Pimp My Ride: MyCar driver allegedly tries to arrange solicitation of rider

What’s a local start-up to do when they have to differentiate themselves from the omnipotent behemoth (hi, Grab!) taking up most of the ride-share market in Malaysia?

For one driver, a passenger’s boyfriend is alleging that he took matters into his own hands this week, and personally messaged the young woman he had recently given a ride to with an indecent proposal.

He took to Twitter to post their (alleged!) exchange in all of its disgusting horror. Peep it at the jump:

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a screenshot of a cell phone

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1/3 SLIDES © Provided by Coconuts Media Limited

Identifying himself as Chan, her recent driver, he asks if she would be interested  in doing “freelance” work, and by freelance he means sex work, which is pretty forward considering most of us just expect to be dropped off at the right place when we use a ride-hailing app.

Packaging it as a “no commitment” job, he then tells her that his “VVIP” Singaporean client is willing to pay her RM3,000 for her troubles. She can pick where dinner is, just as long as she has sex with whoever the aforementioned VVIP right after.

“U think about it,” Chan writes.

While we here at Coconuts KL firmly stand behind a sex worker’s right to chose their vocation, with all the safety that one could expect with any job, it’s not every day that an unsolicited offer comes the way of an unsuspecting passenger. One whose boyfriend really didn’t appreciate the offer:

Yue@perujosh

Is this a mycar driver or prostitution syndicate? I wanna raise awareness for girls out there to be careful. Also to the drivers, respect woman!! This shit happens to my girlfriend and she were scared, shaking and crying. Spread this to share awareness @Official_MyCar pls help

518

12:37 AM - Jan 28, 2019

2,030 people are talking about this

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Writing that his girlfriend was left scared, and feeling disrespected, he called on MyCar to take action and investigate the allegations.

MyCar has since responded with this statement:

© Provided by Coconuts Media Limited

While such encounters are sometimes just another day in the life of everyday sexism for women, many worrying aspects from the app are hard to ignore, namely that the passenger’s phone number was not encrypted — something that Grab has been doing for the last couple of years.

Frequent MyCar users will also note that the app also allows for drivers to change the mode of payment mid-ride to their liking, regardless of whether the passenger has cash, resulting in great passenger distress, like this user late last year:

We’ve reached out to MyCar to address these issues — we’ll keep you updated on any developments.

This article, Pimp My Ride: MyCar driver allegedly tries to arrange solicitation of rider, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company.

'Disgusting, heartless' - lawyers slam Penang MCA's pro-death penalty campaign

Penang MCA's campaign against the abolition of the death penalty has courted flak from lawyers.

Among them is Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) advisor N Surendran, who had some strong words against the BN component party.

"Wow! A campaign to continue hanging people. Very humane & compassionate! Can MCA think of no other decent way to crawl out of the deep hole of utter irrelevance that they've fallen into?" he tweeted this evening.

LFL executive director Latheefa Koya tweeted: "What kind of sentiment is being expressed by MCA just before the CNY celebrations! Heartless!".

Latheefa's predecessor in the lawyer's group, Eric Paulsen (photo, below), also joined the chorus of condemnation.

Taking to Twitter, he called MCA's move disgusting.

"Disgusting. MCA total loss of moral compass (sic)," he said.

Earlier today, Penang MCA chief Lim Siew Bok said party members had been carrying out a signature campaign against the abolition of death penalty, in several local markets on the island and mainland since last week.

The campaign has thus far, garnered 4,000 signatures, and the response has been good, he was quoted saying.

On Jan 18, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong had said that the federal government is yet to finalise the decision on the abolition of the death penalty.

While human rights NGOs have consistently been advocating the abolition for decades, others such as former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor, had criticised Putrajaya's decision as being "too hasty".

MCA took its campaign a notch higher during the Cameron Highlands by-election, where party members badgered DAP senior advisor Lim Kit Siang to sign their petition. - Mkini

No recycling candidate in Semenyih, PAS tells Umno

PETALING JAYA: The Barisan Nasional candidate for the by-election in Semenyih must not be a “recycled” candidate and should be someone who can be accepted by local PAS voters, says PAS Selangor chief Sallehen Mukhyi (pic).

“We are ready with our election machinery on the ground in Semenyih.

"For PAS members to be able to canvass voters to vote for Barisan candidate, the candidate must be one who represents not only the party but also someone that our PAS members can vote for, like the candidate in Cameron Highlands by-election recently.

"He or she must not be a recycled candidate as that will be rejected by the local voters.
“Umno came out of their old practice of being party-first when they chose Ramli Mohd Noor,” said Sallehen.
Barisan candidate Ramli Mohd Noor won the recent by-election in Cameron Highlands to become the first elected orang asli Member of Parliament.

