Apa kata kalau kanak bawah umur dirogol itu anak anda...

Sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan hak wanita mempersoalkan kemunasabahan seorang kanak-kanak memberi keizinan untuk melakukan hubungan seks dengan seorang lelaki yang lebih tua.

"Di segi perundangan dan moral, bolehkah mereka memberi keizinan itu?" soal Pengarah Eksekutif Pertubuhan Pertolongan
Wanita (WAO),Ivy Josiah, ketika dihubungi untuk mengulas mengenai dua kes penggantungan hukuman yang dijatuhkan ke atas perogol kanak-kanak.

Beliau menegaskan bahawa, di segi undang-undang, kanak-kanak di bawah umur tidak boleh memberi keizinan itu dan itulah sebabnya undang-undang seperti Akta Kanak-Kanak 2001 digubal untuk melindungi mereka.

Di bawah undang-undang Malaysia, mereka yang di bawah umur 18 tahun tidak boleh berkahwin tanpa persetujuan ibu bapa, tidak boleh mengundi sehingga mereka berusia 21 tahun dan tidak boleh memandu kereta sehingga berusia 17 tahun.

Begitu juga, murid-murid dan malah sesetengah pelajar universiti yang mengikuti rombongan, memerlukan slip kebenaran yang ditandatangani oleh ibu bapa mereka.

Ivy (kiri) berhujah bahawa ia kewajipan badan kehakiman untuk menjelaskan bagaimana ia boleh menerima 'keizinan'  seorang kanak-kanak berusia 12 tahun untuk melakukan hubungan seks dengan "teman lelaki" yang berusia 22 tahun.

Tegasnya, kalaupun kanak-kanak tersebut bersetuju dengan hubungan seksual, tetapi dari segi fizikal dan emosi, dia mungkin belum bersedia untuk menghadapinya.

"Bolehkah mereka tangani bila hamil? Bolehkah mereka tangani bila sakit?".- malaysiakini

Bapa tuntut keadilan selepas perogol bebas dari hukuman penjara

Safer to rape lil' girls than to steal beer

Statutory rape: 'Can a child consent to sex...

A women's rights NGO has questioned the plausibility of a child consenting to engage in sexual relations with an older man.

"Legally and morally, can they give consent?" asked Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah, when contacted to comment on two cases of suspended sentences meted out to child rapists.

She pointed out that, legally, underaged children cannot give consent and that is why laws like the Child Act 2001 have been enacted to protect minors.

Under Malaysian law, those below the legal majority of 18 cannot get married without parental consent, cannot vote until they are 21 and cannot drive a car until they are 17.

Similarly, pupils and even some university students going on organised trips require permission slips signed by their parents.

Ivy (left) argued that it is the duty of the judiciary to explain how it has come to accept the ‘consent' of a 12-year-old to engage in sex with her 22-year-old "boyfriend".

Even if the child were to agree to sexual relations, she may not be physically and emotionally ready to face possible consequences, Ivy noted.

"Can they handle being pregnant? Can they handle being sick?"

She therefore called for a platform to educate children about sex, provide an avenue where they can talk about the subject openly, and to educate them about the consequences.

While accepting that judges have discretion in passing sentence, she said the courts should explain how those guilty of statutory rape will be "bound over for good behaviour".

"They should explain what it means and how it is going to be implemented. Will they be able to travel? How will they be monitored and who will do the monitoring?"

More importantly, she stressed that the judiciary must explain the "punitive element" in the sentence, as the case has outraged the public with its seeming slap-on-the-wrist approach.

Can of worms?

Her concerns were echoed by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who said sex with minors is statutory rape under the law, and urged the courts to treat such offences seriously.

"While I agree that judges should be given the discretion to sentence sexual offenders, the courts should not send the wrong message to the public that statutory rapists will (get a light sentence)," she said in a statement.

Ivy and Kok (right) was commenting on a report by English daily The Sun yesterday that the Penang Sessions Court had spared electrician Chuah Guan Jiu from jail despite finding him guilty of statutory rape.

Convicted under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code for raping the girl on two occasions last year, Chuah faced up to 20 years' jail and whipping, but was only bound over for three years on a good behaviour bond of RM25,000.

Echoing the Court of Appeal's controversial verdict involving national bowler Nor Afizal Azizan who also escaped a custodial sentence for statutory rape, Sessions judge Nisa Abdul Aziz said Chuah is "young and has a bright future".

The court reportedly found that the sexual acts had been consensual, with no trickery on Chuah's part. It took into account that he was not highly educated, having dropped out of school at Form Two.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal bound over national bowler Nor Afizal on good behaviour for five years after overturning the Malacca High Court's five-year jail sentence for his statutory rape conviction.

In its written judgment, the Court of Appeal said this was to give Nor Afizal "another chance in life" in the hope that he would "turn over a new leaf".

Court of Appeal president Md Raus Sharif, who led the three-member bench, however stressed that the decision should not be construed to apply to all young offenders in similar cases.- malaysiakini

Father seeks justice after young daughter’s rapist escapes jail

How does a 12-year-old girl say ‘no’?

In the aftermath of the two recent cases of statutory rape where the young men were given what is seen as lenient sentences, so much emotion has been expended that an important point has been missed.
 
Both cases have hinged on the “fact” that the sex was consensual. This means that the girls in question did not say “no” to the young men. But can we then assume they said “yes”?

One opinion put it glibly as a “Form 5 boy going out with a Form 1 girl.” That may sound simple if your secondary school years are far behind you. Or if you’ve never been a Form 1 girl.

But try to remember what school was like. Schools have very hierarchical social structures. The Form 1s are the most junior while the Form 5s are the most senior. No junior mixes easily with the seniors because they seem extremely remote and certainly more powerful within the school. How easy is it for a first-form girl to mix with fifth-form boys?

But if a senior boy pays attention to a junior girl, then she would find the attention flattering. To her, he would be extremely sophisticated and worldly. What more a national bowler who even stays in hotels. If he invited her to his room, how does she say “no” and still keep his attention?

Adult women, especially if they are less educated and financially dependent, have problems saying “no” to their boyfriends and husbands, sometimes even fathers, uncles and brothers. Female employees often have to say “yes” to their bosses or risk losing their jobs.

If these women, well above the legal age, have difficulties in turning away sexual advances, what more a 12- or 13-year-old girl?

This is why the statutory rape law exists. It presupposes that an underage person cannot have the wherewithal to refuse sex with an older person. Even if the person is only a few years older. And if the younger person is female, growing up in a society where men are assumed to always hold more power in any relationship, then what choice would she have but to say “yes”?

