SLA GEMBLENG TENAGA MUDA

BAK kata pepatah, ke mana tumpah kuah jika tidak ke nasi. Begitulah kejayaan yang dicipta Peguam Muda, Syarulnizam Salleh, 25, apabila terpilih sebagai Setiausaha baru Sabah Law Association (SLA) dengan mendapat majoriti 65 undi dalam mesyuarat agung SLA 2013.

Walaupun masih muda namun Syarulnizam memperolehi 186 undi menewaskan penyandang jawatan, Roger Chin yang mendapat 121 undi  semasa pemilihan mesyuarat agung tahunan SLA di Hotel Le Meriden, petang khamis.

Syarulnizam, seorang pengamal undang-undang bekelulusan Master of Law (LLM) dari Australia adalah Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kecil Hak Asasi (Human Rights Subcommittee) SLA.

Sebelum ini, bapa Syarulnizam, Datuk Seri Panglima Salleh Tun Said, yang kini merupakan Speaker DUN Sabah mencipta rekod menjadi Ketua Menteri Sabah termuda pada usia 37 tahun.

Dalam pada itu, Presiden SLA, Datuk GBB Nandy @ Ganesh dan Naib Presiden, Cik Catherine Chau berjaya mengekalkan jawatan masing-masing.

29 CHARGED WITH WAGING WAR

CHARGED.... Norhaida Ibnahi, 46, a Malaysian woman, was charged with harbouring a group of terrorists between Feb 9 and March 22 at a house in Kampung Sri Melor, Bugaya, Semporna.

KOTA KINABALU: Twenty-nine individuals charged with various offences in relation to terrorism activities in Sabah pleaded not guilty in the High Court here today.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail (photo) applied to the court for all the accused to be tried jointly.

The eight lawyers representing the accused did not object to the application. Justice P. Ravinthran fixed July 15 for case management.

He also fixed July 12 to record the plea of one Habil Suhaili who was not present as he was undergoing treatment at the Tawau Hospital.

Habil is charged with being a member of a terrorist group at Jalan Kastam Lama, Lahad Datu, between Feb 9 and March 4, an offence punishable with life imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.

BERNAMA reported that among the 29 individuals present was a local woman who faces possible life imprisonment, upon conviction, for allegedly harbouring a group of terrorists.

Norhaida Ibnahi, 46, was charged with harbouring a group of terrorists between Feb 9 and March 22 at a house in Kampung Sri Melor, Bugaya, Semporna.

ARRIVAL.... The terrorists on arrival at the KK High Court on Thursday.

Local men Abd Hadi Mawan, 49, and Abdul Majil Jubin, 41, were charged with being members of a terrorist group and treason against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Abd Hadi was alleged to have committed both the offences at Kampung Perigi, Semporna, between Feb 9 and March 14 while Abdul Majil was alleged to have committed the offences at Jalan Lihak-Lihak, Semporna, between Feb 9 and March 13.

The Filipino nationals among the accused faced the same two charges as Abd Hadi and Abdul Majil.

Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, Rijmal Salleh, Saidili Jaharul, Dani Ismail, Pabblo Alie, Mohamad Ali Ahmad, Basil Samiul and Rizman Gulan are charged with committing the offences between Feb 9 and April 10 at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu; Kampung Muanad, Beluran and Jalan Lihak-Lihak, Semporna.

They were charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an offence which carries the death sentence or life imprisonment, and for being members of a terrorist group, an offence punishable with life imprisonment and a fine, upon conviction.

SUSPECT... Another terror suspect being led to the KK High Court Thursday.

Totoh Hismullah was charged with committing the same offences between Feb 9 and March 29 at Kampung Simunul, Semporna.

Also charged with waging war on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong are Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, Basad Manuel, Masir Aidin, Ismail Yasin, Anwar Salib Akhmad, Binhar Salib Akhmad, Virgilio Nemar Patulada alias Mohammad Alam Patulada, Salib Akhmad Emali, Al Wazir Osman alias Abdul, Tani Lahad Dahi and Julham Rashid.

They were charged with being members of a terrorist group with Aiman Radie, Lin Mad Salleh, Holland Kalbi and Timhar Hadir.

Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an offence which carries the death sentence or life imprisonment.

Two others, Kadir Uyung and Lating Tiong, were charged with harbouring a group of terrorists while Salib Akhmad faced an additional charge of recruiting for the group.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Abdul Gani said he hoped that the court would decide on a larger venue for the trial as it would require tight security to ensure smooth proceedings.

The accused were brought to the court complex in four police trucks. Thirteen of the individuals, including the woman and one in a wheelchair, wore straight-jackets and black hats that covered their eyes.

The court had been under tight security since early morning, with armed policemen in and around the court compound.

INJURED.....This terror suspect (right) was taken to the KK High Court in a wheel chair.

ANOTHER PUTSCH IN SABAH PKR

CHOICE Lajim (left) is said to be the choice as Sabah PKR Chief for most of the 25 divisions while Thamrin has been branded a flop since his appointment by the national PKR leadership. AHMAD Thamrin likely to be ousted to make way for Klias lawmaker and former UMNO warlord, Lajim Ukin to take over, say sources close to the party

By : JONATHAN JAY ETHAN

KOTA KINABALU: The restless warrior from Beaufort seems not happy to play second fiddle. Just a week after being ‘appointed’ opposition chief in the Sabah State Assembly, Datuk Lajim Haji Ukin is said to be targeting the Sabah PKR leadership currently held by Ahmad Thamrin.

