Received news from a friend a couple of minutes ago about the road accidents involving a school bus with Jit Sin Philharmonic Orchestra and Jit Sin Chinese Orchestra's members which were on their way to Genting Highland.
No serious injury was reported and everyone managed to crawl out from the overturned vehicle.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — The exhumation of Teoh Beng Hock’s body for a second autopsy, ordered by the inquest into his recent death, has been completed. The exhumation comes following the testimony of Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand that the death of the political aide was very likely a homicide.
A team of over ten police forensic experts had earlier cordoned off the grave area with the aid of several cemetery workers, who are helping with the exhumation.
Teoh’s family members arrived earlier, and began offering rites to the departed’s spirit. A feng shui master explained that the time of the exhumation had been chosen specifically to coincide with swallows beginning the day, for good luck.
Dr Pornthip is also on the scene to observe the exhumation process.
Also present were two other forensic experts — Dr Shahidan Md Noor, who is chief pathologist at the Sungai Buloh Hospital, and UK pathologist hired by the MACC, Dr Peter Venezis.
Following the prayer rituals, the casket was successfully disinterred and displayed to the media present, before being covered in plastic sheets.
Dr Pornthip (centre) was on hand to observe the exhumation. — Pictures by Choo Choy May
The family’s lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo, said that all parties involved were satisfied with the way the exhumation was performed and added that Teoh’s body was still in good condition for the second autopsy.
Dr Shahidan along with Dr Pornthip are expected to carry out an X-ray examination on the body later.
The casket containing the body has been transported to the hospital, which will be the site of the second autopsy scheduled to run from 9.30am to noon tomorrow.
Gobind said lawyers representing Teoh’s family will also be there to hold a watching brief.
“This is to ensure that no complications will come in the future, so it’s better to make sure everything is alright now,” explained Gobind, who is also Puchong MP.
Teoh’s former employer, Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, said at the cemetery: “I hope the second autopsy will reveal the truth.”
Yong also stated his desire to know how much the government spent hiring the UK pathologist, Dr Venezis — one of two foreign pathologists, along with Dr Pornthip, who will be observing the second autopsy.
Teoh’s sister, Lee Lan, leads the procession at today’s exhumation.
He said it was of public interest that the amount paid to hire the foreign expert be disclosed, as public funds were used to procure his services.
Dr Venezis, who serves as a director at the Cameron Centre for Forensic Medical Sciences in London, has handled over 2,000 autopsy cases involving sudden death, of which 1,500 were found to be homicides.
“The fact that they hired a foreign expert shows they have no confidence in the local pathologists,” Yong added.
DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and Ronnie Lie were also in attendance. Both expressed hope that a fresh autopsy will reveal who or what “killed” Teoh.
Lim also added that Teoh’s death may have been a contributing factor towards Malaysia’s worst ever placing in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index.
Be sure to check out the video interview with Bala about how he was bribed and threatened to retract his first statutory declaration.
Article from The Malaysian Insider.
PI Bala Claims Second SD Made Under Threat To Family
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — Missing private investigator P. Balasubramaniam is now saying he rescinded a statutory declaration (SD) linking Datuk Seri Najib Razak to a murdered Mongolian model after his family was threatened within a day of his statement in July 2008.
Bala also related in an interview carried by the Malaysia-Today.net news portal today that he left the country for Singapore the same day of his second SD and later for Bangkok.
He stressed that he signed the second SD without even reading it.
The former policeman also claimed he was given the equivalent of RM20,000 in Hong Kong dollars for expenses as he and his family were due to go to the Chinese city. However, they switched destinations to Chennai.
In the second part of an interview filed under the column of fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, Bala said the entire process of repudiating the first SD was coordinated by a businessman named Deepak, whom Raja Petra claims is a close associate of Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
The first part of the interview was carried last week and included an 88-second video clip. Bala’s confession came about as he was a witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial by virtue of being a private detective hired to keep watch over her by political strategist Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted of plotting his former lover’s death.
“I was concerned for the safety of my family. Deepak had informed me he wanted me to retract my first statutory declaration and then to immediately leave the country with my family,” said Bala in reply to questions in the interview.
“I was in a state of shock as to what was happening. I had anticipated that I would be arrested and interrogated after releasing my first statutory declaration but I did not anticipate my family would be threatened so I was not prepared for this.
“As this VIP Datuk was also involved, I realised the situation was very serious,” he said without naming the person.
Bala then related how he went home and explained to his wife that they were leaving Malaysia immediately, instructing her to apply for passports for their children and to renew her own passport.
Bala claims he was coerced into signing the second SD. — Reuters pic He added he arranged for them to also take their luggage along so that they could leave soon after the passports were issued.
