Ampang UMNO protest & dimwit Gerakan

[Photo : MalaysianUnplugged]

A protest was held by the Ampang UMNO division to demonstrate their unshakened faith in the MACC and police.

The protest was led by division chief Ismail Kijo at a car park next to the Ampang Point shopping complex in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Also present were members from the Umno divisions in Pandan and Gombak as well as several members of Barisan Nasional component parties of the Ampang division. One banner read ' 'Ampang Umno has confidence in police, MACC'.

Of course, I fully agree with the statement. Being UMNO, they will always be protected by the polis and MACC without a shadow of a doubt. I see no reason why they shouldn't have any confidence in these institutions protecting their interests..

We must also not forget Gerakan who have expressed that the MACC has done a good job (by presumably causing the death of TBH?)

Solving crimes for Dummies

I am really amazed at the way our men in blue are going about solving the TBH case, when it could be done in a straight forward manner. The process in solving the crime can be :

1. Check out from the records who were the last persons who interrogated TBH that day from 5.30 pm till 3.15 am the next day. I am sure this can be esily ascertained.

2. From here, determine who were the culprits who was responsible for TBH's death. At this point, investigators will need to establish the Where, Who, What, When and How to put the jigsaw pieces together.

3. Whoever is responsible, the police can now charge him/them on grounds of culpable homicide.

The will to act? Ahhh, that is something to think about.

From these suspects, we can even find out who issued the order to detain and question the PR state assemblymen for alleged corruption of state funds.

The crime took place at the MACC Selangor Branch office even though the body was found outside the building. Suicide can be ruled out as no one in his right mind would take his own life when he was scheduled to be married the next day and above all, the wife was already in her second month of pregnancy. That would make TBH a very happy man indeed to know he would be a husband and a father soon. Unless, of course, if MACC could prove that TBH took LSD, then stood on the window sill, turn around to tell the officers that he could fly and then jumped off.

IGP Musa said that the police have completed 60% of the investigation. The thing on my mind is how did he come by with the "60%"? Iis he telling us, that we are now 40% close to completion. Solving a crime has an open-case scenario with no absolute pattern. Therefore to pinpoint solving a murder case from point A to B is simply not possible. The next thing during any investigation, any thing could crop up unexpectedly and that would mean relegating the 60%.

The RCI? I agree with blogger Haris Ibrahim when he said, "Let's hold on to the champagne".

Who invented the thumb drive?

You think that the thumb drive is a Taiwanese invented product? You wrong, it was invented by a Malaysian, and now enjoying a global reach. Read more here. What a loss to Malaysia. *sigh*

Much ado about the MACC officers

Eversince the unfortunate death of Teoh Beng Hock, I have been thinking more and more of those fellows. the interrogators, in MACC.

There is no doubt that the interrogators are nothing more than a bunch of sadists and racists. If you are interrogating someone, the line of questioning should lead to an issue whether it's true or false. What has race got to do with it and why the need to brand someone as "Cina bodoh"? My line of reasoning is this, if the Chinese are stupid, that would mean the Malays (especially those of UMNO) must be real smart and better than the Chinese at all levels of social standing. Therefore, why the need of the NEP if one is smart? And yet, you have that mamak telling all and sundry that the Malays are being oppressed (a very strong word indeed) by the Chinese. That makes the Chinese the colonial masters, isn't it? Actually, I don't blame the officers for being racists after all they breed down from the top, i.e. UMNO. I have been taught in leadership trainign that whatever a subordinate does, it is a mirror of the leader, and hence the saying "it breeds from the top" and these officers are no exception.

Now comes the sadistic part of the MACC officers. For RM2,400 does one need to be subjected traumatic physical and mental harm, and if that is not bad, why threaten the families

of the witnesses as well? What have they got to do with the case? The question on everyone's lips is "What about the Toyo guy with his RM24m estate?"

My question to MACC is this:

1. On what qualifications are these officers recruited? Their background?

2. Have they undergone psychiatric evaluation before taking on the job, and if not, shouldn't they be sent to one now?

3. Why is MACC staffed with Malays? In view of our country being made out of a plural society, shouldn't the recruitment of such officers have a mixed racial composition?

