Kugan’s family wants explanation on first autopsy

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — The family of A. Kugan, the car-theft suspect who died while in police custody, today met with the Ethics Committee of the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) to hear their explanation on the first autopsy report on Kugan which was found to differ from the second report.

The meeting which lasted about three hours at the Federal Territory Health Department, here was led by Datuk Dr Megat Burhanuddin Megat Abdul Rahman representing the MMC, and was also attended by two lawyers representing Dr Abdul Karim Tajudin, who performed the first autopsy, and N. Surendran, the lawyer for Kugan’s family.

Surendran, when met by reporters after the meeting, said Kugan’s family had to get clarification from Dr Abdul Karim on his autopsy report on Kugan which was found to differ from the second report.

“Although the decision on the report of the Independent Committee was announced on April 6, we want to see whether the report on the first autopsy was truly transparent or otherwise. Today, the MMC had called both parties for a meeting to resolve the matter,” he said.

The second autopsy report released on March 2 by the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) showed that Kugan had 45 injury marks due to repeated beatings with a blunt object on several parts of the body.

In contrast, the first autopsy at the Serdang Hospital revealed that the cause of death was due to water in the lungs. However, following a request by the family of the deceased, who were not satisfied with the outcome of the autopsy because of the injury marks on the body, a second autopsy was carried out by UMMC forensic pathology expert, Dr Prashant Samberkar on January 25.

Kugan, 22, who was suspected to be a member of a car-theft gang, was remanded on January 15 and died while in police custody at the USJ 8 Police Station lock-up on January 20. – Bernama

Anwar Ibrahim di Australian Radio Ahad Ini

 

Anwar Ibrahim akan diwawancara oleh Australian Radio pada hari Ahad, 19 April 2009. Wawancara ini akan dihoskan oleh Monica Attard di dalam rancangan Sunday Profile.

11.00 AM (Waktu Malaysia) – di Radio National
7:00 PM (Waktu Malaysia) – di ABC Radio National Broadcast 

Anda boleh ikuti temubual tersebut secara online di sini.
http://www.abc.net.au/streaming/events/sundayprofile.asx 

PEJABAT DATUK SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

HINDRAF Suspends the 10 member Coordinators ! – PRESS STATEMENT

Makkal.org

PRESS STATEMENT 16.04.2009

RE: HINDRAF TO REORGANISE AND RESTRUCTURE TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES

HINDRAF’s struggle has entered a new phase where the situation in the country has qualitatively changed since November 25, 2007.

The needs, expectations, desire and the aspiration of the Indian community from HINDRAF has developed beyond the initial demands and seeking the release of its lawyers currently held under the ISA.

In light of these developments and the need to restructure the working groups, HINDRAF with immediate effect suspends its 10-member coordinators team including its National coordinator, Event Coordinator and Publicity coordinators and all state and district coordinators.

Mumbai suspect says confession coerced

The Malaysian Insider

MUMBAI, April 17 – The lawyer for the alleged lone survivor among 10 gunmen who rampaged through Mumbai last November, killing 166 people, told a special court today that his confession to the act was forced and he wanted to retract it.

Police say Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, who sat barefoot in the dock dressed in a full-sleeve T-shirt and navy blue track pants, was one of the gunmen who arrived in Mumbai by sea from Pakistan to carry out the attacks.

The men had waged a war against India with the intention of capturing Kashmir, state prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the court.

“There is prima facie evidence that it was a criminal conspiracy, a clear case of war against the country aimed at capturing Kashmir,” he said without elaborating.

“It was a well-rehearsed and well-thought out plan backed by Pakistan intelligence agencies,” Nikam said, reading from a statement he said was Kasab’s confession, recorded shortly after he was captured.

Pakistan’s government has repeatedly denied any official involvement in the assault.

Throughout the proceedings, Kasab, who could face the gallows if found guilty, sat quietly, hanging his head.

Defence attorney Abbas Kazmi said Kasab wanted to retract the confession as it was made under duress.

