4 theSun | FRIDAY JANUARY 23 2009

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RM5m for NGO anti-

drug programmes
PUTRAJAYA: The government has approved an
allocation of RM5 million for non-governmental
and other civil organisations to assist them in
implementing anti-drug programmes.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul
Razak said this was to coordinate drug prevention
efforts by government agencies and the role of
NGOs and civil organisations such as Pemadam
(National Association Against Drug Abuse).
He also said the government would look into the
possibility of purchasing equipment with the latest
technology to monitor drug smuggling activities at
entry points to the country. “According to police
reports, our entry points need to be monitored
more closely,” Najib said after chairing a Drug
Prevention Action Council meeting yesterday.
He said it was also decided that drug awareness
campaigns would be repackaged to focus on the
shift from addiction to normal drugs, to synthetic
or designer drugs like syabu and ketamine. After-
care programme would be expanded to focus on
harm reduction using methadone, and financial
assistance and training for cured addicts.
Beruas Umno vice-chief
charged with corruption
KUALA LUMPUR: Three people
including a Perak Umno division
vice-chief were yesterday charged
with offering bribes during the
party’s divisional elections last
year.
The three – Beruas Umno
vice-chief Azman Noh, 42, con-
tractor Johari Ibrahim, 46, from
Kampung Panchor, Malacca, and
a senior assistant of a primary
school in Raub, Pahang, Junaidi
Abdul Hamid, 46 – were charged
in the Ipoh, Malacca and Kuala
Lumpur sessions court respec-
tively.
They pleaded not guilty to
the charges under Section 10 (b)
of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997
(Act 575), punishable under Sec-
tion 16, which prescribes a jail
sentence of not less than 14 days
and maximum of 20 years, and
a fine of not less than five times
the sum of the bribe or RM10,000,
whichever is higher.
Azman is accused of offering
Davad @ Daud Parman a RM300
bribe to induce him to vote for
Azman in a contest for the Beruas
vice-chief’s post, Abdul Manaf
Hashim for division chief, and
Azhar Ahmad for deputy division
chief at the division’s delegates
meeting on Oct 12.
Azman, who was represented
by Khairil Azwa, is charged
with committing the offence at
midnight on Oct 11 at No 10A,
Kampung Sungai Ramai, Air
Tawar.
Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman
Teh set bail at RM6,000 with
one surety and fixed June 1 for
a hearing.
DPP How May Ling of the
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com-
mission (MACC) prosecuted.
In the Malacca sessions court,
Johari pleaded not guilty to giving
Nadiah Roslan RM200 to induce
her to vote for Datuk Abdul Kadir
Daud in a contest for the Alor
Gajah division chief’s post at the
divisional election on Nov 1.
He is alleged to have commit-
ted the offence at about noon at
the Industrial Training Institute
hall in Selandar.
Judge Ahmad Kamar Jamalu-
din fixed May 8 for a hearing and
allowed bail of RM5,000 with one
surety.
Johari, a former public-
ity officer for Perbadanan Ayer
Melaka, was represented by
Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.
DPP Wong Poi Yoke of the MACC
prosecuted.
In Kuala Lumpur, Jun-
aidi pleaded not guilty to giving
RM200 each to two Umno mem-
bers, Noranizah Abd Hamid and
Adnan Samad, to induce them to
vote for Datuk Mustafar Kamal
Abdul Hamid for the post of
Raub Umno division chief and
Datuk Abdullah Bakar for divi-
sion deputy chief.
He is alleged to have com-
mitted both offences at a coffee
house on the first floor of the
Grand Seasons Hotel in Kuala
Lumpur at 8pm on Sept 13.
Judge Rosbiahanin Arifin
allowed bail of RM10,000 and
set March 23 for mention of the
case. Junaidi was also ordered to
surrender his passport.
Mohd Harris Abdullah ap-
peared for Junaidi while DPP
Josendra Abu Senin prosecuted.
– Bernama

Defence denied access to Musa’s
statement Altantuya
SHAH ALAM: The High Court hearing the Altan-
tuya Shaariibuu murder trial dismissed an applica-
tion by accused Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar to allow the
defence access to a police statement made by
DSP Musa Safri.
Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasinm, in his judg-
ment ruled that the court was unable to direct
that the police statement under section 112 of
the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) be furnished
to the defence.
“It is my finding that when a 112 statement is
excluded from being part of the documents to be
delivered before the commencement of the trial, the
same applies to all stages of the trial including that
of the defence,” he said.
At the outset of the trial, the defence made a
similar application for the prosecution to furnish the
second accused, Sirul, with the 112 statements of
all witnesses.
Mohd Zaki rejected the application on the ground
that the court was bound by a ruling of the Federal
Court.
“It follows, therefore, that if that application had
been granted, the present application would not have
arisen, as the accused would have been in the pos-
Feature-rich waste
disposal facilities
KUALA LUMPUR: Ten units of fea-
ture-rich waste disposal facilities will
ACCUSED be built to replace 111 old ones which
have been closed nationwide, Hous-
ing and Local Government Minister
Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said.
The facilities, costing RM180
Victim
Altantuya
million each, would meet safety
• Chief Insp Azilah • Cpl Sirul Azhar
Shaariibuu, 28 Hadri, 32 Umar, 37 standards in curtailing the emission
of pollutants and be equipped with
recycling centres.
session of all witness statements including the one Ong said this was in line with
by DSP Musa,” he said. new legislation on the management
Mohd Zaki also referred to the new Section of solid wastes effective March.
113 (2) of the CPC in his decision. On another note, he said the
On Tuesday, Sirul’s lawyer Kamarul Hisham ministry planned to have the private
Kamaruddin had applied to be allowed access to sector build 25,000 medium and
Musa’s statement. low-cost houses this year, while
The court also fixed Feb 4 for Sirul to enter his the government would build 4,000
defence by giving a statement from the dock. houses under a project for the hard-
Chief Insp Azilah Hadri and Sirul, both from the core poor.
police special action unit, are charged with murdering “This will not only meet market
Altantunya between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct demand but also stimulate the hous-
20, 2006 at Mukim Bukit Raja here. The two were ing industry and create jobs during
ordered on Oct 31 last year to enter their defence. the economic slowdown,” Ong said
Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who was after the ministry’s monthly assem-
charged with abetting them, was acquitted. bly here yesterday. – Bernama