they are being issued. Nonetheless, "I hope the judges manage to interrogate them," Cagnat told reporters. Cagnat gave her press conference in Singapore after Suaram said it was unable to obtain an assurance from the government that it would guarantee the security of the French lawyers, who had been asked by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to brief parliament on the case. The speaker of the parliament, Amin Mulia, said he wouldn't allow the briefing to take place in Parliament's compound. The other five witnesses are the current Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi , Setev Shaariibuu, the father of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, private investigator P Balasubramaniam, Boustead Holdings Bhd group managing director and deputy chairperson Lodin Wok Kamaruddin, and Jasbir Singh Chahl, said to be Razak's right-hand man but who fell out with the onetime security consultant and threatened suit because he reportedly didn't get a big enough share of the commission paid on the submarines. Bourdon himself was bundled out of Malaysia by immigration authorities in July of 2011 after giving details of the alleged scandal in a speech in Penang to hundreds of people at a fundraiser to continue his investigation. Scheduled to give two more speeches in Malaysia, Bourdon was taken off a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and was put on another plane out of the country over his protests. Bourdon and Suaram have been battered by both the mainstream press, which is largely government-owned, and an army of bloggers who say the scandal has been overblown and that no trial had been ordered by French authorities. Neither Bourdon, Suaram nor Asia Sentinel, which has reported extensively on the case, have ever said a trial was imminent. But the investigation is continuing and investigating magistrates have been appointed by the French courts. Two investigating judges, Serge Tournaire and Roger Le Loire, were appointed in March to investigate the case. They have broad powers to investigate independently and can call witnesses and conduct international surveys. French police acting on a request from Bourdon's legal team raided the headquarters of the state-owned defense giant DCN and its subsidiaries and came up with a wealth of detail that enmeshed former French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and a host of others in the scandal, as well as top officials with DCN. Read more at: http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5002&Itemid=164
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| Nik Aziz admits ‘oversight’ in gender policy on hair-cutting Posted: 27 Nov 2012 11:51 AM PST Warm greeting: Nik Aziz shaking hands with PAS Supporters Assembly Council member Lau Chin Chua at his official residence in Kota Baru. (The Star) - After several days of public outcry over the Kota Baru Municipal Council's gender policy on hair-cutting, the Kelantan Government appears to have softened its stand on the issue. However, it has yet to decide whether to revoke the municipal by-law that prohibits women and men hairstylists from attending to customers who are of the opposite gender, regardless of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. "I will bring it up at the state exco meeting to be confirmed before making any official stand on the issue," Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat said yesterday. "First and foremost, we must up-hold the Syariah-based laws. Insya Allah(God willing)," he said, responding to questions on whether he would consider the appeals by hair salons to either scrap or review such by-laws. "It is possible because they (those who object) are non-Muslims. "Islam allows them to practise their culture, as long as it is not in violation of the (Islamic) religion." Nik Aziz, who is PAS spiritual adviser, was speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with five officials from the PAS Supporters Congress to discuss the controversy at the Mentri Besar's official residence here. Also present was state PAS Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Mohamad Daud, also known as Mat Iraqi. "We have to hold on to Islamic principles because Islam makes it simple for humans, not the other way around. "That is why I invited Mat Iraqi to the meeting for a discussion with the congress," said Nik Aziz, admitting that there was an "oversight" by the authorities in not considering the consequences of Syariah-based by-laws on non-Muslims. "Maybe it is because no other government (in Malaysia) has yet to implement this system," he said. Salon operators had reportedly been slapped with compound fines ranging from RM250 to RM300 since the Kota Baru Municipal Council enforced its hair by-law. Congress adviser Jeff Lee Weng Chun said they wanted Nik Aziz to exclude non-Muslims from the by-law. "We, on behalf of the non-Muslims, want to appeal to Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) to review the laws as hair salons now are not like what they were 20 years ago," he said. In KUALA LUMPUR, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the Kelantan Government did not intend to implement any Islamic "moral" laws on non-Muslims. This was proven with the introduction of the Syariah Criminal Code (11) Enactment, which did not apply to non-Muslims, he said. "PAS views seriously the fears of non-Muslims over the unisex hair salon issue in Kelantan," he said in a statement read out by PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub. "The party central committee has been informed by the Kelantan Government that it is ready to consider suggestions from non-Muslim groups on the best ways of solving this problem based on the concept of freedom of religion for non-Muslims," Abdul Hadi said. He said the Kelantan Government had to carry out its responsibility based on the mandate given by the people to ensure the moral purity of Muslims was preserved. "PAS is committed to solving any problems through discussions," he said.
