4 robbers flee with RM700,000 jewellery in Kajang

The New Straits Times, Friday, 27 Dec 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: Four robbers armed with a pistol and hammers escaped with 10 trays of jewellery worth RM700,000 from a goldsmith shop in Sungai Chua, Kajang near here today.

Kajang deputy police chief Supt Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said the robbers took only two minutes to commit the crime. 

 

"There were two workers in the shop during the 4 pm robbery. One of the suspects fired a shot at the bullet-proof glass panel in the shop, while another robber broke the glass display cabinets with a hammer before all of them ran off with 10 trays of jewellery," he told reporters at the scene.

 

Abdul Ghani said all of the suspects wore full-faced helmets and jackets. 

 

Investigation is being done and police are studying the footage from the shop's closed circuit television cameras to identify the suspects, he said.

 

No casualty was reported.-- BERNAMA

Read more: 4 robbers flee with RM700,000 jewellery in Kajang - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/4-robbers-flee-with-rm700-000-jewellery-in-kajang-1.447665#ixzz2p0wT4IMe

Hulu Langat forests laid bare Illegal land clearing and sand mining mar two areas

The Star, Tuesday December 24, 2013 

Dumping ground: Bukit Enggang turned from a forest reserve into a government bungalow cluster that did not materialise, has reduced to a “popular” dump site.

DEFORESTATION and illegal land clearing were reported at two separate locations in the Hulu Langat district this year.

In mid-July, StarMetro highlighted the illegal felling of rubber trees at the Sungai Tekali forest area, raising the risk of flooding and mudslides.

A check with the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) revealed that both the land clearing and sawmill where the timber was sold were illegal.

A total of 28 lots of land, with a combined area of 22.7ha, had been cleared.

An environmentalist said the water banks along the cleared land appeared on the verge of collapse, and could cause flooding and mud slides.

Commonly used as fuelwood and for making furniture, rubberwood has become a major source of revenue for the Malaysian timber industry.

Logging royalties for rubberwood is exempted to benefit the country’s economy.

However, the two-decade old policy has also brought about negative consequences.

Even though no royalty is paid, operators still need a licence from the Forestry Department to log rubberwood.

In mid-November, StarMetro reported that Bukit Enggang had become a dumping ground.

Once a forest reserve, it was subsequently divided into hundreds of bungalow lots and given to civil servants.

Sixteen years later, the secluded hill has since been turned into an area for activities such as logging and sand mining.

While Bukit Enggang is out-of-bounds to “unauthorised vehicles”, lorries laden with sand and rubbish were reportedly spotted entering and exiting the area.

Joggers are the only outsiders allowed to enter in the morning.

Existing infrastructure at the site has been stolen, damaged or abandoned.

A huge sand mining site was spotted in a secluded area, with no sign indicating they are licensed to carry out the activities.

What used to be bungalow plots are covered in thick undergrowth.

Villagers of Sungai Serai, located at the foot of the hill said the area where trees were felled was supposed to be a buffer zone between Bukit Enggang and Sungai Serai.

MPKj public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman said a stop-work order and compound notice was issued in July to landowners of the Sungai Tekali forest area under Act 70A (1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 for carrying out earth works without the council’s approval.

Offenders will have to pay a compound of RM25,000, and a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or face imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both if found guilty.

Razaly said land at the 348ha affected site on Bukit Enggang had already been transferred to individuals, most of whom were high-ranking government officers.

“While the authorities acknowledged that the land has been trespassed, neither the Hulu Langat Land Office nor MPKj can take action as the land is under private ownership.

“Any action has to be taken by the individual landowners,” said Razaly.

Use more humane methods

The Star, Tuesday December 24, 2013

by farah fazanna zulzaha

Preparing trap for dogs: Hulu Selangor District Council’s Health and Environment assistant officer Aizul Azrin Mohd Badri (left) and and a council worker showing how to use a dog trap. — filepic

TWO stray dogs were shown yelping in pain and bleeding as workers from the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) dragged the animals on the road and then threw them into a truck.

The scene in Bandar Rinching, Semenyih, about 9km from Kajang, was captured by a volunteer from the Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) group and later uploaded on Facebook.

Netizens expressed outrage at the inhumane method employed.

MIAR president T. Puspa alleged that captured dogs were often left in the truck for days without food and water. She claimed puppies were often eaten alive by other dogs who go mad from the confinement and hunger.

Puspa said that prior to the incident, MIAR had met with MPKj councillors to discuss the building of a shelter for stray dogs.

She said that MPKj and other local councils should have proper guidelines and well-trained handlers to prevent more cases of animal cruelty.

Puspa suggested that more humane methods be employed and proposed the Government provide land for the setting up of more animal shelters.

