Woman claims police allow Ah Long to hold keys of her stolen car

Tang standing with Lim (L) showing the police report lodged

Source: http://www.fz.com/content/woman-claims-police-allow-ah-long-hold-keys-her-stolen-car (by Jaqueline Png 27/12/2013)

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 27): A woman has claimed that her car was stolen in a hotel car park in Genting Highlands and ended up in the hands of loan sharks, who want her to pay off a RM10,000 debt to get the car back.

Tang Poh Lin from Ipoh, went to Genting Highlands for a family holiday on Oct 19. Her car, a Honda CRV was left in the hotel car park for a week until she realised it had gone missing.

Tang said she did not lock her car and the car keys were left inside the vehicle. The car was allegedly stolen, along with important documents in it, including passports, birth certificate of her child, SPM certificates, car insurance and car loan documents.

When asked why was her car not locked with the keys left inside, Tang insisted that she forgot to lock her car. She also said she carried her important documents with her as she travelled around alot.

She lodged a report at the Genting Highlands police station on Oct 26.

Tang said on Nov 18, she received a phone call from a police officer stating that her car was found and told her to collect it at the Bentong police station.

"Sergent Shamsudin told me to come to Bentong to collect my car. When I got there, I waited for an hour before he told me that the car had been pawned to Ah Long (loan sharks) for RM10,000," she said when met at a press conference with DAP Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng.

"The sergent told me harshly to deal with the 2 Chinese Ah Long at the police station canteen. They (Ah Long) accused me of borrowing RM10,000 from them, but when I denied, they changed their story."

Tang said the loan sharks second version of the story was that, an unknown man had sold the car to them and they paid RM10,000 as deposit payment.

"Now, the Ah Long said they paid for the car and want the money back. But they cannot even produce any ID of the said man. No name, telephone number, photostat IC or anything. Again, I denied all of this and they want me to find the man responsible for the alleged transaction," she said.

Tang said the loan sharks also forged her signature and thumbprint on a vehicle ownership transfer form of Road Transport Department as evidence, but all the other particulars were not filled.

"I argued with them, I told them many times that it is not my thumbprint nor did I signed the form. The signature is completely different from mine! If I really did take their money, they wouldn't let me go that easily," she insisted.

Tang said her protest was dismissed at the police station and Sergent Shamsudin did not carry out any verification measures of the said "evidence" produced by the Ah Longs.

She claimed that the police allowed the Ah Long keep her car keys until the matter was settled.

"In fact the sergent told me if I don't cooperate with the Ah Long and pay up, he threatened to charge me for making a fake police report," she claimed.

"For the police to let the Ah Long walk away with my car keys is absurd.

"The sergent is clearly covering up for the loan sharks. Who knows, he might have a stake in that RM10,000 payment. For me, I will never pay."

Tang also said the Ah Long only returned her passport as requested.

Tang works as a bird's nest post-production specialist and travels frequently between Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Johor. With her only car held hostage, she commutes via coach to deal with her job in different states.

She said since meeting the Ah Long at the police station in Bentong, Tang had not received any word on how her case was progressing. She also said there were no phone calls from the police or the loan sharks.

At the moment, her car is stranded at the Bentong police station while loan sharks are holding her key for ransom.

Tang has lodged another police report at the Taman Johor Jaya, Johor police station to express her dissatifaction of how her case was handled and to clarify that she had never taken any loans from the Ah Long.

She has also sought help from Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and called for a press conference to bring the issue to light.

Lim said he wrote to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar for assistance but received lackluster respond.

"Bukit Aman (police headquarters) called me to ask what does 'GH' mean in the report number. I told them it stands for Genting Highlands, where the car was reportedly stolen."

"This is the standard of our police force," Lim lambasted.

Lim also said a complaint will be lodged at the newly established Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) which is under the purview of the prime minister's department if no further action was taken.

"We will get the word out first and see if the authorities take action. Otherwise, we'll complain to PCB."

DAP reps buy 40 bricks for Malaysiakini's new home

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/249814 (By Ram Anand 20/12/2013)

DAP's 38 parliamentarians and two senators have all bought a brick each to contribute to Malaysiakini's new building in Petaling Jaya.
The party's treasurer, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun yesterday handed Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran a cheque for RM40,000 for the bricks.
The handover took place at Malaysiakini's office in Bangsar Utama, where Fong, with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik and Seremban MP Anthony Loke, had their first look at the bricks on which their names will be etched and installed at the new building.
Loke, who is the DAP parliamentary whip, told Malaysiakini that all 40 DAP representatives agreed last month to contribute one brick each to the portal's 'Buy a Brick' campaign.
"Malaysiakinichanged the media landscape by providing independent news. People now are so used to it that it has become a daily routine to read Malaysiakini," Loke said during his visit.
"That's why I think we must contribute to ensure that Malaysiakini'soperation continues," he added.
Meanwhile, Premesh said he appreciates DAP's support and he believed the online portal would do better in carrying out its mission when it moves to its new office.
"We shall continue to hold all politicians accountable," he said.
To add to the festive mood, Segambut MP Lim donned a Santa Claus cap during the visit to Malaysiakini.
RM730,000 raised so far
Malaysiakini has set an ambitious RM3 million target in the 60-day campaign, where supporters can buy a brick for a contribution of RM1,000.
The campaign runs until Jan 15 and the money will be used to supplement the RM6.1 million cost of the new building to be named @Kini.
With 27 days of fund raising to go,Malaysiakini has sold more than 500 bricks worth RM730,000. The campaign also offers corporate sponsorship packages of RM25,000 and RM50,000.
Each supporter will have his or her name embossed on a brick, which will be displayed on an ‘appreciation wall' in the new building.
In addition, supporters will receive Malaysiakini subscriptions and advertising equal to the amount contributed.
The new building is located in Section 51 of Petaling Jaya and will have nearly double the space available at the existing Malaysiakinioffice. It will also provide space for public forums, training programmes and exhibitions.
Please click here for more information on how you can get involved.

