Wenger's jibe

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Malaysia coach K. Rajagobal sharing a light moment at the press conference yesterday.

Takes dig at Rajagobal and commends him for a good show last year

ARSENE Wenger teased national coach K. Rajagobal when they were introduced at the Arsenal Asia Tour press conference in Subang yesterday.

"Malaysia gave us a hard time last year. Congratulation to you (Rajagobal)... you are still in-charge ... you must be good. I wish you well on Tuesday (tomorrow)," said Wenger jokingly.

Rajagobal, who sat next to Wenger, smiled at Wenger before responding a few minutes later, informing Wenger that he has been a coach with the FA of Malaysia (FAM) since 2002.

"I've been coaching for a long time and it is a great job. It is sometimes tough but I like doing this. I also get the opportunity to sit next to a manager of a top club like you," said Rajagobal.

Bersih urged to sue Putrajaya over ‘witch hunt’

Bersih 2.0 led tens of thousands to demand for free and fair elections in the capital city on July 9 last year

Electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 should sue the federal government for its “witch hunt” last year against those sporting the group’s signature yellow, DAP MP Tony Pua said today after a High Court here declared it a lawful society.

The authorities became the “butt of international jokes” at the time, Pua added, when premises and vehicles were searched for “illegal” yellow shirts and other Bersih 2.0 paraphernalia.

“The civil society group and its associated organisations will have a legal basis now to claim redress from both the Home Ministry and the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) for damages, harassment, embarrassment and loss of property,” he told The Malaysian Insider via Blackberry Messenger.

More help in street crime busting

 As many as 100,000 police and non-police personnel will be made available for street crime busting under the next phase of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) 2.0.

RM700,000 worth of fireworks seized

Perak Customs Department director Ab Hamid Salleh (right) showing the firecrackers and fireworks seized in Penang and Taiping yesterday.



The raids were carried out at separate locations in Penang and Taiping on July 5 and 17 respectively.

State Customs director Ab Hamid Salleh said all the seized goods, worth RM777,595.50, including unpaid duties of RM306,325.50, were believed to be for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

He said a team from the Pengkalan Hulu enforcement branch found banned firecrackers and fireworks in a container at the North Butterworth Container Port in Penang on July 5.

"The container was then brought to Pengkalan Hulu and checks found that the firecrackers and fireworks of various types were packed in 1,190 boxes," he said at Wisma Kastam here yesterday.

Cops called Bersih protester ‘Chinese pig,’ Suhakam panel told

A tuition teacher has alleged that a policeman took his gold chain and assaulted him while he was subjected to racial slurs by other officers after he was arrested here on April 28, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into violence at the Bersih rally for electoral reforms heard today.

“The policeman tugged at my gold chain. I struggled as the chain cut at my neck but managed to unlock the chain eventually.

“I tried to put the chain in my pocket but the cop took it away and hit me for doing so. The more I fought, the harder I was hit,” said Leong Siew Meng, 34, a tuition teacher from Subang Jaya.

The alleged incident happened in front of the Royal Selangor Club here.

Leong also told the panel that policemen uttered racial slurs at him.

“The cop did not handcuff me. He called me an ‘arrogant being’ and ‘Chinese pig’ along the way to the club.”

Chua: Selangor overpaid for office lots

MCA has exposed yet another questionable deal involving the Selangor government and Talam corporation Bhd.

Langat 2 must go on

NO RATIONING: Water woes causing anxiety among consumers, says DPM

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin speaking to the press after chairing the special cabinet committee meeting to tackle the imminent water crisis in the Klang Valley yesterday. at the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry.

A cabinet committee dealing with the imminent water crisis in the Klang Valley said yesterday the delayed Langat 2 water treatment plant project must go ahead as the water supply situation is critical and causing anxiety among consumers.

Also, water concessionaire Syabas has been asked to come up with a contingency plan as the water treatment plants in Sungai Langat, Sungai batu, Sungai Semenyih, Sungai Selangor and bukit tampoi were operating beyond their capacity and were at a risk of breaking
down.

The committee’s meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, also decided that there was no need for water rationing in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. On Langat 2, Muhyiddin said the attorney-
general had been asked to look at legal provisions to start the project should the Selangor government disagree with the plan to build it.

Graduate’s eyesight damaged by tear gas canister, Suhakam panel told

A mechanical engineering graduate has alleged that he sustained permanent damage to his eyesight after he was hit by a tear gas canister fired by riot police at Berish protestors on April 28, a Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into violence at the Bersih rally for electoral reforms heard today.

