DAP: Jamal stands to rake in about 40 mil

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/05/26/dap-jamal-stands-to-rake-in-about-40-mil/ (By Teoh El Sen, 26/5/2012)

The offer of two luxury cars in a lucky draw is nothing but a self-serving stunt by an anti-Bersih group’s leader who stands to rake in almost RM40 million from the plan, an Opposition leader said today.

DAP’s Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said: “If this guy really pulls off this stunt, then he is the only person making millions from Bersih. The Inland Revenue Board should investigate if Jamal Md Yunus from the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Committee is evading taxes. “The Bersih 2.0 steering committee is facing a civil suit from the government. Those who took part in the rally are facing criminal charges and and many others, including journalists, were brutalised during the rally and this guy is trying to make a fortune out of their misery.”

Earlier this week, Jamal’s group started a “Bersih 4.0 Peace-lovers” Facebook page to garner public support for their cause against Bersih. Jamal announced that visitors would get a chance to win a 2005 BMW 530 model worth RM225,000 and a 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo worth RM1.2 million. Visitors to the group’s Facebook page must click on the ‘Like’ icon, spend at least RM50 at one of 18 Sekinchan Ikan Bakar restaurants, and provide the receipt to qualify for the lucky draw. Jamal, who owns the restaurant franchise and a luxury car dealership, said the draw for the BMW will start when 150,000 people have liked the page. When the count reaches one million, a second lucky draw would be held for the grand prize of the Lamborghini Gallardo.

Generating income for his business

DAP Taman Segambut secretary Yew Jia Haur, who was present at the press conference, whipped out his calculator and showed the numbers involved in Jamal’s plan. “Let’s suppose that the 150,000 visitors spent RM50 at his restaurants to qualify for the draw, it works up to RM7.5 million (RM50x150,000). “If you minus RM220,000 (for the cost of the BMW) and assuming the operational amounts to RM2.25 million, you will arrive at a figure of RM5,030,000. That’s the gross profit from the BMW,” said Yew. If and when the Facebook page reaches 1 million hits, Yew said the gross profit would be RM33.8 million. “Same thing for the Lamborghini. RM50x1,000,000 comes to RM50 million. Minus the cost of the RM1.2 million car and an estimated RM15 million in operational costs, you get RM33.8 million,” said Yew. “Jamal is a smart entrepreneur and is making use of Bersih and his ‘NGO’ to generate sales for his own restaurant. What if it doesn’t reach the 150k ‘likes’ and he revokes the draw? Or manipulates it? We would not know,” he added.

On Thursday Jamal’s group had planned to set up stalls outside Bersih chairperson S Ambiga’s home in Bukit Damansara, in an apparent protest against Bersih for losses suffered as a result of the rally on April 28. However, only 60 of their members turned up, along with another group of 50 youths from the Gerakan Belia Gagasan 1Malaysia and about 50 motorcyclists. They aborted the plan to set up stalls after City Hall had sternly told them that it would be illegal. They also cancelled the plan to set up stalls on Friday and Jamal had said the group planned to hold a mammoth assembly at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on June 23.

Related news: Trader profiting from ‘Bersih 4.0’?

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/trader-profiting-from-bersih-4.0/

Mixed reaction to Lamborghini offer in anti-Bersih campaign

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/5/27/nation/11368942&sec=nation

Pakatan Raykat MPs stand by Datuk Ambiga

MP: Petty traders' act public nuisance

Source: http://www.mmail.com.my/story/mp-petty-traders-act-public-nuisance (by Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, 24/5/2012)

The KL Petty Traders Action Council must be hauled up by the authorities for contravening Section 427 of the Penal Code, said Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng. It is stated under Section 427, anybody who commits mischief and causes damage amounting to RM25 or more shall be imprisoned for a term up to two years or fined, or both, Lim said.
"This is not a Local Government Act but a criminal act. The Deputy IGP (Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar) must be taught. He must be sent back to Pulapol to re-learn all these Acts. Their (traders) actions did not disturb Ambiga alone but all her neighbours as well," he said.
On Monday, the council had marked out night market stall lots on the road in front of Ambiga's house in yellow paint. This was part of the two-day protest, beginning today, where the traders are setting up 60 stalls to serve an expected crowd of 10,000 from 3.30pm to 8pm despite City Hall denying them permits for the stalls. However, Khalid had reiterated that police would not act against the traders because the protest was not an offence as it would be held in public space.
Lim said, all the groups' acts could be considered as public nuisance with the possibility of perpetrators being fined up to RM400 under Section 290 of the Penal Code.
Ambiga had said Malaysians must reject this dangerous trend which intrudes personal space. "To be fair, the police and City Hall have been here since the night the yellow lines were removed. I'm very grateful to them for providing this level of protection," she said after meeting members from Pakatan Rakyat yesterday.

Related news: MPs condemn harassment of Ambiga

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/387306

Police report lodge for the safety of Datuk Ambiga, her family members and the neighbours

Ambiga thanks DBKL, cops for keeping watch

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/198759 (By Koh Jun Lin, 23/5/2012)
Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan has expressed her gratitude to the police and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), whose officers have painted over the stall lots marked outside her house by petty traders. “To their credit, they (DBKL) have been here non-stop, and so have the police. So I am grateful to them for providing this level of protection,” she said today. She reiterated that she would like to return public attention to Bersih’s calls for clean and fair elections, and urged those with grievances against her to take the matter to court.

She said this during a visit by Pakatan Rakyat representatives to her Bukit Damansara house, which has been the site of several protests over the past two weeks by those against the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28. The visitors comprised 10 MPs, a senator and several municipal councillors including Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Senator Ramakrishnan Suppiah, Kepong MP Tan Seng Giaw, Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad, and Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad.
On Monday, the Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council, which claimed to have suffered losses due to the rally, had marked outlots for stalls and put these up for ‘sale’ ahead of a planned two-day protest from tomorrow. However, DBKL painted out the yellow markings about 11pm the same day.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, a lawyer who was in the Pakatan delegation, explained to reporters how the protests in front of Ambiga’s residence amount to criminal offences. He referred to the Minor Offences Act and the Penal Code, rebutting deputy police chief’s Khalid Abu Bakar’s assertion that the protests are not criminal offences.
Under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act, Lim said, a person engaging in insulting behaviour such as the ‘butt exercises' protest by army veterans on May 15 can be fined up to RM100 upon conviction. Under Section 268 of the Penal Code, a person who is being a public nuisance can be slapped with a fine up to RM400.
The marking of lots for stalls can be construed as ‘mischief’, he noted, and would be an offence under Section 425 of the Penal Code. It is punishable by a three-month jail term, a fine, or both. Since DBKL spent part of the night painting over the markings, the damage caused must have also exceeded RM25, Lim said. This is punishable by a two-year jail term, or a fine, or both, under Section 427 of the Penal Code.
“The Deputy IGP must be sent back to (the Police Training Centre) to learn all these Acts,” quipped Lim.
‘Selective persecution’
Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, meanwhile, slammed the government over its ‘selective persecution’ in charging three PKR leaders yesterday with offences related to the Bersih 3.0 rally. While party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, deputy president Azmin Ali and former supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin have been charged, Nurul Izzah said, there has been no action against other protesters - whether at Bersih 3.0 or in front of Ambiga’s house. “Whatever action taken by the police or the Attorney-General’s Chambers has to reflect consistency, proper judicial conduct and justice in general. It saddens me. We are supposed to feel equal under the Malaysian sun,” she said.

Probe crash at PM's residence, police told

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/198476 (20/5/2012)

With ample CCTV in the vicinity of the prime minister’s residence, the police should have no problems investigating the police car crash incident at the premises yesterday, said DAP today.
“With the assistance of CCTV that are surely abundant in the vicinity of the prime minister’s official residence, it would certainly aid police in their investigations, ” said DAP Segambut Lim Lip Eng in a statement.
He called on the police to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident as it was a “serious matter” that affected the nation’s image. “This is a very serious incident as it can be seen to tarnish the image of the nation’s security forces.
“The mental state of the policemen who were involved at the time of the incident must be investigated because it involves the issue of security of the prime minister’s family,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday Bernama reported that a police car carrying five off duty officers from Shah Alam police headquarters aged between 20 and 22, crashed into the gate in front of the prime minister’s residence.
According to Lim, Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh said in a report today that investigations will centre on why officers were in the vicinity.

“I have full confidence in the police’s capabilities to carry out a detailed investigation towards the cause of the incident and to release its findings to the people as soon as possible. “This is to ensure the police is not seen to lack transparency in investigating this incident,” said Lim.

MP: Burger protest infringes at least three laws

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/198323 (By Koh Jun Lin, 18/5/2012)

