theSun | WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9 2009 3

news without borders

12 in cow-head protest to be charged today

by Charles Ramendran
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: Twelve men who took part in the
cow-head protest on Aug 28 will be charged with
sedition and illegal assembly at the Shah Alam
court today.
Selangor police chief DCP Datuk Khalid Abu
Bakar said yesterday police had picked up the
suspects and were recording their statements.
The men will be charged under Section 4 (1) of
the Sedition Act and Section 27 (5) of the Police
Act.
If convicted under Section 4 (1) of the Sedition
Act, the offenders can be fined up to RM5,000 or
sentenced to jail for up to three years, or both,
for the first offence.
Those found guilty under Section 27(5) of the
Police Act 1967 can be fined between RM2,000
and RM10,000 as well as jailed for up to a year.
The 12 men are among 50-odd protesters
comprising Section 23 residents and outsiders
who had marched from the Shah Alam mosque
to the Selangor State Secretariat building carry-
ing a severed cow’s head in protest against the
relocation of a 150-year-old Hindu temple from
Section 19 to Section 23. Some of the protesters
then proceeded to spit and stomp on the cow’s
head.
Their actions, which were considered of-
fensive to Hindus, were condemned by civil
society groups and politicians, who urged the
Attorney-General’s Chamber to take stern action
against them.
Dozens of police reports were lodged by vari-
ous parties, and police questioned more than 50
people before concluding their investigations
last week.
On Monday, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul
Gani Patail announced that the protesters who
brought the cow’s head will be charged under
Section 4 (1) of the Sedition Act and, alternatively,
Section 298 of the Penal Code.
In Putrajaya, Home Minister Datuk Seri His-
hammuddin Hussein said the decision to charge
the protesters was not made based on political
consideration.
He said the necessary action would be taken
against those who run foul of the law.
“Those who put themselves in a position
that harms racial unity and harmony will have to
be responsible for their actions under the law,”
Hishammuddin said.
He said those who acted to destabilise the
nation like touching on religious and racial sen-
sitivities had to be responsible for them.
“Members from several political parties
were involved in the Section 23 protest but our
focus is on those who brought the cow’s head,”
he said.
Asked about claims that the police had bowed
to pressure, Hishammuddin skipped the question
and said all parties involved had been summoned
over the issue.

Ministry appoints

‘Mystery witness’ to Teoh Beng Hock inquest:

Who’s who
Coroner
Azmil Muntapha
Abas
15 specialists
to check on
A(H1N1) cases

testify today
Government
by Karen Arukesamy
Tan Hock Chuan
(counsel appointed newsdesk@thesundaily.com
by government)
DPP Idham Abdul Ghani PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry
Lawyers for Teoh’s family has appointed 15 medical specialists to
Gobind Singh Deo visit Intensive Care Units (ICU) and check
S.N. Nair on the Influenza A(H1N1) treatment in
by Tan Yi Liang report to the case? I do not know when the report Ram Karpal Singh afraid but one is hospitals nationwide.
was made. Was it a day before Teoh died, a month Lim Lip Eng prepared to come
newsdesk@thesundaily.com “At the moment, there will be one
Karpal Singh
before, or perhaps eight years before? And if it is so forward to show in each state, who will go around all
Lawyers for Selangor
SHAH ALAM: A “mystery witness” who is an alleged far back, it is not relevant anymore,” Abdul Razak state government how he was tor- the hospitals and clinics in the state to
victim of physical abuse by the Selangor branch of said. tured. He will refer check on treatment of Influenza A(H1N1)
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar
the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) In reply, Gobind said it is necessary to examine Ashok Kandiah to photographs to patients,” the minister, Datuk Sri Liow
has been allowed to testify in the inquest into the the report to shed light on whether the testimony by Sreekant Pillai show where on the Tiong Lai, told a press conference after
death of political secretary Teoh Beng Hock. MACC witnesses that no torture existed was really Lawyers holding a watching brief 14th floor this hap- closing a media workshop on the disease
The witness will testify today. true. for the Bar Council pened. at a hotel here yesterday.
Azmil Muntapha Abas, acting as the coroner, gave “Our aim in holding the inquest is to search 12 lawyers led by Hisyam “All the MACC The 15 senior clinicians, who were as-
the approval yesterday after a lengthy for the facts that can help the Teh Poh Teik who will take officers ... I expect signed the task last week, will start their
debate between MACC court come to a decision on turns on a daily basis them to come here rounds within the next two weeks. They
counsel Datuk Abdul the conditions that led to the and deny it, and this will also interact with the community.
Razak Musa and deceased’s death. But we is the reason why we “My ministry is concerned that during
Gobind Singh Deo,
counsel for the Teoh
No violence used, have to examine closely if the
contents of the statements
are having this inquest ... to see if all these denials
can be believed.”
the upcoming festive season, the balik
kampung activities may sharply increase
family, over issues
regarding a police re-
says officer are true,” he said.
“So, when a witness says
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, counsel for the Selangor
government, supported the application.
the number of people catching the
A(H1N1) virus, especially when there are
port made by the wit- no violence is used at all Returning after the recess, Abdul Razak called movements in big numbers,” he said.
MACC officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus
ness alleging torture on suspects in the MACC, for the report to be dismissed as he felt it was “ir- Commenting on the Malaysian
(pix) said political secretary Teoh Beng
by MACC officers. especially on the 14th floor, relevant” to the inquest and “made a while prior to Organisation of Pharmaceutical Indus-
Hock was not in a chatty mood when he
This came after it is my job to bring it to the Teoh’s death”. tries’s sponsorship of hand sanitisers for
was questioned on documents obtained
Gobind had moved to witness that there have “It is irrelevant to the inquest on several surface transport firms, Liow said the initiative is
by the MACC. been complaints that such facts, one being that it was made in 2008, 10 months a big help to the ministry in controlling
question the inquest’s
“He generally said ‘mmm mmm mmm’ violence takes place.” before Teoh’s death. The second is that, as said by and reducing the spread of H1N1 among
19th witness, MACC
and nodded when asked about the Gobind said such Gobind, Ashraf’s name is not mentioned in the people travelling in large numbers during
officer Mohd Ashraf
documents. He only spoke when he had questioning of the witness report,” he said. Hari Raya.
Mohd Yunus, over the
allegations made in the to clarify the documents,” Ashraf, who was was an integral part of “The complainant in this case was a suspect, He urged more businesses and com-
report. assisted by another officer, Arman Alies, the inquest and should be while the deceased was a witness.” panies to assist the ministry as part of
Abdul Razak told the during the questioning, said. allowed. Abdul Razak asked for Gobind’s reference to the their corporate social responsibility.
inquest: “The stand of He said Teoh, who had not revealed “I move to question this report to be expunged from the court records as “People can sanitise their hands while
the MACC is to oppose to the officers that he was witness on these facts. It was done with documents adduced by Abdul Razak boarding public transport and using the
any cross-examination to be married the next is our duty to challenge alleging that Teoh received kickbacks while working escalators and elevators in train stations,
on the police report. day, was able to walk this witness and give for Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian besides wearing face masks,” he said.
“The role of the out of the questioning him an opportunity to Wah. “With sanitisers available at strategic
inquest is to lay down without pain or injury, answer. I need to explain “I only spoke on matters related to the statement places, the possibility of catching the
the facts and, to be very as no verbal or physi- that the issue we raise is of the deceased and did not stray. If Gobind wants virus can be reduced.”
fair, to have a witness cal violence had been not a baseless one as a to ask general questions, I leave it to him, but Ashraf Liow said the ministry is doing its best
statement recorded by the used on him. police report has been has already said he does not know of violence being to address the H1N1 pandemic but called
investigating officer (IO).” He also said his of- made and the witness used by SPRM officers,” Abdul Razak said. for more cooperation from all sectors,
He said new documents fice was “far” from the will appear,” he said. Gobind urged the court to allow him to question especially the public at large, to increase
should not be introduced toilet, and with his door “If we cannot chal- Ashraf on the facts of the report to give him a chance their hygiene level and adhere to advice
to the inquest to “bring dif- closed, he would lenge the witness and to defend himself from the allegations that would given by the ministry.
ficulty” to the proceedings, have been un- just ask them to read emerge when the witness was called to testify. The ministry had set up the Mortality
and it was not the role of able to hear “any their statement, we “The report contains accusations which could Review Committee, chaired by Sungai
the court to act as an IO. signs of a fight” might as well pack implicate this witness. I am giving him an opportunity Buloh Hospital’s Infectious Disease
“Ashraf has said he was in the toilet. our bags. now to answer the allegations. We question whether Department head Dr Christopher Lee,
never asked by the police, so “We have many he agrees with the allegations. Why the fear? If he which looks into every H1N1-related
what is the relevance of this witnesses who are didn’t do it, say he didn’t do it,” Gobind said. death cases to confirm their primary and
secondary causes.
Liow said that because the number of
medical frontliners during the festive sea-
son will be reduced, those working during
KAMARIDUAN MOHD NOR/THESUN

Ops centres to monitor UPSR pupils the period should be more vigilant.
“I’m happy with the cooperation given
by Tim Leonard sanitisers at examinations centres throughout by the private clinics. More than 1,000
the three-day UPSR examination, beginning private clinics have purchased antiviral
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
yesterday. drugs and have come forward to help
“The ministry has also taken measures to treat the influenza cases,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has
ensure that no pupil sitting for the examination “With this kind of cooperation, the
instructed the Malaysian Examinations Board
is infected by the virus,” he said after visiting government hospitals can focus more
and the state education departments to open
UPSR candidates at SK Bukit Damansara yes- on treatment for severe cases like those
up A(H1N1) operations centres to monitor
terday. from the high-risk groups and those in
and check Year 6 pupils sitting for the UPSR
Muhyiddin said although the ministry has the ICUs.”
examination.
not made it compulsory for students to wear He said he had directed Health direc-
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
face masks at all times, preventive action must tor-general Tan Sri Mohd Ismail Merican
Yassin, who is also the education minister, said
be taken by the students and the teachers. to set up a special team of doctors for
the operations centres will remain open 24
He said there were clear guidelines on the A(H1N1) patients in ICUs because many
hours a day to ensure pupils with influenza-like
pandemic and the school authorities as well cases of patients who had recovered
symptoms are accorded immediate treatment.
as the parents must know how to take care of A teacher checks the temperatures of UPSR candidates at from H1N1 were found with secondary
He said the ministry will supply pupils up to
the students. SK Bukit Damansara. infections.
three face masks each a day and provide hand