Paralympics RM4 million poser

Why was a staggering RM4 million invested by the Malaysian Paralympics Council (MPC) in a company helmed by its president and his sons?

This is the poser raised by several council members upon learning of the investment recently.

A probe by The Malay Mail revealed that in 2008, MPC had invested RM4 million in an events management company, Paralimpik Ventures Sdn Bhd.

Our investigations showed a cheque for RM2 million was issued on April 4, 2008, and another RM2 million was transferred about two weeks later, on April 17, 2008.

The cheque and telegraphic transfer were allegedly signed off by MPC president Datuk Zainal Abu Zarin and its then treasurer, Liew Yoon Loy.

It is understood the money was derived from donations and fund-raising activities carried out by the MPC over the years. Sources claimed nothing on the hefty investment had been heard of since.

A check with the Companies Commission of Malaysia revealed Zainal and his sons, Idi Irwan and Ilia Ikhwan, were listed as the directors of Paralimpik Ventures.

One person not amused by this episode was MPC council member Prof M. Chandra Sekaran, who said the issue had raised more questions than answers.

Bersih T-shirts illegal, declares Hisham

Yellow T-shirts are displayed during the launch of Bersih in Petaling Jaya, June 19, 2011.


Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today T-shirts with messages in support of Bersih have been outlawed because they were related to an illegal assembly.

“The Bersih T-shirt is related to an illegal assembly, then whatever they are wearing is illegal,” he told reporters.

Police officers have been arresting activists and opposition members wearing Bersih T-shirts ahead of next weekend’s rally and counter rallies organised by Umno Youth and Perkasa, all of which the government has said will not be given police permits.

However, the Bersih organisation has not been declared illegal nor has the word “Bersih” been gazetted as such.

Hishammuddin did not mention today under what law the T-shirts would be considered illegal.

Bersih rally is an opposition agenda

MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek says the party will not support the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) rally, as it is illogical and is being used by the opposition parties to achieve its political agenda.

PKR sees Emergency in Putrajaya bid to stop Bersih

A police truck is parked outside the Bersih office in Petaling Jaya, during a raid on the premises, June 29, 2011

PKR said today it expects the federal government to declare an Emergency in Kuala Lumpur as a last resort to stop the July 9 Bersih 2.0 public rally calling for electoral reforms.

Shuhaimi Shafiei, a member of PKR’s central leadership council, said the assessment was based on the move by the authorities in recent days to clamp down on plans for the rally through mass arrests of Bersih activists

“We expect them to use whatever means including declaring Emergency,” he told reporters at his party’s headquarters here today.

Shuhaimi, who is also PKR’s Selangor information chief, said he believed the recent police action pointed to plans by Putrajaya to declare Emergency.

“We are heading in that direction...this is a move by Putrajaya because they are scared of losing power.

“Nevertheless such actions will anger a public who are now aware of their rights,” he said.

GST only removes tax burden on ‘wealthier’ minority, says Pua

Implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while reducing the existing income tax will only benefit the “wealthier” minority, says Tony Pua.

The DAP national publicity secretary said that currently only 15 per cent of the working population earned enough to qualify to pay taxes, which meant 85 per cent of the country’s workforce earned less than RM3,000 a month.

Lawyer: US experts say man in sex video 99.99% likely to be Opposition Leader

The Datuk T trio has been fined between RM1,000 and RM3,000 each for the public screening of a sex video but foreign experts have now determined that the man featured in the clip is “99.99%” Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Based on the statement of facts which were presented in a magistrate's court yesterday, US experts from Dartmouth College were quoted as saying that the video was authentic and that the man in the video was 99.99% likely to be Anwar.

One of the lawyers, Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told reporters outside the court that the forensic analysis by the experts had based its findings on a video of a surveillance camera received from CyberSecurity Malaysia.

PKR later held a press conference to reiterate once more that the man in the video was not the Opposition Leader.

PM hails success of GLCs

Government-linked companies have not only been performing well locally, they have expanded their footprint beyond Malaysia's shores, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the Report Card from the Putrajaya Committee on GLC High Performance (PCG) revealed some of these GLCs were now Malaysia's multinationals.

“This is the kind of transformation we are looking for at the crossroads of our nation's history,” he said in his speech at the GLC Open Day at the KL Convention Centre yesterday.

Najib noted that the GLC Transformation Programme initiated some seven years ago under the PCG had sowed some of the seeds of what is now a national transformation agenda.

