Sunni extremists blow up ‘Jonah’s tomb’ in Mosul

MOSUL - The new jihadist rulers of Iraq's northern city of Mosul yesterday completely levelled one its most well-known shrines, an official and witnesses told AFP.

The Nabi Yunus shrine was built on the reputed burial site of a prophet known in the Koran as Yunus and in the Bible as Jonah.

Security on high alert during Hari Raya

KOTA KINABALU - Malaysian security forces have taken up position at strategic locations along the Sabah’s east coast to ensure a fear-free Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

All respective security units have been on alert since the July 12 Mabul Water Bungalow Resort attack which resulted in the death of Marine policeman Kpl Ab Rajah Jamuan, 32, and abduction of Kons Zakiah Aleip, 26.

Caught in lie upon lie

The latest rumblings over Selangor's water deal is worrying. Are Pakatan leaders taking us for a ride?

It’s one thing to play political games with one another. It’s quite another when the rakyat is dragged along in these battles, fed lie upon lie, then forced to choose sides.

Such is the case with the current chaos in Selangor, brought on by the question of whether Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is fit to remain as Menteri Besar.

Ukraine PM quits amid MH17 probe

Ukraine is plunged into more turmoil after its prime minister resigned, complicating the MH17 probe.

DONETSK: Ukraine’s prime minister resigned after his governing coalition collapsed, plunging the former Soviet state into political limbo as it struggles to quell a deadly rebellion in the east.

Air Algerie plane has crashed

ALGIERS - An Air Algerie flight with 110 passengers onboard, nearly half of them French citizens, crashed on Thursday after the jet disappeared over northern Mali en route from Burkina Faso to Algiers, an Algerian official said.

Air Algerie loses contact with plane after takeoff ... at least 42 killed in Taiwan plane crash.

Air Algerie said Thursday it had lost contact with one of its passenger aircraft nearly an hour after takeoff from Burkina Faso bound for Algiers.

"Air navigation services have lost contact with an Air Algerie plane Thursday flying from Ouagadougou to Algiers, 50 minutes after takeoff," the airline said, cited by national news agency APS.

It said the company initiated an "emergency plan" in the search for flight AH5017, which flies the four-hour passenger route four times a week.

Former Suhakam vice-chairman joins Negara-Ku

Spreading its wings East Malaysia, Negara-Ku will take their message of unity and hope to Sabah and Sarawak where they also hope to tell East Malaysians what the Malaysia Agreement was intended to do for them.

Negara-Ku, a coalition of NGOs launched two weeks ago, had roped in former vice-chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), Tan Sri Simon Sipaun (pic), as one of its patrons to achieve its objective of peace and unity.

Selangor Perkasa starts fund to back Kiki, the disgraced road bully, encouraging racism

KUALA LUMPUR - The Selangor chapter of Malay rights group Perkasa has launched a fund to pay the fine for Siti Fairrah Ashykin Kamaruddin, the disgraced woman  filmed hammering an elderly ethnic Chinese man’s vehicle with a steering lock.

According to the group, the fund is meant to “help lighten the financial burden” of the woman better known as Kiki.

Ukrainian villagers recall how victims dropped onto streets and houses

GRABOVO - Bodies dropped from the sky onto streets and houses like weights as the burning aircraft disintegrated as it plummeted to the ground, rural Ukrainians recalled. Valeny Vodnev, 50, said he was in his house when he heard two booming sounds.

Thinking it was an attack by Ukrainian armed forces, he ran out and saw a fuselage falling through the clouds and with it, corpses.

SAPP maintains beach should not be reclaimed

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) reiterated its stance on the proposed Tanjung Aru beach reclamation for commercial development involving 739 acres, more than double the size of the Sutera Harbour project.

SAPP urged the government to leave the beach for the general public and ordinary people.

"The duty and responsibility of the government is to upkeep and maintain the beach, making sure it is safe and accessible to the public. It is not the business of the government to be involved in commercial development and seemingly develop it for the rich and wealthy," said SAPP.

I’m not going anywhere, says Khalid

A defiant Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today said he was not budging from his menteri besar post, even if PKR proposed party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the post.

