Works going well, now for okay from Selangor

Construction work for the Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project are on track with several vital components moving ahead of schedule.

Pahang Housing, Public Amenities and Transport Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Soffi Abdul Razak said that with the exception of the Langat 2 water treatment plant for which the Selangor Government has yet to give the green light work on the other major components was progressing smoothly.

“Up to Aug 31, 67% or 22.9km of the 44.6km long tunnel has been completed,” Mohd Soffi said. “Work on the water pumps and valves are at 47.2% while 59.7% of the dual piping system is already done.

“Only the Klau Dam is behind schedule by 17% due to a delay in acquiring land to resettle the 115 orang asli households,” he said yesterday.

Mohd Soffi said he felt obligated to respond to statements by Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar on Tuesday, challenging Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob to revoke the water agreement deal between the two states.

Mohd Soffi said Dr Xavier was not aware of the full details of the agreement, adding that Pahang had given much for national development, including setting a price of just 10 sen per cubic metre.

“We have to relocate an orang asli settlement in Lembah Klau and some plantation land belonging to Felda scheme, so that the project can take off.

“The fact is, Selangor is not going to pay a single sen as the RM8bil project is to be financed by international funding arrangements with Japan and the Federal Government,” he said, adding that approval for the tunnel entering both states had already being obtained earlier even before Pakatan Rakyat came to power.

Mohd Soffi said the only hindrance now was the absence of an approval by the Selangor Government for a “development order” to construct the Langat 2 treatment plant.

“We expect work on all the components to be completed by the middle of 2014, and if Langat 2 plant is not given the go-ahead, the whole project will not take off.

“Its construction requires about two years and if it is to proceed now, would be completed in about the same time,” he said, while pointing out that a 80ha site for the Langat 2 plant had already been earmarked and acquired.

Mohd Soffi said he was willing to extend an invitation to the Selangor Government to see for themselves the progress of the project in Pahang.

The water transfer project was supposed to pump 1,890 million litres of raw water daily from Sungai Semantan in Pahang to the Hulu Langat water treatment facility in Selangor.

Sumber:The Star

Aminah menang saman fitnah ke atas tiga pemimpin PKR

"Kerana pulut santan binasa, kerana mulut badan binasa".Lidah dan pena adalah anugerah Allah kepada kita untuk berkomunikasi tetapi sering disalahgunakan untuk mengeluarkan perkataan dan penulisan yang mendatangkan keburukan seperti berdusta, menyebar fitnah dan bermaksud jahat yang membawa menjatuhkan maruah orang lain, apatah lagi kalau sesama Muslim.

Inilah yang terjadi pada tiga orang pemimpin PKR yang bermulut lancang apabila mengeluarkan kenyataan berunsur fitnah, kecaman berbentuk peribadi serta tuduhan tidak berasas yang bertujuan mengaib,menjatuhkan maruah ,nama baik dan reputasi Aminah ,yang pada masa itu masih lagi Ketua Wanita  PKR negeri Pulau Pinang.

Aminah mendakwa,laporan akhbar itu, antara lain,bermaksud beliau seorang yang jahil agamadan tiada sebarang pengetahuan syariat Islam,menerima umpan kebendaan daripada UMNO,termasuk dituduh menggesa Presiden PKR Datin seri wan Azizah bercerai dengan suaminya,Datu kSeri Anwar Ibrahim.

Ketiga-tiga mereka terpaksa membayar ganti rugi RM30 000 kepada Aminah.Aminah amat bersyukur dengan keputusan yang berpihak kepadanya dan sekali gus dapat mengembalikan moral dan maruah beliau.

Sumber: The Star 28 Sept 2012

Liow: No need for hudud to parallel justice system

PETALING JAYA: A country cannot have two parallel criminal justice systems dealing with the same offences as it will create a lot of uncertainty, said MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said Malaysia already had a “very complete” judiciary system which administered justice.

“Non-Muslims would feel that they are not getting justice through the (hudud) system,” he told reporters after launching the 6th National Conference on Clinical Research here yesterday.

