Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Jeffrey wants ‘Homeland Security’ for Sabah
- ‘Govt must investigate Musa Hassan’
- Umno runs down LGBT, pluralism, liberalism as assembly ends
- BN will recapture all Pakatan states, win two-thirds majority, say Umno leaders
- ‘DAP’s partisan politics will backfire’
- RM40m Sabah Umno ‘donation’ is pittance, say Umno delegates
- Umno rejects Islamic liberalism, pluralism
- Worked to death
- Najib: Umno and BN offer Malaysians the best
- Stop fooling Malays with racial sentiments, Zuraida tells Shahrizat
- Rep faces fine over alleged sexist remarks
- Two BN leaders join STAR
- 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
| Jeffrey wants ‘Homeland Security’ for Sabah Posted: 01 Dec 2012 05:23 AM PST The state government should set up its own Homeland Security Division to fill in for the shortcomings of the federal agencies in protecting the people in Sabah. Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Police in Sabah are coming under increasing pressure to send a message to residents that their state is not going to be overrun by what is perceived to be the seedier elements of legal and illegal immigrants flooding the state. The latest to rap the performance of the the police force over growing fears that crime has spiralled out of control in the state over the years is the Sabah chapter of the State Reform Party or STAR Sabah. The opposition party which is gaining rapid grassroots support around the state has suggested that the state government should set up its own Homeland Security Division to fill in for the shortcomings of the federal agencies in protecting the people in Sabah. Party chairman Jeffrey Kitingan made the provocative recommendation while speaking at the launching of its election canvassing unit in Kaingaran, on Saturday. He was responding to the public furore over the alleged murder of Norikoh Saliwa, a 16-year-old student from Kota Marudu last Sunday. Kitingan noted that the public outrage over the teenager's death was reflected in the torrent of postings on social network sites with the vast majority blaming Sabah's teeming population of immigrants. The STAR Sabah chairman pointed out that one of the key factors which pushed Sabah to join with neighbour Sarawak and Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963 was the security threats from Indonesia and Philippines. The idea being that being in the federation would provide better security for the state and its people. "However, the federal agencies responsible for Sabah's security and borders have failed to live up to the people's expectations. "Therefore, Sabah must have its own Homeland Security to ensure the better safety of its citizens and its borders in the wake of increasing crimes being committed by foreigners/illegal immigrants
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| ‘Govt must investigate Musa Hassan’ Posted: 01 Dec 2012 05:16 AM PST Never trust an individual who badmouths his organisation, much less an organisation which he had helmed for four years, says ex-MACC advisory panelist Robert Phang. (FMT) - The government should initiate investigation against former IGP Musa Hassan over claims of his alleged triad links, his alleged role in undermining several senior police officers as well as alleged abuses of power during his tenure as the police chief. Making this call today, former MACC advisory panelist Robert Phang, said only such an investigation, or even perhaps a royal commission, would reveal the truth about Musa. "Musa has no sense of loyalty to the organisation that has given him his livelihood and his lifetime career. "As a rule-of-thumb, I will never trust an individual who badmouths his organisation, much less an organisation which he had helmed for four years," said Phang. Phang was referring to Musa's revelations earlier this week that the police force had been infiltrated by criminal elements and that the current IGP Ismail Omar was weak in heading the police force. He also claimed that there had been political interventions, including from the Home Ministry, even during his time as the IGP. He said the presence of criminal elements was the reason for the rising crime rate in the country. Coming to the defence of the police force and Ismail, Phang said the crime statistics had increased under Musa's tenure and the situation had only started to turn around after his retirement in 2010. "If truth be told, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, the current IGP has now managed the Herculean task to return crime rate to the pre-Musa Hassan time. "Thus Musa's attacks against Ismail is clearly unwarranted and below the belt. The current IGP has managed to clean up the mess left by his predecessor, both in terms of crime rate and in terms of restoring the morale of the police force. "What I see before me is that Musa has failed as a leader when he was the IGP, and currently lacks the humility to comprehend just that," said Phang. 'I remember history' Phang, a member of the National Crime Prevention Foundation, also revealed his knowledge on Musa's contract extensions as the national police chief. "I am an old man, and I remember history. Musa says that after he clashed with Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein on his powers as IGP, his contract was terminated. That is a lie. "The truth is that Musa had his contract extended twice. He was so cunning that he placed people who can pose no threat to him in the succession line of the PDRM." He added that Musa had also ensured that those who can succeed him will retire before him, and claimed that Musa had a mercurial rise to become the IGP by "fixing people up". "There are still people from the force with enough knowledge about all these. Some had been sidelined, others faced trumped-up charges, and one even had prepared a statutory declaration to reveal the truth," he said.
