Exhumation on Nov 21, autopsy next day

SHAH ALAM: The Coroner’s Court ordered Teoh Beng Hock’s body to be exhumed on Nov 21 and the second post mortem to be conducted the next day at Sungai Buloh Hospital.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas also ordered that the second post-mortem be handled by the Head of Pathology, Sungai Buloh Hospital, Dr Shahidan Md Noor and assisted by Dr K. Saravanan in taking the photos, in the presence of four forensic experts, at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

“The task of exhuming the body will be undertaken by the Sungai Buloh Hospital,” he said Tuesday.

The four forensic experts were Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand of Thailand and another expert to be appointed by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC).

Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, representing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said the MACC would ensure that the foreign expert appointed could attend the second postmortem.

He also applied to the court to issue a written order in English to enable the MACC to inform their experts on the order.

Meanwhile Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, told the court that the police would be there to ensure whatever was required would be done.

FreeMalaysiaToday

Well done, PAC

Malaysian Mirror

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is to be lauded for tabling its report in Parliament on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) after a lengthy investigation.

The report has even recommended probing former Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy and former PKFZ general Manager O C Phang for possible breach of trust under section 14(1) of the Financial Procedure Act 1957.

The PAC is a committee of ruling and opposition Members of Parliament appointed through the Parliamentary Committee of Selection. Their main task is to examine public expenditure by government ministries and departments, to check excesses and ensure proper use of funds through performance audit.

ACT ON THE PAC REPORT!!!!

Board agrees PAC report needs urgent attention

Joseph Kaos Jr

Friday, November 6th, 2009 05:55:00

THE Malaysian Anti-Coruption Commission (MACC) is obliged to investigate former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy and former Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager Datin Paduka O.C. Phang, says MACC Panel of Prevention and Consultation chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam.

“Now that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) — through its probe and findings — has decided that Chan and Phang should be investigated, the MACC is obliged to follow suit by examining the PAC report — and finding out whether there are elements of corruption,” Ramon told Malay Mail yesterday.

The PAC on Wednesday recommended the MACC and police probe both Chan and Phang for their role in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.

“It is only right and proper for the MACC, as an independent and objective institution, to take the PAC report seriously and initiate investigations as a matter of urgency,” said Ramon.

MACC closed the PKFZ case in 2004

WTF!! They closed the mother-lode of all cases (RM12.5 billion) but Teoh Beng Hock was given HELL for a mere RM2,000/=.  And Teoh wasn’t even a suspect.

Yet they claim that there is no selective persecution and expect the public to believe this blatant untruth.

Sheesh!!!

Malaysiakini Report below:

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) had probed alleged graft involving the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project back in 2004 but no action was taken because it concluded there was ‘no case’.

This was revealed by MACC’s investigation director Mohd Shukri Abdull (pic: right) when testifying before the Public Accounts Committee inquiry regarding PKFZ.

“(Investigations) were done by Selangor ACA (as it was then known), and the (investigations into the) case were completed. The prosecution (department) decided to close the case as there was no case,” Shukri testified.

This was revealed in the June 23 transcript of the inquiry which also recorded MACC Director-General Ahmad Said Hamdan as also being interviewed as a witness simultaneously.

Ball is now in MACC, Police, AG’s Chamber’s, Cabinet, KSN’s court. Will ‘Real Action’ be Taken??

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — The onus is now on MACC and other enforcement agencies to act on the recent findings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, says Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng.

He told The Malaysian Insider today that he was very relieved that proactive action was being taken.

“The findings of the PAC report are a reaffirmation of what we have been doing. Finally, the ball is in their (MACC) court,” said the PKA boss.

Lee feels that the various agencies involved besides the MACC such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers should now take appropriate measures to ensure that justice prevails.

However, he expressed hope that the Bar Council would also play an important role in what could possibly be the biggest scandal to hit the nation for decades.

Pornthip to attend 2nd Post Mortem

BANGKOK: Thailand’s forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand said she will attend the second post-mortem on the late Teoh Beng Hock despite being barred from carrying out the autopsy herself.

