Rizalman akan dihantar balik ke New Zealand...

Menteri Luar, Datuk Anifah Aman mengesahkan bahawa pegawai waran 2 Muhammad Rizalman Ismail akan diekstradisi ke New Zealand berkaitan tuduhan terhadapnya.

Anifah mengesahkannya kepada Malaysiakini melalui SMS petang ini.

Sementara itu, Wisma Putra dalam satu kenyataan berkata, kerajaan Malaysia memutuskan untuk menghantar balik Rizalman ke New Zealand, untuk membantu penyiasatan terhadap tuduhan pecah rumah dan serangan dengan niat untuk merogol.

Menurutnya, Rizalman akan diiringi seorang pegawai kanan tentera dari Kementerian Pertahanan.

Keputusan ini disampaikan oleh Anifah kepada rakan sejawatnya, Menteri Luar New Zealand, Murray McCully, petang ini.

Menurut kenyataan itu lagi, kerajaan Malaysia berpendapat bahawa keputusan itu akan memberi peluang bagi Rizalman untuk bekerjasama sepenuhnya dan membantu pihak berkuasa New Zealand dalam siasatan yang sedang dijalankan mengenai dakwaan terhadapnya.

"Dalam hal ini, prinsip undang-undang bahawa seseorang itu dianggap tidak bersalah sehingga dibuktikan bersalah, perlu digunapakai kepada Rizalman.

"Kerajaan Malaysia akan menyediakan bantuan guaman kepada Muhammad Rizalman jika perlu," tambahnya.

Menurut kenyataan itu lagi, Malaysia mempunyai keyakinan penuh terhadap sistem perundangan New Zealand.

Katanya, ia juga berkeyakinan penuh bahawa Rizalman akan diberi layanan yang adil dan secara bermaruah sebagaimana yang diperuntukkan di bawah undang-undang.

"Keputusan kerajaan Malaysia adalah bukti jelas tentang hubungan dua hala yang cemerlang antara Malaysia dan New Zealand," tambahnya.- mk

Rizalman to be sent back to NZ...

Malaysian diplomatic attache Muhammad Rizalman Ismail will be sent to New Zealand in connection with the sexual assault and burglary charges against him.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman confirmed this in a text message to Malaysiakini this evening.

The decision comes amid widespread calls for the military personnel, who was attached with the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, to be extradited to New Zealand.

Rizalman, 38, who is currently in Malaysia, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman.

In a statement, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said the decision has been conveyed to New Zealand's Foreign Minister Murray McCully (left).

The ministry also said that it would provide "legal assistance" to Rizalman if "necessary".

"Malaysia has complete faith in the New Zealand legal system and has full confidence that Rizalman will be given fair treatment with dignity as provided under the law," it added.

According to the statement, Rizalman is being sent back to "assist in investigations".

The following is the Foreign Ministry's statement in full:  

"The Government of Malaysia has decided to send back to New Zealand, Second Warrant Officer Muhammad Rizalman Ismail, former Defence Staff Assistant at the High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington, to assist in the investigation for the charges of burglary and assault with intent to commit rape. Mr. Muhammad Rizalman will be accompanied by a Senior Military Officer from the Ministry of Defence.

This decision was conveyed by YB Dato' Sri Anifah Aman, Minister of Foreign Affairs to his counterpart, the Hon. Murray McCully, Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand this afternoon.

The Malaysian Government is of the view that this decision will provide an opportunity for Mr. Muhammad Rizalman to cooperate fully and assist the New Zealand authorities in the on-going investigations on the allegations made against him.

In this regard, the legal principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty should apply to Mr. Muhammad Rizalman. The Government of Malaysia will provide legal assistance to Mr. Muhammad Rizalman if necessary.

Malaysia has complete faith in the New Zealand legal system and has full confidence that Mr. Muhammad Rizalman will be given fair treatment with dignity as provided under the law.

