Ramblings of Abufaris

Jais serbu pejabat jam 2 pagi berikutan aduan orang ramai

KUALA LUMPUR: Pelakon popular, Norman Hakim ditahan dalam satu operasi cegah maksiat di sini, semalam kerana disyaki berkhalwat dengan seorang lagi pelakon, Suhaiza Shahimi atau lebih dikenali sebagai Memey.

Mereka ditahan sepasukan pegawai Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) dalam satu serbuan kira-kira jam 2 pagi di sebuah pejabat di Jalan UP 1/2, Ukay Perdana, di sini berikutan maklumat daripada orang ramai.

Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Ampang, Superintendan Amiruddin Jamaluddin berkata, pihaknya menerima laporan mengenai tangkapan pasangan pelakon itu di sebuah premis di sini, daripada Jais kira-kira jam 3 pagi.

“Kami dimaklumkan, ketika premis diperiksa anggota Jais, mereka mendapati hanya dua pelakon berkenaan berada dalam premis berkenaan,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Pegawai Perhubungan Awam Jais, Mohd Hidayat Abd Rani ketika dihubungi pula berkata, pasangan pelakon terbabit ditahan sekumpulan tujuh anggota jabatan berkenaan dalam operasi cegah maksiat di kawasan itu, hasil maklumat orang ramai.

“Pada mulanya, kami mendapati pintu bangunan berkenaan dikunci tetapi selang berapa minit, datang seorang individu lain membuka kunci dari luar dan selepas masuk, kami mendapati seorang wanita berpakaian lengkap berada dalam bangunan terbabit.

“Anggota kami yang difahamkan ada seorang lelaki dalam premis itu terus mencari sebelum menjumpai pelakon berkenaan yang dipercayai bersembunyi dalam bilik kecil. Kedua-dua mereka kemudian dibawa ke balai polis untuk siasatan,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Norman yang ditemui di Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Gombak Timur, petang semalam menganggap insiden tangkap khalwat bersama Memey sebagai cubaan untuk menjatuhkan reputasinya sebagai artis dan ahli perniagaan.

Norman sekali lagi mengulangi pendiriannya yang dia tidak mempunyai hubungan istimewa dengan pelakon itu sebaliknya menyifatkan hubungan mereka adalah atas dasar profesional kerana Memey membantunya menguruskan pentadbiran MDH Trading & Services.

“Sebelum serbuan ada empat orang di pejabat iaitu pengerusi syarikat iaitu saya, Memey dan seorang pembantu. Saya kemudian keluar menghantar pengerusi balik ke rumah, apabila datang semula ke pejabat, saya dapati pembantu sudah tiada.

“Saya kemudian ke aras berlainan premis perniagaan itu. Saya di aras dua dan Memey pula di aras satu. Saya tidak faham kenapa kami dituduh berkhalwat sedangkan setahu saya maksud khalwat adalah berdua-duaan dalam keadaan mencurigakan sedangkan kami di aras berlainan,” katanya.

Sementara itu, isteri Norman yang juga pelakon Abby Abadi, enggan mengulas mengenai isu tangkap khalwat membabitkan suaminya tetapi memberitahu dia mengetahui insiden terbabit daripada seseorang yang menghantar SMS kepadanya pagi semalam.

SHAH ALAM: Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was acquitted Friday (October 31, 2008) of the murder abetment charge in the murder case of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, members of the Special Action Squad (UTK), were ordered by to enter their defence against the murder charge.

Both of them chose to testify under oath.

Azilah and Sirul Azhar were charged with murdering Altantuya at Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.

Abdul Razak was charged with abetting them in the murder of the beautiful 28-year-old translator.

He was seen leaving the court at 10.10am with his wife and daughter. He did not give a press conference outside the court building.

“I just want to go home,” said Abdul Razak briefly to the press.

Azilah and Sirul Azhar were led out of the court building in handcuffs by police officers at 10.40am. They both had their faces covered. Azilah’s fiancee refused to give any comments to the press.

It has been slightly over five weeks since the prosecution closed its case and the court is expected to decide on the fate of all three accused today.

