MORE PICS – SAMY VELLU’S OUTBURST in Parliament over Toll Hikes in 5 Expressways; Pointed Finger at EPU for the decisions; His Ministry is just a TOOL

Apology - NO NEW post till Sunday 08 April 07;
Gone back for CHING BENG festival in I P O H

Samy: Works Ministry is EPU's 'tool'; Pauline Puah; SUN

KUALA LUMPUR (April 5, 2007): Irritated and fed up with the constant heckling over the toll increase issues, Works Minister Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu says his ministry is only a "tool" (alat) to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU). "The EPU under the Prime Minister's Department may have to take full charge of all matters related to highway projects in the future. "I cannot allow my ministry to continue to be the scapegoat ... I did not make any decision on the applications by the (highway) companies.

"All of these (decisions) were made by the EPU. They submit proposals to the Cabinet and the Cabinet decides. "But it is this ministry which has always been seen as stupid and heartless. So, I have a new idea, whatever proposals from the EPU, I will object and review," said the irritated minister.

Samy's response to Datuk Tan Lian Ho (BN-Bukit Gantang)'s supplementary question, asking for the rationale of the toll hikes, invited noisy reactions from parliamentarians.

When Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) said since the ministry is only EPU's "tool", then the final deciding authorities such as the Prime Minister should be present to answer the question.

Samy shouted: "Your question is 150% out of the original question. This is not a political game." "You think I am scared of the final authorities.

I am not scared at all." More boos followed. To another supplementary question from Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat), Samy Vellu said the government 'sympathised' with the people and thus had compensated RM2 billion to five highway concessionaire companies.

"If the government did not sympathise with the people, then no need (for us to compensate anyone). Just let the people suffer. But we can't do that. We have to take care of the people," he added. Replying an original question from Tan, Samy said the rate of increase from all the toll plazas since last year were as follows:.

* Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (60%)

* Shah Alam Highway (46.66%-54.54%)

* Shah Alam Highway-Kuang (40%)

* KL-Karak Highway (Gombak) (25%)

* KL-Karak Highway (Bentong) (20%)

* Cheras-Kajang Highway (42.86%-50%

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Malaysia Economy

ERP Malaysia

Malaysia Accomodation

Malaysia Agriculture

Malaysia Airways

Bomb HOAX in Penang Bridge; REAL ONE in Restaurant, Bukit Mertajam; Barely Opened for 3 days; Explosion tore through roof; 6 Customers Escape

This is plain stupid in getting permission to close the bridge ALL the time. If there were a bomb and a section were bombed out, will the bridge operator still have to get permission of a ½ past 6 sleeping government in the middle of the night to close it? Use your common sense lah PBSB if there is an emergency! put up a barrier

= = = =UPDATE: April 9 2007
Monday April 9, 2007; Cops to get statement on Penang bomb hoax

BUTTERWORTH: Police will record statements from the employee at a state executive councillor's office, who received a call about a bomb threat on the Penang bridge. Seberang Perai Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Anil Shah Abdullah said police would send a team to the state executive councillor's office in Komtar today to record the statement. He said they wanted to find out what was said by the caller and what transpired after the call was made. The bomb hoax resulted in the bridge being closed for two hours, causing a massive traffic jam on the island and the mainland. ACP Mohd Anil Shah said police had also received the CCTV footage from Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd (PBSB)on the object that was thought to be a bomb. He declined to elaborate, adding that they were still investigating the case. A PBSB spokesman said the matter was now under police jurisdiction and they would wait for the outcome of the police investigations.

The spokesman said the bridge operator was not authorised to close the bridge without permission from the government. “Even our safety department is not authorised to close the bridge for any reason without permission,” the spokesman said.

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ABOVE: The restaurant at Lorong Binjai 2 and BELOW, the curious crows

Bukit Mertajam: The restaurant explosion happened on early Thursdays morning at about 5 am. Six customers escaped unhurt. The restaurant is located at Lorong Binjai 2, Taman Seri Rambai

ABOVE: The explosion came from the refrigerato and BELOW: the exposed roof

The explosion came from the freezing department in a refrigerator. The explosion tore through the ceiling of the restaurant beside shattering the glass windows and damaging furniture.

ABOVE & BELOW: The furnitures were damaged and scattered

Pulau Pinang police said whatever remained of the refrigerator was taken to the chemistry department and the police forensic unit in Cheras KL.

ABOVE & BELOW: the forensic personnel examined closely the refrigerator

A witness said , when they saw the smoke, all of then ran.

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Penang Bridge closure sparked by call by state exco Koay; Opalyn Mok; SUN

PENANG (April 5, 2007): The chain of events that led to the closure of Penang Bridge yesterday afternoon was apparently set in motion by a query from a bridge worker to a state executive councillor, and was not a bomb threat.
Datuk Koay Kar Huah, who is the exco in charge of public works, utilities and transportation, said today he received a call from a friend, who is a staff at the bridge, asking him whether it was true there was a bomb at the bridge.
Koay said this when asked by reporters about talk that it was his call to the police that led to the bridge's closure for two hours and 40 minutes that resulted in a gridlock for peak-hour commuters. "I called up my staff to check it out and the staff then called the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) to verify the information," he said in a joint press conference with Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
Koh added that Koay's friend must have heard something about a bomb for him to make the call. When pressed by reporters whether the call from the LLM gave enough details of what had transpired to help police assess the situation, Koh said regardless of what was said in the call, "police have to take such calls seriously as it involves public safety". "Police recommended the bridge be closed because they didn't want to take the 1% to 2% chance of the threat being real," he said. Deputy police chief SAC II Datuk Othman Harun, who was also present at the press conference, confirmed police received the call from an LLM staff.We have called the staff in for questioning," he added. He confirmed a kangaroo bar was found wrapped in cloth and paper on the bridge and that it did not contain explosives. However, he could not confirm whether the bomb hoax was linked to an explosion in a coffee shop in Taman Seri Rambai early this morning ."We have sent the bar found on the bridge and the explosive substances in Taman Seri Rambai for further analysis," he said.Earlier, Koh announced two new steps for future emergencies. "The first step is that a communication and coordination path will be created between all agencies involved," he said.
The second was to expand the communication network beyond radio to include factories, government agencies and schools to reach more bridge users. He added that these steps would also reduce the incidence of rumours being spread. Koh said the bridge's CCTV system would also be further upgraded.
He said the police would immediately take action in the interest of public safety, as they did yesterday, in response to any future incident.
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April 05, 2007 13:59 ; It Was A Hoax - Najib
KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 (Bernama) -- A bomb scare on the Penang Bridge yesterday evening which caught thousands of commuters in a massive traffic jam when the bridge was closed for more than two hours, was confirmed by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as a hoax and not a bomb threat.

The Deputy Prime Minister (ABOVE) today said: "It was a hoax...it was not a bomb threat. The police had confirmed it." Speaking to reporters after a dialogue session with the heads of mission at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations here, he said it was the work of irresponsible people and called on Malaysians including the media not to over-react on such an incident. "I don't think we should over-react (on the bomb hoax) because it might encourage people to do the same if the bomb hoax gets wide reporting," he added. Najib also refuted any theory that the incident could be connected to the escalating tensions in southern Thailand.