The Selangor MB said he stood by the state constitution which has mapped out special conducts and processes to replace a state leader.

"Until all the processes are complete, I will continue to do my job as the menteri besar with responsibility as requested by the Selangor people," Khalid said in a statement.

Anwar wants MB Khalid replaced

With Pakatan Rakyat supremo Anwar Ibrahim having already decided that Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim must be replaced, the problem now is how to make it happen without creating a political crisis.

Khalid has said he wants to stay on and complete his second term, but it appears that Anwar wants him out soon after Hari Raya. Pundits say Anwar has decided to place his wife, Dr. Wan Azizah Ismail, in the Menteri Besar’s seat.

Facebook scammers set up fake tribute pages for MH17 victims

Facebook scammers are preying on MH17 victims by setting up fake tribute pages in their names to drive traffic to dodgy pop-up ad site.

LONDON - The names and photos of MH17 plane crash victims, including Malaysian pilot Eugene Choo Jin Leong, are being exploited by online scammers who have set up fake Facebook tribute pages to drive traffic to a dodgy external website.

Sarawak DAP rebuked for not checking facts first

KUCHING - Sarawak DAP has been rebuked for not checking facts first before accusing Sarawak PKR of being quiet on the hudud law issue.

 Picture: Baru (centre) puzzled by Sarawak DAP's accusation, says he has issued two statements against the implementation of hudud law

Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian said today that he had issued two statements against the implementation of hudud law in the country, "if the Sarawak DAP leaders care to read".

First Day Of Curfew without untoward incident

LAHAD DATU - The 12-hour curfew imposed at six districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) effective yesterday went smoothly without any untoward incident.

Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) commander DCP Datuk Abd Rashid Harun said no arrests were made on the first day of the curfew, which started at 6pm until 6am this morning. "So far the situation is under control. All parties, especially the fishermen have given their full cooperation and we hope they will continue to do so until the curfew is lifted," he said in a statement here Sunday.

The Missile that hit MH17

The SA-11 missile - known as a Grizzly - that hit the doomed Malaysian Airlines flight is designed to pulverise aircraft on impact.

The 298 passengers and crew aboard MH17 will have been oblivious to the horror as a shrapnel-based missile instantly shredded the doomed plane, experts claim.

The SA-11 missile – known as a Grizzly – that hit the doomed Malaysian Airlines flight is designed to pulverise aircraft on impact.

Federal and Petronas Sidestepping Oil Rights

KOTA KINABALU - “The Sabah government, by all means, should participate in the oil and gas industry but should not be fooled by the Petronas briefing that oil prospecting and production is all about risks and costs and not profits, with false and inflated costs and down-played profitability,” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, State Assemblyman for Bingkor cum STAR Sabah Chairman.

It is clear that the Petronas delegation was sent by the federal government to hoodwink the Sabah and Sarawak governments and to stop the people of Sabah and Sarawak’s calls for review to increase the oil cash payments or more commonly and erroneously referred to as “oil royalties”.

Curfew declared for 6 districts of Sabah's east coast

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman announced the 12-hour curfew at six districts within the Eastern Sabah Security Zone will be effective from today.

Police will impose the 12-hour curfew in six districts under the Sabah Eastern Sabah Security Zone effective today.

Comprehensive Homeland Security to Better Protect Sabah - Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU  -  “The Sabah government need to wake up from being hypnotized by the federal government’s fake Sabah security games and take drastic action and set-up the HOMELAND SECURITY COMMAND (HOSCOM) and its own security forces (HOSFORCE) with comprehensive security measures to better protect Sabah” suggested Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, at the on-going Esscom restructuring and discussions on the failure of Esscom amidst the kidnappings for ransom, murders and failure of security in Sabah.

Increased enforcement in ESSCom Area, curfew in Kunak

KOTA KINABALU - The number of soldiers in the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) area will be increased to enhance enforcement of security, said Eastern Region (Sabah/Sarawak) commander Lt Gen Datuk Mohd Zaki Mokhtar.

This is to assist the other security forces personnel, such as the police, to face any eventuality in the Sabah east coast, he said.

Besides soldiers, the military assets would also be augmented to beef up security, he told reporters at a breaking-of-the-fast with personnel from the 5th Infantry Brigade at the As-Salam Mosque at the Lok Kawi Camp last night.

