Zulkifli: I was offered big sum to link PM to case

source:  http://www.nst.com.my/articles/10BOOK/Article/index_html/Article
25/03/2010
ZULKIFLI Noordin stunned the Dewan Rakyat yesterday when he declared that he was instructed by a third party to prepare a statutory declaration linking Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He also claimed that the third party had also tried to get him to link the son of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to the death of a man in Kuala Lumpur a few years ago.

Zulkifli (independent–Kulim-Bandar Baru), who was sacked by the PKR recently, dropped the bombshell while delivering his maiden speech as an independent.

He did not disclose who the third party was in both cases.

Met in the lobby, he said he did not want to disclose the names of the third party. “I don’t want to shame anyone. It is against Islamic principles.”

Zulkifli, in the initial stages of the Altantuya trial, was engaged to act for accused Inspector Azilah Hadri in 2007.
In the house yesterday, Zulkifli said he found it difficult to act for Azilah and discharged himself owing to the interference from the third party.

“I was asked to get a sworn statement that both of them (Najib and Rosmah) were involved. The rewards offered for doing that could shake my faith,” he said to gasps from backbenchers.

“I discharged myself from the court case because there was an attempt by a third party to interfere in the (Altantuya) case,” he said in his motion of thanks while debating the royal address.

Zulkifli also slammed private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, who made a sworn declaration in connection with the murder case in 2008 linking Najib and Rosmah, but retracted it the next day.

Zulkifli said a slew of slanderous statements had been made against the prime minister and his wife.

“How can the accused people (in the Altantuya murder trial) be willing to be sentenced to death if it was true that both the prime minister and his wife are involved in the murder?

“I’m sure they will reveal this if it were true. The prime minister had sworn on the Quran denying his involvement with Altantuya.

“There are Muslims who can accuse others without proof, but none are able to swear denying that they made such accusations.”

Zulkifli said he was asked to link Nazri’s son to the murder of a man in 2004. “I thank Allah that I managed to stay away from such things.”

Zulkifli also spoke about his past association with the PKR, particularly its de facto leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He called for the opposition leader’s case to be transferred to the syariah court instead of the civil court, adding that the the syariah court could hear offences related to qazaf (criminal defamation).

Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had accused Anwar, for whom he had worked, of sodomising him and the case is currently before the court.

Say it with the salwar

source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20091012083425/Article/index_html

2009/10/12

PRASANNA RAMAN

PRASANNA RAMAN finds out what’s hot and Bollywood-trendy for this Deepavali’s fashion followers.

THE saree and the salwar kameez (tunic and pants) are staples in any ethnic Indian woman’s wardrobe.

The saree is the preferred choice of attire at social functions such as weddings and religious festivals. The salwar kameez, on the other hand, is gaining popularity among both young ladies and older women alike as its pants and tunic combination offers more freedom of movement.

Although the saree is a timeless classic, the salwar kameez, is in vogue this Deepavali, said Sonali Designs chief executive officer Susma Suresh.

And it’s back to 1960s style, with a fitting top half and legging pants called the churidar. The emphasis is on accentuating the feminine curves.

“The sleeves are extra-long this year, as you’ll need to scrunge them up for a dash of style. Most sleeves also come in see-through fabrics like chiffon and soft nettings. Some also come in cap and puff sleeves which was the style some 50 years ago,” said Susma as she discussed the latest salwar kameez trends.

Again, silver sequins and black beads are in this season. Accessorise a saree with tattoos

  Susma heads to India every two months to check the evolving trends which she says are usually driven by designers at their fashion shows.

The salwar kameez, she explained, comes with three main types of pants, namely the churidar, which are like leggings, tapering narrowly from the thighs to the ankles, the patiala which is really baggy Ali Baba pants and the salwar regular pants that are not too narrow or baggy.

The top, she added, is just kept at knee-length compared to last year’s style of very long tops ending a few centimetres above the ankles. And to keep up with the proliferation of handphone use globally, the salwar kameez pants, she added, now come with pockets.

“The colours this time around are bold and co-ordinated in contrast, like maroons with black, or pinks with blue. These bold colours add an air of festivity,” she explained.

Last year’s colours, she added, were mainly earth tones.

Gold and other metallic-coloured sequins have been replaced with silver and white gold this season. Black beads are the in-thing now, said Susma, who is also the chief designer at Sonali.

“Both the salwar kameez and the sarees see this trend,” she added.

Although cotton silk from India is the fabric of choice for the overseas market, the soft-spoken mother of four boys said the more durable soft polyesters and chiffons from Japan and Korea are the choice of textiles in her local market designs.

In accessorising a salwar kameez, Susma explained that jewellery, especially necklaces, should be simple when the embroidery on the salwar kameez’s top is heavy. When the neck embroidery is simple, the necklace can be more elaborate.

Among the unspoken fashion faux pas in accessorising the salwar kameez is matching gold jewellery with a tunic that has silver sequins or embroidery on its neckline.

Jewellery should match embellishments or the borders of both sarees and the salwar kameez, says Susma

Similarly, jewellery should match the embroidery or borders of the attire.

“If the neckline embroidery or border is blue while the fabric is pink, a blue necklace and bangles instead of pink will create elegance,” she stressed. Whether it should be bangles or bracelets, she added, depends on individual preference.