PAS is said to have had a hand in the victory with its machinery delivering the needed votes to BN during the by-election.

In the Semenyih by-election set for March 2, Sallehen said, PAS would be doing the same thing. Star

‘THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN FINANCING UMNO’: KHALID SAMAD EXPOSES CARTELS CONTROLLING DBKL, REVEALS 2 MORE CASES OF PRIVATE BUILDINGS ERECTED ON GOVT LAND

PUTRAJAYA – Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad aims to break up what he labels as “cartels” within Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), which he believes is mostly controlled by Umno members.

Khalid said DBKL has engaged new and credible companies following a re-evaluation of its existing pool of contractors.

“We actually want to break up the cartels which entered DBKL. This is one of my visions as the Federal Territories minister, which has DBKL under my portfolio,” Khalid told a special meeting with the media today.

To support his claim, he said that for river-cleaning projects in Kuala Lumpur, DBKL allocates RM60 million annually and it was previously distributed to the same group of 30 contractors, who earned approximately RM2 million each.

He claimed that this was what had been financing Umno members for a long time.

“That’s why there’s a cartel, they control DBKL. We believe so, because the ones making noise are all Umno people,” he said when asked if the cartel that he was referring to were political cronies.

Khalid said that upon tender application by interested contractors, DBKL will vet and pick those who offer the best rates for the services needed.

Should there be more than one prospective contractor who offers the best price, the names of the companies will then be coded with a number and a ballot will be held. – Malay Mail

Khalid Samad exposes 2 more cases of private buildings put up on govt land

PUTRAJAYA: Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad today revealed that private buildings had been put up on two more plots of government land.

He said this happened during the previous Barisan Nasional administration.

He said the first case involved construction on 0.8ha in Petaling and the second was on a 0.7ha site in Setapak.

Khalid believed there were other such cases in Kuala Lumpur and investigations were proceeding.

The minister gave those concerned until the end of February to come forward to give s suitable explanation and suggest ways to solve the issue to the ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) or face action.

Khalid also said information on the two plots of land would be passed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for their action.

Last week, Khalid had given the owner of two “mystery buildings” at Medan Imbi until the end of the month to come forward.

Khalid had said the two buildings — one an office “which looks like a six-star hotel” and the other a restaurant — had been built on two plots of land belonging to the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office.

He questioned how a development order had been issued when the land did not belong to either the company or DBKL.

Khalid said one option available to the company was to apply to buy the land at market price from the landowner, pay all the premiums, obtain the development approvals, and settle the fines which would be imposed.

The two plots of land, covering 9,000 sq ft per lot, are zoned as open space.

On who had signed off on the development orders, Khalid said it was a top official in the DBKL planning department on the orders of the one-stop centre meant to approve such projects. — FMT

MALAY MAIL / FMT

NAJIB STOLE RM42 BILLION & MURDERED 3 PEOPLE? AS HIS TRIALS NEAR, DISGRACED PM’S PROPAGANDIST ASK DR MAHATHIR – ‘WILL JAILING NAJIB RESTORE PAKATAN’S CREDIBILITY?’

Maybe they should not have said 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib committed all these crimes. Maybe they should have said they only suspect but cannot prove it yet.

Maybe they should have said there may not even be any evidence to prove that Najib committed all those crimes. Then maybe the voters would not be too angry with Pakatan Harapan for not jailing Najib for stealing RM42 billion and for murdering three people.

100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib stole RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money but he is still walking free

According to Kadir Jasin, Pakatan Harapan’s spin-doctor, the people are beginning to become very unhappy with Pakatan Harapan’s poor performance and failure to deliver its election promises.

And what is this number one promise on the list that Pakatan Harapan has failed to deliver and which has made the people very unhappy? According to Kadir Jasin, the promise to send former prime minister Najib Tun Razak to jail.

So, in other words, what Kadir Jasin is implying is that Malaysians kicked out Barisan Nasional and voted in Pakatan Harapan in the 9th May 2018 general election mainly because they wanted Najib to be sent to jail.

Najadi’s son said Najib was behind his father’s murder

Of course, the ‘secondary’ promises made were that Pakatan Harapan would recover the RM42 billion that Najib stole from 1MDB and give the money back to the people, the GST would be abolished, toll charges all over Malaysia and in particular in the Kelang Valley would be abolished, the price of goods and cost of living would come down, the New Economic Policy would be abolished and Chinese and Indians would be given Bumiputera status, and many more promises which even Pakatan Harapan and the voters can no longer remember.

But more important than all those promises is the promise to send Najib to jail. Why is Najib still not yet in jail?

