The Star, Sunday,  22 April 2012 

Time to shine, Sheena

Her name’s Sheena Liam and she’s Chinese.

But on occasion, her family name Liam has been mistaken for something Irish or Scottish while first time acquaintances have been known to scan her face closely for traces of Caucasian looks.

“No, I don’t have any Mat Salleh blood in me. Liam is my real family name and not something glamorous created by me. You know there are some people who want to lebih-lebih (show off) but not me,” the 20-year-old college student-cum-model said. 

 

Neither is the Liam name a typographical deviation of common Chinese family surnames of Lim or Lam.

“Liam is a Manchurian name rather than a Han Chinese. So that makes me an ethnic minority,” said the lanky 175cm-tall lass from Kajang

Sheena said there was a community of Manchurians with the Liam surname in Perak.

“Usually when I meet somebody who has the Liam surname, chances are they are related to me,” she said.

Her father is an engineer whose firm specialises in water management systems while her mother runs Viva Organic, a shop that sells fresh organic produce in Kajang.

A student of media management and communications at Taylor’s University, Sheena got her first taste for modelling when she was 15.

“At that time, many friends told me to get into modelling as I was much taller than most girls my age,” she said.

“When I was 12, I was short. And then suddenly I had a growth spurt, growing 10cm taller every year. It was scary as I thought I would not stop growing. Back then, I did not want to stand out from the rest of my class,” she said.

Finally, Sheena ended up the tallest in the family, outgrowing her father and even her elder brother who is four years her senior.

Her folks often joked that she was taller because she was adopted.

“I sort of believed it until I was older. Now I can see that I look like my parents,” the jovial Sheena with doe-like eyes and Cheshire Cat smile laughed.

She was also a participant of The Star’s Brats in Langkawi 2006, a programme to give youngsters a glimpse into the world of journalism.

“My parents encouraged me to join that programme as they preferred that I opt for journalism rather than modelling,” she said.

Her first big pageant win was at the MiRRORs Ambassador Search 2010 which came with a modelling course with Amber Chia Academy where she learnt more about the trade.

“After finishing my course, modelling jobs began to come regularly as I have started making a name for myself in the industry,” she said.

But Sheena still prefers runway modelling because of her height and is the female category winner of Amaze International Model Search 2011 and also a subsidiary title winner at the Jaspal Fashionista Search 2011.

The win at the Amaze model search came with a training programme on hosting.

“I am now the host for the Malaysian segment of Super GT Girl Search 2012 contest. The winner of the search will get a chance to go to Japan and be Malaysia’s Super GT girl representative,” she says.

Driving regularly from Kajang to Kuala Lumpur, Sheena is accustomed to traffic jams. 

 

“Instead of doing nothing in traffic jams, I have learnt to play the ukulele by using an app downloaded into my iPhone.

“The app teaches the notes and chords to pluck,” she said during her photo shoot with the Kia Sportage.

On the downside, Sheena has encountered her share of bullies on the road. She almost got into a fight with one after she had honked at the guy who was talking on his phone while driving.

“He stopped his car, got out and came up to me and started yelling.

“I guess he was stressed out from work and when he saw that it was a girl who honked at him, he wanted to pick a fight.

Sheena said she put on a brave face and got out of her car to confront him. To her surprise, the chap got back into his car and drove off.

“I was a whole head taller than him,” she laughed.

Make-up by Jil Yong (make-up guru) and hair by Pinky Chia (make-up instructor) of Amber Chia Academy.

The Star, Tuesday April 17, 2012

Man sought to help probe into triple killings in Kajang

PETALING JAYA: A man who operates a security company is being sought by police to assist in investigations into the triple murder in Kajang.

Selangor deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk A. Thaiveegan said police were looking for Murugan Krishnan, 42, to assist in investigations into the deaths of three members of a family in Taman Sri Ramal, Kajang.

“His last known address is 24, Jalan Bahagia 16, Taman Seri Bahagia, Kuala Lumpur.

“We also urge anyone who has gone through similar circumstances to come forward,” SAC Thaiveegan said at the police headquarters in Shah Alam yesterday.

