Malaysia, US Sign Three MoUs To Strengthen Economic Cooperation - Anifah Aman

Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1045792

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 (Bernama) -- The three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) inked between Malaysia and the United States (US) during the US President Barack Obama's visit to Malaysia last April will contribute to stronger economic cooperation between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said, however, the MoUs did not involve any obligations of governments as the cooperation was more on business.
"For the record, the International Trade and Industry Ministry has been entrusted to check the MoUs.
"The government will only take action to implement what had been agreed during the visit, including on the Visa Waiver Programme, Fullbright English Teaching Assistants and Proliferation Security Initiative," he said in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Lim had wanted to know the status of the three MoUs signed between Sime Darby Berhad and Verdezync Inc; between Air Asia and General Electric; and between MetLife and AmLife and AmTakaful.
Anifah said, overall, Obama's visit to Malaysia was successful, productive and had brought about positive impacts.
Obama's visit to Malaysia on April 26-28 was the first by US President after President Lyndon B. Johnson's visit in 1966.

Nancy perjelas mengapa kerajaan upah peguam swasta

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2014/06/11/nancy-perjelas-mengapa-kerajaan-upah-peguam-swasta/ (By Adam Abu Bakar 11/6/2014)

Pada tahun 2012 dan 2011, tidak terdapat sebarang pengambilan peguam swasta oleh pihak kerajaan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Nancy Shukri menjelaskan berkenaan nama kes dan nama peguam swasta yang telah dilantik oleh pihak kerajaan sejak tahun 2010.

Menurutnya, pada tahun lalu, peguambela Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah telah diambil berkhidmat dalam kes rayuan terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi melepaskan dan membebaskan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim daripada pertuduhan melakukan kesalahan liwat.

“Pada tahun 2012 dan 2011, tidak terdapat sebarang pengambilan peguam swasta oleh pihak kerajaan.

“Pada tahun ini, hingga kini tidak ada lagi kes-kes yang melibatkan perlantikan peguam swasta oleh kerajaan bagi mengendalikan kes-kes pendakwaan, guaman atau inkues,” katanya bagi menjawab pertanyaan lisan Ahli Parlimen, Segambut Lim Lip Eng di Dewan Rakyat hari ini.

Tambah Nancy lagi, pada tahun 2010, peguambela Datuk Tan Hock Chuan telah dilantik bagi tujuan menjalankan inkues kematian mendiang Teoh Beng Hock.

“Pada tahun 2010, peguam-peguam Cecil Wilbert Mohanaraj Abraham, Rishwant Singh Amarjeet Singh dan Sunil Abraham dari tetuan Zul Rafique dan Partners telah dilantik bagi mewakili kerajaan,” katanya.

Ujarnya lagi, peguam-peguam swasta tersebut diambil berkhidmat oleh kerajaan Malaysia berdasarkan pengalaman dan kepakaran mereka dalam mengendalikan kes-kes jenayah dan guaman.

“Pengalaman mereka dalam bidang pengkhususan masing-masing dilihat sebagai nilai tambah kepada penjalanan kes,” ujarnya.

Walau bagaimanapun Nancy memperjelaskan bahawa bayaran untuk perkhidmatan peguam-peguam tersebut hanya boleh didedahkan jika diberikan kebenaran.

“Hal ini kerana perkara tersebut adalah terlindung dan tertakluk kepada kerahsiaan hubungan profesional antara peguam dengan anak peguam,” katanya.

42 laporan polis dibuat terhadap Presiden Isma - Zahid Hamidi

Source: http://www.astroawani.com/news/show/42-laporan-polis-dibuat-terhadap-presiden-isma-zahid-hamidi-37540?cp Bernama 11/6/2014
KUALA LUMPUR: Polis telah menerima 42 laporan daripada orang awam berkaitan kenyataan oleh Presiden Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma) Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman.
Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata sehubungan itu kertas siasatan telah dibuka mengikut Akta Hasutan 1948 dan siasatan lanjut dibuat dengan kerjasama agensi-agensi kerajaan yang lain seperti Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia.
"Bagaimanapun saya tidak bercadang untuk mendedahkan secara terperinci status penyiasatan dan tindakan yang telah diambil memandangkan perkara ini masih dalam siasatan polis," katanya menerusi jawapan bertulis kepada soalan Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut).
Lim ingin tahu jumlah laporan polis dibuat terhadap Presiden Isma berhubung kenyataannya yang menyebut kaum Cina yang dibawa ke Tanah Melayu adalah 'penceroboh'.
Lim juga ingin tahu kaedah-kaedah kerajaan menghalang kenyataan-kenyataan yang menggalakkan perasaan niat jahat dan permusuhan antara kaum.
Ahmad Zahid menegaskan pendirian kerajaan adalah jelas dalam mengambil tindakan tegas di bawah undang-undang sedia ada terhadap mereka yang terlibat sekiranya terbukti bersalah.
"Dalam hal ini, Kementerian Dalam Negeri melalui Polis Diraja Malaysia tidak pernah mengamalkan 'double standard' dalam mengambil tindakan terhadap mana-mana individu, kumpulan atau pertubuhan," katanya.
Beliau turut menasihati semua pihak menjauhkan diri daripada terlibat dengan kegiatan-kegiatan seumpama ini demi menjaga kselamatan dan memelihara keharmonian yang dikecapi selama ini.
Dalam jawapan bertulis berasingan kepada Lim, Ahmad Zahid berkata statistik kes penculikan yang berlaku di seluruh negara menunjukkan penurunan sejak 2010 berikutan usaha pihak berkuasa yang sentiasa fokus dalam mengekang jenayah tersebut.
Katanya sebanyak 34 kes membabitkan 46 mangsa dicatat dengan 42 daripadanya berjaya diselamatkan oleh polis pada tahun 2010.
Beliau berkata pada tahun berikutnya jumlah mangsa menurun kepada 37 orang, manakala mangsa yang selamat ialah 32 orang.
"Jumlah itu terus menurun pada 2012 dengan hanya 26 kes melibatkan 28 mangsa dan 25 daripadanya selamat, pada 2013 pula jumlah kes, jumlah mangsa dan mereka yang selamat masing-masing mencatatkan 21 kes.
"Sehingga April tahun ini pula hanya lima kes dicatatkan membabitkan enam mangsa dan lima mangsa telah berjaya diselamatkan," katanya.
Lim ingin tahu statistik kes penculikan sejak 2010, dan adakah kerajaan patut mohon maaf kepada keluarga mangsa culik yang berwarganegara asing.
Mengenai kewajaran kerajaan untuk memohon maaf, Ahmad Zahid berkata ia tertakluk kepada merit sesuatu kes itu.
"Kerajaan tidak keberatan untuk memohon maaf kepada keluarga mangsa kecuali kejadian berlaku atas kecuaian pihak kerajaan kerana tiada kawalan keselamatan yang disediakan," jelasnya.

