Hampir 2,000 peguam tuntut tubuh suruhanjaya kehakiman

Berita Harian

PUTRAJAYA: Hampir 2,000 ahli Majlis Peguam berarak sejauh 2.5 kilometer dari Kompleks Keadilan (POJ) di Persiaran Perdana ke Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM) di sini bagi menyerahkan memorandum menuntut kerajaan menubuhkan suruhanjaya kehakiman bebas bagi urusan pelantikan hakim.

Diketuai Presidennya, Ambiga Sreenevasan, mereka menggesa kerajaan menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja bagi menyiasat isu rakaman video perbualan telefon antara seorang peguam dengan seorang hakim kanan yang kononnya berkaitan urusan pelantikan Ketua Hakim Negara pada 2002.

Walaupun peserta mula berkumpul sejak pagi, 'Perarakan Untuk Keadilan' itu hanya bermula menjelang tengah hari dan berakhir 30 minit kemudian apabila tiba di JPM.

Ketika perarakan itu, peguam terbabit berpakaian hitam dan putih turut membawa sepanduk dan kain rentang pelbagai mesej seperti 'Rakyat Hakim Negara', 'Bersihkan Badan Kehakiman', 'Walk for Justice' dan 'Stop the Patronage, Stop the Rot' serta melaungkan 'Kami Mahu Keadilan'.

Polis dan anggota Pasukan Simpanan Persekutuan (FRU) berkawal di sepanjang laluan, manakala beberapa laluan masuk utama ke Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan ditutup kepada semua kenderaan.

Sementara itu, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, semalam mempertahankan badan kehakiman negara tidak bermasalah, sebaliknya 'krisis' yang didakwa berlaku sekarang sengaja direka terutama parti pembangkang.

Nazri berkata, beliau tidak menyangka bagaimana peguam sepatutnya menjadi individu yang membuat kajian terperinci sebelum bertindak boleh mengatur perarakan di sini bagi menggesa kerajaan membuat reformasi dalam badan kehakiman negara.

"Bagi saya, perbuatan yang tidak wajar bagi ahli profesion guaman mengambil tindakan seumpama itu...kita tidak ada skandal, tidak ada masalah dalam badan kehakiman," katanya ketika ditemui pemberita selepas majlis berbuka puasa anjuran Bahagian Hal Ehwal Undang-Undang, Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM) di sini malam tadi.

Nazri berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas tindakan peguam berarak 2.5 kilometer dari Kompleks Keadilan (POJ) di Persiaran Perdana ke JPM di sini bagi menyerahkan memorandum menuntut kerajaan menubuhkan suruhanjaya kehakiman bebas.

Pension payment before Raya

The Star

PUTRAJAYA: In view of Hari Raya Aidilfitri being celebrated on Oct 13, pensioners can collect their pension payment for next month on Oct 4.

Those getting payment through warrants can collect it on Oct 4 although their warrants are dated from Oct 5-31.

A statement from the Public Service Department also said that pensioners under the Pensions Payment System Through Bank, whose monthly pensions are due on Oct 21, could claim their pension through their respective banks from Oct 4.

According to the statement, "the Public Service Department has informed the respective banks involved."

For enquiries on payment, contact the One-Stop Call Centre at (03) 8885-4906/4475/4476/4477/4478.

Referrals from private hospitals okay, too

The Star

By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: From Monday, civil servants and pensioners can get referrals from private hospitals to get treatment at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

Previously, they could only be referred to the institute by doctors from government hospitals or clinics.

Public Services director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said their spouses and eligible family members would also qualify for the free treatment at IJN.

"The move is to improvise the present system for government employees and retirees who wish to seek treatment at IJN," he said in a circular.

He said the patient could also be referred to IJN by physicians or cardiologists practising in private clinics.

In an immediate response, Cuepacs president Omar Osman said the Government's move reflected efforts to improve the public delivery system.

"It is definitely a step in the right direction. At least, government employees, particularly retirees will not have to queue up at public hospitals or clinics and wait even longer to get treatment at IJN," he said.

