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Court sets aside order
for Umno to pay RM218m
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno yesterday suc-
ceeded in its bid to set aside a judgment
in default obtained by a merchandise
supplier against the party in relation to
the supply of RM218 million worth of
election merchandise.
High Court deputy registrar Ahmad
Faizadh Yahaya made the order with
costs in chambers after allowing Umno’s
application to set aside the judgment,
issued on July 17 last year, ordering the
party to pay Elegant Advisory Sdn Bhd
RM218 million, with interest and costs.
The company had sought the judg-
ment after Umno failed to respond to its
suit.
Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, counsel
for Umno, told reporters that he would
file a conditional memorandum of ap-
pearance to enable him to apply to strike
out the company’s writ of summons and
statement of claim.
Elegant Advisory filed the civil suit in
Inflation rate down 1% last month, to moderate further: Shahrir
by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: Inflation rate is ex-
pected to be moderated further
this month due to the current low
fuel prices which are likely to be
maintained in the near term.
Domestic Trade and Consum-
er Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir
Samad said fuel prices are the
most significant factor contrib-
uting to the decline in inflation
rate, with the latest reduction in
petrol and diesel prices result-
ing in a decrease by 1% in the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) for
theSun | THURSDAY JANUARY 22 2009
MACC nabs 12 in probe
into money politics
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) has arrested 12 individuals
to facilitate investigations into allegations that they
June 23 last year naming Umno treasurer dise, transport service and publications
received money from a politician recently.
MACC investigations director Datuk Mohd Shukri
Abdull said the 12 individuals were picked up on
Tuesday afternoon around Maran and Temerloh.
“Eleven of them were released on MACC bail
yesterday and another was still being detained for
further questioning,” he said.
Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi and and had supplied Umno with the items He said the individuals were arrested to facilitate
the party as defendants. for the 11th general election in 2004 investigations into claims that they received cash of
Mohd Hafarizam said the deputy upon the request of Abdul Azim. between RM300 and RM500 each to help the politi-
registrar had accepted Abdul Azim’s It claimed that since Abdul Azim had cian secure an Umno supreme council seat at the
claim, enclosed in his application to set requested for supply in large quantities Ex-state party’s elections in March.
aside the judgment in default, that the and within a short period of time, this He declined to elaborate whether MACC would
writ of summons and statement of claim resulted in the company appointing third
rep make more arrests.
were initiated without complying with parties (printing companies and other faces On Tuesday, MACC said three individuals, includ-
Order 10, Rule 1 of the High Court Rules suppliers) to deliver the items on time graft ing an Umno division vice-head in Perak would be
1980 and Section 9 (c) of the Societies and Abdul Azim had full knowledge of charged in court today with offering bribes dur-
Act. this.
charges ing the party's divisional elections last November.
He said the documents were not The company had sent invoices for pg 4 – Bernama
personally served on the defendants, he RM218,013,475 to Abdul Azim for pay-
said.
Moreover, Elegant Advisory had
ment and on May 22, 2004, a letter was
sent to the defendant but it still failed to Gerakan against
named the wrong party as defendant, he obtain payment, it said.
said, adding that it should have named
the party’s public officer and not the
Besides the RM218 million, Elegant
Advisory is also seeking 8% annual inter-
‘divide-and-rule’ policy
Umno treasurer. est from the date of filing of the writ until IPOH: Gerakan has described as counter-productive the
In its writ of summons filed via Messrs settlement of the case. The company was federal government move to ban heads of selected depart-
Termizi & Co, the company said it was represented by Mohd Nazruddin Abdul- ments and agencies in Perak from attending state-level
involved in supplying election merchan- lah. – Bernama meetings.
Its deputy president Datuk Chang Ko Youn said: “The
move will only affect the welfare of the people and the
public will be the losers at the end of the day.”
Chang is against the idea of segregating the public
December when compared with year),” he told reporters at his and non-alcoholic beverages service into federal and state levels, resulting in a divide-
November. ministry yesterday. for December 2008 showed an and-rule policy which will only affect the economy of the
“Since the petrol price now Earlier, he said the CPI for increase of 10.4% compared states and the country as a whole.
at RM1.80 per litre is lower than 2008 increased by 5.4% to 111.4 with the corresponding month “We are facing a worsening economy and politicians
the price for the same period in from 105.7 in 2007. in 2007, whereas the index for from both BN and Pakatan Rakyat should unite in under-
2007 (RM1.92), it will not cause Compared with December non-foods increased by 1.5%. taking policies that will benefit the public and uplift the
any increase in prices. 2007, the CPI for December 2008 “For the period of January country’s economy,” he said at a press conference.
“Additionally, the govern- registered an increase of 4.4%, to December 2008, the index “We are public servants of the rakyat and as such
ment’s price reduction campaign from 107.1 to 111.8. for food and non-alcoholic should serve them effectively and constructively instead
will continue and we anticipate “And when compared with beverages as well as non-food of fighting about the rights of the federal and state govern-
there will be changes in the price the previous month, the CPI for registered an increase of 8.8% ments in serving the public.”
level of some commodities and December decreased by 1%. The and 3.8% respectively. Compared Chang was commenting on Minister in the Prime
lower prices of inputs. reductions in petrol and diesel with November 2008, the index Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s
“This will result in lower prices prices effective Dec 3 and 16 for food and non-alcoholic bever- statement, reported by an English daily yesterday, that all
for some of the food items and were among the factors contrib- ages rose by 0.3% whereas the federal government directors of departments and agencies
you will see some price reduc- uting to this decline,” he said. index for non-food decreased by in Perak are banned from attending state-level meetings
tions in the first quarter (of the Shahrir said the index for food 1.6%,” he added. with immediate effect.