Pawan Sinha on how brains learn to see - Pawan Sinha (2009) |
- Pawan Sinha on how brains learn to see - Pawan Sinha (2009)
- Deepak Chopra: "Everything is fine. Nothing happens, and God is very pleased."
- Ubah, Kenyalang and Stella the Australian bomoh....
- Be responsible, stop the death
- Tower of Death
- More Trouble Brewing For PKR
- Angry forwarding agents call MACC ‘murderers’
- The Untold Story Of GLC Heads' Pay
- Allegation: "Teoh Beng Hock II is planned !"
- Kajang councillor unsure why MACC not sued for torture
- Allegation: "UMNO killed Sarbani to justify Teoh Beng Hock's killing ?"
- "Najib vows to jail Mamak for the third time ..."
- "Najib asked to talk to God"
- Death at Cochrane
- Journalists to discuss ins and outs of a press council
- Ubah, Kenyalang and Stella the Australian bomoh....
- Scandal: Malaysia's Carelessness over WMD
- Another Death or 'Suicide' at the MACC?
- Change Now Imperative Sarawak Ubah DAP List Of Candidates
- Contests in all Sarawak seats tougher for opposition
| Pawan Sinha on how brains learn to see - Pawan Sinha (2009) Posted: 06 Apr 2011 02:24 PM PDT 5 people liked this Pawan Sinha details his groundbreaking research into how the brain's visual system develops. Sinha and his team provide free vision-restoring treatment to children born blind, and then study how their brains learn to interpret visual data. The work offers insights into neuroscience, engineering and even autism.  Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Deepak Chopra: "Everything is fine. Nothing happens, and God is very pleased." Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:59 PM PDT Deepak on Anwar, PI Bala, RPK and Rosmah I only sell carpet, and Rosmah love my carpet only. That's all. (Malaysiakini) The mystery "carpet man" alleged to be closely linked to the premier's wife Rosmah Mansor said today said he considers her like an "older sister" to him, nothing more.  Deepak Jaikishan, the carpet dealer mentioned numerous times by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, said Rosmah "is a good person, if you know her personally".He denied Raja Petra's claims in a recent posting on Malaysia Today that he was trying to get back into Rosmah's good books, saying that the extent of their relationship was confined to carpets and the gossip around town. "I first got to know her about six or seven years ago, when she visited our family shop. I know her, and treat her like an older sister," he told a press conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Deepak rubbished Raja Petra's claims that he was Rosmah's "confidante" and "toyboy", saying instead that she and her husband, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, had been kind enough to write commendation letters and introduce his family's carpet business to new clients.  He denied that he had gone about either "bad mouthing or praising" Najib and Rosmah, claiming that the people behind Raja Petra's post on Malaysia Today are simply trying to create "discord" between him and his clients.He also laughed off the blogger's allegations that he intended to bring private eye P Balasubramaniam (left) back to Malaysia to file a new statutory declaration to absolve the premier and his wife of any involvement in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu. "If I had the power to get him back (to Malaysia), why would I do it now? Why not last month, or six months ago? This is inaccurate information... this is wrong. If you want to accuse someone, have the facts," he said.  Deepak admitted that he had met Balasubramaniam on two occasions after a mutual friend – an officer from the police' serious crimes 'D9' division by the name of Suresh – had introduced them.'Bala asked for money' He said Balasubramaniam and Suresh were "clubbing boys" with his younger brother Danesh, but he did not see any reason to get close to the private investigator. "After Suresh introduced us, I met him one more time. He asked me for money, it was either RM500 or RM1,000, but I told him I cannot (give him the money)... I didn't want to be involved in (Balasubramaniam's) financial matters," he said.  Deepak added that he had never issued the two cheques allegedly totalling RM5 million to Balasubramaniam (left) as payment for retracting his first statutory declaration implicating Najib and Rosmah in Altantuya's murder.He said he had met with investigators from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission last year to give his statement on Balasubramaniam's claims, pointing out that the cheques in question were not even real. "The cheques are not real, they are doctored. It wasn't my signature on the cheques. Even the cheque numbers did not exist." When asked, Deepak said that he had never met Altantuya. "I have never seen her, though I think she's quite pretty." 'Rosmah is like older sister to me, nothing more' Wednesday, April 06 @ 08:39:35 CDT
Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Ubah, Kenyalang and Stella the Australian bomoh.... Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:47 PM PDT tumpang sekole...? by ali allah ditta Local flavour and creativity were very much in evidence during the nominations process in the 10th Sarawak election. Compared to shouting matches and frequent scuffles among rival supporters in the peninsula, those accompanying candidates to nomination centres around Sarawak were orderly and offered a lighter take on politics. TheDAP turned the state emblem - the Rhinoceros Hornbill - into a loveable mascot named Ubah ('change'). It has its own website, Facebook and Twitter account, in a bid to engage younger urban voters. Almost all the DAP candidates were accompanied by Ubah, in the form of soft toy.  Candidates and supporters happily posed with the mascot for photographs. A majestic bird also featured in the BN's campaign. Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, dubbed the 'Iban warrior' by his supporters, brought along a kenyalang (hornbill) sculpture to the nomination centre. This has been his practice in every election he has contested. The sculpture and an antler, were carried by two elders who led the 300-strong BN entourage to the Betong district office, the nomination centre for state seat Layar, this morning. On reaching th  e main buidling, Jabu - who is seeking his eighth consecutive term in the Layar seat, carried the items and placed them respectfully on either side of an antique cannon at the building entrance. He then squatted down and stroked the cannon while murmuring a few words in the Iban language.He asked Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to similarly stroke the cannon and the two posed for photographs. After the returning officer announced the successful candidates, Jabu again stroked the cannon and murmured to it.  He told Hishammuddin that the cannon has brought victory to BN and again asked the latter to pose with him for photographs. According to Jabu's wife, Empiang, the kenyalang and antler are part of an Iban tradition in seeking blessings. "During every election, he will do the ritual," she told Malaysiakini.According to the Sarawak Handicraft and Souvenir Association, the Iban regard the kenyalang as the God of War. It is the community's most sacred carving and is used to honour and commemorate its warriors and leaders. Traditionally, only a proven warrior is allowed to fell the tree to be used for carving the statue. The wood for the hornbill crest can only be cut by a warrior who has killed numerous enemies in a single expedition. Stella 'spook' Independent  At the Balingian nomination centre, all eyes were on an Australian bomoh allegedly close to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who was filing his nomination form. A minor fracas broke out when Independent candidate Salleh Jafaruddin raised his voice at Stella Kharleen Tashman, a striking blonde who sported a leopard-print headscarf. "You want to put a spell on me, you want to put a spell on Malaysia," Salleh said, raising his voice. However, Stella (right), who was wearing heavy make-up, just laughed and walked away, while Salleh had to be restrained by his supporters. According to whistleblower website Sarawak Report, Stella was introduced to Taib by his sister Raziah. It further claimed that Taib is strongly influenced by Stella, who is said to conduct a ritual each morning before he leaves his residence. source:malaysiakini More PR Buzz & Bull @ Bonology.com 
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| Be responsible, stop the death Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:58 PM PDT The Najib Admintration is now famous for "Killing", "Sexing" and of course, "Spending" NGOs: Suspend senior MACC officers |
Bus Name FAIL
In a statement, several civil society organisations demanded immediate investigations into the death of the assistant director of the Selangor Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, 56, who died after falling off the third floor of the Federal Territory headquarters of the MACC. Senior officers of the MACC, including its Selangor director and all other officers involved in the investigation of the money-laundering and graft case that led to Ahmad Sarbani's arrest should be immediately suspended until a thorough probe into the death had been completed, they said. "This incident has again raised questions on the integrity and accountability of the MACC. Public confidence in the credibility and professionalism of the MACC has been shattered!" said rights group Suaram, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia and Malaysians For Beng Hock. They demanded the setting up of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to independently and thoroughly investigate the incident. It should be tasked with looking into "the key role of the present command and power structure of MACC in this tragic incident". "Half the members of the RCI should be nominated by civil society organisations to ensure credibility," said the groups. A RCI was constituted after a Selangor DAP aide, Teoh Beng Hock, was found dead following a night of interrogation by Selangor MACC officers in July 2009. In the meantime, said the NGOs, the Kuala Lumpur MACC director and all other officers involved in the investigation of the money-laundering and graft case that led to Ahmad Sarbani's arrest should be immediately suspended until the RCI probing the death has completed its work. This is to ensure justice is served and there is no cover-up of evidence or any obstruction to the investigation process. The recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code should be immediately implemented to enact a Coroner's Act and to establish a Coroner's Court to investigate all cases of sudden deaths in custody. "We are extremely saddened that the institutions of state that are supposed to protect and advance the public interest have apparently abandoned the principles of democratic governance. "Not only have human freedom and dignity been degraded, lives have been unnecessarily lost." Government must halt deaths in custody, reform MACC now — Lim Chee WeeThe Malaysian Bar is appalled at the news of the death of Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, a Customs Department officer, after he reportedly fell from the third floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building in Kuala Lumpur. It is shocking that another person has died in such tragic circumstances, which immediately bring to mind the death of Teoh Beng Hock, who was found on the fifth floor of the MACC's Selangor headquarters in July 2009. It appears that, despite the Teoh Beng Hock incident, MACC's procedures involving the welfare and safety of witnesses and suspects have not changed. MACC's credibility already leaves much to be desired. MACC officers are either negligent or reckless in fulfilling the duty of care that they owe to those called in for questioning. The institution of Malaysia's enforcement agencies (both the Customs Department and the MACC) is now tainted, and its integrity in grave doubt. The Malaysian Bar calls for an immediate inquest into the incident, which was, in all likelihood, a death that occurred while Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed was in MACC's custody. Chapter XXXII of the Criminal Procedure Code requires that all custodial deaths be investigated by way of inquest. Public confidence can only be restored, and justice seen to be done, if