See how thieves break into high school in Melaka to steal cash & laptops

Two thieves broke into the Pay Feng Secondary School in Melaka on 19 Jul and got away with over RM3,000 cash and two laptops.

In the video, a man and a woman can be seen looking around before helping each other through the narrow gap in a gate, with the woman carrying a backpack.

After about one and a half hours, they emerge from the same gap with the backpack and two laptop carriers.

According to Facebook page My Malaysia, the school reported a loss of two laptops, cash amounting to RM3,000 and others that have yet to be determined.

-http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

Cockpit sawn into half and carted way

Large parts of the cockpit of the ill-fated Boeing 777 and the fuselage were carried off and vital pieces of evidence from MH17 were tampered with, say international monitors.

HRABOVE (Ukraine): International monitors who have finally gained full access to the Malaysia Airlines crash site in eastern Ukraine said yesterday the Boeing 777′s cockpit inexplicably had been sawed in half while under the control of Russian-backed separatists.

The monitors said large parts of the cockpit – and every part of the fuselage – were carried off. They said they are not sure why such vital pieces of evidence from the downed plane were tampered with.

Flight MH17, carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew members, crashed on Thursday after being hit by what US officials suspect was a surface-to-air missile launched from an area controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

The separatists and Russia have denied shooting down the plane, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

The cockpit was found in a section of the crash site that had been immediately cordoned off during the first two days after the plane went down. Witnesses told USA Today that this was also the area where the first bodies were removed.

The cockpit apparently was cut in half with diesel-powered saws.

On Monday, President Obama had called on Russia to stop the separatists from hampering the crash investigation and allow international experts free access to the crash site.

“The rear part of the aircraft, one of the biggest intact pieces, has definitely been hacked into,” said Michael Bociurkiw, spokesman for the group of international monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

“The separatists are removing evidence from the crash site,” he said.

– USA Today.

Siapa Patih Kerma Wijaya di Istana Selangor? – Abdul Rahman Kadir

Semua tahu kisah Hang Tuah. Dia difitnah pembesar istana sehingga menyebabkan Sultan Melaka murka dan menjatuhkan hukuman mati ke atas dirinya.

Yang memfitnah Hang Tuah adalah Patih Kerma Wijaya. Beliau memfitnah Hang Tuah kerana cemburu dan dengki terhadap kemasyhuran dan kedudukan Hang Tuah.

Dan atas kepetahan berhujah, beliau berjaya menyebabkanbaginda marah dan lupa segala jasa Hang Tuah terhadap diri baginda.

Maka Hang Tuah yang tidak bersalah dimurkai Sultan dan dijatuhkan hukuman mati!

Hanya kebijaksanaan Datuk Bendahara menyelamatkan Hang Tuah dan sepertimana kita semua tahu, akhirnya Sultan Melaka sendiri kesal dengan sikap terburu-burunya.

Begitulah juga ceritanya dengan Hang Nadim semasa Singapura dilanggar todak. Kebijaksanaan Hang Nadim yang hanya berumur 7 tahun pada masa itu dicemburui pembesar istana.

Mereka menimbulkan kemarahan Sultan dengan menuduh kononnya Hang Nadim apabila sudah dewasa akan merampas tahta baginda!

Akhirnya Hang Nadim yang sepatutnya diberikan ganjaran dan anugerah atas kebijaksanaannya dalam menangani serangan diperintah dibunuh oleh Sultan! Dia dibawa ke tengah laut dan dibuang ke dalam laut sehingga mati lemas.

Dan banyak juga lagi kisah sedemikian rupa dalam sejarah kesultanan Melayu. Pembesar istana kerap memainkan peranan durjana, memangsakan orang yang tidak disenangi atau yang tidak mengikut kehendak mereka dengan menyebarkan fitnah untuk menimbulkan kemarahan Sultan terhadap orang berkenaan.

Sebagai pembesar Istana yang berdamping dengan Sultan, mereka tahu apa yang dirisaukan dan dibenci Sultan. Kepandaian berhujah serta membodek akhirnya boleh menyebabkan Sultan bertindak sepertimana yang diharapkan.

