Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- The Altantuya Murder: Call for Full Public Inquiry
- Customs officer’s murder related to car smuggling in Langkawi, says son
- The Sensitive Indian (2): We're rich enough to be Post-Materialists
- Lingam, 24 others face contempt of court charges
- Cut from the same cloth
- The Indian dilemma
- PKR: Ex-cops should be re-tried for Altantuya murder, not acquitted
- Anwar seeks to disqualify lawyer Shafee
| The Altantuya Murder: Call for Full Public Inquiry Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:42 AM PDT
The prosecution of the case has been disgraceful from the start, with the failure to establish the motive for Altantuya's murder the most questionable of all. Through the case, the labored attempts by both prosecution and defence to obstruct the probe into any involvement of the then defence minister were also most bewildering. The prosecution has said they will appeal to the Federal Court but are Malaysians going to be treated to more of the same farce? Dr Kua Kia Soong, SUARAM Adviser Nothing short of a full public inquiry into the Altantuya murder and the motive for her murder will do. The acquittal of the two former bodyguards of then defence minister, Najib Razak by the Appeal Court is the ultimate in the farce that has typified the Altantuya murder trial since 2006. The prosecution of the case has been disgraceful from the start, with the failure to establish the motive for Altantuya's murder the most questionable of all. Through the case, the labored attempts by both prosecution and defence to obstruct the probe into any involvement of the then defence minister were also most bewildering. The prosecution has said they will appeal to the Federal Court but are Malaysians going to be treated to more of the same farce? We need the equivalent of the 2004 Hutton Report when a public inquiry was held in Britain over the death of Dr David Kelly, a Ministry of Defence biological weapons expert who knew the truth about the British government's claim that Saddam Hussein could launch his weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes as had been claimed by the Blair administration. And this time, let us ensure that there is a fair composition of independent members to make such an inquiry believable.
Too many inconsistencies There have been too many inconsistencies in the Altantuya case which warrant truthful answers, for example, is it true that all records of Altantuya's entry and presence in Malaysia were erased from the computers of the Immigration Department? Among the "strange" twists was the sudden removal of the presiding judge before the trial started without giving a plausible explanation to the lawyers, not to mention the head of the prosecution team was changed at the eleventh hour. Finally, defence lawyers for the three accused kept changing with one walking out on the first day of hearing, charging that "third parties" were interfering in his work. Public doubt, however, worsened after both defence lawyers and prosecutors cut off a witness (Altantuya's cousin) from testifying furtherwhen she revealed that the victim had shown her a photograph of herself, Baginda, Najib and "others" having lunch in a Paris restaurant. The court too did not ask the witness to produce the photograph. SUARAM will not rest until justice has been done in the murder of Altantuya. We believe that her murder is linked to the millions of ringgit in commissions associated with the RM7 billion Scorpene submarines deal. By her own admission in a letter found after her death, she was attempting to blackmail Razak Baginda for US$500,000. She was shot in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military explosives by two bodyguards attached to Najib's office after Razak Baginda went to Najib's chief of staff, Musa Safri, for help in stopping her demands. The submarine deal was never brought up in court during the murder trial which saw prosecutors, defense attorneys and the judge judiciously keeping Najib's name out of the proceedings. Thus, SUARAM calls for the urgent establishment of a full public inquiry into the murder of Altantuya with terms of reference that include the motives for her murder and her links to the Scorpene submarines deal. Members of the committee must be seen to be independent and respected members of the judiciary and the community. |
| Customs officer’s murder related to car smuggling in Langkawi, says son Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:15 AM PDT
