Pandikar irked by Facebook posting, wants apology or goes to court

A Facebook post alluding that Tan Sri Pandikar Amin has forgotten the customs and values of his ethnic Iranun community has greatly irked the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

Pandikar, in a Facebook post on Thursday, gave Facebook user "Dewi Sukma" a week to apologise for her posting or he would take her to the native court and lodge a complaint with the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission.

The woman had included photos of Pandikar on her Facebook page on Sept 28, saying that it was not the culture of Iranuns to hold celebrations for 20 days in a village where a member of the community had passed away, alluding to a week-long celebration held a kilometre away from the house of a grieving family in Kg Nanamum in Kota Belud.

In her post, she claimed that the family member died on Sept 21 while the carnival celebrations were held from Sept 19 to 25.

Pandikar said he was open to criticism and took it in his stride.

"But I cannot accept if one says I have forgotten or ignored my customs as this Dewi Sukma is trying to tell the public that I do not know my own customs,'' said the Iranun community leader.

It could not be confirmed if the Dewi Sukma Facebook account is genuine.

Source -The Star Online-

Guan Eng's corruption trial postponed to Dec 6

The Penang High Court has set December 6 for the case management of Lim Guan Eng's two corruption charges after improper documents prevented the start today, said his lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo.

He told reporters in a brief press conference that the High Court judge Hadhariah Syed Ismail also decided that Lim and businesswoman Phang Li Khoon need not appear in court then.

“The A-G (Attorney-General) was supposed to serve us documents that are used for the charges, and they gave us a CD that contains 13,000 pages without index,” he said.

He explained that the lack of indexing made it difficult for them to collate the facts, and they have since requested that the AG submit the index for the documents.

“The judge has stressed on the importance of getting all the documents in order for the case,” he said.




Lim was charged with using his public office or position to obtain gratification for himself and his wife, Betty Chew, by approving an application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential purpose during a state planning committee meeting on July 18, 2014.

He is accused of using his position to obtain gratification by purchasing his house from Phang at RM2.8 million, which was below the property’s market value of RM4.27 million on July 28, 2015.

Phang was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code for abetting Lim on July 28 last year in regards to his purchase of the house on Pinhorn Road from her.

Gobind led the defence team for Lim while Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali led the prosecution.

Source -Malay Mail Online-

Opposition-held states never marginalised, says Salleh

The federal government has never marginalised any state, including Kelantan, even when their administration is opposition-held, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said today.

He said that as a responsible government, Putrajaya would continue to provide the best service and implement development projects in these states.

Salleh said this was in line with the policy of the federal government to carry on with its agenda of bringing development to every state, including Kelantan.

"We practise the politics of mutual respect and there is no such thing as federal government people and state government people; we are all Malaysians," he told reporters after a meeting with the Kelantan staff of the ministry.




Salleh, who is in Kelantan to deliver a message to the ministry staff at the Kelantan Department of Broadcasting in Wakaf Che Yeh, urged the ministry staff to continue to provide the best service to the people of Kelantan.

He also advised the ministry staff to explain clearly federal government policies to ensure that the message was delivered and well understood by the people.

He gave the assurance that the federal government would continue to provide the best service regardless of political differences because "a government of the people was for the people".

Information department director-general Ibrahim Abdul Rahman and Kelantan information department director and chairperson of the ministry's coordination committee for Kelantan, Mohd Sabri Abdullah, were also present.

– Bernama

Man charged for 'death threat' against IGP on Facebook

A man claimed trial at the Sessions Court today for a comment on Facebook where he threatened to kill Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar.

Sessions Court judge Zaman Mohd Noor allowed the accused, Rosmin Mohamed Noor, 40, RM3,000 bail in one surety.

He fixed October 24 as the next mention date.

Deputy public prosecutor Faridah Noordini Baharom appeared for the prosecution.

Rosmin was represented by Nurul Jamah Abdul Rahman.

He has been charged, under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, for allegedly posting an offensive and insulting comment against the IGP”.

Rosmin was said to have committed the offence on September 22 this year at Kg Teluk Bahru 2, Lundang, Kota Bahru, Kelantan.

If convicted he may be jailed for up to one year, fined up to RM50,000, or suffer both.

Source -FMT-

Najib wants those responsible for downing MH17 are punished

Malaysia wants firm action taken against those responsible for the downing of MH17, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. 

“The Joint Investigation Team has concluded that MH17 was downed by a Russian made missile and it was fired from rebel controlled territory (in Ukraine).