Having said that, the violence that some people want to inflict upon the young men is also out of proportion to the facts of the case. They are not necessarily serial rapists, nor would-be paedophiles. That would involve a predatory nature that does not seem to be borne by their own histories.

Teenage boys naturally become attracted to younger girls because that’s the age group they are likely to meet. If nobody talks to them about sex, including laws about sex with underage girls, then how would they know that such young ones should be out of bounds?

In all the hue and cry about these cases, let us not forget that we also live in a society that not only refuses to talk about sex with our children but assumes that sex is only physical. Sex education also means teaching our children to say “no” because they are neither physically nor emotionally ready for sexual intercourse.

If we fail to teach our young daughters to say “no” to older boys because we cannot imagine they might be approached for sex even when they are 12 years old, then how can we be outraged at judges who assumed they said “yes”?― Marina Mahathir, malaysian insider

Suhakam alarmed over statutory rape sentences

Suhakam khuatir hukuman ringan perogol kanak-kanak

Gen. Half Track Hurray!- Good news for Child Rapists now the courts have declared an open season for you. Don't forget to send a Thank you cards to the 'Learned Judges'

Nak hairan apa dalam 1Malaysia,sedangkan pakar2 video lucah boleh diberi layanan istemewa di TV3suku, inikan pula keputusan hakim...




cheers.

Saham FGV: 810 unit untuk peneroka bukan 'free'...

PM Najib buat hal lagi. Mahu menipu peneroka. Tapi mungkin jugak pempimpin UMNO bersangkaan peneroka amat mudah ditipu. Maklum sahajalah- peneroka. Habis kuat ada sijil SRP- Sijil Rendah Peneroka. Terror sikit ada STPM= Sijil Tinggi

Peneroka Malaysia. Inilah peneroka yang dimuliakan. Barsian depan transformasi ekonomi Najib.

Kali ini dia kata Felda akan mebiayai keseluruhan pembelian saham oleh peneroka. Apa pasal sekarang baru hendak umumkan? Mengapa tidak ketika saham belum disenaraikan? Apa sebab borang pinjaman bank ketika itu diedarkan keseluruh kawasan Felda?

Sebab baru sekarang dia sedar peneroka bersungut. 810 unit saham rupa2 nya kena beli oleh mereka.

Borang pinjaman bank dalam Bahasa Inggeris diedarkan sebelum FGVH di senaraikan. Yuran pinjaman RM200. Setiap keluarga yang beli 810 unit kena bayar RM 4.55 x 810= 3685.50. takpe, sebab bank pinjam penuh 100%. Lagi pun setelah 6 bulan dijual, peneroka tak rugi apa apa.

Harga hari ini ialah RM 5.02. tak sampai 6 bulan pun. Najin dah panic. Hendak menyampai 6 bulan, takut saham turun rendah dari harga senarai RM 4.55 seunit.

Rupa2 nya peneroka dok pakat ramai2 jual saham. Mereka pun pandai dan bijak rupa nya. Baik jual sebelum harga jatuh. Nanti kena bayar RM 50 sebulan tak pasal pasal.
 
Pada harga RM5.02  bermakna premium sebanyak RM0.47. atau 47 sen. Banyak tu. Dengan 810 unit saham yang dia ada, peneroka dapat RM380.70 sen. Tolak RM200, dapat untung bersih sebanyak RM 180.70. Ya Rabbi. Ya Ampuun. Syukur kepada UMNO BN. Hidup Najib yang telah memberi kami RM180.70 kerana kami peneroka. Mana ada pemimpin murah hati macam ini dalam dunia. Malaysia boleh.

Gostan kata Najib. Mampuih aku macam ini. kalau peneroka hanya untung RM180, mereka akan bunuh kita. Sembunyikan C4 semua!

Elokah kita menipu mereka sekali lagi ya PM kata Isa Samad. Macam mana? Kita biayai pembelian saham tersebut. Kita suruh dia orang bayar RM50 je sebulan. Setahun baru RM600. 

Cara demikian, peneroka yang bodoh tu sangka, mereka dapat durian runtuh. Kita akan kata mereka dapat saham 810 percuma. Situ dah ada nilai RM 3645.50. campur untung hari ini sebanyak RM 380.70 , untung besar sebanyak RM 4026.

Kita buat gitu je. Peneroka bukan cerdik sangat. Dapat RM 4000 tentu mereka suka. Jilat bontot den pun dia oghang mau punya.

Jadi apa yang sudah Najib lakukan? Pertama rasuah pendahuluan sebanyak RM 15000 setiap keluarga. Ertinya, kerajaan berbelanja sebanyak RM15000 x 112, 635= RM1.6895 billion.

Kerajaan tidak cop duit. Mereka kena pinjam dari bank. Mungkin ini yang meyebabkan kerajaan menanggung hutang yang sudah mencecah 55% dari KNK. Ini tahap yang dibenarkan oleh parlimen.

Kemudian, kerajaan Najib beri bonus raya sebanyak lebih kurang RM383 setiap keluarga peneroka. Ini bermakna kerajaan belanja lagi sebanayk RM380 x 112, 635= 43 juta.

Nah sekarang Pak Najib mahu biayai semua pembelian saham tersebut. Jumlah saham yang di keluarkan untuk penroka ialah 91.2 juta unit saham. Jika seunit harga nya RM 4.55, kerajaan terpaksa belanja 91.200,000 x 4.55= 414.960 juta. Wah banyak tu.

Jadi kita ulang sekali lagi. Najib terpaksa berbelanja sebanyak:-

a. RM1,680 juta( rasuah pendahuluan).
b. Bonus raya = 43 juta.
c. Pembiayaan penuh RM 415 juta.

Haramjadah punya peneroka. Aku terpaksa belanja RM 2.138 billion semua nya. Kalau tak dapat undi jugak, terpaksa lah kita berhimpunan agong di Sungai Buloh nampak nya tahun hadapan.

Apa yang nak dirisaukan? Bukan kah Felda mendapat pulangan sebanyak RM 5.99 billion dari penjualan saham FGV?

Hmm.cuba lihat. Kalau tolak RM2.14 billion dari hasil ini, Felda tinggal baki sebanyak RM 3.85 billion. Bayar hutang EPF sebanyak RM 3 billion, baki nya 850 juta. Mampuih Felda. Kos menampung Felda setiap tahun ialah RM3 billion.