there is a high-level, independent, far-reaching and effective inquiry into the circumstances and cause of Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed's death. This incident is a matter of utmost public interest that warrants the highest level of priority. Every death in custody must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed's death must not be relegated to a mere statistic. The Malaysian Bar also calls on the Government to conduct, by way of a Royal Commission of Enquiry, a concomitant review of MACC's operations, interrogation and investigation techniques, and safety and other protocols. Recent inquiries into deaths of persons that occur whilst in the custody of, or in or around the premises of, law enforcement agencies, have resulted in "open" verdicts. The Malaysian Bar thus calls on the Government to introduce a Coroner's Act and establish a Coroner's Court, and to conduct a comprehensive review of the manner in which inquiries into deaths are undertaken. This incident is the latest in a deplorable string of deaths occurring in the context of investigations carried out by law enforcement agencies. It must be the last. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed's family and friends. * Lim Chee Wee is the president of the Malaysian Bar. This is his press statement dated April 6, 2011. NGOs: Suspend senior MACC officers Wednesday, April 06 @ 08:40:37 CDT
Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:44 PM PDT by KTemoc The Chinese and Japanese shun the taboo word '4' because their respective pronunciations of the word 'si' and 'shi' sound like 'die'. It's considered bad luck and an ominous omen to use the word, especially on auspicious occasions. To avoid it the Japanese even employ an indigenous word 'yon' in lieu. As a kid, I remember my mum forbidding us kids to utter the word on Chinese New Year's day - we were instructed to use (not unlike the Japanese) a non-Chinese word, which in our case was obviously the Malay 'empat'. Now, the letter 'C' in English sounds exactly like '4' in Hokkien. Consider MACC, where there's a double 'C'. Given the recent death of Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, a Custom officer by 'falling from height' at the same MACC building where Teoh Beng Hock was killed, thus a second/similar tragedy, can you blame people for saying: MACC = Masuk, Akan Cee (Si), Cee (Si)! You wonder, don't you, when people keep dying at MACC and police stations. Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:43 PM PDT Dominique Ng Kim Ho with the posters and other materials he had made in preparation to contest as PKR candidate in Padungan. — NST picture More BN Buzz & Bull At Bonology.com 
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| Angry forwarding agents call MACC ‘murderers’ Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:40 PM PDT By Shannon Teoh April 06, 2011  Over 100 forwarding agents gathered in front of the Customs department's import/export division upon hearing of Ahmad Sarbani's death. — Pic by Shannon Teoh Calling the assistant director in the Customs Department's import/export division "their favourite officer," over 100 agents gathered outside the gates of the premises where Ahmad Sarbani used to work. They hung posters on the gates with slogans such as "Suruhanjaya Pembunuh Rakyat Malaysia" as they expressed their anger both at the Customs Department and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). "He was the cleanest and most helpful officer. The MACC was tipped-off by other officers who were jealous of his good relationship with us," said A. Kumaran. Another agent who refused to be named said that Ahmad Sarbani, who fell to his death from the third floor of the MACC building in Cheras this morning, could be counted on to understand their problems. "Every day that our forms are not cleared, we get charged for storage of the containers. He understands when we need to close our shipments," he said.  The gates of the Customs department were plastered with angry messages condemning the MACC for the death of "their favourite officer". — Pic by Shannon Teoh MACC investigations director Datuk Mustafar Ali said the Customs officer's body was found sprawled on the first floor at 10.15am. The death comes even as a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is being conducted into the anti-graft body's operating procedures following the death of former DAP aide Teoh Beng Hock, who also fell to his death from an MACC building. Teoh was found dead on July 16, 2009 on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, where the Selangor MACC office was then located. Last week's nationwide Customs dragnet swept 84 forwarding agents, a holding company and its 24 subsidiaries, and also led to the raid of 25 Customs premises. Airfreight Forwarders Association of Malaysia (AFAM) chairman Walter Culas, who had been negotiating over the delay in processing the K1 forms, told The Malaysian Insider that the agents had become "emotional because they have been frustrated that their forms have been held up." "They like this officer but the main issue is the forms," he said. Customs introduced a new system last week where forwarding agents are no longer allowed to choose which officer to file their forms with. More PR Buzz & Bull @ Bonology.com 
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| The Untold Story Of GLC Heads' Pay Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:50 PM PDT