ABOVE: An aerial view of the congestion on the roads leading to the Butterworth ferry terminal yesterday And BELOW: The long long wait for the ferry

"Until now, the problem in southern Thai is restricted to the region..it has not extended into our country," he said, adding that there had been no indication of certain groups trying to take advantage of the developments in southern Thailand. "Bomb hoax phone calls that happen from time to time in this country have nothing to do with the situation in southern Thailand," he said. In yesterday's incident at the Penang Bridge, the lanes for Butterworth-bound traffic were closed at 5pm, while for island-bound traffic, they were closed at 5.25pm to enable the police to investigate and to ensure public safety. Police found a 15cm-long iron pipe of 5cm in diameter at the road divider on the Butterworth-bound side at Km3.8 of the bridge at 5.40pm. The home-made device was detonated by the bomb disposal unit at 6.40pm and police were investigating its content.

MORE PICS – Scuffle & Fighting MACHAP BY ELECTION Nomination - BN LAI MENG CHONG Straight Fight with DAP LIOU CHEN KUANG on April 12 2007

DAP Sec General Lim G E speaking at a press briefing on the attack: “How can the victims be blamed? In this Malaysia Bolih ..white becomes black and black becomes white. This system is only practice by BN members"

= == == ===Letter to Election Commission

4 April 2007

TAN SRI DATUK SERI PANGLIMA HAJI AB. RASHID BIN AB. RAHMAN,

Pengerusi, Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya Malaysia (SPR),

ARAS 4-5 BLOK C7, PARCEL C

PUSAT PENTADBIRAN KERAJAAN PERSEKUTUAN;

62690 PUTRAJAYA

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri,

Investigating Parliamentary Secretary of Youth & Sports YB SA. Vigneswaran For Physically Manhandling A Harian Makkal Osai Photographer And MIC Youth Brigade Members For Involvement In The Bloody Assault On Two DAP Members As Well As Using Vulgar Language To Threathen A Harian Malaysian Nanban Female Reporter.

DAP requests that the Election Commission investigate Parliamentary Secretary of Youth & Sports Datuk SA. Vigneswaran for physically manhandling a Harian Makkal Osai photographer and also MIC Youth Brigade members for involvement in the bloody assault on two DAP members as well as using vulgar language to threathen a Harian Malaysian Nanban female reporter after the nominating process was completed on 3 April 2007.
The Machap by-election will witness a continuation of the tradition of dirty tactics employed by BN in misusing government machinery and resources to get voters to support BN to achieve their overwhelming victory. Sadly such politics of deception, fear, money and compulsion have been employed by BN without any restraint from the Elections Commission.
To these 4 tactics of deception, fear, money and compulsion, BN has now included in their arsenal the politics of violence. On 2^nd April 2007 Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when announcing BN’s candidate for Machap had introduced a Hokkien term – Hut Ji Liap! (Give a punch).
Unfortunately, such language of “hut ji liap” was not mere rhetoric but acted out in full display after the nomination process had been completed in the Machap nomination centre in Bukit Bulat. Two DAP members from Seremban, K. Kannis A/L Kanniah and Vijayan A/L Arumugam, were assaulted in full view of the police personnel present whilst walking back along the road. Around 30 MIC Youth Brigade members were involved using bricks and the MIC party flag.
We have the sharpened MIC flag which was used as a weapon to seriously injure our two members on the heads and faces. Three assailants have been identified of which two copies of the police reports are attached for your attention. Our members were walking peaceably and had better sense than to provoke a much larger crowd. Using violence is unacceptable and a clear attempt at intimidation to influence the election climate in Machap by introducing an element of fear.
Such violent attacks by MIC Youth Brigade members contravenes Section 4Aof the ELECTION OFFENCES ACT 1954 (REVISED - 1969) which states:-
Section 4A. Offence of promoting feelings of ill- will or hostility.
(1) Any person who, before, during or after an election, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, does any act or makes any statement with a view or with a tendency to promote feelings of ill-will, discontent or hostility between persons of the same race or different races or of the same class or different classes of the population of Malaysia in order to induce any elector or voter to vote or refrain from voting at an election or to procure or endeavour to procure the election of any person shall be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to both such imprisonment and fine.
(2) Subject to any specific provision to the contrary in any written law relating to an election, any person who is convicted of an offence under this section shall, until the expiration of five years from such conviction, be incapable of being registered or listed as an elector or of voting at an election or of being elected at an election, and if at that date he has been elected at an election, his seat shall be vacated from the date of such conviction.
MIC and BN members are used to employing gangster culture and violence to get votes. The same MIC Youth Brigade members used vulgar language to threaten a Malaysian Nanban Harian reporter Malini a/p Rangasamy causing fear to her when she was only carrying out her duty as a reporter. MIC Youth chief Vigneswaaran who is also a Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sports, went further by physically manhandling a Harian Makkal Osai reporter Malayandi A/L Pidaran. Copies of the police reports are also attached.
Such violence on reporters threatens freedom of the press and indicates that there will no free, fair and impartial access by the DAP in the mainstream media during this elections. If the Election Commission is serious and sincere about creating a level playing field, then they must not only ensure fair access in all papers and broadcasting media but act sternly and urgently against BN members, leaders and MPs who use violence on DAP members, reporters and photographers.
Can the Election Commission henceforth ensure the safety of DAP members and supporters as well as journalists covering the by-election from the violence of BN members? Should the Election Commission fail to act under Section 4A against BN leaders and members for not only attacking DAP members but also reporters and photographers, then it will only confirm that the Election Commission is biased and prejudiced against opposition parties.
DAP had expressed deep misgivings and unhappiness that the polling day has been fixed on a working day, denying the right of 2,410 voters working outstation the opportunity to return home to work. Instead of seeking a high voting turnout by encouraging those working outstation to return home to vote, the Election Commission appears to deny those inclined to support the opposition the opportunity from doing so.
Taking action against those perpetrating those shameful acts of violence on Nomination Day would help remedy the strong biasedness in favour of BN.

Yours faithfully,

LIM GUAN ENG

SECRETARY-GENERAL

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Meanwhile MIC Youths said that the movement would file 5 police reports against DAP following the incident and they would also file a complaint with the election commission.

MIC youth chief, MIC Youth chief Vigneswaran (ABOVE) said : "This is the lowest form of politics practiced by DAP; there have no issues and want to make this connection.

This person and in every election he will be there to quarrel. He was there in Lunas"

He alleged that K.Kannia ,42 and S.Vijayan,24 both slightly injured in the incident were not DAP members but PKR who were there to cause chaos.

