Police report against Saravanan and 'his boys'

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Development Minister M Saravanan has been accused of allegedly sending 'his boys' to settle a score with a DAP branch chairman who had participated in a hunger strike in Brickfields protesting the government decision on the Interlok issue.A Saminathan, who is Bukit Beruntang DAP branch chairman, lodged a police report yesterday against Saravanan and three others alleging that he was beaten-up by the latter's 'boys' and slashed with a razor.

Recounting the incident to FMT after lodging the report, Saminathan said the attack occured as he was getting out of a toilet in an Indian restaurant in Brickfields."I was in the toilet, when someone knocked on the door. As I came out, three Indian men confronted me, one of them held my neck and hit me. He slashed my head and hands with a razor."They warned me not to intervene in any issues involving Saravanan," Saminathan said.Saminathan's friend, MS Arjunan had also previously lodged police reports over several 'Saravanan-linked' activities.

Interlok: 'Do Chinese sell their daughters?'

In a bit to pry a response from the largely silent Chinese over the selection of Malay novel 'Interlok' as required Form Five study material, a coalition of Indian NGOs pointed to a paragraph they claimed degrades the community as well."We eat whatever we can get. Roots if available. We beg. We steal. We don't have a daughter. If we do have a daughter we can sell her," said the first paragraph on page 107 of the 2010 student's edition of 'Interlok' published by the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

It was said by Cing Huat, a Chinese character in the novel written by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, when asked by his wife what they were going to eat in their journey to another city in their search of a better life.Appealing to all MCA and other Chinese leaders to read the book and that passage and others like it, National Interlok Action Team (Niat) questioned their silence over the matter.

Kugan's death: RCI only? Home Minister, IGP and AG must go

The Sessions Court acquitted 30 year-old police constable V Navindran for causing the death of A. Kugan who died whilst he was in police custody. The prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.Kugan’s family was deeply disappointment with the court verdict but indicated that they would continue to seek justice for Kugan.Initial post-mortem reports stated that the 23 year-old’s death was classified as ‘sudden death’ and that he had water in his lungs. Following a second post mortem examination, his death was reclassified as murder.

A house turned into a pile of rubble

KUALA LUMPUR: A Maranan, 63, left his Kampung Udara house on Jan 12 to go to work. Upon returning, his house was nothing more than a pile of rubble.It was close to lunchtime that Maranan, a Brickfields hawker, received a phone call from his neighbours. An excavator had torn down his 31-year-old house without warning at around 12pm, completing the task in a matter of minutes.

His son, M Mahesan, rushed over, expecting the worst. But nothing could prepare him for what he was about to see.The excavator had levelled everything. Almost nothing was spared in its destruction. The roof was caved in, and the walls had followed suit. Furniture had been converted into firewood, and bundles of clothes torn into strips.Not even the family's five dogs were spared from the violence. Two of them were killed as the excavator did its work. Two were spared, although they suffered injuries of their own. Another ran away, never to return.

Dr M's remarks on Tamil, Mandarin gravely misplaced

This is not the first time that former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has said it and it probably won't be the last.

Mahathir thinks that no nation in the world allows its citizens to be instructed in schools in a language other than the national language. His latest outburst is currently stirring controversy anew in cyberspace.

It's true that Tamil is the medium of instruction in several hundred primary schools in Malaysia and Mandarin in many primary and secondary schools.

There should be Tamil secondary schools as well but apparently the community has been unable to get its act together on this.

NGOs tell police: Let's see 90 days of no death in custody

As many as 147 deaths in police custody have been reported since 2000 and NGO activists today demanded guarantees from the home ministry and the police force that such deaths will no longer occur.Lawyers for Liberty representative N Surendren and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) co-founder R Sivarasa also insisted that investigations into the cause of death of any person while in the custody of the authorities should be carried out responsibly.

"This is a high number. Under the section 334 of the Penal Code, inquests into deaths in custody are mandatory. There are no two ways about it," Surendran said. "The statistics show kegagalan (failure) on the part of the BN and the police in taking care of suspects in custody," he said, adding that every system of the government appeared to be a failure.

Indian community slams gov't over Kugan, fears further victimization

The Indian community has expressed anger and disappointment over a court's acquittal of a police constable charged for causing grievous hurt to Kugan Ananthan, a 22-year old car theft suspect whom a post-mortem report had said died from torture.Compounding their dissatisfaction was the fact that there were witnessess to the beatings meted out by Constable V Navindran to Kugan. Navinrdan had allegedly used a rubber hose even though it was not his duty to interrrogate Kugan.

"The dead cannot speak so it makes it easier to deny Kugan justice. The court ruling came as no surprise and was expected of this justice system. The issue no longer concerns justice but about you are up against and the threat you stand to pose. The more 'dangerous' you are perceived, the slimmer your chance of seeing justice being done," social activist Manohara Subramaniam told Malaysia Chronicle.

Remaja 14 tahun tuntut pembebasan

KUALA LUMPUR: Seorang remaja berusia 14 tahun yang dipenjarakan hampir tiga bulan tanpa dibicara dan disabitkan kesalahan hari ini mengemukakan permohonan semakan jenayah dibawah Seksyen 323 Kanun Acara Jenayah yang dihadapinya di Mahkamah Tinggi di sini.Permohonan itu dikemukakan kepada Pejabat Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya (Jenayah1) Datuk Su Geok Yiam melalui setiausahanya di sini.

M Mughilan dipenjarakan ekoran tidak mampu membayar wang jaminan sebanyak RM1,700 atas pertuduhan Mahkamah Majistret, iaitu menggunakan kekerasan jenayah mencabul kehormatan seorang pengadu berumur lapan tahun.Kesalahan tersebut boleh membawa hukuman penjara 10 tahun atau denda atau sebat dibawah Seksyen 354 Kanun Acara Jenayah, namun Mughilan kini ditahan di Pusat Tahanan Asrama Sentosa di Sentul, di sini.

Kugan's mom: Give me back my son

PETALING JAYA:  Crushed by the court's decision to free a policeman charged with causing grievous hurt to her deceased son, N Indra broke down in tears at a press conference here.When asked to speak, the 42-year-old housewife could not find the words, and muttered to her lawyer N Surendran amid sobs, “I want my son back... give me back my son.”

Kugan's aunt S Renuga, who was also present, said that the family was saddened by the Session Court's decision to acquit Constable V Navindran this morning.“When his death was highlighted, (Attorney-General) Abdul Gani (Patail) said there were 11 suspects. Now, not even one has been convicted. So where did his injuries come from?” asked the ashen-faced woman, urging the public to support the family’s call for justice.

MIC too wants independent probe into Kugan's death

The MIC today gave its backing to the A. Kugan family's call for an independent probe into the forklift driver's death while in police custody two years ago, after the police constable accused of causing the death was set free this morning.

In fact, the BN component party's information chief S Murugessan said, the acquittal proved the need for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.

