Former Crime Chief Dato Ramli Yusuff Acquitted Of Corruption Charges. Syabas Judge Gunalan

From TheStar online.

Suspended Commercial Crimes Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Ramli Yusoff has been acquitted of corruption charges by Sessions Court here.

Judge M Gunalan ruled Friday that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Comm Ramli, who was charged with failing to declare ownership of 20,000 Telekom Malaysia Berhad shares, 154,000 Permaju Industries Berhad shares and interest in two office properties worth RM1,032,840.

Ramli, 56, was alleged to have committed the offences at the office of the then Anti-Corruption Agency's deputy public prosecutor in Putrajaya on Sept 17, 2007.

***** Judge M Gunalan must be congratulated for sticking up for justice unlike his seniors in the higher courts including and especially the Appeals and Federal Court who have shown time and again that they have no brains or balls. Even in this case which will definitely be appealed by the government let us see what the superior courts decide. No prize for guessing which way those judgments will go.

Umno, MIC Biggest Losers In Hindraf Rally Crackdown

'Tear gas has been fired at a crowd of about 2,000 demonstrators at Jalan Semarak to disperse Hindraf rally of about 20,000. Scores arrested'. Thus reads a news alert via sms from The Sun.

Am I surprised? No. Did I expect anything less from our intolerant pemimpin2? No. These geezers wax eloquent on the virtues of democracy but have no inkling about what it really means and have no genuine desire to put it into actual practice. They have told lie after lie after bloody lie in order to realise their only aim, to remain in office. The bottom-line for them is to maintain the status quo and cling on to power for as long as they possibly can. This they can only achieve by playing the favouritism game, splitting the citizens into many factions, deliberately disallowing true concord from taking root between the disparate groups, brutally smothering even the slightest voice of dissent from growing stronger and if necessary to create government inspired and sponsored riots and conflagrations in order to maintain the tight rein which has slowly and steadily been choking the rights and lives of millions of citizens over the past several decades.

I personally feel that after the Bersih rally, Malaysians have finally crossed an invisible line which they would not have even dared to contemplate a few years ago. People of all ethnic origins have for a long time known of the hoodwinking ability of this government, of its propensity to preach different sermons at different venues and of its culpability in many of the wrongdoings, abuses and iniquities in the name of bangsa, agama dan negara. Even if the government orders the police to smash the Hindraf rally participants to smithereens, it will make no difference to the way law-abiding citizens will in future show their true feelings and resentment towards the authorities.

Public rallies are here to stay and the police permit requirement will in time become an evil part of our history. The cops will perforce have to be educated that in the event of a public rally their only duty is to clear the roads and enable easy access for the participants to reach their destination. That is their true job in a real democracy and not behaving like uniformed thugs in some impoverished banana republic. Sometimes I wonder what percentage of the police force, in their heart of hearts, actually have faith in the way our government handles these situations?

Whatever may have occurred or is still happening this morning at the Hindraf rally, the government has lost its credibility as a promoter and practitioner of democracy. The race-based political parties, Umno and MIC will come out of this mess with their already soiled reputation further ruined. Umno has only further confirmed that it is a racist party which will not bend to the sufferings of others and will not listen to the voice of reason. The MIC has not only overseen from the sidelines the marginalisation of Indians, it has also been castigated nationally for being a willing participant in the formulating and practice of apartheid-like policies while all along ravenously feeding on the morsels thrown by the big vulture, Umno. Moreover their 'legitimate' political role to 'serve' the Indian community as a whole has been wrested by others such as those from Hindraf who over the next few years can only grow stronger. As for the other eunuchs in government such as the MCA, Gerakan et al., the less said the better.

The government can trot out the Sedition Act and the ISA for the time being. But time, dear pemimpin is fast running out and if in the meanwhile elections are 'bersih-ed' up, it will not be too far-fetched to predict your early exit from Putrajaya.
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A comprehensive report from Reuters HERE.

Government Uses Sedition Act To Cover-up Racist Practices! It's Like Using C4 Explosives On An Ant

Malaysian authorities charged three ethnic Indian activists with sedition Friday in an apparent attempt to stop a rally in support of a lawsuit that holds the British responsible for the Indians' economic woes.

