6 theSun | MONDAY OCTOBER 26 2009

news without borders

by Charles Ramendran have been strangled before his

Teoh’s family wants

newsdesk@thesundaily.com fall from the Malaysian Anti-

MALACCA: The family

Corruption Commission’s
Selangor headquarters on the
briefs
of political secretary Teoh 14th floor of Plaza Masalam at
Beng Hock said yesterday Shah Alam on July 16. Special incentives
they intend to exhume Gobind will file an ap- for teachers
his remains for a second plication for the exhumation

post-mortem following the
testimony of Thai pathology
expert Dr Pornthip Roja-
nasunand last week.
Pornthip, who was
invited by the Selangor
government, testified at the
inquest into Teoh’s death
on Wednesday there was
an 80% possibility the death
was a homicide.
She based her findings
on her examination of pho-
tographs of his body.
second post-mortem
Pathologist Dr Khairul
Ibrahim and Dr Prashant
Samberkar had concluded
in their post-mortem report
the fracture on Teoh’s skull
came from a fall.
To substantiate or verify
her findings, Pornthip had
offered to conduct a second
post-mortem on Teoh.
She has performed about
10,000 autopsies and is the
director-general of the Thai
Ministry of Justice’s Central
Institute of Forensic Science.
Lawyer Gobind Singh
and second post-mortem at
the Shah Alam magistrate’s
court today or tomorrow.
“It is only proper for the
post-mortem to be carried
out in the interest of justice
Deo told a press conference and to avoid any doubts and
at Teoh’s family house in questions which may arise in
Alor Gajah, Malacca yester- the future. I hope the court
day the family wanted the will allow the application at
body exhumed for a second the soonest as Pornthip had
post-mortem by Pornthip. said that further delay may
He said this was because affect the condition of the
Pornthip had said Teoh could body,” he said.
Pempena to shut
non-viable ventures
by Meena L. Ramadas According to the min-
newsdesk@thesundaily.com istry’s secretary-general,
Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng,
KUALA LUMPUR: Non-vi- the committee comprised
able ventures under Tourism ministry and Tourism Malay-
Malaysia’s subsidiary, Pem- sia officials.
pena Sdn Bhd, will be closed Pempena’s business ven-
down once the Malaysian tures are managed through
Anti-Corruption Committee its subsidiaries, Malaysian
(MACC) and police finalise Travel Business (MTB), Bistro
their investigations. and Theatre Restaurant Sdn
Tourism Minister Datuk Bhd, Malaysian Restaurant
Seri Ng Yen Yen, however, Limited London, and Cor-
said the company cannot porate Treasures and Travel
be wound up as there are Services Sdn Bhd.
debts to be collected. The company is under fire
“We have issues of for business ventures that
people owing us money. have incurred an estimated
So, if we close down, we RM50 million in losses.
cannot recover the debts,” It had filed nine reports
she said after launching the with the MACC since last
ministry’s pilot flea market year on irregularities in
programme, KL Sunday investments and ventures
Family Fair, yesterday. with various companies.
Ng said the ministry Reports were also filed
is discussing with CIMB with the police commercial
Bank’s debt collection crimes division and the
department to collect the Companies Commission of
millions in debts incurred Malaysia.
from Pempena’s business The issue was raised in
ventures. the Auditor-General’s 2008
She said the ministry report, which included
had set up a committee to responses from Pempena
investigate the issue and to audit findings on the
is awaiting the outcome irregularities that had been
before action can be taken. uncovered.
PUTRAJAYA: Three to 4% of
teachers, including principals and
headmasters, may be eligible for
special incentives based on the
excellence of their schools, Deputy
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin said yesterday.
A special committee will be set
up by the Ministry of Education to
make the evaluation to determine
which teachers qualify.
The form of incentives will be
announced at the end of the year,
Muhyiddin, who is also the educa-
tion minister, said after presenting
prizes for the “Mighty Minds”
competition here. – Bernama
Falling tree kills two
on fishing trip
KUALA LUMPUR: A fishing trip
ended in tragedy when two of
five tappers were crushed to
death by a falling tree while
they were asleep in a hut in
Klang Gate Forest yesterday.
Sanbi Sappar, 55, and the
other man, identified only as
Sai, 52, both bachelors, died on
the spot.
Sanbi sustained a crushed
chest, head injuries and a
broken hand, and Sai had head
and body injuries.
The other three, including
Sanbi’s nephew Zainal Mat
Tinggi, 25, escaped with minor
bruises in the incident at about
2am. – Bernama
Tanker plunges off
flyover
SHAH ALAM: The driver of an oil
tanker narrowly escaped death
when his vehicle skidded and
plunged off a flyover at the KL
International Airport (KLIA) exit on
the New Klang Valley Expressway
(NKVE), near Bukit Jelutong here
yesterday.
The man, in his 30s, sustained
injuries in his legs which were
pinned in the badly damaged
prime-mover in the 7.10am inci-
dent. – Bernama

Heart disease top killer in govt hospitals

KUALA LUMPUR: Heart disease and diseases of
the pulmonary circulation are the top killers in
government hospitals.
For instance, 16.5% of the 45,936 deaths in
government hospitals in 2008 were caused by
heart disease, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow
Tiong Lai said yesterday.
“This is a big number and we want to get the
support of all sectors to look into ways and means
to reduce heart disease, which is on the rise,” he
said after opening Heart House at the National
Heart Association of Malaysia (NHAM) here.
Liow said it was estimated that coronary heart
disease afflicted 141 persons per 100,000 popula-
tion in Malaysia each year, which meant that for a
population of 27 million, about 38,000 new cases
were expected each year.
“It is a heavy burden for our healthcare sys-
tem. About 60% of these cases will be managed
at the ministry’s coronary care units, while the
rest will seek treatment at private and non-MoH
cardiac facilities,” he said. – Bernama