Beatrice’s life could depend on mens rea — Karim

November 10, 2011

KUCHING: It is difficult to determine the ‘intention’ of Beatrice Laus Johie when she carried the bag containing heroin into Melbourne airport, opined Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday.

Abdul Karim, who is a lawyer by training, said the burden of proof had to be produced by the Australian police to show that Beatrice was aware of the 1.5kg of heroin inside the bag she was carrying.

“At this point in time, the investigation has to prove that there was no mens rea (an intention of the mind) from Beatrice, to help her to get acquitted,” he said.

He was asked to comment on Beatrice who was nabbed with 1.5kg of heroin at Melbourne International Airport last Sunday afternoon. She was said to have been deceived by her Nigerian boyfriend to carry his luggage which contained the drugs. The Nigerian, whom she had befriended through Facebook, was supposed to travel with her but he did not make the trip at the last moment – claiming visa problems.

If found guilty, Beatrice will face 25 years’ imprisonment or A$550,000 fine.

Abdul Karim said the interrogation period would involve a lot of legal procedures.

“This is one of the hardest parts (interrogation and legal procedures) that a person must go through. I pity her as a person, but there is no way through this except to seek help from the government,” he said.
  

Abdul Karim: Kita just day-dreaming

by Zoee Hilson. 

Posted on November 7, 2011, Monday

BAU: Parti Kita (Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air) will not win even a single seat, what more to say becoming a ruling party, during the next general election.

Assistant Minister for Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who gave this prediction, said Kita president Datuk Zaid Ibrahim must be daydreaming for saying on Friday that the party aimed to be a ruling party.

Karim added that as far as Sarawak was concerned, the party is an unknown entity.

“Maybe in Peninsular Malaysia there are members of Kita which is a splinter of PKR, but I doubt that it can capture any seat, or even one seat. This is just daydreaming. I would say their impact is totally zero. We don’t even know who the leaders of Kita are in Sarawak,” he said at a Hari Raya Aidiladha event at Surau Nur Akmal in Kampung Blimbin, Bau, yesterday.

Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman and chief political secretary to the chief minister, added that presently the party did not have a single assemblyman, so their dream was really something “too farfetched”.

In a news report by Bernama yesterday, Zaid said that the party was not after the prime minister’s post and that they were not a nuisance as labelled by some quarters.

Claiming that Kita was the best alternative political party for the people because it fought for the welfare of Malaysias, Zaid said: “We aim to be a ruling party but we are not after the prime minister’s post…this is why we hope to put up candidates in suitable areas to ensure victory in the elections.”

Perkim Sarawak brings cheer to 50 families

By RINTOS MAIL

rintos@thestar.com.my

Monday November 7, 2011

KUCHING: Muslim Welfare Organisation Malaysia (Perkim) Sarawak Branch has brought cheers to some 50 families at Kampung Belimbing, Krokong in Bau near here in conjunction with this year’s Hari Raya Qurban.

Four cows were donated but only three slaughtered after one ran away in the nick of time.

The three were slaughtered early in the morning.

The one which escaped was supposed to be slaughtered during an official ceremony to distribute the sacrificial meat to the needy families from the village and the surrounding areas after the afternoon prayer yesterday.

Housing Assistant Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah officiated at the ceremony.

The function, nevertheless went on to distribute meat from the three slaughtered earlier.

Speaking to reporters later, Abdul Karim said this year’s Perkim religious activity was centred in Bau.

Karim to resign as state BN backbencher’s club chief

Monday November 14, 2011

KUCHING: The Sarawak Barisan Nasional backbencher’s club chairman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah will resign from his position today.

Karim, 51, having been appointed to assistant ministerial portfolios, including Housing and Youth Development, is no longer qualified to lead the group of non-ministers.

Karim said his replacement had been identified but declined to name the person.

“I believe he’s very capable,” Karim told reporters yesterday following a Barisan pre-State Legislative Assembly meeting at the PBB headquarters here.

“We’ll leave the announcement for tomorrow (today),” he said.

Pressed further, he said: “What can I say? Well, he is still new, but he should be capable enough to handle it. This is an important position in the Assembly.”

Asked what gave the replacement the upper hand against the other Barisan assemblymen, Karim said that various factors including academic qualifications and career achievements prior to his entering into politics were considered.

Hamil luar nikah serius

November 2, 2011

Statistik meningkat, kebanyakan ‘keterlanjuran’ berlaku musim cuti sekolah

KUCHING: Peningkatan ketara jumlah penghuni Taman Seri Puteri, di sini pada tahun ini berbanding 2010 mencerminkan kes hamil luar nikah di kalangan remaja di Sarawak semakin membimbangkan.

Menteri Kebajikan, Wanita dan Pembangunan Keluarga Datuk Fatimah Abdullah memberitahu, institusi yang bertujuan melindungi dan menjaga gadis hamil seawal umur 14 tahun hingga 18 tahun itu mencatatkan jumlah penghuni sebanyak 20 orang setakat ini berbanding sembilan orang pada 2010.

“Waktu saya mula melawat dulu kita ada empat orang. Dan apa yang kita ada dalam rekod ini hanya ‘tip of an iceberg,’ nampak sedikit tetapi bahagian yang tidak kelihatan itu sebenarnya lebih banyak.

“Kalau statistik sudah menyaksikan peningkatan, apatah lagi jumlah kes yang tidak dilaporkan kepada agensi-agensi kerajaan dan di luar pengetahuan kita,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas Majlis Perasmian Bengkel Latihan Pelatih Hubungan Sihat Dalam Kalangan Remaja, di sini, semalam.

Hadir sama, Menteri Muda Pembangunan Sosial Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Men-teri Muda Kebajikan Robert Lawson Chuat dan Pengarah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Negeri Noriah Ahmad.

Fatimah memberitahu, kadar kelahiran bayi oleh remaja di negeri ini turut menyaksikan peningkatan iaitu daripada 7.16 peratus pada 2009 kepada 8.8 peratus pada 2010.

Dalam pada itu, beliau mencadangkan agar taklimat mengenai hubungan sihat di kalangan remaja diadakan sebelum cuti persekolahan.