(TMI) - Royal Malaysian Customs deputy director-general II Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim was shot dead in the country's administrative capital on April 26, just weeks before gun-related violence spiked in the country. The family of a top Malaysian Customs officer believes his murder in Putrajaya in April is linked to a car smuggling syndicate based on the duty-free island of Langkawi. Royal Malaysian Customs deputy director-general II Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim was shot dead in the country's administrative capital on April 26, just weeks before gun-related violence spiked in the country. "My father's murder was planned. It was related to a car smuggling syndicate in Langkawi," Mohd Akhtar Shaharuddin told The Malaysian Insider this week. He was also certain that the mastermind was someone in the Customs department. "I am sure of this, even if the police deny it," the 30-year-old architect said. "My father had previously told his superiors of corrupt Customs officers in their midst, claiming that they were linked to a car smuggling racket in Langkawi. "Soon after he made this accusation, he received a transfer letter. The letter, however, was pulled back when the Customs union intervened and fought his case," he said. One month later, Shaharuddin was shot dead as he was being driven to his office in Putrajaya. "So if you were in my spot, what would you think?" Mohd Akhtar said. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/customs-officers-murder-related-to-car-smuggling-in-langkawi-says-son |
| The Sensitive Indian (2): We're rich enough to be Post-Materialists Posted: 24 Aug 2013 11:11 AM PDT
The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: national leaders who are members of the ruling coalition act out of the belief that non-Malays can better themselves only by kissing the hands of Malay leaders and even garlanding them; progress not through reasoning, but through obeisance. write2rest When the Seri Pristana incident irrupted, Kamalanathan the deputy education minister, rushed to the scene. He "investigated." He held an instant press conference. He pronounced judgment. He gave a hand-out to the school to expand the canteen. He said "case closed." Kamala didn't directly address the charge laid by the Indian mother of a pupil who attends the school: in Muslim-majority Malaysia, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan, the canteen building and services were closed and Indian pupils were made to have their meal breaks in a shower room. [I've written about Seri Pristana here, hereand here.] According to news reports, the education ministry laterordered the school headmaster (HM) to take one week's leave. Also according to news reports, while the HM was on leave, he entered the school and took photos of non-Muslim children in the school. Political opportunists zoomed in on the case. Noh Omar, the Umno chieftain in the state of Selangor, visited the school and spoke to the press. Umno is the Malay-rights political party which helms the Federal government. Seri Pristana however is in Selangor, a state helmed by the opposition alliance, Pakatan. The Umno chieftain called for the parent to be charged with sedition, i.e. taking actions which could destabilize the nation. The Umno-controlled newspaper, Utusan, claimed the Selangor State police chief threatened to investigate those who propagate photos of the school's temporary canteen. The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: hand-outs to show government patronage and magnanimity, inviolable "Malay-rights," and threats against those who seek to influence the national agenda. The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: Kamala, a leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), says "it's all a misunderstanding, we've solved it, let's move on." Then Vel Paari, MIC's Strategic Director, says it's not over until disciplinary action is taken against the HM. The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: national leaders who are members of the ruling coalition act out of the belief that non-Malays can better themselves only by kissing the hands of Malay leaders and even garlanding them; progress not through reasoning, but through obeisance. Enlightened Indians look at such irruptions through images such as these: Cow-head. Home minister Hishammuddin feting cow-head toting Umno men in his ministerial office. Hand-kissing. Kamala kissing Muhyiddin's hand. Garlanding. MIC garlanding Najib in Batu Caves during Thaipusam. Bum-in-your-face gyrations by retired Malay armed forces men against Ambiga Sreenivasan, a former president of the Bar Council and currently the public face of justice in Malaysia. Irene Fernandez. For years the state hounded Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita for her expose of dreadful conditions in refugee camps in Malaysia. The EO6. 