Sources close to the Klias lawmaker told the Borneo Insider Lajim has begun making his moves to strengthen his position in Sabah PKR with his underlings making the necessary contacts.

Already, it is said that as of to-date 19 out of the 25 divisions in the state have given their endorsement for Lajim to take over the leadership.

According to our source, a senior Sabah PKR leader who spoke on the condition of anonymity, this might take place sometime next week when a few more divisions and their heads confirm their backing for Lajim.

“We believe that Thamrin’s days are numbered,” said the source. “Even Thamrin knows that he is just warming the seat and when Lajim (and Wilfred Bumburing) crossed over to the other side, it was only a matter of time.

“But what is most interesting to see is whether the PKR leadership in Kuala Lumpur, under defector chief, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will give his blessings or not.

“It will be a severe test of his leadership as well as to the numerous promises he has made to Sabah leaders, one of them being that they will get the chance to choose the leader of their choice.

“Right now Thamrin is a KL-appointee. He does not have the full back of all the other division chiefs”.

[While Lajim said he would leave his NGO, the PPPS, which he helmed to continue his political platform after ditching UMNO last year, and apply to join PKR with his members, Wilfred, who contested and won Tamparuli on a PKR ticket, will not be doing so].

It is also believed that a KadazanDusun Murut leader from Papar has been slated as Lajim’s Number 2 should he get the vote from the divisions.

The Borneo Insider understands that the unhappiness over Thamrin’s leadership has been gathering steam, much so after the May 5 general election.

The sources we spoke to say Thamrin cold either step down and safe face or suffer the ignominy of being ‘ousted’, most likely by way of a ‘vote of no confidence’.

It was said the main reason which prompted the imminent ‘mutiny’ was mainly due to Thamrin’s lame leadership and poor performance since his appointment in October 2009.

“He (Thamrin) has no leadership quality. He’s only good for ‘fund-raising’, besides being a ‘Yes Man’. To put it bluntly, he’s just someone’s puppet. We just don’t see any hope for PKR Sabah to progress further under his leadership,” the sources said.

“But, we are confident that Lajim would be a more capable leader. In fact, this has been confirmed by virtue of his appointment as the Sabah opposition leader in the State Legislative Assembly, recently,” said a Sabah PKR divisional chief.

He further noted that Thamrin’s losing of the Gum-Gum state seat which he contested for in the last general election had also rendered him losing his mandate to lead Sabah PKR.

Polling 3,191 votes, Thamrin lost to Datuk ZakariaB.Mohd Edris of Barisan Nasional (BN) who polled 5,548 votes.

Besides this, the senior Sabah PKR leader also faulted Anwar for the fielding the wrong candidates in the last general elections, claiming that otherwise the party could have won more seats in Sabah.

He cited among the bad choices of candidates included Tan Sri Ibrahim Menudin who lost both the Labuan parliamentary and Bongawan state seats which he contested, and Datuk Mohammad Yahaya Lampong who lost the fight for Papar parliamentary seat, as well as an unknown figure, Fred Gabriel in the Pantai Manis state constituency.

“The fielding of some new faces from the PPPS and APS (Angkatan Perubahan Sabah) in replacement of those senior Sabah PKR leaders like Hj Ansari (former PKR Tuaran Chief) who had been working hard on the ground all these while, was another key contributing factor of the poor election result,” he added.

It is not known however how senior PKR Sabah leaders like Dr Roland Chia (Inanam) and Christina Liew (Api Api) as well as deputy secretary general, Darell Leiking (Penampang) would react to Lajim’s anticipated leadership. (BI)

KESEMUA JAWATAN BOLEH DITANDINGI

KUALA LUMPUR : Setiausaha Agung Umno Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor hari ini berkata semua jawatan tertinggi dalam parti itu terbuka untuk ditandingi pada pemilihan yang dijadualkan hujung tahun ini.

"Siapa sahaja yang mahu bertanding untuk jawatan tertinggi, daripada Majlis Tertinggi ke jawatan presiden, boleh mendaftarkan diri mereka sebagai calon," katanya kepada pemberita di luar Persidangan Dewan Rakyat, di sini.

Kenyataannya itu menyusuli gesaan beberapa pemimpin dan bekas pemimpin Umno yang mahu jawatan presiden dan timbalan presiden tidak dicabar.

Berdasarkan format baharu pemilihan, beliau berkata antara 148,000 dan 150,000 anggota Umno dari 199 bahagian akan mengundi calon yang berkenaan.

Mengenai mekanisme pengundian, Tengku Adnan berkata satu bahagian dikira sebagai satu undi.

"Sebagai contoh, jika (Perdana Menteri dan Presiden Umno) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ada pencabar, mereka harus bertanding di semua bahagian kerana setiap bahagian merupakan satu undi (kepada calon yang menang), sekalipun setiap bahagian mempunyai jumlah perwakilan berbeza," katanya.

Katanya taklimat Umno mengenai format baharu itu akan diakhiri dengan Umno Sabah esok.

Ini merupakan kali pertama Umno menggunakan mekanisme baharu pada pemilihannya susulan pindaan perlembagaan parti pada 2009.

Sebelum ini hanya sejumlah perwakilan dibenar mengundi bagi memilih pemimpin parti itu. (Bernama)