External News

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has lodged a police report over a fake tweet purportedly by Latheefa Koya claiming those sponsored to perform the Haj pilgrimage by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) from 2011 to 2018 would have to repay the money.

The MACC said a police report was lodged over the matter at the Putrajaya police headquarters on June 24.

“MACC viewed the said allegations as serious as it could trigger panic in society.

“MACC would also like to advise the public to not circulate the fake tweet. We also hope the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission would be able to investigate the irresponsible act so that it does not happen again,” it said in a statement here.

The MACC also reiterated that the fake tweet was made viral by irresponsible parties aimed at discrediting the agency and cause anxiety among the public.

Last week, newly-appointed MACC chief Latheefa took to Twitter to upload a screenshot of the picture, which has been circulated on social media platforms.

Latheefa has since dismissed the tweet as fake.

The circulated screenshot claims that action would be taken against those who did not return the money within 30 days.

The alleged fake tweet emerged after the MACC announced it has filed 41 civil forfeiture suits to recover RM270 million belonging to 1MDB that was dispersed from Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s AmBank account.

GEORGE TOWN, June 26 — A trader here heaved a sigh of relief when the High Court here acquitted and discharged him on a drug trafficking charge.

Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir ordered the release of Ranjeev Singh Shayni, 35, after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

In his judgement, Akhtar said although the house keys were found in the accused’s sling bag, he was not the tenant of the house where the drugs were found.

“According to landlord, the accused was not his tenant, and the one renting the house was a Chinese man, who failed to appear as a witness, and this created a hole in the prosecution’s case,” Akhtar said.

Ranjeev was accused of distributing 941.2g of heroin and monoacetylmorphine at Fiera Vista @ One Residence, Medan Rajawali in Bayan Lepas here at 12.20pm on July 21, 2015.

He was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same law, which provides the mandatory death sentence upon conviction. — Bernama

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching today urged teachers going through emotional stress at work to seek counselling rather than to take it out on their students, following news that a teacher had caned a student at a school in Johor for calling him “ah kua” or effeminate.

“Being an educator is not an easy task. In the ministry, we remind all educators and students that schools are a place to inculcate love and mutual respect for one another.

“This issue shows that our educators are facing trouble controlling their emotions. We are ready to provide counselling for teachers with emotional problems,” Teo said.

She said the national syllabus on sex education would help counter name-calling and discrimination against those who do not fall under certain gender types.

She added that the district education office in Johor is investigating the caning case, with assistance from a school representative and the student’s parent.

A police investigation is also underway, she said, with a full report on the matter to be released to the ministry later today.

Teo said the ministry has had clear guidelines on caning and corporal punishment since 2003. According to the guidelines, girls should be spared the cane.

She said only male students who commit an offence of “medium” or “high” level are subject to caning on the palm and on the buttocks with clothing on.

Teo said the 2003 circular also states that only a principal or a teacher nominated by the principal can carry out the caning. She said the caning should not take place in full view of other students in a class or an assembly.

According to the education ministry’s circular No 7/2003, there are 35 major offences, 10 medium offences and 27 light offences. Caning can be carried out on those who commit major and medium offences.

Some of the major offences listed are drug use, smoking, alcohol consumption and being rude to teachers, while medium offences include colouring hair, having skinhead or punk hairstyles, or leaving the school without permission.

Major offences are to be punished with a maximum of three strokes of the cane on the buttocks, while medium offences are to be punished with three strokes of the cane on the palm.

For light offences, warnings and counselling are given.

On a different note, Teo said the three-day closure of all schools in Pasir Gudang, Johor would be reviewed on Thursday.

Authorities have ordered all 475 educational institutions in the Pasir Gudang district to close following a chemical pollution scare.

Earlier, Teo announced that the ministry would give RM1 million towards the completion of a four-storey block of SJK (T) Permatang Tinggi, Bukit Mertajam.

The RM3.5 million block, construction of which began in 2015, was stalled due to a lack of funds. It had previously received RM2.5 million from the federal government and RM110,000 from the public through fund-raising activities.

The school has 859 students and 56 teachers, with only nine out of 20 classrooms in good shape.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — An unemployed man who robbed a Grab driver last year was sentenced to five years’ jail and a stroke of the cane, by the Ampang Sessions Court here.

Judge Suzanna Hussin meted out the sentence on Mohammed Azlan Shah Zamri, 25, and ordered the sentence to run from the date of arrest on November 1, last year, after the accused changed his plea to guilty at the trial today.

Mohammed Azlan was charged with committing gang robbery with two others and threatening Mok Jun Yue, 22, with a knife before fleeing off with the victim’s three ATM cards, a mobile phone and RM210 cash.

The offence was committed at Taman Bakti Ampang, here at 4am on November 20, 2018.

The charge framed under Section 395 of the Penal Code read together with Section 397 of the same code provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Goh Ai Rene urged for a punitive sentence to serve as a lesson and in taking account of the increasing number of crime cases.

In mitigation, the accused who was represented by lawyers Muhammad Razman Sahat and Muhammad Amin Abdullah appealed for a lighter sentence as he has to help his family after his father was diagnosed with cancer and heart disease. — Bernama