My Anthem

Thursday, July 30, 2009

When Oz Media Screw Themselves ...

Desi suggests you visit this ***LINK here to also watch the VIDEO to get the essence of this meaty media madNURSE from Down Under:( -- YL

*** http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,25856242-5013560,00.html?referrer=email&source=eDM_newspulse

Desi often taverses to Ozneighbourhodd for there are plenty Malaysians who have relocated there -- for whatever the reasons -- THERE ARE ALWAYS PULL& PUSH FACTORS, but that'sNOT my subject of scrutiny +++todie. (This +++ is spelt thus because these OZ people like to keep reminding folks of their MORTALITY everydie, and plenty Malaysians,just as mad as their Aussie counterparts -- lucky or unluckily their motherlands have been labelled a Lucky Country? -- may just have to use the OZ system if the politics now besieging NegaraKu contnues in the same vein as if March 8, 2008 was just Yesterdie, when allour troubles seemed so far awie...

Cheers, I'm rushing to Koalu Lumpur for some scenefool bright/dim heart/sum, curtsey of some neighbours Down SOuth because their SINgDOLLARbecomes BIGger and BIGGER while the MalaysianMacD burger gets smaller and sma ll er.

If you can't desipher half of what's writ above, it's half thy fault for knot understanding DDC; the Other half is still in the oven, for I ENJOY my CON BF super hot, e'en 'tis knot Sundae:)

CHOW!

which can mean

Seya later


OR

Let's eat! -- Desi

Kyle Sandilands says media reports on child rape revelation 'twisted'
By staff writers
NEWS.com.au

July 30, 2009 07:56am


KYLE and Jackie O today hit back at media who "skewed" reports of their child rape revelation scandal in "an evil way", and said the controversy "just happened".

The pair criticised "twisted" and "false" reporting, saying they were in shock when a 14-year-old girl, strapped to a lie detector and asked about her sex life, revealed she had been raped at 12.

Jackie O said this morning: "I genuinely am sorry for that girl. It was just one one of those moments when live radio happens."

Kyle, who responded to the girl's comment by asking if that was her only sexual experience, said: " I wish that I chose my words a bit more cleverly."

He said he apologised to anyone offended, the girl and her mother, and was in shock at what the girl had said.

But much of the pair's response to the controversy was focused on the media reaction, attacking coverage and the way TV, radio and newspaper commentators had "turned" on them.

Related Coverage
The Punch: Kyle's own words

Police, DoCS: Case investigated

Radio rape case to be investigated
NEWS.com.au, 30 Jul 2009
I'm the victim, says Kyle
Adelaide Now, 30 Jul 2009
No apology over rape scandal
Herald Sun, 30 Jul 2009
Look, it's Vile and Tacky O
NEWS.com.au, 30 Jul 2009
Shock jocks need an intervention
Daily Telegraph, 30 Jul 2009 Vote Now!
What should happen to Kyle Sandilands now?

Add your vote!
Sack him

Back him

Nothing - he's a DJ, not a counsellor
Your Say
It was the mother who put her daughter in this situation knowing that the incident had occurred. However her reasoning for it is that she didn't believe her daughters story reg...

(Read More)

Miles of Adelaide
Jackie denied it was a set-up, saying the mother and daughter had gone through a pre-interview process.

"There were absolutely no red flags raised on this one," she said. "Unfortunately we had no idea what was to come."

Kyle said: "I watched other news services pick up on this and twist the story, the mum is being blamed, we are being blamed, and it is just one of this things, unfortunately rape happens in society."

He said he was glad the family would now get counselling, but they were horrified "that it's turned into a gigantic media story".

Yesterday's incident sparked outrage and numerous calls to child welfare authorities, with the girl apparently forced by her mother to take part in a lie-detector test on the pair's nationally syndicated breakfast show.

The mother submitted the teen to the test, a regular segment on the Kyle and Jackie O Show, concerned at her experiences with drugs and sex. Before the test, the girl told Sandilands on air: "I'm scared ... it's not fair."

Her mother asked her: "Have you ever had sex?" The 14-year-old replied: "I've already told you the story about this ... and don't look at me and smile because it's not funny."

After a pause, she raised her voice with frustration and said: "Oh OK, I got raped when I was 12 years old."

After another pause, Sandilands asked, "Right ... is that the only experience you've had?" before the mother admitted she knew of the rape. Her daughter yelled, "Yet you still asked me the question!"

NSW Police are liaising with the Department of Community Services to establish whether there is a need for police involvement in investigating the rape of the girl, a police spokeswoman said.

The media watchdog is also likely to investigate whether the segment breached the broadcasting code, The Australian reports.

Karen Willis, manager of the NSW Rape Crisis Centre, said she has never before heard of a sexual assault victim being put in such a public situation.

"That poor little girl, being cornered like that and being forced to tell the truth," Ms Willis said.

"People who have been sexually assaulted think that everyone is watching them and that they know."

Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said more serious action was needed and 2Day Fm should be shut down.

"This (incident) could potentially have some serious consequences on this girl," Dr Carr-Gregg said.

"I would call on the Australian Communications and Media Authority to recall their radio licence."

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Another CSM -- missionARYeffort:) knot merceNARY OK!:(

Gerakbudaya’s Open House – August – “Celebrating Independence”



Indonesian & Left books for ‘resistance” and Informal Discourse:

Date : 8 August 2009, Saturday
Location : Gerakbudaya, 11 Lorong 11/4E 46200 Petaling Jaya Selangor




Program:

Book sale
Time: 9 am till 11 pm

For the first series, we have selected books that specially imported from Indonesian’s renowned book publishers such as Yayasan obor, Komunitas Bambu, Balai Kajian and Pengembangan Budaya Melayu, Resist Book along with several goods which going to be sold with special prices, as well as books with leftist flavour.

Apart from that, special discounts will be given for books available only on the event’s day. To continue Gerakbudaya’s tradition of giving away books, certain titles will be distributed to attendees.

Informal Discourse:

“Without leftist, wouldn’t be Malaya’s Independenc”Time : 8pm – 11pm

It is a common practice for governments in power to rewrite history based on their version and minimize or deny entirely the contributions of other party. Malaysia, not exempted from such practice, has done it in the official history books with such careful plans by deleting information related to left wing, especially the communist.

In conjunction with our country’s independence month, you are cordially invited to attend our discussion on left wing’s contributions towards Independence with two panelists specifically invited for this event:

Hishamuddin Rais - NGI and author of “Pilihan Raya atau Pilihan Jalan Raya”, “Keganasan, Penipuan & Internet” and former students activist in the 70s

Lee Ban Chen - Malaysiakini’s columnist and former union congress and labour party activist in the 60s

Please come, show us your support and nasi lemak will be served as our token of appreciation.

Thank you.




About Gerakbudaya’s Open House

It is a special day where we give away discounts for books that we publish and distribute. We plan to hold this day three (3) days yearly and ends with the highlighted Yearly End Sale.

Special themes will be chosen based on book’s subjects for each open house that we hold, for example political books, Indonesian books, Islamic books and so on.

Chitchat in accordance of certain issues that become parts of Gerakbudaya will also be held.

For enquiries, please email to sird@streamyx.com or contact Zulhabri at 019-389 3804

GB Gerkabudaya
www.gerakbudaya.com


*******************************************






Rumah Terbuka Gerakbudaya - 8 Ogos 2009


Gerakbudaya’s Open House – 8 August 2009 – “Celebrating Independence”

Rumah Terbuka Gerakbudaya- 8 Ogos 2009– “Merayakan Kemerdekaan”

Host: Gerakbudaya

Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009

Time: 9:00am – 11:00 pm

Location: Gerakbudaya Street: 11, Lorong 11/4E 46200 City/Town: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Phone: 0193893804 / 03- 795 78342

Email: sird@streamyx.com

Web: www.gerakbudaya.com

————————————————————————————-----------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Buku Indo & Kiri untuk ‘perjuangan’ & sembang santai’



Aturcara program :


9 pagi - 11 malam : Jualan buku

8 malam - 11 malam : Sembang santai ‘Tiada Kiri, jJngan Harap Malaya Merdeka’



Untuk siri yang pertama, kami memilih buku-buku yang kami import khas dari penerbit-penerbit buku tersohor Indonesia di dalam bidangnya seperti Yayasan Obor, Komunitas Bambu, Balai Kajian dan Pengembangan Budaya Melayu, Resist Book dan beberapa yang lain sebagai barang dagangan yang akan dijual dengan harga istimewa, juga buku-buku bernuansa kiri.

Selain daripada itu, kami juga akan memberikan diskaun istimewa untuk buku-buku baru yang tidak akan diperoleh pada waktu-waktu biasa melainkan pada hari acara ini berlangsung.

Meneruskan tradisi, judul-judul buku tertentu akan diberi secara percuma untuk tetamu yang hadir.



Acara Sembang Santai:

Tajuk: Tiada kiri, jangan harap Malaya Merdeka’
Masa : 8 malam – 11 malam

Sudah menjadi kelaziman sang pemerintah berkuasa di mana-mana untuk menulis sejarah mengikut versi mereka dan meminimalkan atau menidakkan sama sekali sumbangan pihak yang lain. Malaysia juga tidak terkecuali dengan buku teks rasmi sekolah yang secara terancang menghitamkan segala yang berkaitan dengan gerakan kiri, apatah lagi komunis.

Bersempena dengan bulan kemerdekaan negara, kami dengan rasa hormatnya menjemput anda semua untuk hadir berdikusi tentang sumbangan gerakan kiri di dalam proses mendapat kemerdekaan negara bersama dua panelis yang kita jemput khas iaitu;

1) Saudara Hishamuddin Rais – NGI &, pengarang buku “Pilihan Raya atau Pilihan Jalan Raya”, “Keganasan, Penipuan & Internet” & bekas aktivis mahasiswa tahun 70 an

2) Saudara Lee Ban Chen – kolumnis di Malaysiakini & bekas aktivis kesatuan sekerja & parti buruh tahun 60 an

Sila hadir beramai-ramai, hidangan nasi lemak yang enak juga akan disediakan khas untuk tetamu yang datang. Terima kasih.



Tentang Rumah Terbuka Gerakbudaya

Rumah Terbuka Gerakbudaya merupakan satu hari di mana kami akan mengadakan jualan istimewa dengan pemberian diskaun pada harga buku-buku yang kami terbit dan edarkan. Kami merancang untuk mengadakan siri rumah terbuka tiga (3) kali setahun dan diakhiri dengan acara yang bersifat tahunan iaitu Jualan Akhir Tahun.

