Archive for July, 2011

Mat Zain’s Open Letter on TBH RCI report

Mat Zain bin Ibrahim
26hb.July 2011.

Kepada;

YDH Tan Sri Hji Ismail bin Haji Omar,IGP,
Ketua Polis Negara,
Ibu Pejabat Polis DiRaja Malaysia,
50560 Bukit Aman,
Kuala Lumpur.
Email:[email protected] Dengan Email

YDH Tan Sri,

SURUHANJAYA JAMES FOONG-TINDAKAN SUSULAN POLIS.

Assalamualikum wbt.

1. Sebelum membincangkan perkara tajuk,sukacita saya merujukkan Tan Sri kepada surat saya bertarikh 24.1.2011 yang dialamatkan kepada YBhg.Datuk Idrus Harun,Peguam Cara Negara dengan salinannya kepada YAB Perdana Menteri dan Tan Sri sendiri. Dalam surat tersebut saya telah kemukakan maklumat terprinci berkaitan perbuatan pemalsuan dan manipulasi keterangan serta penggunaan keterangan palsu dalam prosiding Suruhanjaya Read the rest of this entry »

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Mat Zain says MACC officers can be charged for Teoh’s suicide

By Shannon Teoh | July 26, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — A former senior police officer said today that three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers should be charged for abetting Teoh Beng Hock’s suicide following the release of the royal commission of inquiry’s (RCI) findings.

Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim told the Inspector General of Police in an open letter that then deputy director for Selangor Hishammuddin Hashim, officers Arman Alies and Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus were culpable in the interrogation of Teoh.

The former Kuala Lumpur CID chief noted the RCI said the three men had left the former DAP aide “almost a mental and physical wreck.”
Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #75

By M. Bakri Musa

Chapter 9: Islam in Malay Life

Reform in Islam

Confusing Examples For Principles

My main criticism of the traditional ulama is that in their meticulous and detailed studies of the individual verses of the Qur’an and sunnah, they completely miss out on the underlying theme – missing the proverbial forest for the tress.

To Taha, Muslims’ preoccupation between secular and Islamic state is arbitrary and useless. The values of supposedly secular Western societies like gender equality, commitment to basic human rights, abhorrence of cruel and inhumane punishment, the brotherhood of mankind, and participatory democracy are also Islamic values and ideals. That the West has absorbed and claimed these virtues to be its core is no reason why Muslims should not also subscribe to them. If we follow Taha’s message and make the Shari’a compatible with modern values and aspirations, which as we have seen are also Islamic, then the question of secular versus Islamic would not arise.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Fernandes blames ‘silly press’ for relocation talk

Free Malaysia Today | July 25, 2011

TOKYO: AirAsia has chosen Jakarta to be its regional headquarters in an effort to be seen as a Southeast Asian airline rather than just a Malaysian one.

The region’s largest low-cost airline plans to open its base in the capital at South Jakarta’s Equity Building in October, group chief executive Tony Fernandes told the Jakarta Globe yesterday.

It plans to take advantage of easy access to the Asean secretariat in advance of the “open skies” agreement that will go into effect in 2015, he had said.

That agreement will lower barriers for air travel between the region’s capitals.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Christian plot: What have police uncovered?

By Hawkeye
July 25, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

BUTTERWORTH: DAP has demanded that police reveal the outcome of their investigation into an alleged conspiracy to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia.

Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow said police wrapped up the investigation some time ago and should have informed the public what they had found out.

The seriousness of the allegation and the uproar it caused warranted the public disclosure, he added. Read the rest of this entry »

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AirAsia Moves Corporate HQ from KL to Jakarta

By Asia Sentinel
23 July 2011

With all the troubles he has had over the last two months, the confirmation Friday that AirAsia, arguably Malaysia’s most vibrant private company, is moving its headquarters out of the country to Indonesia is one more blow.

Tony Fernandes, AirAsia’s group chief executive, confirmed the decision in Tokyo Thursday, saying the move is an effort to upgrade his company’s image as a regional Southeast Asian airline rather than just a Malaysian carrier.

“I don’t know whether Najib has been told or not,” said a business associate of Fernandes in Kuala Lumpur. “But why should Tony care? There are solid business reasons for moving to Jakarta.” Read the rest of this entry »

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PSM6 – police practicing “Arrest first, find the charges later” tactics

Let more and more Malaysians wear yellow on Saturdays to send a loud, clear and unmistakable message to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the Barisan Nasional Cabinet and government of ever-rising crescendo of swelling public support not only for Bersih 2.0’s eight demands for free and fair elections, but also for a Clean Malaysia where there is an end to the rampant corruption, abuses of power, injustices and gross human rights violations present today.

