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KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — The family of the late Teoh Beng Hock was not unreasonable with their call for a fresh murder investigation into the DAP political aide’s death while in custody, said DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh.

The DAP legal bureau chairman who is also representing Teoh’s family said they were also not asking for something to which they had no right, in a response to Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Commenting on Muhyiddin’s statement that the family was asking for more when all avenues in the investigations into Teoh’s death have been exhausted, Ramkarpal said there remained unresolved matters and questions in the years-long controversy.

Muhyididn also cited the family’s successful wrongful death suit against the government in his response, which Ramkarpal insisted today was a completely separate issue.

“It must be pointed out and emphasised at once that the settlement of the civil suit by Teoh’s family was made without prejudice to the criminal investigations into the matter and the same does not, in any way, indicate that Teoh’s family accepts that there was no element of homicide involved in his death or that the said criminal investigations have been satisfactory.

“It is not unusual for such civil suits to be settled amicably on a-without-prejudice basis which does not, in any way, compromise the criminal investigations,” he said in a statement today.

Ramkarpal said Muhyiddin also overlooked the Court of Appeal’s findings that suggested elements of foul play, homicide and collusion in Teoh’s death.

Despite this conclusion, the lawmaker noted that there have not been any criminal charges initiated directly against those found liable for the death.

“After 10 years from the time of Teoh’s death, questions still remain as to whether there are parties who are criminally responsible for his death. As such, it cannot be said that all avenues in the investigations into his death have been exhausted.

“Although the civil aspects of the case have been resolved, the same cannot be said in relation to the criminal aspect,” said Ramkarpal.

“It is hoped that the criminal investigations are satisfactorily concluded as soon as possible in order to bring closure to this unfortunate saga.”

In 2009, Teoh, who was the political aide to a Selangor executive councillor, was found dead on the fifth floor of Plaza Shah Alam.

Prior to the incident, he was interrogated by Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers in its state headquarters in the same building.

NGOs, especially those in Penang, pride themselves as watchdogs to keep the government accountable.

But should NGOs themselves be held accountable for their own actions? The answer is a definite “yes”.

Our reason for this is simple: NGOs are influential in swaying public opinion on policies and development plans.

Their actions may impact society as a whole, and not always in a good way. As such, they should be held accountable for what they say and do.

It has been observed that certain Penang NGOs have access to the corridors of power. For instance, the group of NGOs identifying itself as Penang Forum was privileged to present its anti-progress campaign to the Council of Eminent Persons and the National Physical Planning Council chaired by the prime minister.

No other NGOs have such a privilege – why is that so?
Why should the opinion of Penang Forum be given greater weight than that of other members of society?

Penang Forum’s presentation potentially influences political decisions. Yet, when its opinion negatively impacts society, it is spared any form of accountability. Why should this be so?

In comparison, politicians are held accountable and can be voted out at the polls. But not NGOs. This lack of accountability can bring about significant harm to the economy and to society.

Already many people have become casualties of their callous remarks.

Recently, AnakPinang met the founder of Penang’s ESCAPE Theme Park, Sim Choo Kheng, who is also a Penangite. Sim is one of the big names in the international theme park industry. He is involved in more than 100 completed theme park projects around the world, including Dubai’s Motiongate and Bollywood Theme Park, Denmark’s Legoland, Bahrain’s Lost Paradise, Russia’s Ulyanovsk WaterPark, and Singapore’s Universal Studios.

These theme parks have become well-known attractions in their respective countries. And yet, in Penang, Sim’s own hometown, he is one of the victims of the NGOs.

Putting together ESCAPE was not easy. Sim faced numerous challenges. While many were easy to overcome, the callous and irresponsible opposition from the NGOs almost thwarted the project.

When ESCAPE was mooted in 2011, the NGOs alleged that its construction would destroy the surrounding nature and water catchments. Such an allegation was made without substantiation or basis. The land ESCAPE was built on was in fact a brownfield, a former construction site of the Teluk Bahang Dam upstream.

Yet, as a result of the NGOs’ irresponsible action, investors and banks pulled back from financing the project. It would not have seen the light of day had it not been for Sim’s tenacity to stay on and fund the project himself.

ESCAPE is an example of how NGOs do not know everything. Yet they continue their stranglehold on Penang society, forcing their opinion on the public without any form of accountability for their past mistakes, and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Now, they are now vehemently protesting against the Penang South Reclamation and the Penang Transport Master Plan. Isn’t it time we stand up to the NGOs and hold them accountable?

Timothy Tye is a spokesman of civil group AnakPinang and a former council member of Penang Heritage Trust. Joshua Woo is executive director of Penggerak Komuniti Muda and a former councillor of the Seberang Perai Council.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Seorang pemilik tanah didenda RM1,000 oleh Mahkamah Majistret di sini hari ini selepas mengaku bersalah membenarkan tanahnya dijadikan tempat longgokan sampah haram.

H’ng Boon Chai, 65, membuat pengakuan itu ketika pertuduhan dibacakan terhadapnya dalam bahasa Hokkien di hadapan Majistret Shamsol Azwa Martadza.

