8 theSun | TUESDAY JANUARY 6 2009

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Kuala Terengganu by-election

‘Datuk Kabi’ faces two

more cheating charges
BALIK PULAU: A man known as “Datuk
Kabi” was taken to a magistrate’s court
here yesterday to face two more cheat-
ing charges.
Kamaleshwaran Chitravelu, 29, was
charged with cheating C. Rethnadevi by
giving her an invalid cheque written out
for RM57,000 for the purchase a Proton
Perdana on July 6, 2005.
He was also alleged to have cheated
Peh Eng Hiam using another cheque writ-
ten out for RM10,000 for a BMW 320i on
Feb 10, 2006.
Last Friday, he claimed trial to cheat-
ing Ng Cheiw Beng of RM75,000 using a
up to 10 years, whipped and fined.
In yesterday’s proceedings, prosecut-
ing officer C/Insp Md Saad Hassan asked
the court not to release Kamaleshwaran
on bail saying that he had jumped bail in
respect of five similar cases before. Wan Ahmad
Moreover, the accused had 10 cases Farid waves
with the Kuala Lumpur contingent police to the
headquarters and eight cases in Selan- audience
gor, he said. when he was
Defence lawyer S. Narasinham, how- introduced
ever, managed to convince the court that as the BN
his client would turn up for the trial. candidate
Magistrate Norhayati Johar fixed for Kuala
bail at RM10,000 for each charge with Terengganu

BERNAMAPIX
similar cheque also for a car on March two sureties pending re-mention on Feb by Najib
26, 2006. 10. during the
The alleged cheatings all took place She also ordered Kamaleshwaran to official launch
in Pappadam Restaurant, Krystal Point, report to a police station near his house of Hotel Felda
Sungai Nibong Kecil, in Bayan Baru. If in Kuala Lumpur once a month as a Residence
convicted, Kamaleshwaran can be jailed condition for bail. – Bernama yesterday.

PAS: Our supporters will behave Don’t resort to

KUALA TERENGGANU: PAS yesterday said
it had advised its supporters to behave and
maintain their conduct to avoid the pos-
sibility of stirring up untoward incidents in
today’s nomination for the Kuala Terengganu
parliamentary by-election.
The party’s election director for the by-
election, Datuk Wan Abdul Muttalib Embong,
said PAS’s representatives had met state
police chief Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan and
Kuala Terengganu mayor Datuk Razali Kas-
sim to discuss the route to be taken by the
party’s supporters in the procession to the
nomination centre, as well as regulations to
be observed.
“We will continue to challenge the
Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters, but not
physically. Further more, there will be many
policemen and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU)
personnel to monitor the situation,” he told
a press conference yesterday.
He said PAS’s procession for the party’s
candidate Abdul Wahid Endut, accompanied
by Pakatan Rakyat leaders, to the nomina-
tion centre would begin at Jalan Pusara at
7.30am. – Bernama
violence,, says Najib
KUALA TERENGGANU: Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has called on politi-
cal parties to refrain from violence in the Kuala
Terengganu parliamentary by-election on Jan 17.
He said all parties should abide by the rules
and regulations, and not engage in any unlawful
activities.
“I hope that all parties, opposition and us
included, will not resort to violence as this could
mar the by-election. We don’t want to see a re-
peat of incidents like the one in Permatang Pauh
where a photographer was assaulted,” he told
reporters after holding a closed-door meeting
with Kuala Terengganu Umno branch leaders in
Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman here.
Also present were Deputy Umno liaison chief
Datuk Tengku Putera Tengku Awang and Barisan
Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid
Wan Salleh.
Najib, who is Umno deputy president, also
said that there would be enough police person-
nel to keep peace and order throughout the
by-election.
Najib was also satisfied with Umno’s prepara-
tion and commitment to face the by-election,
which is being held following the death of Datuk
Razali Ismail last November.
He said the BN had sufficient time to run its
campaign to ensure the seat remained under the
ruling coalition.
Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri
Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof has reminded supporters
of contesting parties to behave during nomina-
tion today.
He also reminded them to mind their language
and refrain from making derogatory remarks.
“I hope whoever is contesting will do so in a
gentlemanly manner. Watch your words because
things could get heated during the campaigning
period when supporters become emotional.
“We want to prevent a repeat of incidents in
the Permatang Pauh and Ijok by-elections,” he
told reporters after inspecting the preparation
for the nomination process at the state stadium
nomination centre.
Abdul Aziz also reminded all parties not to
challenge the police as the force had made a
thorough preparation to maintain public order.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed
Hamid Albar said the presence of over 6,000 po-
lice personnel here does not mean the situation
will not be safe during the by-election.
He said the presence of a large force includ-
ing from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) was
to ensure there were no untoward incidents
throughout the by-election.
“We do not want to take any risks, we want
the people to go about their lives as normal (as
possible). Do not worry about the police presence,
just assume they are not there although they are.
“If anything untoward happens, people will
blame the police and say we were ill-prepared.
As such, this early police presence here shows
we understand the democratic process and is
not a sign that the country is not safe,” he told
reporters after presenting uniforms to about 700
People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) members here
yesterday.
Syed Hamid said police would not hesitate
to act against anyone who caused trouble and
urged the people to cooperate with the force to
ensure a smooth by-election. – Bernama

Bad choice, says Mahathir

On the Maulidur Rasul
procession on March 9
in Kuala Lumpur, he said
about 100,000 people are
expected to take part.
– Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister and former
Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yes-
terday described the Barisan Nasional (BN) candi-
date for Kuala Terengganu by-election, Datuk Wan
Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, as a bad choice.
“It is an even fight I think, but the choice of
this candidate by BN is really very bad because
everybody sees him as a proxy, someone to be
‘Be wary when using internet banking’
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have advised the pub-
lic to be cautious when using internet banking
following cases of illegal money transfer carried
out by syndicates.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation
Department director Datuk Koh Hong Sun said
police had discovered the modus operandi used
by these syndicates in soliciting money from
victims, including through the SMS and email.
He said one approach was to send mes-
sages through the email to potential victims
asking the latter to update their bank accounts
used later on if Najib becomes the prime minister,
then these are people who will be surrounding
Najib,” he said when speaking to reporters in the
Perdana Leadership Foundation.
“I think it would make no difference who wins,
it’s not a major fight. Of course, the candidate
from Umno was the prime minister’s choice
because he is working with the prime minister.
through the internet.
Using the information provided by the victims,
the suspects would transfer the victims’ money
in the bank account using internet banking, he
said in a statement to Bernama yesterday.
Another way, he said, was to inform the
suspects they had won prizes through the SMS
and the prize money would be banked into their
accounts after they followed the necessary
instructions, including to provide information
which enabled the suspects to have access to
their bank accounts.