The blemishes today why we do not have a Clean Malaysia include the gross abuses of power evident in the high-handed police actions against the peaceful Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 for free and fair elections; the unwarranted, unjustifiable and unprovoked firing of tear gas and chemically-laced water cannons against the peaceful public; arbitrary arrest of some 2,000 people; spewing of racist threats; attempt to create ethnic and religious tensions including the raising the May 13 spectre and the unjustifiable lock-down of Kuala Lumpur creating infernal traffic jams before and on the day of the rally.
Read the rest of this entry »

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DAP says RCI report tarnished party image

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
July 25, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — The DAP today continued criticising the results of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh Beng Hock’s death, claiming that the report was “inconsistent” and had affected the party’s political image.

The late Teoh’s boss, Ean Yong Hian Wah, charged that the RCI report had failed to include the fact that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation on him and Teoh had concluded that there were no “elements of corruption and abuse of power”. Read the rest of this entry »

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Jaundiced justice

By Martin Jalleh
July 23, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 23 — In the midst of a packed courtroom of members and supporters of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) many of whom wore red T-shirts, the Kuala Lumpur High Court of Justice Su Geok Yiam turned “yellow” yesterday.

Justice was compromised, as a cowed Court caved in and allowed the application by the government, police and home minister to adjourn hearing the habeas corpus applications of six PSM leaders who have been held under the Emergency Ordinance since July 2. Read the rest of this entry »

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TBH suicide/homicide? – challenge to Nazri to defend his stand

In his interview with Mingguan Malaysia today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said that the Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) case is closed and that there is no need to form another Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) because the Teoh family and the opposition had rejected the suicide conclusion of the James Foong Royal Commission of Inquiry.

The Malaysian Insider report today on Nazri’s interview with Mingguan Malaysia stated:

“He however added that although the MACC needs to revamp itself, the RCI had absolved it of murder charges and this should not be questioned further. Read the rest of this entry »

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UiTM lecturer: MACC officers should be brought to court

Bernama | Jul 24, 11
Malaysiakini

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) law lecturer Assoc Prof Abd Halim Sidek said an investigation should be carried out on the allegation by the Bar Council that Teoh Beng Hock died due to the negligence of MACC officers named in the RCI report.

“If Teoh was driven to suicide as a result of the MACC officers’ action then they must be brought to court,” he said.

“I think the Bar Council president’s statement was premature and he jumped the gun. They must be patient and wait for the investigation,” he added.

Meanwhile a member of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel, Syed Akhbar Ali, said the non-acceptance of the RCI conclusions by some could also be construed as disrespect for the laws of the country.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Teoh’s blood is on MACC’s hands

Malaysiakini Your Say | Jul 25, 11

‘Whether they committed suicide or not, MACC cannot be excused from the responsibility of having taken the lives of those two people.’

Teoh’s ‘suicide’ – fact or fantasy?

TKC: From the outset, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Teoh Beng Hock was compromised. The original terms of reference (TOF1) was only to inquire into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) procedures, but after much pressure, they included the second TOF2 to ascertain the cause of Teoh Beng Hock’s death.

Had the scope been restricted to TOF1 only, it would have been rather easy for the RCI because it was glaringly obvious that MACC procedures were rotten to the core and would require an overhaul.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia Belongs To All Malaysians

By Richard Loh

You were born in Malaysia, received a birth certificate as proof and you received an identity card upon attaining the age of twelve and with these you are a citizen of Malaysia, hence you are a Malaysian.

Why is it so hard for the ruling government to accept this simple fact and treat each and every Malaysian with fairness. Why must they keep harping about race and religion. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia , which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. Is it that difficult to run the country with this guided Constitution? Trying to misinterpret, ignoring or quote the constitution as and when it suites the government in order to hold on to power is a sure disaster.

Each time Malaysia has a new Prime Minister, Malaysians have high hope from the new PM to take the country to new heights. Each PM came in with a big bang, promising the sky and moon with each having their own slogan and using the rakyat’s money to promote it aggressively. But alas the euphoria did not last long when the NATO (no action talk only) syndrome sets in.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Angry Malaysians

CL Tang
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 24, 2011

24 JULY — Wong Chun Wai says, “Can we stop being angry people and try to make sense of the issues affecting the nation instead? Or better still, laugh at them?”; in his Sunday column, Of Angry Birds and Angry Malaysians: Sunday Star 24 July 2011.

A young man, about to become a father and a husband, saw his life tragically ended after being subjected to near inhumane interrogation by a government institution. Teoh Beng Hock was under such duress that, according to the RCI, it drove him to commit suicide. And this is someone who is apparently innocent of any wrongdoings.

