Escapee drowns in sewage pond

NORAZMI Azman was supposed to be sent to a drug rehabilitation centre in Tampoi, Johor.

The 23-year-old from Malacca, however, managed to escape from custody after jumping out of a police van on Wednesday. The incident occurred in Jalan Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur. He fled on foot.

Yesterday, his body was found inside an Indah Water Konsortium plant in Pantai Dalam by a worker who alerted police.

Earlier, the worker had discovered something blocking the plant's conduit, used to separate rubbish from sewage.

The worker was shocked to find the body, which was still clad in a lock-up T-shirt.

Brickfields police chief Assistant Commissioner Sulaiman Junaidi said the deceased was charged with a drug offense.

"Norazmi escaped from a police van while returning from Jalan Duta Court Complex at 4pm yesterday (Wednesday)," he said. The court had earlier ordered the deceased to be sent to Tampoi rehabilitation centre.

"After the court proceedings, he was handcuffed before being taken to the police van," he added.

However, Norazmi managed to free himself while on the way back to Hang Tuah lock-up. He pushed aside a policeman in the van before jumping out.

Sulaiman said the incident happened close to the court complex and a massive search failed to locate him.

Sulaiman said Norazmi was believed to have slipped and drowned in a sewage pond several hours after escaping.

Initial investigations showed no signs of struggle or injuries on the victim's body. Police are waiting for a post-mortem report on the cause of death.

"We do not suspect foul play, but a probe is underway. We will record statements from the policemen who escorted him on Wednesday," he added.

Source: Malay Mail newspaper

No action against bloggers unless they break the law

KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities cannot take any action against bloggers unless they break the law, said Energy, Communications and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

"There is nothing we can do. What do you want me to do? Block the whole thing? If they break the law and we know who they are, we will go after them."

"You want to listen to all these fellows, the lies and misinformation? You get confused and you do not know what is the truth, half-truth or lies. But as you become more knowledgeable, you can differentiate (them)," he said.

Dr Lim was asked about bloggers who posted wrong information about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was overcome by heat exhaustion on Sunday.

He urged the public to be selective on the information on the Internet as "good knowledge come together with bad knowledge."

"I get a lot of questions like minister you have to stop this and stop that. I can't stop because knowledge good or bad, come together," he said.

He said parents should discipline their children while adults must discipline themselves.

"Through the Internet, you select the knowledge and not the minister who pushes the knowledge to you," he told reporters after opening the APT Policy and Regulatory Forum 2007 and World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

Source: Star newspaper

Four killed, one hurt in head-on collision

KUCHING: Four people, including two children,were killed and another child seriously injured when the car they were in as involved in a head-on collision with a lorry near Taman Malihah yesterday.

Two of the victims were identified as Chong Siew Kee, 47, and her niece, 22-year-old Law Siew Hui.

The two other victims were a 2-year-old boy and an 8-month-old infant while a 3-year-old is in a critical condition. All children are believed to be Law's children. however, police have withheld their identities.

A police spokesman said the Honda Civic by Chong was believed to have veered into the path of the oncoming lorry along Jalan Batu Kawa-Matang.

Rescuers took more than an hour to extricate the bodies from the mangled wreck.

Efforts to speak to family members at the Sarawak General Hospital mortuary proved futile as they were overcome with grief.

Police have detained the 50-year-old lorry driver.

Source: NST newspaper
Pictures: NST newspaper, Star newspaper