Asrul Wadi Ahmad, 26, from Kepala Batas, said he was looking for his father outside the Majid Jamek mosque here after performing his prayers when the gas canister suddenly hit him, injuring his right eye.

“It was chaotic outside the mosque as I was trying to call my father on his mobile phone when I was hit by the canister.

“My right eye was bleeding and a few people managed to carry me into a building where I saw many medical officers. I do not know what building it was,” Asrul added.

Due to the injury, Asrul claimed that the vision on his right eye has dropped to 15-20 per cent, and this has cost him his chance of getting employed.

Don’t appeal court ruling, Bersih tells Putrajaya

Members of the police force guard the front gate of the Bersih 2.0 headquarters during the raid of the secretariat in PJ last year.

Bersih 2.0 has urged Putrajaya not to appeal today’s court ruling on its legal status and instead return all the materials it confiscated last year when the group was declared unlawful.

The 84-member electoral reforms group also asked that the government withdraw all civil suits against it in court, saying it was a waste of public funds.

“We recognise that the government has a right to appeal today’s decision but for the sake of our country, we sincerely ask them not to pursue with an appeal and to drop all the civil suits against us.

“Instead, we hope that the government will take cognisance of the political realities in our country and deal with Bersih 2.0 as a legitimate representative of the interests and demands of the people for free and fair elections,” the group said in a statement from its steering committee members here.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court decided today to quash Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s order last year and declare Bersih 2.0, a coalition of over 84 non-governmental organisations, a legal entity.

In her ruling, High Court judge Datuk Rohana Yusof had said the coalition of civil societies known as Bersih 2.0, though not officially registered, can be considered a society under the Societies Act.

“The minister’s order is quashed because Bersih is a lawful society,” Justice Rohana said.

New, smaller dock connector to feature on iPhone 5, say reports

Apple will replace the 30-pin dock connector with a much smaller 19-pin dock connector to free up more space on the next generation iPhone.

The latest rumour comes courtesy of “two sources familiar with the matter” who told Reuters that Apple will shrink the connector "to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom" of the phone.

While the change may frustrate consumers who have spent money collecting accessories such as speakers, cases and power chargers for their precious i-devices, analysts told Reuters it will be a boon for accessory makers.

Apple has used a 21mm wide 30-pin dock connector since the release of the third-generation iPod. +

Tee Yong: Selangor shifting goal post over issues

The Selangor Government is shifting the “goal post” over issues surrounding questionable deals amounting to over RM1bil.

Syabas: Selangor govt tied our hands

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd technical services executive director V. Subramaniam has offered to meet the Selangor government to resolve the crisis



'We warned state about looming crisis as early as 2010'

THE current water crisis in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya is because of the Selangor government's refusal to approve and implement projects to increase the production of treated water, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd technical services executive director V. Subramaniam said.

Dismissing the Selangor menteri besar's allegation that Syabas had not performed according to the concession agreement, he said the shortfall was because the state government did not want to issue the development order for the construction of the Langat 2 water treatment plant.

"It is a baseless accusation and not true at all," he said here yesterday.

Ex-Simpang Renggam detainees held over heists

Four former Simpang Renggam detainees who were released after the repeal of the Emergency Ordinance (EO) Act recently were were a arrested for a spate of crimes here.

They were part of a gang of robbers linked to several robberies at budget hotels and reflexology centres in the district. They were nabbed after their latest heist at a reflexology centre in Jalan Panglima in Batu 9, here, on Saturday.

DAP questions Tourism Ministry’s ‘lavish’ spending

The DAP’s Anthony Loke highlighted, among other PATA 2012 expenditure, that the conference’s four turtle mascots cost a total of RM48,000.


Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen must explain why her ministry blew a cool RM3.4 million on hosting an international conference, the DAP’s Anthony Loke said today.

He questioned if she had “misled” the Cabinet over the amount required to host the three-day Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) 2012 conference organised by Tourism Malaysia (TM), an agency under Ng’s ministry.

Ex-Sime chief’s CBT case a surprise, DAP calls for further probe

Zubir was the only one charged over the RM1.7 billion in losses posted by Sime’s energy division.

The cheating charge against ex-Sime Darby Bhd chief executive Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid yesterday over native land bought in Sarawak has prompted the DAP to push for a White Paper into the government conglomerate’s operations, which posted a massive RM1.7 billion in losses from its engineering unit in 2010.

The 55-year-old was the only one charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and cheating in acquiring Native Customary Rights (NCR) land under the plantations-to-property giant’s Sarawak Upstream Expansion Plan in 2008 and 2009. He pleaded not guilty and is out on a RM200,000 bail.

