Jobless man charged with wife's murder

Jobless man charged with wife's murder

Jobless man charged with wife's murder

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

17 January 2014| last updated at 12:34AM

Shahsi Kumar, 28, was accused of killing his wife at a boutique in Amber Business Plaza in Jalan Jelawat 1, Cheras, between 1.30pm on Dec 30 last year and 8pm on Jan 3.

When the charge was read to him, he nodded his head. However, no plea was recorded.

Magistrate Erry Shahriman Nor Aripin fixed March 17 for mention.

DPP Nor Diana Nor Azwa prosecuted while counsel, R. Thiruchelvam and Vincent Lawrance, represented the accused.

It was reported that a gruesome discovery of a dead body was made at a beauty salon by its owner and the husband of the victim on Jan 4.

Police believed that the 28-year-old victim had been dead for four days when her body was discovered.

"The victim was found in the bathtub with a stab wound in the abdomen and blood was splattered all over the bathroom.

She had worked at the salon for six months.

Shahsi Kumar being led out of the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court yesterday. Bernama pic

3 members of sect plead not guilty

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

KUANTAN: THREE followers of the "Tuhan Harun" deviant group yesterday changed their plea to not guilty, when their cases were mentioned at the Syariah Lower Court here.

On May 14 last year, Husin Ismail, 44, Mohd Khalilie Zazali, 32, and Mohd Nizam Mohd Salleh, 43, pleaded guilty to separate charges of possessing documents, which were against the true Islamic teachings.

Three others, Pius Anahong @ Mahdi Abdullah, 40, Syahiszam Soid, 41, and Mohd Shahril Mohd Jaafar, 28, were also charged that day. However, the three (Pius, Syahiszam and Shahril) who are facing 11 charges that included disseminating deviant teachings and ridiculing Islam, did not turn up in court yesterday.

Also absent was leader of the sect Harun Mat Saat, 48, who was at the High Court for the mention of his case involving the murder of the Pahang Religious Department's enforcement chief Ahmad Raffli Abd Malek, last year.

They allegedly committed the Syariah offence at premises number B16-1st, Lorong Pandan Damai 2/201, here at 6.50pm, in April 4, last year.

If found guilty under Section 165 of the Pahang Islamic Religious Administration and Malay Customs Enactment 1982, they could be fined up to RM500 for each offence.

Syariah judge Abdul Wahid Md Ali Al-Fakwie fixed April 24 as the new mention date for the three and Feb 6 for Harun's case and three others.

State Islamic Religious Department (Jaip) Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Fahmi Abd Jalil prosecuted while the accused were not represented. The court then released all the three on a RM1,000 bail, in one surety each.

Meanwhile, in the High Court, Judge Datuk Ab Karim Ab Rahman fixed Jan 28 for mention of the murder case involving Harun and his three followers.

Karim made the decision after counsel for the accused, Hermes Media Putra Ibrahim, did not attend yesterday's proceedings, where several documents were supposed to be handed to both the prosecution and defence teams.

On Dec 16, Harun's follower, Sumustapha Suradi, 40, from Kampung Sibugal Besar, Sandakan, Sabah, was charged with killing Jaip enforcement chief Ahmad Raffli Abd Malek in front of the victim's home at Lorong IM2/29, Bandar Indera Mahkota, here, at 1.50pm on Nov 10 with two others who are still at large.

Sumustapha; Harun Mat Saat, 48; his third wife Azida Mohd Zol, 31; another follower Shaizral Eddie Nizam Shaari, 37; and two others currently on the loose, were also charged with criminal conspiracy to commit the murder.

All of them claimed trial to the charges, which carry the mandatory death penalty.

Harun, who was clad in a purple prison uniform and his followers, were heavily guarded at the court complex, with the police truck they were travelling in, escorted by two patrol cars.

Azida, who wore a veil or niqab that covered her face and orange-coloured loose pants, was brought to the court complex in a separate van.

DPP Salim Soib@Hamid appeared for the prosecution.

Tuhan Harun leader Harun Mat Saad arriving at the Kuantan High Court with his wife (second from right) yesterday. Pic by Luqman Hakim Zubir

'We were attacked by 40 armed men'

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

17 January 2014| last updated at 12:36AM
By AVILA GERALDINE | avila@nst.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: WOUNDED and under a frontal attack by up to 40 armed men, Corporal Azman Ampong had no choice but to return fire as his partner lay bleeding beside him.

Azman had been shot in the right thigh while his partner, Corporal Mohd Tarmizi Hashim, was wounded in the left calf when they were attacked by Sulu gunmen in Lahad Datu on March 1 last year.

They had been under attack for about two minutes at the time and Azman turned to Tarmizi to ask him if he could still handle his weapon.

"When he said he could, I said to him 'tunggu apa lagi buddy? Tembaklah' (what are you waiting for then, buddy? Shoot)," he said.

Azman was testifying as the prosecution's fourth witness in the trial of 30 people charged with offences linked to the armed intrusion by gunmen from southern Philippines into Sabah last year.

He said this under questioning by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who is leading the prosecution team, at the trial being held at the central prison here.

Azman was relating what happened during the engagement between the elite police VAT69 unit and the gunmen in an oil palm plantation on the fringes of Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu.

When Gani asked why he did not open fire before the gunmen fired at them, he said they were ordered to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any shoot-out.

Azman said, while returning fire, he and Tarmizi signalled for support from their team members who were behind them by shouting "compromise support".

