MIC: Persaraan Singham disyaki berkaitan dengan kes Kugan

Pemimpin MIC Senator Datuk Jaspal Singh hari ini meragui persaraan Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Datuk V.T. Singham pagi ini mungkin disebabkan oleh keputusannya melibatkan kematian dalam tahanan A. Kugan dua hari lalu.

Bendahari Agung tersebut berkata meskipun benar persaraan Singham itu adalah mengikut proses yang sewajarnya, kerajaan perlu menolak dan mengekalkan hakim tersebut kerana cara pengendaliannya yang tegas dan rakyat Malaysia memerlukan individu yang berprinsip seperti beliau.

"Saya secara jujur berharap beliau tidak dipaksa untuk bersara."

"Jika itu adalah keputusannya sendiri untuk berhenti, saya menggesa kerajaan untuk menolak perletakan jawatannya. Malaysia sangat perlukan hakim berprinsip seperti beliau," kata Jaspal.

Jaspal juga menggesa supaya Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi menunaikan janjinya di dalam Parlimen yang mengatakan tidak akan melindungi pesalah dengan membuka semula kes Kugan dan pembunuhnya mesti didakwa dan dihukum dengan segera.

"Beliau (Ahmad Zahid) perlu tunaikan janjinya," kata Jaspal lagi.

Di samping itu, Jaspal juga menegaskan supaya kerajaan supaya menimbangkan cadangan oleh Singham supaya ditubuhkan Suruhanjaya Bebas Aduan dan Salahlaku Polis (IPCMC) sebagaimana dicadangkan Suruhanjaya Diraja yang diketuai Tun Dzaiddin Abdullah, malah mempercepatkan penubuhan institusi tersebut.

"Kabinet mesti menyemak semula keputusan tersebut, terutamanya selepas penghakiman oleh beliau."

"Sama ada ia IPCMC atau lain-lain, secara jelasnya polis tidak boleh menyiasat diri mereka sendiri," tambah beliau.

Dua hari lalu, beliau membuat penghakiman mengatakan Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar bertanggungjawab terhadap kematian A. Kugan tiga tahun lalu semasa berada dalam tahanan polis.

Singham yang masih bujang merupakan hakim paling kanan di Mahkamah Tinggi pada ketika ini.

Keluarga Kugan telah memfailkan tuntutan RM100 juta terhadap polis dan kerajaan, secara spesifiknya menamakan Khalid, mendakwa beliau cuba menyembunyikan punca kematian Kugan.

Ibu Kugan, N. Indra menamakan salah seorang pegawai penyiasat mangsa, bekas anggota polis V. Navindran sebagai salah satu lagi defendan.

Ibunya mendakwa defendan-defendan gagal untuk memastikan keselamatan, kesihatan dan kebajikan Kugan semasa berada dalam tahanan polis. Kugan yang pada ketika itu berumur 22 tahun, ditahan di Puchong pada 14 Januari 2009, satu malam di lokap balai polis Puchong Jaya sebelum polis mendapatkan perintah reman.

Beliau kemudiannya dibawa ke balai polis Taipan USJ, Subang Jaya dua hari kemudian untuk disoal siasat. Akan tetapi, empat hari kemudian, beliau ditemui mati. Navindran merupakan satu-satunya orang yang dipertanggungjawabkan untuk kematian Kugan.

Beliau didapati bersalah dan dijatuhkan hukuman penjara tiga tahun.

Beliau kini merayu di mahkamah berhubung hukuman itu. - 28 Jun, 2013.

Johor royal and two others jailed for assault on boxer

A member of the Johor royal family and two others were sentenced by the Johor Baru Sessions court to four years’ jail for assaulting a national boxer last year in a brawl.

Tunku Nick Tazuddin Izwan Syah Tunku Qadir, 27, Mohd Arif Husin, 35, and Alex Foo Hee Wee, 41, were sentenced by Judge Zamri Bakar after he found them guilty of injuring Muhamad Farkhan Haron. The jail sentence is to run from today.

They were charged with committing the offence along Jalan Molek 3/2 in Taman Molek between 4.30am and 7am on May 6, 2012. The judge also denied the three a stay of execution pending appeal.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dzul Iswari Mohd Jaafar prosecuted while Zamri Idrus, Norman Fernandez and Masri Mohammad represented the three accused. Counsel Gobind Singh Deo held a watching brief for the boxer.