= == = == = =UPDATE: 05 April 2007

DAP KULASEGARAN UPROAR in PARLIAMENT Over Attacks in Machap; Demanded Explanation from Deputy Minister JohariBaharum; Shouted Down by MPs; Speaker Explains; Khairy Jamakudding talks of attack on BN leader by Opposition members

ABOVE: Another newsman Tamil daily Makkal Osai photographer P Malayanadi, 49, showed his injury in Machang

ABOVE & BELOW: DAP MP M Kulasegaran waving newspapers (the Sun, Tamil Naiban, Chinese papers with pictures as proof ) in Parliament reporting on the incident where so many DAP members were beaten up and demanded an explanation from the Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari

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ABOVE: Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum was seen speechless nervously adjusting his coat during the uproar raised by Kulasegaran. He escaped answering stating that he had to wait for the report
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ABOVE & BELOW: Typical response from BN backbenchers; when the opposition raised some real and urgent issues, they would joined in to shout them down.
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ABOVE & BELOW: the speaker Datuk Lim Si Cheng, trying very hard to calm the situation said; " Yg Berhormat, I ask you to sit, I will answer, please sit. Parliament is a place for us to voice important matter; the issue raised is something new and the reply from the Deputy minister must wait for the report. This is the reply; it is up to you."
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ABOVE: M Kulasegaran was not satisfied...showing his exasperation over the non-answers.

4/4/07, Following is account given by MP M Kulasegaran (from his blog)

Today Johari started to reply on matters raised and I raised as to the assault of DAP members by MIC chaps who have acted like gangsters. Also to day all the main newspapers had photos which clearly show the details of the assault. To our dismay Johairi says he got nothing to add as investigation. The Speaker intervened and said that it not necessary to pursue this matter further as the investigation is proceeding.

I did not agree with the speaker and told the speaker that the issue is current and it warrants at least an interim report to the house. All ran loose and the Speaker who could not control the house because too many MP’s were speaking at the same time and one even said I was mentally unstable/crazy and the Speaker switched off the entire micro phone. I continued to speak and told the house why

1) the assailants who was detained was released on the intervention of a Minister although the assailant was identified by the DAP chaps

2) the exhibits in this case have not been retrieved by the police and the Police are too slow in the investigations

3) Parliament becomes irrelevant if it does not debate matters which are current. The shouting match finally ended when the Speaker asked Johari to proceed with other issues.

= = == = = == =Assault at Machap by MIC members;; 4thApril2007; By MP M Kulasegaran

Yesterday more then a thousand supporters all over the country went to Machap to give moral support to the DAP candidate. At the nomination center it was really interesting to see the BN parties and the DAP supporters engaged in a verbal war of words. Nomination was over at 11am. We stated to disburse and many of us were approaching to our cars which were parked some 500 meters from the nomination center. The police had asked the DAP supporters to leave the nomination center and later when we have all left then the police then allowed the BN supporters to disperse.

Suddenly we heard a commotion in front of us and I saw MIC members wearing the MIC Brigade t-shirt assaulting two members of the DAP. The MIC chaps used bricks and sticks to assault both K.Kannia ,42 and S.Vijayan,24. Apparently the MIC chaps were upset with the DAP supporters who at the nomination center had chided their President S.Samy Vellu. But things would have gone really bad and uncontrollable if not the quick presence of the police who rushed from the nomination center.

What surprised all was how come there more then 50 MIC members were waiting to ambush the DAP supporters when the MIC members were only dispersed after the DAP supporters left the nomination center? It looks like it was all well planned by the MIC boys to harm DAP supporters. We took the above two chaps and helped them to lodge police reports at the Machap Umboo police station. DAP’s Sec-Gen Sdr. Lim Guan Eng, A, Sivanesan and other leaders were present to give a helping hand. After lodging the reports the police took both the victims to the Hospital for medical treatment.

When at the police station Malaysian Nanban journalist R Malini, 30, complained that vulgar words were hurled at her allegedly by an MIC brigade member when she was attempting to take photographs of a group of MIC brigade members. Another Tamil daily Makkal Osai photographer P Malayanadi, 49, in a separate police report complained he had been pushed by the MIC Youth chief Vigneswaran – the Parliamentary Secretary of the Youth and Sports ministry with force while trying to take photographs of a man detained by the police. Malacca chief police officer Ayub Yaakob, who arrived at the police station confirmed that a man has been detained in relation to the assault.

At about 2.45pm I left Machap and arrived at Parliament at 4.30 and immediately raised the assault and complained that the investigation was slow and the police must buck up. The Deputy Minister of Internal security Johari mentioned that he was not aware of the fracas and he will investigate and revert the soonest possible. As usual Parliament adjourned at 5.30

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Meanwhile Deputy UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamalluddin twisted the incident that it was a BN leader who was attacked...over TV3
Above: the TV3 news headline, Thursday morning, 5th April 2007

Khairy Jamaluddin expressing deep regret over the incident said UMNO youth described the incident as a personal attack against the BN leader. In the BN there is no place for personal attacks.

ABOVE: Kahiary Jamaluddin: “I was there at the nominations and at the same time I heard several opposition members attack on a BN leader" BELOW: Pointing to his right ear, where he heard the rumours

This is how the BN is telling lies through hearing rumours. Did any of the swarm of reporters and photographers saw that attack?

= = = == =Those involved in scuffle ‘from outside Malacca’; NST

MALACCA: Those involved in the scuffle outside the Machap by-election nomination centre are not from Malacca. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam claimed they were from outside his state and had arrived at the venue to create trouble. "The DAP members were from Negri Sembilan. They are destructive. They have caused problems in Lunas, Kedah in 2000, started fights during the Batu Talam by-election campaign and then arrived in Machap to fight." He was commenting on the scuffle between MIC Youth and DAP members after candidates filed their nomination papers for the Machap by-election on Tuesday. "The DAP members are not good people. They were from Negri Sembilan. The MIC members involved in the fight were from Perak."

He said the fight broke out after several DAP members used foul language to insult MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and his family. Malacca MIC chief Datuk R. Raghavan calmed the situation and warned his members against fighting in the hall. He said the fight happened outside the hall when the Perak MIC Youth and DAP members were on their way home. "It happened when the MIC Youth members were provoked. "DAP members shouldn’t have used dirty words against Samy Vellu and his family.

"If I were to insult Lim Kit Siang, can they take it? I am sure they would get angry." Umno information chief Senator Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib — after meeting smallholders in Kampung Kemuning — urged BN component party members and supporters not to lose their cool when provoked by opposition members. "We should refrain from falling victim to instigation by the opposition. "The opposition does not have any issue to capitalise in Machap. This is why they are provoking our members."

April 04, 2007 22:06 PM
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Machap Residents Seek Help To Bring Back Relatives From Abroad

ALOR GAJAH, April 4 (Bernama) -- Some residents in the Machap state constituency is seeking the government's help to enable their relatives who are working illegally abroad to return to the country to renew their passports. They are trying to bring back their relatives who have been working illegally in Japan and Taiwan for many years. "Now they want to come back but their Malaysian passports have expired for sometime. So far, we have received seven cases here," said MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau (PSCB) head Datuk Michael Chong.

"We have advised them on how to get to the Malaysian embassy there and to apply for an emergency certificate to help them return." Chong, together with five of the PSCB staff are here to handle the cases as the department has the expertise in handling such problems. Malaysians, particularly the Chinese community, have always sought the help of the bureau to solve various problems, ranging from debts, cheating cases, missing relatives to marital problems. Chong said most of them went to countries such as Japan and Taiwan to work and bring money home.

