theSun | WEDNESDAY MARCH 18 2009 œ 3

news without borders

Receipt submitted at MACC’s INTERVIEWS VIEWS

insistence, says witness

by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: A receipt submitted to a sessions
court as evidence for the payment of RM13,000 for
prosthodontic implants was made last year at the
insistence of a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
investigating officer.
“I made it because the original receipt was lost.
This (the receipt) was a creation made when the
investigating officers came to the office,” said Clinical
Practice Prosthodontics office manager Rahayu Abdul
Rahim, who was yesterday’s witness in the graft trial
of Tourism Promotion Board director-general Mirza
Mohd Taiyab Beg Mirza Hadi Hassan Beg.
Rahayu, who responded to questions in cross-
examination by defence counsel Saseedharan Menon,
replied in the affirmative when asked if she agreed
that the receipt tendered to court was “falsified” by
the MACC investigating officer.
She then added that the pressure placed on her
by the MACC investigations had resulted in her losing
her unborn third child.
Saseedharan: You were pregnant during the time
of the investigations by the ACA. Do you agree with
me that the IO (investigating officer) was putting pres-
sure on you to make a statement?
Rahayu: Yes. They put pressure on me to give
a statement.
Saseedharan: And what did the pressure do to
your pregnancy?
Rahayu: I miscarried.
Saseedharan: What pressure was put on you by
the officers?
Rahayu: They kept forcing me to answer ques-
tions I did not know anything about.
Rahayu, who was then cross examined by defence
co-counsel Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, said she
was instructed by Pakar Perunding Media director
Zulhisyam Ayob to keep it a secret that he was paying
for Mirza Mohd Taiyab’s dental treatment.
She then added that she was told to block Mirza
Mohd Taiyab from making any payment.
“He just telephoned me, and told me not to take
any payment from the patient as he would foot the
bill,” said Rahayu, adding that she told Mirza Mohd
Taiyab that he would only be required to pay “when
treatment was completed”.
Mirza Mohd Taiyab is alleged to have received a
bribe in the form of dental treatment worth RM13,860
three years ago from Perunding Pakar Media director
Zulhisyam Ayob when he was the board’s deputy
director-general I.
Zulhisyam is alleged to have paid with a Maybank
cheque the cost of Mirza Mohd Taiyab’s dental treat-
ment at Clinical Practice Prosthodontics Sdn Bhd at
15, Jalan 2/71, off Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr
Ismail, between Jan 17, 2005, and July 26, 2005.
During cross examination by MACC deputy public
prosecutor Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad, Rahayu admit- Our very good
ted that while she had told her family, employer and infrastructure and
friends about the pressure from MACC officers, she geographic position in the
did not lodge a formal complaint about it. centre of the region makes
She maintained that the receipt for the procedure,
performed on June 8, 2005, was produced last year as
it easy for smugglers to
a result of pressure by MACC officers. transport the animals.”
Saiful Hazmi: So do you agree with the defence
that you were asked to re-make a receipt? Traffic director Azrina Abdullah
Rahayu: I was pressured to do it.

