Thesun 2009-05-20 Page06 Two Used Malaysia For People-smuggling

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‘Two used Malaysia for people-smuggling’ MELBOURNE: A man and his son have been arrested over an alleged people-smuggling ring operating in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. Australian federal police claim to have smashed an international people-smuggling ring after arresting the duo for allegedly trying to smuggle 68 Afghanis into Australia, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported. AAP said investigators swooped on a property at Shepparton, about 250km from here, yesterday and arrested a 64-year-old man and his 21-year-old son following the detention of the Afghanis in West Java last month. Australian federal police allege the men operated as facilitators in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia and were also responsible for smoothing the transfer of funds to support the smuggling of the Afghanis. “We’ll allege that they actually organised the transition of the

briefs Makkal Sakti Party to stay neutral PETALING JAYA: Newly-registered Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party (MMSP) will remain a neutral political party which strives to meet the aspirations of the Indian community, its pro tem president, R.S. Thanentiran, said yesterday. The former Hindraf national coordinator said the party has many objectives, such as care for justice, economic wellbeing, politics, democracy, social and educational rights, promoting sports and culture and uplifting moral ethics as well as ensuring that the rights of every citizen are safeguarded.

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people into Indonesia and were in the process of organising for these people to be transited to Australia by boat,” AAP quoted Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Tony Negus as saying. “Certainly, there were a lot of money movements and other travel by these people and that will be part of the allegations we will put before the court.” The 21-year-old has since been charged with organising or facilitating the transfer to Australia of five or more unlawful non-citizens as well as dealing in the proceeds of crime involving money or property worth A$50,000 (RM136,730) or more. He was remanded in custody to appear before Shepparton magistrates’ court today. The older man was charged last night and would also appear in court today. If convicted, both men face a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail. – Bernama

“The party will be able to function as a legal platform to continue the struggle and we are more determined than ever that non-violence is the way to walk forward with dignity, pride and justice,” he told a press conference here. Thanenthiran said the party has 5,000 registered members and expects to enrol some 300,000 members by June next year. – Bernama

NS Training Department withdraws letters KOTA BARU: The National Service Training Department has retracted offer letters sent to 10,800 would-be trainees in Johor, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan, citing a technical error. Its director-general, Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechik, said yesterday new letters would be posted soon.

| WEDNESDAY MAY 20 2009

Duo get total of 79 years in jail and 39 strokes of rotan TAWAU: The sessions court here yesterday handed down a jail sentence totalling 79 years and 39 strokes of the rotan on two men after finding them guilty of five criminal charges, including rape. Ghazali Talip, 39, was sentenced to a total of 42 years in jail and 21 strokes of the rotan, while Raymond Abd Gafar, 44, received a total of 37 years in jail and 18 strokes of the rotan. Ghazali and Raymond were each sentenced to 20 years jail and given 10 strokes of the rotan for raping a teenaged girl in a van in a cocoa plantation on Jalan Sin On Tiku at about 7.30pm on April 26 last year. They were also sentenced to 10 years jail and five strokes of the rotan each for committing unnatural sex with the girl at the same place, date and time. Ghazali was also found guilty of robbing the girl at the same place, date and time, and was sentenced

to five years jail and three strokes of the rotan. Ghazali and Raymond were also ordered to serve four years in jail and given three strokes of the rotan each for armed robbery at the same place, date and time. Judge Egusra Ali also sentenced them to three years jail each for kidnapping the girl at the same place, date and time. Egusra ordered all the sentences to run consecutively. In her judgment, Egusra said Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Hanafi Basri, who prosecuted, had succeeded in proving the case beyond any reasonable doubt. According to the facts of the case, the girl was on her way to a church on Batu 3, Jalan Apas when a van, with Ghazali and Raymond inside, stopped and invited her in. However, they did not take her to the church but to a cocoa plantation on Jalan Sin On Tiku where they raped her. – Bernama

More facilities for disabled at Komuter stations He said there were errors pertaining to the names and addresses of the trainees for the training session scheduled to begin on June 16. – Bernama

73 from school treated after inhaling gas SHAH ALAM: Seventy pupils and three teachers of SJK (T) Ladang Emerald in Bukit Kemuning here were taken to hospital yesterday after they inhaled a leaking gas. The gas, identified as ethyl mercaptan, had leaked during maintenance work on a gas pipe at a petrol station about 500m from the school, Selangor Fire and Rescue director Soiman Jahid said. The 73 were treated at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang and the Community Polyclinic in Section 7 here and all were sent home. – Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: More Komuter stations in the Klang Valley will be equipped with facilities for the disabled by the middle of next year. Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) managing director Datuk Abdul Radzak Abdul Malek said yesterday the government had allocated RM10 million under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to install these facilities at five KTM stations – in Rawang, Sungai Buloh, Bandar Tasik Selatan, Serdang and Shah Alam. “This fund would be used to build two lifts, ramps at the station entrance and at platforms, creating a passage incorporating tactile indicators, toilets for the disabled, and special parking bays at each station,” he said at a media briefing at the KTMB headquarters. Abdul Razak said seven stations

were already equipped with basic facilities for the disabled. They are the Sentral Kuala Lumpur, Mid Valley, Kepong Sentral, Bank Negara, Subang Jaya, Seremban and Kajang stations. Besides facilities at the station, the disabled were provided special seats and space in trains. “We will also make it a requirement for frontliners to learn how to handle emergencies and the disabled in stations and trains,” Abdul Razak said. KTMB also planned to hold a Disabled-Friendly Day to foster closer ties and ensure the group enjoyed public transportation. After the briefing session, members of the media and the disabled were shown disabled-friendly facilities at the Subang Jaya Komuter station. – Bernama