“My client has said he was tortured and that the confession was forced. He therefore wants to retract it,” Kazmi said.

The court will pass an order on the validity of the confession on Saturday, Judge M.L. Tahilyani said.

He said the court would examine witnesses to the confession to determine if it had been forced.

Earlier, Tahilyani dismissed a defence submission that Kasab was 17 years old at the time of the attack and must therefore be tried at a juvenile court.

The judge said Kasab has said in his statement he was 21-years-old, and also looked older.

Nikam, who plans to produce more than 1,800 witnesses and more than 750 pieces of evidence to prove Kasab’s guilt, said he would show the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and backed by intelligence agencies there.

“It is time for jihad, it is time to attack Hindustan (India) and since its business centre is Mumbai, we must attack Mumbai,” Nikam said Kasab was told, reading from the confession statement.

Nikam said he intends to prove Kasab’s direct involvement in seven cases, and indirect involvement in five others.

The attacks on India’s financial hub sparked renewed tensions between India and Pakistan, with New Delhi saying state agencies were involved in the attacks. – Reuters

 

WAYTHA MOORTHY REVAMPS HINDRAF AND SUSPENDS COORDINATORS!

The Mighty Pen

The Mighty Pen wishes to state clearly this is not a message received directly from Waytha Moorthy, Chairman of Hindraf, but we have reproduced this text from Suara Keadilan. If the information contained herein is true, we salute at Waytha Moorthy for taking such a drastic and bold action for the betterment of the community at large. Only leaders who champion the true cause of their people will conduct themselves with such high ideals without fear and favour.

To read more please go to :

http://sjsandteam.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/waytha-moorthy-revamps-hindraf-and-suspends-coordinators/

That dream bridge of mine

Malaysia Today

Mahathir later said, “I used to swear that I would not poke my finger into the new administration. I did try for some time, but after that crooked bridge incident, we have surrendered our sovereignty to our neighbour. And that is utterly disgraceful!”

By LIM MUN FAH/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily

During the Mahathir era, it spanned across the sky, making many think of it day in and day out.

During the Abdullah era, it was killed, making many feel at loss.

During the Najib era, it is resuscitated, making many gleam with excitement.

That, is the bridge in my hometown. The bridge of my dream.

This bridge, a crooked one, will span across the narrow strait, proudly overlooking Johor and Singapore on both sides.

In the artist’s rendering, it is as beautiful as the dreamy fairytale world.

It even has an idyllic name, “the Scenic Bridge.”

In the end the bridge is never built. And it remains very much the bridge of my dream.

By halting the construction of the bridge, we have compensated RM1.277 billion!

Former prime minister Tun Abdullah said the government was short of cash then, and the budget deficit ran as high as 5.3%.

He said the Cabinet had been discussing about this bridge over and again, and no one could understand why Mahathir had insisted to go ahead with the plan.

Frankly, I also didn’t know what was in Mahathir’s mind.

I only knew he was very unhappy that Abdullah had shelved the crooked bridge plan.

Again, I had no idea at all why he was so furious about it.

I only knew Mahathir has not been in good terms with Abdullah since then.

Mahathir later said, “I used to swear that I would not poke my finger into the new administration. I did try for some time, but after that crooked bridge incident, we have surrendered our sovereignty to our neighbour. And that is utterly disgraceful!”

He even said, “I could understand why if it were America. But now we are even scared of a tiny country like Singapore.

“I don’t think he makes a respectable leader.”

Now I know that this bridge entails more than just the intricate politico-business interests, but also our sovereignty and self-esteem!

Abdullah has left, and here comes Najib. And Mahathir.

Mahathir’s brainchild is beginning to see some prospects of revival, thanks also to the strong endorsement from Johor UMNO Youth.

In an identical tone to that of Mahathir, Johor UMNO Youth information chief Khalid Mohamad said if Singapore did not agree to the plan, we could always build a crooked bridge entirely on Malaysian territory.

Khalid Mohamad claimed that the crooked bridge would bring more positive impact on Johor’s economy.