Meanwhile, MPKj public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman refuted Puspa’s claims and said the council had a standard operating procedure (SOP) for catching dogs.

He said on the day of the incident, MIAR provoked the handlers.

Kamarul also denied allegations that the animals were mistreated.

MPKj had since built a dog pound.

MPKj assistant environmental health officer Muhammad Nazir Awang@Abdul Rahman said the 101.17 sq metre dog pound is located at Section 13, Bandar Baru Bangi.

The dogs are given food and water and the trucks used for dog-catching are big enough to accommodate all the animals, he said.

“We welcome any suggestions on alternative methods to catch stray dogs,” he said.

Prolonged dispute leaves Kajang council divided

The Star, Tuesday December 24, 2013

by choo woon lim

Unanimous agreement: MPKj councillors showing their support for the motion of no confidence against the MPKj administration. — filepic

THE year 2013 has been a rough one for the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj).

A dispute between the administration and its councillors in August resulted in the latter boycotting the fullboard meetings for months.

The 23 councillors unanimously tabled a vote of no confidence against the council’s president, Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abd Rahman and wanted the matter brought to the state government’s attention.

Speaking on behalf of the other councillors, Muhmad Hamidi Mohd Nazir cited the council’s “weak administration, mismanagement and bad practices” as the reason for the walkout.

Pending investigations, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim acted as the temporary approving authority for all municipal-related issues such as budgets and planning approval.

Residents association leaders expressed concern if the council could function effectively, given the dispute.

In October, the second fullboard meeting since the initial boycott was held.

Councillors were asked to withdraw their previous motion of no confidence and resume duties, according to instructions from Khalid relayed through Selangor Local Government and Research Committee chairman Datuk Teng Chang Khim.

However, the councillors again walked out of the meeting, after failing to table a motion to remove Hasan as council president.

Hasan had disallowed the motion as he said only the state government had the power to remove him.
As the year ends, efforts to mediate between the two parties seem to have borne fruit.

When contacted recently, MPKj councillor Bryan Lai said the councillors have met with the president and sent a letter to the MB with suggestions on how to work better with the MPKj administration.

The councillors will resume duties and attend the upcoming fullboard meeting.

However, new councillors are expected to be appointed as the term of current councillors expires on Dec 31.

As to whether this will improve the relationship between the councillors and the council remains to be seen.

When asked if the councillors still wanted to remove Hasan as president, Lai said it was not their intention to do so.

“We do not have the power to remove him as we are all appointed by the state government.

“We have achieved what we set out to do, which is to bring the state government’s attention to our plight,” said Lai.

It is hoped that in 2014, the councillors and council will be able to sort out their differences for the betterment of the community.

Man high on wanted list shot dead by police

The New Straits Times, 18 December 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: A man high on the wanted list over several armed robberies and vehicle theft was shot dead after he tried to attack policemen who wanted to arrest him in Jalan Reko, Kajang, near here today.

Kajang deputy police chief Supt Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said police on learning the suspect known as 'Sasi' was driving a Honda Odyssey car in Jalan Reko despatched a team to apprehend him. 

 

"The suspect panicked on seeing  three patrol cars and tried to ram one of them as well as a policeman who had got out of his car.

 

"Police had no choice and had to fire two shots. The suspect died at the scene," he told reporters at the location of the incident.

 

Abdul Ghani said initial investigations showed the car used by the suspect was believed to have been stolen in Kluang, Johor.

 

"We are still investigating if he is a member of a gang. His body was sent to the Serdang Hospital," he added.

 

"The suspect panicked on seeing  three patrol cars and tried to ram one of them as well as a policeman who had got out of his car. -- BERNAMA

Read more: Man high on wanted list shot dead by police - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/man-high-on-wanted-list-shot-dead-by-police-1.437560#ixzz2nycuU1A8

ATM thieves run off with RM270,000

The New Straits Times, 16 December 2013

KAJANG: The Oxy Gang has struck again, this time, carting away more than RM270,000 after breaking into two automated teller machines (ATM) at the Giant hypermarket in Taman Utama, Batu 9, Cheras, early yesterday.

The theft, believed to have occurred between 2.30am and 3.30am, was discovered only after a security guard began his shift at 7am.

He found both ATMs, belonging to RHB and BSN, on the building's ground floor, had been cut open.

Kajang deputy police chief Superintendent Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said the thieves entered the building by drilling a hole through the bank's shutters.

"The hypermarket's security guard who was on duty in the morning arrived at 7am. 

"He spotted the hole and immediately called the police." 

Ghani said the thieves used the oxy-acetylene gas-based cutter to open two ATMS. 

"We believe it was the work of professionals. 

"They took only an hour to prise open the ATMs, which were 15m apart.

