Merdeka!

Wishing my fellow Malaysians:

Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan yang Ke-52.

Temple protest: To be investigated under Sedition Act

The Star online

PETALING JAYA: Police are investigating Friday's protest against the relocation of a Hindu temple under the Sedition Act.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said they would be calling those who were involved for questioning.

"We have identified those involved in Friday’s incident and will be recording their statements,” he said.

He also warned that police would not hesitate to take stern action against anyone out to create racial tension.

On Friday, the protesters, numbering 50, marched some 300m from the state mosque to the state secretariat building in Shah Alam.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had asked the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to investigate the protest against the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple in Shah Alam.

DCP Khalid said he has instructed the Shah Alam OCPD to monitor the situation and to act accordingly.

He said police would not take sides and would ensure peace and security prevailed at all times.

The Selangor government, meanwhile, condemned the protest.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the state regretted the provocative, offensive action taken by the group.

"It is indeed appalling that such religious intolerance still exists amongst fellow Malaysians," he said.

Teoh Inquest (Day 16): Court hears about police report alleging 'torture' by MACC

The Star online

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock heard of alleged torture of witnesses by MACC officers at the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh Beng Hock’s family, told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas on Friday that he had before him police report which detailed how witnesses and suspects were allegedly tortured during interrogation.

He claimed that among the forms of abuse listed in the report were repeated slapping to the face, blindfolding, asking the witness to strip, wrapping a steel rod with a newspaper and using it to hit stomach, arms and legs.

Gobind also told Azmil that he would bring a witness who had been subjected to torture and abuse during interrogation by MACC.

“The witness will identify the MACC officer involved. However, I cannot reveal the name of the witness for now because for security reasons,” he added.

The revelation came about when Gobind was questioning the inquest’s 19th witness - Selangor MACC officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus, 25.

For an account of today's inquest, read here

Najib: MCA’s right to sack Chua...

..and says he will not interfere in the party’s decision to sack its deputy president unless he is invited to act as an intermediary.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that MCA’s president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Kiat had the right to make any decision while taking into consideration the interest of Barisan Nasional.

The Prime Minister was asked to comment on the sacking of Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek on Wednesday by the party’s presidential council.

Datuk Seri Najib, who had been briefed by Ong and two of MCA’s vice presidents of the decision, said that his only concern is that the decision does not affect the interest of Barisan Nasional.

Her also dismissed rumours that he had called on Ong to reconsider his decision to sack Chua.

The star has the story here...

Teoh Inquest Day 15: Mohd Najeib says he didn't hear any shouting that night

The Star online

SHAH ALAM: A Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) assistant enforcement officer told the Teoh Beng Hock inquest he did not hear the sound of people bickering coming from his office toilet in the wee hours of July 16.

Mohd Najeib Ahmad Walad also testified he was at the state MACC office until 2.30am on that day and added the atmosphere there had been calm.

Mohd Najeib’s testimony appeared to contradict his superior officer Mohd Nasir Ismail’s testimony on Wednesday.

Mohd Nasir, who is the investigating officer of the case involving Teoh, had testified his colleague Bulkini Paharudin told him the deceased had had an argument with Kajang Municipal Council councilor Tan Boon Hwa on July 16.

Mohd Nasir had told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas that Bulkini had told him the bickering had allegedly taken place in the MACC’s men’s room at 2.00am that day.

When cross-examined by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who’s holding a watching brief for Teohs family, Mohd Najeib said he would have run away if he had heard an
argument taking place.

Mohd Najeib, who was the inquest’s 18th witness, also told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas that Teoh had looked uncomfortable and worried when the MACC officers paid Ean Yong’s office an impromptu visit on July 15.

He added that Teoh had also appeared to be troubled when waiting to be questioned at one of the MACC offices lounge areas.

Gobind probed Mohd Najeib on Teoh’s alleged demeanor and asked him how he knew that Teoh appeared to be worried.

From the body language and facial expression, he was uncomfortable with the MACC officers, said Mohd Najeib.

Gobind also quizzed Mohd Najeib over his testimony that Teoh had appeared to be uncomfortable at the MACC office. Continue here...