5 of the 6 illegally detained and interrogated members of PSM ("the EO6") were Indians, one of them a nationally and internationally celebrated doctor who also happens to be an elected Member of Parliament. [Here is one of my articles on the EO6.] Cynthia Gabriel. The state continues to harass Cynthia Gabriel of SUARAM for her quest to find the truth, re. Scorpene and the seemingly motive-less murder of Altantuya. Thaipusam. The government's collusion with the MIC, demonstrated by inaction against disruptions of public order during Thaipusam. [See my piece on Thaipusam, here.] Enlightened Indians, after acquiring so many comforts in life, are asking "Why are there so many poor Malaysian Indians?" Enlightened Indians are moving into a post-materialist life, no longer struggling for food and shelter; they are looking instead to do good to their poor neighbours. Enlightened Indians are noticing that the educational achievements of Malaysian Indians is dismal: according to the 2000 census, a Malaysia Indian aged 25 – 34 years is 20 % less likely than a Malay to have MCE/SPM ("O-level") certificate. See my notice of Professor Hirschman's findings, here. Read more at: http://write2rest.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-sensitive-indian-2-were-rich-enough.html |
| Lingam, 24 others face contempt of court charges Posted: 23 Aug 2013 09:08 PM PDT
(The Star) - Lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam and 24 others are facing contempt of court charges for alleging a panel of three judges plagiarised in a civil judgment. Federal Court judge Justice Suriyadi Halim Omar ruled that the application by Lingam and 24 others to set aside leave granted by the apex court to commence contempt proceedings against them was without merits. "We find (there is) no procedural error in (two liquidators) obtaining leave (to cite them for contempt of court)," said Justice Suriyadi, who chaired a five-man panel. With him were Federal Court judges Justices Ahmad Maarop, Hasan Lah, Zaleha Zahari and Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha. Justice Suriyadi said they were satisfied that a prima facie case had been established against all of them. "We dismiss the setting aside of application with costs," he said. He said the Bench made the ruling after hearing submissions and considered available evidence over the application. The panel reserved the order as to costs until disposal of the substantive application. Lingam's counsel Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram told the Bench that his client would be giving evidence in court. Sri Ram said his application was made under Order 52 Rule 5(4) of the Rules of the High Court 1980 and Order 52 Rule 6(4) of the Rules of Court 2012 that stated such a person was entitled to give oral evidence. Lingam applied for the court to set a case management as few of his clients were overseas. Sri Ram said the Bench could opt for the registry to issue a notice for case management for the parties involved in the civil dispute. The Federal Court had in April last year granted leave to two liquidators to initiate contempt proceedings against Lingam and 24 others over a review application on issues of plagiarism by a panel of three judges. The two liquidators, Ooi Woon Chee and Ng Kim Tuck, sought leave for Lingam to be committed for contempt of court for advising, drafting and/or filing the review application and its related affidavit at the apex court over a civil judgment concerning a company's sale of shares. They claimed that Lingam and others should have known that the statements contained in the documents would subvert the administration of justice, undermine public confidence in the judiciary, ridicule, scandalise and offend the dignity, integrity and impartiality of the court.
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| Posted: 23 Aug 2013 04:55 PM PDT Zahid, just like many people in PAS and PKR, is an Islamist. He was with Anwar Ibrahim in the Muslim Youth Movement, ABIM -- just like many of those in PAS and PKR (including the late PAS President, Fadzil Noor, and the present PAS President, Hadi Awang). Hence they are all cut from the same cloth (the focus of my article today). THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
First of all, please read the first news item below. Then read the second one in Bahasa Malaysia below that. They are no doubt about two different matters but are, in a way, related. And I will explain in what way they are related. The second (Bahasa Malaysia) news item is regarding a statement by a senior PAS Kelantan leader asking those who are following Shia Islam to leave the party. This is like, say, my party, Liberal Democrats of UK, asking all Catholics to leave the party because the official religion of the UK is the Church of England and Catholics are not Christians but heretics. How liberal and how democratic would Liberal Democrats be if this were the stand the party took? Now, PAS prides itself in the slogan "PAS For All" or "PAS Untuk Semua". It appears like PAS is for all Sunni Muslims, Christians (of any sect), Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Agnostics, Atheists, and