Omar said the Government should also bear the cost for government servants and retirees who sought treatment at the private hospitals and clinics.

"Guarantee letters should be issued on the spot or electronically. You cannot expect them to pay first and claim later as they may not have cash on them," he added.

Supritendan polis dituduh lagi terima wang haram RM2.7 juta

Utusan Online

Oleh Ali Mahmood

Azmi Osman.

TEMERLOH 26 Sept. – Azmi Osman, pegawai kanan polis berpangkat supritendan yang semalam didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Johor Bahru, hari ini dihadapkan pula ke mahkamah di sini atas dua tuduhan berasingan menerima wang hasil daripada aktiviti haram berjumlah RM2.732 juta.

Dengan tuduhan di Mahkamah Sesyen di sini pagi ini, jumlah wang daripada aktiviti haram yang didakwa diterimanya kini berjumlah RM3.995 juta.

Bagi tuduhan pertama di Mahkamah Sesyen Temerloh, Azmi, 52, didakwa melibatkan diri dalam pengubahan wang haram iaitu menerima wang hasil aktiviti haram sebanyak RM2,093,300 pada 6 Februari 2002 dan 20 Disember 2002 melalui akaun semasa Malayan Banking Berhad di No. 1, Jalan Haji Kassim, Mentakab dekat sini.

Dalam pertuduhan kedua, tertuduh pada 7 Januari 2003 didakwa menerima wang hasil aktiviti haram RM683,850 di tempat yang sama menggunakan akaun semasa yang sama.

Azmi bagaimanapun mengaku tidak bersalah atas kedua-dua pertuduhan yang dibacakan di hadapan Hakim Ishak Bakri.

Bagi kedua-dua pertuduhan itu, Azmi didakwa melakukan kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah Seksyen 4(1)(a) Akta Pencegahan Pengubahan Wang Haram dan Pencegahan Pembiayaan Keganasan 2001.

Jika disabitkan kesalahan, dia boleh didenda RM5 juta atau penjara tujuh tahun atau kedua-duanya.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Dzulkifli Ahmad mencadangkan mahkamah mengenakan wang ikat jamin RM200,000 bagi kedua-dua pertuduhan itu dengan seorang penjamin dan dokumen perjalanan tertuduh seperti pasport antarabangsanya diserahkan kepada mahkamah.

Bagaimanapun, peguam bela tertuduh, N. Sridharan memohon supaya wang jaminan itu dikurangkan kepada RM10,000 bagi setiap pertuduhan dengan alasan akaun dan harta tertuduh telah disita selain tertuduh menghidap sakit jantung.

Hakim Ishak kemudian memutuskan tertuduh diikat jamin RM100,000 dengan seorang penjamin dalam kedua-dua pertuduhan itu dan mengarahkan Azmi menyerahkan dokumen perjalanannya kepada pegawai Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR).

BPR menahan Azmi di Putrajaya dua hari lalu.

Dzulkifli memohon kepada mahkamah supaya kedua-dua kes di Mahkamah Sesyen Temerloh itu dipindahkan untuk dibicarakan bersama tiga lagi pertuduhan mengikut seksyen yang sama dihadapi tertuduh di Mahkamah Sesyen Johor Bahru pada 31 Oktober depan.

Mahkamah bersetuju dengan permintaan pendakwa raya itu dan mengarahkan supaya kedua-dua kes itu dibicarakan bersama tiga lagi pertuduhan di Mahkamah Sesyen Johor Bahru pada tarikh yang telah ditetapkan.

Azmi yang ditahan oleh BPR di Putrajaya dua hari lalu telah pun dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Sesyen Johor Bahru atas tuduhan menerima wang hasil daripada aktiviti haram berjumlah RM1.263 juta.

Akhbar sebelum ini melaporkan seorang pegawai kanan polis disiasat kerana disyaki mengumpul harta bernilai RM9 juta secara haram sejak beberapa tahun lalu.

Azmi pernah bertugas sebagai Ketua Balai Polis Maran dan Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Temerloh antara tahun 1997 dan awal Januari 1999.