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| 'Carpetman' linked to Altantuya trial tells all to Harakahdaily Posted: 26 Nov 2012 10:54 PM PST "I do know Datuk Seri [Najib] and Puan Seri [Rosmah]. I am a carpet supplier and involved in business. Where there is business opportunity, we ask for their support," he told Harakahdaily during an interview at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. (Harakah) - A controversial figure in the saga of P Balasubramaniam, the private investigator who issued a damning statutory declaration implicating prime minister Najib Razak of an affair with murdered Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu only to retract it the next day, has decided to come clean on his much talked relationship with Najib's family. Deepak Jaikishan (pic) contacted Harakahdaily to tell his story, by first confirming speculation of his ties with Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor."I do know Datuk Seri [Najib] and Puan Seri [Rosmah]. I am a carpet supplier and involved in business. Where there is business opportunity, we ask for their support," he told Harakahdaily during an interview at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. 'My mistake' Deepak said he did not know Bala personally and was introduced to him by a police friend.
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| Scorpene briefing: Elements of Altantuya case important Posted: 26 Nov 2012 07:51 PM PST French lawyer Apoline Cagnat says that the French judge involved in the Scorpene probe will also look into the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu. Anisah Shukry, FMT Elements of the murder case of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu are important in the ongoing French probe into the multi-billion purchase of Scorpene submarines. Lawyer Apoline Cagnat, who represents human rights organisation Suaram, told this to reporters via Skype after conducting a briefing on the Scorpene probe in Singapore today. "The judge is not investigating the murder of Altantuya, but rather the purchase of the two Scorpene submarines," she said. "However, elements of the murder case will be important to them and they will look into it." According to a tweet by Batu MP Tian Chua, who was present at the briefing, Cagnat told the parliamentarians that the French judge has requested to obtain the Altantuya trial record as part of the investigation. Suaram has previously claimed that French defence company DCNS paid bribery amounting to 114 million euros to Abdul Razak Baginda's company, Perimekar, in the purchase of the submarines. Altantuya, who was Abdul Razak's one-time lover, was said to have helped him and was later killed and blown up with C4 explosives in 2006, allegedly for asking a part of the bribe. Abdul Razak was charged in abetting in her murder, but was acquitted by the High Court in 2008 on the basis that there was no prima facie case against him. The purchase was made while Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak headed the defence ministry, and he has since been linked to her murder despite his vehement denials. When asked today what part the prime minister played in Altantuya's death, Cagnat refused to comment, citing confidentiality. "But we believe that the prime minister and Razak Baginda at some point will be served subpoenas. But the judges need to gather a lot of proof so it is not something that will happen in a few weeks," she said. 'Arrest warrant would be issued' She said that in the next few months to come, the judge would be subpoenaing all seven witnesses listed by Suaram to come and testify in France. Lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, who was also present at the briefing, tweeted Cagnat had told parliamentarians if the witnesses did not comply, an arrest warrant would be issued.
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| Posted: 26 Nov 2012 07:30 PM PST
(The Star) - PAS leaders will go ahead to protest against Elton John's concert at Genting Highlands on Saturday night after their calls for the show to be cancelled went unheeded by the organisers. PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi said they would submit a protest note to the Government against the organisers if the show, scheduled to be held at the Arena of Stars, is not stopped. "We will use the approach of submitting a memorandum to protest against the concert. "This is one of the measures we intend to take to check social ills in the country," The Malaysian Times quoted him as saying in an interview with the news portal yesterday. "Whatever it takes, we will not let up on our dakwah work and will continually remind all Muslims, particularly youths, not to get involved in matters that can drag them into vice," Nasruddin said. This will be the second concert in Malaysia for Elton, following his sell-out show at the same venue last year, also in November. PAS had also raised its objections to the concert on grounds that it promoted "hedonism" and because of the singer's gay marriage, which the party felt had a negative effect on young Malaysians. Elton, who has sold more than 250 million records with hits like Rocket Man and Your Song, married David Furnish in 2005 when same-sex marriages were legalised in Britain.