4. Is there a SOP on interrogation? If none, why not? If yes, can it be disclosed to the rakyat?

From day 1, UMNO fellows have been branding the protests as anti-Malay (actually more anti-UMNO).

1. You demonstrate and protest, you are anti-Malay.

2. You demand for a RCI, you are an anti-Malay.

3. When the Teoh family grieved, they are anti-Malay

4. When you want a lawyer present during a hearing, you are anti-Malay

Their paranoia has certainly gone overboard.

Zainul Arrifin Isa, Group MD of the NST Group said the Teoh's death was an accident. How did he know? Maybe he knows something that we country bumpkins don't. The strong racist remarks from him in the Berita Harian warrant every right thinking Malaysian to start boycotting the NST paper. This fellow is really a heartless SOB!

Now, let me show you what anti-Malay is -

Now even our Malay brethens have joined in the protest. Gosh, they must be anti-themselves. I would like to thank them for their fervent support.

Soh Cher Wei's Eulogy

Beng Hock, you left me without saying a thing. You said there were still plenty of things we had to accomplish together, many places that we would travel together. You even said you would accompany me along the journey of life.

What should I do now? How could I see you again?

My mind is packed with your memories... I only want you back, back to me again, please...

I've been waiting for you day after day, but am totally disappointed. I only want to know whether you are well now. Do you feel the pain...? Please, don't keep me waiting too long. Just let me see you one more time.

Just one more time!

When all my tears and yells could no longer bring you back, I have to believe that you have left me forever. No matter how unwilling, I still have to say goodbye to you today. I promise you, I will go on strong, but I want you to be always by my side, and take care of our baby together.

Beng Hock, even though we can no longer be together in this life, I hope, if we happen to meet again in the next life, I really, really want to go on with you again!

Rest in peace!

SOH CHER WEI

(Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)

(This is the eulogy of SOH CHER WEI, fiancee of Teoh Beng Hock, recited at his funeral on 20 July 2009 in Alor Gajah, Melaka.)

Open letter to MACC advisory members

The following in an open letter to 41 members of MACC advisory board, committee and panels from the director of think-tank Centre for Policy Initiatives.

Dear honourable men and women of the MACC advisory board, committee and panels,

A young and promising life was snuffed out too early and in the most unacceptable and suspicious of circumstances. It happened under your watch in the MACC.

I am not sure whether you are fully aware of the extent of public outrage that this tragic death has provoked. It is an outpouring which cuts across all groups and communities.

Much of this outpouring has been expressed over the blogs and websites. As usual, the mainstream media has not fully reported on the public revulsion and anger.

Just as important to note is that many Malaysians have lost faith in the MACC. It is not only the MACC that they have no confidence in. It is also the so-called watchdog advisory board, committees and panels - which you are all members of - that the public has expressed strong and negative feelings towards.

I myself have lost faith with the MACC and I must also declare here, with the advisory bodies which you are members of.

I know some of you personally – a few for many years now. Because you are honourable people and had good intentions when you agreed to serve, I strongly feel that the only way for you to redeem that lost honour and integrity when Teoh Beng Hock died under the custody of the MACC, is for you all to resign en bloc.

I know that it may prove difficult for you to resign all alone by yourself given the long and vindictive reach of our political authorities in dealing with individual dissent.

But as a group, that decision to resign should be a lot easier.

Not only will you redeem that lost honour and integrity when you resign but your decision will – in my view – impact positively on the political consciousness of the nation at large.

With your decision, we can console ourselves that during this period of finger pointing and blame deflecting, there is a group of leaders that is willing to shoulder responsibility personally when things they are entrusted with go horribly wrong.

I hope you realise that it cannot be business as usual for the MACC advisory bodies. These bodies have lost that credibility and the public trust which is crucial in carrying out the mission of reform they were entrusted with.

For now, much of public perception is that the MACC's Advisory Board, Special Committee on Corruption, Complaints Committee, Operations Review Panel and the Corruption Consultation and Prevention Panel are merely serving as fig leaves attempting to cover up or justify the political agenda of an untrustworthy and disreputable agency. [See list below]

The longer you stay as members of the MACC advisory board, panels and committees, the more you risk your good name.