“Based on the two findings, Malaysia wants firm action to be taken. We have promised that those who were responsible for the downing of the aircraft will be brought to justice,” he told Malaysian media here, today. 

“We owe it to the families. The families want justice. So we will pursue this,” he said.

Malaysia, he said will call for a meeting with the other countries which lost their citizens namely the Netherlands and Australia.

“Together we will decide the next course of action. We must see to it that those responsible are punished,” he said.

MH17 was shot down in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people onboard, including 44 Malaysians.

Najib added that while the conclusion might provide some comfort for the victims' families, it is strongly believed that they will not be satisfied until and unless justice is done and seen to be done.

- Bernama

Bersih 2.0 mulls legal action against Jamal over terror connection issue

A statement by Bersih 2.0 Steering Commitee has strongly denied the allegations by Red Shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos and is mulling legal action over the issue.

"Bersih has no connection with any terrorist groups whatsoever.

"We have no plans to gather at any airports in Malaysia and will follow the convoy and rally schedule as publicised in our media statements, website and social media.

"The allegations are baseless and are made with ill intentions to strike fear and violence," said its steering committee in a media statement.

The committee said it is also assessing all legal options in dealing with such malicious allegations and will hold all those responsible who fabricate and circulate them.

Bersih, it added, is and will remain a people’s movement with its clear objective to peacefully strive for democratisation through electoral and institutional reform.

Earlier, Jamal claimed that Bersih plans to surround Putrajaya and airports during its Nov 19 rally.

The Red Shirts leader said he had been informed that the electoral watchdog has been infiltrated by the Islamic State (IS).

Jamal also revealed that his movement would mobilise its members and supporters to counter Bersih’s nationwide convoy and rally.

Source -MKini-

Probe conclude with MH17 downed by pro-Russia rebel held territory

An armed pro-Russian separatist stands on part of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane after it crashed near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev/File Photo

A Malaysian airliner shot down in eastern Ukraine was hit by a Russian-made Buk missile launched from a village held by rebels fighting Ukrainian government forces, international prosecutors said today.

The findings challenge Moscow's suggestion that Malaysia Airlines flight 17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014, was brought down by the Ukrainian military. All 298 people on board, most of them Dutch citizens, were killed.

The prosecutors cannot file charges but victims' relatives have been seeking details of who shot the plane down in the hope that it might lead eventually to prosecutions over an incident which led to a sharp rise in East-West tensions.

The Buk missile system used to shoot down the plane fired one missile from the village of Pervomaysk and was later returned to Russia, said the prosecutors, from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

They told a news conference in the central Dutch city of Nieuwegein that the investigative team had identified 100 people who were described as being of interest to them but had not yet been formally identified individual suspects.

It was not clear whether an order had been given for fighters to launch the missile or whether they had acted independently, the prosecutors said.

A civilian investigation by the Dutch Safety Board also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from eastern Ukraine, but Moscow denied that pro-Russian rebels were responsible.

Repeating those denials on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or were in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment.”

“The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere,” he said.

The investigators said they had not had access to the new radar images on which Moscow was basing its latest statements.

Relatives want details

Victims' families were informed of the findings shortly before the prosecutors' news conference.

At the time of the incident on July 17, 2014, pro-Russian separatists were fighting Ukrainian government forces in the region. The Boeing 777 broke apart in mid-air, flinging wreckage over several kilometres (miles) of fields in rebel-held territory.

Prosecutors cannot file charges because there is no international agreement on what court a case would be heard in.

Speaking before the news conference, Silene Fredriksz, whose 23-year-old son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy Oehlers, said the victims' families wanted justice.

“As a family we are impatient. We want to know what happened, how it happened and why. We want those responsible to face justice,” she said.

The downing played a significant part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have blamed pro-Russian rebels for the incident. Russia has always denied direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict and rejects responsibility for the destruction of MH17.

Prosecutors have sought legal assistance from Moscow since October 2014, and visited in person for a week in July.

“Russian authorities have offered information in the past, but have not answered all questions,” they said in a statement at the time. 

― Reuters

Jamal Yunos accused Bersih 2.0 infiltrated by IS

Red Shirts leader Jamal Yunos today claimed that electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 has been infiltrated by terrorist group Islamic State (IS).

The Umno Sungai Besar division leader claimed he received this information from “reliable” sources.

“I cannot reveal the source but we will hand over the report to police,” he said, referring to the bit of information he got.