Kami akan memilih tema-tema khas mengikut subjek buku yang kami tawarkan untuk setiap rumah terbuka yang dianjurkan, seperti contoh buku politik, buku Indonesia, buku Islam dan sebagainya.

elain daripada itu, kami juga akan menganjurkan sembang santai untuk berwacana hal-hal tertentu yang menjadi bahagian dari Gerakbudaya.

Segala pertanyaan sila emel ke sird@streamyx.com atau hubungi Zulhabri di 019-389 3804

GB Gerkabudaya

Monday, July 27, 2009

Transparency imperative of Bloggers...

To me as Desi the BUMmer, I would demand that any serious Socio-Political (SoPo) Blogger should identify himself/herself in his/her blog posts, especially when the writing makes allegations on wrongdoing like CORRUPTION, against the subject/s in the posts.

In this context, I won't give much creditability to the author of www.t4tbh.blogspot.com, which has been hogging media headines for the past week or so since its birth with serious allegations of corruption by two Selangor Exco members, and even an oblique accusation that the DAP leaders be held responsible for the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock. Now itself the subject of much inrerest and questioning, I hope the Blogger would reveal its public face for all raeders to see; otherwise, be deemed a coward like a sheep in wolf's clothings.


Therefore, I do agree essentially with the Menteri Besat Khalid Ibrahim's call on Bloggers to report any wrongdoing or corrupt practices within their knwoledge to the relevant authorities to give credence to their good intent as a civic-minded Malaysian Citizen.

Khalid suggests bloggers come forward with corruption allegations
News Headlines 2009-07-25 17:31

SHAH ALAM: Those with information on corruption should show a sense of responsibility by reporting the matter to the authorities, and not just exposing it through blogs, said Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

He said the state government welcomed such reports to prove the validity of the allegations of corruption.

"If there is corruption, the public should not just publish these activities in blogs but must take the matter to authorities.

"I encourage their efforts, but sometimes, stories in blogs are not always 100 percent true," he said in a news conference after launching the 2009 Selangor Book Festival here today (25 July).

Abdul Khalid was asked to comment on an allegation in a blog which linked a Selangor exco member to corruption activities, and to circumstances surrounding the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

The blog at http://www.t4tbh.blogspot.com yesterday claimed that the activities involved more than 300 small projects worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit, in the state exco member's area. (Bernama)

MySinchew 2009.07.25

DESIDERATA:
UPDATEd @6.44PM because I'm so heartworking to please my ER -- doing also a favour via this Community Servive Message:)~~ Desi, the lazy BUMmer, so its another Cut&Past(E)ry!:)

PRESS STATEMENT


July 27, 2009 (MONDAY)

INTERNAL AUDIT ON STATE ALLOCATION FOR MEMBERS OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY




SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Government has directed a state-wide internal audit on the spending of state allocation by members of legislative assembly.



The internal audit will among others ensure that the spending of allocation comply with the procedures set by the State Government. “This is our way to assure the public that the accounting of the state coffers is continuously monitored,” said Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, The Menteri Besar Of Selangor.



The internal audit team will also study the procedures involved with the intention for improvement.



The auditing will begin as soon as possible at the Petaling District. A report by the internal audit team will be presented to the state within a month, after which, it will be made available to the public.



On another issue, the state has also appointed leading human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar to act for the State Government in the inquest of Teoh Beng Hock. Malik will also be representing the state in the Royal Commission of Inquiry.



The state is determined to ensure that the rights of the late Teoh, his family and other state officials who will be testifying at both proceedings are protected at all times.



PRESS SECRETARIAT


OFFICE OF DATO’ MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

Sunday, July 26, 2009

CSI -- Malaysia (Part 2)

Continuing the ongoing CSI series -- Malaysia by Dr Rafick from
rights2write.wordpress.com.
Desi's only the Cut&Past(E)ry chef-wannabe:)...
Please surf to the originator'sblog to also savour the inputs by several consistent Commenters who would make any CSI teAm proud, and useful.-- YL, Desi

Death at MACC: My CSI findings part VII
25/07/2009 by drrafick

1. Last night I received an email from an anonymous (Lets call him Mr. A) person who claims to be working with the mainstream media. I am not sure whether it is true or not but he claims that all MSM media will be running stories in the next few days that the wound on TBH base left hand (the media will say wrist) will be played up as a sign of suicide. It dawn upon me that I have not said anything about the triangular mark on the right hand.

2. My initial assessments without an image magnifier suggest that it could be some sort of a stain. With a magnifier, several important points could be highlighted. The first being, the location of the wound is not on the wrist but at the base of the right hand.

3. Secondly, the wound looks like a jagged wound and not a clean cut with blood dripping towards the center of the palm. It certainly looks like a deep laceration wound but then one thing that strikes me is that the amount of blood is minimal.

4. For a deep laceration wound, one would expect large amount of blood and blood clot over the wound. It was not there. Why? This is indeed a tough question to answer and there are several possibilities that can explain the nature and severity of the wound.

5. Firstly it could be that injury to the hand occurred after he died! Going by the nature of the wound on the right hand, it could have scraped a sharp object as he was being moved. Could it be that the sharp object is actually the retained portion of the broken window latch?

6. The other explanation is that it is simply a superficial laceration and as such the bleeding is minimal. Whether it is a superficial (shallow) or a deep laceration, it is not a clean cut. It looks like it has scraped against a sharp object. It does not look like a cut on the wrist.

7. Certainly if someone wants to commit suicide he will not cut there. It is just far too far (distal) from the wrist line where the major blood vessels are located. The cut would be from a sharp object and it would be a clean cut. If the person is right handed the cut would be on the left. I am not sure if TBH is right or left handed.

8. Some readers have postulated that the body was carried and placed at the site where the body was found. Humbly, I beg to differ. There are just too many tell tale signs to suggest that he had a fall from height.

9. Some readers suggested that a metal piece that was lying on the ground is not a watch and suggested that it could be a part of the window. I disagree that it is part of the window based on the color of the material alone.

10. With the help of a magnifier, I had a chance to have a closer look at the brightly shining object. What I saw is a metallic chromed object which may look like a watch or a bracelet. There is another thing that I saw on the object which looks like an image of Charlie Chaplin. I had magnified it for the readers to judge. Now I am not exactly sure what it is but I still have a strong believe that it is a watch. I might be wrong. At this stage, I believe suicide theory is definitely out.

11. I was alerted by some readers on the existence of a new blog which has made serious allegations against 2 DAP State Exco members on purportedly explaining “DAP corruption modus operandi” in Selangor at www.t4tbh.blogspot.com. I suspect that it is part of a counter strategy that is being deployed by certain people to deflect the current issue surrounding TBH. Who are they? I can safely assume that what you ever think is right.





Picture sent to me by readers



For clearer view, download here.

Note
12. A reader sent me the last photo (from kosmo) which I have enlarged and marked accordingly. From this angle, the wound in the buttock is clearer. The two legs appears fractured. The presence of a kerb that contribute to the direction of blood flow is also confirmed. There is visible signs that there is a hip fracture. The last piece of picture conclusively prove that his injuries are consistent with a fall from height.

Please note that
(a) There is no watch on the left wrist right shoe looks odd, as if the base came off the main shoe leaving behind the glue marks.
(b) The sole of the right shoe looks odd. It appears that the sole is split from the main shoe leaving behind glue marks on the main shoe



Disclaimer

The above writing is based on assessment of various images and writings on the mainstream media (MSM) as well as the online media. I am trying to understand the tragedy that took place at Plaza Masalam. It would be great if I have access to MACC office and location where the body was found but without such access, readers can expect some gross margin of error in my writing. Do let me know what the errors are so that we can come to a clear conclusion on what transpired


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

My idea of Fun

Point to Ponder: Desi Is Aghast by This Incident

I have always preached that RELIGION should be a PERSONAL ENCOUNTER between any individual and his/her GOD, however one deems Him to be...

Howver, sometimes some Malaysians can become over-zealous, and that's when trouble starts,for the OTHER parties, not for the Zealot.

Desi will spend the whole of Sunday ruminating on the "caning" to be meted out -- prays that some ONE will intervene and spare the woman, and the husband, the pain. She had already paid the fine of RM5,000, pleaded guilty: What More Do You Want, Mr/Mrs/Ms Justice?

From The Malaysian Insider~~~

Outrage over caning for model

KUALA LUMPUR
, July 23 — A model who was ordered to be caned by a Pahang syariah court for consuming alcohol in public wants the court to expedite the sentence, which has stirred up a controversy.

If her sentence is meted out soon, it could be the first time that a man or a woman is caned under Islamic law.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil expressed shock at the ruling while another woman MP from the Islamist party PAS said she was surprised that whipping of women was sanctioned under syariah law.

Muslim lawyers, however, dismissed the criticism, saying they were a challenge and an insult to the Kuantan syariah court.

The woman at the centre of the controversy, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor, 32, told reporters she wanted the ordeal to be over soon to move on with her life.

“I will accept this earthly punishment, let Allah decide my punishment in the hereafter... The court has yet to tell me when the sentence will be carried out, so I would like to ask them to hasten it.

“I truly respect the court's decision... I admit that it's my offence and not that of others, it's not the offence of my parents, not the offence of my other family members,” a teary Kartika told reporters in her home town in Perak yesterday.

She was drinking beer with her husband in a hotel in Cherating, Pahang, two years ago when she was caught by Islamic enforcement officers. She pleaded guilty last year.

She was fined RM5,000 and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan by the Pahang Syariah High Court on Monday.

The mother of two, who is married to a Singaporean and is a Singapore permanent resident, paid her fine on Tuesday and decided not to file any appeal.

Earlier this year, two others, a 22-year-old waitress and a 38-year-old man, were ordered to be flogged for drinking in public. But both have lodged appeals against their sentences, which means Kartika would be the first person to be caned if her sentence is meted out.

Her husband, who is in Singapore, told The Straits Times that he was unhappy with the sentence.

“As a Muslim, I have the right to teach her and punish her myself because I'm her husband. That's what Islam taught us,” he said, adding that he wanted to remain anonymous.

“I don't understand why they decided to punish her. I don't think it's fair but let's leave it to God to judge the actions of those people who punished my wife.”

In Malaysia's dual-track system, women convicted under its civil jurisdiction are not caned. But the caning for women under the syariah system is less harsh.