I mean, over four years from 2014 to 2018, they said beyond any shadow of doubt Najib stole RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money. And that was why they were able to confirm 100% that Najib stole RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money, because there was no shadow of doubt.

People are not happy with Pakatan Harapan because Najib is still not yet in jail, said Kadir Jasin

If they can confirm 100% beyond any shadow of doubt that Najib stole RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money, that can only be because they have the tangible evidence. And if they have the tangible evidence then Najib should already be in jail today. But then Najib has not even been charged for stealing RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money, let alone been jailed.

In fact, if they need time to jail Najib for stealing RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money, there are other crimes that Najib has been accused of committing that 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib is guilty of.

For example, Najib is behind the murders of Altantuya Shaariibuu, Hussain Najadi, and Anthony Kevin Morais — and probably even Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed as well.

100% beyond any  shadow of doubt Najib is behind the murder of Anthony Kevin Morais so why is Najib still not in jail?

At least three of those five murders have been directly linked to Najib and 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib is behind those murders. And if it is 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib is behind those murders that can only mean this is because there is tangible evidence to implicate Najib.

So, of course, the voters are angry, as Kadir Jasin said. Pakatan Harapan said 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib stole RM42 billion of 1MDB’s money and murdered three people, maybe even five. But then why is Najib not yet in jail since it is 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib committed all these crimes?

Maybe they should not have said 100% beyond any shadow of doubt Najib committed all these crimes. Maybe they should have said they only suspect but cannot prove it yet. Maybe they should have said there may not even be any evidence to prove that Najib committed all those crimes. Then maybe the voters would not be too angry with Pakatan Harapan for not jailing Najib for stealing RM42 billion and for murdering three people.

Kevin Morais’s brother says he has a thumb-drive to prove Najib is behind his brother’s murder but has thus far not shown it

Raja Petra Kamarudin

– https://www.malaysia-today.net

Matrade appoints Wan Latiff as new CEO

Wan Latiff Wan Musa has been with Matrade since 1997.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has appointed Wan Latiff Wan Musa as its CEO effective tomorrow.

He replaces Mohd Shahreen Zainoreen Madros, who completed his two-year term with the trade promotion agency today.

Wan Latiff, who was the deputy CEO previously, has been with Matrade since 1997 and has broad experience in the development of trade in the country.

“His leadership role covers several key functions, including export promotion, strategic planning and management services,” Matrade said in a statement.

Matrade is an agency under the international trade and industry ministry mandated to promote trade. - FMT

Court frees former national diving coach of rape charge

Former national diving coach Huang Qiang. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Former national diving coach Huang Qiang, who was charged with raping a national diver at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil two years ago, was freed by the Sessions Court here today.

Judge Noradura Hamzah acquitted and discharged Huang Qiang, 37, after finding that the defence had raised reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case.

“The court hereby acquits and discharges the accused,” the judge said after hearing the testimony of 15 prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses, including the accused, during the trial, which began on Jan 19, 2018.

On Oct 11, 2017, Huang, who is from China but has been given Malaysian citizenship, pleaded not guilty at the same court to the charge of raping the victim at a dry gym at the National Aquatic Centre at the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex, Sri Petaling, here at 5.30pm on Sept 26, 2017.

He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.

On April 9, 2018, Huang was acquitted and discharged without having his defence called after the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

However, on Oct 31, 2018, the High Court ordered him to enter his defence after allowing the prosecution’s appeal against the Sessions Court’s decision to acquit and discharge him.

Deputy public prosecutor K Vasugi prosecuted while Huang was represented by Mohd Hisham Md Nen. - FMT

Local airlines crew turning drug mules worry cops

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief Mohmad Salleh presenting an award to a police constable at the Sabah police headquarters in Kota Kinabalu today.

KOTA KINABALU: Police are worried over the rise in cases of airline staff from Malaysia being caught abroad for smuggling drugs, said Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief Mohmad Salleh.

He cited the case of two Malindo Air cabin crew arrested along with several others for allegedly smuggling heroin into Australia last month.

“As the anti-narcotics director, I am a bit concerned as this is becoming a trend among our society, especially young people who are desperate for jobs and easily lured into this line because of the lucrative returns.

“The smuggling is done into Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand,” he told reporters after closing a police constable training programme at the state police headquarters in Kepayan here today.

Mohmad said police will work more closely with airline companies to nip in the bud the problem of airline staff involved in drug smuggling or turning into drug mules.

“There have been a lot of cases. Besides the recent Malindo case, there was an arrest in Batam, Indonesia.

“There were also cases involving Malaysia Airlines staff previously.

