Man claims trial to raping student

Melaka - The man implicated in an alleged rape and robbery of an undergraduate has claimed trial to nine offences, including committing a sexual act against the order of nature on his victim.

Adam Kamal, 26, from Kampung Bukit Pulau, Bukit Baru here, faces another six charges of car-jacking, possession of stolen items and also trespassing in a university hostel in Jalan Tun Ali here.

The accused, who works at his family-owned furniture shop and is married with one child, was in tears when his pleas were recorded before Sessions Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh and later at the magistrate’s court presided by magistrates Ida Rahayu Sharif and Mohd Firdaus Salleh.

DPPs Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin, Nabilah Nizam and Rebecca Mathan appeared for the prosecution while the accused was represented by counsel Fazarudin Sujairi Md Razi.

Based on the statements of fact, Adam allegedly stole a handphone and RM30 between 6am and 7.45am at the hostel on Aug 29. He was also alleged to have raped and forced the victim to perform a sexual act on him during the same period.

Adam was also alleged to have stolen a Perodua Myvi owned by another female undergraduate, a ring, a handphone, an Ipod Touch4S and a laptop at the same date, time and venue. He faces another charge for trespassing in the hostel’s dormitory.

He was charged under various sections of the Penal Code which carries a total of 20 years’ jail, whipping and a fine.

The prosecution requested both the courts not to grant bail in view of the severity of the offences committed. However, both the Ses­sion and magistrates’ courts still imposed bails between RM1,000 and RM20,000 for each of the offences. He was also ordered to report to Bukit Baru police station until the next re-mention date on Oct 18.

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No one must glorify Chin Peng as an independence fighter - @Zahid_Hamidi

The Government will not allow any group to glorify Chin Peng as an independence fighter, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Rather, the communist leader who died yesterday, should forever be regarded as a terrorist leader.

“He may be dead, but his acts of terror against soldiers, policemen and the people during the Emergency will not be forgotten,” he said when contacted in Melbourne.

“Because of him, many soldiers and police died, their wives became widows and children became orphans.”

Umno veteran Tan Sri Sanusi Junid said it was ironic that Chin Peng died on the 50th Malaysia Day.

“His fight against British colonial powers was not about gaining independence, but was more of a fight against capitalism with the hope of creating another form of colonisation,” he said.

Sanusi hoped historians would write the correct version of what actually transpired from the beginning of the insurgency.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein also insisted that Chin Peng’s body should not return.

He said Chin Peng was a traitor who had undermined national sovereignty.

“His death will never be regarded as a loss in view of the treachery and violence committed by him in the past,” Hishammuddin said. “He and the CPM terrorists had committed atrocities, killing thousands of soldiers, security personnel and civilians,” he added.

Hishammuddin said that when he was the Home Minister, he did not grant Chin Peng’s request to return to Malaysia when the latter was gravely ill.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Chin Peng was never granted a Malaysian citizenship under the Independence agreement in 1957.

“He should be buried where he died,” he said when contacted in Bangkok, Thailand.

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NS camp has a week to clean up

The White Resort national service camp in Penang has seven days to improve its conditions or face action.

“We have warned them and they have one week to address all the issues or action will be taken based on the contract (they signed),” NS Training Department acting director-general Rozainor Ramli said yesterday.

He declined to say if the camp would be shut down if it failed to comply though the department had closed such facilities before.

The Star reported yesterday that some of the 200 trainees at the camp in Balik Pulau wanted to pull out due to deplorable conditions including poor hygiene, insufficient food and broken toilet locks.

Trainees at the camp also said that they had to sleep on broken beds with filthy pillows and be subjected to unsanitary conditions.

One trainee claimed to have found maggots in her food.

The litany of complaints also included clogged sinks and toilets.

“I want to assure parents that we will not compromise on the safety and health of trainees,” Rozainor said, adding that he had met with the trainees and listened to their grouses.

The last time that the White Resort facility was inspected was in July.

“Recommendations for improvements were made then,” he said, adding that some amenities were “worn out”.

The trainees at the camp will complete their stint on Oct 31.

Their outcry prompted Pulau Betong assemblyman Farid Saad to give his take: “After seeing the conditions in the camp myself, I understand why the trainees are dissatisfied.”

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Two suspected gang members killed

Malacca - Two men, suspected to be Gang 04 and Gang 36 members, were shot dead during a shootout with police here.

