Chinese tourist abducted in Sabah to return home today

Chinese tourist abducted in Sabah to return home today
PRK Teluk Intan: Sejumlah 22.95 peratus keluar mengundi sehingga 10 pagi
Teluk Intan by-election: 35 polling centres open at 8am
Mutharika wins Malawi’s disputed presidential vote
Khatam Al-Quran to mark RBAF 53rd anniversary
Empat ahli ‘Geng Ah Teng’ dicekup

Posted: 30 May 2014 09:05 PM PDT

SEPANG: Chinese tourist Gao Hua Yuan, 29, who was
rescued by Malaysian authorities after being abducted by seven-armed men last
April, will be sent back to her country of origin today, said Inspector-General
of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar .

He said the Malaysian government was arranging for Gao's safe return to
China to be with her family.

"She will be brought here (KLIA) from Sabah and then we will arrange for her
to be back with her family as soon as possible, if possible today," he told
reporters at the airport before leaving for London here today.

He said arrangements would also be made to send Marcy Dayawan, 40, a
Filipino hotel worker who was abducted with Gao, back to her country.

Asked whether the media would be given an opportunity to interview Gao
before she was to be sent home, Khalid said it would be better to not disturb
her.

"I don't think she want (to be interviewed). Don't disturb her. Furthermore,
she has long being under duress. Let her meet her family first," he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted last night that no ransom was
paid for the release of the two women and expressed his appreciation and thanks
to the security forces for securing their release.

Najib attributed the success to the cooperation between the Philippines and
Malaysian security forces.

Gao, from Shanghai, and Dayawan, an employee at the Singamata Adventures and
Reef Resort, were kidnapped by a group of seven armed men who burst into the
resort at about 10.30pm on April 2.

The 60-room resort is located about two nautical miles from Semporna town.
There were 61 tourists at the resort then, comprising 61 Chinese nationals, an
Iranian and a Malaysian.

Gao had travelled to the resort alone to attend a diving course to obtain
her diving licence. -Bernama

PRK Teluk Intan: Sejumlah 22.95 peratus keluar mengundi sehingga 10 pagi

Posted: 30 May 2014 08:01 PM PDT

TELUK INTAN: Sejumlah 22.95 peratus atau 13,754 pengundi
telah keluar mengundi pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Parlimen Teluk Intan
sehingga 10 pagi ini, menurut kenyataan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR).

Cuaca cerah pagi ini memboleh pengundi menunaikan tanggungjawab mereka
seawal 8 pagi.

Calon Barisan Nasional (BN) Datuk Mah Siew Keong dan isteri, Datin Yeoh Pooi
Hoon mengundi di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Abdul Aziz pada 9.10 pagi.

Tinjauan Bernama mendapati pengundi warga emas turut dibantu petugas SPR
dengan kerusi roda untuk masuk ke pusat pengundian

Peraih undi kedua-dua calon juga kelihatan berada 50 meter dari pusat
pengundian. – Bernama

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Teluk Intan by-election: 35 polling centres open at 8am

Posted: 30 May 2014 07:32 PM PDT

TELUK INTAN: A total of 35 polling centres in the Teluk
Intan Parliamentary constituency opened at 8am today to allow 59,927 voters to
elect their new representative in the Teluk Intan Parliamentary seat
by-election.

The by-election for the Teluk Intan parliamentary constituency which will
see a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Mah Siew
Keong and DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, has two state constituencies, namely
Pasir Bedamar and Changkat Jong.

All polling station will close at 5pm today, except the polling station in
Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (T) Ladang Sungai Timah which is scheduled to
close at 4pm since there are less voters in the area.

Once all the polling centres are closed at 5pm, the counting of votes are
expected to begin at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abdul Rahman Talib in Jalan
Changkat Jong, here.

Perak Election Commission (EC) director Ahmad Adli Abdullah expects more
than 80 percent voters to turn out and cast their votes on polling day, today.

He added that the result of the polls would be announced at 9pm if
everything runs smoothly.

The by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Seah Leong
Peng, 48 from DAP who died after a long battle with cancer on May 1.

In the last May 2013 General Election, Seah who was involved in a
three-cornered fight, beat two other candidates by a 7,313-vote majority.

Meanwhile, weather in Teluk Intan was sunny in the morning but the Malaysian
Meteorology Department has forecast rain in the afternoon. -Bernama

Mutharika wins Malawi’s disputed presidential vote

Posted: 30 May 2014 05:45 PM PDT

BLANTYRE, Malawi: Democratic Progressive Party leader Peter Mutharika was declared the winner of Malawi's disputed presidential election on Friday after defeating President Joyce Banda.

Mutharika, the brother of former president Bingu wa Mutharika, took 36.4 per cent of the votes cast against Banda's 20.2 per cent, the electoral commission said.

The results were announced minutes after the high court refused a last-ditch attempt to block their release and allow time for a recount.

Electoral commission chief Maxon Mbendera declared Mutharika "president-elect" after last week's vote, which Banda said was marred by "serious irregularities" and "null and void".

The results showed that Banda was beaten into third place by Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), who garnered 27.8 per cent of the vote.

Party spokeswoman Jessie Kabwila told AFP the MCP, which had made the bid for a recount, would challenge the results in court.

"We are disappointed because this is not a credible election. We will fight through legal means…we are not taking this lying down."

Mutharika is set to take the reins of the impoverished southern African country under the shadow of a treason charge.

The 74-year-old brother of former president Bingu wa Mutharika is accused of attempting to conceal his brother's death in office two years ago in an attempt to prevent Banda – then vice-president – from assuming power.

Banda prevailed and took office as decreed by the constitution, booting the former foreign minister out of the administration.