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| Umno runs down LGBT, pluralism, liberalism as assembly ends Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:57 PM PST
Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider Umno today wrapped up its final assembly before the polls with delegates calling for action against advocates of anti-Islam elements such as homosexuality and those who propagate pluralism and liberalism in mainly Muslim Malaysia. While debating the issue of education and religion, one delegate even suggested a rehabilitation centre for the maligned lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community. "We want to transform them from zaman kejahilan (dark age of ignorance)," Tanjong representative Mohd Shaharudin Mohd Hasan Tajudin told the over 2,000 delegates at Umno's cavernous Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here. Shaharudin also suggested that high school students be taught to reject the LGBT lifestyle — along with pluralism and liberalism — in their religious education. Another delegate, Datuk Ariffin Mohd Arif from Kimanis, called for an official sanction against those who spread pluralism and liberalism, which he called a "teaching of the Devil". "Just like al-Arqam ... we must take action against these people. Our actions must be strict, and we must not budge," Ariffin said. The religious issues elicited animated responses from the delegates, with Shaharudin exclaiming that Umno fighters shall be "bathed in blood" should anyone mock Islamic principles. "This LGBT is haram in Islam. (But the opposition) is making LGBT halal ... they even said that the law on sodomy is obsolete," said Pendang delegate Mohd Kamal Saidin, who accused Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the man responsible for this. The ruling coalition and the opposition have been at loggerheads on the issues of LGBT, pluralism and liberalism, which are deemed sensitive in Muslim-majority Malaysia. Earlier this week, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had revealed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had objected to the inclusion of LGBT rights when signing ASEAN's first human rights charter recently, saying Malaysia could not accept principles that go against the order of human nature. The deputy prime minister took a swipe at Anwar when warning him against legitimising these "twisted practices" just because they were accepted by western nations, suggesting that it was the opposition leader's "hobby". The Malaysian government recently came under heavy fire again when it was reported to have endorsed a list of identifiable gay and lesbian traits for schools and parents, purportedly to prevent the spread of the phenomenon among teenagers, especially students. The controversial guideline, listed by the Chinese-language Sin Chew Daily, said that gay men have muscular bodies and like to show off by wearing V-necks and sleeveless clothes, prefer tight and light-coloured clothing, are attracted to men and like to carry big handbags similar to those used by women. Lesbians are said to be attracted to women, like to eat, sleep and hang out in the company of other women and have no affection for men, according to the report. It was later reported that the Ministry of Education had never authorised nor endorsed the guidelines.
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| BN will recapture all Pakatan states, win two-thirds majority, say Umno leaders Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:53 PM PST
Puad said BN has its fingers on the pulse of today's voters. Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Umno is confident of wresting back all four Pakatan Rakyat-led (PR) states and even recapturing its two-thirds parliamentary majority in the coming polls, buoyed by a strong belief that the Najib government's reformist measures have successfully impressed the Malaysian electorate. Several leaders told The Malaysian Insider that Umno is now fully prepared to march to the battle lines, having struggled through four years of heavy transformation from the party's administration to the mindsets of its over three million members. Emerging fully charged after the second day of the party's assembly here yesterday, the leaders wasted no breath in declaring that achieving two-thirds is no longer an aspiration for Umno but a comfortable reality. "Of course," Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said, when asked if the party was confident it would once again occupy two-thirds of Parliament's 222 seats after the polls. "I believe that we will win back two-thirds and we will get back at least all the four Pakatan states... including Kelantan and Penang," he added. Kelantan has been in PAS's hands since 1990. Generous estimates of Barisan Nasional's (BN) chances at the ballot boxes have included Kelantan as a possible casualty for PR but most observers believe that the federal opposition pact will withstand any onslaught in Penang. Despite this, Tengku Adnan was not alone in his prediction. Former Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim appeared to agree that Penang should not be regarded as impossible to recapture. "We are confident of getting back Kedah, even Kelantan and Selangor... and Perlis, of course. Maybe we have to work harder in Penang," he said of the state led by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. Umno deputy minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi was equally as confident as his party colleagues of BN's chances next polls. "Oh definitely, two-thirds majority. I'm very confident," he told The Malaysian Insider.  