It was reported that Muhamad Farkhan, who won a gold medal at the 2009 SEA Games in Laos, suffered a broken cheekbone and had injuries to ribs after being beaten by three men.

He missed the 2012 London Olympics because of that.

Muhamad Farkhan, 25, was the winner of the middleweight gold in the Laos SEA Games. He took up boxing at 13 and was nominated for the prestigious National Sports Council awards in 2011. - June 28, 2013.

EC says it will use indelible ink again in Kuala Besut by-election

Even as Nurul Izzah Anwar of the opposition yesterday threatened to take legal action against the Election Commission (EC) for the indelible ink fiasco, the EC says it will use that ink again for the coming by-election in Terengganu.

“Yes, the indelible ink will be used,” said vice-chairman of the Election Commission Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar (pic) when contacted by The Malaysian Insider yesterday.

“We’ll discuss next week if we’re using the same ink as the one used during the 13th general elections,” said Wan Ahmad, referring to the EC meeting next week on the by-election.

The state seat for Kuala Besut is vacant, following the death of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) elected representative, Dr. A. Rahman Mokhtar, 55, yesterday morning from lung cancer.

Meanwhile, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has threatened legal action to get the entire EC sacked. 

"We will take legal action over this matter," said Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar. "How can we let them get away with this? We, Pakatan Rakyat leaders, will make sure the disparaged and the discredited officials of the EC face the course of the law. It was something so fundamental and crucial."

 The PR has also demanded that a new EC team take charge of the by-election. The MP added that the present commission had five years to bring about reforms but failed to do it.

"How can we allow them to use that same ink, when they have hoodwinked the nation?" she questioned.

The indelible ink was a hot button issue from the day it was announced it would be used. On polling day, voters found the so-called indelible ink was anything but. 

Yesterday, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim revealed to Parliament that food colouring was used.

But Putrajaya MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor defended the use of that ink, saying the EC had been concerned about using too much chemicals.

"We are a responsible government who care about the people. We don’t want to hurt the people.

"We know in India they use the ink and it lasts for 2 months but it is not good."

When it was put to him that that the purpose of the ink was for it to last, Tengku Adnan said that Malaysia did not need the ink.

"We are not a third-world country. We have ICs. They use it because they don't have identification documents," Tengku Adnan responded, referring to India’s lack of personal identity cards.

But the promise to use indelible ink again in Terengganu is surely going to meet strong protest as the by-election there is an important one that could possibly even decide the next state government of Terengganu, as it would lead to a hung state assembly if BN loses this seat.

BN has 17 state legislative seats while PR has 15.

Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad also told The Malaysian Insider that the EC will again elect only non-governmental organisations to be observers for the Kuala Besut by-election.

“There will be observers at the by-election this time,” he said. – June 28, 2013.

No decision yet on GST

The government is still undecided when to table the goods and services tax bill (GST) as it is still under study.

Second finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said that based on a 2015 simulation, the government would collect RM20 billion under the existing sales and service tax. But if this were replaced by the GST, the government's revenue would increase by RM 6 billion for 2015.

He said that although it will bring additional revenue and the country's private sector economy will grow, the authorities are still studying the impact of the GST on the rakyat.

"We want to see how much additional the rakyat will have to pay, if there is more to be paid. We are not introducing a new tax and it does not mean that the rakyat will have to pay RM6 billion more in taxes based on the 2015 simulation. That is not how it works."

He said the GST will net taxes from those who try to evade other taxes and hailed it as a more efficient tax system.

The impact is expected to be minimal on the lower-income group as 20 groups of basic items will draw no GST, Husni told reporters.

Husni was elaborating on a question he had been asked earlier by Setiawangsa MP Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari in the House. Fauzi wanted to know to whether the government had properly informed the people how the GST, slated to be set at 7%, would affect them if imposed. – June 27, 2013.

300 peniaga di Jonker Walk boleh berniaga seperti biasa - Idris Haron

MELAKA, 26 Jun Kira-kira 300 peniaga boleh meneruskan perniagaan mereka seperti biasa di kawasan pasar malam Jonker Walk pada setiap hujung minggu, kata Ketua Menteri Melaka Datuk Idris Haron.

Beliau berkata, arahan penutupan gerai yang kebanyakkannya menjual cenderamata di Jonker Walk itu hanya salah faham, sebaliknya penutupan itu hanya melibatkan laluan kenderaan di kawasan berkenaan.