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| Carpet dealer says Wanita Umno leader cheated him in land deal Posted: 26 Nov 2012 07:21 PM PST
"As far as we are concerned, she's a thief and we are suing her for stealing our land," said Deepak as reported by Wong Choon Mei of Malaysia Chronicle. "I have had enough of all this. I am a businessman and this is taking to long. I have written letters to Najib but he is not doing a thing. He is just sitting on it." (The Malaysian Insider) - Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan has dropped a bombshell on the eve of the annual Umno general assembly alleging that a senior Wanita Umno politician had cheated him out of millions in a land deal. Deepak, who deals in carpets, said he had agreed to buy three parcels of land in 2007 for RM13 million with a RM72 million bank guarantee for a land bond from the Wanita Umno leader, who was awarded a RM100 million privatisation deal for the development of the defence research centre called Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (PUSPAHANAS). But she had sold one parcel for RM2 million in cash and a RM16 million overdraft facility in a "joint-venture" with another company specialising in plasticware, prompting the carpet dealer to put a caveat on the land in Bukit Raja and lodge a police report last July. "This is my land... I want to develop it," Deepak told The Malaysian Insider, hours after he spoke to several other news portals about the matter. The Malaysian Insider contacted the Wanita Umno leader but she did not respond to the calls. The 40-year-old businessman (picture) said he has written to government leaders and officials about the matter but has yet to receive a response. The police have also been dragging their feet, he added. "We want her to sign over the power of attorney for the land... but she hasn't," Deepak said. In his police report dated July 9, 2012 at the Pudu police station, Deepak said the Wanita Umno leader and her company had committed a criminal breach of trust by not handing over the land titles to him and also selling his land to another party. He said his company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd had signed a deal on May 16, 2007 to buy the three parcels of land measuring 89.281 acres, 88.629 acres and 45.420 acres from Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd, which was given the privatisation deal on June 8, 2005. But Deepak said he never got the land or the title deeds, and had filed a lawsuit in December 2011 against the Wanita Umno leader, Awan Megah, the Selangor Land and Mines Office and the Ministry of Defence to get what was due to him. He also found out last July that Awan Megah has signed a "joint-venture agreement" with Guppyunip Sdn Bhd on July 9, 2010 to develop one of the parcels he had bought. "I am unsure if she has sold the same piece of land to others too," he said, adding he hoped the police would get to the bottom of the case.
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| Mother gets custody of children in Muslim convert case Posted: 26 Nov 2012 05:26 PM PST
(Bernama) - A kindergarten teacher will have custody over her three children who were converted to Islam by her Muslim-convert former husband. This is because Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah, or K. Patmanathan as he was known before conversion, has lost his chance to appeal to the Federal Court the decision of an Ipoh High Court which granted custody of the children to M. Indira Gandhi. A five-member panel led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria dismissed Muhammad Ridzuan's application for leave to appeal. Ridzuan, 43, had sought leave to appeal to the Federal Court as his appeal to set aside the High Court's decision was thrown out by the Court of Appeal on April 17 this year following failure by his previous lawyer to file the records of appeal on time. The Court of Appeal had struck out his (Muhammad Ridzuan's) appeal against the decision of the High Court granting custody to Indira, after it (the Court of Appeal) refused to grant him extension of time to file in the records of appeal. Muhammad Ridzuan filed his notice of appeal on March 11, 2010 and was required to file in the records of appeal within eight weeks from the filing of the notice of appeal but his previous lawyer did not do so. The records of appeal were filed a year later. Justice Arifin also ordered Muhammad Ridzuan to pay RM10,000 in legal costs. The other judges on the panel were Federal Court judges Datuk Hashim Yusoff, Datuk Ahmad Maarop, Datuk Hasan Lah and Datuk Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha. On March 11, 2010, the Ipoh High Court granted Indira the custody of Tevi Darsiny (Ummu Salamah), 15, Karan Dinish (Abu Bakar), 14 and Prasana Diksa (Ummu Habibah), four, but allowed Ridzuan to visit his children once a week. The court ordered that Prasana Diksa, who was with Ridzuan, be returned to Indira while the other two children, who were with Indira, remain in the 37-year old mother's (Indira) custody. Ridzuan embraced Islam in April 2009 and subsequently converted his children to Islam without Indira's consent. On April 24, the same year, Indira obtained an interim custody order from the Ipoh High Court for temporary custody of her children. On October 29 the same year, Ridzuan, who was represented by lawyer Anas Fauzi, obtained a court order from the Syariah Court giving him custody of the children. Lawyer K.Shanmuga, one of the lawyers in Indira's legal team, told reporters that the Ipoh High Court would mention tomorrow Indira's judicial review application to quash the conversion certificate. He added that contempt proceedings against Ridzuan would be initiated for not adhering the High Court order to return Prasana Diksa to the mother.