Datuk T fined RM5,500 for showing sex clip

The trio known as Datuk T businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, former Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuaib Lazim and former Malacca chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik have been slapped with fines totalling RM5,500 for their public screening of a sex video in March.

Shazryl Eskay and Shuaib, who had earlier pleaded guilty to publicly screening an obscene video clip at Bilik Seri Makmur, Carcosa Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur, between 10am and noon, on March 21, were fined a total of RM4,500 by a magistrate court here.

Shazryl Eskay was fined RM3,000 in default of three months' jail while Shuaib was slapped with a RM1,500 fine in default of two months' jail.

Abdul Rahim, who admitted to the charge of abetting them, was fined RM1,000 in default of a month's jail.

MPs want Anwar to step down

Several Independ-ent MPs have called on Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to step down to preserve Parliament's sanctity in light of revelations that the man in the sex video was “99.99% certain” to be him.

Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim said Pakatan Rakyat leaders should make a stand and ask Anwar to resign.

“Some PKR MPs told me they are quitting politics because Anwar has misled them,” he said, adding that Anwar should be the one to quit instead and “migrate elsewhere”.

Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong said Anwar should resign for lodging a false report when he claimed that the video was fabricated.

Newborn and mum found dead in toilet

A newborn girl and her single mother were found dead in the toilet of a factory hours after her birth.

A cleaner discovered the bodies at Taman Perindustrian Merlimau, Malacca, on Thursday at about 8am, Berita Harian reported.

A police spokesman said the mother, in her 30s, from Kemendor near Jasin, was believed to have died of excessive bleeding.

Super Fast Super Babes

The Autobacs Super GT International series stormed through Sepang International Circuit recently. It is an important event as it is the only race in the series held outside of Japan. In addition to the race itself, motor sports fans can get up close view of their favourite GT Queens.

RTD to clip wings of ‘lesen terbang’ motorists

Those who cut corners to obtain their driving license may not get to drive in the future because the Road Transport Department (RTD) will blacklist them from driving exams.

This stern warning comes from RTD director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan in the wake of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arresting three men from different driving schools yesterday for their alleged involvement with a lesen terbang (flying license) syndicate.

The syndicate is believed to have allowed students sitting for their driving examinations to skip taking the computerised first stage test, but will still be able to “pass” it – for a fee.

Female Fire and Rescue trainees face the bald truth

Nineteen women faced the bald truth after they registered as trainees at the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Academy in Marang, Terengganu.

They discovered last month that just like their male counterparts, female recruits had to shave their heads.

Initially, the female trainees were shocked that such a regulation existed but most opted to sacrifice their crowning glory.

Close crop: Hizyaty showing a picture of herself after the extreme haircut in Alor Star yesterday.

DAP inciting racial sentiments with songkok issue, says Kong

Sarawak DAP’s refusal to don the ceremonial attire and songkok during the opening of the Sarawak State Assembly sitting reflects its practise of inciting racial sentiments among the Chinese community, said an MCA leader.

In the past, the DAP never failed to condemn the MCA for donning the headgear during the opening ceremony of any legislative assembly, be it at Parliament or at the state level, said party secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

“The DAP never could comprehend that wearing the songkok was in line with decorum and respect, and had nothing to do with bowing to racial hegemony.

“Wearing the songkok should not be dragged into a racial argument which the DAP seems to be fanning,” he said in a statement yesterday.

While the Selangor and Penang DAP had backed down from their past ways of refusing to don the songkok, Sarawak DAP remained obstinate in rejecting it and blaming it on the Speaker’s previous ruling.

“Within the Opposition itself, its leaders do not hold common values,” he said.

FB accounts of students offering sex closed

The Facebook accounts allegedly belonging to secondary school students offering sex services had been closed after China Press reported about them in its front-page on Thursday.

The daily reported that the girls were afraid that the authorities might be able to track them down through the accounts.

The paper had earlier reported that some students used Facebook to earn money through sex.

One said she had listed her sex services on a website to earn money to buy an iPhone.

A 17-year-old student from Kepong, who had paid RM300 a month to advertise herself on a sex website, said due to the report she would temporarily stop the advertisement.

She said she would resume her “service” later.

The daily also found out that a netizen who claimed to be a 21-year-old girl from Malacca cheated potential customers after they banked in the money to her.

The girl asked for RM300 per session of sex and RM600 for an overnight rendezvous.

Four hurt in Penang blast

Extent of damage: A fireman inspecting the damage to the Chew Seng Goldsmiths office after the blast along Jalan Gurdwara in Penang yesterday.
Debris impact: Cars parked below the building which housed the office were damaged by falling debris.