“It comes as a complete surprise after all the brouhaha over alleged mismanagement and abuse in the Sime Darby Engineering division which caused Sime to record massive RM1.7 billion losses, (that) Zubir is now being charged for alleged CBT for the purchase of a piece of NCR land in Sarawak,” DAP publicity chief Tony Pua

Tony Pua gets overwhelming public support against Syabas

The “RM1 for Water Rights: 100,000 Malaysians Support Tony Pua vs Syabas” online campaign in support of DAP federal lawmaker Tony Pua has announced that they have managed to collect more than RM150,000 from their online campaign.

“By the end of the online campaign, we have managed to collect RM150,939,” said the campaign’s organiser, Yeo Bee Yin tonight.

When he took to the stage, Pua stated the overall total collected by the campaign, inclusive of the dinner and the rounds done by DAP volunteers with donation boxes.

“And so, I would like to announce the total amounts of the campaign. As announced earlier by Bee Yin, we managed to collect RM151,000. The dinner has managed to collect RM173,000. And the donation has managed to collect RM22,400. This is an overall total of RM310,000,” he announced.

The amount collected is RM110,000 more than the sum Pua has been ordered to pay in damages to Syabas.

Selangor MB calls in water experts to monitor Syabas’ daily ops

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim announced today he has directed a team of professionals in water supply management to monitor the daily operations of utility company Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to avert a supply crisis that has been described as “suspicious”.

Heading the four-man team is Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB) chief executive Suhaimi Kamaruzaman. The other members comprise Konsortium ABBAS Sdn Bhd director Abas Abdullah; Kumpulan Peransang Selangor general manager (water management) Karim Endut; and Peransang Selangor planning, strategy and investment chief Kevin Lee.

“This group of professionals will be sent to Syabas because they (Syabas) failed to give a detailed and satisfactory explanation on several issues when the company gave a briefing to the state secretary this morning,” the Selangor mentri besar said.

He said he was confidant Syabas will be able to cooperate with the state’s team of professionals who he said are deeply experienced in water supply operations and management.

Cyber criminals scammed victims of RM16m in Q1

Love scams and fraudulent online purchases ranked highest among the 403 cases of cyber crimes reported within the first three months of the year, incurring losses of RM16 million.

Bukit Aman Cyber Crime and Multimedia Criminal Investigation officer ASP Mohd Syafiq Jinuin Abdullah said the frequency of cyber crime cases had increased steadily, where about 6,586 reports of such cases were lodged last year with RM34 million incurred in losses compared with 6,238 cases involving RM18 million in 2010.

He said online love scams usually involved African nationals whose love affairs with local women saw the latter being duped and losing their lifetime-savings to their paramours in extreme cases.

“A study showed that women who fall prey to the scams are single-mothers, unmarried women and women with marital problems,” he said at a Consumerism Forum entitled “Internet Fraud Victimised or Greed” held by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, here today.

On fraudulent online purchases, he said, it was commonly reported by those who bought goods via mudah.my, e-lelong and alibaba.com websites.

Baharudin inquest decision on September 14

A file photo of Baharudin’s relatives with his picture.

The Coroner’s Court today fixed September 14 to deliver its decision on the inquest into the death of taxi driver Baharudin Ahmad who died while participating in the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, last year.

Coroner Zulkpli Abdullah set the date after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence (representing Baharudin’s family).

Thirty-five witnesses testified in the inquest which began on January 30 this year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Ishrakh Saad in his submission said Baharudin passed away due to a heart attack after fleeing from Jalan Ampang to the Avenue K building when police and Federal Reserve Unit warned the crowd at the Bersih 2.0 rally to disperse.

AES on target to catch speeding motorists

The Automated Enforcement System (AES) could be catching speeding motorists as soon as August.

Chair project results in new seats at bus stop

The bus stop opposite the Kelana Jaya LRT station now has spanking new seats thanks to two socially-concious youths.

Police rescue abducted baby

Rafidah Mohamed (right) and Tunisah Kassim are reunited with Putri Nurqaleesya Ixara Wan Mohammad as Wan Mohammad Farid looks on

POLICE rescued an 8-month-old baby girl, some 30 hours after she was abducted from her home in Johor by her Indonesian maid.

A police party raided a double-storey house in Taman Seri Jenjarom, here, on Monday afternoon where they found the baby.

Kuala Langat deputy police chief Deputy Superintendent Rizani Che Ismail said initial investigations revealed that the 24-year-old maid from Probolinggo, East Java, had fled her employer's house in Taman Impian Emas, Skudai about 6am on Sunday.