"There is nothing wrong with working overseas for better pay. The problem is that they have overstayed and have to face the law of the countries they are staying in now," he added. Therefore, he advised Malaysians working abroad to adhere to all the regulations to avoid any problem in the future. The well-publicised MCA PSCB has also set up a mobile service unit here today to help voters in the Machap constituency. Stationed at the Machap Umbor Barisan Nasional (BN) operations centre, the mobile unit will operate daily throughout the Machap by-election period from 10am to 10pm. BN candidate Lai Meng Chong, 56, is facing DAP's Liou Chen Kuang, 33, in a straight fight in the Machap state seat by-election on April 12. The by-election is held following the death of its assemblyman Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam on March 15 due to renal failure
== = == = =
ABOVE & BELOW: The landmarks in Machang you would not miss

BN will not face an uphill task to retain the seat as it has been a traditionally BN stronghold for 50 years. However this by election has a distinctive significance in that it is the first involved in a Chinese majority seat since 2004 hence posing the BN to retain the seat and gave BN a signal to the coming GE. About 75% of the 22,000 residents in Machap are farmers and majority of them have oil palm and rubber holding while some earned a living by planting cash crops.

And with crop prices at high levels, the farmers have nothing to complain. Political observers feel there is no local or pressing issues to harp on. The dissatisfaction against the BN government is mainly from the “urban poor Chinese” unable to find suitable work to “sustain the daily needs” and "make ends meet" . So the outcome of this by-election is predictable with the BN retaining it perhaps with a reduced majority.
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Fracas mars Machap by-election nomination day; Pauline Puah; SUN

MACHAP (April 3, 2007): Two DAP supporters were injured in a fracas that marred nomination day for the Machap by-election today. The scuffle between supporters from MIC and DAP took place outside the nomination centre at Machap Japerun Complex in Bukit Bulat, about 7km from Kampung Baru Machap Baru, as the nomination came to a close. Witnesses said they saw a DAP member nursing a head wound after the scuffle which erupted when tensions rose.

The other person had a minor injury. Police later arrested a man after a police report was lodged by the DAP. The day started at about 9.10am with supporters from the Barisan Nasional and the DAP camps sizing each other up. Heckling and shouts of "get out" were heard form both sides. There will be a straight fight between the candidates of the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the DAP in the by-election for which polling is April 12. Supporters from both camps started gathering slowing from 8am.

ABOVE & BELOW: The BN Supporters & their huge flags

Flanked by some 3,000 supporters, BN candidate Lai Meng Chong arrived the centre at about 9.10am while DAP candidate Liou Chen Kuang arrived some 15 minutes later with a group of about 500 supporters. Chanting slogans asking the rival party to 'get out', the supporters from both camps were separated by a gate set up by the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) to avoid commotion. Adding on to the temperature on nomination day was the supporters' motivation songs and 'boos' against each other. DAP Wanita also caught the attention of the crowd when they brought along red roses in the rally.

Heavyweights from both parties also turned up to throw weight behind their respective candidate. Among BN leaders present were deputy premier Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, Gerakan deputy president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

ABOVE: Some of the DAP leaders present to give moral support, L to R; Ronnie Lui, Tan Seng Giaw, M Kulaegaran & Lim Kit Siang; BELOW: DAP Chairman Karpal Singh was there

DAP leaders who turned-up included secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, chairman Karpal Singh, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang and DAP MPs Teresa Kok, Fong Po Kuan, Fong Kui Lun, Tan Kok Wai, Tan Seng Giaw and M. Kulasegaran. Nomination was closed at 10am. No protest was lodged during the one-hour protest period. At 11.15am, returning officer Hasim Ismail announced that there was a straight fight between Lai and Liou. While the nomination procedure was about to end smoothly, a scuffle broke out outside the centre between supporters from MIC and DAP.

Witnesses said two DAP supporters were assaulted with one of them suffering head injuries. The police later arrested a MIC supporter after a police report was lodged by DAP. The Machap state seat fell vacant following the death of Datuk Poh Ah Tiam last month. In the 2004 general election, Poh secured 5,487 votes while Liou who took on the MCA for the first time, obtained 1,285 votes. The constituency has 9,623 eligible voters, 45% of whom are Chinese, 38% Malays, 15% Indians and 2% others.
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Machap: Thank you PKR for the support and solidarity

April 3rd, 2007 by DAP, ronnieliutiankhiew

ABOVE: The PKR contingent at the nomination walk

We must thank PKR for sending their national and local leaders to walk our candidate to the nomination centre. Some 1,000 DAP members and supporters took the 20-minute walk unfrayed by the distance and heat. The procession was led by DAP SG Lim Guan Eng and Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang. Other CEC members include Tan Seng Giaw, M.Kula, Chong Eng, Fong Kui Lun, Ahmad Ton, P Guna, Tan Kok Wai, Chow Kuan Yew, Teresa Kok, Vincent Wu, Anthony Loke, Boo Cheng Haw, Fong Po Kuan, Seah Leong Peng, Nge Koo Ham, Sivanesan, Leong Ngag Ngah, Apalasamy and me. Chairman Karpal Singh arrived in his car despite of his inconvenience. He received several rounds of applause from our members and supporters.

ABOVE; The DAP Flower power lead by MP Theresa Kok

We were delighted by the good mix of members and supporters. We have old and young, men and women, Chinese, Indian, Malay Portuguese showed up from all over the country punctually (before 9am)in high mood and good fighting spirit.
All of them have lodged police reports and so far only one of the attackers was detained for investigation. The police have promised to go after another two MIC members whom were identified through videos and photos taken by the DAP members.

ABOVE: The DAP members injured who lodged police reports and BELOW: The yellow & blue MIC "hooligans" attacking the DAP members

We want MIC President Datuk S Samy Vellu to apologise immediately to the DAP over the assault of our members. Meanwhile, when the MCA candidate was asked to comment on the ugly fracas, he has described those who attacked the DAP members as hooligans. He said that Machap is a peaceful village and those who used violence were not welcome. We hope Samy Vellu and his party leaders could heed the call made by the MCA candidate.

ABOVE: The yellow & blue MIC "hooligans" under control of the leaders before they were set free.

I have personally thanked Sdr Shamsul Iskandar, the PKR Youth Chief cum Jasin division chief and other PKR leaders. I was told some of the Pas members were there to observe the nomination process and have given their moral support.
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Photographer assaulted in scuffle; NST Apr 03 07

ALOR GAJAH: A scuffle broke out after the candidates had filed their nomination papers for the Machap by-election, resulting in several people sustaining minor injuries. Makal Osai photographer P. Malayandi, 49, was among those assaulted and lodged a police report. Malaysian Nanban reporter Malini Rangasamy, 30, claimed that she was scolded for taking pictures when the fight began. K. Kannis, 42, and A. Vijayan, 24, of the DAP suffered cuts on the face and head. MIC Youth chief S. A. Vigneswaran denied he was involved in the scuffle but said he had tried to calm the situation when he heard there was a commotion between "some of my boys and a third party". "I did not know they were DAP members. I went there to stop the fight," he said. State police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob acknowledged that reports were lodged and police arrested a man in his 30’s. "We are trying to locate two other men believed to be involved in the fight," he said.