Selepas itu, dia bertugas di Jabatan Turus D7-Maksiat dan Perjudian IPD Johor Bahru dari tahun 1999 hingga 2005 sebelum bertukar ke Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman.

CUEPACS edar senarai peniaga ingkar

Utusan Online

Oleh ZULKIFLI ABDULLAH

KUALA LUMPUR 26 Sept. – Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Di Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) terus memperhebatkan kempen memboikot peniaga yang menaikkan harga barangan dengan mengedarkan nama peniaga dan premis mereka kepada ahli-ahli kesatuan sekerja itu.

Presidennya, Omar Osman menegaskan, beliau tidak mahu ada pihak terutama para peniaga yang cuba memperlekehkan usaha tersebut.

Katanya, CUEPACS bertekad untuk bertindak lebih drastik bagi memerangi perbuatan peniaga menaikkan harga barangan.

“Kami akan berusaha menyediakan edaran pekeliling senarai peniaga yang menaikkan harga barangan keperluan untuk pengetahuan ahli-ahli CUEPACS setempat.

“Dengan berbuat demikian, ia akan memudahkan ahli untuk mengesan mana-mana peniaga yang menaikkan harga barang keperluan di kawasan masing-masing dan kemudian bertindak memboikotnya,” kata Omar kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas tindakan para peniaga yang memperlekehkan usaha murni itu tetapi menegaskan, ia sama sekali tidak mematahkan semangat CUEPACS untuk terus memperjuangkan kepentingan pekerja dalam sektor awam.

Usaha tersebut, katanya, memperlihatkan kesungguhan kesatuan sekerja yang mewakili lebih satu juta ahli itu dalam memberi ‘pengajaran’ kepada peniaga yang berdegil menjual barangan pada harga yang tidak munasabah.

Sebelum ini CUEPACS mengadakan Kaunter Aduan Pengguna mengenai harga barang selepas pengumuman gaji baru kakitangan awam pada 21 Mei lalu.

Ahad lalu pula, CUEPACS dan Kongres Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) memulakan kempen memboikot para peniaga yang menaikkan harga barangan keperluan dengan tumpuan diberikan terhadap beras, susu, garam, tepung, minyak masak, roti dan ayam.

Mengulas lanjut mengenai penyenaraian nama peniaga yang menaikkan harga barangan kawalan, jelas Omar, semua pemimpin CUEPACS di peringkat negeri akan membuat pemantauan di kawasan masing-masing.

“Sudah sampai masanya untuk CUEPACS bertindak secara lebih agresif bak kata pepatah ‘alang-alang seluk pekasam biar sampai ke pangkal lengan’,” ujarnya.

Jelasnya, beliau tidak rela kakitangan awam yang baru sahaja menikmati gaji baru terus dibebankan dengan kenaikan harga barang keperluan apatah lagi yang dijual melebihi harga ditetapkan kerajaan.

Menurut Omar, dengan penyebaran maklumat itu, tindakan memboikot boleh dijalankan pada setiap masa menerusi pemantauan yang dijalankan dari semasa ke semasa dan tidak hanya pada musim perayaan.

“CUEPACS bukanlah satu badan yang bertindak secara ‘acah-acah’ malah kami akan terus memperhebatkan pemantauan harga barang ini bersama MTUC untuk kepentingan orang ramai,” tambahnya.

PAC summons sec-gen to explain contracts

The Sun

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 26, 2007): The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is summoning Youth and Sports Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Yasin Mohd Saleh to explain contracts which he approved beyond his power.

According to the Auitor-General (A-G)'s Report 2006, Yassin had the authority to sign contracts worth only less than RM5 million on behlaf of the government. He signed off 11 contracts worth between RM7.99 million and RM74.2 million related to the National Youth Skills Institutes (NYSI) project.

PAC chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said Yassin will be asked to explain the approval of the contracts at PAC's hearing next Thursday (Sept Oct 4).

For the 13 items purchased by the NYSI, like screwdrivers and technical books that the report highlighted, the government paid RM8.39 million more than the market price at that time.