Murugessan said in a statement today the number of people brought to book for the "alarming number" of deaths in police custody only showed that the existing system was flawed.

Kugan’s family upset by constable’s acquittal

N. Indra, KuganKUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — The family of A.Kugan are deeply disappointed that the man accused of causing his death was acquitted by the Petaling Jaya Session Court this morning.

Judge Aslam Zainuddin found constable V.Navindran not guilty of causing grievous hurt to the 23-year old, since the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case.Kugan’s aunt, Renuka Subramaniam, told reporters that the family is still seeking for justice over his death.

“We are really not satisfied with the decision. We as Malaysians do not feel safe as we can still die under police custody.“We have been mourning the loss of our son for over two years and today his mother wants to know what has happened him. What we can tell her?” she said while sitting beside Kugan’s mother.
Navindran, 28, was charged for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extract a confession from the 23-year-old Kugan, who died at the USJ police station lock-up on January 20, 2009.

Cop cleared of hurting Kugan

PETALING JAYA, Jan 28 — The Sessions Court here found police constable V. Navindran today not guilty of causing grievous hurt to A. Kugan when the latter was detained by the police two years ago.

In making his decision, Judge Aslam Zainuddin said the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the police constable.

Navindran, 28, was charged under Section 331 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine, upon conviction.He was accused for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extract a confession from the 23-year-old Kugan, who died at the USJ police station lock-up on January 20, 2009.
He had also pleaded not guilty to two alternative charges of causing hurt to Kugan under Section 330 of the Penal Code. Kugan had then been detained on suspicion of having been involved in car thefts.

Hindu Sangam shocked over Interlok decision

Malaysia's biggest Hindu umbrella group Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) has expressed outrage over the education ministry's decision to maintain the use of the contentious Interlok novel.

MHS president RS Mohan Shan said that MHS will continue to "fight" for the wirthdrawal of the book, which is being part of the upper secondary Malay literature syllabus.

He said that MHS will seek a meeting with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak soon to discuss the matter and hold a meeting with Indian NGOs this Saturday.

Interlok stays, but with amendments: Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27, 2011): The novel Interlok will remain as the textbook for the literature component of the Bahasa Malaysia subject for Form Five but with amendments to several aspects deemed sensitive by the Indian community, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin said.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said an independent panel would be set up to study the types of amendments and would submit the recommendations to the government. "The decision to continue using the novel, with amendments so as not to hurt the feelings of the Indian community, is the best solution," Muhyiddin said in a statement today.

Interlok: ‘What does MIC want?’

KUALA LUMPUR: An exasperated Federation of National Writers Association (Gapena) secretary, Zainal Abidin Borhan, has slammed MIC for its “ inconsistent” stand over the Interlok novel.He alleged that MIC had three different stands – remove the “p” word, remove the book from the system, and re-edit the book.
Zainal raised this alleged “inconsistency” during an Interlok forum held yesterday at Universiti Malaya here.

Participating panellists included Zainal, Bahasa Malaysia teacher Ghalib Yunos, National Parents Teachers Association Solidarity Council (PIBGN) chairperson Mohamad Ali Hasan and Uthaya Sankar SB, who represented MIC (but incidentally is not an MIC member).Zainal said that Uthaya's argument during the forum was not in sync with the stand MIC had taken during the meeting with the Education Minsitry and Gapena.He said that during the meeting with the ministry, MIC representatives had failed to counter Gapena's arguments to keep the Interlok novel in the education system.

Kampung Buah Pala returns to haunt

GEORGE TOWN: Some issues just refuse to die, and the now extinct Kampung Buah Pala is one such case.Despite the Pakatan Rakyat state government's attempts to lay the ghost to rest, the demolition of the Indian village two years ago continues to haunt Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's administration.

A political banner put up during last week's Thaipusam festival claiming that Lim had delivered his promise to the village folk had irked nine ex-residents.Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association chairman M Sugumaran called it a misrepresentation of facts.

'No changes to PPPA ... yet'

The government is far from ready to amend the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said the proposed changes are still "at the very, very early stages" and it has not even been decided what exactly the amendments will entail.

"Nothing has been finalised. With the committee (on strengthening government communications) in place, whatever views will first be brought before the committee," Hishammuddin told a press conference today at Parliament House after the committee's first meeting of the year.

Nazri: No media clampdown in cyber-sedition guide

The sedition guidelines for online content, which will now be presented to the cabinet for approval, is not a move to clamp down on press freedom or online communications.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said it was merely a move to clarify related Acts to the public in a do's and don'ts format.

“We want to make it easier for the public so that they know what they can and cannot do... what will be (acted) on and why it takes time,” he said.

Poor NUPW workers, ‘rich’ union sec-gen

KUALA LUMPUR: Irate estate workers have taken the National Union of Plantation workers to task over a resolution at its recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) allowing for a 14% increase in the salary of the secretary general.Claiming ‘malpractice’, the members said they were not informed of the AGM and were shocked to read about G Sankaran’s salary hike.

“How can they approve a big increase like this for Sankaran when the workers are still struggling with RM15 a day on daily wages.“The union has been around since 1954 and we are still living hand to mouth,” said a frustrated worker who refered to himself as a ‘paying member’ of the union.Declining to be named he said, Sankaran’s new salary was now RM7,100 which was RM274 per day and this did not inlcude the RM0.80 sen per kilometre travel allowance and other ‘perks’ that ‘he had tailored’ for himself since he took over 18 years ago.

‘Top cops, Datuks blocking murder probe’

KUALA LUMPUR: Last November, senior lawyer G Balasundram was brutally murdered in Ipoh after being stabbed 17 times.Despite the police arresting several individuals in connection with the murder of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) lawyer, none of them had been charged in court.

PSM believes that the suspects are linked to several influential figures, and this was the reason for the lack of action.This afternoon, the party’s leaders submitted a memorandum to the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters calling for the probe to be expedited.

Dr Subra dismisses allegations he compromised over ‘Interlok’

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC Deputy President Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam dismissed allegations he had compromised on his stand that the "Interlok" novel should be withdrawn as a textbook for Form Five students."In all my discussions in the Cabinet at the last few meetings I strongly represented the views of the Indian community, and the impact the book would have on the minds of the community and young people," he said in a statement Tuesday.

Interlok: Thousand ready to sue government

GEORGE TOWN: At least 1,000 people will file a joint civil action against the federal government if the controversial Interlok novel is not withdrawn from the Form Five syllabus by this week.Breaking his silence over the issue, Hindraf Makkal Sakti supremo P Waythamoorthy issued the stern ultimatum to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.“Withdraw the fictitious and seditious Interlok from the education curriculum immediately or face a people’s civil action,” he said.

Krishnan's family cannot accept 2nd autopsy results

The preliminary report on the second autopsy on electrician M Krishnan, who died in police custody on Jan 7, concurred with a previous result that he had succumbed to a stomach ulcer.