Liow gave an example of a rape case, where under hudud law, the woman would be required to get four witnesses to vouch that she had been raped.

“So they have doubt that they can get a fair deal through the (hudud) system. We are confident that the rakyat as a whole, regardless of race or religion, has confidence in the judiciary,” he said.

Liow was responding to a report by a news portal that the Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) had found that 42% of Chinese respondents agreed that hudud would be fair to all.

Sources: The Star 27 Sept 2012

LA: Just wait how PAs want to respond about this issues.

Stop harassing Suaram, says Amnesty

PETALING JAYA (Sept 26, 2012): Amnesty International has called on Malaysian authorities to end “harassment and intimidation” on Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) after the civil liberties group was investigated over foreign funding.

“The government should respect Suaram’s right as a human rights organisation to seek and receive funding, rather than abuse its power to intimidate the group,” Amnesty said in a statement.

It cited Article 13 of the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, that “organisations have the right to to solicit, receive and utilise resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights”.

On Sept 18, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Suaram and its affiliate, Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, would be probed by the government.

He said the Registrar of Societies will take action against Suaram and Suara Inisiatif under the Societies Act 1966, while Bank Negara Malaysia will investigate Suaram under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 for anomalies related to its accounts.

“The rights to freedom of expression and to peaceful assembly and association are key human rights provided in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally agreed instruments,” the Amnesty statement said.

Amnesty said this is not the first time the government has resorted to restricting the freedom of association, and clamping down on peaceful dissent.

Meanwhile, Ismail told reporters today that the Companies Commission of Malaysia has submitted a report on Suaram and Suara Inisiatif to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for further investigation.

He however declined to reveal the details requested by the AGC. “I cannot reveal the details because it will influence initial perceptions towards the case. You have to ask the AG,” he said.

Sources: The Star 27 Sept 2012

Suaram claims police intimidation

PETALING JAYA: Suaram has claimed that policemen who visited their office had intimidated and harassed their staff.

Suaram executive director E. Nalini said two policemen came to their premises in Jalan Gasing Indah, near here, at 1.50pm yesterday to serve a notice from the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

The officers claimed that the notice was connected to a report lodged against the human rights NGO.

“Because they refused to reveal what the notice was about, we asked that our lawyer be present when it was served. Instead, one of the officers began shouting at us and even warned me to not waste their time,” she said.

She said the duo left 20 minutes later without handing over the notice and their lawyer, Fadiah Nadwa, arrived soon after they had left.

Sources: The Star

Bersih: We got funds only once

The Bersih movement had received funds from the George Soros-linked Open Society Foundation only once, which was for an electoral delineation project last year, said Bersih chairman Datuk S. Ambiga.

Present were representatives from five other non-governmental groups the Centre for Independent Journalism, Lawyers for Liberty, Merdeka Centre, Southeast Centre for E-Media and Suaram.

Ambiga said the Open Society promoted democracy and there was “nothing wrong” receiving funds from it.Ambiga said there were many sides to the story, with some saying that locals not Soros were responsible for it.

In a statement released at the end of the press conference, Bersih and the other groups claimed that the report in the daily was a crude attack on civil society in Malaysia.

Sources:The Star

LA: Ambiga said "nothing wrong" but for malaysians this is  a big mistakes, and malaysians still remember what happened in 1998.

BN questions Guan Eng’s tenancy agreement

Barisan Nasional has questioned the validity of the six-page tenancy agreement between Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the Pinhorn Road bungalow owner.

Tanjung Barisan Youth chief H'ng Khoon Leng said the agreement could have been doctored as “even the stamp duty on it was not that clear”.

He also asked why details on the landlady were not revealed.

“I urge Lim to produce the actual documents to the public,” he added.

Penang Gerakan Youth had challenged Lim to reveal if there was any conflict of interest involving a “Miss P” in the RM11mil sale of a 0.4ha plot of land in Taman Manggis.