Retaining ties with MACC is to condone its unacceptable practices which have resulted in a tragic death. Decency calls that you consult your conscience and sever these ties immediately.

Do the right thing now – please resign.

DR LIM TECK GHEE is director of think-tank Centre for Policy Initiatives. He was senior social scientist at the World Bank and has served in various advisory and consultative bodies such as the National Economic Consultative Council and the National Unity Board.

Anti-Corruption Advisory Board members

Abdul Hamid Mohamad
Amar Hamid Bugo
Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan
Mohamed Jawhar Hassan
Simon Sipaun
Zaiton Zawiyah Puteh
Rashpal Singh Jeswant Singh
Yong Poh Kon
Anwar Fazal
Dr Khoo Kay Kim
Chelvarajah Ramasamy Reddiar

Special committee on corruption

Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
Razali Ibrahim
Abdul Rahman Dahlan
Dr Tan Seng Giaw
Salahuddin Ayub
Zamri Yusuf
Armani Mahirudin

Complaints committee

Mohd Nor Abdullah
Muhammad Mohd Noor
Wan Abdul Wahab Abdullah
Chooi Mun Sau
Ravindran V Muthu

Operations review panel

Dr Hadenan Abdul Jalil
Cecil Abraham
Nik Mohd Hasyudeen Yusoff
Walter Sandosam
Aminah Pit Abd Raman
Md Hamzah Md Kassim
Dr Syed Noh Syed Ahmad

Corruption consultation and prevention panel

Ramon Navaratnam
Dr Abdul Rahman Embong
Dr Zainal Abidin Abdul Majid
David Chua
Wong Chun Wai
Kamaruddin Zakaria
Nordin Kardi
Prof Dr Ishak Tambi Kechik
Azman Ujang
Anis Yusal Yusoff
Robert Phang Miow Sin

[Source: Malaysiakini]

Hey MACC here's another for you, in case you missed it and its not RM2,400.00 but RM20m

In Kelana Jaya on Sunday, YB Teng Chang Kim talked about how scandals involving ex Selangor MB’s ran from (around) RM 2.4 million (Mat Taib’s Australian immigration scandal - No speak English, suitcase with RM 3.8 million) to RM 24 million (Khir Toyo’s palace).

The amount for which YB Ean Yong was being investigated for? RM 2,400.

Make no mistake, even a RM 1 bribe is corruption, and should be dealt with accordingly. But how can we avoid feeling that something is amiss?

I have been reflecting a bit on the theory that the MACC is truly being used the same way it was used in Perak. Remember, 2 of the 3 frogs were initially subject to great pressure by the MACC (and have now of course been completely let off the hook), who could be said to be the most initial perpetrators of the Perak crisis.

Something to think about.

And now, we have yet another scandal: A RM 20 million contract by the Tourism Ministry to build Malaysia’s pavillion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai awarded to…. a pharmaceutical company?

What’s the MACC gonna do about this I wonder? I’m all for a full investigation, as long as they promise not to throw anyone off any buildings.

theSun:

The award of a lucrative contract to drug firm Venturepharm Asia Sdn Bhd to construct a Malaysia pavillion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai has raised more questions, with a member of Parliament asking why the first tender process in which Venturepharm did not participate was cancelled.

Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong, who first raised questions on Venturepharm in Parliament last month, told theSun yesterday that Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen must explain why shecancelled the first process of tender.

“In the first tender opened on March 13 and closed on April 3 this year, nine companies submitted proposals. Venturepharm was not on the list,” he said.

“It was opened during Datuk Azalina Othman’s tenure as Tourism Minister. But when the new minister took office, a fresh tender was opened on May 13 and closed on June 4. Venturepharm came in only in the second tender and its proposal was not the cheapest.”

Wee said the decision to award the contract to Venturepharm was not disclosed to the public and companies which lost the bid were only notified later.

He asked why Venturepharm, which has no prior experience in this field of work, was given the job.

theSun today carried a front-page report that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was investigating the company and the manner in which the contract was awarded following a complaint on the matter.

The contract sum was reported as RM19 million, but Wee said the sum was RM19.998 million.

Ng has denied any political link that could have influenced the decision to award Venturepharm the contract.

