PUTRAJAYA: A former officer to an ex-minister has been remanded for three days as investigators probe allegations that he "arranged" projects involving a certain ministry under the previous administration.
The 50-year-old Datuk will be held until May 2 after magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin allowed an application by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecutors for his remand on Tuesday (April 30).
The suspect was arrested on Monday (April 29) when he turned up at the MACC headquarters to answer questions pertaining to the allegations.
He is said to have received money from contractors for helping them to secure projects with the ministry.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/30/former-officer-to-exminister-gets-threeday-remand-in-bribery-probe/#2BjmSmcC41ouPmfG.99
PUTRAJAYA: A former special officer to an ex-minister has been arrested on suspicion of being the mastermind behind several government projects, including for the supply of aircraft equipment worth RM1.8mil.
The 50-year-old Datuk was arrested around noon on Monday (April 29) when he was called to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here to have his statement recorded.
Sources said that initial investigations revealed that the suspect received money from several contractors involved in the projects.
"He is believed to have received the money from contractors who were awarded projects to supply equipment via direct negotiation," said a source.
Among the contracts awarded was to supply aircraft equipment worth RM1.8mil sometime around 2017.
Sources said that the MACC is looking for several individuals as well as the companies that dealt with the suspect.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki confirmed the arrest.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/29/macc-arrests-alleged-mastermind-behind-shady-aircraft-equipment-deal/#dxofYkDpooEQrlrP.99
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court was told that RM1.9bil was credited to one of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s private bank accounts between 2011 and 2013.
AmBank manager R. Uma Devi confirmed that parts of the money were purportedly a donation from one “Prince Faisal al Turki” and the Finance Ministry of Saudi Arabia.
She said this during cross-examination by the former prime minister's counsel Harvinderjit Singh here on Monday (April 29).
Harvinderjit: Refer to this email of bank statement ending 694, are these transactions from “Prince Faisal al Turki”?
Uma Devi: Yes.
She agreed that parts of the money - including RM304mil in 2011 and RM756mil in 2012 - came from “Prince Faisal al Turki”.
The witness also agreed that another amount was RM324mil which was credited from the Saudi Finance Ministry to Najib’s account.
To a suggestion, Uma Devi agreed that a letter of instruction purportedly written by Najib on July 30, 2013 instructed that the donation money be returned to the owner (Prince Faisal al Turki).
Harvinderjit: On the basis of the letter, it was clear the bank knew the amount of money credited was a donation?
Uma Devi: Yes.
To another question by Harvinderjit, the witness agreed that the donation received was a huge amount of money that required compliance from Bank Negara Malaysia.
Najib is facing seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42mil belonging to SRC International.
The hearing continues before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali on Tuesday (April 30).
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/29/najib-src-trial-some-of-rm1_9bil-credited-into-ex-pm-account-a-donation-from-saudi-arabia-court-told/#60JPZLZzkPk8GdjK.99
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has dismissed Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s application to strike out the charges in his corruption trial.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled that the charges against the former premier were not structured in a way that could mislead or prejudice him, to the point he could not put up a proper defence.
"For the following broad reasons, this application is denied," he said.
Last Friday, Najib's defence lawyers argued that the charges could prejudice the case as they lacked clarity and clashed with each other.
Defence lawyer Datuk Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin added the charges of corruption were at odds with each other and could not be tried concurrently with CBT.
Referring to the RM42mil at the heart of Najib's charges, Kamarul Hisham said the money could not be both gratification and money obtained via a breach of trust.
Ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram replied that the charges were not vague, as it should be read together with supplementary documents furnished by the prosecution as per Section 51A of Criminal Procedure Code.
He added that Parliament created specific laws for different crimes, so it was fair bring charges under each law.
On July 4, last year, Najib claimed trial to a charge of abuse of power and three counts of CBT linked to the 1MDB scandal.
On Aug 8, he appeared in court again for the second time and was charged with three counts of money laundering involving the same RM42mil.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/29/high-court-dismisses-najib-application-to-strike-out-charges-trial-to-go-on/#VHmYPvJ1xlPm7atz.99
Monday, 29 Apr 2019 by yuen meikeng EXCLUSIVE:PETALING JAYA: A total of 173 child sexual abusers have been put behind bars by the special court handling sexual crimes against children since it was set up nearly two years ago.
To date, the youngest victim was a seven-month-old baby while the oldest was 17.
Of the 173 accused, 111 were convicted by the special court in Putrajaya while 62 were convicted at the second special court in Kuching. This is based on data made available to Sunday Star by the office of the Chief Registrar of Federal Court Malaysia, recorded between July 2017 and February this year.
During this period, 841 cases were registered in both special courts.
About half or 405 cases ended up in convictions of the perpetrators.
“As of now, 641 cases have been disposed, leaving 200 cases remaining for hearing,” the office said.
The Special Criminal Court on Sexual Crimes Against Children began operating in July 2017.
Believed to be the first of its kind in South-East Asia, the special court in Putrajaya was launched on June 22, 2017, to specifically execute justice against paedophiles and child sexual predators.
Its second branch was set up in Kuching in April last year.
Among the most notable cases dealt by the court was a man who faced 623 charges for sodomising and sexually abusing his 15-year-old daughter.
The special court in Putrajaya sentenced him to a total of 48 years in jail and 24 lashes of the rotan in September 2017.