The wing's chairman Oh Tong Keong was reported as saying that they were told that “Miss P” was the alleged owner of the bungalow that Lim and his family stayed in, and she was a business partner of a major stakeholder in the proposed Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre.

Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik had made public the details of Lim's rented residence on Saturday, presenting the agreement between Lim and the bungalow owner.

The agreement stated that Lim had been renting the unit since July 1, 2009 for RM5,000 per month until June 30, 2012.

“The bungalow owner has yet to make up her mind as to whether she wants to renew the agreement. Therefore, Lim is still living there,” said Ng.

Meanwhile, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng accused Ng of purposely leaving out the name of the bungalow owner.

“We will reveal all the details instead of only parts of information in the agreement like how Ng did,” he said.

On a separate matter, the state Barisan Nasional was expected to make an official bid to buy the 0.4ha Taman Manggis land from the state government by the end of the week.

Sources: The Star

LA: Still waiting answer from Lim Guan Eng

Businessman admits private jet loaned to Anwar, declines to reveal for how much

A businessman has admitted to providing a private jet to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim but declined to say for how much.

TJets Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Mohd Taufik Omar also denied being the jet's owner.Mohd Taufik was asked to comment on the buzz in cyberspace following an expose by blogger John F. Seademon that Mohd Taufik was the businessman who had loaned the jet to the Opposition Leader.Bloggers were abuzz over the “jet-setting ways” of Pakatan Rakyat leaders, following PKR vice-president Tian Chua's tweets on Sept 15 showing photographs of the Dassault Falcon jet and several Opposition leaders enjoying its posh setting.

Mohd Taufik, who is Malaysia Judo Association president, is also the chairman of LD Sports Sdn Bhd, Kenangan Nilam Sdn Bhd, Asiana Inspirasi Sdn Bhd, KN Capital Sdn Bhd and T Corp Labuan. He is also the director of Health Solutions (SE Asia) Sdn Bhd, CltlTower Sdn Bhd,Aliran Modern Sdn Bhd and Vasseti Bhd.

Anwar admitted to having borrowed jets from Arab businessmen when he was invited to lecture at Georgetown University in the United States and from the Saudi royal family for a medical trip to Germany.

Tian Chua said Pakatan leaders could now enjoy trips on private jets, adding that some friends had chartered the jet with the registration number N990BB.

PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, who was also among the Pakatan leaders on board the plane, said they had used the jet on Sept 15 and 16 to travel to Labuan, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

Sources: The Star

No instructions to beat up participants, Suhakam inquiry told

Police ground commander during the Bersih 3.0 rally in April told Suhakam public inquiry that police personnel who were alleged to have beaten participants had defied orders.

ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain Abd Rahman testified that there were no instructions during the briefing prior to the rally to beat up participants, to block the media from doing their job or for them to remove their name tags.ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain also told the inquiry that communications were jammed up at Dataran Merdeka from 2.45pm to 6pm and that he had to manually communicate with those at Dataran Merdeka, adding that there was no communication with other areas at one point.

Asked by Bersih lawyer Daniel Albert over the video clips they presented which showed police personnel allegedly beating up participants, ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain said he did not personally witness police assaulting participants or members of the media or see injuries sustained.

He also denied that he had given instructions for police to assault the participants at 6.30pm so that they would disperse.

The 19th day of the inquiry also saw both Bersih and the police observers claiming that each other’s video clips on the rally were edited multiple times.

Sources: The Star

LA:Don't blame police,they just doing their job.

Umno, PAS hit out at US movie

PETALING JAYA: Trailers of a movie that mocks and insults Islam and Prophet Muhammad have brought Umno and PAS together in condemning the film.

The film Innocence of Muslims has stirred anger across the Muslim world and a California-based Israeli who calls himself Sam Bacile has claimed ownership of the film.

His name, however, has been revealed to be a pseudonym and the filmmaker has reportedly gone into hiding while the film's cast and crew claimed they were “grossly misled” about the film's intent and purpose.

In Libya, demonstrators attacked an American consulate and killed ambassador Chris Stevens and three other foreign service workers.