= = == =April 03, 2007 11:48 AM

BN And DAP In Straight Fight In Machap

ABOVE: BN Candidate LAI MENG CHONG, 56 and BELOW; ,DAP candidate LIOU CHEN KUANG, 33

STRAIGHT FIGHT… BN's Lai Meng Chong (right) will face DAP's Liou Chen Kuang at the Machap state by-election on April 12.

ALOR GAJAH, April 3 (Bernama) -- The Machap state by-election in Melaka on April 12 will see a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) and the DAP. BN's Lai Meng Chong, 56, who is the MCA Alor Gajah vice-chairman and political secretary to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn, will face DAP's Liou Chen Kuang, 33, a businessman. The announcement was made by the returning officer, Hasim Ismail, after the nomination and objection period closed at 11am at the nomination centre set up at the Machap Japerun Complex. Lai submitted his nomination papers at 9.14am and Liou did so 14 minutes later. No objections had been filed over their nominations.

Liou contested the seat in the 2004 general election but lost to Melaka MCA chairman Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam. Poh beat the DAP candidate by a 4,562-vote majority. Present to lend their support to the BN candidate were Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and People's Progressive Party president Datuk M. Kayveas. Others were BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, Gerakan deputy president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal, other cabinet ministers and Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. Also at the nomination centre were MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, MCA Wanita chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen and Umno Wanita deputy chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

The nomination process went on smoothly as Machap residents woke up to sunny skies, unlike the erratic weather seen over the past few days. A police helicopter hovered over the Japerun complex as traffic police officers took charge to ensure a smooth traffic flow. Built a few years ago, the complex has rarely seen a large turnout like the one seen today, not even during the 2004 general election.
April 03, 2007 11:09 AM

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MORE PICS – RAPE & KIDNAP Escape -Two UKM Female Law Students Rescued by Police Following Tip-Off they were Naked & Tied Up in a Bus by the Driver

ABOVE & BELOW: The stolen bus where the two female law students had their nightmare ordeal in which they were stripped almost naked and tied by the bus driver.

BANGI: Two universities Kebangsan Makaysia students were almost rape and kidnapped by a man who had driven the bus they had boarded. The two victims were on their way home to to their hostel after classes were canceled.

According to Bangi Police chief ACP Rosli Mohd Nizam (ABOVE) in the 9.30 am incident on Tuesday, two female law students had alighted the bus to return home as their lectures were canceled. They were brought to a Petronas petrol station just outside the campus. They were threatened with a knife by the driver before they were both asked to strip naked to their undergarments and tied up using their clothing’s. The victims were then robbed of their belongings including a laptop inside the bus.

ABOVE: Police officers showing the recovered items in the bus and BELOW , the laptop, knife, packet of curry powder and the hand phones

Then bus driver headed towards the toll direction possibly on the way to Kajang but just before the toll he stopped and he went down whether waiting for friends or meeting friends. Fortunately during this interval girls were noticed by passersby’s who saw them in distress had immediately contacted the police station. Following the tip off about the situation, the police rush a patrol car to the scene. The suspect on seeing the police drove into an open clearing and tried to run away by jumping into a sewerage treatment pond. He was cornered but put up a struggle before he was arrested at about 10.30am

The suspect has 5 previous records including one robbery. Investigations are carried out under Section 394 of the penal code. If convicted the suspect can be jailed for not more than 2o years imprisonment.

ABOVE & BELOW: Closed up views of the knife and the laptop

= = = == here is the STAR's account with more details

Wednesday April 4, 2007;Undergrads taken on terror ride; By KULDEEP S. JESSY

KAJANG: A man in his 40s stole a factory bus, picked up two university students, robbed them at knifepoint and forced them to strip down to their undergarments by threatening to throw curry powder in their faces. However, a passing motorist who saw the girls waving for help from inside the bus, alerted police. When police dashed to the scene five minutes later, the man fled towards a sewage treatment plant and jumped into the pond in a bid to get away. The two policemen had to jump in as well to nab the man who has a criminal record of sodomy, robbery, blackmail and theft.

The man stole the bus from Shah Alam and drove into Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi, without the security guards’ knowledge. He is believed to have picked up students and ferried them from one spot to another internally. Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Rosli Mohd Nizam said that at about 9.30am the man dropped off a female student at a bus stop, picked up two other female students whose lectures had been cancelled and drove them out of the campus instead of to their hostel. When the first-year law students questioned him, he said that he was new and did not know his way round the campus well. “However, two kilometres out of campus, the man stopped near a petrol station, held them up at knife-point and robbed them of their cash and valuables.

“He then ordered them to strip and threatened to toss curry powder in their faces if they did not do so,” ACP Rosli said here yesterday. He tied up the terrified students with their clothes, and drove towards the Bangi toll plaza. About 100m from the toll plaza, he stopped the bus, locked all the doors, got off and started making calls on his mobile phone. The students, who managed to free themselves, pushed aside the curtains of a window and started waving frantically for help.

A passing motorist saw the frightened faces and alerted the Bandar Baru Bangi police. ACP Rosli said a knife and a packet of curry powder were recovered. They also found two mobile phones belonging to the students, a laptop, cash and other valuables. ACP Rosli thanked the motorist who had alerted the police and the policemen who acted quickly to prevent a repeat of the Noor Suzaily Mukhtar case when the computer engineer was raped, sodomised and murdered in a bus in Klang seven years ago.

= = = == = = = read the latest Post H E R E ON

MORE PICS – Scuffle & Fighting MACHAP BY ELECTION Nomination - BN LAI MENG CHONG Straight Fight with DAP LIOU CHEN KUANG on April 12 2007

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BAR COUNCIL Chairman Against Gerakan’s call to Set up Constitutional Court (NON muslims need not appear before Syariah Court); Proposal Unnecessary

The proposal was passed as one of the resolution in the Federal Territory Gerakan convention on Sunday. He saw the move as an amicable solution to avoid non-Muslims in such cases to appear before the Syariah court.

ABOVE: FT Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong declared in a Tv3 interview

“We want to live in this country in peace. Religion and race are sensitive issues. Our constitution guarantees the right of freedom of religion; that is very very clear. So we want, in fact we demand the right of the non-Muslims must be taken into account. And they account (we think) about 40% of the population of this country. The economy will go up and down, that is the nature of the world economy cycle. But what is more important for the long term future is we must preserve this unity and religious harmony that we have. Because that is the only thing that is holding our country together”

But the Bar council on the other hand poured cold water onto the Gerakan’s Proposal. It said that the existence of the federal court and high court is sufficient to take care of the area.

ABOVE: AMBIGA SREENEVASAN Bar Council chairman response to the proposal

“It is our view that such a court as proposed is unnecessary. Our Federal Court as federally constituted is perfectly able to deal with such issues as they have done so in the past with no problem. I see it as just simply a question of applying the provisions of the constitution in such circumstances which in my view adequately provide the answers necessary to resolve the issues that have arisen”
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Monday April 2, 2007; STAR

Gerakan: Set up Constitutional Court for religious issues

KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan has called for the setting up of a special Constitutional Court to deal with “various grey issues.” It said this was in view of the increasing number of cases affecting the religious, family and basic human rights of non-Muslims. This was one the resolutions passed by the yesterday. FT Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong, who also heads the party’s religious bureau at the national level, said many non-Muslims now felt that their rights were gradually being eroded, “so something must be done to correct this.”