Sewa tanah 360,000 hektar kat FGV selama 99 tahun ialah RM698/hektar. Situ dah ada 251.2 juta. Ok lah tu. Kongsian tetap dari hasil perniagaan FGV. Juta juta. Biliun biliun, pasti cukup punya.

Celaka betul. Mengapa RM698/hektar? Boustead sewa lading pada harga RM3500/hektar.

Isa! Ekau tipu den yo.- Mohd.Ariff Sabri bin Hj. Abdul Aziz.@ Sakmongkol AK47

800 FGV shares to every Felda settler not free after all...

There is no free lunch, and this is also true in the case of Felda Global Venture Holding's listing.

The 800 units of shares of FGVH allocated to each Felda settler are not free, but are loans from the bank.

The revelation came after prime minister Najib Razak told settlers that Felda would take over the loans to purchase the 800 shares to save the settlers from paying interest to the banks.

RM360 million has been allocated for this purpose.

“So, instead of paying to the bank at five percent annual interest, settlers will repay Felda without interest for next five years at RM50 a month,” said deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Maslan.

Maslan said the transfer would be transparent to settlers, and they could opt to repay Felda with monthly salary deduction.

Najib said yesterday the move was to lessen the burden of settlers, who now seemed ‘forced’ to buy the 800 shares under loan without their knowledge.

Maslan meanwhile added that the move would prevent settlers from being forced to sell their FGVH shares when banks demand repayments for the loans taken.

Felda shares had been on a steady decline since reaching a peak of RM5.50. The share price closed at RM5.00 today.

Prior to the listing of FGVH in June, National Felda Settlers’ Children Association (ANAK) revealed that loan forms were signed by settlers without the presence of any bank officer and many had been in the dark over details of loans they were made to apply.

Two banks, namely CIMB and AmBank, had withdrawn the forms following an application for injunction filed by 125 settlers from Bera in Pahang and Raja Alias in Seremban over the matter.- harakahdaily

nilai saham FGV pada 29/8/2012

 

cheers.

Mahkamah Rayuan menganggap kes rogol bawah umur sebagai kesalahan yang tidak serius...

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim hari ini menyalahkan Mahkamah Rayuan kerana membiarkan seorang lagi perogol remaja bawah umur bebas dari penjara, dengan berkata mahakamah telah melepaskan tanggungjawab untuk melindungi kanak-kanak.

Bekas menteri ‘de facto’ undang-undang itu merujuk kepada dua kes mahkamah membebaskan dua orang lelaki yang didapati bersalah mengadakan hubungan seks dengan kanak-kanak bawah umur dari dihukum mandatori lima tahun penjara minimum serta sebatan dibawah seksyen 376(2) Kanun Keseksaan.

“Saya menyalahkan Mahkamah Rayuan dalam keadaan sebegini di negara ini, dengan menganggap kes rogol bawah umur sebagai kesalahan yang tidak serius,” kata Zaid dalam kenyataannya yang dihantar kepada The Malaysian Insider hari ini.

Isu tersebut mencetuskan kemarahan orang ramai selepas Mahkamah Sesyen membebaskan Chuah Guan Jiu, 22 tahun dengan ikat jamin RM25,000 selama tiga tahun walaupun didapati bersalah merogol kanak-kanak bawah umur di Pulau Pinang tahun lalu.

“Hakim, terutamanya di Mahkamah Tinggi mempunyai kuasa untuk membuat keputusan berdasarkan budi bicara.

“Sesetengah lagi berdasarkan undang-undang yang sedia ada,” katanya dengan menambah bahawa hakim mempunyai kuasa untuk membebaskan pesalah pertama berdasarkan umur, kelakuan, kesihatan, keadaan mental dan sebagainya.

Undang-undang Malaysia menetapkan bahawa seks di bawah umur 16 tahun dikategorikan kes rogol bawah umur.

“Dengan keputusan sedemikian, itu adalah kesalahan yang serius.

“Kanak-kanak perempuan kini sudah tidak mempunyai perlindungan di mahkamah,” kata Zaid.

Pengasas kepada Zaid Ibrahim & Co, firma undang-undang swasta terbesar negara, memberi amaran bahawa keputusan sedemikian akan menyebabkan ramai lagi yang “tidak bertanggungjawab” untuk melakukan jenayah sedemikian.

“Saya merasakan adalah penting untuk Mahkamah Rayuan menimbang semula keputusan ini,” katanya lagi, dengan menambah bahawa ini adalah ujian kepada kerajan untuk melindungi kanak-kanak dan wanita.

Kedua pesalah, pemain bowling negara Noor Afizal Azizan mestilah dikelaskan sebagai pedofil, menurut standard kesihatan antarbangsa dan psikatri.

Keputusan mahkamah hari ini telah membebaskan penjenayah seks yang mungkin akan mengulangi jenayah mereka.

Badan dunia mengenai penklasifikasian penyakit (ICD) mengatakan pedofil merupakan “seks kanak-kanak, sama ada lelaki, perempuan atau keduanya, dari sebelum akil baligh atau di peringkat awal selepas akil baligh.”

Menurut Statistik dan Diagnosis untuk Penyakit Mental (DSM) yang digunakan oleh pakar professional kesihatan mental seluruh dunia, pedofil adalah mereka yang tertarik dengan hubungan seks antara kanak-kanak berusia 13 tahun atau lebih muda, dan pelaku mestilah berusia 16 tahun ke atas dengan pasangannya sekurang-kurangnya lima tahun lebih muda.

 Noor Afizal berusia 19 tahun apabila dia melakukan kesalahan merogol gadis berusia 13 tahun, enam tahun lebih muda.

 

Dalam kes Chuah(kanan), beliau berusia 21 tahun apabila melakukan kesalahan, sementara mangsanya berusia 12 tahun — beza sembilan tahun.

Perbezaan usia antara perogol dan mangsa dalam kes ini, merujuk kepada ICD dan DSM boleh dikategorikan sebagai pedofil.

Hukuman penjara yang lebih panjang seharusnya diberikan kepada pemain bowling Noor Afizal merogol kanak-kanak bawah umur berusia 13 tahun apabila dia berusia 19 tahun sekiranya beliau menggunakan kekerasan atau keganasan, kata mahkamah rayuan awal minggu ini dalam penghakiman bertulis mengapa mahkamah memutuskan untuk hanya mengenakan ikat jamin selama lima tahun.

Mahkamah bagaimanapun berkata, keputusan ini tidak seharusnya menjadi rujukan apabila berlakunya kes rogol bawah umur dan seharusnya dihakimi dengan keputusan sendiri.