Umno Youth criticised the movie, saying it was “an obvious wild provocation, insolent and had marred ties and tolerance between religions”.

It, however, added that any reaction and criticism against the film should be in line with the teachings of Islam.

“Umno Youth condemns the film and the reaction which has caused the death of the US ambassador to Libya,” it said.

PAS Youth said it would lead mass protests outside state mosques after the Friday prayers today and hold a major demonstration next week.

Its chief Nasrudin Hassan said they would also march to the US Embassy to hand over a memorandum of protest next Friday. He urged the US to take action against the filmmaker and compel him to publicly apologise to Muslims worldwide.

“We are disappointed and strongly condemn this film, which has incited anger among Muslims.”

Regarding Tuesday's attack in Libya, Nasrudin said: “This is the implication when you provoke. We cannot control the anger of Muslims, but we will conduct our own protests peacefully and with control.”

Sources: The Star

LA: please respect others religion.

‘Khalid afraid to face the truth’

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim did not attend the highly-anticipated debate on the Talamgate controversy because he was afraid to face the truth, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

“The debate did not happen because there are people who dare not face the truth. Berani kerana benar, berani kerana nak tegakkan keadilan (Being bold in the defence of truth and justice).

“This is more so in Selangor where its (the state government's) policy is Competency, Accountability and Transparency. So, why must you hide?” he said after launching the 1MCA Micro-Credit Scheme for Youth here yesterday.

No-show by MB: Tee Yong speaking during the debate on the Talamgate controversy in Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras.

He was commenting on Khalid's absence from the debate with MCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Datuk Chua Tee Yong on Talam Corporation Bhd's debt recovery exercise on Wednesday.

Instead, Khalid had appointed Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, his political secretary Faekah Hussin, Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Selayang MP William Leong as his spokesmen on the issue.

The four had walked out in protest during the event, saying Tee Yong had not wanted to debate with them.

Dr Chua said Khalid not a representative was the most appropriate person to clear the air by virtue of his post as the head of state government.

“The representatives are not members of the state's administration and as such, do not have full information. Documents and issues discussed in the state executive council meetings are only privy to the mentri besar and the exco members.

Some supporters clashing during the debate.

“Whatever information the representatives have are second, third and fourth-hand information conveyed to them,” he said.

In July, Tee Yong had questioned how an exercise to recover RM392mil debt owed by Talam to state-linked companies ended up in questionable deals worth over RM1bil.

The RM1bil deals include Talam assets acquired by the Selangor government at RM676mil to offset the debt and a RM392mil grant obtained by the Mentri Besar Incorporated to facilitate the debt recovery exercise.

Dr Chua said that in the past, MCA leaders would be labelled as “cowards” by the Opposition should they fail to take up the latter's challenges.

“So when we challenged Khalid for a debate and he didn't turn up what must we say? He cannot be a hero for not turning up,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Mohan Singh said four suspects arrested during a commotion at the forum had been remanded for investigation.

Sources: The Star 

LA: Bagai anjing dengan bayang-bayang.

Probe into Suaram status

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry and five government agencies, including the Registrar of Societies (ROS), will probe allegations that Suaram had received funds from an American organisation linked to currency speculator George Soros.

“We will look into the status of Suaram which is not registered under the ROS as well as allegations that it had been receiving foreign funds.

“The agencies will look at our investigation papers and check whether Suaram had breached any law. We will take action if there is enough evidence against it,” said Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM)chief executive officer Mohd Naim Daruwish after chairing the first meeting on the matter yesterday.

The other parties are the CCM, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Bank Negara and the police.

It was reported that investigations by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry showed that there were three letters addressed to Suaram dated Oct 17, 2007, Dec 18, 2008 and Feb 12, 2010 stating the awarding of grants amounting to RM585,770 (US$188,775.65) from an organisation called the Open Society Foundation chaired by Soros.

Mohd Naim also denied that the investigation against Suaram was politically motivated and that CCM only began investigating it after they received a tip-off from an NGO.