Attempted hold-up at 1 Utama car park

The victim, with blood on his shirt, and his wife, after the attempted robbery at the 1 Utama car park on Monday. Pix taken from Facebook


An elderly businessman required nine stitches to his upper lip after being punched by a robber in the car park of the 1 Utama shopping centre here on Monday.

The incident occurred about 10pm when the 69-year-old victim, who owns a branded sports-apparel outlet in the complex, was walking towards his car with his wife at the lower ground level indoor car park.

Liong Sik: I don’t understand bonds

Dr Ling also told the court that he could not understand JPPH’s valuation of the land, saying it was very “confusing” to him


Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik admitted during his cheating trial today that he does not understand the purpose behind the issuance of bonds to finance a property purchase.

Dr Ling, who served as Malaysia’s transport minister for 17 years until 2003, told the High Court that while he has heard of bonds, his knowledge on the matter is limited to what he reads in stock market reports.

“That’s all I know,” he said to a question from lead prosecutor Datuk Tun Majid Tun Hamzah during cross-examination this afternoon.

“What about bonds for purchasing property? Or bonds to finance a purchase?” Tun Majid asked.

Shrugging, Dr Ling said, “No.”

“So you have never heard about people raising bonds to finance a purchase?” Tun Majid continued.

“No. They may be doing it but I don’t know how to do it and I don’t understand its purpose,” Dr Ling replied.

Death sentence upheld in Muntik's murder

The Court of Appeal here today upheld the conviction and death sentence handed down by the Shah Alam High Court two years ago on a night market trader for the murder of Indonesian maid, Muntik Bani.

Panic buttons for security measure

A wireless panic button has been installed at the car park of a popular shopping mall as a measure to combat crime and protect car park users.

PM launches new voluntary Private Retirement Scheme

The voluntary Private Retirement Scheme (PRS) was launched on Wednesday by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that will allow employees and self employed the opportunity to save for their retirement.

To encourage savings under the scheme, individuals are granted tax relief of up to RM3,000 and employers are provided with tax deduction on contributions to the PRS on behalf of their employees above the statutory rate of 19%.

A total of 24 funds will be managed by eight Private Retirement Schemes providers which would be available to the public this September.

Ultimatum shocker

Selangor MB spits out shocking conditions on Langat 2, water plant


THE Parti Keadilan Rakyat-led Selangor government has issued a shocking ultimatum as anxiety deepens over an imminent water crisis in Selangor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

The Selangor government is demanding that the Federal Government put in writing the proposed “post-Langat 2” water tariff and also declare water facilities worth RM10.5 billion as “state assets” before both parties could even “discuss” about the Langat 2 treatment plant which would ensure sustainable supply till 2030.

A place of worship

Built in 1918, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kuala Lumpur is home to a culturally rich and vibrant congregation.

Father claims teacher hit his son on the head with a cane

Painful: Khoo showing how the kindergarten teacher hit his son’s head using a cane. With them is Bercham assemblyman Sum Cheok Leng.

A father is claiming that a kindergarten teacher hit his son on the head with a cane and wants action to be taken against her.

Businessman Khoo Kian Heng, 35, said the incident happened on June 18 when the teacher caught his five-year-old son playing with his friends in class.

“When I picked him up from school, he complained that his head was painful but I passed it off as a headache, thinking that it was due to the heat.

“It was only at night when the pain got worse that my son finally told me what had happened,” Khoo told reporters here yesterday.

Water crisis to worsen during Ramadan month

A meter indicating the level of the Hulu Langat balancing reservoir at 1m on 22 June 2012. The normal level is 5m.


The water shortage crisis has begun in various places in the Klang Valley, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) announced today.

Hostage drama at gems shop

Three armed robbers held a woman hostage before escaping with jewellery worth RM3mil in a daring heist which lasted less than seven minutes at a busy hypermarket in Seberang Jaya near here.

The robbers entered the jewellery shop located on the first-floor of the hypermarket on the pretext of buying gold chains for their wives at 2.10pm.

While the salesgirls were displaying the jewellery, the three suddenly whipped out their guns and shouted “This is a robbery” in Hokkien.

They then ordered the salesgirls to take out the jewellery trays from the showcase and place them in their bags.

240,000 ordered to evacuate in Japan deluge

Japan Self-Defence Force soldiers search for missing people at an area hit by landslides caused by heavy rains in Aso, Kumamoto prefecture

Almost a quarter of a million people were ordered to leave their homes in southwest Japan Saturday as heavy rain pounded the area for the third day, with 20 already dead, officials and reports said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of more landslides and floods on the main southern island of Kyushu as rainfall of up to 11 centimetres (4.3 inches) per hour was recorded early Saturday.