Shahrir said PAC wanted to find ways or recommendations for the government to ensure that those found guilty face punitive action and measures to prevent recurrences.

Speaking after a briefing by Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and senior officers from the audit department to PAC members today, he said PAC will try to go through all issues in the report as long as Parliament is still in session.

Asked whether PAC is satisfied with the A-G's briefing, he said: "The PAC and A-G's Department worked hand-in-hand. The department acts like a secretariat to the committee, making us more efficient. I hope the department will improve its capacity."

The annual briefing covered nine areas of audit, such as building, maintenance and repair, social economy, service, enforcement, tax, procurement, computer system, management on government and statutory bodies' companies.

Asked whether enforcement power should be given to the A-G, Shahrir said by empowering the A-G with enforcement power will require the change of the government system.

"At the moment, we should see how far we can go based on the evidence compiled by the A-G and point an action to be undertaken by relevant enforcement agencies," he said.

Shahrir also said the A-G's report is just an external auditor's report, the ministries and government departments must address its internal weaknesses and improve public governance by strengthening its internal audit to reduce malpractices.

Kakitangan Kumpulan A kesan pesalah trafik

Berita Harian

Oleh Jalal Ali Abdul Rahim

KUALA LUMPUR: Polis Trafik akan mengaktifkan semula kuasa 250,000 pegawai kerajaan Kumpulan A untuk membantu mengesan kesalahan lalu lintas sepanjang 15 hari Ops Sikap XIII sempena Aidilfitri bermula 7 Oktober ini.

Ini adalah antara empat pendekatan yang akan digunakan sepanjang Ops Sikap kali ini, dengan matlamat utama mahu mengurangkan kadar kemalangan serta memastikan umat Islam dapat pulang berhari raya dengan selamat.

Tiga pendekatan lain ialah:

Pegawai dan anggota trafik akan menyamar sebagai penumpang bas dengan berpakaian biasa, berbanding berpakaian seragam pada Ops Sikap lalu;

Mewujudkan pegawai pemantau di kalangan pegawai dan anggota Trafik Bukit Aman untuk membuat rondaan serta mengambil tindakan di seluruh negara; dan

Penempatan anggota statik bersama kamera di susur keluar lebuh raya serta Jalan Persekutuan bagi merakamkan kesalahan kenderaan yang tidak mengikut lorong betul hingga menyebabkan kesesakan dan mengeluarkan saman atas kesalahan lalu lintas yang dirakam kamera pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT).

Fokus Ops Sikap kali ini adalah terhadap kesalahan mengikut Akta Pengangkutan Jalan (APJ) 1987. terutama enam kesalahan utama yang menyumbangkan kepada kemalangan, iaitu memandu melebihi had laju, memandu melulu dan cara berbahaya, memandu dalam pengaruh alkohol dan dadah, memotong garisan berkembar, melanggar lampu isyarat serta memotong barisan dan menggunakan lorong kecemasan.

Ketua Trafik Pasukan Bukit Aman, Senior Asisten Komisioner II Hamza Taib, berkata 5,190 anggota termasuk 4,608 cawangan trafik manakala selebihnya dari Pasukan Gerakan Am (PGA) dan Pasukan Simpanan Persekutuan (FRU), akan terbabit dalam Ops Sikap XIII.

"Bagi mencapai matlamat ini, kita akan mengaktifkan kuasa yang diberi kepada pegawai Kumpulan A bagi membantu polis memastikan pengguna jalan raya mematuhi peraturan lalu lintas." kata pada sidang akhbar di sini, semalam.

Hamza menjelaskan, pegawai terbabit akan diminta mencatat maklumat mengenai kesalahan dan kenderaan terbabit, seperti nombor pendaftaran, jenis dan warna serta masa dan tempat kesalahan dilakukan bagi membolehkan polis trafik mengeluarkan saman maksimum.

"Bagaimanapun mereka hanya boleh mencatat kesalahan nyata atau yang tidak boleh dipertikaikan, seperti memotong garisan berkembar dan barisan.

