P Vwaishhnnavi, the six-year-old niece of detained Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, and her mother, K Shanti, were released today after spending a night at the Putrajaya police district headquarters.

Both mother and daughter were with 10 other people arrested yesterday when they attempted to submit a letter at the Prime Minister Department's office in Putrajaya calling for freedom of all ISA detainees.

The duo were released late last night but they refused to leave the police station and stay with the rest.

The remaining 10 were brought to Kajang court this morning where the police are expected to apply for further remand to facilitate their investigation.

Vwaishhnnavi (left) is the daughter of Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy, who is currently in self-imposed exile in London.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman told Malaysiakini yesterday that eight men and three women were arrested during the incident.

He clarified that Vwaishhnnavi had not been arrested and was with her mother.

According to the police, those held are being investigated under the Societies Act following the Home Ministry's imposition of a ban on Hindraf on Oct 15, declaring it an illegal organisation.

Police Watch Malaysia coordinator S Jayathas, who was also held, claimed that they had been told that they were part of an illegal assembly for having gathered near the entrance of the building.

"We were trying to obtain permission from the security guards for Vwaishhnnavi to submit her letter. They said that we were from Hindraf, but we insisted that we were 'concerned Indians' who were accompanying Vwaishnnavi," Jayathas when contacted yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai has proposed for new legislation to govern racial relations, encourage greater unity and avoid discrimination among races in the country.

“The Race Relations Act I’m proposing should be looked into by the Unity, Arts, Cultural and Heritage Ministry,” he said after launching the 14th annual general meeting of the Federation of Malaysian Clans and Guilds Youth Association on Sunday. He said the Ministry should study the feasibility of such a law because it did not have any Acts currently to support its efforts to achieve greater racial unity in the country.

Unity, Arts, Cultural and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal could not be reached for an immediate comment.

Liow, who is Health Minister also, said that the Internal Security Act (ISA) must be reviewed so that it was not abused by any quarters to undermine national unity, security and stability.

“The whole thing must be studied. Certain people still think that the ISA serves a certain purpose in ensuring the safety and harmony of the country,” he added.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) and the Islamic NGOs, Heritage Associations, Malay Cultural Organisations and Related Bodies Cooperation Network (Pewaris) have lodged police reports against Selangor state executive councillor Teresa Kok.

The reports were made by Pewaris advisor Rahimuddin Md Harun and PPIM Complaints Officer Mohd Nor Imran Yusuf at the Sentul district police headquarters at 11am on Sunday.

The reports were lodged over an allegation by former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo that Kok had tried to prohibit the “azan” call to prayer at mosques and surau in Kota Damansara, Sri Serdang and Puchong Jaya.

Kok has denied the allegations and said she would seek legal recourse against Khir and a Malay daliy that had reported his allegations. Additionally, Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmood lodged a police report against Khir on Sept 11.

Meanwhile, Rahimuddin told reporters later Sunday that the police reports were lodged because Kok’s alleged statements could hurt the feelings of the Muslim community.

“We have made the reports so that the police can carry out the investigations on her because it is feared that the statements can spark racial animosity in Malaysia,” he said.

PPIM secretary-general Datuk Dr Ma’amor Osman said in a statement that PPIM supported the government’s detention of Kok, Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on Friday. Tan was released on Saturday.

“The detentions are proof that the Government does not remain silent in matters involving racial sensitivities and the Federal Constitution.

“Matters such as these should be viewed seriously because, if ignored, they could incite hatred in the people, especially the Malays, because their special position has often been disputed by certain quarters,” he claimed. -- Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: The Democratic Action Party (DAP) has unveiled its proposed Budget for 2009, which focuses on competency, accountability and transparency (CAT).

The opposition party's national publicity secretary Tony Pua said the Budget is based on the party’s proposed policies last year, adding that they “were still relevant.”

There are 14 key policies in the Budget, which aims to benefit all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity or background, he claimed.

The policies focus on protecting oil revenues, investing in education, creating an efficient transportation system, renegotiating contracts, implementing a fair wage policy, having open, competitive and transparent tenders and auctions, and revitalising small and medium industries.