He said the support was immediate, adding that Tarmizi later informed him that he was again hit, this time in the left arm.

Gani: "After he told you this, what did you ask him to do?"

Azman: "I asked him whether he was still able to shoot."

Gani: "What was his reply?"

Azman: "He said 'I can't... my arm is weak'."

Gani: "What happened next?"

Azman: "I assumed even if he (Tarmizi) could still fire, he wouldn't be able to reload his weapon."

Azman said he then told his partner to pull back to their team who were in a "standard line position" while he gave covering fire.

He told the court that he remained at his position and continued shooting, adding that he saw a gunman collapse after being shot.

Prior to the shooting, Azman, Tarmizi and their Team C members and leader Deputy Superintendent Anwar Rosli had moved into their area of responsibility (Sector C) at 6am in a tactical manner, utilising a buddy system.

However, the duo accidentally stepped out of the standard line formation and were spotted by the armed intruders at 9.45am.

Cross-examination is scheduled for Jan 27.

Security personnel keeping close watch at the central prison in Kota Kinabalu yesterday. Pic by Izhari Ariffin

Najib orders ministry to act against profiteers

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

17 January 2014| last updated at 12:48AM
By ZULITA MUSTAFA AND A. AZIM IDRIS | news@nst.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has directed the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry to take stern action against  business operators who raise food prices.

He said this includes charging them in court.

"If they are found increasing their prices, the government will not hesitate to take action."

Najib said this was to ensure the people felt comfortable and at ease, especially with the current hikes in the prices of goods.

He said this at a dinner function attended by hundreds of cooperative members of the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) at Putra World Trade Centre here.

The dinner was organised to express Kimma's appreciation for Najib and Barisan Nasional's undivided support for the Indian Muslim community.

Present were Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, KopKimma president Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Nizam and Kimma president Senator Datuk Syed Ibrahim Kader.

They were entertained with a multimedia presentation, singing and cultural dance performances.

Najib also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between KopKimma and Bank Rakyat.

He said the government, in support of KopKimma's first Ar-Rahnu franchise, had promised to channel RM1 million to the cooperative.

Earlier, Najib also chaired the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs meeting here, where it was decided that all private tahfiz school operators must register as Government-Assisted Religious Schools (SABK).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the decision, made during the meeting attended by menteris besar, aimed at streamlining the schools' curriculums to include academic subjects, ensuring that they produced well-rounded individuals in academic and religious studies.

He said the menteris besar were asked to advise tahfiz school operators in their states to register under SABK.

Jamil Khir, who is in charge of religious affairs, said Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, Religious Education and History were among the subjects that would be included in the curriculums.

"The government wants to see future tahfiz school-leavers have another option in their career paths, becoming professionals or experts in other fields (apart from religion)."

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak arriving for the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs meeting in Putrajaya yesterday. Bernama pic

School-in-hospital expanded

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

17 January 2014| last updated at 12:40AM

Its patron, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, who is the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said two of the schools would be set up in East Malaysia.

"We plan to introduce the programme at Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching and Children and Women Hospital (Hospital Likas) in Sabah. Both hospitals will house the first SDH in East Malaysia.

"We also plan to introduce another SDH at Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Negri Sembilan," she said after visiting University Malaya Medical Centre's SDH, which began its first schooling session here yesterday.

Noorainee hoped the three schools could be set up before the end of this year to ensure that children who were hospitalised would not be left out in their education.

At present, she said, 10 hospitals ran the SDH programme, which had 19,240 participants since it was introduced in July 2011. Serdang Hospital recorded the highest number of student enrolment with 3,173 pupils.

Besides the UMMC and Serdang Hospital, other hospitals offering the SDH programme are Selayang Hospital, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ampang Hospital, Sultanah Aminah Johor Hospital, Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Krian, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh and Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar.

"The response to the programme has been encouraging. The SDH programme offers a fun learning concept," Noorainee said.

"Children can attend class, gain knowledge and participate in fun activities during their stay at the hospital."

"Hati Nurani" is under the Nurul Yaqeen Foundation, which is collaborating with the Education and Health Ministries to realise the SDH goal.

Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman (right) speaking to a young patient during a visit to Universiti University Malaya Medical Centre's school-in-hospital in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Pic by Yazit Razali

Aussie back for Thaipusam

Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

17 January 2014| last updated at 12:32AM

The former diplomatic officer, who is a devotee of Lord Murugan, loves returning to Malaysia every year to embrace his spiritual side.

The 65-year-old told the New Straits Times that he would continue his service as a devotee of Lord Murugan till his last breath.

"My first Thaipusam experience was in January 1978. I was 29 and I went to Batu Caves to observe.

"I was fascinated by the enthusiasm of the people who carried kavadis and paal kudam, and slowly, I was drawn into the spirituality of Hindusam and wanted to know more about it.

"I am blessed with many friends in Malaysia and most of them took a special interest and supported me throughout my journey in learning the Hindu culture."

Vadivella said his family, his friends in Malaysia and Australia support his spiritual journey.

"I was given many advice and instruction by friends, such as fasting for six weeks before taking a kavadi, abstain from alcohol, be a vegetarian and sleep by myself on the floor.

"This was new to me in the beginning but later, as time passed by, I adopted the Hindu way of life.

"After my third kavadi in the 1980s, I changed my name and chose to be called Vedivella.

"I was christened as Carl Donald Belle," he said adding the name was adopted after consulting Indian spiritual gurus and temples priests.

Dr Carl Vadivella Belle says he is fascinated by people carrying 'kavadi'