KUALA LUMPUR – A human rights group, the Malaysian International Humanitarian Welfare Foundation (MIHWF) today filed a police report at the Dang Wangi police station seeking clarification on the authenticity of the leaked MACC investigation papers on Judge Nazlan Ghazali.

It’s President, M. Devman Segar, told a press conference in front of the Dang Wangi Police Station today that as responsible citizens of Malaysia, they also demand to know why the AG Chambers had not charged Judge Nazlan while former Prime Minister Najib Razak is being unjustly and unfairly held captive in the prison.

“This is a blatant violation of the rights of Malaysia’s 6th prime minister, obviously victimised by political witch-hunting, persecution and selective prosecution.

“If Nazlan had been charged by now, Najib will be a free man today. The AG Chambers is silent on the matter at the expense of the health, safety and liberty of a man,” said Devman.

He added that it’s appalling that political persecution and selective prosecution have prevailed over human rights values in the country’s legal and justice system.

The rule of law is that one shall be given all the opportunities to defend oneself in a fair and just trial.

The recently concluded RM42 million SRC International corruption trial had seriously violated this human rights value that we all cherish.

To many Malaysians, Najib would not be in prison today if he was given a fair trial.

He was jailed despite not having a defence counsel team during his appeal proceedings at the federal court.

By right, he should have been given all the time in the world to prepare for his defence with a new team.

Human Rights Violation

But he was denied that right, a serious human rights violation indeed.

Worse still, the federal court dismissed Najib’s attempt to adduce fresh evidence on Judge Nazlan’s glaring conflict of interest when presiding the earlier High Court trial on the SRC case.

In its affidavit submitted to the federal court during Najib’s appeal proceedings in August this year, the AG Chambers had stated that the evidence was irrelevant.

The AG Chambers affidavit stated if at all it was true that the MACC had carried out an investigation on Judge Nazlan, the evidence was irrelevant in the SRC case.

Was the AG Chambers suggesting that there was no MACC investigation conducted on Judge Nazlan?

MACC had already issued a statement dated May 21, 2022 that its investigation papers on Case Nazlan had been submitted to the AG Chambers for further action.

Conflict of Interest

The evidence on Judge Nazlan’s conflict of interest featured prominently in the leaked MACC’s investigation papers.

The leaked investigation papers had revealed that the MACC had recommended Judge Nazlan to be charged under Section 220 of the Penal Code for a serious breach of judicial ethics when conducting the Najib-SRC trial.

By definition, Judge Nazlan had wittingly and blatantly breached a vital law governing the professional ethics of the judiciary.

Recently, the MACC has announced that it had completed the second round of investigation on Nazlan.

And, the papers were now with the AG Chambers for further action.

But strangely the AG Chambers has neither press charges on Nazlan nor, at the very least, verified on whether the leaked investigation papers were authentic or not.

The AG Chambers first went on a switch off mode and now has gone on sleeping mode by violating the fundamental human rights of the former premier.

Also present at the press conference today was MIHWF vice-president Hamidah Osman who wondered why the AG Chambers is protecting Judge Nazlan.

“The AG Chambers’ inaction had tarnished the integrity of the country’s legal and judicial system and we demand that the Chambers, together with MACC come clean and clear the air on the matter immediately.

“Malaysians have the right to know,” Hamidah added.

Frustration

In a manner reflective of the frustration of the young, Human Rights and Legal Activist, Farhan Khairuddin said that in all fairness, today’s proceedings is not just about Najib Razak.

“It is all about the rights of an individual to get the full protection of the law, leaving no loopholes and grey areas that tantamount to an injustice being meted out.

“To quote five-times US Senator, Jeff Bingaman: People should not be imprisoned without having the ability to challenge the legality of that imprisonment!

“And we as Malaysian citizens, especially the younger generation who have a long way ahead of us, should demand that equal justice be given to all, in this case, a former Prime Minister.

“If he can be treated so shoddily, I shudder to think what will happen to the rest of us if this injustice is not corrected,” Farhan added. – NMH

The post Human Rights Group Wants AG To Be Taken To Task first appeared on NMH.

It’s time for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to lay bare the findings of its investigation on ‘Case Nazlan’ to His Majesty, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.

Attorney-General (AG) Idrus Harun has been lackadaisical on the probe while the liberty of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, a victim of miscarriage of justice, is at stake.

Thus MACC should take the initiative to brief the King on its findings on former High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali’s alleged conflict of interests in the hastily concluded Najib-SRC case.