"Kuasa itu tidak boleh digunakan bagi kesalahan memandu melebihi had laju kerana penentuan kelajuan memerlukan alat tertentu mengukurnya supaya tidak timbul masalah membuktikannya di mahkamah," katanya.

Beliau berharap pegawai terbabit menggunakan kuasa itu sebaik mungkin dan sedia bekerjasama dengan menjadi saksi di mahkamah.

Kesalahan yang dicatat boleh disalurkan ke Pusat Kawalan Malaysia (MCC) Bukit Aman di talian 03-22626555/7555, Bilik Gerakan Trafik Bukit Aman yang beroperasi 24 jam (03-27184444/ Fax-03-27184440), Rakan Cop dan bilik gerakan kontinjen negeri.

Mengenai penyamaran di dalam bas, Hamza berkata, tiga pasukan ditubuhkan yang dianggotai 36 pegawai dan anggota bagi menaiki bas dari Kuala Lumpur ke destinasi di utara, selatan dan timur.

"Mereka akan merekodkan kesalahan yang dilakukan pemandu dan sebaik tiba di destinasi, pegawai ini akan memakai jaket polis dan menunjukkan kad anggota sebelum mengeluarkan saman.

"Bagi kesalahan memandu laju, mereka akan memaklumkan kesalahan itu kepada pegawai lain untuk tindakan susulan termasuk menahan bas berkenaan," katanya.

Hamza berkata, kumpulan pegawai pemantau Trafik Bukit Aman pula akan menaiki kenderaan polis dan ditugaskan mengikut zon, iaitu utara, timur dan selatan serta menahan kenderaan yang melakukan kesalahan.

Saman juga akan dikeluarkan bagi kesalahan lalu lintas dirakam kamera anggotanya yang ditempatkan di susur keluar lebuh raya dan Jalan Persekutuan serta kesalahan dirakam kamera PBT seperti dikendalikan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL).

Beliau berkata, polis juga meneruskan beberapa pendekatan sebelum ini termasuk pemantauan melalui 22 menara pemerhati di lebuh raya dan Jalan Persekutuan, helikopter serta sekatan jalan raya terutama ke atas pemandu bas ekspres dan penunggang motosikal tanpa mengganggu kelancaran lalu lintas.

Hamza berkata, Ketua Setiausaha Negara, Tan Sri Sidek Hassan dalam mesyuarat kelmarin juga mahu tindakan penguatkuasaan dibuat tanpa mengambil kira siapa yang melakukan kesalahan.

Rondaan dan penguatkuasaan itu akan tertumpu di 294 lokasi Jalan Persekutuan, jalan bandar dan jalan negeri serta 102 lokasi di Lebuhraya Utara Selatan (Plus) dan Lebuhraya Pantai Timur (LPT) yang sering berlaku kemalangan.

Hamza berkata, Pasukan Tindakbalas Kecemasan (ERT) disertai polis, bomba, Jabatan Pertahanan Awam (JPA3), St John Ambulans dan Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah turut ditempatkan di lebuh raya bagi menghadapi sebarang kemungkinan.

Selain itu, pihaknya memperluaskan penyaluran maklumat melalui radio bagi membantu pengguna jalan raya merancang perjalanan mereka.

Women civil servants on leave to take care of babies told no side jobs

The Star

By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Disciplinary action, including the risk of getting sacked, will be taken against female civil servants who undertake other jobs while on leave to look after their babies.

Public Services director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said civil servants were still subjected to provisions in the General Orders pertaining to their employment although they were on long leave.

"The leave is strictly for the mother to look after her child. You cannot be doing another job elsewhere as you are still a government employee and bound by all the relevant rules and regulations," he said in a circular.

On Sept 4, the Government announced that female civil servants will be allowed to take leave of up to 1,825 days or five years after exhausting their 60-day maternity leave to enable them to look after their newborns.

The leave could be broken up and taken several times but the total must not exceed five years.

Clarifying the announcement, Ismail said the leave would not be granted automatically to all applicants.

