The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- Jailed over fatal toddler exorcism
- MIC to pick third tier of leaders
- Car theft suspect dies after being beaten by mob
| Jailed over fatal toddler exorcism Posted: GEORGE TOWN: Three family members, who were among eight people who caused a toddler's death during an exorcism ritual, have been sentenced by the High Court here to a year in jail and their fines set aside. However, the toddler's aunt, said to have initiated the ritual, was acquitted by the court due to unsound mind and ordered to be detained at the Penang Prison at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertua Negri pending the governor's order on the choice of a psychiatric hospital. Minutes after the court was adjourned, the aunt, teacher Chua Ah Luan, 41, started to wail as she was being handcuffed, crying that she was sorry for what she had brought upon the family. "I have also suffered a lot," she said in Mandarin. Earlier, in allowing the prosecution's appeal against the sentencing, High Court Justice Zamani Abdul Rahim ordered the child's parents, Chua Seng Ban and Lim She Lee, both 36, and uncle Chua Seng Hoo, 30, to be jailed for a year effective yesterday. "The report by a certified psychiatrist concluded that she (the aunt) had signs of schizophrenia and that she was not aware or conscious of her act on the day of the incident," he said. On Aug 2, the Butterworth Sessions Court fined each of them RM10,000 for causing the death of Chua Wan Xuen, aged two years and nine months, at a house in Bukit Tengah near Bukit Mertajam on Aug 5 last year. Justice Zamani also set aside a RM5,000 fine imposed on each of the toddler's parents for a separate charge of exposing their child in a manner likely to cause her physical injury. The prosecution had also initially appealed against the RM10,000 fine imposed on the child's grandmother Ong Soh Guat, 68, a RM5,000 fine on her cousin Loke Xim Lin, 22, and bond of good behaviour on another 17-year-old cousin but later withdrew the motion. A 39-year-old maid, who was detained along with the seven, was not charged and was been made a prosecution witness. |
| MIC to pick third tier of leaders Posted: MALACCA: MIC's general assembly, being held for the first time in this historical city, is a significant one, as it will decide on the third echelon of leaders. After a deal brokered by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Datuk Seri G. Palanivel was returned unopposed as president in September and Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam kept his deputy president's post without contest earlier this month. With that, the focus of the party elections this weekend will be on the eight candidates vying for the three vice-presidencies and the 88 aspirants for 23 Central Working Committee seats. Two of the contenders for the vice-presidencies are incumbents – Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk M. Saravanan and Perak state legislative assembly speaker Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany. The others are former Youth leaders Datuk T. Mohan and Datuk S.A. Vigneswaran, former vice-president Datuk S. Sothinathan, treasurer Datuk Jaspal Singh, Johor treasurer Datuk S. Balakrishnan and businessman James C.S. Selvaraja. After weeks of being wooed, the party's 1,454 delegates will cast their ballots to decide on the outcome. Delegates from Selangor make up the most with 355, followed by Perak (231), Johor (207), Kedah (139) and Negri Sembilan (133). According to observers, the contest for the vice-presidencies is close and difficult to predict. Tamil newspapers, however, expect Saravanan to clinch a place, leaving a scramble among five others – Jaspal, Sothinathan, Mohan, Devamany and Vigneswaran – for the other two slots. The party leadership's decision to suspend the results of the Nov 16 Youth polls last Tuesday could have a bearing on the results. Following a barrage of criticism, the party reversed its decision and rescinded the suspension, enabling the delegates from the wing to vote in the assembly. Many Youth members were irked by the decision and regarded it as a move against Mohan's chances. As for the CWC seats, the incumbents seeking re-election include secretary-general A. Sakthivel, Negri Sembilan chairman Datuk T. Rajagopalu, former secretary-general Datuk S. Murugessan, Selangor secretary K. Parthiban, former Kepong chairman V.M. Panjamoor-thy, disciplinary committee member Datuk Randhir Singh, former Klang chairman Datuk Raghu Moorthy, social activist Madhu Marimuthu and former Johor state executive councillor M. Asojan. The others in the fray are Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan, former Youth treasurer J. Dhinagaran, Youth central working committee member P. Shanmugam, Batu chairman K. Ramalingam, former party executive officer K. Ramany, Bentong chairman Datuk M.P. Nathan, former Pahang chairman Datuk M. Davendran, Kahang assemblyman R. Vidyananthan and Sabah chairman Datuk V. Jothi. |
| Car theft suspect dies after being beaten by mob Posted: PETALING JAYA: A man suspected of stealing a car was set upon by an angry mob and died from his injuries while he was being brought by the police to the station. State deputy CID chief Asst Comm Khairi Ahrasa said the 32-year-old man was allegedly driving a stolen Honda Civic reported missing on Nov 27 in Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong. He said that during the 11pm incident on Thursday, a friend of the car owner found out that the stolen vehicle had been spotted along the DUKE Highway. "He and a couple of friends raced over to the spot on their motorcycles and managed to catch up with the car, which was stuck in traffic. They then dragged two men out of the stolen car but one managed to escape. "The motorcyclists then started beating up the man before other passers-by joined in," he said in a statement here yesterday. A police officer who chanced upon the scene identified himself in an unsuccessful attempt to disperse the crowd, said ACP Khairi. "The mob ignored the officer and continued hitting the man. The officer then called the Sentul district station for support and managed to calm down the mob. However, the injured man fell unconscious while being escorted in a patrol car on the way to the station," he said. Although police called the ambulance, the man was pronounced dead on arrival, he said. ACP Khairi said the initial medical check-up revealed that the man died due to severe head injuries, adding that the body had been sent to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for a post-mortem. Four suspects, aged between 22 and 37, have been arrested to assist in investigations. "We will be investigating the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder," said ACP Khairi. He urged witnesses to come forward by contacting 03-6256 2280 or 03-6256 2307. |
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