Malaysia airliner shot down in Ukraine

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysia Airlines said on Thursday it had "lost contact" with one of its passenger planes whose last known position was over eastern Ukraine, amid speculation it had been shot down.

"Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam," the airline, still reeling from the disappearance of flight MH370, said on its Twitter account.

Malaysia to impose curfew in eastern state of Sabah

Malaysia’s home minister says a curfew will be imposed along its coastline in the eastern state of Sabah as the threat continues from Filipino rebels from the country's south.

On Sunday, Philippine naval patrol boats joined Malaysian forces in searching for gunmen suspected of killing a police officer and kidnapping another during an attack in Sabah.

The gunmen were suspected members of Abu Sayyaf, whose stronghold - Jolo - lies in the autonomous island archipelago of Sulu, between the Philippines and Malaysia's eastern coast.

Rising Abu Sayyaf leader holding policeman kidnapped from Mabul Island

Zakiah Aleip

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  - A rising leader in the Abu Sayyaf terrorist organisation is suspected to be holding marine policeman Zakiah Aleip in a mountainous jungle hideout on the island of Jolo in southern Philippines.

Filipino intelligence sources identified the sub-commander as Alhabsi Misaya, who is in his 30s.

They say he is "loaded with cash" and heavily armed.

Describing Alhabsi as a drug user, a source said: "He is rising fast in the ranks of the Abu Sayyaf leadership because he has made millions of pesos in ransom money. He has huge sums."

The source said Alhabsi did not commit the abductions. It is the kidnap-for-ransom groups, such as the Mukhtadir brothers, who carried out the task, a fact both Malaysian and Philippine intelligence knew.

Possible ‘attack’ by Sulu gunmen in Sabah, security on high alert

KOTA KINABALU - Malaysian security forces are on high alert amid talk of an impending “attack” by Sulu gunmen in Sabah.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said security forces were geared up to handle any situation.

“At the same time, Sabahans should disregard rumours that are being spread to cause fear,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Cop abductor Abu Sayyaf leader Alhabsi beheading hostages in gruesome video

PETALING JAYA - More details are beginning to emerge of Alhabsi Misaya, the notorious Abu Sayyaf leader, who is said to be holding marine policeman Kons Zakiah Aleip hostage in southern Philippines.

He is one of the gunmen responsible for the beheading of seven factory workers in Jolo, Southern Philippines in 2007, as discovered in an online video.

The 14-minute video clip, recorded by Alhabsi himself, sees a group of gunmen leading the hostages to different spots in the jungle where the brutal act is carried out

YONG: Set up Sabahcom, if MNLF is involved

KOTA KINABALU - The issue whether our navy and other security forces are allowed to shoot at cross border intruders has revealed that the federal government is in disarray over ESSCOM, creating more confusion by the day and making people wonder if the actions of the government are based on guess work or facts, said ex-Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee today.

DAP Junz Wong suspended for lying in State Assembly

KOTA KINABALU - Likas Assemblyman Wong Hon Jun, or better known as Junz Wong, is facing a six-month suspension following the completion of investigation by the Rights and Privileges Committee.

It was learnt that the Committee had recommended a six-month suspension and a motion to adopt the recommendation would be tabled today (Wednesday).

Wong who was met after the assembly adjourned Tuesday, confirmed receiving a letter informing him about the suspension. It was learnt that the committee found that Wong had lied in the House when discussing the incident involving a young woman who claimed to have been attacked at Suria Mall here last year.

Police probing woman in road rage video

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar has confirmed that police are investigating a woman captured in a video berating an elderly man following a fender bender involving both their cars.

“We will investigate her for road bullying.

“I, myself, have just watched the footage.

“She was so fierce, hitting there and here,” Khalid (right) said on the video which has gone viral since being uploaded on Facebook yesterday.

The video, allegedly taken in Kuantan, received over 20,000 shares in the social networking site, and was also uploaded on video sharing site YouTube, getting a further 69,400 views.

In the video, the woman can be seen screaming at an elderly man, calling him “stupid” and banging the bonnet of his car with a steering lock after he allegedly hit the back of her car, despite his repeated pleas that it was unintentional.