Presiden mahkamah rayuan, Tan Sri Raus Sharif berkata dalam penghakimannya, Noor Afizal, yang kini berusia 21 tahun adalah seorang “lelaki yang menyesali apa yang dia telah lakukan dengan mengaku kesalahannya.”

Raus, bersama Hakim K.N. Segara dan Azhar Ma’ah, telah memutuskan keputusan tersebut.

Noor Afizal(kanan) telah dibebaskan dengan ikat jamin RM25,000 berbanding hukuman penjara selepas beliau mengaku bersalah atas melakukan rogol bawah umur, menyebabkan kemarahan orang ramai terhadap mahkamah, serta menimbulkan persoalan terhadap Kanun Keseksaan dan undang-undang jenayah, terutamanya selepas perogol kanak-kanak kedua, Chuah, dibebaskan hari ini.

“Kami turut memutuskan bahawa pelakuan seks ini adalah kehendak bersama dan dia seorang yang tidak habis sekolah,” kata hakim Sitarun Nisa Abdul Aziz, mengikut laporan dari The Star terhadap Chuah, yang berusia 22 tahun, seorang juruelektrik, diikatjamin sebanyak RM25,000 selama tiga tahun.

Kemarahan orang awam semakin memuncak apabila penghakiman mahkamah rayuan hari ini berubah dari keputusan mahkamah tinggi daripada keputusan hukuman penjara terhadap pemain bowling tersebut kepada ikat jamin lima tahun — kerana masa depan pemain bowling tersebut sebagai tiket untuk tidak ke penjara.

Tetapi mahkamah rayuan memutuskan dalam penghakiman bertulis untuk melepaskan pemain bowling itu dengan ikat jamin, tidak bermakna melibatkan kes untuk sama untuk akan datang.

“Jika perayu (Noor Afizal) lebih tua, atau dia menggunakan kekerasan, paksaan atau keganasan ke atas mangsa, atau menggunakan penipuan, serta tidak bekerjasama dengan polis, dan tidak menunjukkan kekesalan di atas kesalahannya, atau tidak ada jaminan untuk dia tidak melakukan kesalahan yang sama, kami tidak teragak-agak untuk menjatuhkan hukuman, sepertimana kes yang sebelumnya,” kata Raus.

Di mahkamah sesyen Melaka, hakim telah mengarahkan Noor Afizal diikatjamin sebanyak RM25,000 selama lima tahun selepas beliau mengaku bersalah merogol kanak-kanak tersebut di sebuah hotel di Ayer Keroh, Melaka pada 5 Julai 2010.

Bagaimanapun, pendakwa telah merayu kepada mahkamah tinggi pada 20 September tahun lalu untuk penjara mandatori minimum lima tahun, dibawah kesalahan merogol dalam Kanun Keseksaan.

Menurut kes tersebut berdasarkan penghakiman bertulis mahkamah rayuan hari ini, Noor Afizal telah menempah hotel di Melaka pada 5 Julai, 2010 bersama gadis yang pada ketika itu berusia 13 tahun empat bulan.

Keduanya berkata bahawa seks itu adalah seks sukarela. Keesokan paginya, Noor Afizal menghantar gadis itu ke rumah.

Gadis tersebut tidak bercakap apa-apa, dan insiden itu hanya diketahui bila ayahnya membaca diarinya.

Raus juga berpendapatan bahawa ikat jamin Noor Afizal ini adalah adil kerana dia mempunyai rekod sebagai seorang perogol.- malaysian insider

Appeals Court to blame for child rapists escaping jail...

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim blamed today the Court of Appeal for starting a legal trend that could see more convicted child rapists avoiding jail, saying it had abdicated its responsibility to protect children.

 

The former de facto law minister was weighing in on two recent court rulings in which judges had agreed to let go two young men who were found guilty of raping barely pubescent girls instead of sentencing them to the mandatory five years’ imprisonment, minimum, and whipping under section 376(2) of the Penal Code.

“I blame the Court of Appeal for this situation in our country, that having sex with an underage girl is not a serious offence,” Zaid told The Malaysian Insider in an emailed response today to public furore after the Sessions Court ruled to release 22-year-old Chuah Guan Jiu(right) on a three-year, RM25,000 good behaviour bond despite convicting him of raping his then 12-year-old girlfriend in Penang last year.

“Judges, especially at the superior court level, have to use their common sense and legal reasoning with care. Other judges tend to follow their reasoning,” he added, in reference to a judge’s discretionary power to release first-time offenders on probation of good conduct under certain circumstances relating to the perpetrator’s age, character, antecedents, health, mental condition or any other justifiable circumstances.

Malaysian law prescribes the age of sexual consent for girls to be 16 years and above.

“By saying it does not require a custodial sentence is a serious mistake.

“Young girls no longer have the protection of the courts,” Zaid said.

The founder of Zaid Ibrahim & Co, the country’s largest private law firm, warned that such rulings would tempt the “unscrupulous” to take advantage of the situation to perpetrate more crimes.

“I urgently call for the revision of the decision of the Court of Appeal,” he said, adding that it was also a test of the government’s commitment to protect the weak, the defenceless and the young.

Both national bowler Noor Afizal Azizan(above) and Chuah may be classified as paedophiles, according to international medical standards and psychiatrists here, suggesting the courts may have freed sexual predators who might repeat their crime.

The World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD) categorises paedophilia as “a sexual preference for children, boys or girls or both, usually of pre-pubertal or early pubertal age.”

And according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) used by mental health professionals globally, paedophilia is the sexual attraction to pubescent or pre-pubescents aged 13 or younger, and the subject must be 16 or older with the child at least five years younger.

Noor Afizal was 19 when he committed the offence while the girl he raped was 13, or six years his junior.

In the case of Chuah, he was 21 at the time of the offence, while his victim was 12 ― a nine-year gap between the two.

The age difference between perpetrator and victim in both cases falls within both the ICD and DSM criteria for paedophilia.

A lengthy jail sentence would have been imposed on national bowler Noor Afizal for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl when he was 19 if he had been older or had used force, coercion or violence, the Court of Appeal said earlier this week in a written judgment explaining why it had controversially substituted imprisonment with a good behaviour bond for five years.

The court said, however, that its decision should not be considered a precedent for all future cases involving statutory rape and should be judged on its own merits.

Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Raus Sharif said in the judgment that Noor Afizal, who is now 21, was a “young boy who was extremely remorseful for what he had done and had thrown himself to the mercy of the court by pleading guilty to the charge.”

