2 theSun | WEDNESDAY JANUARY 28 2009

news without borders

Nasarudin goes into ‘hiding’

by Humayun Kabir
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
IPOH: Where is Nasarudin? This seems to
be the pertinent question surrounding Bota
assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim who
is believed to have gone into “hiding” after
crossing over to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
from Umno.
According to sources, Nasarudin has
“gone underground to avoid distractions” fol-
lowing attempts by Perak Umno to persuade
him to return to the Umno fold after he had
announced his defection to PKR on Sunday.
Perak Umno is desperately trying to arrange
a meeting between him and Umno deputy
president Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.
When contacted yesterday, many state
PKR leaders had sudden amnesia over Na-
sarudin’s contact numbers, passing the buck
instead to other party leaders.
PKR state liaison chairman Ismail Yusof
said Perak Umno was very desperate to
contact Nasarudin and they are “searching
high and low for him”.
MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN
According to Ismail, this has forced Na-
sarudin to go “underground”. He is expected
to resurface in about three days to put mat-
ters in their right prospective.
Nasaruddin has completely cut himself
off from all means of communication by
changing his mobile number and other
contact numbers, Ismail added.
Nasarudin, 58, had been quoted in an
English daily as saying his decision to jump
ship was due to political developments and
the people’s support for the Opposition
during the general election and the current
situation in Umno.
On Monday, Perak Mentri Besar Moham-
mad Nizar Jamaluddin said three more
BN assemblymen are set to cross over to
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as they were unhappy
with the present political scenario in BN.
Nizar also refuted Najib’s claims that no
other BN state assemblymen will be joining
PR, as discussions by PR with the three BN
assemblymen had indicated otherwise.
This latest political development has put
the Perak BN in a spot. Since the March
general election when the state fell to PR,
BN had made many claims that many state
PR assemblymen had wanted to crossover
to BN to wrest the state from PR.
Perak Umno liaison charirman and former
mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli
had even said the state would fall into BN
hands by the end of August last year.
Meanwhile, in SITIAWAN, Tajol Rosli
claimed that PR was coaxing BN elected rep-
resentatives in the state to cross over with
the offer of posts in a desperate move to
enable the PR maintain its power in Perak.
The PR government in Perak was forced
to resort to such a measure in preparation for
the possible loss of two PKR assemblemen
who were charged last August for accepting
bribes, he said at the Chinese New Year open
house organised by Perak MCA chairman
Datuk Kong Cho Ha at SMJK Nan Hwa.
Changkat Jering assemblyman Capt (Rtd)
Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, 57, and Behrang
assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, 52,
are scheduled to attend court hearing from
Feb 10 on the charges.
briefs
Housing sector to get
RM1.2b boost
PETALING JAYA: The government has al-
located RM1.2 billion from the stimulus pack-
age for the housing sector, said Housing and
Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong
Ka Chuan.
Tourism In his Chinese New Year message, he said
industry the public housing programme will also provide
further opportunities for almost 140 trades
braces linked to the property and construction indus-
for slump tries. “These measures, coupled with other
pg 6 development projects, will boost construction
activity to help cushion the impact likely to be
felt by the manufacturing and service industries
over the coming months,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his new year message, MCA
president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the
government will cushion the adverse impact
on Malaysia through the formulation and
implementation of prudent policies.
“As we usher in the Year of the Ox, it may
be pertinent to take note of its values – sturdi-
ness, tenacity, determination and an ability to
bear hard work without flinching – and reflect
on how we can apply these values in our own
lives,” he said.
MACC under scrutiny