Mutharika, a law professor and former cabinet minister, faces additional counts of inciting a mutiny and conspiracy to commit a felony, along with other officials.

The trial is still pending, but analysts say it is likely the case will be set aside as Malawi's presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution as long as they are in office.

There is speculation that once Mutharika is in power he could turn the tables on Banda and have her charged with corruption over a US$30 million graft scandal dubbed "Cashgate".

Banda has claimed the credit for uncovering the fraud, which saw aid money syphoned into top government officials' pockets. But critics, including Mutharika, say the funds went into her party's election war-chest.

"Banda did everything in her power to prevent Mutharika from becoming president… and then bringing charges against her," said Clive Gabay of the Queen Mary University of London.

The election in the tiny southern African nation was dogged by controversy from the start, with some polling stations opening 10 hours late and some voting stations recording more votes than there were registered voters.

Anyone with complaints has seven days to lodge petitions with the courts.

Riot police patrolled key areas of the commercial capital Blantyre as the results were announced after earlier demonstrations turned violent.

One person was killed when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters demanding a recount in the southeastern town of Mangochi.

A teenager was "killed by a teargas canister, which exploded in his hands as he was trying to throw it back at us," Mangochi police officer Elijah Kachikuwo told AFP.

The election imbroglio is unlikely to help Malawi's dire economic problems.

After taking office Banda oversaw the devaluation of the kwacha currency by 50 per cent, the easing of foreign exchange restrictions, along with the raising of fuel prices and cutting of subsidies.

That helped restore an International Monetary Fund (IMF) credit line, but the country remains overly dependent on agriculture and foreign aid to survive.

Mutharika has said he will not pursue trickle-down economics, but will implement "bottom-up economics aimed at getting the poor out of poverty into prosperity".

Some 7.5 million people were eligible to choose a president, lawmakers and local government councillors in the fifth democratic polls since the end of decades of one-party rule in 1994. - AFP

Khatam Al-Quran to mark RBAF 53rd anniversary

Posted: 30 May 2014 05:43 PM PDT

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) will celebrate its 53rd anniversary today. A number of events have been arranged in glorifying the celebration. Last night, a Khatam Al-Quran ceremony was held at the Surau of the Ministry of Defence in Bolkiah Garrison, Brudirect reported.

Present was the Deputy Minister of Defence, Dato Paduka Hj Mustappa Hj Sirat. Also present was the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Seri Pahlawan Md Tawih Abdullah.

The Khatam Al-Quran ceremony marked the end of fifty three times reading of Al-Quran by officers and personnel of RBAF.

This year's Khatam Al-Quran ceremony gathered Al-Quran readers from RBAF units of the Ministry of Defence, Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), RBAF Training Institute, RBAF Defence Academy and Special Forces Regiment.

The ceremony was intended to give encouragement to RBAF's officers and personnel to read the Quran and inject spiritual elements to officers and members in carrying their task entrusted with great responsibility.

Empat ahli ‘Geng Ah Teng’ dicekup

Posted: 30 May 2014 03:07 PM PDT

POLIS percaya banyak kes curi kenderaan dan pecah rumah di bandar raya Kuching dapat diselesaikan dengan penangkapan empat anggota 'Geng Ah Teng' awal pagi semalam.

Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Kuching Superintenden Fauzilan Abdul Aziz berkata, dalam serbuan yang dilancarkan ke atas sebuah bilik hotel di Padungan sekitar jam 12.06 pagi semalam, dua lelaki dan seorang wanita ditangkap.

Malah, menurutnya, sebuah kereta Proton Perdana yang dilaporkan hilang di Flat KMC 24 Mei lalu dan Proton Waja serta pelbagai barangan elektronik yang dipercayai hasil kegiatan pecah rumah turut ditemui.

"Kita menangkap tiga suspek dan merampas sebuah kereta (Proton Perdana) yang dilaporkan hilang sebelum ini, selain beberapa barangan elektronik," katanya pada sidang media di sini, semalam.

Bertindak atas siasatan dan maklumat risikan, pada kira-kira jam 3 pagi hari yang sama pasukan bertindak Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Kuching melancarkan serbuan ke atas sebuah rumah di Stampin dan menangkap seorang lelaki yang merupakan rakan subahat ketiga-tiga suspek.

Fauzilan berkata, hasil tangkapan tersebut, pasukan serbuan merampas sebuah lagi kereta Proton Perdana yang dilaporkan hilang 28 Mei lalu di Jalan Stampin.

"Kes ini masih dalam siasatan lanjut, namun hasil daripada tangkapan ini, kita percaya banyak kes curi kenderaan dan pecah rumah dapat diselesaikan.

"Mana-mana individu yang pernah menjadi mangsa kes pecah rumah diminta datang ke IPD Kuching untuk membuat pengecaman barang kes," ujarnya.

Menurutnya lagi, kesemua suspek didapati positif dadah jenis syabu (Ampethamine/Methapethamine).

Tiga suspek direman selama empat hari ini bermula 30 Mei hingga 2 Jun.

Jika sabit kesalahan curi kenderaan di bawah Seksyen 379A Kanun Keseksaan, penjara tidak kurang satu tahun dan tidak lebih tujuh tahun dan dikenakan denda akan dikenakan.

Kesalahan pecah rumah dan curi di bawah Seksyen 457 Kanun Keseksaan, boleh dipenjara sehingga lima tahun dan boleh dilanjutkan hingga 14 tahun.

Fauzilan menasihati orang ramai yang balik kampung untuk memaklumkan kepada pihak polis.

"Kalau ada melihat kenderaan yang mencurigakan, segera lapor kepada kita. Ini kerana kes pecah rumah dan curi kenderaan selalu berlaku pada musim perayaan," jelasnya.