Kartika's father, Shukarnor Mutalib, 60, said the punishment by the court was according to the Islamic laws in Malaysia and that the incident had taught his daughter a useful lesson.

But Shahrizat, the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, did not feel it was a fair and just punishment when she expressed shock at the decision, adding that her ministry was following the case closely.

Titiwangsa MP Lo'lo Mohd Ghazali, who is also head of the women's wing of the opposition PAS, said that punishment should educate and not cause hurt.

Responding to the criticism, Syariah Lawyers Association deputy president Musa Awang said the judge had made the decision based on provisions of the law.

“Any unhappiness with the syariah court decision must be made via procedures provided by law,” he said.

“Although the two leaders' intention was to defend women, they should understand the whipping methods according to Islam,” he was quoted as saying in a statement yesterday.

He said the rotan used in caning women should not be more than 1.22m long and not more than 1.25cm thick. He also highlighted the “moderate force” used. — The Straits Times

Saturday, July 25, 2009

CSI -- Malaysia

As Desi's still on HI-atus, here's another Cut&Past(E)ry. I've been a fan of the CSI series, traversing the US, New York, Miami being shown regilarly on Astro TV. Now on the coverage on DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock's death, I find Dr Rafick has the most objective and comprehensive account -- Crime Scene Investigation style. (I believe this Blogger-doctor must have been like Desi, a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot too?)

rights2write“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”

Here I place on official record expressing RIBUAN TERIMA KASIN for Dr Rafick's supreme efforts to find an answer to 30-year-old Malaysian Teoh BH's "mysterious death at the MACC" using the scientific method; I hope he succeeeds... YL Chong, journalist-cum-Desi, the BUMmer

PS:
To apptreciate the posts PLUS PICURES and discussion, please surf to rights2write.wordpress.com to read the COMMENTS as well, Desi

******************************************
Death at MACC: My CSI findings part VI

24/07/2009 by drrafick

1. Today, I received a call from a friend who was my college mate back in the 80’s. We have not communicated since we graduated in 1988. Today, he is a successful specialist in one of the famous hospital in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia. Apparently someone email him my publication and seek his opinion whether there is any logic to what I wrote. He read my blog and sent me an email which subsequently followed with a phone call.
2. The first thing that came out from him after the usual Salam, was he asked me whether I have been visited by the police. I laugh at his question. I told him, I live not far from Deputy IGP, Tan Sri Ismail and the police actually see me everyday! To cut the story short he said he respected me for standing out and write what I had wrote for a Chinaman that I don’t even know. He said he wouldn’t dare to do it.
3. For the record I want to say out loud. I grew up in a community that knows no racial barrier. I grew up in a community that judge man or woman against his/her word and character and not their skin colour. There are good and bad people and they all come in the various skin colours. I grew up in a military surrounding in Kem Bt 9, Kuantan. My late father was in the army. In the 70’s there were many non-Malays soldiers and we the kids grew up in this multicultural and multicolour environment.
4. I wrote because my conscience tells me that what had happen is wrong. Today it happened to TBH. Tomorrow it can happen to us, our siblings and our kids. It is my religious duty (Fardu Kifayah) to share and to find conclusion to this dark episode.
5. Coming back to my writings in part V, one of the commentators wrote that based on the image that I had put up, he could magnified the watch in the picture and tells the time. He came out with 4 possibilities. That got me thinking that there is a possibility that the watch would have stopped on impact which would tell us the time the body exited the window (not the time of death). I emailed him and ask him to send the magnified picture but I have yet to get it.
6. Well, I am not sure whether he has the pictures or otherwise but the technology is available where images can be magnified and sharpened (at least in the movies). There are 26 mills Malaysian. If there are 1 mill that is truly concern about TBH death and willing to go the extra mile we will get the truth. I am sure out of the 1 million Malaysians, they have a few friends and their friends have more friends in the world. Maybe among these networks of people in the world of internet, someone could actually magnify and reproduce image of TBH in greater clarity for us to appreciate.
7. If someone can actually enlarge and readjust the resolution of the watch we would be able to determine the time accurately. This would be helpful. At the moment, the facts tell us that he died in custody of MACC. The MACC officers did not tell the truth that they have released him at 345am. Our own postulation is that he died around 6 am and exited the 14th floor window within 20-30 minutes after his death. Let us not waste time dwelling on the suicide theory as that has not been supported with reasonable evidence.
8. He had exited from MACC office via one of the windows. MACC is a government office. That means that there are people in the office at that time. Government offices are never left without people at all times. Even when they place people in a lockup there are officers guarding the lockup. Therefore it is not possible for TBH to be alone in the SELANGOR STATE HQ. MACC suppose to protect and interrogate witnesses and villains. If there is a death in their custody, irrespective of cause, they should be made accountable. This is not about ethnicity. This is about a human life.
9. I welcome any input from readers which can contribute positively in a way that we can solve this crime. Let the police do their job and we continue to brainstorm and find a solution to this death. We owe it to ourselves to ensure that no one else suffers the same fate as TBH. Who knows it could be yours, your children or grandchildren turn. Let us work together to capture this rogue MACC officers who had tarnished the good name of the organization and the name of the good and honest people that is associated with MACC. Those who knows the truth and do not come forward will live for the rest of their live with the guilt of not doing the right thing. They will also be punished in their afterlife.

You can download images for greater clarity


Disclaimer


The above writing is based on assessment of various images and writings on the mainstream media (MSM) as well as the online media. I am trying to understand the tragedy that took place at Plaza Masalam. It would be great if I have access to MACC office and location where the body was found but without such access, readers can expect some gross margin of error in my writing. Do let me know what the errors are so that we can come to a clear conclusion on what transpired

Posted in Malaysia My Home | Tagged MACC, TBH | 6 Comments

DESIDERATA: The above is Part 6th in an ongoing series; earlier parts follw as a combined collation, YL

*******************************ConsolidatedCSI -- Parts I - V

MACC death tragedy – My untrained CSI techniques
19/07/2009 by drrafick

1. The following writing is done based on assessment of various images and writings on the mainstream media (MSM) as well as the online media. I am trying to understand the tragedy that took place at Plaza Masalam. It would be great if I have access to MACC office and location where the body was found but without such access, readers can expect some gross margin of error in my writing. Do let me know what the errors are so that we can come to a clear conclusion on what transpired.
2. It was reported that Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) was supposedly to register his marriage on the 16th July 2009 at the registrar of marriage. He was already married (via traditional marriage ceremony) and his wife is pregnant. Is there a problem at home that is so gravely torturing that would force TBH to take his own life? My reading so far showed that there is no grave problem at the home front.
3. He was at MACC office between the 15th (500 pm) and the 16th July 2009 (600am). The MACC office is at Plaza Masalam. He drove to the building. How is that no one heard anything or sound of a screaming man between 600 am to 130pm when his body was found. Plaza Masalam is a busy area. The Concorde hotel is next door. Many government offices are in that building and surprisingly no one heard anything? This raises several questions?
4. The first, could it be that he did not fall between 600 am to 130 pm on 16th July 2007 but much earlier than that? In other words he could have died while he was in MACC office itself. No documented evidence so far to indicate that he was heard screaming, could it be that at the exact moment he “fell from height”, he was actually unconscious?
5. Dato Mohd Shukri Abdul claims that there was no CCTV in the MACC office. This can be taken at face value.
6. However I have been to Plaza Masalam on several occasions visiting the Jabatan Ukur office which is located on the 17th floor. Based on my experience, I need to register at the guard post before entering the lift which is located on the 5th Floor (or 4th floor) and if I am not mistaken; the building management has a CCTV around the building? So far no one has come forward to explain about his official arrival and departure time based on evidence.
7. Based on pictures on the nut graph blog, it shows 3 ladies peeping out trough the small window on one of the floor of Plaza Masalam. The ladies are beautiful but on closer look, we can appreciate that the window opening is rather small. It would not be easy for anyone to climb out via such a small opening. The base of the window would be about 4 to 5 feet from the floor. It would not be easy for a small man like TBH to climb out unless he stands on something. The only other possibility is that he could have been lifted into the window. His small body could “scrape thorough” the window opening if push forcefully.
8. On Malaysiakini, there is a photo of TBH lying motionless on the roof of a building. Closer look at the pictures shows a few important clues. Among others, these include the dry blood from the body near the head area which seems to have drained towards where the policeman was standing.
9. The Forensic team can make an estimate the time of death based on the body and the condition of the blood. The small volume of blood certainly draws suspicion on whether he had died before the fall or upon impact. If he was alive at the point of impact, there would be large volume of blood on the floor (provided that there is no intrathoracic or intraabdominal bleeding) oozing from the open wound.
10. The second item of concern is that his body posture is lying on his right side. Why not face down? A man that is conscious at the time of his fall is most likely to fall on his face flat down or his back if he is being pushed through a window. If he had jumped I would expect that he would have ended leg first. The pictures are not conclusive enough to indicate any lower limb fractures. Post mortem would be able to shed some light.
11. The third item being is his torn pants at the buttock area. Why is torn? It appears as if the pants were hooked to something at the time of fall and that is why it is torn in such a manner. A fall per se unlikely to cause this kind of damage on his clothing?
12. Could it have been hooked on the window lock at the base of the window? Looking at those gruesome photos suggest that someone (or two) lifted his unconscious body and tried to push through the windows and this is when the pants could have hooked up on the window locked.
13. The forth item are the 3 pieces of bricks that lies to the side of TBH. It is not certain if the bricks were there coincidently or it is related to the incident. Are there such similar bricks in the MACC office being used as a base of a flower pots or for other purpose? This can only be answered by the police in their course of their investigations.
14. Without the floor plan of the MACC building and the location of the body, it is hard to determine the trajectory of the fall. The press has been quick to point to the fact that he had fell from the 14th floor. I am not sure on what basis they had come to this conclusion.
15. If he fell through one of the windows, there are bound to be tell-tale signs of signs at the windows and on the side of the building. The options on the possible causes of the incident are rather limited and suicide is the weakest possibility among all.
16. We have to wait for the outcome of the police investigations. Sadly, the public perception on the RMP is at the esteem low in 2009. The public has already an expectation on the outcome of the incident and if the police cannot provide adequate evidence to support any of their theories, my gut feeling tells me that the people will not be satisfied and the police will continue to lose the confidence of the public. The image of the RMP will go down further.
17. The possibility of TBH died during interrogation cannot be ruled out. Based on the limited information, there are signs that suggest that he might have died during custody and his body was disposed via a fall. More evidence will surface soon, I am confident that those that is involved will be caught and punished.
Posted in Malaysia My Home | Tagged BPR Shah Alam, DAP, MACC, Plaza Masalam | 59 Comments