The incident occurred at about 9.20am yesterday when policemen approached a Perodua Myvi with the two men inside. The car was parked at the roadside near a hypermarket in Cheng here.

When the officers were about to question the men, the suspects suddenly opened fire at them.

The officers, who were startled by the shots at first, fired back. The shootout lasted for about 10 minutes before the suspects were killed.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, who rushed here from Bukit Aman, said police recovered two guns and some cannabis from the car.

He added that the suspects were linked to seven murders, an attempted murder and two robberies.

Khalid said one of the suspects, nicknamed “Teratai Boy Johor” had 10 criminal records, while the other had drug-related offences.

“Teratai Boy was involved in criminal cases in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kedah and Penang in the past two years,” he said.

“Following the incident, we raided a house in Ayer Keroh and picked up a couple, aged 34 and 35, who were suspected to have been involved in several of the robberies.

“We also seized a BMW car, fake police badges and some house break-in tools from the house,” he said.

“We are checking whether the two men were contract killers.”

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Four vehicles crash on Karak Highway

A four-vehicle pile up involving two express buses, a trailer and a car held up traffic for two hours on the Karak Highway.

Thirteen people, including a couple in the car, were injured in the accident which occurred at about 4pm at KM31.5 of the highway, heading to Kuala Lumpur.

There were no casualties and the injured were sent to the Selayang and Kuala Lumpur hospitals.

There were 38 passengers in the two buses.

An emergency call was recorded at 3.49pm and the first fire engine arrived at 4.30pm, said Bandar Baru Selayang Fire and Rescue station chief Azrul Khairi Abu Bakar in a statement.

He said rescue personnel brought out the victims from the bus in 15 minutes.

It is believed that the accident was caused by the bus that failed to stop and rammed into the back of another bus.

The second bus, in turn, hit the back of the trailer which it was following.

The car, a Honda City, failed to avoid the middle bus and lost control, ending up on its side on the right lane.

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Sinkhole opens up near site of lightning arrester collapse

Traffic along Macalister Road here slowed down to a snail’s pace after a sinkhole appeared on the road, near the site of the lightning arrester collapse which killed a motorist in June.

The hole, measuring about 0.6m in diameter and 1m deep, is located in the middle of the road in front of the Pakistani Mosque.

Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng said a preliminary probe by the Penang Municipal Council’s engineering department showed that a leaking sewerage pipe about 3m away had caused soil erosion beneath the road, resulting in the cave-in at about 1.15pm yesterday.

He said the section of the road had been cordoned off and an iron plate would be placed over the sinkhole for the time being.

“Indah Water Konsortium has been notified and will carry out repairs tomorrow (today).

“Digging works and repairs are expected to take a few days,” he added.

On Aug 14, a forklift fell into a hole when the road in front of the Pakistani Mosque caved in during work to repair damage caused by the lightning arrester collapse.

The remains of 44-year-old hawker Lim Chin Aik is believed to be buried in the ground when the lightning arrester from atop the 21-storey Menara Umno snapped during a storm and crashed into his car.

Lim was presumed dead when pieces of his car were found in the crater that resulted from the impact.

On June 23, Lim was “laid to rest” in a simple funeral ceremony at the Kek Lok Si Columbarium, where an urn containing mud which his wife, Lee Chai Song, 48, had scooped from the crater, was placed.

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70% of English teachers not fit to teach

About two-thirds of English Language teachers in the country have been classified as “incapable” or “unfit” to teach the subject in schools.

Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said such teachers had been sent for courses to improve their proficiency in the language.

“The ministry will also consider sending them overseas for exchange programmes to take up TESL (Teaching of English as a Second Language) courses,” he said during a dialogue session on the National Education Blueprint 2013-2025 held at the Karangkraf headquarters here yesterday.

Idris, who did not state the number of such teachers, assured that a good portion of them had enrolled in English courses locally.

Recently, it was revealed that about 70% out of the 60,000 English Language teachers, who sat for the English Language Cambridge Placement Test, performed poorly.

On allegations that the Government was sidelining vernacular schools through the blueprint, Idris denied this, saying “all schools were treated equally”.

“We do not sideline any party. In fact, the ministry encourages everyone to learn more languages. Be it Chinese, Tamil, French or Spanish, the government will be proud if a Malaysian can master these languages,” he stressed.