Lawyer Gurmit Singh Hullon , who is representing Krishnan's family, said his clients cannot accept the outcome of the second autopsy.

“We are not happy with the result and we do not accept this finding because it is the opposite to the evidence. Krishnan was assaulted, beaten and left to die without medical attention for five days,” he claimed.

Action panel to push Interlok's withdrawal

Indians have talked enough, and petitioned enough - but haven't acted enough. "So, let us now act!" This was the position taken by a number of speakers at a meeting of Indian NGOs last night to declare their opposition to the Malay literature textbook 'Interlok'.

Speaker after speaker called for firm action to push the government to remove the book from the Form Five syllabus.The meeting then formed a nine-member Interlok Action Committee to work on the matter.

MIC chief: Good decision on Interlok soon

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel said he was confident that a solution will be found to the Interlok controversy, and is expecting a good announcement on the matter soon.Palanivel said he has been in constant touch with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak regarding the issue, which has been raging for weeks.
“MIC has been vocal on the issue. We are expecting a good announcement on the matter,” he said, thanking all quarters for their role in voicing out their views.

“I am positive that this issue will be resolved soon,” he added.Yesterday, Palanivel reiterated MIC’s call for the book to be removed from schools, saying that it is against the spirit of Najib’s 1Malaysia.The book, penned by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, was introduced as a component for the Malay literature subject for Form Five students.However, MIC and other Indian groups objected, arguing that the book contained inaccurate and disparaging remarks about the Indian community.

Std One pupil slapped for not lining up

KUALA LUMPUR : A parent of a seven-year-old pupil in SRK Sri Delima in Jalan Ipoh has lodged a report against a teacher who beat her daughter for not lining up in the correct row after recess.L Savatharaja, a journalist from Tamil daily, Malaysian Nanban, said his daughter Shanya had come home last Wednesday crying after a teacher known as Virda, hit her on the head, pinched her ears and slapped her hands.

“The incident frightened my daughter. Now she is too scared to go to school and is crying everyday,” he said, adding that he decided to lodge a police report against the teacher and the school authorties after failing to get a proper explanation from the school.Recalling his visit to the school to inquire about what happened, Sarvantharaja said: “On Friday, I went to school to find out what had happened. But when I approached the teacher, I was shocked by her action.

Police reports lodged nationwide over Interlok

Indian groups from around the country lodged reports simultaneously at their different police stations against the novel they claim insults the community and demanding that it be withdrawn as compulsory reading by secondary school students.

Mass police reports are said to have been lodged at police stations in Ipoh, Batu Gajah, Sitiawan, Teluk Intan and Taiping in Perak, Kuantan in Pahang, Kota Bharu in Kelantan, Sentul in Kuala Lumpur, Tasek Gelugor in Penang, Jasin in Malacca and Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan.

In a statement, Perak DAP Youth's political education bureau chief P Sugumaran said he had lodged the report against the attitude and position of the government and the ministry of education which he said “purposefully wants to prolong the controversial issue of the Interlok novel without taking the proper step of withdrawing it.”

MIC: We want Interlok dropped, not amended

MIC president Senator Datuk G Palanivel has urged Putrajaya to drop the “Interlok” novel from the upper secondary syllabus, even as the controversial book became campaign fodder in Tenang.Palanivel said his party stood by the decision of its representatives who had called for the withdrawal of “Interlok” during a meeting with Education Ministry officials last Tuesday, as it contained a pejorative demeaning to Indians.

“We hope that the Ministry of Education understands and appreciates the wishes and feelings of our community and comes up with a quick and firm decision on this matter,” the newly-minted MIC president said in a statement today.“Putting additional footnotes, glossaries and guidelines is not going to help resolve the matter,” he added.Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin suggested on Friday several possible solutions to the “Interlok” controversy, such as creating additional footnotes, glossaries and teaching guidelines.

Sikh father upset over hair-cut prank at NS camp

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — A Sikh temple priest is upset with the National Service authorities for permitting trainees to carry sharp objects into camp after his 18-year-old son had his unshorn hair cut off in a prank on Sunday.Surinderpal Singh told reporters in Ipoh that his son, Basant Singh, was sleeping in his dormitory at Kem Seri Impian in Sungai Bakap, Kedah, when his hair was cut off, allegedly by his fellow trainees.Basant, he said, only made the discovery when he woke up at 6.30am on Sunday and was about to tie his hair.

Road Closure for Thaipusam Procession

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 JANUARY, 2011: Several roads in the capital will be closed in stages from noon to 2pm on Wednesday to make way for the Thaipusam procession.Kuala Lumpur traffic operation chief Insp Mohd Irwan Abd Rahim said this was to facilitate the procession from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Jalan Tun H.S Lee to the Sri Subramaniam Temple, Batu Caves.

He said the procession from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple would pass through Jalan Sultan, Jalan Pudu, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Leboh Ampang, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Dang Wangi, Sogo, Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Sri Amar, Jalan Tun Razak (U-Turn opposite fire and rescue station).It will then continue along Jalan Ipoh (Jalan Salah), Jalan Konvil Hilir, Lorong Konvil Hulu, Jalan Perhentian, Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Ipoh Batu 5 before reaching Batu Caves, he said in a statement today.

India Govt Offers 20 Scholarships for M'sians to Pursue Alternative Medicine

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 JANUARY, 2011: The Indian Government is offering 20 scholarships to Malaysian students who wants to pursue undergraduates courses in traditional medicine in India for the academic year 2011-2012.The High Commission of India in a statement here today said there were 14 different colleges offering the seats for the students who interested to pursue four related courses.

Principal apologises for 'pariah' remark

A school principal who was said to have uttered a term derogatory to the Indian Malaysian community has issued an apology to her students.

According to complainant AP Raja Retinam, who is also Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation information chief, the apology was made at 12.30pm today.

“She made the apology to the Indian students today, so the matter is closed and we are moving on,” he said.

Custodial death claim: 2nd witness 'missing'

The second witness in the M Krishnan's death-in-custody case has vanished without a trace, raising suspicions that he was threatened against coming out, said a prominent human rights lawyer.N Surendran , who is representing Krishnan's family in seeking a second post-mortem to determine the cause of death, said they do not know where the witness is and are not able to contact him.
"We have lost our second witness in suspicious circumstances. We suspect someone may be preventing him from coming forward," Surendran said when met today."It seems common now for witnesses in cases related to death in custody to be threatened and even arrested by the authorities."Krishnan, who was arrested at a friend's house late on Jan 2 night, died on Jan 7 while being detained at the Bukit Jalil police lock-up.

