New Faces Of Kota Kinabalu

Hantu Laut,

I'll take the Prime Minister's advice and take respite from politicking in the blog.It's bad for your health and bad for the health of the nation.

Today is no politics day, will not touch anything politics the next few days.

I would be happy to give my readers a guided tour of my hometown, the ugly and beautiful Kota Kinabalu.

 

I will start from the new to the older 

section of this pretty little city.

Latest addition to KK skyline is the

biggest hypermall in Borneo, ONE BORNEO, a wannabe ART DECO that falls flat on its face, didn't have the decadence and extravagance of the Art Deco of Miami, nor it succeeded in its attempt to be the ecclesiastical Gothic architecture.

Don't be deceived by its outward 

appearance, this building would 

probably be one of the most

functional buildings in KK when it is fully completed.The shopping archade is well designed with good layout, similar to KLCC in Kuala Lumpur.

Many medium-priced brands have set up shops here.Interior well lit,well-dressed windows and looks expensively intimidating.

Many KL-based yuppy restaurants have opened their doors here.

Had lunch in one of them today.One that has a dome in its ceiling and serves a mixture of Western and Oriental dishes.Had one of the worst 'fish and chip' as far back as I could remember.Just couldn't finish the two big chunks of what I presumed must be the rather bland dory, an imported fish that had become common in supermarkets and restaurants in this country over the past few years.

Considered a good food fish in the West, but not exactly a gastronomic experience for the Asian palate,especially those who are voracious fish eaters.Maybe, fish is not its strong point, I am sure it has some other good dishes that I haven't had the chance to try yet. The interior is chic,clinically clean, the service fairly good and staffs friendly and attentive.

The complex once completed will housed two hotels and two blocks of apartments.

Budget airline Air Asia has opened its Tune Hotel and Tune Store in the complex.

The only problem the complex is away from the town centre, about 6 Km from town.

A Government In Limbo

Hantu Laut

Yes!, I agree we should stop blogging at least for the next 48 hours as a show of protest to the appalling state of affairs we are witnessing every day, a nation in a state of chaos.

Of course I don't expect the government and the oppositions to give a damn what we bloggers say or do.For Anwar Ibrahim it's a crusade against a regime that had treated him badly and had found the only way to grab power is to use full force of the demagogue, which has, someway, brought him considerable success.His demagogic approach appeals to the rabble.

It's troubling and heart-rending to see how our politicians had taken politics to the gutter and the nation down the tube.The governed were helpless while the governance embroiled in multitude of scandals is wavering. A government lay siege to an equally appalling opposition who cares not whether the nation is wrecked as long as one man unbending craze for power goes unhindered. 

This nation is in crisis.The spiralling costs of living,rising inflation and an economy that soon will face the toughest period of its entire history will, left unchecked, drag the nation down faster than one could imagine. Rome was not built in one day, so was the economy of this nation.

We have a government more pre-occupied with having to defend itself against the onslaught of criticism and rendering impetuous responses without the oracle of wisdom.The opacity of its policies had been the cause of  its implosion.

The crisis of confidence has reached its peak. As much as those in UMNO refused to admit or believe the seriousness of the situation and much to their own detriment, it would not be impertinent on my part to say, if there were to be a general elections today, UMNO and the BN would not only be badly mauled, the chance of a wipe out is not too remote a possibility.

Although I am not a great fan of Anwar Ibrahim, this is the bitter truth prevailing at this moment.

For now the government is safe, the rebel MPs from BN that Anwar claims he has is just a tactic of psychological warfare he uses to weaken the resolve of those easily tempted by his promises.

It's better late than never and the situation can still be salvaged.It's time Pak Lah and his crew to take stock, ignore Anwar Ibrahim and his Pakatan Rakyat, shape up and get down to serious work to restore confidence in him, the economy and his government.  

We can't continue to have a government lay in siege and in limbo.

Gutter Politicians,Scumbags And Half-Past Six Lawyers

Hantu Laut

If  Darth Vader has the order of the 'Sith', Anwar now has the order of the SD (Statutory Declaration), a new ill- founded weapon specially designed to attack Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, implicating him in the murder of the sultry Mongolian model.This is the 2nd SD after Raja Petra's equally explosive bombshell.

On the other side of the fence the story of  saving a victim from the trauma of being sodomised was equally bizarre.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has finally revealed that the victim purportedly sodomised by Anwar came to his house as he was too traumatised.The DPM opened his doors and opened his heart to console him.

The good news, now Malaysians who felt traumatised can go to the DPM's house to be consoled.All Malaysian are welcome to take this opportunity if they can get pass the security guards manning the entrance to his house.

Strangely, the victim Mohd Saiful Bukhari instead of going directly to a police station to lodge a report chose to go to the DPM's house first and only reported the case 2 days after the incident.The said victim had also been seen and photographed visiting the DPM's office some months ago purportedly to apply for a scholarship.

