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Intrusion: Security forces had only seconds to respond to terrorists after march 1 encounter BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Court - New 2 Sarawak

Intrusion: Security forces had only seconds to respond to terrorists after march 1 encounter

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:53 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysian security forces literally had only seconds to respond to a group of Sulu terrorists, upon stumbling on them in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu when a shootout broke out on March 1.

Superintendent Mancha Laga of the General Operations Force's (GOF) VAT69 Commando told the High Court, which convened at the Sabah Prisons Department here, that about 10am that day, his team encountered a group comprising between 35 and 40 people, wearing camouflage uniform and shouting at them in Bahasa Malaysia, "Tiger! Berambus kau dari sini. Ini bumi kami!" ("Tiger! Get out of here. This is our land!") and then, started shooting at his men.

When asked by Deputy Public Prosecutor Abdul Wahab Mohamed how long it took between the time the intruders shouted at them and when the shooting broke out, he said: "About three to four seconds."

"After they started shooting continuously, my team and I took cover and we started firing back at them. It (skirmish) lasted for about an hour.

"During the exchange of fire, one of my men, Corporal Sabaruddin Daud, was killed due to severe injuries to his head after being shot by the intruders," he said.

Mancha was the prosecution's third witness in the trial of 30 people charged with various offences related to terrorism activities in Sabah last year.

He said he had informed his tactical commander, Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun, of the skirmish and the casualty, via walkie-talkie.

He also heard that another team had experienced a casualty, namely Inspector Zulkifli Mamat, via his walkie-talkie.

After the shootout ended, Mancha and his team went to inspect the location of the attack and found the bodies of 12 of the terrorists they had shot dead, and several firearms.

Asked by Abdul Wahab if he knew what the word, 'tiger', used by the intruders meant, Mancha said it referred to him and his team members.

Earlier, an auxilliary policeman at Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu told the court he had seen a group of men in camouflage uniform at Kampung Tanduo after a fishing expedition on the morning of Feb 12.

Mohd Ali Asmadi, 40, said he estimated there were more than 100 men in the village.

"I was sure they were not members of the Malaysian Army because I had never seen a Malaysian soldier wearing that kind of uniform," he said.

Mohd Ali said he and his fishing mate, Saharizan Shardik were at the river mouth of the village and were 15-20 metres from the village surau where some of the men had converged.

He said he also saw some of the men walking on the shoreline, while others were standing on the dirt road of the village.

According to Mohd Ali, he and his friend went to fish in the sea off Kampung Tanduo, since the previous evening until the following morning.

About 2am on Feb 12, he heard a loud engine sound and noticed the silhouette of a large vessel sail pass his boat from the open sea to the shoreline of Kampung Tanduo.

"After a while, the sound of the engine ceased. But 15 minutes later, we heard the engine sound again and from the sound, it seemed the boat was heading back to the open sea.

"This time, it was some distance from our boat," he explained.

Mohd Ali said he and his friend took some time to leave the village as they wanted to make sure they would not be caught by the intruders.

That afternoon, Mohd Ali lodged a report on the intrusion at the Cenderawasih police station in Felda Sahabat.

Twenty-two of the 30 individuals jointly being tried, including two Malaysian men, are charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment, and being members of a terrorist group, punishable with life imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.

Of the 22, one faces two additional charges of recruiting members of a terrorist group and harbouring persons knowing that they were members of a terrorist group.

Of the remaining eight, five are accused of being members of a terrorist group; one of them, the sole woman of the 30 and a Malaysian citizen, is charged with harbouring persons knowing they were members of a terrorist group, while two are charged with attempting to harbour persons knowing they were members of a terrorist group.

The rest are Philippine nationals. They are all accused of committing the respective offences between Feb 12 and April 10, last year.

The hearing, before Justice Stephen Chung, continues today. — Bernama

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‘Police report made to withdraw earlier rape police report’

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:52 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The corruption trial of local restaurant manager, Riduan Masmud, was told here yesterday that his alleged rape victim had lodged a police report on April 18, 2013 to withdraw the rape police report made against him.

