The Star Online: Nation

Temple caretaker held over rape allegations
Australia rejects Anwar's plea for election help
Ho resigns as Star group MD

Temple caretaker held over rape allegations

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:19 AM PST

Published: Wednesday November 21, 2012 MYT 11:18:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday November 21, 2012 MYT 11:19:08 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The caretaker of a temple in Damansara who claims to be a medium has been detained following rape reports against him.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah said the 50-year-old man was arrested Monday after a woman in her 20s lodged a report claiming to have been raped by him last September.

"Two more victims have come forward to report that they were raped in April and last week, respectively," he told reporters here Wednesday.

He said the man's modus operandi entailed luring the victims to the house or a hotel before giving them a spiked drink.

According to him, the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and had been arrested twice previously to help in investigations involving drugs. - Bernama

Australia rejects Anwar's plea for election help

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 05:47 AM PST

MELBOURNE: Australian Foreign Minister Senator Bob Carr has said that Australia cannot and will not influence how Malaysia's elections are run despite a personal plea for help from Malaysian Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar had reportedly written to Senator Carr asking for Australia to help ensure that the next Malaysian general election, most likely to be held early next year, was free of fraud and corruption.

Anwar had reportedly told Carr he had uncovered evidence of fraudulent voter registration and other anomalies in the run-up to the polls.

He had also questioned the independence of the electoral commission and claimed that the Opposition was being excluded from the media.

But Senator Carr said the Malaysian elections were a matter for the Malaysian people.

"It's very hard for Australia to do anything about how they're run, as hard as it would be for Malaysia or another government to have a say in how Australian elections are run," he told ABC radio.

"We're not the election authority for Malaysia."

Carr said Australia wanted to see free and fair elections in every country.

He said Anwar personally raised the concerns directly with him during a recent visit to Malaysia.

Carr also poured cold water on the specific proposal of Australia sending election monitors to Malaysia, saying the Malaysian government would have to ask for the measure.

He dismissed the suggestion that Canberra was reluctant to act because it wanted to maintain good relations with Najib's government, with which it was still negotiating an asylum seeker swap deal.

In an interview with ABC Radio on Wednesday, Anwar said he was concerned the election, which must be held by next June, would be rigged, and would have a large number of people eligible to vote but who would not be allowed to vote.

Others far too young to vote, between age two and 12, were also on the rolls, he claimed.

Anwar also claimed that the Opposition had been denied access to the mainstream media.

Anwar had discussed his concerns with former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd and sent a note to Carr seeking Australian assistance, saying Australia supported free and fair elections in Iraq, Afghanistan and Myanmar, and yet it was silent on Malaysia. - Bernama

Ho resigns as Star group MD

Posted: 21 Nov 2012 05:36 AM PST

PETALING JAYA: Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director Ho Kay Tat has resigned from the company and will be joining another company, according to a filing with Bursa Malaysia Wednesday.

Ho, 52, has been in the field of journalism and the media industry for the past 27 years, serving several newspapers including the New Straits Times, The Malay Mail, The Business Times Singapore, The Sun, The Edge, The Edge Financial Daily and Reuters Wire Services.

He was executive director for Nexnews Bhd in June 2000 and was subsequently appointed as its group managing director in May 2005.

Ho also served as editor-in-chief and managing director of The Edge and The Sun before joining Star Publications as chief operating officer in July 2010.

Subsequently, he was appointed as executive director and group managing director on Jan 3, 2011 and July, 1 2011 respectively.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Rabu, 21 November 2012