The United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) protested against the blueprint, saying that increasing teaching time for Bahasa Malaysia from 270 minutes to 300 minutes for lower primary and 180 minutes to 270 minutes for upper primary pupils was a move by the Government to eradicate mother tongue education.

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Victim: I help fight crime now

Housewife Sarimah Husin could have chosen to be fearful and hunker down in the safety of her house after being a victim of a robbery.

However, the gutsy 50-year-old mother of five has chosen to fight back by joining as a volunteer in Amanita.

“I was overjoyed when a team from the district police headquarters visited my neighbourhood in Sungai Panjang to create awareness on the concept.

“This gives me a chance to play a role in combating crime,” Sarimah told The Star here yesterday.

The “peace-loving women” initiative, under the National Blue Ocean Strategy, started last October by roping in women and housewives in residential areas to be the eyes and ears of the law enforcers.

Since becoming a volunteer last month, Sarimah said she had learned a lot about safety and crime prevention tips from the police.

“I now know how to react when there are suspicious activities,” she said, adding that she hoped that women would make use of the Amanita hotline to report crimes in their neighbourhood.

Another volunteer, Aisyah Mahi­din, 50, said Amanita offered every housewife a chance to play a role in combating crime.

Aisyah, whose husband is a police officer at the Sabak Bernam headquarters, said she understood his duties better now.

“I know why my husband reacts in such a way when there is some crime activity. It’s very disturbing and hard to sleep at night when you know something not right is happening in our community,” said the mother of eight who joined Amanita last month.

The same sentiment is echoed by 56-year-old Musringah Ismon, whose friend was a victim of snatch theft in their village marketplace in Sungai Besar.

Sabak Bernam Corporate Com­munications chief in the Crime Prevention Department Insp Iek Ren Chong, who acts as the district’s ambassador for Amanita, said more initiatives would be introduced to improve volunteers’ skills.

“There will be talks and a self-defence introduction class on Sept 21 for Amanita members,” she said, adding that the event, to be attended by the Inspector-General of Police, would also see between 2,000 and 3,000 women registering as volunteers.

Currently, she said there were more than 100 Amanita members in the district.

 

TheStar

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Man and family evacuate home just before landslip

A quick decision to evacuate his house during heavy rain saved the life of trader Chong Khen Lung, who brought out his family just in time before a landslip destroyed their house.

Chong earlier realised that the flood levels were rising at his single-storey house at Kampung Tuno, Kolopis in Penampang at about 4.30pm on Sunday.

He asked his wife Karen Santani to get their two daughters, aged seven and three, and his mother-in-law Catherine Tandalau out of the house. Less than half and hour later, tonnes of earth crashed into his house.

Chong called firemen who helped him to retrieve his belongings and move them to a relative’s house nearby.

Meanwhile, rescuers are searching for a 12-year-old boy who went missing after he was believed to have slipped into a monsoon drain along Jalan Penampang on Sunday.

The floods had affected the low-lying areas of the state capital and Penampang following Sunday’s two-hour downpour.

Several low-lying areas such as Donggongon and villages in Penam­pang and Putatan were still flooded yesterday morning before receding in the afternoon.

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#Malaysians in Zamboanga are safe

Malaysians in Zamboanga are safe after reports emerged that heavily-armed rebels launched attacks that have shut down the Philippine coastal city, said Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines Datuk Mohd Zamri Mohd Kassim.

He said so far, no Malaysians have been caught in the fighting between the rebels and Philippine military forces.

“We are in close contact with the Philippine police and military, who are updating us on the situation there.

“We will issue safety alerts for Malaysians as soon as possible,” he said yesterday.

The attack led to a standoff between the Moro rebels and the Philippine military, with shops, hotels and businesses closed.

Footage on Philippine media show armoured personnel carriers speeding around empty streets at dawn, while road blocks were set up everywhere.

AFP reported that a group of 100 heavily-armed rebels opposed to the southern Phi­lippines peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) launched the attacks at dawn yesterday.

The peace talks are being brokered by Malaysia.

The rebels entered Zamboanga by boat, triggering clashes that left at least one soldier dead and six wounded.

Fighting later spread to the city, with the rebels taking 20 civilian hostages to thwart government forces.

The rebels are reportedly followers of Nur Misuari, who is one of the leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which is an MILF rival group.