Corporal Rosalia Filimon, 38, who received the report, testified before the Sessions Court that the 12 years and 7 month old victim had at that time been accompanied by a man claiming to be her father.

Judge Ishak Bakri was told that the victim had wanted to retract the rape police report lodged by the victim's aunt out of goodwill and without influence from third parties.

In addition to his ongoing rape case, the accused faces three other charges for bribery under Section 16 (b) (A) of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission 2009 (694 Act). The charge provides for maximum jail of 20 years and a fine of up to five times the bribery amount or RM10,000 depending on which amount is higher, upon conviction.

On the first count, the accused was alleged to have corruptly offered the rape victim's father RM5,000 as an inducement for the victim to withdraw her police report that she was allegedly raped by the accused.

The alleged offence was reportedly committed outside a security hut of an education institute along Jalan Tuaran By Pass at about 9 pm on April 18.

On the second and the third charges, Riduan was accused of giving the same man RM2,000 and RM3,000, respectively, for the same purpose outside a security hut of an education institute at Jalan Tuaran By Pass at about 9 pm and at a canteen at Jalan Tuaran Lama between 11 pm and 12 midnight, respectively, on the same day.

Under questioning from DPP Joyce Blasius, the witness said that in the police report, the victim had stated that her parents and the accused had already settled the problem. The court was also told that the victim did not wish to continue with the rape charges against Riduan.

"From what I remember, they came and the man who claimed to be her father told me – 'my daughter wants to file a report to retract the other report that was made by her aunt regarding her rape", Rosalia said.

After she received the victim's statement, Rosalia contacted the rape case investigating officer, Inspector Syliva Dalog for further instruction on the issue.

Earlier, first witness, Mohd Faliq Basiruddin, arresting officer in the corruption case, testified that the arrest against the accused was made because of the bribe allegations.

The prosecution was assisted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecuting officer Michael Joimin, while Riduan stood unrepresented.

The trial continues on February 7, this year.

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Shopping mall robbery victim lodged report — Police

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:51 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The police confirmed that a young lady had reported that she was robbed and injured at Suria Sabah shopping mall here on Monday, said Api Api assemblywoman Christina Liew yesterday.

Liew said she met city police chief Jauteh Dikun yesterday afternoon to get a clearer picture of the incident.

"The incident happened on Monday. The young lady was attacked by an unknown person while on her way to the basement toilet. Her left wrist was cut, but not her thigh. She went to a private clinic later to receive treatment on her wrist. She eventually reported to the police on Tuesday evening. Police are now investigating the case under Section 324 for causing injuries," Jauteh told Liew.

Controversy and confusion arose over the alleged attempted robbery in Suria Sabah on the young woman who was attacked by an unknown person while she was going to the basement toilet on Monday night.

The 7pm incident was widely reported in the WhatsApp, Facebook and other Internet websites with two pictures showing a deep cut on the thigh and another a stitched wrist of the victim.

It is also claimed in the caption that the attempted robbery involved an alleged illegal immigrant who is said to have attacked the alleged victim from behind and tried to snatch her handbag.

The alleged victim resisted and sustained cuts on her wrist and above the knee. Then a couple is said to have emerged from the washroom which scared off the robber, who fled without any valuables.

"This incident had raised great concerns to the public. The reports from various parties are different. The report posted in the WhatsApp and Facebook showed the woman sustained cuts on both her wrist and thighs. While the city police chief Jauteh Dikun said the victim suffered cut on her left wrist only, the management of Suria shopping mall said its CCTV does not show any any footage of an injured or bleeding lady exiting the mall during the alleged incident," said Liew.

The management of Suria Sabah said on Tuesday that it was leaving it to the police to verify the claims by the young woman who was allegedly
attacked in an attempted robbery.

General manager Tan Ting Wai said the management had lodged a police report to verify the incident, but had yet to receive any report from the alleged victim.

Tan said the management had carried out an internal investigation into the incident.

"We have reviewed our surveillance cameras but found no such incident taking place.

"We also conducted physical investigation whereby we searched for evidence that might show any incident taking place at the area, like bloodstains, but found nothing.