“We are not selective in our investigations and we take action on all the reports lodged with us,” he said.

He also noted that the CCM was not investigating Suaram as it was an NGO and did not fall under its purview.

“We will be calling the board of directors of Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd (a company linked to Suaram) to explain the finances in their annual report from 2008 until 2011.

“In our second meeting, we will determine whether it is appropriate to set up a special task force to look into the matter,” he added.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, meanwhile, had questioned the motive of groups that had queried the investigations against Suaram.

“When Suaram is criticised, they claimed it is unfair but when Suaram criticised others, they called it free speech,” he said in his Twitter account.

Key persons in Suaram are mostly made up of PKR leaders. They include MPs R. Sivarasa and Tian Chua, state assemblymen Elizabeth Wong and Dr Nasir Hashim and PKR senator Dr Syed Husin Ali. The others are activists linked to the party like lawyer Charles Hector, Cynthia Gabriel, Irene Fernandez, Irene Xavier and Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran.

Sources: The Star

LA: Just wait and see what happened after this. 

Penang keeping mum on separate polls

GEORGE TOWN: Penang is keeping mum on the prospects of a separate state election while Kedah says it will decide only after Parliament is dissolved.

However, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is expected to make his stand clear today, an aide said.

“My boss will only comment about it tomorrow,” the aide said, when asked if Lim will hold simultaneous election with the federal polls.

This follows a decision by the Selangor government that it will hold its own state polls, separate from the parliamentary election.

Kelantan had said it would follow the Federal Government on the general election.

In ALOR SETAR, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said the state might go along with the idea of holding a separate election for Kedah.

He added that, however, the state government would consider first which move could ensure a win for PAS and its allies before making a decision.

“We will wait until Parliament is dissolved. We also need to know the decision of the Pakatan Rakyat council on the matter,” said Azizan, who confirmed he would defend the Sungai Limau state seat.

Meanwhile, Penang MCA secretary Lau Chiek Tuan said the island was not likely to hold separate polls as the Pakatan coalition had been saying it was confident of retaining the state.

“Selangor is probably worried to lose, hence the need to have separate state polls,” he said.

State opposition leader and Penang Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim said the state assembly would decide on whether to have concurrent or separate polls.

Sources: The Star

NGOs gather in support of Suaram

KUALA LUMPUR: About 135 NGOs gathered to show support for human rights organisation Suaram and called for an end to alleged “harassment” of the organisation.

The NGOs, which included Tenaganita, Sisters in Islam and Aliran, said allegations of financial irregularities had to be investigated but must be done in an “impartial and fair” manner.

Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s recent statement that the NGO’s accounts were “highly suspicious” was defamatory.

Ismail had said Suaram’s financial report, submitted to the Companies Commission of Malaysia, showed it had received US$180,000 (RM594,000) in stages between 2007 and 2010 from a foreign foundation said to be linked to currency speculator George Soros.

The minister had added it was against the law for Suaram to receive foreign funds as it was not registered under the Registrar of Societies.

Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah defended Suaram’s acceptance of funds from foreign institutions.

“It is not foreign funding, it’s global funding,” she said.

Also present was Bersih chairperson Datuk S. Ambiga who said acceptance of funds was “not a crime” as long as the money was accounted for.

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) Datuk Paul Low said Malaysian NGO’s had the right to receive foreign funding.

“As a registered Malaysian NGO, TI-M is aware of the difficulty and challenges faced by civil society in raising funds for projects and activities,’’ said Low in a media statement.

Low added that many of its civil society partners, universities, think tanks and even the Malaysian Government received funding from various foreign institutions.

Meanwhile, Cheras Umno division chief Datuk Wira Syed Ali Alhabsheesaid Suaram should not be allowed to operate here, as it had received funds from a foundation associated with Soros who had sabotaged the Malaysian economy more than a decade ago.

He added that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also appeared to be using Suaram to push his political agenda.

Sources: The Star

LA: Please save our country from Suaram.