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| Posted: 26 Nov 2012 05:21 PM PST Upko warned its political brothers in Parti Bersatu Sabah to stop asking for its seats. (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah Barisan Nasional component party's view that a 'convincing' BN victory can only occur if the state and parliamentary seats are aligned to a single party has come under heavy criticism by United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko). In not so many words, Upko secretary-general Wilfred Tangau told his political brothers in Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) to zip it. "Tuaran and Bingkor seats are not up for grabs. PBS should just focus its energy and resources on working closely with other BN component parties. "Stop talking about claiming seats that have been traditionally allocated to other component parties," he said alluding to recent calls from PBS for certain seats to be given to them. Upko, led by Bernard Dompok is a spin-off from PBS. During PBS' 27th annual congress recently, its Tuaran and Bingkor divisions had suggested that the seats be given to PBS because "it was easier to administer the parliamentary constituency" if the state seats were allocated to the same party. There are some 40,761 voters in Tuaran parliamentary constituency. Tuaran has three state seats – Tamparuli (14,291), Sulaman (16,076) and Kiulu (9,773). Tuaran parliamentary seat is currently held by former Upko deputy chairman Wilfred Bumburing. Bumburing defected in July to form his own platform Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) which had aligned itself to Pakatan Rakyat. PBS is now staking a claim on the seat. PBS already holds Tamparuli and Kiuli state seats under Tuaran parliamentary constituency. The third state seat is Sulaman held by Umno's Hajiji Noor. In the last election, PBS' Jahid @ Nordin Jahim polled 6,775 votes to win the Tamparuli seat with a 5,758 majority, while Hajiji (Umno) garnered 7,065 votes to take the Sulaman seat with a 3,482 majority and Lovuis Rampas (PBS) won the Kiulu seat with a majority of 2,279. Meanwhile Bingkor, which is under Keningau parliamentary constituency is currently held by Upko's Justin Guka. Keningau MP is PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan. Pairin is also Tambunan assemblyman.The other two seats are Liawan (Umno) and Bingkor.
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| Scorpene inquiry stumbles upon money maze Posted: 26 Nov 2012 05:15 PM PST
(fz.com) - The French judicial inquiry into alleged corruption in Malaysia's purchase of two Scorpene class submarines have stumbled upon a complex money trail due to the slew of companies involved in the procurement transaction. French lawyer Apoline Cagnat, who is acting on behalf of human rights group Suaram, said during a briefing in Singapore that the financial documentation in cases of suspected corruption is usually very complicated to navigate particularly of it involves multiple jurisdictions. "It is complicated to trace the companies and will take time because it (corrupt practices) is supposed to be hidden," Cagnat reiterated to Malaysian reporters via Skype after she conducted a briefing on the Scorpene inquiry in Singapore today. The live webcast of Cagnat's briefing to Singapore press and several Malaysian opposition politicians was held in Kuala Lumpur by Solidariti Anak Melayu Malaysia (SAMM), a PKR-linked organisation. Cagnat's briefing was initially scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur but the event was moved to Singapore at the eleventh hour when she did not receive a response from Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs to guarantee her safe passage into Malaysia. Cagnat is among the lawyers acting for Suaram, the organisation that filed the complaint in France which kicked off the judicial investigation over allegations of corruption in Malaysia's purchase of the Scorpene submarines from French defence contractor Direction des Construction Navales Services (DCNS). French prosecutors have raided DCNS's offices and seized various documents include some which purportedly detail payments made to two companies set up by former political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who is said to be a close associate of prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Perimekar Sdn Bhd, a company controlled by Abdul Razak, stands accused of receiving RM540 million or 114 million euros for its "support services" which Suaram and the opposition claims are kickbacks for the submarine deal.