“The problem exists. Everybody knows that,” he said. Dr Tan, who is the Segambut MP, said non-Muslims should never be subjected to the Syariah Court, adding that this was never the original intention of the Islamic court. He said the special Constitutional Court could be a way to finding a permanent solution to inter-religious problems which were bound to crop up from time to time. “The Government must be brave enough to tackle this problem now before things get worse,” he said. There was also a resolution calling for the removal of Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria as the Perak Mufti over the spreading a baseless SMS (alleging that Datuk Azhar Mansor had converted out of Islam) some months ago.

Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye, who was also at the press conference, said that there should be understanding by all parties when dealing with religious issues. He noted that while the country was not on the brink of a crisis on inter-religious issues, “we should resolve them before they do.” The proposed special Constitutional Court, he said, could be an institutional solution in dealing with such problems. In any case, such a court would take a year or two to set up, he said, adding that it was good for any Government with forward planning to consider any suggestion.
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Monday April 2, 2007

No glass ceiling at the Bar

For the second time since the Bar Council was established in 1947, a woman was elected its chairman. Ambiga Sreenevasan talks about women in law and the tasks ahead for the Bar.By Shaila Koshy

AMBIGA SREENEVASAN's election as Bar Council chairman and Malaysian Bar president on March 17 was no surprise. The shocker was she is only the second president to have the XX make-up. The first was Hendon Mohamed (1995-97). Election to the Bar presidency can be a high but one must land on one’s feet running Ambiga has discovered. “My telephone hasn’t stopped ringing,” she says laughing, when asked whether reporters had started calling. On March 22 she was swift to defend lawyers after the Chief Justice, again, blamed “popular” lawyers for delays.

While welcoming the CJ’s move to find a solution to court delays, she pointed out a Suhakam forum in 2005 had also identified other factors - acute shortage of judges and judicial officers, insufficient support staff, the method of recording of evidence and the process by which an accused is charged. Touche! More women study law today but so few join the practice – only 46% of the Bar is female. Why? “Practice is challenging but women have no problems competing with men at the Bar; it is the better argument that wins the day. “If you’re talking about the glass ceiling, women like (Datuk) P.G. Lim and (Datuk) Marina Yusoff broke it in their time. There was no question as to whether they could match any of their male contemporaries.”

No glass ceiling at the Bar but how about in the Bar The number of women partners at the traditional big firms in Kuala Lumpur is between 30% and 44%. “I am proud to say, at the Bar, gender is becoming more and more irrelevant,” she says, adding with pride the resolution to abolish whipping, passed by the Bar's general body on March 17, was tabled by two women. But while a woman has held the third highest position in the judiciary the number of judicial sisters starts to thin at the top, observes Ambiga. “Of 129 magistrates, 60 are women; Sessions Court – 83 (40); and Industrial Court – 27 (14), High Court – 48 (14); Court of Appeal – 15 (3); and Federal Court – 9(0).”
The former Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) head girl would like to see more women run for positions, chair committees and participate in helping to change gender-biased laws. Being a woman is not a predisposition to better the lot of marginalised women but Ambiga jumped right in when she began practice 25 years ago. “Ambiga was active in the Association of Women Lawyers in the 1980’s but she was also a pioneer volunteer lawyer at Women’s Aid Organisation (set up in 1982) and helped shape the centre’s refuge policy,” says its executive director Ivy Josiah, a long-time friend from their days in CBN.

The public is unsure whether to laugh or cry: the Bar is vocal about public accountability and responsibility and yet out of the 12,336 members at the time of the election just over 3,000 voted. It was a postal ballot. All one needs is a pen!
“You're absolutely right,” she says with an embarrassed laugh but adds quickly that changing the “apathy” is a shared responsibility between members and the irony council.

Would the number who voted in the Bar election be a reflection of members who vote in a general election? “Good question,” the mother of two says smiling. But the apathy is not mirrored in Ambiga and the council's commitment to the setting up of an Independent Police Complaints Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and a Judicial Commission (JC), resolving family issues arising from a conversion to Islam and revisiting the 1988 judicial crisis.

The Prime Minister has not crossed out the notion of an IPCMC but the government and judiciary consistently speak against a JC. Why bother? “Other countries have changed their system. It is so critical to have an objective and transparent process. “We're not talking about employing civil servants but judges. Even judges would be happier if there is established criteria the public understand.”

Is the Bar spitting into the wind trying to get the Executive to revisit the 1988 crisis? “It is a crucial step forward in lifting the judiciary to the confidence levels it enjoyed and should enjoy. “Unless we confront the truth this issue will forever be a black mark in our history. “For the Bar, truth and justice are the first articles of our faith.” In comparison, the legal dilemma with regard to a spouse in a civil marriage converting to Islam is a “newer battle”. Referring to several civil court decisions on which court has jurisdiction after a spouse in a civil marriage converts to Islam, Ambiga says: “Telling the non-Muslim spouse to go to the Syariah Court is a recent trend. “It wasn’t so in 1994, even after Article 121(1A) on Syariah Court jurisdiction was introduced in the Federal Constitution. We have to understand why this is happening now.”

Don't converts to Islam have the right to have their family matters determined by the Syariah Court? “Previously, when one party was a non-Muslim the matter would ordinarily be dealt with by the civil courts. “The law as it stands provides sufficient avenue for the courts to deal with this situation. We need to get back to that. “These are constitutional issues that have to be resolved but there are also real people out there facing real problems because of this.” As the interview ends, Ambiga’s cellphone rings, it’s a reporter, wanting a comment
= = = =Malaysians in prayer campaign for rights of non-Muslims

Monday April 2, 4:09 PM

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Hindus, Buddhists and Toaists will hold special prayers for greater religious freedom amid fears their rights in this Muslim-majority nation are increasingly under threat, an official said Monday. The prayers will be held in temples and shrines throughout Malaysia this week as part of a campaign by non-Muslim groups to press their plight. Malaysia is seen as a moderate Muslim-majority nation. But race relations have been strained by a series of controversial court cases involving the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims. A letter, released to the media Monday, will also be readout in houses of worship to outline the concerns, a council of major religious groups said.

"We issued one letter simply to get our people to pray for fairness and wisdom ... and hoping the federal constitution is respected and given due weight," council vice president V. Harcharan Singh told AFP. Sikhs and Christians held similar prayer sessions on the weekend, said the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hindusim and Sikhism. The council's move comes after a Malaysian court told a Hindu woman last month to go to a sharia or Islamic court to dissolve her marriage with her Muslim convert husband, and work out custody of their children.

The case has raised fears over the rights of non-Muslims, who argue that Malaysia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion and states that sharia courts only apply to Muslims. Malaysia's civil courts operate parallel to sharia courts for Muslims in areas of personal law, including divorce and child custody. "Sharia courts are constituted only for people professing the religion of Islam ... Non-Muslims should not be required to go to sharia courts," Singh said. "We are saying to the government that civil laws should continue to apply to all non-Muslims," he added.