Fakta Interlok edisi murid banyak mengelirukan

SHAH ALAM: Seorang penulis keturunan India menggesa Sasterawan Negara Datuk Abdullah Hussain tidak dibabitkan dalam kontroversi buku ‘Interlok’ sekarang.Uthaya Sankar SB, Presiden Kumpulan Penulis Kavyan, berkata ini kerana buku yang dibicarakan ialah edisi murid yang disunting Ruziati Abdul Rani dan Baharin Aiyob yang dicetak kali pertama pada tahun 2010.Terdapat kesilapan fakta dalam buku komponen sastera dalam bahasa Malaysia tingkatan 5, edisi murid Interlok.

Begitulah pandangan Uthaya dalam majis taklimat buku Interlok edisi murid di sini hari ini.Kesalahan fakta yang diketahui ramai ialah kasta Paria dan kasta Brahma kerana menurutnya kasta Paria dan Brahma tidak wujud.“Kamus Dewan mendefinasi kasta sebagai pengelasan kumpulan manusia secara berperingkat iaitu Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya dan Sudra.”Menurutnya lagi, Brahma dalam agama Hindu merujuk kepada dewa.Mengulas watak dalam keluarga Maniam, Uthaya menyatakan bahawa novel itu tidak jelas dalam menyatakan keturunan Maniam ialah Tamil, Malayali atau Telugu meskipun kisahnya bermula di Kerala. Tambahan pula nama Maniam bukan nama Malayali.

Hindus prepare for Thaipusam

To give thanks to a powerful god for blessing him with a longed-for daughter, Sharma Muthu will skewer his tongue with a spear for Malaysia's largest Hindu festival.The government official will be one of many thousands who will go into a trance and pierce their bodies with hooks and spears to honour Lord Murugan, the god of war and fertility, at his limestone cave temple in the Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

"I have five sons and I always wanted a daughter. No medicine could have helped me in this so I turned to the god and put my faith in him. Now I must repay this miracle," Muthu said after he offered prayers at the Batu Caves shrine ahead of the festival.

Apology not enough, says Indian Muslim group

About 40 Indian Muslim protesters have vowed to continue rallying against Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik until he quits his post as Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's political secretary.

The protesters, who call themselves Suara Anak-Anak Mamak Pulau Pinang, also want Ng to throw in the towel as state assemblyperson over his actions during a raid at an Indian Muslim restaurant in Gat Lebuh Macallum on Jan 2.

They also want Ng to face action for uttering a racist comment, which Ng vehemently denied, against restaurant owner Syed Kassali Mohammed Aliyar, his family and workers during a raid by Penang Municipal Council personnel.

Indian NGOs, authors condemn book burning

BANGI: PAS Youth, together with several Indian NGOs and authors’ associations, condemned the act of burning the controversial literature book, Interlok.The Indian NGOs comprised the Malaysian Indian Voice (MIV) and Malaysian Indian Movement, while the authors were represented by Seniman Paksi Rakyat Malaysia (Paksi) and Budayawan Bertindak.“It is improper to defile the literary work without a proper discussion with the parties involved,” PAS Youth information chief Suhaizan Kayat told reporters after the groups met yesterday evening.

Controversial Komtar rep apologises

In a sudden turn of events, Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik has apologised to the Indian-Muslim restaurant owner who is central to the controversy surrounding allegations that Ng had uttered racist remarks.

Ng delivered his apology to the restaurant owner Syed Kassali Mohammed Aliyar during a press conference in Komtar this morning.

The DAP assemblyperson expressed regret that he had acted in a rude manner when he had accompanied the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) in an operation against the restaurant for flouting regulations. Ng however maintains his innocence against allegations that he had uttered racist remarks at the scene.

“I apologise if I have said any words or made remarks, consciously or unconsciously, which has caused hurt to Syed Kassali, his family, friends and workers,” said Ng at the press conference.

Ummi wants to 'save the country' from Anwar

Ummi Hafilda Ali, the star witness in Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy and abuse of power trials in 1999, plans to sue the latter and his protege Azmin Ali to "save the country".

"This is why I would like to expose the two. I know them well and I want to save the country and the next general election from them," said Ummi Hafilda, in a packed press conference in Subang Jaya today.

Ummi Hafilda said that her planned civil action against Anwar, and several other opposition leaders, was not for monetary gains.

Interlok is not demeaning, says Chandra

PETALING JAYA: The controversial textbook “Interlok” does not demean or derogate the Indian community, chairman of Yayasan 1Malaysia’s board of trustees, Chandra Muzaffar, said today.According to him, the book merely attempts to relate through fiction the challenges of the Indian community in interacting with the Malays and Chinese during the early 20th century.“In its own way the novel seeks to foster inter-ethnic understanding and solidarity, especially among the deprived and disadvantaged from the Malay, Chinese and Indian communities,” he said in a press statement.

Ummi Hafilda to campaign for BN in next polls

PETALING JAYA, Jan 13 — Ummi Hafilda Ali, a key witness in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s first sodomy trial, vowed today to actively campaign for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election.Ummi claimed that her presence in BN’s campaign would prevent a repeat of Election 2008 when the coalition lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time.
“If anyone is willing to invite me, I will go. Some may say Anwar is a great orator but I know he is afraid of me,” she said at a press conference here.Prior to Election 2008, the sister of PKR deputy president Azmin Ali was active in addressing Umno-organised rallies where she related her experience in exposing Anwar’s alleged sexual misconduct to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

More protest over 'balik India' remark

The furore over Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik's allegedly racist comments against an Indian Muslim restaurant owner has not died down although the latter has vehemently denied that he ever made those remarks. A group of Indian Muslims is planning another protest against Ng, after a similar rally was organised in Komtar last week, where the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress handed a memorandum to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, urging him to act against his political secretary.

BJP to push for caucus on Malaysian Indians

GEORGE TOWN: A senior MP in India has promised to pursue the idea of forming a parliamentary caucus to fight for the rights of Malaysian Indians, according to human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar.He said Avinash Rai Khanna, who heads the Barathiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab, would confer on the matter with BJP supremo Lal Krishna Advani and parliamentary opposition leader Sushma Suvaraj.Uthayakumar and several other delegates from Hindraf Makkal Sakthi and the Malaysian Human Rights Party (HRP) were in New Delhi recently to attend a conference on the Indian diaspora.

Mysterious stoning in Tenang estate

LABIS: The by-election din is waking up not only the people in Tenang but also some angry “toyol” or “spirits” who have come out to wreak havoc on a rubber estate near here. Or so it seems.For the past 10 days, the workers in Bukit Dato Tenang rubber estate have been spending sleepless nights because mysterious “falling rocks” have been hitting their quarters regularly.No one knows who is pelting them – not the management, or the police, or the workers. They have all tried to catch the culprit but in vain.

KJ throws down the gauntlet to Anwar

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will issue an official letter to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim tomorrow, challenging him to a debate over Pakatan Rakyat's 100-day reform plans.

In a post on Twitter, Khairy said that the BN Youth secretary would be submitting the letter to Anwar's office.