Speaking at a press conference outside the Putra World Trade Centre today, Jamal also claimed that Bersih 2.0 had planned to “take over” several strategic locations (during the Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19), such as airports, like what happened during protests in Thailand.

“Our sources also indicate that Bersih’s motive is to topple the government by going to strategic places.

“We believe that they (Bersih 2.0) have acquired consultants from Thailand and Taiwan to ensure that Bersih 5 will successfully topple the government before the next general election.”

Both Taiwan and Thailand have seen major street protests before.

Jamal also announced the launch of “Merah V2” — a campaign aimed at countering electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0’s upcoming nationwide convoy.




Jamal said members of the Red Shirts movement were set to “descend” on all locations announced by Bersih 2.0.

“Our friends of multiple races, including the Malays, Chinese, Indians and Bumiputeras from Sabah and Sarawak, will join Merah V2 to be present at all the locations announced by Bersih.”

Bersih 2.0 had recently announced it would kick off its convoy on Oct 1 in Kota Bharu.

The seven-week convoy will also be held in Perak, Perlis, Johor and Kuala Lumpur. It is also scheduled to take place in Sandakan and Miri.

According to Jamal, the Red Shirts will also hold another rally in Penang soon to oppose the state administration led by DAP’s Lim Guan Eng.

“We will go to Penang to protest against the state government headed by Lim Guan Eng, who is corrupt and has misused his powers,” he said, adding that between 2,000 and 3,000 people will be mobilised in all of their rallies.

“Bersih 2.0 is a tool of the Opposition to spread hate politics towards the government and leaders chosen by the people through a legitimate electoral system.

“They (Bersih 2.0) don’t have a clear objective and they only bring up issues to confuse the people, such as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).”

Source -FMT-

Cash incentives for voter registration tantamount to bribery, says MCA

Offering cash incentives to youths to persuade them to vote is tantamount to bribery, says MCA.

MCA central committee member Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker (pic), who was referring to an online competition with cash incentives organised by PKR-linked NGO Invoke, said no party should resort to bribing eligible voters as this would only encourage more corrupt practices.

"As it is, there are already too many allegations of fraudulent practices and corruption amongst Malaysians.

"It will not be wise to increase the number of voters who are not interested or ignorant in politics by using monetary attractions to engage, attract and register them," he said in a statement Wednesday.

Those who want to enter the #UntungDaftar competition by Invoke, have to write a slogan to persuade youths to register to vote.

On Invoke's website, it said that RM1,000 will be given for best slogan, with two runner-up prizes of RM500 each and three third place prizes of RM200 each.

On Sunday, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli had tweeted about #UntungDaftar.

Ti said such monetary reward would also lead to the increase in the number of voters who are "politically ignorant" or "easily bribed".

"This will increase the tendency for politicians to resort to more bribes and corruption to win an election.

"As the competition becomes more intense and in the event that a victory depends on a small percentage of fence-sitters, the incentives will progress into bribes and the practice of corruption will prevail," he said.

He added that this was the reason why there was no automatic registration of voters.

"Malaysian democratic practices, justice and fair play are still lacking and wanting. We do not want a bigger pool of ignorant, lackadaisical or irresponsible voters to be increased and become the decisive votes.

"We cannot risk the ultimate outcome of an election to be dependent on a group of voters whose decision is not based on political correctness but based on political opportunism and driven by incentives or bribes," he added.

Bersih 2.0 had also slammed the NGO, describing the move as "pathetic".

"People need to recognise it is their right to vote and they should be taking the initiative to register," said Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah.

Source -The Star Online-

Tian Chua jailed 3months and fined Rm1,800 for sedition but retain as MP

PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang was convicted of sedition by the Sessions Court today over remarks he made in a public forum on May 13, 2013.

But the Batu MP escaped disqualification after Sessions Court judge Zulqairnan Hassan fined him RM1,800 and sentenced him to three months’ in prison, below the RM2,000 and one year threshold that would have cost the lawmaker his seat.

“The accused used words such as ‘bangkit’ (rise), ‘turun ke jalan’ (take to the streets), which were uttered soon after the results of the 13th general election were announced.

“I am satisfied that this is seen as having a tendency to commit sedition,” Zulqairnan said in his decision.

Chua could have been fined a maximum of RM5,000 or imprisoned for up to three years or both for the offence.

The judge allowed a stay of execution pending an appeal.

