Fears of gangland wars

Shooting incidents spark fears of gangland war 



GEORGE TOWN: The three shooting incidents, including the assassination of a 37-year-old scrap dealer believed to be associated with Gang 36, which occurred over a span of 24 hours, has spawned speculation of a gangland war.

K. Veerappan was shot when he stopped the BMW 530i he was driving near a traffic light in Anson Road at 11.50am on Thursday.

It bore the registration number WVK 3636, which was believed to symbolise the gang’s number.

A motorcyclist rode up next to the car and the pillion rider whipped out a pistol and fired 14 shots, 10 of which hit his neck, cheek and abdomen.

His body was found slumped and his white shirt drenched with his blood.

The driver’s seat side window was shattered by the gunshots.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said Veerappan had had three previous drug records, adding that the car he was driving belonged to his 38-year-old friend who lives in Lebuh Macallum.

“Forensic policemen recovered 14 9mm-calibre bullet casings at the scene. Two machetes wrapped in newspaper were found in the car’s rear passenger seat,” ACP Gan said.

Before Veerappan’s shooting, a gunman fired at least six shots at a businessman’s bungalow in Jalan Utama. No one was injured in the 1.15am incident which is believed to be a triad’s warning to the businessman.

Only his 29-year old son, his daughter-in-law and a maid were at home at the time of the incident.

ACP Gan said the businessman, in his 60s, who is presently abroad, had lodged a police report last month after receiving an extortion letter containing six bullets.

“His daughter-in-law and maid found glass fragments from the window on the floor and bullet marks on the walls.

“Based on the CCTV footage, the gunman fired randomly from outside the house,” he said.

ACP Gan said the businessman had also received a text message in Chinese demanding that he deposit money into a local bank account.

“We are checking the mobile phone number from which the SMS was sent and also the bank account which has since been frozen.

“We are investigating the case under Section 39 of the Firearms Act and also Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation,” he said, adding that police had not ruled out the possibility that the case could be gang-related.

The third shooting occurred in front of an entertainment outlet in Jalan Datuk Keramat where a 43-year-old bouncer was hit in the left thigh at 12.30am yesterday.

A gunman fired seven shots but only one hit the victim nicknamed Too Pek (Stupid in Hokkien).


Too Pek being taken for treatment at the Penang Hospital.

The bouncer is believed to be one of the top leaders of the Si Lian (Four Tyres) also known as the 04 Gang.

It was learnt that Too Pek had just gotten out from his BMW when the unidentified assailant on a motorcycle shot him.

“Despite being hit, he managed to make his way into the outlet to seek help from his friends. He was later sent to the Penang Hospital where he received outpatient treatment.

“Two foreign cleaners were questioned by the police after they were spotted sweeping up the seven bullet casings which were later recovered from a dustbin,” said a source.

Gangland rivalry linked to the drug trade is also believed to be behind three other shootings – in Parit Buntar, Perak; Batu Kawan, Penang; and Air Keroh, Malacca.

A factory van driver N. Jeevandran, 26 was gunned down while leaving his house for work at Taman Seri Semarak, Parit Buntar on July 31. He had five previous criminal records and was was detained under the Restricted Residence Enactment until the Emergency Ordinance was repealed in 2011.

On May 12, S. Kannan, 37, and G. Suresh, 28, were killed and two others were seriously injured in a shooting at the Bukit Tambun traffic-light junction. They had just left a relative’s wedding when two assailants on a motorcycle pulled up to the vehicle and fired multiple shots at about 10.30pm. Both deceased had criminal records.

Police believe the killings could be related to the shooting of S. Sara-vanan, 39, at Air Keroh in February.
Saravanan, who had travelled from Butterworth to stand trial for a robbery case, was gunned down moments after leaving the courthouse.

- The Star contributed to this story

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Malaysian man rescued daughter from sex trade

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Malaysian man rescued daughter from sex trade

MALACCA: A man had to storm into a house and put up a fight with two men to rescue his 13-year-old daughter from prostitution.

He received a phone call from a woman, believed to be the landlady, who informed him that she had seen two men bringing in other men to the house where the girl was.

He then stormed into the house and found two men inside in the house. The two tried to stop him from rescuing his daughter.

He shouted at the top of his voice when the two men tried to assault him and neighbours came to help him to get his daughter away from there.

Now, with the girl under the care of the Welfare Department, all the father now wants is for his daughter to know how much he loved her and to explain to her why he did what he did.