"This will be at the discretion of the ministry secretary-general for those working in a ministry or the head of department for those working in the states," he said.

He said department heads must ensure that the public delivery services at the respective departments was not interrupted if the female employee were to go on leave.

"Since some services are critical, we cannot grant leave to all applicants.

"Department heads must also ensure there was someone to fill up the vacancy before granting their request for leave," he said

Ismail said even if the female employee had been granted leave, she should be prepared to be called back to work if the need arises.

"If there is a pressing need for her to come back, she will have to abide by the directive," he said.

The duration of the leave, he said, would not be taken into account when calculating their retirement or other benefits such as gratuity payment.

"The employee will also lose his seniority for as long as she is on leave," he said.

Ismail said the female employee can be considered for promotions while on leave if she had fulfilled the required criteria.

Female employees on probation can also apply for the leave but would have to complete their probation once they report back to work.

However, they would be allowed to attend induction courses or examinations during the period.

An award worth winning

The Star

By LEOW YONG MAY

EFFICIENCY is the key to success. The public delivery service is constantly being improved and government departments and agencies that have successfully displayed excellent administration deserve to get the credit.

For this reason, the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) is organising the Public Sector Quality Awards (AKSA) for the 18th consecutive year to reward government agencies that have excelled.

Introduced in 1990, the Awards are to create awareness on quality in the public sector and provide formal recognition to government agencies that have good management and leadership skills.

The Public Sector Quality Awards are now divided into two tiers: Upper-Tier and Lower-Tier.

The Upper-Tier level gives formal recognition to any government agency that has excelled in managing the organisation as a whole. Awards in the Upper Tier category consist of the Prime Minister’s Quality Award (AKPM), the Chief Secretary to the Government’s Quality Award (AKKSN), the Director General of Government Service’s Quality Award (AKKPPA), and the Director General of MAMPU Quality Award (AKKP MAMPU).

For the Lower-Tier level, awards will be given to acknowledge agencies that have shown excellence in specific areas.

They are the Information and Communication Technology Quality Award (AKICT), Local Authorities Quality Award (AKPBT), Finance Management Quality Award (AKPK), District and Land Administration Quality Award (AKPDT) and Project Management Quality Award (AKPP), which is a new award introduced this year.

There are different criteria for each award and the shortlisted agency has to make the presentation to a panel of judges. For AKPM, the panel is chaired by the Director General of MAMPU with a team of senior officials of various ministries.

Every agency looks forward to winning an award which reflects the good work done by the staff. The top award, the Prime Minister’s Quality Award, is the ultimate prize.

“There is a deep sense of pride when a government agency wins the AKPM for the Public Sector award,” says Mahat Bahari, MAMPU Deputy Director General (Administrative Modernisation).

“Apart from being recognised for their dedication, the agency that wins this prestigious award is allowed to use the ‘Q’ symbol as well as the statement, ‘Winner of the Prime Minister’s Quality Award’, on its letterhead for three years.”

Winners are allowed to contest again after three years. The healthy competition among agencies helps promote a better management system that will not only benefit the public service but also the public at large.

Last year's winner was Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. There has been a two-time winner before: the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute is an agency that has won the AKPM for the Public Sector twice, in 1992 and in 2005.

The winner of the AKPM this year will bring home a trophy, a congratulatory certificate, and a cheque of RM50,000.

All the winners will be announced at the Public Sector Quality Awards Ceremony 2007 to be held on Nov 30.

FMM: Role of public sector is crucial

The Star

HE need for the public sector to provide an effective delivery service was reiterated at the conference by Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon.

Yong pointed out that businessmen need to have a conducive business environment, and, as shown by the World Bank's Doing Business Report, Malaysia's rankings have to be further improved if we are to change investors' perception.

An issue raised was the enormous number of licences and permits that potential investors have to deal with. Depending on the type of business, there are at present 28 ministries issuing 831 licences and permits.

Yong told the conference that the role of the public service is to reduce red tape, be customer-centric and improve the public delivery.