The concerns reflect similar tensions last year, sparked after an ethnic Indian mountaineering hero was buried as a Muslim despite protests from his Hindu wife. Gerakan, a party in Malaysia's ruling coalition, called Monday for a constitutional court to deal with inter-religious issues, citing growing concern among non-Muslims. "The government must be brave enough to tackle this problem before things get worse," a Gerakan party chief, Tan Kee Kwong, was quoted as saying in the Star daily.

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MORE PICS - RM1.5 Million VIDEO DISCS Seized in Raid on VCD/DVD Distribution Centers in Damansara Uptown; BIGGEST Seizure; Dogs used, Sniff out Discs

ABOVE: The raided centres are located in one of the shops along this road in Damansara Uptown and BELOW - the dog unit made its entrance from the back lane. Is it Lucky or Flo? (see article below)

The Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs Ministry on Sunday crippled a VCD/DVD distribution Ring in Damansara Uptown, Selangor.

ABOVE: The smart dogs were trained with fresh "new VCD/DVD Disc" with "plastic smell" and when set free went through the cardboard walls (BELOW) to expose the discs.

Enforcement officers have described the biggest crackdown in the Petaling Jaya district so far this year.

ABOVE: The exposed hole revealed the hidden discs (BELOW)

Some 150,000 copies off the VCDs and DVDs were hauled up in the operation in two centers on Sunday in Damansara Uptown.

The ministry’s dog unit also assisted in the raid. They were used to sniff the hidden location of the discs –confiscated.

ABOVE & BELOW: a man & a woman were caught "red handed" handling the discs in addition the woman was caught wearing a "red" Shirt but too shy to show her face and smoking "Malborough" cigs
In the 3.30pm raid, a man and a woman were detained in the crackdown. Both suspects were caught red handed. Initial investigations reveal the stores have been responsible for distribution in the Klang Valley.

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ABOVE & BELOW: Stack after stack and shelve after shelve, they were empty - literary the ministry "clear their stock" as it was "free sale" - no need to pay

It is believe the syndicate has been in operation for 3 years. The duo will be investigated under the Copyright act 1987. Both face a maximum fine of RM20,000 per copy or 5 years in jail upon conviction

ABOVE: Disc by disc they were taken down from the shelves and scrutinize before passing them out to the assistant (BELOW) for relay to the ready truck outside. Your guess is as good as anyone, these guys and gals will have ample discs to keep them busy for months watching. No one would have notice a missing few hundreds from the thousands taken away with proper records.

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Dogs, intelligence bring pirates to their knees

Lucky and Flo have become an enforcement unit in themselves and they have optical disc pirates on the run. LEE SHI-IAN (NST, Apr 02 07) talks to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry deputy director-general (enforcement) Iskandar Halim Sulaiman (ABOVE) about the Labradors and the fight against piracy. Iskandar says his department is doing a good job in fighting piracy.

Q: The two black Labradors, Lucky and Flo, have made quite an impact. Your thoughts on this?
A: I was invited to view a demonstration of Lucky and Flo’s capabilities in Dubai and I was impressed. I suggested the dogs be brought here for a working trip and the ministry agreed. The successful Johor raid was due to intelligence gathering and the dogs’ remarkable sniffing abilities. On Saturday the dogs were successful again, uncovering 150,000 pirated DVDs stored in a hidden room. Our officers had raided that premises several times but failed to discover anything.

Q: Any plans for the ministry to establish its own canine unit?
A: The performance of Lucky and Flo is certainly very impressive, but it is too early to say whether or not we will establish our own canine unit because of the costs involved. Not to mention where the dogs will be housed and other details. But it is something worth exploring.

Q: On a scale of 1 to 5, how successful would you say your department has been in the never-ending battle against optical disc pirates?
A: I would give us a four out of five. We have conducted numerous raids against optical disc pirates from the supply line down to the runners who sell the discs. Millions of pirated optical discs have been seized and the equipment used to the manufacture the discs has been confiscated.
Apart from the raids, intelligence units have been gathering information on illegal plants producing pirated DVDs as well as location of stores and warehouses where the discs are kept before distribution. The recent seizure of a million pirated DVDs worth RM10 million in Johor is one example. We have also established a legal unit to compile cases against those we raid so that there is sufficient evidence to charge them.

Q: What are the latest gimmicks used by optical disc pirates?
A: Well, they are certainly extending the friendly and welcoming image of Malaysia. They are now offering free delivery to hotels for tourists who buy 10 or more DVDs. According to our intelligence, the pirates approach tourists in shopping malls. They don’t actually have the optical discs on them. They offer various titles. Once the tourist has made a selection, the runners take down which hotel they are staying at and their room number. A delivery time is agreed and the runner goes off to get the titles. The customer pays on delivery.
In January, we discovered 850 pirated DVDs hidden in cylindrical packages that went through the scanner looking like PVC pipes. But on closer inspection it was discovered they contained pirated products. The syndicates also rent storage space and build hidden compartments or storerooms to hide their pirated optical discs until it’s time to distribute.

Q: Have you received any threats against yourself or your family?
A: In this line of work it’s normal to receive anonymous phone calls and threats. But most of the calls I receive are purported syndicate members and runners trying to justify themselves, claiming that they also have to make a living. They ask the ministry to go easy on the raids and not to take harsh action against them.

MORE PICS – 4 in FAMILY PERISHED -TIARA Car Skidded onto Lorry -Machang; SLIM RIVER: MERCEDES Rammed into Car –Overturn, Woman Badly Injured

4 in family die in car crash; Syed Umar Ariff; NST; April 1st 2007

MACHANG:
The Proton Tiara skidded before crashing head-on with a lorry yesterday. Rohaya Yusof was looking forward to her parents’ return.

They had spent two months in Kuala Lumpur looking after their granddaughter and she missed them.

However, her mother Rakiah Mamat, 62, father Yusof Salleh, 71, brother Mohd Sawdi, 26 (ABOVE, the Driver), and 18-month-old niece Rosmaisarah Roslan were killed in a car crash on their way home.

ABOVE: The total wreck for the Proton Tiara car BELOW: A closer view

Rohaya ’s nephew, Burhanud - din Mohd Din, 23, is in critical condition with head injuries at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM)in Kubang Kerian. Sawdi was driving the family home to Kampung Batang Begedik in Gual Ipoh, Tanah Merah, when he lost control of their Proton Tiara between Kuala Krai and Machang about 7am.

ABOVE: Machang acting district police chief Assistant Superintendent Zaimy Mohd Nawi briefing newsmen on the details and BELOW: Anxious relatives at the hospital

Machang acting district police chief Assistant Superintendent Zaimy Mohd Nawi said the car skidded 18m before crashing head-on into a lorry coming from the opposite direction. The victims were pinned under the lorry, and it took the Fire and Rescue Department an hour to remove them from the wreckage. The four bodies were taken to Machang Hospital for a postmortem. The lorry driver suffered minor cuts and bruises. Rohaya, 41, said: “My parents had been in Kuala Lumpur for the past two months looking after Rosmaisarah. “I had missed them very much. I was shocked to hear the news.