Tengku Adnan is confident Umno will win back all the four Pakatan states. The bespectacled son of Malaysia's second prime minister has already earned himself the title of "Father of Transformation" for his countless transformative initiatives and reform measures that include historic legislative changes. Key among these was Najib's decision to pull the Internal Security Act (ISA) from Malaysia's statute books, a long-time demand of opposition leaders and civil society groups. The prime minister also enacted a fresh law to regulate mass public gatherings, which was in the past deemed a crime under section 27 of the Police Act. He even mooted amendments to allow greater media freedom and permit student participation in politics, keeping to his promise to widen civil liberties in Malaysia. "This is a big example of walking the talk. Najib is clearly serious about making changes and although he ruled without a two-thirds majority, it did not pose as a hurdle to his intention to fulfil his promises," Puad said. The deputy education minister added that Najib and BN also have their fingers on the pulse of today's voters and have acknowledged that it would be the fence sitters, new voters, youths and women who will determine their future at the ballot boxes. He explained that this was why Najib has been pulling out all the stops in ensuring he remains close to these voter groups by keeping in touch with them constantly and doling out initiatives tailored specifically for them. As examples, Puad pointed to the BN Youth job fair, the My First Home scheme for young homeowners and even the extension of Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia to the youth group. But apart from BN's tireless campaign to shore up support, the Umno leaders pointed out that voters have also begun returning to the ruling pact because they have had time to weigh in on the promises dished out by those in PR. They repeated old lines of the purported failure by PR member parties to strike a cohesive agreement to iron out key ideological differences which, they said, could prove detrimental if the pact comes to power without resolving these issues. Over the past few days of the assembly, delegates have been warning of instability in the nation under a PR federal government, largely due to the protracted dispute between PAS and the DAP over the former party's struggle for an Islamic state and hudud laws. Shahidan said it was due to BN's power-sharing formula that Malaysians have managed to enjoy decades of peace among the races, warning that this could be ruptured under PR. "In Malaysia, if you want a strong government and you do not want a crisis, they you need this formula," he said. He said that even though Umno is a race-based party like some of its partners in BN, it was not "racist". "But somehow, because we still see some disparity between the races, we have to fight for our respective races... this is important in a sense because one race would know about their community better than others," he said. The Malaysian Insider reported in October that BN expects to win more than the 140 federal seats it took in Election 2008 despite the onslaught and talk by PR that it can capture Putrajaya in the next general election.
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| ‘DAP’s partisan politics will backfire’ Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:04 PM PST People in Penang want to see the party in constructive engagement with its opponents, says Gerakan. Hawkeye, FMT GEORGE TOWN: The DAP's tendency to indulge in partisan politics will backfire in the long term, says a state Gerakan leader. Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Wong Mun Hoe said the people in the state now would prefer to see the party engaged constructively with its opponents rather than to run them down endlessly. Since 2008, DAP has been engaged in partisan politics, criticising its rivals at every turn and corner, he said. "For the DAP, it is either you are with me or against me. This had been its adage for a very long time. Now that the party is in government, this sort of attitude is opened for all to see," he said in an interview. The public does not like what it is seeing, Wong added. Hence, a growing list of deractors have emerged in Penang, amid accusations that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has become a cocky and arrogant person, he said. "The critics are not necessarily from the Barisan Nasional. Everyone in Penang from the hawkers to the trishaw peddlers hold strong opinions [about the state government]. Can Lim accept criticism?" For example, Wong said the DAP-led Penang government was now embroiled in an alleged disagreement with the PAS-led state government in Kedah over a deal to supply raw water from the Muda River. Lim has denied the existence of such a deal but Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak had reportedly told a recent State Legislative Assembly sitting that is neighbour (Penang) has agreed to purchase water from Kedah. When Penang BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow spoke about the conflicting statements from both, the DAP turned around and asked him (Teng) to resign, Wong said. "Almost every DAP statement is about asking its opponents to step down." When its rivals pointed out that DAP's has own "skeletons in the closet," the party leaders became paranoid and issued gag orders on their own members, Wong said.