Misuari’s faction of the fractured MNLF, which he founded in the early 1970s, had last month declared that he was breaking away because he believed his group was being sidelined from the peace talks.

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Danger in air fresheners

The air freshener we put in our cars or at home may smell sweet but they could be doing us more harm than we realise.

Six commonly used household air freshener products found at supermarkets and shops nationwide were tested by a consumer group for four dangerous chemicals – toluene, benzene, formaldehyde and phthalates.

All were found to contain relatively high levels of at least one of these chemicals, with phthalates – which are endocrine disrupting substances (EDS) – found in four of the six products.

Long-term exposure to EDS can lead to irreversible damage to the immune system and the brain.

According to Ratna Devi Nadarajan, the CEO of the Malaysian Association of Standards Users that conducted the test, EDS could even cause males to act more feminine and vice-versa.

“It can also stunt the development of vital organs and cause miscarriages. The extent of the damage, however, depends on the individual’s health, with pregnant women and children at higher risk,” she said.

Some air fresheners, Ratna said, were found to have a mixture of several types of phthalates, which is even more dangerous.

Two of the air fresheners were found to contain toluene, which can cause damage to the liver, kidney and brain over long-term usage.

The association also found that a locally manufactured air freshener had the highest content of harmful chemicals – it had toluene and three types of phthalates.

Ratna pointed out that many people, especially in urban areas, spent a few hours in their cars every day, inhaling the chemicals from the air fresheners.

“At the very least, these chemicals can cause headaches, nausea and depression,” she said.

When in a confined environment like in a car with very little fresh air, she said the chemicals were more harmful.

Ratna said they were still waiting for data on the limitation and regulation of air fresheners from the local regulators as well as other countries to do a comparison.

Consumers should avoid using air fresheners too often and instead opt for natural ventilation and hygiene at home, she advised.

She suggested natural alternatives such as pandan leaves, lemongrass and charcoal.

National Poison Centre consultant Dr T. Jayabalan warned that there could be a delayed onset of the harm from using air fresheners making it difficult to link it to the cause.

He said phthalates had been classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a “probable human carcinogen” which means it could cause cancer, while the US Department of Health and Human Services had classified it as a “potential carcinogen”.

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Campaign to champion youths. @khairykj

The Milo “Fuel for Champions” campaign has been launched to develop and empower young athletes.

It will see a series of on-ground roadshows reaching the public to promote the 27th SEA games and show support for the Malaysian contingent.

The campaign is a joint effort between Milo and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Milo has played an integral role in Malaysia’s sporting arena by nurturing and developing the nation’s young talent.

“The ministry makes it a mission to champion youths and sports empowerment as well as inculcate the sports culture within the society.

“Through this campaign, the ministry, OCM and Milo will strive to help young athletes to bring out the best of their abilities,” he said at the campaign launch yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Malaysia are currently three gold medals shy of achieving 1,000 gold medals since its participation in 1959.

Khairy also said that despite a challenging year in the SEA Games, the ministry would ensure the contingent is able to win as many gold medals as possible.

Also present were national athletes S. Kannanthasan, Hakimi Ismail, Khoo Chai Lin and Yong Shin Min, who will be representing Malaysia in the SEA Games.

Myanmar will host the 27th edition of the biennial games in its capital city, Naypyidaw.

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Passengers who have been harassed should lodge complaints

Incidents of sexual harassment on public transport are commonplace, although many still go unreported.

Packed buses and trains are said to be a contributing factor, with most cases happening during peak hours.

Although victims have been urged to come forward to lodge complaints so that action can be taken, many feel powerless and accept it as part and parcel of using public transport.

A random survey by StarMetro in the Puchong, Damansara and Kuala Lumpur areas showed that many women passengers have experienced some form of harassment.

Tales of harassment

Ria, 24, a postgraduate student at a local university, recounted an incident several months ago where a male passenger sitting beside her kept edging closer.

“I felt uneasy and quickly moved to another seat. Now, I drive so I do not need to worry about getting molested,’’ she said.

A victim, who only wanted to be known as Janet, said a man literally held onto her buttocks when she was travelling back home in the bus.

“I felt so angry and wanted to move away but I could not because the bus was packed.

“I did not do anything, fearing the man might follow me home as I live alone.

“I still feel I should have punched his face,” said Janet when recalling the incident.