Chua Soi Lek expelled

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has been sacked from the party over a sex scandal that broke out early last year.

At a press conference at the party headquarters, MCA president Datuk Ong Tee Keat announced that the presidential council had endorsed the recommendation of the party's disciplinary committee to sack Dr Chua over the matter.

The decision was made in the interest of the aprty, he said.

Dr Chua has 14 days to appeal the decision, although the party constitution does not allow the decision to be challenged in court.

Dr Chua resigned as Health Minister as well as MP for Labis and from all party posts in January last year after admitting he was the man in the sex DVD, copies of which were distributed in Johor.

However, delegates elected him to the post of deputy President at the party’s last election.

Datuk Ong said the committe did so (expelled Dr Chua) “with a heavy heart” after giving much consideration to the damage inflicted upon the party image, brought about by the sex scandal featured in the DVD.

The NST Online

MCA sacks Chua Soi Lek

by Eileen Ng

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has been sacked from the party with immediate effect for tarnishing the party's image due to his DVD sex scandal.

The party's presidential council unanimously decided last night to adopt its disciplinary panel recommendation, which proposed that Dr Chua be expelled
from the party.

Party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the decision was made after much deliberation.


"We did so with a heavy heart after giving much consideration to the damage inflicted upon the party image brought about by his sex scandal. This decision has been made in the best interest of the party," he said after chairing a five-hour presidential council meeting at Wisma MCA.

It is understood that Dr Chua is the highest ranking MCA leader to be sacked from MCA in the party's history.

Dr Chua was caught on video having a tryst with a woman at a hotel in Johor last year. He subsequently resigned from all his government and party posts. He was elected as MCA's deputy president at the party polls last October.

In May last year, Simpang Renggam division chief Eng Cheng Guan filed a complaint with the previous disciplinary panel headed by former deputy president Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy that Dr Chua had committed adultery and oral sex and the scandal had tarnished the party's image.

However, Eng withdrew his complaint on July 30 saying that he did not intend to pursue the case.

But, the current board - headed by Ng Cheng Kiat - had decided to proceed with the hearing because the complaint had been accepted by the presidential council after it
established there is a prima facie case.

Ong said Dr Chua has 14 days from yesterday to appeal to the central committee against the decision.

He also said according to Article 128 of the party constitution, the decision of the central committee shall be final and conclusive and cannot be subjected to any legal action.

"We as members of the presidential council will stand as one and we shall collectively be responsible for this decision," Ong read from a six paragraph statement.

He refused to take any questions from the press, but said he would explain the decision of the presidential council to BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Meanwhile, Dr Chua, who is also the BN coordinator for Pakatan Rakyat controlled states, said last night he had not decided whether to appeal.

"Tarnishing the party's image is a very serious crime. I'm lucky they didn't sentence me to death.”

The bad blood between Dr Chua and Ong also came out in the open yesterday when the former minister accused the party president of being suspicious of him ever since the party polls.

"The president has treated me like an enemy and viewed me as a threat," he said.

He said it is an open secret those not in the same page as Ong were regarded as enemies or a threat.

Dr Chua revealed that these people had been labelled by Ong and his supporters as gangsters, anti-MCA out to destroy MCA and cooperating with businessmen and taking money to topple Ong.

He also said since Ong took over the party's helm last October, the party has been split and directionless with members morale at its lowest.

He also took a swipe at the party's highest decision making body - the central committee (CC) which consisted mostly of Ong's men, saying that the CC will "rubber stamp" the decision made by the presidential council.

To a question, he said he will leave it to members to evaluate whether this latest move is a second attempt to politically assassinate him.

He also stressed that he will not join the Opposition if the presidential council decides to upheld the panel's decision.

Teoh Inquest Day 14: Political aide had argument with another MACC witness

SHAH ALAM, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer told the Coroner's Court here on Wednesday he was informed that the late political aide Teoh Beng Hock had an argument with another MACC witness at the Selangor MACC office.