The proposals also include restructuring personal income taxes, introducing “green taxes” and reviving the information and communications technology sector.

Pua said he expected the Government to announce an increase in expenditure and maintaining deficits on “Budget day” on Friday, which he believes are not necessary for the country’s economy.

He said this was because while Government revenue would increase by about 3%, mainly driven by oil and gas revenues, there would be a decline in corporate taxes.

He added that Malaysia’s high dependency on oil and gas would be one of the challenges that the nation needs to overcome.

“For 2008, oil and gas receipts are expected to contribute in excess of 40% of the Government’s revenue, exceeding the 37% last year.

“This is a worrying trend in the light of oil reserves which will last for only another two decades and Malaysia becoming a net oil importer by 2011,” he said.

Another challenge for the country is the global economic slowdown, he added.

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may have won the Permatang Pauh seat and claimed his stake in Parliament, but he would not be able to get 30 MPs to switch to the Opposition to form the government, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

The former prime minister said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser might think he could "buy" MPs to jump to his camp but it would be impossible for him to "outbid the other bidders who have more money."

"The Permatang Pauh by-election results is a clear message for Barisan Nasional, Umno and its leaders. Within five months after the March 8 polls, Barisan lost the seat again, with a bigger majority than the last time.

"This is not only because the by-election was held in Permatang Pauh and one of the candidates was Anwar Ibrahim. I believe this will be the trend at other places as well and those who came out to vote on Tuesday had voted for the Opposition," he said when met at his office on Wednesday.

Anwar won the Permatang Pauh seat with a thumping majority of 15,671. His victory marks a return to Parliament for the PKR adviser after an enforced absence of 10 years.

With the victory, Anwar will take over as the parliamentary Opposition leader. The PKR de facto leader last won the Permatang Pauh seat in 1995 with a majority of 23,515 votes.

Dr Mahathir predicted that with Anwar back in Parliament, he would be making "life very difficult" for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"I don't think Abdullah is a match for Anwar. This man (Anwar) can convince even the devil to follow him. He is going to raise all kinds of issues and questions and will demand and pressure the Prime Minister for answers. It is going to be a tough time for Barisan," he said.

Dr Mahathir said Abdullah, his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and other leaders should not close their "ears and eyes" to the people's message and neither should they blame the Permatang Pauh defeat on sabotage or other elements.

"The people sent a message at the March 8 polls and again in the Permatang Pauh by-election. Leaders should sit up and take stock of this. They want changes and they want it quick. Not in June 2010.

"If changes are made two years from now, then Umno will face an uphill task to gain strength and the people's confidence. If they fail to do so, then Barisan can expect defeat in the 13th general election," he said, adding he was willing to come back to the party's fold and work towards reviving it if Abdullah step down before the 2010 deadline.

He said Umno should be concerned that it was losing in popularity and appeal, claiming that even DAP had become more appealing to Malays, referring to former Transparency International Malaysia chairman Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim becoming the DAP's latest recruit.

KUALA LUMPUR: More visitors are expected to turn up at Parliament following the return of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the PKR de facto leader who has just won the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz said he anticipated more people would go to Parliament, regardless of whether they are Anwar’s supporters or not.

However, Nazri also said that the Parliament sitting would still be the same.

"I prefer him (Anwar) to be inside (voted in as MP) rather than outside.

"In Parliament, people can ask him questions and he has to be responsible, accountable and answerable.

"I know the man,'' said Nazri, adding that he feared no one in Parliament.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said he did not expect anything lesser than a Deputy Prime Minister as Anwar was one.

"He was in that capacity before and the decorum must be there.

"I expect quarrel to take place in the Dewan but maybe he would be able to control those from the opposition,'' said Pandikar.

He also said security would not be tightened in Parliament and it would be business as usual.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar also told reporters at the Parliament Lobby that there would be no extra policemen nor roadblocks on Thursday.

PUTRAJAYA: Some restaurants are still charging service tax to its customers although the number of outlets permitted to do so has dropped sharply from 4,800 to only 435 premises since the Government raised the sales threshold to RM3mil.