NOTE my comment reprised here!
"on 22/07/2009 at 9:39 am | Reply ylchong
Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Good analysis and discussions here — I would like to consolidate all 3 parts to date at my Blog tomorrow …hope it’s OK with you (as I was too busy and heavy hearted with a fellow BUMmer Ancient Mariner’s passing away at about same period to really enage in more “sad” reviews…YL, Desi"


*********************************:)

The author's kind reply:)

""drrafick
my pleasure.. no problem""



*********************************:)





My CSI findings II
20/07/2009 by drrafick

1. After the release of the first part of my investigative findings on TBH death which is based on the information in public the domain, it appears that what I have been postulating so far seems to fall into place. With the trickling information from Selangor Police Chief and other readers, I believe we (me and my blog readers) would probably solve the first part of the mystery ahead of the police revelation.
2. I believe we are the first to postulate that TBH actually fell from height (possibly the MACC office) and first to highlight the relevancy of the torn pants on the motionless body and the possibility that the pants was caught in the window latch that leads it to a big tear.
3. Before moving forward, let us look at some of the confirm facts that we have established based on the information available online. Among others this includes:
a) The police has confirmed that based on CCTV recording, TBH went to MACC office at about 515pm on the 15th July 2009
b) There is no evidence on CCTV that he had actually left the building at anytime between the 15th and the 16th July 2009 until his body was discovered at 130pm by a “janitor”. This means that at no point in time that TBH had left the building.
c) Information on this janitor and how he/she found this body is still not clear. It is really intriguing to know what the janitor was doing at that hour where the body was found.
d) The police have confirmed that he fell through the window of the 14th floor (MACC office) and landed on the roof of the 5th floor podium.
e) They have confirmed that a piece of the window latch was found near the body and a matching broken latch was found in MACC office.
f) There is a contradicting statement by Dato’ Shukri Abdul with regards to the time TBH was questioned. The CCTV showed that he entered the building at 515pm. I assume it would take him at least 15 minutes to go up and get himself ready for questioning. I believe the questioning started at 530pm.
g) Dato Shukri also said that TBH was released after 345 am but he chose to stay behind. This is kind of unusual. The fact is that no one in a right frame of mind would want to stay in such a place after an intense interrogation. If indeed he was released then why is that MACC is holding on to his Hand phone? It appears that the officers at MACC has not been truthful.
4. In my theory, TBH died in the custody of MACC. This is not disputable as it is now confirmed that he “left the MACC office” via the 14th floor window. The issue now is how was his condition when he left the building? Was he dead, unconscious or alive?
5. Dato Khalid says that based on Post Mortem, he died about 4-5 hours before he was found. I disagree on this conclusion because it would mean that he would have fall at about 830am to 930am. If he had been alive someone would have heard him screaming. If he was dead and was thrown out of the window, someone would were bound to have seen it or heard a loud thud!
6. In my first write up, I suggested that the possibility is that he had died more than 6 hours based on the visual examination of the image of the body and the blood on the roof that was shown on the internet. I am no expert and people can certainly dispute my argument.
7. In reconstructing the event that took place, my theory is that he had died during the interrogation. The IO panicked and hence made the quick plan. I suspect the body was thrown out of the window before 600am.
8. Though there is an eyewitness (Tan) that says that he saw TBH at the toilet (or pantry) at about 6am, I believe he had his timing wrong. He was interrogated trough out the night and probably got himself confused. Personally apart from the MACC officers I believe this eyewitness should be considered a suspect. Online news report indicates that Tan has refused to cooperate with the police.
9. Coming back to event reconstruction, I believe he had already died when he was squeezed and thrown out the window. Before 600 am it was still dark and the possibility that anyone saw anything at this hour is remote. I suspect one man of reasonable strength carried TBH with his head on the right side of person. He then tried to squeeze TBH into the small window. His pants got caught in the latch and this tore his pants and the weight of his body actually broke the latch.
10. I believe that he had died prior of hitting the slab roof the 5th floor podium based on the limited amount of blood on the roof. If his was alive and his heart was pumping, then there would be a large amount of blood on the roof if he did not die instantly.
11. One reader commented about a big wound gash on TBH right hand. I could not appreciate this on the image that I saw on the internet despite enlarging with ms paint. The triangle red mark does not appear to be a wound to me. It is just too “perfectly triangle”. As such if there is an indication of any kind of struggle would not be conclusive.
12. So far the police investigation and our own assessment appears to be consistent i.e. he died during the custody of MACC and he exited the MACC building via the window of the 14th floor. I wonder what the room is used for where this particular window is located. The police has not come out with any statement whether he had died upon impact or way before it.
13. I appeal to all readers who sees any relevant clues in the form of statements of imaged on the internet to share with us your findings. Let us try to solve this puzzle. Let see if our findings mirror the police investigations or totally opposite of it.

My CSI Findings Part III
21/07/2009 by drrafick

1. After the first two write ups and further reading and observation of the various statements by several individuals in the media, I believe the police findings may not vary very much with what I have wrote. The IGP press statement after meeting Najib at KLIA indicated that the investigation is almost complete and they are expected to submit their report to the AG Chambers very soon.
2. The conclusion of the last 2 days of internet research and photographic evaluation has led us to the following conclusion.
a) TBH died while he was in the MACC custody and it is quite certain that he had exited the MACC office via the window at the 14th floor. Chemistry department confirmation would merely be a formality.
b) The police has confirmed that TBH did not leave at 345 a.m. and TBH personal belongings like wallet, P1 hand phone and his backpack was still in the possession of MACC until it was given to the police 2 days later.
c) It was also reported that TBH died about 4-5 hours before he was found. I had disagree on this issue
d) Another DAP member by the name of Tan mentioned that he met TBH at the Pantry (or toilet) at about 6 am in the morning on the 16th July 2009
e) No definitive official statement has come out to indicate whether he had died before exiting the window or he died on impact.
3. I was kind of disturbed about the actual time TBH was last seen by Tan. I decided to place a few phone calls to establish the fact. From a reliable source that claims that has spoken to Tan personally, I was informed that Tan did not look at the time when he met TBH.
4. He asked TBH how the interrogation went through but TBH did not respond. He just made a humming sound which Tan could not make out its meaning. TBH was reported to be in a somber mood. What does that mean, I am not too sure. I guess someone who do not have enough sleep and has been awake the whole night was place under a lot of pressure, must not be in a very good mood.
5. I tried to piece the time Tan met TBH and according to my source, when Tan left a short while later the sun was brightly coming up. He had estimated the time based the sun. I checked the time for sunrise in Shah Alam for the last few days. The sun is up at about 549pm.
6. Assuming that by the time Tan came out from the building, it was about 549-555 a.m., I estimate that Tan saw TBH at about 530am. This means that TBH was indeed alive at 530am. This is about 8 hours before he was found dead.
7. If we go by the police pathologist estimate that he died about 5 hours before he was found, that would mean it is about be about 830 a.m. I had estimated that the time of death to be at least 6 hours which would lead to about before 730 a.m.
8. Based on the information that I have described, it appears that Tan died at about 600 a.m. At that time, in Shah Alam the sun is just coming up, children preparing to go to schools, guards would probably still snoozing and traffic volume on the road is small but building up slowly.
9. As I had theorized earlier, he died in the MACC office. His body was thrown out by one or maximum of two people out of the window to make it look like a suicide from the 9th floor but there is mounting evidence against suicide theory.
10. I believe the time of death has been narrowed down significantly. Now what we need to do is to established who was at the scene of the crime at the given time and date i.e. 600 a.m. on the 16 July 2009. I believe that the ACA officers in Shah Alam knows about it.
11. I am not sure whether it was true or not but I was informed a few minutes ago that actually Dato Mohd Shukri Abdul was not the head of MACC Shah Alam. He was the former head and now is the Investigation Director at Putrajaya. The Selangor MACC has no head past few months and the deputy was acting and taking instruction from Putrajaya.
12. Based on my source, it appears that he had received a call that morning from MACC HQ instructing him to make a press release. The text was not prepared by him. He was purely the messenger. It was reported that he had told DSAI that day when he went to MACC HQ for a fact finding mission. He claims that he is also not sure on what has transpired as he was only asked to give a press statement. I would not be surprised if officers are being posted in and out as this article is being written.
13. Based on what has transpired, it is quite clear that MACC officers knew about the death. The HQ in Putrajaya was informed much earlier than 130 p.m. and Dato Mohd Shukri was brought in to give his statements.
14. I search the internet to verify the time of the press conference was held but did not find anything. Can anyone help? If we know the time of the PC, we could work back words and estimate the movement of information between the MACC office in Shah Alam and its HQ in Putrajaya.
15. I am now more inclined to believe that the MACC officers in Shah Alam was trying to cover up the whole event. TBH died accidentally in the custody of MACC officers. They panicked and try to cover up by creating a suicide. Let see what Najib will say tomorrow about the Royal Commission.
Posted in Malaysia My Home | Tagged Dato Shukri, MACC, MACC Shah alam, TBH, Teoh Beng Hock | 10 Comments



