The Companies Commission of Malaysia's (CCM) investigation on Suaram appears to be continuing, despite having submitted its investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers in October, as its officers served notice on the NGO's staff today.

killthebill bersih 2 one year anniversary vigil 070912 suaram executive director nalini elumalai "We all thought it was over but they are coming at us again. We are surprised," Suaram executive director E Nalini ( right) said when contacted today.

This morning three CCM officers served the notice under Section 7D(1) of the Companies Act 1965 on seven serving and former staff at Suaram's office, she said.

They are current staff Diane Savari, Maisarah Muhd Najib, Lee Hui Fei and former staff Ong Jing Cheng, Fang Pei Fen, Andika Wahab and Yap Heng Lung.

They are to present themselves at the CCM headquarters in Putrajaya at 10am on Dec 17 to facilitate the commission's investigations.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had on Nov 1 revealed that CCM's Suaram investigation papers were accepted by the Attorney-General's Chambers in early October.

NONE This comes after its submission on Suaram's "confusing accounts" in September was rejected on  grounds that the investigation was incomplete.

Since then, the Registrar of Societies and police have initiated their own investigations against Suaram, with the CCM taking a back seat - that is, until today, with the fresh notice served.

Authorities launch broadside

Meanwhile, the ROS seems to have launched a dragnet in its investigation against Suaram, calling up at least a dozen individuals, including the human rights group's staff members as well as politicians, lawyers and social activists.

The latest batch of individuals called up by ROS under Section 66 of the Societies Act 1966, Nalini and lawyers Fadiah Nadwa Fikri and Amer Hamzah Arshad, are to present themselves at the ROS headquarters in Putrajaya on Dec 12.

According to that section, any individual under suspicion of having information on the existence or operation of any illegal society or on the operations of any registered society can be summoned.

On the police front, at least 10 people have been called up after CCM lodged an illegal assembly complaint against Suaram supporters who had gathered at the commission's headquarters in support of their leaders being questioned there on Sept 18.

Five of them will be presenting themselves at the Petaling district police station today to give their statements.

They are Suaram activists Wong Kar Fai, Cynthia Gabriel, K Arumugam, Sarah Devaraj and lawyer Fadiah.

'Action against Suaram'

In a related development, Umno supreme council member Puad Zakarshi called for stern action against Suaram to prevent the NGO from "spreading lies" and "confusing the people".

NONE "Why shouldn't Suaram, an unregistered NGO, face action when others committing the same offence (unregistered) are not allowed to escape?" Berita Harian today quoted Puad as saying.

The human rights NGO has insisted that Suaram and its vehicle, Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, are one of the same, registered under the Companies Act 1965.

Suaram is at present pursuing a case in the French courts over alleged kickbacks in Malaysia's purchase of two Scorpene submarines from French defence company, DCNS.