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said he could find no law that allows the ‘burger protest’ in front of Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga’s house, but has instead found three laws that render such acts illegal. “I as a lawmaker could not find any legal provision that would allow the causing of nuisance in front of an individual’s house,” said Lim of the anti-Bersih protest on May 10.
He quoted Section 46 of the Street, Drainage and Building Act that bars the placing of “obstructions” in public places, with a penalty of a fine up to RM500 on the first offence. He added that according to Section 110 of the Road Transport Act, anything placed on a road or interfering with the flow of traffic shall be liable of a fine not exceeding RM1,000. Lim also quoted Section 80 of Local Government Act that compels local authorities to take action to “remove, put down and abate” public nuisances.
The DAP parliamentarian was speaking at a press conference after Pakatan Rakyat MPs handed the mayor of Kuala Lumpur Ahmad Fuad Ismail a protest memorandum this morning asking him whether the ‘burger protest’ by the NGO Ikhlas was illegal, and if so what action would be taken.
He and Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Titiwangsa PAS Youth chief Suhaimi Abdul Aziz handed the memorandum over to the mayor’s aide, Mohd Aznan Mohd Zain. Also present with the delegation at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) headquarters were Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar’s political secretary Fahmi Fadzil on her behalf, and DAP Seputeh division deputy chairperson Khong Kam Yin, representing the constituency’s MP Teresa Kok.
Lim added that if the mayor had said the act is permissible, Kuala Lumpur can turn into a “lawlessness city”, and both politicians and celebrities will be powerless to act against stalkers outside their homes.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said there should not be double-standards, in pointed reference to Occupy Dataran activists being evicted from Dataran Merdeka while the ‘burger protest’ was allowed to proceed. When asked what if Bersih 3.0 and and the Occupy Dataran movement are also construed as a “nuisance” by the authorities, Fahmi countered that ample notice had been given ahead of the pro-electoral reform rally. “The time was one month between its announcment to (the day of the rally on) April 28, so there was a suitable timeframe for all parties to make preperations, whether to hold sales or to attend the rally. “Secondly, the Bersih 3.0 venue is a public place, compared to Ambiga’s house. That is a personal attack, whereas Bersih 3.0 was not.” Responding to questions on whether DBKL should “chase away” WargaAMAN if it erect thosai stalls in front of the Deputy IGP’s residence, he said, “If it is against by-laws, then they should enforce the laws fairly.”
The NGO originally wanted to set up the stalls on Sunday after DIGP Khalid Abu Bakar had said the ‘burger protest’ had not violated any laws, but had reportedly cancelled the plans in response to calls not to engage in a tit-for-tat response with anti-Bersih protestors.

Related news: DAP: How is butt-flashing legal? http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/05/18/dap-how-is-butt-flashing-legal/

Open memorandum to KL mayor from Pakatan Rakyat MPs

Collapsed drain, blocked sump anger Kg Kasipillay residents

BLOCKED: Balasivasubramaniam and Seng Yor say the sump used to be visible and is now clogged by water

Source: http://www.mmail.com.my/story/collapsed-drain-blocked-sump-anger-kg-kasipillay-residents (by Ram Anand, 17/3/2012)

Residents from Kg Kasipillay in Sentul are frustrated by continuous flash floods that affect their only access road caused by a collapsed drainage and a blocked sump. The residents, numbering about 3,000, and not including residents from a couple of condominiums which are located there, say that it takes less than half an hour for the water to reach half a meter deep, every time it rains.

“This causes a traffic jam all the way back to Jalan Ipoh, a 30-minute bottleneck for a distance of less than 200 meters,” said resident A. Balasivasubramaniam. The 65-year-old, who has lived in the settlement for 34 years, said that the flash floods are caused by collapsed drainage on one side of the access road, Jalan Selvadurai, and a blocked sump. “We believe the drainage collapsed with the heavy vehicles from a tile factory parked by the side. These heavy vehicles eventually caused the collapse of the drain,” he said. “The vehicles have also caused the slope near the small bridge above Sungai Batu to sink and the problem keeps getting worse.”
Just across the road, a sump that should have been there is hardly visible as it is clogged with water, creating a large puddle.
“A new hypermarket is coming up and they have planted pine trees along the road without clearing the drain, and this has blocked the sump,” Balasivasubramaniam added.
Meanwhile, 77-year-old Lim Seng Yor, a chicken rice seller whose shop is located next to the tile factory, said that his business is affected when it rains. “People can’t park their cars, so they don’t come,” lamented Lim, who has been in business for 40 years. Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said that City Hall has been informed of the matter several times but no solution has been forthcoming. “My last complaint was filed on April 18. I will continue to work on the problem along with the Kg Kasipillay residents association,” he said. The association was only established in October to solve this long-standing problem, Lim added.
“There is a Carrefour coming up on Jalan Selvadurai. I can imagine what the traffic will be like if they do not solve this problem soon,” Lim said.

Related news: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/5/17/central/11304040&sec=central Collapsed drain causes flood

'Let brutality victims do balai to balai search as well'

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/197714 (By Leven Woon, 12/5/2012)

A DAP leader is challenging the police to allow alleged victims of police brutality in Bersih 3.0 rally to conduct a station-to-station search for their attackers if the authorities claim to be fair in their investigations.
DAP Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng was commenting on a police ultimatum to 141 individuals allegedly involved in violence during the mammoth Bersih rally to turn themselves in within a week or face a house-to-house search.
"If this is the case, then the police should also allow victims of police (brutality) to conduct a balai-to-balai search, especially the woman from Serdang who said she recognises all the police officers who had punched her," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
Earlier, Hindraf leader and Selangor DAP committee member V Ganabatirau, who is on the wanted list, told reporters that he did not breach the police barricades and was far from the scene when the commotion began.