"We found footprints and also recovered a screwdriver at the scene."

The thieves have been dubbed the "Oxy Gang" as they use oxy-acetylene torches to break open ATMs and vaults.

"The act, which was caught by the supermarket's closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera recordings, showed three men entering the building.

"We have looked at the CCTV images but the footage was blur and we could not identify the culprits." 

Ghani said the BSN branch's alarm rang only after the three men had fled. 

One of the bank's representative was dispatched to the scene. 

"The bank's representative could not enter because the building was locked and the hypermarket's guard would only be on duty from 7am to 10pm everyday," he said, adding the case involved losses amounting to RM270,920.

Police urged those with information to contact the police. 

The case is being investigated as burglary.

Read more: ATM thieves run off with RM270,000 - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/atm-thieves-run-off-with-rm270-000-1.433981#ixzz2nhNyeKvr

Cop arrested in connection with alleged rape of a foreign worker

The Star, Thursday December 12, 2013 

by natasha joibi

The lance corporal being escorted to the station.

KUALA LUMPUR: A lance corporal was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly raping an Indonesian worker in a budget hotel in Kajang Tuesday night.

Sources said that the married woman and her housemate were arrested in their Bandar Baru Bangi residence in a night raid.

Her husband was also in the house at the time of the arrest.

It is learnt that she was brought to the district police station when she was not able to produce valid identification.

The officer then brought the woman to a nearby budget hotel and proceeded to solicit sex from her.

It is learnt that the Indonesian worker initially refused the officer's advances, but was coerced into giving him sex out of fear of being thrown into lockup.

She lodged a report against him the next day but in a different district station.

"We have arrested the suspect and are investigating him under Section 376 for rape," said the police source on Thursday.

The source explained that the suspect, in his mid-20s has been working in the service for seven years and is married with two children.

"We will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind in our force. 

“We are looking into his records to see if he has any disciplinary problems in the past," added the source.

PLUS proposes Lekas-NSE toll road

The Star, Thursday December 12, 2013

by tee lin say

PETALING JAYA: PLUS Expressway Bhd, the operator of the North South Expressway (NSE), has proposed to build a toll road in Senawang, Negri Sembilan, linking the Kajang-Seremban Expressway (Lekas) to the NSE.

PLUS was hoping to reduce the increasingly serious traffic congestion on the NSE, and to increase revenue from toll collection on this link, said sources.

Presently, there are some 11 traffic lights between Lekas and the NSE, although that stretch is less than 10km.

The proposed direct link, which would be shorter in distance by 3km to 5km, will bypass these lights and at the same time divert some of the congestion on the NSE between Kuala Lumpur and Seremban.

“While there may be some loss of revenue from diverting traffic to another highway, PLUS is hoping to counter this by erecting toll gates on the connecting road and collecting toll,” said a source.

IJM Corp Bhd owns 50% of Lekas highway, while Lebuh Raya Sdn Bhd is the other stakeholder.

Some years back, IJM Corp had put in a similar proposal to the Government, but was rejected. Now it appears that PLUS is looking to champion this cause as the congestion in the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban stretch has become much worse.

StarBiz contacted IJM, which commented that the enhanced connectivity would offer an alternative route for users to bypass congestion at the Seremban-Nilai stretch of the PLUS highway, especially during festive periods or if an accident occurred there.

Presently, the traffic on Lekas during weekends is two to three times higher than weekdays.

Stretching from Kajang Selatan to Paroi, Lekas is 44.3km long and cost RM1.8bil to build. When it was first launched in 2008, management had guided that the payback period was estimated at between eight and 10 years.

For the financial year ended March 31, 2013 (FY13), Lekas recorded a 27.13% drop in revenue to RM38.4mil. Analysts said that the highway was still in the red, with pre-tax losses widening to RM38mil in FY13 from RM27mil in FY12.

The highway, which was opened in stages from August 2008, offers an alternative route to Seremban, Senawang and Kuala Pilah from eastern Kuala Lumpur and Kajang.

Based on figures provided by IJM, commuters travelling on Lekas have been on the uptrend. In 2009, there were some 8,400 vehicles on a daily basis. This increased to 39,800 in FY12, and 46,000 vehicles in FY13. For the April-to-November period, the figure had increased to some 51,000.

The first section of the Lekas highway, which was the Kajang Selatan-Pajam stretch, was opened in 2008. Subsequently, the Pajam-Mantin stretch opened in December 2008.

IJM also wholly owns the Besraya Highway and North Pantai Expressway. It has five toll concessions in India and one in Argentina.

PLUS was privatised in 2010 and now belongs to Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s unit, UEM Group, and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

Under a special-purpose vehicle, UEM holds a 51% equity interest while the EPF holds the remaining 49% of NSE.

