theSun | TUESDAY APRIL 28 2009 7

news without borders

Eric Chia suit against

Guan Eng withdrawn
KUALA LUMPUR: The High
Court here yesterday granted
an application by counsel
for the late Tan Sri Eric Chia
Eng Hock to withdraw a
defamation suit against DAP
secretary-general Lim Guan
Eng.
Its deputy registrar
Norazlin Othman made the
decision in chambers after
the counsel from Jega Kumar
& Associates had, on April 22,
filed a notice of discontinu-
ance of Chia’s suit.
Lim’s counsel, Sangeet
Kaur Deo, when asked by the
media, said Norazlin made
the decision with no order as
to costs.
She said Chia’s counsel
was not present.
On Jan 2, 2002, Chia filed
the suit claiming that Lim
had pictured him as corrupt
and not qualified to serve
the company in a police
report titled “First Report
On Financial Malpractices,
Abuse Of Power, Corrup-
tion And Fraud In Perwaja
Terengganu Sdn Bhd
(Perwaja)”.
The report was lodged at
the Sentul police headquar-
ters on April 11, 1996.
Chia, in his statement of
claim, said the report had
severely damaged his repu-
tation as a well-known busi-
nessman and sought general
and aggravated damages and
other reliefs deemed fit by
the court.
On last June 24, the 75-
year-old former Perwaja Steel
managing director died in his
sleep in his private room in
the Park Avenue Hotel in
Sungai Petani, Kedah, which
was owned by him.
Lim, who is also Penang
chief minister, in his state-
ment of defence filed on
March 1, 2002, stated that he
relied on qualified privilege.
– Bernama

DPP charged with

falsifying document
SHAH ALAM: A deputy public pros-
ecutor was charged in a magistrate’s
court here yesterday with falsifying
the investigation paper minute order
against three drug suspects.
Md Azar Irwan Mohd Arifin, who
was alleged to have committed the
offence between 3.15pm and 5.30pm
on March 12 in the Selangor Deputy
Public Prosecutor’s Office, Level 4,
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Building here, pleaded not guilty.
According to the charge sheet, he
wrote an order on the investigation
paper for Quah Guat Chin, Wong
Kok Seng and Low Teck Seng be
charged under Section 12(2) and Sec-
tion 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs
Act 1952 when two of the suspects
could be charged under Section 39B
which carries the mandatory death
penalty.
By doing so, Md Azar was alleged
to have tried to reduce the sentence
faced by the suspects. If convicted,
Md Azar can be jailed up to three Global
years or fined or both under Section concerns
218 of the Penal Code.
Magistrate Afifah Mamat @ Yusof on flu
allowed Md Azar bail of RM6,000 outbreak,
with one surety and fixed May 13 for over 100
remention. Md Azar, represented by
counsel Datuk Salehuddin Saidin and dead
Gooi Soon Seng, posted bail. pg 9
The prosecution was conducted by
Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Abdul
Razak Musa from the Anti-Corrup-
tion Commission. – Bernama

June 30 date for Kudus graft case

KUALA LUMPUR: Former
Ampang Jaya Municipal
Council enforcement direc-
tor Capt (rtd) Abdul Kudus
Ahmad, who has been tried
for corruption, will know his
fate on June 30.
Ampang sessions court
judge Nor Adidah Ahmad
fixed the date after hearing
submissions from both sides
at the end of the defence case
here yesterday.
The trial that began on
Aug 9, 2003, saw the prosecu-
tion producing 11 witnesses
and the defence 12, including
former Housing and Local
Government Deputy Minister
Datuk M. Kayveas.
Kudus, 46, is charged with
24 counts of soliciting and tak-
ing bribes totalling RM59,000
from the owner of Sri Steven’s
Corner restaurant between
May 2001 and May 2004.
The case was initially
heard by judge Nor Afizah
Hanum Mokhtar before Nor
Addidah took over during the
defence stage as Nor Afizah
went for further studies.
The proceedings were
also postponed several times
during the defence case after
Kudus’ lawyer, M. Mano-
haran, was detained under
the Internal Security Act in
December 2007. – Bernama

yesterday fined a Kelantan football fan

briefs
Lorry driver to hang
for cannabis trafficking
SHAH ALAM: A lorry driver was sentenced to
the gallows by the High Court here yesterday
after he was found guilty of trafficking in 511gm
of cannabis.
Justice Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ah-
mad said he was satisfied that the prosecution
had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mohd Shuzairil Shamsuddin, 40, looked calm
standing in the dock.
Shuzairil was found to have committed the
offence in front of the first-storey elevator, Block
A, Sri Nilam flats, Bandar Baru Ampang, at about
7.50pm on July 3, 2006. – Bernama
Football fan fined RM20
for foul language
KUALA LUMPUR: A magistrate’s court here
RM20 in default a day’s jail for uttering foul
words at a Selangor fan after the FA Cup
final on Saturday.
Magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham passed
sentence after Ahmad Hamiduddin Ab
Wahid, 24, pleaded guilty. In the match,
Selangor lifted the trophy after defeating
Kelantan 4-1 through penalty kicks after
regulation time ended in a draw.
Ahmad Hamiduddin of Kota Baru was
charged with using foul language in Parking
A, Stadium Bukit Jalil, Cheras, at 12.15am on
April 26. – Bernama
Indonesians duo face drug
trafficking charge
KUALA LUMPUR: Two Indonesians were
ordered by the High Court here yesterday to
enter defence to the charge of trafficking in
53.6kg of cannabis.
Wholesale market worker Hamidi Mohd Isa,
30, and lorry driver Jauhari Tamrin, 27, were
alleged to have committed the offence on Jalan
Api-Api 5, Kepong Baru, Sentul, at 4.35pm on
Sept 25, 2007. – Bernama