She also told theSun in a telephone interview that the contract was awarded via an open tender and she was not involved.

Venturepharm’s director Chen Oyan Yun Shai was unavailable for comments. Checks with her office revealed she is overseas.

Chen’s son Chin Fook Kwon, 24, is involved in another company Daro Worldwide Sdn Bhd, which was awarded a contract to operate the Tourism Call Centre.

Meanwhile, two losing bidders in the tender contacted theSun to express their disappointment over the way the Ministry handled the issue.

“We lost some RM80,000 just preparing for the bidding as we had to pay the architect’s fee and come up with two sets of proposed models for the Malaysia Pavillion as we had to go through the tender process twice,” said a bidder, who declined to be named.

He also questioned why the contract was awarded to a company which not at all involved in their scope of work.

The World Expo is Shangai China is scheduled for May 1 to Oct 31 next year. Countries from all over the world will be participating in the expo which is themed ‘Better City, Better life’.

Thank you, Art Harun. That's telling them off!

I read with disbelief — and not to mention, a certain degree of disgust — your article titled "Kematian Teoh timbulkan pelbagai spekulasi politik" (my loose translation of "akhbar yang dapat merangsang minda dalam mengejar arus maklumat yang mana pengetahuan adalah sumber utama untuk kemakmuran ekonomi" as stated on your website). But then again, coming from you, whose sister paper is in the NST, I suppose, is not surprising. In fact, it should have been expected.

First of all, thank you for telling us that it was an "accident". You said, and I quote:

"Apabila mangsa kemalangan pula orang bukan Melayu, yang sebelumnya disiasat orang Melayu, bertambah hebatlah spekulasinya."

I thank you because earlier, we were all made to believe that it was a possible suicide. It seems that you know something which we, the stupid and gullible people of Malaysia, don't seem to know. As you have quite clearly and categorically labelled the incident as an accident, I would be grateful to death (pardon the pun) if you could fill me up as to how the accident happened; who were involved and why it happened. Did the deceased sleep walk while he was sleeping on the settee at 6.30am?

You seemed to take objection that this incident has been politicised. You also deemed it totally improper for some people to use the incident to gain political mileage. I am surprised at how shallow your journalistic power of observation is.

Allow me to tell you this. And I am going to use bold letters, just in case you missed the point. THIS IS A POLITICAL MATTER. The deceased was the political secretary of a DAP representative. DAP, the last time I checked, was a political party. And the last time I checked too, the deceased's boss was a member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly.

So, in the first place, it was, and still is, and will be a political matter. You cannot run from that fact.

You spoke as if no other party has politicised matters which have got nothing to do with politics in the past. Your political master has even gone to town using the royal house as a political gimmick in Bukit Gantang. And how about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's private life? Since when has a man's behaviour in bed or on a certain mattress become political capital? How about the act of buying cows for sacrifice on Hari Raya Aidil 'Adha, for the obvious benefit of the poor and impoverished? Is that political? And what about the call for the ISA to be abolished? Some people even said that ISA was a "Malay right"!

So please, spare us this seeming and sudden journalistic naivete. Spare us this whole stupidity. We are not stupid.

The next thing that I wish to say is this. Why are you bemoaning the fact that this "accident" has been politicised and used to gain political ground when it is obvious that such political manoeuvring and posturing would not have happened if such an "accident" had not taken place at all?

It is regrettable that in this day and age that our state agency could still treat citizens like some worthless piece of flesh and bones. It is like the state is a gangland, ruled and managed by fear, where dungeons and hooded men abound, ready to interrogate in the darkness of night.

Why have you not asked why such an "accident" (I just love that word) had to happen in 2009 in our country? Why have you not championed the rights of the people, since you proudly proclaim that you are a newspaper which is able to stimulate the mind. Whose mind are you talking about? Your own mind? Are you stimulating the mind or the emotions? Or do you actually know the difference?

What I find most objectionable is your attempt at turning the issue into an anti-Malay leadership issue. While you bemoan the fact that this sad "accident" has turned into a political issue, it does not behoove you to shout and scream that the very same issue is a racial one. Two wrongs do not make one right.

