By CLARA CHOOI and FLORENCE A. SAMY
IPOH: The defection of Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim from Umno to PKR has left its Barisan Nasional counterparts in Perak reeling in shock.
State MCA chairman Datuk Kong Cho Ha said he had to answer to Umno and his constituents.
“I am shocked. This is a selfish move,” he said when contacted.
He added that Umno should investigate whether PKR had promised Nasarudin, 58, money.
“It is also up to his conscience whether he should have first vacated his seat (before defecting).”
Perak Gerakan chief Datuk Chang Ko Youn said Nasarudin should stick to the party under whose banner he was elected.
“If you disagree with certain policies, you should resign and offer yourself up as a Pakatan Rakyat candidate in the by-election.”
Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who is also state PAS deputy commissioner, said: “There will be more crossovers; we are working on it.”
Perak DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham welcomed Nasarudin into Pakatan, adding the latter had told him he wanted to contribute more effectively to the running of the state.
“I have also received, in private, congratulations from at least three former MCA assemblymen on how the Pakatan is doing a good job.”
In Petaling Jaya, former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim congratulated Nasarudin, who was also Parit Umno treasurer, on his move.
“I’m not surprised. I think there will be more who will follow suit,” he said when contacted.
Meanwhile, Barisan Nasional assemblymen in Perak have urged Nasarudin to reconsider his decision.
Following a Barisan Nasional emergency meeting at the Perak Umno headquarters here late last night, state Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said: “All who attended the meeting have expressed the hope that Nasarudin will review his decision and if possible, come back and join us.”
He added that there was no problem that could not be solved.
Tajol Rosli also invited Nasarudin to join him in a private meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, set to be held at an undisclosed location this afternoon.
Tajol Rosli also dismissed talk that more Umno assemblymen would defect.
Asked whether Nasarudin had ever mentioned or showed signs that he wanted to leave Umno, Tajol Rosli said: “No, he did not.” - The Star
Showing posts with label The Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Star. Show all posts
10 January 2009
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07 January 2009
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Kugan case: Charges next week, cops rapped
By FLORENCE A. SAMY and K. KASTURI DEWI
KUALA LUMPUR: The controversy surrounding the death of suspected car thief A. Kugan while in police custody continued to heat up, with promise of swift action by one government leader while the police were criticised for making threatening statements.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah said those involved in the death would likely be charged in court as early as next week.
Kugan, 22, who was remanded to assist investigations into several luxury car thefts, died at the Taipan police station in USJ, Subang Jaya last Tuesday.
The post-mortem revealed that he had died due to fluid in his lungs, but Kugan’s family entered the Serdang Hospital mortuary that same day and took photographs of his body, which showed severe bruising.
They demanded a second post-mortem which was concluded on Sunday, although the report is not out yet.
While initially saying no foul play was involved, police have now reclassified the case as murder for the purpose of investigation, at the urging of the Attorney-General.
“I was told the doctor will send the post-mortem report to Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail. I was told by the A-G that it will be sometime next week,” Murugiah said.
“The investigation is still ongoing and we have to be patient.
“Most probably whoever is involved in the incident will be charged in court sometime next week,” he told reporters at the MCA’s Chinese New Year open house in Wisma MCA Monday.
Murugiah also said he went to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s home at 5pm Saturday to hand over the pictures of Kugan’s body and to explain what actually happened at the mortuary.
“I received the pictures from an unidentified person who sent it to my house. I also thanked him for helping the family who were given permission to do a second post-mortem.”
Najib, he said, also gave a monetary contribution which the family was grateful for.
“The family thanks Datuk Seri Najib and believes confidently that the Government will help correct the situation and that they will see justice done for their son,” he added.
In GEORGE TOWN, a Barisan component party leader said the police should not issue “threatening’’ statements against the two deputy ministers who were at the Serdang Hospital mortuary last Tuesday.
State People’s Progressive Party (PPP) chief Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan said Monday that the two ministers -- one of whom was Murugiah, while the other was Datuk K. Devamany, also a deputy minister in the PM’s Dept -- had gone to the mortuary in their capacity as the people’s representatives.
“They had gone there after being asked to be there by the relatives of the deceased. They were merely carrying out their duties as the people’s chosen representatives.
“The police should not be issuing threatening statements against them for that unless they had done something to break the law,’’ he told reporters at the state PPP Chinese New Year Open house held at the YMCA building.
He was commenting on Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar’s statement that police would record both the deputy ministers’ statements for being present at the mortuary.
Dr Loga also said the police should instead concentrate on carrying out a thorough investigation into Kugan’s death as both the ministers would not have come to the mortuary without any complaints. - The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The controversy surrounding the death of suspected car thief A. Kugan while in police custody continued to heat up, with promise of swift action by one government leader while the police were criticised for making threatening statements.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah said those involved in the death would likely be charged in court as early as next week.
Kugan, 22, who was remanded to assist investigations into several luxury car thefts, died at the Taipan police station in USJ, Subang Jaya last Tuesday.
The post-mortem revealed that he had died due to fluid in his lungs, but Kugan’s family entered the Serdang Hospital mortuary that same day and took photographs of his body, which showed severe bruising.
They demanded a second post-mortem which was concluded on Sunday, although the report is not out yet.
While initially saying no foul play was involved, police have now reclassified the case as murder for the purpose of investigation, at the urging of the Attorney-General.
“I was told the doctor will send the post-mortem report to Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail. I was told by the A-G that it will be sometime next week,” Murugiah said.
“The investigation is still ongoing and we have to be patient.
“Most probably whoever is involved in the incident will be charged in court sometime next week,” he told reporters at the MCA’s Chinese New Year open house in Wisma MCA Monday.
Murugiah also said he went to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s home at 5pm Saturday to hand over the pictures of Kugan’s body and to explain what actually happened at the mortuary.
“I received the pictures from an unidentified person who sent it to my house. I also thanked him for helping the family who were given permission to do a second post-mortem.”
Najib, he said, also gave a monetary contribution which the family was grateful for.
“The family thanks Datuk Seri Najib and believes confidently that the Government will help correct the situation and that they will see justice done for their son,” he added.
In GEORGE TOWN, a Barisan component party leader said the police should not issue “threatening’’ statements against the two deputy ministers who were at the Serdang Hospital mortuary last Tuesday.
State People’s Progressive Party (PPP) chief Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan said Monday that the two ministers -- one of whom was Murugiah, while the other was Datuk K. Devamany, also a deputy minister in the PM’s Dept -- had gone to the mortuary in their capacity as the people’s representatives.
“They had gone there after being asked to be there by the relatives of the deceased. They were merely carrying out their duties as the people’s chosen representatives.
“The police should not be issuing threatening statements against them for that unless they had done something to break the law,’’ he told reporters at the state PPP Chinese New Year Open house held at the YMCA building.
He was commenting on Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar’s statement that police would record both the deputy ministers’ statements for being present at the mortuary.
Dr Loga also said the police should instead concentrate on carrying out a thorough investigation into Kugan’s death as both the ministers would not have come to the mortuary without any complaints. - The Star