She also told of another incident a foreigner grabbed her hand repeatedly for no reason when she was on board a bus going home from work.

Atirah Husna, 23, a student from Terengganu who used the public transport during her internship, had a different experience.

“I was travelling on the LRT when I saw a foreign couple kissing and making out in full view of other passengers. Such behaviour is unacceptable because it makes other passengers uncomfortable and I feel that the authorities should intervene,’’ she said.

Most victims of harassment do not lodge reports, neither with the transport company nor the police.

Prasarana statistics show that up to Aug 31, a total of 120 cases comprising various crimes such as sexual harassment, molestation, vandalism, fights and theft on public transport had been recorded.

However, only 67 cases were officially reported to the police.

“It is just too embarrassing and what can they do?” asked one victim.

Lodge a report

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad urges public transport users to come forward with details of such incidents.

“We want to ensure that public transport is safe. We can only take the necessary action if a report is lodged,” said Prasarana Group communication and strategic marketing department executive vice-president Lim Jin Aun.

Public transport users are also requested to take down details of the incidents and the offenders.

“They should note details such as tattoos, scars, their speech and complexion.

“These will help us identify the suspect,” said Prasarana Security, safety, health and environment department head Tomin Salikan.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah also urged victims to lodge reports.

“Only then can the case be investigated. I also advise those being harassed to shout out loud and reprimand the offender.

“It alerts other passengers and the culprit will be too embarrassed to proceed further,’’ he said.

Ku called on other passengers to help detain the suspect and be willing to act as witnesses.

“However, sometimes it is rather difficult to prove subtle acts. The best defence is self defence,’’ he added.

Solutions

Several transport companies have taken proactive measures.

Many are aware of KTM Berhad’s women-only coaches to ensure the safety of female passengers.

However, there have been complaints that men are not adhering to this by continuing to use the female compartments.

Prasarana also provides buses to areas such as Puchong Utama, Sri Nilam Hub and Subang Suria Hub for female passengers during peak hours.

However, many say the frequency of the buses should be increased as 60% of public transport users are women, based on a Prasarana study.

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Cops: Crackdown has reduced crime

The ongoing nationwide crackdown on crime, Ops Cantas Khas, has reduced crime in the country.

National crime statistics released by Bukit Aman showed that violent crime has shrunk 21.6% since the launch of the operation on Aug 17 and an overall reduction in crime nationwide by 14.7%.

The statistics compared crime cases reported from Aug 1 until Aug 16 with crime cases reported since the launch until Aug 31.

The biggest reduction was seen in violent crimes like homicide, which showed a 55% drop from 40 cases in the first half of the month to 18 cases.

Robbery cases also dropped significantly from 904 cases to 664 cases, about 26.5%, over the same period.

Bukit Aman Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan said the reduction in crime due to Ops Cantas Khas has come as no surprise.

“It is a very aggressive strategy which encompasses every aspect of crime prevention,” he said yesterday.

Launched during rampant gang and gun-related violence in the country, the move was deemed as a much needed yet simple solution to the problem.

The crackdown, however, is more than just a simple crime prevention exercise, said SAC Abdul Jalil adding that public confidence had also increased because they saw police on the streets and conducting daily raids.

“We are getting a lot more tip offs and information from members of the public now which has further helped our efforts,” he added.

MyWatch co-founder S. Gobi Krishnan said although the statistics looked promising, there was still work to be done.

“If the numbers are true, this shows the police have started to perform their tasks properly.

“But why did they allow crime to come to such a state before this?” he said.

Taman Midah Rukun Tetangga chairman Raymond Ng stated his full support for Ops Cantas and said it should be continued indefinitely.

“We will help with patrolling if needed by the police,” he said.

Public opinion however, is still divided upon learning of the impact of Ops Cantas Khas.

Engineer Sarah Kamarudin, 30, said she was glad to hear about the reduction in crime because of the crackdown.

“It shows that the police are doing a decent job. However there are always risks and we should take steps to reduce the risks ourselves,” she said.

S. Arvin Inthiran expressed doubt over the statistics however, saying the time period was too short to be conclusive.

“It could be that the criminals have learnt to lay low and hide for now until the operation is over and will return once the heat dies down,” he said.

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Four cops detained to assist probe into escape of detainee

Four cops have been remanded to assist in investigations after a 39 year-old suspect who escaped from police custody while being taken to the Simpang Renggam detention centre.