"Anwar's office and BN Youth can date, time, venue, format, (choice of) moderator and other details," wrote Khairy. Earlier today, Khairy told reporters that he was adamant on debating the topic with Anwar because Pakatan's 100-day reform plan is “unrealistic and simplistic”.

No More Datuk Seri, Just Call Me "Dr. Khir Toyo"

SHAH ALAM -- Former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo announced a surprise, saying that he had returned the Selangor State Award which carries the title 'Dato Seri' temporarily. The former Selangor strongman who is currently defending a corruption charge pertaining to his palatial home and two plots of land in Shah Alam, declared this in his blog, http://www.drkhir.com , today.

U-turn on Krishnan’s second post-mortem

PETALING JAYA: There will not be a second post-mortem on M Krishnan, the 37-year-old wireman who died in police custody last Friday, after all.In less than 24 hours after police confirmed that they would be seeking a second post-mortem on Krishnan, the Attorney-General’s Chambers has advised a different course of action.A top-level police source told FMT today: “On the advice of the A-G Chambers, the police will not be applying to the magistrate for a second post-mortem.”

Footballers get RM65,000 each for winning AFF Cup

Players and coaches of the national football team that won the AFF Suzuki Cup recently will receive shares and cash incentives worth RM65,000 each.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who hosted a reception to celebrate their victory at Seri Perdana today said all 25 members of the national squad would receive Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 shares worth RM50,000 each, plus RM15,000 in cash.

Indians likely kingmakers in next polls

GEORGE TOWN: Ethnic Indians, the majority of whom are currently fence-sitters, will be the kingmakers in next general election, at least in Peninsular Malaysia, predicted an academician here today.Political scientist Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) argued that it was now a matter of who would be the first off the block to move swiftly and catch these floating votes.“Whichever political block could muster majority support from the community could emerge the overall electoral winner,” he said.

Witness of latest custodial death lodges report

The witness who allegedly saw a man being beaten to death in a police lock-up has lodged a police report.

Accompanied by Lawyers for Liberty representatives N Surendran and Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, the witness, A Sargunan , lodged the report at the Dang Wangi district police station this afternoon.

In his police report, Sargunan, who is also victim M Krishnan's friend, said that they were in a mutual friend's house in Cheras when the police stormed in late at night on Jan 2.

The police allegedly made both of them lie on their stomachs, then started kicking and stomping on their backs with boots on.

Interlok in the dock: NUTP boss backs Paari

PETALING JAYA: The head of the national teachers’ union has declared his support for an MIC move to use legal means to remove the novel “Interlok” from the school reading list.Hashim Adnan, president of the National Union for the Teaching Profession (NUTP), said it was “not right for the book to be used as a textbook” for Malay literature students in Form Five.

He also criticised Utusan Malaysia for trying to whip up emotion among supporters of the book.MIC’s S Vell Paari told FMT yesterday that he would seek a court order compelling the Education Ministry to discard Interlok and to disclose how it came to choose it as compulsory reading for Form Five students.

Kula weighs in on Interlok affair

DAP national vice-chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat, M Kulasegaran, today denounced as “grandstanding of the painfully comic sort” the move by MIC's Vell Paari to seek a court declaration banning the Malay novel 'Interlok'.

The novel, part of the literature syllabus for Form 5 students, has become a hot potato with Indian NGOs calling for its withdrawal because of its allegedly defamatory depiction of Hindu culture.

Constitutional amendments: Sitting on Jan 24

The Selangor legislative assembly will sit on Jan 24 with the main agenda being the tabling of an enactment to amend the state constitution. In a statement, speaker Teng Chang Khim said he has instructed the assembly secretary to dispatch letters to all state assemblypersons informing them of the sitting.Teng said the sitting was called after he was satisfied with Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's explanation that the sitting must be held because of public interest.

The Selangor government is seeking to amend the state constitution to provide more clout to the sultan and the state government in the choice of state secretary.

Trio call on volunteers to help clean up city streets during Thaipusam

THREE Johoreans want to make a difference this Thaipusam by starting a clean-up effort as they follow the chariot procession from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee to Batu Caves in Selayang.

C. Manivanan said every year, the city’s streets would be littered with food, drink packets and plastic bags which were thrown by devotees as they participated in the walk which begins at midnight, ending at 2pm on Thaipusam day.

“As we celebrate Thaipusam in reverence of Lord Murugan, it is also our duty as Malaysians to keep our capital city clean,” said the school teacher from SJK (T) Jalan Haji Manan Kluang, Johor.“It is not the devotees fault as many of them who participate in the procession are mostly fasting.

Unravelling Interlok

PETALING JAYA: Part of the trouble with Interlok, say its detractors, is that the author does not seem to know what he is writing about.His novel assumes, for example, that all South Indians who immigrated to Malaya belonged to the caste of Untouchables and that Kerala, the home of Malayalam speakers, is “a little north” of Tamil Nadu.The book, written by national laureate Abdullah Hussein, has become a controversial title and several groups have demanded that the Education Ministry withdraw it from the list of textbooks for Malay literature students in Form Five in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Putrajaya and Negri Sembilan. They say it belittles the Indian community and its belief system.

School is a ‘cowshed’ for Indian students

BATU KAWAN: A plot of land, four estate staff quarters and a container do not a school make. But that’s exactly what 134 students in Batu Kawan Tamil school in Penang have been saddled with in addition to encroaching wild vegetation and snakes!Fearful of their children’s safety and frustrated at their community leaders, several angry parents from the school banded together to form the school’s Parent Action Committee (PAC) in the hope of pressuring the state and federal governments into allocating some funds to build a new school.

Police threatened to throw pixman off third floor

A police officer yesterday threatened a press photographer that he would be thrown off the third floor of a bus terminal after the latter was detained for no apparent reason. "(The officer) also told me he would soak me in a lake," said national newswire Bernama photographer Hairul Nizam Bahrin.

Hairul, 37, was taken to the police station in the Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Bus Terminal handcuffed and with his head covered, unaware of why he was detained.The photographer was riding his motorcycle, returning from duty at about 11.45am yesterday at the Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Bus Terminal when he was stopped by plainclothes men.

Police: No Objection for 2nd Autopsy on Man Who Died in Police Custody

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 JANUARY, 2011: Police have no objection if the family of M. Krishnan, said to have died while in police custody last Friday, wishes for a second post-mortem to be conducted on him.

Bukit Aman Prosecution/Legal Division chief assistant director, SAC Razali Basri, said for any case of death while in police custody, a court order, however, must first be obtained for a post-mortem to be conducted on the deceased.

"And any cost involved must be borne by the family of the deceased," he said in a statement posted on the Malaysian police Facebook page today.

No evidence, no apology for 'balik India' claim

Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik has refused to apologise publicly for allegedly making a racist remark to an Indian-Muslim restaurant owner, saying the claim was baseless. Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) chairperson Faruk V Raju Mohamed had claimed that Ng had said the words “Close shop, go back to India” to restaurant owner Syed Kassali Mohamed Aliyar last Sunday.