so on, but NOT for Shia Muslims. So PAS is not really for all after all. Hence PAS should change its "PAS For All" slogan to something like the ABU (Asal Bukan Umno) war cry -- such as ABS, or "Asal Bukan Shia". To say "PAS For All" is a misrepresentation of the truth. Clearly, judging by the statement of this senior PAS Kelantan leader, PAS does NOT respect the fundamental rights and civil liberties of ALL Malaysians. It only respects those rights and liberties of Sunni Muslims. Hence PAS is not really "for all" after all, as it claims to be. Now, when I say that Pakatan Rakyat is no better than Barisan Nasional many get very upset with me. They vilify me and mock me. Why are you so angry with me when I tell the truth? Is it not true that PAS is NOT for all? Is not the statement of its own senior party leaders proof enough? And why are you so worried about the truth and why are you so angry when I reveal the truth? Never be afraid of the truth because the truth will set you free. Only idiots will want to avoid the truth and will get upset when I reveal the truth. I want to know DAP's and PKR's stand on this matter. DAP and PKR 'fight' for the rights of the non-Muslims -- the Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. They scream and foam at the mouth when it comes to the perceived persecution of and injustice to the non-Muslims and/or the non-Malays. What about the rights of Muslims/Malays who also want freedom of religion? Do these people not matter to DAP and PKR? Yes, the silence is deafening. This shows that DAP and PKR are not sincere about the fundamental rights and civil liberties of Malaysians after all. Shia Muslims, too, have fundamental rights and civil liberties. Why are their rights and liberties not also upheld? Okay, now on to the next news item regarding Zahid asking Waythamoorty to leave the government. Zahid, just like many people in PAS and PKR, is an Islamist. He was with Anwar Ibrahim in the Muslim Youth Movement, ABIM -- just like many of those in PAS and PKR (including the late PAS President, Fadzil Noor, and the present PAS President, Hadi Awang). Hence they are all cut from the same cloth (the focus of my article today). When Anwar abandoned the opposition cause to join Umno in 1982, many from ABIM followed him into Umno while some joined PAS and some remained in ABIM. In 1998, when Anwar was kicked out of Umno, some of those ex-ABIM leaders who had followed him into Umno joined him to form the Reformasi movement and then Parti Keadilan Nasional (now PKR) in 1999. Zahid, however, remained in Umno and is now a Minister. (In fact, Zahid was detained together with Anwar back in 1998 so I am surprised he remained in Umno instead of joining Anwar in the opposition). Nevertheless, Zahid is still very much an Islamist just like those ex-ABIM leaders who joined PAS and PKR. Hence Zahid, just like those other Islamists in PAS and PKR, is intolerant of fundamental rights and civil liberties. And that is why Zahid does not allow Waythamoorty to express his views. Waythamoorty can only say things in support of the government and not otherwise. This is the same attitude of those Islamists in PAS and PKR. They, too, do not tolerate fundamental rights and civil liberties and will not allow you to express your opinions. If you do so they will whack you and ask you to leave and call you all sorts of names. I do not see any difference between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. And I have said this many times before. And until Pakatan Rakyat can show that it is different from Barisan Nasional I do not see why it deserves our support. Sure, Pakatan Rakyat is 'clean' while Barisan Nasional is corrupt (and Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy exist). That may be a good start but that is not good enough for me. Until and unless Malaysians are allowed to talk and their fundamental rights and civil liberties are respected, then both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are cut from the same cloth as far as I am concerned. My perjuangan (struggle) is not about kicking out Umno (ABU). It is not about making Anwar Ibrahim the Prime Minister. It is about respecting the fundamental rights and civil liberties of ALL Malaysians, Shia Muslims included. And it is about allowing those in government to criticise the government and those in the opposition to criticise the opposition. That is what is missing in Malaysia. And I do not like it one bit. ************************************************* Zahid urges Waythamoorthy to go if against government Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi advised Deputy Minister P. Waythamoorty today to leave the Najib administration if the latter insists on being critical of the government's action on crime. The former co-founder of Indian rights group HINDRAF had spoken out against the killing