The anti-graft body is on His Majesty’s service, hence duty bound to seek a royal audience to brief the King on ‘Case Nazlan’.

It would be even better if the King summons MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki to Istana Negara to get first-hand information.

Either way, Agong can then command Idrus to charge Nazlan.

Section 220 Of The Penal Code

MACC’s leaked investigation papers are floating in the air for a while now without takers.

The probe has exposed Nazlan’s conflict of interests and criminal breach of judicial ethics when presiding the Najib-SRC corruption trial in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The MACC has apparently recommended the AG Chambers to charge Nazlan under Section 220 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to seven years or a fine, or both upon conviction.

But AG Idrus, a political appointee of former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, has been dragging his feet on the file.

Unlock The Gate

The 15th General Election (GE15) is on.

Malaysians will be out in full force soon to cast their votes and choose the next strong government leadership to end the current political impasse and economic crisis.

Bossku Najib arguably will be the best man for the job.

But he is now the wrong man at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The key to unlock the Kajang jail gate is with the King.

The people hope His Majesty will act on the MACC investigation papers.

If Nazlan was charged, it would instantly nullify his verdict in the Najib-SRC case.

Bossku would walk out as a free man.

With the AG Chambers being negligent of its statutory duty, the onus is now on MACC to put Nazlan in the dock for the sake of the country and people.

Nazlan must be charged to arrest the eroding public trust and confidence in the country’s legal system and judicial process.

The authorities shall act fast to correct the wrongs.

Charges

Najib was charged on 04 July 2018 with three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one charge of abusing his position over SRC funds totalling RM42 million.

He was again charged on 08 August 2018 with three counts of money laundering involving the same RM42 million of SRC funds.

The trial began on 03 April 3 2019 before then High Court Judge Nazlan, who on the first day of the hearing instantly dismissed the former premier’s application to declare the seven charges against him as defective.

On 28 July 2020, Nazlan sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and a fine of RM210 million after finding him guilty on all seven charges.

Strangely Nazlan, who had since been promoted to the Court of Appeal (COA), had no experience in dealing with criminal trials prior to Najib’s case as he was previously a civil case judge.

On 08 Dec 2021, the COA upheld the High Court’s decision and dismissed Najib’s appeal to set aside his conviction and jail sentence, a verdict emulated by the Federal Court led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimum Tuan Mat on 23 Aug 2022.

Najib began his jail term on the same day.

Nazlan Committed Conflicts of Interests

In both appeal proceedings, the Apex Courts dismissed Najib’s application to adduce fresh evidences.

The evidences include Nazlan’s conflict of interests and criminal breach of judicial ethics.

Evidences revealed that the RM42 million that found its way into Najib’s private account in Ambank was not from SRC’s RM4 billion KWAP’s loan but from a RM140 million private loan from Maybank to a private company, namely Putra Perdana Development (PPD) Sdn Bhd.

The MACC’s investigation has established that the RM42 million was transferred from PPD to another private company, namely Putra Perdana Construction (PPC) Sdn Bhd, then to SRC’s account before being deposited into Najib’s account.

MACC’s probe has revealed that Nazlan was then the general counsel and company secretary in Maybank.

He was actively involved in Maybank’s decision-making process to sanction the RM140 million loan to PPD. — NMH

About the writer: Aathi Shankar is a veteran journalist and occasionally writes for NMH. The points expressed in this article are that of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the stand of NMH.

The post Case Nazlan Should Be Presented To The King first appeared on NMH.

Former People’s Progressive Party (MyPPP) President M. Kayveas is back with his political stunts.

In his latest publicity act, the virtually redundant politician announced that MyPPP would field candidates in Peninsular Malaysia in the forthcoming 15th General Election (GE15).

He still claims to be the president of MyPPP.

Termination

The facts are MyPPP had been deregistered since 2019.

Thus, officially Kayveas is no longer the leader, neither a member of any political party.

Moreover, Kayveas was officially sacked as a member of MyPPP by its supreme council on 25 April 2018, and by definition, Kayveas is no longer a party member, let alone its president.

Of course, Kayveas announced on that said date that he had resigned as party president effective from April 23.

But MyPPP supreme council on 25 April terminated his party membership so whether or not Kayveas resigned as party president is irrelevant.

However, he is still organising press conferences and making announcements as MyPPP president, albeit unlawfully.

RoS Letters

According to letters issued by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on 7 October 2019, and on 26 November 2021, to all warring factions in MyPPP, the party has to form an independent body to conduct a fresh internal election to elect a new supreme council.

That independent body must be composed of neutral persons agreed upon by the feuding factions.