Customs director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Abdul Rahman said his department was aware of complaints by consumers. Customs officers have been making checks to ensure restaurant owners whose outlets did not meet the requirement would not charge their customers 5% service tax.

However, he said, not many people have come forward to make an official complaint on errant restaurant operators but they merely had gone to the press to air their displeasure.

“It is difficult for us to take appropriate action if we do not know the identity of the culprits. Therefore, we urge the public to come forward and provide us with information so we can act on it. My department is proactive and we do act on complaints but we need details,” he told reporters Wednesday after the launch of a seminar on Customs International Business Partnership by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha.

Even the director-general himself was not spared from being charged service tax by a restaurant operator and Rahman said his men were in the midst of investigating the case.

He said the public could go into the department’s website to check the names of restaurants which still have the licence to charge service tax and lodge their complaints by e-mailing the department.

Effective July 1, only 435 restaurants nationwide have the licence to collect service tax. A total of 4,800 outlets had to surrender their licence as they were no longer eligible to make the collection following the Government’s decision to increase the sales threshold level from RM500,000 to RM3mil a year.

On another matter, Rahman said Customs estimates the collection of import duty from motor vehicles to be RM8.5bil this year, while duties for cigarettes and alcohol would also be more this year at RM2.9bil and RM1.35bil respectively.

He also said between January and August, the department had registered 3,133 cases of smuggling involving goods worth RM95mil and taxes valued at RM162mil.

“With the high-tech gadgets, equipment and increased surveillance work, we have managed to cripple many smuggling attempts and will continue to do so,” he said.

Well how to vote for these cartoon heroes’ la... toilet also has to officially be present for opening, when the whole country is suffering... looks like toilets are more important than the well being of the rakyat

WHAT THE .......
This is what our DPM and other high rank officiers are really good at. Biggest joke.

(Today is a very meaningful day, because the only new advance toilet in our country is opening, we are becoming the international city. )

(not I said one, don't beat me, our respectful DPM said one)


Side story: There, met 2 ang mo(husband and wife). They were very shocked to see this live, and curious. They asked me, what are you all doing? I answered: 'Opening of public toilet'. The wife laughed... The husband was behaved, asked me without laughing: 'any special?' I said:'high tech, auto cleaning. Our DPM will open it in a short while.' Both after listening.. reluctantly smiled and said: ' oh...i See, very Interesting.... '

* Most important is ... every time it used, wall, floor, toilet bowls will automatically clean.....

Note: Oh my godddd.....it takes DPM to officiate new public toilets..?????? Ta da kerja lain ka...???

MONEY DOWN THE TOILET

PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to the charge of having carnal intercourse against the order of nature at the Sessions Court in Jalan Duta court complex this morning.
MCPX
"This is a malicious slander and I'm not guilty," he told Sessions judge SM Komathy.
The prosecution did not oppose bail and proposed the amount be set at RM20,000 and that Anwar be required to surrender his passport.
Judge Komathy agreed to release Anwar on RM20,000 personal bond without surety.
She also said that Anwar need not surrender his passport as the opposition leader was not likely to abscond. The judge also set the case for mention on Sept 10 to decide hearing dates. However, the case would be transferred to the High Court.
After the date was fixed, Anwar and his lawyers then left the courtroom.
The charge, preferred following a complaint by 23-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, carries a punishment of up to 20 years' imprisonment if found guilty.
Anwar was charged with having committed sodomy on Saiful under section 337B of the Penal Code on June 26 between 3.01pm and 4.30pm at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condo in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
According to a lawyer, section 337B refers to consensual sex, not assault.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court Thursday to a charge of sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23.
He was accused of committing the offence under Section 377B of the Penal Code between 3.01pm and 4.30pm in 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium at 99, Jalan Setia Kasih, Bukit Damansara on June 26 2008.
The PKR adviser had earlier arrived in court accompanied by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, daughter Nurul Izzah and lawyer Sankara Nair who is among among the nine defence counsels.
The prosecution team was led by Solicitor-General Datuk Idrus Harun.
There has been heavy police presence, including FRU units, unformed policemen and those in plainclothes, at the complex since 6.30am.
A crowd of Anwar's supporters has also been steadily growing at the court from 7am, as roadblocks set up at roads leading to Jln Duta court complex and surrounding areas caused massive jams.
Security waas tight at the entrance of the court complex. Policemen were seen taking down the identity card numbers of those going in.
Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and his father, party adviser Lim Kit Siang was among those who were present in court.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived at the KL court complex in Jalan Duta at about 9.40am Thursday.
He is expected to be charged in the Sessions Court with sodomy after 10am.
The PKR adviser had left his home in Segambut Dalam about 10 minutes earlier.
The court complex has been a hive of activity since 6.30am with heavy police presence, including FRU, unformed policemen and those in plainclothes.
A crowd of Anwar's supporters has also been steadily growing at the court since 7am.
Roadblocks set up at roads leading to Jln Duta court complex and surrounding areas caused massive jams.