Vell Paari to ‘Interlok’ horns with ministry

PETALING JAYA: A MIC leader is contemplating embarking on a legal collision course with the Education Ministry over the controversial Interlok novel.Speaking to FMT, party central working committee member S Vell Paari said that he would file for a writ of mandamus to compel the ministry to withdraw the book from classrooms.Seeing red over the matter, he said there was no point in sending memorandums and holding street demonstrations.

Gobala moves closer to suspension from PKR

Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan is likely to be suspended as a first step and given the sack later if he continues to ignore the show-cause letter issued by his PKR party for attacking colleagues including Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim over a wide range of issues including alleged ‘rigged elections’ and the closure of a Hindu temple.

Samy Vellu, MIED Trustees Ordered to Disclose Documents on AIMST

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 JANUARY, 2011: The High Court here today gave Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) chairman Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and its seven trustees 30 days to provide several documents in the RM100 million suit against them by MIED. Commercial Court judge Datuk Abdul Aziz Rahim, who made the decision in his chambers, ordered them to provide the documents including those pertaining to the construction of the Asian Institute of Medicine Science and Technology (AIMST), which allegedly caused huge losses to the education arm of the MIC.

Pakatan’s populist reforms ‘too good to be true’, says Najib

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak went on the offensive today and dismissed Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) widely-publicised 100-day reform plan as mere gimmick, and challenged them to tell how they expect to pay for it. Labelling it “populist” and “irresponsible,” the prime minister claimed that the policy ignored the country’s financial limitations.

“We cannot take such a populist approach to the point where we sacrifice our country’s future. We cannot afford to do that, it would be irresponsible to the point where our children and our grandchildren will pay the price and suffer.“As a matter of fact, we do not even have to wait for our children or grandchildren, according to our calculations, if these promises are implemented without taking into account the country’s finances, it would just take two years,” said Najib today.

Najib makes the first move

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s meeting with 105 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs yesterday is seen as a start in finding a suitable date for the general election.Although focus was on what more could MPs do for the electorate, it was also to evaluate chances of retaining seats won by BN at the March 8, 2008 general election.The MPs who were given three to five minutes each to present their problems were happy with the opportunity given.

Sever trade ties with Malaysia, India told

KUALA LUMPUR: The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has urged the Indian government to terminate all present and future business projects with Malaysia.According to a report in The Times of India yesterday, the call was made based on Hindraf’s Malaysian Indian Minority and Human Rights Violations annual report 2010.The report claimed that Malaysian Indians were suffering grave human rights violations committed by the Malaysian government.

Gov't: Decision on compulsory pass for History is final

The decision to make passing history compulsory in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination from 2013 is final, said Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.He said the only thing not decided yet was the syllabus for the subject which would be drawn up together with the teaching approach for the subject to have a positive impact on students when the policy is implemented.

“The decision is final, and we are only waiting for the outcome of a study by a special committee set up to look into the history syllabus and textbooks for secondary schools in order to produce generations of Malaysians who can appreciate history.”He said this at a gathering with teachers of national schools in the Tenang state constituency at the Tenang Felda school here today.

Brickfields hawkers face eviction threat

KUALA LUMPUR: Brickfields hawkers have been threatened with eviction by KL City Hall (DBKL) if they do not make way for urban development.With 16 stalls on the sidewalks of Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3 and Jalan Padang Belia, some of them have been there for more than 20 years. All of them also have valid licences.Hawker representative Arivom Namashivaya told FMT that DBKL had surprised the hawkers on the night of Dec 9 last year, with a letter informing them of a meeting the very next day.

At the meeting, they met with DBKL officials and Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) contractors, who told them that their stalls were in the way of a sidewalk renewal project.The renewal plan was part of the Little India project, initiated by MRCB in mid-2010. DBKL told the hawkers that they were to move their businesses elsewhere, and suggested a few places for relocation.

Perkasa says no to Teoh royal commission

Malay rights pressure group Perkasa has urged the federal government not to proceed with its plan to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into political aide Teoh Beng Hock's death.

At a press conference today, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali  said there was no need for the commission because the inquest had already declared an open verdict on his cause of death.

"We should all just leave it to the police to handle the matter and take action against the guilty party," said Ibrahim.

AG files for revision of inquest's open verdict

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail has filed an application to the High Court today for a revision of the open verdict delivered by the Coroner's court in the inquest into Teoh Beng Hock's death.
"Having studied the verdict and in the light of concerns expressed at the verdict, a decision was made to apply to the High Court for revision of the same," Gani said in a statement today. He added that Prime Minister Najib Razak had been informed of the decision.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas had on Wednesday ruled that the death of the Selangor political aide in 2009 was neither a suicide nor homicide. Meanwhile, the prime minister had earlier announced the formation of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to look into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation procedures, saying it has three months to complete its probe.

Tan Sri vs Tan Sri on MACC's integrity or lack of it

The current spat between Tan Sri Robert Phang and Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam has further cast doubts on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s integrity.Ramon is the MACC Corruption Prevention Panel chairman and Phang is a MACC panel adviser.

The integrity-tearing spat unfolded after Ramon, at lightning speed, cleared Attorney-General (A-G) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail of allegations that the A-G went on a Haj pilgrimage in Mecca with one Shahidan Shafie who is said to be close to former Malaysia Airlines chairman Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli.Questions are being raised against Tajuddin over the national carrier’s losses, running into billions.

Kimma: We have footage of Ng's racist remark

Penang Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) chairperson Faruk Raja Mohamed claims to have evidence to prove Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik had uttered a racist remark against a restaurant owner. Faruk said when contacted that he had seen a closed-circuit TV recording of the remark made by Ng, but declined to allow journalists to view it until he had discussed the matter with Kimma members.

 

"We have the proof and I have seen the recording myself," he told Malaysiakini.Kimma had planned to hold a demonstration today outside a mosque, on Jalan Macalister and close to Komtar, but put it off at the eleventh hour, after a discussion with its members."We will instead go to Komtar peacefully and hand over a memorandum to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, to urge him to take action on Ng," said Farouk.

PM forms RCI, says AG seeks revision on open verdict

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 7 — Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has joined the Teoh family in seeking a revision of the open verdict in Teoh Beng Hock’s death as Datuk Seri Najib Razak kept his promise today for a royal panel to probe into anti-graft investigation methods. The prime minister announced the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation procedures, saying it has three months to complete its probe.

The RCI, he added, would have “specific” terms of reference and would not be expanded to include a probe into how the 30-year-old DAP political aide had plunged to his death in 2009.This, said Najib, was because the law stipulated that investigations into a person’s cause of death should be carried out through the coroner’s office.“You must realise that we have to operate under the law and the law says that an inquest into the death of the individual is through the coroner’s office.“So we have to go through the process but we are establishing this RCI to ensure that there would be no abuse of power or of human rights, and to look at the procedures relating to investigations by the MACC,” he said.

