PRESS DIGEST - Malaysia - May 3

(AFX UK Focus) 2010-05-03 01:13 PRESS DIGEST - Malaysia - May 3 Article layout: raw

Following are the main stories in Malaysian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE STAR (www.thestar.com.my)

BANKS ARE OPTIMISTIC ON THE OUTLOOK FOR TRADE FINANCING this year, buoyed by increasing demand from the domestic manufacturing sector due to stabilising global economic conditions.

NEW STRAITS TIMES (www.nst.com.my)

POLICE SHOULD NOT BE DEFENSIVE OVER THE SHOOTING OF A schoolboy nor do anything that could be construed as trying to cover up to their men, said Prime Minister Najib Razak.

BUSINESS TIMES (www.btimes.com.my)

SME CORP MALAYSIA HAS SUSPENDED ALL GRANTS INDEFINITELY AS it restructures funding facilities to stop abuses in the system, its chief executive officer Hafsah Hashim said.

DRB-HICOM BHD'S SUBSIDIARY, EUROMOBIL SDN BHD, IS looking into assembling Audi vehicles locally after recently securing franchise of the German marque in Malaysia, said group director for automotive Nik Hamdan Nik Hassan.

THE SUN (www.sun2surf.com)

HOME MINISTER HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN WANTS MALAYSIANS NOT have negative preceptions of the police force after the fatal shooting of schoolboy.

TNT EXPRESS WORLDWIDE (M) SDN BHD, A UNIT OF NETHERLANDS- based logistics group TNT NV, is upbeat on its operations in Malaysia and will continue to invest in its infrastructure, managing director Gerry Power said.

THE EDGE FINANCIAL DAILY (www.theedgedaily.com.my)

FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURER MAMEE DOUBLE-DECKER (M) BHD AIMS TO OUTPERFORM ITS LAST YEAR'S FINANCIAL RESULTS BY launching new products as well as strengthening its distribution channels, its chief executive officer Pang Tee Chew said.

SHIN YANG SHIPPING CORP BHD, SET TO LIST ON BURSA MALAYSIA, is setting its sights on the booming oil and gas industry in the Middle East and the increasing trade in Asia, its chief executive officer Ting Hien Liong said.

THE MALAYSIAN RESERVE (www.themalaysianreserve.com)

PROTON CARS FACED WHAT IS PROBABLY ITS WORST DELIVERY hiccup when a new central logistics hub meant to improve delivery from the manufacturer to dealers broke down due to a computer glitch, Proton Edar general manager for sales Sidek Abd Hamid said.

VASTALUX ENERGY BHD'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Amirul Azhar Baharom has resigned after four months of taking charge at the trouble-laden oil and gas company.

(Kuala Lumpur newsroom, +603 2333 8046; fax +603 2072 6752, areuters@gmail.com)

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Financings and investments Article layout: raw

Trail of bullets

2010/05/02

By Lee Shi-Ian and Noor Hazwan HarizMohd
news@nst.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Police were believed to have fired almost 20 shots but only one hit Aminulrasyid Amzah.

Aminulrasyid crashed the Proton Iswara he was driving into a retaining wall at a house in Section 11, Shah Alam, last Monday.A source familiar with the case said most of the shots hit the bottom part of the car. It was reported that police had fired shots at the car tyres to immobilise the vehicle.“Forensic personnel are believed to have recovered more than 10 bullet casings from various locations during the 6km chase from Section 7 to Section 11 in ShahAlam,” the source said. It is also learnt that the Iswara was not involved or related to any criminal case.“There was one corporal and one auxiliary police constable in each of the two mobile patrol vehicles that pursued Aminulrasyid in the chase.”Witnesses claimed that the tyres were already flat during the chase and there were sparks from the left rim.

Following the incident, it was revealed that the four policemen had been reassigned to desk duties until further notice. On Friday, police weredirected to carry out further investigations into the case.Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail studied the investigation papers submitted by police and issued additional instructions to the police on several points.It is understood that an official forensic report will be released tomorrow although senior police officers remained tight-lipped when contacted. In the early morning incident, Aminulrasyid and his friend were pursued by patrol cars across Shah Alam after they refused to stop their vehicle.It was reported that Aminulrasyid’s friend, a schoolmate, escaped on foot and lodged a police report. He was later interviewed by police for about three hours in connection with the case.Pas’ Shah Alam member of parliament Khalid Samad called on police to stop the drama. He raised several points, including why police have failed to clear Aminulrasyid’s reputation until now.He also cited a report lodged by Aminulrasyid’s neighbour, Zafrullah Ahmad Zainal Abidin, 27, who claimed that the Iswara had gone into a ditch and was therefore unable to reverse. It had been reported that police had opened fire in selfdefence when Aminulrasyid attempted to reverse his vehicle.Khalid said: “I am puzzled how police have completed their investigations even though there are still a lot of witnesses who have yet to come forward.”

 

Public wants transparent inquiry into boy's shooting, says Najib

Public wants transparent inquiry into boy’s shooting, says Najib

2010/05/03

SIBU: Police should not be defensive over the shooting of a schoolboy nor do anything that could be construed as trying to cover up for their men, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

While expressing regret over the shooting of Aminulrasyid Amzah, the prime minister said the investigations must be open and transparent as the public demanded this. “The public wants answers and I hope the police will fully cooperate in the investigations,” Najib said at the Rajang Security Command military camp, home of the 9th Infantry Brigade, when he dropped by for lunch with officers and their wives. The camp was one of seven places Najib visited in a hectic one-day programme here, which will see a by-election next week. “The investigations should also satisfy the family of the victim as they have the right to know what really happened. I hope the police will cooperate and not cover up for anyone if they are wrong.”

Najib also warned the public against implying that the policemen were guilty before the investigations were completed. “It is natural for the public to have the perception that the law enforcers are guilty when such incidents happen. The perception of guilt will always lie with the authorities. “But we cannot be unfair, pass judgment or point fingers at anyone when we don’t have the complete facts.” Najib also defended Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, who has come under fire with calls for him to take responsibility for the shooting and resign. “You cannot ask the IGP to step down after a single incident. Unless it (the incident) is the direct responsibility of the IGP ... (then) that’s a different story.” The incident has been classified as murder and four policemen are being investigated for their role in the shooting. Aminulrasyid, a Form Three student of SMK Section 9, Shah Alam, was shot while he was driving his sister’s Proton Iswara early on Monday. Initial reports revealed that the victim, and a schoolmate, had grazed a car near a restaurant and were then chased by a group of motorcyclists and another car. Two police cars reportedly joined in the chase and the policemen fired shots at Aminulrasyid’s vehicle to force him to stop.

Unconfirmed reports suggested that almost 20 shots were fired at the car. One of them struck the schoolboy in the back of the head, killing him instantly.

The car crashed into the retaining wall of a house some 100 metres from the victim’s home in Section 11, Shah Alam. Police claimed they opened fire after Aminulrasyid tried to reverse his car into the policemen. They also claimed that they found a parang in the Proton Iswara. The investigation papers, which were sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers on Friday, were returned to police for further work. A special committee headed by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop is overseeing investigations. Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein urged the public to be fair and not have a negative perception of police. In an interview with Bernama, Hishammuddin said the incident had put the police in a bad light. He also urged all quarters to wait for the outcome of the investigations and to stop speculating or politicising the issue.