An elderly lady, drenched as a result of the water cannons, walks away from a brigade of riot police, eyes stinging from tear gas. All she did was to take part in a peaceful march for electoral reforms with thousand others who suffered the same fate.

A mainstream newspaper and a so-called NGO with its bellicose leader is allowed to spew out racist rants; fan religious tensions; and spread fantastic conspiracy theories (Jewish/Communist/Christian domination, take your pick) to divert attention away from the failings of the government, with barely a murmur of disapproval from those whom we look to for protection of our shared values. Read the rest of this entry »

23 Comments

Teoh’s death: Is government really sorry?

Othman Wahab
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 24, 2011

JULY 24 — Between the reactions of Utusan Malaysia and Datuk Nazri Aziz to the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Teoh Beng Hock’s death, we can draw this common thread: there is no remorse on the part of the government for the loss of life.

Oh sure, Nazri offered his hearfelt apology after the release of the report on Thursday but that was the public relations puff. The hollowness of the apology was laid bare by what he said about Teoh’s “weak character” leading him to commit suicide.

The minister chose to misread the expert testimony by forensic psychiatrist Paul Mullen. Mullen said he did not find anything that would suggest that Teoh was suicidal or predisposed to suicide in custody. So where did Nazri pluck out this stuff about Teoh’s weak character contributing to his “suicide”.

This erroneous statement was in bad faith and calls into question how sincere the government is in offering its apologies to Teoh’s family. Read the rest of this entry »

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Suspension of 3 officers held responsible by RCI for death of TBH too little too late

Too little and too late – that’s the general public reaction to the news yesterday evening that the MACC had finally succumbed after 48 hours of public outrage and increasing public pressure and suspended three officers held responsible by the James Foong Royal Commission of Inquiry for the death of Teoh Beng Hock at the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009 from further investigation duties pending an internal probe.

According to press reports, the three MACC officers suspended are:

1. Hishammuddin Hashim [“HH”]– Negri Sembilan MACC director who was at the relevant time Deputy Director Selangor MACC and “mastermind” of the 33-officer operation based “on a mere belief and without supporting facts” (RCI report Para 184) resulting in Beng Hock’s death. Read the rest of this entry »

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Teoh’s ‘suicide’ — fact or fantasy?

By Kim Quek
July 24, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JULY 24 — The Royal Commission of Inquiry on Teoh Beng Hock’s death (RCI) says that Teoh had committed suicide.

And what had driven this promising young political aide to take his own life?

RCI provides the answer in the concluding paragraph on its probe (para 232 of RCI Report), which refers to the supposed final stage of the all-night grilling of Teoh in the MACC office on July 15, 2009: Read the rest of this entry »

20 Comments

Utusan Malaysia says normal for corruption witnesses to commit suicide

By Clara Chooi
July 24, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Utusan Malaysia today downplayed the cause of Teoh Beng Hock’s death, saying that it is common for witnesses in corruption cases to commit suicide to avoid shaming their families or organisation.

“Awang does not understand it has been made such a major issue whether a person commits suicide during or after interrogation,” Awang Selamat wrote today in Mingguan Malaysia, the Malay daily’s Sunday edition. “In many other countries, the act of sacrificing oneself is not something alien to a corruption case.”

Awang Selamat is a pseudonym under which editors of Utusan Malaysia write. Read the rest of this entry »

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Utusan defends MACC, holds DAP responsible for Teoh’s death

By Clara Chooi
July 24, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Utusan Malaysia expressed sympathy for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for bearing the brunt of the blame for Teoh Beng Hock’s death, saying today it was DAP and its adviser Lim Kit Siang who should be held responsible.

The Umno-owned daily’s editors, writing under the pseudonym Awang Selamat, accused the opposition party of tricking Malaysians into forgetting the corruption allegation against its leaders by drawing focus to Teoh’s death.

“Malaysians have been dragged too deep into this issue (Teoh’s death) until we have strayed from the actual path. The real issue — corruption — has been buried. Read the rest of this entry »

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Habeas corpus made meaningless!

P Ramakrishnan
President
Aliran
22 July 2011

Aliran is deeply disillusioned with the judiciary. Instead of depending on technicalities and loopholes in the law, it should focus on fairness and justice.

It should be prominently and predominantly concerned with freedom and human rights of the citizens. When the freedom of individuals is deprived by dubious means, the judiciary should be uncompromising in defending that freedom.

Dr Jeyakumar and his five companions have been incarcerated since 2 July 2011. Nobody believes the accusations levelled against them. The whole exercise has turned into farcical nonsense. Read the rest of this entry »

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