The US$4 trillion (€2.7 trillion) lawsuit, filed in London in August, demands that Britain compensate Malaysia's ethnic Indians — who comprise some 8 percent of the country's 27 million people — for bringing their ancestors to then Malaya as "indentured laborers" and exploiting them under colonial rule.

The Hindu Rights Action Force, a non-government group, hopes to gather 10,000 people to demonstrate outside the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Authorities have warned that the rally would be illegal and have thrown a security cordon around Kuala Lumpur, citing concerns of potential violence ahead of the protest.

Police arrested the Indian group's chairman, Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy, his brother and a senior associate Friday. The three men were later charged in court with making seditious comments, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

Two were freed on bail, but Waytha Moorthy remained in custody because he refused to post bail in a gesture of defiance. The court was scheduled to hear the case Monday.

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin said police refused to issue a permit for the rally for security reasons and warned that protesters could face arrest. Malaysian law prohibits public gatherings of five or more people without a police permit.

"If there is any assembly, it's unlawful," Zulhasnan said.

Police have mounted security road blocks throughout Kuala Lumpur since Thursday, sparking massive traffic snarls.

Ethnic Indians, mainly Hindus, form one of Malaysia's largest minority groups. Activists say more than two-thirds of them live in poverty, partly because they are deprived of opportunities by affirmative action policies that favor the ethnic Malay Muslim majority.

Government authorities have rejected claims of discrimination.

Police had earlier served Waytha Moorthy a court order forbidding the rally's key planners from being present outside the British High Commission.

"We've told our people to continue" with the rally, Waytha Moorthy said.

A Malaysian human rights group, Suaram, called the arrests an "attempt by the police to intimidate and to prevent (activists) from exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of expression."

The group plans to submit a petition Sunday urging Queen Elizabeth II to appoint lawyers to represent the Indians in the suit, which is meant to show that British neglect allegedly caused Malaysian Indians to remain economically disadvantaged after independence in 1957.

The planned rally would be the second street protest in Kuala Lumpur in less than a month. Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse activists Nov. 10 at an opposition-backed rally that drew thousands of people demanding electoral reforms. (International Herald Tribune)

***** While this episode of arrest and charging in court was going on yesterday, that PM wannabe of keris-kissing fame, Hishammuddin started the typical bangsa, agama dan negara shit-stirring which Umno is notorious for. He said that "the 'silent majority' should make itself heard and stand up to people with their own agenda." Trying to give it a May 13 style ethnic twist he added that racial and religious sentiments made for a dangerous cocktail which could spell disaster. He also surreptitiously brought the thugs and goons of Umno into the picture by 'cautioning' Umno Youth members to remain calm. Do you think Hishammuddin or any of the other leeches in Umno will tell the truth that this is in reality a protest by a certain section of the citizens of this country against the practices of the GOVERNMENT and NOT against anyone else? Why should he? He has a lot more to gain personally by stirring shit and raising the political temperature.

In a way, this protest has come at a good time for the racists leading the government. They will use this opportunity to try and martial all the Malays or at least those naive, illiterate and some of the downright chauvinistic 'nationalists' with the clarion call of Melayu in danger or something equally silly.

They have no respect for human rights or sense of fair play. All that the greedsters in government are concerned about is fulfilling their dire need to stay in office. If one day in the future they have to stab the Malay in the back to preserve their power, they won't have any qualms in doing that as well.
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Embattled CCID Director Ramli Yusoff Charged With Abuse Of Power Over Use Of Police Aircraft

Former Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Yusoff was charged in the Sessions Court here Monday with abuse of power over the use of police aircraft for his personal gain.

Ramli, 55, pleaded not guilty and was released on RM10,000 bail with one surety.

Judge Duncan Sikodol fixed Feb 18-22 next year for trial.

Ramli who is now Commercial Crime Investigation Department director at Bukit Aman, is charged with using his public office for his pecuniary gain by ordering and using a Royal Malaysia Police Cessna Caravan aircraft to take him and two civilians -- Datuk Muhamad Yassin and Khalid Mohamad -- on an aerial surveillance of two lots in Ulu Tungku, Lahad Datu, in which Kinsajaya Sdn Bhd had interest.

The offence was allegedly committed at about 7.50am on June 15 and he is alleged to have interest in the company.