It was reported that there were plans to have 12 branches of the special court for each state in the country.
“Currently, other remaining courts are still in the process of being set up,” said the office.
Other states which do not have this special court will register child sexual crime cases in the Sessions Court.
Between July 2017 and February this year, other courts throughout Malaysia have registered 2,466 cases of sexual crimes against children, with 369 convictions.
To further improve proceedings, judges handling sexual offence cases against children will be given continuous training to ensure a smoother execution of justice while maintaining sensitivities involving child victims.
“The office of the Chief Registrar of Federal Court Malaysia also strives to provide a conducive and witness-friendly environment to the child victims and witnesses who have to attend court to testify.
“This will enable the child to be more comfortable coming to court to give statements without being intimidated by the court setting.
“This Office also looks forward to better equipping judges in terms of skills and knowledge to ensure justice is delivered accordingly,” it said.
In addition, it said special courts have a timeline of 12 months to dispose cases to ensure that justice is meted out without unnecessary delay
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/29/173-abusers-put-behind-bars/#VIGRokSKOjqW300y.99
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Police today arrested controversial Muslim preacher Muhammad Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu for investigation following complaints he made statements deemed insulting to Hinduism during a religious lecture.
Perlis police chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Noor Mushar Mohamad confirmed the 34-year-old’s arrest in Kangar, Perlis early this morning.
“The suspect is being investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for disrupting harmony and transmitting offensive communications,” he said when contacted.
Zamri Vinoth is believed to have been picked up by Perlis’ Criminal Investigations Department serious crimes unit better known as D9 after police received multiple reports against him.
A total of 13 police reports was lodged against Zamri Vinoth yesterday by members of several non-governmental organisations at various police stations across Penang over the last four days.
Seberang Perai Tengah police chief Assistant Commissioner Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid was earlier reported by The Star as saying that the case was being handled by Wangsa Maju police.
A brief video said to show Zamri Vinoth being taken into custody was posted on Facebook this morning by Seberang Perai Municipal City Councillor David Marshel in praise of the police and has since been shared on other social media platforms.
Zamri Vinoth has since restricted access to his Facebook page since his arrest but his Twitter account remained accessible to the public.
Zamri Vinoth, who converted to Islam, is a known follower of controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik who is wanted in his native India on money laundering and hate speech charges.
Dr Zakir has been accused of denigrating other faiths and being a threat to Malaysia’s multiethnic and multicultural harmony.
However, Putrajaya has said Dr Zakir who is a Malaysian permanent resident is free to move about in the country as he has not broken any of its laws.
BEIJING: Vote me out if you want, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in an apparent response to Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim's statement that the prime minister should be changed.
"A Prime Minister cannot be simply changed, only the people can change me with their votes," he told a press conference here before heading home Sunday (April 28).
Dr Mahathir was commenting on a video of Tunku Ismail as saying that the prime minister should be changed.
The 93-year-old premier had arrived here on Wednesday (April 24) for a five-day working visit to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).
He is scheduled to return to Kuala Lumpur this evening.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/28/dr-m-to-tmj-only-the-people-can-change-the-prime-minister/#TJVyo8EKRJgZ4RYp.99
SAO PAULO (AFP): A Brazilian model died Saturday after collapsing on the catwalk during a show on the last day of Sao Paulo Fashion Week, organisers said.
”SPFW has just received the news of the death of model Tales Soares, who suddenly took ill during the Ocksa show,” the organisation said in a statement, without giving a cause of death.
The 26-year-old model fell while turning to leave the runway. Medics immediately attended to him in front of horrified onlookers, according to local media reports.
SPFW said he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2019/04/28/male-model-dies-after-collapsing-on-catwalk-at-sao-paulo-fashion-week/#LL4jhTxqB0lExwSO.99
PETALING JAYA: A 34-year-old Muslim preacher was arrested in Perlis on Sunday (April 28) for insulting Hinduism.
The man, identified as Mohammad Zamri Vinoth, an associate of controversial preacher Zakir Naik, was detained by the Perlis Serious Crime (D9) division following several reports lodged against him.
Perlis police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Noor Mushar Mohamad said the suspect is being investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disunity and spurring hatred among the people and Section 233 of Multimedia and Communications Act for misusing network facilities and services.
"The suspect also has a criminal record. We are investigating the matter further," he said when contacted Sunday (April 28).
"According to the complainants, the man, via a 70-second video clip posted on social media, had uttered blasphemous statements against Hinduism that can cause disharmony and it is also against the law," he said.
The reports lodged against the suspect included those under Section 323 of the Penal Code, Section 408 of the Penal Code and Section 376 of the same code
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/28/zakir-naik-associate-arrested-in-perlis-for-insulting-hinduism/#URJ8ZC4DpV8kgoDg.99
AG: It’s PM and Cabinet who wage war, not Agong
Bernama - April 27, 2019 9:30 PM
The Attorney-General, Tommy Thomas, said those vulnerable to prosecution are the PM and Cabinet.
KUALA LUMPUR: Attorney-General Tommy Thomas today said that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, though the supreme commander of the armed forces, would not be held responsible for any decision by the prime minister, the Cabinet and defence ministry on a declaration of war.