“I also want to ask her why she got involved with drugs. I told her so many times in the past not to mix with bad hats,” he said in a choking voice yesterday, adding that he had been unable to sleep ever since the incident.

“I can’t believe this is happening. I am still very traumatised.”

“My girl said that she was also into drugs and received RM20 per sex session from her boyfriend, who also brought her to hotels,” he added.

“I broke down when I saw my daughter and also felt embarrassed when I was told by one of the neighbours that she was among several teenagers involved in prostitution in the area.”

Asked about how his wife was handling the situation, he simply said she was “very disappointed” and refused to talk about what she was going through.

The father said the incident on July 26 was the third time the girl had run away from home.

“My heart sank when I received a tip-off from an anonymous person that my daughter was soliciting for clients at a house in Taman Peringgit. She is my favourite. I love her so much that I never raised my voice or hand when she was mischievous,” he added.

The 46-year-old father of four said his daughter excelled in her studies until she joined the wrong company after her UPSR examinations adding that she was also good in sports and had won several tournaments.

The businessmansaid he would never forgive those who prostituted his “darling daughter”, who had run away from home for the first time with her 26-year-old boyfriend in October last year after he had held a dinner to celebrate when she scored 3As in the UPSR.

Police managed to track her down after he lodged a report and a medical examination revealed that she had been raped.

She ran away again with her boyfriend within hours of being found. This time, the couple went to Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

The family went looking for her again and the father accessed her Facebook account and found out that the daughter’s boyfriend had posted on his account that sexual services were being offered – with his daughter’s details.

He added that he managed to get his daughter back with some friends although the boyfriend managed to escape.

She ran away for the third time in June – and then came the call from the landlady.

Meanwhile, Malacca police have launched a manhunt for a 26-year-old man, who purportedly pimped the girl to nine men.

Malacca police chief Senior Deputy Commissioner Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye said a 36-year-old client has also been charged under Section 376 of the Penal Code on Aug 2 for allegedly having sex with the girl adding that they were hunting for the remaining eight men.

By R.S.N. MURALI  The Star/Asia News Network

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Crime is very real in everyday situations - cop robbed of his mobile phone!

TODAY, crime is happening not only in back alleys or in the dark but under broad daylight and even at one’s doorstep.

Concerns that the crime rate is on the rise are not unfounded. It is certainly no longer a perception. Now, it doesn’t pay to be an early bird. The early bird may not get the worm, but trouble.

The same goes for the night owls as trouble may await them. It is not advisable to go out after 9pm unless it is an emergency.

Gone are the days where teenagers could run errands safely for their parents.

A report about a policeman being robbed of his mobile phone “Robber hits cop on the head and makes off with smartphone” (The Star, July 27) is also disturbing.- see below

I feel our police force should be given refresher training to beef up their defence skills.

In case of being attacked, they should be able to fight off their attackers even if they are armed.

If the cops are not able to ward off the attackers, what about us, the ordinary laymen on the street, who depend on them to protect and safeguard us.

Cops who are obese, for example, should be given top priority to attend such courses. They should undergo a diet and exercise regimen to trim down their waistline.

In the end, they should be able to chase after the criminals without running out of breath.

Being fit is not only good for them but also for those who care for them. Remember, health is wealth.

Malaysia is truly a land of opportunity for those who work hard to earn their living the legal way and also for those with evil intentions.

Much needs to be done to tackle crime. In the meantime, always be alert and take the necessary precautions to avoid any untoward incident.

TAKE CARE Putrajaya

Robber hits cop on the head and makes off with smartphone

KUALA LUMPUR: A policeman suffered a huge gash on his head after an armed robber hit him with a metal rod and stole his smartphone.

The incident occurred when the policeman, who is in his 20s, was having supper at a restaurant at Setapak yesterday.

Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Zakaria Pagam said the suspect, armed with the metal rod, had attacked the off-duty policeman at around 2am.

“The constable is attached to the Sentul Motorcycle Patrol Unit. He was not in uniform during the incident,” he told reporters at the City police buka puasa function in Putrajaya yesterday.

He said the suspect had hit the policeman with the rod before demanding that he hand over his smartphone.
“When the policeman refused, the suspect hit him on the head again. The policeman then got into a scuffle with the suspect before being overpowered,” he said.

ACP Zakaria said the suspect ran off with the smartphone towards an accomplice waiting nearby on a motorcycle.