GLC heads paid wages up to RM4.9m annuallyBy Yow Hong Chieh iMacc Throwing Consumers A Bargain!Mob's Crib by mob1900  Be very, very afraid if you're called upon to go there. Witnesses have tendencies to 'jump for joy' out of the window KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Chief executive officers at top government-linked companies (GLCs) earned RM800,000 to RM4.9 million each year between 2006 and 2009, the Finance Ministry told Dewan Rakyat today. During that period, the annual wage for the Maybank Banking CEO ranged from RM1.4 million to RM4.9 million and RM800,000 to RM1.4 million for the Tenaga Nasional CEO. Similarly, the Malaysia Airline System CEO made RM900,000 to RM1.5 million and while the chief executive of Proton Holdings Bhd earned RM500,000 to RM1 million. The ministry said these wages were based on guidelines set out in the Blue Book published by the Putrajaya Committee, which ensures public sector chief executive salaries can compete with private sector ones. The "incentive framework" contained within the book also ties wages to achievement and links bonuses and stock options to each individual CEO's performance rating. "The remuneration given to GLC chief executive officers are commensurate with targets given to them ... to transform GLCs into high-performance companies," the Finance Ministry said in a written reply to Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng. Lim had asked the ministry to rank the top 20 GLC CEOs by wages and bonuses from 2006 to 2009. The ministry also listed the pay for each corresponding industry to show that those helming GLCs made less than their counterparts in private companies. Annual CEO wages were between RM4.7 million to RM6.1 million for Public Bank, RM3.6 million to RM10.2 million for YTL Corporation, RM1 million to RM 6 million for AirAsia and RM4.5 million to RM5 million for Tan Chong Motor Holdings. Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Allegation: "Teoh Beng Hock II is planned !" Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:56 PM PDT
Probe MACC death but don't jump gun, says BN The MACC building on Jalan Cochrane where Ahmad Sarbani's body was found on the first floor this morning. — Pic by Jack Ooi A Customs officer was found dead today and is believed to have fallen from the third floor of the MACC building on Jalan Cochrane, where he was being investigated over a billion ringgit in unpaid taxes. During a hastily convened press conference, MACC investigations director Datuk Mustafar Ali revealed that the deceased was Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, a 56-year-old assistant director from the Customs Department in Selangor. De facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said an investigation was needed to "get to the bottom" of the incident before any firm decisions on MACC can be made. He scoffed at Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) immediate call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Ahmad Sarbani's death, saying the opposition should also press for an RCI into the alleged sex video of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "We'll wait first. It's okay. They (PR) can say what they want to say," he told The Malaysian Insider. MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said MACC owed it to the public to investigate transparently the circumstances surrounding Ahmad Sarbani's death, which he called a "rude shock". "They (MACC) are duty-bound to answer and I hope that a thorough investigation will be carried out to find the truth," he said. But Wee stressed that any request for the MACC to revamp its interrogation procedures would be "jumping the gun" as it has not been conclusively proven that the anti-graft body was at fault for the Custom officer's death. "It's not fair to anybody," he said. He added that a properly conducted investigation into Ahmad Sarbani's death would be a good opportunity for MACC to restore public confidence in the much-maligned agency. A similarly cautious P. Kamalanathan pointed out that, while the Custom officer's fall suggested there was a need to revamp the anti-graft body's procedures, it was too soon to leap to conclusions. MIC Putera coordinator said "many things" could have happened and hoped that the MACC had close-circuit television cameras (CCTV) at its Kuala Lumpur office to aid subsequent investigations. "They had enough number of months to upgrade their offices, put all these things in order," he said. Kamalanathan also suggested that MACC suspects should in the future only be interviewed on the ground floor to avoid such further incidents. "It may sound funny ... but the higher the storey is, the more likely people will fall," he said. This morning, Mustafar said that Ahmad Sarbani was found dead on the office's first floor at 10.15am. He explained that the Customs official had returned to the MACC building at 8.26am today unannounced and requested to meet with the investigation officer. Ahmad Sarbani's body was later found sprawled on the badminton court on the first floor. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah confirmed that the case has been classified as sudden death and initial investigations have found injuries to the head. The MACC last week busted a Customs syndicate responsible for billions of ringgit in tax evasion, money laundering and illegal funds outflows after raiding over 100 different premises nationwide. More BN Buzz & Bull At Bonology.com 
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| Kajang councillor unsure why MACC not sued for torture Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:34 PM PDT UPDATED @ 07:26:50 PM 06-04-2011 By Boo Su-Lyn April 06, 2011
Tan Boon Wah told the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh Beng Hock's death that he had only sued the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for questioning him outside office hours on the night of July 15, 2009. "I only can say I left it out only; I don't know why," said Tan at the inquiry today, when asked why he did not include his torture allegations in his suit. "Torture, I made a police report," he added. Tan claimed that MACC officers had tortured him by forcing him to stand for four hours and threatening him when he was held overnight at the then Selangor MACC headquarters on July 15, 2009. Teoh's body was found on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam hours later after he was also questioned overnight by MACC officers at their then Selangor office on the 14th floor. The anti-graft officers were investigating a claim that Teoh's boss, Ean Yong Hian Wah, was abusing state funds. Ean Yong is a Selangor state executive councillor and Seri Kembangan assemblyman from the DAP. Tan said today that he had engaged Karpal Singh as his lawyer in his suit against the national anti-graft authority in 2009. "I'm putting it to you the only reason why you and your capable lawyers did not put (your torture