“We have been granted a stay and now we will proceed with going to apply for it (the appeal,” said N. Surendran who represented Chua.

Earlier during the hearing, Deputy Public Prosecutor Julia Ibrahim had asked for a heavier sentence for Chua, arguing that as a federal lawmaker he should have been more careful with his words.

Surendran however objected and asked for a lighter sentence, saying that Chua’s speech had not incited any seditious actions.

He also said that Chua has not been disqualified as a member of parliament as the sentencing was below a year for the jail sentence and under RM2,000 for the fine.

“He is not disqualified as an MP. The sentence no effect on status as MP because the fine is below RM2,000 and the jail sentence is below 1 year. If it is more than a year, he would be disqualified,” the Padang Serai MP explained.

Surendran also reasoned that the only reason Chua was being charged was because the Sedition Act had a broad and loose definition to what is considered seditious.

Chua said that his sentence was part of the job hazard of being an opposition lawmaker.

“We have to accept it as part occupational hazards to go through. It would be a big mistake to think that a sentence would silence the people from criticising wrongdoing and abuses,” he told reporters after the verdict.

Source -Malay Mail Online

Ali Tinju move towards 'professionalism' wants organising forum – with Maria, Ambiga, Azmin, Noh

Gerakan Merah leader Mohd Ali Baharom is organising a forum featuring not only BN leaders but also Opposition members.

He says inviting Opposition leaders was one way to move towards “professionalism”.

The forum is titled “Street Rallies and the Country’s Future”.

Ali said among the panellists attending would be Bersih Chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, Malaysian Human Rights Society President S Ambiga, Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali, Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Commissioner Amar Singh and Umno minister Noh Omar.

It is to be held on Nov 13 in Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam, said Ali, who is better known as Ali Tinju.

He said this will prove Gerakan Merah is not a “gangster movement”.

“We are bringing a wind of change for the people so they can make their own judgments.

“Maria, don’t feel shaken. Ambiga, don’t feel threatened. Azmin, be brave for the truth,” he told FMT.

He also said invitations will be issued to the Kuala Lumpur traders’ associations, as well as the heads of main shopping complexes in the city, and tourism groups.




Ali, however, appears to have jumped the gun by sending out the press invite before approaching those he wished to speak at the forum.

When contacted, Maria said she had not received any invitation to attend or even speak at the forum. She said she was completely in the dark about it.

“Ali Tinju is organising a forum? I am unaware of it,” she told FMT.

Ambiga echoed the same remarks, saying: “I don’t know anything about it.”

Ali Tinju later clarified this with FMT, saying although he had invited the press to the forum, he had not contacted any of the panellists, except for the Selangor menteri besar’s office.

Even the Concord Hotel has yet to be confirmed as the forum’s venue, he added.

“The forum is still some time away, so we will send out the invitations next week.

“But I hope those invited will come so we debate in a proper and professional manner.

“As the organiser, I guarantee that the forum will be safe, and that the language used will be proper,” said Ali.

Source -FMT-

Malaysia will cooperate with US on 1MDB, says PM Najib

Prime Minister Najib Razak  said that Malaysia would cooperate with US and other international authorities investigating the misappropriation of funds from a Malaysian state-owned fund that he founded.

“We are equally concerned about good governance in Malaysia and the rule of law,” Najib told reporters after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, when asked about the international investigations.

“So within the bounds of good governance and the rule of law, Malaysia will do its best to cooperate and to do whatever is necessary.”

Najib said he opposed calling early elections before the 2018 deadline, saying such a decision should not be based on “any single factor”.

“We rest on our record. We have a strong record and we will continue to tell the Malaysian people that our government is still the best choice,” he said.

Malaysian democracy group Bersih is planning a protest rally on Nov. 19 to call for Najib’s immediate resignation and an independent investigation into the financial scandal at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

1MDB is a state fund Najib founded in September 2009 to invest in strategic property and energy projects. Najib was the chairman of 1MDB’s advisory board until recently.

US prosecutors filed civil lawsuits in July alleging that over $3.5 billion (£2.70 billion) was defrauded from 1MDB.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that global investigators believed more than $1 billion entered Najib’s personal bank accounts, much of it from 1MDB. The US filings referred to an unnamed high-ranking official who received some of the misappropriated funds.

A source familiar with the investigations has told Reuters that the unnamed official is Najib.

He has denied any wrongdoing. The prime minister has weathered persistent calls for him to step down over his handling of the 1MDB scandal, which is also being investigated by at least five other countries.