Thomas said this in reference to a British inquiry into the Iraq war where former British prime minister Tony Blair was called up instead of Queen Elizabeth II, the constitutional monarch and the commander of the armed forces.
“So, if war is declared, although the Agong is the supreme commander of armed forces, the decision to go to war is always made by the prime minister, the Cabinet and the minister of defence and, operationally, the general who runs the war or the admiral in the navy.
“If Malaysia commits a war crime, the people who are vulnerable to ICC (International Criminal Court) prosecution will be the prime minister, the Cabinet, the minister of defence, the generals but never the King because he is a constitutional monarch,” he said at a public forum on Malaysia and the Rome Statute.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia would withdraw from ratifying the Rome Statute because of political confusion among the people.
The ICC is aimed at ending immunity to the most serious criminal offenders considered a threat to the international community involving genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression, such as invasion.
The forum featured prominent panellists such as G25 member Noor Farida Ariffin, constitutional law expert Emeritus Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi and lawyer Lim Wei Jiet.
Responding to a question from the floor during the Q&A session, on why he could not convince the Conference of Rulers to support the government decision, Thomas said that he was not in the same room with four academicians who presented a memorandum on the Rome Statute to the Rulers.
“If the five of us were in the room, the way the dialogue would happen is each of us would have commented on the other, and if I heard the arguments of the other four, I would have the chance to comment on them and they have the chance to comment on mine…but that opportunity did not happen,” he said.
The four academics have been partly blamed for allegedly misleading the Conference of Rulers on the Rome Statute with a biased paper on the treaty.
Organisers of today’s forum said the four academics were not present today although they had been invited to be among the panellists.
Rome Statute: Decision to accede was made by BN
NATION
Sunday, 28 Apr 2019
by zakiah koya
PETALING JAYA: A former head of the Research, Treaties and International Law Department has made known how the Rome Statute became a political hot potato due to vested interests – critics who ironically had agreed to its ratification eight years ago.
Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, who was the department head in 2011, presented the instrument to accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the Cabinet under then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and government agencies.
She said all parties agreed, except for the Attorney General’s Chambers at the time.
“The Pakatan Harapan government was merely completing the process by ratifying it. We prepared the paper on the ratification of the Rome Statute for Cabinet and sent it to all government agencies.
“All the agencies then agreed except for the AG’s Chambers who was vehemently against it,” Noor Farida, who is Group of 25 Eminent Malays (G25) spokesperson, revealed at a forum yesterday.
She also said later that “we need to educate the people. We do not want the opposition party (Umno) to provoke them into holding street demonstrations”.
(Umno had openly stated its opposition to the ratification, and said it would take further action if the ratification was not retracted.)
Her views were backed by Attorney General Tommy Thomas, who was also a panellist at yesterday’s forum organised by civil society groups.
Rapt attention: Members of the audience listening to what the panellists (below) have to say at the forum in Universiti Malaya.
The forum was held to debate the views of four academicians who had presented a paper on the Rome Statute, alleging that the sovereignty of the Rulers would be at stake if Malaysia went ahead with the ratification. (The organisers of the forum yesterday said the four academicians had declined an invitation to take part in the discussion.)
Thomas said the Cabinet had on March 18, 2011, decided that Malaysia should accede to the Rome Statute.
“Although eight years have passed, that decision was never removed. It was not implemented either,” he said.
“When the Pakatan government decided to accept the Rome Statute, it was merely continuing the policy decision made by the previous government.
“The hypocrisy that surrounds the debate (on Rome Statute) today must be fleshed out. The critics of the Rome Statute were supporting that same decision yesterday.
“It was an all-party decision eight years ago. Some had changed their mind. Truth has been the casualty of the fake news brigade,” said Thomas.
On April 5, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia would withdraw the ratification of the Rome Statute governing the ICC, set up to try perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression, following pressure from certain quarters.
Yesterday, Thomas explained that the King could never be prosecuted under the Rome Statute if he was not directly liable for the crimes as listed under the statute.
He cited the example of international calls for former British prime minister Tony Blair to be prosecuted at the ICC over crimes against humanity in the Iraq invasion.
“Nobody asked for the Queen (of United Kingdom) as the Commander of the Supreme Forces to be prosecuted.
“If war is declared (by Malaysia), although the Yang di-Pertuan Agung is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, the decision to declare war is always made by the Prime Minister or the Defence Minister.
“Operationally, it will be the generals or admirals, if there is a navy,” said Thomas.
He also elaborated on the jurisdiction of the ICC, which does not cover domestic crimes.
The other four panellists were Emeritus Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, PKR leader and former academician Prof Dr Syed Husin Ali, and former student activists Lim Wei Jiat and Asheeq Ali Sethi Alavi.
Prof Shad said arguments presented to the Rulers which instigated their opposition to the ratification of the Rome Statute were baseless.
“The King was advised by the four academicians that any criminal prosecution against the LGBT community will be grounds for the King’s arrest and prosecution.
“Homosexuality is not a crime against humanity,” said Prof Shad.
He also said that the crimes, if committed before the ratification date, were not valid for prosecution.
“That is good news for those who had committed genocide (before ratification). If you have beaten someone in a bar or punched reporters, you are still okay,” he joked.
Prof Syed Husin said there were parties from the royalty and traditional elite from political and academic sectors who felt threatened and “abused” the Rome Statute to further their self-interests.
