WikiSabah: December 2016

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Employers will be burdened with levy of foreign workers from Jan 1

Employers will be responsible to pay the levy of foreign workers beginning Sunday, said the Home Ministry.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that employers would no longer be able to deduct the wages of their foreign workers for the levy.

This new ruling comes under an Employer Mandatory Commitment (EMC), aimed to ensure that employers are fully responsible for their foreign workers.

KOTA KINABALU - “Looking beyond the Kota Belud flash floods a couple of days ago, it is obvious that Sabahans are now suffering the consequences of the years of systemic neglect and failing to properly fund and develop Sabah by the Federal government” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the flash floods which flooded the town shops and town field, low-lying areas and causing massive traffic jams.

The retail prices of RON95 and diesel are expected to go up in January due to an increase in the price of crude oil in the world market this month, said Finance Ministry strategic communications director Datuk Lokman Noor Adam.

He said the retail price of RON95 and diesel were set according to the average prices of the fuel in the world market for a month, as well as being influenced by the ringgit’s movement against US dollar.

Reconsider taxing religious bodies’ incomes – KKCCCI

KOTA KINABALU - Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) president Datuk Michael Lui urged the government and Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to reconsider doing away with imposing tax on incomes derived from business activities run by religious bodies.

Lui said religious bodies would not have to rely too much on the government’s allocation if they could sustain themselves financially.

KUALA LUMPUR - Beginning Sept 1 next year, traders who violate the ban on the use of plastics and polystyrene will face a compound of up to RM2,000, Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan said.

This follows the implementation of the use of biodegradable products from this Sunday.

Loga Bala said the ministry was giving city folks nine months to get used to the idea before implementing it fully.

Currently in detention, the former Sabah Water Department (SWD) director Ag Mohd Tahir Ag Talib and his wife Fauziah Piut will appeal against their collective RM12 million bail.

Their lawyer PJ Pareira said he will file the appeal soon at the High Court in Kota Kinabalu against the bail set by Sessions Court judge Ummu Kalthom Abdul Samad, The Star reported today.

“They are unable to raise bail. I cannot recall such a high amount being imposed before,” he was quoted saying.

KUALA LUMPUR - A homeless 38-year-old man was sentenced to a total of 232 years’ jail and 110 strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here today for raping and performing oral sex on his 16-year-old daughter.

Judge M.Kunasundari handed down the sentence after the man pleaded guilty to all the 12 charges — 11 for rape and one for committing oral sex, committed between Aug 27 and Sept 7 this year, to be served from the date of his arrest, which was Sept 19.

SUPP assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang says the amendment will affect non-Muslims, no matter what assurance is given.

KUCHING - All Sarawak MPs should oppose the tabling of the private member’s bill, initially proposed by PAS, to empower the shariah court in meting out criminal sentences, said a leader of BN component Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

KUALA LUMPUR - Days after a 10-year-old boy had part of his penis severed during a botched circumcision, the story of another nine-year-old who lost his penis in a failed circumcision has surfaced.

While the boy in the first case had the severed part reattached, the other case ended with a failed reattachment.

KUDAT - A man was killed, while his wife and three children were seriously injured in an incident in Kampung Narandang, Kudat, yesterday.

Kudat district police chief Supt Douglas Nyeging Taong, when contacted, confirmed the incident which occurred at about 4pm and that a suspect was apprehended by local residents.

However, details on the incident and the suspect had yet to be obtained, he said.

In the incident, Jotin Yojumpin, 42, was found dead with slash wounds, which are believed to have been inflicted by using a machete, on the neck.

KUALA LUMPUR - The federal Islamic authority’s halal certification should apply only to an eatery’s food and not its premises, civil society group Centre for a Better Tomorrow (Cenbet) said today.

Just a day after fast food chain McDonald’s policy of allowing only halal-certified birthday cakes into its outlets attracted controversy, Cenbet co-president Gan Ping Sieu said the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) “should not penalise halal-certified eateries that allow diners who bring in non-halal certified food into their premises”.