Penang wants Indonesia to

review exit tax policy
GEORGE TOWN: Concerned an assurance that the new ruling
about the drop in Indonesian tour- would affect only about 10% of
ists, Penang has appealed to Indone- Indonesia’s population.
sia to revise its new policy to charge “I was told that Indonesians who
higher exit tax on its citizens. have valid income tax numbers
Deputy Chief Minister II Prof are not affected by the new ruling.
Dr P. Ramasamy raised the matter I appealed anyway,” he said after
during a meeting with Indonesian launching a conference on ‘Safety
vice-president Yusuf Kalla while and Health’ organised by the Fed-
leading a state delegation to Jakarta eration of Malaysian Manufacturers
recently. (FMM) here.
“We expressed our concern that Also present were FMM north-
many tourists to Penang are from ern region chairman Datuk OK Lee
places like Medan and Jakarta. We and vice-chairman Khoo Cheok Our
are worried that the increased exit Sin. government
tax may be causing fewer Indone- Ramasamy said the Labour policies on
sians to travel out,” Ramasamy said Department needs to ensure that
yesterday. Penang-based employers give
giving priority
theSun reported on Monday priority to hiring locals rather than to locals in
that hospitals in the state have foreigners during the current eco- employment
seen fewer Indonesians seeking nomic downturn. are fine, Karpal Singh outside the court after he pleaded not guilty to a sedition charge. On his
treatment since the higher exit tax “Our government policies on but the right is his wife Gurmit, while his sons Gobind and Jagdeep are seen at left and behind
was imposed on Indonesians who giving priority to locals in employ-
have not settled their income tax. ment are fine, but the monitoring monitoring him. DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and his lawyer Sankara Nair are on the right.
Indonesians make up about 70% of mechanism is lacking,” he said, mechanism
Penang’s foreign medical patients.
Effective Jan 1, passenger exit
tax for those travelling overseas
citing as an example one factory
in Simpang Ampat that recently
turned away locals, but went on to
is lacking.”
Bar: It’s selective prosecution
– Penang Deputy
by air was raised by 150% and by employ Vietnamese workers. Chief Minister KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council has ex- or challenge the institution of the monarchy in
sea by 100%. Indonesians departing Ramasamy also cautioned Dr P. Ramasamy pressed shock that the Attorney-General has any way. This is permissible under the Constitu-
from their country from airports are industries against compromising proceeded to charge Karpal Singh under the tion and cannot amount to sedition,” he said.
now required to pay Rp2.5 million on safety and health-related infra- Sedition Act 1948 for his statements on the He also stated that the council has been
(RM800) compared to Rp1 million structure and procedures while issue of removal of former Perak mentri besar steadfast in its view that the Act is a draconian
(RM300) previously. implementing cutbacks in their Datuk Seri Nizar Jamuluddin by Sultan Azlan and archaic piece of legislation that undermines
Ramasamy said Yusuf gave companies. Shah and the events that have unfolded in that democratic institutions.
state. “We urge the government to demonstrate
Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan its commitment to the rule of law and to demo-
said in a statement yesterday the move will be cratic processes by encouraging open discourse
– entrusted to him. perceived as being selective and yielding to de- on issues of concern to the Malaysian public, as
Deputy public prosecutor S. Devanandan told mands from influential sections of Umno who any attempt to stifle public opinion by resorting
briefs reporters that the prosecution could not register the
case due to the Tan Sri’s absence. – Bernama
had pushed for him to be prosecuted. He called
for the charge against him to be withdrawn.
to the Act is an act of regression that is against
democratic principles,” he said.
“It is clear that Karpal had only voiced his Ragunath said the Bar Council strongly
Schools to seize phones found opinion that the decision of a Ruler of a State urged the government to seriously review the
Tan Sri fails to turn up in court on students in this area of constitutional law and practice is Act with the aim of repealing the legislation
again PUTRAJAYA: Beginning tomorrow, school authori-
justified. At no time did he voice disrespect for totally.
PETALING JAYA: A prominent businessman, who is ties will seize mobile phones which students bring
a Tan Sri, failed to turn to up for the second time at
the sessions court here yesterday to face a criminal
to school, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee
Ka Siong said yesterday. Beware of too-good-to-be-true tour offers
breach of trust (CBT) charge. The confiscated phones could only be claimed
GEORGE TOWN: Consumers who come across Tan was commenting on a report that a travel
His counsel, Datuk K. Kumaraendran, said his by the parents, he said.
tour packages that are too good to be true should operator in Bukit Mertajam had allegedly cheated 136
client was admitted to a medical centre late Mon- Wee said the rule that prohibited students from check with other travel agencies before making people of over RM1 million by offering low fares.
day morning after complaining of chest pain. bringing mobile phones to school was already in purchase, the Malaysian Association of Tour and It is reported that a 44-year old female suspect
The businessman, in his late 60’s, also failed to place but never enforced as some schools were Travel Agents (Matta) cautioned yesterday. has been remanded in Bukit Mertajam.
turn up in court on Dec 26 last year after he was reluctant to take action. Matta Penang chapter chairman Ann Tan said Tan said the suspect is not a member of Matta
warded at a private hospital. Nevertheless, the rule should be enforced im- package prices offered by the various legally and does not have a valid permit from the Tour-
The man, who is believed to be chairman of a mediately as it was related to discipline and the registered travel agencies do not differ much. ism Ministry to operate.
public-listed company, was to have been produced phones could disrupt the teaching and learning “For example, a 10-day tour package to Consumers who want to verify the legality
in the court here to face a CBT charge involving process, he said after chairing a meeting on student Hokkaido would cost about RM5,000 to RM6,000. of a travel agency can check at www.matta.org.
shares – believed to be worth several million ringgit indiscipline, here. – Bernama But if a company charges RM3,900, something my. Complaints can be sent to Matta’s complaint
must be fishy,” she told a press conference. bureau via email at admin@matta.org.my.