“The feudal mentality of the Malays played a big part in supporting the necessity to defend the sovereignty of the Rulers, despite the government’s assurance that the statute would not affect the sovereignty of the Rulers in any way,” he said.
Asheeq, who led a group of student activists in the leaking of the paper by the four professors to the Rulers, lambasted the government for giving in to those who rattled the public by playing up issues such as the Rome Statute.
“The government must give their expert arguments, not merely raise the white flag and retract,” said Asheeq, who called for action against the four academicians.
Lim accused the four academicians of crossing the line when they misled the Rulers and misrepresented other academics.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/28/decision-to-accede-was-made-by-bn/#fjvFAJhV4kAIvlpo.99
Unexpected win: Zelenskiy reacting to the announcement of the first exit poll in a presidential election at his campaign headquarters in Kiev, Ukraine. — Reuters
THE new president of Ukraine is a comedian. And that is not a joke.
On April 21, Volodymyr Zelenskiy defeated the incumbent president Petro Poroshenko with 73% of the votes in the second-round run-off election.
Zelenskiy, a 41-year old television comic, is the star of Servant of the People, a sitcom about a teacher who accidentally becomes president after an expletive-laden video of him ranting about political corruption in Ukraine goes viral on social media.
Last year, he registered Servant of the People as a political party.
The comedian’s victory as president is almost like life imitating art.
“Jokes about Ukraine’s newly-elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, come easily.
“He is, after all, a comedian. At times his campaign seemed too frivolous to be consequential,” wrote the Economist in its report, A TV comedian turned politician wins a stunning victory in Ukraine.
“While Petro Poroshenko, the incumbent president, staged political rallies, Mr Zelenskiy could be found filming his popular TV show, Servant of the People. His public announcement that he was fighting the election was enough of an afterthought that he forgot to tell his wife about it.”
When news that a comedian had won the Ukraine presidency by a landslide was shared on my WhatsApp groups, many saw it is as a joke as they associated a comedian to a clown.
They didn’t know that Zelenskiy is trained as a lawyer. And he is a millionaire thanks to his production company. He is also an Instagram star with 4.2 million followers.
To me, top-rated comedians are intelligent.
“Comedians are smart. After all, you have to be if you’re going to dissect the complex landscapes of social discourse, contemporary culture and politics AND make people laugh while doing so,” Huffington Post in a report “26 Comedians Who Are (Probably) Smarter Than You”.
Malaysians like to call their comic-prone politicians Mr Bean, a character in the British sitcom who can turn the most mundane situation into the stupidest.
Mr Bean was co-created by Rowan Atkinson, who also plays the character.
Google “Atkinson” and “intelligence” and you’ll find out that he has a higher IQ than Einstein.
He is one smart cookie and he has a masters in Electrical Engineering.
“Perhaps, Mr Bean (Atkinson) should be the British Prime Minister so that he can get it out of its Brexit mess,” a German told me in Seoul during a media forum when we were discussing the new Ukraine president.
“Maybe that is what my country needs. Angela Merkel is seen is as effective but she is not affective,” he said, referring to the German Chancellor.
We then discussed young and dynamic world leaders like Canada’s Justin Trudeau, France’s Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern.
These leaders are not conventional. They are progressive, ambitious and young.
Perhaps Zelenskiy will be mentioned in the same sentence as these three leaders.
In Malaysia, I’ve met young MPs in the same mould of Trudeau, Macron and Ardern.
Unfortunately, they are not given the opportunity to shine as there is a quota (based on party seniority or party allocation) to be a member of the Cabinet.
Sadly, in Malaysia, there are politicians who become comedians when they are appointed ministers.
The list is quite comprehensive.
The public judge them by their public comment about flying cars and that there is no LGBT in Malaysia – and probably he’s right as they are all in the closet.
Even Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, the special media and communications adviser to the Prime Minister, wrote that it was time for the Pakatan Harapan government to weed out “clowns and comic characters” as its first year in governance approaches.
With the election of Ukraine’s president, a digital marketing firm, Nobleman Creations, suggested that it was plausible for a Malaysian celebrity to be a lawmaker or prime minister.
Based on their popularity on Google search, Nobleman Creations’ chief executive Na’im Brundage gave a list of five Malaysian celebs – Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin (with more than 90,000 Google searches), Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor (Neelofa with 70,000), Yunalis Mat Zara’ai (Yuna with 60,000), Mohammad Aiman Yusri (Aiman Tino with over 40,000) and Abdul Fattah Mohd Amin (Fattah Amin with 30,000).If you ask me, my choice of a Malaysian celebrity who could be a lawmaker is Malaysia’s top comedian Harith Iskandar.
I’ve met him a few times. He is funny and smart.
His jokes are sophisticated and he understands politics.
In terms of political jokes, Harith is like Lat – they are not politically divisive.
They can tell a joke or draw a cartoon that does not offend the fragile sensitivity of the Malaysian public divided by their political leaning.
So what say you, Harith for Prime Minister of Malaysia?
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/one-mans-meat/2019/04/27/from-comic-to-commanderinchief/#08sO2FfBfo2y3juV.99
KUALA LUMPUR: A snatch thief was caught after failing to yank a gold necklace from a victim at Jalan Masjid India here.