Raus, who sat with Justices K.N. Segara and Azhar Ma’ah, wrote the grounds of judgment.

Noor Afizal was let off with a RM25,000 bond instead of being jailed after he pleaded guilty to statutory rape, sparking a public firestorm over the court’s message on sex with minors even as it raised questions about the Penal Code and other criminal laws — especially after a second child rapist, Chuah, escaped incarceration today.

“We also considered the fact that the sexual act was consensual and that he is a school dropout,” judge Sitarun Nisa Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying by The Star in binding over 22-year-old Chuah, an electrician, for three years on a RM25,000 bond.

Incensed Malaysians have been venting their outrage against the judiciary after the Court of Appeal reversed earlier this month a High Court decision to jail the bowling ace for five years — suggesting that fame and a bright future are enough to ensure a convicted offender gets a ticket away from jail.

But the Court of Appeal pointed out in its written judgment that its decision to let the bowler off with a bond did not have blanket application, nor applied to all cases involving young offenders committing a similar offence.

“If the appellant (Noor Afizal) had been older or if he had used force, coercion or violence on the victim, or if he had tricked the victim... or he had not co-operated with the police and he had not shown any remorse to his act or there is no guarantee that he will not be committing the same offence in future, we would not have any hesitation, as we have done in many other cases of similar nature, to impose a lengthy custodial sentence,” said Raus.

In the Malacca Sessions Court, the judge had imposed a RM25,000 bond with good behaviour for five years on Noor Afizal after he pleaded guilty to raping the girl at a hotel in Ayer Keroh, Malacca on July 5, 2010.

However, the public prosecutor had appealed to the High Court on September 20 last year and obtained a five-year custodial sentence, the mandatory minimum for rape under the Penal Code.

According to the facts of the case, which were laid down in the written judgment of the Court of Appeal today, Noor Afizal had checked into a hotel in Malacca on July 5, 2010 together with the girl who was then 13 years and four months old.

The two had what was described as consensual sex. The next morning Noor Afizal sent the girl home.

The girl did not complain to anyone and the incident only came to light when her father read her diary.

Raus also pointed out that in fact, Noor Afizal’s bond was a suspended jail sentence and that he would always have a criminal record for rape.- malaysian insider



cheers.

Pengarah Besar FELDA dipecat dan ditugaskan ke Rome,Italy...

Datuk Dzulkifli Abd Wahab(kiri) hari ini disingkirkan sebagai Pengarah Besar Felda dan akan dipindahkan ke Kementerian Asas Tani dan ditugaskan ke Rome, Itali.

Menurut Presiden Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak), Mazlan Aliman keputusan menyingkirkan Dzulkifli dibuat dalam mesyuarat khas Lembaga Pengarah Felda pagi tadi.

Tempat Dzulkifli akan diganti oleh Faizoull Ahmad berkuatkuasa 1 September depan.

Mazlan turut mendakwa Faizoul merupakan pegawai yang korup dan beliau mempunyai banyak maklumat mengenai Faizoul.

"Faizoull adalah orang kepercayaan Isa Samad, hanya berjawatan gred N54 tiba-tiba dipilih ke jawatan tersebut sedangkan ada orang yang lebih senior dari beliau. Sepatutnya, Faizoul ke gred Jusa C dahulu sebelum naik ke gred Turus 3.

"Isa akan maklumkan perlantikan ini kepada Perdana Menteri. Jika Perdana  Menteri mengikut kehendak Isa, satu lagi tragedi hitam tercatat. CEO yang baik dan berdedikasi diganti dengan calon korup," kata Mazlan dalam satu kenyataan.

November tahun lalu, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengarahkan Dzulkifli bercuti dan mengikuti Kursus Pengurusan Lanjutan bagi meningkatkan prestasi untuk melakukan transformasi Felda.

Menurut Mazlan, Isa tidak senang dengan Dzulkifli kerana menganggap Dzulkifli menghalang usaha penyenaraian Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) ke Bursa Malaysia.- harakahdaily

Mengapa Pemimpin Baik Felda Diganti?

Felda DG axed, cold-storaged in Rome...

Dzulkifli Abd Wahab(above) has been sacked as director-general of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) and will be transferred to the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Ministry. 
 
The claim was made by Mazlan Aliman (right), who leads PAS-linked NGO Anak.

Speaking to PAS’ party organ Harakah Daily, Mazlan said Dzulkifli will be posted to Rome, Italy.

He will be replaced in Felda by Faizoull Ahmad, who will take over from Sept 1.

Mazlan claimed that Faizoull has close links with Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF) chairperson Isa Samad.

Dzulkifli had allegedly opposed Isa’s appointment and the public listing of Felda Global Ventures Holdings, leading him to take study leave for nine months.

Mazlan is expected to call a press conference tomorrow to reveal further details.- malaysiakini

cheers.

Water woes is worst in Najib's homestate...

Even as the BN Federal government tried to flex it muscles on water-related issues in PR-led states of Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan, the state of  Pahang has been hit by serious water shortage during the Hari Raya festive season.

According to a report published by Sinar Harian, Jengka 7 residents in Pahang were bugged by water supply interruption during the recent holiday season.

“There is so much water yet it does not reach the consumer. This points to clear failure at the management level,” said a resident.

BN has in recent times accused PR-led states of water mismanagement, and is currently locked in an intense battle with Selangor who had refused to succumb to UMNO-linked water concessionaire SYABAS's pressure to raise tariff.

A Jengka resident has meanwhile written to Harakahdaily to inform that water woes were not only limited to Jengka 7 and 12 as reported by Sinar, but also Jengka 10, 11 and 16.

“This has been happening since the 70’s,” said Khairi Muzakir, who said the BN government had been ignoring the problem.

Harakahdaily had earlier reported that areas around Temerloh including residential areas faced frequent water interruptions.

“Is this the so-called ‘Promises Fulfilled’? asked blogger Cucu Mat Kilau.

"Where’s the PM? Kelantan and Selangor were accused of incompetent in managing water, but in Pahang it is worse. It has been 40 years. Pity those affected,” he added, referring to prime minister Najib Razak who hails from Pahang.

He further stressed that water services had deteriorated following the privatisation of the Pahang Water Department.- harakahdaily

Bekalan Air di Negeri Najib Lagi Teruk dari Selangor dan Kelantan...

Media UMNO tak habis-habis sebelum ni cuba burukkan Selangor dan Kelantan dengan isu air.