Woman among four arrested over Estonian model’s murder

JOHOR BARU: A woman was among four people arrested in connection to the death of Estonian freelance model Regina Soosalu (pix) in Pulau Rawa here on July 1.

Johor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Hasnan Hassan said in a statement that the four aged between 24 and 27 were detained in Mersing on Tuesday.

“Between July 13 and July 15, the police have released three men after recording their statements,” he said.

“I urge the public to refrain from making any speculations pertaining to the incident until investigations have been completed,” he added.

Officials had initially thought the model, who was holidaying on the island at the time her body was found, had drowned.

Suit against Harris for unlawful handing over of Labuan dismissed by court

KOTA KINABALU - A suit against former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh brought by a businessman over the alleged unlawful handing over of Labuan to the Federal Government in 1984, was dismissed with costs by the High Court here.

Judge Chew Soo Ho delivered his decision on Monday on the preliminary issues raised by the defendant (Harris), who questioned the locus standi of the plaintiff, James Albanus, at the start of the suit on April 30 this year.

Chew held that Albanus cannot maintain the action and awarded RM15,000 in costs to Harris.

'Dead' Filipino child who woke up at her own funeral pronounced dead again

According to reports, doctors have found no signs of life in the girl who came back to life during her funeral on Sunday

A three-year-old child who came back to life at her own funeral has been pronounced dead again, according to reports.

Although reports are yet to be confirmed officially, it is believed that the three-year-old Filipino girl who became the subject of a viral video, which showed her coming back to life during her funeral on Sunday, has died.

The video that appears to show the small child from the south Philippines city of Aurora coming back to life went viral on Youtube, gaining over 4 million views in just two days.

However, latest reports say that the girl, who once again fell into a coma on Sunday, was pronounced dead by doctors on Monday.

Zahid: "Just go-ahead to shoot intruders"

KANGAR - Malaysia's Home Ministry has given security forces the go-ahead to shoot when faced with intruders encroaching into Malaysian waters and deemed a threat to national security, overriding a statement by the Attorney-General earlier.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that if only shooting could stop intruders, the shooting was justified.

"The government has no problem with the shooting order if intruders try to enter the country," he said when commenting on a request by Navy chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar.

Sabah, A Haven for Terrorists and Kidnappers

KOTA KINABALU -“Sabah’s poor security compromised by a porous border and the rampant issuance of Malaysian ICs for political expediency may have turned Sabah into a haven for terrorists , militants and kidnappers” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief and Bingkor State Assemblyman in responding to yet another fatal intrusion cum kidnapping in Mabul Island, Semporna last night.

Abducted cop alive, contacted his wife on Sunday night, says report

Police Constable Zakiah Aleip who was kidnapped by Filipino gunmen telephoned his wife last night to say he was alive, The Star reported today.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told The Star that he had telephoned his wife Sharifah Erna Berson on Sunday night and told her that he was okay, except that he was with some people.

Khalid also said they did not know where Zakiah was being held but roughly knew the identities of some of those involved in the attack on Pulau Mabul on Saturday night.


Zakiah, 26, was kidnapped after his colleague Corporal Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32, was shot dead in the attack at the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort in Semporna.

SOSKK on Tg Aru Project: "Do It Elsewhere!"

Save Our Beach says, "WE are not against the government, WE are not against the project" but do it elsewhere.

1) WE are not against the government – WE just want to point out certain things, so that, the decisions made by the government would be the right decision and be beneficial to the rakyat of the present generation and generations to come. We don’t want the government to be misled by certain people.

2) WE are not against the project – it’s a beautifully done piece of work – hundreds or thousands of man hours must have gone into it. It’s a waste to throw it away. The problem is that the planners may not have known about the aesthetic, sentimental and heritage value of Tg. Aru Beach.

They got the planning factor not the human factor – the citizens’ factor.

Jeffrey requests to meet CM Musa on Sabah issues

KOTA KINABALU - “Bingkor Assemblyman cum STAR Sabah chief, Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, has requested to meet Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman on a list of Sabah issues following up from the Chief Minister’s call to meet him at his office at the last State Assembly sitting in April” said STAR Sabah in a press statement released earlier today.