Dalam semua kisah yang sebegitu rupa, didapati Sultan terlalu percaya kepada pembesar istana dan menjatuhkan hukuman tanpa memberi peluang kepada pihak yang difitnah membela diri. Mendengar sebelah pihak merupakan formula pasti menjamin keputusan tidak adil.

Saya menimbulkan kembali kisah-kisah ini kerana tercetusnya kemurkaan Sultan Selangor terhadap salah seorang Ahli Parlimen Selangor Khalid Samad. Titah Baginda pada 15 Julai di majlis berbuka puasa di sebuah Masjid di Sepang di mana baginda menyatakan kemurkaan terhadap Khalid secara terbuka dan memeranjatkan ramai.

Nama Khalid disebut sebanyak enam kali dalam ucapan baginda dan dituduh dengan tuduhan amat berat. Di antaranya adalah tuduhan menentang kuasa Sultan dan bertindak biadap terhadap Sultan.

Namun, apabila ditanya Khalid mengenai tuduhan berkenaan, beliau menyatakan beliau amat terperanjat dan menafikan berniat sebegitu rupa. Sebaliknya apa yang ingin dilakukan ialah menyelamatkan Sultan daripada cemuhan yang mungkin timbul apabila sesuatu keputusan dilaksanakan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais).

Apabila mendengar cadangan Khalid, sepertimana yang dijelaskan, saya tidak nampak adanya mala-fide atau niat jahat terhadap Sultan.

Mungkin ada yang setuju dan ada yang tidak terhadap cadangan itu, semua dengan hujah masing-masing, tetapi cadangan ini tidak menjejas kedudukan Sultan sebagai Ketua Agama Negeri Selangor walaupun sedikit. Yang berbeza hanya dari sudut siapa yang ditugaskan untuk melaksanakan dasar yang diputuskan Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (Mais).

Oleh itu, timbullah persoalan sejauh mana pembesar istana, atau dalam konteks ini penasihat Sultan dalam Mais benar-benar berperanan secara profesional dan jujur dalam kes ini?

Adakah mereka jelaskan kepada Sultan niat sebenar Khalid atau menokok-nambah mengikut prejudis mereka? Atau adakah ini dilihat sebagai peluang keemasan untuk memukul Khalid atas sebab beliau selalu mempersoalkan cara bagaimana sesuatu tindakan diambil Jais atas arahan Mais?

Atau peluang keemasan untuk menjatuhkan seorang yang memenangi kerusi Parlimen Shah Alam dua kali berturut-turut dengan majoriti undi melebihi sepuluh ribu?

Sekiranya yang menasihati Sultan mempunyai agenda tersendiri, maka amat malanglah rakyat Selngor kerana sudah jelas apa yang pernah berlaku pada zaman Kesultanan Melayu berulang kembali. Dalam keadaan itu, rakyat Selangor wajar bertanya siapakah yang memainkan watak Patih Kerma Wijaya di Istana Selangor?

Apabila dikaji daripada senarai anggota ahli majlis Mais, sememangnya ada ramai yang merupakan penyokong Umno mungkin berkepentingan dalam soal ini. Oleh itu peranan mereka untuk memfitnah Khalid berhubung niat sebenarnya tidak merupakan sesuatu yang mustahil.

Mungkin Umno tiada cara lain untuk menjatuhkan Khalid di Shah Alam selain memfitnahnya sebagai penentang Sultan sehingga menyebabkan Sultan murka terhadapnya.

Dengan itu diharap rakyat Shah Alam akan menolaknya sebagai Ahli Parlimen mereka. Atau dianggap dengan adanya Khalid maka sokongan bukan Melayu dan bukan Islam akan terus bersama PAS kerana sikapnya yang adil terhadap mereka?

Tanpa adanya Khalid, tindakan Jais untuk menimbulkan ketegangan dengan orang bukan Islam dapat diteruskan dan ditingkatkan lagi sehingga menyebabkan mereka kembali kepada BN. Ini kerana mereka hanya menghadapi masalah selepas Selangor dimenangi PR.

Dalam pada itu adalah dianggap wajar sekiranya Tuanku membenarkan Khalid menjelaskan sendiri apa yang ingin beliau cadangkan dari mendengar hanya sebelah pihak. Lebih-lebih lagi apabila diketahui pihak berkenaan adalah merupakan seteru politik Khalid.