It was reported that a medium, who claimed to be able to mend family disputes, allegedly poisoned the family by giving them milk laced with weedkiller on April 1.

He fled the house after stealing their jewellery and valuables and setting a gas cylinder in the kitchen on fire.

Chargeman M. Karuppanan, 65, brought the medium to his home to help mend a family dispute between him and his eldest son Sargunan, 38.

His daughter K. Rajeswary, 28, died in hospital on April 4 while her brother Manivaran, 33, died four days later.

Their mother M. Sakunthala, 63, died on Saturday while Karuppanan and his other daughter Malathy, 32, who also consumed the tainted milk, have been discharged from hospital.

Sargunan said the tragedy had brought the family closer together and he had made peace with his father.

He said his father was currently living with relatives as their house was partly destroyed in the fire.

Anyone with information should contact ASP Pung Hing Chong at 019-449 9383 / 017-368 3893 or the nearest police station.

Doing their bit for alma mater (Kajang High School)

The Star, Sunday April 8, 2012

Doing their bit for alma mater

IT was an evening of nostalgia for the former students of Kajang High School who gathered to mark the 93rd anniversary of the school.

The reunion of some 1,000 old boys with their former teachers was held last Sunday.

Organising committee member Billy Lee said the reunion was not just to reminisce about old times.

“We want to raise funds to improve sporting facilities in the school such as the basketball and tennis courts.

The class of 1984 reminiscing about old times over a sumptuous dinner.

 

“We also want to build a clock tower to be located near the school’s hall,” he said.

Many of the old boys arrived ahead of the 7.30pm start, and went on a tour of their alma mater. They were later given a presentation of the school’s activities through a power point presentation.

The patron of the dinner Datuk Dr Kamel Ariffin Mohd Atan, school principal Nik Mat Nik Man, Parent-Teacher Association chairman Assoc Prof Dr Ebil Yusuf later cut a cake to commemorate the event.

The Star, Monday April 16, 2012

Beware deadly con men

PETALING JAYA: Before, there was only the risk of losing money or ending up with a broken heart to glib-tongued swindlers.

Now, Malaysians have to be on the lookout for deadly con men pretending to be mediums to gain the trust of unsuspecting victims before robbing and even killing them.

A recent triple murder in Taman Sri Ramal, Kajang, has highlighted the existence of such vile fraudsters.

A medium who claimed he could mend family disputes through a ritual, poisoned them with milk laced with weedkiller in the wee hours of April 1.

The deceased: (From left) Rajeswary, Manivaran and Sakunthala.

 

He fled the house after stealing their jewellery and valuables and setting a gas cylinder on fire in the kitchen.

K. Rajeswary, 28, died in hospital on April 4 while her brother Manivaran, 33, died four days later. Their mother M. Sakunthala, 63, died on Saturday.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said although deaths were rare in cases involving con men, many other cases, however, go unreported.

“People should be wary and be extra cautious when seeking alternate solutions to problems, including family disputes and medical ailments,” he said.

He said in most cases, the public seek these people out of desperation.

As con men look for ways to manipulate strengths and weaknesses, they would first work on gaining trust.

“The eventual victims are easily duped because they are usually in a state of distress. The con men prey on their desperation to get what they want,” he said.

Devastated: M. Karuppanan, 65, and his eldest son Sargunan (left) at the Serdang Hospital mortuary.

 

Meanwhile, the Bukit Aman Commercial Crimes Investigations Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said Malaysians have been swindled of more than RM32mil through scams between January and June last year.

Besides Internet fraud, the con tricks also include parcel scams (victims are told that he or she had received parcels with expensive gifts, jewellery or cash, but the packages are detained by Customs and payment is sought for the release), Macau scams (con men claiming to be police or bank officers duping the victim is being investigated and that he or she has to surrender money into an account to verify that it was not gained illegally).

“A total of 454 Macau scam cases were reported amounting to losses of over RM10.6mil while 472 parcel scam cases were also reported with losses of over RM10mil as well within the same period,” Comm Syed Ismail said.

The Star, Monday April 16, 2012

Dad and son bury hatchet at heavy cost of three lives 

SERDANG: It took the lives of three family members before a father and son finally buried the hatchet. 