Jelas beliau, jalan sekitar Jonker Walk yang menjadi tumpuan pelancong itu dibuka semula untuk kenderaan yang ketika ini ditutup bermula 6 petang hingga 12 malam pada setiap Jumaat hingga Ahad bertujuan mengatasi masalah kesesakan lalu lintas.

"Arahan pembukaan jalan ini, berikutan aduan orang ramai dan pelancong mengenai kesesakan lalu lintas di kawasan tersebut terutama pada hujung minggu," katanya kepada Bernama di sini hari ini.

Idris berkata isu menghalang peniaga berniaga di Jonker Walk pada hujung minggu, sengaja dimanipulasikan pihak tertentu demi kepentingan politik mereka.

Ditanya sama ada pembukaan jalan tersebut menyukarkan pengunjung dan peniaga, Idris berkata: "saya tidak fikir begitu".

Sebagai contoh, katanya di Oxford City, England peniaga menjalankan perniagaan di kaki lima jalan raya dan kenderaan dibenar melalui kawasan disitu.

Sebuah akhbar bahasa Cina pada Isnin memetik Idris sebagai berkata mesyuarat Exco pada 12 Jun lepas, memutuskan menutup pasar malam berkenaan demi memenuhi hasrat rakyat

Home minister to answer assault suit

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has exhausted all legal avenues to stop a suit against him from being heard in court. 

The Federal court this morning dismissed the home minister's application for leave to appeal against the lower courts' decision that the suit should go to trial. 

The suit was filed by businessman Amir Bazli Abdullah against Ahmad Zahid for allegedly punching him in the face on Jan 16, 2006 at the Country Heights recreational club in Kajang, Selangor. 

Amir Bazli suffered a nasal bone fracture and a swollen eye. A five-man Court of Appeal bench led by judge Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif said the law was settled. 

"The High Court ruled that the case should go to trial and Court of Appeal is of the same view," the judge said. 

"Let this be tried in court and let the court make a finding. He will have avenues to appeal later." Md Raud then dismissed the application with RM5,000 cost.

Amir Bazli filed the suit on July 4, 2007.  

At that time, Ahmad Zahid was the then deputy information minister. 

In his statement of claim,  Amir Bazli  said at about 10pm on Jan 16, 2006, he was at a petrol station in Bangi when the defendant's agents approached him and threatened him. 

They took him forcefully to the Country Heights recreational club in Kajang. 

There, the plaintiff saw Ahmad Zahid with his son-in-law, Hisham and his son, identified only as KK. 

There were also others with them. He said the defendant then punched him in the face, fracturing his nose and causing his left eye to be swollen. 

Amir Bazli said the others also had assaulted him. 

He alleged the defendant had also threatened him by repeatedly saying: "You'll be buried". 

Hisham had also threatened to kill him. Amir Bazli alleged he was held in wrongful confinement at the defendant's home in Country Heights until 2am the next day. 

The businessman is now claiming special damages, general and aggravated damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court. 

Ahmad Zahid, however, denied the allegations and claimed that Amir Bazli had concocted the whole story. 

He said there was no threat and denied even touching the plaintiff. 

In turn, he filed a counter-claim against Amir Bazli claiming to have suffered humiliation and emotional trauma as a result of the accusation. 

The minister further alleged of libel within media reports of the incident. 

In Amir Bazli's affidavit in response, he said he Ahmad Zahid's daughter, Nurul Hidayah who was then a divorcee. 

They knew each other since September 2005 and were in a relationship. 

Amir Bazli claimed he was threatened and assaulted because the defendant claimed he had abducted his daughter. 

Ahmad Zahid had filed an application to strike out the suit against him but was dismissed by the High Court and Court of Appeal in April 2010 and March 2012, respectively. 

The case will now be tried at the Shah Alam High court on Aug 26 and 27. 

Counsel Datuk Shamsul Bahrai Ibrahim represented Ahmad Zahid, while lawyers Karpal Singh, Sangeet Kaur Deo and Gobind Singh Deo appeared for Amir Bazli. 

Speaking to reporters after proceedings today, Amir Bazli claimed he suffered permanent injuries to his head and has lost sight in his left eye. - June 27, 2013.