If convicted, he faces a maximum 20 years jail and up to R10,000 fine under section 15 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act.

***** Almost all ministers and senior public servants including police officers have at some time or the other seriously misused/abused the facilities available in their departments. Till now precious few have been brought to book or hauled up in court.

I don't know whether to praise the authorities for their sudden 'efficiency' or condemn them for selective prosecution. This whole episode looks more and more like a witch hunt.

You can read the entire report from Bernama HERE.
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Malaysian Police Shoot Protester As Rally Turns Violent

Malaysian police shot and wounded a protester and arrested 23 others as riots broke out at a political rally in the country's northeast, police and opposition figures said on Sunday.

The head of Terengganu state police said the officer had been forced to open fire as protesters began hurling rocks and bottles when police attempted to disperse them late Saturday.

"When the policeman was hit in the head, this forced him to pull out his gun and he fired a shot in self-defence," Ayub Yaakob told the official Bernama news agency. "The shot managed to force the attackers to run away," he said, adding that 23 people were arrested for various offences.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak defended the police action, saying it was their duty to ensure law and order. "This is within the jurisdiction of the police. The government did not give any instruction to the police," Bernama quoted him as saying.

The rally, held by three opposition parties, was aimed at promoting free and fair elections.

Ayub said two men were injured in the shooting. But Syed Azman Syed Ahmad of the fundamentalist Pan-Malaysia Islamic (PAS) party told AFP that just one protester was shot and that he was in hospital in a critical condition.

Syed Azman said the violence erupted after police fired tear gas and used water canons to break up the peaceful gathering.

He said the situation became tense when police refused to allow speakers to proceed. "The police gave orders to arrest me and the other speakers. At this point, the police fired tear gas at a nearby group and used water canons to disperse the crowd," he said.

Tian Chua of the People's Justice Party said police had been "heavy-handed."

"The last-minute decision of the police to revoke the permit for the gathering which they had originally granted is not only unreasonable but also highly suspect, and points towards political meddling," he said. (Channel Newsasia)

***** We still need permits from the police to hold a public meeting. And the authorities shamelessly claim that we are a democratic nation!
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Indonesian Lawmaker: "Use Public Anger At Malaysia To Seek Better Treatment Of Workers"

Indonesia should use the public anger over the alleged assault of a karate referee to remind Malaysian officials and employers to improve their treatment of millions of the country's migrant workers in Malaysia, politicians and observers have said.

Member of the House of Representatives' Commission I on security and international affairs Djoko Susilo urged the government to continue monitoring the progress of the assault case and more importantly abuse cases against Indonesian maids.

"It is important that Malaysia has said sorry. But we should move beyond that by monitoring if Malaysia is keeping its promise to process the perpetrators, while taking concrete action to protect Indonesian citizens there," Djoko, who represents the National Mandate Party, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

After a week of tension, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi offered a formal apology to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by phone Thursday for the alleged assault of an Indonesian karate referee by plainclothes police.

The row started last Friday when karate referee Donald Luther Colopita was in Malaysia to referee at the Asian Karate Championships in Negeri Sembilan state.
Donald claims that four plainclothes police officers jumped out of a van and attacked him while he was on his way to restaurant. He was beaten, handcuffed and taken to a local police station.

The incident sparked protests in Indonesian cities, with some parties urging the government to take strong action against Malaysia.

International law expert at the University of Indonesia Hikmahanto Juwana said that wide public anger should warn Malaysia of the need to take seriously the assault case and Indonesian migrant worker abuse cases. "It is an accumulative anger towards Malaysia's ignoring on the problems, including the string of cases where our maids have been abused. If it continues then we will see wider dissatisfaction and anger," he said.

Migrant Care founder Wahyu Susilo said that the incident should prompt the Indonesian government to give more protection to its citizens abroad, especially its migrant workers, while making sure that the Malaysian government speeds up the trials of all employers who are accused of abusing Indonesian maids.

"Indonesia should demand Malaysia propose eliminating an article that rules that it is the Malaysian employers that keep the maids' passports in their bilateral (memorandum of understanding). Migrant workers must keep their own passports so that they can be protected from abuse and arbitrary arrest by police," he said.

Numerous Indonesian migrant workers have died in Malaysia, allegedly at the hands of abusive employers. This year along, 46 Indonesians have died in Malaysia without a clear explanation of the cause of their deaths from police.