of five alleged gang members in Penang on Monday that was part of a police crackdown against organised crime and gun violence. "If you were a champion in an NGO, and now a member of the administration and want to make negative remarks about the government, then it is best you leave and rejoin the NGO," the home minister was quoted as saying at the start of a forum on crime in Sunway today by news portal The Malaysian Insider. Following the slaying of the purported gang members in Penang, Waythamoorthy had joined the families of the five men in disputing the police account of a shootout that led to the death of their deaths. Instead, they allege the men had been shot in their sleep. On Thursday, Zahid had also issued a warning against Waythamoorthy, who was roped as deputy minister in by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak following Election 2013, to stop behaving like an activist. In the Monday incident, police shot dead the five men in an ambush at an apartment unit on the 11th floor of a service apartment in Sungai Nibong, Penang. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar later linked the five men to 10 murder cases and two attempted murder cases in three different states- Penang, Kedah and Negeri Sembilan. The police also recovered three pistols and a few rounds of ammunition from the apartment unit. ************************************************* Syiah: Ahli Pas Perlu Keluar Parti (Sinar Harian) - Pas Kelantan menggesa mana-mana ahli yang terlibat atau menjadi pengikut ajaran dan fahaman Syiah perlu segera keluar dari parti tersebut. Teguran tersebut dinyatakan Timbalan Pesuruhjaya III Pas Negeri, Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah yang turut menegaskan Pas sejak dari dahulu hingga sekarang masih lagi berpendirian menolak ajaran fahaman tersebut. "Mana-mana ahli Pas yang terlibat dengan Syiah, haruslah keluar daripada Pas sebab kita tidak terima selain daripada ajaran Ahli Sunnah Wal Jemaah. Syiah sudah lama wujud di Malaysia namun kenapa baru sekarang ia diperkatakan oleh Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) yang kononnya ia semakin membimbangkan. "Sebelum ini Syiah dibiarkan bergerak bebas tanpa sebarang tindakan atau dakwaan, tapi sekarang baru timbul. "Jadi kita bimbang kalau ada agenda politik lain apabila isu itu kini mula ditimbulkan kembali dan mungkin boleh jadi sengaja nak mengaitkan Pas dalam hal ini," katanya. Ketika ditanya mengenai status keahlian Pas yang menyertai Syiah, Mohd Amar berkata, sehingga kini pihaknya masih belum menerima apa-apa laporan tentang hal tersebut.
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| Posted: 23 Aug 2013 03:45 PM PDT
Indian Malaysians only make up a small percentage of the country's population. Unfortunately, they make up a sizeable chunk of gang-related crimes in this country. According to statistics, the involvement of Indians in robberies, thefts and gang fights is disproportionally high, showing that the Indian community in Malaysia is indeed marginalised where education, economy and living standards are concerned. (Sin Chew Daily) - Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi and members of his special squad were holding MP5 submachine guns at the Esplanade to check passing vehicles for suspicious figures.
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| PKR: Ex-cops should be re-tried for Altantuya murder, not acquitted Posted: 23 Aug 2013 03:40 PM PDT
(MM) - The Court of Appeal should have ordered a retrial of the high-profile murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu, instead of acquitting two former police commandos previously convicted of her killing, PKR's R. Sivarasa said today. The Subang MP stressed that the appellate court is empowered to do so, especially when there was a number of key witnesses who were not called during the High Court trial that led to the duo's conviction in 2009.
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| Anwar seeks to disqualify lawyer Shafee Posted: 23 Aug 2013 03:32 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Anwar Ibrahim's defence team yesterday filed a motion at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya to disqualify lawyer Anwar's co-counsel Ram Karpal Singh, when contacted confirmed the 4pm filing at the Appeals Court. He said the application would be heard on the first day of hearing of the appeal on Sept 17. Muhammad Shafee was given the authority by the attorney-general to lead the prosecution team in its appeal against Anwar's acquittal on a charge of sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 26. The offence was allegedly committed at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008. The High Court in Kuala Lumpur had acquitted and discharged Anwar, 64, on the charge on Jan 9, last year.
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