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Body Of Missing DPP Kevin Morais Found By Malaysian Police In Oil Drum Filled With Concrete

The remains of a Malaysian deputy public prosecutor abducted nearly two weeks ago on his way to work were found on Wednesday (Sept 16) in an oil drum filled with concrete in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

The police made the grisly discovery at around 6am after they detained a military doctor – the main suspect in Mr Kevin Morais’ abduction – who led them to the swamp where the body was found, Bernama news agency reported.

“The oil drum was found in the swamp after divers went in to confirm it,” said Federal Criminal Investigation Division director Mohmad Salleh, according to The Star daily. “A forklift was used to hoist the oil drum out so that work could be carried out to retrieve the body.”

Fire and Rescue Department officers opened the concrete-filled barrel to recover the body, which was wrapped in a gunny sack.

Six other people, including a woman and a child believed to be unrelated to the case, as well as the doctor, were taken in by police on Tuesday.

Mr Morais, 55, deputy chief of the Appellate and Trial Division at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, was reported missing on Sept 4 after he left his Menara Duta apartment in Kuala Lumpur to go to his office in Putrajaya. Police later confirmed he was abducted, based on a video-capture of a road in the city.

“Initially, CCTV footage showed that Morais’ car was trailed by a Mitsubishi Triton that rammed into his government-issued Proton Perdana,” Commissioner Mohmad told the media. “He was abducted after the collision and a suspect drove off with Morais’ car while he was taken away in the Mitsubishi Triton.”

Datuk Seri Mohmad added that the 52-year-old main suspect, head of the pathology and laboratory department who was said to hold the rank of colonel, was involved in a corruption case that was prosecuted by Mr Morais in Shah Alam recently. “We believe the other suspects were contracted by this suspect to kidnap him,” said the commissioner.

Police believe Mr Morais was killed in the Mitsubishi pick-up truck before his body was placed in a gunny sack and sealed with cement inside the oil drum, according to The Rakyat Post.

A Mitsubishi Triton that investigators believe was used to hit the victim, two other vehicles – a Honda Accord and Proton Persona – and RM32,100 (S$10,500) in cash have been seized as evidence.

Police are also investigating a burnt car that had its vehicle chassis and engine numbers filed off. It was found on Sept 6 near an oil plantation in Perak. Police suspect it was driven by Mr Morais on the day he was abducted.

His body was taken to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

Speaking outside the mortuary yesterday, the victim’s brother, Datuk Richard Morais, described him as a “strict man” who lived for his job and the law, The Star reported. “He was a secretive person. He was very professional about his work. He didn’t share (details of his work) with his family members.”

But his brother added that “this is not a normal death… Everybody knows this was case-related”.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

September 17, 2015
Companies Behind Indonesian Forest Fires To Be Blacklisted, Face Criminal Sanctions

Companies found guilty of forest fires in Indonesia would be blacklisted and could face criminal sanctions.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan said President Joko Widodo has agreed with the proposal.

Speaking to reporters at the Istana on Wednesday (Sep 16), Luhut said five to 10 companies will be blacklisted. The companies were on a list compiled by authorities, which includes the names of company directors, commissioners and owners.

Luhut added that their business permits will be revoked, and that the government would punish companies which are found to be guilty of negligence.

“After the blacklist, there will be no more chances for the firms and businessmen and there is no chance for them to ever receive a plantation or forest clearing permit,” said Luhut.

Earlier, Luhut said that he was coordinating with the police and there would be no compromise on the issue.

“As a result of their actions, millions of people have breathing difficulties. I’m putting my reputation on the line to say this will not happen again,” said Luhut as quoted by news portal Detik.com

However, he did not disclose the names of the companies suspected of starting the fires. National police chief Badrodin Haiti is expected to announce the names of the companies soon.

General Badrodin had said that slash-and-burn cases were more difficult to solve than those involving drugs or terrorism.

“In terrorism and drugs, we have access to preliminary information, there are the links and networks (of offenders),” he said. “However, for forest fires, the problem is how we get this preliminary information fast, who started it.”

General Badrodin said hotspots can be detected with satellites, but often, it is not immediately clear whether the fire was started deliberately.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

September 17, 2015
Former SPR: Error To Take Up Singapore Citizenship

Dear New Citizen,

You must be a very big and stupid moron. Why do you want Singapore citizenship? This is a very small island with no natural resources and limited space. Maybe you have been influenced by the good publicity the government has projected. Do you enjoy living like sardines in a tin can?

The cost of living is very high. A simple Japanese car costs S$130,000, the most expensive in the world and you only own it for ten years. It is very stressful living on this tiny island. Why let your children and grandchildren suffer and curse you in future?

Be realistic, ask yourself how long can Singapore sustain its economic achievement? We are at the mercy of big nations like China, USA and Europe. Anytime, we may sink.

If China decides to build the Kra Canal in Thailand or a highway across the Kra region, we are finished. Even if they open the sea route in the Northern Hemisphere around the North Pole, we are finished.

If the US and other European countries decide to move their MNCs back home or to other cheaper countries which are catching up fast, we are also finished.