Man hauls bomoh to Consumer Tribunal for failing to exorcise spirits

Samuel Mut John Brody

Malaysia's Consumer Claims Tribunal has revealed one of its strangest ever consumer complaints.

Samuel Mut John Brody, the head of the tribunal's Johor branch, told The Star Online of a 40-year-old Malaysian man who wanted a refund from a shaman who did not manage to chase away spirits he said were haunting his ailing father.

The shaman, known locally as a bomoh, had claimed that the man's father was tormented by nine different spirits, the news website reported on Thursday.

KOTA KINABALU - Former Sabah Water Department director Awang Mohd Tahir and his wife, Fauziah Piut, were unable to raise bail of RM10mil and RM2mil respectively and will be held at the Kepayan prison.

The department's former deputy director, Lim Lam Beng managed to raise RM1mil via bank draft for his bail and was released pending case mention on Feb 28, 2017.

Awang Mohd Tahir, 54, has been charged with 12 counts of money laundering involving a total of RM56.9mil at the Sessions Court here.

SIBU - A fibreglass statue of a crowing rooster is the latest attraction at Farley Supermarket along Salim Road here – one that has been drawing the attention of both shoppers and passersby over the past week.

Human resources manager of the supermarket, Chew Hock Kheng, said the eight-foot tall ‘Fire Rooster’ was imported from China.

“We put it up on Dec 21,” he said, adding that the structure with its vibrant colours had since become a popular backdrop for those taking photos, selfies and wefies.

SERDANG - Two snatch thieves who snatched a woman’s bag experienced swift karma when their victim accidentally rammed into their motorcycle.

The 3.30am incident occurred at a traffic light near Evolve Mall, Ara Damansara, when the two men, both aged 26, smashed the passenger side window of the woman’s car and took her laptop bag.

However, things did not end there for the two thieves as their victim chased after them.

The native communities of Sabah and the peninsular states remain unaffected by a recent Federal Court ruling that defeated a bid to enable the Dayaks of Sarawak to apply native customary rights (NCR) on virgin forests, according to a retired judge.

Former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram said the land laws were different for the three regions.

KOTA KINABALU - More individuals are expected to be charged in connection to the Sabah Water Department graft scandal, after three people were charged with money-laundering today.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said while he could not disclose the number of how many people would be hauled up next, he said the commission has submitted its case to the deputy public prosecutor, who will make the decision.

KOTA KINABALU: Two former senior officers of the Sabah Water Department, as well one of their spouses, was charged with money-laundering at the Sessions Court here today.

Former director Awang Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 54 and his wife Fauziah Piut, 51, as well as former deputy director Lim Lam Beng, 62, were charged under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 for abbeting the commission of money-laundering.

Stand Up for Sabah or Stand Aside – Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU -“The Sabah government and its Barisan Nasional leaders need to stand up and fulfil their moral and legal responsibilities and obligations to ensure Sabah’s rights and interests in Malaysia as agreed are respected and honoured. If not, it is better for them and in the larger interests of Sabah and Sabahans that they stand aside and allow other BN leaders to take over pending the forthcoming PRU-14,” said Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, in support of the call by Reverend Jerry Dusing, President of the Sabah Council of Churches.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi said that it will take Iraqi army backed by US-led coalition another three months to flush out Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) fighters from the country as the large-scale offensive in Mosul goes into its third month.

“Conditions indicate that Iraq needs three months to eliminate Daesh [ISIS],” Iraqi TV quoted Abadi as saying on Tuesday following a government meeting in Baghdad.

KOTA KINABALU - Kota Kinabalu’s traffic has experienced much change over the years and today traffic congestion is a daily nightmare especially for the residents living in the city centre and neigbouring areas.

Spending 45 minutes or even up to two hours to get to work in the city and back is no longer unusual for those living outside the city, except during school holidays.