Dr Pornthip said she was informed by the deceased’s family lawyer and an official from the Selangor state government about Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas’ decision to have Teoh’s remains exhumed for a second post-mortem.

“I was told the post-mortem is likely to take place next Saturday, but I can only observe because of the legal implications,” she said yesterday.

She added that she was aware of the fact that she was not allowed under the law, to actively take part in the post-mortem, adding that she even raised the matter last July when the Selangor state government contacted her.

“I didn’t go at that time because the family did not allow me to carry out the post-mortem.

“But I was then invited to give testimony in the inquest,” said the director-general of Thailand Central Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice.

Under Malaysian law, only practising physicians registered with the Malaysian Medical Board are allowed to carry out post-mortem as stipulated under the Medical Act 1971.

CHAN WAS INVOLVED

Chan Kong Choy and O.C. Phang

I think investigations should focus on whether graft and criminal breach of trust (CBT) occurred when they issued letters of support or signed agreements without the knowledge and consent of the Cabinet, Ministry or Treasury.

Something just doesn’t add up here!! Why would a Government Minister and a senior civil servant totally abuse their power and position and blatantly violate all financial procedures and Treasury Instructions, to help a private company??

The SUN’s Comment:

ON Sept 8, Terence Fernandez and I wrote a story on former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy’s involvement in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) for publication the next day. That evening, our dinner with friends from Melbourne had to be cut short. Terence was on the line saying that attempts were made to stop publication of the story.

Calls came from some parties asking us to refrain from publishing reports on Chan’s alleged involvement. But our stand was that the story is factual and that we will tell it as it is, without pandering to the wishes of parties with vested interests.

As long as stories do not affect the security of the nation or its people or may cause disharmony and discord among the people, they will continue to see print.

The next day, Bernama reported that Chan may file legal suits against several media organisations for publishing reports which allegedly implicated him in the PKFZ scandal. Chan, who was abroad, had instructed his lawyer to look into the matter.

Errant civil servants should not be let off the hook

Demote, surcharge or charge all these errant civil servants

The SUN speaks:

THE long-awaited report on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is finally out. This is the fourth report in four months on the subject. Like the previous reports, it outlines the wrongdoers and the reasons for the colossal loss of taxpayers’ money. Besides, it also highlights the oversight of several senior government officials who were tasked as directors of the Port Klang Authority and directly responsible for its affairs.

While the authorities are investigating the wrongdoings, it is pertinent to ask: What kind of action is going to be taken against the directors who failed to carry out their fiduciary duties which they owe to the shareholders, in this case the government, and in turn the taxpayers. After all, their appointments were made by the government in the firm belief that they would be custodians and watchdogs of public money.

The Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, has on more than one occasion said there will be no tolerance when it comes to dereliction of public duty. The PAC report lists the failures and provides details as to what went wrong and where.

Sidek must send out a firm message that government appointees in statutory bodies and government-linked companies are not there just to make up the numbers. They must be told in no uncertain terms that they have to exercise care and diligence when exercising their duties as directors.

Hence, while the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission look at the criminal aspects of the case, it is incumbent on Sidek to take appropriate action against his subordinates, irrespective of their positions and the prefixes to their names. The often-repeated statement that “no one is above the law” should be the rule of the day. If nothing is done, it will only add credence to allegations that the government never acts against wrongdoers in the civil service.

MACC only netting small fry

This letter in the Star appears to be very popular and I think reflects the view of a majority of Malaysians.

AFTER reading today’s newspaper on the action taken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mission (MACC) on six small-time politicians, I was left with more questions than answers. The total amount of money in question put together is nothing compared with the Port Klang Free Trade Zone scandal, the mini-palace in Klang scandal, the sand-mining scandal in Johor, the Lingam tape scandal, the RM24mil mansion of the former Selangor Mentri Besar, and many others which are more serious.

It is good that the MACC is doing its job. It said it had cast its net far and wide, but so far it has only managed to catch the small fish. The bigger ones always seem to escape the MACC’s net.

I should also not be too happy because the track record of the MACC in getting a conviction is bad. The MACC must do more than this if it wants to gain the people’s confidence.

LIONEL PERERA,

Port Dickson.