allegations) in the affidavit is because it never happened. (The) threat never happened," said MACC lawyer Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. "Your Honour, it happened. Four hours on 15 July 2009, 10pm to the 16th, 2am," said Tan, who joined the DAP after Teoh's death. "All the torture I mentioned yesterday, it happened ... all I said in court it's true," he added, heatedly. Tan told the RCI yesterday that MACC officers had forced him to stand for four hours, mimicked actions that gave the impression he would be hit, and called him "Cina bodoh" (stupid Chinese). He said, however, that the anti-graft officers did not physically hurt him. Shafee pointed out that Tan did not sue the police despite questioning taking place outside office hours. "They didn't torture me," said Tan. "That's an important point ... you did not sue the police for outside office hours because they didn't torture you," replied Shafee. Shafee said the police had recorded Tan's statement from 9pm to 11pm on July 20, 2009. Tan said he lodged a police report against the MACC on July 18, 2009 after he was detained for almost 17 hours at the Selangor MACC office. The DAP man said he was questioned by the graft busters as a witness in their investigations against Ean Yong. Tan added that the MACC officers had asked him if he had pocketed the payment for selling 1,500 Malaysian flags to Ean Yong without actually supplying them. "They only asked me if I took (the) RM2,400 (payment)," said Tan, stressing that he had delivered the flags. The Kajang municipal councillor won his suit against the MACC at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in 2009, but the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court decision. The Federal Court also dismissed Tan's appeal and ruled last year that the MACC could continue to interrogate witnesses after office hours. More PR Buzz & Bull @ Bonology.com 
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| Allegation: "UMNO killed Sarbani to justify Teoh Beng Hock's killing ?" Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:33 PM PDT Impossible Sarbani would commit suicide, say friendsBy Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani April 06, 2011  Shocked and grief-stricken colleagues gathered outside the mortuary at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM). — Pic by Jack Ooi They had come to one conclusion upon hearing of his death plunge earlier — that it was impossible for the 56-year-old Customs assistant director to commit suicide over investigations into over a billion ringgit in unpaid taxes across five ports in the country. In Customs Department uniforms or clad with headscarves, men and women lined the hallway leading to the mortuary, murmuring prayers and talking in hushed tones about the man who was found sprawled on the first floor after falling from the third floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building on Jalan Cochrane this morning. Some were unable to control their grief, with tears seen trickling down their faces. Sarbani's family was protective of his wife and five children who were escorted to the mortuary waiting room with their faces covered to avoid photographers from capturing their images. His siblings refused to give any comments to reporters crowding the mortuary. His childhood friend, Ridzuan Mohamad, told The Malaysian Insider of his disbelief when he received the news of Sarbani's death today. "I was close to him and he was very humble. I think the charge against him by MACC is nonsense. If it is true then show the proof. The way they interrogated him was not fair. "He was just a scapegoat for someone else," said the 46-year-old former reporter. Ridzuan also said that it was illogical for him to commit suicide because he had always maintained his innocence. "Last night he called and told me that he was being investigated by MACC. He told me that he was not scared as he has not done anything wrong. "He also told me that he was going to send a document tomorrow (today). That was it, to send a document," he added. Another close friend, Ashaari Isa, added that Sarbani was very pious and that a man of God would not commit suicide. "That is what MACC has to say but for those that knew him personally then it was impossible (that he committed suicide). "His personality and conduct was that of a very religious person," said the 57-year-old businessman.  Ahmad Sarbani's widow (in black) is surrounded by family and friends in the mortuary waiting room. — Pic by Jack Ooi Ashaari, who drove from Sarbani's village in Perak, angrily denied that suicide was the cause of death. "Men from our village don't kill themselves but we kill others," he said in an emotional outburst. MACC investigations director Datuk Mustafar Ali earlier told reporters that Sarbani had returned to the MACC building at 8.26am today without an appointment and had requested to meet with the investigation officer. Sarbani had already given his statement to MACC and was released from custody at 12.30pm on Saturday. He had been remanded on March 29 following an MACC-led swoop on Customs staff, resulting in the arrests of 62 officers. "The deceased had asked to meet with the investigation officer but did not say why," Mustafar said. The chief investigator said an officer then accompanied the Customs officer to a room in the office before leaving to collect the case file but found him missing when he returned. Sarbani's body was later found on the badminton court on the first floor. Pandamaran assemblyman Ronnie Liu arrived later and was seen consoling the dead man's relatives. He told reporters that DAP has offered to represent the family but has yet to receive an answer. Hospital authorities said the autopsy will be conducted at 9pm tonight. Police have yet to say when the body will be released for burial by the family. More PR Buzz & Bull @ Bonology.com 
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| "Najib vows to jail Mamak for the third time ..." Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:57 PM PDT MACC chief vows probe, expresses condolence over Sarbani's deathWell, lookie here what I foundDidn't have to dig deep to find that...must use it a lot! 
MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed also expressed condolences tonight to the family of Customs assistant director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed (picture), who was found dead in the commission's office earlier today. The 56-year-old Customs officer was among 62 detained last week in connection with billions in unpaid taxes. "I, as the MACC chief commissioner, express my sadness and sympathy over what has happened. The MACC will carry out a comprehensive internal probe about this matter," he said in a statement tonight. In the four-paragraph statement, Abu Kassim hoped that the death would not be "exploited or manipulated by certain quarters for their personal interests", without elaborating on the statement. Sarbani's death comes as a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is investigating MACC operational procedures and the death of Teoh Beng Hock on July 16, 2009. The DAP political aide was a witness whose body was found sprawled on the fifth floor corridor of the organisation's Selangor headquarters. An inquest returned an open verdict of neither suicide or homicide. More BN Buzz & Bull At Bonology.com 
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| Posted: 06 Apr 2011 01:29 PM PDT Prove your saintliness, Gerakan man tells Najib & Cofrom Free Malaysia Today » Nation by Athi Shankar
GEORGE TOWN: A Gerakan leader has boldly called on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his Cabinet ministers to take religious vows to prove that they are paragons of virtue. According to Baljit Singh, head of Penang Gerakan legal and human rights bureau, Najib and his ministers, their deputies and parliamentary secretaries must prove that they were better than Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. "They shall be obliged to be subjected for a moral test. They should take the vow and bow before God," he told FMT. In other words, Baljit said, the Cabinet must walk its talk. Anwar had been attacked on grounds of morality following the disclosure of a sex video, which his accusers claimed depicted the opposition leader having sex with a prostitute. However, Anwar and his wife, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, denied that the man in the video was Anwar. Meanwhile, Baljit said Najib and his subordinates should take their vows in accordance to their respective religious beliefs and rites that they, throughout their careers, were never involved in graft, sexual transgressions, and abuse of power. He pointed out that the Umno-helmed federal government had always harped and passed judgments on the moral standings of Anwar, first with the sodomy cases and now the sex video. "He who has not sinned shall cast the first stone," he said, adding that Najib and his team should take the religious vows if "they are so morally righteous." He said that the people had the right to know about their government leaders' moral standards. Nazri and Hisham slammed
Baljit also slammed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz for suggesting that Wan Azizah was not competent to identify the person in the video. He chided Nazri for refusing to accept that the sex video game was now "over" following Wan Azizah's denial. He criticised Nazri's statement as "the most illogical and unrealistic suggestion coming from a full cabinet minister." "If there is someone who knows every inch of Anwar's body, it must his wife. How can Nazri say that Azizah is not the best person? Don't tell me Nazri knows Anwar's body better than Azizah?" he asked. He also rebuked Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for claiming that the public had wrongly perceived Barisan Nasional of being the mastermind behind the sex video. He said Hishammuddin had unnecessarily dragged BN into an alleged Umno mess. "The public perception is that Umno, not BN, has been involved in this sex video from the start. The public knows that others in BN have nothing to do with this mess," he added. More BN Buzz & Bull At Bonology.com 
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| Posted: 06 Apr 2011 12:31 PM PDT WHY DAP HAS NO BUSINESS CALLING FOR AN RCI.The death this morning of Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, the senior Customs officer under investigation for corruption, came as a massive blow for Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission boss Abu Kassim, who was on the verge of busting one of the biggest bribery syndicates in Malaysia's history. The 56-year assistant director from Port Klang Customs had fallen to his death from the third floor of the 5-storey building.He was among scores of Customs officers brought in for questioning on April Fool's Day to help the MACC with its investigation into a billion-ringgit Customs syndicate. Ahmad Sarbani had been released after questioning on April 2. He returned to the MACC office at 8.26 this morning to meet the IO. Apparently, he wanted to discuss the statement he'd given to the IO earlier. He had to wait nearly two hours as the IO was in a meeting. When the IO came to the waiting room about 10.15am Ahmad Sarbani was not there. They found his body face down on the ground floor. Read the Malay Mail's articles Customs man falls to death at MACC and Dead Customs officer was among those arrested in April 1 swoop for chronology and details. In the next few days the special task force set up by the Police to investigate Ahmad Sarbani's death will establish the facts of the case and answer some of our questions. Many of us who have been supportive of Abu Kassim and MACC's untiring efforts against corruption are asking, "Why lah", a question the Police won't be able to satisfactorily answer. Why did the MACC officer(s) not keep an eye on Ahmad Sarbani? Why did they let the Customs man by himself in the waiting room? Why didn't they ensure that the windows were locked (especially after the Teoh Beng Hock's experience)? Why did they take things for granted? Why lah never learnt? I join Malaysians in conveying condolences to the family of Ahmad Sarbani. I hope the members of the family bersabar and leave it to the police to investigate. Insyallah, the truth will prevail. I also have a message for the DAP's sec-gen Lim Guan Eng: Please don't make use of this death for politics again. Enough is enough lah. Read for yourself LGE's "condolence message". "Malaysians do not believe claims by some BN leaders that Teoh committed suicide." "Instead they believe that Teoh was murdered." "The failure of MACC to investigate corruption allegations against Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud shows a clear case of double-standards and systems failure in enforcing the law equally."Apalah Guan Eng, semua mau dipolitikkan? Guan Eng had the cheeks to also call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry be set up to investigate Ahmad Sarbani's death. I find his hypocrisy unbearable. They had demanded an RCI for TBH but when an RCI was set up, they pulled out of it. I said it in my tweet and I'll say it here: DAP has no business demanding for! a Royal Commission of Inquiry after the way they ditched Teoh Beng Hock's RCI. More BN Buzz & Bull At Bonology.com 
