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Drunk behind the wheel: Which charge for fatal crash?
Govt office temps going up amid energy crisis
Don’t worry, govt will disclose
Drunk behind the wheel: Which charge for fatal crash?
The Attorney-General’s Chambers has defended its decision to charge a man, believed to be under the influence, with murder over a fatal crash in Klang on March 29, despite questions over the difficulty of proving intent required under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar said the charge reflects a “blatant disregard of human life”, though critics questioned why similar cases were previously prosecuted under the Road Transport Act.
Jelutong MP RSN Rayer pointed out that there were inconsistencies in the actions taken in drink driving cases, citing a Feb 9 case involving three deaths where the suspect was instead investigated for reckless driving.
The crash on Sunday resulted in the death of delivery rider Amirul Hafiz Omar, with his widow calling for “a life for a life” and intending to file a civil suit that could reach up to RM1 million.
The accused, R Saktygaanapathy, was also charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, to which he pleaded guilty to self-administering drugs.
The Klang case had renewed public outrage over drink driving cases resulting in death, with some calling for the death penalty for such offences.
The case has also sparked racial rhetoric online, with lawyer Latheefa Koya warning of increasing narratives targeting Indian Malaysians.
“In any case, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not confined to any particular race - news reports are replete with examples of perpetrators from all races,” she said.
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Govt office temps going up amid energy crisis
As the energy crisis sparked by the West Asia conflict continues - with diesel prices hitting a record high - the government has moved to turn up the heat by raising air-conditioning temperatures in all its offices as part of austerity measures.
Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said energy controls in government buildings will be tightened, including setting air-conditioning temperatures at no lower than 24°C.
The energy transition and water transformation minister also called on civil servants to dress for the local climate, suggesting batik, corporate shirts or baju Melayu to reduce reliance on air conditioning.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki had also alluded to the likelihood that the dress code would be relaxed to include short sleeves.
To reduce fuel consumption, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier announced that federal ministries, government agencies, statutory bodies, and government-linked bodies will implement work-from-home policies beginning April 15.
As public concern rises, Fadillah assured that the petroleum supply remains sufficient, and the government has prepared contingency plans to ensure continued supply under any circumstances, including sourcing supplies from alternative markets.
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Don’t worry, govt will disclose
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has maintained that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the cabinet are committed to disclosing MACC-linked investigations, once both aspects are thoroughly probed.
“Regarding the issue of (MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s) shareholdings, there are also allegations made by an international media outlet claiming the possibility of a connection between Azam and corporate manipulation… the investigation process is still ongoing.
“For that purpose, we must ensure the probe is fully completed before the results of the Azam shareholding investigation can be disclosed,” Fahmi told a post-cabinet meeting press conference on April 1.
This comes after various quarters called for full disclosure of the investigations following reports that Anwar had asked “key people” in the shareholdings probe to hold off making their findings public.
On the “corporate mafia” front, it was reported that the police have not questioned any MACC officers or senior personnel in the probe they have been working on since last October.
Bukit Aman’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Investigation Unit chief Fazlisyam Abd Majid said statements have been recorded from 41 people thus far - none of whom were attached to the anti-graft agency, the New Straits Times reported.
The report added that police investigations into the “corporate mafia” involving businessperson Victor Chin have found no indication of MACC officers’ involvement in the matter.
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