Fulfil promises before break, Khairy told

REMBAU: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has been urged to fulfil his election promises to his Rembau parliamentary constituents before taking a break from politics.Rembau PKR secretary Norazizi A Aziz said that prior to the 2008 general election, the Oxford-trained politician had made many promises to the voters here.

“Among the promises is the Rembau Hospital, an airport, Universiti UITM Rembau and a free tuition centre for poor children. None of these promises have been fulfilled.“All of a sudden, he now wants to take a break from politics, giving the impression that he has been working tirelessly to serve his constituents,” he told FMT.Khairy, who is the son-in-law of former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had recently announced that he might not be defending the Rembau seat.

Malaysia slips down Democracy Index

Malaysia has taken a slight tumble down the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2010 Democracy Index, slipping three places to number 71 out of 167 countries, with its overall score dropping from 6.36 points in 2008 to 6.19 last year. This places Malaysia squarely in the "flawed democracy" category, along with 52 other countries that received overall scores of between 6 and 7.9 out of a maximum of 10 points.

Flawed democracies are countries that have "free and fair elections" and respect "basic civil liberties", but face "problems such as infringements on media freedom".Such countries also have "significant weaknesses in other aspects of democracy, including problems in governance, an underdeveloped political culture and low levels of political participation", the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) index shows.

Chronology of how SS sidestepped MB

The chronology of events leading to the appointment of Selangor state secretary Mohd Khusrin Munawi indicates that former state secretary Ramli Mahmud had made moves behind Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's back.

According to the chronology provided by Selangor palace today, the Public Service Department informed Ramli of its three candidates for the state secretary's post in a letter dated Dec 3, as Ramli's term was ending in March 2011.

MACC questions Alcatel officials over TM kickbacks

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Anti-graft officials have begun questioning Alcatel Lucent (ALU) officials in Malaysia in its investigations into bribes given to two Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) staff that led to a US$85 million (RM263.5 million) contract several years ago.The Malaysian Insider learnt that that the ALU officials went to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters earlier this week to give their statements.

Sultan: My statements were manipulated

Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today lambasted unnamed individuals for allegedly manipulating his statements on the appointment of Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the new state secretary.

"I am bewildered and regret that there are some irresponsible groups who manipulated my statements, causing confusion among the people.

"I do not want to see the appointment of the state secretary to be politicised and sensationalised to the extent that it will cause confusion.

"Do not politicise every issue because it will bring difficulties, burden the people and hamper the development of the state," said the sultan in a speech after Khusrin's swearing-in ceremony at the palace in Shah Alam today.

PKR vs Gobala

More than one month ago, I wrote to express my disgust with the way PKR handled dissent from its own members. Looking at the way it is handling the criticisms from one of its own MPs, YB N. Gobalakrishnan, it seems that in PKR any internal dissent is automatically considered an act of treachery.
Its former deputy president, Dr Syed Husin Ali, has made many accusations about these dissenters. He has labelled them as sampah sarap or rubbish, ‘frogs’ planning to leave the party and posing as heroes in attacking the party leadership merely to extract the highest bid from BN.

I didn't utter 'balik India', says Komtar rep

Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik has instructed his lawyers to issue a letter of demand to the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) for alleging yesterday that the former had uttered racist remarks to insult the Muslims in Penang.Ng, who is political secretary to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, wants the group to explain, retract and apologise for accusing him of using the words "tutup kedai, balik India" (close shop, return to India) on shopowner Syed Kassali Mohamad Aliyar.

Book burning is, oh, so retrograde

COMMENT Book burning is the second most severe act of censorship; book banning is the severest.

The threat by several Indian NGOs to go on a nationwide road show that would have as its highlight the burning of the Malay novel 'Interlok' is a retrograde step that will stifle literary creativity, promote a herd mentality, and dry up the wellsprings of artistic endeavor.

The NGOs say the novel defames Indian Malaysians and is not a suitable literary work for upper secondary school Malaysians to read and contemplate.

Further, the NGOs claim that the tenor of the novel, by one-time national laureate Abdullah Hussein, is against the spirit of 1Malaysia, the supposedly national unity building concept introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Interlok: Racist diatribe or honest story-telling?

BOOK REVIEW It is rare for a Malay novel to get as much attention as is being given to 'Interlok', written by national literary great Abdullah Hussain. However, it is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. 'Interlok' is being used as reading material in the Form Five Malay literature syllabus but has come under attack, with detractors describing the novel as racist and sowing the seeds of contempt.The 426-page book tells the story of the people of Malaya, spanning three generations from the early 1900s up to the time of Independence from Britain in 1957.

The tale is told from three separate perspectives - Malay, Chinese and Indian - before the stories are merged into the final chapter that details the interaction and eventual coming together of the protagonists from the three races.While the book contains passages that could be deemed controversial, none have earned as much ire as the entries related to Maniam, one of the key Indian characters.References to the 'pariah class' and the 'caste system' practised in India have drawn intense protests from the Indian Malaysian community.

'Balik India' remark by Penang state rep?

The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) today expressed regret over what it described as a racist attitude adopted by Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik in having insulted Indian Muslims in Penang.

Kimma Penang Liaison Committee chairperson Faruk Raja Mohamed said Ng ,who is also the political secretary to the chief minister, had used the words "tutup kedai, balik India" (close shop, return to India) on shopowner Syed Kassali Mohamad Aliyar and several of his workers when sealing a nasi kandar shop along with enforcement officers of the Penang Municipal Council two days ago.

Open verdict: 'Teoh's death not suicide or homicide'

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas has returned an open verdict into the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock, whose body was found on July 16, 2009.

He ruled out suicide or homicide as the cause of death.

"There remains unsettled issues on the case of suicide and to find this on guesswork is unacceptable. I rule out verdict of suicide,” he told a packed courtroom.

Azmil said there exists sufficient evidence to show that Teoh's neck injury was pre-fall but "no evidence to confirm that this injury facilitated or contributed to Teoh's demise".

Ex-cop tells all: DNA evidence in Anwar’s 1998 case was faked

A former investigating officer in the 1998 “black-eye incident” today claimed he has information on the fabrication of DNA evidence against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the latter's first sodomy trial. Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim also appealed to the Solicitor-General Datuk Idrus Harun to end the alleged cover-up of the case, which took place after the sacking of Anwar as deputy prime minister more than 12 years ago.

Najib chairs 1st cabinet meet of 2011

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today chaired the first cabinet meeting of 2011 at Bangunan Perdana Putra in Putrajaya.Najib, attired in a grey suit, arrived at 9.20am for the meeting which began 10 minutes later.Almost all the cabinet ministers were in the meeting room when the prime minister arrived.