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| RM40m Sabah Umno ‘donation’ is pittance, say Umno delegates Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:21 PM PST
Several Umno members appeared today to dismiss the controversy over Sabah Umno's RM40 million "political donation", saying the sum was pittance compared to the millions the party dishes out during elections. Arsit Sedi @ Sidik, a delegate from Sabah, even described the sum as "a very small dot" and revealed that in the Putatan constituency in his home state, Umno would have to spend up to RM6 million during the polls. "RM40 million is a small sum, I don't think it can even support the next election. "The amount needed is very high, especially Sabah. If you are talking RM40 million, it is not enough to even move the election machinery. "RM40 million is a very small dot only," he told The Malaysian Insider when approached on the sidelines of Umno's 66th general assembly here. Sabah Umno chief Datuk Musa Aman has been at the centre of allegations linking him to a RM40 million corruption scandal that the opposition has been using as fodder to discredit the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government in its east Malaysian fortress. The issue hit media headlines last month when Umno minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz told Parliament that Musa had been cleared of corruption and money-laundering allegations in a case involving Sabah timber trader Michael Chia. Musa's alleged link with Chia first exploded in the media following an April article by whistleblower site Sarawak Report, which had claimed that latter was caught trying to leave the Hong Kong International Airport with the RM40 million in Singapore currency. At the time, Chia had allegedly told the authorities that the money was meant for Musa, kicking off a probe on the series of funds transfers from Malaysia to Hong Kong that was then believed to be the possible laundering of monies generated from illegal logging activities in Sabah. But Nazri said Musa's name was cleared after Malaysian and Hong Kong anti-graft authorities found that the money was a "political donation" to Sabah Umno and was not meant for Musa's personal use. In the ensuing debates on the issue, however, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers chided Nazri for declaring Musa innocent without providing proof that Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had cleared the chief minister of its own accord. According to Nazri, the ICAC had closed the case after the MACC discovered in its probe that the money in Chia's possession was meant for Sabah Umno and not Musa.
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| Umno rejects Islamic liberalism, pluralism Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:42 PM PST
(fz.com) - Umno will always strongly reject a pluralistic or liberal understanding of Islam, party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said. He said that Umno has and will always defend and protect Islam as the Federal religion. "We are strongly against those who support pluralism and liberalism (in Islam)," he said in his opening speech at the Umno annual general assembly. Taking on Islamic PAS head-on, Najib said that Islam must be defended through concrete policies and not only with rhetoric. He said that Umno was the party which has allowed Islam to prosper as a way of life in Malaysia. He listed down several policies pertaining to Islam which the government has carried out such as the Lembaga Tabung Haji to assist Muslims to fulfil the obligatory pilgrimage to Makkah, one of the five pillars of Islam, the support for the Islamic banking industry that does not charge interest and Malaysia's commitment to assisting Palestinians. "We may even be the first country to open a Palestinian embassy here in the future," he said. He also took a dig at PAS which recently held a prayer for Umno's destruction during the party's annual general meeting. "Their behaviour is weird. At the moment when our Muslim brothers are suffering in Gaza and are in need of solidarity of Muslims, they (PAS) here are busy praying for the destruction of others," he said. Unsurprisingly, rhetorical criticism of PAS had been one of the major talking points with the delegates yesterday. The theme came up on several occasions in the delegates' presentations when they were debating Najib's speech. Kepala Batas division delegate Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said that PAS was a party that propagated deviant teachings of Islam. He cited the example of PAS spiritual leader, Nik Aziz Nik Mat's recent label of Umno as a parti murtad saying that it has strayed from the teaching of Islam. "PAS itself is a party that is deviant in its teachings," he said.