The victim, a man his 30s, was smoking a cigarette at the side of the road when the suspect, who was on a motorcycle, came from behind in an attempt to snatch his gold necklace at about 11.20pm on Friday (April 26).
However, the victim managed to swerve away at the last minute, causing his necklace to fall on the road.
Acting Dang Wangi OCPD Supt Rudy Abdullah said the suspect sped away but the victim's brother-in-law gave chase on foot and managed to ask assistance from police personnel who were on patrol duty.
"During the course of the chase, the thief again attempted to go after his initial target but only managed to hit the victim instead.
"The impact of the collision caused the suspect to lose control of his motorcycle, sending him sprawling at the side of the road," he said when contacted.
A team from Dang Wangi CID then apprehended the suspect, in his 20s, he added.
"The victim suffered injuries to his legs, hands and head while the suspect also suffered wounds and bruises on his legs, mouth and chin.
"Initial investigations revealed that the suspect had past record for drug-related offences and theft. The motorcycle used by the suspect was also reported missing," Supt Rudy said.
Police also seized two mobile phones, a brown Coach sling bag, three sets of motorcycle keys, a pair of gloves, a weighing scale, a walkie-talkie, a sling-blade, and a black bag containing tools to steal motorcycles, he added.
"The suspect will be remanded for further investigations," he said.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/27/cops-nab-snatch-thief-after-botched-attempt-to-steal-gold-necklace/#R0MVxKYt8jqTsCBw.99
SANDAKAN: It will be a crowded fighting field as three independents have confirmed contesting against DAP and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) candidates for the Sandakan parliamentary seat.
The five candidates handed over their nomination papers at the SMJK Tiong Hua multipurpose hall, which is the nomination centre, between 9am to 10am on Saturday (April 27).
Besides DAP's Vivian Wong Shir Yee, 30, and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin, 63, the independents are former Sabah PAS chairman and former Sabah Parti Amanah Negara chairman Hamzah Abdullah, businessman Chia Siew Yung, 45 and former political worker Sulaiman Abdul Samat, 36.
The proposer for Vivian is her elder sister Larina Wong Shiao Yee, while the seconder is her other sister Benita Wong Shing yee.
The five were also seen mingling together after registering their nomination and waiting for the official announcement.
Returning officer Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain announced the names at 10.30am after the end of the nomination period.
Sabah Chief Minister and Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal was also present in support of Vivian.
Earlier, the supporters of various sides had to brave through the rain as they marched from their respective assembly points towards the nomination centre.
Sandakan, with about 40,000 voters, comprised 51% Chinese and 45% Muslim bumiputras, including Bajaus, Suluks and Sungai.
The rest of the electorate made up of Kadazandusun communities and others.
The by-election was triggered after two-term incumbent Stephen died of a heart attack following a hike on March 28.
In GE14, Stephen won the seat with a 10,098-vote majority.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/27/fivecornered-fight-for-sandakan-parliament-seat/#WtwTgPe26EGKp2tV.99
Sri Lanka (CNN)Zahran Hashim had preached hate and violence for years. On Easter Sunday, at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo, he put those words into action.
As guests took breakfast in a cafe overlooking the sea, Zahran blew himself up, Sri Lankan officials say. If a later video released by an ISIS-affiliated news agency is to be believed, Zahran was the leading figure in a band of suicide bombers who tore apart hotels and churches across the country that morning.
The bombings shattered a hard-won peace which had held for a decade after a 25-year civil war. For many Sri Lankans, not least this country's minority Christian community, which lost scores of worshipers to the attacks, the horror came from nowhere.
But for those who wished to look, there were numerous warning signs. Zahran had been preaching -- and practicing -- violence against other faiths for years. On YouTube, increasingly radical sermons could be viewed by young Sri Lankans, until the platform removed them this week.
In the weeks leading up to the attacks, India's intelligence service attempted to warn the Sri Lankan authorities about him. An Indian intelligence source said that an ISIS suspect, who claimed to have radicalized the preacher himself, provided material during interrogations that formed the basis of the warnings.
Zahran Hashim is seen at the center of the alleged Sri Lankan bombers, in a still from a video released by an ISIS-linked news agancy.
It wasn't as if the message failed to get through. Zahran's name appears on a memo, dated April 11 and signed by Sri Lanka's Deputy Inspector General of Police, which was circulated among a range of security agencies. It references the red flags raised about Zahran, and specifically warns of attacks on churches. But despite the unusually specific intelligence, Zahran was not picked up.
In the ensuing carnage, more than 250 people were killed.
Increasing violence
In Kattankudy, a predominantly Muslim town in eastern Sri Lanka where Zahran built his following, his name still inspires terror, even in death. No locals would go on camera to talk about him, for fear of reprisals.
Those fears appear to be well founded. In a local mosque, next to a shrine draped in gold fabric and topped with flowers, CNN spoke to worshipers who said they had been harassed and terrorized by Hashim and other radical Muslims for years.
They are Sufis, practitioners of a mystical form of Islam that was traditionally the majority in Sri Lanka. Sufism transcends sectarian divides in the religion, and is loathed by Islamic fundamentalists, many of whom have attacked Sufi shrines and killed imams and worshipers.
A man prays at a Sufi shrine in Kathankudi, Sri Lanka on April 24, 2019.