Yes, the deceased is a Chinese man. But most and foremost is the fact that HE IS A MALAYSIAN. Every death in custody, regardless of race, creed and breed, will be a tragedy and will be treated as tragic by we Malaysians. A. Kugan, an Indian, also died in custody, with horrific injuries or marks of injuries. Malaysians of all races denounced that. Malaysians of all races wanted the truth. When Nurin Jazlin Jazimin and Sharlinie Mohd Nashar were kidnapped, the whole of Malaysia was outraged.

The whole of Malaysia is outraged not because the victims are Indians, Chinese or Malays. Or are you too blinkered to know that? The outrage stems from the fact that the victims were seemingly treated in an inhuman manner, in a manner which is almost animalistic in nature. The whole of Malaysia is grieving. Do you think only African-Americans grieved the death of Michael Jackson? Or are you too busy with your racial study to notice?

And what is this about the non-Malays challenging the Malay leadership? In your own stupendous journalistic inquiry, you asked:

"Kenapa Menteri Besar Selangor, seorang Melayu, meragui kebolehan orang sebangsanya bertindak dengan tulus dan adil?"

Huh? My teenage daughter would ask, "Wassup with you dude?" Or "Can I have some of that thang (sic) which you are obviously smoking?"

First of all, all of us, and that includes those politicians whom you are accusing of politicising the "accident", do not have a clue on who the officers in charge were. Nobody knows their identity, let alone their races. Good God! What are you trying to do? Turn this into a Malay against the world issue? Quite obviously, no?

The truth of it all is this. If you still have no clue, let me tell you. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT RACE THE GUILTY PARTY IS (if anybody is guilty at all). The people will still feel outraged even if the party involved is a Ghanaian who works for MACC! Get that?

It is a shame. I was pleased to note yesterday that the PM has taken the trouble to express his regret that someone has died, that a life has been lost. He even conveyed his condolences. He even sent his political secretary to visit the family. The DPM has now not discounted the establishment of a royal commission. Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein has undertaken to supervise the investigation personally. Suhakam has said it will commence an investigation. Whatever may be the result and effects of all these promises is unknown. But I would take them all on face value. I feel pleased with the humane approach. It just shows that, at least, the PM, DPM and the home minister actually saw a tragedy above politics.

And it is a crying shame that you, Berita Harian, have to overshadow the fresh air of humanity emanating from our leaders by the publication of that article of yours.

Shame on you!

In Rememberance of Teoh Beng Hock

Photo of Teoh Beng Hock and fiance taken on his 29th birthday.

Monday Humour will return next week.

MACC, what about all these cases???

Questions are begging to be answered on the conduct of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in taking swift action against the opposition whereas it drags its feet when complaints are made against BN.

DAP Perak secretary Nga Kor Ming has questioned MACC's impartiality in its investigations in corruption cases.

In an eight-point memorandum submitted by Perak Pakatan Rakyat to the state MACC in Ipoh yesterday, it pointed out:

• Why all seven Selangor Chinese assemblypersons from Pakatan Rakyat state government were hauled in for questioning on the alleged abuses of their allocation of state funds. The general public would consider such action as racist.

• Why was there no action taken by MACC against high-profile corruption cases such as that involving former Selangor menteri besar Mohd Khir Toyo in building his multi-million ringgit palatial home, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin when he bought RM9.2 million in ECM Libra's shares, top politicians in the Port Klang Free Zone scandal, the vote-buying case against Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam and other billion-ringgit scandals in the country.

• There were four alleged corruption reports lodged with MACC against the Perak BN state government but to date no action has been initiated by the commission.

1) Three reports of alleged corruption against the assemblypersons of Jelapang, Behrang and Chagat Jering who jumped from Pakatan to BN which lead to the collapse of the Pakatan state government.

2) The case involving the alleged illegal appointment of three special advisors to BN Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir which involves millions of taxpayers' money.

3) The collapse of the Perbadanan Taman Negeri Perak building in Gerik costing RM4.9 million.

4) The alleged sale of the agriculture land in Tambun worth millions by former BN agriculture executive councillor Radzi Manan.

“This non-action clearly shows the partiality of MACC in going for selective prosecution of opposition members while turning a blind eye to mammoth corruption cases involving BN members,” alleged Nga.

[Source: Malaysiakini]