Bala then followed a police officer friend, who was suspended from duty, to the Hilton KL to meet Deepak and the businessman’s brother, Dinesh, were he told them he preferred going to Chennai rather than Hong Kong.
“Deepak agreed to this. He then tried to arrange a private jet for us. This had to be cancelled when it was realised we would have to go through immigration at the airport.
“Deepak then suggested we go through Singapore by road, and then fly to Bangkok en route to Chennai. I agreed,” he added.
Bala said the conversation then turned to the seriousness of the first SD and that he had to retract it or “otherwise they could not guarantee anything if the deal failed”.
He also claimed that Deepak bragged about being close to Rosmah as she frequented the businessman’s carpet shop in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur.
Bala said at 7.45am on July 3, someone delivered a draft copy of the second statutory declaration to the hotel, which Deepak picked up.
He said he was then asked sign the new statutory declaration in front of a Malay man who was said to be a commissioner for oaths and who attested his signature. Once this was done, Deepak left in a separate car.
“I was never given an opportunity to read the contents of this statutory (declaration),” Bala stressed.
Bala explained he and Dinesh then went to the Prince Hotel in Kuala Lumpur where they met with Deepak again, who introduced him to “Mr Arunampalam”, a lawyer.
“This lawyer spoke to me and told me to just keep quiet in the press conference arranged for us in the main lobby. He told me not to talk to any of the reporters under any circumstances and that he would do all the talking,” he added.
He claimed Deepak then told Arunampalam to answer not more than three questions from the reporters waiting downstairs and handed him a few copies of the second statutory declaration to distribute.
Bala said both Arunampalam and he took the lift down to the main lobby, where they met four or five reporters.
“Mr. Arunampalam talked to them and gave each of them a copy second statutory declaration. He told the reporters that I had been forced to sign the first statutory declaration under duress and that I now wanted to retract the contents,” he claimed, adding the lawyer refused to answer questions asked by the reporters.
Bala said the lawyer then drove him back to the Hilton KL and that he never saw the man again.
Asked if he had engaged the lawyer, Bala said, “No. I have never met this lawyer before. Deepak was the one who arranged for him to represent me at the press conference. I never told him what to say. All this was arranged by Deepak and not myself.”
He said he then went back to a hotel room where Deepak gave him RM20,000 worth of Hong Kong dollars for expenses.
“He told me he had arranged a tourist van to drive me and my family to Singapore where we were to catch a flight to Bangkok,” said Bala, who then went to pick up his family at the Pusat Bandar Damansara immigration office and left immediately for Singapore by road.
“The driver stopped at the Malaysian immigration at the causeway and we all had to get out of the van to present our passports at the counter. None of our passports were stamped,” he said, adding they then cleared Singapore immigration and headed for the Changi international airport.
He said he then changed some money to call Deepak about their Bangkok flight and was told the tickets were at the Silkair counter.
“We all caught the evening flight to Bangkok, which left Singapore at about 8.00pm,” Bala said.
The news portal is to publish more of the interview in the coming weeks.
There has been no official reaction from Najib and family over Bala’s claims but some pro-Umno bloggers have poured scorn over the latest allegations as an opposition smear campaign to unseat the prime minister.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Missing private investigator P. Balasubramaniam has claimed in a video clip that he was offered RM5 million to retract his statutory declaration that linked Datuk Seri Najib Razak to murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaaribuu, reigniting allegations that the prime minister has vehemently denied.
Balasubramaniam's claims were aired in an undated 88-second video clip today hosted by the Malaysia-Today.net website whose main contributor is the fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin. The first statutory declaration (SD) was also put up with the video clip.
"Deepak actually came to see me because he want me to retract my first SD... After that he offered me RM5 million for me to retract the SD," Balasubramaniam said in the video clip, referring to a person whom Raja Petra says is linked to Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
Balasubramaniam, a former police officer, disappeared with his family on July 4, 2008 after making a second SD that overturned the first declaration. His location remains unknown until now.
The Malaysia-Today.net website said there will be more video clips featuring the Balasubramaniam interview. In the first part, the private investigator also claimed he was asked to go to Putrajaya to meet certain individuals over his SD.
"He was asking me to go to Putrajaya with him but he never mentioned whom he wanted me to meet in Putrajaya," Balasubramaniam said, referring to the country's administrative capital.
July 3, 2008 file photo of Balasubramaniam at a news conference in Petaling Jaya. He disappeared with his family the next day. — Reuters pic
Balasubramaniam's two SDs had rocked the murder trial of Altantuya, who was killed on Oct 19, 2006. Three people, including political and defence strategist Abdul Razak Baginda, were arrested for plotting her death.