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| Journalists to discuss ins and outs of a press council Posted: 06 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT Moves towards setting up an independent media council in Malaysia take a step forward on Friday when journalists meet at a Media Council Forum in Kuala Lumpur to discuss ways to set up an independent media council free of government control and able to promote media freedom. The forum is being held under the aegis of the Global Forum for Media Development and hosted by the National Union of Journalists Malaysia. Three Malaysians will speak at the forum: Associate professor Zaharom Nain, advisor to the Centre for Independent Journalism; Zainon Ahmad, political editor of The Sun; R. Gunasingam, secretary general of the World Association of Press Councils International experts include representatives of press councils in Indonesia, Australia and India, and the International Federation of Journalists, the umbrella body of journalists unions. GFMD director Bettina Peters said that a Malaysian government proposal last year of a media council had been opposed by the independent press and GFMD members (among them MalaysiaKini and the CIJ). Now, media support groups and independent media in Malaysia are trying to join forces to propose their own media council. The GFMD is assisting our members in Malaysia to define the right type of structure and mandate for an independent media council, she said. We want a council that is independent of government control and that does not just mediate disputes over media content. It should also promote media freedom and inform the authorities and the public about the role of independent media in a democratic society. Text of the NUJ announcement: NUJ-GFMD MEDIA COUNCIL FORUM 2011 Representatives from GFMD, the Indonesian Press Council, the Australian Press Council, International Federation of Journalists Asia Pacific, Indian Press Council and local organisatio! ns will debate on how an independent media council could work in Malaysia, what support would be needed, how to build coalitions, how to engage with the authorities on this, and share their experiences with other countries. There will be two groups of speakers at the forum:
The findings from the forum will be presented to MCA president Chua Soy Lek at the NUJs Press Freedom Day event in May 2011. Programme
Moderator: Alan Kennedy
Moderator: Bettina Peters
Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Ubah, Kenyalang and Stella the Australian bomoh.... Posted: 06 Apr 2011 10:37 AM PDT Local flavour and creativity were very much in evidence during the nominations process in the 10th Sarawak election. Compared to shouting matches and frequent scuffles among rival supporters in the peninsula, those accompanying candidates to nomination centres around Sarawak were orderly and offered a lighter take on politics. TheDAP turned the state emblem - the Rhinoceros Hornbill - into a loveable mascot named Ubah ('change'). It has its own website, Facebook and Twitter account, in a bid to engage younger urban voters. Almost all the DAP candidates were accompanied by Ubah, in the form of soft toy. Candidates and supporters happily posed with the mascot for photographs. A majestic bird also featured in the BN's campaign. Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, dubbed the 'Iban warrior' by his supporters, brought along a kenyalang (hornbill) sculpture to the nomination centre. This has been his practice in every election he has contested. The sculpture and an antler, were carried by two elders who led the 300-strong BN entourage to the Betong district office, the nomination centre for state seat Layar, this morning. On reaching th e main buidling, Jabu - who is seeking his eighth consecutive term in the Layar seat, carried the items and placed them respectfu! lly on e ither side of an antique cannon at the building entrance. He then squatted down and stroked the cannon while murmuring a few words in the Iban language.He asked Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to similarly stroke the cannon and the two posed for photographs. After the returning officer announced the successful candidates, Jabu again stroked the cannon and murmured to it. He told Hishammuddin that the cannon has brought victory to BN and again asked the latter to pose with him for photographs. According to Jabu's wife, Empiang, the kenyalang and antler are part of an Iban tradition in seeking blessings. "During every election, he will do the ritual," she told Malaysiakini.According to the Sarawak Handicraft and Souvenir Association, the Iban regard the kenyalang as the God of War. It is the community's most sacred carving and is used to honour and commemorate its warriors and leaders. Traditionally, only a proven warrior is allowed to fell the tree to be used for carving the statue. The wood for the hornbill crest can only be cut by a warrior who has killed numerous enemies in a single expedition. Stella 'spook' Independent At the Balingian nomination centre, all eyes were on an Australian bomoh allegedly close to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who was filing his nomination form. A minor fracas broke out when Independent candidate Salleh Jafaruddin raised his voice at Stella Kharleen Tashman, a striking blonde who sported a leopard-print headscarf. "You want to put a spell on me, you want to put a spell on Ma! laysia," Salleh said, raising his voice. However, Stella (right), who was wearing heavy make-up, just laughed and walked away, while Salleh had to be restrained by his supporters. According to whistleblower website Sarawak Report, Stella was introduced to Taib by his sister Raziah. It further claimed that Taib is strongly influenced by Stella, who is said to conduct a ritual each morning before he leaves his residence. source:malaysiakini 'BN's combat zones in Sarawak' cheers. More PR Buzz & Bull @ Bonology.com 