The four aged between 24 and 50 years were all attached with the Nilai district police station here.

State CID chief ACP Hamdan Majid said on Tuesday, police have also detained three others, including two women to assist in the probe.

All three had also tested positive for drugs.

On Sunday, the suspect Kisminderjit Singh Bahadur Singh duped two policemen into believing he had to go to the toilet and escaped in a getaway car that had rammed into the police van carrying him.

The police van had stopped at the Setul rest area along the Kajang-Seremban expressway, after the suspect claimed he had a stomachache and pestered the policemen to allow him to use a toilet there.

The policemen allegedly relented after the suspect said he was losing control of his bowels.

 

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Still no water for some

While supply has resumed in certain areas of the Klang Valley, others are either still without water or are facing low water pressure.

Wong Wei Hwang said there had either been no water or low pressure in his housing area at Taman Sri Rampai in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur for more than five months.

“We are alerted about the disruption sometimes, but most of the time, no notice is given,” said the 26-year-old, adding that his area often did not have water.

“Water disruption happens every month; In August, it happened at least five days,” he said.

“Various excuses have been given including problems at the Wangsa Maju pump house.”

As such, the latest disruption on Friday night feels no different.

“It is very troublesome because we cannot cook and clean, and we do not eat at restaurants because there is no water supply in the whole area.

“I had to go to my grandmother’s house in Taman Seputeh on Saturday to shower, have dinner and store clean water. If the situation does not improve, I may need to make another visit to do my laundry.”

Wong said residents were frustrated with the numerous excuses given by water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) and want a permanent solution to fix their water woes.

Cecilia Song, who is recovering from surgery, said her schedule had been disrupted as her family had to go elsewhere to eat and bathe.

“Water disruption has occurred frequently over the past two years, and presently, there is still no water supply in Bukit Antarabangsa, Ulu Klang,” said the 52-year-old.

“We always get our water a day after others,’’ she said, adding that the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) should change the pump because of problems with the current one.

Lim Kok Siang, 34, who stays in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, said he and his family had to take their shower at the golf club where they hold membership.

“There was already a large crowd when we went to the clubhouse on Saturday evening and the water pressure was low,” said the businessman.

“My family was unable to store water as there was no supply by the time we found out on Friday evening.”

Lim said a number of businesses in Kota Kemuning such as car wash services and restaurants were closed on Saturday.

“There was a low turnout at the Muhibbah Walk event organised by our residents association as people kept outdoor activities to a minimum or went to other areas with normal water supply.

“The three main supermarkets in our neighbourhood also ran out of mineral and drinking water by late Sunday morning,” he said, adding that the water supply had since resumed.

According to Syabas, 880,000 domestic accounts or 60% of accounts in six districts, namely Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, Klang/Shah Alam, Gombak, Kuala Selangor and Hulu Selangor were affected by the water disruption.

The disruption occurred as a result of the closure of four water treatment plants due to oil contamination of Sungai Selangor.

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Ex-RMAF man gunned down at close range by suspect in full-faced helmet

A former Royal Malaysian Air Force’s air traffic controller was shot dead at close range in Taman Rishah here.

S. Jambu Keshan, 39, had just got out of his Perodua Kancil to go to his father’s restaurant near Jalan Raja Perempuan Mazwin when he was shot at about 7.15am yesterday.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Sum Chang Keong said a silver Toyota Vios pulled up near Jambu’s car and a man, wearing a full-faced helmet, alighted from it and fired three shots.

“The suspect returned to the car driven by an accomplice and sped off,” he told reporters.

Police found a bullet and three spent shells at the scene.

ACP Sum said a member of Jambu’s family drove him to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Jambu’s rank was that of Laskar Udara Kanan (Leading Aircraftman) before he left the RMAF five years ago.

Asked whether it was a gangland-related killing, ACP Sum said police had not determined the motive yet.

He said police were still gathering information and urged witnesses, who could help in the investigations, to come forward.

At the hospital mortuary, Jambu’s brother Ashok Kumar, 28, said he was shocked by the shooting.

The factory worker, who was himself admitted to the same hospital following an accident recently, headed to the mortuary but was not allowed to see the body.

Describing him as “a good man and a good brother”, he said Jambu was the eldest of four siblings.

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