Sultan yang adil semestinya menjatuhkan hukuman atau membuat keputusan selepas mendengar kedua-dua pihak dan orang yang tertuduh wajar diberi peluang pembelaan. Kalau tidak, tragedi kezaliman seperti yang melibatkan Hang Tuah dan Hang Nadim boleh berulang kembali.

Dengan itu akan menjadi jelas kita orang Melayu dan Sultan-Sultan Melayu tidak belajar daripada sejarah.

* Penulis ialah pembaca The Malaysian Insider

Anwar praises PM Najib in jetliner tragedy

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today lauded the efforts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in retrieving the bodies and black boxes from the MH17 crash site. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, July 23, 2014.Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today praised the prime minister for brokering a deal with pro-Russian rebels to retrieve the remains of the passengers and the black boxes from the MH17 crash site.

He said a responsible leader would put the lives of his people above everything else and praised Datuk Seri Najib Razak for using diplomacy in negotiating with rebel leader Alexander Borodai.

"I would like to congratulate the PM and the government on the way they handled this tragedy. The situation was complicated because it involved the clash between two powerful nations," he said in debating the motion on the MH17 tragedy in parliament.

The Sydney Morning Herald yesterday reported that Najib used "secret diplomacy" with pro-Russian rebels to reach an agreement to retrieve the bodies and black boxes from the crash site.

Anwar said Najib's actions might be controversial, but it was the mark of a responsible leader.

"I feel that a responsible leader will put the lives of his people who perished in the incident above everything else."

The Boeing 777-200 was on the way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was struck down by a surface-to-air missile near the war-torn region of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine last Thursday, killing all 298 people on board.

The pro-Russian rebels and Moscow have denied responsibility for the incident and have blamed the Ukrainian military instead. Kiev has also denied any involvement in the incident.

The de facto PKR leader said that although it was unclear who was responsible for the crash, the Malaysian government should push the international community to uncover the truth about the disaster.

"We also have to take a stern and tough stand to call on the international community to bring those responsible to justice.

"Because it is an international crime, there should not be any attempt to cover up or protect those responsible," he said, adding that the advanced weaponry used to down the plane could only come from either Russia or the United States.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also praised Najib, saying that the DAP agreed with the prime minister’s actions in using "quiet diplomacy" to achieve a positive outcome.

"We agree with the PM that in this conflicted area, quiet diplomacy is the best way to get what we want. 

"It was a risky move because it involves dealing with someone who is not a recognised leader (Borodai). And in fact, diplomatic protocols were breached. But it was worth it," he told the House.

Lim also said that the party's stand is to support any effort to bring back the bodies of the victims of the crash, in order to bring closure for the families.

Malaysia should not be scared to call up the ambassadors of both Ukraine and Russia to demand an explanation from them over their countries' involvement in the shootdown.

"How can we make sure that it was the rebels who did it and how can we know if the Russians are the ones who supported them?

"We should not be fearful about calling up these diplomats and demanding an explanation, just like Germany did not hesitate to call up the US diplomat to get an explanation over the spying allegations," he said.

Lim, who is also Bagan MP, said if Russia was responsible, the Malaysian government should join the US and the European Union in imposing sanctions on the country.

"Malaysia has to be prepared to cancel the space programme with Russia if it does not cooperate in the investigations into the disaster and also join in the sanctions on Russia by the international community.

"We are the political victims between conflicting powers and we are not involved or interested in the political conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

"But if they are the ones who did it, they must be punished. We only want our prople to be safe and we want justice for the victims of MH17."

MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam called on Asean to convene an emergency meeting to condemn the downing of MH17 and to exert pressure to identify the "terrorists" responsible for the crime.

"This tragedy is a huge crime and those responsible for it are criminals and murderers who should face the full brunt of the law," he said.

- TMI

'Anwar doesn't understand Selangor constitution'

The move by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to choose his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as candidate for the Selangor menteri besar post shows that he does not understand the state constitution, according to Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) chairperson Noh Omar.

Noh (right) said the opposition leader's action also showed as though Anwar had full power in determining the position of the (current) menteri besar and also had control over PAS and DAP, the other partners in the opposition group.

"To change the menteri besar, there must be two things, namely the menteri besar now (Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) voluntarily steps down and a vote of no confidence passed against him in the state assembly.