“Bangles come in various colours and you may find a match more easily compared to bracelets, which usually come in either gold or silver, or with coloured stones and beads,” she added.

Should the salwar kameez have very long sleeves, bangles should be left out.

“Most long sleeves end in embroidered borders. That border itself is like an accessory for the arm, hence bangles aren’t necessary,” she added.

As for footwear, one that complements the salwar kammez well, she said, are pencil heels and open-toe heeled sandals. Court shoes simply don’t make the cut for the pant suit.

“Flats like the Indian capals would also match the salwar kameez well if they have beautiful designs on them,” said Susma.

However, she said high heels are most appropriate for the churidar.

“Many Malaysian women are of average height, hence adding heels when they wear the salwar kameez can elongate the silhouette,” she said.

Another driving force for the fashion trends in India, said Susma, is the movie industry. “Both the Bollywood (Hindi) and Kollywood (Tamil) movie industries create such a huge impact on the choice of attire and fabric for the season.”

When a new movie is released, the saree worn by the heroine in the movie becomes the rage.

Saree stores will offer same-style sarees in various hues under the movie name. Take for example, the Tamil movie Kanthaswamy that was recently released. Saree stores display and sell the “Kanthaswamy saree” as their latest offering. Ten years ago, the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai saree was such a hit when it was offered here.

Another trend in accessorising sarees, said Susma, is to add a stick-on tattoo. “These tattoos come in glittering colours and they’re best positioned on the upper arm when you are wearing a sleeveless saree blouse, or on your back if it’s a low-back blouse,” she said.

To check out some of the latest salwar kameez designs, visit www.sonali.com.my

From left: Cap sleeves are back in style to capture the 1960s look. Churidars are best paired with open-toe high heels.; Extra long sleeves that need to be scrunged up is the latest trend in salwar kameez wear.; Tight-fitting top and churidar pants are in vogue now.; – Picture by Rosela Ismail

‘Section 23 or temple stays’

source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/6scow/Article/index_html

2009/09/08

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sri Maha Mariamman temple committee says it wants to either relocate to Section 23 in Shah Alam or to remain at the current site.

If the 150-year-old temple were to remain where it is, the committee wants the compound to be restored to its original size and also provided better protection.

Committee chairman R. Selvakumaran said six months ago, Majlis Pemuafakatan Ummah (Pewaris) took up nearly half of the compound, forcing worshippers to park their cars elsewhere.

Selvakumaran claimed at a news conference organised by the Coalition of Malaysian Indian Non-Governmental Organisations yesterday that Pewaris slaughtered cows and played loud music while prayers were being held at the temple.

Coalition chairman Datuk A. Vaithilingam said a special prayer would be held at the temple at 6pm on Friday.

“We are looking for divine intervention.”

Vaithilingam added that while legal action would be a last resort, the coalition planned to set up a legal caucus to provide advice when similar issues crop up in the future.

The temple was to be relocated to Section 23 but Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim put the plan on hold last week after a protest at the gates of the State Secretariat building in Shah Alam, at which a cow’s head was paraded, and after a contentious town hall meeting with the residents.

Residents claimed they were not consulted by the state government when it decided to relocate the temple to their neighbourhood.

Protesters face sedition charge

source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20090908073349/Article/index_html

Regina Lee           2009/09/08

PUTRAJAYA: The protesters who took part in the infamous cow’s head demonstration
are expected to be charged today for wounding religious feelings of the people and with taking part in an illegal assembly.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said those who carried the cow’s head, and later addressed the illegal gathering while stepping on the head, had been identified.
“I have decided to charge them under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and alternatively Section 298 of the Penal Code,” Gani said in a statement yesterday.
Section 298 of the Penal Code is to utter words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person.
Those convicted under this section face a jail sentence of not more than a
year, a fine, or both.

“They, as well as the other demonstrators, will also be charged under the
Police Act for illegal assembly,” Gani said.
The statement, however, did not say how many people would be charged.
Some 50 residents in Section 23, Shah Alam, had protested against the
relocation of a 150-year-old Hindu temple from Section 19 to their neighbourhood.
The protest took place outside the State Secretariat building on Aug 28 after
Friday prayers.
The incident sparked a nationwide outrage as the protesters were seen stepping and spitting on a cow ’s head.
Cows are considered sacred by Hindus.
The Section 23 residents met Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and seemed to have convinced him that their protest was justified.
The home minister, however, took a stronger stand the following day and
called for the protesters to be charged.
The Section 23 residents, some of whom were present at the protest, were also involved in a shouting match at a dialogue session on Saturday, which was called for by Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

 

 

 

Cow-head protestors to face charges in court

source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20090907211551/Article

2009/09/07

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Mon: Demonstrators and those who carried and spoke while stepping on a cow’s head in front of Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam on August 28 will be charged.

Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said that he was satisfied with the facts and evidence gathered by police that the demostrators should be taken to court.

The police had submitted the investigation paper in respect of the protest by residents of Section 23 Shah Alam to him this afternoon, he said in a statement today.

Abdul Gani said those who carried and spoke while stepping on the cow head will be charged under Section 4 (1) of the Sedition Act alternatively under Section 298 of the Penal Code.

They, as well as the other demonstrators, would also be facing another charge under section 27 (5) of the Police Act for illegal assembly, he said in a statement issued today.

On August 28, residents of Section 23, Shah Alam held a protest against the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple to that area. — BERNAMA