But he failed to tell me whether this “half bridge,” which can only be built up to the midline of the Johor Strait, would promote the state’s economy, or send the economy back in time by half a century.

I am wondering whether the bridge of my dream is to be built with our economy in mind, or our politicians.

Matthias Chang warns Najib: Shape up or ship out

The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — A Mahathir-era adviser has warned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to prioritise Malaysia’s economy and restore it by July or face the same fate as his predecessor.

Matthias Chang said Najib and his administration have had five years of warming up or planning programmes and should swing into action immediately to make things right instead of still figuring out the strategies.

“What is the single-most important thing that you must do as captain and treasurer of the team to win the confidence and support of the fans? If you and your team do not know the answer, I suggest that you join the just retired captain and save us a whole load of aggravation,” the former political secretary to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrote in his futurefastforward.com weblog yesterday.

“You have been warned!” Chang added ominously in the post titled “Is The New Captain Another Football Captain Just Warming Up? It May Be Worse, The Team (i.e. Advisers) Is Still In The Dressing Room!”

While not seen as influential, Chang is still a regular visitor at the Perdana Leadership Institute in Putrajaya where Dr Mahathir keeps his office. He is best remembered for organising a tea ceremony where Chinese leaders offered tea to Dr Mahathir in September 2001.

Dr Mahathir himself wrote yesterday that Najib’s Cabinet contained several unsavoury characters although he congratulated the prime minister for not appointing Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin whom he called corrupt.

“As a government, you are expected to perform and perform well, so don’t tell us that you will monitor your team’s performance. You are the captain. Act like one!

“You better shape up fast or we will ship you and your team out!” Chang wrote in capitals while admonishing the country’s sixth prime minister who took office two weeks ago.

Chang also chastised Najib for not offering anything new in his Cabinet.

“It is the same old team, with the same tactics, and the same cheer leaders. Can you just tell us what is new, different and really meaningful? And for heaven’s sake, don’t do or say anything that will remind us of the just retired captain, his arrogant son-in-law and their baggage.

“If you should utter again that the just retired captain is OK and you will look to him for advice, then all bets are off. We are tired of watching the same movie over and over again. Is this so difficult for you and your idiotic and opportunist advisers to comprehend?” he wrote.

He also questioned Najib for not being updated on the global financial crisis since becoming the finance minister, saying he should sack the advisers and officials at Bank Negara or Treasury if they kept giving wrong data and advice.

Chang also warned the prime minister that it was the efforts of “fans and critics” that got him the country’s top job after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was forced to shorten the transition period from 2010 to March 2009.

“So how in the world can this new captain and his opportunist advisers claim that IT WAS THEIR STRATEGY THAT WROUGHT THE CAPTAINCY from the just retired captain?” he wrote.

He said the assumption was that Najib would be “more than grateful to the fans and critics” who did the job “to boot out the underperforming captain”.

“To the utter consternation of the fans and critics, this new captain was not only ungrateful but worse, he has informed his opportunist ‘advisers’ (a carbon copy of the 4th Floor Boys) that he intends to appoint the moribund and just retired captain as his adviser,” he added.

Manmohan Singh likely to be ousted as prime minister, says ally

Manmohan Singh, the face of India’s emergence as a global economic power, is likely to be ousted as prime minister in the elections which begin on Thursday, a key ally has claimed.

Telegraph.co.uk

By Dean Nelson in New Delhi

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Photo: REUTERS

As Indians begin four weeks of voting in the biggest democratic election in human history, the man who saved Mr Singh’s Congress-led government last year told The Daily Telegraph he is likely to be replaced by leaders of India’s lower castes.

The political demise of Mr Singh would be mourned in Britain and the United States, where he is admired as the man who oversaw India’s rise to become the world’s second fastest-growing economy.

The Congress Party prime minister narrowly survived a confidence vote last July when its Communist-led allies resigned in protest after he signed a controversial nuclear deal with the United States, which critics claimed ended India’s traditional non-aligned stand.

Singh stood firm and argued that India needed American support to upgrade its nuclear industry to meet the country’s insatiable demand for electricity. The deal effectively made India and the United States strategic partners in Asia.