Radio segments on traffic in Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas have become indispensible for city dwellers in planning their journey each day.

TAWAU - The Magistrate's Court here today sentenced a local man and a Filipino woman to 30 months' jail and fine of RM10,000, in default six months' jail, each for possession of fake identity cards.

High Court deputy registrar Amir Shah Amir Hassan, who presided the case, meted out the sentence on Brahim Awang Anak (he),51, and Ateng Jalil, 30, after they pleaded guilty to the charge.

Brahim was charged with possesion of 26 fake identity cards, while Ateng with a fake identity card.

They were charged with committing the offence at a hotel here at 10.30pm last Dec 21.

Also sentenced for committing a similar offence were four Indonesians -Asna Satuan (she), 22, Asman Satuan (he), 22, Takin Satuang (he), 26 and Junia Gasang (she), 50.

Family pleads for freedom of 5 kidnapped Malaysians by ASG

Gustiah Sultan (front right) with family members

TAWAU - The family of five Malaysian crewmen who have been held captive by the Abu Sayyaf terror group since last July express their hopes that all victims will be released and return home to their families by New Year’s Eve.

The family members of the crewmen hope that their release will end the constant nightmare of worrying over the fate of the hostages who are believed to be kept at a remote location in the southern Philippines.

INDONESIAN militants supporting Islamic State planned to attack a police post on New Year’s eve with machetes and knives, a police spokesman said on Monday.

The plot was broken up after police arrested two of the would-be attackers who led them to their hideout, where police shot dead their two co-conspirators on Sunday after police said they tried to attack officers with machetes.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Joint military and police forces arrested a wounded Abu Sayyaf leader — believed involved in the kidnapping of tourists from Samal Island and a former Italian priest — while confined in a local hospital here Monday.

The arrested suspect was identified as Hairulla Asbang alias Ahadi, sub-leader of the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf group, according to Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).

Will Sabah dissolve its state legislative assembly early next year to pave the way for a state election or is the 14th general election (GE14) expected to be called early next year?

These questions emerged following a recent notice issued by Tawau District Education Office which lined up four briefing sessions on election matters between Feb 20 and March 16 next year.

The notice stated that the briefings were meant to inform the relevant schools of their roles during elections.

KOTA KINABALU - The tail-end effects of Typhoon Nock-Ten is unlikely to have any severe impact save in Sabah save for heavier rainfall, as it heads into the South China Sea after hitting Philippines on Christmas Day.

Meteorologists tracking the typhoon believe that it is weakening and heading in a westerly-north direction that is likely to result in more rain over the coastal areas of Sabah over the next 48 to 72 hours.

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has dismissed false information that the Government has allocated an incentive of RM2,500 for contributors aged 55 and above, and that they should withdraw the amount from their accounts before Dec 31, 2016.

In a statement the EPF said fake messages were being spread on messaging apps in the form of an audio clip.

Malaysia ringgit Asia's worst-performing currency for second year running

It was a feat not to repeat, but the ringgit remains one of Asia’s worst-performing currencies for the second year running this year. The local currency has fallen 21.7% to the US dollar over the past two years, closing at 4.4657 last Thursday. Blaming external factors and harping on domestic resilience are beginning to ring hollow.

After all, the biggest external headwind affecting the ringgit has died down. Year to date, oil prices have rebounded 44.9% to US$54.02 per barrel as at Dec 15. In contrast, the ringgit lost 3.88% of its value during the same period, making it the third worst-performing currency in the region behind the Philippine peso and the renminbi.

KOTA KINABALU - "Our country would be more prosperous, more progressive , peaceful and safe if we and our leaders could practise the philosophy of "Love, Serve and Remember" said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Bingkor Assemblyman, in his Christmas and New Year message, his first since being conferred the title Huguan Lundu Mirongod or Brave Paramount Thinker.

He said, "Love" is the highest form of responsibility. When practised no harm will come to the nation or to its citizens as we have a simbiotic relationship, with the nation-state, with one another and with our environment.

