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news without borders
Umno
division
chief faces
10 counts of
corruption
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Pandan Umno
division chief Abd Ghani Ismail
was charged in a sessions court
here yesterday with nine counts
of obtaining bribes totalling
RM210,012 and one count of
accepting a bribe through the ap-
pointment of a company in which
he had a indirect interest.
Abd Ghani, 43, who was an
Ampang Jaya municipal council-
lor and a member of the Ampang
Jaya tenders committee, claimed
trial to all the 10 charges, which
he is alleged to have committed
between May 1, 2006 and March
31, 2007.
He is charged under Section
11(a) of the Anti Corruption Act
with:
» nine counts of obtaining a
total of RM212,012 between Aug
4, 2006 and March 31, 2007 from
Abdul Rahman Yaacob in return
for helping him to obtain a tender
for collection of solid wastes in
Taman Lembah Maju and Taman
Kencana, and a tender for area
cleaning in Pandan Cahaya, and
» the appointment of a company,
Lembah Rimbun Sdn Bhd, in which
he had a indirect interest, on May
1, 2006 as a sub-contractor to
Dwisakti Merah Sdn Bhd in return
for obtaining the tender from the
Ampang Jaya Municipal Council
for Dwisakti Merah Sdn Bhd to
dispose of solid wastes in Bandar
Pandan Indah.
If found guilty, each of the
charges carries a penalty of be-
tween 14 days and 20 years in jail,
and a fine of five times the value
of the bribe, if it can be valued, or
RM10,000 if the bribe cannot be
valued.
Judge Rosbiahanin Arifin set
bail at RM20,000 for the first nine
charges and RM3,000 for the 10th
charge and fixed June 26 for men-
tion.
by Husna Yusop
newdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: The government will
make a decision on the Teaching and
Learning of Science and Mathematics
in English (PPSMI) in a few weeks.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin said he will come
up with a “comprehensive plan” on
the matter and not just a decision
on whether the subjects should be
taught in English or revert to Bahasa
Malaysia and mother tongue.
“I am not going to wait for so
long. I have nearly concluded a lot
of my deliberations with regards to
the position of PPSMI. We have got
quite an overview of the whole thing.
But, of course, I would have to brief
the prime minister before its goes to
the cabinet,” he said yesterday.
“We will take into account
many aspects, most importantly
to strengthen the use of the Malay
language in national schools and the
need to strengthen the proficiency of
English language. We will look into
that and also consider the cost-im-
plications if any modifications were
to be made.”
Asked whether the changes, if
any, were to take effect next year,
Muhyiddin, who is also the educa-
tion minister, said he did not want to
pre-empt the outcome of the decision
at this stage.
He said he hopes to come up
with a plan that “makes everybody
happy”.
“I want to satisfy the ministry’s
policy with regard to the manpower
needed. I must make sure there are
resources available, infrastructure
in place, parents are happy and
No provision to expel Myanmar, says Asean
HANOI: Asean has no provision to
suspend or expel Myanmar from
the 10-member grouping, its secre-
tary-general, Surin Pitsuwan, said
yesterday.
He said such tough actions in-
volved political decisions that must
be referred to the political leaders.
“We don’t have any provision
to suspend or eject any member.
That needs to be discussed by the
leaders,” Surin told reporters on the
sidelines of the Ninth Asia Europe
Meeting (Asem) here.
The earliest Asean leaders will
gather will be in October for the 15th
summit in Thailand.
Decision soon on teaching
of science and maths
children do not become victims of
circumstances because of whatever
decision the government takes.”
“And most importantly, it would
achieve the objectives of the national
education policy which is very im-
portant for the country.”
Earlier, Muhyiddin held his first
meeting with representatives of
seven Chinese education groups.
They were the United Chinese
School Committees Association
(Dong Zong), United Chinese School
Teachers Association (Jiao Zong),
Federation of Chinese Association of
Malaysia (Hua Zong), Seven Major
Clans Association, United Chinese
School Alumni Association of Ma-
laysia, Nanyang University Alumni
Association of Malaysia and Taiwan
Graduates Alumni Association of
Malaysia.
The meeting was requested for
by the groups to discuss education
issues, including the PPSMI. Last
week, Muhyiddin met the Gagasan
Veteran Malaysia on the same is-
sue.
On the meeting with the Chinese
NGOs, he said it was good and held
in an open and sincere attitude with
the intention to help in educational
Surin was asked to comment on
the call by the Asean Inter-Parlia-
mentary Myanmar Caucus (Aipmc)
to suspend or impose sanctions on
Myanmar if the country’s military
regime continues to detain its de-
mocracy leader and Nobel Peace
Prize laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi.
“Aipmc parliamentarians strongly
call on Asean to stop protecting My-
anmar’s regime and instead remove
them from the grouping until and
unless Aung San Suu Kyi is free and
genuine efforts to begin national rec-
onciliation are under way,” Aipmc
said yesterday.
The call for action was raised
developments.
He said the NGOs wanted the
PPSMI to be abolished and gave
their reasons for it.
They have also asked govern-
ment to build more Chinese schools
and Muhyiddin told them to find the
suitable sites for six new schools
which have been approved last year.
At the same time, the government
has also approved the relocation of
14 Chinese schools nationwide.
Other issues brought up during
the meeting were the shortage of
teachers in Chinese schools, the
non-recognition of the Unified
Examination Certificate, aids for
independent schools and exemption
of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia fees.
On teacher shortage, he said as
a short term solution, he recom-
mended that the Chinese schools
recruit from those candidates who
have been interviewed but were yet
to be offered the posts.
To a question on how the govern-
ment intends to balance between the
interest of the majority and demands
by some groups which were seen to
be too assertive, he said the fact that
he met the NGOs does not mean he
was succumbing to the pressure of
after the junta put the detained de-
mocracy icon on trial on a charge
of harbouring an American man
who swam to her heavily-guarded
home.
On that charge, she faces up to
five years in detention.
Surin said concerns and frustra-
tions over the situation in Myanmar
had been expressed at the highest
level, not only in the region but also
at the international level, including
at Asem.
“I hope something good will
prevail, with transparency and
confidence to resolve the issue,” he
said, but declined to confirm if the
theSun | WEDNESDAY MAY 27 2009
the Chinese associations.
He said the government has
always supported the interests of
the national schools and the need
to improve the national education
system but at the same time, he has
to be open to others too.
“I don’t think any of them here
were against the government
policy. They want us to just see
whether some help can be given
to the Chinese schools. That is well
understood and nobody challenges
that policy,” he added.
On another development, Muhy-
iddin said he met PPP president
Datuk M. Kayveas earlier yesterday
and listened to his explanation of
what has been going on in the party
with Deputy Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Department Datuk T.
Murugiah also claming to be party
president.
He said he was not taking a stand
but as Barisan Nasional deputy
chairman, it was important for him
to know what was happening in the
component party.
“I am not taking stand. I leave it
entirely to the leadership of PPP to
solve the issue,” he said, adding he
would also meet Murugiah later.
Myanmar issue would be included
in the chairman’s statement at the
end of the two-day gathering of for-
eign ministers from 45 countries.
Last week, Asean issued a rare
statement expressing its grave con-
cern over the move by the country’s
military junta to try Suu Kyi, and
reminded the Myanmar government
that Asean leaders had called for her
immediate release.
Asked if he had expressed the
concern with Myanmar’s Foreign
Minister Maj-Gen Nyan Win, who is
also here, Surin said he did not.
» See also Page 10