6 theSun | MONDAY APRIL 13 2009

news without borders

ALTHOUGH the Chinese assembly/town

Early speculation on candidates
Thai officers halls of many states have yet to hold
elections, supporters of prospective
candidates for the September Hua Zong
presidential election have already put out
feelers.
With Hua Zong (Federation of Chinese
for Hua Zong top post
Tan Yew Sing.
Tan, who is the Inti Group president, is
In the keenly-fought election in 2003,
Pheng narrowly lost to Lim in a three-cor-

caught smuggling
Associations of Malaysia) president
Tan Sri Lim Gait Tong completing his
maximum two terms in September, the
decision by his deputy Yap Kian Chiaw
not to contest any post has thrown the
field wide open.
Oriental Daily News reported yester-
favoured by the out-going KLSCAH presi-
dent Datuk Bong Hon Liong to succeed
him. He is also favoured by Lim to take
over the Hua Zong job.
However, analysts said Tan would
have to contend with the better-know
nered fight. In 2006, Pheng stayed out of
contest, allowing Lim to retain his post
uncontested.
Analysts say it is too early to speculate
on the Hua Zong election when most
state assembly/town halls have yet to

cars out of M’sia

THREE Thai enforcement offic-
ers in cahoots with a Malaysian
car theft syndicate were recently
caught trying to smuggle stolen
cars out of Malaysia.
According to a report in
Oriental Daily News, the trio
were in uniform when they were
stopped at the Padang Besar bor-
der crossing.
Their arrest prompted Bukit
Aman to order its anti-car theft
squad to launch a probe.
The report said the syndicate
paid the three to smuggle stolen
cars into Thailand.
Their job was to drive the cars
delivered to them by the syndi-
Pheng – the managing director of Kinsteel hold elections. Only the Kedah and Johor
day that the names being bandied about Berhad and Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd – who assembly halls have done so to date.
as likely contenders for the coveted post was once the No. 2 in Hua Zong. Tan, who said his priority is to win the
include Pahang Chinese Assembly Hall For this reason, a group of Tan’s sup- coming KLSCAH election, refuted any
president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah and porters is said to be lobbying for him to suggestion that he had been “advised”
Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese go for the No. 2 post instead of taking on to contest the deputy president’s post
Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) deputy president Pheng for the top post. instead of the top post.
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com I have my own style, says Manikumar
arm of the law eventually caught by Himanshu Bhatt
up with them. newsdesk@thesundaily.com
It was learnt that in the latest
incident, the trio entered Padang SUNGAI PETANI: Calling himself a fol-
Besar in a car bearing a Thai reg- lower of Mahatma Gandhi, new Bukit
istration number, but they were Selambau assemblyman S. Manikumar
picked up at the border crossing yesterday said he had his own princi-
when it was found that the car ples and style that would enable him to
driven by one of them had been speak up for his constituents.
reported stolen. The 35-year-old Parti Keadilan Rak-
Further investigations showed yat man, slated to be appointed state
that the car used by the three executive councillor, dismissed criticism

MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN

cate’s runners across the border.
Successful in the past, the long
to enter Malaysia was also sto- that Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri
len. Azizan Abdul Razak would ignore him
just as he is said to have neglected his
predecessor.
Manikumar won the Bukit Selambau

Ex-Kelantan fisheries state by-election on April 7, which was

brought about by the resignation of
PKR’s V. Arumugam.
director pleads Azizan’s detractors including Aru-
mugam’s former assistant Augustine
(From left) Arumugam, PKR de facto head Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and
Manikumar at a thanksgiving lunch in Taman Ria Jaya, Sg Petani yesterday.

not guilty to graft Gnanaprasagam had claimed during the

KOTA BARU: Former Kelantan Fisher-
ies Department director Abdullah Jaa-
far pleaded not guilty in the sessions
court here yesterday to a charge
under the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.
Abdullah, 57, who has been trans-
ferred to Putrajaya, was alleged to
have abetted contractor Muhammad
Fadzil Md Sulong, 53, in submitting
a false government invoice for
RM13,000.15 to administrative officer
Marini Mohamed of the department
three years ago.
The invoice was for cleaning work
purportedly done by Syarikat Matlee
Trading during a gotong-royong effort
at the Machang Fisheries Office.
Judge Asmadi Hussin allowed
Abdullah bail of RM8,000 with one
surety.
Fadzil also claimed trial to the
principal offence at another ses-
sions court and was allowed bail of
RM8,000 with one surety.
Judge Mohd Dasuki Ali fixed four
days – July 13 and 14 and Aug 19
and 20 – to try Abdullah and Fadzil
jointly. If convicted, they can be jailed
for up for to 20 years and fined not
less than five times the sum involved
or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
– Bernama
by-election campaign that he had repeat-
edly ignored Arumugam’s reports and
complaints, especially on Indian issues.
Manikumar said he had, since the
by-election, had several consultations
with Azizan, who had been encouraging
and positive.
He pointed out that Azizan had given
out land titles to Siamese communities
and provided facilities such as new living
quarters, water and electricity to needy
Indian estates like Sungai Getah.
“He has shown that he is willing to
help all the people of Kedah,” Maniku-
mar told reporters before a walkabout
to thank voters at the Taman Ria Jaya
hawker centre. Also present was Pantai
Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin.
“I am a follower of Gandhi and a man
of principle,” he said, citing an instance
when his teacher wife was told that as a
public servant, she could not campaign
with him. “When my wife told me that, I
told her to follow the rules and leave the
campaigning to me.”
Manikumar said he would use his
entrepreneurial experience to serve the
constituency. “I ran three businesses. I
managed to balance these, and I will try
to apply my management skills to my
new portfolio.”

Gaming marathon ... Computer gamers take part in

Cyberfusion 2009 at the Multimedia University in Cyberjaya
on Saturday. The event is an attempt to put Malaysia in the
EPAPIX

Guinness Book of Records for the longest local area network

(LAN) party, to beat the 36-hour record set at the Nvision
event in San Jose in the United States last year.

Body found in car boot

KUALA LUMPUR: Two policemen on crime prevention patrol
found the body of a 40-year-old man in a car boot on Jalan
Gajus, off Jalan Loke Yew, Cheras yesterday.
The policemen became suspicious when they passed
the car at about 2am and noticed both the front seats were
reclined. Although there was no one in the car, a stench ema-
nated from the boot.
Upon inspection, they found the decomposed body of a
man whose limbs were bound and mouth gagged. The body
was sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem.
Dang Wangi police chief ACP Mohd Zulkarnain Ibrahim said
the victim, who died of suffocation, had been identified. It was
found that he had been missing for three days.
Zulkarnain said police believe the car in which the victim’s
body was found was his wife’s. Checks also showed that he
had a criminal record for stealing and drug-related offences.
Anyone with information should call the Dang Wangi district
CID at 03-2070 2222.