Of the approximately 1.5 million Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, more than 300,000 are employed as maids.

While Malaysian officials have claimed the mistreatment of domestic helpers is not widespread, some 1,500 Indonesian maids run away from their employers every month, often because of abuse or dissatisfaction with long working hours, their lack of freedom or unpaid salaries.

Indonesia has complained that the legal process for the abuse cases has been unfair and slow. (The Jakarta Post)

***** On previous occasions when the enforcement authorities trampled on the dignity of foreigners, our government got away with it by sending envoys to China and India to 'clarify' and apologize on the quiet. But this time around the Indonesians have probably decided that enough is enough and it's about time to wake up the sleepy heads in the peninsula. Thus the protests and calls for monitoring the way we handle this and other cases involving their citizens.

Such a situation would not have been allowed to happen if Dr Mahathir were still in power. He would have acted decisively and heads would have rolled by now. Sometimes I miss his leadership.
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Royal Malaysia Police Now 'Famous' In Indonesia!

Police are still investigating a report on an alleged assault by four plainclothes policemen on an Indonesian karate official at Nilai near here early Friday morning.

Negeri Sembilan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Noh Kandah said the case was investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code for causing hurt.

"We have received two reports regarding the incident, one from the victim and the other from the police," he said when contacted Tuesday.

However, he declined to comment on the incident which had received extensive coverage in the Indonesian newspapers, especially Sinar Harapan.

The official, who is Indonesia's chief karate umpire Donald Pieter Luther Kolopita, was allegedly handcuffed and assaulted by four men said to be policemen while walking back to his hotel in Nilai.

Kolopita was here to attend the recently concluded 8th Asian Karate Championship at the Nilai Indoor Stadium.

The Indonesian team pulled out from the championship at the last minute due the alleged assault.

Kolopita alleged that four men, said to be policemen, had jumped out of a van, arrested and beat him up while onlookers dared not come to his aid.

Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan Youth and Sports Action Committee chairman Datuk Jamlus Aziz said the state government viewed the case seriously and asked police to speed up their investigations. (Bernama)

***** As if the IGP doesn't have enough on his hands, now this criminal act by our cops threatens to become an international incident. But if Zak Mad Deros can get away scot free from dozens of charges in court, one wonders if the same should not apply to samseng policemen. After all if guilty-as-hell politicians are not punished why should low level policemen be brought to book? Semuanya will ultimately be ok! Unless of course our abang2 in Jakarta decide to do a little testicle squeezing.
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Related report: President Yudhoyono calls on Malaysia to punish Indonesian referee's attackers.

IGP Defends Police Investigation In Murder Case

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said Wednesday the police investigation was complete in the case of two men acquitted of murder by the Kuantan High Court on Monday.

The only problem was that during the investigation some witnesses were not forthcoming with information or did not show up at all, he said.

"We found that our investigation was complete," he told reporters after a meeting with Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, at the Attorney-General's Chambers, here.

Musa was asked to comment on the acquittal of Syed Halil Syed Mohamad and Mohd Nazri Jailani, both 23, of murdering Jamzi Afzan Ahmad, 22.

In acquitting them, Kuantan High Court judge Datuk Abd Halim Aman had said that the police investigating officer had not conducted a thorough investigation but had only done her job for the sake of "completing her task".

Musa said the police attempted to get the witnesses during the investigation into the case but failed to find them. "If the people do not want to offer cooperation, the police can do nothing," he said.

Asked about the judge's comment that the police should have a standard operating procedure to investigate a case, Musa said: "I cannot touch on the judges' comment. As for me, the investigation was complete."

On the appeal against the acquittal in the case, Musa said that was for the Attorney-General's Chambers to determine.