M. Sakunthala, 63, and her two children Manivaran, 33, and Rajeswary, 28, died after allegedly drinking milk offered by a medium at their house in Jalan Melor 2, Taman Sri Ramal in Kajang early this month.

The father, chargeman M. Karuppanan, 65, is devastated that his decision to seek the help of a “medium” to mend family ties resulted in a triple tragedy instead.

He had brought the supposedly “holy man” to their house on the night of March 31 as he had not been on talking terms with his eldest son Sargunan, 38.

“The medium came to the house and performed a ritual. He gave me, my wife, second son and my daughter blessed milk' to drink and claimed it would ease tensions in the family.

“We drank the milk and all of us passed out soon after,” he said when met outside the Serdang Hospital mortuary yesterday.

Karuppanan said the “medium” stole the family jewellery and valuables and set a gas cylinder in the kitchen ablaze before fleeing the house.

“As the fire spread, my wife and two children managed to regain consciousness. They dragged me out of the house.

“That was the last time we were all together. All three of them died after being warded at the Serdang Hospital,” he said.

It is believed the milk offered by the “medium” was laced with a weedkiller.

Rajeswary died on April 4, followed by Manivaran four days later. Sakunthala died on Saturday. Post mortem reports showed that they died from poisoning.

“Now I have my eldest son back but have lost three of my loved ones forever.

“I have known this medium' for several months but I never knew he could be capable of such a heinous crime,” said Karuppanan who cre-mated his wife yesterday afternoon.

Sargunan, who works as an electrician in Seremban, said he rushed back when he heard that his parents and siblings were admitted to the hospital.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Mohd Adnan Abdullah said the triple murder was being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

“We take this case very seriously and are going all out to catch the suspect,” he said.

The Star, Friday April 13, 2012

Thousands throng Kajang stadium for district-level Police Day celebrations

IT WAS a carnival-like atmosphere at the Kajang Stadium recently when thousands of people joined policemen from all ranks to celebrate the 205th Police Day.

The event kicked off with a bicycle jamboree followed by a children’s colouring contest, ketupat-making, flower decoration and coconut-peeling competitions.

There were also exhibitions by several private firms and government agencies such as the Fire and Rescue Department at the site.

Load it up: An exhibition booth displaying various types of firearms.

 

The police forensic unit booth recorded the highest turnout with its display of an assortment of firearms.

Children took the opportunity to ride horses and sit in the cockpit of several armoured vehicles put on display there.

The highlights of the day were a police dog unit demonstration and a lucky draw.

Two participants of the jamboree won a bicycle each.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab and his deputy Supt Azman Ayob were present to give away the prizes to the winners.

In his speech, ACP Abdul Rashid urged the public to work closely with the authorities to curb crime.

Ready to roll: Visitors having a closer look at an armoured vehicle.

 

He said several initiatives such as community policing, face-to-face interaction and high-profile policing had succeeded in improving the image of the police force.

”We urge the people to be just as concerned as the police to keep crime in check. Crime will continue to occur whenever there is an opportunity,” he stressed.

ACP Abdul Rashid said public participation and interaction with the police must be strengthened.

He said on their part, the police would continue to engage with the people and carry out community-related activities for mutual benefit.

He also pledged to build a closer rapport with residents’ associations, Rukun Tetangga, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and other enforcement agencies to overcome manpower shortages.

”All of us must look after one another just like a close-knit family in this multi-racial society,” he said.

The Star, Friday April 13, 2012

Doctor was planning his wedding

KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Lee Chang Tat (pic), who was found dead in a restroom at Kajang Hospital, had been busy planning for his wedding ceremony in December.

 

 

His sister said there was no reason for the trainee doctor to kill himself, adding that the 29-year-old had registered his marriage last November.

“I did not notice anything unusual in his behaviour. Since his wife is staying with us, he would usually be home after work.

“His wife told me that he was still messaging her as at 2am on Wednesday – the day he was found dead,” she said at their home in Taman Mahkota, Kajang, where the wake is being held.

