Corpun file 12402

The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 4 December 2003

Whip traffic offenders, urge NGOs

NON-governmental organisations have urged the Government to whip traffic offenders to reduce the number of accidents.

Utusan Malaysia reported that the effectiveness of corporal punishment was seen when the number of illegal immigrants arriving in the country was reduced after the Government introduced whipping to tackle the problem.

Malaysian Driving School and Institute society president Abu Kassim Said said whipping errant drivers would be effective compared to imposing fines as motorists would be fearful of such a harsh punishment.

“This will educate them to be more responsible and considerate as existing laws and regulations are ignored,” he said.

He said bus or lorry drivers tend to speed on highways, putting their passengers’ lives at risk.

Abu Kassim said despite imposing road safety examinations and driving courses, the majority of Malaysians “change character” when they are behind the wheel.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations deputy president Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said whipping would be the best solution as most motorists ignored traffic summons and existing regulations.

“The Government’s road safety campaigns have not been successful in reducing the number of traffic accidents,” he said, adding that other factors also contributed to the increasing number of road accidents, including poor road conditions.

Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mohd Hamdan Adnan said the Government should reintroduce the Kejora system, which uses a blacklist and demerit point system.

“Under this system, a driver will be given 100 points and will lose them if they flout the law.

“When a driver’s points is below 50, he will be sent back to driving school or penalised with community service,” he said.

.............

© 1995-2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Corpun file 12516

Sarawak Tribune, Kuching, 11 December 2003

At the State Legislative Assembly

Task force to root causes of social ills proposed

REPORTS BY: Elizabeth Serai James, Rozanna Rony, Standley Dikod, Peter Sibon, Bede Hong PHOTOGRAPHS: RAMIDI SUBARI

Lily YONG.

Padungan State Assemblywoman Puan Lily Yong yesterday proposed that the Social Development and Urbanisation Ministry undertake to head a Task Force Committee specifically to identity the root causes of social ills in the State. The formation of such a committee with the power to appoint its members to urgently address the safety and security shortfalls in the State would indeed be timely, she said.

Speaking during the debate on Budget 2004, presented by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Finance and Public Utilities, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr George Chan, at current sitting of the Dewan Undagan Negeri, Lily said she believed the State had reached a stage where it was necessary to conduct a thorough examination and analysis on social ills in order to come up with realistic and practical remedies.

"We need to collaborate and combine all available resources particularly human resources instead of leaving the task entirely to the police. This is in view of limitations such as manpower shortage (we often hear the police mention this) and other constraints that they may face. “We need to muster the expertise and wisdom of all those who are knowledgeable in confronting and ultimately eliminating the problem." Lily said the proposed Committee could comprise, among others, both academicians and practising sociologists who were experts in the legal and cultural aspects of the problems they were trying to help resolve.

It should deliberate on matters like whether stiffer penalties were necessary to deal with street crimes such as snatching, pickpocket and other similar offences. Imposing deterrents like whipping, particularly for foreign offenders, and enforcing appropriate corrective measures when dealing with juvenile delinquents could also be considered, she added. "It can draw on the experience from other countries, and where possible, adopt measures proven effective by our neighbours with a social structure and cultural background like ours."

Earlier, Lily said she had received a memorandum from women’s organisations in Kuching, expressing concern over the frequency of snatch-theft in the city. Among the many suggestions put forward was one calling on the women to wear no jewelry and carry no handbags when going out. Lily said she was not very sure whether these women were paranoid or had the situation become so bad that such a suggestion had to be made.

Copyright ©2003 Sarawak Press Sdn. Bhd. All rights reserved.

Corpun file 12467

The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 20 December 2003

17 years' jail and cane for Thai man

By M. Mageswari

KUALA LUMPUR: A Thai farmer was jailed 17 years and ordered to be caned three times for attempting to murder a policeman and causing hurt to a Red Crescent volunteer worker at the KL Hospital last month.

Sessions Court judge Akhtar Tahir jailed Sitthichai Palama 15 years after he admitted to have tried to kill Kons Eruandy Saini, 22, by firing a shot from a revolver and causing injury to him at the hospital at 7.28pm on Nov 27.

PAINFUL LESSON: Thai farmer Sitthichai Palama (front) at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Akhtar jailed Sitthichai, 30, another two years and ordered for him to be whipped three times after he pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to Tee Kim Lean, 23, with a revolver at the same place and time.

Akhtar, who ordered the sentences to run consecutively, said he had to view the offences committed by Sitthichai as very serious.

“The facts showed the accused had acted violently and could be a danger to others in society.

“Therefore, the appropriate punishment for the accused is a longer jail sentence to serve as a lesson to him and thus avoiding him from posing any danger to society,” Akhtar said in his judgment.

The judge, who did not accept the guilty plea of Sitthichai on the third charge of attempting to murder Kons Razisham Dan, 21, by firing at him at the same place and time, and fixed Jan 20 for mention.

Akhtar rejected the plea as he found that facts presented by the prosecution did not show the offence as per its charge.

As soon as the judgment was delivered, Sitthichai, who appeared calm, bowed his head to show his respect to the judge.

Pleading for leniency earlier, Sitthichai, from Kampung Mengrai in Chiang Rai, said he had committed the offence because of personal pressure.

“My parents in Thailand are old and they needed money from me but I could not afford to send any cash back to them. This had become a pressure to me causing me to commit the offence.

“I came to Malaysia only two days before my arrest to find a job and to be able to send money back. I did not plan to commit any offence in this country.

“I apologise to you and I beg your mercy to send me to a jail which is near to the Thai border for the convenience of my family members to visit me later,” he said through a Thai interpreter.

Sitthichai, who also works as a porter, told Akhtar that he had attempted to take his own life before committing the offences as he had asked for a transfer but was denied.

© 1995-2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)