“This gives the impression that our country does not have strict laws to deal with those involved in drugs.

“That’s why we need to focus our attention on airline companies,” he said.

The two Malindo Air crew members were among eight people arrested by Australian police for allegedly smuggling RM2.95 million worth of drugs into the country but Malindo Air later said only one of its crew members was arrested.

Mohmad said Malaysian police will also capitalise on their good relations with the United States’ Drugs Enforcement Administration, the Australian police and Singapore police to deal with cross-border drug activities.

It was recently reported that eight Malaysians were arrested and charged by South Korean authorities with smuggling syabu worth about 44 billion won (RM161.8 million) into the country. They were detained earlier last month.

Mohmad said after drugs, the main enemy is corruption. “I have stressed to my men to always look after and enhance our integrity.

“If we don’t have integrity, whatever efforts we make will not lead to success. This doesn’t apply to the narcotics department alone but to the police force as a whole,” he said. -FMT

Altantuyaa case - stranger & stranger

Malaysiakini - Altantuya wanted to collect fees for 'submarine purchase' translations (extracts):

Namiraa Gerelmaa (Altantuyas's cousin) 

Altantuya Shaariibuu had intended to collect payments from her former lover Abdul Razak Baginda for her translation work in relation to the government's alleged purchase of submarines, her cousin told the Shah Alam High Court today.

Namiraa Gerelmaa was the third witness in the RM100 million civil suit filed by the slain Mongolian national's family against Razak Baginda, the government, and two others convicted of her murder.

Namiraa, along with their friend identified as Urintuya Gal-Ochir, had accompanied Altantuya during her last trip to Kuala Lumpur in October 2006.

"She (Altantuya) said she was in a relationship with Razak Baginda and wanted to meet him," she said to questions from lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo.

"She also told me that she had done some translation work for him and wanted to collect (payment) from him."

Namiraa said she made the trip to Malaysia after she was invited to accompany Altantuya, and that she was only told of her cousin's plans shortly after their arrival.

"She also told me that the Malaysian side was going to purchase submarines from the Russians and the meeting was held in France.

"She said that Razak Baginda wanted her to translate from English to Russian and vice-versa for that meeting. She told me there was an agreement."

It's clear now that Altantuyaa wanted to collect fees for purported RUSSIAN 'submarine purchase' and not as we know it now, French Scopenes.

Cousin Namiraa Gerelmaa informed the court that:

"She [Altantuyaa] also told me that the Malaysian side was going to purchase submarines from the Russians and the meeting was held in France."

Does that make sense, having a meeting in France to buy Russian subs?

Why not in Malaysia or Moscow?

If that had been true, the event would have been seen as provocative to the French, wakakaka.

Be that as it may, Cousin Namiraa Gerelmaa was cross-examination by Razak Baginda's lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, who said she, as reported, "exaggerated" many details in her current witness statement, including the alleged purchase of submarines by the government.

Both Namiraa and Urintuya [Urintuya Gal-Ochir,a friend, has been another wirness] had testified as witnesses during the Altantuya murder trial in 2007.

Manjeet referred to evidence submitted by Urintuya in the murder trial that Altantuya only talked about coming to Malaysia to meet Razak Baginda, but that there were no other details.

"I put it to you that what Urintuya had said in her statement was all that Altantuya had said about Razak Baginda, nothing more, nothing less," said the lawyer, to which Namiraa disagreed.

Similarly, senior federal counsel Norinna Bahadun, representing the government, said Namiraa was submitting fresh evidence which "never existed" during the criminal trial, and was "tainted" by various media reports on Altantuya's death.

To further questions from lawyer Ramkarpal Singh, Namiraa agreed that she had not mentioned these details, including the alleged submarine deal during the criminal trial.

The former freelance journalist claimed that she was "afraid," and that there was no opportunity for her to do so at the time.

The court also learned from Namiraa said they had gone to Razak Baginda's office, as Altantuya was looking to claim payments thathe owed her for several translation jobs.

What translation job as no Russian submarine was purchased?

Fresh evidence; Russian (instead) of French subs; dinner for three in Paris hence the the meeting was conveniently held in France; Russian to English instead of French to English, vice versa, translation.

These don't look/sound convincing.

I venture (speculate only) that the tragedy was a very "personal" issue between Razak Baginda and Shaariibuu Altantuyaa, and had nothing to do with the subs purchase.

The French company (nor, I bet, the purported Russian company) would have needed a translator.

late P Subramaniam 

And BTW, I read in another MKINI article that two of Razak Baginda's hired PI's (one of whom was P Balasubramaniam) threatened Altantuyaa with one of them warning to throw her from her hotel 8th floor, and then advising her to return to Mongolia.