Evacuation orders had been issued to about 240,000 people in the north of Kyushu where more rivers burst their banks, public broadcaster NHK and Jiji Press news agency reported, compiling figures from various authorities.

They were told to go to designated shelters such as schools and other public facilities, while more people were advised to leave their homes.

Charred remains confirmed Dirang's - Police reclassify case as murder

THE DNA samples from the charred remains found at Nusa Damai oil palm plantation on Thursday have been confirmed as that of 5-year-old Nurul Nadirah Abdullah, or Dirang.

Dirang has been missing for 13 days since March 1, after leaving her Seri Delima flats in Bandar Seri Alam here about 11am.

The remains were found about 9am in a 3.5m hole dug in the plantation, which was 3.5km away from the flats through a short-cut. The plantation is about 20km away from the main road.

Seri Alam police chief Superintendent Roslan Zainuddin said the DNA matched with the victim's mother, Roselyn Alan, 25.

"The DNA samples were from bone fragments found at the scene. The Chemistry Department had matched the DNA samples to her mother's DNA," Roslan said, adding that the remains were at the mortuary at Sultan Aminah Hospital and would be released to the family today.

"The body is believed to have been set on fire at the plantation about five days ago, eight days after she went missing."

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Chua vs Lim debate: Showdown

The much awaited second round of the DAP & MCA debate kicked off in a more organised and quiet manner.

End of the road for six car thieves

GANG BUSTED: With the arrest, police have solved 18 vehicle theft cases


Johor deputy police chief Datuk Ismail Yatim said detectives under a special task force from the Seri Alam district headquarters stormed the premises following months of surveillance and undercover operations.

"The detectives detained six suspects, aged between 22 and 43, believed to be members of a syndicate specialising in stealing cars, cannibalising them or selling them to unsuspecting buyers at a bargain," Ismail said in a press conference that was held at the Johor police contingent headquarters along Jalan Tebrau here recently.

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Soi Lek: Najib proven enough, no need to debate Anwar

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has already proven his ability to govern well and does not need to be judged in a political debate with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today.

Dr Chua (picture) pointed out that Najib was not an unknown personality and his work has been proven through his successes over the past three years.

“Why should Najib debate with Anwar? Najib is PM and has sat in a hot seat for the last three years and under difficulty, he has delivered.

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Chua vs Guan Eng: All seats sold out

All seats have been sold out for the much-anticipated second outing in the debate between MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lorry plunges from highway into tunnel

A lorry driver and his attendant had a close shave recently when their vehicle plunged 10 metres from the Pasir Gudang highway into a tunnel below.

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Plastic gunny sacks filled with industrial material are strewn over the site of the accident at the tunnel below Pasir Gudang Highway. Pic by Mohamad Shahril Badri Saali

A clash of David and Goliath

Pandan is one of the hot seats in the next general election. MCA stalwart Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat defended the seat for the ruling party despite the 2008 political tsunami. But now that he is being increasingly isolated in the party, can he retain his seat? Tan Choe Choe takes a look at the constituency

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Chua vs Guan Eng : Public views

Malaysians share their views on issues that they feel should also be discussed in the upcoming debate between MCA President Datuk Seri Dr.Chua Soi Lek and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Debate 2.0 photo gallery

Chua vs Lim debate: DAP & MCA: Whose Policies Benefit the Country More?

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Chua vs Lim debate: DAP & MCA: Whose Policies Benefit the Country More?

MCA's Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and DAP's Lim Guan Eng took to the podium together for a second time in months on Sunday as both leaders took each other on over whose policies had better served the rakyat.

They engaged in a fiery two-hour debate themed DAP & MCA: Whose Policies Benefit The Country More at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre here yesterday, organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli).

In his opening remarks, the MCA president highlighted the policies and programmes put in place by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak after he took over the nation's helm.

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Water demand goes up

Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya usage exceeds production capacity

ALL water treatment plant operators have been instructed to run their plants at the maximum rate to meet the demand for water in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

The Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, which said this in a statement yesterday, revealed the three regions recorded a total water usage of about 4,421 million litres on Saturday.

This exceeded the production capacity of all the 34 treatment plants in these areas.



Consumers who need water supply through tankers or want to get more information can contact the Puspel service centre

Floral Boat Parade in Putrajaya

Colourful floral boats decorated the Putrajaya Precinct Two waterfront to kick off the 1Malaysia International Tourism Night Floral Parade Saturday night.