Three goldsmiths and a female Vietnamese worker were injured in a blast at a gold processing centre in Menara Perdana along Jalan Gurdwara here.

Low Eng Tak, who sustained serious head injuries and 60% burns to his body, is being warded at the intensive care unit of a private hospital.

Ng Chun Keat received outpatient treatment while Tan Kean Hwang was admitted to another private hospital.

All three are 28-year-olds.

Anwar says unfazed by sex video bombshell

Anwar said he had anticipated the outcome of the charges against “Datuk T”. — file pic

(Left to right) Shuib, Abdul Rahim, and Shazryl smile as they arrive at the magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur, June 24, 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May


Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim shrugged off today’s revelation in court that US experts had pointed him out as the man in a recent sex video, maintaining that the entire case was a conspiracy by political adversaries.

The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader was a picture of calm when approached by reporters asking for his next course of action, at the sidelines of an economic talk at the Quality Hotel here,

Shrugging, Anwar said he had anticipated the outcome of today’s court proceedings, claiming to be unaffected by it.

“I think it is all pre-arranged. The prosecution would, as you know, ensure they get a light sentence and then they would of course try and use this to make inferences.

MP shows sex video ‘documentary’ in bid to prove Anwar’s innocence

PKR’s Datuk Johari Abdul today maintained that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not the man in the infamous “Datuk T” sex video, saying that there are “1,000 possibilities” as to the identity of the individual featured in the recording.

A magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur was told this morning that US authorities had identified the man in the controversial sex video screened by “Datuk T” as Anwar.

The point was raised in the facts of the case read out today after the “Datuk T” trio of Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik and Datuk Shuib Lazim pleaded guilty to their involvement in the screening of the video on March 21.

To rebut the statement in court today, Johari showed to reporters here today a self-made “documentary” on the sex video, where the PKR leader himself was the “host”.

“There are 1,000 possibilities to the actor in the video… what we know is that it cannot be Anwar because of many reasons,” said Johari in the video.

Dr M blames press for worsening race relations

Dr Mahathir says race relations today are not as good as when he was prime minister


Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad blamed press freedom today for poor race relations which, he claimed, had worsened since he stepped down as prime minister in 2003.

He said that this was because press freedom has allowed racial and religious tension to ferment in Malaysia.

“Those days we didn’t talk so much about race, showing disrespect to others. Today we talk about race and religion, putting a wedge between the different races.

“Race relations today are not as good as when ‘a dictator of 22 years’ was leading the country,” the former prime minister told a forum of chief executives today.

Dr Mahathir said that although he is made out to be a “Malay ultra and the Chinese are afraid of me,” he only managed to maintain Barisan Nasional’s (BN) two-thirds of Parliament in 1999 due to Chinese support.

“Chinese support gave me two-thirds majority despite the displeasure of Malays due to the black eye,” he said, referring to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s injury suffered in jail after he was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998.

PM: Total review of PSD scholarship policy in 2012

A total review of the Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship policy will be conducted next year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the review would include whether to “reserve” scholarship offers for top scorers at university-entry level and providing small bursaries for SPM-level students for them to undertake pre-university courses such as STPM, matriculation or A-levels.

“We will work out a new policy next year,” he said on Thursday during the one FM Morning Kaki radio show.

His son, Nor Ashman also appeared on the show.

Malaysia elected to chair UN committee

Malaysia was elected on Wednesday to chair the Third Committee for the forthcoming 66th session of the United Nations' General Assembly.

Malaysia's new permanent representative to the United Nations, Datuk Hussein Haniff, who formally assumed office on May 13, will be the chairperson of this crucial committee.

Haniff, in a statement to the United Nations, said that it was a “great honour” for Malaysia and for him personally to be elected as chairperson of the committee.

He thanked the Group of Asian states at the United Nations for endorsing the Malaysian candidature. He gave the assurance that he would “spare no effort to live up to your expectations”.

The Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs, was chaired by Michel Tommo Monthe of Cameroon during the 65th session of the General Assembly.

RM200 rebate for energy-efficient electrical appliances

Malaysians, who purchase electrical appliances that have five-star rating in their energy efficiency use after July, can expect rebates of up to RM200.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin said the rebates were part of Sustainability Achieved Via Energy Efficiency (SAVE) programme to be launched on July 7.

For a start, he said the rebates would be for refrigerators and freezers for the domestic sector and chillers for businesses.

“The rebates would be given at the point of sale and the retailers would then claim the amount from the Government,” he said after launching an energy efficiency forum here on Thursday.