My CSI findings part IV
22/07/2009 by drrafick

1. There is still a big debate on where and when did TBH died. We know of the date which is on the 16th July 2009 but what is still a big question mark is time of death and where he died exactly. I am sure many would be confuse on why I am saying this despite my earlier writings that the stage has been set. Allow me to explain.
2. Among the many theories that have surfaced, it is quite certain that he died within the custody of MACC. What does this mean exactly? It means that he could have died in the office of MACC prior to exiting the window or he was alive at the point of exiting the window in MACC office and died upon impact on the slab roof of the plaza.
3. Let us look at the facts. The picture of TBH on the roof showed there was very little blood coming out from the head and there appears to be some wound on the buttock. The misaligned right leg indicates that there is a fracture on the right leg, probably around the hip region.
4. If he had been alive upon exiting the window and died upon impact, I expect to see more blood on the roof. The blood would take about 15 to 30 minutes to clot properly and hence in that amount of time, the blood would ooze through any open wound profusely. This is very true especially there is an arterial bleed.
5. Since we do not see such huge amount of blood, it would either be there the open wound is rather small or the blood has already thickened and forming soft clots. From the pictures it is hard to imagine the size of wound but, it would be illogical to assume that there would be a small wound upon such an impact.
6. As pointed out a smart physics commentator, it is estimated that he fell at the speed of about 80km/hr. I expect TBH to have multiple big wounds around the head. Since the blood stain is small, we have to go back to the fact that he died in the office before exiting the window. On the basis of estimating time, I expect that he would have died 30 minutes before exiting the window. Once his heart stopped beating, his blood starts to thickened and coagulates.
7. I know some doctors would argue that the normal clotting time (CT) is about 5 min to 15 minutes. We must differentiate the lab CT which is based on the duration it takes for 4ml of blood in a test tube to coagulate. A lab experiment is different from a traumatic injury. It is on this basis that I suspect that he died in the MACC office.
8. Let us assume that Teoh died around 6 am with a margin of 30 mins. This would mean that he would have exited the window at any point of time between 630 a.m. and 700 am as the panicked officers decided on what to do. At that hour the office block of the plaza is open but the shopping mall is still close. Those who worked in the building would probably not notice anything due to the time.
9. Those in the car around the area would not see anything. If ever anyone would be able to see something, it would be the guest that stayed in Concorde Hotel in rooms facing the plaza. At 700 am how many guest would be up and looking out their room towards the plaza? A very remote probability I would say. This means that the chances of finding an eyewitness outside the MACC office are very remote.
10. A commentator highlighted a writing in Malaysia Today where a reporter by the name of Rahmah Ghazali of Malaysiakini went to MACC office and found that the MACC wooden office door is closed between 115pm to 150pm. This is an important clue.
11. I do not expect MACC office to close for lunch. What was actually going on? How long before 150pm, the door was closed? Rahmah first noted that it was close at 115pm. Why was it closed? Is it a routine thing to see that it is close. There is a need to establish whether this has anything to do with the TBH death. Surprisingly, if we refer back to what Dato Shukri said, they were alerted that a body was found at 130pm and later they realized that it was TBH. Is this a pure coincidence? My gut feeling says no. I suspect that there is more to it?Any help and clues here?
12. Personally, I welcome Najib announcement the formation of a Royal Commission and an Inquest to look at the death. I do not know whether this has an impact on the on-going police investigation. Until I get the full terms of reference on the role of the RC and public inquest, I shall not dwell too much on its role… for now!
Posted in Malaysia My Home | Tagged Dato Shukri, MACC, MACC Shah alam, royal commision, TBH, Teoh Beng Hock | 34 Comments




My CSI findings part V
24/07/2009 by drrafick

1. My writing today went online bit later than expected because last night I had to attend the soft launch of a friend restaurant in Solaris near Mont Kiara. The restaurant is called Coff&Tea and is located at Solaris Dutamas. The formal opening would be in the next few days. The food is good. Drop by when you can.
2. While I was at the restaurant, many comments on my blog appear on my Blackberry. Some had put forward interesting arguments. Most of the comments in the last article have put their argument professionally. That was good. I will try to counter some arguments that have been forward for the sake of discussion. I did a quick random survey among the patrons of “Coff and Tea” on the possible causes of TBH death. No one believes it was suicide.
3. Someone commented in my blog that the body is located about 20 feet from the building wall and hence it is impossible for someone to be exit the window. Based on this argument as well as the posture of the body lying on the ground, some believed that the body was placed there. I beg to differ.
4. Firstly, I do not know how the reader came out with the figure of 20 feet. Based on the pictures on the internet, the wall cannot be seen. What is shown is the flower based, parapet wall which is located next to the body. The body lies on concrete slab which in one section there is a 3 feet x 3 feet imprint.
5. In some of the pictures on the internet, there were several bricks brought in by the police located next to the body. We all know the construction brick has a standard size of 4inch x 8 inch. Based on the size of the brick, I made my calculation and it is estimated that the furthest distance that can be seen from the parapet would be 9 feet. I estimated the size of space next to the building wall is about 9-12 feet based on the photos shown below.



Measuring distances



6. I do not think the body was place there because the presence of the broken window latch and the way the pants were torn. Let me explain this point again using the illustration below.





7. In my previous article, I theorized that either one or two person carried the late TBH whom had died for about 30 mins to the window. He carried the person with TBH on his right side and places it on the windows edge. As he pushed the body out the window, the latch got hooked to the pants at the centre of the trousers. TBH weight and the action of trying to push the body down literally tore the pants towards the left pocket.
8. Over the left buttock it torn in a straight fashion and in the middle of the buttock over the sacral area it was jagged all the way to the right buttock. Based on the pictures, I believe “the dead TBH” landed on his left leg which probably cause a fracture lower third of the leg or over the ankle as well as the possibility of a fracture dislocation of the left hip. This is based on the evidence of huge hematoma on the buttock and the twisted ankle.
9. In part IV, I mentioned the story about Malaysiakini reporter by the name of Norma Ghazali. Thorough Malaysiakini, I manage to speak to her and sought some clarification on the news report that she found that the MACC office was closed.
10. According to her, she went to MACC to cover a PC which is to be held by one of the State Exco’s 16th July 2009 at the MACC office. She reached the Plaza early and went to MACC office at about 115pm. The door was open and there was a receptionist at the door. Upon realizing that she was early, she decided to go down to the lobby.
11. At about 130pm or so, she went back up to the MACC office and found that the wooden door was closed. She wondered on why it was closed as normally they don’t. She and other reporters then went back down and after buying a few things went back up at about 150pm and noticed that the door was opened.
12. She cannot recalled the conduct of the people in the office at that time as by 200pm, the YB YLC came and made a press statement. At about 220pm, someone came out from MACC office and told the reporters that there is a body on the podium roof and all the reporters when down to investigate.
13. The key element of Norma observation is that the door is normally is open. Why was it closed on that day at the same time TBH body was found by someone (? janitor) and for about 20 minutes, the ACA door was closed. The timing of closure was consistent with the timing the body was found by the Janitor. What was going on in the office?
14. It would be great if people have friends in Telco’s and based on the names of the officers at MACC Shah Alam, we could find out the numbers that was called with the few hours before the body was found. That would be valuable.

You can download images for greater clarity

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Friday, July 24, 2009

Yes, still on Hi-atus,but I steal care for Thy health!:)

Wit' another Cut&Past(E)ry!

From RealAge.com via Yahoo-news!...

The Trouble with Green Tea


More from RealAge.com
Lower Your Risk for Chronic Diseases
Three Wonder Food Staples

By RealAge
Did you know that most of the free-radical fighters in green tea never make it to your bloodstream? But there's a solution.
To get a better grasp on the healthy catechins in your green tea, flavor your cup with a squeeze of citrus juice.


Green Tea Booster
Catechins -- the antioxidants in green tea famous for lowering your risk of chronic disease -- quickly lose their power in your intestine. In fact, as much as 80% of the catechins in green tea are never absorbed. The solution to boosting absorption, researchers recently found, is as simple as flavoring your tea with freshly squeezed and strained lemon, orange, lime, or grapefruit juice.

Taking Tea with C
The vitamin C in citrus may help with absorption by increasing the acidity in your small intestine. Other unidentified substances in the juice probably lend a hand, too. Researchers found a 50-50 mix had the greatest catechin-preserving effect, and lemon did it best, closely followed by orange, lime, and, in last place, grapefruit.

It's Not All Bad News

If you do take steps to boost the power of your green tea, you may even get a few added benefits.

It may help you lose weight. At least one study shows green tea can stimulate moderate weight loss.
It may help keep your knees young and strong -- catechins fight inflammation and arthritis.
It can help your skin look great if used in conjunction with an antioxidant cream. Dab it on.
It can help you stay sharp -- try 2 cups a day to see benefits.

RealAge Benefit:
Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I no I said I'm on leave, but C&P is no HIatus!?:(

FROM http://stephenparrish.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Peaceful Transfer of Power

My paternal grandparents were on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Grandpa was a Republican, Grandma was a Democrat. They mutually agreed to abstain from voting because their votes would merely cancel each other out.

One election Grandpa sneaked downtown and voted for his Republican candidate. Grandma found out minutes before the polls closed. She ran down the street, clutching her skirt, and reached the polling booth just in time to cast her ballot for the Democratic candidate—to annul Grandpa's subterfuge. You gotta love democracy.

Honduras just experienced a coup. Iran's recent election leaves everyone wondering. Don't get me started on North Korea, Burma, China . . .

I keep recalling the images of George W. Bush showing Barack H. Obama around the White House. The country was polarized; the divide seems to get worse every election. It takes no great stretch of the imagination to wonder if one party might someday refuse to hand power over to another.

Yet hand over they do. Argue all you want about righteousness, the Constitution, and the rule of law, it took character for Bush to show Obama his new quarters, his new office; for Bush to make Obama's transition as smooth as possible; for Bush to say, in effect, "I disagree with you, boy-oh-boy I disagree with you, nevertheless I hand the reigns of power over to you."

Even though I consider Bush to be the worst president in American history, I take my hat off to him for making the transfer of power look easy. He was commander-in-chief of the most stunningly invincible military force the planet has ever known, yet he said, to the head of the rival party, "Here, it's yours."

And only because the majority of the population wanted him to. Go figure.



11 comments

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Just sharing feedback on CoN test drives...

Truth in Wine Short Fiction writes with 158 entries, now judging in progress by hosts Jason Evans and author Jaye Wells ...

Sunday, July 12, 2009
Entry #84

Wine Sublime, Truth Divine
by YL Chong


CONFESSION1:

Naomi: Father, it's not good. The last time I did it with you, I felt guilty. Now I feel bad coming back ...

Pastor Parissh: Now, now, my child. That's perfectly normal. Eve after succumbing to temptation, she first felt shame. Adam too, but soon they began to enjoy the excitement of discovery. After all, we are all human...

Naomi: But I wronged my boyfriend...

Parissh: Let me fill you in. Garrett sleeps around too. He does it with the boys too...it gives him a different high.

Naomi: Father, you mean Garrett's has been confessing too?

Parissh: Oh yes!

Naomi: Oh, I see! No wonder he says he's not free on Friday nights...playing poker.

Parissh: You don't join him at the pub?

Naomi: No, I hate the taste of beer! But I enjoy our Communion wine. And last week, it was so ecstatic!

Parissh: Oh yes, we finished one whole bottle.

Naomi: The "blesssed" liquid, you said. Christ's sacrifice. Our bonding--'twas so divine!


CONFESSION2:

Garrett: Father, I feel so ashamed. I think I'm paying a price for my wandering ways.