Watch this video: http://thestaronline.tv/default.aspx?vid=1833

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has denied being involved in the fresh sodomy charge against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and to sabotage the PKR adviser’s attempt to return to Parliament.
“How can I insist that he be charged? If there is no evidence the police are not stupid to charge him,” the Prime Minster said when commenting on Anwar’s accusation that he (Abdullah) had planned the sodomy charge.
Abdullah dismissed Anwar’s claim that the charge was an attempt to deflect public’s attention from the Government’s problems.
“The Government’s problem is a huge problem and this one is not going to deflect other kind of problems we are having at the moment. I don’t see that,” he told reporters after chairing the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting yesterday.
He said he had never given the police the impression that he wanted Anwar to be charged.
“I am not one to ask people to charge (other people). I did say that if you have something to charge and you have evidence then charge. If you don’t have evidence then drop the charge, drop the whole thing and the investigation.
“So that is up to them to see and decide on the basis of their investigation whether there is enough evidence to charge or not,” the prime minister said.
Abdullah also said that if the police had enough evidence, they were duty bound to charge Anwar because they had to protect the rights of Anwar’s accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
“Don’t forget that there is another person, Saiful. You seem to forget Saiful and you think Anwar is more important. This is the issue of the law,” he said.
On Anwar’s claim that the charge was meant to sabotage his election campaign due to its timing which coincided with the Election Commission’s announcement of the Permatang Pauh by-election date, Abdullah said that he was not the one who announced the date and he did not ask for the charge to coincide with it.
“But the story of the charge against him is not new and emerged even before (Anwar’s wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr) Wan Azizah (Ismail) resigned (as Permatang Pauh MP),” he said.
On whether Saiful would also be charged if he was a willing partner, he said:
“You better read your law. If there is rape the accused will have to face action. This is a matter for the law. But I am not lawyer and I won’t get involved. We’ll see what happens in court.”
Asked about possible street demonstrations, he said: “Anwar should tell them not to resort to demonstrate.”

KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional supreme council will study issues raised in Sabah Progressive Party’s (SAPP) reply to its show-cause letter over the no-confidence move against the Prime Minister.
“This does not mean we have no stand or are delaying the issue.
“But we have to give a comprehensive answer and make an accurate decision on SAPP,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told reporters after the supreme council meeting here yesterday.
He said the answer would be fine-tuned and if needed, certain issues would be answered in detail.
The decision by the supreme council had been hotly anticipated, as state government positions held by SAPP would be in jeopardy if the party were to be sacked or suspended.
SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee had made it clear that there was no change in the party’s position since June 18.
On June 30, Barisan issued a show-cause letter to SAPP to explain their actions.
In its reply, SAPP asked that the Barisan leadership examine the reasons why the party would be supporting such a motion.
In Kota Kinabalu, Yong said the party was disappointed with the “no decision” made by Barisan in view of the Permatang Pauh by-election.
He said Barisan had put political interest above that of the people of Sabah.
“We are totally disappointed that the Barisan leadership has again put off a key decision affecting Sabah just in order for them to finish a by-election campaign (Permatang Pauh) first,” he said in a statement.
Yong said that SAPP’s three-paragraph reply was simple and clear because it was a “mere reiteration of SAPP’s loss of confidence in the Prime Minister.”