The sister, who wanted to be known as Ms Lee, also rubbished reports that her brother, the youngest of three siblings, was involved in drugs.

Dr Lee was found dead in the restroom of the paediatrics ward at the Kajang Hospital by hospital staff in the morning. There was a used syringe beside him. Police believe that Dr Lee had overdosed on an unidentified drug.

Ms Lee said her brother, who graduated from Crimea State University in Russia, had stopped working at the hospital a year after he began his housemanship in 2008.

“He stopped to go into business. But nine months later, he applied to work at the hospital again under the condition that he re-do his two-year housemanship.

“He was passionate about his job since he was willing to undergo the same pressure twice,” Ms Lee said in an interview yesterday.

Condolences: Liow meeting Dr Lee’s father at his house in Kajang where the wake was being held yesterday.

 

She also described her brother, who would have completed his housemanship this September, as “obedient and courteous”.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai also visited the family.

In a statement, Kajang Hospital refuted reports that Lee had been working for five consecutive days before his death, adding that he was given rest days on April 7 and 10.

“We checked the roster and found that the Graduate Medical Officer Flexi Timetable system was followed,” said its director Dr Kuldip Kaur, adding that Dr Lee had only worked 57 hours in the week before he died.

The system, which began in September last year, requires housemen to work 60 hours a week with two days off.

Dr Kuldip also said there were enough doctors working at the hospital, adding that there were about 180 trainee doctors. “It is enough, so nobody is stressed out.”

Dr Kuldip said the hospital was carrying out a detailed investigation into the cause of Dr Lee’s death.

“It will be submitted to the Health Ministry.”

Living next door to vice (Venice Hill)

The Star, Monday April 9, 2012

Living next door to vice

ONE MAN'S MEAT
By PHILIP GOLINGAI

Tales of unruly behaviour, sexual harassment and drugs abound after foreigners had ‘taken over’ a condominium complex in the Klang Valley.

THE signboard at the club house in the leafy condominium complex in Cheras, Selangor, read: “Let’s make this our home in the hills”. It flattered to deceive.

In front of the club house was a parked police pickup truck packed with riot gear. Inside the clubhouse, several policemen were on duty.

At 12.30pm, no Malaysians – except for the police and security guards – were seen at the condominium complex while a handful of Africans were shuffling about.

The joke among residents of Venice Hill Condo – consisting of eight condominium towers – was: “If you took the ‘en’ out of ‘Venice’, you would have ‘Vice Hill Condo’.”

Hub of controversy: The joy of living in Venice Hill Condo has been disturbed after an influx of foreigners.

 

On Saturday, I was in the living room of a 44-year-old Malaysian who has lived in Venice Hill Condo for 12 years. Hannah, as she wanted to be called as she feared for her safety, invited three Malaysian neighbours to relate to me their experience of living next door to Africans.

“Prior to late 2009, the African population was small; there were only pockets of them. And we really did not take notice of them,” related Pang, a 56-year-old businessman who refused to reveal his real name.

The resident of 12 years continued: “Then, there was an influx of Africans and this place was called ‘Mini Africa’ or ‘Kampung Lagos’ (former capital of Nigeria)”.

Pang estimated that about 74 out of the 1,339 condominium units were occupied by Africans. And there was an average 10 people occupying a unit.

“Our place has gone out of control. We did not know whether they were living here or not because they were treating the condominium as a hotel,” he said.

With the new foreign neighbours, came public rowdiness.

“They would drink outside the club house and when they were drunk, they would fight among themselves,” related Pang.

Hannah interjected: “It was the first time I saw a woman beating up a man.

“They would also line up – the length of two cars – their liquor bottles in the middle of the road. It was like a joke to them.”

After several cases of sexual harassment by the African men, local women and children feared going out of their home.

Almost none of the Malaysian residents, according to Hannah, patronised the swimming pool because the foreigners would “take off their trousers and shirt and swim in their underwear”.

“Some of them would rub their crotch in front of you,” she added.

Two of them, Hannah said, sexually molested her 46-year-old neighbour in the lift.

“They sandwiched her as she was about to get out of the lift and they rubbed themselves against her,” she said.

