4 theSun | FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7 2008

news without borders

Former sec-gen acquitted

KUALA LUMPUR: The High
Court here yesterday allowed the
appeal by Rural Development
Ministry secretary-general Datuk
Dr Abdul Aziz Muhamad and set
aside his conviction and five-year
jail sentence for cheating and
abetment in criminal breach of
trust.
Justice Datuk Mohamad
Zabidin Mohd Diah, in acquitting
him, said there was no evidence
that he had pressured the general
manager of the Terengganu
Tengah Development Authority
(Ketengah), Datuk Alwi Said, to
release funds without approval.
Abdul Aziz was jailed five
years by a sessions court here
in 2005 for abetting Alwi in
committing criminal breach of
trust of RM2 million belonging
to Ketengah in Kompleks
Kewangan on Jalan Raja Chulan
between April 27 and July 31,
1999.
He received another five years’
jail for cheating the then second
finance minister Datuk Mustapha
Mohamed via the ministry
officers relating to a Ketengah
investment involving RM9
million at the Finance Ministry on
Jalan Duta between June 24 and
Aug 9, 1999.
The sentences were to run
concurrently and Mohamad
Zabidin said that on the first
charge, even though there
was strong suspicion that Alwi
committed criminal breach of
trust on the instigation of Abdul
Aziz, suspicion, no matter how
strong, could not take the place of
evidence.
On the second charge, he said
the whole process relating to the
approval of the project was done
in a transparent manner with
full awareness of the Ketengah
board.
“Therefore, it was wrong to
say that the finance minister was
induced to approve the project
because these facts were not in
the letter sent to the ministry,” he
said.
Abdul Aziz told reporters later
that he thanked God that the truth
had prevailed.
Deputy public prosecutor
Dzulkifli Ahmad said he would
refer to the Attorney-General’s
Office before deciding on the
Abdul Aziz (right)
appeal.
shakes hands
Aziz was represented by Tan
with his lawyer
Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman
Abdul Aziz while
and Saseedharan Menon.
Menon looks on.
– Bernama

Bogus prince fled to M’sia

after A$7m fraud, court told
MELBOURNE: Posing as a rich
Arabian prince, a man milked inves-
tors of more than A$7 million (RM17
million) before fleeing to Malaysia to
escape the heat, a court here was
told yesterday.
“Prince” Omar Jihad Yusuf claimed
he owned three banks, a A$40 mil-
lion (RM96 million) home and three
islands in Australia, the Victorian
Supreme Court here heard.
The Australian Associated Press
reported that the court was told
Omar posted on his website pho-
tographs of himself in helicopters,
jets and yachts which he claimed
were his own.
“Prince” Omar even had an
Australia Post stamp bearing his
supposed royal picture.
The father of five has pleaded
guilty to 126 counts of obtaining
property or financial advantage by
deception.
The court heard the deception
began after he decided to get the
public to invest in his company, On
The Go Transport, to raise funds to
buy trucks.
Prosecutor Peter Rose said Omar
registered the company in 2001 and
hired staff to help lure investors.
The court will hear the case
when a date is fixed. – Bernama

Fill form if you want to

continue 11% EPF contribution
PETALING JAYA: Those who do
not wish to reduce their monthly
contributions to the Employees
Provident Fund (EPF) from Jan 1
have to inform the fund by filling
up Form KWSP 17A (AHL).
In a statement issued via
Bernama yesterday, the EPF said
members could also download
the form from myEPF at www.
kwsp.gov.my from Dec 1.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who is also
finance minister, announced the
contribution cut for EPF members
from 11% to 8% for two years in his
ministry’s winding up speech in the
Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.