Just because we have different religious faiths or of different race, it does not absolve us from loving one another.

China to the rescue takeover of Malaysian refinery, saved jobs

Private Chinese refiner Shangdong Hengyuan Petrochemical Company Limited has taken over control of Malaysia’s Shell Refining Company, a move that has saved 85% of the Malaysian jobs at stake.

The purchase of the Malaysian refinery at Port Dickson has made Shandong Hengyuan one of the few smaller refining firms in China to own an overseas refinery.

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian police killed two suspected Islamist militants on Sunday in a gunfight during a raid on a house in West Java, a police spokesman said.

Two men had been arrested in Cibinong and led police to a house at the Jatiluhur dam, national police spokesman Awi Setiyono said.

"There were two men there and there was a gunfight and we had to shoot them," said Setiyono.

Wet Christmas expected in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU - It is expected to be a wet Christmas in Sabah as Typhoon Nock-Ten is expected to slam into central Philippines on Sunday.

The Meteorological Department said that they expect more rains over most parts of Sabah in the next 48 hours with strong winds over the South China Sea.

Strong winds were also expected hit land areas particularly in the west coast.

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president. Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee, has reiterated that peninsula-based parties wanting to contest in Sabah Would be contrary to their vow of ensuring Sabah’s autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Stop Harping and Bragging on Pan Borneo Highway, It's Incomplete and 35 Years Late – Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU - “Sabahans are being hoodwinked and misled every now and then by the PM and the Sabah CM on the building of the Pan-Borneo Highway.

It is nothing more than an election gimmick and trumpet blowing on a highway which is already 35 years late in building” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Bingkor Assemblyman, in response to the rhetoric’s on the Highway after launching of a short Lahad Datu stretch by PM Najib on Monday.

Three men have been refused bail, charged with an alleged plot to attack Federation Square, Flinders Street station and St Paul’s Cathedral

Three of five men accused of plotting a terrorist attack to take place in Melbourne’s CBD on Christmas Day have faced court.

Abdullah Chaarani, 26, Hamza Abbas, 21, and Ahmed Mohamed, 29, were all refused bail in Melbourne magistrates’ court on Friday afternoon and will return to court on 28 April, charged with engaging in acts in preparation for or planning of a terrorist attack. Two other men will appear before the court on Saturday.

KUALA LUMPUR - A fugitive in India, controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik is free to travel in Malaysia because he is not on the terror list here, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said.

The televangelist with his own Internet channel had last week visited a private Islamic-centric university in Shah Alam, Selangor, which is also under investigation for radical teachings after two students were arrested on suspicion of being Islamic State (IS) recruits planning a terror attack locally.

STANDING outside the courtroom, hardline Islamic protesters called for the death of Jakarta’s sitting governor whom they insulted as a “Chinese dog”.

The blasphemy trial for Jakarta’s Christian governor, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, began last week. The ethnically Chinese governor was charged for blasphemy after a video went viral that appeared to show him insulting the Quran.

Former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, whose service was abruptly terminated three months short of his retirement due to health reasons by the government, has been called to the Bar today.

Abdul Gani, clad in his legal robes which he owned since 1980, looked energetic when he appeared at the long call ceremony, presided by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge John Louis O'Hara.

Former Bar Council president Christopher Leong, who moved the motion of Abdul Gani's admission, in his speech, said the former AG of 13 years, was a fit and proper person for the admission.

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore on Thursday jailed a third private banker for his role in an international money-laundering scandal involving Malaysia's state fund 1MDB.

Singaporean Yeo Jiawei, a former wealth manager with Swiss bank BSI, was sentenced to 30 months for witness tampering and obstructing the city-state's 1MDB-linked investigations.

The 33-year-old was convicted on Wednesday following a 12-day trial earlier this year.

KOTA KINABALU - A 28-year- old pub bouncer has been charged with the murder of college student Yaacob Nasran.