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission has set Aug 16 for nomination and Aug 26 for polling for the Permatang Pauh by-election.
The seat fell vacant on July 31 when PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resigned her parliamentary seat to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Departing from the usual method of holding a press conference to announce the election and nomination dates, EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman issued a statement to the media.
The statement read that the commission was informed of the resignation by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker on Aug 1.
Abdul Rashid said the commission was fully prepared for the by-election, which comes five months after the March 8 general election.
The EC named Seberang Perai Tengah district officer Roslan Yahaya as returning officer.
“The nomination day will be Aug 16 and polling will take place on Aug 26 if there is to be a contest,” Rashid said in the statement.
“It is extremely important for all parties to adhere to the orders and advice of security personnel responsible for maintaining peace and order during the by-election period.
“Members of political parties, candidates, party workers and other individuals involved must ensure that they respect and adhere to election laws and campaign ethics.
“All parties are also reminded that there are several petition cases from the previous election which are still ongoing. Hence, candidates are reminded not to touch on issues involving these cases when campaigning.”
As of July 31, 58,459 voters, 490 of them postal, were registered as eligible to cast their ballot in the Permatang Pauh by-election.
In the March 8 general election, Wan Azizah retained the seat by obtaining 30,338 voters against Datuk Pirdauh Ismail of Umno, who garnered 16,950 votes.
The Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency comprises three state seats – Seberang Jaya, Permatang Pasir and Penanti. Umno won the Seberang Jaya, PAS retained the Permatang Pasir seat while PKR clinched the Penanti seat.
Except for Seberang Jaya, which is a cosmopolitan centre, the rest of it is made up of villages and farmland, mainly padi fields. Malays make up 68.5% of the voter racial composition, Chinese account for 24.8%, Indians 6.3% and others 0.4%.
Contacted by The Star later, EC secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor said transparent ballot boxes would be used in the by-election, but no decision had been made on PKR’s call to use indelible ink.
“If they want the ink to be used in the Permatang Pauh by-election, they should write officially to the commission,” Kamaruzaman said.
Asked if voters would find it inconvenient because polling falls on a working day, he said it should not be the case as past experience had shown that voters were prepared to turn up to exercise their rights even on a working day.
“We will also ensure minimal disruption; and the 25 schools to be used as polling stations will only be closed for a day,” he added.

GEORGE TOWN: The Anti- Corruption Agency will soon record the statements of the Prime Minister and his deputy over a report lodged against them by an Umno veteran.
ACA director-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan said investigations into an allegation of power abuse by the two leaders in the run-up to the Umno elections this December had started.
“All our investigations, which are facts-based, are carried out without fear or favour and in a transparent manner regardless of the person’s status. Our arrest track record speaks for itself,” he said.
On Tuesday, former Umno Youth exco member and Selangor veteran leader Datuk Mazlan Harun lodged an ACA report against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He had said the complaint was to alert the ACA on possible abuse of power in the run-up to party elections in December.
It is learnt that the report was based on an open letter written by Umno Petaling Jaya Selatan division chief Kapt (Rtd) Datuk Zahar Hashim on July 11 to the party’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansur demanding that Abdullah and Najib be disciplined for allegedly abusing their power.
Ahmad Said was speaking to reporters after attending the TYT Challenge Trophy Shooting Competition at the Penang Rifle Club in Jalan Kebun Bunga yesterday.
Meanwhile, four Muar Umno committee members led by Hassan Tun Sulaiman lodged a report over alleged abuse of power by the party leadership at the ACA office in Batu Pahat.
Hassan declined to give details of the report but said it was connected to a letter sent by Zahar to Tengku Adnan.
He said a report was also lodged against his division chief Datuk Mohd Ismail Mohd Shah.

