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I informed Abdul Rahman that Nizar said the official cars of the team. Health Minister Datuk
I shall do so (vacate) in 10 days 11 former state executive council- He said the PR panel of lawyers Liow Tiong Lai – all
time,” he said. lors would be left in the compound would file the suit at the Kuala of whom received the
Nizar and his family had spent of the mentri besar’s residence for Lumpur High Court today. Darjah Kebesaran Sul-
tan Ahmad Shah (First
Class), which carries the
title “Datuk Seri”.
PPC cancels services of pier contractor
by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
of the USS New Orleans, which is
anchored in Penang waters until
about small vessels entering the
Penang Channel without register- Freedom Walk cancelled,
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang
Sunday.
When completed, the 450m-
ing with the harbour master, as
required. Bar president tells court
Port Commission (PPC) has ter- long T-shaped jetty will be able to She noted that the operator of
minated the services of the main handle vessels carrying more than the trading vessel Bahtera Unggul, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian walk, there had been two other
contractor for its RM65 million 2,000 passengers. which had caught fire near the Bar president Datuk Ambiga events – the Bersih and Hindraf
terminal redevelopment project be- Tan said the new jetty is neces- Chew Jetty last Sunday, had not A Marine Sreenevasan told the sessions gatherings – which raised the
cause of delays in its completion. sary as it would boost tourism in notified the authorities upon enter- stands court here yesterday the Bar concern of many people,” she
PPC chairman Tan Cheng Liang the state with the arrival of more ing Penang waters. guard on the supported the “People’s Free- said during cross-examina-
said yesterday the authorities had cruise liners. The vessel has since drifted deck of the dom Walk” to celebrate Human tion.
no choice but to end the services Although the project’s main and sunk in the channel’s busy USS New Rights Day on Dec 9, 2007. “We were concerned that
of Izoma Sdn Bhd in December building has been completed, sev- waterway. Orleans, However, it cancelled the the authority may use a heavy
because the company failed to eral structures, such as a mobile “We are looking into a mecha- anchored in event because of security rea- hand against the participants
finalise the project despite remind- bridge, pontoons and fenders, have nism to monitor such small ships the waters sons, and the information had of the walk and we felt it is our
ers and notices. yet to be finished. that come into our waters,” Tan off Penang. been made public, she said. responsibility to ensure they
The project, which comprises Tan also said the port authori- said. Despite the cancellation, are safe.
the redevelopment of Swettenham ties were concerned she was aware that some “In two or three gatherings
Pier into an international cruise lawyers had taken part in the by Hindraf and Bersih, the
terminal to accommo- walk that day. police had used force and tear
date large vessels, and Ambiga was testifying gas.”
other related facilities, in the trial of lawyers Amer Ambiga also said the
was initially targeted to Hamzah Arshad, Latheefa Malaysian Bar believed in the
be completed by Novem- Beebi Koya, N. Surendran and fundamental right to freedom
ber 2007. K. Sivarasa and activists Eric of a peaceful assembly and the
A special rescue com- Paulsen, Johny Andu @ Abu Police Act provision requiring
mittee is being formed to Bakar Adnan, Nooraza Othman a permit to hold an assembly
come up with a new plan and Ashraf Ali Sadakathullah, was ultra vires the Federal
to complete the project, charged with taking part in an Constitution.
which began in May 2006 illegal assembly and failing to Another witness, Insp Za-
and is still only 86% com- adhere to a police order to dis- kuan Hafiz Ahmad Ansari, who
plete. perse on Jalan Tuanku Abdul was in charge of the arrests
“We had given the Rahman between 8.10am and that day, said he did not use
contractor three exten- 8.50am on Dec 9, 2007. any force when arresting Amer
sions after it failed to meet She said the Bar Council Hamzah and Surendran.
the original deadline,” Tan had informed and written to “I did not use force or
said. the Dang Wangi police station handcuffs. I only held their
“We are looking at the about the walk and other shoulder and elbow. Both of
fastest and most cost-ef- activities planned to celebrate them cooperated and did not
fective way to salvage the Human Rights Day. show any aggressive reaction,”
project.” “The main reason the walk he said.
She told reporters this was cancelled was because The trial before Judge S.M.
after hosting a visit by US na- it involved members of the Komathy continues on March
val Commander Scott Davies public and just prior to this 31. – Bernama
MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN