BMC residents take grouses to Parliament

A group of residents from Bandar Mahkota Cheras, who turned up in Parliament today, were unsuccessful in their bit to submit a memorandum to Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed.



Parliament security had initially stopped about four representatives with visitors' tags from entering the Parliament lobby before several Pakatan Rakyat MPs interfered.

Bandar Mahkota Cheras Open Access Road Committee chairman Tan Boon Wah was then allowed to go in to hand over to Mohd Zin a memorandum asking the ministry to allow the public to use the access road.

As they failed to meet the minister, the memo was instead submitted to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang (DAP- Ipoh Timor).

Meanwhile in the House, deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar conveyed the decision of speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia in chamber to reject a motion by Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Serdang) to discuss the BMC barricade fiasco.

“The matter is currently before the courts and the minister had already explained the matter in the House on May 12 and 21,” he said.

Wan Junaidi also told Teo to file another motion following the rejection by Pandikar.

Motion fails to 'satisfy' House speaker


The House broke into an uproar, however, with M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) saying that the issue must be debated according to Standing Order 18(3) if at least 15 MPs stood up in support of it.

Wan Junaidi's remark that he was not satisfied with the urgency of the issue prompted Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam) to cheekily ask what would satisfy him.

As calls from both sides continued to disrupt the proceedings, the deputy speaker sternly told all the MPs to sit down and said he did not want to hear anything more about the matter.

Expressing her disappointment on this in a press conference later, Teo noted that the court case involves BMC road developer Narajaya Sdn Bhd and Cheras-Kajang Highway concessionaire Grand Saga.

"What I raised is that we must discuss why the police and thugs are beating residents who oppose the blockade.

"This is a current issue and not what was answered by the minister is the past. Parliament should continuously be open to debate and put on record that it is concerned with the people's problems," she said.

Grand Saga has been involved in a long-running dispute over its bid to block a toll-free access road from BMC to the Cheras-Kajang Highway.

The barricade has been rebuilt on several occasions, after being torn down by residents and has resulted in several violent clashes recently between the parties as well the police.

Also present at the press conference, Kulasegaran noted that Parliament had become irrelevant due to its failure to discuss important issues involving the people.

"This morning, it was debating on the money that was spent last December (under the Supplementary Supply Bill). It should be discussing current issues affecting the people.

"Where is Parliament's friendliness? The Dewan Rakyat is for the people (but) where are the people? They are outside and the issues debated inside is irrelevant.

"If those people outside cannot come in, I really want to know what is Parliament for," he asserted.

Others at the press conference were Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), N Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai), Loh Gwo Burne (PKR- Kelana Jaya) and Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang).

Bashed up like lamp-posts

Outside the gates of Parliament, meanwhile, a small group of BMC residents had gathered to lend support the delegation led by Tan.

As about two dozen police personnel from the Dang Wangi and Sentul police districts stood close by, resident CY Lim told reporters that among the group's immediate concern is for the authorities to identify the "blackhand" behind the assault on residents as well as the police' high-handedness.

"We did not bring any weapons with us. It was those (unknown) persons who had parangs with them," said Lim.

A 36-year-old resident who identified herself only as 'Mas' and who injured her arm during the commotion on Tuesday night, described the situation as "a bad nightmare".

There were people "bashing up" the residents, smashing their cars and throwing stones at the residents, said the mother of three.

She also said she could not believe her eyes when she saw Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel smashing their batons against the residents as if they were "lamp posts".

"I've got a phobia of the FRU now because I saw with my own eyes they were bashing up people

"They were just bashing people like lamp posts. I was shocked, stunned," she said (left).

After meeting the group outside, Kit Siang called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as well as Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar to get to the bottom of the incidents on Monday and Tuesday night.

"These (incidents) are deplorable. I think both the PM and Home Minister Hamid Albar should give their personal attention because the PM promised reforms after the elections.

"He has heard the voice of the people, particularly on the judiciary, on corruption and the role of the police," he told reporters.

"These two nights have shown there is no political will ... (for) real police reform... and to prevent lawlessness. Clearly, gangsters and thugs would not come to attack people unless they are paid to do so.

"Who paid them is up to the police not only to inquire but (answer the question also as to) why they only stood by and did nothing about it. I think that is deplorable. There should be a full inquiry into this incident," he added.

Police action defended

When asked to comment, Mohd Zin told Malaysiakini that he will release a statement on this after the cabinet meeting tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Syed Hamid defended the police actions and said the residents should lodge police reports for the matter to be investigated.

"It is a longstanding problem where people are making all kinds of assumption. If there were no police, people would be angry but when the police is present and something untoward happens, they will place blame on the police.

"The best way forward is that if there is evidence of the police having acted outside the law to make a report so that we can act accordingly.

"People have to understand that sometimes the police have to act under complex and difficult circumstances," he said.

He also denied that the police had failed to intervene when residents were beaten up by alleged thugs.

"There is no truth in that. I don't think the police will watch people being hit by other people (and do nothing).

Asked if the government will act on this allegation, he said: "Of course we will look into it if there's a report made.

"But if it is simply coming out from the bloggers or from the newspapers and the police's (side of the story) is not given the same highlight as the accusations... you have to be fair and balanced.

"Give them a chance to explain and give them a chance to investigate if there's a report," he told reporters.

BMC fracas: Police beat up youth

By his account, he was only a curiosity-seeker who wanted to know what was going on at the site of a disputed barricade near Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) last night.

In no time at all, however, Chang Jiun Haur was soaked in his own blood after being repeatedly beaten by 20 riot squad (FRU) personnel armed with batons and kicked with boots.Chang, 21, his sister and two friends were driving away from the site of the barricade about 11.30pm, when their car was surrounded by police personnel who had earlier dealt with a fracas involving BMC residents.A high-ranking police officer at the scene claimed that Chang had run over a FRU personnel with his car.

“He asked for it. He ran over a policeman and he got what he deserved,” the officer told Malaysiakini a few minutes after the incident.Asked to identify the person who was hit by the car, the officer had initial difficulty in persuading the individual to come forward.

When he did so, the man - who appeared unscathed - claimed: “He tried to run me over... look at my baton, it is broken. What more evidence do you want?”However, a police officer who took Chang to the Kajang Hospital said none of the personnel had been hit by the injured man's car.Chang, when met at the hospital at 12.30am, have also denied this as well: “We had just come back (to Kuala Lumpur) from Port Dickson and wanted to see what was going on.”He was lying on a bed, with a bloodied mouth. His shirt had been torn off by the police, and his shorts were drenched in blood.

He was crying from the shock and trauma, and was unable to say much more.It is learnt that Chang was placed in the intensive care unit. The other occupants of his car were arrested last night, but were released today according to BMC Open Road Committee chairperson Tan Boon Hwa who has been keeping tabs on last night’s dramatic events.DAP Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu, who visited Chang later last night, said the police had over-reacted and that the excessive use of force could not be justified.“The police should maintain law and order and not assault people. I am disappointed. My party will provide Chang and the others with lawyers,” Liu said.According to Liu, the beating was so severe that Chang lost one or two of his teeth.

‘Journalists attacked’Chinese-language dailies reported today that more than 10 people were seriously injured in yesterday’s incident, which saw BMC residents assaulted by ‘thugs’ allegedly hired by toll concessionaire Grand Saga. However, the company has disassociated itself from the incident, also saying it does not condone violence.About 7pm yesterday, defiant residents attempted to tear down the barricade that had just been rebuilt, but were confronted by unidentified men armed with iron rods, helmets and sticks.“They attacked the residents immediately. About 10 people were assaulted, and three of them were reporters. Their cameras were confiscated as well,” claimed Tan.

Star reported that Utusan Malaysia photographer Roy Azis Abdul Aziz had been beaten up when he tried to take photos of the fracas.BMC resident Chin Kee Chong’s right arm was broken (right) and he suffered injuries to his head, while another resident - Lee Ah Seng - sustained severe injuries to his head, which required seven stitches.Some residents claimed that several policemen present during the incident had failed to intervene.Kajang police chief Shakaruddin Che Mood, however, said they were only traffic policemen whom he had sent to the area for traffic control.“They were too busy controlling traffic and could not do anything,” he told reporters, adding that five police reports have been lodged on the assault.Grand Saga has been involved in a long-running dispute over its bid to block a toll-free access road from BMC to the Cheras-Kajang Highway.

The barricade has been rebuilt on three occasions, after being torn down by residents.The Selangor menteri besar's political secretary, Nik Nazmi Nik Ali, has said that a response will be issued today over last night’s incident.

CAP: Handphones more dangerous than smoking (the Star)

GEORGE TOWN: Handphones can be more damaging to health than smoking, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) said.

CAP president SM Mohamed Idris said research by award-winning neurosurgeon Professor Dr Vini Gautam Khurana from the United States had indicated that using mobile phones for more than 10 years could double the risk of brain cancer.

Prof Khurana, who has received 14 awards over the past 16 years and has published more than three dozen scientific papers, had conducted a 15-month "critical review" of the link between mobile phones and malignant brain tumours.

The subject in the study were heavy mobile phone users who had relied on handphones for at least 10 years. "Previous studies which found no evidence of a link between mobile use and an increased risk of cancer often did not include enough long-term mobile phone users in their study samples," Mohamed Idris said.

Prof Khurana found that cancer takes at least a decade to develop.

"The incidence of malignant brain tumours and associated death rate will be observed to rise globally within a decade from now, by which time it may be far too late to intervene medically," Prof Khurana said in his report.

Prof Khurana said smoking kills some five million people worldwide each year, but three billion people now use mobile phones worldwide and the number is growing daily.

Mohamed Idris said children who used mobile phones were at greater risk because they were more susceptible to the radiation than adults.

"Parents should not allow their children to use mobile phones and consumers should use the speakerphone function, so that the phone is held more than 20cm away from the head. Use landlines whenever possible," he said.

CAP also urged the Government to take appropriate measures to address the fact that mobile phones could represent a public health time bomb.

"Government should use the mass media and run campaigns to educate and warn the public of the dangers of radiation exposure from mobile phones," Mohamed Idris said.

Prof Khurana has posted the results of his findings on www.brain-surgery.us and his research paper is currently being peer-reviewed for publication in a scientific journal.

Grand Saga: We're not involved in fracas

Toll operator Grand Saga today distanced itself from the fracas which occurred last night at the barricaded toll-free access road to the Cheras-Kajang Highway in Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC).

The fracas involved residents and several unidentified men and caused injuries to more than 10 residents, some of whom who were seriously hurt and had to be admitted to the Kajang hospital."Grand Saga wishes to state that it disassociates itself from the altercations between several parties yesterday and that it does not condone violence in any form," said the company's executive director Zainal Abidin Ali (left) in statement today."Grand Saga further wishes to extend its sympathy to the several persons who sustained injuries in the unfortunate incident," said Zainal, who is former Dang Wangi police chief.

He also said that some of its contractors were also injured while carrying out their duties yesterday, adding that a police report has been lodged on the matter.Zainal said the incident could have been instigated by certain parties and that the company would be filing a police report on that fracas.Yesterday a violent stand-off erupted when the residents decided to tear down the concrete boulders which Grand Saga had placed to block the alternate toll-free road.Tensions rose when the residents clashed with a group of men purportedly hired by Grand Saga to protect the barricade.

According to residents, about a dozen people were injured after they were assaulted by 30 'thugs'.Armed with rods and sticksBMC Open the Road Committee Tan Boon Hwa when contacted had said that he had received information that the men were armed with iron rods, helmets and sticks."At about 7pm, the thugs came and assaulted the residents who tried to bring down the barricades. There was even a female resident who was beaten up by eight thugs," Tan told Malaysiakini.

Residents too had lodged several police reports against the attacks on them.It was also learnt that two residents were admitted at Kajang hospital after suffering injuries caused by the thugs. One of them was said to have suffered facial injuries and a broken hand.Residents only dispersed from the site after 11pm after repeated requests by the police to do so.

In the meantime, the residents managed to dismantle three of four of the huge boulders.On Monday Zainal Abidin gave notice that Grand Saga would be rebuilding the barricade after having a court ruling in its favour.Its contractors then started work at 1am yesterday to build the five-foot high wall across the double-lane access road and finished their work by 3.30pm yesterday, after which the residents had gathered in big numbers and attempted to tear it down.The Selangor state government had previously shown its support for the residents and is expected to make an announcement on the matter today.

KL Bar Paintball Battle

The Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) together with the Social, Arts and Culture Committe (SAC) of the KL Bar Committee is organising a Paintball Game at Tanamera Paintball Field, in Sungai Buloh.

This will take place on Saturday 14 June 2008, from 9.30am - 5pm.

Do email Seira (seirasacha @ gmail.com) so that we can know the number of people attending.

Total cost for playing the whole day:RM85 for rental of the marker i.e. gun, face mask, 500 pellets. You can rent a “bulletproof” vest for an additional RM10. All in, you don’t need more than RM110 or so.

Meeting place:Everyone to meet at the Sungai Buloh jejantas restaurant at 9am. Alternatively, you can follow the directions below and meet at Tanamera itself at 9.30am sharp.Directions: Take the NKVE (the highway that passes in front of One Utama, the Curve, etc) towards Sungai Buloh. After the toll (RM1.60), take the left exit heading for Sungai Buloh. Warning - the Sungai Buloh turnoff is a bit confusing - it seems to suddenly appear but there is a U-turn up ahead. Then go straight down the road for approximately 8km and turn left at the junction with the red sign that reads “Tanamera”.

What to wear: Army camo gear. Failing which, dark (or army camouflage) long sleeved t-shirt, dark long pants (track pants or cargo pants will do), and hiking boots or sports shoes. Don't wear your nicest pair of sports shoes, they are going to get muddied and the soles might drop off. You may also want to bring along a cap and/or bandanna.

Do bring: A change of clothes, water and/or 100-plus, mosquito repellant

Lai Chee Hoe

ChairSocial,

Arts and Culture Committee

Govt keen to open up legal sector to foreign firms (The Star)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is keen on opening up the legal sector to international foreign firms particularly in specialised areas।

In an immediate response, the Bar Council said it was ready to open up in "permitted practice areas" and believed that liberalisation of the legal sector is something inevitable in today's age of globalisation।

At a press conference Monday, de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said liberalising the legal profession has been talked about for a long time but it is time now "to put more energy and urgency" into it in view of the global economy

"We must allow the realities of the market place to be a factor in our decision to open up। How do we retain our best lawyers if we don't have international law firms in our country?

"If we can have some well known international names here, then perhaps we can keep them (our lawyers) here। We must open up. We must have a competition policy. We must have freer trade and environment," he said, urging the Bar Council to sit down and focus on this again.

Zaid said that if Malaysia wanted to bring in big foreign investments and multinationals, it was important to open up the financial services sector and the legal profession।

"It is not the number of lawyers but the skills that we need to build up this country। The big foreign MNCs and big banks normally want to use lawyers that they feel will suit their needs.

"We cannot keep thinking of our own self-interest। We have to think in terms of the interest of the country," he said, adding that countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait had opened up their legal sector and reaped benefits from it through huge investments.

"If we want to continue to forge ahead and develop, then we should open up," adding that joint-ventures with the foreign firms might be one of the approaches।

Zaid said local law firms should not be afraid of the liberalisation because it would not impinge on their business।

He said this was because the liberalisation would be in selected specialised areas like intellectual property, maritime law, structured finance, banking and aviation law।

"We are not saying we are going to open up everything। Most international foreign firms are not interested in the small firms' businesses.

"Local firms business will not be jeopardised in areas where our standards are high," he said, adding that when foreign law firms were operating here this would also open up employment opportunities for local lawyers and for them to gain expertise।

Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said they are prepared for foreign firms to come in particularly in corporate transactions।

"It's inevitable। There are no two ways about it," she said, adding that the Bar Council had drafted up rules on the "permitted practice areas" that could be opened up.

The areas are transactions involving international capital market, asset securitisation which goes beyond the (yet to be determined) stipulated amount, transactions governed by foreign laws and those involving the Malaysian International Islamic Financial Centre (MIFC)।

She said they were keen in joint-ventures between foreign and local firms in the MIFC but Bank Negara had asked to consider allowing standalone foreign firms and "we are looking at this proposal।"

She said the Bar Council was working closely with the International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in liberalising the legal sector to deal with trade negotiations like the Free Trade Agreements and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)।

She said the Bar Council also reserved the right to increase the areas to be opened up.
"We are ready। We accept that we must be global," she said, adding that with the MIFC the opening up would be "faster than we think", possibly within a year.

She said the ultimate goal was to strike a balance by meeting the challenges of globalisation while at the same time promoting the interest of the local law firms.

Should Anwar apologise? (Malaysiakini)

In a recent interview in The Star, Haris Ibrahim, the initiator behind the People's Parliament, made an intriguing observation। He said that he would like to hear PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim apologise for all his actions (and inactions) during his 16 years in government."My contention is very simple," he says. "Tell this nation, 'I was wrong. I am sorry and I want to work with you', and I think we can move forward."Haris added that he had been tracking Anwar's public statements for the last few years and he has yet to see him make an unqualified apology to the nation.The question of whether Anwar should admit and apologise for certain mistakes or wrongdoings is all the more relevant now that there is a serious possibility he might become the next prime minister if his Pakatan Rakyat coalition takes over power.Anwar is no angel nor is he a saint. During his time in the upper echelons of the Umno leadership, and especially as deputy prime minister, he was guilty of doing many of the things he now criticises.His maneuverings to control the media is well-known in journalism circles. He also allowed for undeserved appointments to top positions in public universities. And he also had his fair share of corporate cronies, details of which can be found in KS Jomo's book ‘Malaysia's Political Economy’.While Anwar has, on occasion, bucked the Umno way, for example when he spoke up for Lim Guan Eng over his sedition trial and subsequent prosecution, these instances were few and far between and are vastly outnumbered by the times when he made use of the system rather than go against it.Anwar has been questioned on his role within the administration time and again after his release from prison. In many of these interviews, most notably on BBC's ‘Hardtalk’, he was evasive rather than frank and never once did he own up to his mistakes. As long as he refuses to come to terms with his Umno past, this matter will keep cropping up.An admission and apology will get this monkey off his back and enable him to start off on a clean slate. In the United States, it's not uncommon for politicians to apologise for their actions in the past. For example, many political and even religious leaders have apologised for their actions (and non-actions) during the tumultuous and historic civil rights movement in the 1960s.Anwar can do the same but we don't think he will. There are two possible reasons for this. Firstly, he might have the ‘George W Bush Syndrome’ of not wanting to ever admit to any mistakes, much less wrongdoings. Secondly, he might not want to give ammunition to his enemies in Umno.Love means not having to say you're sorryCasting himself as a victim of the system (which he certainly was) rather than someone who was complicit in its actions for a long period of time (which he also was) has not harmed his international reputation. But there are enough people in this country who have a knee-jerk distrust of – and in some cases, disdain for – him. For that reason, he should own up and apologise.The ‘George W Bush Syndrome’ - he has to grapple with on his own. We can't help him there. But if he's afraid that Umno will be able to exploit any mea culpa about past mistakes, we believe it's totally possible for him to apologise in such a way that gives nothing to his enemies.Anwar could say that he was misled, that he was sucked into the system, that it was a shortcoming on his part to succumb to Umno's ways. He could then say that after suffering through six years of jail and experiencing firsthand just how unfair the system is, he is now a truly changed man. He can then vow never to do such things again. Such a move would warm the hearts of the people who still don't trust him, including Haris Ibrahim.Perhaps the best opportunity for him to do this would be when (or rather, if) he manages to take over the government. It would make sense for him to do so from a position of strength. An admission of guilt, a heartfelt apology, and then the unveiling of a grand vision for the future would be an excellent start for an Anwar administration.While we believe he probably can topple the current government in due time, we don't think he will ever apologise for past mistakes. Nothing in his public statements or demeanor suggests he will. For Anwar, sorry seems to be the hardest word.He probably believes that if he makes all the key reforms he has promised – such as dismantling the Internal Security Act, freeing up the media, replacing the New Economic Policy with something more inclusive – it would be enough to secure his legacy. It's said that love means not ever having to say you're sorry. Anwar probably thinks this applies to politics as well.Anwar may suffer from the ‘George W Bush Syndrome’ but he also has a ‘Nelson Mandela Complex’. If he wants to be seen as the great leader that he potentially could be, it would do well for him to be big-hearted enough to admit that he was wrong in the past and to apologise for his mistakes.

Be prepared for snap polls, officers told

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has informed its officers to be prepared for a snap election, said chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman.
Stressing that he was not one to speculate, Abdul Rashid said the EC was prepared “for anything” and was capable of handling a snap election as it had all necessary infrastructure in place.
In an interview with mStar Online yesterday, he revealed that after the post-mortem of the 12th General Election, he had instructed all returning officers (RO) to be prepared for any eventuality.
Similarly, the 140,000 people involved in the general election have also been advised to not refuse when called upon again for duty in the event of a snap election.
“But I don’t want to speculate, and it is not for us to speculate, but we are prepared for anything. In the past two months of meeting with the ROs, I’ve already told them to be prepared as it may be called anytime,” he said.
Abdul Rashid was responding to talk on recent events that have led to speculations of Umno members defecting from the party en masse and even party hopping following Barisan Nasional's dismal showing in the elections.
Various parties have since come forward in favour of an anti-hopping law proposed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim in March।

In the same light, tension has been fuelled in Barisan following the shocking announcement of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation from Umno on Monday।

Political observer Dr Chandra Muzaffar said the possibility of a snap election in the near future could not be dismissed।

“However, I do not consider it as a serious possibility, only that in politics, such possibilities cannot not be rejected outright,” he said।

Universiti Putra Malaysia political communications lecturer Associate Prof Dr Abdul Muati @ Zamri Ahmad said it was possible a snap election could take place if MPs were to cross over.

The Rule of Law (by Mahathir Mohamad)

Malaysia is a country which practices the rule of law. Our laws must cover every aspect of our societal life, so we will know exactly what we can do and what we cannot do. Prime Ministers in particular must have everything spelt out for them in this respect.

This will enable them to be charged if they had breached the rule of law long after they had retired. Governments, serving Prime Ministers and Ministers are well placed to initiate action against others. But when the Government, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister do something wrong, like cover-ups for example, then police reports may be made against them. But how can the person reporting be sure that the police will investigate without fear or favour. I believe some reports have been made but so far there have been no results. Public confidence would be undermined if investigations by the proper authorities are not made.

If the investigation is only to clear the name, then can we say the rule of law is being properly practised? We therefore need to have more Royal Commissions manned by people of impeccable character like the ones on the Lingam tapes. The Commissions can then make proposals based on speculations and possibilities can then investigate the possibilities and probabilities and help clear those in power. When this is done we can say that this beloved country practises the rule of law

Live bullet sent to Karpal

DAP leader and member of Parliament Karpal Singh received a live bullet in an envelope at his law firm in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

The live bullet was accompanied with a note warning him against speaking out on the controversial issues of Malay rights and the constitutional powers of the sultans.“Kalau tak berhenti, peluru ini akan melekat pada kepala dahi kau!” (If you don’t stop, this bullet will be lodged in your forehead).

The one-page note, printed in Bahasa Malaysia, added that this was the “first warning”.The wheelchair-bound politician lodged a police report over the death threat at 5pm at Dang Wangi police station.Met at the police station later this evening, Karpal told reporters that the envelope was hand-delivered to his receptionist at 12.30pm.

“The man was wearing a helmet and he had his visors drawn down. He left hurriedly,” he said, adding that the police have confirmed that bullet was a 9mm ‘live bullet’. When quizzed by reporters, Karpal said he had no clue who the culprits were and would not rule out that the incident could be politically motivated. “It is difficult for me to say, but based on the wordings of the note, it appears to have political motives,” he said. Will seek police protection ‘if necessary’The DAP chairperson and criminal lawyer found himself some unwanted attention recently when some of the remarks he had made concerning the royalty had come under the spotlight.

Over the past week, the renowned lawyer has had 20 police reports lodged against him after he had said the Sultan of Perak had acted unconstitutionally in the transfer of a religious department official and criticised Regent of Kelantan's message at a forum last month.Karpal, who is member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor in Penang, added that he would consider asking for police protection in the future “if necessary”. Asked if the incident would change his stand on the Perak Sultan’s recent order for the Religious Department Director Jamry Sury to be reinstated, Karpal said he issue had been deemed settled.

He said that he and other quarters have all voiced their arguments and that there was no need to prolong the debate any further. Veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang described the incident as deplorable and urged the police to get to the bottom of the matter. “This sort of things should not happen in a country like Malaysia,” said Lim, who were among four DAP MPs to accompanied Karpal to the police station, including his son Gobind who is Puchong MP.

Mokhzani quits Umno

KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman and former Youth wing treasurer Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir announced Wednesday that he was quitting Umno.

His announcement comes two days after his father Dr Mahathir resigned from the party.

On Tuesday, Umno Youth exco member and Jerlun MP Datuk Mukhriz, who is also Mokhzani's brother, had announced that he will not quit the party.

He however called on Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign.

Mukhriz not quitting, urges PM to step down

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth executive council member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said he is not resigning from Umno, but reiterated his call for Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi to step down as prime minister and party president.


The Jerlun MP, who is expected to contest for the post of Umno Youth chief in December, had previously called for Abdullah to step down after the March 8 polls that saw the Barisan Nasional coalition losing its two-thirds majority in Parliament.


On Monday, Mukhriz's father, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, resigned from the party, citing his dissatisfaction over the current leadership.


He urged other Umno members to also leave until there was a change in party leadership.
Father and son have both attributed -- directly in the case of the former -- Barisan's disappointing performance in the 12th general election to Abdullah.


After the polls, Mukhriz had written a letter to Abdullah urging him to take responsibility for the dismal results, but later denied that he had asked the Prime Minister to quit.


In April, Mukhriz said that a party leadership change should occur by the end of the year so that a tense contest can be avoided during the Umno annual assembly in December.


He said any contest during party polls could further fracture the party, and urged Abdullah to hand over the reins to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.


On Monday, former premier Dr Mahathir announced that he would be quitting the party, much to the surprise of party members nationwide.

Ex-No 1 Umno member continues attack on PM

A day after he quit the party which he has been a member since its foundation 62 years ago, Dr Mahathir Mohamad continued his attack against his successor-turned-nemesis, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

In his latest salvo, the former prime minister zeroed in on Iraq’s oil-for-food scandal which had embroiled his ex-deputy, Abdullah, four years ago.In a blog posting today, Mahathir had demanded to know whether Abdullah’s involvement in the scandal constituted “lobbying, corruption or abuse of power”.In 2004, Malaysiakini revealed several Malaysians, including one ‘Abdullah Badawi’, had gained illegal financial benefit from deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in an illicit deal involving the United Nations-administered oil-for-food programme.

According to the 2004 report by the United States’ Iraq Survey Group, Abdullah was given vouchers in 2000 to sell two million barrels of Iraqi oil. It was estimated that the profit could be as high as 65 cents per barrel.It added that Abdullah - through a company called Tradeyear - had sold 1,949,900 barrels, making a tidy profit of as much as US$1.3 million.Also named in the report was state-owned oil company Petronas, a former Malaysian ambassador, two other Malaysian companies and an Iraqi, who was described as an immigrant to Malaysia.Abdullah had denied knowledge of the scam, arguing that he as deputy premier then had written letters of recommendations for his in-laws.

Close relatives implicated

A year later, another report said it found ‘no evidence’ that Abdullah had profited from the programme, but it nevertheless implicated two of his close relatives.The duo were identified as Faek Ahmad Shareef and Noor Asiah Mahmood.Faek, an Iraqi immigrant, was married to Abdullah’s sister-in-law - a sister of the premier’s late wife, Endon Mahmood - but the couple had divorced later. Meanwhile, Noor Asiah is another Endon's sister.It claimed that the duo via a Malaysian trading company called Mastek, paid a whopping US$10 million to Saddam’s regime for the single largest oil allocation under the UN-administered oil-for-food programme.

“Supposing a deputy prime minister writes a letter of recommendation for his sister-in-law to an official or minister of another country who could be expected to take a serious view of the recommendation because the writer is a deputy prime minister of a friendly country and the recommendation is for his sister-in-law, does this constitute lobbying, or corruption or abuse of power,” asked Mahathir.“We need to know if they were written before, can action be taken against them now since we are now taking action on things which happened in the past.”Mahathir appeared to refer to the Lingam Tape Royal Commission report which last week recommended that the former premier and five others should be investigated for their role in a judicial fixing scandal.

Umno MPs stay united behind Abdullah

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi held an impromptu 35-minute meeting today with the majority of Umno MPs in Parliament to discuss current issues affecting the party.

The Umno president did not speak to reporters after the meeting but Pontian member of Parliament Ahmad Mazlan said that Abdullah had discussed about Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sudden resignation from the party for the first five minutes only.

Abdullah, who is also prime minister, dedicated the rest of the meeting to other matters involving the party and the revival of the Umno Parliamentarians Group.
Ahmad, also the Barisan Backbenchers Club information chief, said that there were no calls made by the parliamentarians for Abdullah to step down. He also said that the MPs had expressed their support for Abdullah.

On the Umno Parliamentarians Group, Ahmad said it would be headed by Anifah Aman, who is the Kimanis MP. He will also be tasked with representing the Umno MPs in Parliament.

Mukhriz absent

One notable absentee from the meeting was Jerlun MP and Mahathir's son Mukhriz. He is expected to call for a press conference later this evening to explain his stand on his fathers’ resignation.

Other notable absentees were Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (who is at the World Economic Forum in Egypt) and International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (who is leading a trade and investment mission in the United States).

Mahathir yesterday announced that he was quitting the party in protest against Abdullah's weak leadership.

The former Umno president had urged other party members and leaders to follow him and return only when Abdullah has stepped down.

Abdullah yesterday rejected that call, adding that he had the support of the members and would continue to lead the party as he still had a lot of work to do.

At a press conference after the meeting, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Umno parliamentarian Mohd Nazri Abudl Aziz said that all Umno MPs wanted to move on with their tasks.

"No one is bigger than the party and we (Umno MPs) just want to move on. We have also given our support to Abdullah to continue as party chief," he said.

He added that crises such as Mahathir's resignation was nothing new to Umno and it will only

make the party stronger "No one will leave Umno," he said.

The premier is expected to hold another meeting tomorrow with BN MPs and ministers to discuss and debate the impact of Mahathir's resignation.

Shahrir: Prepare for another general election

In the wake of the shocking news that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had quit Umno, a senior party leader said that the country could face another general elections.

Shahrir Samad, the minister for domestic trade and consumer affairs, said Mahathir's surprise move could trigger a flurry of resignations from the embattled party that could force Abdullah to hold fresh general elections.

"By Tun doing this it could cause a situation where many other Umno lawmakers might resign," he said, using Mahathir's honorific title.

"If this happens then the government has no choice but to form a new government or call a fresh general election," Shahrir told AFP.

"Certainly it is not helpful or constructive to the struggle of Umno right now," he said, as the party fends off a challenge from opposition figurehead Anwar Ibrahim who says he could soon seize power with the help of defectors.

Shahrir, who is Johor Baru parliamentarian and Umno supreme council member, said that while Anwar was threatening to snatch lawmakers from the smaller parties with which Umno rules in coalition, Mahathir could chip away at the ranks of the ruling party itself.

"This will be a reduction of the number of Umno lawmakers which is the ruling party of the present government," he said.

"I suppose it is Mahathir's way of trying to force a call for a referendum from the grassroots."
The Star's website quoted Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib as saying he was surprised at Mahathir's abrupt departure.

"Every member has the right to join or leave the party," he said.

Asked whether Umno would convene an emergency meeting in response to the move, he said that "we will wait and see".

Son: Mahathir to send letter to Umno sec-gen

Mahathir, 82, joined Umno at its inception in 1946 and he has weathered a number of storms including his expulsion from the party in 1969 and a 1988 crisis when Umno was declared illegal."Mahathir has resigned from Umno in protest over Pak Lah's continued leadership as both the prime minister and president of Umno," Mokhzani Mahathir told AFP, referring to Abdullah by his nickname.

"He will also write a letter to the Umno secretary-general to inform him of his resignation," he said, adding that Mahathir announced his departure during a speech today in Alor Star, the capital of his home state Kedah.

"He made it clear at the gathering at Alor Star that he is resigning in protest over the current leadership," he said.

Mahathir ruled Malaysia and the dominant Umno for 22 years until 2003 when he handed over to Abdullah, his hand-picked successor.

However in recent times he has been a vocal critic of Abdullah's administration and since disastrous March general elections, which produced Umno's worst ever results, has actively campaigned for him to step down.

Mahathir quits Umno

Former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad today announced that he was quitting Umno with immediate effect and urged other members to emulate him.

He said he was quitting the party, which he led for almost 22 years until handing over the reins to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2003, as a sign of no confidence in his successor's leadership."I will only come back to the party when there is a change in leadership," the ex-premier told a crowd at a forum in his home state of Kedah this morning.

He also called on all Umno ministers, deputy ministers and all levels of party leaders to join him in quitting the party.However, he asked these members not to join other political parties."Wait 'till Abdullah quit as the prime minister and party president and then we can return to Umno," he said.Abdullah's most vocal critic

Mahathir, 82, joined Umno at its inception in 1946 and in recent years has been Abdullah's most vocal critic.

He entered active politics as a member of Parliament for Kedah's Kota Star Selatan in 1964.

He lost the seat in the disastrous 1969 general elections, and was expelled from the party after attacking then president and prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.Mahathir was invited back into the party by second prime minister, Abdul Razak, and re-elected to Parliament in 1974 for the seat of Kubang Pasu, also in Kedah.

Soon after he was appointed education minister. Within four years he was deputy leader of the party, and in 1981, became prime minister.

Waythamoorthy: I'll be back

The following is the full statement from Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy on the revocation of his passport at London’s Gatwick Airport two weeks ago.


I was travelling back to London from Geneva after the Hindraf briefing with the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights on April 21, 2008 and was totally shocked to be informed by the UK immigration officer at Gatwick Airport that the Malaysian government had revoked my passport thus making me de facto stateless.


I see only one purpose. The Malaysian government had intended that I be deported back to Malaysia by the British authorities so that I too could be arrested under the draconian Internal Security Act and be detained for unspecified period of time without trial and be subject to torture and inhumane treatment for my political beliefs.


I have not committed any offence or crime other than to champion the cause of the systematically marginalised, discriminated and alienated ethnic Indian community in Malaysia who remained a permanently colonised community despite achieving independence 51 years ago. It is most distressing to learn that, the land that my forefathers toiled as indentured labourers and one that I had been made citizen by the will of the unavoidable circumstances has decided to banish and exile me for speaking and advocating the truth that was never spoken off before.


The government has once again acted according to its whims and fancy without a second thought of the public or for the good of the public. The Malaysian government repetitively had oppressed, suppressed and persecuted all causes of Hindraf by their act of totalitarianism from the very beginning but nevertheless the will and spirit of the Hindraf supporters have been the beacon of hope for the new strength founded upon our new found ‘Makkal Sakthi’ (people’s power).


The callous and cowardly acts of the government against me not only undermine their credibility domestically but also internationally. The government needs to realise that the Malaysian public can no longer be cowed as the public are no longer the sheep that begets the government wolves. The government may use its best weapon in attempting to stall and break me but they fail to realise that I derive my strength from my ‘Makkal Sakthi’, and that is all that I need to carry on the torch and fight for the unjust cause of the ethnic Indians in Malaysia even if it means championing my cause from exile.


As much as I have been coerced, castigated by the Malaysian government, so have the Hindraf supporters. Hindraf supporters have shown unprecedented courage and character for the truth. It only motivates me further to pursue our goals. They will never break my spirit The revocation of my passport is probably the last ditch desperate effort by the Malaysian government in crippling my international lobby for the cause of the Indian Malaysians.



This unwarranted act has given me a greater "inner" strength to continue to fight for the struggle of Indian Malaysians and for the unconditional release of my fellow brothers held unjustly in Kamunting.


The government can unleash all the man made mechanism to stifle and silence me, but I have the backing of ‘Makkal Sakthi’ and that alone is sufficient for me to continue my fight for the people. In ‘Makkal Sakthi’, I have found the truthness of my cause for the people. In today's world, utterance of truth is seen as a revolutionary action, and my quest for the truth is considered as a hindrance for the government. My judge is the people not the government. I will continue this struggle until my last breath. They may break me but they will never be able to break my will and spirit that is derived from the people for the truth is in it.I shall continue the struggle for the "freedom" of the ethnic Indian Malaysians from London and urge all Hindraf supporters to remain calm as they have always been. I shall forever remain a loyal Malaysian and will return to Malaysia soon to continue and accomplish what I had started.

Commission: Act against Dr M & Co

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the VK Lingam video clip has recommended that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad be investigated under various laws for his role in the appointment of judges.

Other luminaries to face investigation are former chief justices Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim and Eusoff Chin, senior lawyer VK Lingam, former minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and business tycoon Vincent Tan.

This was revealed by de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim in Putrajaya today after announcing the cabinet has decided that appropriate action would be taken against the said individuals.

In its 191-page report, the commission recommended that they be investigated under a slew of laws - Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act, Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Legal Profession Act.

Zaid said the cabinet has agreed for the Attorney General's Chambers to institute immediate investigations against the six.

'AG will have to investigate'

"The report is advisory in nature so (the AG) will have to investigate them later," he said.
Photocopies of several pages of the report were also distributed to the media which stated the commission’s final analysis after considering all evidence:

"We are of the view that there was conceivably an insidious movement by VK Lingam with covert assistance of his close friends Vincent Tan and Tengku Adnan Mansor to involve themselves actively in the appointment of judges, in particular the appointment of Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as President of the Court of Appeal, and subsequently as the Chief Justice."
The much-anticipated royal commission report was finally revealed by the minister after the media ran several speculative pieces on its findings.

Commission chairperson Haidar Mohd Noor submitted the report to the King last Friday.
Earlier, Zaid said the government has also decided to release the commission's report to the public.

The four-volume report will be sold at RM542.10 and be available next week from the government printers.

While volume one - which is the report itself - has only 191 pages, volume two containing the notes of evidence is 1,187 pages long, while volume three contains all the statutory declarations submitted to the commission (513 pages) and the final volume contains the exhibits (998 pages).

'Gov't committed and serious'

In the brief press conference, Zaid also said: "The government is committed and serious about restoring the rule of law and bringing confidence back into the judiciary in making sure that the selection of judges and high officers are done in a transparent way so we can minimise the shortcomings and weaknesses in the past.

He added that the government is now in the process of preparing necessary laws for the establishment of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).

"The government also proposes to include the recognition of ‘judicial power’ as proposed by the commission," he said.However, the royal commission is against the setting up of a Judicial Complaints Tribunal to look into complaints related to misbehaviour by judges and judicial officers.

Zaid later urged the media and public to allow the investigation process to proceed uninterrupted without undue pressure or prejudice.

In January, former Chief Judge of Malaya Haidar led a five-member commission to investigate the controversial video clip allegedly showing Lingam brokering judicial appointments with former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz over the telephone.

After conducting the inquiry for 17 days with 21 witnesses called, the commission took almost three months to come up with the voluminous report.

In a related development, the Prime Minister’s Department today filed a police report against several newspapers for publishing details of the commission’s report before it was made public.
The Star, New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Sin Chew Daily had earlier published reports revealing the commission’s findings and recommendations.

Commission: Act against Dr M, 5 others (Malaysiakini)

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video clip has recommended that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad be investigated under various laws for his role in the appointment of judges.

Other persons also named to face possible action are former chief justices Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim and Eusoff Chin, senior lawyer VK Lingam, former minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and business tycoon Vincent Tan.In its 191-page report, the commission recommended that they be investigated under a slew of laws - Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act, Penal Code and obstruction of justice.

De facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim today said that the cabinet has directed the Attorney General's Chambers to institute immediate investigations against the six.Earlier, Zaid said that the government has decided to release the commission's report to the public.The four-volume report will be sold at RM542.10 and be available next week.While volume one - which is the report itself - has only 191 pages, volume two containing the notes of evidence is 1,187-page long, while volume three has all the statutory declarations submitted to the commission (513 pages) and the final volume contains the exhibits (998 pages).

Copies of the report were not distributed to the media today but a ministerial aide read out one paragraph."We are of the view that there was conceivably an insidious movement by VK Lingam with covert assistance of his close friends Vincent Tan and Tengku Adnan Mansor to involve themselves actively in the appointment of judges, in particular the appointment of Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as President of the Court of Appeal, and subsequently as the Chief Justice."

Waytha's passport revoked: Amnesty

The government has revoked the passport of a Hindu Rights Action Force chairperson P Waythamoorthy, Amnesty International said on Thursday.

Waythamoorthy, who has been living in London since he fled the country in December, has sought asylum in Britain, Amnesty's Washington-based Asia-Pacific advocacy director T Kumar told AFP.The activist had planned to visit Washington for talks with leaders of the US Congress and Amnesty and other rights groups, "but it has been put off because of his passport's cancelation", Kumar said.Waythamoorthy had sought the talks to highlight alleged discriminatory policies against minority ethnic Indian Malaysians as well as the arrest under the powerful Internal Security Act of five senior Hindraf members at home.

The five, who led a massive anti-discrimination rally in Kuala Lumpur in November, are being held without trial and for an indefinite period.Kumar said Waythamoorthy only became aware of his passport's revocation when he returned to London from Geneva after talks recently with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights."He was shocked to be informed by British immigration officers that Kuala Lumpur has revoked his passport," Kumar said. "This makes him de facto stateless.""This is the first time I have heard of a political activist's passport being revoked by his own country's government," he said.

Kumar called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to give a "full explanation on the rationale for the cancellation."Asylum applicationThe British authorities will hold hearings to consider Waythamoorthy's application for political asylum, he said.Waythamoorthy said in a statement to Amnesty that the Malaysian government revoked his passport in the belief that the British authorities would deport him to Kuala Lumpur where he could be arrested under the Internal Security Act.

"This unwarranted act has given me greater 'inner' strength to continue to struggle for the Malaysian Indians and for the unconditional release of my fellow brothers held unjustly under the Internal Security Act," he said.Malaysia's highest court on Wednesday refused to release the five activists, including a newly sworn-in state lawmaker.Ethnic Indians make up less than eight percent of the 27 million population of the mainly Muslim-Malay country.Lawyers for the five said they would appeal on Monday for the Federal Court to review its decision.Rights groups say 70 people, mainly alleged Islamic militants, are being held under the Internal Security Act.

Petrol bombs thrown at DAP HQ in Ipoh (Malaysiakini)

Three homemade Molotov cocktails were hurled at DAP’s Perak headquarters in Ipoh early this morning but no one was hurt from the attack.
MCPXIn the 2.20am incident, two persons on a motorbike with helmets were spotted hurling the fire bombs outside the DAP office.One of the bombs broke the glass of the office’s window which was located on the second floor of the two-storey shoplot, a stone throw away from the Perak state assembly building.However, the bombs bounced off the window as it had been boarded off and they fell onto the street below.A security guard at a school opposite the building who witnessed the attack had lodged a police report this morning.DAP state leader and senior executive councillor Ngeh Koo Ham told Malaysiakini that he believed the attack was politically motivated."However, I cannot comment if this was related to Karpal," he said when asked whether the incident was connected to the controversy over DAP chairman Karpal Singh's questioning regarding the limits of the sultans' constitutional powers.

Ong: I've nothing to do with snoop squad (Malaysiakini)

MCA president Ong Ka Ting today dismissed accusations that he had set up a snoop team to spy on rival party leaders.

MCPX"This is an unsubstantiated allegation which was widely publicised. There is no truth in it at all," he said in a statement released after his meeting with a specially formed three-member panel to look into the snoop squad allegation."I have nothing to do with it. The allegation is totally baseless," he said.Ong had met the panel, headed by Sak Cheng Lum with Michael Chen and Roger Tan being the other two members, for about an hour in Parliament.

Chen told reporters at the MCA headquarters in Jalan Ampang that the party president explained his role in the various allegations made to the panel by MCA Petaling Jaya Utara adviser Wong Leong last Tuesday.Wong had claimed that party president Ong Ka Ting had set up the squad to expose the private lives of certain leaders who could threaten his position.He also named MCA Youth chief and Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wee Jeck Seng and former Gerakan Belia Bersatu leader Tee Ann Chuan as being members of the snoop squad.He further alleged that Tee was under Ong's payroll for RM10,000 per month for the snooping purpose.

Both Liow and Wee have denied the accusations.Political smearToday Ong stressed that Wong's allegations were politically motivated and a smearing campaign undertaken to disrepute him in the run up to the party polls later this year."There is no truth that I paid Tee. The allegations are totally baseless," he repeated.He also said that he acted under the mandate granted by the party to pick candidates for the March 8 general election.His detractors have claimed that he has picked wrong candidates for the election and that had caused the party to suffer a humiliating blow in the polls.Ong said that the allegations made against him were defamatory in nature and that he was reserving his right to initiate legal action.

Character assassination

Meanwhile Liow met the panel for about 30 minutes and after his meeting he too issued a statement denying his alleged role in the snoop squad."These are serious allegations and I deny outright my involvement in it (snoop squad)," he said.He said that the allegations amounted to "character assassination and dirty tricks to achieve personal agenda".

CLP exams to be abolished (Malaysiakini)

De facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim said the Certificate of Legal Pratice (CLP) will be abolished and replaced with the Common Bar Course (CBC) and Common Bar Examination (CBE).The Legal Profession Qualifying Board is working on various measures in this direction and a thorough study of the implementation of the CBC is in its final stage, he said.

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby today, Zaid said details will be revealed in two months after the CBC committee - set up to conduct the study - completes its report. “This is part of efforts to improve the (standard of) legal practice,” he replied, when asked if this is part of the judicial reforms he had pledged upon assuming office in March.

Zaid had called the press conference to explain a parliamentary written reply he had issued to Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) today. Karpal asked whether the government plans to scrap the CLP, which was implemented in 1984.Passing the CLP is a compulsory pre-requirement for graduates with a Bachelor of Laws degree from universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and certain universities in Australia and New Zealand.

The examination is conducted once a year. Candidates are examined on general aspects of law, civil procedure, criminal procedure, evidence and professional practice.Once the government replaces the CLP with CBE - now used to examine students in UK who want to be barristers - it will standardise the requirement for both local and overseas law graduates. Students have long complained of the high rate of failure in the CLP examination, for which a strict quota of passes is set each year.

The CLP has also been tarnished by a scandal, where question papers were found to have been sold to students six years ago. Allegations also arose late last year that there is a bumiputra quota set aside for passes but the claim was denied by the Legal Professional Qualifying Board.

'Enhancing quality'

Elaborating on the CBC committee, Zaid said it is led by an in-house consultant-cum-adviser appointed by the board.It comprises representatives of the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bar Council and Malaysian Qualification Agency as well as a senior lawyer.“The CBC and CBE will be managed by a non-profit organisation that will supported by the government,” the minister stated in his written reply to Karpal.Zaid also noted that the CBC committee has been advised to follow the model of the Bar Vocational Course in the United Kingdom.

He added that local universities have agreed to be part of the implementation of the CBC course.The minister said the government will make a further announcement when the study is completed.“When the CBE is (implemented), it will ensure a uniform standard which will enhance the quality of legal practitioners, whether in the public or private sectors,” Zaid added in the reply.There are currently about 13,000 lawyers in the country.

BMC residents doused and gassed (Malaysiakini)

The tranquil suburb of Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) descended into chaos last night when police doused some 500 residents with water cannons and fired dozens of tear gas canisters into the crowd.During the melee, Segambut member of parliament Lim Lip Eng and BMC Open Road Committee chairperson Tan Boon Hwa were allegedly assaulted by plainclothes police officers.


The incident occurred shortly after Lim arrived at the scene at about 10pm to lend support to the residents who had gathered at the Bandar Tun Hussien Onn intersection of the Kajang-Cheras Highway.The highway concessionaire Grand Saga Sdn Bhd was in the midst of erecting a concrete barrier - for the third time - aimed at thwarting the BMC residents from entering the intersection and thus bypassing a toll booth on the highway.This resulted in commuters having to travel an additional six kilometre and pay Grand Saga 90 sen toll for every trip [see Google map below].At the time when Lim came to the area, the police were keeping a close watch on the residents who were gathering around Grand Saga employees working on the concrete barricade.


Lim had approached Grand Saga workers and the police to find out who was in charge of the construction work. After failing to get answers, he decided to remove the wires from the machines used by construction workers to weld the steel rods to reinforce the concrete barrier (left).'I was maced, beaten'Without the welding machines, Grand Saga workers withdrew, prompting residents to surge past riot police cordons and destroying the partly-completed barrier with their bare hands in a matter of minutes.The jubilant crowd later tossed Lim into the air several times but the mood soured seconds later when the riot police issued warnings for the crowd to disperse.Suddenly some 50 riot police took up attacking positions and there was a brief stand-off with the residents with only what remains of the barrier separating the authorities and the residents.


What followed was utter chaos when Lim tried to stop a water cannon truck from advancing by standing in front of the truck.According to Lim (photo, left), several plainclothes officers forcibly removed him and a melee ensued."They dragged me aside and sprayed mace on my face. I couldn't see. Then they punched me and kicked me," he told reporters about two hours after the incident.Selangor state executive councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah who was also at the scene told reporters that the Lim's beating only stopped when the police were told he was a parliamentarian.

Beaten in front of reportersLim, a trained lawyer, is a well-known figure among the residents as he has been serving as the legal advisor for the BMC Open Road Committee.Meanwhile, committee chairperson Tan was among the crowd at the time of the fracas. Upon seeing Lim being assaulted, he rushed forward to aid him.For his efforts, Tan too was allegedly assaulted and later arrested. Eyewitnesses claimed that he was punched at least once on the stomach by a plainclothes officer in full view of a group of reporters and photographers.Tan was bundled away in a police patrol car while a resident drove Lim and Ean Yong to a nearby clinic for medical treatment.By this time, the police had already fired the water cannon once, but when it failed to break up the crowd, three rounds of tear gas were fired.


The crowd eventually dispersed.When approached by reporters last night, Kajang district deputy police chief Supt Toha Abdullah claimed that he was unaware of the police beatings.He also said that the police had to disperse the crowd because they were "menggangu tugas keselamatan pihak polis” (interfering with police security duties).In all, three residents and Tan were arrested.When Kajang district police chief Shakaruddin Che Mood was contacted shortly after midnight, he said that the police had yet to decide what charges would be slapped on the detainees.

Syariah Court allows convert to renounce Islam (Malaysiakini)

The Syariah Court in Penang has allowed a Chinese convert to renounce Islam in a rare decision today.

Apostasy, or renouncing the faith, is one of the gravest sins in Islam and a very sensitive issue in Malaysia where the Islamic courts have rarely allowed such renunciations and have also jailed apostates.

Syariah Court judge Othman Ibrahim said he had no choice but to allow an application by cook Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah to renounce her faith and return to Buddhism.

"The court has no choice but to declare that Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah is no longer a Muslim as she has never practised the teachings of Islam," Othman told a packed courtroom.
"I order the conversion certificate to be nullified," he added.

Siti Fatimah or Tan Ean Huang, 38, said she had never practised Islamic teachings since she converted in 1998 and only did so to enable her to marry Iranian Ferdoun Ashanian.
The couple married in 2004 but since then her husband has left her following which she filed for the renunciation. Siti happy with the outcome

Othman said it was clear from witnesses and the evidence presented that Siti had continued to practise Buddhism even after her conversion.

He rebuked the state Islamic religious council for not counselling and looking after the welfare of new converts.

"In this case, it is clear that the council has failed to live up to its responsibilities and the outcome is clear for all to see," he said.

Siti said she was happy with the court's decision.

"I'm relieved that the matter is finally settled after two years and I am now looking forward to doing something with my life again," she said.

The Islamic syariah courts operate in parallel to civil courts here but apply specifically to Muslims.

The court's verdict comes amid racial and religious tensions in multiracial Malaysia, where minority religious groups fear their rights are being undermined, even though the country is traditionally seen as moderate.

Raja Petra to post bail today (Malaysiakini)

Breaking News: Malaysia Today news portal webmaster Raja Petra Kamarudin has agreed to post bail after meeting his wife Marina Lee Abdullah at the Sungai Buloh prison this morning. Marina is at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court with Raja Petra's lawyer J Chandra waiting for the court to reopen after lunch to post bail.

After showing proof that she had paid the RM5,000 bail through a bank to the court, the judge will then issue the 'order to produce' (OTP) to allow the Sungai Buloh prison department to release Raja Petra.
"The OTP will be sent by hand by the police," said Chandra."Normally this process takes one day, but we are trying to expedite (the release). We are confident that our client will be released today."

Raja Petra, who has been charged for sedition, had opted to go to prison instead of paying the RM5,000 bail two days ago, which he said he could not afford.Hearing has been fixed from Oct 6 to 10 and Raja Petra would have to remain in custody until the hearing date in five months' time should he decide not to post bail.

Yesterday, he refused to meet everyone, including his wife, and was said to have gone on a hunger strike.Marina had gone to the Sungai Buloh prison to meet her husband yesterday morning to ask him if he would want to post bail after having raised RM35,000 from well-wishers.

However, she was told by the prison warden that Raja Petra did not want to see anybody, including her, and had also refused to eat. Marina was finally able to meet her husband today.

Charged for sedition

Raja Petra was charged on Tuesday with sedition at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court over an article which he wrote in his website.
The article allegedly implied that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife of being involved in the killing of a young Mongolian woman.
Raja Petra claimed trial to the charge. He was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act for publishing seditious article on April 25 on Malaysia Today.
He is the first blogger to be charged for sedition in Malaysia.

MPO Seating Category

As per the invitation to watch the MPO performance on 31.5.2008, the seating arrangement is as follows. As you can see from the jpeg file, the RM25 is not that bad afterall.

Hope to see all of you there. I will provide you with further details on the composers and the pieces which will be played that night.