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| Scandal: Malaysia's Carelessness over WMD Posted: 06 Apr 2011 08:35 AM PDT By Stephen Herzog, Asia SentinelNajib government needs a greater nonproliferation focus
Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Another Death or 'Suicide' at the MACC? Posted: 06 Apr 2011 08:00 AM PDT Who said that it is impossible for lightning to strike twice and at the same place? Customs Department Deputy Director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed was found sprawled on the first floor after falling from the third floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building on Jalan Cochrane this morning. He was already dead when found. Again friends and relatives could not believe that Sarbani may have taken his own life. This case is probably going to be a repeat of the Teoh Beng Hock saga. Again, the MACC would be blamed for causing another death of a suspect/witness. It may not be fair to blame the MACC without first conducting a thorough investigation. Let's hope that the next investigation would not be embarrassing again for the commission when its officers are found to have committed gross misconduct. It looks like there is a W-I-P in the MACC despite the restructuring and rebranding exercise conducted two years ago. TBH and now the Sarbani death in custody is going to put another nail on the commission coffin. The government must conduct a thorough study and review on the method, system and mindset of the officers and the organization. MACC is in a deep crisis at the moment. Nothing less than a full transparent process investigate the deaths is going to help the commission regain its relevance. Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Change Now Imperative Sarawak Ubah DAP List Of Candidates Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:30 AM PDT  Change of Federal Government Now Imperative let us make the wave in Sarawak and let it flow over to the peninsular These are the Sarawak Ubah team from DAP/Pakatan Rakyat candidates:                Courtesy of Bonology.com ® Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz 
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| Contests in all Sarawak seats tougher for opposition Posted: 06 Apr 2011 07:30 AM PDT April 06, 2011  The Electoral Commission says two-thirds, or 54, of seats will see multi-cornered fights. Pic by Choo Choy May KUCHING, April 6 Contests in all of Sarawaks 71 state constituencies are likely to be tougher than expected for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and other opposition parties as they all face gruelling multi-candidate fights in many seats.Though conventional wisdom holds that such battles would split votes meant for the opposition, there are instances where they have won despite steep odds against the dominant ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN).The Election Commission confirmed today that two-thirds, or 54, of the seats will see multi-cornered fights. Of that number, 40 will see contests involving between three and four candidates.EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusoff said that a record 213 candidates have been accepted to stand in the April 16 election. Of the total, 41 are independents.About three-quarters, or 36, of the seats contested by Parti Keadilan Rakyat, which has candidates in 49 seats, are multi-cornered fights.PKR, which has styled itself as the lynchpin of the PR in Sarawak, will be vying against the Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Parti Cinta Malaysia or a slew of independent candidates, besides the BN.This is after PKR failed to secure an electoral pact with SNAP and the PCM. On the other hand, only one of SNAPs seats, Pakan, is in a straight fight with the BN.The DAP faces four multi-cornered fights out of the 15 seats it is contesting while three of the five seats PAS is standing in, have more than one candidate.PKR vice president Datuk Mansor Othman had said the party was confident of going into such contests and cited the case of the Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah. The PKR managed to beat the BN and a handful of independents during a 2009 by election in that ! seat.We have experience vying against multiple opponents. We did it in the 2001 and 2006 state elections.DAP candidates, Violet Yong (Pending N10) and Wong King Wei (Padungan N9), on their way to the nomination centre today. Pic by Choo Choy MayUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak political scientist Dr Faisal Syam Hazis says some of the so-called independents may be fielded in hotly contested areas to split the opposition vote.Its not the first time this is happening. In the Belaga seat in 2006, for instance, the total number of votes garnered by the independent and the opposition candidates was much higher than that gained by the BN.This is done since some independents are influential figures in a particular constituency or have a prestigious family name. These traits would override party recognition, especially in rural areas, Faisal says.By the same token, an opposition party and its candidate may be more popular than an independent, especially if voters see the latter as spoilers says Faisal.So we cant really say for sure that a multi-cornered fight will automatically split the opposition vote.Meanwhile, ECs Abdul Aziz said that a SNAP candidate for the Kakus seat was the only person to have his nomination papers rejected after he, his proposer and his seconder failed to put their signatures on all the required forms.He also quashed a rumour that PAS candidate for Muara Tuang Noraini Hamzah had won uncontested. It is rumoured that she had filed an objection against her opponent Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mahmud claiming that the latter had not filed his financial statement for the 2006 elections.Abdul Aziz clarified that Mohamad Ali had indeed filed the statement. Subsequently, Norainis objection was turned down. More BN Buzz & Bull At Bonology.com 
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KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — A Kajang municipal councillor admitted today he can't explain why he did not sue the country's graft busters for allegedly torturing him despite doing so over an after-hours interrogation but said he has lodged a police report on the matter.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has pledged a comprehensive internal probe into the death plunge of a Customs officer at its office here today, adding it will cooperate fully with the police which is investigating the case, the second death since its inception in 2009.
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