It is with the intention of promoting the rights, interest and welfare of Sabah and Sabahans and the better development and progress of Sabah and Sabahans and to contribute towards the future well-being and prosperity of Sabah and Sabahans, STAR Sabah and Dr. Jeffrey have submitted a list of Sabah issues and issues affecting Sabah and Sabahans for the proposed meeting with CM Musa.

Massive hunt for gunmen after cop killed, another kidnapped during shootout

SEMPORNA - A massive air and sea hunt for Filipino gunmen possibly holding a Malaysian marine police constable is on as all escape routes off Semporna has been cut off.

According to security officials, patrol boats from various security forces as well as the navy’s helicopter have been scouring the Semporna area for the gunmen who killed a 32-year-old marine police corporal in Mabul island.

Marine policeman Kpl Abdul Rajah Jamuan was killed while a constable identified as Zakiah Aleip, 26, was believed to be kidnapped after a shootout with gunmen during an ambush at the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort in the island at about 11pm on Saturday.

Shootout in Mabul island

A policeman was reported killed and another believed to have been kidnapped by gunmen after a shootout with the police at the diving haven of Mabul island off Semporna in the east coast of Sabah.

SAPP and Star: Release findings of RCI!

Chia has called for the early release of the outcome of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah. The RCI into the illegal immigrants was completed in September last year and is yet to release its findings.

Melanie Chia, who was former Luyang assemblywoman and also SAPP women chief, said the RCI findings was pertinent as the Sabah Police Chief Hamza Taib had reportedly said that last Wednesday’s abduction of two foreign national was an “inside” job. She asserted that the long term solution to peace and security in Sabah is highly dependent on the outcome on the RCI.

May 13 a distraction from country's real problems

For years, the Barisan Nasional government has been raising the spectre of racial and religious strife a la May 13, 1969.

Recently, even Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that another May 13 is possible; claiming the non-Muslims are challenging the role of Islam in the country.

But, is this the real problem plaguing Malaysia? Definitely not. In fact, all these controversial statements are merely an attempt to distract our attention from the real problems.

Sanjeevan probed for cop sex scandal allegation instead of the alleged

Anti-crime NGO MyWatch chief R Sanjeevan said he is being probed by the police over his allegation of a sex scandal involving an unnamed senior cop with a distinguished royal title.

In a statement today, Sanjeevan revealed that the inspector general police secretariat (disciplinary department) based in Bukit Aman in a letter on Tuesday also requested he should hand over all evidence on the allegation within 14 days to facilitate investigation.

Thief stopped by crowd in Donggongon

KOTA KINABALU - A man who allegedly stole an iPad from a handphone trader was apprehended by bystanders as he tried to escape with the device at the Buhavan Square in Penampang near here.

The 40-year-old illegal immigrant was apprehended after the trader shouted for help as soon as he was robbed, prompting bystanders to chase down and apprehend the suspect in the 11am incident on Thursday.

After apprehending the suspect, they tied him up while waiting for police to arrive.

Murdered Estonian model’s boyfriend arrested

The boyfriend of Estonian model Regina Soosalu, whose death in Pulau Rawa has attracted national interest, has been detained by police to assist investigations.

The Star reported that 28-year-old Tunku Alang Reza Tunku Ibrahim, who has links to a member of a royal family, was picked up by police yesterday and remanded for seven days.

Johor CID chief Datuk Hasnan Hassan confirmed Tunku Alang Reza's arrest, which brings to seven the total number of people detained in connection with Soosalu's murder.

The Star also reported that Soosalu and Tunku Alang Reza had been involved in a drug case earlier this year and were charged in the Magistrate Court on May 12 with possession of 5.84g of cannabis.

Affair that ended in tragedy for Estonian model & her Johor Prince Charming

Lovely couple: Soosalu and Tengku Alang Reza
posing together in this photo found on her Facebook page.

JOHOR BARU - An Estonian model known to have links to a member of a royal family has been found murdered in Pulau Rawa, raising many questions.

Freelance model Regina Soosalu was initially thought to have drowned when her body was discovered on a stretch of beach along the island on July 1, the day she arrived on the island.