The accused, Mohd Azmin Lidin, was charged under Section 302 of Penal Code before Magistrate Jessica Ambou Kakayuh.

No plea was recorded.

He was accused of killing Yaacob outside the Mee Siam Thai Bar between 3.30am and 4.30am on Dec 15.

Abu Sayyaf seizes 4 crewmen mocking Duterte's call for halt to kidnapping

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The local terror group Abu Sayyaf mocked President Duterte’s appeal for the bandits to take a holiday break from their criminal activities for a peaceful Christmas season, snatching four more victims off Sulu province.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson for the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said the latest victims are four crew members of the fishing boat FB Ramona. They were kidnapped at the Celebes Sea around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

KUALA LUMPUR - A taxi driver here drove two French tourists to Putrajaya and back, charging them RM800 for the ride when they simply wanted to hop from the KLCC to the National Mosque, the women have claimed.

One of the victims, identified only as Sarah and in her 30s, said they hailed the driver at the shopping mall and asked him to take them to the mosque, one of the city’s main tourist spots.

She then claimed that the driver, who refused to switch on his fare meter, then took them on the detour.

Review FC decision, Adat beyond Civil Courts – Dr. Jeffrey

“The Federal Court and the civil courts ought not to be the competent body to pass any judgment on Adat and Customary laws of the Borneo Natives. Instead, the Native Courts or alternatively, a separate Native Land Tribunal should be fully empowered to deal with customary land issues” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, President of the Borneo Dayak Forum, a native community NGO encompassing the whole of Borneo Island and comprising members from Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and the five provinces of Indonesian Kalimantan, in a press statement at the conclusion of the Borneo Heritage Festival held on Sunday in Hongkod Koisaan, KDCA, Penampang.

Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has demanded controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin to retract and apologise within 14 days for an article alleging him of 'fixing' PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case.

In denying Raja Petra's allegation on news portal, Malaysia Today, Musa also said that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak were not involved in the sodomy case against Anwar.

JAKARTA - Indonesian police killed three terrorists and arrested another one on Wednesday during a raid outside Jakarta, foiling a plan to stage a suicide attack on police officers guarding Christmas celebrations.

The terrorists had planned to stab a police officer first and when a crowd gathers, they will carry out a suicide bombing, Jakarta police chief Inspector General M. Iriawan told reporters.

Former BSI Singapore banker Yeo Jiawei has been convicted over witness-tampering charges in relation to the island-state's investigations on 1MDB's money trail.

District Judge Ng Peng Hong said Yeo was an "unreliable and not a credible witness" before finding him guilty. Yeo faces a maximum seven-year jail sentence. Sentencing will take place tomorrow.

MH370: Plane's crash site could be north of search area off Australian coast

The wreckage of flight MH370 may never be found after international investigators concluded it is probably not in the stretch of ocean a $200 million, Australian-led search effort has combed for the past two years.

A recommendation by the investigators to search a new 25,000-square-kilometre area north of where it was first thought the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed has been quickly dismissed by the government, which has said the jet's exact location would need to be pinpointed before resources are committed to scouring any new area.

German authorities were questioning the sole suspect in a truck attack on a popular Christmas market that left at least 12 dead, in what authorities described Tuesday as a “probable terror attack.”

The suspect is from Pakistan, a person familiar with the investigation said. The man was born in the 1990s, the person said, noting it was not yet clear whether the man entered Germany as a refugee as some German media reported.

KOTA KINABALU - “Obviously, Sabah Assistant Finance Minister Datuk Ramlee Marhaban is ignorant of Sabah’s 40% Net Revenue Entitlement and other revenue entitlements under the Federal Constitution that have been not been complied with. As these revenues have not been returned to Sabah, the Federal government has spent at least some of it on the other States. Therefore, it is not untrue that Sabah’s moneys are being spent by the Federal government on other States” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, President of STAR who is also the Assemblyman for Bingkor, Keningau.

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