We cannot compete with India or China or even Indonesia or Philippines in terms of labour for manufacturing. Technologically, we are just poor copycats with no real inventions of our own. The only thing we can boast of right now is building oil rigs but once the Chinese or South Koreans decide to undercut us, we are finished.

And to add to that we have no freedom to express ourselves. We cannot protest in public. Some Singaporeans have been jailed for 32 years without any trial at all for disagreeing with the government, longer than Nelson Mandela in prison.

Actually most of us locals realise our weaknesses and hope to have a chance to migrate to larger countries where the cost of living is lower overall and there is plenty of living space.

I think you have been conned by the PAP Ministers who draw salaries which are higher than President Obama’s and who can easily relocate to larger countries like the US, Britain or Australia when the time comes.

You have indeed made the biggest mistake in your life by becoming a Singapore citizen.

Former Singapore PR

* Submitted by TRE reader.

Source: www.tremeritus.com

September 16, 2015
Toa Payoh Flat Fetches $955,000

A 5-room HDB resale flat in Toa Payoh recently changed hands for $955,000 a figure that is comparable to the high resale flat prices at The Pinnacle@Duxton, reported My Paper.

The sale also stood out as it happened near the Ghost Month, which is usually a quiet period for the property market.

Measuring 124 sqm, the 14-year-old flat is located at Block 154 in Toa Payoh Lorong 2, between the 22nd and 24th storeys, showed HDB data.

In July 2007, a 5-room resale flat on the 28th storey of the same block was sold for $650,000, a new record for resale flat prices within the area at that time.

Eugene Lim, Key Executive Officer at ERA Realty, said the unit enjoys an excellent location.

Situated just across the road from Toa Payoh Town Centre, the flat is near the Toa Payoh MRT station, with an underpass directly linking to it, he said.

Since it is on a high floor, the unit is not blocked by any surrounding flats, offering unobstructed views, noted Lim.

If the owner is facing the right direction, he can even see the MacRitchie Reservoir, he added.

However, he believes the deal is unlikely to become a trend as it is more of an exception than the norm.

Source: https://sg.finance.yahoo.com

September 16, 2015
City Harvest Trial: Church ‘Suffered No Wrongful Loss’

The long-running City Harvest trial closed yesterday, with four of the accused stressing that there was no wrongful loss suffered by City Harvest Church (CHC).

They said they were entitled legally to invest church funds in the music career of the pastor’s wife as it was a church objective.

This was their stand as lawyers on both sides wrapped up their closing submissions on the 140th day of the trial. A verdict will be delivered on Oct 21 by Presiding Judge of the State Courts See Kee Oon.

Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan, acting for 42-year-old deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, said it was “crystal clear” to church auditors and lawyers that money from CHC’s building fund was invested in pop singer Ho Yeow Sun’s music career.

“The money that went out came back to the church, with interest,” he said, adding that evidence showed the church was allowed to invest in Ms Ho’s career.

But whether this investment was an authorised use of the building fund, is a point disputed by the prosecution. Ms Ho is the wife of senior pastor Kong Hee, 51.

Kong, Tan and four others are accused of misappropriating $24 million in CHC’s building funds through sham bond investments in music production firm Xtron and glass maker Firna, and of misusing a further $26 million to cover it up.

The four others are former finance managers Serina Wee, 38, and Sharon Tan, 39, and former investment committee members Chew Eng Han, 55, and John Lam, 47. The bonds were used to bankroll Ms Ho’s music career. CHC wanted to use her music to spread the Gospel through what it called the Crossover Project.

Wee’s lawyer, Senior Counsel Andre Maniam, said it was “very significant” that the prosecution did not dispute that the Crossover Project was in line with church objectives.

“The prosecution says that we are like Robin Hood, trying to justify robbing the rich to give to the poor… Here, it was church funds being used to further church objectives, not taking money from rich to give to poor,” said Mr Maniam.

Chew, representing himself, said the funds were invested in Xtron and Firna – which had legal obligations to return the money. But the recoverability of the bonds was based on projections of Ms Ho’s unreleased US album – for which his fellow co-accused had to rely on Kong . “For the obvious reason that the one that has the most knowledge and the one that’s managing it is Kong Hee himself,” said Chew.

He also hit back at the prosecution, who called his evidence incoherent on Monday.

Chew, who has three decades of experience in finance, said: “Just because the prosecution cannot understand my explanation, doesn’t mean I’ve contradicted myself between my evidence-in-chief and submissions. I think they had better go and take some courses in financial markets before they throw insults at me.”

Meanwhile, Sharon Tan’s lawyer Paul Seah reiterated that his client was “merely a worker taking instructions and carrying them out”.

The lawyers for Kong and Lam responded on Monday.

Rounding up the submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mavis Chionh called into question the defence’s argument that the accused had acted in good faith.

She asked the court to consider their actions over the years – such as when Kong told CHC executive members in 2007 that the building fund was to be invested to preserve its value, while at the same time, he planned to spend $13 million from it on Ms Ho’s music career.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

September 16, 2015