The newly elected supreme council will then have to submit all required documents and reports to the RoS for verification and subsequent approval.

Once satisfied, only then the RoS would be able to revoke the party’s deregistration and reinstate its lawful status.

Until now, however, no party election has been held.

Although an independent body was formed to organise the internal polls thrice, all attempts have been futile.

Thus, MyPPP remains deregistered.

Kayveas The Bogus President

But Kayveas still acts as if MyPPP was a lawful political organisation and he was the rightful president, albeit a bogus president.

This shall go down into the long list of Malaysian cheap political acts as the most comical publicity stunt.

Kayveas is no stranger to such stunts anyway.

Previously as MyPPP president, he wanted to usurp and contest the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat at the expense of MIC, a major component in the Barisan Nasional coalition, during GE14.

But by then, MyPPP supreme council had already terminated his party membership before the polls were held on 9 May 2018.

After GE14, he claimed that MyPPP had pulled out from BN when he had no locus standi to make such an announcement.

Later Kayveas wanted to contest as a MyPPP candidate in the same constituency’s by-election in January 2019.

But he withdrew from the contest on nomination day.

After a short break, Kayveas returns with more comical stunts as MyPPP bogus president.

Surely there are more to come, just grab a seat and enjoy the show. Don’t forget the popcorn. – New Malaysia Herald

About the writer: Aathi Shankar is a veteran journalist and occasionally writes for NMH. The points expressed in this article are that of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the stand of NMH.

The post Kayveas – No Longer President – Returns With More Stunts first appeared on NMH.

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian International Humanitarian Welfare Foundation (MIHWF) slammed the Singapore government as “stubbornly arrogant” over the execution of Malaysian citizen Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam.

MIHWF President M.Devman in a statement on Friday (29 April) rebuked the government down south for being overzealous in exerting its notorious ‘rule by law’ stance without any remorse or compassion for a mentally unstable person.

He pointed out that Nagaenthran was a young man when he was caught with drugs in Singapore and spent some 13 years in jail before he was hanged to death.

“Nagaenthran had actually served the imprisonment as a punishment for his crime.

“He was reportedly a person with a mental disability.

“The international civil society sought clemency for Nagaenthran.

“He should have been forgiven and released.

“The young man should have been given a fresh lease of life.

“The Singapore government should have shown mercy.

“But it chose to remain defiant and stubbornly arrogant, overzealous in imposing its rule by law policy.

“What a disgrace,” chided Devman

He reminded the Singapore government that the status of a so-called developed nation was not just about the country’s capitalist economic strength.

“A developed nation must also have a strong humanely compassion.

“In this regard, Singapore has downgraded itself .”

Nagaenthran Was Hanged Despite International Criticisms

Nagaenthran was arrested by Singapore authorities on 22 April 2009 at age 21 for trafficking 42.72 g of diamorphine (pure heroin) when he was travelling from Malaysia to Singapore through the Woodlands Checkpoint.

Nagaenthran was tried and found guilty on 22 November 2010 of drug trafficking and sentenced to death by hanging by the Singapore courts.

Multiple appeals over the sentence had been dismissed in the city-state’s courts.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at around dawn, Nagaenthran was hanged to death at Changi Prison.

Nagaenthran’s death penalty attracted international criticisms due to concerns about his mental capacity.

Lawyers for the Malaysian, along with the United Nations Human Rights Office and businessman Richard Branson, had urged the Singapore government to halt the execution, arguing he was intellectually disabled after being assessed by a court-appointed psychologist in 2013 to have an IQ of 69.

Even the Malaysian king, prime minister and government ministers have appealed for clemency to the Singapore government for Nagaenthran.

But all pleas fell on deaf ears.

Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau defended the execution in a statement, saying that the courts had found that “Nagaenthran knew what he was doing, and that he did not suffer from intellectual disability”.

“There has been much misinformation that has been put out concerning Nagaenthran, in particular on his mental state,” the agency said.

In a statement on 25 April, the United Nations Human Rights Office expressed concern about “a rapid rise in the number of execution notices issued since the beginning of the year in Singapore”.

Devman said Singapore must always bear in mind that Malaysians would be the first people to offer assistance to Singaporeans if any tragedy were to occur in the island republic.

“This is because civilised Malaysians believe in the human-first concept, not the law-first policy.

“Singapore must first learn to be a civilised nation before calling itself a developed nation,” Devman said. – New Malaysia Herald

The post Nagaenthran Case – Was The Singapore Gov’t Being Stubbornly Arrogant? first appeared on NMH.