Kidney patients get pleasant surprise from MP

For you: Lim (centre) and Chua giving shopping vouchers to kidney patients at the centre.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/1/30/central/10303874&sec=central (30/1/2012)
A TOTAL of 40 kidney patients at the Nanyang–NKF Dialysis Centre in Jalan Pahang, Setapak received a pleasant surprise before the Chinese New Year celebrations recently.
They were presented shopping vouchers worth RM50 each by Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng. “I hope these vouchers may ease their financial burden as they do their CNY shopping. My father-in-law used to be a dialysis patient; he was on dialysis for 19 years before he passed away. I understand the hardship the kidney patients go through,” said Lim.
He also encouraged organ donation. “It’s a meaningful pledge. With technology, it’s just one click away as we can go online to register to become an organ donor. In the past 15 years, only 356 Malaysians successfully donated their organs while the list for organ transplant shows more than 14,000 patients in the queue,” said Lim; who has pledged to become an organ donor himself.
Speaking about this charitable giveaway, NKF chief executive officer Chua Hong Wee said, “NKF is grateful to Lim’s kind support and his understanding towards the patients’ needs. We are also grateful to Lim who personally donated RM500 to our organisation. “The money will help ease the burden of our kidney patients. This support and kindness inspires NKF to continue to do what we do best, providing dialysis care to poor kidney patients and educate the public on kidney care.”
Those who are interested to join NKF can call 03 – 7954 9048 ext 208 or e-mail fundraising@nkf.org.my

Police counter report on 'assault by drunk cop' claim

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187302 (By Aidila Razak 22/1/2012)
Three separate police reports have been lodged in relation to the claim by businessman Khoo Gin Seong that he was assaulted by a drunk plainclothes police officer. The first report was lodged by police against Khoo for causing damage at a restaurant in Bukit Sentosa, Hulu Selangor district police chief Norel Azmi Affandi Yahya said late last night.
"Complainant Korporal 111668 Aziz, along with three other personnel of the Bukit Sentosa police station had about 8.20pm on Jan 20 arrested a Chinese man who was drunk. "The man had broken two plastic chairs using a saw, and broke glasses and a liquor bottle at a Chinese restaurant," Norel Azmi said in response to questions from Malaysiakini. He said the 44-year-old businessman was taken to the Bukit Sentosa police station along with some seized items, where an agreement was brokered between Khoo's wife and the restaurant owner.
Owner Lee Lai Fong accepted RM200 as compensation payment from Khoo's wife, in exchange for no police action against her husband, and a police report was lodged on the agreement.
Police had initially opened investigation papers based on Kpl Aziz's report under Section 427 of the Penal Code, which deals with committing mischief resulting in damage worth more than RM25. The third police report was lodged by Khoo on Saturday morning, alleging that he was assaulted by police and had RM1000 taken from him.
Different versions of the incident
Yesterday, the businessman told the media that he was assaultedby a drunken plainclothes police officer and other policemen in a coffee shop in Bukit Sentosa, resulting in him suffering bodily injuries and a broken denture. Khoo said this was took place after the police officer, named only as ‘Mansur', was irritated by him as he was gambling and drinking noisily at the next table. He said police pocketed RM1,000, which he won in the card game, and took him to the Bukit Sentosa police station where he was detained until the police were paid several hundred ringgit brought by his friends.
DAP MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng, who called the press conference upon Khoo's request, said police informed him that the businessman's complaint was being investigated under Section 323 and 325 of the Penal Code, which deals with voluntarily causing hurt.