Related news: Zahid refuses to divulge outcome of investigations against Isma president http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/zahid-refuses-to-divulge-outcome-of-investigations-against-isma-president#sthash.gxmQ6hMx.dpuf

Motion to debate MAS’ losses rejected

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/06/09/parliment-motion-to-discuss-MAS-losses-rejected/ (BY RAHMAH GHAZALI, 9/6/2014)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat has rejected an emergency motion to debate the losses amounting to RM1.2bil incurred last year by Malaysia Airlines.

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said the motion, which was tabled by Lip Lim Eng (DAP-Segambut), did not fulfil the requirements for an emergency motion as detailed in the Standing Orders 18(1).

The motions need to be specific, urgent and in public interest.

“I have found that the government is already taking action to determine the cause of the airline’s loss and it is looking for a solution for the matter brought up.

 “Now that it is being investigated, then it is not urgent (to be debated),” said Pandikar, in a written reply to Lim.

In the motion that was submitted on June 6, Lim had requested that Dewan Rakyat discuss the losses incurred by the national airline last year and recorded net loss of RM433.4mil in the first quarter of 2014.

“MAS has recorded huge losses for three years in a row. Therefore, MAS’ management looks weak and can no longer compete with other airlines especially after flight MH370’s disappearance,” noted Lim.

Lim said the light needed to be shed on the reasons behind the losses and whether the government should declare bankruptcy to avoid further losses burdening taxpayers.

Related news: Debate motion on MAS losses rejected http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1072497

Emergency motion to debate MAS losses shot down in Parliament – Bernama http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/emergency-motion-to-debate-mas-losses-shot-down-in-parliament-bernama

Why no action against those who threatened to burn down DAP building, asks lawmaker

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/why-no-action-against-those-who-threatened-to-burn-down-dap-building-asks-l (BY LEE SHI-IAN, 6/6/2014)

DAP today urged the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) to probe into why police have not taken any action against the group who threatened to burn down the party’s headquarters last month following the “Umno celaka” remark uttered by a Penang assemblyman.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said the lack of action by police would set a dangerous precedent as anyone could threaten to burn down buildings without facing the consequences.

"If police do not act against the Umno Youth members who threatened to burn down the DAP headquarters, this could be taken as a precedent," he said at Menara Usahawan in Putrajaya.

On May 22, a group of Umno Youth members gathered outside the DAP headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and threatened to burn down the building.

Tension rose following the “Umno celaka” remark by DAP’s Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer in the Penang legislative assembly.

Armed with banners, some 50 Umno Youth members protested in front of the DAP headquarters and also damaged the party's signboard.

"At least four offences were committed by Umno Youth members under the Penal Code," Lim said.

First, the Umno Youth members had prevented a public officer from carrying out his duties, in this case, the police.

Second, they assaulted the DAP staff on the day of the protest.

Third, they assaulted the police as they were carrying out their duties, over which several policemen later lodged police reports.

Lastly, several Umno Youth members had openly threatened to burn down the DAP headquarters, which was criminal intimidation.

"DAP wants the EAIC to probe into whether police had received instructions from the powers-that-be not to pursue this case.

"With all the evidence in the form of videos and witnesses, why are police taking their own sweet time to take action?"

Lim said if standard operating procedure was followed, police would normally arrest and ask questions later.

"But in this case, the perpetrators were merely called to the police station to have their statements recorded before being released on police bail.

"They were not even remanded to further assist investigations," Lim said.

Also present at the press conference was Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, who accused the police of practising double standard.

Related news: DAP seeks enforcement regulator’s help after cops shelve arson probe http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dap-seeks-enforcement-regulators-help-after-cops-shelve-arson-probe#sthash.sgtstHW5.dpuf

No action against 'torch HQ' mob irks DAP http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/264883