The government and the nuclear deal were saved when Amar Singh, a colourful and influential politician from Uttar Pradesh swung his Samajwadi Party colleagues behind the government, which survived the test with three votes to spare.

But last night, Mr Singh, who counts Bollywood’s biggest star, Amitabh Bachchan, and former US President Bill Clinton among his friends, said Congress had lost its clout among its former allies and it was unlikely Manmohan Singh would return as prime minister.

He said the coming election would see the two main parties, Congress and the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), lose ground while the influence of smaller left and caste-based parties would emerge stronger.

The decline of the two largest parties and the growing influence of dalits and other ‘backward’ castes has become the defining feature of Indian politics in the last decade. With no single party strong enough to muster a majority, coalition-building has become the key skill.

Congress however has alienated most of its key allies and failed to seal a seat-sharing agreement which could have strengthened its prospects. In two key states, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, negotiations collapsed and Congress will now stand against several of its strongest allies.

Their leaders have accused Congress of arrogance and bullying and are determined to humble the party in the negotiations following the close of polling on May 13th.

According to Amar Singh, Congress will return to government, but as partners rather than leaders, and prime minister Manmohan Singh will be ousted as prime minister.

“There can’t be a government without Congress but it won’t be Congress-led. They will be in a weaker position. It will be too difficult for Manmohan Singh [to return as prime minister] because there is a dogma around him, because he joined forces with the Americans,” he said.

He predicted his own party leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav will emerge as prime minister with the support of the Communist-led ‘Third Front’ and the backing of his ‘backward caste’ allies in Bihar.

Those allies, including Railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Steel minister Ram Vilas Paswan, are likely to join with the Communist alliance to minimise Congress influence in a new government, Mr Singh said.

This revelation will come as a shock in India, where the Third Front leaders had reached out to Uttar Pradesh’s charismatic chief minister Mayawati. But according to Mr Singh, she will be dropped as a price of their members joining the new government.

He said on the ground issues like power supply and water would be important, but the election will be dominated by “the three Cs – cash, criminals and caste.

“Rural India is still not up to the mark. People are saying prices are too high, they’re not protected from criminals, and they are held back by the caste system,” he said.

Najib’s 1 Malaysia challenge

“One the one hand, Najib has been making a lot of positive statements but on the other hand, Utusan has been taking a more Malay nationalistic tone,” he says. “I’m still wondering to what extent is this all structured? Or is it uncontrolled?” The Malaysian Insider By Lee Wei Lian KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — That 1 Malaysia, a slogan meant to promote unity and mutual respect and trust among the different ethnic communities in Malaysia, has stirred up so much heated rhetoric shows how much the tricky goal of unity in Malaysia is and how it will be a challenge for new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The past few days has seen Umno-controlled newspaper Utusan write editorials on 1 Malaysia and carry stories that appear to be a message to the prime minister not to remove the New Economic Policy-type affirmative action programmes in the pursuit of 1 Malaysia and for Malays to unite against perceived extreme demands from non-Malays.

The opposition has also expressed disappointment over “divisive” statements made by Najib’s deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and called on Najib to clarify what 1 Malaysia really means. During his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Najib fell short of articulating what 1 Malaysia means in terms of government policies, directives and programmes, saying that he did not want to be “too rigid”. However, he urged his ministers to think of all citizens as members of one team rather than as Malays, Chinese or Indians and made a plea for all Malaysians to discard their ethnic silo mentality and think and act as one people. He also denied that 1 Malaysia is the same as Malaysian Malaysia, a concept promoted in the 1960s by Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew that espoused equality for all Malaysians. Prior to his swearing in, Najib has said in press conferences that he would expound on what 1 Malaysia means and how it is translated into policies and programmes. His statement on Wednesday, while generally welcome, is also disappointing in that it adds nothing really new to what is known about 1 Malaysia. The fluidness of the concept, which Najib has said is the thrust of his new administration, leaves much room for interpretation — and potentially more inflammatory rhetoric. Professor Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, an ethic relations expert with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, says that the hawkish statements emanating from Utusan and Datuk Ibrahim Ali, the president of Perkasa, a grouping of Malay NGOs, are because the slogan is new and they are worried over its ramifications. “People are expressing their own viewpoints,” says Shamsul. “They are seeking attention. What they are saying is not about the concept but about what they think. To me, people are taking 1 Malaysia too seriously. It is not a new ideology but a concept of how governance will be in Najib’s administration.” He adds that contrary to the strident tone from these groups, ethnic relations in the country are good. “Ethnic relations are wonderful,” he says. “People on the street are doing well. What is giving concern is the ethnic perception, through blogs and tongue wagging.” Professor James Chin, who lectures political science at Monash University Malaysia, says however that no matter how well Najib defines 1 Malaysia, one side — either the Malays or the non-Malays will be unhappy. “1 Malaysia is impossible to sell as long as you have the dichotomy between the Bumiputeras and the non-Bumiputeras,” he says. “Unless that is addressed, real unity is not possible.” Chin says that Najib should not have “made the mistake” of introducing 1 Malaysia so early in his administration but nevertheless says that the blame lies with his advisors. Ibrahim Suffian, chief of Merdeka Centre, an opinion research firm, says that the marked contrast between Najib’s statements and those from Perkasa and Utusan makes him wonder if there is a case of “good cop and bad cop” going on over 1 Malaysia. “One the one hand, Najib has been making a lot of positive statements but on the other hand, Utusan has been taking a more Malay nationalistic tone,” he says. “I’m still wondering to what extent is this all structured? Or is it uncontrolled?” Ibrahim adds that he is not ready to dismiss 1 Malaysia, saying that people are “hopeful” over the new concept. Assessing Najib’s performance so far, Ibrahim says that he has tried to do well within the constraints he faces. “The test will be in how much political will he shows in pushing through reforms and achieving key performance indicators,” says Ibrahim. Shamsul says that the difference between Najib and his predecessors is his emphasis on keeping in touch with the public. “With former prime ministers Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the first few months were more about structure,” says Shamsul. “Najib, however, has been frequently saying he wants to keep in touch with the ground.” Many Malaysians will be hoping this emphasis on obtaining feedback from the ground will help manifest 1 Malaysia’s unity objective and not cause it to be quietly cold storaged like so many slogans of previous administrations.

 

Founder of Thailand’s ‘yellow shirt’ protest movement shot

The founder of Thailand’s “yellow shirt” protest movement, which was behind the week-long occupation of Bangkok’s main airports late last year, has been shot and wounded in an apparent assassination attempt.

Telegraph.co.uk

Mr Sondhi was attacked while travelling in his car through Bangkok Photo: AP

A doctor at Vajiraj Hospital in Bangkok said that doctors were operating on Sondhi Limthongkul, who had a bullet in his head.

Mr Sondhi’s car was attacked at a petrol station near the central bank at around 5am local time (2200 GMT), a spokesman for his People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said.

The PAD was not part of the latest political violence in Thailand, which involved the red-shirted supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now lives in self-imposed exile. Thailand’s capital is still under emergency rule.

The PAD is an extra-parliamentary group of royalists, academics, former military people and Bangkok’s middle classes united in their loathing of Mr Thaksin, a former telecoms billionaire who draws his support from the rural poor.

Mr Sondhi founded the PAD in 2005 after falling out with Mr Thaksin, who used to be a business associate.

Panthep Puapongpan, a PAD spokesman, said a driver and bodyguard were also in Mr Sondhi’s car. They were also wounded, the driver seriously.

He said the attack was carried out by two gunmen in a vehicle who shot out the tyres of Mr Sondhi’s car and then riddled it with bullets.

A state of emergency is in effect in Bangkok after violent anti-government protests this week in which two people were killed.

The protests ended on Tuesday when the “red shirts” who had been occupying the grounds of Government House since March 26 surrendered to hundreds of troops surrounding the building, the main office of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.