The Government of Malaysia's decision is a clear testament of the excellent bilateral relations between Malaysia and New Zealand." - mk

Beberapa Ekor Kerbau Bawa Lumpur 1Malaysia Terpalit

He was weird, says Kiwi neighbour

As the New Zealand Parliament debates the diplomatic fiasco, the media there is on the hunt for more information about Muhammad Rizalman Ismail.

Stuff.co.nz today quoted the Malaysian diplomatic attache's former neighbour as describing the military officer as being "weird, a bit quiet, and very strange".

Sean Gordon, who lives behind Rizalman's house on Miles Cres in Wellington, said the Malaysian moved into the neighbourhood about a year ago, replacing another Malaysian family. 

He admitted that his family did not have a good relationship with Rizalman, compared with the previous occupants. 

However, he revealed that Rizalman's wife and children were friendly.

"We did the Kiwi neighbourly thing, it's the Kiwi way and all that. However, Rizalman was really quiet, like he always had something on his mind," said Gordon.

The neighbour described that everything was normal in the neighbourhood until in May, when Rizalman disappeared while his wife and children remained in the house.

Following that, Gordon said, Rizalman's wife stopped talking to the neighbours.

Gordon added he was bewildered when a week ago, several cars and a moving truck arrived and the family left.

"Everything had clicked after Rizalman was identified in the media," he said.

Gordon was also outraged that his former neighbour was allowed to leave the country after being accused of such a serious crime.

''This is a guy who I had a beer with, said 'gidday' to up on my deck, I even did all the weed killing for him," he is quoted as saying by the news portal.

Rizalman, who is currently in Malaysia, had been charged with burglary and sexually assaulting a woman in New Zealand.- mk

Anwar urges Rizalman's extradiction to NZ...

Anwar Ibrahim said today he was appalled that Malaysia refused to send its diplomat, accused of sexual assault, back to New Zealand to face charges where the crime allegedly happened.

Speaking to online news portal stuff.co.nz, Anwar said not only were Malaysia's actions illogical, it also cast doubt if the use of diplomatic immunity to fish Muhammad Rizalman Ismail back home was a way to cover up government misconduct, as in the handling of the still missing MAS MH370.

“I am appalled that they had the audacity to suggest that an attempted rape and assault crime should be withdrawn on the basis of diplomatic immunity.

“I know how rotten the failure of the governance here is, but I cannot imagine that we can write to a different country and request the withdrawal of these criminal charges,” Anwar (right) is quoted as saying.

Rizalman was arrested in Wellington on May 9 after an alleged attack on a 21-year-old woman in her house last month.

The PKR leader said the Malaysian government should reconsider its position and let Rizalman face trial in New Zealand.

“We are dealing with New Zealand, there is no question about the independence and due process of the courts,” he said.

Witnesses, police officers and matters pertaining to the investigation are all based in New Zealand. As a result, people cannot expect an expeditious trial in the Malaysian courts, as required by due process.

Anwar added that many women's organisations had also been pestering him to do something.

They expressed their disgust and “protested vehemently” at the use of immunity for an offence of this nature, he said.- mk

Tale of two governments and a sex case

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Kerajaan bersetuju memberi bayaran bantuan khas kewangan sebanyak RM500 sebagai persiapan Hari Raya Aidilfitri kepada penjawat awam bagi gred 1 hingga gred 54.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, bantuan khas itu juga akan turut dinikmati oleh 684,000 pesara kerajaan sebagai menghargai jasa perkhidmatan dengan jumlah bayaran sebanyak RM250

"Pembayaran akan dibuat pada 15 Julai ini," katanya dalam kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Bayaran bantuan khas kewangan kepada penjawat awam dan pesara kerajaan ini membabitkan peruntukan kewangan sebanyak RM890 juta.

"Kerajaan berharap dengan bayaran bantuan khas kewangan ini dapat meringankan beban kewangan kepada penjawat awam dan pesara bagi persiapan menyambut hari lebaran," kata Perdana Menteri. 

Tanah runtuh di persimpangan lampu isyarat Jalan Imbi ,KL

cheers.