"Looking at the photo of the woman's slash wounds uploaded on social media, the cuts were really deep and there must have been blood dripping somewhere, but there was none here," said Tan.

He suspected the alleged incident to be unsubstantiated and decided to wait for the police report to clarify the matter.

"Reports of the alleged incident have spread like wildfire and we're being put under the spotlight.

"Whatever it is, we're waiting for the police report and hope that someone will be held responsible for the matter," said Tan.

In view of the crimes committed within shopping malls, Liew advised the public to avoid going to potentially quiet places alone.

"Go in groups if possible. The managements of all the shopping malls are urged to post more security guards in car parks and basements, and to install more CCTV in every corner of the car parks. The public must feel safe when they go shopping, especially if they bring their families to
the shopping malls," she added.

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Rubber tapper gets 15 years’ jail, 12 lashes for raping stepdaughter

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:49 AM PST

KOTA BAHARU: A rubber tapper paid a heavy price for raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter.

He was sentenced to 15 years' jail and 12 lashes by the Sessions Court here, yesterday.

The accused, aged 38, was handed the punishment after he pleaded guilty when the charge was read out to him before Judge Mohd Yusoff Yunus.

He committed the offence in a room at an unumbered house in Mengkebang Land Scheme, Kuala Krai, in November 2013.

He was charged under Section 376 (3) of the Penal Code which is punishable upon conviction by imprisonment of up to 30 years and not less than 10 strokes of the rotan.

In mitigation, Mohd Napi, who was unrepresented, asked the court to reduce the sentence on the grounds that he was only a rubber tapper.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Asmah Azhari, however, requested that the accused be severely punished as he should have been responsible for the wellbeing of his stepdaughter and not take advantage of her.

Meanwhile, in Kajang, a 67-year-old grandfather pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court yesterday to a charge of raping his step-granddaughter last week.

He is alleged to have committed the offence against the 15-year-old victim at a place in Sungai Chua at 8.30am, on Jan 3. — Bernama

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Mechanic gets four years and caning for gang robbery

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:49 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here meted out four years' jail and one stroke of the cane to a mechanic after he changed his plea to guilty for gang robbery on an information technology consultant last April.

Judge Ahmad Bache ordered Wong Yik Mun's sentence to run from yesterday.

Wong, 31, and two contractors, Khong Kheng Siong, 35, and Lee Kok Keong, 38, had earlier claimed trial to robbing Ng King Kau, 63, of two watches, jewellery and RM1,500 cash, totaling RM30,000.

They were charged with committing the offence at a house in Persiaran Damansara Endah, Damansara Heights here at 11.30 am on April 8, 2013.

Meanwhile, the court set Jan 27 for mention of Khong and Lee's case.

Deputy public prosecutor Nabilah Ahmad Poad appeared for the prosecution while counsel Goh Kim Lian represented Wong. — Bernama

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April 14 hearing of Nurul Izzah’s defamation suit agaianst paper

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:29 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday set April 14 to hear the defamation suit filed by Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar against Utusan Malaysia editor-in-chief Datuk Aziz Ishak and Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad over the alleged twisting of her statement on freedom of religion.

Judge Datuk Hue Siew Kheng set the date in chambers in the presence of Nurul Izzah's counsel Azhana Mohd Khairudin and Raihanah Ariffin who appeared for Utusan.

Azhana, when approached by reporters, said the court set the dates April 14, 15 and 18 for the hearing.

Azhana said the case was to have been heard over three days from Jan 22 but had to be postponed because counsel Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, who represented Utusan, had an election petition case to attend.

Nurul Izzah had filed the suit on Nov 23, 2012, alleging that Aziz and Utusan had twisted her statement on religious freedom of the Malays at the forum.

In her statement of claim, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president claimed that four articles published by the newspaper on Nov 6 and 7, 2012, contained words defamatory to her.

Nurul Izzah is seeking a court order to have the two defendants make an apology and withdraw the alleged defamation against her, to be made within 24 hours from the date of the court order.

She is also seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages and costs deemed fit by the court. — Bernama

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