“The policeman was rushed to Hospital Kuala Lumpur where he received more than 20 stitches for the gash on his head,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated as causing hurt in an armed robbery.

He urged anyone with information on the case to contact the police hotline at 03-2115 9999 or visit the nearest police station.

 By AUSTIN CAMOENS - The Star/Asia News Network

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Japan unveils new warship 'Izumo', a destroyer/copter carrier on atomic bombing anniversary

 
Japan's newest warship is covered with decoration tape and confetti as it is pictured during a launch ceremony in Yokohama on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

It's being called a destroyer, or perhaps a helicopter carrier. But by any name, Japan's new warship, unveiled Tuesday, is the largest it has built since World War II. The ship was shown to the public on the anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and at a time of escalating tensions with China.

China on Tuesday called on Japan to abide by its policy of peaceful development and warned against its military expansion after Tokyo unveiled its biggest warship since World War II on the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.



"We are concerned over Japan's constant expansion of its military equipment. Japan's Asian neighbors and the international community need to be highly vigilant about this trend," the Chinese defense ministry told the Global Times.

"Japan should learn from history, adhere to its policy of self-defense and abide by its promise to take the road of peaceful development," it said.

Japan on Tuesday held a ceremony in the port city of Yokohama to launch the country's new-generation 22DDH-class helicopter carrier.

With a length of 248 meters, the $1.14 billion carrier, named Izumo, has a full load displacement of 27,000 tons, with its flight deck being able to carry up to 14 helicopters.

The Izumo, scheduled to enter service in March 2015, is the third helicopter carrier to be used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. But the new warship marks a major improvement in size and capability as it is almost 50 percent larger than the current Hyuga-class carriers.

The Japanese-built carrier could play a major role in disaster and rescue missions, as well as defending sea lanes and sovereignty claims, the Japanese defense ministry has said.

The launch of the warship came as Japan is embroiled in an island dispute with China in the East China Sea and the Japanese government is mulling a change of interpretation to Japan's pacifist constitution to grant its military a bigger role.

Li Daguang, a professor at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, told the Global Times that Japan's 22DDH helicopter carrier is actually capable of conducting military operations as an aircraft carrier, but due to restraints by the country's constitution, Japan is unable to equip it with fighter jets.

Japan was defeated in World War II and according to its post-war constitution, it is not allowed to possess offensive weaponry, such as nuclear submarines or aircraft carriers.

"But since it still carries large numbers of advanced attack and anti-submarine helicopters and other weapons, the vessel can still be seen as an aircraft carrier in disguise," Li noted.

Li said the Izumo could significantly improve the combat capability of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and could potentially change the power balance between China and Japan's naval forces.

"Japan tops the world in terms of its anti-submarine capability and the warship would further consolidate its advantage," he said.

China inaugurated its first aircraft carrier, the approximately 300-meter long Liaoning, in September 2012. It was built around a Soviet-era hull and can carry an estimated 50 fighter jets.

But Li said that the two vessels cannot be compared. "The Liaoning was mainly built for training purposes while the Izumo was built for a real war."

Japan's military right-wing shift is the natural result of the country's political right-wing shift, said Liu Jiangyong, deputy head of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University.

He told the Global Times that the launch of the new warship, a de facto aircraft carrier, without the approval of the Japanese Diet is an effort by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government to break the limits of its peaceful constitution.

"Tokyo wanted to use such an established fact to tell the Japanese public that Japan's constitution has in reality been revised," he added.

In addition to Japan's military buildup, neighboring countries are also concerned about Tokyo's attitude toward its militaristic past.

Abe on Tuesday declined to confirm whether he will visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's surrender during the World War II, but said his cabinet ministers are free to go.

"I will not respond whether I will visit. Whether cabinet ministers will visit in their private capacity is an issue of their belief. So they are free" to go, he was quoted by Japan's Kyodo News as saying. "I will not request my ministers to visit or not to visit [the shrine]. I should not do that."

Government and ruling party sources told Kyodo last week that Abe would not visit Yasukuni on the anniversary to refrain from worsening Japan's relations with China and South Korea.

AFP contributed to this story

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Technologies: Don't burn money, use it wisely

Texting dilutes relationships

In our fast-paced world, texting is taking the place of face-to-face social encounters and devaluing our relationships. - AFP Photo

When people communicate with gadgets, rather than face-to-face; we increase the quantity, but perhaps not the quality, of our interactions.