However, the police are now investigating the death as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code after discovering “suspicious” wounds on her body.

LDP suspends Liew, 12 others

KOTA KINABALU - The Disciplinary Committee of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced yesterday that the party membership of former party president Datuk Liew Vui Keong and 12 others will be suspended for three years.

Senator Datuk Chin Su Phin, who heads the Disciplinary Committee, said members in the committee reached a unanimous decision to suspend the 13 members during its second meeting to deliberate on this matter yesterday.

Members of the Disciplinary Committee who were present at the meeting include Chin, Datuk John Su, Fon Keng Sin and John Lee Tshun Vui, while another member Lim Kong Yuk was outstation.

Chin, who is also LDP deputy president, said Liew and the suspended members were banned from releasing press statements, organizing official and community activities in the name of LDP during the three-year suspension period.

Sabah tourism backtracks 10 years , says SATTA

KOTA KINABALU - The tourism sector in Sabah has backtracked by over 10 years due to the recent spate of kidnappings, said Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (SATTA) chairman Dato’ Seri Winston Liaw.

Liaw said there had been signs that our tourism sector was recovering lately, but then Sabah was hit by another kidnapping attempt by seven armed men at a caged fish farm in Kampung Bangau-Bangau, Semporna on July 7.

Fortunately, the owner of the fish farm had spent the night in the town area and escaped from being kidnapped.

Filipino gunmen free kidnapped Chinese fish farm manager

KOTA KINABALU - Kidnapped Chinese fish farm manager Yang Zai Lin, 34, has been freed by Abu Sayyaf gunmen.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Yang’s release and said that he had been brought to Sandakan and will be taken to the Kuala Lumpur Thursday evening before being sent back to China.

Yang, a manager at Wonderful Terrace Fish Farm in Lahad Datu, was kidnapped by five Filipino gunmen on May 6.

Bung apologises for World Cup Hitler tweet

Bung Moktar Radin, a politician with PM Najib Razak’s ruling United Malays National Organisation, congratulated Germany on Wednesday by posting on Twitter: “Well done... Bravo... Long Live Hitler”

A Malaysian lawmaker apologised on Thursday for a tweet praising Adolf Hitler following Germany’s World Cup win over Brazil, after Prime Minister Najib Razak rebuked him for his “unacceptable” statement.

“ESSCOM Restructuring Not Good Enough - Dr. Jeffrey”

KOTA KINABALU - “The revamp of ESSCOM to improve Sabah security in the face of mounting public criticisms of Esscom’s failures amidst repeated kidnappings and cross-border incursions is good but not good enough" said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, in response to PM Najib’s announcement of Esscom’s restructuring.

The chain of command in the revamp is still unclear.   If the police is now in the lead, does that mean that Esscom’s Director-General is now redundant?

Suspects Leaking Inside Information On Security Forces Identified

KUANTAN - The authorities have identified several individuals who might have leaked inside information concerning the security forces following several cases of abductions in the waters off the east coast of Sabah lately.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said, however, further investigations were still ongoing to gather concrete evidence before they were detained.

“We are still investigating and we are rather ‘uncomfortable’ with several individuals. I cannot accuse anyone yet because we need to get concrete proof to detain the personalities whom we suspect.

Najib announces restructuring of ESScom to rectify weaknesses

PUTRAJAYA - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today announced a restructuring of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) with the setting up of two major components - security and defence management as well as enforcement and public action.

He said the security and defence management component was aimed at pooling the resources of security agencies to enhance operational effectiveness.

SUCCC uncovers two identical agreements on reafforestation JV projects

KOTA KINABALU - The secretariat of the Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce (SUCCC) has uncovered two identical agreements on the agriculture and reafforestation joint venture (JV) projects between SUCCC and Veetar Kinabalu Plantations Sdn Bhd that were signed by different individuals six months apart.

SUCCC president Datuk Seri Panglima Gan Sau Wah said the secretariat had also discovered evidence of six cheques made payable to the late Datuk Seri Panglima Sari Nuar, the then SUCCC president, which amounted to RM4.8 million (RM800,000 for each cheque) during the six-month period in between the signing of the first and second JV contracts.