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| Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:38 PM PST Migrant workers from countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia often take up dangerous jobs which locals do not want to do [Sarah Yeo/Al Jazeera] (Al Jazeera) - The deaths of thousands of migrant workers in recent years bring Malaysia's safety standards into question Thousands of foreign workers have died in Malaysia in recent years from accidents, illnesses and suicide. They work in so-called '3D' conditions - dirty, dangerous and difficult. Critics say the death rate is a result of slack safety standards, poor housing conditions and weak enforcement of laws to protect them. Last year, more than 1,000 foreign workers died from accidents, illnesses and suicide. Malaysia is the largest importer of labour in Asia. Migrant workers provide cheap labour in construction, manufacturing and plantation industries. There are more than three million foreign workers, of which nearly a third is undocumented. Most of the migrant workers come from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Nepal. Desperate to repay debts from the high recruitment agency fees and under financial pressure from their families back home, migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation. Many suffer non-payment of wages, abuse, serious injuries and even death. On this episode, the 101 East team meets those who risk it all to make a living in Malaysia and ask: Is enough being done to keep them safe? 101 East airs each week at the following times GMT: Thursday: 2230; Friday: 0930; Saturday: 0330; Sunday: 1630. Click here for more 101 East.
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| Najib: Umno and BN offer Malaysians the best Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:28 PM PST (The Star) - DATUK Seri Najib Tun Razak told voters that they face a choice in the next general election between a proven Barisan Nasional and an inconsistent Opposition that has a track record of unfulfilled promises. Opening the last Umno general assembly before the polls, the party president said: "The choice before you is between Barisan Nasional as a party with holistic plans for the future of the country and an Opposition that is chaotic and confused about its aim of whether to make Malaysia secular, theocratic or a welfare state." Urging Malaysians not to gamble with their future, the Prime Minister and Barisan chairman said they should not look upon the election as an experiment. Najib began his 90-minute speech by reminding Umno members that unity and discipline were key to success in the polls to come, with Parliament's term expiring on April 28.  "Now that the war drums have been sounded, it is time to prepare our strategy and consolidate our team ... and return to the people to renew our mandate," Najib said. He then appealed directly to the audience beyond Dewan Merdeka at the Putra World Trade Centre, presenting his case on why Umno and Barisan were the only viable choice for the country's 13.1 million voters. "We believe that Malaysians have a right to get the best Government and we are certain that it is Umno and Barisan which are capable of offering the best for Malaysians," he added. Najib said there was a view that it was not wrong to give an opportunity to the Opposition to hold power to evaluate their capability in managing the country. "The risk is high because the future of the country, our families and children is too valuable to be made the subject of an experiment," he said. The Prime Minister urged Malaysians to evaluate Barisan by considering whether its past promises had been fulfilled, and whether new pledges would bring more benefits to the people. The Opposition meanwhile should be evaluated on whether the promises that they were now making were believable and achievable. If not, then it should be better not to support them, Najib said.  Show of strength: Najib and other party leaders holding Barisan flags while singing the BN anthem at the Umno General Assembly in PWTC.Defending Barisan's track record, Najib noted that Malaysia was recognised by the World Economic Forum as being among the 20 most competitive countries in the world. The Government had also raised the country's per capita Gross National Income from US$6,700 (RM20,100) in 2009 to US$9,700, (RM29,100) in 2011, he said. On the other hand, the Opposition's populist pledges, which included abolishing tolls and public academic institution students loans, would increase the country's deficit to almost 30% in the first year of implementation alone, Najib added. He said that while the Opposition included the abolition of the Internal Security Act in its Buku Jingga manifesto, Barisan not only did away with the ISA but also went on to scrap related laws such as the Restricted Residence and Banishment Act. Najib criticised Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim whom he described as an inconsistent political chameleon who tailored his message according to his audience. Referring to the special prayers PAS performed for the destruction of Umno, Najib said: "At a time when our fellow Muslims in Gaza were facing disaster and in need of solidarity, some here were busy calling for the downfall of fellow Muslims." Najib said that it was PAS that had caused a rift among Muslims after current party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang issued an "edict" in 1981 which declared Umno an infidel organisation.