Extremists consider Sufis to be kafir, or unbelievers, and in one video on YouTube, Zahran said that if someone "is a kafir he is to be killed according to Sharia law." In Kattankudy, local Sufis ticked off a litany of harassment and violence in recent years, including bullets fired at the mosque offices and a 2017 attack by Zahran and a mob of followers wielding swords.
After that attack, Zahran apparently went into hiding, but continued to put out his increasingly radical YouTube sermons. Those videos greatly alarmed leaders of Sri Lanka's Muslim community back in Colombo. "I sent videos he made promoting jihad to (the authorities) saying please locate him," said Reyyaz Salley, chairman of Colombo's Dewatagaha mosque, the oldest in the city.
Hilmy Ahamed, vice president of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, said that he also took Zahran's videos to the authorities and urged them to arrest him. He did so again after some alleged followers of Zahran vandalized Buddhist statues in central Sri Lanka in 2018, a move which sparked a brief angry backlash by locals and an investigation which appears to have come close to uncovering plans for greater violence.
"In 2018 when Buddhist statues were defaced, (Zahran) was the mentor of this youth who did the defacing," Ahamed said. "He preached to them that Islam prohibits idol worship so statues should be destroyed." But Zahran wasn't arrested, and tragedy was not prevented.
CNN has asked police to comment. So far, there's been no response.
Dangerous preaching
Sri Lankan Sufis said that hostility against them has increased in recent years, a change they blame on the influence of extremist ideology imported from the Gulf and reinforced by money which has poured in from overseas to fund radical mosques and schools, dozens of which have sprung up around the country.
"The Muslim community got divided," Ahamed said. "Middle Eastern countries kept funding mosques, sometimes you might even see two mosques side by side. They can't even fill half a mosque but there are two next door to each other."
He blamed funding from Saudi Arabia and other countries, along with the movement of workers around the Muslim world. "Traditionally Sri Lankans follow an Indian brand of Islam," Ahamed added. "But with the world opening up and especially Sri Lankan labor moving into the Middle East they brought back quite a lot of the Saudi (style) Islam."
A mosque said to have been founded by Zahran Hashim, who allegedly blew himself up in the Easter Sunday suicide attacks in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Zahran's mosque is located in a residential part of Kattankudy. A modern-looking building, it was still under construction this week but was already impressive. It had more of an air of a youth club or gym than a house of worship. Piles of Korans could be seen in one of the windows. Locals said youngsters gravitated towards it because they can't speak the Arabic of the Koran and want it interpreted for them -- even if that interpretation is an extreme one.
Final moments
Zahran didn't wait to see his mosque finished. Years of extremism and hate culminated at the Shangri-La hotel on Easter Sunday.
Authorities have yet to release a full list of the bombers, but Zahran was linked to the upscale location in the Galle Face area of Colombo by the media team of President Maithripala Sirisena. Officials have also said privately that the Shangri-La was targeted by a second bomber -- Ilham Ahmed Ibrahim, one of two sons of a prominent Colombo spice trader to have taken part in the attacks.
Separately, a high-level intelligence source with direct knowledge of the investigation told CNN that Zahran's identify as a Shangri-La bomber was "about 75% confirmed" but that officials had only conducted a photographic comparison. A DNA test was yet to be carried out, the source added.
Of all the attackers, Zahran's appears to have been the most familiar to the Sri Lankan authorities. His final moments were caught on camera as he entered the hotel -- why he was never caught in person still remains to be explained.
COLOMBO (Reuters) - The bodies of 15 people, including six children, were discovered at the site of a fierce overnight gun battle on the east coast of Sri Lanka, a military spokesman said on Saturday, six days after suicide bombers killed more than 250 people.
The shootout between troops and suspected Islamist militants erupted on Friday evening in Sainthamaruthu in Ampara, to the south of the town of Batticaloa, site of one of the Easter Sunday blasts at three churches and four luxury hotels.
A police spokesman said that three suspected suicide bombers were among the 15 dead after the shoot out.
Military spokesman Sumith Atapattu said in a statement that as troops headed towards the safe house three explosions were triggered and gunfire began.
He said the militants were suspected members of the National Towheed Jama'at (NTJ), which has been blamed for last Sunday's attacks.
The government has said nine homegrown, well-educated suicide bombers carried out the Easter Sunday attacks, eight of whom had been identified. One was a woman.
Police said on Friday they were trying to track down 140 people they believe have links with Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings.
Police have detained at least 76 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, in their investigations so far.
Islamic State provided no evidence to back its claim that it was behind the attacks. If true, it would be one of the worst attacks carried out by the group outside Iraq and Syria.
The extremist group released a video on Tuesday showing eight men, all but one with their faces covered, standing under a black Islamic State flag and declaring their loyalty to its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
(Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Michael Perry)
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2019/04/27/fifteen-killed-in-sri-lanka-in-shootout-with-suspected-islamist-militants/#8HsMVJFwWhMGdrzR.99
SINGAPORE (ANN): Entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow has made a police report over two leaked videos showing him beating and chasing after a female member of his staff in an incident which took place a year ago.
At that time, the lawyer had been accused of physically and verbally assaulting two staff members in separate incidents.
He also released a statement on Friday (April 26) hitting out at people who he said were "constantly and conscientiously" seeking to damage him.