The trial had gone on for 151 days from November 2006, during which 84 prosecution witnesses testified.

PETALING JAYA: Petrol prices are expected to be cut by 15 sen a litre at 12.01am tomorrow – the fourth reduction since August.

This means the RON97 will cost RM2.15 a litre, down from RM2.30, and the price of RON92 is also expected to go down.

Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) president Abdul Wahid Bidin said they expected the new prices to take effect early tomorrow although they have not received a directive from the Finance Ministry.

A dealer who declined to be named said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad had met with PDAM representatives on Wednesday.

He said Shahrir gave them notice that prices were going down.

“This is good because it has given us the three days we need to figure out how much stock we should keep to avoid big losses,” he said.

It is also understood that another price change is expected on Nov 15.

When asked at a function here yesterday, Shahrir refused to confirm or deny that prices would be reduced tomorrow.

“A reduction is imminent of course. We cannot deny consumers the opportunity that has arisen from lower global oil prices,” he said.

Shahrir, however, said that any directive would come from the Treasury and that any agreement on reducing prices would be discussed by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Second Finance Minister and himself.

“So it is difficult for all of us to meet at one time. There is, however, a Cabinet meeting (today), so it will probably be discussed then.”

Shahrir said that the Government would also be moving to make price changes every fortnight.

“This would be an ideal situation. If the price is changed once a week, it will be too short a time for any effects to be felt.”

He said petrol dealers had to realise that they were in a business and that other businesses also suffered when prices changed.

Former Prime Minister has disagreed with the MCA’s proposal for the condition of 30 per cent Bumiputera equity ownership in public-listed companies be abolished.

He said this was not the right time to do so, while the target for Bumiputera equity participation had not been achieved.

If we have achieved the 30 per cent target for Bumiputeras, 40 per cent for non-Bumiputeras and 30 for foreigners, then we can do away with the condition. “We have not reached that yet…there’s still a lot to be done.

If we reduce it to 20 per cent today and it does not expand while the economy does, the Bumiputera equity participation will get smaller. We have to take all this into consideration.”.

He was speaking to reporters at an Aidilfitri function of the Malaysia Muslim Welfare Organisation (Perkim), here today.

Dr Mahathir, who is also Perkim president, said although the equity ownership could be changed, the target for Bumiputeras needed to be protected.

“I think this is not a suitable time to make any adjustment as the world is in turmoil. It does not mean that if we abolish the equity quota, it will make the companies stronger and more competitive.

“If we reduce the Bumiputera equity participation to 20 per cent, then the others must also reduce theirs,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said such a matter should have been brought to the Barisan Nasional’s attention as it was raised by a BN component party.

Yesterday, MCA vice-president Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the condition for 30 per cent Bumiputera equity in public-listed companies should be abolised in order for them to remain competitive.

Liow was also quoted as saying that the 30 per cent target set was a hindrance to the creation of true partnership between Malay, Chinese and Indian businessmen in the country.

Asked about Malay special rights, he said many people talked about it but the non-Malays too have their rights.

“If we take away the rights of the Malays, then we have to do the same with the rights of the non-Malays. We have to be rational, just don’t see only one side.” On the proposal for debates to be held among Umno candidates vying for the top party posts, he said Malaysians had not reached the level of the Americans yet to have such debates.

“Our people don’t care about what we debate. The Umno people will support Umno, Pas supporters will support PAS, and MCA supporters will support MCA or other Chinese-based parties. What we debate on will have no bearing on them. It (debate) is only good for showing off how articulate we are.” On Gua Musang Member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who has offered to contest the party presidency but has yet to receive even one nomination, he said it would be tough for Tengku Razaleigh to contest in the party elections.

“Since we have agreed to still have the quota system, then we have to follow. But if you can’t even get one nomination, then you won’t be able to contest.” On the view that the keen contest for the Umno Youth chief post involving his son Datuk Mukhriz and the movement’s deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin could cause a split among members, Dr Mahathir said it could still happen even if there was no contest for the post. “Previously, Khairy had won the Umno Youth deputy chief post uncontested, but when his name was called out, he was booed. It means the members were divided although there was no contest,” he said.