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| Stop fooling Malays with racial sentiments, Zuraida tells Shahrizat Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:23 PM PST
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin has told her Umno counterpart Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to stop fooling Malays with racial sentiments. "Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil should not play with politics of racial sentiment because it is not in line with the 1 Malaysia concept that is dilaung-laungkan (raised) by Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak," Zuraida said in a statement. Najib is also chairman of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and president of its mainstay party Umno. Zuraida said Malaysians have long lived in unity, but claimed that political foe Umno has been playing dirty politics. "Just look at Perkasa which frequently makes various racial and religious provocations that have caused all sorts of negative reactions towards non-Malay voters," she said, referring to the Malay right-wing group that is seen to have close ties with Umno. "Why would Malays be sidelined if they lose political power? After over 50 years of Umno in power as the government, is that not enough time to bring up the living standards of the Malays?" Zuraida claimed that the Malays who have helped economically by the government were the family members and cronies of Umno politicians, while the people only got leftovers. She also pointed to the alleged involvement of Umno members in bribery scandals as a reason for the people losing confidence in the party's ability to fight for their rights. "So I want to remind Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to stop the shallow politics of fooling Malays with racial sentiments because the people are not stupid and can judge between diamond and glass." The Malaysian Insider had reported on Wednesday that Shahrizat raised the May 13 riots during the opening of the Wanita Umno general assembly here to encourage delegates to work harder for Umno's victory. She told nearly 1,000 delegates at the PWTC 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 have such a terrible situation repeated in our country? Of course we do not," she had 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. The upcoming 13th general election is expected to be a closely-fought battle between BN and PR when the federal mandate ends by next April.
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| Rep faces fine over alleged sexist remarks Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:13 PM PST
(The Star) - An assemblyman may end up having RM5,000 docked from his allowance for allegedly making sexist remarks at the state assembly. Gan Pei Nei (PKR-Rawang) filed the motion against Datuk Mohd Isa Abu Kasim (BN-Batang Kali) for making the alleged remarks during the state assembly last Thursday. Mohd Isa was said to have told state executive councillor Elizabeth Wong "to remember to take care of your own forest" during the debate. The following day, Mohd Isa denied that the remarks were sexist in nature, saying he only commented on Wong's work in maintaining the state's forest reserves. "I did not make any such statement. The Hansard can prove that I did not say it when it is released," he said. At a press conference at the state assembly lobby yesterday, Gan said a fine was not enough to teach Mohd Isa a lesson and recommended he go for counselling sessions as well. "A fine will serve to highlight the seriousness of his remarks. Not just a fine, Mohd Isa needs to go for counselling too," she said. Rodziah Ismail (PKR-Batu Tiga) said it must be made compulsory for Mohd Isa to attend a "crash course" on gender sensitivities. Wong accused Mohd Isa of interjecting during the debate just to humiliate her. "At the workplace, it would constitute sexual harassment. But in the Dewan, what he said is protected by privilege," she said. On Monday, MPs proposed a change to Parliament rules, where Standing Order 36 now reads: "It shall be out of order for Members of the House to use offensive language or make a sexist remark." However, Selangor state assembly Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim said there was no need to emulate Parliament as members of the House could ask for the offending statement to be retracted or file a motion on the matter.
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| Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:28 PM PST The crossover of two senior BN men to opposition STAR means Sabah leaders are beginning to accept the reality of the unfair treatment, says Jeffrey Kitingan. Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Maverick Sabah opposition leader Jeffrey Kitingan had something to smile about this week. Two former Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition party leaders jumped ship and joined him in the State Reform Party (STAR). After months of watching Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition leaders going rogue but refraining from joining his Sabah and Borneo-centric party, Kitingan welcomed two more BN want-aways into his fold on Tuesday. Patrick Paunil, a former United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko) division secretary and John Bague, a senior leader from Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) have joined Sabah STAR along with their supporters to provide the local party with fresh impetus as it prepares for the 13th general election. The crossover will come as a much needed boost for Kitingan whose pleas to his fellow Sabahan politicians to ditch the BN over its decidedly peninsula-bias stand at the expense of Sabah have so far been ignored including by his elder brother Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the de facto leader of the native Kadazandusun community. Kitingan's relief that at least some BN leaders are listening to pleas was discernible in his welcome speech to the duo and their supporters at the launching of the party's Timbou polling district election body in Tambunan, on Tuesday. "Sabah BN leaders should emulate the both of you and take up the challenge to fight for the restoration of Sabah's rights and autonomy and to stop the colonisation and further damage to Sabah," he said. "A change of the BN support in Sabah will also lead to a change of the BN federal government and stop the rot in Sabah. "In the true spirit of Sabah rights and autonomy in a true Malaysia federation, the time has arrived for all Sabahans to stand up and unite and remove the BN state government and take charge of their future destiny," he said.
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| 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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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. 
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