I DON’T want to say something that is so painfully apparent that I get labelled as Captain Obvious, or even worse, as Admiral Apparent; but technology is changing the way we live.

Thank you, Ensign Evident.

Specifically, the way we socially interact is changing, and I’m not talking about our friendships on your favourite social media network. A recent study in the United States showed that more and more people are using their phones not to actually talk to anyone but to text.

The ratio of texts to phone calls was 5-1. In fact, texting is becoming the preferred method to ask someone out. That should come as no surprise, as the alternatives of the awkward phone call, or worse – the sweaty, white-knuckled face-to-face ask-out – are just terrible options; so terrible that it’s a wonder humans could even reproduce prior to the text message.

About one third of those surveyed said that they prefer to ask the person they are interested in to meet in a group setting, rather than meeting for a one-on-one traditional date.

The rationale, besides the obviousness of it being less awkward, is that if they don’t click, they will waste less time, as opposed to several hours on a date.

Which makes it seem that people are like paperbacks which should be judged by their synopsis before one commits to spend time with that person.

But why is texting becoming the way that we socially interact? It seems like the refuge of the introvert, but it’s so widespread that it can’t just be introverts who are choosing this method of communication. Extroverts – those assertive bold individuals that crave and seem to thrive off human interaction – must also be texting, even if it seems to go against their nature.

Why is this? The advantage to texting, even if you’re an extrovert, is that you engage others on your own time and pace. The great thing about texts is you can take the time to get it right, whereas in a face-to-face encounter, the right words may only come at the end of the conversation.

Also, phone calls and speaking face-to-face have the problem where you actually have to listen to the other person, you know ... talk. Even that takes time.

In a text message, first off, most people won’t send you a life story via text. Secondly, if you see a message more than a sentence long, you can simply skim it, or not read it at all and fire back an emoticon.

Not sure what to say? Or didn’t even bother reading? Send that smiley with the grimace, it’s emotionally ambiguous.

If people were telling a happy story, this Swiss army knife of emoticons looks sufficiently pleasant that they’ll think you get it; if the story was tragic, it looks dissatisfied enough that they’ll think you empathise with them. Emoticons are the inauthentic, ineffectual, pre-packaged greeting cards of text messaging.

Does this mean texting is making us all into self-centered introverts? Yes it does.

There’s no other way around it. If texting takes the edge off asking people for dates and conversing, it also takes the edge off rejecting people.

It’s hard to say “no” to someone face-to-face, but over a text message, it’s easy. That’s why there’re so many confrontational people in online forums and message boards on the Internet.

How many people do you argue with in real life? And how many people do you argue with online? If you’re sucked into actually commenting on the Internet, you’ll probably end up arguing with everyone!

If texting makes it easier to interact because the weight of interaction is reduced, it also makes our relationships more fleeting. Take for instance an interaction I had the other night on Steam, a gaming platform. I logged on with a couple of friends to get some online gaming going on. One of them introduced me to a friend, and we added him to our party.

Now when I say introduced, I mean he typed “My friend wants to play”, and he then popped up on the messaging service and said, “Hi”. That was it. He was in.

One of my friends just disappeared – went AFK or “Away From Keyboard” – something that probably wouldn’t happen in real life. It’s not like we’d agree to play squash and then somebody just walked away without telling us, that would be rude. But online, it was accepted.

Then my other friend had trouble with his computer and had to reboot. I ended up playing with the friend of a friend, who I didn’t know at all, except that we’d said hello.

Now that is the great thing about the Internet and texting. We started playing and it was fine, communicating like we knew each other, polite laughter and all. Halfway through the game, I started having trouble with my connection, and thinking it might be a sign (to perhaps go off and write this article!), I exited the game without bothering to sign back in and give an explanation to my new “friend”.

I too had just walked out of the squash game with no explanation, because I knew it wouldn’t really bother the stranger I’d been playing with, and I’m sure it didn’t bother him.

Communicating via text is great, it’s easy, it puts things on our own terms. But maybe human relations were never meant to be that simple, and ultimately, relationships are reciprocal – we get out of them what we put in, and if all we put in are text messages ... then that’s really all we’ll get back.

Big Smile No Teeth by JASON GODFREY
Jason Godfrey can be seen hosting The LINK on Life Inspired (Astro B.yond Ch 728).

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