"We've heard that Abdul Khalid until now has stated that he would not resign from his post and at the same time, we've heard conflicting statements from leaders of the opposition parties in Pakatan Rakyat on the matter."

Noh said this to reporters after an iM4U Ihya Ramadan function which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at Ar-Rahman Mosque in Kampung Sungai Manggis, Banting, in Kuala Langat yesterday.

On Monday, PKR had named party president Wan Azizah (below) as candidate for the Selangor menteri besar post to replace Abdul Khalid who has held the post since 2008.

The decision was announced by Anwar at a press conference held at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya after a party central leadership meeting.

Abdul Khalid in a statement yesterday, however, said although he respected that decision, he held strong to the provisions in the state constitution with regard to the appointment and replacement of menteri besar.

He said he would continue with his duties as menteri besar as entrusted to him by the people of Selangor who had chosen him through a legitimate general election process.

Noh said a change of menteri besar in Selangor could not be equated to what happened in Terengganu as the East Coast state had two main parties in the state assembly, with BN having 17 seats and PAS 14, while the Selangor assembly had four parties, with PAS having 15 seats, DAP (15), PKR (14) and BN (12).

"Which means, have the 56 assemblyperson in Selangor decided who will be the new menteri besar? Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad as well as state DAP vice-chairperson Teng Chang Khim appear to be supporting him (Abdul Khalid).

"This shows that what's happening in Selangor is just a political gimmick and that Pakatan focuses more on politics than caring for the welfare of the people," Noh said.nama

Sept 29 court date for 15 over assembly trespass

The magistrates’ court in George Town yesterday set Sept 29 for case management on 15 individuals who are facing a charge of trespassing into the Penang assembly premises on May 21.

Magistrate Nurul Rashidah Md Akit fixed the date to enable the prosecution to provide the necessary documents requested by the defence.

The 15 individuals are Mohd Ridzwan Bakar, 54, Hisham Ahmad Sabri, 43, Afriz Mohd Noor, 36, Rosesarwandi Saad@Yaacob, 33, Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin, 37, Hisham Abdul Hamid, 38, Mohd Nashrol Hisham Abdullah, 38, Azmeal Abu Bakar, 42, Mohamad Yusmadi Mohad Yusof, 34, Mohd Hilmie Ibrahim, 37, Jasmin Noordin, 40, Nordin Wahab, 41, Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman, 48, Wan Abidin Zain, 51, and Mohamed Ibrahim A. Siahoo, 31.

They were charged, with another individual at large, with trespassing into the state assembly premises with the intention of causing worry to the property owner, that is Penang Assembly Secretary Maheswari Malayandy at 1.30pm on May 21.

The charge under Section 448 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code, carries a maximum jail term of three years or fine up to RM5,000 or both, upon conviction.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Nurul Rashidah warned Adzhar Ahmad, who is the bailer for Mohd Rizuad, following the latter’s failure to turn up in court yesterday.

Mohd Rizuad was said to have left for Jakarta yesterday, to undergo medical treatment. “The court warns the bailer to ensure that the presence of the summoned individual in court for the case management.

“If he fails to do so, the court will revoke the bail and he (Mohd Rizuad) will be sent to the lock-up,” said Nurul who also ordered that a document on the said medical treatment be submitted to the court.

Jasmin, who had just undergone a surgery was also absent yesterday, but her bailor, Faisal Ahmad managed to submit a proper document on her medical treatment, which was accepted by the court.

The 15 individuals were represented by lawyer Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos, while Siti Fatimah Talib appeared as deputy public prosecutor.

Lawyer Ramkarpal Singh acted as observer for opposition assemblymen.

- Bernama

PKR opts for myopia rather than foresight

COMMENT PKR were being myopic rather than far-sighted when its central leadership council chose party president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail as its only choice of who is to replace Khalid Ibrahim as Selangor menteri besar.

The party could have included deputy president Azmin Ali, who covets the MB’s post, as the other nominee but a proposition to that end was talked down at the council’s meeting on Monday night.

It was not immediately clear that the faction that rejected the proposal felt that Azizah would make for a better replacement of Khalid and, therefore, there was no need to name Azmin as an alternate.