ABOVE: the IC of the 10th Month old and BELOW: Body being taken final burial

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BELOW: The coffin of one of the adult killed being taken for burial

= = = =Sunday, 1^st April 2007

ABOVE: Accident near Slim River just before turn to Kubu Baharu and Sabak Bernam and BELOW- the scene of the accident cordoned off

A senior citizen cheated death when a car they were traveling on overturned when being collided on by a car driven at very high speed from behind. The victim’s husband was driving the car and was hit by the other speeding car, a Mercedes driven by a youth in his early twenties.

ABOVE: The overturned car and BELOW car - inverted; Anyone knows what make and model of this car??

This happened early Sunday morning at about 4.45 am near the Slim River on the N-S expressway.

ABOVE: The Black Mercedes car that was driven at high speed rammed into the vehicle that cause it (BELOW) to turn-turtle

The victim was identified as Puan Saliah 56 was in critical condition sustaing head and body injuries when she was thrown out of the car. Her husband escaped unhurt with minor injuries.

ABOVE: The elderly woman was thrown out of the car after the impact and suffered serious head and body injuries and was taken (BELOW) and warded at the Slim River hospital. Let us pray she would survive this ordeal by that reckless driver

The victim was sent to the Slim River hospital. The driver of the other car is being held to assist in the investigations.

ABOVE: The scattered things from the car collected for safe keeping by the Police

Police appealing for eye witnesses of the accident and they can contact the Slim River police station

= = = =Continue reading H E R E ON

MORE PICS – TEACHER 55 (Involved in KINKY Bondage SEX with Hands & Feet Tied, Found Dead in Bedroom with Stab wounds; Lover took Waja Car to IPOH, Medan Kidd Bus Depot; In Johore HAIRSTYLIST 34 Throat SLIT in Condo Apartment

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MORE PICS – TEACHER 55 (In KINKY Bondage SEXX- Hands & Feet Tied) Dead in Bedroom – Stab wounds; Johore HAIRSTYLIST 34-Throat SLIT in Condo Apartment

= = =UPDATE: April 02 2007

Monday April 2, 2007

Bloodstained towel sent for analysis

IPOH: A bloodstained towel found in an abandoned car following the suspected murder of a teacher in Kuala Kangsar on Friday has been sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis. The police have also sent fingerprints found in the teacher’s Proton Waja, which was abandoned at Jalan Medan Kidd here on Saturday, to Bukit Aman for identification.

ABOVE: The missing black Waja abandoned in the Medan Kidd Bus station car park was given a through check by police looking for clues

Kuala Kangsar OCPD Supt Zakaria Pagan said the police were continuing their investigations into the death of 55-year-old Ooi Mun Leong, who was found dead at his house in Taman Jati Satu, Bukit Kerajaan. “So far, no suspects have been picked up,” said Supt Zakaria. Searching for clues: Police examining Ooi’s car. It was abandoned at Jalan Medan Kidd in Ipoh on Saturday. The teacher, who was due to retire in August, was apparently strangled with a stocking. He also had stab wounds in the chest and stomach.

The victim was buried at the Paradise Memorial Park here yesterday

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It was an unusual killing in Kuala Kangsar. Apparently the two involved in some Sexual Game that went awry. Many sexual gadgets were found in the room according to the police. The younger lover escape in the Proton Waja Car and abandoned it in Ipoh’s Medan Kidd Bus Station.

It was most embarrassing for the relatives when they found out what has happened to the teacher. And it was the talk of the school where he was teaching when news of what happend emerged out to the staff and students. To be gay is bad enough in our local society and to die in such a manner is difficult for them to understand.

There is no condition that you cannot change, except one indisputably physically accepted at birth within the realms of creature hood, such as a liability in terms of a missing organ, or a functional lack. Many are born that way and we must learn to accept differences.
In the Johore case: Not robbery as possessions were intact.

ABOVE: The night scene in front of the house and BELOW, closer view; newsmen have been stalking out the whole night

Teacher found stabbed to death in bedroom

31 Mar 2007; BERNAMA

KUALA KANGSAR, SAT.: A teacher was found dead with several stab wounds in the left flank and his hands and legs bound in the bedroom of his house in Taman Jati, Bukit Kerajaan, here.

ABOVE: the Biology teacher was reported to be a gay and was with his "lover" when something went awry during their tryst of bondage in the bedroom.

ABOVE: The body was finally carried away after the police have done their part to record all the evidence and taken away a few "sexual gadgets". BELOW: The body in a police pickup was sent to the K K hospital for the compulsory postmortem to determine the cause of death

The body of Ooi Mun Leong, 55, who taught at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (C) Shing Chung in Sungai Siput, was found by a female colleague who went to the house after he did not turn up at school.

ABOVE & BELOW: The wailing relatives when the body was taken out from the house to the police van

Kuala Kangsar OCPD Supt Zakaria Pagan(BELOW) said she entered the house at about 5.30pm yesterday after finding that the door was not locked and saw Ooi’s body on the bed with blood all over. Police believed that the attack occurred at between 9pm last Thursday and yesterday.

Preliminary investigations pointed to the crime being sexual-related. There were no signs of robbery or housebreaking but Ooi’s Proton Waja was missing. The car was recovered in Ipoh today but no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about the incident is being urged to contact the Kuala Kangsar Police Station at 05-7762222 to assist in the investigation.
= = = = and the STAR Brief report with other details; Sunday April 1, 2007

Teacher found strangled with stocking (NST Account)
IPOH: A 55-year-old teacher was found dead at his house in Taman Jati 1, Bukit Kerajaan in Kuala Kangsar, apparently strangled with a stocking. Kuala Kangsar OCPD Supt Zakaria Pagan said Ooi Mun Leong was also stabbed in the chest and abdomen. Ooi, a bachelor, who taught biology at SMK Shing Chung in Sungai Siput, about 22km from here, was supposed to retire in August.

His colleague, who went to his house after he failed to turn up for work on Friday, discovered his body wrapped in a bedsheet and blanket on a bed. Ooi’s feet and hands were bound with mobile phone charger wire and shoelaces. His car was found abandoned at Jalan Medan Kidd yesterday. A blood-stained towel was found in the car.

= = = = == = == = = = = == = == =and in Larkin, Johor
Sunday April 1, 2007, STAR

Hairstylist found with his throat slit in JB

ABOVE: Entrance to Apartment Condominium in Larkin and BELOW: the hairstylist found lying face down on the floor

JOHOR BARU: A 34-year-old hairstylist was found dead in his apartment in Larkin. His throat was slit and he had stab wounds in the abdomen. Di Say Yong @ Tan Say Yong was found lying face down by his colleagues who went to look for him after he did not turn up for work on Friday.

ABOVE & BELOW: the police came and do the necessary to check for finger prints and clues on the murder at the condo

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Shafie Ismail said police had ruled out robbery as none of the victim’s possessions were missing. Di, who stayed alone in the apartment, worked in a hair saloon in Plaza Kota Raya.

ABOVE & BELOW: The body being carried out the condo and BELOW down the lift to the pick-up van

Anyone with information can contact the police hotline at 07-2212 999 or the nearest police station.