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The nation’s FREE newspaper
Stench
leads to
dog carcass
by Charles Ramendran
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Rescuers using sniffer
dogs to search the buried home of veteri-
narian Dr N. Yogeswari for her Sri Lankan
maid after they detected a stench, ended
up finding the carcass of a dog instead
yesterday.
The rescuers had moved tonnes of soil
which buried the house and searched the
area, including the kitchen and the room
of the maid, Lourdes Mary, but did not find
her body.
They called off the search at 7.20pm
and are expected to continue early to-
day.
Selangor police chief DCP Datuk Khalid
Abu Bakar told reporters they will extend
the search to other parts of the double-
storey bungalow in Bukit Antarabangsa
today, the fifth day of the rescue opera-
tion following Saturday’s landslide.
Yogeswari was killed while trying to
save one of her children in the incident,
which killed three others.
Earlier in the day, there was talk
among the rescue workers that the body
of Lourdes Mary, in her 30s, had been
found by searchers using sniffer dogs.
Selangor state Fire and Rescue Depart-
ment director Saimon Jahid said his men
had discovered the stench on Monday
and went on to dig the area hoping to find
the maid’s body.
Yogeswari’s elder sister Vasantha and
nephew Raja were at the scene. Vasan-
tha said she had gone there on hearing
Lourdes Mary’s body had been found. She
and Raja carried several items, including a
family portrait and a photo album, which
rescuers retrieved from the house.
Khalid said Yogeswari’s house, which
broke into two, was under 7m of earth.
Search and rescue work since Saturday
had been slow because the searchers had
to dig manually and each time they went
» Turn to Page 6
SUN
ZULKIFLI ERSAL/THE
Race against time ... search
and rescue personnel dig
with shovels at the site of
Yogeswari’s buried home
yesterday.
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» BN to chart future course pg6
Double billing
by Terence Fernandez
newsdesk@thesundaily.com ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION AND JUDICIAL
PETALING JAYA: What
was to be the tabling of
APPOINTMENTS BILLS TO BE TABLED TODAY
just the Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission (MACC) Bill at the
Dewan Rakyat today has turned out to be a
double billing. The Judicial Appointments
Commission (JAC) Bill will also be tabled
for first reading, bringing two components of
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi’s reform agenda closer to fruition.
It is learnt that the proposed JAC Bill,
which was deliberated twice by the
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December 10, 2008
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» Thailand still leaderless pg15
cabinet, was approved last Friday. The JAC
is expected to comprise four former judges
and four eminent people, who will decide on
the appointments of all upper court judges.
Abdullah is expected to table both
Bills. While debate on the MACC Bill will
start immediately, deliberations on the
JAC are expected to take place next week.
The current Parliament meeting was to
end tomorrow but has been
extended by four days to allow
for passage of these Bills.
If all goes according to plan,
the MACC Bill will become law
on Jan 1 and the JAC should
follow soon after.
However, it is learnt that
while the Opposition MPs
support the MACC, a good
number of backbenchers do
not favour giving the ACA far-
reaching powers. Several MPs
had tried to derail the tabling
of the Bill by petitioning the
Dewan Rakyat not to extend
the meeting specially for the
MACC. According to sources,
having failed in their attempt,
the MPs may be absent when
the Bill is put to the vote.
“Some plan to return to
their constituencies while
a few others are organising
events and functions. There
are even others who plan to
call in sick!” said a source.
“It seems that the new
powers of the MACC
will stretch far and
wide, even investigating
275,000 COPIES DAILY
money politics more
effectively,” said the
source.
At present, the ACA
refers to the Attorney-
General (A-G)’s office
to prosecute cases, but the MACC gives
the prosecution powers of a senior federal
counsel to the MACC Commissioner. In
addition, several senior DPPs will also be
seconded to the MACC; thus removing the
need to consult the A-G’s office when it
comes to prosecution.
“Moreover, the A-G himself can be
prosecuted by the Commission,” said
another source. “Currently the argument is
how can the A-G prosecute himself?
“With the MACC, there is a clear check
and balance between these law enforcement
agencies with no one party having sole
discretionary or ultimate powers,” the
source added.
While DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang is
unhappy with the short-notice, saying it was
impossible for MPs to consult stakeholders,
he sees no reason for anyone to oppose
something that was good for the rakyat.
“If anyone is opposed to something
that benefits the people and promotes
transparency, then this is worrying.
“Of course, we wish to have more time
to study the Bills, but if what you say is true,
then this is much better than what we have
now,” he said, referring to the report in
theSun last Wednesday which said MACC
will have five oversight committees.
The JAC, meanwhile, had initially not
received the support of many MPs as they
were opposed to the Bar Council’s request
for representation. “The prime minister
had explained to the Bar that by having
a practising lawyer on the JAC is not
conducive,” said a source.
“How can you appoint someone whom
you may appear before later?”