Traumatised, Hannah’s friend locked herself in her home for two weeks and refused to lodge a police report as she could not identify the assailants.

Fazli Mohammad, a 39-year-old magazine editor who has lived in Venice Hill Condo for a decade, said the foreigners would hug and kiss in public, even in front of children.

Pang interjected: “You can find local, African, Thai, Indonesian prostitutes loitering outside our condominium tower at night.”

Fazli’s most ghastly experience with the foreigners was when a man wearing boxer shorts jumped down from the fifth floor into the balcony of his fourth floor unit.

His wife and children screamed when they saw the man, who was fleeing a police drug raid, rushed into their living room.

Luckily, it was noon and Fazli had just returned home. When the man saw him, he jumped from the balcony.

“I saw him slip and fall. The police caught him and he later died,” he said.

Around December last year, the joint management committee brought in Rela to beef up security at the condominium complex.

“It was a period of peace and quiet with the Rela’s presence,” said Pang.

“Besides controlling the foreigners, the Rela members did a good job of preventing crime (car theft and burglary) and stopping a woman from committing suicide on Christ-mas Eve.”

The Rela members, Pang said, in their checks found drugs, fake US dollars and bullets in the condo.

Then on March 31, Onochie Martins Nwankwo, a 35-year-old Nigerian who allegedly tried to rape a 50-year-old woman, died after being assaulted by Rela members.

Since his death, which was followed by a standoff between the police and Africans armed with machetes, knives and iron rods, an uneasy calm has descended on “Vice Hill Condo”.

Some residents are expecting worse to come.

The Star, Friday April 6, 2012

24-hour police protection at Venice Hill

POLICEMEN will be stationed at the Venice Hill condominium in Kajang round the clock following last Saturday’s mob-like attack by more than 200 Africans.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab said his men had been patrolling the area daily since the incident following the death of an African who was assaulted by several Rela members.

Rela members assaulted the African after he tried to rape a local woman working at the condominium.

“We will station seven policemen in the morning and another seven at night to ensure residents continue to enjoy the peace and security there.

Doing their job: ACP Abdul Rashid (second from left) with other senior police officers conducting checks at the condominium.

 

“Our officers are still investigating Saturday’s incident and we will do whatever is right and bring those responsible to book,’’ he said.

ACP Abdul Rashid said they had spoken to the African community who agreed to cooperate with the police.

He also said police had been taking action on residents’ complaints.

He added that a few of them might not be happy but the majority were happy with the action taken by the police.

ACP Abdul Rashid said the residents could contact his station any time if they felt that security had been compromised.

Residents had reported that the Africans, angered by their countryman’s death were involved in a stand-off with the police after smashing glass window panels of the management office.

Police had spoken to them and managed to calm the situation.

The Star, Friday April 6, 2012

Chong alarmed over crimes involving Africans

KUALA LUMPUR: The increasing number of criminal cases involving Africans has reached a worrying state, said MCA public services and complaints department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong.

However, he added that not every African that comes here is bad as there are many good and honest Africans who are in Malaysia to study.

He urged the Government to carry out thorough background checks on all foreigners to ensure they enter the country for the right reasons.

Weighing the options: Chong and the legal team discussing the case involving the Rela members detained over the Nigerian’s death.

 

Chong was commenting on the mob attack on a 35-year-old Nigerian at the Venice Hill condominium in Kajang and the detention of seven Rela members for questioning into the foreigner’s death.

The Nigerian had allegedly tried to rape a 50-year-old woman who worked there. He died after allegedly being assaulted by the Rela men who provided security services at the condominium.

The seven remanded men are being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

On Sunday, more than 200 Africans, some armed with parang, knives and iron rods, were reportedly involved in a stand-off with the police after they smashed glass panels of the management office.

Chong, an honorary colonel in Rela, said it was unfortunate that a life was lost but the people should refrain from acting emotionally against those implicated in the incident.

“Let the police do their job in investigating the case and do not take the law into your own hands,” he advised at a press conference at his office here yesterday.

Chong has appointed a team of lawyers to hold a watching brief over the seven remanded Rela members.