Contractor robbed twice within an hour

The Star, Thursday December 12, 2013 

by natasha joibi

KUALA LUMPUR: Dissatisfied with the RM4,000 handed over by their kidnap victim, a gang of five men went back to his apartment in Kajang and ransacked the place.

It is learnt that the victim, a 26-year-old contractor, was walking to his apartment unit in Sungai Jelok, Kajang, at about 3am on Tuesday when the men surrounded him and forced him into a multi-purpose vehicle. 

A police source said the gang then demanded that the contractor hand over his ATM card and PIN number.

“The man refused at first but acceded to their demands when one of the men held a parang to his neck. The gang then drove him to a nearby ATM where the man withdrew RM4,000 from his account and handed the money over,” said the source. 

Unhappy with their loot, the gang drove the contractor back to his apartment and ransacked it. 

“Initial investigation revealed that the gang stole a laptop, mobile phone and two tiling machines. 

“After robbing him, the gang forced him back into the vehicle and drove him to Hulu Langat before dumping him by the roadside,” said the source. 

The entire incident happened within an hour. 

In another case, a hawker lost an estimated RM10,000 after a gang of three men broke into his house in Sungai Chua. 

It is learnt that the robbery took place at 6am on Tuesday while the hawker was at work.

His older sister, who was in the house during the robbery, rushed to the market where he was working to inform him of the incident.

The hawker later told the police that he had seen a car being driven near his house in the morning before he left for work.

Teen rapes and sodomises kindergarten teacher

The Star, Wednesday December 11, 2013

by natasha joibi

KUALA LUMPUR: A 16-year-old student raped and sodomised a kindergarten teacher 10 years his senior near Taman Impian Putra, Bangi.

A police source said the incident occurred around 7.10am on Monday as the teacher was preparing to start the day at the kindergarten.

“She was switching on the lights when she noticed a teenager walking in circles near the entrance,” he said.

Concerned for her own safety, the teacher closed the door.

“Unfortunately, she forgot to lock the door after her,” the police source said.

“The teenager then entered the premises and overpowered her from behind.”

He added that the victim was screaming for help but the teenager silenced her by attempting to choke her.

“The overpowered teacher begged the boy not to kill her,” the source said.

“He told her that he wouldn’t and said that he was not able to fight his urges.”

It is learnt that the teenager then dragged the teacher into one of the classrooms where he raped and sodomised her.

“The teacher told the kindergarten owner about the incident when she came in for the day,” the source said.

They lodged a police report at the Kajang district station and the suspect was apprehended by noon in one of the shophouses near the crime scene.

The suspect, who has no previous criminal record, will be remanded until Friday to facilitate investigations.

“We are investigating the case under Section 376 of the Penal Code for rape,” said the police source.

Boy dies after consuming poison

The Star, Saturday December 7, 2013

by austin camoens AND natasha joibi

PETALING JAYA: A 10-year-old boy has died after he was forced to drink an insecticide-laced drink. His 31-year-old mother and 11-year-old sister also took the drink.

Kajang CID chief Deputy Supt Azry Akmar Ayob said that the woman brought her daughter to a sundry shop near her home in Bangi where she bought insecticide and some soft drinks about 9am on Monday.

“Initial investigations revealed that the woman mixed the soft drinks with the insecticide before feeding the concoction to her children at their home. She then consumed the poisonous drink,” he said yesterday.

DSP Azry Akmar said that while two of her children drank the beverage, the woman’s 15-year-old daughter resisted and went into her room where she contacted her boyfriend for help.

“The girl’s boyfriend came to the rescue and sent all of the children to Serdang Hospital.

“However, the woman’s 10-year-old son died at about 10am on Thursday despite receiving treatment,” he said.

He added the boy’s body was being kept at the hospital’s mortuary while the sibling who survived was still being treated at the same hospital.

DSP Azry said the woman had been detained under police custody at Kajang Hospital, pending a psychiatric evaluation.

“We have yet to record a statement from her,” he said.

He added that the woman might have been suffering from depression following some marital problems.

In September, the nation was shocked when a family’s suicide attempt turned into a homicide case against the couple after one of their two children died.

The couple first attempted suicide on Sept 11 by burning charcoal in the master bedroom before they went to bed in their second floor apartment at Sri Manja Square, Taman Sri Sentosa, off Old Klang Road here.

When that failed, they tried again the next day. This time, their daughter died.

They kept the body in the apartment until it was discovered on Sept 18 after the girl’s kindergarten teacher asked a classmate’s mother to check on the girl, who had been absent for more than five days.

Those with problems can call Befrienders at 04-2815161/04-2811108, 05-5477933/05-5477955 and 03-79568144/03-79568145.