Among them were Information Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai and Human ResourceMinister Dr S Subramaniam.Also present was chief secretary to the government Mohd Sidek Hassan and several other government officers.

Source - Bernama

No way up, so Khairy exits stage

ANALYSIS, Jan 5 — In the two years since capturing the prized Umno Youth leadership, Khairy Jamaluddin has travelled through the country to speak, debate, engage and even screw in some light bulbs but finds himself going nowhere in the party. Unable to shake off the “son-in-law” tag, the scapegoating of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for Barisan Nasional’s (BN) abject performance in the 2008 general election has turned Khairy into a persona non grata in his own party as rivals aligned to the still influential Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed hold sway in Umno.

Groups threaten to burn 'Interlok' books

A coalition of ethnic Indian NGOs have threatened to burn copies of 'Interlok', a literature book used in secondary schools, if the Education Ministry does not withdraw it.

Coalition leader A Vaithilingam said that the book burning will be held during rallies in various parts of Malaysia should the ministry fail to heed the coalition's demand within one week.

“If this book is not withdrawn, we will take drastic measures, we will run a road-show around Malaysia and we will burn the books,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

The coalition is upset because of the way the book portrays the Indian Malaysian community, in particular the men's treatment of their spouses.

Khusrin in shaky position as Bill looms

The proposed amendment to the Selangor constitution allowing the state and sultan the power to appoint the top three state government officers can be made retrospective, said Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim.

"If the proposed Bill states that the amendment will take effect from Jan 1, 2011 then it will be retrospective," he told reporters in Shah Alam today.

Gobala gets show-cause letter from PKR

Former PKR supreme council member N Gobalakrishnan's recent tirade against party leaders has earned him a 45-page show cause letter.

Gobalakrishnan said on Twitter at about noon that he had received the document through fax. Attempts to reach him has been futile.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution confirmed the matter and said that Gobalakrishnan will be asked to explain his various outbursts.

Gobala’s ‘sermon on the mount’ draws meek crowd

PETALING JAYA, Jan 4 — The latest attempt by renegade PKR leader N. Gobalakrishnan last night to spark a revolt over the closure of the hilltop Sivan temple here was a big flop. Hardly 50 people turned up for a forum called by the Padang Serai MP to discuss the temple closure on the grounds of safety concerns.
Even then, about half an hour in, about a dozen other PKR Indian grassroots leaders led by former Kuala Lumpur deputy chief R. Suresh Kumar broke up the forum and told the attendees to leave.

HRP coming out with election manifesto

GEORGE TOWN: Human Rights Party (HRP) is finalising a 15-point election manifesto to face a possible snap general election this year.The manifesto, among other things, will demand a minimum monthly wage of RM1,300 for all local workers.HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar said the demand for minimum wage was not unreasonable given that even unskilled foreigners were earning more than RM1,300 per month in the country.

“A local worker cannot sustain a reasonably comfortable living standard under the current rapidly escalating cost of living.“Our minimum wage demand is conservative,” Uthayakumar, a former ISA detainee, told FMT today.The manifesto will also demand a round-the-clock social security (Socso) coverage for all contributing workers.Currently, Socso only covers injuries or deaths that occurred to workers during working hours and when travelling between their homes and working places.

Alleged rape victim, family fears minister's reach

The Indonesian NGO pursuing the case of an alleged victim of rape by a minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said the victim and her family had pleaded for her ordeal to be kept under wraps.

This was because they were afraid of the possible impact the scandal would have on them, and feared the reach of the Malaysian minister - currently a member of the present cabinet - even in Indonesia.

According to a purported letter by the sister of the alleged victim - who has been named in several blogs - and sent to the Indonesian and US embassies in Kuala Lumpur, she had asked for the incident to be kept under wraps because she said, “the minister has a lot of money and acquaintances in Indonesia.”

Clean up textbook 'Interlok', say Indian writers

The Indian Writers Association (Kavyan) has taken the same stance as other Indian NGOs over the novel Interlok that makes up part of the Form 5 literature study-material.

It said the book should be edited to eliminate terms that are sensitive to the Indian Malaysian community.

“Kavyan accepts the novel as a work of literature. However, when it becomes a text book for students, it must be 'purified' to suit them,” said president Uthaya Shankar SB in a statement to Malaysiakini.

National goalie Khairul Fahmi gets a house from Kelantan govt

KOTA BARU: National goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, who returned home Monday to Kampung Cherang here to a hero's welcome, has been promised a new house by the state government.Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said the state had decided to present Khairul Fahmi with a new house as a mark of appreciation for his contribution to national football.

Samy begins special envoy duties

S Samy Vellu, who assumed duties as Malaysia's special envoy with ministerial rank on infrastructure to India and South Asia on Saturday, will begin his tour of duty on Thursday starting with New Delhi.

The former MIC president will be leading a 150-strong Malaysian Indian delegation to the ninth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, an annual conference that brings together people of Indian origin from throughout the world, according to a statement from his office in Kuala Lumpur today.

Khairy to withdraw from re-contesting Rembau

Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin confirmed speculations that he will 'stand down' from contesting the Negeri Sembilan parliamentary seat of Rembau, which he currently holds, in the next general elections.

Malay-language news website M-Star quoted the MP replying with a terse "Yes" via text message when asked if he is serious about not re-contesting the seat.

Ex-judge cautions against court action in state secretary tiff

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — The Selangor government may find itself in a deeper mess than a stalemate if it heads to the court to resolve the controversial appointment of its new state secretary, says retired judge Datuk N.H. Chan. Pointing to section 52 of the Selangor state constitution, Chan stressed the law clearly states that the state secretary is appointed by a service commission and not the mentri besar or even the Sultan as some parties have argued.

Palanivel says willing to forgive sacked MIC members

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — Senator Datuk G. Palanivel has offered an olive branch to all expelled MIC members and declared his willingness to reopen MIC’s doors to all those his predecessor had sacked in the past. But the newly-installed president also issued a stern warning to the former members that his willingness to accommodate them did not mean he was a weak leader or a pushover.

Photo of alleged minister rape victim hot item in cyberspace

An online news portal focussing on East Malaysian politics has published a photo it claimed was Robengah, an Indonesian women said to be a victim of rape by a 'senior minister', as revealed by WikiLeaks and several blogs recently.Sabahkini.net also named the minister, a staunch critic of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who made a cabinet comeback during the premiership of Abdullah Badawi, and who is still serving in the current cabinet.

Palanivel confident of Tenang Indian support

MIC President G Palanivel today expressed confidence that the party would be able to increase the Indian community's support for Barisan Nasional (BN) during the Tenang by-election.
Palanivel said since 1,100 of the 1,754 Indian voters in Tenang were members of MIC, there was every reason to be confident of their support for the by-election, scheduled on Jan 30.

"Maybe there will be an increase in the number when the final electoral list is released. From the current list though, 1,100 of the 1,754 Indian voters registered in Tenang are MIC members.