Al-maklumlah 2 negeri ni negeri yang diperintah oleh Pakatan Rakyat, bukan oleh kerajaan BN, kalau diperintah kerajaan BN isu air ni akan naik kejap dan diam terus seolah-olah tak wujud pun isu air.

Dengar kata najib dah luluskan gula-gula politik untuk pikat orang kelantan, lepas cuba burukkan tak jadi, umno tukar taktik konon perihatin, perihatin sebelum pilihanraya.

Lepas tu kata "janji dicapati" dan mintak rakyat balas budi.

Pahang pulak ape cite... cuba cite cikit, dengar teruk benar masalah air kat sana. Di bawah ini ada banyak keratan akhbar hangpa tengok dan fikir sendiri banyak daerah di Pahang sedang menghadapi masalah Air.

Setahu kita tiada musim kemarau berlaku disana ini sudah tentu tiada cukup Loji pembersihan Air dan Sistem retelukasi paip yang mundur tidak berkesan dengan pembangunan dan keperluan semasa.- kedahkini@pkrl.blogspot

Petikan khas hari ini...

 Tun Musa: “kalau saya lawan, maka saya pasti akan dituduh seorang homoseksual malahan mengadakan hubungan seks dengan binatang dan lain-lain. Kamu tidak kenal dia (Dr. M) sepertimana saya. Pada masa itu juga saya tidak ada kekuatan kewangan. Duit semua dipegang oleh Daim.”

cheers.

Editor Utusan mohon maaf pada Karpal Singh...

Seorang wartawan Utusan Melayu hari ini memberitahu Mahkamah Tinggi di sini bahawa beliau menulis artikel mengenai Pengerusi DAP Karpal Singh, empat tahun lalu tanpa sebarang niat jahat.

Zulkifli Jalil, 40, yang kini memegang jawatan sebagai pengarang berita di syarikat Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd mengakui wujud ketidaktelitian dan salah faham di dalam artikel bertajuk 'DAP diingat jangan bakar perasaan Melayu'.

Pengarang berita itu, yang memberi keterangan berhubung saman fitnah RM10 juta yang difailkan oleh Karpal Singh terhadap Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad, turut menyatakan bahawa ketika kejadian beliau tidak tahu bahawa wujud perbezaan antara perkataan menolak negara Islam dan menolak agama Islam sebagai agama rasmi negara.

Zulkifli turut mengakui bahawa beliau tidak menghubungi Karpal Singh untuk mendapatkan penjelasan ketika menulis artikel tersebut dan penulisannya bergantung kepada pengalaman serta laporan berita lain mengenai Karpal Singh yang ada kalanya membidas perjuangan PAS untuk membentuk negara Islam.

Sepanjang memberi keterangan, beliau beberapa kali memohon maaf kepada Karpal Singh dan memberitahu hanya menyedari artikel itu tidak tepat selepas Utusan Melayu menyiarkan 'ralat' pada 26 Ogos 2008 untuk menarik balik dan membuat permohonan maaf.

Sementara itu, Karpal Singh, menerusi kenyataan saksinya berkata perkataan itu (bahawa beliau menolak Islam sebagai agama rasmi negara ini) adalah tidak benar dan beliau tidak pernah berkata demikian.

Beliau berkata Islam ialah agama rasmi Malaysia seperti termaktub dalam Perkara 3(1) Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan bebas untuk mengamalkan agama-agama lain secara aman dan harmoni, dan beliau secara konsisten menyatakan pendirian itu dalam ucapan-ucapan beliau dan di Parlimen selama 26 tahun lepas.

"Disebabkan oleh artikel ini, orang ramai telah mula menganggap saya sebagai antiIslam dan seseorang yang sengaja mahu mewujudkan rasa benci di kalangan pelbagai bangsa di negara ini. Ini telah memberikan impak buruk yang serius terhadap maruah saya secara peribadi dan sebagai seorang profesional dan ahli politik," katanya.
 
Karpal Singh, yang juga anggota Parlimen Bukit Gelugor, memfailkan saman tersebut pada 19 September 2008 kerana mendakwa penerbit akhbar Utusan Malaysia menyiarkan artikel berunsur fitnah berhubung ucapannya pada Kongres Kebangsaan DAP ke-15 pada Ogos 2008 bertajuk 'DAP diingat jangan bakar perasaan Melayu' pada 25 Ogos tahun yang sama.

Hakim Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad menetapkan 24 September untuk sebutan kes.

Defendan diwakili peguam B. Mohana Kumar manakala Sangeet Kaur bagi pihak Karpal Singh.- malaysiakini

Utusan writer repeatedly apologises to Karpal...

A senior writer with Utusan Malaysia apologised to DAP chairperson Karpal Singh several times in court today over an article written in four years ago.

The writer, Utusan news editor Zulkifli Jalil, admitted there was some negligence and misunderstanding on his part in writing the article, 'DAP diingat jangan bakar perasaan Melayu'.

Based on Karpal's speech at the DAP national congress in 2008, Zulkifli wrote in the report, the DAP leader said he rejected Islam as the country's official religion.

During his testimony, Zulkifli said at the time, he had taken "rejecting an Islamic state" and "rejecting Islam as the official religion of the country" to mean the same.

He also admitted he did not contact Karpal for clarification and that his writing was based on personal experiences and other news reports on Karpal's opposition to PAS' Islamic state agenda.

Zulkifli was the sole witness testifying during the hearing of a RM10 million defamation suit Karpal filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

According to national news agency Bernama, Zulkifli apologised to Karpal several times during his testimony and said he was unaware of his mistake until Utusan Malaysia published a correction on Aug 26, 2008, a day after the his article was published.

‘Utusan tarnished my reputation'

The correction states that Utusan had withdrawn the article and also apologised to Karpal.

However, Karpal has maintained his right to sue the Umno-owned newspaper due to the severity of offending article.

In his affidavit, Karpal said the words "bahawa beliau menolak Islam sebagai agama rasmi negara ini (that he rejects Islam as the official religion of the country)" was wrongly attributed to him in Zulkifli's Page 2 article.

He said Islam's position as the official religion of the country was enshrined in the federal constitution and his stand on this has been consistent, as reflected in his speeches in Parliament over the past 26 years.

"Because of this article, the public perceived me as a person who is anti-Islam, who wants to create discord among Malaysia's multi-ethnic populace," he said.

High Court judge Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad will hear submissions from both parties on Sept 24.

Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd is represented by B Mohana Kumar while Karpal is represented by Sangeet Kaur Deo.- malaysiakini

 

cheers.

Musa Hassan bohong bila nafi kenal bos kongsi gelap'...

Bekas ketua polis negara Tan Sri Musa Hasan berbohong apabila menafikan pernah berhubung dengan tokoh kongsi gelap Goh Cheng Poh dan BK Tan semasa masih berkhidmat, kata bekas pegawai kanan polis.

Bekas Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial Datuk Ramli Yusuff berkata, terdapat bukti dikumpulkan pasukannya, akuan bersumpah yang tidak dicabar dan pengakuan mahkamah membuktikan sebaliknya.

Tambahan pula, tambahnya, dalam perbicaraan dakwaan salah guna kuasa terhadapnya di Mahkamah Sesyen Kota Kinabalu, Musa diputuskan bukan saksi yang boleh dipercayai untuk memberi keterangan.

"Musa saksi terakhir untuk memberikan keterangan dalam kes salah guna kuasa yang didakwa terhadap saya.

"Hakim Supang Lian mendapati kenyataannya bertentangan dengan pengakuan tujuh pegawai polis bawahnya. Oleh itu, hakim menolak pengakuan Musa sebagai tidak boleh dipercayai," kata Ramli (kiri).

"Di sini, kita ada hakim junior yang mengeluarkan kenyataan itu terhadap IGP yang sedang berkhidmat. Ini memalukan pasukan polis," katanya ketika diwawancara Malaysiakini.

Hakim berkata demikian pada tahun 2009 apabila membebas dan melepaskan Ramli tanpa memanggilnya untuk membuat pembelaan. Ramli dibersihkan daripada lima pertuduhan yang didakwanya direka-reka.

Musa dalam wawancara dengan Malaysiakini pada Mei lalu menafikan mengenali Goh yang juga dikenali sebagai Tengku Goh dan BK Tan - yang didakwa mendapat sokongan Musa ketika menjadi ketua polis Johor.- malaysiakini

Musa Hassan lied he does not know underworld boss...

Retired federal police chief Musa Hassan is lying outright in denying that he had contacts with shady underworld kingpins Goh Cheng Poh, or Tengku Goh, and BK Tan when he was inspector-general of police.

So says former Commercial Crime Investigations Department director Ramli Yusuff (left), who added that evidence gathered by his CCID team, an unchallenged statutory declaration and court testimonies prove otherwise.

Furthermore, in Ramli's abuse of power trial in the sessions court in Kota Kinabalu, Musa had been found to be an unreliable witness when testifying against Ramli.

"Musa was the last witness to testify in my abuse of power trial. He was found by sessions judge Supang Lian to have contradicted the testimonies of seven police officers under him. Hence, the judge dismissed Musa's testimony as unreliable," Ramli added.

"Here, we have a junior judge passing such a remark on the then serving IGP. This is a disgrace to the police force," he told Malaysiakini in an interview.

The judge made the remark in 2009 when acquitting and discharging Ramli without calling for his defence.

Ramli, who has since been cleared on all five charges he insists were trumped-up, spoke to Malaysiakini when asked to comment on Musa's interview with the news portal in May this year, in which the former police chief denied knowing underworld kingpins Tengku Goh and BK Tan.
Tengku Goh is reportedly an underworld boss who enjoyed Musa's backing when Musa (right) was Johor police chief.

Musa was said to have eliminated all loan sharks, money-laundering syndicates, gaming and drug syndicates and crime lords in Johor, but allowed Tengku Goh to continue operating - until the Bukit Aman CCID found out about Goh's activities.

As a result of this discovery, called the Copgate affair, Ramli and his men were instead hit with trumped-up charges by attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, who was accused of colluding with the then police chief.

Ramli was eventually cleared without his defence being called and appeals by the AG against the decision were thrown out by the upper courts.

Meanwhile, Ramli's men who were similarly charged were also acquitted without their defence called. The prosecution however did not appeal their acquittals.

Some of these police officers, who were driving taxis to make ends meet following their suspension from the force, have now been reinstated and promoted.

What the CCID team uncovered...

In the Malaysiakini interview, Ramli also denied that his CCID team encroached into Criminal Investigation Department's (CID's) jurisdiction as alleged by Musa.

Acting on information received, Ramli said he and his team recorded intelligence statements from underworld whistleblowers, who detailed the illegal activities committed by Tengku Goh and his involvement with Musa.

"The police submitted this information to Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharom, who directed us to continue with the investigations as the government wanted to curb all illegal activities such as money laundering, illegal gaming, loan shark or illegal money-lending activities, drug smuggling and gangsterism.

"When we have information, we investigate. How can we stop investigations (when we come across any illegal activity involving syndicate members in the course of our investigation)?

"We are police officers and we are supposed to investigate, regardless of whether the matter comes under the purview of the CID, Anti-Narcotics Department, Internal Security Department or any other department in the police force.

"Our powers are the same, as enshrined under Section 3 of the Police Act 1967 and other relevant laws," Ramli added.

In the bizarre Copgate affair, deputy minister Johari (right) was himself accused of having links with the mob for releasing three gangsters held under the recently repealed Emergency Ordinance, which allowed for detention without trial.

It is believed that Johori ordered Ramli to probe Musa in a tit-for-tat battle between the deputy minister and the IGP.

Both men - the politician and the police chief - were subsequently cleared of mob involvement by the anti-corruption agency after the scandal broke in 2007.

Ramli said he later got to know that the current deputy IGP, Khalid Abu Bakar, who was then deputy director of CID, had investigated Tengku Goh a few months before his men were asked to being their investigation.

However, Ramli said, he was informed that Khalid's investigation was stopped by Musa, who claimed that the allegation against Goh was baseless and that some police officers were trying to fix him up.

"Apparently Musa interfered, resulting in the transfer of some of the officers involved in the investigation. Khalid himself was removed as deputy director of the CID and appointed Selangor police chief," he said.

"How can Musa have the guts to say he does not know Tengku Goh when the fact is that Tengku Goh named him in his affidavit to secure his release as a restricted resident under the Restricted Residence Act?"

Furthermore, Ramli said, he and his team received information that when Musa was Johor police chief, he acted against all crime syndicate members, except Tengku Goh.

"You can ask any police officer in Johor... they will know who Tengku Goh is."

Ramli accused Musa of blatantly lying when saying that he did not know Tengku Goh.

"He was not telling the truth. How could Musa claim that this particular person was fixed when we recorded statements from sources (whistleblowers) saying otherwise? There is also evidence provided in court to prove this," he said.