The men in the team, all holding the honorary rank of major in Rela, are lawyers R. Moghan, Leong Pak Yiew and Alex Kok.

The Star, Friday April 6, 2012

Busted — call centre for scams

KAJANG: They lived in luxury bungalows in a gated community without anyone suspecting that they were engaged in illegal activities involving billions of ringgit.

Kajang Country Heights, where they operated, seemed the perfect guise for the syndicate since the area is home to several ministers and former Cabinet members.

Bad landing: The woman who broke her leg being wheeled out of the bungalow by medical personnel in Kajang Country Heights yesterday.

 

As it turned out, the cover wasn’t good enough as police busted the outsource call centre yesterday for illegal betting, gambling and Internet scams believed to have been operating since last month.

Police arrested 144 people, including 54 women who were staying in four of the bungalows. They were from Taiwan and China.

The syndicate is believed to have rented six bungalows for betweeen RM15,000 and RM20,000 each.

Police, who had been staking the area for two weeks, found two of the bungalows unoccupied.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said that their passports showed that those detained, all in their 20s, had entered the country on March 6.

He said police raided the houses simultaneously at about 1pm and found the suspects engrossed in their laptops and telephones in a “classroom-like atmosphere” with all the tables neatly arranged in rows. CCTV cameras were installed outside the houses.

“They even had written scripts for their members to use when speaking to the victims,” DCP Tun Hisan said.

He said that a woman broke her leg while a man fractured a hand when trying to escape through a window.

Seven others, including a woman, who had sneaked out of the bungalows were arrested hours later.

Also arrested was a local man who delivered food and other essentials to the syndicate members.

The syndicate operated as football bookies. They invited punters to place bets on matches in the ongoing European championships and told them to deposit cash into an account, DCP Tun Hisan said.

He said their Internet scams included posing as authorities and demanding payment for summonses. They would then ask for the credit card details of the victims.

Police seized RM35,800 during the raid but they estimated that the syndicate had raked in almost RM4bil.

DCP Tun Hisan said police were looking for the mastermind.

The Star, Wednesday April 4, 2012

Venice Hill residents want Rela presence to keep African community in check

Residents of Venice Hill in Kajang are living in fear following the mob-like attack on their management office by more than 200 Africans on Sunday and insist on Rela’s presence in the area.

Some of the Africans, who were armed with machetes, knives and iron rods, were involved in a stand-off with the police after smashing glass window panels of the management office.

They went on a rampage when they learnt one of their countrymen who allegedly tried to rape a 50-year-old woman died after being assaulted by Rela members who were providing security services at the condominium.

A resident, who declined to be identified, said the residents wanted the Rela personnel to continue patrolling the area that houses more than 2,500 people, including about 300 Africans.

Aftermath: Windows of the Venice Hill management office were broken by a group of angry Africans.

 

“We hold no grudges against the the African community in our area but they have to respect our laws and the women living here.

“Women cannot come out from their units and walk peacefully without some of the Africans ogling at them.

She said the Rela officers were doing a great job, including arresting several car thieves as well as solving house break-in cases and curbing prostitution in the area.

Magazine editor Fazri Mohd, 38, who witnessed the commotion on Sunday, said he was shocked when he saw several Africans armed with machetes charging at him and several policemen.

“They continued running after us even when police had pointed their guns at the charging mob,” he said, adding that he witnessed the angry mob hurl stones at the windows of the guardhouse as well as management office.

Damaged: The security guard post is not spared from the mob attack.

 

Joint Management Committee vice-chairman R. Ragunanthanan said the management had lodged several reports about unruly behaviour as well as drug abuse and prostitution but nothing much was done resulting in them hiring Rela officers.

“We need help before the matter gets out of control. We have had numerous meetings with the African community but nothing much has changed.

“Residents are disappointed that police did not call for reinforcement despite being outnumbered by the Africans,” he said.

Ragunanthanan said there had been previous cases involving Africans, including one who fell to his death while trying to evade a drug raid by the authorities.

“They are so daring that they can even climb from balcony to balcony. We want Rela and the relevant authorities to continuously conduct raids in Venice Hill as we believe it the only way reduce the number of illegals and trouble-makers here,” he said.