Fishing for info on Indraf 2.0? He claimed the police was intending to get information about his upcoming Hindraf-inspired rally, dubbed Indraf 2.0, instead of nailing him for violence-related charges.
Ganabatirau was arrested in 2007 soon after the Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur and detained under the draconian Internal Security Act for 18 months.
Lim said the wanted individuals should reserve their legal rights to sue the police for defamation or harassment if they turned out to be innocent.
"The police should have investigated before releasing their pictures. Based on the reports over the past few days, it is clear that they did not even investigate," he said. He pointed out that four photographs in the list involve the same person. "The total suspects should be 138, not 141," he said.

Lock the feeder pillars, TNB urged

Out in the open: One of the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) feeder pillars in Taman Segambut, Kuala Lumpur which is accessible to thieves as it is not locked. (Photo from http://www.chinapress.com.my)

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/5/8/central/11242049&sec=central (By S. PUSPADEVI, 8/5/2012)

RESIDENTS of Taman Bamboo in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur, want Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to lock the feeder pillars in the area immediately.

Resident Mah Eng Seng, 50, said this was to prevent theft of TNB fuse links. “I have witnessed two motorists disconnecting the fuse links from a feeder pillar at a playground near my house last month. Mah said he and his neighbour had reported the incident to TNB and the police.

“Is it not a standard safety requirement to lock the feeder pillars in a residential area? he asked. He added that it was unsafe due to the high voltage and posed a danger to children. “We have reported to TNB and the police, but all they did was take our statements,” said Mah. He said the residents had no electricity supply for more than 12 hours following the incident, although they had reported the matter immediately to the authorities.

Another resident Selva Govindan, 56, said the feeder pillars should be locked to prevent children from being electrocuted as it contained high voltage. “TNB should take immediate action to lock it and only TNB officers or personnel can have access to it,” said Selva.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said a similar incident occurred in Taman Segambut on Labour Day affecting more than 30 shoplots in the area. “Fortunately the incident took place on Labour Day and not on a working day. However, power supply only resumed at 10.30pm and affected the business of a cafe,” said Lim.

He said his office had received similar complaints from residents of Taman City, Taman Sri Segambut, Taman Sri Sinar and Taman Tun Dr Ismail for the past three years. “The culprits know how to disconnect the fuse links,” he added.

Lim said based on a report by The Star on Dec 4, 2006, TNB’s statistics showed that 437 of such thefts were recorded in 2006 compared with 175 in 2005. “I am sure that these figures have increased over the years and I don’t understand how TNB can allow this to happen,” said Lim, adding that he would write to them requesting for the latest statistics and seek the best solution to solve the problem.

Lim also said he had received numerous complaints from motorists on the flooding problem on the flyover from Jalan Kuching to Jalan Duta. “Motorists taking the flyover from Jalan Kuching to Jalan Duta are stuck in massive traffic jams due to the floods and this has been going on for the past few years,” said Lim. He said the cause could be due to the ongoing construction work on the Sri Putramas Condominium project and clogged drains in the area.

“This area is under DBKL’s jurisdiction and since the problem persists, they should do something about it,” he added.

Flood causes traffic jam in Jln Kuching

 Desperate measure: A Fire and Rescue Department fire truck pumping out the water near the flyover in Jalan Kuching.

No way through: Motorists going to the city centre from Jalan Kuching and Jalan Duta were caught in a traffic jam.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/5/8/central/11246494&sec=central (By JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI, 8/5/2012)

HEAVY rain in the wee hours yesterday caused an intersection in Jalan Duta to be flooded, causing a massive jam in Jalan Kuching. Two lanes at the flyover to Jalan Duta from Jalan Kuching was flooded and motorists heading to the city centre were stuck for hours. The bumper-to-bumper crawl stretched several kilometres including Jalan Kuching and Jalan Duta.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said poor drainage was the cause of floods. “The drains on the flyover are clogged with wood, leaves and rubbish that have not been cleared by the authorities,” he said at a press conference. “Over the years, we have received many complaints from motorists. For the past three years, whenever it rains, the flyover will flood but yesterday was the worst.

“The floods affected the whole flyover,” he said, adding that a lorry stalled in the floods at about 7am. It usually takes five minutes to come to the intersection from the Selayang roundabout. Today it took almost two hours,” he added.

The Fire and Rescue Department sent a truck to pump out the flood waters into the nearby drain. The area had been cleared of water in the afternoon.

“There are too many development projects in the area. The old drainage system cannot cope with the high volume of rain water,” Lim said.

“I will send pictures of the flood and traffic jam to Kuala Lumpur City Hall and ask them to solve the problem once and for all,” Lim added.