PETALING JAYA: Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang

wants Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission (MACC) Datuk Seri
Ahmad Said Hamdan to explain the inaction
and selective persecution of the MACC in the
first month of its establishment.
“The MACC had swung into action in the
past week and although it seemed to be in an
all-out war against Umno ‘ikan bilis’ (ancho-
vies) , it has to convince Malaysians that it is
becoming another ICAC (Independent Com-
mission Against Corruption of Hongkong),”
said Lim in a statement yesterday.
“Firstly, when will it move from ‘ikan bilis’
to Umno ‘ikan Yu’ (shark)? And secondly, its
“stop work” in its first 17 days of establish-
ment for fear of jeopardising Umno’s victory in
the Kuala Terengganu by-election,” said Lim.
He added that Malaysians were promised that
the MACC would hit the ground attacking cor-
ruption from Jan 1, 2009.
He said on Jan 14, three days before the
by-election, the MACC delayed charging a
former Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblyman
for corruption, so as not to affect Umno’s
result in the by-election.
He said former Semenyih rep Datuk Ah-
mad Kuris Mohd Nor was charged with four
counts of corruption involving RM200,000 in
the Ampang sessions court a week after the
by-election. “Would the MACC be so consider-
ate as to hold back corruption charges if the
accused involved had been a Pakatan Rakyat
leader?” asked Lim.

Framed in goodwill...
P ENANG Chinese Town Hall chairman Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong presents a painting to Yang
Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas at the town hall’s Chinese New year celebration
Kugan funeral
yesterday. With them are (from left) Health Minister and Penang MCA chairman Datuk Liow » From Front Page
Tiong Lai, Gerakan president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Khoon, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Chinese should strictly be confined to paying respects to
ambassador to Malaysia Liu Jian. the deceased.
“They are free to to carry out the funeral as
they wish but it must be done in an orderly man-
ner so as to not inconvenience the public.

‘Case not a racial issue’
by Karen Arukesamy
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The two deputy ministers
embroiled in controversies following the death-
in-police custody of A. Kugan, have asked all par-
ties to stop harping on it being a racial issue.
“This is no racial issue at all. Even the DPM
(deputy prime minister) expressed concern on
humanitarian grounds,” said Deputy Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T.
Murugiah.
“Don’t see Kugan as an Indian. See him as
a Malaysian, as a human,” Murugiah said when
contacted yesterday in response to parties
asking the Indian community to refrain from
racialising Kugan’s death.
“People cannot turn this matter into a racial
issue or even think this is a racial issue. It can
happen to anyone and I would still go all out to
push for action.”
Murugiah also pointed out that since no one
knows who is behind Kugan’s death, people
could not conclude it is a racial issue.
He said MCA and Gerakan had also issued
statements in support of a thorough investiga-
tion in this matter.
“In fact, (Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department) Tan Sri Bernard Dompok had asked
me to do a report on behalf of the Public Com-
plaint’s Bureau on Kugan’s issue as he wants to
submit it to the cabinet,” Murugiah said.
He added that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak was very upset and angry
upon seeing photographs of Kugan’s body.
Murugiah said Najib also related to him Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s
concern over this matter.
Meanwhile, fellow deputy minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S. K. Deva-
many urged all parties not to blow the issue out
of proportion.
“If there is any Malay, Chinese or Kadazan
in Kugan’s place, we would do the same,” De-
vamany said.
Meanwhile, both deputy ministers advised
relatives and friends who will be present at
Kugan’s funeral today to refrain from carrying
banners and placards that could aggravate the
situation.
“We are even prepared to help out in traffic
control if the family requests for our assistance.
However, we will not allow the display of placards
and banners with sensitive or racist statements.
“If this happens, then we will have no choice
but to take action. Do not turn this into a political
rally. We do not want any problems.” he said.
Police will be stationed along the route of the
procession.
Meanwhile, Ismail said police will only allow
family members to claim the body and warned
that any mass gathering by others including
non-government organisations such as Majlis
Permuafakatan Ummah (Pewaris) who are
planning to assemble and demonstrate against
mourners will be illegal.
Pewaris had yesterday warned that it would
also demonstrate if mourners politicised and
turned Kugan’s death into a racial issue.
Kugan, who was arrested by police on Jan
15 for suspected car hijacking activities and led
police to the recovery of 15 cars, collapsed and
died at the police station during interrogation.
A post mortem report at the Serdang Hospital
soon after his death showed that he died of water
retention in his lungs. However, minutes short of
his burial on Jan 21, his family decided to send his
body to UMMC for a second post mortem.