-Reuters

Anwar remains top pick for PM job

DAP publicity chief Tony Pua today, said that Pakatan Harapan's potential candidate for the PM job still remains to Anwar Ibrahim.

This comes after Harapan's new ally PPBM (Bersatu) adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Bersatu pro-tem president Muhyiddin Yassin is the likely PM if the opposition wins the next general election.

"As it stands, Pakatan Harapan's position is, and remains, Anwar Ibrahim (for prime minister)," Pua told news portal Malaysiakini.

Meanwhile, in a survey conducted by Institut Darul Ehsan (IDE), and was reported by FMT, about 30 per cent of 1,761 registered voters in all of the state’s 56 constituencies also preferred Anwar over all other opposition figures.

In the same survey, about 40 per cent of the respondents tipped Anwar as the individual most capable of returning the country to its former glory.

Lots of Chinese joining PPBM, claims Dr M

Ethnic Chinese are joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) despite its Bumiputera-first policy, said it pro-tem chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a talk in London, UK last Wednesday, the former prime minister also justified the Bumiputera-centric focus of his new party, claiming that the community would feel unsafe if PPBM was a multiracial party.

“It’s simply because that’s what the Bumiputera want,” Dr Mahathir said.

“If we go and say we should be multiracial, for them, it means that they are not safe. So we have a Bumiputera party. But this Bumiputera party accepts non-Bumiputera as associate members. And even now, lots of them are joining. A lot of Chinese are joining Bersatu,” the elder statesman added.

He said while one does not want to see racism in Malaysia, “lots of people are still feeling uncomfortable”, pointing out that while other countries have a single national language and national culture, Malaysia has three.

“So much so that the Malay language, which is supposed to be the national language, is not understood by majority of the non-Malays, whereas in Indonesia, Bahasa Indonesia is spoken by people of Chinese origin, for example, simply because that is the way to get along in society. But in Malaysia, unfortunately or fortunately, people have learned English and they resort to using the English language when speaking to different races,” said Dr Mahathir.

He stressed, however, that despite the differences in language, religion, culture and socioeconomic status, Malaysia does not have racism that leads to violence, claiming that things were solved “very quickly” within three years after the May 13, 1969, race riots that had killed scores of people.

“So Malaysians generally, while they may have some worries about their own race, but they are not the kind who will want to fight because of their race. They want to settle things in a friendly sort of way,” said Dr Mahathir.

The Registrar of Societies has provisionally approved PPBM’s registration, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced earlier this month.

Dr Mahathir told the talk in London that PPBM’s aim was to recruit at least a million members.

Source -Malay Mail Online-

Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Megi strikes

Residents shelter from rain in the New Taipei City, as Typhoon Megi approaches eastern Taiwan, on September 27, 2016 (AFP Photo/Sam Yeh)

Taiwan went into shutdown today as the island faces its third typhoon in two weeks, with thousands evacuated, schools and offices closed across the island and hundreds of flights disrupted.

Typhoon Megi is expected to make landfall in eastern Taiwan later today but is already bringing widespread violent winds and torrential rain as it nears the island.

More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and around 2,000 are in shelters, according to the Central Emergency Operation Centre.  

About 36,000 households have lost power due to the typhoon so far. 

A total of 575 international and domestic flights were cancelled as of  this morning, and 109 delayed. Most trains were also halted. 

Television footage showed powerful waves surging past breakwaters in northeastern Yilan county and outlying Orchid Island. 

Ahead of the storm, more than 3,700 tourists had already been evacuated at the weekend from Orchid Island and Green Island — both popular with visitors.

At 12:30am, Megi was 220km southeast of the eastern county of Hualien, packing gusts of up to 198kph. 

It is moving at 18kph — slower than previously forecast — delaying the time of landfall to around 9am today, according to Taiwan’s weather bureau. 

Hualien and Taitung, which are also popular with visitors for their coastlines and landscapes, will be in the firing line. 

Those areas are still trying to recover from damage brought by Super Typhoon Meranti earlier this month — the strongest storm for 21 years to hit Taiwan. 

Meranti, which left one dead in Taiwan before killing another 28 as it moved to eastern China, was followed closely by the smaller Typhoon Malakas. 

Mountainous regions in eastern Taiwan could see a total of up to 900mm of rain through tomorrow, increasing the risk of landslides. 

More than 35,000 soldiers are on standby to help with disaster relief. 

- AFP