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| Sultan: Learn from 1988 judicial crisis Posted: 26 Nov 2012 05:11 PM PST
(fz.com) - The Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong has reminded the legal profession and the judiciary "to never ever go back to the few years of darkness in our country's history" following the 1988 judicial crisis. "We must continually learn from our mistakes and build on our success in honour of the men and women of Malaysia who stood their ground for the good of their country during that difficult period," said Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan. He said this in his keynote address at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Regional Forum Conference, organised by the International Bar Association, here yesterday. Those present included Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Arifin Zakaria, Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Makinuddin, International Bar Association president Akira Kawamura and Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee. Sultan Muhammad V said that his father, the then Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Ismail Petra, stood up for the rule of law. "As his young Tengku Mahkota or Crown Prince, I proudly watched as my father stood his ground during the 1988 judicial crisis," he said, without elaborating. "We shall not dwell on the past here today but we must learn from it so that the same mistakes will never be repeated," he said. He added that without a strong, stable and fair government, a fair and independent judiciary, and a legal profession committed to the rule of law and not politically motivated, "all the progress and growth we have achieved and hope to continue to achieve will mean nothing." The deputy king praised recent legal reforms such as the repeal of the Internal Security Act, the introduction of legislation allowing for the right for peaceful assembly, and amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act. "All these reforms by the present government with the assistance of the relevant stakeholders in society are a move in the right direction but more can be done. "Some of the legislations we have amended and repealed may need to be re-looked at as the initial amendments may not have achieved all that was initially intended," he said.
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| Deepak: I regretted getting involved in Bala's SD Posted: 26 Nov 2012 04:27 PM PST
Nigel Aw, Malaysiakini Businessperson Deepak Jaikishan regretted his involvement in getting private investigator P Balasubramaniam to make a second statutory declaration (SD) which reversed an earlier one linking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu. In an interview with Malaysiakini last night, Deepak said he had only become involved at the request of a female friend associated with the parties who would be affected by the fallout of the first statutory declaration. THIS NEWS ITEM WAS LIFTED FROM MALAYSIAKINI WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
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| MCA’s use of hudud may backfire Posted: 26 Nov 2012 04:02 PM PST PAS state deputy chief Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin says MCA's attempt to frighten non-Malay voters may become a liability to BN. Humayun Kabir, FMT PAS is claiming that MCA is using the hudud issue to drive away the Chinese from voting for the opposition. But the Islamist party adds that MCA chief Dr Chua Soi Lek's constant questioning of hudud will be a liability for Barisan Nasional. PAS state deputy chief Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said, "He [Chua] is a liability to BN and the more he criticises hudud, the more plus points for Pakatan Rakyat in winning the coming general election." "Chua's statement on the hudud issue has angered the Muslim community as religion is a very sensitive issue to Muslims,'' he said. This will drive Malays who are equally divided in loyalty to both BN and Pakatan, to make a U-turn and give more support to Pakatan in the coming polls, he claimed. He told this to FMT after attending a function in Changat Jering on Sunday. Nizar said that support for MCA from the Chinese community is eroding fast as seen in the recent two protest marches. He was referring to the United Chinese Schools Committees Association of Malaysia or Dong Zong mammoth gathering in Petaling Jaya to protest against the National Education Blueprint The other gathering was the 300km march from Kuantan by the Himpunan Hijau group protesting against the Lynas Advanced Material Plant in Gebeng (Kuantan) . Nizar said that MCA which had depended on the Malay votes for winning its seats will receive a double blow from both the Chinese and Malay voters in the coming polls. "MCA is using an old school of thought on hudud to frighten the Chinese community into voting against PAS and Pakatan, which is not working as they have recognised us as a party for all," said Nizar, a former menteri besar. He pointed out that even the Minister for Islamic Affairs, Jamil Khir Baharom, had stated recently that hudud will not have an impact on non-Muslims in Malaysia. Jamil had been reported as saying that the punishments under the Islamic penal code comes under the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court which applies only to Muslims.
