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Ratify Rome Statute of ICC,
Bar Council urges govt
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The Bar Council has
called on the government to ratify the
Rome Statute of the International Crimi-
nal Court (ICC) to influence the promo-
tion of international peace and stability
following the recent Israeli invasion of
Gaza.
In a press statement yesterday, coun-
cil president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan
called on Malaysia to provide leadership
by example following the Israeli atroci-
ties in Gaza.
“The atrocities committed upon the
people of Palestine have once again
brought to the fore the importance of
international institutions that are consti-
tuted to bring the perpetrators of such
vicious acts to book,” she said.
“Israel’s recent attacks against Gaza
amount to nothing less than crimes
against humanity.
“The Bar Council welcomes in princi-
ple the parliamentary resolution moved
by the government on Jan 12 to establish
a UN-sponsored war crimes tribunal to
investigate these acts.
“We hope the ceasfire will hold and
Teacher on unnatural sex charge
KLANG: A primary school
teacher was charged in the alleged to have performed
sessions court here yesterday unnatural sex, by sodomising
with two counts of performing the boy, at a house on Jalan
unnatural sex on a 14-year-old Genting 5/KU4 in Rantau Pan-
boy in August last year. jang at about 1am on Aug 24,
Badrul Akmal Ishak, 30, 2008.
pleaded not guilty and claimed
trial to both the charges. forcing the boy to perform
the people of Palestine and Israel will
have some semblance of peace. Howev-
Court to decide on
Musa’s police statement
er, there can be no lasting peace without
bringing to justice those who committed
these crimes against humanity.
“We must turn to enduring institutions
set up by the international community that
call such acts to account. It is thus impera-
tive that nation states subscribe to these
institutions, to give them moral and legal
authority to deal with blatant human rights
and humanitarian abuses worldwide. One
such institution is the ICC.
“In line with Malaysia’s call to the
United Nations, and to provide leadership
Govt
regrets
by example, we call upon the govern-
ment to immediately become party to Herald’s
the Rome Statute of the ICC.
“The ICC is an independent and per- defiance
manent court that seeks to strengthen the on use of
rule of law around the world. The threat
of punishment against states and their
‘Allah’
leaders that commit the most heinous of pg 6
crimes will serve as a deterrent.”
Sreenevasan also said the ICC re-
ceives widespread respect and, if fully
supported, will go a long way towards
bringing about lasting peace by punishing
those who perpetrated crimes against
their fellow human beings.
On the first charge, he is oral sex on him at about 3am
at the same place and day.
Badrul Akmal was ordered
to report to the nearest police
station on the first Saturday of
every month until the disposal
of the case.
He is also charged with The case is fixed for men-
tion on March 3. – Bernama
| THURSDAY JANUARY 22 2009
by S. Tamarai Chelvi
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Altantuya ACCUSED
SHAH ALAM: The High Court hear-
ing the Altantunya Shaariibuu murder
trial will decide tomorrow whether the
defence team will be given access to a
Victim
police statement made by DSP Musa
Altantuya
Safri. Shaariibuu, 28
• Chief Insp Azilah • Cpl Sirul Azhar
Hadri, 32 Umar, 37
The defence wants access to the
statement, made by Musa under Sec-
tion 112 of the Criminal Procedure
Code, to prepare a statement that In reply, Manoj said the statement was a
second accused Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar will privileged document and that the prosecution
read from the dock. had offered Musa as a witness.
Yesterday, judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md He said the defence team could actually
Yasin heard submissions by both defence question the witness whether he made the
lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin and same statement to the police.
DPP Manoj Kurup. Earlier, Kamarul also applied for access
Kamarul said the defence had the right to to “unused materials” in the form of text
interview Musa “but without knowing what messages extracted from the handphones of
he said to the police, the defence is blind- certain individuals, gathered by the prosecu-
sided. We do not know what he said to the tion in the course of its investigations but not
police”.
He said Musa was “clearly a relevent wit-
tendered in court.
He said the accused person was entitled to
ness”. If the prosecution had called him as a not just relevent evidence but all the material
prosecution witness, the defence could have evidence the prosecution had gathered in the
cross-examined him. course of its investigation.
However, Kamarul said, the defence could Manoj said the prosecution had supplied
not risk putting Musa as a defence witness all the material.
because he could be impeached by the pros- Kamarul dropped the application and
ecution “as they have his statement to the proceeded only on the “112 statement” ap-
police while the defence does not have it”. plication.
He said the defence had the right to im- Sirul Azhar and Chief Insp Azilah Hadri,
peach its own witnesses but the “substantive both of the police special action unit (UTK),
right” had been taken away from it as it did are charged with murdering Altantunya,
not not have the statement. between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct
For example, if it showed that another per- 20, 2006 in Mukim Bukit Raja here. The two
son had committed the crime or an order had were ordered on Oct 31 last year to enter their
been made to kill the woman, the defence defence.
would not have known this. Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda,
“That is a possible line of defence,” who was charged with abetting them, was
Kamarul said. acquitted.
Ex-state rep pleads not
guilty to corruption charges
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Semenyih assem-
blyman Datuk Ahamad Kuris Mohd Nor (pix)
pleaded not guilty in two sessions courts here
yesterday to four counts of corruption involving
a total of RM200,0000.
At the Ampang sessions court, Ahamad
Kuris, 52, was charged with three counts of
corruption.
On the first count, he is alleged to have
attempted to solicit RM170,000 from Ufuk
Rata Sdn Bhd owner Azlan Ahmad Marshid as
an inducement to obtain a tender to build an
exit road at Taman Impian Ehsan, Balakong,
Cheras.
The offence was alleged to have been com-
mitted at the office of Ufuk Rata Sdn Bhd on
Jalan Mesra Niaga Batu 13, Jalan Cheras, Kajang,
at 11.53am on Feb 26, 2007.
On the second, Ahamad Kuris is alleged to
have received RM20,000 from Azlan for the
same purpose at the Ulu Langat Umno division
office on Jalan Tuanku Hishamuddin, Kajang, at
12.30pm on May 11, 2007.
On the third, he is alleged to have received
RM5,000 from Azlan, also for the same purpose,
at the same place and time on Aug 17, 2007.
Alternatively, Ahamad Kuris is charged
with dishonestly misappropriating the money
belonging to Hulu Langat Umno on the second amount as ordered by the Ampang sessions
and third counts. court.
Judge Nuradidah Ahmad allowed him bail of Earlier, DPP Datuk Abdul Razak Musa had
RM35,000 in one surety. requested that the cases be heard together
At the Kuala Lumpur sessions court, Ahamad at the Ampang sessions court, to which coun-
Kuris pleaded not guilty to accepting a bribe of sel Akbardin Abdul Kadir, who represented
RM5,000 in credit card payment for the same Ahamad Kuris, had no objections.
purpose from Azlan at Malayan Banking Berhad The case was fixed for mention on March
on Jalan Tun Perak, on Feb 27, 2007. 12 at the Ampang sessions court. – Ber-
Judge Rosbiahanin Arifin set bail at the same nama