Abdul Razak, who admitted to an affair with the Mongolian model who also acted as an interpreter, claimed he did not order her death but wanted the policemen to stop her from harassing or blackmailing him over their affair.
He was acquitted without his defence being called while the two policemen charged, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, were sentenced to the gallows for killing her.
Balasubramaniam was initially hired by Abdul Razak to keep watch over Altantuya's movements when she was in Kuala Lumpur to allegedly blackmail the political strategist, who is a known close associate of then Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Najib.
His first SD was announced in a press conference with opposition leaders on July 2, 2008 but a day later, he stunned the country when a different lawyer brandished a second SD that overturned the contents of the first declaration.
Balasubramaniam then went missing, according to his nephew who claims his uncle is now in an undisclosed location.
I have so little faith in MACC that I dont even think the ex-ministers alledged of being part of the PKFZ scandal will be brought to the court. MACC is again trying to prove itself worthy to the society; by targeting on small political aides or the most, an MP.
While people like Lingam and Mahathir who enjoyed their political careers by unlawfully influencing our nation's judiciary system are still at large, can MACC really be trusted in carrying out unbiased investigations on the current cases in their hands?
Innocent lives have been sacrificed under the ruthless effort of our government to regain majority control over the country. Cover-ups, aquittals of big business figures and ministers are still going on right now. How much more damages our country can take before falling into the third world category?
Shoot the big shots, MACC, not the sparrows.
The article below is taken from The Malaysian Insider
MACC needs wins, not just big sweeps
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will put another low-level politician in the dock today after six on Tuesday but all these occasional headline-grabbing sweeps will come to naught if it fails to secure one conviction. After all, its success is few and far in between.
Much has been invested in the MACC, from stringent laws and punishments to special courts to fast-track the process against the corrupt who have lived off profitable relationship between government and business or where rules and regulations require palms to be greased.
It can happen with someone low in the hierarchy like an office-boy or an assistant to someone at the top of the ladder like a chief executive officer, an accountant, a magistrate or even a minister. Malaysians just have to remember names like Tan Sri Eric Chia, Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam, Datuk Saidin Thamby and other high-profile cases of corruption that made the headlines over the past years. All ended in acquittals.
The point to be learnt here is that dragging politicians to court and getting headlines is something Malaysians have seen before. It is as seasonal as the durians or the haze that smothers Malaysia annually.
There shouldn't be much political capital made of capturing such miscreants. It is part of the job and not the entire job of eradicating corruption.
After all in Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's election manifesto in Election 2008, his report card as it was called, the country's fifth prime minister was proud of the fact that the then Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) was investigating more cases. One cannot tell if the ACA was investigating more cases or that the cases were growing faster than they could be prevented or eradicated.
Another point worth considering is the fact that some of those charged with graft involve measly sums for mundane things like ordering flags for RM2,400. How about those in Mara who purchased two notebook computers for RM84,640?
And what about those who approved buying the land for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) for 67 per cent more than they could have? The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report is just the latest in a series of reports and allegations made over the years for this case.
What happened to the big fish? What happened to federal ministers who are quite clearly living beyond their means, let alone state leaders who live opulent lifestyles within a short time of government appointments.
When will they get to see their day in court? If ever. And finally, can Malaysians surmise that only because of the fallout from Teoh Beng Hock's death that the MACC is trying to be even handed. That it is also looking at those from the ruling federal coalition apart from the few among their political rivals.
But going after small men in Umno/Barisan Nasional while allowing those who have gorged at the trough does not cut it as strong action to curb corruption.
The MACC has to do more. It has to get the big fish. It has to get the convictions that will keep the corrupt locked away for a long time as an example to those who think there are easy ways of making money.
Only then Malaysians will have the conviction to trust the MACC.
The Speaker, Sivakumar being dragged out of the Hall by police, while PR members tried in vain to protect him.
Death of the Malaysian Constitution
Barisan Nasional will do just about ANYTHING, be it lawful or not, and often not, to achieve what they want. Going against democracy is their BIGGEST mistake.
Barisan MURDERED Democracy
Revive Democracy in Malaysia, Reject Barisan Nasional.
Run, run away, far from pain and misery. Fly, fly away, towards hopes and the future. It is the "yuan" that had brought us together as a family, and it is our own destiny that bring us further towards our dreams.Please remember that if we were once Bio One, then we will always be Bio One. The spirit and the legend of our class will forever stay in our minds; it will glow eternally in our hearts.
二零零九年十一月二十四日 凌晨十二时五十四分
UPDATED