MP slams DBKL over lack of transparency

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=26715%3Amp-slams-dbkl-over-lack-of-transparency&Itemid=2#.Txq1VWcNDDk.facebook (Written by Douglas Tan, Malaysia Chronicle, 21/1/2012)
Segambut Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng today slammed DBKL over the lack of transparency by their refusal to reveal the details of the recently approved RM2.3 billion DBKL Budget for 2012.
At an open consultation meeting on Thursday 19th January, with the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad bin Ismail, the mayor informed YB Lim that he was unable to provide a detailed copy of the budget, and that only a “ringkas” (summary) was available. When asked as to why the full budget could not be made available to the public, the mayor remained silent and refused to give an answer.
“This is outrageous,” Lim exclaimed. “Why are DBKL unable to provide us with a detailed copy of the budget? As wakil rakyat, we have the responsibility to report back to our constituencies as to how the money is being spent!”
Where is the People First?
The DAP MP was quick to point out that this went against Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s pledge to ensure greater transparency and accountability, consistent with the principle of “Rakyat Didahulukan”. “Even in parliament, we are given a full copy of the national budget before it is debated,” he said. “How come we are unable to get a copy of the DBKL budget, especially after it has been approved?”
YB Lim lamented that although he was a member of parliament in Kuala Lumpur, DBKL is accountable only to the Prime Minister’s department, and is not answerable to elected representatives. “It insults the intelligence of the people of Kuala Lumpur when a local government refuses to disclose how they want to spend the taxpayer’s money, especially as they are appointed not elected. I call on the Prime Minister to show his sincerity for reforms by forcing DBKL to release their full budget to the public.”
A check on the DBKL website on Saturday 21st January showed that no details of the 2012 budget were available. The 2012 DBKL budget is almost 44% larger than the entire budget of the state of Selangor which is RM1.6 billion.

Robbed and beaten up by drunk cop

Photo: Lim Lip Eng
Story: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2012/01/21/robbed-and-beaten-up-by-drunk-cop/ (By K Pragalath, 21.1.2012)
A 44 year man today related how he was beaten up and robbed by a police man last night.
Speaking to FMT shortly after a press conference with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng of the DAP in Rawang, he related his bad experience.
“Last night, at 9 pm a drunk policeman by the name of Mansur started scolding and beating me,” said Khoo Gin Seong who was gambling at a restaurant in Bukit Sentosa, Hulu Selangor. Khoo said he recognised Mansur as a policeman who he claimed frequently got drunk in that restaurant. He said he was then taken to the Bukit Sentosa police station.
“They took RM1,000 from me and a group of policemen started beating me. They also threatened to lock me behind bars if I don’t give up my money. “After that I was beaten up until my dentures broke and my body was in pain,” said Khoo.
At this point, Lim told FMT that Khoo returned home at 11 pm and later lodged a report at 4.30 am at the same police station. “The front desk personnel in the police station were initially reluctant to accept the report.” Lim claimed the investigating officer for the case urged Khoo to settle the case at 9 am. “Khoo declined and informed him that he had alerted the DAP of his predicament,” said Lim.
“Don’t try to charge this innocent man for obstructing police work,” he said because the police, according to him, had a tendency to charge the public for alleged obstruction. “Don’t play tricks because I have witnesses,” said Lim who said that several patrons in the restaurant had witnessed the entire incident.

Related news: Businessman claims assault by drunk cop http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187260

MP slams delay in repairing hall

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2012/01/18/mp-slams-delay-in-repairing-hall/ (By G Vinod, 18/1/2012)
A DAP MP questioned the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) delay in repairing a community hall here.
Speaking at a press conference today, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said he had highlighted the pathetic condition of the hall in early November 2010, but repair works only started yesterday. “At that time (in November 2010), DBKL told a press conference that the hall fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of National Unity and Integration. “But City Hall has the authority to act upon any public structure in Kuala Lumpur which could endanger public safety due to its dilapitated condition,” he said.
The 20-year-old community hall, located at a road setback leading towards Jalan Kuching, was badly damaged after an Alam Flora truck rammed into the building in September 2010.
The then Segambut division Barisan Nasional chairman B Jayanthi Devi told English daily The Star that relevant authorities were looking into repairing the structure. “Alam Flora had agreed to pay for the damages,” she was quoted in the report.
Lim criticised Jayanthi for the delay despite making the promise in 2010. “And the repair works just started yesterday. Is it because election is around the corner?” he asked.
Lim also queried the safety of reconstructing the structure as it is located at a roadsetback. “Can DBKL erect a community hall at a roadside which can endanger its occupants? It’s best if the City Hall could reveal its blueprint to the residents here for evaluation,” he said.