KUALA LUMPUR: Her marriage seemed perfect but it turned into a nightmare when Salwanis Ma'az's foreigner husband left the country with their three-month-old baby.
The 31-year-old research officer said her Pakistani husband Nasir Mahmood Qadri Nisar Ahmed, 39, took their son Muhammad Bilal to a family gathering on July 26.
“He refused to take me along, saying that it was a private gathering,” said Salwanis, who later went to search for him at the KL International Airport (KLIA).

Pining for son: Salwanis holding up photos of her husband and baby who are believed to be in Dubai.

She said the police at KLIA alerted the Immigration Department, which subsequently traced him to Dubai.

“They told me he boarded a flight to Dubai at 11.14am the same day,” Salwanis told reporters at a press conference organised by Putera Umno here yesterday.
He called her the next day to tell her he would be going to Johannesburg, South Africa.
“I didn't expect this at all, as he was a religious man who lived according to the Sunnah. He has always treated me well. However, I have never met his family except for a female cousin,” said Salwanis.
The couple met on the Internet and married here last year after a whirlwind courtship.
She said her husband had an import-export business in sports goods and they later opened a supermarket in Serdang Jaya.
“Now that he's gone, I have to pay the monthly instalments for our car and for the supermarket premises,” she said, adding that she lodged a police report on July 28.
“Parents must do a background check on the future husbands of their daughters , especially if they are foreigners, to avoid cases like this,” said Putera chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez, adding that the movement would help Salwanis find her son.
Those who have information on the case can call Putera Umno at the toll-free number (Malaysia) 1300-88-113.

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be charged today with sodomy and the legal battle will have serious implications on his comeback bid in the Permatang Pauh by-election, which he engineered by getting his wife to resign the seat.
Nomination Day is set for Aug 16 and polling day 10 days after that, but the question now is whether the PKR adviser will be on hand to personally campaign or will he be locked up as a sodomy is a non-bailable offence.
Reacting to the Election Commission announcements on the date and the authorities’ decision to charge him, Anwar accused the Government of conspiracy to fix him to prevent him from making a political comeback.
He even held Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi personally responsible. Anwar cited the timing of the EC’s announcement and when the police served him with the notice that he is to be charged for sexually assaulting his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari.
Brickfields CID chief Asst Supt Jude Pereira was at the PKR de facto leader's house in Bukit Segambut at about 12.15pm, five minutes after the EC issued its statement.
However, Abdullah denied Anwar’s claims, and stressed that he had reminded police not to charge Anwar if they did not have enough evidence.

GEORGE TOWN: A book detailing Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia’s development over the last 40 years was launched here after a Gerakan member failed to obtain an interim injunction from a Kuala Lumpur High Court to stop the launching.
The book, titled Non-Sectarian Politics in Malaysia: The Case of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, was launched at 4.15pm yesterday at the E & O Hotel here after Chia Loong Thye failed to get the injunction earlier in the day.
Chia, a law firm partner and the Penang Gerakan legal aid bureau chief who stood as a Barisan Nasional candidate in the Tanjung Bungah state seat here in the March 8 general election, had alleged that the book defamed him in his application for the injunction.
Story of a party: Khor (left) and Khoo taking a look at their book ‘Non-Sectarian Politics in Malaysia: The Case of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia’ in Penang Thursday.

He also failed to get an order to prevent the book's authors, Neil Khor Jin Keong and Khoo Kay Peng, publisher Trafalgar Publishing House Sdn Bhd and printer Setiakawan Printers Sdn Bhd from further publishing and selling the book.
In dismissing the application, High Court Justice Abdul Wahab Patail said: “Although the plaintiff is a senior lawyer and a qualified mediator, his own voluntary involvement in politics preclude him from relying on this qualification from stopping the book's launch.”
The judge ruled that the merits of the suit were not before him and that the decision on the application was based on pleading (a formal statement) and submissions by the parties.
Justice Abdul Wahab also dismissed an application for an Erinford injunction (an injunction pending disposal of an appeal against the court decision) by Chia's lawyer Bahari Yeow Tien Hong.
In an affidavit-in-support of his application dated July 29, Chia said the book purports to be an account of the history, development and present status of Gerakan.
Chia said that a particular page was highly defamatory of him. He said the offending words in the book portrayed him as a person who lacked integrity. The words, he said, also implied that he had betrayed the party and could not be trusted with the leadership of Gerakan.
Met after the book launch, Khoo said the book had never been about an individual person.
“It tells the story of Gerakan over the last 40 years.
“I definitely don’t buy the accusations brought against us because if I want to write something to defame someone, I would write the entire book about him.
“It cannot be a defamatory book if only one sentence out of 186 pages speaks about him. That's a very poor attempt at defaming someone.”

PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong has strongly denied a newspaper report linking him to a sex scandal and named the person whom he thinks has been sending threatening SMSes about him.
“I have to make it clear that there is no girl involved. It was her parents who came to the MCA to ask for help.
“This is why I am disappointed with the newspaper report as this does not reflect the content of the SMS received by MCA leaders,” he told a press conference after the ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting.
SMS smear: Wee at a press conference in Putrajaya in reply to a newspaper report which quoted SMSes alleging a sex scandal involving him and a female China student.

He was commenting on a newspaper report yesterday alleging that he had been involved with a student from China whom he had helped several years ago.
Dr Wee said he made a police report last Friday on SMSes being circulated among MCA leaders and elected representatives which implied that he would resign from all posts within 90 days like former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek did on Oct 20 last year.
“Although the sender wrote Dr Chua, he didn’t write which one and there are many Dr Chuas. When I saw the newspaper report mentioning a sex scandal, it was sensationalism by the newspaper as nothing in the SMS mentions a sex scandal,” he said, adding that he had discussed the matter with his lawyers.
“The SMS was sent on July 22 which was the nomination period, so I assume it’s linked to the party polls but I do not know his connection to the party. He just wants to tarnish my name but I am not nervous,” he said.
He also named a CEO of an education firm as the sender of the SMS.
“In the police report I asked the police to investigate if it was really that person as anyone could have signed his name in an SMS but I understand from the police that he said he had done it.
“That’s why I am brave enough to name him,” he said.
He also provided the background into the matter, saying that it was the student’s (Wu Ning Yu) father (Wu Hong Chun) who had sought help from the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department.
Dr Wee, who is also MCA Youth secretary-general, said that department head Datuk Michael Chong wrote him a note asking him to help as Wu had been cheated of RM100,000 for his daughter’s education.
He explained that the CEO was the one who had cheated Wu as he had used the name of a foundation to accept the money.
“When I exposed this in 2002, the foundation said it was not involved and sent the father a letter saying that they ould do nothing as they didn’t have the money,” he said.
He said he had known the CEO for more than 15 years as he had been a good debater at a university where he (Dr Wee) had been asked to act as a judge.
Dr Wee also advised people not to resort to unscrupulous actions.
In Johor, state police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said police were investigating the matter and that he had ordered the Johor CID chief Senior Assistant Comm II Amer Awal to wrap up the investigation as soon as possible and forward the report to the deputy public prosecutor.
He also said that the case has been classified under Section 500 of the Penal Code for Punishment for Defamation.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said there is no reason why the police should charge him for sodomy, based on the law and professional standards.

With rumours of his arrest imminent, the de facto PKR leader said he did not know what to expect from the police.

Speaking to reporters at the Federal Territory Religious Department Wednesday, he lashed out IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan. Anwar, whom he claimed had a personal vendetta against him.

"Let me remind the government and authorities that this country is not a police state. The decision must be based on facts and law not based on Musa Hassan's personal wishes and vendetta from 1998 right through 2008.

"If they follow the law, the facts, the alibi, the medical report, why do they even consider? (charging)," he asked.

Anwar has been accused by 23-year-old Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former aide, of sodomy.

However the initial medical report from the Pusrawi Hospital showed that Saiful had not been sodomised.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said that medical report was only one piece of evidence of many pieces the police were putting together.

Anwar also said he had no fear of the Hospital KL's medical report of Saiful and believed that it would vindicate him.