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| Selangor’s Talam White Paper a ‘grey paper’ Posted: 26 Nov 2012 03:47 PM PST MCA's Chua Tee Yong claims that the White Paper tabled by the Selangor state government on Talam Corporation's debt restructuring exercise left many questions unanswered. G Vinod, FMT The White Paper tabled by the Selangor state government on Talam Corporation's debt restructuring exercise is a "grey paper" as it left out many pertinent issues. Speaking at a press conference here, MCA's Young Professional Bureau chief Chua Tee Yong said among others, the state government did not explain why it engaged a private valuer to assess Talam's assets instead of the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH). "The state government also did not give details on how much was paid to the private valuer for its work. Surely they did not do it for free," added the deputy minister. Last week, the Selangor state government tabled the White Paper on how state authorities went about restructuring Talam's multi-million ringgit debt. Among the issues mentioned was on the state's decision to go ahead with valuation made by Suleiman & Co of RM375 million for land belonging to Talam instead of JPPH's valuation of RM113 million. The reason given was Suleiman & Co's valuation was more comprehensive as it took into consideration of the land's pending conversion into a mixed development status while JPPH valued them on its status as agriculture land. Chua said that the state government went against its own regulation by referring the matter to a private valuer instead of JPPH. "If the land was supposed to be valued as a mixed development property, why didn't the state government advise JPPH to value it as such? All these are not explained," he added. Chua also pointed out that another valuer engaged by the state government gave two differing numbers, in the span of one year, but the authorities went ahead with the valuation.
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| Don: Economy shows signs of kleptocracy Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:24 PM PST Associate Professor Syed Farid Alatas of the Department of Sociology, National University of S'pore (fz.com) - Farid emphasised that corruption is not one of the many problems that Malaysia faces but the major problem that spawns other problems in other areas such as crime, the environment and education. An academician said the Malaysian political system shows signs of "kleptocracy", which he saw as a systemic practice of corruption embedded into the state and politics. "There is corruption in all countries," said Associate Professor Syed Farid Alatas of the Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. "The question is whether we are a country where corruption is the dominant means of doing business. In other words, is Malaysia what I call a kleptocracy?" Farid was speaking at a forum entitled "Eradicating Corruption: How Successful Have We Been?" held in conjunction with the launch of an interim research report on anti-corruption initiatives in Malaysia. He defined kleptocracy as a state dominated by kleptocrats who engage in corruption as a major, if not principal, means of capital accumulation. He also noted that corruption in a country like Malaysia isn't a random or occasional phenomenon and could well be the fifth factor of production. "Key kleptocrats are not mid or low level civil servants who extort or accept bribes to make a living but high-level politicians and bureaucrats who engage in corrupt activities as a means of accumulating capital," Farid added. He then sought to move away from the usual indicators of Malaysia's level of corruption - like the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and the Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) – opting instead to base his views on objective rather than perceptive criteria. The CPI score is predominantly based on the opinion of experts or business executives and not of the common citizens, and has been criticised for being skewed by the experiences of these groups. Farid pointed out that there are many other issues that reflect the realities in Malaysia that suggest flaws in the way laws have been implemented or with the laws themselves. "There are many aspects of a country's development that point to a constant or even increasing rate of corruption," he said. "For example, Malaysia doesn't seem to be able to build decent roads. Many believe that the reason for our poor roads is because substandard materials are being used and that somewhere along the expenditure and procurement chain officials and contractors are making money from government contracts." Farid then questioned why taxis that ferry passengers to the airport are not allowed to bring passengers home as is the practice in every developed and even underdeveloped country. He further said that corruption is experienced by the ordinary Malaysian in rising crime rates, fragmentation of natural forest cover, the "sorry state" of the education system and the unemployability of fresh graduates. "Corruption is not a crime like other crimes," Farid stated. "In other crimes the impact of the criminal act is restricted to the victim whereas corruption has far-reaching consequences. In a sense, corruption is a weapon of mass destruction." Read more at: http://fz.com/content/don-economy-shows-signs-kleptocracy
