Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar today said that the police were not taking sides with anyone in the ongoing residents' clash with highway concessionaire Grand Saga.

"Police are not political. They are here to ensure law and order is maintained," he said while commenting on the police action to disperse the residents with water cannon and tear gas on May 8 .

cheras mahkota conflict 080508 tear gas 03 The Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents are involved in a running tiff with Grand Saga over the latter's placement of a barrier on an alternate toll-free road, thereby forcing the residents to use the concessionaire's tolled road.

Residents have complained that the police were acting in favour of Grand Saga, allowing the company to replace barriers that had been removed by the residents.

"The police will attend to any calls, let it be from an individual or a company having problems because they are also citizens in this country," he said.

"Why treat the police as enemies and behave violently towards them," asked the minister, saying that the police have the responsibility to ensure peace is restored.

He also accused the opposition of capitalising the situation and said they acted unwisely as the peoples' representatives.

"As the elected representatives we must advise people to follow the law," he said.

Gov't spent RM2.37 bil on national service

The government has spent a total of RM2.37 billion on the national service training programme since it was implemented in 2004, Deputy Defence Minister Abu Seman Yusop said today.

In a reply to Loke Siew Fook (DAP-Rasah) during the question session this morning, the deputy minister revealed the breakdown for the expenditure were RM565 million (in 2007), RM588.2 million (2006), RM604.8 million (2005) and RM608.6 million (2004).

Previously, the government has said it only spent RM500 million for the programme annually.

national service weapon training 220905 interviewees A total of 339,186 trainees - majority aged 18 - have gone through the programme since 2004, which is aimed to strengthen the national unity among the youths.

Calls to scrap the programme was however rekindled lately following the death of a 18-year-old girl in Perak last week, bring it to a total of 16 trainees who have died during the programme so far.

23,191 freed but not acquitted

A total of 23,191 accused have been discharged but not amounting to an acquittal (DNA) by the court over the past five years, de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim said today.

The statistic of the DNA cases however fell from 7,275 in 2003 to 3,274 last year, Zaid said in a reply to Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) during the question session this morning.

According to the minister, among the reasons which led to the accused being discharged were the death of complainants, missing witnesses, complainants not wishing to proceed with the case on strong grounds and fresh developments that occurred during investigations.

Zaid also acknowledged the problem of prosecution at the lower courts was also due to the small number and lack of ability of the prosecutors.

"To resolve this, the Attorney-General's Chambers have appointed 90 deputy public prosecutors (DPPs) who possessed law degree and the chambers planned to recruit another 100 DPPs in the near future," he said.

BBC chairperson wants special commission for Sabah, Sarawak

BN Backbenchers Chairperson Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu) called for a special commission to monitor and examine issues in relation to all the problems that have been cited by Sabah and Sarawak MPs.

Apparently addressing the recent complaints by MPs over the unfair treatment the two East Malaysian states have received from the federal government, Tiong said he hoped that the setting up of the commission can help solve the problems raised.

"I'm responsible for my comrades and I hope to find a solution suitable for all parties," he said.

"These are the voices representing the public, most importantly the rural people in need of government aid. I ask for the government to provide basic necessities like water, electricity and proper roads for the community," he added.

The special commission can serve to monitor and examine issues in relation to state funds, oil (rigging) royalty, township, political upheavals, and the safety and security of the community.

He also asked for the government to consider postponing "mega development projects" and channel funds to agricultural development projects for the betterment of the rural population.

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