Seow, 46, is the managing director of Samuel Seow Law Corporation and owner of the Beam Artistes management firm. He is a high-profile entertainment lawyer and has represented big names like singer Tanya Chua and former actress Michelle Saram.
A Beam employee is reportedly the staff member being attacked in the videos uploaded on YouTube on Thursday (April 25). In one video, Seow is seen speaking to a female employee, and extending his right hand to hit her face and upper body several times. He also shoves her.
In the second clip, Seow chases after the same female employee. He shouts at her "you beat me" repeatedly,as he hits her.
The female employee is seen retaliating. Other colleagues intervene, attempting to restrain Seow, who hits another female employee. Both employees are later ushered out of the office.
Last year, a 30-minute audio clip of the incident at Samuel Seow Law Corporation was circulated online. One of the employees also made a police report in which she accused Seow of grabbing and pushing her, among other things.
She withdrew the report last May. Seow also withdrew his own complaint to the police at the same time.
With the incident again in the news with the release of the video clips, Seow said: "I hope to find closure with this issue soon, so I can move on with my life after my mistake from a year ago, so that the people who are constantly and conscientiously seeking to damage me can finally also, rest peacefully.
"I am unsure what the people who continually post edited sound clips and videos are trying to achieve. I had admitted that there was an issue in my office last year, and will leave the police to reach their findings.
"Being an entrepreneur is never easy and juggling between finding the work, feeding people and paying salaries on time is a constant struggle. "
Seow had apologised at a press conference last May for slapping his niece during a scuffle over "some work-related issue".
It is not known who uploaded the video clips. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2019/04/27/entertainment-lawyer-samuel-seow-makes-police-report-over-leaked-videos-showing-scuffle/#g0hacURmP5WHsdUX.99
Azahar Mohamed next top judge of Malaysia? V Anbalagan -April 27, 2019 7:30 AM
FMT
Senior Federal Court judge Azahar Mohamed.
PETALING JAYA: Senior Federal Court judge Azahar Mohamed is likely to be appointed the next chief justice, the post left vacant following the retirement of Richard Malanjum, sources said. A source said the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) submitted two additional names following a request by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad early this month.
The JAC had earlier proposed only one name for the post.
Azahar, 63, was made Federal Court judge in 2014 and has vast experience in the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) before his elevation to the bench. “He is suitable for the post as he will have three years to continue with the reforms in the judiciary started by Malanjum,” the source told FMT.
Moreover, he was also seen as competent, both as judge and administrator, when appointed managing judge of the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Azahar was appointed as judicial commissioner in 2004. He was elevated as High Court judge two years later before being promoted to the Court of Appeal in 2011.
He is currently in the nine-member JAC that recommends judges for promotion.
The source said the other potential candidate for the position is Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, 59, who was elevated to the apex court in November last year.
If appointed, she will create history as the first woman to be made top judge.
“However, Tengku Maimun could be considered for the post of Chief Judge of Malaya, which will fall vacant following the retirement of Zaharah Ibrahim next month.
“She could also be considered for the position of the president of the Appeal Court that is currently held by Ahmad Maarop, who will retire in November,” said the source, adding that Tengku Maimun has six more years on the bench.
The mandatory retirement age for judges is 66 plus six months of extension.
Meanwhile, lawyer Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar Al Mahdzar said the Federal Constitution, the supreme law of the land, must be in the safe hands of whoever is appointed to the top post.
“Apart from hearing civil and criminal appeals, our apex court judges are invited from time to time to interpret the constitution,” he said.
On April 19, Mahathir said the nomination of the candidate to replace Malanjum, who retired a week earlier (April 12), is awaiting approval from the Conference of Rulers.
“It seems there is a provision for the appointment to be submitted to the Conference of Rulers, and not just to the Agong.
“We have informed the Agong. There is a need for him to inform the other rulers, so that is being done now and we are waiting for them to give the approval,” Mahathir told a press conference.
Under Article 112B, the king appoints judges, including the top four judicial administrators on the advice of the prime minister after consulting the Conference of Rulers.
It is learnt that the Rulers are scheduled to meet early next month.
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court will decide on Monday (April 29) if it will quash or amend any of the charges in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s corruption trial.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali set the decision for 9am on Monday, after hearing submissions by both parties.
Najib's lawyer, former Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, submitted that the charges against his client for criminal breach of trust (CBT) lacked clarity and specificity.
"The prosecution has failed to specify which of the five possible types of CBT is alleged to be committed. Unless amended, the charges are indefinite and embarrassing," he said.
Referring to the RM42mil at the heart of Najib's charges, Kamarul Hisham said the money could not be both gratification and as money obtained via a breach of trust.
"Both versions are at odds with each other. It is an either/or situation," he said.
Ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram replied that the charges were not vague, as it should be read together with supplementary documents furnished by the prosecution as per Section 51A of Criminal Procedure Code.
He added that Parliament created specific different laws for different crimes, so it was fair bring charges under each law.
Back in April, Mohd Yusof had argued that the application to clean up the supposedly defective charges should be heard by the High Court before the start of trial.
However, Justice Mohd Nazlan ordered the trial to start without delay, saying the matter could be heard once the trial was ongoing, without prejudice to the defendant.
On July 4 last year, Najib claimed trial to a charge of abuse of power and three counts of CBT linked to the 1MDB scandal.
