Unsworn statement from the dock is no evidence

During his sodomy trial at the High Court, Anwar had read a 32-page statement, in which he said the sodomy charge against him was a political conspiracy. The High Court and the Court of Appeal, however, had dismissed it, regarding it as a "bare denial" of the offence.

Anwar's lawyer N. Surendran this morning cited six case laws in support of evidence from the dock. Surendran had been asked yesterday by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria to produce authorities so that the court could decide on the matter.

The lawyer told the judges that it was for the court to determine the weight to be attached when an accused person gave a statement from the dock.

Malay Reserve land: Peninsular's version of NCR land issue

There is a forum today to be held today 2:00 PM at Dewan Ulama ISTAC at persiaran Duta off Jalan Duta Kuala Lumpur on the issue of Malay Reserve land. It is jointly organised by Perkasa and ISTAC.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Former Chief Judge, Tun Ahmad Fairuz bin Sheikh Abdul Halim and it will be followed by two papers by Prof Dato Dr Nik Zain bin Nik Yusuf, former KSU for Ministry for Land and Cooperatives and Director general for Department of Land and Mineral, and Dr Hasrol, Senior Lecturer, Department of Estate Management, Faculty of Architecture, Planning, and Survey, Universiti Teknologi MARA. 

Although Malay Reserve Land issue have been openly discussed in many other seminar and forum before and over the years, it is usually positioned in side session. It is far in between and resolution to the issue  have been muted. Not much progress made since acquired Malay Reserve could not be replaced by land of similar character.

At least, disputes on Native Customary land (seldom called NCR land) in Sabah and Sarawak, usually involving ownership claim, could revert to the Native Court for settlement. NCR land is  being championed by the opposition and there positive response from state government give attention.

Unfortunately, Malay Reserve issues have no serious champion and disputes left unresolved.

Do Malaysia "really" benefit from trade through TPPA?

The view of Malaysian businessmen and corporate people on TPPA is that of optimism.

As a trading nation dependent on import and export with other countries, they see the beneficial flow of revenue and hopefully the profit derived to their business from TPPA as good for the country. Anything good for business is supposedly good for the country.

The view is that Malaysian goods and services have a fair chance to enter foreign market without any more barriers. So matters with regards to consumer interest, "sovereignty", and Bumiputera rights (which is effectively pittance actually) pales in comparison to the benefit. 

Unfortunately, the benefit from TPPA is not as simple as commutative arithmetic law of 1 + 1 = 2. If badly put together, the country could not achieve that 2 and perhaps even end up with less than 1. The TPPA serves the MNC interest to penetrate market. It has been extensively written in this blog, so no point rewriting it. Just key-in TPPA in this blog's saerch engine.

However, it is not sufficiently convincing to opportunity driven businessmen and corporate man. Only when it affects their interest will they appreciate the problems with TPPA. It has to hit their wallet to wake them up from their over-optimism.

Food security is national security

Sundaily Oct 23rd 2013

THIS is a land of abundant food. The melting pot of cultures has meant that we are spoilt for choice when it comes to mealtime and as a result many Malaysians have an expanded and rather critical palate.

But little thought is given to where our food comes from with regards to quality, safety and how it is produced.

Why should we be concerned anyway? Our supermarkets are well stocked, we have daily wet markets, weekly night markets in almost every neighbourhood and in some areas, a farmers market.

But how much of our food is locally produced?

When is the big day, Zahida?

A big break for Zahida but one question still remain

Actress and model Zahida Rafik is back in the news again. The driver which sued her for defamation will be charged for CBT. he had allegedly squandered away with the RM200,000 money entrusted by Zahida to bank-in.

It is a face saving development for Zahida, which had been rumoured to have an affair with Dato Shafie Apdal. When this blog wrote of it in September 2010 [read here], there was a follow-up denial from Shafie's aide [read here].

However, the rumour unabated as more stories surface claiming Zahida had married Shafie in London and lives in a RM4 million home in Ampang bought by Shafie. It was aggravated further in April 2012 when the matter involving Zahida's driver surfaced. [Read here and here]

Touching a dog doused Anwar's campaign

Until an intimate video of popular pro-opposition Ustaz Azhar Idrus with his third wife surfaced last night, the most viral subject on the social media was the weekend Dog Touching event.

It dominated the social media to the point that it even overshadowed another intimate revelation on the FB of DAP candidate for Telok Intan by-election, Dyana Sofea and married Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera Penang, Zairil Khir Johari.

It was a unique happening and the ensuing debate attracted the public attention that Anwar's campaign to gain sympathy and pressure the court to save him from an impending prison sentence by the Federal Court was lost.

Syed Azmi may have innocently helped to douse Anwar's usual rabble rousing.

The hypocrasy and ulterior motive to get Ibrahim Ali charged

Upon seizing power at the Federal level, DAP will be more draconian than the BN the accused as draconian. All one need to see is the reaction of Penang DAP Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng to any criticism or questions on his administration of Penang or DAP party.

Guan Eng would threaten them with lawsuit as former PAS Youth Chief is facing, use goons to physically harass them as in the case of defiant Johor DAP members, expelled and suspended BN state assemblyman, and many more.

He refused to meet and deal with the Kampong Buah Pala Indian. And in the case of falling FDI to Penang, he resorted to lying and blaming the Federal government. However, he claim credit when FDI was rising in his first year in office.

In the latest episode and in the midst of campaign by Bar Council, Pakatan and their linked NGOs for abolishment of the Sedition Act, DAP and few Bar Council activists are applying pressure on Dato Nancy Shukri to charge Dato Ibrahim Ali for sedition.

It shows they are inconsistent in their principle and hypocritical in their attitude. When Pakatan do  take control of government with DAP in the driver seat, the likelihood is they will reinstate ISA, Sedition Act, and other law they say now as draconian?