Parissh: I worry for you, my son. It's been twelve months ...

Garrett: Father, My playing around...it has finally caught up with me...

(A pause)

I went for my annual medical last week--you know, Company's policy--and the results just came back...

(Another pause)

I have contracted AIDS. And I've been having such great sex with Naomi! Poor Naomi, she...

Posted by jason evans at 11:24 PM

30 comments:
Ello said...
Excellent! I love when the ending satisfies me!

July 13, 2009 12:12 AM
Laurel said...
This was interesting to read and I like the poetic justice. Only teensy minor quibble is how often AIDS shows up in fiction as some sort of judgment. I'd love it if someone ended up with tertiary syphyllis due to his wandering ways once in a while.

That is nothing more than a personal hang-up, though, and otherwise I really liked it!

Sorry-hope I didn't cross the line there.

July 13, 2009 12:34 AM
desiderata said...
Ello: Great to know you liked it! Yes, it took 3-4 drafts before I could wean it down with that ending:) Cheers, YL

July 13, 2009 4:56 AM
desiderata said...
Laurel:

Thanks for taking time to elaborate; it's interesting that in fact I did think about STD, paused, and opted for AIDS because with advances in medicine, syphyllis or gonorhoea (I even don't know if this spellig is right, but I'd leave as it is:)is easily treatable, hence the "penalty" won't be "poetic" enough eh! Thanks for useful feedback, YL

July 13, 2009 5:01 AM
JR's Thumbprints said...
I like the structure of your story and how it hinges around the priest. I'm not sure this line worked for me - Naomi: Oh, I see! No wonder he says he's not free on Friday nights...playing poker. The reaction doesn't seem natural. Other than that, I DO LIKE the ending!

July 13, 2009 5:24 AM
wrath999 said...
Wow, very good stuff

alex

July 13, 2009 6:19 AM
Catvibe
said...
D'oh! Great ending, and I enjoyed the dialogue.

July 13, 2009 7:31 AM
laughingwolf said...
good to see the 'father' get his due!

July 13, 2009 7:33 AM
desiderata said...
Thanks JR'sT, for good point wrt "Oh, I see! No wonder he says he's not free on Friday nights...playing poker..." I read it aloud; I wanted to include this point, but it seems superfluous and does seem NOT in the right place! Glad the ending hits:) YL

July 13, 2009 8:27 AM
desiderata said...
Dear ALL comers who have shared with comments -- I read all feedback in awe... Taking part in all CoN writes really rewards in the interactivity with fellow Writers.

I am still prowling around to read your stories; will get to leave my footprints soon. -- YL, Desi

July 13, 2009 8:30 AM
desiderata said...
Dear wrath999:
Thanks for encouragement:)

Catvibe: it's good to hear the ending works -- that's the testing part in SS writing. I'm glad you like it too.

laughingwolf: sometimes we know that even the men in that white cloth are also "pretty" human, from both masculine and feminine aye/eye-points eh! ~~ YL

July 13, 2009 8:37 AM
Aniket said...
I loved the fact that you experimented with the structure here. Its a double edged sword, but seems to work wonders here.

Good job.

I loved the end and also totally agree with the point JR covered. Constructive criticism is the best thing one can get from a reader. Especially from ones so immensely talented as the one's around here.

July 13, 2009 10:20 AM
Adisha
said...
So thoroughly satisfyin to read something so perfect... As Aniket says, the structure was amazing ... different yet it works for this piece !!

July 13, 2009 12:34 PM
Therese said...
I liked the format here. All dialogue, but there's still atmosphere.

July 13, 2009 1:53 PM
Chris Eldin said...
I like how you structured this--relying on dialogue to tell a story, including building an atmosphere, is very challenging. But you pulled it off!!

July 13, 2009 4:57 PM
desiderata said...
Dear all, and starting wit JR'sT and rolling with Aniket,Adisha,Therese and Chris E, Thanks for similar compliments on the Structure. Actually I had the story idea sometime back, but the 250-word limit imposed on me just telling it via dialogue. I was a little apprehensive at first -- your positive assessment means I did right by my instinct. Cheers, I am enjoying slowly but steadily all your stories too, and I amhumbled by the company:) -- YL, Desi

July 13, 2009 11:27 PM
Hoodie said...
What a tangled web we weave-

Scumbag.(The character, of course!) Way to make it come full circle.

July 14, 2009 12:07 PM
Karen said...
I'm glad to see him get his due -- so I think the ending suits perfectly.

I still find dialogue extremely difficult to write.

July 14, 2009 7:30 PM
desiderata said...
hoodie:

Thanks for transiting hear:)
Hope we don't meet too many of such scumbags in our transient stay on Mother GOoD Earth eh!:), YL

July 14, 2009 9:56 PM
desiderata said...
karen:

Hey, I enjoy your poetic and prose-poetry lots, will leave more footprints in future steals of your secrets.

I too had/have problems with dialogue as recently as last year; improved a byte or two via Jason's CoN test drives:) Che3ers, YL

July 14, 2009 10:00 PM
Absolute Vanilla (and Atyllah) said...
Loved the style and story structure - intriguing, and full of justice.

July 15, 2009 7:23 AM
Mona said...
O Dear!

This should have been titled " When Confession became Revelation".

This is how it spreads...

July 15, 2009 8:47 PM
pjd said...
My favorite bit is how casual the pastor is with his discussion of their illicit and sinful activities. As in, "Oh, yeah, that par five on the back nine is tough. I usually try to hit left, over the trees, but it always catches me up. Ha, ha, ha!" Just another casual topic of conversation, lacking significance.

July 16, 2009 1:28 AM
desiderata said...
AV;


Am glad you enjoyed it. I compliment you too for a great peice.

Mona: YES, confession, revelation, STD -- they spread in strange ways, also wear differing clothes too,or three:):):)

And pjd: appreciate all my fellow writers' sharing -- this 'hole-in-1' anecdote is LOST on a non-golfie like Desi:( but I know your meaning...Che3ers, YL

July 16, 2009 2:53 AM
Ranee Kaur Banerjee said...
Excellent! I loved it.

July 16, 2009 9:03 AM
As the Mind Meanders said...
Mind blowing end... loved it

July 16, 2009 12:35 PM
Angela said...
From beginning to end just a fabulous read and a with great twist to boot, AWESOME! Loved it!

July 17, 2009 8:37 PM
desiderata said...
Ranee: Thanks,glad you loved it.

MindMeanders: ...I like blowin' in the wind too, esp by Port Dickson sesside:) Come visit Malaysia and we can meander around...:)

Angela: I got blown o'er by thy twister too; but your Protagonist should not bully any Indonesian maid when visiting NegaraKu!:(
Che3ers to all:):):), YL

July 17, 2009 8:55 PM
JaneyV said...
Just to add to the comments that I liked the format you used and I'm a big fan of Karma getting the last laugh.

I feel sorry for Naomi though. It seems like she's paying a big price for being a bit thick.

July 18, 2009 5:01 AM
desiderata said...
janeyV: Thanks for appreciation. You know "Karma" eh -- must be among the Wise ones:)

As for Naomi (plusothers caught in matters of the heART), sometimes the Vision is blurred -- as in LoveIsBlind? YL, Desi

July 20, 2009 6:53 AM

DESIDERATA:
I will take a one-week much needed rest away from all the politicking and Man's worlde of frailties and fallenness as evidenced by Teoh Beng Hock's death in my beloved homeland called Malaysia. "NegaraK -- Quo Vadis?" When will the madness stop and sanity recovery begin? It's good you take a break too, read some fine English writing at clarityofnight.blogspot.com:) I don't get any commission for doing this peace of PR! -- YL, Desi


Postscript:
Copying&Pasting from my BUMmer buddy, Mindful Mariner, without AP< but I know he won't mind:) Please chalk up some V numbers by visiting him at promptus.blogspot.com:)

Monday, 20 July 2009
In Memory of Teoh Beng Hock

The people demand the truth and justice!






Teoh Beng Hock was laid to rest today
Memoria in aeterna - In everlasting remembrance



Those who are responsible, directly or indirectly, for the death of Teoh Beng Hock must be brought to justice.

Also, the idiotic and rhetorical statements, by UMNO / BN supporters, about the political opposition in Malaysia targeting Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) because is a Malay race dominated government agency, should stop. What inane stupidity to even suggest that!

This matter extends beyond skin colour, it’s not about race, or religion or ethnicity; wake up you blinkered, narrow minded, hypocrite dumb arses who wrote, or were quoted, in the UMNO / BN controlled main stream media.




Let all in Malaysia follow this ideal:
“I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

Edward Everett Hale






This issue not about politics, it is not about race, it is purely about justice!




All those who are guilty must be severely punished, without fear or favour.





Multi famam, conscientiam pauci verentur




Many fear their reputation, few their conscience.







Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est





Inhumanity is harmful in every age

Posted by mindful mariner at 16:45
Labels: . Human Rights, inhumanity, integrity, intimidation, intolerance, justice, MACC, Malaysia, Teoh Beng Hock
0 comments:

Monday, July 20, 2009

Farewell, Captain Yusof Ahmad, Dear Olde Salt...

"You have been a Blogger extraordinarie, a friend in deed and most of all, a Malaysian after my heart."

Dear buddy Captain Yusof Ahmad, known popularly as The Ancient Mariner (AM) to us *BUMmers (*residents of BUM which stands for Bloggers Universe Malaysia) passed away on Saturday night. Another BUMmer friend ES Shankar broke the news to me at about 2.00PM yesterday; it was that sort of occasion when Desi was stumped for words, and after an interval of silence, I remarked a few words to Shankar, ended with: "Indeed, Man proposes, God disposes."

For the third tme in my past 10-12 years, I broke down and cried...

My last chat with AM was just two days earlier when Shankar aka DonPlayPuks(DPP) and Capt Yusof and I had planned a meeting at the National Press Club last Friday to discuss the registration of the National Alliance of Bloggers (All-Blogs) with Interim Prez Sdr Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru. But the meeting had to be deferred because again, the Almighty decided otherwise.

In blogosphere, Capt Yusof would be best remembered for his writing on maritime affairs, and appropriately and aptly, for his well-informed and consistent updates, including some "scoops" news-wise, on the never-ending Port Klang Free Zone billion-ringgit scandal. In fact, I did consolidate his recent posts into one titled "Don't Restrict Information" just last Saturday. (*See related story here>>>http://desiderata2000.blogspot.com/2009/07/pkfz-dont-restrict-information.html ~~~
PKFZ: Don't Restrict Information... )

I say "Blogger extraordinaire" precisely because even most fulltime reporters don't get to break some of Capt Yusof's stories on the PKFZ -- it shows that even after officially leaving the service in the maritime sector, he enjoyed "brotherhood" with many still in the industry who could be relied on to supply him with "insider" information.

On a personal level, I thanked the good AM for being such a constant/monthly tehtarik at Lingam's CH, Seremban -- I often teased that no one brought along the Chief Justice! -- along with another olde, salty Capt Stuart Russell aka Mindful Mariner.And when I detoured to Petaling Jaya, it was either AM or DPP who limousine-chauffered me around, sometimes joined by other Socio-Political Bloggers at G7 meetings impromptuly lined up... I am proud to say that AM and DPP served more or less as my right and left hand respectively in the BUM2009 Organising Committee, helping me to sail through some troubled water. **

And from the Comments I have sighted at other blogsites such as Rocky's and A Voice, I note that indeed AM has had built up a firm and close network of Blogger mates and non-Blogger fands too. Most of them have crossed the racial and religious divides, also age and gender too, to really converse with each other BECAUSE in Capt Yusof-Ancient Mariner we are blessed to have an example of that sort of a MALAYSIAN we long to become, and befriend.

"Fare Thee WellA, dear Capt Yusof, my ancient mariner matey -- Terima Kasih for all the goode times, and I can still see, your perennial smiles, wherever thou art. GodBless!" ~~ YL, Desi

Sunday, July 19, 2009

CoN test drives with the experts...

Desiderata.English columns here were featured for one year or so EVERY SUNDAY before I diverged from well trod paths into more mundane socio-political adventures. The former is often reflective and soul lifting; the latter, as with most politicians-infested wanderngs, corrupting and crass. Witness the death of a young 30-year-old political aide to a DAP politician while taken in for questioning by the authorities -- all within 24 hours. And he was due to get married to a two-month-pregnant sweetheart. A world crashing around a family, and all we hear from the said authorities is rhetorics, like an idiot mouthing:
"Teoh Beng Hock
is worth more
to us alive than
dead: MACC"


from the frontpage of New Sunday Times, July 19, 2009.

So I would want to advise my esteemed readers to take time off for some mind-lifting, even bending, at least soul-searching, writing this blessed Sunday, during which Desi's completed reading about half of 158 short stories (less than 250 words) at clarityofnight.blogspot.com.

I won't elaborate but urge you at least read the creatives from the experts -- joint judges Jason Evans and Jaye Wells -- who are also busy right right judging the 158 takes based on a photograph guided by "Truth in Wine" tag.

Happy reading, as I re-join the interactive cyberhome based in the United States but welcomes all residents from throught this Mother GOoD Earth. ~~ Desi

Saturday, July 18, 2009

So someone who dares to speak up appears! KUDOS to...


Tan Boon Wah!


Tan, who is also a Kajang municipal councillor, was at the scene of the crime to be at the MACC Headquarters where a young man died a MYSTERIOUS, TRAGIC DEATH (please read yesterday's Blog post by Raja Petra Kamarudin who has had tasted similar Police medicine...) in the course of political duty!

From sun2surf.com:
Sat, 18 Jul 2009


NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS :: Local News

Teoh looked "tired" says man who saw him last
By Maria J.Dass


(Tan Boon Wah (see pic yourself, OR visualise-lah!...--YL)

SHAH ALAM (July 17, 2009) : A flag supplier who was one of the last persons to see Teoh Beng Hock alive at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office yesterday morning said the political aide to Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah was hunched over and looked tired.

Tan Boon Wah, who is also a Kajang municipal councillor, was being interrogated by the MACC over the supply of flags for the Merdeka programme, about the same time Teoh was there.

At a press conference today, Tan told reporters he last saw Teoh at 6am in the pantry when he went for a toilet break during the interrogation, which took place from 10pm on Wednesay until 1.35pm yesterday. Also at the press conference was Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and several Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen.

Tan described his interrogation ordeal at the hands of MACC officers, whom he alleged forced him to stand for four hours while they questioned him.

"Four MACC officers came to my house at Bandar Mahkota Cheras at 8pm on July 15 and took me to their office in Plaza Masalam," Tan said.

"When we got there, they asked me to wait in a room which had a cabinet and a broken chair on which I was told to sit. At about 10pm, two officers came in and told me to stand up.

"(One of the officers) then told me to stand in attention and look straight ahead before questioning me about my family," said Tan, who added that he was forced to keep standing for four hours.

Tan said the officer told him that he was now in their territory, and that (the officer) had the power to beat him up.

"The officer pointed a finger right between my eyes and asked, 'Don't you love your wife and kids? Do you want us to bring in your wife too? Then there will be no one to look after your kids, or maybe we can bring them in too'," Tan said.

Tan said he was also taunted about his job as a local councillor and accused of using public funds for his own gains.

"They also threatened to strip me several times, but I would not allow it," he said.

An MACC officer also warned Tan not to disclose what happened during the interrogation because it would "cause you a lot of problems" and "cause me a lot of problems".

The councillor said the queries were focussed on the supply of 1,500 small flags at a cost of RM2,400 to Ean Yong for use during Merdeka programme organised by the latter’s office last year. Tan said the officers had insinuated that he never supplied the flags although the money was paid to him.

Tan said he was allowed to take a drink at 2am. He said the officers were nicer in the morning and brought him breakfast.

He added that he saw Teoh at the pantry on his way to the toilet at 6am.

The councillor said he was finally released at 1.35pm and told to return with the relevant receipts and documents on July 20.

Attempts by theSun to get the MACC to comment on the allegations were unsuccessful.


Updated: 04:18PM Fri, 17 Jul 2009

******************************************DESI's UPDATEd @11.24PM...

From The Malaysian Insider, another update, another expose of the MACC's backside:(


Another victim of MACC’s ‘racism’?
Lau (left) and Dariff at their press conference. - Picture by Choo Choy May
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

PETALING JAYA, July 18 — Is the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) racist?

DAP member Dariff Din is buttressing that claim, saying today he was a victim of racial remarks by the body’s interrogators looking into alleged misappropriation of state allocations by DAP state lawmakers.

Dariff, who is assistant to Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San, is the second person to make the claim after Kajang municipal councillor Tan Boon Wah who made the same allegation yesterday.

“They asked me if I was Chinese or Malay and I told them that I was Malaysian but they kept insisting on my race,” Dariff told reporters at the DAP Paramount service centre when relating details of his interrogation on July 15 by MACC officials.

He said they were mainly interested in his ethnicity rather than the case itself, adding the officer was curious because he looked Chinese but had a Malay name. He told them his father was Malay and mother was Chinese.

“Everything went smoothly after they learned that I was a Malay Muslim,” Dariff said, adding he was questioned about his background for another hour before they asked him how Lau’s office spent the state allocations.

The investigator went through all the files they seized from Lau’s office, Dariff said, adding he was surprised the officer even asked if anybody had attended the programme even though there were photos to prove the event was not a hoax.

“They told me that now there are computers, so the photos can be made,” he added

After the interrogation was complete, Dariff asked for the written statement but the officer refused and claimed it was against procedure and it was a secret.

“How can it be secret when I made the statement?” Dariff asked, adding he was questioned from 4.30pm until 9pm that day.

Dariff also asked the interrogator why he was being investigated when there are bigger cases like the PKFZ.

“It is not our jurisdiction, it up to the head office. We are only Selangor,” he quoted the officer as saying.

Dariff added that he was allowed to roam freely in the office and claimed he saw Teoh Beng Hock being escorted to the back of the MACC office at 6pm. Teoh was found dead a day later outside the building.

Lau has now instructed his assistant not to attend any interrogation in the MACC office until the investigation is complete and there is royal commission inquiry into Teoh’s death as their personal safety is at risk.

He said he believes the MACC has no proof but is fishing for evidence against opposition assemblymen and is using scare tactics to get them.

Apart from Lau’s office, the MACC officers also raided the service centres of Teoh’s superior, Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah. They only introduced themselves as MACC officers and demanded Dariff go to the MACC office for questioning.

PKFZ: Don't Restrict Information...

The current Parliament's Public Accounts Committee's hearings are just a bore-- we are NOT interested at playing charades if all the key players like past MCA Presidents Ling liong Sik and Chan Kong Choy just appeared and gave short, officious answers to mundane questions just "for the record".

And current MCA president Ong Tee Keat's famous one-liner robotic answer: It's all in the reports...*** I will detail some extracts later from a Press report, Patience, OK! ~~ YL as reporter.

To us common citizens, my question in retort is:

What reports? -- Desi, as BUMmer.
Why can't the Transport Ministry publish the full report by PricewaterhouseCoopers online so the public can scrutinise it? Maybe Tee Keat and the Malaysian Cabinet need a lesson on the meaning of TRANSPARENCY...


So I challenge this buRgger and all other buRggers trying to give a facade to account for their portfolios' expenditures, in the spirit as so admirably promised -- I hope it's not again mere rhetoric from our leaders! -- by Tee Keat:
"At the end of the day,
we are aware that the public expects every
single sen overpaid to be recovered
and wrongdoers must be brought to book."
(As frontpaged by theSun, July 8,2009)

The PKFZ scandal represents a potential RM12.5billion loss -- this may appear as "loose" change to the nation's leaders because they live a high life while citizen Joe and Jane try to cope from a base of maybe RM800-RM1,500 a month -- for hawkers, labouers and factory operators -- to the luckier ones at RM5,000-RM15,000 for the Excutives.

Meanwhile, WE WANT ANSWERS to the significant questions posed by my fellow BUMmer ancient mariner, now consolidated from his specialised monitoring at cyusof.blogspot.com:

Tuesday, July 07, 2009
PKFZ: Who will take the rap?


Banker Mohd. Hashim Shamsuddin was the last Malay and non-politician chairman of Port Klang Authority (PKA). As executive director of Bank Bumiputra, he took the rap for the RM2.5 billion Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF) fiasco in Hong Kong and was imprisoned for more than 6 years in the then British colony. He is now believed to be living in the U.K.

In 1986, a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) headed by former auditor-general Ahmad Noordin established that what was going on in BMF was just "the tip of the iceberg", implying that bigger hands were at play. But the so called "bigger hands" were never implicated or named.

After Hashim, the chairmanship of PKA was then passed through several MCA politicians beginning with veteran Michael Chen who really did a stellar job seeing the port go through the privatisation process. However, his lesser known successors who didnt really have much to do except to play landlords and collect rent, somehow went off the well beaten track to play towkays.