MPs and groups: Revised assessment rates will further muddy the waters

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/12/20/MPs-and-groups-Revised-rates-will-further-muddy-the-waters.aspx (20/12/2013)   

KUALA LUMPUR: The revised assessment rates announced by Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor will further muddy the waters, said KL MPs and residents’ associations. 

In a further twist to what is already a sore subject, Tengku Adnan yesterday announced that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had agreed to reduce its property assessment rates by 2% to 3%, although the new property valuations would remain. 

Setiawangsa MP Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari said the percentage of reduction is not significant to make a difference. 

“Rate increase should only be a last resort…” he said. 

“It will create more problems,” he added. 

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said the announcement by Tengku Adnan would cause more confusion among ratepayers. 

“I can definitely expect more calls from residents who will not understand what the decrease in assessment rates would mean for them. 

“All this while we have been against the 200%-300% increase in property valuations, but to suddenly say that residential properties will be now charged a 4% rate while commercial properties will be charged 10%, down from 6% and 12% respectively, will leave many confused. 

“I hope that DBKL will not make further announcements until and unless the matter is clearly resolved. 

“They should hold off until the public hearings on the objections end in March next year,” Lim said. 

Bukit Bandaraya Resident Association Chairman Datuk M. Ali said the reduction was welcomed but it was still very confusing as there were many loopholes.

“To offer an avenue to appeal is also going to be very confusing as one wonders, how are they going to be fair,” he said. 

Taman OUG Residents Association chairman Wong See Tin said the suggested decrease was too insignificant to make a difference. 

“Even though the rate has been reduced, residents will still end up paying more than 50% of their previous assessment charges. 

“For example, last year we were paying RM300 in charges. But with the re-evaluation, and taking into account the revised rates, residents will have to pay RM450. 

“This is still too high,” he said, adding that a 10% to 15% increase from the previous charges was reasonable.

Related news: Rate hike: Ku Nan confusing people

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/20/rate-hike-ku-nan-confusing-people/

MPs: Message clear although only 20,000 letters submitted

Photo: Roketkini

News: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/12/17/MPs-Message-clear-although-only-20000-letters-submitted.aspx (17/12/2013)

THE message is clear and it does not matter if the numbers are small, said Kuala Lumpur MPs from Pakatan who led the gathering at Dataran DBKL yesterday.

“We are here to deliver a message that the assessment fees are too high and should be dropped.

“It may not be 500,000, but 20,000 (objection letters) is a significant number to collect from residents.

“I hope the Government gets the message to do something to ease the inflationary rates,” said Batu MP Tian Chua.

Both Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said the number of Kuala Lumpur residents who turned up at the DBKL headquarters was encouraging.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who submitted more than 8,000 letters from Seputeh residents, said it was a good turnout especially among the senior citizens from her constituency who came in two buses.

More than 20,000 objection letters were handed over to the mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib at the City Hall headquarters yesterday.

Meanwhile, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said DBKL’s insufficient funds might be a cause for the local authority’s inefficiency.

He said this in response to outcry from Kuala Lumpur residents and opposition MPs over the proposed hike in assessment that is set to be implemented come Jan 1, 2014.

“It is not the assessment rate that is being increased but the valuation of rental. We have not come up with the amount that is going to be charged.

“As we have said, we will look into residents’ complaints and a special panel will evaluate it. Only then will the new fees be decided,” Tengku Adnan said during an event yesterday.

He said that the opposition were confusing the public by spinning the issue.

“We are running a local government. Yes, I accept that may be we are still inefficient, but the question is also why. Perhaps we do not have the funds to be fully efficient,” he added.

When asked why the assessment charges have not been increased for 21 years, Tengku Adnan said: “Perhaps we have overlooked this before. But residents need not worry as we will come up with an amicable sum that will not burden the people. “

Tan Kok Wai is new Federal Territories DAP chief

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/12/15/tan-kok-wai-takes-over-federal-territory-dap.aspx (BY NEVILLE SPYKERMAN, 15/12/2013)

KUALA LUMPUR: Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai has taken over the helm of the Federal Territory DAP replacing Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw after internal elections Sunday.

Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun was appointed as deputy taking over the position previously held by Kok Wai.

Former Selangor DAP chairman Teresa Kok, who stepped down from her position in the state,  was co-opted into the Federal Territory committee as vice-chairman. 

The former Kinrara state lawmaker did not contest in Selangor in the May general election but retained her Seputeh parliamentary seat which is in Kuala Lumpur. 

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng retained his position as Secretary while Kepong MP Tan Seng Giaw was appointed as a committee member. 

Newcomer Chan Su Sann was appointed treasurer while Pooi Weng Keong was appointed as organising secretary. 

Related news: DAP polls: Tan Kok Wai heads new FT line-up

http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/267663-dap-polls-tan-kok-wai-heads-new-ft-line-up.html