1Malaysia campaign is dead in the water, say Guan Eng, Perkasa

Once, the 1Malaysia slogan was part of the daily discourse in the country, driven by a prime minister who believed that the fuzzy, warm feeling of togetherness promoted by this concept could supplant deep racial divisions in Malaysia – and yield significant non-Malay gains for Barisan Nasional in the general election.

But after the May 5 elections returned the BN to power without the treasured two-thirds majority in Parliament and popular support, and with a deep feeling of betrayal coursing through the veins of Umno politicians from Datuk Seri Najib Razak downwards, 1Malaysia seems like a concept from a different time.

Even the PM rarely refers to the slogan his administration coined as its motto. His ministers have all but forgotten it and the mood in Umno and Perkasa – raw by overwhelming support of Chinese for the Opposition – is that 1Malaysia was rejected at the polls by the electorate and therefore should be made a historical artifact by Najib.

Just listen to Datuk Ibrahim Ali, the Perkasa chief who contested and lost the Pasir Mas parliamentary seat. He said that the 1Malaysia concept was dead as soon as the Najib administration blamed the Chinese for BN’s poor showing in the elections.

On hindsight, the idea of oneness among the different races could not have worked because it was anchored on a wrong assumption: that the root problems faced by non-Malays could be addressed by dispensing cash handouts through the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M).

Ibrahim noted: “To Najib the best and quick way was to dish out BR1M and keep it coming. This was an insult to the intelligence of non-Malays. After all this BR1Ms, the handouts given towards the development of schools and the MOU with Hindraf, did the Chinese and Indian votes come back?’

“Both BR1M and 1Malaysia have one thing in common. Both will be short-lived."

Ibrahim bristled at suggestions that Perkasa, with its right-wing rhetoric, had made it difficult from the 1Malaysia concept to be truly embraced by non-Malay voters, pointing out instead that the election strategy employed by Najib’s team was muddled.

At times, he said, the campaign was more about “I LOVE PM’’ banners than anything substantial to tackle root causes of unhappiness. Turn back the clock to 2009 and it seems hard to imagine the roiling debate about whether the 1Malaysia concept should be orphaned. Najib had just taken over from Abdullah Badawi and the lessons from the 2008 elections were still clear — non-Malays, especially the Indians had deserted BN over concerns about their place under the Malaysian sun.

Najib and his strategists believed that 1Malaysia, despite it strategic ambiguity, would foster a sense of unity.

Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research executive director Ibrahim Suffian said the 1Malaysia concept was introduced as the Barisan Nasional bloc was unable to address the fundamental issues afflicting the Chinese and Indian communities.

"Hence they went for something simple called 1Malaysia but there was a major flaw in the concept as there was no coherence or regularity.

"The concept of unity was non-existent as to the Malays, they (BN) talk about Malay sensitivities, promoting topics such as Christianisation of Malays for an example and to the Chinese and Indians, differing topics," Ibrahim said.

"The issues surrounding the Chinese community especially were not fully adressed and the Indians, only a fraction.

"The efforts carried out did not reflect the campaign's original or intended spirit. The 1Malaysia campaign was running on a whole different level.

"1Malaysia was the least worst option they could conjure, hence the result," he said referring to BN's worst performance yet, in GE13 results. While he feels that 1Malaysia is not “dead”, Ibrahim says it bears no relevance either as it remains only a slogan.

"BN needs a new, fresh idea and campaign." Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng agreed that the 1Malaysia concept was an "empty election slogan".

"After the GE, we have seen the PM discard it like a used diaper. It was a political exercise that was completely abandoned once they achieved what they wanted.

"It shows that he does not practise what he preaches," Lim added.

He said the prime minister's test would be whether or not he reverses the decision made by Malacca chief minister Datuk Idris Harun to close Jonker Walk.

"Otherwise it is just political vengeance," the DAP secretary-general said.

Batu MP Tian Chua was more scathing. "The 1Malaysia concept is a hollow slogan which has been assigned to things like 1M shops, 1M barbers, 1M gas cylinders.

"Unfortunately, besides putting a label for some products, there was never really any talk about racial integrity," he added.

Tian Chua said while he never thought it was a great concept, he admitted the country needed comprehensive and well-thought out integration policies.

"We need policies that can foster and preserve interracial relationships, " he said, adding that the PM was now more interested in the upcoming Umno elections than racial integration. — June 27, 2013.