Thesun 2009-02-18 Page06 Azilah And Sirul To Know Their Fate On April 9

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theSun

| WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 18 2009

news without borders

by Tan Yi Liang [email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: A witness in the corruption trial of Tourism Promotion Board director-general Mirza Mohd Taiyab Beg Mirza Hadi Hassan Beg testified yesterday that a cheque was transferred from advertising company Perunding Pakar Media Sdn Bhd to Clinical Practice Prosthodontics Sdn Bhd. “There was a cheque which was deposited in another location, so it shows as a cheque debit,” said Maybank Bukit Damansara deputy branch manager L. Danalatchumi. Danalatchumi, shown a copy of the bank statements of Perunding Pakar Media by Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad, confirmed that the cheque came from Perunding Pakar Media. Mirza Mohd Taiyab is alleged to have received a bribe in the form of dental treatment worth RM13,869 between Jan 17 and July 26, 2005, from Perunding Pakar Media director

Zulhisyam Ayob when he was the board’s deputy-director I. “A cheque was withdrawn on June 20, 2005 from Perunding Pakar Media. It was paid to Clinical Practice Prostodonthics,” said Danaletchumi, who added that the account showed five registered directors of Perunding Pakar Media, including a Mirza Mohd Tariq Beg. Danalatchumi, who was also shown a signature specimen card by Saiful, said there were three signatories allowed, which included a Mirza Mohd Tariq Beg. Mohd Azmi Mohd Sidin, a customer service manager at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail branch of CIMB Bank, testified that a cheque for over RM13,000 was deposited on June 11, 2005 into the account of Clinical Practice Prosthodontics. The hearing was adjourned to March 16. In yesterday’s report, it was erroneously stated that the tourism minister at the time was Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. It was actually Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. The error is regretted.

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Manoharan remains under ISA detention PUTRAJAYA: Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan remains under Internal Security Act (ISA) detention after the Federal Court dismissed his appeal yesterday. Federal Court judges Datuk Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman, Datuk Augustine Paul and Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin said he had failed to convince them that his detention was illegal. They made the ruling after unanimously dismissing his appeal against

the High Court’s decision in refusing to grant him a writ of habeas corpus last year for his release. It was the second time that Manoharan, 49, has failed in his bid to get out of the ISA detention centre in Kamunting. He was detained on Dec 13, 2007, for alleged involvement in organising a street protest in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 of the same year, and for making inflammatory remarks against the government.

Azilah and Sirul to know their fate on April 9 by S. Tamarai Chelvi [email protected]

SHAH ALAM: Chief Insp Azilah Hadri and Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, who are charged with murdering Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibu, will know their fate on April 9. High Court judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin fixed the date to deliver the decision yesterday after hearing submissions from the both the prosecution and defence teams. The defence made their submission on Monday. In his reply yesterday, DPP Manoj Kurup submitted that Azilah and Sirul Azhar had failed to cast a reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case. Manoj said the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the two accused, warranting a conviction on the murder charge, in pursuance to a common intention. “The several strands of circumstantial evidence that the prosecution has painstakingly proved have remained unrebutted, unexplained and unanswered by both accused in this case,” he said. “The combined strength of those strands of evidence, when twisted together, has formed two ropes, strong enough to hang each accused person.” Manoj said there were two sets of defence, one by each of the accused “Thus, not only the two sets of defence did not raise any reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case with respect to the guilt of each accused, it is clear that each accused is trying to blame the other for the murder,” he said. “What is proven beyond peradventure is that both accused took the victim away that fateful night of Oct 19. Now they turn against each other. The fact remains: the victim was never seen alive after that.” Manoj said the two accused made

Altantuya

ACCUSED

Victim Altantuya Shaariibuu, 28

bare denials. “Azilah did not dare to call his so-called alibi witnesses and Sirul did not dare to testify under oath,” he said. He said Azilah submitted a defence of alibi before the trial. “His evidence, for want of a better word, was bare denial at its sublime best,” he said. Manoj said Azilah claimed he was not the last person to be with Altantuya on the night of Oct 19. “In fact, Azilah claimed it was Sirul who was with Altantuya leaving Bukit Aman on the fateful night,” he said. Manoj also submitted that the call logs (telephone communications) showed the movement of Azilah on the night of the incident. He said it showed a logical progression towards the crime scene and back, as was the prosecution’s case all along, and nothing said by Azilah in his defence had cast any doubt on that position. “What we have is nothing but bare denials of the movements by Azilah from Bukit Aman onwards on the night of Oct 19,” he said. He said the call logs negated not just any probable, but any possible, alibi of Azilah. “Where is the alibi defence of Azilah?” Manoj asked. He said that by failing to call alibi witnesses, Azilah had lost the chance of casting a reasonable doubt on the

• Chief Insp Azilah • Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, 37 Hadri, 32

prosecution’s case. Manoj submitted that Azilah’s testimony under oath was “littered with inconsistencies, discrepancies and improbabilities that only one inference is possible from it, that is Azilah is spinning a yarn”. He submitted that the finding of Altantunya’s jewellery and watch, the presence of her DNA on the inside of Sirul’s jacket and the finding of bloodstains on a slipper, taken together, “completely demolishes Sirul’s statement that he had nothing to do with the murder of the deceased”. He said Sirul had no rational explanation as to how he knew the jewellery and the watch were in his jacket, hanging in the wardrobe of his house. “He had no rational explanation as to how these items got there in the first place. All he had was the convenient ‘police frame-up’ excuse,” Manoj said. “It is respectfully submitted that not only was there not an iota of evidence suggesting a frame-up, there was also absolutely no reason shown (as to) why the police would want to do something so despicable to one of their own kind.” He said the defence of the two accused persons “begs questions but answers none”.

Proton’s new ‘bloom’ is the Exora by Loo Sim Ee [email protected]

PETALING JAYA: Proton Holdings Berhad has unveiled its first model for the year – a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) named Exora. The total investment for the MPV is RM450 million. It has been in development for the past 17 months and will finally be released as the country’s first home-grown MPV in April. “Even though this is a new market

KAMARIDUAL MOHD NOR/THESUN

Cheque transferred to dental clinic’s account, court told

segment for Proton, we believe the MPV will fit into our aspiration to build the ‘right car for the right market at the right price’ for all Malaysians,” Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said yesterday at the “unveiling” of the vehicle with Proton chairman Datuk Mohamad Nadzmi Mohamad Salleh. The seven-seater, which promises space, comfort and safety, is equipped with a Campro CPS 1.6 engine and dual airbags “to give the best standards that

Nadzmi (left) and Syed Zainal present a mock key to an Exora to Nor Sholihan.

can be found in the MPV”. Exora is a name derived from the Ixora flower that blooms in groups. Syed Zainal said it symbolises “family togetherness”, which is Proton’s target market in Malaysia. “We are aiming at the families. We are seeing a trend in Malaysian families, most of them are big families, and the MPV may just be right for them,” he said. Proton also announced the winners of the Proton “MPV Naming” contest held last September. Thirty-nine of the 251,000 entries submitted the name Exora and the winners were picked based on the best slogans. The grand prize winner, Nor Sholihan Abdul Eanich, 29, a teacher from Changlun, Kedah, won the new MPV, and runners-up Rashidi Tokiman, of Kluang, Johor, and Ros Hamdi Ismail, of Cheras, each won a trip for two worth RM15,000 to the United Kingdom. Nor Sholihan, who said she thought of the name Exora because it sounded unique and modern, plans to use the car for “long trips with the family”. The MPV will be open for booking at all Proton Edar and EON Sales offices nationwide from Feb 21. It is expected to cost below RM80,000 and will come in five colours. The final price will be announced during the launch in April.