Musa's son worked with BK Tan

Ramli also questioned how Musa could deny not knowing BK Tan, another shady character who had worked behind the scenes with key personnel in the police force on the transfer of certain police officers.

He cited the sworn statement of a police officer, ASP Mior Fahmi Ahmad, which said he saw Musa's son working with BK Tan at his office in Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya, at which former police commissioner Othman Talib was also present.

Mior Fahmi, who was transferred from Sabah, was brought to Amcorp Mall by another senior police officer to meet BK Tan. He was later sent to Johor to take charge of the D7 unit, which handles gaming, vice and secret societies.

"He (Mior Fahmi) was given a house to stay, free of charge, by the syndicate.

"We also have a statutory declaration from Musa's former aide-de-camp ASP Nor Azizul Rahim, who disclosed that they discussed the transfer of D7 officers at Musa's home, together with BK Tan and ex-police commissioner Othman.

"Musa was given a name list of officers by BK Tan to be issued with transfer orders. These were officers who were on BK Tan's payroll.

"Moreover, Musa was found to be an unreliable witness by the sessions court in the case against me, and this finding was also affirmed by the High Court in Kota Kinabalu and by the Court of Appeal. So, who are we to believe?" Ramli said.

He said the allegations made against Musa were damaging and based on the statutory declarations as well, Musa's claim that he does not know BK Tan and Tengku Goh made no sense at all.

Musa's former aide, ASP Noor Azizul Rahim, who is now attached to a federal ministry, was contacted by Malaysiakini to verify the contents of his SD.

However, he declined to make any further comment on the issue, saying that he would nevertheless be willing to testify before a tribunal, should one be set up.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has in March this year rejected the need for an inquiry on the scandal.- malaysiakini

cheers.

Lim Guan Eng: Pingat - Tak timbul isu DAP menghina istana...

Lim Guan Eng menjelaskan bahawa masanya belum tiba untuk parti itu membincangkan soal penerimaan pingat kebesaran dari istana di kalangan ahli-ahli partinya.

Menurutnya, tumpuan DAP sekarang adalah memberikan khidmat terbaik kepada rakyat yang mengundi mereka dalam pilihan raya.

"Kita berjuang dalam politik demi rakyat, bukan kerana gelaran. Itu bukan tujuan kita," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian sewaktu mengulas cadangan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Sekinchan Ng Suee Lim yang menggesa DAP mengkaji semula peraturan tidak bertulis yang tidak menggalakkan ahli menerima pingat dan darjah kebesaran istana.

Hujah Ng, DAP wajar menerima anugerah istana untuk menangkis tohmahan yang dilemparkan terhadap DAP sebagai parti yang anti-Melayu.

Menurut Lim, beliau sendiri tidak dapat memberikan kata putus berkenaan perkara itu kerana dikhuatiri memberikan gambaran yang salah kepada umum.

"Kalau saya kata 'ya' (boleh terima), nampak macam saya mahu pingat.

"Kalau saya kata 'jangan' (terima), orang kata saya hina istana," katanya sambil menambah beliau masih selesa dibahasakan sebagai 'saudara' seperti amalan sedia ada DAP.
 
'Tokong': Apa diperlukan sudah dilakukan

Pada masa sama, beliau tetap akur dan hormat kepada hak Raja-Raja Melayu untuk menganugerahkan pingat dan darjah kebesaran.

"Ini hak mutlak Raja-Raja, kita tak boleh persoalkan. Kita mesti terima perkenan Raja dahulu dalam hal ini.

"Yang penting kita bukan kejar gelaran," katanya.

Lim turut menganggap isu transkrip perbincangan PKR Pulau Pinang yang dibocorkan dan mengandungi butiran pembahagian kerusi dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang ditutup dan tidak dibincangkan lebih lanjut.

"Saya menganggapnya sudah selesai. Semuanya sudah dibincangkan dan apa-apa yang perlu dilakukan, sudah dilakukan," katanya.

Dalam transkrip itu, Timbalan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Datuk Dr Mansor Othman dilaporkan merujuk Lim sebagai 'angkuh', 'sombong' dan ibarat 'tokong'.

Mansor bagaimana pun menafikan beliau merujuk Lim sebagai 'angkuh' dan "sombong' tetapi menjelaskan perumpamaan 'tokong' yang disebutnya dimaksudkan sebagai pujian dan pengiktirafan kepada Lim.- malaysiakini

 Datukship:I don’t think there is any issue 
about us not respecting the royalty, 
says Guan Eng...

Lim Guan Eng stressed today DAP is not in politics to pursue datukship, but declined to tread into politically-sensitive waters on whether the party will change its unwritten rule of not accepting such titles.

“This is a dangerous question. If I answer we will accept, it will appear as if we are in for titles; if I say will not accept, we will appear as if we are disrespectful to the royalty,” Lim told a press conference at the DAP headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
 
He was responding to Sekinchan state assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim’s suggestion that party leaders accept such titles from the Malay rulers to prevent the party from being labelled as anti-Malay and anti-royalty.

Lim said the matter did not arise as no title was being offered to DAP representatives at present.

“I don’t think there is any issue about us not respecting the royalty. The sultans will need to award them first, so the matter does not arise,” he said.

Lim added that the party’s main purpose would still remain serving the rakyat, rather than for titles.

“I am comfortable being called saudara (mister). Even after I retire, I will be comfortable with it,” said Lim, who is also Penang chief minister.

The issue of state titles arose in late 2010 after speculation that DAP’s Sungai Pinang state assemblyperson Teng Chang Khim (left) was about to be granted a datukship.

However, the party did not oppose Teng’s acceptance of the title after it was revealed that the award came directly from the recommendation of the Selangor palace for his role as Selangor state legislative assembly speaker.

‘Tokong matter has passed’

Lim also declined to comment on being called a tokong (deity) by Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman, stating that the matter had passed.

He said DAP-PKR negotiations on seat allocation in Penang were not a “big issue”, but declined to speak further on this.

Mansor had allegedly uttered the word tokong in reference to Lim during an informal PKR meeting which, among others, discussed the seat allocation in Penang for the next general election.

On another matter, Lim said it was yet to be seen whether MCA’s relentless attack on DAP and PAS over hudud would have any impact on the electorate.

“Let’s wait and see when the general election comes,” he said.

Among the top leadership of PAS and DAP, Lim added, it was still business as usual despite the hudud controversy.- malaysiakini

cheers.