Mahkamah turut memerintahkan H’ng memindahkan kesemua sampah di 9 lot tanah berkeluasan kira-kira 20.33 hektar di Mukim 16, Bukit Teh di sini ke tempat pelupusan sampah dalam tempoh 14 hari berkuat kuasa hari ini serta mengemukakan bukti pemindahan sampah itu kepada Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP).

Mengikut pertuduhan, lelaki itu didakwa membenarkan tanahnya dijadikan tempat longgokan sampah haram yang berpotensi menjadi tempat pembiakan nyamuk serta menimbulkan kacau ganggu dari segi kebersihan di sekitar tanah akibat daripada pengumpulan sampah haram tersebut.

Dia yang didakwa di bawah Seksyen 82 (1) Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976, melakukan perbuatan tersebut pada 11.45 pagi 20 Mac lepas dan dihukum di bawah Seksyen 82(5) akta sama yang memperuntukkan denda maksimum RM1,000 atau penjara sehingga 6 bulan atau kedua-duanya sekali.

Pendakwaan dikendalikan pegawai pendakwa MPSP Siti Rahmah Md Yusoff, manakala H’ng diwakili peguam Franchis Goh.

KEPALA BATAS, June 27 — A man was arrested by police yesterday for running amok and holding his 62-year-old father at knifepoint in an incident at Kuala Muda, Penaga, near here, Tuesday.

Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district police chief ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor said the 34-year-old man also pointed the knife at his mother when she stepped in to calm down the situation in the 7.05pm incident.

“The man then threw the knife and left his house before his father came to report the matter (to the police) for fear of it occurring again,” he said here today.

He said that a police team from the Criminal Investigation Division had arrested the man at about 5pm yesterday in the Penaga area.

“A drug screening test conducted on the self-employed man came back positive, and the suspect also had a drug-related criminal record,” he said.

He said the man had been remanded for four days under Section 506 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both, if convicted. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA: Bekas hakim Mahkamah Tinggi, Abd Rahim Uda dilantik mengetuai pasukan petugas khas untuk menyiasat penemuan Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam) yang Cawangan Khas Bukit Aman terbabit dalam kehilangan paksa Pastor Raymond Koh dan aktivis, Amri Che Mat.

Menteri Dalam Negeri, Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, pasukan petugas khas itu diberi 6 bulan untuk menyediakan laporan mengenai kehilangan 2 individu itu.

“Seramai 6 ahli pasukan yang dilantik dan diberi masa 6 bulan menjalankan siasatan sebelum dibentangkan kepada Kabinet. Dengan adanya pasukan ini, diharap beri keadilan kepada semua pihak berkaitan,” katanya dalam sidang media di Kementerian Dalam Negeri hari ini.

Berita lanjut menyusul.

HONG KONG: Asian equities suffered fresh losses, the dollar rose and gold retreated Wednesday after top Federal Reserve officials dented hopes for a big interest rate cut next month, while traders are also fretting over this week’s meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Adding to the downward pressure were concerns about worsening tensions between the US and Iran, though a drop in US stockpiles boosted oil prices.

Global markets had been on a healthy rally for more than a week after Trump hailed phone talks with his Chinese counterpart and said they would meet to discuss their trade war on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka.

That coincided with a dovish lean from the US central bank that raised expectations that it would soon announce its first-rate reduction for more than a decade.

However, optimism took a hit Tuesday after Fed boss Jerome Powell warned about the outlook for the US economy but said policymakers would not “overreact” to recent data.

Also Tuesday, St Louis Fed president James Bullard, considered a key dove on the board, told Bloomberg a cut of 50 basis points – which many investors had been hoping for – would be excessive.

The remarks hit equities with Wall Street’s three main indexes sharply lower and the dollar, which has come under heavy pressure of late, bounced back against its major peers and other higher yielding but riskier currencies.

“Bullard… dashed the hopes of many investors who were expecting the Fed to kick-start this easing cycle with a bang,” said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA. “With the most dovish member taking a 50-basis point cut off the table, the dollar surged as equities tumbled.”

Oil prices rally

The weaker dollar put a cap on gold’s rally, with the yellow metal’s safe-haven status in times of turmoil unable to stop it sinking from six-year highs.

Investors are keeping their focus on the planned meeting between Trump and Xi in Japan, though the US side dampened expectations for a deal between the two, saying the talks would set out a path for an agreement.

However, officials did say they were willing to hold off hiking tariffs on more Chinese goods, Bloomberg News reported.

Still, observers expect the issue to continue for some time.

“The US-China trade war stalemate is likely to continue as political considerations reign supreme,” said brokerage T Rowe Price.

“With President Trump facing re-election in 2020, he may want to put off any agreement until next year, while China may want to deny President Trump a trade success to damage his re-election prospects, allowing Beijing to negotiate with his successor.”

Crude surged after data showed a 7.55-million-barrel decline in US inventories, with Iran tensions also buoying the market.

“Oil prices went ballistic” after the report from industry group the American Petroleum Institute, said Stephen Innes of Vanguard Markets. “This is a strong signal for the energy market.”