The nation’s FREE newspaper
30 sen for delivery to your doorstep
INTERVIEWS VIEWS
A matter pg15
of respect
by Charles Ramendran
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: The search and
rescue operation at the landslide site
in Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Kelang,
was called off yesterday after rescuers
found no trace of a maid who is said to
Wide powers for MACC
by Giam Say Khoon and Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
UALA LUMPUR: Prime
K
Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi yesterday
tabled the much-anticipated
Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) and the
Judicial Appointments Commission
(JAC) Bills for first reading in the
Dewan Rakyat, in a race to fulfil an
agenda that he had set for himself
before leaving office in March.
He told the House the Bills’
second and third readings will be
done during this meeting which
will be adjourned on Dec 18. The
short time to get them approved
has got some MPs grumbling as
they need to quickly get feedback
from stakeholders for the debate
before the vote. On how long it
will take for the Bills’ passage, he
said it will depend on the Speaker
to allocate time for the second and
third readings.
“If they (the MPs) are really
focused, just speak what is
necessary … I think we can get the
Bills passed by the end of the year.”
On rumours that some Barisan
Nasional MPs are not supportive
of the Bills, Abdullah said: “There
is no such thing and I have not
heard about my MPs not (being)
supportive (of the Bills).”
Highlights of the MACC Bill:
» The MACC will be headed
by a Chief Commissioner (CC),
who will be appointed by the
MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS (MALAYSIA)
» JI duo among six ISA detainees freed pg2
Search and rescue ops at landslide site called off
be buried in the rubble.
Rescuers had dug into all the main
areas of the house, where veterinarian
Dr N. Yogeswari was killed saving her
children in Saturday’s disaster and also
extended the search some 5m around it
but failed to find Lourdes Mary.
Selangor police chief DCP Datuk
Khalid Abu Bakar said the search for the
Sri Lankan maid ceased at 2pm.
King on the advice of the prime
minister. He will have the powers
of a Deputy Public Prosecutor
“as authorised by the Public
Prosecutor”.
» The CC is effectively answerable
to Parliament, as he has to table
an annual report on the MACC’s
activities to an oversight Special
Committee on Corruption, which
is made up of seven members
appointed by the King
Climax of haj ...
Hundreds of thousands of
Muslim pilgrims on their way
for the stoning the devil ritual at
the great Jamarat al-aqaba, on
the final stoning day, in a narrow
valley outside Mecca yesterday.
The faithful from around the
world are making the trip to
Saudi Arabia in the annual haj,
which is one of the five pillars
of Islam. Around three million
Muslims from across the globe
descended on Saudi Arabia over
the weekend to perform the
ancient rituals of the haj.
275,000 COPIES DAILY
TELLING IT AS IT IS
He said the intensified search,
carried out manually by firemen and
SMART personnel since Sunday, was
risky as the ground is “uncertain and
volatile”. Apart from the maid, there had
not been any other reports of missing
persons in the area.
Khalid said the area will be cleaned
up and a small team of firemen will be
alert to signs of human remains during
from both Houses of Parliament,
for a three-year term.
» The MACC will be advised by
an eight-member Anti-Corruption
Advisory Board, which will be
appointed by the King. The CC is
among the eight.
» A Complaints Committee
comprising five members
appointed by the relevant minister
in charge of the MACC will
Award winning newspaper
for public service reporting
and opinion writing.
No. 4657 PP 2644/12/2008 (020369)
Thursday
December 11, 2008
www.sun2surf.com
» Rising from the dead pg25
excavation.
Selangor fire and rescue department
director Soiman Jahid also said his men
dug to the base of Yogeswari’s house,
one of 14 bungalows affected, but could
not find the missing woman.
Khalid said about 25 houses along
Jalan Wangsa 9 which sit on the edge
of the hillslope where the landslide
took place have been declared a
also be set up. It will monitor the
MACC’s handling of complaints
of misconduct which is non
criminal in nature against MACC
officers, and identify weaknesses
in the work procedures and make
recommendations.
» The Bill will greatly expand
the jurisdiction now given
to the ACA. It will allow for
EPAPIX
Entertainment
“highly dangerous” zone by Ikram
and the Public Works Department.
“It is in a bad state and is at risk of
collapsing anytime. The residents have
been evacuated but for now we are
allowing them to remove their valuables
quickly,” he said.
Khalid said the relief centre at the
base of the site will continue operating
indefinitely to entertain enquiries.
investigations against public
bodies, which include federal and
state governments, any local or
statutory authority, any government
department, service or undertaking,
any registered society, any sports
body registered under the Sports
Development Act, trade unions,
co-operative societies, companies
and subsidiary companies.
» MACC senior officers (rank
of Commissioner or above) can
inspect and make copies of the
bank accounts of any individual,
inspect the safe deposit boxes in
banks and to seize any document
or item inspected.
» Empowers a Judge of the
High Court to order a lawyer to
disclose information in respect
of any transaction or dealing
relating to any property which is
liable for seizure.
» Empowers an MACC
officer to require a person
under probe to give a sworn
statement identifying all
properties owned by him. He
can also require any relative or
associate of that person to give
such information as well. The
definition of “relative” is wide,
including lineal ascendant or
descendant of the person, or
his/her spouse and siblings.
» Penalties under the present
Act are maintained. However,
the 14-day mandatory jail
term upon conviction under
the ACA Act is removed.
» See other highlights on Page 4