Mohd Anuar Ismail, who is Selangor MACC acting senior superintendent, said that after Teoh was found dead he was informed by MACC officer Bulkini Paharuddin that Teoh and Kajang Municipal Councillor Tan Boon Wah had an argument at 2am in a toilet.

Questioned by Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, the lawyer representing the MACC, at the inquest into Teoh's death, Mohd Anuar,32, said Teoh could not have died in detention because he was released and allowed to return home after questioning.

Teoh, 30, who was a political aide to Selangor New Village Development and Illegal Factories Task Force Committee chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam, where the Selangor MACC office is located on the 14th floor, after questioning as a witness by the MACC over alleged misappropriation of Selangor government allocations.

"I do not agree that he (Teoh) died in detention because the witness was released at 3.45am and allowed to return home. However, Teoh sought permission from the recording officer (Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim) to rest for a while. I thought he had gone back then," said Mohd Anuar.

He also said that after seeing Teoh's bag, he tried to locate Teoh at the MACC office but failed to do so and he was sure then that Teoh had left and would come back to the MACC office with the documents he had been asked to bring.

As such, he said, he did not contact Teoh's lawyer or family members to enquire about him, and he had intended to hand over Teoh's bag when they met again.

Mohd Anuar also said that no force whatsoever was used on Teoh during questioning.

Questioned about Teoh's lawyer, M. Manoharan, who was said to have been present at the MACC office and had attempted to contact Teoh on the day he was questioned, Mohd Anuar said: "I do not know (about that)."

Asked about the MACC operating round-the-clock, Mohd Anuar explained that this was necessary because some witnesses who worked during the day would ask to have their statements recorded at night so as not to disrupt their work. Some witnesses would not want to be seen coming to the MACC office for obvious reasons and would choose to have their statements recorded at night," he said.

The hearing, before Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, continues in the afternoon. -- BERNAMA

Related story: MACC Reveals Teoh's Involvement In Approving Non-Existent Projects

PAS wins Permatang Pasir

PAS has won the Permatang Pasir state seat by-election in Penang today with a majority of 4,451 votes.

The majority however had decreased by nearly 900 votes since the last general election which saw the party winning by 5,433 votes.

The Election Commission announced that PAS candidate 52-year-old Mohd Salleh polled 9,618 votes while BN's Mohd Rohaizat Othman, 38, (pic left) garnered 5,067.

Voter turnout had also decreased this time around to 73 per cent which the Election Commission chief Abdul Aziz Yusof blamed on the A(H1N1) outbreak.

In the previous election, the turnout was 82.6 per cent.

The by-election in the heart of Anwar Ibrahim's parliamentary stronghold of Permatang Pauh was held following the death of PAS state assemblyperson Mohd Hamdan Abd Rahman on July 31.

This is the eighth by-election since the March 8 polls last year.

With this victory, Pakatan Rakyat has taken seven with BN only emerging victorious in Sarawak's Batang Ai contest. - Malaysiakini

Teoh Inquest: Political aide could not answer some questions, says MACC man

SHAH ALAM: Teoh Beng Hock could not answer some questions when he was interviewed by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commis-sion (MACC) officers, an inquest into his death was told.

Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com-mission (MACC) investigating officer Mohd Anuar Ismail said his colleagues Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus and Arman Alies had told him
this at 1am on June 16, the day Teoh was found dead.

Questioned by government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan about what the two had briefed him given his capacity as the investigating officer, Mohd Anuar said: “They told me that Teoh could not answer some questions about some documents found in his laptop.”

He also said another colleague, Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim, who recorded Teoh’s statement, told him there were no problems when the statement was recorded.

Mohd Anuar also said the last MACC officer who saw Teoh in the office was Raymond Nion anak John Timban.

“I was told that Teoh had called Asraf (Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus) and asked him for a drink at 5am and at 6am, Raymond saw him sleeping on a sofa,” he said, adding that Teoh was not a suspect but the main witness in the investigations.

Mohd Anuar said that at about 9am on July 16, he saw a bag belonging to Teoh next to a sofa near Mohd Nadzri’s room.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, who is holding a watching brief for the MACC, told the inquest the anti-graft body was willing to produce the statement recorded from Teoh. -- The Star online