More likely, this faction felt that it did not need to placate the Azmin forces though the latter are doing much better than their rivals in the internal party polls which will end on Aug 10, after what would have been a controversy-ridden staging of what must be the democratic world’s longest ever party election process. The exercise began as long ago as April 27.

If the anti-Azmin forces think they are not obliged to offer an olive branch they are being delusional - in declining to make a placatory gesture, they invite a renewal of internecine feuding in the party which is almost certain to follow when and if Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy appeal is rejected by the Federal Court which has fixed a date in September for the matter to be heard.

If Anwar winds up in jail on account of losing the appeal, the expectation is that the pro and anti-Azmin forces would be at each others’ throats in a battle for control of the party.

To forestall this eventuality the expedient of including Azmin’s name in the PKR list of who is to replace Khalid as MB of Selangor would have been a placatory gesture and far-sighted, too.

Its wisdom lies not only in the move’s potential to forestall trouble but also in its deference to the democratically expressed wishes of the party’s electorate.

Factions are endemic to democratic political parties. A wise leadership co-opts them rather than excludes or, worse, bans them.      

Azmin is the clear winner of the three-cornered fight for the deputy president’s post in which the other contestants were Khalid Ibrahim and outgoing secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.

The move to make the contest for deputy president a three-way fight rather than just a battle between incumbent Azmin and challenger Khalid - antagonists in a proxy war for which the spoils were the Selangor MB’s post - was motivated by a desire to rid the top leadership of both contestants in one fell swoop by the stratagem of getting Saifuddin elected to the party’s penultimate post.

Best way forward

It must have been felt by the faction that was opposed to the two antagonists that this was the best way forward for the party, troubled as it has been the last several years by the proxy battle between the incumbent deputy president and the Selangor MB.  

In the last year at least, both antagonists had displayed disconcerting traces of what within PKR is pejoratively termed as ‘Umno-DNA’.

This is the play of ruthless clientelistic politics and the blurring of public and personal interests, hallmarks of the Umno malady that has brought a once powerful party to its present - and irredeemable - decay.

In the last several months at least, Khalid has appeared the more flagrant exhibitor of these insidious traits.

The party is united in wanting him to go but divided as to who should replace him.

The Azmin faction which has done rather better than its rivals in the party’s polls want their man in the Selangor MB’s slot but his opponents, backed by party supremo Anwar Ibrahim, are united in wanting not only to keep the retained deputy president out, but to not even offer his side the fig leaf of an appointment somewhere in the state administration’s hierarchy.

Two Anwar flunkies, Saifuddin and Johari Abdul, the MP for Sungei Petani, are expected to become advisers to MB-nominee Azizah. 

PKR dirctor of strategy Rafizi Ramli (left), adamant in his opposition to both Khalid and Azmin, is slated to fill the state economic adviser’s role, an important position but of no content in the time that Anwar has held it.

It was not Anwar’s fault that the role held no purchase on the policies and practices adopted by Khalid as Selangor’s CEO; the latter is simply not the sort to brook co-tenancy as MB.

But if Rafizi comes to occupy the role, it will virtually be an Azizah MB-ship by proxy of Rafizi, a prospect that would not be palatable to those now doffing their hats to the idea of Azizah as the country’s first woman MB.

Azizah is distinguished by her fidelity to the role - through periods of recurrent travail and fleeting triumph - assigned her by the fate of husband Anwar.

Other than that aura acquired by having been through fate’s mangle, she has little to qualify her for the role of MB.

In two of her choices - one of a Dr Norlela Ariffin as head of Wanita PKR in Penang and her recommendation of Faekah Husin as aide to Khalid Ibrahim - her instincts have been nothing short of disastrous.

Fortunately, Norlela had the good sense to quit after a short time at the helm but Faekah continues to be an albatross around PKR’s neck.

But within PKR, Azizah and her husband, however error-prone in judgment, enjoy Teflon exemption from the vicissitudes that other politicians have to endure.

Pols like Azmin, flawed in character but steadily faithful to the party and, on the evidence of its internal polls, formidably popular are held to a different standard.

It’s a struggle these days to keep in mind that PKR was founded 15 years ago to struggle for an egalitarian polity.

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TERENCE NETTO has been a journalist for four decades now. He likes the profession because it puts him in contact with the eminent without being under the necessity to admire them.