With the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), we are now staring at a possible RM12 billion hole in the rakyat's pocket. Who will take the rap? Were "bigger hands" at play here too? How come no Royal Commission of Inquiry? Will the true stories behind the BMF and PKFZ scandals ever come to light?
Logged by The Ancient Mariner at 21:23 1 comments

Another About Turn


The Port Klang Authority (PKA) has reversed an earlier decision to withhold a RM660 million payment due to contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project. Read the Malaysiakini report, here. This about turn was due to instructions from the Treasury and in consideration of appeals by the bondholders trustees.

"PKA has received instructions from the Treasury that the board should be mindful of the implications that might affect the confidence of investors, local or foreign, in the Malaysian private debt securities market," said PKA chairman Lee Hwa Beng.

Lee (photo) said that the board has made RM360 million payment to KDSB yesterday and has until the end of the month to pay the balance.

The PKA board got into this mess by "taking instructions" from all and sundry when they should be using their brains and their conscience to do the right thing.

Now you will understand why I did not vote for this man for the Kelana Jaya parliamentary constituency during the last general election.
Logged by The Ancient Mariner at 05:36 7 comments
Thursday, July 02, 2009
About Turn

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday, here, that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will summon the transport minister, his two predecessors and the attorney-general to testify over the RM12 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, in an investigation which could have serious political consequences for MCA and the Barisan Nasional administration.

PAC Chairman Azmi Khalid said that all of them, including Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) CEO and BN Backbenchers Club (BBC) chairman Tiong King Sing (photo), will be called in to testify in two weeks’ time. This was after announcing a couple of weeks ago that four key players in the debacle, which include the 3 MCA politicians, have been let off the hook and will not be called in for questioning.

Quite obviously, public outcry and constant lambasting from the Opposition parties must have played a major part in this about turn and also the decision to withhold payment of monies due to KDSB by the Port Klang Authority.

My fervent hope now is that none of them, unlike a former prime minister, will choose to do a Ronald Reagan: I don't remember.

Meanwhile, other MPs have yet to receive complete copies and appendices of the PriceWaterhouse Cooper report on PKFZ despite the exertion of pressure on the Dewan's secretariat and the Transport Minister to do so. They are expected to receive copies only after PAC has completed its investigation on the matter.
Logged by The Ancient Mariner at 16:56 4 comments

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sue lah but no moolah


Malaysiakini today reports, here, that the Port Klang Authority is ready to face litigations by withholding RM660 million due to Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd for the Port Klang Free Zone project. PKA chairperson Lee Hwa Beng said the amount would not be paid to Kuala Dimensi until a full review has been done by a task force established on June 10.

The PKA was supposed to have paid RM660 million - alleged debts in the words of Lee - to Kuala Dimensi's Special Port Vehicle Bhd, Transhipment Megahub Bhd, Valid Ventures Bhd and Free Zone Capital Bhd in four parts this and next month. A total of RM330 million is due to be paid to KDSB by today (June 30) while a further RM300 million will be due in July.

An audit report by PricewaterhouseCoopers has revealed that Kuala Dimensi had so far received total payments of more than RM1 billion from PKA since 2007 for the PKFZ project. But KDSB's Faizal Abdullah was reported to have said that they have received only RM300 million or thereabouts. So in the words of my friend Shar101 ... what gives?

The following are the payment schedules obtained from a DAP website::

2007 - RM510 million
2008 - RM660 million
2009 - RM660 million
2010 - RM772 million
2011 - RM487 million
2012 - RM733 million
2013/2016 - RM170 million per annum
2017 - RM179 million

Total - RM4,681 million.
Logged by The Ancient Mariner at 19:24

Friday, July 17, 2009

I Say Amen again and

again.

May God save us Malaysians from those safeguarding us. No wonder a former Minister said the police pondok in Chow Kit had to be closed down because even the police personnel assigned at that pondok DIDN'T FEEL SAFE THERE ANYMORE. And a China press reporter in Penang was previously taken in under the Internal Security Act, for less than 24 hours, by the police purportedly to "ensure her own security", said the same Minister (now goOd riddance from a cabinet quite ridden with insects, who think a racist UMNO politician making rabid remarks against fellow Malaysians was no threat compared with the said reporter reporting about his speech!).

May the GoOD Lord save us from these wolves in sheep's clothing...

I:
S:
A:
men again to the Barisan Nasional's assurance of safety and security for the citizens of NegaraKu.

And then you wake up to news that a 30-year-old political aide to a DAP State Assemblyman had his youthful life snuffed out within 24 hours when he went into the MACC Headquarters as a gOod citizen for interrogation/investigation by the super initiative and resourceful and proactive anti-Corruption agency to alledged abuse of public funds by some Opposition ADUNs in Selangor. These same law-officers felt that Zakaria Mad Deros' palace and Khir Toyol's mansion were chicken coops, so they pale in comparison with some cows sent for slaughter to feed happy mouths to celebrate a Muslim festival...

From Malaysia-Today, Raja Petra Kamarudin shares some INSIGHTS...


The writing was already on the wall so long ago
Posted by admin

Thursday, 16 July 2009 23:49


This has been going on for far too long. The MACC acts like God. They kidnap families and torture those they arrest. They threaten those they interrogate with death if they refuse to talk.


THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The writing was already on the wall very much earlier. Alarm bells were wailing like banshees. But this was largely ignored. It was ignored because it was Malaysia Today that had triggered the alarm bells. Malaysia Today is not the most reliable source. It does not offer the best of information. What Malaysia Today dabbles in are rumours and innuendoes.

When the Anti-Corruption Agency, now called the MACC, kidnapped the family of a police inspector, Malaysia Today raised the alarm. They had kidnapped the wife and child of a police inspector who had investigated a Chinese underworld boss on the instructions of a higher-up with the rank of ASP.

The inspector was just doing what his boss had ordered him to do, and that was to open a file and launch an investigation into the activities of the Chinese prostitution, loan shark, drugs and gambling syndicate. And this resulted in the detention of three syndicate bosses.

What the MACC wanted the police inspector to do was quite simple. They wanted him to change his report so that the three underworld bosses can be freed from detention. And he would have to do that if he wants to secure the release of his family.

The police inspector refused to do that. Instead, he made a police report. And so did his wife. But nothing was done about the matter. The MACC officers were not arrested and dragged to court on kidnapping charges.

The MACC then leaked information to the media that they are investigating a very senior police officer, the Director of the CCD, for the crime of not declaring RM27 million worth of assets. The fact that MACC investigations come under the Official Secrets Act was not a hindrance. After all, the OSA is only used against opposition supporters and not against those who serve those who walk in the corridors of power.

Nevertheless, the Director of the CCD was finally not charged for not declaring RM27 million in assets. He was charged for using police property for his personal reasons, something that all government officers, ministers and politicians do blatantly every day of the week. But his real crime is that he detained several Chinese underworld bosses who control the prostitution, loan shark, drugs and gambling business all over Malaysia.

Then they arrested the lawyer who acted for the CCD Director. The MACC officers came to his office on the eve of Hari Raya and handcuffed him after roughing him up like one would do to an armed bank robber. To ensure that the lawyer suffered the greatest embarrassment this Hollywood-style arrest was done in full view of the entire office.

Malaysia Today wrote about all this. Malaysia Today not only wrote about all this but Malaysia Today repeated the stories again and again to make sure no one would say they somehow missed the story. But still nothing was done. No one denied the story. More importantly, no one did anything about what Malaysia Today revealed.

The MACC has been a tool of those who walk in the corridors of power for a long, long time. Officially, Barisan Nasional has 14 component members with Umno as the lead partner. Unofficially, Barisan Nasional has seventeen component members. The Election Commission is the fifteenth component member of Barisan Nasional, the Malaysian police the sixteenth, and the MACC the seventeenth. They all serve the interests of Umno and the Prime Minister.

The writing was already on the wall very much earlier. Alarm bells were wailing like banshees. But this was largely ignored. It was ignored because it was Malaysia Today that had triggered the alarm bells. Malaysia Today is not the most reliable source. It does not offer the best of information. What Malaysia Today dabbles in are rumours and innuendoes.

“Where is the smoking gun?” they ask. “Show me the body!” they demand. No gun, no body, then no crime has been committed.

Well, today, there is a body. It is the body of a most unfortunate Chinese opposition member who was arrested and tortured by the MACC officers. Yes, he was tortured. And he was tortured because the MACC wanted him to talk.

But he could not talk. He could not talk because there was nothing to talk about. The MACC wanted him to finger his comrades in the opposition. They wanted him to implicate his friends in the opposition for various crimes that the MACC alleges had been committed by those in the opposition.

He tried to explain that he is not being stubborn. He tried to explain that no crime had been committed. He tried to explain that he could not possibly implicate his comrades in the opposition for various crimes if these crimes are merely a figment of the MACC’s imagination.

So they continued to torture him. And he could no longer stand the torture. After all, he is not the macho type of man. He is but a gentle man who only wanted to get married this weekend. That was all that he wanted.

They threatened to kill him if he refuses to talk. With tears running down his cheeks he begged for mercy and pleaded with them not to harm him. They threatened to throw him off the top floor if he refuses to talk. Sobbing like a baby he went down on his knees and begged for his life.

They dragged him across the room and opened the window. Then something went terribly wrong. It was supposed to be just a threat. They just wanted to put fear in him. They did not really want to throw him off the top floor. They just wanted him to see what the ground floor looks like from the top floor.

The unfortunate young man panicked. He went ballistic when he saw the distance he would have to travel before hitting the ground floor. He struggled. They could not hold onto him. Gravity took over and the life of this young man was prematurely snuffed out.

The MACC then announced that they had released him the night before. They failed to announce that they had not released him from custody but released him from this world. Then they suddenly found his body the day after. He jumped. He committed suicide. He took his own life. He was never tortured. He was not dragged to the window with the threat that they would teach him how to fly.

This has been going on for far too long. The MACC acts like God. They kidnap families and torture those they arrest. They threaten those they interrogate with death if they refuse to talk.

And now one young man has really died. But no one will be punished. No one will be punished because they will say the young man took his own life. Why he took his own life no one knows. He was never tortured. He was never threatened with death. He was not made to look how far down the ground floor is. He was not accidentally dropped when he panicked and struggled and they could not get a good grip on him.

That is what they will be telling you and me later today.