The A-G declined to be interviewed when approached by reporters. (Bernama)

***** How valid the explanation of the IGP is can be better determined by those in the know like lawyers and senior prosecuting officers.
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Palace Building Fraudster Zakaria Mat Deros Still Above The Law

Transparency International Malaysia wants the Anti-Corruption Agency to disclose the results of its investigations on Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Mat Deros. This follows a Bernama report which quoted Selangor ACA director Mohd Jamidan Abdullah as saying that two of the three cases involving Zakaria were closed for lack of evidence. Transparency president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said the ACA should disclose how it concluded the cases should be closed. (NST)

The most famous last words in Malaysian style investigations: NFA (No Further Action) or No Evidence/Proof. Needless to say the cops and the ACA don't have to give reasons for the lack of action or the lame and silly conclusions they come to in order to avoid charging a guilty-as-hell corrupt but well connected crook. Yet we the thinking citizens of this once fair land of ours are supposed to unquestioningly believe these government pimps masquerading as investigators of crime. What a sham and yes, a shame too.

The level of deceitfulness in the bringing to book of especially political charlatans in Malaysia has reached unacceptable proportions and no one except the government and the so-called law enforcement agencies are convinced that everything is being done to contain corruption and punish those guilty of practising it. Zakaria is merely an extreme example of the sorry state of investigation and prosecution here; a political highway robber considered as part of a clique of 'titled blue blood' who are above the law and plundering the state as if they were medieval royalty of some distant land.

For all of Pak Lah's well meaning speeches and good intentions of cleaning up the rot we have been saddled with in the name of democracy, precious little has been done or even seen to be done. All we get are sermons and more sermons and excuse upon excuse regarding why some of these crooks still roam free and are apparently above the law.
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Jail Road Users Who Obstruct Police Riders, Ambulances.

According to a Bernama report, Federal Traffic Police chief Datuk Nooryah Md Anvar warned that road users who do not give way or obstruct traffic police riders escorting VVIPs, ambulances and fire engines responding to emergency calls, will be slapped with the maximum RM300 fine with immediate effect. She said the action was taken following the death of two police riders in an accident while they were escorting the Regent of Terengganu Tengku Muhammad Ismail Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin to the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Terengganu on April 8.

Nooryah said there was no excuse for motorists not to give way to police riders, ambulances or fire-engines since the sirens could be heard from a distance of more than 100 metres and they could also see the the siren lights.

She also hit out at motorists who took advantage by trailing closely behind VVIP motorcades for a faster and smoother ride. "Their action is wrong and dangerous. The traffic riders are trained to ride at high speed," she said.

I'm sure that there have been many occasions when we have seen motorists obstinately blocking the path of a siren wailing ambulance. While these bastards for obvious reasons, would be more careful with police riders and patrol cars, they couldn't be bothered with fire engines and ambulances. A mere fine is simply not enough to curb the pathological selfishness of these devils on the road. Imprison them. Then perhaps we won't hear of any more tragic deaths like those of the police riders who were only doing their duty.

The Bernama report HERE.
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Isn't This Amazing Police Efficiency In A True Democracy? Or Do You Disagree?

An opposition politician is facing up to 20 years in jail after police yesterday claimed they have built a strong case of attempted murder against him.

The 44-year-old politician is being investigated for trying to run over a site supervisor with his car at Kampung Berembang off Jalan Ampang on Wednesday.
The politician allegedly tried to ram his Toyota Camry through a gate after he was refused entry into a private property during the demolition of squatter houses in the area.

"The politician is believed to have asked the security guards to let him in but they refused," said Ampang Jaya CID chief DSP Goh Lee Fook. "He then walked back to his car and instead of leaving, drove into the gate.

"The site supervisor who was welding the gate at the time fell to the ground and was pinned under the car. He was quickly pulled out and escaped serious injuries."

The politician was arrested immediately after the incident. He was released on police bail yesterday. (NST)

***** The pitiful sods at the NST don't even want to name the 'politician' although everyone else seems to know that it is that trouble-seeking Tian Chua. He may well deserve the punishment for his rash action which could have led to a tragedy and loss of life. However I am very impressed with our police force for such super-speed efficiency. Never have I seen, since Anwar Ibrahim's arrest, such dedication, industriousness and potency being demonstrated by our police. Syabas to them.

I'm sure while many of you would wish that our men in blue continue to display admirable adeptness and effectiveness in all their cases, such superior investigative prowess is like a double-edged sword. If our cops were to continue with this new found zeal for ultra-rapid disposal of criminal cases without fear or favour, there is a worry that much of our Barisan leadership and some senior civil servants may well end up behind bars! With the 9th Malaysia Plan and other money-spinning projects about to take-off, we wouldn't want such a calamitous situation. Or do we?
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