Coming back to the ill-conceived idea of using SD to swear evidence based on hearsay, I wonder if the lawyer concerned had warned the person making the declaration  the risk involved and the penalty for making false evidence under the Act. Either he has not or the reward offered was too tempting to refuse in spite of the risk.

 

Below are my compilation of the Statutory Declaration Act and the Penal Code (Act 574):

This Act may be cited as the Statutory Declarations Act 1960.

False declarations punishable under the Penal Code.

3.Declarations made by virtue of provisions of this Act shall be deemed to be such declarations as are

refereed to Sections 199 and 200 of the Penal Code(Act 574)

Below are the relevant sections of the Penal Code.

199.False statement made in any declaration which is by law receivable as evidence.

Whoever, in any declaration made or subscribed by him, which declaration any Court, or any public servant or other person, is bound or authorised by law to receive as evidence of any fact, makes any statement which is false, and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, touching any point material to the object for which the declaration is made or used, shall be punished in the same manner as if he gave false evidence.

200.Using as true any such declaration known to be false.

Whoever corruptly uses or attempts to use as true any such declaration knowing the same to be false in any material point, shall be punished in the same manner as if he gave false evidence.

Below are punishments for giving false evidence:

194.Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of a capital offence.

Whoever gives or fabricates false evidence, intending thereby to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, any person to be convicted of an offence which is capital by the law for the time being in force in Malaysia, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years, and shall also be liable to fine; and if an innocent person be convicted and executed in consequence of such false evidence, the person who gives such false evidence shall be punished either with death or the punishment hereinbefore described.

195.Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of an offence punishable with imprisonment.

Whoever gives or fabricates false evidence, intending thereby to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, any person to be convicted of an offence which by this Code is not capital, but punishable with imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for a term of seven years or upwards, shall be punished as a person convicted of that offence would be liable to be punished.

Ex-policeman P.Subramaniam would have to face the music under this section of the Penal Code.His retraction of the 1st SD and replaced by a 2nd SD had made the matter worse for him.He had actually confirmed he lied under oath and incriminated himself.He should not have changed his mind, he did because he knew it was a lie.Another irresponsible lawyer giving wrong advice.

Lying to implicate someone of murder is a serious crime which carry the same sentence as murder itself.Anwar and his half-past-six lawyers should take responsibility if this man goes to prison.

Meanwhile,lawyer Datuk Hazman Ahmad, a defence lawyer for one of the accused in the murder case said Balasubramaniam had the right to substitute his previous SD with a new one.So, Bala what are you waiting for, you can produce a dozen or so more SD according to this lawyer.

Wow! What's happening to the state of our legal profession, you get lawyer giving this kind of advice.

Another rather interestingly ignorant statement came from the President of GPMS Datuk Reezal Merican who said a review must be done to prevent people from using sworn statement to slander others and the law must spell out punishment on those who made false declarations.

Another one of those who thinks he is making a smart statement when the law is already in existence to deal with such matters.Hiya! my friend, learn how to read and do your homework first before you go out and embarrass yourself. 

Meanwhile, the lawyer Americk Singh who drafted the SD for Balasubramaniam said he believes Bala was telling the truth and could have been intimidated to change his story.

Maybe,it's the fish head curry he had with ASP Tony that was probably laced with the truth drug that knocked some sense out of him.

While Najib and Anwar are at each other's throat, Abdullah stands out sitting pretty.

Malaysian politics have gone dodgy and dirty.

Gone to the dogs ! 

Read:

Wong Chun Wai's 'Sick,tired and fed up'

Marina Mahathir's 'I think I'll go on strike'

A Nation Of Liars

Hantu Laut

Whom should we trust now? The braggart Anwar Ibrahim, the mendacious Balasubramaniam or the beleaguered Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak ?

As I have said in my earlier article not putting any faith in the truthfulness of Bala's Statutory Declaration, true to the letter, in less than 24 hours the scum has changed his story saying he was under duress.Under duress from whom? Did Anwar threatened him? Was it threat or money that motivated him to fabricate those very damaging sworn statement he made against the Deputy Prime Minister? 

I don't care if he has been threatened by the police, a man, if he is a man,should stand up to his words and stands dignified.Under duress? My foot! A good for nothing lying and greedy bastard.

It is also perplexing that his lawyer did not warn him the consequence of his action, the changing of his story. He should be dragged to court and be punished accordingly.As an ex-cop he should know the law better than the ordinary men in the street.

The world is watching this puppet show that showcases the moral decadence of this nation, all for power and money.

Anwar Ibrahim should forget about becoming the Prime Minister of this nation, he doesn't deserve to be one.

Will Saiful follow suit in this high stake game? Money or duress?

Are we becoming a nation of liars?