On Aug 8, he appeared in court again for the second time and was charged with three counts of money laundering involving the same RM42mil.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/26/high-court-to-decide-on-monday-april-29-whether-to-amend-or-quash-najibs-corruption-charges/#AqFIPAxwtzI3xMdM.99
Datuk Seri CEO, company advisor remanded four days in alleged bribery
Friday, 26 Apr 20192:07 PM MYT
PUTRAJAYA: A chief executive officer and a company advisor have been remanded for four days for allegedly bribing the enforcement officers of a ministry.
Magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim ordered for the two to be remanded until April 29 to allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe the allegations.
The two will be investigated under Section 17(b) of the MACC Act for bribery.
The suspects were brought to the magistrate's court here at 9.30am on Friday (April 26).
The company adviser is a 55-year-old with a Datuk title. He was arrested at 11am on Thursday (April 25) in Kuala Lumpur.
Later at 5.30pm, the 49-year-old chief executive officer, who has a Datuk Seri title, was arrested at the MACC headquarters after she came to give her statement.
Sources believe that the two were working in cohorts to bribe enforcement officers of a ministry to not take action against the company for illegal deposit activities sometime in 2017.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/26/datuk-seri-ceo-company-advisor-remanded-four-days-in-alleged-bribery/#M6EDo1QILry5bEe0.99
A general view of Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur January 9, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat IsaMore
KOTA KINABALU, April 26 ― Constitutional lawyers seem to be in agreement that in a dispute between state rulers and the Constitution, the latter reigns supreme when it comes to the rule of law.
Lawyers polled by Malay Mail agree that while state constitutions used to play a big role in the state, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is right about the constitutional monarch not having executive power in the democracy.
However, the lawyers did point out that it was incorrect of Dr Mahathir to say that the state constitutions ― referring to Johor and Terengganu ― were “nullified”; they were just “modified” according to the new Federal Constitution then.
“The pre-Merdeka Johor Constitution gave wide powers to the monarch. But when we came together as a Federation, all state constitutions were streamlined in accordance to the principles of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy,” said lawyer Lim Wei Jiet.
Both constitutions were modified in line with the 8th Schedule of the Federal Constitution which provides for the state constitution’s powers.
“One important change is that the Sultan must act on the advice of the mentri besar. No more absolute monarchy,” he said, adding that the constitutional monarchy system was reinforced vide several amendments to 8th Schedule in 1993.
“If you look at the Johor Constitution today, it still has many pre-Merdeka references, eg: Sultan Abu Bakar ― the famous monarch who promulgated the Johor Constitution.
“But remember, Article 71 of the Federal Constitution gives power to Parliament to discipline and keep states in check so they obey the 8th Schedule. If State Constitutions are amended to reassert more monarch powers beyond the 8th Schedule, Parliament can intervene and nullify such amendments,” said Liew.
“Long story short, the Johor Constitution is not ‘nullified’ ― but it is ‘modified’ substantially.
"The modification provides that, among others, the sultan must act in accordance to the advice of mentri besars,” said Liew.
Another lawyer, Ananth Surendra, also agreed that the interpretation of the state rulers’ powers would go to Dr Mahathir’s argument for constitutional democracy.
“Pre-independence, the state rulers had played a more influential role in governing the state where the ruler would preside over the executive council. The mentri besar would have to report back to the ruler and in some instances the ruler could even overrule the decision of the mentri besar.
“However, all this changed with the Federal Constitution. Article 71 expressly requires all states to ensure that the provisions in part 1 of the 8th Schedule are included in their respective constitutions,” he said.
If the states did not adopt the provisions in the 8th Schedule, Parliament had the power to enact laws to ensure that the said provisions are included or to remove the inconsistent provisions in the state constitutions.
However, all the states did adopt the provisions and one of the key provisions in the schedule is that the ruler must act on the advice of the state mentri besar.
“Thus, the ruler plays no role in the exercise of governmental power, except in the few scenarios provided for in the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Lawyer Nizam Bashir said that although the Federal Constitution was never intended to supercede state constitutions, and provides many guarantees to the state rulers, Parliament had the power to secure power if the state is in non compliance.
“In simpler words, while it is clear that state constitutions are not nullified when the Federal Constitution comes into effect, this is not to say that due regard is not to be given to the Federal Constitution. That much is clear from my reading of Article 71,” he said.
In the war of words between Dr Mahathir and the Johor monarchy, the Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had last night posted excerpts of the Federal Constitution on the rights of state rulers accorded by the country’s supreme law to the rulers.
Tunku Ismail cited Article 71(1), and 181 (1) which guarantees the right of a state ruler to enjoy and exercise his constitutional rights and privileges in accordance with the state’s constitution.
It was presumably in response to a blog post by Dr Mahathir who said the state constitutions of Johor and Terengganu, which came into effect in 1895 and 1911, were nullified once the new Federal Constitution was accepted by all the Malayan states in 1957.
Tensions first rose after the sudden resignation of former Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian due to royal interference and subsequently, Tunku Ismail insisted that the right of selecting a mentri besar was that of the Sultan’s.
Tension rose again recently with the Johor exco line-up which included three new members, despite Dr Mahathir’s announcement earlier that there would be no change to the line-up after the appointment of the new Mentri Besar Datuk Sahruddin Jamal.
Senior Federal Court judge Azahar Mohamed.