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| Puteri must wake up from deep slumber Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:10 PM PST (Free Malaysia Today) - The movement just did not have the leadership capability to reach out to the youngsters using the new media as the platform. Its failure has somewhat driven the youngsters to the other side where its use of the new media has been effective in influencing the young blood. The Umno general assembly is a chance for Umno young women's wing to make itself visible and relevant again. Puteri Umno is not making much of an impact these days. It seems to be hibernating, oblivious to the political storms buffeting Umno and its leaders. The movement was set up in 2001 to primarily engage with youngsters, particularly women aged 35 and below and who are either in college or working. Initially it was full of enthusiasm and drive under the leadership of Azalina Othman Said who helmed the movement from 2002 to 2004. It even "stole" the limelight from Wanita Umno. But over the years the movement has lost its energy and, under the current leadership of Rosnah Shirlin Rashid, it seems to be out of touch with reality. It has gone into deep slumber. It is not connecting with today's youngsters who number about three million and who are first time-voters in the coming general election. It is hardly heard of in the country's vigorous political scene as its activities are not mentioned much in the public domain. The movement's failure in engaging with the youngsters probably prompted Umno president Najib Tun Razak to reach out to the youngsters himself through the alternative media such as Facebook, Twitter and so on. In recent times, when Najib came under heavy fire from the opposition, the Puteri Umno brigade is nowhere to be seen to defend the big boss. Political observers believe this silence is not good for Umno's image and credibility. At a time when Najib sorely needs the support of its members to help him move forward in his transformation programmes against the opposition onslaught, the Puteri movement is just not there to repulse the attacks. The movement also does not seem to be moving with the times. It is not seen using the new media such as blogs or online news portals to reach out to the female youngsters and connect intellectually with them to woo them over to Umno and Barisan Nasional. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/11/27/puteri-must-wake-up-from-deep-slumber/ |
| Rosmah Mansor defends controversial 'public morality' clause Posted: 26 Nov 2012 12:09 PM PST
(Phnom Penh Post) - In the wake of the controversial endorsement this week of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, the wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak defended her country's insistence on preserving the document's "public morality" clause, which rights groups have condemned as subjective and discriminatory against women and sexual minorities. Datin Seri Paduka Rosmah Mansor told the Post in an exclusive interview the clause was something Malaysia "wouldn't, or shouldn't, compromise... on high morality." "To me... human rights [are] the rights of an individual based on what you believe in, based on your culture and your religion. Fine, you want to recognise [LGBT rights], you think that's right, you don't want to follow what is in your bible, fine, I'm not condemning that... But this is the way we want to run our country. Based on... high morality. "You know why HIV and AIDS occur... how it is being spread. Now the number of people suffering from HIV is alarming. What is it you want? Do you want to allow this... or do you want to contain it – then this is the way we all should live." In September, the Sin Chew Daily and foreign media outlets such as The Huffington Postreported that the Malaysian Education Ministry had supported a "guideline" for parents in how to identify gay and lesbian children — claims the Malaysian government denied. But Rosmah maintained: "You have to nip [homosexuality] in the bud. "If you don't, when the time comes and you have to stop [homosexuality], you will find it's too late." Rosmah's claims have drawn the ire of human-rights groups around Southeast Asia. Dr Yuval Ginbar, a legal adviser and ASEAN expert with Amnesty International, told the Post three of the declaration's general principles, one of which was the "public morality" clause, severely hampered human-rights protection. The Southeast Asia Women's Caucus on ASEAN declared in September that public morality had not been defined in international human-rights standards and its interpretation in daily life had been largely based on dominant political, cultural and religious regimes. Ivy Josiah, executive director of the Malaysian NGO Women's Aid Organisation, said it was "disappointing to hear teachers will be encouraged to conduct witch-hunts in schools looking for signs as to who is gay. This, in effect, is an endorsement of promoting hatred." Cambodian Center for Human Rights president Ou Virak labelled Rosmah's comments "outrageous". "Come on, it's 2012 – these are bogus and extremely homophobic claims that HIV is a result of homosexuality – the world knows this is not true," he said. "This confirms our fears about the declaration – that these clauses were included to give governments excuses to not uphold universal principles of human rights." Thilaga Sulathireh, from the ASEAN LGBT Caucus, said Malaysia's views on public morality and homosexuality were archaic and economically and politically motivated. Contacted for comment yesterday, the Malaysian embassy forwarded the request to the prime minister's office, which did not reply by press time.
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The 
Because there was a concentrated effort. There were two factions here - you had Bala sitting down with (opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and you had another faction that didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power.
Although no confession materialised after the second SD, however, Balasubramaniam 
Asked why he thought Altantuya (right) had yet to receive justice even though her killers had already been convicted, he replied: "Whoever actually killed her, who actually instructed her killing, should be responsible. They must take the responsibility."
The duo has appealed their death sentence, but the hearing of their case at the Court of Appeal has been 
The names of the politician and the company involved have been withheld pending their reply to Malaysiakini's request for comments. 
However, Deepak (left) declined to elaborate on the identity of this female friend.
Balasubramaniam (right) re-emerged on Nov 12, 2009 in the form of a five-partYouTube 
In July this year, Balasubramaniam, who briefly re-emerged in Kuala Lumpur, told Malaysiakini that Deepak had tried to bribe him 
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